Invisible String

C.3: what's a lifetime of achievement

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Do you miss the rogue
Who coaxed you into paradise and left you there?
Will you forgive my soul
When you're too wise to trust me and too old to care?

coney island (feat. The National) - Taylor Swift

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"He's just ..." 

"Pointing out the issues with hiring me, and he's completely right. I know that Leo. I'm not an idiot."  

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After fixing her hair for what felt like the fiftieth time since she entered the small bathroom attached to Peter's bedroom.

Walking back into the bedroom that she'd momentarily claimed as her own as her brother was on night shifts at the hospital for the foreseeable future.

"Looking pretty smart, Mads." Teresa Rojas, one of Peter's permanent roommates commented from the kitchen island, next to Peter, who was topping up their glasses of wine.

"Thanks T," Madison smiled, as she set down the file.

"Really Petey? Drinking at ..." Madison overdramatically checked the watch on her wrist, "this early in the day."

Madison wasn't judging them, if she could, she'd take a shot or two to calm down her nerves.

Peter shrugged his shoulders as he went about eating the meal of steak, potatoes and greens.

"We've been on nights all week," Teresa offered a half explanation. Something which Madison was already aware of.

"Someone has to challenge you for the title of family alcoholic," Peter commented, not lifting his gaze from his meal.

"It's not my fault that America has puritanical culture regarding alcohol." Madison half-whined as Peter offered her a sympathetic look, already knowing the looks that she'd gotten from other family friends since she came back, "Like European drinking culture is so different. Honestly what I drink is called a quiet night back in Switzerland, or hair of the dog."

"So are you ready for the final interview?" Teresa asked to change the subject away from everyone's drinking habits.

"She'll be fine. Nepotism runs this town."." Peter replied, before Madison was able to open her mouth, she looked over at her brother asking him to explain his reply.

Peter realised this and sighed before speaking, clearly not having divulged certain parts of the family history and familial connections to certain roommates.

"The President is her Godfather, so ..."

"Our Godfather." Madison interrupted to correct him.

"As I was saying, she'll be fine. And we've known Leo McGarry, his Chief of Staff, since we were kids." He continued speaking, ignoring her interruption.

Teresa nodded politely, "So you'll be a shoe in?"

"Not necessarily. I've kinda screwed up." Madison shrugged her shoulders.

"What did you do? It can't be worse than the time you set someone on fire." Peter commented without a second thought.

"You set someone on fire?" Teresa exclaimed in horror, almost dropping her glass of wine.

"I was eight years old," Madison half-whined, as she tried to grab Peter's wine glass for herself to take a drink. Peter snorted as he pulled the glass away from Madison. "And again, in my defense, it was only the Shadow Secretary of State for Defence, so like he was a jerk." She explained.