("`-''-/").___..--''"`-._ `6_ 6 ) `-. ( ).`-.__.`) (_Y_.)' ._ ) `._ `. ``-..-' _..`--'_..-_/ /--'_.' ,' (((' (((-((('' (((( K R I S T E N' S C O L L E C T I O N _________________________________________ WARNING! This text file contains sexually explicit material. If you do not wish to read this type of literature, or you are under age, PLEASE DELETE THIS FILE NOW!!!! _________________________________________ Scroll down to view text Archive name: biwest.txt (FF, TV, parody) Authors name: Ann Douglass (ann_douglas@hotmail.com) Story title : Bipartisanship: A West Wing Story -------------------------------------------------------- This work is copyrighted to the author (c) 2001. Please don't remove the author information or make any changes to this story. You may post freely to non-commercial "free" sites, or in the "free" area of commercial sites. Thank you for your consideration. -------------------------------------------------------- Bipartisanship: A West Wing Story (FF, TV, parody) by Ann Douglas (ann_douglas@hotmail.com) *** The following is a work of erotic fiction and includes scenes of sexual activity. It includes characters that are copyrighted by Aaron Sorkin and the NBC network. This story is intended for the non-commerical enjoyment of fans and should be considered a parody. No copyright infringement is intended and no profit will be made from the distribution of this story. Bipartisanship - A West Wing Story (An Alternate Version of In This White House) by Ann Douglas Part One Leo McGarry, White House Chief Of Staff, walked down the halls of the West Wing. Stopping in front of the Office of the Press Secretary, he took a long deep breath before stepping into the doorway. Inside he found Sam Seaborn, the Deputy Communications Director having a conversation with the owner of the office, C.J. Cregg. "The two of you," he said as he got their attention, "come take a walk with me." "What's going on?" asked Sam as he followed Leo's instructions, with C.J. a few steps behind him. The veteran Chief of Staff didn't immediately respond, thinking it was fortunate that he caught the two of them together. At least he wouldn't have to do this twice. Waiting until they were out in the middle of the hall, he said what was on his mind. "I wanted to tell you this out where there were people so you wouldn't scream about it," Leo said, wishing he were already on the way back to his office. "Scream about what?" an already suspicious C.J. asked. "The woman who was on Capitol Beat with Sam Sunday night..." Leo began to reply. A few days before, Sam, as he had done many times before, had appeared on one of the Sunday Political Debate shows. Normally on one of these appearances, the Deputy Director of Communications wiped the floor with whoever the Republicans slotted to appear opposite him. Especially if his counterpart happened to be part of the more Conservative branch of the G.O.P. To first his amusement, then his dismay, this time they had set him up with a young, rather attractive, but relatively unknown Political Activist named Ainsley Hayes. Not only did she prove to be a smart, knowledgeable and committed opponent, she was skilled enough to catch Sam off guard when he made a mistake and proceeded to mop up the floor with him instead. Even now, Sam remembered the words he had murmured to himself; "Please, oh please, let them not be watching." The `them' being the rest of President Bartlet's staff, and of course at least one of them had been watching. He learned later on his return to the White House that his friend and the Deputy Chief of Staff, Josh Lyman, had run into the office of Sam's boss, Toby Ziegler and shouted: "Toby, come quick. Sam's getting his ass kicked by a girl." To which Toby, whom he also considered one of his best friends, replied by calling out to his aide, Ginger, to get the popcorn before following Josh back to the TV room. Over the last few days, Sam's performance, or perhaps his lack there of, had been a sore point for the Deputy Communications Director. "What about her?" Sam asked, as if he could've forgotten about her so soon. "I'm offering her a job," Leo said, hurrying to get the words out. "Where?" Sam interjected. "Here," the Chief of Staff said in a calm tone. "Are you kidding?" C.J. said, her voice registering shock and dismay. "No," Leo simply replied. "Are you kidding?" C.J. repeated, her voice rising in volume. "No," Leo again likewise repeated. "Are you kidding?" C.J. repeated once more, her voice now more than doubling in volume. "No!" Leo said once more, this time with an air of finality. "Well, what the hell made you think I wouldn't scream where there are people?" the six foot Press Secretary shouted loud enough to make everyone in hearing distance stop what they were doing and turn in her direction. "Took a shot," Leo said with a smile and a shrug of his shoulders. "Leo!" C.J. retorted in the same loud tone, this time joined by Sam. But having said his piece, Leo McGarry once again became the strong arm of the President and shushed their voices, leading them back to C.J.'s office. While he might not have fully agreed with the decision either, the President had decided he wanted the bright young woman hired, regardless of her Party or political outlook. And what the President wanted, his Chief of Staff would make sure that he got. The funny thing about it all, he thought as he finally headed back to his office, he'd thought it would be Sam who had the most forceful objections to the new addition to the staff. He'd been surprised to find it had come instead from C.J. * A few days later, C.J. sat in her office at the end of yet another long and tiring day. The surrounding offices and desks were empty, with most of the staff attending a farewell. She wasn't in the mood for a party. More specifically, she wasn't in the mood for who she might run into at the party. She had only had one run in so far in the past few days with the newest of the Associate White House Counsels and C.J. was thankful for that. She was even more thankful that during that brief encounter, Ainsley didn't seem to remember ever meeting the Press Secretary before. The tall brunette looked down into the drink she had poured for herself a few minutes earlier. It was rare that she drank in the office, but today she really felt like she needed it. The dark amber of the liquid reminded her of another drink in another city. One from another life, not so many years before. * The bar of the Revere Hotel was filled with the usual mix of Boston Cliques, one so different from the ones C.J. had become used to the last year in Los Angeles. Sometimes it was hard to realize that both cities were part of the same country. They were so different, yet some things were universal. People young and not so young gravitated to places like this. Some came to try and meet that special someone that they could spend the rest of their life with, or only maybe just the next few hours. Others just came to drown their sorrows and maybe try to forget. At this moment, C.J. would have to put herself in the latter category. Her problem was three thousand miles away, in a city where the sun hadn't even set yet. Still, she couldn't get it from her mind, no matter how hard she tried. In the beginning, she knew taking the job at Triton-Day Public Relations had been a major mistake. Her real love had been working on the campaigns of local and state Democrats, trying hard to make a difference. Still, it was hard to say no to Isabel when she offered her the position. Hard to say no to a house in Beverly Hills, or to a salary that could be almost half a million a year. In fact, the only real hesitation she felt at the time was because she and her new Boss had been lovers for the previous few weeks. Yet in the end, she had proved herself adept in this strange new world. So much so that no one cared in the least whose bed she sometimes shared. That was the key word, C.J. reminded herself as she took a hard swallow of the dark drink she had ordered - `sometimes'. Isabel was a faithless lover, and made no secret of the fact. At first, C.J. had been so taken with her that she didn't want to believe that. Not even when people she trusted began to pass along late night gossip that they knew to be far more than rumors. No, she couldn't bring herself to believe it, until the night she saw it for herself. The night she had practically had a front row seat to what a fool she had made of herself. It had been one of the premier Hollywood social events of the season. One in which anyone not invited might just as well have closed up shop and moved out of town. Everyone who was anyone was at that party, and Isabel had approached it like a cat in heat. They hadn't been at the party a half hour when C.J. realized that her significant other was nowhere to be found. A wrong turn in search for the second floor bathroom had led C.J. to the door of a bedroom where she was sure she heard Isabel's voice. It was almost like the plot of one of those horrible B-Movies that Triton-Day was constantly promoting. A peek behind that door forever ended the personal aspects of their relationship. The voice had been Isabel's alright, and she was far from alone. The woman C.J. thought she loved was spread out, disrobed, on the bed, accompanied by two young men as naked as she was. C.J. recognized both of them as up and coming actors, each the star of a newly released hit film. Triton-Day had been trying to work out a representation deal with the both of them for months. At the moment, Isabel was practicing a most particular form of enticement, as she took one young man between her legs and the other in her mouth. From the look on her face, C.J. got the impression that Isabel was enjoying the negotiations as much as they obviously were. From that day on, C.J. had become just another employee at the public relations firm, never again spending an intimate moment with her now lost love. The worst part of it all was that not only had Isabel not seemed to care, she hadn't even ever asked why. Too good at what she was doing and actually beginning to enjoy it as well, C.J. wouldn't give her the satisfaction of quitting. As long as she continued to keep the money rolling in, Isabel seemed to be just as happy with that situation as well. Realizing that she needed to get away for a few days, if only to gain some perspective in her life, C.J. had jumped at the chance to spend a weekend in Boston. The Studios had asked for someone to participate in a televised debate at Harvard on the ever-continuing argument about there being too much sex and violence in movies and Hollywood's responsibility to curb it. Not that the Studios planned to do anything to curb such things. There was too much money to be made with such movies. But by taking part in the debate, however, it gave the appearance that they were concerned. Downing the last of her drink, C.J. cautioned herself that she had better slow down on the hard stuff. Otherwise she'd be in no shape to debate even the stuffy old windbags that usually sat on these panels, condemning the filth that passed for entertainment these days and at the same time, committing even greater obscenities in their business dealings. She was about to order something different when a soft-spoken voice interrupted her. "Excuse me, but aren't you Claudia Cregg?" said a young, long haired blond woman dressed in a white blouse and jeans who had stepped up behind her. "I think only my mother calls me that these days," C.J. smiled, "but yes I'm Claudia Cregg. What can I do for you?" "My name is Ainsley," the excited twenty-something year old said. "Ainsley Hayes. I'm in my last year at Harvard, Harvard Law that is, I got my Batchelor's Degree back home in South Carolina." "Well with an accent like that," C.J. smiled, "I really didn't think you where a Boston native. So what can I do for you Ainsley Hayes from South Carolina." "Not much really," the younger woman said, continuing in her own unique speech pattern. "I thought I recognized you and wanted to say hello." "You recognized me?" C.J. asked curiously. "I'm one of the students on the committee that is co-sponsoring the debate tomorrow," Ainsley went on. "In fact I'm on the show. I was here with some friends and saw you when we were leaving. I didn't want to pass up the chance to meet you." "I didn't know that the Agency had sent a picture along with their acceptance letter," C.J. commented. "Oh they didn't," Ainsley replied. "I remember you from College." "I went to Berkeley," C.J. said a little confused, "and you said you went to school in South Carolina?" "Oh I didn't mean we went to school together," the girl went on. "I meant that I was still an undergrad when I saw you in South Carolina. You were helping run the Whitmore Campaign." Pieces quickly fell in place and C.J. now knew what the girl was talking about. A few years back, she had been working on the Election Committee for Doris Ann Whitmore, who was running for the State Legislature down in South Carolina. It had been a rough election, with her coming from behind to close to a statistical dead heat with the incumbent. "I take it you followed the campaign pretty well?" C.J. asked. "Actually I did a study on it for my Political Studies course," Ainsley said. "The view of which was how the media coverage of the candidate's personal life eclipsed every other issue in the last week and decided the election." C.J. remembered that week well. Nine days before people cast their ballots, a story surfaced in the papers hinting that the relationship between Doris Whitmore and her long-term personal assistant went far beyond what was considered normal Especially in the conservative district she was running in. No one ever came out and accused her of being a lesbian, but the implication was there. The story had been totally false, but contained enough facts that it couldn't easily be brushed aside. C.J. had been in a position to know a great deal about the candidate's sexual preference. Then problem was that while Doris was decidedly heterosexual, the truth was that her assistant wasn't. That Doris was in no way the object of her affections didn't seem to matter to those who planted the story. She did what damage control she could, but there wasn't enough time. Doris had lost by an overwhelming margin that in no way reflected the last polls before the story broke. "That's what I want to do after I get my degree," Ainsley said. "Lose elections?" C.J. laughed. "No," the younger woman laughed back. "Be involved in politics." "Well it's a tough field to get into," C.J. offered. "Oh I know that," Ainsley replied. "But I think I have a good chance to Clerk at the Supreme Court after graduation..." "The Supreme Court?" C.J. interrupted, "the one in Washington D.C.?" "That's the one," a smiling Ainsley answered. "I'm impressed," the older woman replied. It was becoming increasingly obvious to her that while the young blond might come off at first like a lightweight, there was something definitely stronger behind those eyes. And they were such beautiful eyes as well. "I was wondering if I could buy you a drink?" Ainsley asked. "My Daddy always said that you appreciate someone's work, you should always be willing to show it." "Sure, why not?" C.J. replied as she gestured to the empty stool next to her. As she sat down, Ainsley made a gesture to the bartender and pointed to C.J.'s drink. The obvious indication was to give her a refill. "Why don't we make the next one a Grasshopper?" C.J. said as the bartender picked up her empty glass and she remembered what she'd been thinking just before her new friend had introduced herself. "I'll just have a Fresca," Ainsley said to the young man behind the bar. "You're not drinking?" C.J. asked. "I already had a few beers with some friends," she explained, "and if I drink too much I just get sick." C.J. didn't want to say what happened to her when she had too much to drink. Not when she was becoming much too aware of the curvature of the college woman's breasts and how much of them were visible through the open buttons at the top of her blouse. Twenty minutes later, C.J. found that she was right in her initial assumption that Ainsley Hayes was anything but a lightweight. Her memory was phenomenal, rattling off the details of a dozen election campaigns she had studied. She also became aware that there was something else passing between them. At least she thought there was. If this was L.A., she would've been in a bar where it might've been more obvious, but the crowd here was so mixed that anything was possible. With as many drinks as she'd had this evening, she knew she could be imagining it all. "I'd really like the opportunity to know you better," Ainsley finally said in a quiet voice that carried many possible interpretations. After all, the young woman speaking those words was almost half C.J.'s age. Those possibilities narrowed down to almost a certainty as unnoticed by either C.J. or the people around her, the future lawyer slid her hand along the bar railing and laid it on top of C.J.'s. That simple physical contact, so innocent and yet at the same time so erotic sent a shiver through the older woman. A shiver centered between her legs. Forgetting that Ainsley had already paid for their drinks, C.J. dropped a ten-dollar bill on the counter and stood to her full six-foot height. "I'm in room 1209," she said to Ainsley, hoping that she hadn't badly misinterpreted what had just happened. "1209," Ainsley repeated just loud enough for C.J. to hear, confirming that her take on the situation hadn't been in error. Ainsley finished her soda, giving C.J. time to exit the bar and take the elevator up to the fourth floor. Then, leaving the ten dollars as a tip for the bartender, she followed C.J.'s steps out of the bar. * C.J. barely had time to splash cold water on her face in the bathroom before there was a loud knock at the door of her room. She took a few moments to check her appearance in the mirror, then her blouse and slacks. The matching jacket to her outfit had been discarded the moment she was back in the room. Reaching to unlock the door, C.J. had the briefest of hesitations. It wasn't as if she felt any guilt about cheating on Isabel, that part of her life was definitely over. No, it was the fact that aside from her now former lover, it had been quite some time since she'd been with anyone. "Hi Ainsley," C.J. beamed as she opened the door and saw the younger blond haired woman standing in the hall. For a moment, Ainsley returned C.J.'s smile. Then, without a word, she stepped right by the taller woman and into the room. Out of an old habit, C.J. leaned forward a little and looked up and down the corridor, making sure it was empty. No sooner had she did, she felt a little silly about it. After all, there were a hundred reasons as to why the young blond might be visiting her room. Stepping back into her room and closing the door, C.J. started to turn around to face her guest. Ainsley took her by surprise and she abruptly threw her arms around the brunette and pulled their bodies together. Their lips met with a hunger C.J. hadn't felt in a long, long time. The press of Ainsley's lips was electric, C.J. thought, there was no other word for it. Their softness exceeded only by that of her tongue as it slid effortlessly into C.J.'s mouth. The taller woman also became aware of an equally soft hand on her breast, caressing her nipple even through the material of her blouse and bra. "Wow!" C.J. exclaimed as they lips finally parted. "I think that people feel sort of awkward until they have their first real kiss," Ainsley explained as she took a step back from C.J. and moved to the center of the room. "They try to act cool and all that, but all they can think about it what it's going to feel like to kiss that person. After that, everything comes pretty natural. So I just get it out of the way in the beginning." "Not a bad idea," C.J. said softly as she pressed her fingers to her lips, still tingling from Ainsley's touch. "Nice room," the law student said as she took in her surroundings. "The school usually doesn't spring for rooms this comfortable." "Well actually the Agency is ...." "So, do you have a lover?" Ainsley interrupted as she stepped back to C.J. and placed her outstretched hand on the center of C.J.'s chest. "Well, I ..." C.J. started to answer. "Not that it bothers me if you do, if you're cool with it and all." "Well I really haven't thought ..." "Are we going to talk all night, or do you want to get naked?" Ainsley said as she pressed her lips against C.J.'s once more, this time kissing her just long enough for the sensation to register. "I don't know about you, but I could use a bath." Again without waiting for a response, Ainsley began to unbutton her blouse, her fingers moving quickly until her bra and the bare skin around it were all that was left. Not missing a beat, she undid the center clasp of her simple bra and tossed that the way of her shirt. C.J. looked enviously at the round firm breasts of the younger girl. The porcelain white skin and the small rich nipples that capped each one. It had been many years since the public relations expert's own mounds had been that firm. Ainsley didn't seem to even notice that C.J. was staring as she slid down first her jeans, and then the panties beneath them. The absence of the latter exhibited a smooth shaved pussy. In less time that it had taken for her to say it, the smaller woman was totally nude. "Well ...? she said as she finally noticed that C.J. was still fully clothed. A moment passed as C.J. slowly reached up and started to undo her own blouse. "Oh let me help," Ainsley said as she started on the bottom button and met C.J. halfway to the top. As C.J.'s top joined Ainsley's on the floor, the young blond kissed the exposed top of the older woman's breasts. She pulled down the cups, running her tongue across the larger, darker nipples beneath. "Oh yes," C.J. sighed at her touch, repeating it even louder as Ainsley took the whole nipple between her lips. At the same time, the younger woman undid the clasp holding C.J.'s slacks. Soon they were down on the floor as well. Without releasing her hold on C.J.'s breasts, Ainsley slid her hand down C.J.'s back, beneath the waistband of her light blue panties. Ainsley's fingers tickled the cheeks of C.J.'s ass, then slid across her leg to the wetness of her mound. "Oh God, yes!" C.J. moaned even louder as she felt two slender fingers slide inside of her, pressing against her clitoris. Ainsley massaged the depths of C.J.`s sex for a little longer, then removed her fingers, closing them on the rim of the underwear, pulling them down C.J.`s long legs. Sliding her hands back up those smooth legs, Ainsley paused just long enough to kiss the dark mound between. A mound rich with the scent of C.J.'s arousal. "Mmmmmm," Ainsley purred as she pressed her nimble tongue deep between the folds of the older woman's sex. "Oh yes," C.J. signed in response, the soft pressure against her clit triggering a response across her body. Ainsley guided her tongue back and forth a few more times, just enough to give both of them a taste of what was to come. With a slight reluctance to leave her new prize, the blond haired young woman stood up and kissed her new love. C.J. pressed back hard, tasting the excitement of her own body on Ainsley's lips. "I think we're ready for that bath," the college student said after they'd exchanged a few more kisses. Part Two The bath in the executive suite was equipped with both a stand-alone shower and a Jacuzzi, the latter of which was more than big enough for two. C.J. turned on the water to fill the large oversized tub while Ainsley looked through the small collection of complimentary bath products. Finding the one she was looking for, Ainsley poured the contents of the white bottle into the tub. Then, leaning past C.J., she pressed the button that started up the water jets. Almost instantly, the liquid she had added to the water began to transform into mountains of suds. "I love bubbles," she smiled at C.J. before climbing into the tub. C.J. followed her in, stretching out on the opposite wall. The two women just laid back for a minute, letting the hot water and bubbles wash over their bodies. "Oh this feels so good," C.J. said as she let herself be carried away by the experience. "Well I know how to make it feel better," Ainsley laughed softly as she turned her body and slid up alongside the taller woman. Their bodies now covered with layers of suds, they pressed against each other, their wet skin causing them to slip and slide. Soft hands explored each other's bodies, covering every inch of the exposed flesh. C.J. and Ainsley sat up on their knees, each taking a large handful of bubbles and washing the breasts of the other. Nimble fingers caressed twin sets of hard nipples, squeezing the supple flesh around them as well. "Oh baby," Ainsley said as she wiped away enough of the soapy film to take C.J.'s nipple into her mouth, "you are so hot." Releasing the nipple, the younger woman stuck out her tongue and traced a line around C.J.'s darker aerole. With a spirited eagerness, she tickled the stubby nub again and again. Her other hand continued to massage the matching globe beside it. C.J.'s own hands continued to explore Ainsley as well, sliding one hand beneath the water and between the blonde's legs. Holding onto each other, they shifted position once more, this time with Ainsley pressing against the side of the tub, her breasts over the rim and C.J. pressing up against her back. C.J.'s hands started at Ainsley's neck and slid then down her the smaller woman's back and then around her waist and up to her breasts. Soft kisses now followed the path her hands had just blazed, starting at the lobe of Ainsley's ear, then her neck. Ainsley shifted her body just enough to let C.J. reach her nipples. Lifting her body even more, Ainsley raised her ass out of the water, a soft, inviting treasure that quickly drew C.J.'s attention as well. Running her hands now up and down the full length of the blonde's body, C.J. went from massaging her soft globes to sliding down once more under the water to the hairless sex between Ainsley's legs. "Oh baby, that is so nice," Ainsley said softly as she tilted her head back to kiss C.J. in appreciation. Ainsley slid her body back and forth, keeping in time with the movement of C.J.'s eager hands as they played with her sex. The warmth of the water soon paled next to the rising heat of her body, a heat generated by C.J.'s talented touch. "Yes, oh yes!" Ainsley called out as she felt the prerush of a rising orgasm. With both of C.J.'s hands now occupied between Ainsley's legs, the lithe blond cupped her own breasts and played with them. All the while gyrating her body back and forth, urging on the woman behind her. C.J. shifted to the right, just enough so that she could continue to play with Ainsley's bare mound with one hand while replacing the student's hand on her right breast with her own. Not satisfied with just being able to touch Ainsley's nipples with her hand, she continued to shift her body until she could take it once more also in her mouth. "I'm going to come!" Ainsley gasped as she felt her last measure of control crumble under the storm of C.J.'s desire. Her body quaked as C.J. held her tight, sharing in the climax she had produced. Their lips met zestfully, their tongues intertwining. Water splashed over their bodies and the side of the tub as they let the raging waves engulf them both. They held each other tight as the tides they generated subsided both in the tub and within their bodies. Ainsley kissed C.J.'s cheek, then began to move down her body as she gently guided her to the small shelf on the wall side of the tub, spreading her log legs once she was seated. Ainsley ran her hand up and down the length of C.J.'s chest, rubbing her breasts and stomach, then returning to her legs and the treasure between them. C.J. also caressed her body, following the wet trails Ainsley left behind. Lifting herself a little higher, the shorter girl Kissed first C.J.'s belly, then moved down to the Left thigh and over to the right. She repeated this Two more times, moving closer to the center with each repetition. Finally her oral caress reached the brown haired center, planting first soft kisses, then probing thrusts into the center of it. The effect on C.J. was apparent as she leaned back against the wall for support. Parting the folds with two of her fingers, Ainsley's tongue once more found the sweet prize she had only sampled a short time before. With a practiced skill, she tickled it with her tongue, alternating between that and her equally soft lips. C.J. closed her eyes and let the sensations wash over her. Using the wall behind her to keep her steady, she alternated her own touch between Ainsley and her own body. The blond girl returned the gesture, using her one free hand to massage C.J. as well. The encouraging moans of the older woman filled the room, growing in volume and intensity. Ainsley continued her efforts, spurred on by C.J.'s response. Knowing that C.J. was close to the edge, but not wanting to have her reach it just yet, Ainsley shifted her attention upward. Her darting tongue worked its way up the tall woman's body, stopping to pay carefully attention to her highly sensitive breasts. Pressing her body against C.J.'s, she sought out her mouth one more time, sharing the passion she felt inside her. As they kissed, she ran one hand down C.J.'s wet body, sliding two fingers up inside of her. She pumped them in and out as they continued to kiss, moving her hand faster and faster. It didn't take much of this to shatter C.J.'s control, just as she had shattered Ainsley's. The nimble blond quickly once more replaced her hand with her mouth, just in time to savor the rapture of C.J.'s own climax. They slid back into the tub, both of their bodies stretching out the length of the Jacuzzi. This time it was C.J. on the bottom, her arms wrapped around Ainsley, holding her tight against her and letting her share the warmth of her body. They floated there for a while, trading kisses and soft touches. The automatic timer on the water jets had shut them off and finally not even the heat of their bodies could keep the water from growing cold. "The water's getting cold," C.J. said as she kissed the top of Ainsley's head. "We should get out of here, but I don't want to let go of you." "I don't want to let go out you either," Ainsley said as she nestled her head between C.J.'s breasts, "but I don't think you're looking at the big picture." "Which is?" "Well, we do have a whole suite to ourselves," Ainsley said in that adorable southern drawl. "Which happens to include a big, warm, and an ever so soft bed." C.J. thought about for a second, then agreed that she was indeed not looking at the big picture. Before the night was over, they sampled the softness of the bed, as well as that of the couch. The thick rug on the sitting room provided a more than adequate surface as well. They even found the time to sample the hotel's delicious cuisine through a very early morning call to room service. Although Ainsley insisted that they really couldn't call it early morning if they hadn't gone to sleep yet. Merely using the bed didn't count. Together they watched the sunrise, still naked in each other's arms as they fed each other some of the delicacies they ordered. "Omigod, I can't believe we've been at it all night," C.J. said as she looked at the clock on the wall. "It's been a long time since I've pulled an all-nighter." "Are you complaining?" "Not at all," she replied as she kissed Ainsley softly. * The ringing of the telephone interrupted the kiss and C.J., reluctant to let the outside word intrude on their joy, hesitated to answer it. Finally, on the sixth ring she picked it up. "Good morning, Ms. Cregg," a too chipper young male voice said as she put the receiver to her ear. "This is the front desk with your wake up call. I'm told that the Agency car will be around to pick you up in an hour We hope you had a restful night." "Oh shit!" C.J. exclaimed as she hung up the phone without even thanking the desk clerk. "I forgot all about the discussion panel. My ride is going to be here in an hour." "Then I guess we better get going," Ainsley laughed. "I need a shower," C.J. said, becoming all too aware that their bodies were covered with the after effects of the night's exertions. "I can't show up there smelling like ..." "Like what?" Ainsley asked jokingly. "Like a woman who had a good night?" "You know what I mean," C.J. laughed back. "You might be able to joke about it but if I don't show up there on time, the Agency is going to want to know why. I can't exactly tell them that I was having the best sex of my life." "Why, you think they'd be jealous?" "Very funny," C.J. said, making a face at Ainsley. "You might want to jump under the shower yourself. As much as I love smelling you like that, the other panel members might not understand." "We could share a shower," Ainsley suggested with a wicked smile. "Not if we want to be dressed in an hour," C.J. said. "I can't picture us getting right in and out of there." "Probably so," Ainsley finally agreed as she jumped naked out of the bed. "In fact, maybe I should just get out of here and meet you at the studio. Just so you don't have any more distractions." C.J. watched as Ainsley quickly put back on the no longer fresh clothes she'd worn the previous night. She said her apartment was close to the studio so she'd grab a change of clothes there. Still buttoning her blouse, she leaned across the bed and kissed C.J. one last time. To the Public Relations Agent's gratification, even this last kiss was as fulfilling as had been the first. As she watched Ainsley's grab her bag and run out the door, C.J. found herself wondering if it would've really been so bad if they'd spent just ten or twenty minutes in the shower. * After a frantic race across town in which she came to the conclusion that the limo driver spent his summers on the Nascar Circuit, C.J. made it to the college studio with only twenty minutes to spare. A staffer rushed her through make-up, applying just enough that she wouldn't actually look as tired as she felt under the harsh studio lights. She hoped Ainsley made it here in time as well since she didn't see her when she arrived at the studio. C.J. was tempted to ask about her, but then might be asked how she knew the law student. C.J. was even more confused when she stepped out onto the auditorium stage and found her nameplate on the table representing the liberal position. There were three other nameplates, the chairs behind all of them already filled. Ainsley filled none of those chairs. "Thirty seconds," a loud offstage voice announced. C.J. slid into her chair, wondering what had happened to her overnight guest. The answer came a few seconds later as Ainsley appeared from behind the curtain on the other end of the stage. C.J. had to say that the younger woman looked as fresh as if she'd slept the entire night, which of course the panel member knew hadn't been the case. "Maybe she's one of the panel's moderators," C.J. thought as she remembered that she had never actually asked Ainsley what her part was in the debate. There were few times in C.J. Cregg's almost four decades of life that she had been taken totally by surprise. In that moment, she knew that number had just increased by one. Ainsley, now dressed in a soft blue dress, walked over to the moderator at the center table. She leaned over to say something to the young man on the other side of the table, incidentally giving C.J. one last view of the perfect ass she had so lovingly admired only a few hours before. Then to C.J. `s disbelief, her new found love passed behind the moderator's desk and sat instead at that of the opposition. Only then did C.J. finally notice the nameplate that read Ainsley Hayes on that table. Over the next hour, C.J. discovered that Ainsley's debating skills were at the very least the equal of her lovemaking talents. One by one, C.J. and her fellow panel members found themselves on the losing end of an argument. Then, before she knew it, the house lights went up and it was all over. Still stunned, C.J. sat in her seat as the fellow members of the panel quickly left for other appointments. When she finally rose to her feet, she saw Ainsley standing by the same curtain she had entered from. It was obvious that she was waiting for her. Moving to her side, C.J. opened her mouth to say the words that had been on the tip of her tongue for the last hour, but Ainsley held up her hand to stop her. "Backstage," she said as she pulled aside the curtain. "We'll be able to talk more privately." C.J. followed her a dozen feet down a now empty corridor, stopping when the blond turned to face her. Finally, she couldn't hold the words in check any longer. "You're a Republican?" she said, her tone a mixture of shock and disbelief. "You don't have to say it like it's a disease," Ainsley replied. "You're a Republican?" C.J. asked again, her voice rising in volume. "And we ..." "And I love women too. You make it sound like a contradiction in terms," Ainsley said. "That's pretty arrogant don't you think? Why is it so hard to accept that not everyone fits into some nice little mold. That you can have dark skin and hold conservative beliefs, or that you can love another woman but not blindly accept a liberal agenda. I don't love my country any less than you do, and I want the best for it as well. It's only the path to what's best for it that we disagree on." "But you're a Republican!!!" C.J. said a third time, now practically shouting loud enough for those stagehands beyond the curtain to hear. This time it was now a statement rather than a question. Ainsley realized that nothing she could say at this moment was going to make the least bit of difference. Whatever had happened last night, however wonderful it had been, was never going to get past those three little words. "I'm sorry C.J., I really am," Ainsley said before she turned and walked away. "I think we could've left politics at the door and really had something together." With that she was gone, leaving C.J. standing there alone. * C.J. was still alone, sitting in her office and staring at the drink before her. The memory of that night had never left her, or the promise it had contained. All because she couldn't see beyond her black and white views. They were the good guys, she thought, which obviously made the other side the bad guys. It wasn't until she really got to play in the big leagues that she finally understood what Ainsley had been trying to say. The tragedy was that she had come to understand it far too late to make a difference. And now that choice had come back to haunt her. * "Knock, knock," a quiet voice said from the open doorway. C.J. looked up to see the newest Associate White House Counsel standing out in the hallway. C.J. couldn't help but notice that she was smiling. "I noticed that you weren't at the party," Ainsley said. "I guess I wasn't really in the party mood," C.J. replied. "Was it really the party, or just who you might run into there?" Ainsley asked. "I've gotten the impression this last week that you've been avoiding me." "That's nonsense," C.J. forced a laugh as she stood up from her desk and made a show of packing up her things. "Whatever would I want to avoid you for?" "Well, you didn't exactly act like someone who shared what we once shared," Ainsley added, stepping closer to the desk, "even if it was only that once." "Like you said, it was only that once," C.J. said as she picked up her purse and keys. "It was so long ago, I thought you might even have forgotten all about it." "Even if I didn't have a photographic memory, I don't think I'd easily forget something like that," Ainsley countered. "Or you," she added. "Well be that as it may," C.J. said as she ineffectively tried to minimize the importance of her own memory of that night, failing even within herself, "we're different people now, with different lives." "I'd heard that there was something between you and Danny Concannon," Ainsley noted, "or is that just the usual gossip?" "Sometimes people make things out to be more than they really are," C.J. commented as she thought of the bearded White House Correspondent. "I thought that might be the case," said Ainsley. "Ainsley, I was about to call it a day," C.J. finally said in a voice that began to reflect some of her fatigue. "Can we just let the past stay in the past, or at least leave the discussion of it for another day." "Sure," the younger blond smiled. "It's been a long day for both of us. I guess I just wanted you to know that I haven't forgotten, and if you ever wanted to ... to pick up where we left off, well I'd be open to that as well. If not, then we'll just leave it as a very pleasant memory." Ainsley leaned over gave C.J. a quick kiss. A touch that while quite brief, still contained a remembrance of the passion of that night in Boston. Then, without speaking another word, she turned and walked out of the office. * C.J. stood there, listening as the echo of Ainsley's footsteps faded down the hall. She looked again at the untouched drink she had poured what now seemed so long before. Picking it up, she drained it in one shot. The fiery liquor raced down her throat, warming her stomach. What was it they called it, liquid courage? Picking up the telephone, she punched in the button that instantly connected her with the Secret Service detail at the main gate. "This is C.J. Cregg," she said in a determined voice. "Ainsley Hayes should be passing by there in a few moments. Please ask her to wait for me, I could use that ride home after all. No, I wouldn't rather have a car from the White House carpool. I'm sure we'll manage quite well on our own." As she put down the phone and hurried out the door, she said a small prayer that the World would do her a favor and remain uneventful for at least tonight. That she could simply be a woman for a few hours instead of the public voice of the President of the United States. END Ann Douglas Web Page /~Ann_Douglas/ ASSTR Donation Page /donations.html Comments are the life blood of any amateur writer, the currency in which they are paid. It only takes a few minutes to send off a few lines, which is little to ask for in exchange for hours spent creating a story. So be sure to take those few minutes, it can only result in more and better stories in the future. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Please keep this story, and all erotic stories out of the hands of children. They should be outside playing in the sunshine, not thinking about adult situations. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Kristen's collection