Based on recent real life events. How things might have played out on The West Wing. Not fully adherent to WW time scale, but before the re-election and after the MS disclosure. So S3ish. Written in the style of an episode (hopefully) and uploaded scene by scene.
Not really a 'ship' fic, but hints of Josh/Donna, Sam/Ainsley, CJ/Toby and of course Abbey/Jed. Enjoy!
Evolution Part I - The Cold Open.
"CJ?" Toby's voiced stopped her on her way past his office. She was just about to head out for lunch, about to grab twenty minutes of banality and sanity amongst the week from hell; she really didn't want to stop.
"Yes Pokey?" She leant her lean frame against his door frame and smiled as he grimaced at her choice of pet name. Her ability to always make Toby squirm was one of the things he most hated about CJ… and most loved.
"Must you" A small cough "really, with the Pokey?" He grunted.
"I really must with the Pokey."
"Yeah, okay. Do you want to go grab lunch?"
"Ah, I'm already promised to someone else." For a moment, Toby was unable to hide the surprise on his face. "To Donna, Donna and I are going for frozen yougurt, but you know, it could have been a date." She flicked her hair out her eyes as she made her last point, like an attempt to emphasise her femininity, like he needed reminding. He decided to needle her.
"With whom, exactly?"
"With one of the many charming young men of DC who are constantly throwing themselves at me." Toby's lips curved beneath his beard and she was done. "I'm leaving. You're welcome to join Donna and I."
"Will there be girly talk?"
She rolled her eyes, just like he expected and then dead panned; "Yes. Shoes and bags and lipsticks. And we talk about you boys… using codenames. Josh is forehead."
"What's my codename?"
"Oh, Pokey, you really don't want to know." With that she was out of his office.
She faintly heard him call; "Alright flamingo, enjoy your lunch," and added it to her lists of things to get Toby back for. She crossed the bullpen, Donna wasn't there, so she carried on to her office. "Carol, I'm going out now."
The blonde was sat on CJ's desk with her back to her, watching one of the many TV screens intently. CJ swept around her desk and tried to tidy some things away so she'd be ready to jump straight back in after lunch.
"Toby wants to know what his codename is. I'm going to get so many weeks of fun out of this one. Are you ready?" She stopped for a second and straightened up, "You know, I'm not sure if I'm in the mood for frozen yogurt, how about a salad? Is that boring? Am I becoming one of those boring high powered DC women… Donna?" But Donna was still staring intently as CJ went to pick up her coat.
"CJ, if the press asked what The President's position on gay marriage was, you'd say…"
"Evolving." They both said at the same time. It was the standard line and had been for the past year or so now, and it was meant to be the line until after winning re-election at least.
"So evolving… so in that picture of evolution, Richie is the ape, and The President is on the guys on two legs but kind of hunched over still right, and we're waiting for him to stand all the way up?"
"Yes, Donna.. why are you…"
"CJ," Donna's voice was worried, "I think the Vice President just stood up." CJ's attention snapped to the TV screen as she stood at Donna's side.
The Vice President was sat on a talk show, and was answering: "I am completely comfortable with gay marriage."
"That son of a bitch… CAROL!"