AUTHOR: Lin

DATE: March 6, 2001 (45 minutes)

CATEGORY: CJ/Sam

SPOILERS: through Season two

DISCLAIMER: The West Wing and its respective characters belong to Aaron Sorkin, NBC, et. al. No copyright infringement intended.

FEEDBACK: oh, please, would you? that wouldn't be too much to ask, would it?

ARCHIVE: sure if you want it, but please let me know

SUMMARY: How was I to know my whole world would change in one night?

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is the continuation of "A Thousand Words." Yes, CJ does get
to respond. Got to give mad props to the song, "Because I Love You (The Postman
Song), by Stevie B." I had the title and everything and I thought I knew what I
was going to do until I heard that song and I just decided to take a different
course of action. I hope you enjoy this one!

I Hope You Dance
Silk Kisses
Satin Memories
Peppermint Kiss
Make it Real
What Next?
Faded Ink
Shades of Red, White, and Blue
Inkspots
A Thousand Words
A Response

DEDICATION: For all my betas, Kat, Chelle, Dani Beth, Kristen (my fellow froshie
in crime!), and Sheila. You guys are unbelievable and amazing. I adore you and
admire you all very much. And a special thanks to all those people who have sent
feedback like crazy. There's a lot of you and I'm completely appreciative. Much
thanks to everyone!

A Response
by Lin

"I got your letter from the postman just the other day
So I decided to write you this song"
Because I Love You (The Postman Song) by Stevie B.

Dear Sam,

I am at a loss at what to say in response to your letter, so I can only offer
you my jumbled words and thoughts as they flow from head to pen and finally to
paper. Unlike you, I cannot write down my thoughts coherently, so I thought I
would just respond to each section.

When I arrived at that particular Dinner, there was no charge in the air. I got
no funny feeling in the pit of my stomach telling me the world had changed
without me or that I had changed without it. How was I to know my whole world
would change in one night? I accepted your teasing and despite my aching feet, I
took your hand. You led me out on a dance floor full of people and held me
close. I will never forget those precious moments. I have a framed picture in my
office to remind me always Then I asked you to take me home. I kissed you
goodnight and the rest is history.

I never expected you to kiss me again. I didn't expect a lot of things to follow
that night.

You're right, we speak of love more than we should. It isn't important. Does it
make any more difference if I'm in love with you versus my loving you? Some
would answer yes. They are fundamentally different things, but I digress. My
main concern is that we will be friends past this point. I don't want to wake up
one morning to find a beautiful friendship, a love, swallowed up by the
should-haves and the could-haves. I value nothing in the world more from you
than your friendship. Never forget that. I do love you.

My favorite color is blue.

My favorite food is any type of pasta.

My favorite songs are "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You" and "My Eyes Adored You."
(I'm a sucker for a good love song.)

My favorite movie is "The Philadelphia Story" and I'm a sucker for a good Jane
Austen novel. Anne Rice, for that instance, too.

The rest of my favorites, you will just have to ask me in person. I'm sure we
can come up with the answers together.

Sam, I am afraid of getting my heart crushed or even crushing yours, but I
refuse to hang on to the chains of days past. We are going to take this a step
at a time. We have already had our first dance, date, not to mention multiple
kisses. You know inane trivia of what my favorite movies and songs are. I know
you have an uncanny ability to remember directions, though you navigate by the
stars (yes, Toby told me.) I know your ex and you know mine. The first steps so
many budding couples stumble over, we have side-stepped. There is no need to say
we have been extremely lucky so far.

Will this be our secret? Obviously, we shouldn't flaunt ourselves anywhere near
the Press, but amongst the Staff, do we tell anyone? I am not ashamed of you,
but I feel, as of now, it is better to keep anything we might have between us.
This is a precautionary measure for both of us.

Sam, I am glad you wrote me because you have given me a chance to straighten out
the feelings bouncing inside of me. They have become just a little bit clearer.
I have been taught never to say never, but you will never lose me. I want you
there with me, sharing in all of my triumphs. I want to let you hold me in your
embrace (if you are willing). I want to share in yours as well. I want to be a
comfort to you through every moment.

You told me I didn't have to respond to this letter and looking over what I have
written, I don't know if it will ever make its way to you. But if it does, I
just want to let you know the way I feel. I love you. I want to be with you. I
want you to love me unconditionally and I want to do the same for you. And
though we aren't any closer to Heaven or Hell, we are a bit closer to peace of
mind.

Love,
Claudia Jean (you didn't need to ask)
S.W.A.K.
P.S. My favorite flowers are tulips. And Sam, you know what S.W.A.K. means but
you didn't know KISS?

~THE END.~