Rating: PG,
Pairing: Leo/Ainsley
Spoilers: The Drop-In
Disclaimer: If it was in the show, it's not mine.
Archive: At my site The Band Gazebo (helsinkibaby.ahkay.net) Anywhere else please ask first.
Summary: Leo, Ainsley, Lord John Marbury and a diplomatic reception…
Author's Note : This is the post-ep I might have written for The Drop-In were it not for the fact that I had the Stolen Moments series on the go at the time. Credit for this must go in part to bluejeans, whose feedback on Of Peanuts and Lord Fauntleroy included the line that Ainsley and Lord John could talk to one another for hours and not understand a word that the other was saying. Also thanks must go to Reagan, who's been hanging in patiently for Inside the Tornado to begin - in the next two weeks folks, I promise!

I've never been to a White House reception before. They really are quite something. Tonight is one for the five new Ambassadors that the President welcomed today. The Senior Staff, a goodly amount of Congressmen and Senators, not to mention the Ambassadors and their families are milling about here, not to mention the various support staff members that have dropped in.

Technically, I shouldn't be here. I should be in my basement office, listening to the pipes banging, and working hard on whatever it is that they trust me to do these days. Or, I should be at home, or on my way there. And I didn't intend to come in here. Really, I didn't. It's all Donna's fault. I stopped by her desk on my way out, to give her the papers I'd been working on for Josh, and she told me that he was probably in here, and that I should go in and see. I told her that I couldn't possibly, hearing the voices of my mother and grandmothers reminding me that a good lady never enters a party without an invitation. Donna, however, was having none of it, and she waved her hand and told me that if nothing else, I should just go and see how they did things at the White House. And with that, she grabbed me by the arm, took my bag and coat from me, and waltzed me into the reception.

And once I got here, I really began to enjoy myself. People didn't seem to take any notice of an Associate White House Counsel being there when she wasn't supposed to be; in fact, I noticed several of my fellow Associate Counsels there. And while I'd been worried about what people would think of me, they were friendly. I talked to Josh, and CJ and Donna, and the champagne was lovely. Although not as nice as the hors d'oeuvres.

I was on my way to fill my plate up again when a hand on my shoulder stopped me. I turned around to see a tall, dark-haired man standing there, someone I didn't recognise, but who looked as if he'd consumed more than his fair share of champagne. "You're not Donnatella," were the first words out of his mouth as he looked down at me.

I grinned up at him uncertainly. "No, I'm not," was all I could think of to say. He had a British accent, a nice one at that. Very upper crust, very regal.

"You look like Donnatella," he told me.

I chuckled slightly to myself, recalling a conversation that Donna and I had here late one Friday night. "We get that a lot," I told him, although, Lord knows, I don't see why. We really don't look that much alike.

"Although you certainly don't sound like Donnatella," he points out. "What a charming accent you have…from the South, I presume?"

"North Carolina," I reply, and I see a puzzled look cross his face.

"Not from the South then?" he queries.

I blink, then I realise his problem. "No…North Carolina is in the South."

"Oh." He drains his flute of champagne, exchanging it swiftly for another as a waiter passes by. "Strange country." He shakes his head then, as if remembering something. "Dear lady, please excuse my lapse in manners, although I realise that it is quite inexcusable to talk to a lady for so long without introducing myself. I - " He pauses then, and I'm not sure if it's a dramatic pause, or a pause so that I can catch up with him. "I am Lord John Marbury, newly appointed British Ambassador to the United States of America."

The name conjures up several images in my mind, of various people's animated opinions on Lord John Marbury, and I wonder why I didn't work out who he was sooner. I must be slipping. "Ainsley Hayes," I tell him. "Associate White House Counsel."

I hold out my hand, expecting him to shake it. Instead, he makes a half-bow, bending at the waist and kisses my fingers. It's quaint, and vaguely endearing, and I find myself laughing. "Ainsley," he says as he straightens up. "My dear, your name is as beautiful as you are." I unsuccessfully try not to blush as he continues. "And I take it from your job title that you are, in fact, a solicitor?"

"I'm an attorney."

He waves his hand. "Yes, yes, same difference." He regards me thoughtfully. "Let me guess…Harvard Law?"

I'm surprised at that. "How did you know?"

"My dear, you strike me as a woman for whom only the best will do. Although of course, while Harvard is a fine institution, it can't quite match the ambience of Oxford, or Cambridge. Or of course, the Sorbonne in Paris, where I myself studied."

"Did you like Paris?" I ask him when he lapses into silent contemplation.

"Oh very much," he tells me. "A beautiful city…and the countryside…the vineyards…simply breathtaking. Although…" Here, there's another dramatic pause. "There are some sights in Washington that are far more breathtaking."

This time, I don't even try to stop the blush. "That's very kind of you to say so Ambassador…"

"Ainsley, it is far from a kindness to simply speak the truth. Rather, it is an imperative for a gentleman, especially in the presence of a lady. Don't you think?"

"I couldn't agree more-" I tell him.

"Of course not." I was about to say something else, but he cuts right across me. "For you are a lady of brains as well as beauty. Of which there are an abundance in this administration. Take for example CJ Cregg…you do know CJ don't you?"

"Of course, she's-"

"Elegant, refined, cultured. The brain of an Einstein inside the body of a goddess." What was only be described as a lovesick sigh escapes his lips. "Quite a woman."

He lapses into silence, and I sip my own champagne to conceal a smile. "She certainly is."

Lord John looks up, as if to say something to me again, then his expression changes utterly as he spots something over my shoulder. A broad grin splits his face and he waves at whomever it is that he's recognised. "Gerald!"

I half-turn, not knowing who I'm going to see, not knowing any Geralds in the White House, and I'm shocked to see Leo there, his face a mixture of irritation and pain. Whether Lord John has noticed that or not, he's still gesturing, calling Leo over. "Your Lordship," he says, inclining his head, his tone more than a little dry. "Ainsley." My name is said with a little more warmth, something more approaching a genuine smile.

"Gerald, this charming creature and I were engaged in a most intriguing discussion about universities that we've attended. She certainly has some fascinating insights."

My eyebrows go straight up, because I'm suddenly wondering if I've forgotten some of the conversation that we've had. Leo must see the look on my face, because he looks as if he's trying to keep back a smile. "Well, Ainsley certainly is an insightful lady."

"And positively radiant with beauty," Lord John continues.

"Quite." Leo nods decisively, then rearranges his features in a contrite expression. "I hate to talk shop, but-"

"Stop right there old boy." Lord John holds up his hand. "I've already had this conversation with you on numerous occasions today, and I'm sure that we'll have it many times during my tenure in your fine city. Is it too much to ask for one night off?"

"Actually your Lordship-"

Leo tries to talk, but Lord John seems to be on quite a rant, and he's not going to let anyone else get a word in edgewise. It's really quite impressive. "Quite simply, the contraption which you propose to spend even more money on is a white elephant Leo. Violation of the 1972 ABM Treaty aside, it's monstrous to pour yet more millions down the drain in something that has no hope of ever doing what you want it to do. Don't you agree?" He turns to me, as if expecting some of my fabulous insights, but I'm lost.

"You're talking about…?"

"Leo's preposterous missile test thingamajig," is all the help I get from Lord John, so I appeal wordlessly to Leo.

"The NMD Shield," he supplies helpfully.

"The latest test didn't go well?" I ask, now that I know what he's talking about.

A shake of the head is all I get in response, and Lord John shakes his head too, holding out his glass in the manner of one who feels his point has just been proven. "A redundant exercise in futility, am I correct?"

I wait for a second, before I realise that this time, he does actually expect me to say something. "Actually, I agree with Leo," I say, and Leo gets this triumphant grin on his face, while Lord John is staring at me in abject horror. "I think that it's incumbent upon the government of this country, of any country, to do all that it can to protect its citizens, by any means necessary, and to keep trying, even in the face of failure. After all, only those who fail greatly can ever achieve greatly." I catch Leo trying not to smirk and frown at him. "What?"

He chuckles. "I just never thought I'd see you, of all people, quoting Robert Kennedy."

I shrug. "Just because he was a Democrat doesn't mean he's not quotable."

"Well," Lord John breaks into the conversation. "I am of the opinion that you are both tragically deluded. And I really don't see why we should ruin a perfectly nice evening by, as you put it Gerald, talking shop."

"Actually your Lordship, it was Ainsley I wanted to speak to."

"It was?" Lord John and I echo one another, and Leo nods, looking from one to the other.

"Yes. About the report that you and Sam gave me."

I frown. I haven't been working on a report with Sam.

"About the employee fraud thing," Leo clarifies, and recognition dawns. "There's just a couple of things that I need to ask about, and since Sam's gone for the night…"

"Of course," I nod, and Lord John is already nodding, and practically pushing us out of the room.

"Very good, very good…. carry on…the Federal Government waits for no man. Or woman I suppose. Ainsley - " He takes my hand and performs the same bow and kiss manoeuvre that he did when we first started this conversation. "It was a pleasure to meet you."

"And you, your Lordship."

That's all I get a chance to say before Leo's hand at the small of my back is propelling me towards the exit. "The employee fraud report?" I ask him, keeping a fixed smile on my face, not looking at anything except where I'm going.

"There's a couple of things in it…."

"The report that Sam and I gave to you two months ago?" I ask him sceptically, turning to face him once we're out of the room.

He shrugs. "It was the best I could do on short notice."

That response only mystifies me more. "Why would you want to make up an excuse like that?"

He looks as surprised as I feel at that question. "I thought you'd welcome an excuse to get away from him."

"Lord John Marbury? I was enjoying myself." He shoots me a look of more than mild irritation as we continue to walk, and I realise that we're heading to his office. "Why does he call you Gerald?"

"He thinks I'm the butler."

"You know, I don't know why you don't like him. He's very nice."

"He's insane."

"He's friendly."

"He's lecherous."

"He's very charismatic."

"You know, they said the same thing about Charles Manson?"

Much is becoming clear to me. "You know Leo, if I didn't know better, I'd almost say that you were jealous."

"Of that lunatic Brit?" That was a little loud from him, and I'm glad that we're nearly at his office.

"His eccentricity is part of his charm," I tell him as he steps back to let me into his office.

"I am not jealous." He grinds out each word as he closes the door behind him, going to the other doors to make sure they're firmly closed too.

"He said jealously." I lean back against the door that we came in, hands behind my back, and I can't keep a smile off my face. He turns back towards me, and seeing the way I'm standing, a smile comes to his face too.

I’m not jealous Ainsley," he tells me as he approaches me. "Although why you're not more grateful to me for having saved you from having him fawn all over you is beyond me."

"He was not fawning!" Now it's my turn to protest, but it's hard to continue the discussion when he slips his arms around my waist and pulls me towards him. My arms, almost of their own volition, go up around his neck and I smile up at him.

"He was fawning," Leo repeats before lowering his head and kissing me.

When we separate, I nod my head. "OK, so maybe he was fawning a little. But you were jealous."

Leo rolls his eyes. "Maybe a little," he allows.

"Hah!"

"But I got to hear a die-hard Republican quote Bobby Kennedy in defence of me, so the evening wasn't all bad."

"You're never going to let me forget that are you?"

"Nope." He's got that smug grin on his face that he gets every now and again, and I resolve not to let him see that it's sent me weak in the knees. Again.

"Well, maybe Lord John would like to talk some more…" I make to pull away from him, but he grips me around the waist tighter, pulling me even closer to him.

"Not a chance," he growls playfully, before kissing me again.

This time, it's me who pulls away, breaking the kiss, and he lets me. "We can't do this here," I tell him, not for the first time. How many times have we done this, in this office, in my office, only to stop for fear of interruption?

"Not with the White House Press Corps at a reception down the hall," he agrees. "You ready to go home?"

I nod. "I was ready an hour ago," I tell him. "Before Donna dragged me in there."

"Ah. So it's Donna's fault you were flirting with Lord Fauntleroy."

"I was not flirting," I protest.

"Just like I wasn't flirting with the Russian Ambassador."

Ah. I dip my head, cheeks flaming, as I remember a less than light-hearted conversation we had just before Christmas, when he told me about the Russian Ambassador flirting with him, and I got a little wiggy over what she'd said to him, although Lord knows, she was fairly subtle. Far more subtle than Lord John I'm sure, and I'm not so sure that wasn't what Leo was getting at. "Touché," I grumble. When I look up at him again, he's trying not to laugh, and after a moment, I give in to temptation and kiss him quickly.

"I'll see you at your place?" he asks when I move away from him again.

And I nod, not trusting myself to say anything else without abandoning myself to desire and throwing him down on the couch. I can wait until he gets home to do that. I always have before. But to remove temptation from my path, I beat a hasty retreat, grabbing my bag and coat from Donna's desk and heading out to my car, suddenly very glad that I stopped by the reception, if that's the effect that Lord John Marbury has on Leo. I guess I shouldn't be too worried about gatecrashing parties in future…it certainly has its rewards.