"So what was wrong with that one?" Sam asked as they left the third apartment.
"I don't know. It just didn't feel like home." Caitlin said getting into Sam's car. "Besides I don't think my agents liked it either."
"How could you tell? They had the same expression they always do."
"I noticed the way they kept looking at the big picture window, like they were afraid someone would try to take a shot at me through there and they wouldn't be able to stop it." Caitlin said her smile disappearing as she turned and looked out the window.
Sam watched her, he knew she was thinking about what had happened to her in England. Although they hadn't talked about it much, he could tell when she thought about it. She would rub her hand over her neck where her scar was, just like she was doing right now. He was just glad the incident didn't get splashed all over the front page of the newspapers like they had feared. He reached over and took her hand to stop it's nervous rubbing. "You ok?"
Caitlin looked at his hand and then up at him and smiled. "Yeah, I am. Thanks." He smiled back at her and Caitlin could feel herself getting lost in his blue eyes. "Um, Sam." she said as she glanced forward. "Car" she pointed to the car stopped at the light directly in front of them.
"Oh." He said, quickly turning back to the road and releasing her hand just in time to slow down and prevent a fender bender. "That could have been bad." he said. 'Get it together Sam' he told himself.
Caitlin laughed, then before she knew it she asked the question that had been on her mind. "So, you and Mallory, huh?" She didn't really want to talk about it but she had to know the truth.
"Me and Mallory, what?"
"You and Mallory. Together. Dating. A couple."
"Oh"
"You know for a guy who writes wonderful vivid speeches, your vocabulary has been very limited today."
He smiled, relaxing. "Me and Mallory. We aren't exactly a couple. We've tried to go out a few times with relatively few successes. She's nice, keeps me on my toes that's for sure."
"Hmm."
"What?"
"What, what?"
"What did that 'hmm' mean?"
"Nothing.""Caitlin."
"Sam." she paused. "It's nothing, I was just thinking that she's not your type."
"I have a type?"
"Well maybe not a specific type, because there is also that Lauren girl."
"Laurie. And we're just friends."
"Right."
"We are."
"I know, I said right. Anyway, I just wouldn't have envisioned someone like you with someone like Mallory. I would see you with someone more, I don't know. Someone who shares more of your interests. Who can talk politics with you, who can really understand you and your work. Someone..." she looked over at him and smiled shyly.
"Nevermind."
"No, finish. Someone who..."
She took a deep breath. "Someone who loved you for you, quirks and all. Who could put you first and not act like you are blessed to be with her. Someone who could read your work over your shoulder and understand what you are trying to say and help you bring that out." Her voice then became more emotional.
"Someone who shares your passions, desires, dreams..." Caitlin stopped slightly embarrassed. 'Whoa, down girl. Don't be too obvious.'
He turned to Caitlin, enthralled by her speech. "And Mallory's not that person?"
"Hardly" Caitlin replied before she could stop herself.
"I get the impression that you don't like Mallory."
"Let's just say that if our father's weren't best friends, we probably would never speak to each other."
"Really?"
"Yeah. She thinks I'm a 'goody two shoes, holier than thou hack' and I think she's a 'conceited, I'm better than the entire world, witch.' But we are always civil, at least when we are around other people."
"Wow"
"I remember one time," she began with a laugh "when I was in high school, we had a huge knock down drag out fight. Our families were on vacation together, and I can't remember what started it but she called me boring, white trash. I called her a slut. She slapped me. I punched her." she smiled at the memory of Mallory sitting on the ground after Caitlin hit her.
Sam stopped the car in the staff parking lot of the White House and turned to look at her, disbelief all over his face. "You punched her?"
"Yeah. I was grounded for a month, but it was worth it. I felt bad though, kinda ruined the vacation for everyone."
"You actually punched her?"
"Yes! I was a bit of a tomboy back then, and we had spent almost a whole week together in the same hotel room. I couldn't take it anymore. She definitely knew how to push my buttons. Once she slapped me, I retaliated. As my parents always told me, if you are going to do something, make sure you end it. So I did."
"Somehow I don't think that's what they meant."
"You're probably right. Don't look so shocked Sam. If it makes you feel better I haven't hit anyone since. I almost broke my hand. She has a hard head." Sam laughed at that still not believing that Caitlin had punched Mallory.
"We'd better get inside." Caitlin said getting out of the car. "Thanks for helping me today Sam. Oh and have fun at dinner tonight." she said mischievously as she headed inside.
TBC