3: Putting a Spin on It

Title: Putting a Spin on It
Author: Jinni (druscilla@cox.net)
Rating: PG13
Pairing: W/Sam
Genre: BtVS/WW Crossover.
Disclaimer: All things BtVS belong to Joss Whedon, et al. All things WW belong to Aaron Sorkin, et al.
Distribution: Anyone who has “When I Woke Up” and “First Call” can have this one as well.
Author’s Note: Quickie Challenge Response: http://quickie.moonlitpaths.com
Note2: Sequel to “First Call”.

~*~*~

“CJ – you’re my first call.”

I knew the second those words left Sam’s mouth that I was in for a bad morning, if not week. Perhaps even month. It was bad enough that I was mildly hungover and had been asleep when he called, but now he was going to tell me something that I was pretty sure I wasn’t going to like in the least.

“What did you do now?”

“Well, it’s sort of funny, actually.”

Sam’s idea of funny hardly ever falls within the realms of something I would find amusing and the fact that he thinks this will be funny is all the more reason for me to worry about what he’s done. He’s stalling, and I can almost hear him shaking like a leaf through the phone.

“I seriously doubt that, Samuel. What. Did. You. Do?”

“I got married.”

For the moment I am stunned, and nearly drop my cell phone in shock. Did he just say ‘married’? Then the blood begins to rush back to my head, bringing with it a dull ringing sound that I am sure is a sign of something bad. Maybe he’s finally pushed me too far. I could be having a heart attack, perhaps. That could, in reality, be more pleasant than having to deal with the mess Sam has made. The feeling passes, but the shock does not, and finally I find my voice.

“You got married?”

“Yes.”

“To whom if you don’t mind me asking?”

I picture in my mind as I wait for him to answer the worst possible responses he could have for me. Could it be that Cathy flew over here and joined him for a little midnight rendezvous? Marrying one’s assistant would surely be scandalous, thus the reason we’ve tried so hard to keep Josh and Donna from going forward with any relationship plans until after the next election. He also could have married Laurie, which would be equally bad. A call girl as a wife does not bode well for his future in the White House.

But what he ends up saying shocks me even more.

“This girl I met last night.”

Now I had thought, having gotten Josh and Donna safely back to their hotel rooms last night, that my job as a mother for this group was done. Surely with those two locked up together, doing God knew what, I wouldn’t have to worry about our brief interlude in Vegas turning into a scandal.

Well color me surprised that Sam Seaborn went and screwed up.

“You married a girl you met last night. Is she a hooker?”

“CJ, I really don’t see where repeating me is going to help us much. And no, she’s not a hooker. She seems really sweet, actually.”

So idiot boy speaks up for himself. Well isn’t that just dandy. As if his friendship with Laurie wasn’t enough. Now he had to go and marry some girl he met, probably in a bar, last night.

“This is bad, Sam.”

“I know that. I am fully aware of exactly how bad this is.”

No, really, I don’t think he knows.

I sigh, rubbing at my eyes tiredly. I haven’t had enough sleep yet to deal with this kind of thing. Before he can say anything else I try to anticipate the next set of questioning.

“You realize you can’t get divorced. . . that would be an admission of wrongdoing. This close to the election we can’t have that. A member of the President’s senior staff is so much of a drunk he marries some poor, innocent girl. The papers would go nuts with it.”

“She was just as drunk as I was, Claudia Jean.”

“And that’s supposed to make me feel better? There will be no divorcing. Promise her whatever is necessary. Make sure –“

“I’ve already talked with her about this. She decided that the President doesn’t deserve to suffer because her and I are idiots. She’ll stay married to me until a few months after the election.”

“Well – good.” It is, in fact, the first piece of good news to have come out of this entire situation. They’re already thinking ahead, saving me some of the more delicate work that I would have had to do had I actually been forced to convince this young woman that she absolutely could not ruin Sam or the President by going through with a divorce right now. “What’s her name?”

“Willow. How about I bring her by so you can meet her – talk to her. She’s pretty upset right now. Neither one of us were in our right minds, CJ.”

I snort. “She’d have to be out of her mind to marry you, Sam. Get her over here ASAP. We’ll deal with the introductions then. I need to call Carol and see if this has hit the wires yet.”

“Understood. We’ll be over soon.”

I hang up, now very much awake. This is a time of crisis, after all. I dial the office, waiting impatiently for my assistant to pick up the phone.

“Carol?”

“CJ! I was about to call you. You won’t believe what I’m hearing this morning. The Post has a front page picture of –“

I cut her off, going straight to the point - “Sam Seaborn getting married?”

“Right! Who is she? I’ve never seen her around here before.”

“Yes, well. We’re still trying to figure that part out, Carol.”

“You mean –“

“If you’re asking if Sam Seaborn got drunk and married a complete stranger last night – then the answer is yes. That’s not to get out, of course.”

“Of course not.” Carol agreed. I could almost see the wheels in her head churning. She would want to know what to tell the press when she did my briefing this afternoon.

“The White House is not commenting on Samuel Seaborn’s love life except to wish him the best of luck.”

“You want me to tell them that?”

She’s quick this morning, gotta give her that. And maybe my sarcasm is a little unwarranted. She’s going to have to deal with the vultures of the press corps without me there to back her up. Good thing I’ll be doing my own briefing later tonight after we meet up with the President. Hopefully by then we will have a cover story as to how Sam and this girl got together, how long they’ve known each other. We’re going to have to work hard to make it plausible, something that seems so above board that no one dare question it. Something that will hold up to any minor scrutiny if necessary.

“Yes – just tell them that the White House does not comment on the personal lives of their staffers. I’ve gotta go, Carol. Check in with me if you hear anything else in the meantime. Has the President left yet?”

“He departed about half an hour ago. Does he know about this yet?”

“No – and I’m not looking forward to telling him. I’ll talk to you later, Carol.”

I snap the phone shut and resist the urge to throw it against the wall. Sam has really done it this time. Stupid, idiotic. And that poor girl. Sure, they were both drunk, it’s just as much her fault as it is his.


But she’s going to have to be married to him.

Lord help her.

I may kill Sam when this is all over, assuming any of us still have jobs left and I can find somewhere to hide the body.

~*~The End~*~