"If that's not the pot calling the kettle black." She exclaimed.

"The Economic Pact has a provided interest rating of 12%, Brody. Twelve
percent." Lewis said eagerly, determined to win the conversation.

"I've read the briefing, John." KD returned with a smirk.

"Then why are we-" He started.

"The briefing is wrong." She interrupted. Lewis glanced at her in shock
and chuckled.

"Are you daring to say that a qualified team of nearly twenty-five
economic scientists are wrong?" He said, almost teasing.

"It's not a dare; it's a fact. The Economic pact is a waste of time." KD
retorted, not the least bit daunted.

"Oh, is it? Based on what proof?" Lewis demanded.

"Listen to me. This piece of crap is based on stock market revenues over
the past four years and is expecting to provide stability of the process of
the nest twenty. The info this pact is based on is ill-founded and doesn't
take into account the Nasdaq crashes. It's a piece of crap." KD replied
carefully as they stopped to look at each other. Lewis listened carefully and
then shrugged.

"None of that has been proven, and the Nasdaq crashes were
unpredictable." He exclaimed.

"Exactly why they should have been included." KD retorted
enthusiastically.

"What are you doing here? You're not an economist. You're not even a
politician." Lewis came back, changing the subject slightly. KD laughed and
looked around before glancing at him.

"Oh, I'm a politician. It's unfortunate, but I definitely qualify as a
politician." She proclaimed with a grin.

"How so?" Lewis dared as they started walking again, no real destination.

"I'm standing here arguing with you for one thing." She retorted.

"Technically we're walking." He pointed out.

"Oops." She retorted dryly.

"Doesn't look good for you."

"Shut up."

"The Pact will work."

"No, it won't."

"Look, just because you don't like-"

"This pact isn't about the surplus this year. It isn't about trade. This
Pact isn't even about the damn economy. This is about the politicians who
want to make their voters into believing that the economy needs a major
overhaul. It is about the politicians who want to delude their voters into
thinking that there are doing their job as elected officials and trying to
make this country a better place, when, in fact, they are doing nothing more
than passing some piece of bullshit legislature that has no possible purpose
but to destroy what economic stability we have." KD interrupted heatedly.

"Don't get personal now." Lewis warned.

"Everything is personal, John. Or at least it should be." KD retorted.

"No offense, KD, but you've been on the big-time political scene for
what, nine months now? You hardly know anything about the big-time political
arena." Lewis insisted. KD repressed the urge to hit him.

"Offense taken, John. Don't even start questioning my experience. I grew
up on politics, and I know more than you do about this pact." She retorted,
controlling her anger.

"You're only 35, KD. Don't patronize me."

"I won't be 35 for long, and I'm not patronizing you. I'm telling you the
truth. Besides, I have my degrees."

"In medicine."

"And one in Political science." KD interrupted. "I was raided by Jed
Bartlet, Leo McGarry and their families. At the dinner table, economics was a
measly starting topic. Bartlet was an Econ professor before he was any
politician."

"You're not his daughter." Lewis said, slightly confused.

"Good, John." She retorted dryly.

"But then what were you doing being raised by them?" He asked.

"It's none of your business, John." She replied. "But if you must know,
but my mother was an airhead and my father was legally insane. Dad left home
when I was nine, died four years later. Mom left when I was fifteen and I
spent a year and a half in the Bartlett's and McGarry's basements,
alternatively, until I was emancipated at age seventeen and started college,
but all that has nothing to do with this conversation." She added.

"I'm sorry you had to go through all of that." Lewis said softly. KD
smiled at him weakly and nodded.

"Thank you, but it still has nothing to do with our conversation." She
replied with a smirk. He chuckled.

"They told me you were stubborn, but goddamn!" He said playfully.

"Listen, John. These people put you into office for a reason. They trust
you. They like you." KD started.

"You don't have to remind me. I won with 58% of the vote. That's more
than what got your Jed Bartlet into the Oval office." Lewis interrupted.

"I remember." KD assured him. "I think I was in Toronto that day." She
murmured. Lewis looked at her, a shocked grin on his face.

"You were in Toronto on voting day?" He asked.

"No big deal. I sent in a mail vote." She replied with a grin. "Don't
tell anyone." She added.

"The pact works." Lewis tried again.

"No, it doesn't." KD replied in an almost sing-song tone.

"I've yet to hear you prove it. I've got nine out of eleven of my stuff
workers who assure me this pact works. The other two aren't available to give
me their opinions. If the pact passes, the continuance of the budget surplus
is all but guaranteed. Unemployment gets funding for a new solution, and the
whole tax situation goes to the boards." Lewis said, taking his turn for a
speech. KD listened to him carefully and faced him.

"Except that your staff is full of yes men, I know because I've talked to
them. The budget surplus depends on the twisting variables from year to year,
which are unpredictable. Unemployment is at an all-time low and whatever tax
situation that exists, and most believe one doesn't, deserves to stay on the
table in order to be addressed." She replied quickly.

"Now hold on a minute-" Lewis started.

"You hold on." KD was on a roll. "When you were elected as Senator of
Minnesota, nearly half the country cried for a recount. Now 1/50 of this
country looks to you for a sort of leadership that the Economic Pact is going
to deny them. With the stock market incredibly unstable and unemployment down
to 3%, the Economic Pact has no positive aspects to it in today's finance.
You were elected by a group of people who believed, and still believe, that
you would do your best to make this country a better one. You've got in your
hands an expensive packet of papers that basically say 'the country sucks so
lets take our money and flush it" except that our country doesn't suck; At
least it doesn't enough to spend $7 billion on nothing at all. Don't flush
the money, flush the pact. In the meantime, lead your state and help us make
this administration an effective one; help us make this country as great as
it deserves to be and then some." She finished in an almost flurry. A silence
filled the air between them as they stood in the wind, facing each other.
John paused and looked around, absorbing her words into this brain.

"You know, Bartlet might not have room for me in his league of
co-conspirators." He said softly with a smirk. KD smiled weakly. "And he
doesn't exactly have a reputation for bold moves."

"Have you been watching your '60 minutes'? History changes. So has he.
He's changing right now. You really can watch on prime time TV. We have room
for the good guys. In the end, you get to decide where you stand, and it's
based on that that we decided where to put you." She replied. John nodded and
looked about the park then back at her with a smirk.

"Do you even have a personal life?" He asked playfully. KD laughed and
nodded, grinning a little.

"Yes." She assured him.

"I don't believe you." He retorted.

"You really need everything proven for you, don't you?" She said with a
playful nudge. "You want proof? I'm getting married." She said flashing the
ring to him. He raised an eyebrow in mock impression.

"Really?" He asked. KD laughed again.

"Yes, really." She assured him.

"Am I invited?"

"Depends."

"The President should be done with his address by four-thirty. Carl." CJ
called as reporters jumped out of their seats with questions.

"Does the White House have a statement regarding the resolution applied
to the Detroit Warehouse incident with Terrence Faraday?" The
African-American reporter asked.

"The only thing that we officially have to say is to extend our
sympathies to Faraday's family and to the people he took hostage. We hope
their trauma is not too great and that they are able to find a way to move
on. Mr. Faraday's death was a result of the situation presented. Other than
that, there is nothing to say. Janice." CJ called.

"Is it true that Ross Gavin was killed in a car accident approximately
two hours ago?" The woman's voice called out. Toby looked up at his
television immediately and stared at it, waiting for an answer.

"Yes, Mr. Gavin was on his way to work from his lunch when a car cut him
off the intersection and crashed into him, spinning the two vehicles across
the road and crashing into a telephone pole. Mr. Gavin was declared DOA." CJ
replied softly. "More information on Mr. Gavin, he was a 46 year old single
man who has worked for the FBI for the past twenty-two years. Danny."

"Is this the same Ross Gavin who mentored KD Brody?" Danny asked.

"Yes, he would be the same." CJ said sadly. "Last question. Jack."

"Does Brody have a comment on either the Faraday resolution or Gavin's
death?" Jack asked casually.

"Dr. Brody said that she did her duty as a citizen of this country and a
former FBI agent. She did what she had to do and the White House stands by
her. As for Gavin's death, I have not discussed it with her. It is a
sensitive issue, naturally. That's it, everyone. See you at four. Have a good
day." CJ finished and walked off to her office. She pushed open the door and
found KD sitting on her desk, playing with Gail.

"Hey, CJ." She said happily as she saw CJ in the door. She frowned when
she saw the look on her face. "What's wrong? Did you not want me to touch
your fish?" She joked weakly.

"I'm sorry. I just kind of . . . phased out there for a second. Did you
need something?" CJ asked meekly.

"Yeah, I just came to ask you if you needed-Oh, hi, Danny." KD stopped
mid-sentence. Danny smiled weakly at her. "Why is everyone looking at me like
my dog died or something? What's going on?"

"You don't know?" Danny asked in surprise.

"Danny." Toby's soft voice exclaimed. CJ and Danny stood aside as Toby
moved into the room.

"We're gonna go . . . talk." CJ exclaimed before pushing Danny down the
hall and closing the door. By now, KD had grown a look as grave as the one on
Toby's face.

"What is going on, Toby?" She pleaded softly. "Tell me."

"Sweetie, Ross Gavin died." Toby said softly. KD frowned and looked at
him with eyes that didn't want to believe, eyes that couldn't believe.

"No." She said simply. "No, Toby. That's not right. He's . . .He's in
Philly. He's taking care of . . . But he's coming . . ." She said hesitantly,
her mind and heart racing as she struggled for words. Toby took a hold of her
arms and looked her in the eye as tears rushed up and out of her body. He
pulled her into a hug as she let go into his shoulder, sobbing
uncontrollably. "It can't be . . ." She whispered slowly.

To Be Continued . . .