It was a gradual realisation for Sam that things were not quite right. It started with Toby, who spent several days being thoughtful and irritable, before becoming loud and irritable, and Sam spent most of his time hiding in his office. Leo and the President both seemed to be in dark moods as well, and there were rumours of a secret meeting between them and Toby, but this was the White House, there were always rumours, so Sam ignored them.

Then, little under a week later, Oliver Babish found his way into the rumors. There were more secret meetings and whispers in the dark, and Sam still hid himself away. Buried himself in speeches and meetings, and tried to forget.

*

He met C.J. in the empty mess one evening, and they huddled together over cups of coffee. Waiting for Josh to join them, like a meeting of a secret society.

"Maybe it's pod people," C.J. mused. "Someone's replacing the government with... something else." Sam had smiled a little at the absurdity of it all, and felt thankful that he wasn't alone in the dark. Then Josh had walked in, and just stood looking at them, pale skin and sad eyes, and Sam knew Josh wasn't one of them any more.

Under the table, C.J. reached out and clutched Sam's hand.

*

"Will you tell me?" Sam asked over lunch next day, but Josh just looked away and fiddled with his food.

*

"It's just us, Spanky," C.J. told him that night, as they huddled together on her couch, sharing a bottle of wine. "You and me against the world."

"Promise me..." Sam tilted his head against the back of the couch, but the wine made him feel dizzy and he had to sit up again. "Promise me, if you find out, you'll tell me."

"Promise," said C.J., and she sealed it with a soft kiss that hit his lips and tasted of wine. Then Leo had come looking for C.J., and Sam sat on the couch until she returned an hour later, pale and shaking. Sam looked at her, still tasting the promise on his lips, but C.J. had shaken her head slightly, and then looked away. Sam gulped down the last of the wine, but it was warm and tasted of something bitter, and he felt too nauseous to stay. He left C.J. standing there by herself, and he wondered what it was like not to be standing in the dark anymore.

*

So Sam threw himself into speeches and meetings, and tried not to think about anything else. About why Josh and C.J. wouldn't look him in the eye, and why Toby was suddenly treating him with gruff kindness. About why he was the last to be let in on the secret. Then the meetings were over, and the speech was finished, and Leo came looking for Sam.

"I'll be here in the office when you're done." Toby's voice, soft and low, made Sam hesitate. He looked at Toby, who finally met his eyes, and in that moment, Sam's entire world began to tilt.