A Silence Full of Sound [hiatus]

7.2 - Ria: The Meeting

Later that day, Ria mulled over that brief meeting with Leo. Very few people calmed the hurricane of her mind. The swirling depths of anxiety which settled in her shoulders and chest used to be visible to only herself and Roger. Somehow, Leo McGarry had calmed her and managed the impossible. Whatever anxiety she'd walked into the White House with, he'd relaxed her with his air of calmness, his smile, and the way he seemed to accept her despite her being, for all intents and purposes, different.

She didn't think that to be self-deprecating. She was different. There was nothing she could do about that. The silence all around her was enough of an indication of that. She couldn't change it. All she could do was try to get through the day and do it without getting overly tired or frustrated. It was harder to do now that she often insisted on doing things on her own. With Jack, it had been easy. She took him everywhere. Unlike Roger, he had no other job than to be her interpreter. Roger had his own patients which required her independence. She wasn't complaining. What was the use? Thankfully, though, that day brought the refreshing calmness of the Chief of Staff of the United States. She never thought she'd be considering that, sitting in the bullpen of her private practice, with Roger typing up some notes for her.

"Hey, Roger?" Ria asked suddenly

Her interpreter popped his head up and swiveled in his chair so he could sign, Yes? Do you need something?

What do you know about Leo McGarry? She replied with a tilted head and curious expression.

Besides what everyone else knows? Not much. Why?

She couldn't very well tell him that, if Josh Lyman was in pain, so was Leo. Only he was in more pain, in ways she barely knew or understood. That'd give her away.

Ria worried her bottom lip between her teeth for a moment. I met him today. He seemed interesting. Different from other politicians I've met.

That made Roger chuckle as he signed back, Different from Josh?

She frowned thoughtfully as she considered that question. She'd only met Josh briefly and they hadn't talked much, but they'd talked enough for her to know the start of just what kind of person he was. She also knew the surface of the amount of pain he was in too.

Eventually, Ria signed back, No, not much different from Josh. He's sterner, but there was something... she trailed off, her hands hovering in midair as she considered her next words, but nothing seemed to come.

Something... what? But she could tell Roger knew. Knowledge and understanding glittered in the browns of his eyes. She was in trouble. What did you see in him? What happened?

Her lips curved in a wistful smile that was tinged with uncertainty as she considered that question. Nothing happened in that office. Nothing out of the ordinary, anyway. It had been a run-of-the-mill conversation, save for him telling her she could call him "Leo." She still found that odd. There was no guarantee they would ever talk to each other again, and that didn't seem like something he did with anybody.

Nothing. She shook her head to emphasize the word. She chewed on her lower lip as Roger's shoulders shook with laughter.

"I don't believe you for a second," he began, opting to speak this time as he reached for the phone. It must be ringing. "You wear your heart on your sleeve, Ria Brewer."

"You say that like it's a bad thing," she shot back.

Answering the phone, he immediately cradled it as he signed, It's not, but it could be. Then his attention was on whoever was on the other end and she returned to Josh's file...