~the next day~

Caelan Reed came into work feeling oddly refreshed despite the fact she'd
only gotten six hours of sleep the night before, which compared to her usual
eight, should have left her needing more. Staying out with Sam and Josh had
cost her the normal amount of sleep, but it had lifted her spirits in a way
she hadn't felt in a long time. So when she was unusually chipper when she
came into the office, Gary noticed.

"Caelan, what happened to you?" he demanded when her cheerfulness proved to
be a little too deep for the situation.

"Nothing," she said innocently. "I'm just seeing the positive side of
things."

"Positive side?" Gary asked. "Caelan, we're trying to ensure that the
entire country of Russia isn't plunged into a time of complete chaos and
panic."

Her spirits seemed unable to be dampened. "So you've got to find joy in
the little things," she said. "How was Amy's play last night?"

"Fine. Wonderful. Amy was brilliant. She was disappointed you couldn't
make it."

"So am I. But one of us had to stay."

"It's a good thing too. April told me about Markov's change of heart last
night. You did good, Caelan."

"Thanks," she said gratefully. "It was nothing though. Markov was easily
convinced back to his old point of view."

"Nonetheless, I don't know what I'd do without you," Gary said.

"Gary, you know I love this job."

"I know that you're extremely important to my work. I mean, you're more my
coworker rather than my employee. Which is why you have to come with me
tonight," Gary slipped the last phrase in quickly.

Caelan's face finally fell. "I'm going tonight?"

"Yes. You're my backup. You know most of the details with this one, and
you've worked with the President's staff. I need your backup."

"But I don't know how to go to a formal dinner," Caelan tried to explain.

"It's easy. You'll do fine."

"I don't have a dress."

"I've contacted the President's staff and they've arranged for something to
be done for you. In fact, it's being delivered in about an hour for you to
try. You'll be fine."

"Gary!"

"Caelan, you're going."

Caelan resigned herself to defeat. "I'm going to get you for this."

Gary chuckled. "Someday you'll thank me."

~later, as the dinner begins~

"Josh!" Donna called into his office. "They've already started."

Josh was fiddling with his bow tie, trying to make it look the way it
should. "Is Markov here?"

"Yes," Donna said, coming into his office. "And all of his Russian friends
and all of our friends and everybody except you."

"And you," Josh pointed out.

Donna shook her head as she watched Josh unsuccessfully work his bow tie.
"Here," she said, exasperated. "Let me."

Josh relinquished the tie, and let Donna fix it. While she was
concentrated on it, he saw her for the first time. She wore a long purple
dress with two spaghetti straps. Her hair was swept on top of her head in a
way Josh couldn't even begin to describe. "You look great tonight," he said
softly.

She finished tying his bow and then looked up into his face, realizing that
she was closer to him than usual. "Thanks," she replied.

"Yeah," Josh said awkwardly. "Thanks… for tying my bow tie."

"No problem," Donna said quickly. They both stood there a moment before
Donna said, "We're already late."

"Yeah," Josh agreed, as Donna went out the door. He reached for his
jacket, and slipped it on and followed after her.

The dinner was well underway. People were gathered around making small
talk, while whine was served with the appetizers. Sam found himself
standing alone, scanning the room, looking for a familiar face that he
actually wanted to talk to. And then he spotted Caelan, standing nervously
in the corner. A smile came to his lips uncontrollably, and without
thinking, he walked to her.

"Wow, you look… wow," Sam said when he got a good look at Caelan.

She smiled nervously at him. "I feel ridiculous," she said, looking down
over her formal gown. It was light blue and simple, but very flattering on
her trim figure. Her long brown hair had been French braided by her
roommate, Renee, so it looked professional and elegant.

"You don't look ridiculous," Sam said.

"I feel… naked," she admitted, fondling her spaghetti straps. "I'm not
used to the formal stuff. The only time I've ever been this fancy before
was at my senior prom and even then, it was just a homemade dress, not like
this thing which I'm sure is completely expensive."

"Caelan, stop talking," Sam ordered softly. "Just enjoy the moment."

"I must sound like a complete idiot," she said, sighing.

"No," Sam told her gently. "I just want to have a moment with you when I
can concentrate on the way you are. You're beautiful, Caelan."

Blushing shyly, Caelan looked at her feet. "Sam, that's so sweet."

"Well, I mean it," he said. "You look better than anyone else in this
room."

"I doubt that but thank you just the same."

"Is that Caelan Reed?" Josh asked, as he came up to the two. "I mean, it
kind of looks like her, but Caelan said that she never looked suave and
elegant."

Caelan rolled her eyes. "Josh Lyman, you're so hopeless."

Josh grinned. "I know," he said. "I hate to interrupt, but I need to
steal Sam for moment."

"Sure, no problem," Caelan said.

"It'll only take a minute," Josh assured them.

"I'll be there in a second," Sam said, as Josh disappeared into the West
Wing. Turning to Caelan he said, "Promise me one thing."

"What?"

"You'll save me a dance."

"Okay," Caelan said. "I promise you one dance, and that means something
because I can't dance."

"Great," Sam said, smiling broadly. He wavered momentarily as he got lost
in Caelan's face. "Great… okay, I got to go."

Caelan couldn't help by laugh as she watched him go, tripping over a chair
and nearly falling on his way out.

The time passed rather quickly, and dinner was served, and then during the
dessert, the President made his simple speech with Gary translating it into
Russian for Markov, who nodded politely throughout. Then the people got up
again and mingled, while the President, with Leo by his side, made a point
of gathering Gary and Markov together for a small chat. After a little
while, Gary excused himself for a moment and came over to get a bite to eat.

"So how's it going?" Caelan asked her boss. She had been hanging out near
the food table, feeling exceptionally out of place for most of the evening.

Taking a random appetizer, Gary popped it in his mouth. "It's slow. These
Russians are surprisingly stuck up."

"Isn't it nerve-racking playing translator? I mean, what if you say
something wrong?"

"Who knows?" Gary shrugged. Then he made a face. "That tasted funny."

"But things are going as planned? Markov's responding to the President's
proposals?"

Gary, however, was distracted. "That really didn't taste right…."

"Mr. Johansen? Are you okay?" Caelan asked, worriedly as her boss started
doubling over. With a long groan resembling a belch, Gary fled the room,
clutching his stomach. He didn't slow down, not when he hit the Deputy
Chief of Staff, not even when the secret service began to chase him down,
not until he found the bathroom.

Caelan watched him go in disbelief. She was so surprised; she didn't even
see the President until he spoke. "Excuse me, but where did Mr. Johansen
go?" he asked her.

Trying to bring herself back down to reality, she stammered. "Umm… I think
he got sick," she told him hesitantly. "He ate one of these brown things
and then made a beeline to the bathroom."

Leo, who was next to the President, looked concerned. "Will somebody go
check on Mr. Johansen?" he asked.

"You mean the guy in the bathroom?" Josh asked, just catching the last part
of their conversation. "He didn't look so good."

"Will someone go see if he needs any help?" the President suggested.

"Some Secret Service Agent followed him in there," Josh said.

A moment later, an agent discretely came up the President and whispered
something to him. After listening, the President exclaimed, "The
hospital?!"

"Apparently, it's an allergic reaction. His whole face is swelling, he
can't even talk anymore," the agent explained.

"Okay," the President sighed, dismissing him. He turned to Leo. "Where are
we going to find someone to translate Russian for us on the spur of the
moment?"

"Caelan speaks Russian," Josh suggested, obliviously.

The President turned to him. "Who?"

"Caelan Reed," he said, gesturing to her. Her eyes were wide and scared.
"Mr. Johansen's aide."

"You know Russian?" Leo asked.

Caelan nodded reluctantly. "Yes, but I have no experience as an official-"

"But you can speak it and understand it fluently?" Leo clarified.

"Yes, but-"

"No buts. This is important and an emergency. Come with us," Leo said,
beginning to lead her and the President back the Russians.

Caelan looked desperately at Josh. He nudged her in the right direction.
"You're country's calling on you to serve," he told her. "And you can't
just say no."

"But Josh--!"

"You're patriotic, right? Well, this is your duty," he said, giving her
one last shove so she was standing face to face with a Russian general.

~~~~later~~~~~

"Well, thank you, Miss Reed," President Bartlet said after he was sure the
Russian officials had been properly taken back to their hotels. "You saved
the night. Arranging a meeting with our new friend, General Markov, never
would have happened without you. Your country owes you a debt of
gratitude."

Caelan offered a weak smile. "No problem, sir," she said as he disappeared
back to the Oval Office. For the first time since Gary had rushed off to
the bathroom, Caelan was able to breathe. She gave a large exhale, and
realized she was exhausted. The adrenaline that had propelled her through
an evening of sudden diplomacy and translation was finally waning. She
jumped as a hand touched her shoulder. Turning, she saw Sam Seaborn
standing behind her, looking apologetic.

"Sorry," he said quickly. "I didn't mean to startle you."

Caelan gave a tired laugh. "No, no, it's okay. I'm just a little jumpy
right now."

"You did great tonight. I mean, you may have changed foreign relations
with Russia," Sam complimented her. "But I never got my dance that I was
promised."

"Dance? I was a little busy," Caelan said.

"I know. But, you know, the music's still going. Last dance of the night,
and I saved it just for you," Sam said.

Caelan looked around. The guests were beginning to gather their coats and
leaving, but the string quartet was still playing. She smiled. "Well, I
did promise."

With a grin, Sam offered his hand, which Caelan gratefully took. He led
her onto the vacant dance floor where they began a simple dance. Carefully,
Sam took the risk of drawing her close. Caelan didn't resist. "You're
shaking," Sam told her softly.

"I was terrified," Caelan admitted, looking into his eyes.

"You shouldn't have been. You did wonderful."

"The entire time I just kept thinking about how I was translating Russian
for the President. He was standing like two feet from me. I kept worrying
I was saying something wrong and accidentally tell the Russians that America
wants to bomb Moscow or something idiotic."

Sam laughed. "But you didn't, not that I would be able to understand the
difference. Nonetheless, you were just great."

Feeling much more at ease, Caelan said, "So you've said. For the Deputy
Communications Director, you're awfully repetitive."

"That's what happens when I'm in the presence of a beautiful woman. My
entire brain shuts off."

Their eyes were connected, and neither one of them wanted to break the
gaze. "You may be repetitive, but you sure know what to say."

Gaining confidence, Sam gave a smile. "You know, if you're not doing
anything tomorrow night we could, you know, do something."

"Like a date?"

"Like dinner and a conversation," Sam explained innocently.

"Oh. Well, it sounds like fun," she replied, smiling up at him.

"So that's a yes?"

"Maybe," she said mysteriously. "Only if you… kiss me right now."

"You drive a hard bargain," he commented. "But when you've got a product
like the one you have, you've got all the cards."

"Shut up," she told him softly, unable to wait any longer. The quartet had
packed up. The tables were being bussed. The people were all gone.
Holding Caelan in his arms, her green eyes looking up into his, he leaned
down and kissed her.

THE END (for now….)