Fandom:

The West Wing AU

Pairing:

C.J./Danny

Rating:

PG-13 for topic

Distribution:

How much do I owe you for hauling it off?

Spoilers:

Up to and including Full Disclosure, from which the series follows on

Email:

exfilia at livejournal dot com

Disclaimer:

if I owned them, they'd have a lot more fun

Warning:

mentions nonconsensual sex

Note:

Hoynes lovers should probably be hitting delete right about now.

"Congressman Seaborn, sir." Charlie still couldn't say that without a smile, although he'd learned to control the laughter. The President didn't find it easy to believe either, but if he had expected anyone on earth could back into office in a district impossible to win, it would have had to be Sam.

"Thank you, Charlie. Would you see if you can find someone with a law degree who isn't involved in this who could take some depositions?"

Sam's eyes widened.

"Depositions, sir?"

Leo, furiously blushing, spoke from the sofa where he sat with Mallory.

"We've uncovered a persistent pattern of abuse," he said. "to the point where we're concerned about liability for allowing the situation to exist."

"You don't have to do anything you don't want to do," the President told Sam.

"It's okay," Sam said. "But... Mallory? Did he...?"

"You and I are not going to have this conversation," she told Sam. "Not now, not ever."

"Mr. President," said Sam, "the Vice President didn't actually do anything blameworthy, at least not to me. I mean, he's allowed to ask, isn't he? He didn't do me any lasting harm." Sam's eyes settled on Mallory. "Has he hurt anyone?"

It was Leo who answered.

"The only reason he isn't being prosecuted for rape right now is that the statute of limitations has expired on the case we... on the one case that fell into our laps."

"You shouldn't be telling me this," Sam said, "not if you're going to depose me." He turned back to the president. "Maybe that's not the word you were looking for, sir?"

The President shrugged.

"Whatever. Anyway we've got a police report and some emergency room notes, but we can't use them."

"Wait a minute," said Mallory. "John Hoynes raped somebody?" Sam started breathing again with a whoosh as she continued: "He wouldn't have the nerve!"

Leo's flush deepened.

"Mal," he said, "he had the nerve to...."

"Well, it's not like he expected that you and I would compare notes!"

Sam gaped at them, and the President felt a colossal headache coming on, which only intensified when Sam's eyes closed and his hand came up across his mouth.

"Sam," he said. "Don't do it. Please, just don't...."

It was too late. Sam sank into a chair, still trying to stifle waves of laughter. Mallory turned away in fury, and Leo blushed even redder. He met Sam's eyes, evidently attempting his patented glare, but then he, too, was overtaken by the sick humor of the situation. Eventually even Mallory had to laugh.

"Is this going to be a thing?" Sam asked, wiping his eyes.

"Probably," said the President. "Every time I find someone I'm absolutely sure he wouldn't have dared...."

That started the laughing again, and this time the President joined in.

"We're going to have to find out how widespread it was," he said when he could, "and that absolutely will get out. I'm not highly motivated to keep Hoynes's name out of it."

"How about mine?"

"You're a victim, Sam, one of many. No one is going to blame you for this."

"Victims don't tend to do well in the polls, sir. I'm running for re-election this year."

"How're you doing?"

"I think I maybe could beat a dead guy, but not if I get branded as some serial rapist's toy boy."

"Okay."

"Mr. President...."

"No, Leo, I told him he didn't have to do anything he didn't want to do."

"Thank you, sir."

"Before you go, though, I'd like you to look at something." He took a copy of the police report from his desk and handed it to Sam. "Read it through," he said. "Let it sink in, and then if you want you can drop by and tell her you don't want any part of this."