TITLE: Let’s put you in a musical!

AUTHOR: Demon Faith

CATEGORY: Songfic (possibly), Romance (Josh/Donna, CJ/Toby, Sam/Ainsley), Crossover (kinda)

SUMMARY: Something strange is happening…and it involves spontaneous singing

DISCLAIMER: I don’t own them. :( They belong to people who know what they’re doing.

FEEDBACK: Please! I live on it!

AUTHOR’S NOTES: This fic was a birthday present to my friend Mags, and she said I could post it on lists. This is my first West Wing fic to be list-posted, I’m not quite sure how could it is.

By the way, when reading this, a passing familiarity with the Buffy musical ‘Once More With Feeling’ is quite good, as the majority of the fic is based on that. Which is why I’ve labelled this fic as a songfic and a crossover, but it won’t spoil you for Buffy.

Sam stared blankly at the computer screen, tapping it absently with an old leaky biro. He sighed, and sat back, holding the pen thoughtfully in the air for a second before throwing it across the room. It smashed spectacularly against the window, making blue snowflakes on the pane. He rubbed his eyes under his glasses, before squinting at the screen again.

The e-mail still only read ‘Dear Ainsley’.

Shutting down the computer, he made his way to the door, opening it to come face to face with Abbey, who had a hand lifted to knock.

“Good evening, Sam. Still burning the midnight oil?”

“Yes, ma’am. I have a few…speeches to write.”

She smiled sympathetically, before moving into his office. He sighed under his breath, before following her in, and turning on the light.

“Your office is a lot tidier than Josh’s, you know. Of course, his would be a lot worse if Donna didn’t insist on tidying it so often. You’re looking a little distracted there, Sam.”

He looked up, guiltily. He had been too busy studying the pretty patterns on his window to realise Abbey was staring straight at him.

“Sorry, ma’am, I’m just tired.”

She nodded again, before laying a long, thin package on his desk.

“Merry Christmas, Sam.”

He stared at the package for a minute, before glancing at the calendar. Abbey laughed.

“I know, it’s a few days away, but we’re heading for Manchester tomorrow, and I wanted you to have it now.”

He smiled gratefully, and picked it up. He just resisted his impulsive urge to shake it. Carefully, he set it down again, before moving behind his desk and opening a drawer.

“I have yours and the President’s here, ma’am.”

He picked out the book very carefully, and presented it to her with much ceremony. Abbey looked at it with thinly-veiled amusement, before opening it carefully. Her eyebrows shot up.

“I wanted you to have it first,” Sam said, blushing slightly.

Abbey flicked a few pages, before looking up at Sam, smiling proudly.

“It’s amazing, Sam. Um…thank you.”

Sam smiled warmly, as Abbey walked out slowly, her nose already in the book.

“Have a good trip!” he called after her. She nodded, never looking up.

He returned to his desk, and picked up the present. Never able to wait for more than a few minutes, especially when gifts were involved, he tore the paper off and opened the velvet-covered box. He gently picked up the pendant, which spun slowly from its chain. There was a piece of paper inside, which said simply ‘Designed to bring laughter and joy through music’. Sam frowned at the pendant, deciding it didn’t look particularly joyful.

However, he carefully placed it around his neck and began to sing softly to himself.

“When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me. Speaking words of wisdom, let it be…”

The necklace fell off. Sam didn’t notice, as he collected some papers together and left the office. A few moments later, Ainsley burst in and sighed, before noticing the necklace on the floor. She pocketed it for later, wondering how she could possibly like such a klutz.

~

Josh burst into his office, simmering slightly. He dumped his backpack and leant against the desk. Then, he began to sing.

“Every single night the same arrangement
I go out and fight the fight
Still, I always feel the strange estrangement
Nothing here is real,
Nothing here is right”

He walked out of his office, ignoring Donna’s querying yet appreciative look.

“I’ve been making shows of trading blows
Just hoping no one knows

That I’ve been
Going through the motions
Walking through the part
Nothing seems to penetrate my heart”

He practically waltzed into the Roosevelt room, and glared pointedly at the Republican senators sitting with Sam.

“I was always brave and kind of righteous
Now I find I'm wavering
Situation’s grave, you'll find this fight
Just doesn't mean a thing”

“He ain't got that swing,” noted the meanest Republican.

Josh’s glare intensified.

“Thanks for noticing.”

As Josh started to lecture them on how very wrong they were, the Republicans sang over him.

“He does pretty well with Republicans from hell
But lately, we can tell
That he's just…

“Going through the motions,” harmonised the Senators.

“Faking it somehow,” mused the leader, “He's not even half the deputy he...
ow.”

Josh somehow got away with knocking out the senator.

“Will I stay this way forever?
Sleepwalk through my life's endeavour?”

“How can I repay?” sang Sam, like some kind of cathedral choir boy.

“Whatever
I don't want to be”

Josh got out of the room, singing his way to Leo’s office.

“Going through the motions
Losing all my drive
I can't even see
If this is really me
And I just wanna be
Alive”

Just as Josh realised what he’d been doing, Donna came up to him with a folder, looking very serious.

“Leo’s called an emergency meeting. Apparently, something major has come up. By the way, what on earth were you singing about?”

“Nothing, Donna, absolutely nothing,” Josh said quickly, as he realised how revealing that little tune had been.

He quickly dived into Leo’s office, where the rest of the Senior Staff were already gathered, Sam looking slightly put-out with Josh.

“So, what’s going on?”

CJ looked at him very seriously, whilst Toby was trying not to laugh.

“Sam says you knocked out a senator. And that you were singing in the Roosevelt room.”

Leo’s eyebrows shot up.

“You too?!?”

Everyone looked at Leo, and then at each other.

“It happened to all of us?” said Sam, still looking at Josh strangely.

“YES!” exclaimed CJ, somewhat hysterically, “I sang my entire briefing to the White House Press Corps!”

“Leo and I discussed re-election in iambic pentameter – whilst some kind of symphony orchestra was playing!” Toby sounded slightly rattled, an unusual tone for him.

“It was very disturbing,” added Leo.

“I think we should try and stop it before it happens again, because I for one…” said Josh, his voice getting steadily higher. Toby’s rumbling lilt interrupted.

“I've got a theory
That it's a Republican
A dancing Republican
No, something isn't right there.”

Everyone gave Toby panicked stares, and then CJ started to sing as well.

“I’ve got a theory
Sam is dreaming,” Sam shot her a wounded look,

“And we're all stuck inside
His wacky Broadway nightmare.”

“I’ve got a theory we should work this out,” sang Leo steadily, before they all sang in chorus.

“It's getting eerie
What's this cheery
Singing all about?”

“It could be assistants
Some evil assistants,” sang Josh, glad he could contribute.

He soon regretted that, as Donna, Margaret, Bonnie and Ginger started to surround him, holding various heavy folders and volumes of the constitution.

Josh’s voice immediately hit falsetto.

“Which is ridiculous
'Cause assistants,
They work really hard
Typing good
And love the memo
And women power,
And I’ll be over here”

He quickly backed towards Sam, wondering why on earth he thought Sam could defend him. Sam smiled sweetly at the annoyed assistants, and they melted and returned to work.

“I’ve got a theory
It could be bunnies,” said CJ, inspired, oblivious to the bemused looks she was receiving.

“I’ve got a…” interrupted Sam, but CJ continued, suddenly alive.

“Bunnies aren't just cute like everybody supposes
They got them hoppy legs and twitchy little noses
And what's with all the carrots?
What do they need such good eyesight for anyway?
Bunnies, bunnies
It must be bunnies.”

Fireworks and flashing lights appeared and electric guitar chords faded away. CJ smoothed down her suit, and sat down. Toby looked suitably impressed.

“maybe midgets?”

“I’ve got a theory,
We should work this fast,” sang Leo, with a faint hint of amusement.

Sam joined in, “Because it clearly
Could get serious
Before it's passed.”

“I’ve got a theory

It doesn't matter,” Josh sang, suddenly bringing the room to silence.

“What can't we face if we're together?
What's in this place that we can't weather?
Elections
We've all been there
The same old trips
Why should we care?”

They all joined in chorus, inspired, “What can't we do if we get in it?
We'll work it through within a minute.
We have to try
We'll pay the price
It's do or die”

“Hey, I’ve died twice,” piped up Josh, exaggerating as usual.

“What can't we face
If we're together?” they sang on.

“What can't we face?” Leo harmonised over the top.

“What's in this place
That we can't weather?”

“We're together” Toby’s voice rang out over the top.

“There's nothing we can't face.”

“Except for bunnies” CJ sang defiantly.

When the music died away, the senior staff were left standing in Leo’s office, facing the amused grins of the assistants and feeling rather stupid. Josh and Sam hurriedly closed the doors.

“Alright, that wasn’t quite what we expected,” said Josh, leaning heavily against the wall. He had not planned to sing his way through work today, especially with the rather revealing and emotional stuff that seemed to just spout out of his mouth.

“I don’t really like this. It’s not often that we start bursting into unified song! I mean, CJ doesn’t even know ‘We gather together’!” Sam practically yelled, before receiving a smack around the head from CJ.

“We definitely need to sort this out,” said Josh, a little too quickly.

Leo looked at him with a mischievous grin, “I thought it didn’t matter?”

Josh’s look was enough to make Leo attempt to cover his smirk, but he failed miserably.

“Well, *I* think it matters. I think that all this singing is…loosening our tongues, and I don’t want to know about your secrets and I think we should find a way to stop it!”

Toby was looking quite flustered, and the others soon realised it wasn’t their secrets he was worried about.

“Toby is right,” CJ added, “National secrets could also come out, things that could bring down the President. We need to end this…musical.”

“How, exactly?”

Everyone turned to look at Sam, who just started waving his hands around.

“I’m serious! Has there ever been a case of spontaneous singing? I’m no medic, but I’m pretty certain there hasn’t. This isn’t a disease, or a mental illness. This is obviously caused by…something else. And I don’t think we’re qualified to deal with it!”

Everyone assumed various sitting positions, realising he was right. They had never handled things like this before. They were just about to sink into despondency, when Zoey walked in.

“Hey guys. I hear you’ve been singing.”

If she wasn’t Zoey Bartlet, there may have been repercussions. Instead, Josh just sighed at her.

“Don’t s’pose you can help?’

“Actually, I can.”

Zoey carefully laid a book in front of them. Sam immediately went red.

“‘Demonic Myths and Legends by Samuel N. Seaborn’. There are some good references in it. Maybe it’s an occult thing. Mom knows this stuff, and she said it was probably an occult thing.”

Most of the staff looked sceptically at Zoey and the book, whilst Josh was sniggering at Sam, who was flushing a brilliant red.

“Well, yeah,” he said, stuttering, “There were cases of…mass singing, which could’ve been…demonic. I can…research…”

Leo was giving him a look of fire.

“One of my staffers, not to mention the First Lady of the United States, is involved in demonic research, which has apparently now affected my staff! I think I’ve heard it all.”

“Leo, if Sam can stop this, I wouldn’t complain,” said CJ, seriously. She had picked up the book and was flicking through the pages.

“However,” she continued, “I would’ve go giving this to the Christian Right. They would eat us alive.”

“Oh, they know about it,” said Sam, casually.

He received pure looks of horror from everyone present.

“It was advised that if I wanted to write a successful occult book, I had to consult the Christian Right,” Sam said, defensively.

Josh burst into manly giggles at the implications of that statement. Sam shot him a withering look.

“Does any of this actually matter?” said Toby, giving them a long-suffering look.

Sam re-adjusted his glasses.

“I’ll contact Ain…my research assistant, and see what we can come up with. Meanwhile, I’d advise you not to go near the Press.”

“Sam, I *work* with the Press! I’m the Press Secretary! What am I supposed to do?”

“Be careful,” said the others in chorus.

CJ sighed, and walked out of the office. Sam followed quickly, but heading down into the bowels of the building.

He came to Ainsley’s door. She opened it, looking frightened.

“Are people still singing?” she whispered.

“Yep, still singing. Zoey thinks it’s a demon.”

Ainsley raised her eyebrow, and picked up a tome from one of her shelves. She slipped off the innocent-looking political sleeve, to reveal a more sinister occult study.

“It could be,” she looked up at him, as if noticing him for the first time.

“I live my life in shadow,” she began, her voice quavering and hauntingly beautiful,

“Never the sun on my face
It doesn't seem so sad, though
I figure that is my place
But you bathe me in light
Something just isn't right.”

Sam watched as she dived out of her office, and pressed herself against the banister, facing him, bewitching him with her eyes.

“I’m under your spell
How else could it be
Anyone would notice me?
It's magic, I can tell
How you set me free
Brought me out so easily.”

Sam was drawn to and she leaned into him, arms around his neck.

“I saw a world enchanted
Political banter on air
I always took for granted
I was the only one there
But your words, they shone
Brighter than any I’ve known.”

She twirled back down into her office, and started to dance. Beautiful, graceful and mesmerising steps followed, quickly in succession. Sam was transfixed.

“I’m under your spell
Nothing I can do
You just took my soul with you
You worked your charm so well
Finally, I knew
Everything I dreamed was true

You made me believe.”

She took hold of Sam again, and spun him round. The world seemed to slide around them, and suddenly they were in Sam’s apartment. She spun him slowly, and he pushed her against his bed.

“The moon to the tide
I can feel you inside.”

Sam didn’t know what was going on, but these strange happenings appeared to have their advantages.

“I’m under your spell
Surging like the sea
Wanting you so helplessly
I break with every swell
Lost in ecstasy
Spread beneath my willow tree.”

Sam kissed her neck softly, as she finished her beautiful song.

“You make me com-plete
You make me com-plete
You make me com-plete
You make me---.”

~

Back at the White House, CJ was carefully avoiding the Press. She dived into the practically empty Mess, where Toby was sitting by himself. She sat down opposite him, and he looked at her. She saw something flicker in his eyes, but it fled quickly. She was disappointed.

He turned away slightly, and she felt her voice rise with emotion.

“This is the man that I plan to entangle
Isn't he fine?”

Toby didn’t appear to hear, so she continued her song of musings.

“My claim to fame was to keep cool yet strangle
The briefing was mine
Yet, I’m still in the biz
The name I’ve made I'd trade for his
The only trouble is...
I’ll never tell.”

She got up, feeling the sudden need to move. Suddenly, he turned back and joined her song.

“She is the one, she's such wonderful fun
Such passion and grace
Warm in the night I could be right
In her tight--
embrace,
Tight embrace.”

He grabbed hold of CJ, at that point, spinning her in a lazy kind of waltz.

“I’ll never let her go
The love we've known can only grow
There's just one thing that--
No.
I’ll never tell.”

He broke apart from her, and they stood facing each other, voices uniting.

“'Cause there's
Nothing to tell”

The music around them became bouncy, and they found themselves drifting in strange dance number.

“He snores”

“She wheezes”

“Say ‘housework’, and he freezes”

“She eats these Skeezy cheeses
That I can't describe”

“I talk,
He breezes”

“She doesn't know
What please is”

“His penis got diseases
From a chumash tribe”

The music changed again, and they moved around each other in lazy circles.

They sang together, “The vibe gets kind of scary.”

“Like she thinks I'm ordinary,” said Toby, with fear.

“Like it's all just temporary,” CJ whispered, scared.

“Like her toes are kind of hairy,” Toby sang, earning him a glare from CJ.

“But it's all very well
'Cause, god knows,
I'll never tell,” they hurriedly sang.

CJ twirled herself into the middle of the room, pointing accursedly at Toby.

“When things just blow up

He hides behind his laptop
Now look, he's getting fussed up
'Cause he knows that I know.”

Toby scowled at her, before starting his own verse.

“She clings,
She's needy
She's also really greedy
She never…”

“His eyes are beady!” interrupted CJ.

“This is my verse,
Hello? She…”

Just as Toby tried to complete his verse, the music changed again, and CJ started dancing.

“Look at me!
I'm dancin' crazy!”

Toby felt the sudden urge to join in, and their routine carried them around the whole Mess. Over tables and chairs, and over the serving counter, they danced, perfectly in time. The music carried them, and they could do nothing but dance exactly in step. It was if they knew the dance by heart. The music slowed, and they walked shyly towards each other.

“You know,” they began together.

“You're quite the charmer”

“My knight in armour”

“You're the cutest press secretary
With your lips as red as a cherry
And your firm yet supple--
Tight embrace.”

Toby took hold of her waist, a quick dance routine, and they were sliding onto one of the long tables. CJ decided she should just go with it. Toby knew she loved him now, and he loved her – and they both knew. Surely, this wasn’t so bad?

“He's swell”

“She's sweller”

“He'll always be my feller”

“That's why I’ll never tell her
That I’m petrified”

“I’ve read this tale
There's dating
Then betrayal
I know there'll come the day
I'll want to run and hide,” CJ voice was starting to wobble. She hoped Toby didn’t notice the raw emotion clouding her words. These were her deep fears being lavishly spilled before him. It was starting to make her uncomfortable.

They dueted, “I lied
I said it's easy
I’ve tried
But there's these fears I can't quell”

“Is she looking for a pot of gold?” worried Toby.

“Will I look good when I’ve gotten old?” mused CJ.

“Will our lives become too stressful
If I’m never that successful?” sang Toby, suddenly panicking about his next speech.

“When I get so worn and wrinkly
That I look like David Brinkley” CJ was fearful now.

“Am I crazy?”

“Am I dreamin'?”

“Am I gonna date
A demon?” CJ shot Toby a look.

They’re voices merged again, “We could
Really raise the beam
In makin' dating a hell
So, thank god,
I'll never tell
I swear
That I’ll never tell”

Of course, thought CJ, this must be a dream. Her secrets were perfectly safe.

“My lips
Are sealed.”

“I take the fifth”

“Nothing to see,
Move it along”

They looked at each other, smiling.

“I’ll never
Tell”

They collapsed back on a table, and starting laughing. Suddenly, CJ stood bolt upright.

“I’m not dreaming, am I?”

Toby looked at her, and suddenly his eyes went wide.

“We’re at work, and we were singing about…” he trailed off, as the magnitude of his revelations dawned on him. He quickly picked up his cake and ran. CJ was left standing in the Mess, feeling tears forming in her eyes.

~

Sam stretched slightly, suddenly aware of someone lying beside him. He opened his eyes, and Ainsley smiled at him. He smiled back, and settled his arm over her.

“This is nice.”

“Yes, it is.”

“Shouldn’t we be at work?”

“I’m not really sure how we got here.”

“There’s some dark magic around.”

Ainsley suddenly moved away, and stared accusingly at him. Sam wondered what he had said now.

“This is dark? This is a bad thing?”

Sam realised exactly how bad his slip-up was. Quickly, he sat up, and took hold of her bare shoulders. Her beautiful bare shoulders with golden hair…Sam forced himself to concentrate on his words.

“No, Ainsley, definitely not. I just haven’t heard of pure magic doing something like this. This kind of thing in demonic, it has to be. We just have to stop it – not this, the magicks, this is good, we should do this, of course, only if you want to…”

Ainsley placed her finger over his lips, before kissing him deeply. Sam pulled her back down onto the bed.

“Shush,” she whispered.

~

Everyone had gone home for the night. Donna was probably the only one left in the west wing. She had forced Josh home about an hour previously, Sam and Ainsley had completely vanished mid-afternoon and CJ and Toby had left after a rumoured ‘happening’ in the Mess. Leo had wanted to escape this ‘strange music thing’ as soon as possible, and so she was the only one, with a few secretaries and assistants running around too.

She was torn. She wanted to go home and soak for an hour in a nice hot bath. She also wanted to check up on Josh. Her mind momentarily entertained the notion that if Josh were in her bathtub, it would make life so much easier. She quickly pushed those thoughts from her mind. It was not a good idea to think about Josh in that way. Especially after the shooting.

She had become very close to Josh when he was recovering. He had missed her – the great, independent Joshua Lyman had missed *her*. She had to spend as much time as possible at his place, and the nights where he had terrifying dreams were the nights he called her and she had to go to him. She had almost got used to holding him as he fell asleep. Then, he was better, and she tried to slip away. But she was drawn to him, and felt the need to protect and watch over him. It was not good for her, she had decided. It blurred the lines. The lines certainly didn’t need blurring.

Sometimes, though, she wondered if they had crossed the lines, and that it was too late to retreat. What then? What could they do? Donna’s plan involved staying far, far away.

Except, she was worried. Josh really wasn’t himself and it scared her. He wasn’t quite as arrogant, as sure of himself, and what she had heard of his poignant song that morning was enough to set alarm bells ringing in her head.

It was these thoughts that had her standing at Josh’s door within the hour. She rung the bell.

“Go away, Donna!”

Donna stepped back in surprise. She sighed to herself and pulled out her key. Even though he had just sent her away with a drunken slur, she knew he needed her. He always needed her. She saw that as the most dangerous part of their relationship.

She opened the door, and made her way to his living room. It was dark, and he was sitting in an armchair, beer in hand.

“I said go away.”

“And I never listen.”

“You’re fired.”

“Impervious.”

“Always?” he sounded faintly startled. Donna wondered just how much he had drunk.

Her wonderings were answered when he stood and promptly tripped over three empty bottles. Donna was surprised he was still awake.

“Josh, please, don’t drink anymore…”

“No, Donna, I’ll only say this drunk…”

Guitar chords sounded. Donna audibly groaned. The music had obviously spread.

“I died
So many months ago
You can make me feel
Like it isn't so.”

Donna, torn between admiring his beautiful voice and wanting to save him the pain of revealing his deepest secrets, just stood there.

“And why you come to be with me
I think I finally know
mmm-mmm.”

He moved towards her, a new power and lucidity in his movement. He touched her gently, then let her go.

“You're scared
Ashamed of what you feel
And you can't tell the ones you love
You know they couldn't deal
Whisper in a dead man's ear
It doesn't make it real.”

Donna reeled as if slapped. He knew that she loved him, and he was mocking her. It hurt.

“That's great
But I don't wanna play
'Cause being with you touches me
More than I can say
And since I’m only dead to you
I’m saying stay away and
Let me rest in peace.”

Suddenly, the music changed and Josh leapt on the table. Donna was scared now.

“Let me rest in peace
Let me get some sleep
Let me take my love and bury it,” Josh threw his bottle against the wall,

“In a hole 6-foot deep
I can lay my body down
But I can't find my, sweet release
So let me rest in peace.”

Donna wasn’t going to listen anymore. Mostly because she was afraid he would hate her in the morning and that he would make her cry. Being in Josh’s apartment with tears streaming was not part of her Josh fantasies. Not that she had Josh fantasies.

She moved towards the door, but he stood in her way. So, she took the song into her own hands. If there were going to be emotional revelations, she was going to share. And, seeing as he was drunk, he probably wouldn’t remember anyway.

She let it go.

“You know,
You got a willing slave
And you just love to play the thought
That you might misbehave
But till you do,
I'm telling you
I’ll stop visiting this grave
I’ll let you rest in peace.”

Josh, now apparently sobered, stared at her in disbelief. All Donna’s frustration and anger was coming out in song. She walked towards him, backing him against the wall.

“I know I should go
But I follow you like a girl possessed
There's a traitor here beneath my breast
And it hurts me more than you've ever guessed
As my heart beats, it could break my chest
but I can see you're unimpressed
So I’ll leave you be.’

She had him pressed against the wall now. She sighed under her breath. Josh thought she was going to kiss him. But she just walked away, and slammed the door behind her.

Josh continued, feeling tears prick his eyes.

“Let me rest in peace
Let me get some sleep
Let me take my love and bury it
In a hole 6-foot deep
I can lay my body down
But I can't find my sweet release
Let me rest in peace
Why won't you
Let me rest in peace?”

~

Ainsley rolled over, and hit something. She smiled to herself, before turning and kissing Sam on the nose. He smiled, but didn’t wake. She got up, and moved into the bathroom.

There, she had a sudden fit of melancholy. She looked in the mirror, and saw her mussed hair and smudged mascara. She saw Sam’s sleeping reflection, and reached out to trace it with her hand. He was beautiful. She was a wreck.

She went back into the bedroom, and picked up her clothes. She put them on slowly, thinking of all the bad things that had happened to her in the White House. She had never really been wanted – no one had welcomed her arrival. Leo was reluctant, the senior staff hated her – save Sam, but he got on with most people – and then there was the incident with the flowers. Yet again, Sir Sam had saved the day. He was too good for her.

Ainsley wasn’t sure where this attitude had come from. She had always been very confident in herself. She saw Sam Seaborn and she thought ‘yeah, he’s mine’. And, now, she had him, and she knew he would never stay.

She felt so sorry for herself. She plucked Sam’s necklace from her pocket, and piano notes played softly out of the air. She carefully placed it around her neck.

“Does anybody even notice?
Does anybody even care?”

Suddenly, she was grabbed from behind, something hit her head and she was gone.

~

Ainsley woke up in a dark warehouse. She got up slowly, and looked around. A few quick ballet steps, and she was face-to-face with a demon. She turned away, running in time with the horror-movie music that was playing. She twirled into another demon, backing away from him with a cat-like grace. She spun into a pirouette, and then slid dramatically across the floor. She looked up; to see the strangest looking demon she had ever seen. A three-dimensional human-height red thing with horns stood before her, wearing a designer suit and tap dancing shoes. Ainsley was wondering just how hard she had hit her head.

“Why’d you run away?
Don’t you like my… style?”

He clicked his fingers and his suit changed. These were powerful magicks.

“Why don’t you come and play?
I guarantee a great big smile.”

He plucked his smile from his mouth and held it out to her. She yelped in surprise.

“I come from the imagination
And I’m here strictly by your invocation.
So what do you say—
Why don’t we dance a while?”

He started to tap-dance around the room, and Ainsley watched in fascinated horror.

“I’m the how to swing.
I’m the twist and shout.
When you gotta sing,
When you gotta let it out.
You call me and I come a-runnin’.
I turn the music on, I bring the fun in.
Now we’re partyin’, that’s what it’s all about.”

With his hand a foot in front of her, he drew her into a standing position. Then, he made her dance with him. Ainsley had never felt so mortified.

“’Cause I know what you feel, girl.
I know just what you feel, girl.”

He threw her away with a flick of his wrist.

“So you’re like a good demon? Bringing the fun in?” said Ainsley, thinking this was a slightly better outlook. The demon shook his head.

“All these melodies, they go on too long.
Then that energy starts to come on way too strong.
All those hearts lay open— that must sting.
Plus some customers just start combusting.
That’s the penalty when life is full of song.”

A demon went up in smoke, and she screamed. She thought of all the Senior Staff, singing and dancing their way through work. What would the country do? What would she do?

“You brought me down into this town
So when we blow this scene,
Back we will go to my kingdom below
And you will be my queen.”

Her clothes changed in a shimmering wedding dress. Ainsley was shocked. She also wondered exactly how she had brought this demon into town. When she had cast that gypsy spell for Sam’s love, a dancing demon wasn’t involved. When she had cursed Josh Lyman with Sekhmet, she hadn’t meant anything by it. Had that caused all this?

“’Cause I know what you feel, girl.”

”No, you see, you and me
Wouldn’t be very regal,” Ainsley sang with him, amazed at the strength in her own voice.

“I’ll make it real, girl.”

“But my friends, in the end

Don’t care what you feel,” sang Ainsley, wondering if they would have time to pass the new bill and rescue her from this demon.

“I can bring whole cities to ruin
And still have time to get a soft-shoe in.”

“Well, that’s great but I’m late
And I’d hate to delay him.”

“Something’s cooking, I’m at the griddle.
I bought Nero his very first fiddle.”

“He’ll get pissed if I’m missed,
See I work for the President.”

The music stopped. Everything went quiet. The demon looked at her, amused.

“The President?”

“Uh-huh,” said Ainsley, wondering if this could be some kind of deterrent.

“Find him. Tell him… tell him anything. Just get him here. I want to see the President burn.”

Ainsley’s eyes widened. She was going to destroy the President of the United States? That wouldn’t look good on her CV.

“Now we’re partyin’.
That’s what it’s all about,” he finished, with a swing.

Ainsley sure hoped this wasn’t the big finale, for her and the country.

~

Toby wandered into the office, and picked up some of CJ’s press releases. He liked to check them over, just before she gave them. He looked at one today which stated that she favoured the Washington Post. Toby, worried about impropriety, quickly changed it to the New York Times. Whistling happily to himself, he handed the new piece of writing to Carol, and headed for his office.

~

A new day had dawned, and Josh woke up, feeling like Hell. Then, he remembered the events of the previous night. His headache got worse.

He arrived at the office a little later than usual, to see Donna tidying his desk. As soon as he walked in though, armed with flowers and a dazzling apology (communicated by Sam on the cell a few minutes previously), she left without a word. Josh crumpled.

He shut the door slowly, and walked towards the desk. He didn’t hear what Donna was singing from the bullpen.

“You're not ready
For the world outside
You keep pretending,
but you just can't hide
I know I said that I’d
Be standing by your side
But I.”

She sealed the envelope she was holding, and looked forlornly at the office. Her cheeks were suspiciously wet.

“Your path's unbeaten,
And it's all uphill
And you can meet it,
But you never will
And I’m the reason that you're standing still
But I.”

She began to clear away the items on her desk, ignoring the inquiring looks she was receiving from the other staffers.

“I wish I could say
The right words
To lead you through this land
Wish I could play the lover
And take you by the hand
Wish I could stay here
But now I understand
I’m standing in the way.”

She got up, and sorted through the list of phone calls Josh hadn’t returned and the notes from fellow staffers he had refused to answer. She sighed.

“The cries around you,
You don't hear at all
'Cause you know I’m here
To take that call
So you just lie there when
You should be standing tall
But I.”

Donna placed her box on the floor, and left the envelope on her desk. She continued, her voice getting steadily louder and more emotional

“I wish I could
Lay your arms down
And let you rest at last
Wish I could
Slay your demons
But now that time has passed
Wish I could stay here
Your stalwart, standing fast
But I'm
Standing in the way
I’m just standing
In the way.”

She looked through Josh’s window one last time, before carrying her box away.

~

CJ quickly walked into her briefing and began her address.

“Good morning. In response to earlier questions about my preferences for the White House Press Award, I would like to say that the New York…”

CJ stopped short, staring at the piece of paper. A black pen had scrawled over her words, in a hand that CJ clearly recognised as Toby’s. She looked up at the Press Corps, who were waiting.

“I’m sorry, the Washington Post, for their skill at reporting and unbiased coverage of the White House.”

There was scattered applause, as CJ fumed inside.

“And that’s all I have for you now. I’ll be back later.”

CJ dived out of the room, among hails of her name. She hurried to her office, and shut the door, breathing heavily. The music began to play.

“I'm under your spell
God, how could you do this
Playing with my press releases
You know I've been through hell
Toby, don't you see?
There'll be nothing left of me
You made me believe.”

Donna came in through the door, her voice rising over CJ’s.

“Believe me,
I don't wanna go.”

CJ joined in her words.

“And it'll grieve me
'Cause I love you so
But we both know.”

The door was open, and Toby and Josh stood down the corridor. Both women looked out at them, a new emotion filling their voices.

“Wish I could
Say the right words…”

“Wish I could trust…”

“…to lead you…”

“…that it was just this once…”

“…through this land.”

“But I must do what I must.”

“Wish I could play the lover…”

“I can't adjust to this disgust…”

“And take you by the hand.”

“We're done and I just…”

They’re voices united again.

“Wish I could stay
Wish I could stay
Wish I could stay
Wish I could stay.”

They stared at the two men chatting idly. Donna picked up her box, and looked at CJ.

“I have to. Tell Leo for me.”

CJ nodded, as Donna left, deliberately turning away from Josh and Toby. CJ walked with purpose towards them, until she saw a strange looking creature headed straight for them. Josh and Toby saw it at exactly the same time, just as Sam ran around the corner, and collided straight into it. The force of their momentum carried them straight into Carol’s office. The shocked assistant got up and left, sensing that this was something best left to the Senior Staff.

Sam got up immediately and started his panicked ramblings.

“Ainsley’sgoneandIdon’tknowwhereandIthinkit’sbecauseIsaiditwasdarkandIthinkit’sallrelated!” Sam took a breath, and was about to continue, when CJ interrupted.

“Ok, but maybe we should concentrate on the demon in front of us.”

Everyone looked at the creature before them, just as it stood and glared at them all.

“Sweet has got your Ainsley and wants the President to go and exchange himself for her. But, I guess, you’ll do.”

They exchanged looks. Toby and Sam spoke in unison.

“Get Leo.”

~

Whilst they were waiting for Leo, Josh hurried to find Donna. He frowned when he saw her empty desk, devoid of everything except a small white envelope. He ripped it open and read through the enclosed letter. It said:

‘Mr Lyman,

This is my formal resignation. I cannot afford two weeks notice for reasons outlined in the accompanying note…’

Josh dumped the letter, and quickly found the smaller, hand-written piece of paper Donna had left. Reading under his breath, his eyes pricked with tears.

“Dearest Josh,

I cannot work here, I can’t see you destroy yourself. You’ll survive without me, it’s the only way you will. I won’t forget you, but please forget me.

I’m sorry,

Donna.”

Josh read it over and over, the words resounding through his mind. He threw the paper down, and strode into Leo’s office where everyone was gathered.

“I’m going to rescue Ainsley. I have to, I have to do it alone. Donna said so, and Donna knows. I’ll see you sometime…perhaps later than life.”

With that, he walked out of the office and started towards the car park. He caught sight of his reflection in a pane of glass and he stopped. He touched at his chest, and watched his reflection do the same. He sang softly to himself.

“I touch the scar, and it freezes me
I look into the mirror, and it's black
Why can't I feel?
My heart should crack and peel
I want the fire back.”

He strode purposefully into the car park, not noticing Donna still standing there. He got into his car and drove away, singing as he went.

“Now, through the smoke, she calls to me
To make my way across the flame
To save the day
Or maybe melt away
I guess it's all the same.”

Josh drove up to an alley, got out of the car and began to walk to the warehouse, his voice getting louder.

“So I will
Walk through the fire
'Cause where else can I turn?
I will
Walk through the fire
And let it...”

Donna started singing, unaware that this was her link to Josh.

“The torch I bear is scorching me
Josh’s laughing, I've no doubt
I hope he fries,
I'm free if that man dies
I better help him out.”

Suddenly panicking, she dropped her box and ran to where she thought Josh was.

“'Cause he is
Drawn to the fire
Some people...” Sweet sang, gazing at Ainsley

“He will never learn,” sang on Donna, the music threading these distant voices together.

“And he will
Walk through the fire
and let it...”

Leo stood up from his desk, suddenly joining in with the song.

“Will this do a thing to change him?
Am I leaving Ainsley to burning?
Is my deputy too far gone to care?”

“What if Josh can't defeat it?” demanded Toby.

“Beady eyes is right, we're needed
Or we could just sit around and glare.”

She said, pointedly glaring at Toby herself. He visibly shivered.

Sam led them in rousing chorus.

“We'll see

it through
It's what we're
Always here to do
so we will
Walk through the fire.”

They gathered coats and strode out of the west wing.

“I can’t believe she turned from me
I guess my friends can't face the cold,” Josh sung, drawing his coat around him.

“What can't we face if we’re together?” CJ’s voice seemed to emerge from the night air.

“But why I froze,
Not one among them knows
And never can be told.”

“He passed near the grave, cold gravestone,” sang CJ.

“One by one, they come to me,” whispered Sweet, mingling his dark intentions with their words.

“Try to kill him, I will save him!” declared Donna in soprano.

“Everything is turning out so dark,” Ainsley sang, earning her foreboding looks from her demon guards.

“Going through the motions,” sang Josh, feeling suddenly lifeless.

“It's what they have inside,” came Sweet’s voice, dark and menacing.

“Yes, I can save him from the killer,” Donna sang to herself, marching forth alone.

“I think this line is mostly filler,” sang Toby, frowning to himself

“It’s what they had to strike the spark,” sang Leo, grimly, leading his staffers into a battle that they didn’t know how to win. He glanced across at Sam, who was bearing a sword. He hoped that would be enough.

“He will come to me!” sang Sweet.

“These endless days
Are finally ending in a blaze!” Josh sang to the cold night, as he approached the warehouse.

Their voices were all raised in chorus.

“And we are
Caught in the fire
The point of no return
So we will
Walk through the fire
And let it burn
Let it burn
Let it burn
And let it burn!”

Josh kicked in the door of the warehouse, as the rest of the Senior Staff came up behind him.

“Showtime!” said Sweet, with relish.

Josh strode up, and pointed at Ainsley.

“I’m here! Let’s get this over with.”

“You don’t sound too happy there, do you?” said Sweet, sensing melancholy, an emotion he liked very much.

“I’m not. It’s all about…life.” Josh sighed deeply. His friends were getting increasingly confused.

“Come now, isn’t life a wonderful thing?” commented Sweet.

“I think you already know,” said Josh, before starting his song.

“Life’s a show and we all play a part
And when the music starts,
We open up our hearts.”

Josh slid off his coat, and threw it aside.

“It’s all right if some things come out wrong.
We’ll sing a happy song
And you can sing along.”

Demons ran at him, just as Sam threw the sword to him. Josh grabbed hold of it and started to wield it with intent. Each word was accentuated with a sword blow.

“Where’s there’s life,
There’s hope.
Everyday’s
A gift.
Wishes can
Come true.
Whistle while
You work.
So hard
All day.”

He faced Sweet again, breathing heavily.

“To be like other guys
To live under these sunny skies
Don’t give me songs.
Don’t give me songs.”

Leo nudged CJ and Sam, saying, “He needs back up!”

“Give me something to sing about.
I need something to sing about.”

Sam and CJ sang a backing tune, joining in a dance with Josh with more precision than they had at the Inaugural Ball.

“Life’s a song
You don’t get to rehearse.
And every single verse
Can make it that much worse.”

Sam and CJ stopped dancing, listening to what Josh was singing.

“Still my friends
Don’t know why I ignore
The million things or more
I should be dancing for.”

He looked wildly at them all, continuing to dance.

“All the joy
Life sends.
Family
And friends.
All the twists
And bends
Knowing that
It ends.
Well that
Depends…”

Leo was getting uncomfortable, and he could see that the others were too. This was not like Josh at all.

“On if they let you go,
On if they know enough to know
That when you bow
You leave the crowd.”

The music changed, as Josh approached Sweet. He began to sing, slowly and with much trepidation.

“There was no pain,
No fear, no rack
Till they pulled me back
From heaven.”

Everyone stared at him in horror, as he looked round at them.

“So that’s my refrain.
I live in hell
’Cause I’ve been expelled
From heaven.
I could’ve been in heaven.”

CJ gasped and Sam’s jaw fell open. This was all too emotional, too personal, too heart-breaking.

“So give me something to sing about.
Please give me something.”

Josh realised this was going nowhere, that no one was really listening. His dance continued, getting more frenzied, more excited. He twirled faster and faster, smoke rising off him. Ainsley knew what was going to happen, she closed her eyes, she couldn’t look…

Donna grabbed Josh’s shoulders, stopping him abruptly. She sung to him, looking straight into his eyes.

“Life’s not a song.
Life isn’t bliss.
Life is just this.
It’s living.”

She touched his cheek, lovingly, smiling as her fingers brushed his hair.

“You’ll get along.
The pain that you feel
Only can heal
By living.
You have to go on living.
So that both of us are living.”

“The hardest thing in this world is to live in it,” Ainsley said, quietly.

There was silence, with Josh and Donna absorbed in each other and Sweet looking on, obviously disappointed. Sam made a move towards Ainsley, and Sweet stood possessively in front of her.

“Well, the little missus and I should be on our way.”

“That’s never going to happen,” said Leo, defiantly.

“I’m afraid it is. She summoned me.”

Ainsley looked at him, swiping at him viciously.

“I so did not! He keeps saying that,” she said to Sam, who was sizing up Sweet for a fight.

“You have my talisman on, sweet thing,” he said, leaning over to finger the necklace she was wearing. She tore it off and threw it at Sam.

“It isn’t mine! It belongs to him!”

Everyone looked at Sam, as he caught the necklace.

“Wait,” he said thoughtfully.

The room waited.

“The invocation is a song, right?” Sweet nodded slowly.

“So, if someone was wearing it and sung…well, anything…it would summon you?”

Again, Sweet nodded. Sam looked at him awkwardly.

“Ok, I summoned you.”

“Sam!” everyone yelled in unison. Sam cringed, then looked at Sweet in horror.

“Does this mean I have to…y’know…be your queen?”

Ainsley looked at Sweet with obvious pain. Josh finally turned away from Donna, smirking.

“You’d look good in that dress, Sam,” he said, earning him a glare from Ainsley.

“No, I think we’ll waive that clause just this once. Big smiles everyone – you beat the bad guy!”

They faced him, as he burst into song.

“What a lot of fun
You guys have been real swell,” he chuckled,

“And there's not a one who can say
This ended well.”

Everyone looked uncomfortably at each other. CJ and Toby regarded each other suspiciously, whilst Josh looked at Donna with fear. She looked down at the floor.

“All those secrets
You've been concealing
Say you're happy now,
Once more with feeling
Now I gotta run
See you all in hell!”

He disappeared in a flash of light. There was an uncomfortable silence. Then, Ainsley began to sing.

“Where do we go from here?”

Donna joined her.

“Where do we go from here?”

”The battle's done,
And we kind of won,” sang Leo, then joined by Sam,

“So we sound our victory cheer
Where do we go from here?”

CJ and Toby walked towards each other, singing.

“Why is the path unclear?
When we know home is near?”

They all lined up, joining hands in succession

“Understand
We'll go hand in hand,” they let go abruptly,

“But we'll walk alone in fear.”

“Tell me,” sang Leo,

“Where do we go from here?” they all sang together.

“When does the end appear?”

Donna slipped away quietly. It was time for her to leave. Josh saw her, and followed her.

“When do the trumpets cheer?
The curtains close
On a kiss god knows
We can tell the end is near,” they others sang on, oblivious.

“Donna! Wait!”

Donna stopped, and turned towards Josh. He looked at her with an unreadable face, gesturing towards the others.

“Josh, go back. Sing with them, you’ll enjoy it.”

“I don’t want to.”

Donna suddenly became angry.

“Josh, when you figure out what you do want, they’ll throw a parade. Look, this isn’t going to work. You’re not yourself, I can’t save you, and you have to be on your own. I have to…”

“I touch the scar, and it freezes me,” he sang.

“You’re not ready for the world outside,” she joined in, walking towards him as he was towards her.

“I look into the mirror…”

“You keep pretending, but you just can’t hide”

“And it's black”

“This is all that’s real”

“I’ll be standing by your side”

“You can make me feel…”

They met, and kissed. Fireworks exploded, as Donna kissed him. It was beautiful, it was passionate – it was everything Donna had dreamed it to be. This could work. This could happen. She knew where she should be – and that was with Josh. And as they kissed, as the first drops of rain began to fall, the voices of the others surrounded them.

“Where do we go from here?”

~

And if it had just ended there. If the curtain had fallen, and their lives had remained frozen in that time. But, alas, no.

The Senior Staff meeting started with Leo glaring at everyone individually.

“Josh, if I ever see you kiss Donna again, you’re fired. Understand?”

“Yes sir,” Josh mumbled, hoping Leo never found out what happened after the kissing.

“Sam,” Sam looked up, fearful, “If I see any – ANY – demonic books, objects, wands…whatever…in your office, you’re fired. And if you are anywhere near the steam pipe trunk distribution venue, without a good reason, consider yourself unemployed.”

“Yes sir,” mumbled Sam, hoping Leo never found out about where he had been waking up the past few days.

“CJ and Toby, the communications director and press secretary – YOU should know better! If either of you start making dating plans in the Mess again, I will have your heads – forget your jobs!”

CJ mumbled a ‘Yes sir’ but Toby looked him straight in the eye.

“No, Leo. You’re wrong.”

“Toby…” Leo said in a warning tone.

“No, Leo, you can’t tell us how to live our lives! I love CJ, Sam loves Ainsley and Josh loves Donna. And if the press, or the American people, have a problem with that, you can tell them where to shove their problem! I’m tired of feeling old and sinking in god-knows-what to who-knows-where. This is my life, this is all of our lives, and I think we should live them. Here, and now, and the way we want to live them. And neither you nor the President of the United States has the right to stop us.”

Leo sat back in his chair, and steeped his fingers.

“I’ve got to hand it to you, Toby, you write good speeches.”

Everyone held their breath.

“Clear off, all of you, and enjoy Christmas. And for god’s sake, don’t tell the President!”

“Tell me what?”

Everyone stood and looked at the figure standing in the doorway.

“I thought you were in Manchester, sir,” said Sam, the only one daring to speak.

“I’m back early. So, what’s been going on?”

“Nothing, sir,” they said in chorus, wincing at the slightly musical lilt in their voices.

“I see,” said the President, looking at them all suspiciously, “Now, run along, and have a good Christmas!”

The President went back into his office. They all happily dispersed. Sam walked towards his office, smiling when Ainsley was waiting for him. They headed for home.

CJ stopped Toby outside Leo’s office, and hugged him awkwardly.

“Um…about this whole thing…I think…”

Toby kissed her, effectively silencing her. He broke away.

“Come on, let’s go home.”

CJ smiled weakly, took his hand, and they headed for home.

Josh went towards his office, slightly saddened. He turned the corner, to see Donna carefully unpacking her things. She looked up at him, smiling shyly.

He smiled at her, eyes shining, pulled her letter out of his pocket and tore it in two. He picked her up and spun her around, as she giggled and screamed for him to put her down. He took her arm, and they headed for home.

~

“This is good beer.”

“Don’t drink too much of it! You have a…”

“Sensitive system!” everyone said in chorus.

The Roosevelt Room was decorated beautifully with holly and mistletoe, and the Senior Staff and their assistants were all gathered there. This was home, where their friends were, where they lived and breathed the success of one more year gone, so many more things achieved.

This was home.