"CJ - and let me preface this by saying if I were not the slightest bit inebriated I would never mention this aloud - a couple of weeks ago� No, it's not important," Sam decided. "Forget I said anything."

He and CJ were in her hotel room, raiding the mini bar and celebrating the President's resounding victory in the debate. Toby was supposed to be celebrating with them, but he had been stopped by Josh to discuss post-debate strategy. Sam and CJ had cunningly avoided him and headed straight for her room.

CJ looked at him quizzically. "Sam, you wanted to share?"

"Funny you should say that." He paused, unsure if he should continue. But keeping this secret was driving him crazy, and he needed to tell it to someone. Who better than the Press Secretary, who could help him cover up any potential scandals? No, not cover up, he reminded himself sternly. *Avert* any potential scandals. "Ok, here it is. A few weeks ago in Chicago, Toby kicked me out of the hotel room we were sharing." He peered at CJ through bleary eyes and saw that her smile was soft and reminiscent. "CJ, are you with me here?"

He watched as she visibly roused herself from her daydream and concentrated on him. "You were saying?"

"Toby kicked me out of our room in Chicago, so I went to Josh's."

"Boy, that must have been fun," she giggled drunkenly. "Wasn't Josh sharing with Donna?"

He stared at her, startled. "How did you - never mind. Yeah, he was sharing with Donna." His curiosity got the better of him "You knew about that?"

"Hell, I was *part* of that."

"*Part* of that? Do you mean� I thought� but now�" Sam stopped suddenly. The alcohol was clouding his thoughts and he wasn't sure what to make of CJ's declaration. He started again, speaking slowly and deliberately. "When you mean *part* of it, you mean *part* as in helping them to realize their feelings for one another, right?"

"Sure, that too," she agreed good-naturedly.

Sam buried his aching head in his hands. "I don't think I want to know what you're talking about," he groaned. "Forget I even mentioned anything."

CJ leaned in close to him and asked in a conspiratorial tone, "Sam, did something happen with you and Josh and Donna?"

"Maybe," he hedged, uncomfortable with her scrutiny.

"Maybe," she mimicked. "Like maybe the three of you did the horizontal mambo?"

"Oh, God. Don't say that!" Sam buried his head in his hands, refusing to meet her intense stare.

CJ studied his flushed cheeks; the high color and embarrassed look gave him away. "Are you kidding me?"

"Sadly, no." He kept his head down, reluctant to see CJ's reaction. He was surprised to hear a loud guffaw instead of the expected shout. His head snapped up and he saw CJ laughing at him, a wide smile on her face.

"That was you?" she chuckled. "I *knew* that wasn't Josh's voice we heard calling Donna's name."

"But I� we�yes," he admitted sheepishly, glad that she wasn't upset about his confession. Then he realized exactly what she had said. "Wait - we?"

"We, me. What does it matter?" She leaned over and refilled Sam's glass with more liquor.

"CJ, your room was down at the other end of the hall. I know that hotel walls are notoriously thin, but how could you possibly have heard anything?" He started to mentally tick off the occupants of each room in the hallway. "Wait a minute - Toby's room was next to Josh's. Were you in Toby's room?" he asked incredulously.

This time, it was CJ's turn to avoid the question. "Who cares? Why are you interested in everyone's sleeping arrangements anyhow?"

Sam floundered for an answer. "I - I'm not. But� while Josh and Donna were having their way with me, you and Toby were listening in!" he cried dramatically.

"Pish-posh! And 'had their way with you'?" CJ asked, eyebrows raised. "What'd they do to you? Tie you to the bed? Never mind, don't answer that. I don't really need to know any more about your sexcapades."

"It wasn't like that!"

"I'm sure it wasn't," she drawled.

"It wasn't," he insisted. "It was strange and beautiful and-"

CJ leaned close to him, all traces of humor gone from her face. "Sam, I know you find Donna attractive and that you're more than a little in love with Josh. But whatever happened in that hotel room wasn't serious. They were experimenting," she cautioned. "Josh and Donna have eyes for no one but each other."

"CJ, I'm not -" He caught her look of concern and sighed. "I *know*. You don't have to worry about my heart getting broken."

"Ok, then."

"So you're not mad? I'm not going to get any lectures about scandals and stuff?"

"Nope." Pouring out some more to drink, she lightened the mood by asking with a wicked grin, "You enjoyed it, didn't you?"

He grinned back at her, relieved to have shared his secret and to know that it wasn't going to wreak any havoc. "I really did. But what's going on with you and Toby?"

"Toby and I have been friends for a *very* long time. And that's all you need to know, Spanky."

She was stopped from adding any more by the sound of the keycard snicking in the lock and Toby's voice calling out, "Claudia Jean, you better be awake and you better be naked." He stopped as soon as he was past the threshold and frowned at Sam lounging in the room's only easy chair.

CJ waved playfully at him. "Hi Toby! We've got a visitor."

"So I see."

"Sam was just telling me about his adventures in Chicago."

Toby glared at him. "A visit to the Sears Tower? A walk along the Miracle Mile?" he mocked.

"Actually," CJ told him with an amused smile, "he was filling me on his bedroom activities from the night he spent in Josh and Donna's room. Apparently, it was Sam we heard that night yelling Donna's name."

Sam's strangled protest was simultaneous with Toby's snort of disbelief.

CJ blithely ignored them both. "Our little Sam is growing up," she announced proudly.

Toby looked horrified. "Please, I beg of you, never use the phrase 'Our little Sam' ever again."

"I'm sitting right here," a disgruntled Sam reminded them.

"And why is that?" Toby demanded as his gaze swung once more to the younger man. "Go away."

"Hey! I was here before you. CJ and I were having a little post-debate celebration."

"And now I'm here to conclude the celebration." Toby took Sam's arm and led him to the door. "Goodnight, Sam."

"Aw, Toby, let him stay," CJ pleaded from her perch on the bed.

"CJ," Toby warned.

"What's the harm? He might actually learn something. I bet Josh and Donna were tame compared to us," she boasted with a chuckle.

Sam blanched at the suggestion. "Ok, you know what? I'm leaving now and I'm going to pretend that this entire conversation never took place," he declared.

"An excellent idea," Toby agreed as he opened the door and started to usher him out.

"Spoilsports!" CJ called out after them.

"Goodnight, Sam.," Toby repeated, looking pointedly at the empty hallway.

"Goodnight," Sam returned as he stepped out of the room and was left staring at the hastily closed door.

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