“Leo?” He asked as he stepped in. He looked apologetic as he saw Leo
was on the phone.

“Yeah, okay. I’ll see you tonight.” Leo started to finish up. “Okay. Seven
o’clock. I’ll see you then, Jeri.” He finished and then hung up. He looked at the
President and sighed. “What can I do for you, sir?”

“Who’s Jeri? Never mind. Didn’t Katy say she was going to be in Oklahoma
City this week?” Jed asked.

“Yeah, well, apparently she changed flight plans.” Leo muttered.

“You heard from any of the guys down there?” Jed asked.

“No, sir. They haven’t seen fit to call in. I don’t think there’s much to report
anyway.” Leo said with a weak smile.

“I wonder if Toby’s having a breakdown.” Jed muttered.

“I don’t know. I can imagine.” Leo whispered.

“Who’s Jeri?”

“Someone I met.”

“A woman?”

“Mr. President, please.”

“Have fun, Leo.”

“I intend to, sir.”

“I’m going back to work.”

“Thank God, sir.”

“Very funny.”

“I try.”

“I’m leaving now.”

“Good bye, sir.”

“Good bye, Leo.”

“Toby?” Josh’s voice exclaimed. Toby looked at the clock and groaned.
What the hell was Josh up to at this time in the morning? He stumbled out of bed
and ripped over the door.

“What the hell do you want?” He slurred.

“Wake up, Toby. Get dressed, come on.” Josh urged as he moved into his
friend’s hotel room and looked around.

“I see no reason why I should.” Toby retorted as he closed the door and
clambered back towards his bed. Josh grabbed him and turned him towards his
closet.

“Because I told you too. Come on. Get dressed. Put on something decent.
You and I got a meeting.” Josh answered.

“A meeting? It’s not even eight in the morning. I want to sleep. I never get
to sleep anymore.” Toby whined as he stumbled towards the closet and looked for
some pants.

“I know, but this is an important meeting.” Josh said as he sat on Toby’s
bed and waited patiently.

“Who’s it with?” Toby murmured as he scrounged through his suitcase.

“Uh, a guy.” Josh replied. Toby looked at him incredulously.

“A guy? Josh, you woke me up to take me to meet with some guy who you
don’t even know his name? I’m going back to sleep.” Toby muttered as he
dropped the suitcase and started walking back to the bed.

“Toby, all I know is this guy has a good key vote on the bill and we really
need to go talk to him. He could be the sway vote.” Josh said quickly. Toby
stopped and sighed.

“You got to start telling me these things all at once so I don’t start looking
like an idiot walking back and forth.” He grumbled as he did another about face
and went to get some clothes. Josh smiled and nodded.

“Right. I’ll remember that.” He replied as Toby disappeared into the
bathroom.

KD groaned and looked at the clock. She rolled over in the bed and rested
her head against the pillow as the radio continued to blare. She thought about all
the things that had happened to her the day before and the dreams that plagued
her not only last night, but also every night for the past three months. She didn’t
want to think about all the things that she’d done wrong but she couldn’t help it.
This whole thing was like one big reminder of how she’d failed at everything she’d
done. She could hear Ross Gavin’s voice telling her that she could never let
herself be happy. She heard his words: “Don’t give up so easily. You deserve
what you get, kid.”

But that Ross Gavin was a dream, a literal ghost of the past. Ross was
dead now and so were so many other things. Who was she to challenge the way
things were? She looked at the clock again and sighed, deciding that she’d better
get a move on if she wanted to beat the traffic. As she sat up in the bed, a new
song started to play.

You’re all I ever wanted
You’re all I ever needed, yeah
So tell me what to do now
Cause I, I, I, I, I want you back

KD slammed her fist down on the alarm and bit her lip. She brushed away
the tears that had not yet fallen from her eyes and got to her feet. Her silk pajamas
swayed as she crossed the room to grab a robe and head for the bathroom. A soft
knock at the door surprised her. She tied the robe around her and then opened the
door cautiously. She stepped back as Josh moved in quickly, pushing a cart with
food on it.

“Josh, what are you doing?” She asked, caught halfway between the pain
of seeing him again and the laughter of what he was doing.

“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” Josh declared as he
faced her. KD chuckled and walked towards the cart, leaving the door hanging
open.

“You planning on joining me?” She asked playfully as she pointed to the
second plate on the cart. Josh shook his head.

“No, but he is.” He replied softly. KD turned white and bit her lip.

“Josh, please tell me . . .” She started but Josh was moving past her for the
door. KD turned around to see him push Toby into the room and hold him there
with a tight squeeze on the shoulder. KD looked at Toby and for the first time in so
long, their eyes met and locked and she knew she’d been right all along. She
couldn’t look him in the eye and not want to run back to him.

“You two need to talk.” Josh declared. “You want to go on pretending that
you believe the other doesn’t love you anymore, well, that doesn’t work for me or
anyone else. This arrangement isn’t working out, so you guys have to make it
right. I’m gonna be outside reading and I’m not letting you past me until I know
that things are the way they should be.”

“Josh . . .” KD said weakly, her tear-filled eyes not leaving Toby’s.

“Just tell him what you told me the other day and you’ll be fine.” Josh told
her and then left the room, closing the door behind him. KD stood there silently,
caught up in all the emotions of seeing him so close again. Toby hesitated, looked
back at the door and then back at her.

“He didn’t tell me what he was planning to do. He said we were meeting a
sway vote.” He said softly as he watched her. “Once I figured it out, once he told
me, well I just wanted to see you again.” He admitted weakly. KD shook her head
weakly.

“Toby, I’m so sorry.” She whispered as a tear rolled down her cheek. Toby
stepped forward to wipe it away with his thumb. Was she crying because she still
cared, he wondered.

“Does this mean I still have a chance?” He whispered. KD bit her lip and
forced herself to turn away.

“Do you want some of this? It’s probably good food. It’d be a shame to let it
go to waste.” She murmured. Toby sighed and let his hands drop to his sides
before shaking his head.

“No, thanks. I ate.” He lied. KD closed her eyes, sensing all the emotions
whirling through his voice and turned back to him. He stepped forward, moving
closer to her.

“Toby.” She said softly. He smiled weakly and reached up to cup her face
in his hands. “I’m so sorry.” She repeated as the tears began to stream down her
face. He leaned forward and kissed them off of her cheeks. She closed her eyes at
the touch and gently placed her hands on his chest, clutching the edges of his
jacket tentatively.

“I love you.” He whispered in her ear. “I missed you, Katy.” KD inhaled
sharply and nodded.

“I missed you too.” She admitted in a whisper. “I love you so much, Toby.”
She murmured.

“Then what happened? What went wrong?” He asked her as he slipped his
hand around her head and held her close against his chest. KD buried her face
into his shoulder and tried to breathe. “Josh said you told him something. What
did you tell him?”

“Someone gave me a choice.” She started softly, taking a deep breath. “I
either had to leave Washington or they’d destroy everything we’d work for. They
would have used me, my past, to hurt the President and the administration.
There’s so much no one knows, I couldn’t . . .” KD trailed off and tried not to sob.
“I couldn’t let her destroy everything that Joss and Leo and you and the others
have worked so hard for.”

“Her?” Toby caught. “Who, Katy? Who gave you the choice?” He asked
weakly, sure that he already knew the answer. KD shook her head and tried to pull
away, but he only tightened his grasp around her, holding her close and feeling
her body against his. “I’m not going to let anyone take you away from me, Katy. I
shouldn’t have the first time but I was too confused to understand. You know
where you belong is with me. Tell me, please, who was it?” He pleaded as he
rested his chin on her head.

“Andrea Wyatt.” KD whispered hesitantly as she clung to him. Toby closed
his eyes and hugged her tighter. “I’m sorry, Toby, I’m so sorry.” KD whimpered as
she cried into his chest. He shook his head and pulled her eyes on to his, locking
his gaze with hers.

“It’s not your fault.” He said softly as he stared into her eyes. “Come home,
Katy. Come home and be with me again, where you belong.” He whispered before
pulling her lips to his. She closed her eyes as they kissed for the first time in
months. Slowly she slipped her arms around his neck as he held her closer,
taking in the sensation joyfully. A moment later, he pulled away from her and
leaned his forehead against hers. “Is that a yes?” He asked playfully with a weak
smile. More tears had fallen down her face and he wiped them away. KD smiled at
him and kissed the palm of his hand.

“Yeah. Yes, it is.” She whispered before he kissed her again.

“What are you wearing under this?” He asked playfully as he kissed her
neck. She smiled and closed her eyes.

“Pajamas.” She murmured.

“The way you always wear em?” He asked hopefully. She laughed and
nodded. He smiled and began to untie the robe as he pressed his lips to hers and
pushed her back towards the bed.

Josh stood in the hallway and paced while glancing at his watch every ten
seconds. They’d been in there for nearly four hours now and the plane took off at
three. He was praying that they hadn’t killed each other in there. He knew fights
could be bad. His cell phone rang and he was quick to answer.

“Josh Lyman speaking.” He said nervously.

“Josh, where are you? CJ’s throwing a fit thinking that you and Toby fell
off the face of the earth.” Donna’s voice said worriedly.

“I’m at the Whitford. I pushed Toby and Katy into a room together and
locked the door. I’m still waiting to see the results.” He explained.

“That’s really sweet, Josh, but hurry up. Knock on the door or something.
The plane takes off in an hour and a half and you know how those delays can get.
CJ is going nuts.” Donna exclaimed. “Plus I miss you.” She added softly. Josh
grinned and nodded, forgetting she couldn’t see him.

“I’m gonna knock right now and then I’m coming for you.” He replied.

“You promise?” Donna teased.

“Absolutely.” He assured her. “I’ll see you in a bit.”

“Bye.” She said softly before the line went dead. Josh turned off the phone
and then knocked on the door. No answer came for about a minute so he knocked
again. Another minute later, a fully dressed KD opened the door with a tired look
on her face.

“I was beginning to think you guys had killed each other.” Josh admitted
playfully as KD moved back into the room. Josh followed and saw Toby sitting on
the bed looking equally tired. “So did you guys talk? Did you get some results?”
He asked eagerly. KD looked at Toby and then at Josh.

“I think we did.” She said coyly.

“You think?” Josh asked playfully. KD opened her mouth to say something
when Toby got to his feet and moved to her. Josh grinned as he watched them
kiss gently.

“Let’s just say seven is my new lucky number.” Toby said softly as he
looked at Josh. KD turned beet red and buried her face into Toby’s neck. Toby
smiled happily and helped her grab her bags. Josh stood where he was, confused
by Toby’s statement. “Come on, we’ve got a plane to catch. Don’t dawdle, Josh.”
Toby added as he pulled KD out of the room. Josh stood where he was still as the
realization came to him what Toby was talking about. His mouth dropped open as
he looked around the room.

“Jolly, come on!” KD’s voice called. Josh moved out of the room and
closed the door behind him.

“You two are animals.” He declared as he moved ahead of them for the
elevator. Toby grinned and nuzzled KD’s neck.

“You better believe it.” He whispered as he followed her.

“Where are they?” CJ asked frantically as her watch moved on to five
minutes to three. Donna placed a calming hand on her colleague’s shoulder and
smiled weakly.

“Josh said that he forced KD and Toby into a locked room together and
that he’d be here soon. Just relax.” She tried to say soothingly. CJ paused and
looked at Donna.

“He forced them into a room together?” She repeated. Donna nodded.

“Thank God for Josh.” CJ murmured and then went back inside the plane to tell
the pilot there might be another slight delay. Donna chuckled and then heard the
roar of an engine as the long missing blood red Jeep Wrangler pulled on lot. Josh
was driving, while KD and Toby talked quietly in the back. They looked so close
now, as if nothing had ever gone wrong. CJ stepped out of the plane and smiled
before moving down the stairs.

“It’s about time, you guys.” She called as she walked down the steps to
meet them. KD smiled and hopped out of the car only to get hugged by CJ.

“Welcome back.” CJ murmured as she flashed a look to Toby. Her friend was
smiling now, almost an opposite of the man she’d talked to yesterday. KD hugged
back and then stepped away.

“Well, sorry for the delay. There were some kinks to work out.” She said
playfully. CJ laughed and nodded.

“You coming with us?” She asked hopefully.

“Well, since you invited me.” KD retorted before feeling Toby’s arms slip
around her waist. “I just wanna know what’s going to happen to my car.” She said
as she leaned back into him and rested a hand on the vehicle.

“We can get someone to drive it back. I don’t know if we can get into the
cargo space.” Donna exclaimed as Josh approached her. She smiled at him and
kissed him gently as he slipped his arms around her.

“Maybe we can ask one of those secret service guys.” KD suggested and
waved her hand at the group of agents nearby. CJ noticed the hand was glistening
in the sunlight and realized that KD had her ring back on. She smiled at Toby and
nodded. Toby smiled back and then helped KD talk to the agents about getting her
car back to DC. CJ moved back to the plane and caught Danny’s eye. He’d been
watching out the window and now he watched her with a smirk on his face. Things
were going to be okay now. They knew it.