Crossover: JAG/SOF/Walker, Texas Ranger/The X-Files/The West Wing
Disclaimer: SOF is the property of Rysher, et al; JAG is the property of CBS, Donald Bellisario, et al; Walker, Texas Ranger is the property of CBS, Top Kick Productions, et al; The X-Files is the property of Chris Carter, FOX, and Ten Thirteen productions, et al; The West Wing is the property of NBC, et al; this is a recreational endeavor, no profit is being made and no copyright infringement is intended.
Spoilers: Pretty much anything from any season (up to and including the present) is fair game.
Thank you to Jenn & Grace.

******************************************

A special ceremony was taking place in the Oval Office. It wasn’t listed on any schedule or press release, because the people who were being honored technically didn’t exist...at least not in any official capacity. In point of fact, the President wasn’t even supposed to know who these people were, but there was the small matter of a war being averted and Josiah Bartlet was in a mood to hand out some medals. "To whom, exactly," he’d demanded, "should the aforementioned medals be awarded?"

When the President demanded something, people scrambled to get him what he wanted, but in this case, they just kept hitting brick walls. It was finally Leo McGarry who had badgered, and cajoled, and called in every favor he was owed by everyone he knew in the military and intelligence communities to come up with a man named Trout at the Pentagon. Trout had thanked him very much and said he’d pass on the President’s very kind words to his people. Leo repeated the request, stressing exactly which office of Sixteen-hundred Pennsylvania Avenue he represented.

Trout had sighed then, with that long suffering air that operators tended to assume with civilians and explained again, speaking very slowly and using very simple words. His people were gratified to know that the President appreciated their efforts, but they were accustomed to remaining in the shadows, and in fact, preferred it that way. They couldn’t very well carry out covert operations if they’d had their faces plastered all over the front page of every newspaper in the United States, and in fact, none of them were currently affiliated with any of the official agencies that the President awarded commendations to.

Now it was Leo’s turn to sigh and shake his head. The President wanted to meet these people, therefore, the President would meet these people. It was as simple as that. After much haggling on both sides, they had finally reached an accord. The meeting would take place in the Oval Office, pre-dawn, before the day’s activities began. The team’s names would not be revealed, nor would there be any pictures taken. The only people in attendance would be the President, Leo, Trout and his team. Secret Service agents would ensure that the room remained sealed.

And so, here they were. Jed Bartlet thought he’d never seen quite so diverse a group of people. There were two men of rather military bearing, an exotically beautiful woman, a little man with a braying New York accent, and the tallest black man he’d ever seen in his life. The fellow sported so many body piercings that it was a wonder he hadn’t set off every metal detector in the city! He waited until Leo had finished serving everyone from the magnum of champagne he’d arranged for before speaking.

"I know that you people are one of those things that I’m not supposed to know about," he began, "but you’ve done your country a very great service...if the Iraqi delegation had been killed on American soil, we’d surely be at war now. It’s been explained to me – at length," he continued, with a wry look for Trout, "that this is what you do, and that you’re satisfied with knowing that you’ve done your jobs – that you don’t expect thank you’s or any of the usual trappings of heroism, but this time...this time, I wanted you to know that the President of the United States is extremely grateful for what you’ve done. I don’t suppose I’ll ever understand the extent of your service to this country, but I do thank you."

Trout spoke for his people. "Mister President, you’re very welcome."

The President nodded, looking reflectively at his champagne flute. "What shall we drink to?" he asked the room at large.

"I’ve always been partial to "God Bless America," Xavier Trout answered quietly.

"Indeed." Jed raised his glass. "God Bless America."

The room echoed the toast. Leo and the President were both surprised when the tall man murmured appreciatively over the champagne, recognizing it as French. Trout’s people caught their startled expressions and tried without much success to smother their own amusement.

Grinning himself, Jed moved among the team, shaking hands and thanking each of them in turn.

After he’d spoken to everyone, Leo interrupted diffidently. "Mister President, Mister Trout’s associates need to be going before the day’s business gets underway."

"Of course," Jed replied. He smiled, a gesture of genuine good will and mirth that people couldn’t help but respond to. "It was a very great pleasure to meet all of you...even if I don’t know who any of you are. I certainly hope that the rest of your stay in DC isn’t quite so exciting!"

His smile faded as the door closed after the team. "Damn. Genuine American heroes. They’ve probably saved more lives then we’ll ever know...and I can’t stand up and give ‘em all medals. Why is that, Leo?"

"I don’t know, sir. It’s really not my field."

"But?"

"But I think they serve this country better by doing what they do, then by being poster boys for democracy."

Jed nodded slowly. "I’m sure you’re right...as usual. But I just wanted them to know that they have the gratitude of their President."

"And I’m sure they appreciate that."

"I hope so," Jed sighed, "I really do. What’ve we got for the rest of the day?"

******************************************

"Now, dat was weird," Nick observed.

"The White House, or Washington in general?" Margo chuckled.

"Hell, I’m still shakin’ in my boots," Benny Ray added. "I can’t believe I shook hands with the President!"

"He’s a good man and it was a nice gesture," Matt said thoughtfully.

"It was nice to have someone just say ‘thank you,’ for a change, wasn’t it?" Margo remarked.

"Yeah...just don’t get used to it!" Matt quipped. "What about you, Deke? What did you think of our little visit to the White House?"

"Gotta love a man who knows his champagne," Deke rumbled in his deep voice.

Benny Ray yawned mightily, then excused himself. "I think I might just sleep all the way home."

"I hear you," Matt agreed. "If anyone tries to highjack this bird, I just hope they do it quietly!"

"There’s our gate," Margo exclaimed, pointing to the sign.

As luck would have it, they were just starting to board, so the team was able to walk right onto the plane.

"Hallelujah," Nick sighed, sinking tiredly into his seat. "Wake me up when we get there."

"Boss," Benny Ray whispered with a conspiratorial gleam in his eye, "can’t we leave him here?"

Matt opened one eye. "Everyone comes home, Benny Ray, even him."

"Can’t we make an exception, just this once?" Deke asked.

"Shut up!" Margo ordered without bothering to open her eyes.

"Goodnight to you too, sweetheart," Nick retorted.

"Delvecchio!" Benny Ray smacked him with a pillow.

Matt scrooged his eyes shut and flung an arm across his face. Maybe he’d get lucky and the cabin would depressurize...

******

"I can’t believe we’re really here!" Alex Cahill exclaimed, impulsively clutching her fiancé’s arm.

"Yes, Alex, we’re really here," Cordell Walker replied in a long-suffering tone.

"Walker!" Alex smacked the arm she was holding.

"Alex, it’s six AM and we’ve been flying all night. Besides, this is supposed to be a business trip, remember? We’re here to testify before a House subcommittee."

"I know...but I’ve never been here before and there’s so much to see. The Smithsonian, the Kennedy Center..."

"All right, all right!" Walker laughed giving in, like he always did. "But for now, let’s just get to the hotel and try to get some rest, OK?"

"OK," Alex agreed happily.

******************************************

President Bartlet was enjoying his second cup of coffee when Charlie announced Congresswoman Bobbi Latham.

"Good morning, Mister President," she addressed him with a pleasant smile.

"Good morning, Congresswoman Latham," the President replied genially, matching her smile with one of his own as he waved her to a seat. "I see you’re getting an early start on your big day."

"Well, I may be up early, but you look like you’ve been up all night."

"It comes with the package," Jed told her wryly. "You might want to keep that in mind."

Bobbi smiled brilliantly. "I’ve always preferred to find things like that out for myself, sir," she replied impishly.

"So I’ve noticed. Now, tell me a little more about this bill of yours."

"Well, Mister President, the bill is designed to protect battered spouses by calling for a database of repeat offenders, allocating more funds for shelters and qualified counselors for battered spouses, and mandatory training for federal agents on domestic violence and Battered Spouse Syndrome. This training would serve to increase awareness of the signs of domestic violence and spousal abuse, both in the field and in the officer’s own workplace. Eventually, this program would be expanded to offer seminars to law enforcement personnel at state and local levels; as an incentive, municipalities that trained a requisite number of officers would receive Federal funding to increase public awareness of Battered Spouse Syndrome, as well as a two percent tax break," Bobbi explained briefly.

Jed leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers. "That’s...a pretty tall order, Ms. Latham."

"I know, sir," Bobbi admitted, "but you and I both know that it’s going to get chopped all to hell before it comes to a vote, so I figured I would pack as much in as I could."

"I presume you’ve got expert witnesses?"

"Tarrant County Assistant DA Alexandra Cahill arrived this morning from Texas. Ms. Cahill will be speaking on how the District Attorney’s office handles domestic violence cases and the lack of funding in her area for battered spouses. She moderates a support group for battered women and is also the founder of the Dallas Help Our People Excel Center, a not for profit facility that provides counseling and other services to the community. With her is Sergeant Cordell Walker, of the Texas Rangers. Ranger Walker will be testifying on how the Texas Rangers and other local agencies deal with domestic violence and spousal abuse."

"The Ranger Walker? The fellow who does that karate thing for the kids?"

Bobbi nodded. "The Kick Drugs Out of America Program. He’s had tremendous success in keeping kids out of gangs and off of drugs."

"And he has another project, doesn’t he?" Jed thought back. "Something about trying to reeducate convicted felons?"

"Camp Justice. It’s modeled on the Marine Corps boot camp and includes an educational component designed to make the candidates think for themselves and make their own choices, instead of just following the loudest voice. It’s still in the experimental stages, but the results so far have been very encouraging."

"I’d like to meet this fellow."

"I’ll see if I can arrange that for you, sir," Bobbi promised.

"Who else have you got?"

"I have two FBI agents who specialize in...unusual violent crimes. They’ll be speaking about the volume of this type of crime that they encounter at the Federal level, and the training that is, or rather, is not available. I’m also hoping to get someone from the Navy’s Judge Advocate General Corps."

"I thought the military had its own legal system?" Jed asked.

"Yes, sir, it does, but I was thinking of using their testimony to point out how this problem has spread to every facet of society and how the military deals with it."

"You know," the President said thoughtfully, "there are still moments when I find it completely incomprehensible that we have to do things like this. I mean, my father never raised a hand against my mother, and I’d never raise a hand against my wife. The entire concept is just...unthinkable. I know," he continued, waving off her protests, "I’ve seen the reports and the statistics. I know this has to be done, but sometimes...I really don’t like the world we live in."

"I think the world will be just fine sir, as long as there are good people who are willing to stand up and do what’s right."

"People like you," Jed told her warmly.

"I try, Mister President."

"Don’t we all. I don’t mean to cut this short but – "

There was a discreet tap on the door, then Charlie appeared. "Excuse me, Mister President, but you said to – "

"-remind me fifteen minutes before the ceremony. Thank you, Charlie."

Bobbi rose gracefully to her feet. "Well, in that case, I’ll be seeing you in the Rose Garden. You’re hanging a medal on a good friend of mine this morning."

"Would that be Admiral Chegwidden or Officer Hastings?"

"The admiral," Bobbi answered.

Leo came in as Charlie was ushering Bobbi out. "They’re almost ready for you out there."

"Tell me something, Leo. Why is it that I can’t publicly acknowledge the people who averted the main threat to national security, but I can give a medal to an admiral who’s already got so many that I can’t even imagine where he’ll put this one? It doesn’t quite seem fair."

"Admiral Chegwidden is a good man – so is Officer Hastings. They had no way of knowing that the bomb they found in Bartholdi Park was just intended as a diversion from the main event. They both saved a lot of lives, at great personal risk. The American people need heroes, Jed. We’re giving them these two because we can afford to. Admiral Chegwidden is a public figure already – having his picture in the paper will not affect his ability to do his job. The same goes for Officer Hastings. In some ways, their actions were even more heroic then that covert ops team."

"How so?" the President asked curiously.

"Trout’s operatives knew what they were getting into. They knew that they were coming here to combat terrorists. They had information and they had weapons. A.J. Chegwidden was spending his day off enjoying the park and Officer Hastings was directing traffic. Neither one of them woke up that morning knowing that they’d have to defuse a bomb in a crowded public area."

"But they rose to the occasion."

"Yes, they did."

"All right then." The President rose and straightened his jacket. "Let’s go put some new American heroes in the history books."

******************************************

"This certainly brings back memories," Commander Harmon Rabb observed as he steered his partner towards two unoccupied seats he’d just spotted.

"It certainly does," Lieutenant Colonel Sarah MacKenzie agreed, her voice warm with laughter as she recalled the day they met.

"Harm! Mac!" a familiar voice called.

Both officers turned their heads to see Congresswoman Latham beckoning from several rows up. They exchanged uncomprehending glances, then moved along to join her. Harm stood politely until both women had seated themselves.

"I’m glad I caught you," Bobbi said, by way of greeting. "I was hoping to speak to you both about the new bill I’m presenting."

"The one about domestic violence?" Harm inquired.

"Yes," Bobbi nodded. "I was hoping that you’d both be able to testify before a House subcommittee."

"I’m not sure that our testimony would carry any weight with regard to a civilian law," Mac commented.

"I want to bring out the fact that domestic violence and spousal abuse are problems faced by every facet of our society. I’d also be interested in how the UCMJ handles such matters."

The White House Press Secretary stepped up to the podium and Bobbi, along with the rest of the audience, turned her attention forward. Harm cast a sidelong glance at his partner and noticed her troubled expression. He flexed his muscles ever so slightly so that his arm gently bumped Mac’s. It was a minimal gesture, all he could really afford in such a public place, but Mac felt the brief touch and relaxed slightly. In all likelihood, they wouldn’t be allowed to testify anyway, but if they did, Mac knew that she wouldn’t be alone - Harm would be there with her, no matter what.

******

Toby Ziegler and Sam Seaborn observed the ceremony from the sidelines, silently mouthing the President’s lines along with him.

"He’s doing it again," Toby muttered as the President extemporized for a few lines.

"He’s the President," Sam shrugged, "he’s allowed."

"You’re only saying that because you didn’t write this section," Toby accused.

"Shh!" C.J. Gregg hissed sternly. The ceremony was winding down now and she needed to be on the alert to head off the members of the press corps. She stepped forward half a pace, positioning herself to move to the podium if need be, and then she noticed Charlie Young. The President’s aide had a sad, almost haunted expression on his face.

"Charlie?" C.J. whispered, lightly touching his arm, "What is it? What’s wrong?"

Charlie straightened instantly. "I’m sorry," he said contritely.

C.J. waved off the apology. "Are you all right?"

Charlie closed his eyes for a moment to steady himself. "Yes, I’ll be fine. It’s just...I haven’t seen this many police officers in dress uniform...since..."

"Since your mom’s funeral?" C.J. guessed, her eyes filled with compassion.

Charlie nodded and C.J. grasped his hand warmly. "Why don’t you go back inside?" C.J. offered. "I think we can handle things from here."

"I’m OK," Charlie assured her. "Besides, Joe Hastings was a friend of my mom. I’d like to offer my congratulations."

"OK," C.J. agreed, giving his hand a final squeeze.

******

"Congratulations, Admiral!" Bobbi said warmly. Looking around to make sure no one had a camera pointed right at them, she stretched up to brush a light kiss against his cheek.

"Red light, Ms. Latham," A.J. said jokingly.

"Special occasion. I’m allowed," she quipped merrily.

With that smile, he thought, she got away with pretty much anything she wanted, allowed or not.

"I wanted to talk to you about allowing some of your people to testify before a House subcommittee about the new bill I’m presenting. I was thinking –"

"You were thinking of Commander Rabb and Colonel MacKenzie," he completed her thought, offering his arm as they strolled through the garden.

"Yes," she admitted. "I remember reading during Mac’s trial about...well, about her past."

"Bobbi," the Admiral began seriously, "I can order them to compile facts and statistics about instances of domestic violence within the military, but I cannot and I will not order Mac to stand up in front of a room full of strangers and talk about her past."

"She wouldn’t have to," Bobbi protested.

"Sooner or later, she would. Someone else is bound to have read the same information that you did. If she wants to volunteer to testify, that’s her own business, but I won’t make something like this an order."

"A.J., this bill is very important."

"I know that, and so does Mac."

"It would probably do her good to talk about this," Bobbi appealed.

"It might, but that’s her decision, not yours, mine or anyone else’s. And there is an enormous difference between discussing something like this is a therapy group and being cross examined on a witness stand."

"But you’ll talk to her?" Bobbi pressed.

"I will make it a personal request from you," A.J. promised.

"What about Harm?"

"The Commander will prepare records of military proceedings concerning domestic violence and spousal abuse. He is my senior attorney and is more than qualified to present such evidence," A.J. concluded in a formal, ‘this is my final word’ tone.

Bobbi gave him a look that spoke volumes, but she let it go...for the moment.

******

"Congratulations, Joe," Charlie said, as he shook hands warmly.

"Your mom would be very proud of you," the officer, who looked to be barely older then Charlie himself replied.

"You too," Charlie reminded him.

"What’s this?" the President inquired jovially.

"Well, sir, I grew up in the same neighborhood as Charlie," Officer Hastings explained. "His mom would always be after me to get in off the streets and do my home work...that sort of thing. Whenever I was out too late or about to get into something I shouldn’t, she always seemed to be right there. God only knows how I would have ended up if it wasn’t for her."

President Bartlet looked fondly at his young aide. "Your mother sounds like a remarkable woman, Charlie. I wish I’d had the chance to know her."

"So do I, sir," Charlie answered quietly.

The President shook hands with Joe once more, then moved on.

"Wow!" the officer exclaimed under his breath. "Is he always like that?"

"Oh, yeah," Charlie nodded.

******************************************

Bobbi Latham smiled brilliantly as a page ushered Alex Cahill and Cordell Walker into her office. She could see immediately that Alex would be wonderful in front of an audience or a TV camera. She was impeccably dressed in an elegant business suit that perfectly complemented her fair coloring. The Ranger was a bit of a surprise. His neatly trimmed beard and soft-spoken Southern courtliness didn’t seem exactly consistent with the "one riot, one Ranger" image, but she’d heard too many good things about this man to dismiss him out of hand.

"Welcome to Washington," Bobbi greeted them, shaking hands and gesturing them to seats. "I’m so pleased that you were able to come."

"It was our pleasure, Ms. Latham," Alex replied warmly. "I can’t tell you how long I’ve wanted to bring this topic to a national forum."

"Well, now’s your chance," Bobbi told her. "And please, it’s ‘Bobbi.’ People have heard of the things the two of you have accomplished in Texas and your words will carry a great deal of weight."

"As long as someone listens," Walker said quietly.

"Oh, they’ll be listening, Ranger Walker," Bobbi replied. "They may not like everything you have to say, but I guarantee they’ll be listening." There was a quiet authority in his voice that commanded attention, and Bobbi was mentally revising her initial estimate of the Ranger considerably upwards.

"This is a very impressive bill you’ve designed, Bobbi," Alex remarked. "How much of it do you think will actually make it through the entire process?"

"It’s hard to say at this point...that’s why I tried to pack so much into the initial draft. I want there to still be something meaningful left after the vultures get through with it." She chuckled at her own description of her colleagues. "Because of the great distance you’ve traveled, I’ve arranged for you to testify this afternoon."

"We’ll be here for a few days," Alex assured the Congresswoman. "We haven’t had a vacation in a while and we want to do some sight seeing."

Bobbi grinned. "How’d you like to see the White House? The President has heard of some of the projects you’ve been involved in, Ranger Walker – Kick Drugs Out of America, and Camp Justice – and he’s asked to be introduced."

"It would be an honor, ma’am," Walker replied modestly.

"Good. I’ll let you know when I can get you on his schedule."

******************************************

Danny Concannon poked his head into C.J.’s office. "Got a minute?"

"For what?" she asked, peering over the top of her glasses.

Danny let himself the rest of the way into her office, pulling the door shut behind him. "How’s the fish?" he asked, eyeing the glass fishbowl on her desk.

"The fish is fine. Now what do you want?" C.J. inquired in a voice that she tried unsuccessfully to keep stern.

"There are some interesting rumors floating around town," he began.

"Rumors in DC...imagine that," C.J. remarked without looking up from her file.

"Yeah, well, these are really interesting. Seems the word on the streets is that there was more to the terrorist threat last weekend then just that one bomb."

"I think you’ve been watching too many movies," C.J. countered.

"People are talking about a covert ops team," Danny pressed. "Would you know anything about that?"

C.J. sighed heavily. "Danny, all I know is that there was a bomb planted in Bartholdi Park. Luckily for everyone on the Mall that day, Admiral Chegwidden happened to find it. He and Officer Hastings disarmed it before it could blow up. I think we just covered all this out in the Rose Garden. Were you taking a nap?"

"Nope." Danny grinned. "I just wanted to see if you knew something I didn’t."

"Danny, I know lots of things you don’t know, but that definitely isn’t one of them. Now, if there’s nothing else?"

"Actually...wanna go to the movies tonight?"

"With you?"

"Yup."

"If I say yes, will you go away?"

Danny nodded.

"Yes. Goodbye," she added a moment later when she sensed that he was still in the room.

"Seven o’clock?"

"Fine. Now go."

"Can I pick the show?"

"Danny!"

******************************************

"...the ceremony was very well received," C.J. was saying. "Those pictures of you with Admiral Chegwidden and Officer Hastings will be on the front page tomorrow."

"What about the shot of the Admiral with those two little kids that were in the park?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, that one too," C.J. nodded

"Good...good," the President murmured, stifling a yawn. "Excuse me...long day," he apologized.

"Not at all, sir," Leo replied quickly. "Perhaps we can pick this up again in the morning," he suggested.

"In a minute," Jed responded. "How did Bobbi Latham’s presentation go?"

"It’s a little early to tell, Mister President," Toby answered, "but they were very impressed by ADA Cahill’s testimony. That woman is an extraordinary public speaker."

"It’s not just the presentation, though," Mandy observed, "she really knows her stuff. Aside from her considerable experience with the Tarrant County DA’s office, she donates a great deal of her own time to programs for victims of domestic abuse. She speaks from the heart, and people listen."

Jed nodded. "And Ranger Walker? Did he testify yet?"

C.J. consulted her notes. "Tomorrow morning, sir. They didn’t begin today’s testimony until the afternoon, because of the ceremony in the Rose Garden, so Ranger Walker will be speaking in the morning, followed by two representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation."

"Who?" Leo asked bluntly.

"Special Agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully."

"Whoa...wait a minute. Mulder?" Josh interjected, "Isn’t that the nut who chases UFOs?"

"That nut," C.J. informed him, "happens to hold an advanced degree in criminal psychology and is considered to be a brilliant profiler. His partner is a medical doctor, so they are certainly qualified to offer testimony on this subject."

"Aren’t they the ones who were on "Cops" last month?" Charlie asked suddenly.

"Yes," C.J. affirmed, "and that makes them the FBI’s media darlings for the moment."

"Are we sure those two won’t damage the credibility of the proceedings? They couldn’t send someone a little less..." Jed asked.

"Erratic?" Sam supplied.

"Unfortunately, Mister President, brilliant and erratic sometimes tend to go hand in hand," Leo observed dryly.

"I’ve been advised by their supervisor at the Bureau that Agent Scully is extremely level headed – if anyone can keep Agent Mulder on track, it’s her. They did try to arrange for a second profiler to testify – an equally respected, but somewhat more...mature...gentleman - to offset Agent Mulder, but the gentleman is in ill health and his doctors advised against subjecting him to any undue stress," Toby explained.

"If they’d been the first to testify, then I might be concerned," Mandy offered, "but Alex Cahill really impressed the committee yesterday and Ranger Walker’s reputation precedes him, so I think we’re OK."

The President nodded. "All right. When do I get to meet Ranger Walker?"

"I thought you didn’t like Texans, sir," Sam asked, earning himself a poke in the ribs from C.J.

"I like Texans just fine...it’s those big hats I don’t like," the president retorted. "So, when do I get to meet him?"

"Congresswoman Latham has already contacted me about that, Mister President. I can go over the itinerary with you while I walk you back to the Residence," Leo stated firmly.

"Yes, mom," Jed said whimsically. "I guess that’s it then...good night, people."

******************************************

"Are you prepared to testify before the House subcommittee, Mister Rabb?" A.J. Chegwidden asked.

"I am, sir. The Colonel and I have prepared a report detailing all incidents of domestic violence and or spouse abuse occurring within the jurisdiction of the Navy Judge Advocate General within the last ten years," Harm answered as he passed the report across to the Admiral.

"Thank you. I’ll look this over and get back to you this afternoon. Has Congresswoman Latham’s office given you any idea of when you’ll be offering your testimony?"

"Tomorrow or perhaps the day after, sir," Harm reported.

A.J. nodded. "All right. I want you to bring Mister Roberts up to speed on all of your current cases. You’re dismissed."

"Aye, sir," Harm replied smartly.

"Colonel, please stay a moment." He waited for the door to close behind Harm before continuing. "Congresswoman Latham has personally requested your presence at the hearing."

"I see," Mac replied quietly. Her expression remained impassive, save for a faint, involuntary twitch at the corner of her mouth.

"I’m sure you can guess the Congresswoman’s reasoning on this."

"Yes, sir. Generally speaking, an audience is more responsive to a presentation of this sort if the speaker is a woman. The fact that I came from an abusive home would only add to the emotional impact."

"That’s about right," the Admiral concurred. "It’s bit theatrical, but I can see how it could be an effective strategy. However, I told Ms. Latham that Commander Rabb was quite capable of presenting our findings to the House subcommittee."

"Sir?" Mac asked in surprise.

"Colonel, you know first hand how important this new legislation could be, therefore, if you would like to go with Commander Rabb and assist in the presentation, I will allow it, but I’m not about to order anyone under my command to discuss painful issues from their past in front of a room full of strangers which includes members of the press. Why don’t you think about this? Let me know your decision by tomorrow morning."

"Thank you, sir."

******************************************

"This is gonna be a tough act to follow," Mulder muttered out of the corner of his mouth.

"The man is passionate about justice," Scully whispered back, trying to concentrate on what Cordell Walker was saying. "That’s not exactly a bad thing, you know."

"No...except that this guy’s like something out of another century."

"Mulder," Scully warned.

"What?" he asked innocently.

"This is a very serious topic. There is absolutely no room in this for any of your wild theories...no aliens, no time travel, no reincarnation...just stick to the facts."

The Texas Ranger concluded his testimony and a brief recess was announced. The two FBI agents stood along with the rest of the crowd, taking the opportunity to stretch their legs.

"Come on, Scully...wouldn’t you rather believe that there’s some outside force responsible for this kind of behavior?"

"No. Mulder, we have to deal with the reality before us. We can pass legislation to punish human offenders and protect human victims – we can’t just...regulate the cosmos. This is a real and immediate problem and we have got to deal with it rationally. We can’t make it go away by wishing."

"You’re pretty passionate about the subject yourself," Mulder half-teased.

"Mulder, do you have any idea how many abuse victims face criminal charges each year because they reach a point where the violence becomes so overwhelming that they just have to strike back?"

"This is really important to you, isn’t it?" Mulder asked seriously.

"Yes, it is."

"OK," he said, with a genuine smile for her, "let’s go do something about it."

"Thanks," Scully whispered.

******************************************

"Are you gonna eat that or just stare at it all day?" Harm teased gently. He’d already made considerable inroads into his salad, but Mac’s burger was rapidly cooling on her plate.

Mac started out of her reverie. "Sorry. I guess I’m not very good company today."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Congresswoman Latham thinks that our findings would be better received if I testified, too."

Harm whistled softly between his teeth. "What does the Admiral have to say about this?"

"He said that if I want to testify, he’ll allow it, but he won’t order me to participate."

"Do you want to testify?" Harm asked curiously.

"I don’t know," Mac answered slowly. "I know this is an important issue, and I know I should do everything I can to help see that this legislation goes through, but I...Ms. Latham asked for me because she’s read my file and she knows that I grew up in an abusive environment. What if other members of the committee know, too? Or the press? What if someone asks me –"

Harm reached out and took her hand. "Hey, calm down! In the first place, this hearing is moderated. It’s not a free-for-all, and if someone asks something that’s inappropriate, you won’t have to answer. As to the press, they can’t ask questions during the proceedings, and if they approach you outside of the chamber, you always have the right to respond ‘no comment.’ And if you do decide to testify, you won’t be alone...I’ll be right there with you. OK?"

"OK," Mac answered, smiling a little.

Harm grinned back at her and squeezed her hand. "Why don’t you try to eat some of whatever that is you’ve got congealing on your plate?" he suggested.

Mac obediently picked up her burger and took a healthy bite. They ate in companionable silence for a few minutes, enjoying the warm breeze that carried the scents of the spring flowers that were in bloom on the grounds.

"Harm? Do you really think the committee will give our report greater consideration if I go with you?"

Harm chewed a carrot sliver reflectively while he considered her question. "It could go either way," he mused. "It’s really an emotional gambit. Some people will be very impressed that a survivor is standing up and speaking out to help get this legislation passed. Others might look on it as a cheap ploy to get sympathy votes."

"It may be a ploy...but I’d hardly call it cheap."

"I’m sorry," Harm apologized quickly. "Bad choice of words."

"It’s OK. If you thought of it, then it’s likely that someone else would...given the choice, I’d rather hear it from you."

"’Course, it might also backfire."

"How do you mean?" Mac wanted to know.

"Well, someone could say that you’re remarkably well adjusted, all things considered – successful military career, law degree – so why do we need laws like this if it’s possible for someone to survive a domestic abuse situation and come out on top?" Harm postulated.

"I had to overcome a lot of things to get where I am. I don’t blame my parents for all my problems – God knows, I did plenty of stupid things all on my own...but I wouldn’t want to see someone else have to struggle through all the things that I have." She looked up to meet his clear blue eyes. "Do you think it will make a difference if I testify?"

"It might," he answered frankly.

******************************************

The team was relaxing in their favorite corner of the bar when Trout came in, looking, as usual, completely out of place in his well-polished shoes and perfectly pressed suit. "Anything interesting going on in the world today?" he asked, gesturing to the television set.

"ZNN is interviewing a Texas Ranger and Tarrant County DA who are testifying before a House subcommittee," Margo supplied.

"Congresswoman Latham’s new bill on domestic violence," Deke added.

"Business as usual in DC," Matt quipped.

"Well, if it wasn’t for you people, there wouldn’t be any business going on in DC right now. You did good," Trout told them sincerely. "And, while I’m sure that your sojourn in the Oval Office will always hold a special place in your hearts, I thought you might appreciate a more tangible evidence of your country’s gratitude." He slid a small briefcase across to Matt.

Benny Ray returned with a fresh round of beers as Alex Cahill was answering questions about the Dallas H.O.P.E. Center on the television.

"That’s one incredible lady," Margo remarked in frank admiration.

"Takes one to know one," Benny Ray replied, clinking his glass against hers.

Matt raised his glass. "To incredible Americans," he toasted.

"To all of you," Trout answered.

******************************************

"That woman could do a lot of good here," President Bartlet mused as he watched the televised image of Alex Cahill conclude her remarks about the battered women’s group that she moderated in Dallas.

"Yes, she could," Leo agreed.

The ZNN interviewer on the television now turned his attention to Ranger Walker, inquiring about the Camp Justice pilot program.

"Having an ally in Texas might also help us to not get clobbered there the next time around," Sam added.

"True, but I’m not considering this just to get us an ally in Texas," Jed replied, "I really think Alex Cahill is doing important work in the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex – and I think she could do even more good here."

"She’s extremely attractive and well-spoken," Mandy said with cool, professional appraisal. "She would be easy to market."

"Mandy, I’m not talking about a new kind of bean bag toy – I’m talking about a very committed person who could really make a difference for this country!" Jed exclaimed.

"I understand that, sir, but before she can make a difference anywhere, we need to ‘sell’ her to the general public," Mandy answered.

"Sir," Josh interjected, "Mandy does have a valid point...even if she is expressing it a little...indelicately."

"Humph. Well, when do I get to meet them, anyway?" the President demanded of the room at large.

"Tomorrow, Mister President," Leo assured him.

******************************************

"I understand that there has been a great deal of controversy over Camp Justice," the ZNN interviewer was asking. "Some people object vehemently to convicted felons being given a second chance."

The image of Walker chuckled. "Camp Justice doesn’t give anything. Just ask the Trustees who’ve made it through! The program is based upon the Marine Corps Boot Camp. Candidates will work harder and longer then they ever thought possible to make it through Camp Justice, but the ones who do make it through are not the same people who arrived six weeks earlier. They are new people, with a new outlook and a new set of tools to help them make the right decisions in life."

"And thus far, your success rate has been phenomenal – near eighty percent."

"That’s right," Walker nodded.

"A boot camp for felons?" Gunny Galindez muttered incredulously.

"Hey, don’t knock it...it seems to be working," Harm replied.

"Gentlemen," the Admiral said quietly. All talking in the bullpen ceased immediately.

"There was another program you discussed during your testimony," the interviewer continued, "Kick Drugs Out of America. Some members of the committee felt that this was irrelevant with regard to the topic of the hearing. Would you care to comment?"

"Yes, I would," Walker responded. "Camp Justice was designed to reclaim convicted felons – hardened criminals. The goal of Kick Drugs Out of America is to keep kids from getting there in the first place. The program is very pertinent to the subject of domestic violence and spousal abuse.

"At its most basic level, training in the martial arts is a good beginning to keep someone from becoming a victim. But even more important is the mental discipline that comes with the training. The training builds self esteem, and once a kid recognizes their own self-worth, they’re much more likely to value and respect other people, and the world around them."

The interview concluded and the group that had been watching began to drift apart. Mac saw the Admiral turn to head back to his office and she quickly headed in his direction. "Sir?" she asked quietly.

"Yes, Colonel?"

"Admiral, request permission to assist Commander Rabb with the testimony tomorrow."

******************************************

Mac paused on the steps of the Capitol building, gazing up at the imposing marble edifice with its gleaming dome.

"You OK?" Harm asked quietly.

"Yeah. I guess I just never realized how big this place really is," Mac answered slowly.

Harm glanced both ways theatrically, as though looking for spies or hidden microphones. "The dome is to keep all the hot air in," he then informed her solemnly. Harm’s performance garnered applause in the guise of Mac’s laughter and he gave her an easy grin in return.

Mac reached out for the door handle and Harm swiftly caught her hand. "You know, Mac," he added soberly, "if you’re not sure about this..."

"I’m sure," she replied simply, turning her hand in his grasp so she could squeeze his fingers briefly.

******

"That was all very interesting," the representative from the State of New York commented rather snidely when Harm and Mac had finished their presentation, "but I fail to see how it relates to the topic at hand. The bill in question wouldn’t even affect military personnel."

"No, sir, it would not," Harm replied patiently. "Congresswoman Latham requested our testimony to help demonstrate that domestic violence is a phenomenon that occurs in all facets of our society, as well as to document how the Uniform Code of Military Justice deals with these cases."

"And your findings were most enlightening," the representative from Wisconsin complimented them. Her shrewd gaze came to rest on Mac. "Do you have any particular insight into the subject that you’d care to share with us?"

Mac glanced quickly at Harm, who nodded slightly in return. Drawing in a deep breath, Mac stepped up the microphone. "Yes, ma’am, I do."

******************************************

Charlie knocked politely before poking his head around the door. "Mister President, your guests are here."

Jed Bartlet bounded to his feet with a broad grin. "Please show them in."

Charlie opened the door and ushered in a smiling Bobbi Latham.

"Mister President," Bobbi began, "may I present Assistant District Attorney Alexandra Cahill and Ranger Cordell Walker?"

If possible, the President’s smile grew even wider. "I can’t tell you how pleased I am to meet you both," he said, enthusiastically shaking hands with both. "Please, sit down," he invited.

"It’s an honor to meet you, sir," Walker replied, waiting for the ladies to be seated before settling himself on the couch next to his fiancée.

Jed chuckled softly. "You know, people always say that, but the fact is, it’s people like you that make me proud to stand up and say ‘I’m an American.’"

"I just do my job, Mister President," Walker replied modestly.

Jed wasn’t having any of that, however. "No, there’s more to it than that. I’ve heard about the two of you. You see a wrong, and you go completely above and beyond the call of duty to make it right. I think you do more good than you realize...and I think you could do a great deal more if you were here, in Washington."

Alex and Walker exchanged puzzled glances.

"Texas will be electing a new Senator next year," the President continued. "Ms. Cahill –"

"Please, ‘Alex,’" she interrupted.

"Alex. I think you ought to consider running for that seat."

"Sir?" she gasped incredulously.

"You’re a natural," Bobbi said encouragingly.

"You certainly like to talk well enough," Walker teased, catching Alex’s elbow in the ribs for his efforts.

"I know it’s a big step, and a great deal to think about, but I think you could really make a difference."

"Mister President," Alex replied slowly. "I don’t know what to say...I never even thought of such a thing. But it is a lot to take in. I’ve lived in Texas all my life, plus I’m about to get married...I don’t know if I’m ready to move two thirds of the way across the country."

Jed looked from one to the other. "You mean...the two of you? Well, that’s wonderful – congratulations! But you wouldn’t have to worry about being separated – I’m positive we could find a lot of work for someone as talented as Ranger Walker. Just promise me you’ll think about it, all right?"

Alex looked to Walker, who nodded. "I...well, yes, sir, I will."

"Good," Jed beamed.

******************************************

"Knock, knock," Danny Concannon announced from the doorway.

"What were you doing on the Hill yesterday?" C.J. asked.

Danny shrugged. "My editor loaned me out. The regular guy fell down his front steps and broke his leg on the way to work yesterday morning. Word is that Bobbi Latham has President Bartlet’s blessing on this one, so we didn’t want to miss a beat."

"Speaking of which, it’s obvious that it isn’t your regular beat."

"How so?" he asked curiously as he settled into a chair without being invited.

C.J.’s expression softened considerably. "For one thing, yours is the only story that doesn’t dig up a lot of dirt and innuendo about the officer who testified." She selected a paper from the top of the stack on her desk and read aloud, "Marine Colonel Sarah MacKenzie offered first-hand testimony on this difficult subject with courage and dignity." She looked up and met Danny’s gaze. "The President is very pleased, Danny."

He shrugged.

"I’m very pleased, too," she added softly.

A broad grin lit up Danny’s boyishly handsome face. "Then will you have dinner with me tonight?"