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The Journey to Love: Love and Politics	By : sissouthernink1994 Category: S through Z > West Wing Views: 2272 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: Full disclaimer below with more to follow for each chapter. This is a work of fiction. I don't own The West Wing- the building or the show. I don't know President and Mrs. Obama, I'm not getting paid for this.

Chapter List
- 8
- 9
- 10
Citation: The poem "How Do I love Thee" by Elizabeth Barrett Browning is from her Sonnet 43.
A/N: Sam’s thought regular italics, Josh’s bold print

Chapter 9: After the Woo
Bartlet Campaign Trail…

                The next month on the campaign trail was busy and unpredictable. However, Josh and Sam found a way to keep up their poetic responses going. And although it was Sam’s idea, he was anxious for Josh to make the next move. Josh hadn’t gotten to that point yet. Sam was disappointed; maybe Josh’s feelings weren’t as far along as his. Maybe Josh was getting cold feet. His responses gave a different impression.
                Josh on the other hand seemed frustrated as well. He hoped that his point had been made and that Sam would ask Josh to have a conversation. No such indication so far. What else could Josh do? He didn’t feel that it was his duty to start the conversation, since Sam started it. Maybe Sam’s waiting for me to do it? I don’t know. Getting this relationship started is different from any other I’ve been in. I feel a bit at a loss.
                Josh and Sam weren’t the only ones feeling frustrated. Some very caring onlookers and hopeful well-wishers were ready to wish them well as a couple. How could they be prompted? What could be done to jumpstart them? Three people had a plan, a foolproof plan to get them together and talking. Executing it wouldn’t be a problem once everything was set up. Getting them to talk once together, that was the unknown factor.
                The campaigners riding the buses had gathered everything and placed them back on the bus ready to head to the next town. Everyone boarded and the buses were heading out. Sam was in his own thoughts as the chatter of his fellow passengers filled in the background. He didn’t feel like writing. Josh as usual was conducting campaign business. I wonder if he knows how handsome his is when he’s talking. He loved watching Josh. Most people probably found his wild, manic, fidgety demeanor exhausting, but Sam loved it. It was Josh. It was a part of what made them friends. Sam was the cool, calm collected one and Josh was, well, just Josh. The ultimate Yen and Yang. As friends, they complimented each other perfectly. There was no telling how complementary they could be as a couple.
                The campaign caravan made it to the next town later than expected. Everyone wanted to eat and get to their rooms. Sam was rooming with Tate again. He didn’t mind it. Better him than Toby. Once in the room he plopped down on the bed. Tate just dropped his suitcase on the other bed and he like so many others, was on the search for food. Sam probably should have joined him, but he didn’t.
The room was silent. He was alone with his thoughts. That was until he heard a knock on the door. Before he could get to the door to open it, someone slid a piece of paper underneath it. Sam clearly saw his name, but didn’t recognize the handwriting. He quickly opened to door to an empty hallway. Making sure he had his key, he closed the door, hoping it would give the delivery person a sense of security to come out of hiding so he could catch them red handed. It was a poor plan. The person was long gone.
As he turned back to the room, he opened the paper. It was in the form of a meeting memo. Unbeknownst to Sam it was an invitation.
        RE:                                  Staff Meeting
                                                          LOCATION:                                 Conference Room 3
                     TIME:                                 10 p.m.
Sam had two hours to wait for this meeting. Might as well, grab something to eat. He went back in the room to get his jacket and headed downstairs to find a decent place to eat.

                Josh was sitting at the table in his room making notes for the next day. His stomach had been growling for the better part of thirty minutes or so. It had also decided that it had gone long enough without food and sent up a dry burp in protest.
“Ok, ok. I’ll get something to eat.” He began putting his papers away when he heard a knock at his door. As he got up to open it, a piece of paper found its way into the room under the door. Josh quickly opened the door to find the same empty hall Sam found. Not a soul was lurking around. Strange, he thought. He opened the folded piece of paper and found the memo for the staff meeting at 10 p.m. Who’s calling a meeting besides me? Maybe CJ? But she would have said so in the memo. Maybe it’s Leo? It puzzled Josh, but he grabbed his coat and headed out for dinner anyway.
                It was twenty minutes to ten and Sam was getting items ready for this impromptu staff meeting. He was wondering why Tate wasn’t doing the same thing. So he asked him.
“I don’t know of a staff meeting tonight, Mr. Seaborn.”
“No one told you about a meeting at 10 p.m. tonight?”
“No sir.” He responded. “Maybe it’s a senior meeting. I’m just an intern.”
“Hmmm, you’re probably right. Oh well, I hope whoever called this meeting will not keep us long. My brain is shot.”
“I hear ya. I’ll probably be asleep when you come back in.”
“I promise to be as quiet as I can.”
“Thanks.” Sam left the room in search of Conference Room 3.
As he stepped on the Conference Room floor, he could see the Secret Service at all the protective points. Maybe the Governor called the meeting, Sam thought. It would make sense why the Secret Service was on this floor, and why there were so many of them. He approached the door, the agent nodded at him.
“Good evening Mr. Seaborn.”
“Good evening. I’m supposed to be in a meeting at 10.”
“Yes sir.” He opened the door for Sam. “Enjoy your meeting Sir.”
“Uh, thanks. I guess.”
                Sam walked into the large conference room. Nothing looked out of the ordinary. The table was surrounded by chairs. There was a screen set up for presentations. There was a table set up for food. Everything looked normal, except for the fact that he was the only one there. Where was everyone else? A few moments later Josh entered the room. He looked confused at the emptiness as well.
“So why’d you call a meeting so late?” Sam asked.
“Wasn’t me. I got a note under the door.”
“Me too. There was a knock and the paper flew in the room.”
“Same thing. So you don’t know who called this meeting?”
“Nope. I thought it might be CJ but Tate says no.”
“The Governor then?” Josh asked.
“That’s what I thought when I saw all the agents.”
“Guess we’ll wait a little bit and see.”
An uncomfortable silence fell between the two best friends. Here they were, two of the biggest wordsmiths on the campaign trail and neither of them could think of anything to say. Sam sat on the table. Josh paced with his hands in his pockets. Neither of them was ever good a small talk.
“Toby seems pleased with your speeches lately.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
“He said so?”
“Yeah. Why?” Sam scoffed at the answer.
“He never says so.”
“That’s Toby for you. As long as he’s complaining, you have nothing to worry about. The minute he goes speechless, worry.”
“Oh.” Sam looked down at his dangling feet as he answered. Why is this so hard? It’s just Josh. He thought. Then he took a deep breath, Here goes. “So, have you read anything of mine lately?” Josh looked up in surprise.
“Hmmm? Oh yeah, I have actually.”
“Anything of interest?”
“Yeah, actually.” Ok, Josh, get ready.
“What was it?” Sam asked.
“What was what?”
“What did you read?” At that moment, Sam’s heart began beating faster.
“Oh…uh…” Josh looked at Sam’s beautiful blue eyes and got lost. He couldn’t say what he was thinking, not yet anyway. “Uh, have you ever read any Browning?” Sam tilted his head in confusion.
“Robert or Elizabeth?”
“Elizabeth.”
“Sure. Who hasn’t? Why?”Josh shrugged.
“Just wondering.” He stopped pacing. “You have a favorite?” Sam thought a moment.
“I guess.”
“Which one?”
“Do you really need to know?” Sam asked.
“Just wondering. Making small talk while we wait.”
“You know we don’t do small talk Josh. And anyway I thought you were going to talk about my stuff you read.”
“Were you going to tell me which one?”Sam sighed. Josh wasn’t going to let this go.
“I like ‘How Do I Love Thee’.”
“Really? That’s so…common.”
“Common? What makes you say that?”
“Come on Sam, every lovesick teenage boy tried that out on the girl they thought was the girl of their dreams.”
“I didn’t.”
“Never?” Sam shook his head. “Not even once? Why the hell not?”
“It wouldn’t have worked.”
“Ah, never worked for me either.” Josh turned away from Sam and paced some more.
“You know. I’m beginning to think no one else is coming.”
“Me too. What should we do?” Josh said.
“I wanna know who sent us up here. There’s no need for all of those agents.”
“True.” Josh turned to look at Sam.
“What?”
“Nothing. Just…”
“Just what?”
“Do you remember the poem?”
“You mean Elizabeth Barrett Browning?” Josh nodded. “Yes.” Josh remained quiet. “Would you like me to say it?”
“Sure, if you want.” Sam sighed and began reciting with passion:

“How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.”

Josh took a few steps closer to the table. Sam’s heart began beating faster as Josh spoke:

“I love thee to the level of everyday’s
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right.
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.”

Josh stepped closer still, standing right in front of Sam, and placed his hands on the table, one on each side of Sam. Sam felt his face getting warmer as Josh’s brown eyes seemed to bore into his soul like never before. Blushing, he recited the last stanza of the poem with Josh joining in:

“I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood’s faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints- I love thee with the breadth,
Smiles, tears, of all my life!- and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.”

“So those are the ways that you love me?” Josh asked.
“Huh?”Sam seemed to lose his voice.
“The poem. You love me that many different ways?”
“Uh, no. It’s more than that.” Sam whispered.
“How many?”
“Too many to count.”
“I thought so.” He whispered back as he leaned in closer to Sam, planting a chaste kiss to his lips.
A shocked Sam leaned back as if he was afraid of Josh, but when he came to his senses and remember this is what he wanted, what he hoped for, he leaned forward and kissed Josh back. Josh stopped the kiss but Sam wasn’t ready to. He leaned forward to capture Josh’s lips again, placing his hands on either side of Josh’s face. Josh could feel Sam’s tongue stroking his bottom lip, seeking entrance. As his head tilted, Sam found the entrance and learned the sweetness of Josh’s kiss. A soft whimper was shared between the two and Josh’s hands gathered about Sam’s waist, pulling him off the table and closer to him.
Sam let his hands flow from Josh’s face to his back, holding on for surety as they kissed. Josh pulled back for a second to look into those mesmerizing blue eyes. Those eyes were pleading for more kisses just as his lips were. Josh couldn’t help but to oblige. The kiss was gentle, full of desire and understanding. Neither wanted to stop but air forced them apart. They rested forehead to forehead, panting trying to catch their breath. Sam closed his eyes and smiled as he still felt the remnants of Josh’s lips.
“Mmmm….” Sam hummed softly as tears filled his eyes.
“I know. Seems like we’ve been waiting forever to feel that.”
“I don’t want to stop feeling it.” He said as the tears began to fall. Sam reached forward for more kisses and Josh continued them. Minutes, later they broke apart, Josh wiping a few of Sam’s tears away.
“Why are you crying?”
“Relief. I didn’t really know how you would react. I didn’t know if you would feel the same way. I was so scared to put my heart on the line…I started to chicken out.”
“I’m so glad you didn’t. I never knew I could feel this way about a man; I never knew I could feel this way about you. Maybe I had other motives when I came to New York. Maybe I just wanted you near me and didn’t really know how to say it. Maybe I…”
“Maybe, it’s just the right time.”
“Maybe.” Josh said as Sam kissed him again.
“So what do we do now?” Sam asked.
“I don’t know. What do you think we should do?”
“I think we should be together. I think we should be boyfriends.”
“Boyfriends. I like the sound of that.”
“We’ll have to be careful so it won’t ruin the campaign. If what we wrote in our poems is true, then we know we love each other. I don’t think that we need to go on dates to prove that.”
“I don’t know if we can sneak out to go on a date.”
“We’ll have to let the Governor know…” Sam stated. Josh paused and thought.
“I think he knows.”
“How do you figure that?”
“The agents. He sent them here to protect us. He sent us here. He made sure we had some quiet time to talk. We’ve been telling each other how we feel, but we haven’t shared our feelings.”Josh said.
“We haven’t said what we really want to hear, need to hear from each other.” Sam said, as he finally understood. This is what they talked about in their poems. Now it was a reality. This time the tears welled up in Josh’s eyes and gently fell as he said what was on his heart.
“Sam, I love you.”
“I love you too.” Sam pulled Josh into his arms and they embraced.
After a few minutes, Sam suggested that they should leave each other and go to bed before people got suspicious and wondered where they were. Neither of them wanted to leave, not after they just discovered this wonderful feeling of love between them. But they needed rest and sleep. After kissing again (well, a few more times), they left the conference room. As they rode the elevator down to their floor, they smiled at each other the whole time. Before stepping off they whispered, “pleasant dreams boyfriend” to each other. Sam went left to his room; Josh to the right.
As each man prepared for bed, they felt full of love. All Sam could think about was that his new boyfriend was sleeping about twelve rooms away from him. Josh couldn’t stop smiling. He literally felt all warm and fuzzy. Neither of them knew what the future would hold for them, but as long as they were together, nothing else would really matter.

                The next morning the Governor saw Josh headed to the dining room for breakfast and decided to walk with him.
“Josh.”
“Good morning, sir.”
“You seem to be brighter than usual today. Everything’s good?”
“Very good sir. Finally had a decent night’s sleep.”
“And your meeting last night?”
“Last night? Oh it was fine.”
“So you and Sam worked everything out?”
“Yes sir. About that, Sam and I ne-”
“Don’t need to talk to me. I know and I don’t have to openly disclose it. It’s not necessary to the campaign. Now if someone asks, I can give general answers. If they ask specifics, I don’t have to answer.”
“Thank you sir. We weren’t quite sure how to approach it.”
“Just don’t let it affect your jobs.”
“It won’t; I promise.”Josh replied. Bartlet patted him on the back and he headed to the buffet table. So the Governor really did set that up. Have to tell Sam I was right.
                A few hours later Sam ran into Leo. They were in a room filled with people and Leo pulled him over to the side with a hand gesture.
“I heard there was a staff meeting last night. I couldn’t be there. Things went well I assume?” Sam was shocked to think that Leo would care about what had been going on between him and Josh.
“Yes they did. Thanks for asking.”
“Just concerned. Wanted to make sure that all is well with the two people who are going to get Jed Bartlet elected.”
“I think there are more people to credit than just us.”
“Josh’s ideas and your words are quite a complementary combination.” Sam smiled at the thought.
“Thank you sir. I really do try. Toby doesn’t see it that way all the time.”
“You do know the best way to sharpen steel is against another piece of steel?” Sam nodded that he understood. “Don’t worry about Toby. CJ says when he has nothing to say, be concerned. You’re doing a great job and you are doing excellent by Josh. Noah would be happy knowing that you are there for Josh and that you two ended up together.”
“He thought we would?”
“He mentioned it a long time ago, shortly after you both graduated. He had hoped you two would be a couple then. However, he realized that you would have to find your way to each other. He’d be glad to know that it finally happened.”
“Thanks for your support Leo. We will have to talk to the Governor about it just in case a reporter asks.”
“Let me take care of that, ok?”
“Sure thing.” Leo gave him a reassuring smile and walked back over to the group of people.
I’ll have to tell Josh that it was Leo who put us in that room. Probably as a favor to Noah. Wow Leo. Who knew?
                Later that evening, while everyone was heading out for the dinner break, Sam snuck up to Josh’s room and knocked on the door. When Josh opened it, he was happy to know that Josh was alone.
“Hey.” Sam said.
“Hey yourself.” Josh replied by pulling Sam into the room and straight into his arms for a kiss. They both seemed to giggle like teenage boys doing something wrong. “I’ve been waiting all day to do that.”
“Me too.” Sam said and then kissed him again. “You were wrong about who set us up last night. It was Leo.”
“Leo?”
“Yeah, he did it as a favor to your dad.”
“He did not.”
“I’m serious Josh. He told me so earlier.”
“Bartlet asked me about the meeting last night. He had to have set it up.”
“Maybe they both did? Or one did and told the other?” They both shrugged.
“I don’t know.” Josh said. “It’s weird though. Bartlet said not to worry about us being together.”
“So did Leo.”Sam said.
“Seems like they have us covered. I’m guessing CJ knows too.”
“Probably so.”Sam smiled at the fact that they were still holding hands. Josh noticed too and kissed Sam’s hand. “We should get some dinner.”
“You don’t think anyone will think it’s weird that we’re having dinner together?”
“No, we’ve eaten together before.”
“But you don’t think anyone will notice that we look different?”
“Probably not. I think we just look different to us.” Josh shrugged again and grabbed his coat. They kissed again before he opened the door. They forced themselves not to hold hands on the way to the elevator. Once in the lobby they ran into Dr. Bartlet.
“Evening ma’am.” Sam said.
“Good evening gentleman.” She paused before continuing on her way. “Are you two alright?”
“Yes, ma’am. Just a little hungry. We’re finally heading to dinner. Why?” She tilted her head as she looked at them.
“You look different today. Not sure what it is.” She stepped a little closer. “You didn’t stay up too long after your meeting did you?”
“You know?” Sam asked.
“How?” Josh asked.
“Oh come now. Jed and Leo may be older friends than Paul and Silas but do you really think that they were smart enough to pull that off?” They looked at each other. “Let me answer that for you; no they aren’t. Enjoy your dinner.” She continued on her way, leaving them speechless.
“Well…didn’t expect that.” Sam said.
“Neither did I.”
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The Journey to Love: Love and Politics