"May I help you?" The young man asked. Toby paused and then nodded.

"Yeah, my name is Toby Ziegler. I’m her ex-husband. Does she have a free minute
to just talk?" He asked. The man checked a thin book on his desk and then smiled
at Toby.

"Just have a seat and I’ll call in." He replied and grabbed his phone. Toby took a
seat on the leather couch in the office and tapped his fingers together while he
waited. "Miss Wyatt? There’s a Toby Ziegler here to see . . . Yes, I understand. Yes
ma’am." The young man hung up again and then nodded to Toby. "Go right on in,
sir." Toby nodded and got to his feet, heading for the door. He hesitated slightly and
then moved inside. There she was, sitting innocently at her desk with her auburn
hair set up on top of her head. She was wearing a business suit top and a revealing
skirt that was even more so as she sat there with her legs elegantly crossed.

"Hey, Toby. What brings you around here?" She asked cheerfully. Toby couldn’t
help but be infuriated at how casual she was. Didn’t she know why he was here?

"Did you visit Katy Brody today?" He asked softly, trying to control himself. It
was against Leo and Josh’s better judgments that he go see her so soon after
hearing the news they’d given him, but he’d never been one to listen to them
anyway.

"Your fiancée? Yes, wonderful woman. Quite a catch if I might say so." Andy
replied playfully.

"What did you say to her?" Toby snapped.

"What do you mean?" Came a confused reply.

"Ten minutes after you left her office, she came to mine in tears, handed me her
ring and left the White House." Toby explained. "Would you happen to know
something about that?"

"No, of course not! Toby, I just congratulated her on your engagement and asked
her a few questions about the Medical Research Bill. I know you guys are gearing
up for it, and that she’s in charge, so I wanted to get all my facts straight. I would
have stopped by to see you, but I figured you wouldn’t want to see me, so I went for
a walk and an early lunch." Andy explained. "I mean, are you accusing me of
sabotaging your relationship with her?"

"I’m not even sure." Toby replied honestly. "I’m just trying to find some sort of
answer, and you were mentioned by her assistant, so I came looking for one." He
admitted. Andy frowned as she saw the frustration in his eyes. She got to her feet
and walked over to him.

"You want to sit down? Talk about it maybe?" She asked as she gestured to the
couch in her office. Toby looked around and considered it for a moment. Did he
want to? He could remember the time while KD was in Olympia that Andy came to
visit him and asked him to a dinner. Could Andy really be so devious as to sabotage
the relationship he and KD had been building just for . . . what? What reason? What
could come of it?

"No, I think I’d better head back to the West Wing. I’ve still got some work to do
there, no matter what’s going through KD’s head." He said weakly. Andy nodded
briefly and then hugged him. A little surprised, Toby hugged back weakly and tried
not to get lost in her scent.

"Toby, I’m sure everything’s going to be okay." She whispered. "Don’t be so quick
to lock yourself away. If you need someone to talk to, I know I’m not your first
choice, but my door is open to you." She added as she looked him in the eye. Toby
faltered a little bit and then nodded.

"Thank you, Andy." He said softly before moving out of her arms. "Maybe I’ll give
you a call later. I’ve got to get back." He murmured. Andy nodded and watched as
he moved out of the room. When he shut the door behind him, she shook her head
and moved back to her desk.

Outside, Toby glanced at the young assistant who was sitting at his desk with a
pair of headphones, swinging his head to some rock music that Toby already knew
he didn’t like. Where did she find these people? Toby rolled his eyes and moved out
into the hallway. Moving briskly, he walked up to his car a few minutes later and
climbed in. He sat still in his car for a moment and thought. What was she doing
now, he wondered. He looked around the car and thought of all the things there to
remind him of her, of the things they did. They’d had a few good times in this car,
and now he wondered if they ever would again. He stuck the key into the ignition
and turned.

It’s amazing
How you make your face just like a wall
How you take your heart and turn it off
How I turn my head and lose it all

This was it. This was the song that Toby had mentioned to Leo earlier that day; a
song about being left and not knowing what the hell happened. That was what the
song was about, wasn’t it? That’s what it meant to him anyway. He sat back in his
seat and listened to the words, trying to sort each one apart. If KD could hear those
words, would she think any different?


It’s unnerving
How just one move puts me by myself
There you go just trusting someone else
Now I know I put us both through hell


KD stared out the window of the jeep as she waited for the light to change. She
couldn’t feel anything. Her whole body felt numb and she knew why. Leo was right.
She was running away. She was making the hard decision, but she felt that it had
to be the right one. She couldn’t let everything Joss stood for go to waste. She
couldn’t let it all go down in flames. The radio played softly and she just wanted to
listen to it. The light changed, she sped forward and then she realized just what the
words were saying.


I’m not saying
There wasn’t nothing wrong
I just didn’t think you’d ever get tired of me
I’m not saying
We ever had the right to hold on
I just didn’t wanna let it get away from me

Toby pulled the car out of his parking space and drove for the exit. As he pulled
away, he began to think about all the choices he’d made over the recent years.
He’d married Andy. She’d divorced him. He’d taken the job at the White House, a job
that threatened him with an aneurysm almost every day. And he’d looked into KD’s
eyes and seen some sort of future, a future that now seemed to be dashing
against the rocks. He didn’t want that future to disappear, but he wasn’t given a
choice. If only he talk to her, find out what happened, maybe take the chance to
prove to her that no one could force them apart. But someone had, and Toby didn’t
know who it was.


But if that’s how you’re gonna leave
Straight out from underneath
Then we’ll see who’s sorry now
If that’s how it’s gonna stand, when
You know you’ve been depending on
The one you’re leaving now
The one you’re leaving out

KD wanted to turn the car around and speed home. She could do it; she believed
she could. No one would ever know. She could just hide herself away, within Toby’s
view. They could live together forever and just not tell anyone. Then everything
would be okay and she could feel Toby’s arms around her again. But it wasn’t that
easy, was it? She wanted it to be, but it wasn’t and she had to realize that. She had
to understand that . . . she had to understand that it was over and the best thing to
do now for everyone involved was to move on. She pressed the turn signal and got
on to the freeway. She didn’t know where she was going to go first, but she knew
she had to get there. She had to get away from this city and the people in it . . . the
people she loved.

It’s aggravating
How you threw me on
And you tore me out
How your good intentions turn to doubt
How you needed time to sort it out

Toby switched the radio off, not being able to stand it anymore. He couldn’t stand
the idea that she would just leave, and yet he knew it to be true. He drove in
silence, ignoring whatever sights passed his windows. He just drove. He knew
where he was going, but he didn’t want to stop. The only answer he could get had
just dead-ended. He didn’t know what to feel now, but he knew that it didn’t feel
good. He knew it didn’t feel right.

All the memories they shared, all the things that had happened to them. A
little more than a year was spent holding her in his arms and now it was over,
wasn’t it? There was nothing he could do; she was just gone. All the things that
they’d leave behind, all of them were gone.

// "Sam Seaborn, Toby Ziegler, this is KD Brody, a very young, very old friend of
mine and Leo’s." Jed introduced. Toby and Sam nodded their polite hellos.

"Hey, there." Sam exclaimed.

"Hi, nice to meet you. . . ." Toby muttered absentmindedly.

Toby could remember that day when they first met. He barely paid any
attention to her and the only thing he could do was talk about some random issue.
He couldn’t even remember what the issue was. He remembered getting upset
when the President said KD would be staying in the White House. He remembered
disliking her from the beginning, but also thinking from the beginning that she was
slightly attractive. Only slightly attractive because he disliked her so much that he
didn’t want to admit being attracted to her. He’d done everything he could to dig up
her FBI file so that he could show the others just what kind of person she was, but
the FBI had it classified. He remembered when she stood up in front of the White
House Press corps to ask a question that made his blood boil and later threatening
to kill her for it.

And then later that night, she showed up at his door, nearly in tears and he
took her in. He took her in and he danced with her and he held her close in his
arms. He finally admitted to himself that he was attracted to her, but that wouldn’t
be the time. A month later he would see her again.

There she was. God, it had been nearly a month, and she was already back? She
laughed, revealing the same straight, white teeth that he’d noticed the last time
she was in town. Her soft brown hair was a little longer, resting on her shoulders
and flowing down her back. Not much longer, but noticeably so. She was wearing
a blue dress that sparkled in the light, as did her eyes. Toby found himself staring
at her with a very soft expression . . .

She was beautiful that night, and he couldn’t believe it. It wouldn’t be long before he
held her in his arms, something he’d wanted to do. As Toby turned off the car and
headed for the elevator, the images of the past still haunted him and his memory.
Little did he know that somewhere else, KD was thinking of the same things.

"Hey, Josh, is Toby in today?" Sam asked with a wry smile. Josh nodded.

"Yeah, he’s just a little busy, you know? He’s feeling kind of shy. He hasn’t had his
coffee yet." Josh replied.

"It’s nearly three ‘o’ clock." CJ commented.

"Yeah, well, I woke up late. Hey there, KD." Toby exclaimed as he stepped into
their small circle. KD smiled and nodded.

"Good to see you, Toby." She replied softly. CJ chuckled and glanced back and
forth between them.

KD sighed and smiled weakly as she pulled off the road to pull into a gas station.
As she got out to pump the gas, she thought of those early days with Toby and how
they were so happy together. They were happy right up until this morning when she
had to go and throw it all away. She blinked back tears as she lifted the nozzle and
leaned against the car to wait for her tank to fill. She could remember those early
moments and she missed them.

"You’re saying that I’m upsetting this balance? Already?" She asked.

"Yes, that’s what I’m saying." He affirmed.

"Sounds more like I’m just upsetting you." She retorted fiercely. He stared at her,
his soft brown eyes gazing into her. She shifted a little in her stance under the
gaze and began to realize that he was closing in on her, backing her into the desk.
As she opened her mouth to draw attention to this, he raised a finger, quieting her.
She cleared her throat and opened her mouth again, and again he quieted her.
Soon she was leaning against the desk, and he was still moving closer.

"Toby . . ." She started. "I know you’re upset but please don’t kill me. You would be
the prime suspect, you know?" She exclaimed weakly, half joking and half truly
afraid for her life. He put his hands on either side of her, resting them on the desk
and leaned forward a little more. Then he tilted his head to the side and kissed her,
very gently, and yet very sincerely. She was somewhat surprised, not only by the
gesture but also by the fact that she was kissing him back. He kissed her again,
his right hand moving across the desk until it reached the point where her hip was
leaning against the wood, and then the hand moved up her hip and into the crook of
her back. Then he jumped his left hand straight up to a point in her back between
her shoulder blades and pulled her closer to him. She moaned very slightly as he
continued to kiss her, growing more passionate with each passing second.

That first kiss had sent warmth flying through her body and she was so pleased
that she would get to feel it for so long. She felt it through him then. She felt it when
they kissed outside the poker room. All those times that she’d been there for her,
when the anniversary of her father’s death tore at her sanity, when her mother
came back from nowhere and so much more. When she’d been shot, he was there
for her and she could feel him.

And then there was that first night they spent together, after she’d come home
from Olympia. That beautiful night that they spent together, the night would be only
the first of many. How she wanted another one of those nights. How she wanted to
turn around and go home. But she couldn’t. She couldn’t go back, not now. Maybe
not ever.

"We really are lucky, aren’t we?" He whispered. "I love you so much, Katy."
He whispered. She smiled and looked back into his eyes.

"I love you too, Toby. I really am lucky, not just because of them but
because I have you." She whispered to him before kissing his nose. "Hmmm.
Alfredo." She murmured. He laughed and pulled her lips to his own.

"You do have me, Katy. You always will, I promise you." He whispered to
her when they pulled apart. She nuzzled his neck.

"I’m gonna hold you to that." She whispered.

Would things ever be the same again, she wondered. It took her so long to love
again after her accident with Danny, and she was always happy that it was Toby
who taught her how, but now it seemed fate had other things in mind. Who was
she to tell fate what to do with her life? Toby had promised her forever, and she’d
denied him that promise. She could remember the dream, Ross Gavin telling her
that there were rough seas ahead.

Boy was he understating the matter. KD pulled the nozzle out of the gas tank and
went inside to pay. She bought a couple of snickers and a root beer and then
returned to her car. She sat in the driver’s seat and leaned forward to start the car
when her cell phone rang. She glanced at it hesitantly before starting the car and
pulling out of the station. The phone rang twice more before she snatched it up and
pressed send.

"KD Brody." She stammered weakly.

"Kid." Joss Bartlet’s voice said softly.

"Joss." She whispered as she pulled on to the freeway.

"You’re going to call at least once a week, email your work." Joss repeated. KD
blinked. Was he letting her go?

"Yes, I promise." She replied.

"Whatever’s going on, you’re going to work it out." Joss said, more of an order
than a statement. "I expect you back here for the elections. Whatever you think is
happening, I expect you back here for the elections or I’m sending the secret
service out after you." KD hesitated.

"Yes, sir." She replied softly.

"I’ll see you in January, if not before." Joss continued.

"Yes, sir." She whispered.

"I’ll talk to you soon, Katy." Joss finished.

"Good bye, sir." She replied.

"Good bye, kid." Joss said before hanging up and looked at Leo.

"I still can’t believe you did that." Leo said softly.

"She’s never going to come back unless she realizes that we still respect her and
love her. This is the best thing I can do for now until we get more answers." Joss
explained himself. "I didn’t want to upset Toby, but part of me feels like Wyatt didn’t
tell the whole truth."

"She had no reason too. If she does have something to do with this, she’s not going
to admit it." Leo agreed.

"So in the meantime, we’re going to wait, and we’re going to look for answers, but
I’m not going to let her go out there and feel like she’s on her own." Joss added.

"Very good, sir." Leo replied.

"Leo, I’m gonna go see my wife." Jed whispered as he got to his feet.

"Very good, sir."

"Stop sounding like a broken record."

"I’ll be in my office." Leo said with a soft smirk and disappeared. Jed headed out
the door and for his wife’s office. He stopped in front of Lillie Mays’s office.

"Is she in right now?" He asked softly.

"Yes, Mr. President. Go right on in." Lillie replied. He nodded and moved into his
wife’s office. Abbey looked up at him as he came in and saw the disturbed look on
his face.

"What is it, Jed?" She asked softly.

"KD left." He replied shakily.

"Left?" Abbey repeated.

"She handed Toby her ring and left. Leo’s talked to her, but she’s gone. She left the
city. I don’t know where she’s going." He explained.

"Oh, my God. Did she explain herself? Did she say why? Have you talked to her?"
Abbey asked quickly as she got to her feet. KD was like a daughter to her, and she
knew that Jed had mixed feelings about the younger woman, but they both cared
for a great deal.

"She said she had to go, repeatedly, but nothing else. David said that ten minutes
before it al started, Andrea Wyatt came to visit KD, but Toby talked to Wyatt and
she said they just talked about the Medical Research Bill." Joss gave all the
information he had. "I wish I knew what to do, but I can’t stop working to deal with
this." He murmured. Abbey hugged him and nodded.

"I know. It feels so hard to be divided between your job and the things you want to
do." She agreed.

"I told her she had to come back before the primaries." He exclaimed. Abbey
nodded and looked him in the eye.

"She’ll come to her senses." She assured him. "She just needs some time, I
guess."

"She’s never allowed herself to be happy. She always takes things and throws
them away." Jed muttered. "Is that what she’s doing now? Is she afraid to be
happy, so she’s running away from it?"

"Partly, I guess. I don’t know if we can even guess that type of thing yet." Abbey
whispered as she played with her husband’s ear absentmindedly. "Only she
knows, and maybe Andrea Wyatt. All I can do is pray that she will come back and
she will let herself be happy."

"I do too." Jed murmured and held his wife close. "God, I do too."