An Affair Of State?

by: Susan Osborne

Disclaimer: I don't own them, never will. Aaron Sorkin and Co does.

Category: Romance, Leo/Margaret

Rating: PG-13

Leo spends the next several days watching Margaret closely. Most of the time, she does what she normally does. Except, everyday, during her usual lunchtime, she disappears. Leo has asked Donna, Ginger, Carol, Bonnie, and any other assistant he can think of and she isn't eating lunch with any of them. So he does what any concerned friend would do, he hires a private investigator to have her followed. On the fourth day of the investigation, the PI files a report. Leo groans when he reads it. Margaret hasn't been leaving the building at her lunch hour. And she has not been leaving the White House grounds until late every night. Leo knows she has left the office before six every night. This is just looking worse and worse. Leo feels every emotion this revelation would be expected to cause-disappointment, anger, and sadness for what will happen when Abbey finds out. It also causes one he didn't expect-jealousy. He's jealous of Jed Bartlet. Its all he can do not to punch out the guy everytime he sees him.

The whole thing is even affecting his interaction with the rest of the staff. He growls at everybody more. Its getting so bad, people are actually turning around and walking the other way when he enters the area. He's short with both Margaret and the President. Josh even asked Leo if he was drinking again. This thing had better come to an end and soon.

"Leo." the President says after opening up the door between their offices. "May I see you for a minute, please?"

"Yes, sir." Leo says, getting up from his desk. He walks into the Oval Office and sits down in the chair the President gestures toward.

"Leo, is there something wrong?" the President says. "You've been walking around here biting everybody's head off for the past week.

"No, sir, I'm fine." Leo says, studying the designs on the couch.

"If its Margaret..." the President starts, causing Leo's head to whip up. "I haven't asked her to be my secretary. I know how much she means to you."

"Thank you, sir." Leo says, lowering his eyes again.

"Leo, what's going on?" the President asks, concerned.

"Nothing, sir. I guess maybe I haven't been getting enough sleep." Leo says, lamely.

"Leo, we've known each other for too long for me to buy that crap." the President says, annoyed.

"I know." Leo says, giving up trying to fight revealing what he knows.

"You know?"

"I know about you and Margaret." Leo says, his voice rising.

"Margaret and me?" the President says, confused for a second. "Oh, you know about...? Damn, I was hoping to keep that a secret."

"I realize that, sir." Leo says, angry.

"I hope its not taking too much away from her work." the President says. "She's really good, you know."

"Mr. President!" Leo says, taking a step back.

"What? She is." the President says, looking confused. "She knows all the different angles and stuff."

"I really can't listen to this anymore." Leo says, heading for the door.

"Leo, what the hell is wrong with you?" the President says, following Leo.

"Sir, I realize that you and Abbey have been having a lot of problems lately, but this isn't the answer." Leo says after they reach his office.

"Why not? It seems like the perfect solution to me." the President says. "Maybe I should have Margaret do one for you."

"Jed!" Leo says.

"Leo, it's not that big of a deal. She's good. You'll love it."

"Mr. President, Margaret is not someone you can just pass around."

"She won't mind. She really enjoys it. I tell you once she gets going..."

"Mr. President, I really need to go now." Leo interrupts, heading for the door leading to Margaret's office and walking through it.

The President stares after him, lost in confusion. Leo has never walked out of the room without saying 'thank you Mr. President' before. Something is definitely wrong. He'll have to ask Abbey when she gets back tonight..

Leo walks out around the gardens of the White House, trying to work off some of the anger. He had to get out of that room before he punched the President of the United States. He couldn't believe Jed was treating his affair so casually. And offering Margaret to him like that. How was he going to continue to work for a man he could not longer respect? And Abbey, should he tell her? Leo walks back inside and heads for his office. He knows he has a lot of thinking to do and he can't do it here. He walks into his office, stopping by Margaret's desk to tell her he's not feeling well and is going home. Margaret immediately starts to insist on calling a doctor or driving him to the emergency room. He tells her it's just a stomach thing and he'll be fine. She stares at him as he gathers up a few things, obviously worried. Leo has never gone home sick since he stopped drinking. Leo brushes off her concern and heads out. He goes home and lies down on his couch. He starts to think about what he's going to do. Finally, just before sleep takes him, he makes a few decisions. He's leaving, and he's taking Margaret with him. And, coming to the toughest decision yet, he's going to tell Abbey.

Leo awakens several hours later to find a blanket draped over him. He looks over to find Margaret sitting in the chair across from him, reading a book.

"Margaret?" he says.

"Hi." Margaret says, smiling at him. "I wanted to make sure you were ok."

"I'm fine." he says. "How did you get in here?"

"You gave me a key, remember?" Margaret says. "To get things when you can't leave the office."

"Oh, yeah, I forgot." Leo says.

"The President and I were worried about you. He sent me over to take care of you."

"He sent you?" Leo asks.

"He thinks you're too stressed out." Margaret says. "He asked me to come over and make sure you don't get any work done."

"Margaret!" Leo says, not believing his ears.

"What?" Margaret says, confused. "Don't you want me here?"

"NO!" Leo says. Margaret gives him a hurt look. "I mean, yes, I want you here. I need to talk to you about something."

"Ok." Margaret says looking confused.

"Margaret, I know that you are having an affair with the President." Leo says.

"Leo, I'm not..." Margaret begins, shocked.

"Don't deny it. He admitted it to me today." Leo says. "Margaret, you are too good a person to do this. I'm quitting tomorrow. Come with me, I'll pay your salary."

"Leo..."

"Margaret, I'll take care of everything. You won't even have to go back to the office." Leo says, moving over to take her hand.

"Leo, will you listen to me?" Margaret says, her voice rising. "Nothing is going on between the President and me."

"Margaret, he admitted it."

"I don't know what he admitted but it's not true." Margaret says, almost in tears. "And I thought you knew me well enough to know I would never do anything like that."

"Margaret." Leo says, but she doesn't listen to him. She gets up out of the chair, nearly knocking him over. She grabs her coat from the coat rack in the hallway and storms out of the house. Leo watches as she gets into her car and speeds away. He glances at his watch and collects his own coat and gets into his car, heading for the White House.

He heads straight for the Residence when he gets there. The agents look confused, they weren't expecting him tonight. He nods to them as one of them opens the door. Jed and Abbey look up as he walks in.

"Leo." the President says, looking surprised.

"Mr. President, Abbey." Leo says.

"Margaret says you were sick." the President says.

"No, I just had a few things to think over." Leo says.

"Oh?" the President says.

"Abbey, there is something I need to tell you." Leo says. "It's about Margaret and Jed?"

"Oh, that." Abbey says. "I already know."

"You know?" Leo asks, dumbfounded.

"Yeah. Jed gave it to me after dinner." Abbey says, holding up a large book.

"Gave you what?" Leo asks.

"The scrapbook Margaret has been helping him make for our anniversary." Abbey says, smiling at her husband.

"Scrapbook?" Leo says, weakly.

"Yeah, scrapbook." the President says. "Isn't that what you thought Margaret and I were doing?"

"Well, uh, you see...." Leo says, confused. "You said that she was good at positioning."

"Yeah, of the photos." Jed says, taking the book from Abbey and showing the pages to Leo. "What the hell were you thinking she was positioning?"

Just then, Abbey starts laughing. Jed turns to look at her.

"He thinks you and Margaret were having an affair." Abbey snorts out between laughs.

"Margaret and me?" the President says, laughing.

"Is that so hard to believe?" Leo asks. "She is an attractive woman."

"Yes, she is." the President agrees. "But she's just not my type."

"Yes, sir." Leo agrees, giving them a relieved smile. Then, his face falls suddenly. "Oh my God, Margaret!"

"What?" Abbey asks, finally getting some control.

"I accused Margaret." Leo says, wincing.

"Leo, no." Abbey says, horrified.

"I know. She'll never forgive me." Leo says.

"I wouldn't." the President says. "You just accused one of the most ethical people you know of having an affair with a married man."

"What am I going to do?" Leo says.

"You are going to apologize, immediately." Abbey says.

"Flowers would be helpful." the President adds.

"Begging might be helpful." Abbey says.

Leo nods. "Thank you, Mr. President, Abbey. I need to go now."

"Go, find her." Abbey says before Leo slips out the door.

Leo heads for Margaret's apartment building after stopping by a florist that is open late.

"Who is it?" Margaret asks through the door after he knocks.

"It's me." he says.

"Go away."

"Margaret, I was wrong. I'm sorry."

"Leo, go away." Margaret says.

"Margaret, open the door, please."

"No."

"Margaret, please."

"Leo, I'll see you tomorrow at the office."

"Margaret, I need to talk to you now." Leo says.

"No."

"Margaret, if you don't open this door, I'll start screaming."

Leo smiles as he hears the sound of latches being undone. Margaret swings open the door and gestures for him to enter. He looks at her red, puffy eyes and feels a stab of guilt over the fact that she was crying.

"Are you trying to get me kicked out?" Margaret says. "The super hates me and is looking for any excuse to kick me out."

"I'm sorry, but I needed to talk to you." Leo says before holding the flowers out to her. "Here, a peace offering."

"You think a dozen white roses are going to make me forgive you." Margaret says.

"No." Leo sighs. "But, please, take them."

Margaret reluctantly takes the flowers from him and he follows her into the kitchen. She gets a vase from underneath the sink and fills it with water.

"Margaret." he says, coming up behind her and placing his hands on her shoulders. "I'm sorry about what I said."

"Leo, I would never do anything like that." Margaret says, trembling.

"I know." Leo says, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her to him. "I'm sorry. When I saw the two of you sitting together and then when you were spending lunches with him and going there after work..."

"I was helping him with a scrapbook for Mrs. Bartlet." Margaret says.

"I know, she showed it to me." Leo says. "It was beautiful."

"Did you really think I would have an affair with a married man?" Margaret says, turning around to face him.

"I didn't know what to think. I overheard you talking to him and I misunderstood what you were talking about."

"Leo, you should know me better than that by now."

"I know." Leo says. "But I was too angry to see straight. I was too angry, and too jealous."

Margaret looks up into his eyes, searching for his meaning.

"Jealous?" she whispers.

"Yes, when I thought of you with him..." Leo says before trailing off.

"You were jealous?"

"Yes." Leo admits. "I was jealous. Margaret, I...I wanted to be..."

"You wanted it to be you." Margaret says as the realization hits her.

"Yes." Leo says, relieved to have it out in the open.

"Oh, Leo." Margaret says, reaching up to stroke his cheek.

"Margaret?" he asks, looking down at her.

"Leo, I wanted this for such a long time." she says, tears falling down her cheeks.

Leo smiles just before he leans over to kiss her. Margaret wraps her arms around his neck, pulling his head down harder. He groans as her lip part, allowing him access. Finally, the need for air pulls them apart.

"Margaret." Leo whispers, gasping.

"Hmmm." she says, trailing kisses along his neck.

"I love you." he whispers.

Margaret smiles as she reaches up to capture his lips with her own again.

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