Welcome Back, Kate!
By: Eve Karma
Disclaimer: Cabaret and the West Wing are not mine, but Kate belongs to me.
Spoilers: Slim to Nil. There is a spoiler for Whitening Toothpaste, so if you haven't read that, it's a good place to start.
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***Present Day***
I hesitantly stood just inside the doorway, fingering the Visitor pass hanging around my neck and wiggling my toes inside my Nine West boots, sinking into the plush carpet.
I took another step or two, adjusted my purse on my shoulder, and unzipped my jacket. I looked around for a moment, admiring the Christmas decorations. I was starting to regret coming, and was turning around to leave, when someone spotted me and called my name, loud and clear.
"Kate Montgomery! What are you doing here?"
I turned back and spotted Josh Lyman walking toward me with open arms.
"Hey!" I said, and hugged him warmly.
"Hey, yourself," he replied, stepping back to look me over. "I haven't seen you since the big night. All I have to say about that is 'whoa!'" He laughed softly. "But, you haven't changed a bit."
I rolled my eyes and smiled. "Josh, c'mon, that was six months ago, not six years!"
***Six Months Earlier (give or take a few weeks)***
"Hi, Mr. President," I greeted him, shutting the door of the oval office behind me.
"Hello, Kate," He greeted from a chair. Seated next to him was a man who looked familiar, but I couldn't place. "Kate, I'd like you to meet an old friend of mine, George Albert," Bartlet introduced me to the man who stood up to shake my hand. Then it hit me.
"You're...you're the leading Broadway casting director in New York City." I shook his hand in awe.
"Yes," he chuckled, "Some call me that."
My attention drifted over to the television, which was paused on a frame of video. Video of me.
"Where did you get that?" I asked, pointing.
"Oh, I have my sources." The President told me with a sly smile.
It was the video of Rowan's production of A Chorus Line, from my sophomore year there. I had played Cassie. As I stared at my frozen self, dressed in a flowing red dance costume, all of my Broadway dreams came flooding back to me.
"The President here was telling me of your fears that you couldn't dance well enough to be famous."
I nodded sheepishly. He continued,
"We were just reviewing this tape here, and it looks to me as if you're a great all-around performer."
Was I dreaming? Then the bomb dropped.
"Kate, I have an opportunity to offer you." Mr. Albert said to me. "I'm in charge of hiring a replacement for the role of Sally Bowles in Cabaret. Would you be interested?"
I started to sway where I stood, and flopped into the closest chair I could find. I tried to catch my breath. "This is crazy!" I thought. "You just don't get offered the lead role in a Broadway production every day. Man, this President guy has got some power!"
"YES!" I said a bit too loudly. "I mean, yes. Please." I corrected my volume.
A week later, I left the White House.
***Present Day***
I snapped out of my reverie as Josh led me to Sam Seaborn's office. I waved to people I knew along the way, smiling at the way their jaws dropped in surprise as they saw me.
"Wait here," Josh instructed and then disappeared into Sam's office, closing the door in front of me.
I looked around my now empty office. I ran my hand over the top of the desk. I followed my urge and sank into the chair, putting my feet up on the desk. "Just like the old days," I thought.
I could hear most of Sam and Josh's short conversation.
***
"Hey, Sam, guess who's here?"
Sam looked over his glasses at his best friend. "Apparently, you." He answered dryly.
"No, you idiot. Let me give you a hint. About this tall, nice legs, has dark hair, runs her hands through it a lot...are you catching on now?" Josh said, making big motions with his arms.
Sam's head jerked up and he took his glasses off. "Lisa's here?"
Josh groaned and threw a hand to his head. "No. Try again. She makes great coffee but never brings me any."
Sam thought for a moment, then jumped out of his chair. "Kate!"
***
I was at my perch, trying to figure out who this "Lisa" girl was, when the door burst open and Sam ran out. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw me.
"Hi, Sam." I smiled from my old chair.
"Oh my god," he gasped.
I got up to hug him.
"What are you doing here?" He asked, astonished, during our embrace.
I gently pulled away from him, answering, "It's a Monday. I have off." as if it explained everything.
"That's right, I forgot you had Mondays off."
Okay, so maybe it did.
"So, come on in! How's it going?"
As we entered the office, Josh waved and left.
"I'm pretty good," I told him, sitting in a chair across from his desk. I crossed my legs and asked, "How are you, Sam?"
"Alright," he sighed. "Pretty stressed, but I'll survive." he chuckled.
"I see you didn't hire a replacement for me?" I said, referring to the empty desk.
"No...couldn't find anyone as good as you."
He smiled at me.
"What?" I raised my eyebrows at him.
"Sorry, I'm just not used to seeing you in jeans."
"Wait, you've seen me in my pajamas, and you're telling me it's weird to see me in jeans?" I asked, laughing.
"Yeah, I guess so." he said. "Pajamas, jeans, half naked, what's next?" he laughed.
"Oh, man, don't bring that up," I laughed, shaking my head and remembering.
***Six Months Earlier***
"Maybe this time, I'll be lucky...
Maybe this time, he'll stay..."
I crooned into the microphone during my biggest song of the show. It was my first night playing Sally Bowles in Cabaret. I was insanely nervous, but was pulling off a flawless show. Thank God for rehearsals.
The song is only three minutes long, but when you're up there it seems like an eternity. Finally, I sang the last chorus, making eye contact with the audience as a last ditch effort to draw them into the song in case they weren't already there.
"All the odds are in my favor..."
I looked across the front row.
"Something's bound to begin..."
My eyes locked on Sam. Miraculously, my voice didn't crack. "What the hell??" was all I could think.
"It's got to happen..."
It gets worse. The President was there.
"Happen sometime..."
Oh, it gets even worse. The whole freakin' senior staff was there!
"Maybe this time...Maybe this time I'll win."
Ah, thank god, I finished the song. I finished the scene. I finished the act. I finished the show.
Afterwards in my dressing room, I tried to relax as I took off my makeup. "I wish I had never seen them all there," I thought. "Look at me, now I'm a wreck."
I had just finished removing my makeup when there was a knock on the door. Figuring it was one of my co-stars, I flung the door open wide.
It was CJ Cregg. And she was brandishing a bottle of champagne like it was an Academy Award.
Oh, did I mention the crowd of people behind her?
The staff members, President and First Lady included, piled into my dressing room, offering congratulations, handshakes, and hugs. There was no time to be embarrassed over my half-naked self--these people wanted to party.
"Excuse me," Toby said to no one in particular as he worked his way over to the champagne. "But, I'd like to be pleasantly drunk by the time we get back on Air Force One."
"Y'all flew up here just to see me in the show?" I asked in surprise.
"Don't act so shocked, Kate," the President told me. "These guys are workaholics. I convinced them to take a break. Plus...you're one of us."
Now I couldn't help getting sappy. "Oh, you guys..." I said, tears welling up in my eyes, "This is so nice! I mean, my mother's not even here and yet everyone I used to work with did..." I just couldn't find the right words to express myself.
"C'mon, Kate, don't cry," Sam said and playfully slipped an arm around my waist.
"Especially not into the alcohol," Josh added with a smile.
After quite a while, my company decided that it was time to go back to Washington. I stood at the door, thanking everyone as they left. Sam was the last to leave my room.
"So, uh, I guess I'll see you soon." Sam looked at the nameplate on my door.
"Yeah. I hope so."
"Take care of yourself, Kate."
Then he placed his hands on my shoulders, kissed me on the cheek, and left, joining the entourage that was making their way down the hall.
I crossed my arms and watched them go.
***Present Day***
"I can't believe you have this in your office!" I laughed and walked over to Sam's bookcase, picking up a framed photo.
"Yeah," Sam chuckled, "People tend to stare at it but never have the nerve to ask who you are."
The photo was from my opening night. In it, Sam, Josh, Donna and I were sharing a laugh in my dressing room. We were all holding champagne glasses. Sam's arm was around my scantily clad waist.
"I don't even know who took it. It just showed up in my inbox one day. Josh has a copy too."
"I think CJ took it." I said, almost to myself.
Silence.
I set the picture back down and meandered back to my chair. I folded my arms on Sam's desk.
"So, do you have a vacation over Christmas?" He asked.
"Nah...only on Wednesday. My understudy's going fill in. I'm spending the day with some relatives in Manhattan that I haven't seen in years."
Silence.
"How's your mother?"
"Good, thanks. She's coming up to New York tomorrow night.
Silence.
"Do you still have your apartment here?"
"Yeah. My friend Chrissy is staying there. She likes it a lot better than living with her parents." I chuckled. "I'm staying with a friend of hers in Brooklyn, so it works out well."
Silence.
We sat there staring at each other. Finally, I spoke to him.
"Sam, I actually have a good reason to be here. Besides that I miss everyone."
He smiled at me.
"You see...I only have a six month contract with the show. I was invited to continue, with a year long contract this time." I cracked my knuckles.
"Aren't you going to take it?"
I avoided the question. "I love Broadway, Sam, I really do. It's the most awesome feeling in the world."
"But...?" He prodded.
"But...I feel...like I belong here." I said, looking down. " Now that I'm known, I can go back to theatre anytime. But how often do you get to work in the White House? I love Broadway, but this is home."
Sam looked puzzled. "So, what are you telling me, Kate?"
"Sam, when my contract runs out in January...can I come back?"
"You don't have to ask. You can always come back." Sam confided, leaning towards me.
Two weeks later, I was back at the White House.
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