Author's note: This story takes place approximately seven years after the final season of the West Wing. Also, with kind permission from the author, this story continues where the series "The Game of Life" left off. There are several plots and characters continued here, so you might wish to read this excellent series before continuing further. You won't be sorry! Thanks to Daydreamer4, for inspiring me to write this and let me play in his sandbox!

Chapter 1

Past, Present, and Future

"…so frankly the only option left for President Brinkman is to pull troops out of the region and put his focus back on the American people."

"Are you actually suggesting a Vietnam size retreat? Now Donna, this is exactly the sort of weakness that people have come to expect from the Democratic Party. After all, it was President Bartlet who dropped the first bomb in Qumar."

Donna Moss-Lyman felt a sudden and instinctual urge to defend her old boss, but forced those thoughts away. She wasn't working for Jeb Bartlet anymore, and taking sides would create a story her producers wouldn't like. Instead the two men sitting on either side of her continued to "debate" the issues. There were rules set up that forbid talking over one another, but neither seemed concerned with the trivial matters of rules. Personally, she loathed the talking heads that shouted other each other, but hers seemed a minority opinion. What people were interested in, was wrestling in ties.

A waving hand on the other side of the cameras pulled Donna out of her momentary loss in concentration. It surprised her, but she was pretty sure no one else noticed. She allowed the Republican to finish his personal outline for victory and retook control of the conversation.

"Gentleman, I'm going to let Jeff have the last work because I see we're out of time. I want to thank all my quests here tonight, especially Will Sawyer who will continue to broadcast live in Qumar for the rest of the week. Stay tuned for Capital Beat with Mark Gottfried which is starting…right now!"

Josh Lyman flipped off the television and stood up from the couch, stretching slowly all the way. He had dozed slightly around the middle of Donna's show and was surprised how quickly it had happened. He hadn't felt tired sitting down to watch, but fell asleep anyway. He did have two beers with dinner however, and decided that was the reason for dropping off so suddenly. It wasn't his age, of that he was certain!

He smiled a little. At the end of the show, Donna lost focus for just a moment. He caught it anyway, but doubted anybody else could. He watched "Politics with Donna Moss-Lyman" (almost) every night. Despite its problems, she had was turning it into a good show. It would never replace "Capital Beat" but was quickly becoming a solid program for the network. He knew Donna was still trying to create a real discussion on the show about actual ideas. He also knew it frustrated her that it hadn't happened yet. Privately, Josh wasn't even sure it was possible, but kept it to himself. She was working hard, and he was enormously proud of his wife.

Moving towards the kitchen, Josh Lyman remembered his initial hesitation at the idea. President Santos had only been out of office a few months, how could anyone move on so quickly? Wouldn't she still be seen as a Democratic operative? A bitter White House staffer coming out of a difficult defeat? But Donna had been thrilled with the opportunity, and the network was willing to send a dump truck full of money to their house.

So as Donna got busy with her show, Josh took up a major college speaking tour, and the pair quickly moved on with their lives. It was hectic, but normal for the two of them. They were happy together. Content.

Of course, they were also waiting for something else to happen.

Josh knew it, and suspected Donna did as well. They never spoke about it, but the uncertain future was always there. He always wondered if that was one of the reasons she took the new job. It gave them an excuse not to have children.

Opening the refrigerator door, Josh had attended to open another beer, but thought better of it. Instead, he grabbed a bottle of water and looked up at the small clock in the kitchen wall. Calculating the amount of time it would take Donna to get home, he decided to check his e-mail one more time. He had been waiting all week for one specific reply.

They were all out there; Josh never forgot that. Toby, CJ, Charlie, Will, Ainsley, and Sam. They kept in touch, speaking and e-mailing often. Living in Washington, the Lymans and the Seaborns got together all the time. Nevertheless, it wasn't the same. There was work to do, and he knew they were the ones who could get things accomplished. Getting back into the fight. Willing to serve.

Sitting down at his cluttered desk, Josh flipped open his laptop and waited for his e-mail account to download his mail. Looking around the guest room, that had become his office, Josh noticed how haunted the walls had become with ghosts from the past. Framed pictures of Donna with Presidents Bartlet and Santos. A family snapshot of Danny, CJ, and baby Faith. A black and white shot of Josh and Toby with Leo McGarry. Another with himself and Donna, Ainsley, and Sam at a black tie dinner. He couldn't remember what the event was trying to cure. He thought it might have been something to with Poverty.

Josh's computer made that annoying noise informing him of new mail and he jumped to check it. There were several new e-mails and he scrolled down looking for one. There were two new requests from publishers requesting a meeting. He deleted them immediately, unread. People were always trying to get him to write a book about his time in the White House, and Josh stopped being polite long ago. He had simply run out of ways to say no! There was also an e-mail from CJ, a forward from Danny, and a new message from Toby Ziegler. Curious, Josh opened his message first.

There was no subject, and only a few lines. It read:

Did you see this? -T

Below that was a copy of an online post from someone he didn't know, and attached to a website he had never heard of. It read:

"Even though its still eight months until the first primary vote, Washington is already deciding who the Democratic nomination might be. Several influential governors have already expressed an interest, as well as a few Congressmen. Word is, former President Matthew Santos himself has not completely ruled out a return campaign. It didn't work for John Hoynes but that's never stopped Washington from repeating its past mistakes!"

Josh sighed slightly, dropping the E-mail into the computer's wastebasket. He knew Toby wasn't expecting a response and probably wouldn't read one anyway. It wasn't the first time Matt Santos's name had come up, but Josh had refused to have any part of it. A few reporters had even called his house but he was staying quiet. But that wasn't the case for everyone.

Aside from that days e-mail, there were also several unread messages still in marked bold. They went back almost two weeks, although Josh had deleted several others over the past weeks. They were all from Matt Santos. Josh knew eventually the former President would call or stop by the house, but couldn't bring himself to read anything personal by the man himself. He knew what Santos wanted, and wanted no part of it.

There was still too many bitter memories centered around the end of the term, the reelection campaign, and the eventual defeat to current President Brinkman. Josh remembered nights almost screaming at the President to change direction, redraft entire speeches, and create a policy people would connect too. But Matt Santos had his own ideas. In the end, Josh Lyman remembered feeling so utterly useless. He was no longer Chief of Staff to the President of the United States. Instead, he shuffled papers, and took meeting that meant nothing. He also felt alone. Donna was there of course, but no longer apart of the West Wing. She was busy "handling" Helen Santos. Sam was involved with his own campaign for Senator, and the rest of the Bartlet team were scattered across the country. Josh didn't blame anyone for this, but felt it nevertheless. In the end, Lou, Bram, Edie, and the rest of the staff were working around him rather then with him. Amy Gardner had seen what was coming before anybody and quietly resigned.

Not that Josh hadn't given Santos the opportunity to make the necessary changes. After weeks of long talks with Donna, Josh had finally offered his resignation as Chief of Staff. But President Santos refused, made a few quick jokes, and pushed the issue aside. At the beginning of the re-election campaign, he tried a second time but Santos talked him out of it. Finally, when it became obvious that Santos was going to loss, Josh offered his resignation one last time. He remembered very clearly, what the President had said to him.

"What's the point now?"

Moving out of the White House for the first time in twelve years, Josh struggled with his feelings. He tried a few times to explain things to Donna, but doubted he made much sense. At her suggestion, he even tried to start a journal. But he felt stupid and gave up after several false starts. Somehow, his words always turned into doodles. He even considered contacting Stanley Keyworth, but decided against it. In truth, Josh felt all sorts of things and decided that maybe it was OK.

He was glad to be out, but disappointed he wasn't able to accomplish more. He felt pride in getting Santos elected, but also a sadness knowing that Matt Santos would never be the President Josh always hoped he would be. Knew he could be. There was always the feeling they had time for Santos to "grow" into the job. But it never happened. Instead, when it became obvious the nation was eager to move on; Josh realized they had finally run out of time.

So with the Republicans finally back in the White House, Josh wondered just want he would do with his new freedom. The answer was clear. He would wait.

Not that the past three years had been uneventful. Donna had her show, while he went on his speaking tour. Sam was becoming a force in Congress and Josh had become a sort of unofficial advisor.

The country was also in trouble. The economy was sinking, schools were falling apart, and people were struggling everywhere. The President had also involved the country in a disastrous invasion and "rebuilding" of Qumar. Toby liked to say the President put his pencils in a jar and dropped bombs in Qumar, all in the same day. Actually, he usually screamed it.

Josh realized he had become so lost in thought that he almost missed the one E-mail he had come into his office to check! It was from his booking agent who handled his speaking schedule. After all these years with assistants, Josh couldn't imagine doing it himself!

Ignoring the e-mails from Santos again, Josh eagerly clicked on the message reading with a strange feeling in his gut.

Hey Josh! Per your request, I set up the speaking engagment in California. You fly out next Monday and back into Washington Thursday night. Good luck with whatever you have planned! - Reg

"Yes!" Josh shouted aloud to the empty room. He stood up and pumped his fist slightly in the air. The wait was over. It was time to set things into motion.

Feeling enormous relief, he flipped off the computer and decided to have one last beer after all.

Later on that night, Josh and Donna settled into bed together, going over the events of their day. As was usually the case, Donna had far more to talk about. Conversation flowed easily between them, as the pair talked but also listened. Eventually Donna's nightly show came up and Josh confessed to nodding off somewhere in the middle. She laughed and made a joke about his age. Determined to regain his alpha status, Josh leaned over and furiously tickled at Donna's sides.

"Josh!" Donna squealed between fits of laughter. Her knees were drawn into her chest, and her eyes shut tight. "Josh…stop! I'm going to pee on the sheets!"

Josh, who was looming over her, laughed as well and dropped back to his side.

"Fine," he said with a grin. "I guess it wouldn't be fair to make you change out the bed so late."

"I don't believe you!" Donna said smacking at his arm. But there was no anger in her voice. Only continuing the playful tone the pair had perfected over the many years.

"Ow!" Josh said rubbing his arm. "You hit me!"

"Baby," Donna muttered. Still grinning, she sat up in bed and flipped on the small lamp on her side. She pulled out a magazine from under a nightstand and a small pair of reading glasses. They often read before finally going to sleep.

Josh, still on his side, looked up at his wife for a few moments in silence. Donna had started wearing reading glasses a few years into the Santos administration, although she rarely mentioned them. He knew it was because she felt uneasy about needing such things. Although he hadn't said it aloud, Josh found his wife very sexy in glasses. But knowing how she felt, kept it to himself. Instead, he was content to look up and study her face. The curves of her cheeks and softness of her lips. Not for the first time, he felt amazed someone who looked like her would be with him. After a few moments, Donna glanced down.

"What?" She asked

"I love you," Josh said quietly.

"Aw," Donna said leaning over. She reached down and kissed him slightly on the lips. "I love you too."

She went back to her reading but then glanced over, seeing Josh still looking up at her.

"Josh what's going on?"

He shrugged. "Nothing I just like looking at you."

Donna let her reading fall into her lap. "You're up to something, I can read it on your face."

Josh shrugged. "There's nothing to read on my face, my face tells no story whatsoever. I'm the unfinished novel of faces."

He chuckled at his own little joke, but Donna sat silently looking at him. He nodded knowing that there were still people he could fool, but she wasn't one of them. It was all going to come up eventually, but Josh hadn't expected it so soon.

"Right," Josh said sitting up in bed. "I got an E-mail tonight from Reg."

"OK."

"He set me up for a speaking thing next week."

Donna nodded. That's great. Where is it?"

Josh's eyes locked with hers. "California."

"Oh," Donna said casually.

He could almost hear the computers in Donna's head factor the past seven years against what he had just said. She got it immediately as he knew she would.

"Wow," Donna said looking past Josh towards the wall. "Really?"

"It's time," Josh said firmly.

"Well," Donna said slowly. "OK then."

"Donna," Josh said. He moved around the bed so he was sitting in front of her, their knees touching. "I'll only do this if you're with me. Otherwise forget it."

Donna was silent for a few moments. "No, it's the right time. I mean you've been planning it in your head the last four years right?"

"Something like that. It's not like I abandoned President Santos or anything…"

She quickly shook her head. "No he abandoned you, he abandoned all of us. But it wasn't completely his fault. He was just never your guy."

"I wanted him to be," Josh said. "I wanted it so much."

"I know," she said gently. "But just tell me this…you and me…us. It is real right?"

Josh's mouth flapped open. "How can you ask me that?"

She sighed. "I mean it wasn't just something to…past the time until your time came up again."

"Donna," Josh reached up and put his hands on both cheeks. "You're the best thing that ever happened to me. None of it, nothing, has meant more to me then you do."

"Good," she said and leaned over, kissing him hard. The kiss was a wonderful few seconds before they parted.

Josh reached up and stroked the length of her blond hair.

"It won't be like last time either," Josh assured her. "We're going to get in from the beginning and really get things back in the right direction. Start talking about the big ideas!"

Donna laughed setting down her things and climbing under the covers. "I haven't seen you this excited in a long time. I couldn't stop you if I wanted!"

Josh scrambled under the covers, leaned over and flipped off the lights. "Yes you could."

"Yes I could," Donna said happily.

The pair snuggled up together, with Josh wrapping his arms around her. He breathed her in for a few moments, appreciating her smell. He was crazy about her smell.

"He's going to say no," Donna said in the dark.

Josh laughed. "Donna I've known him half my life."

"So?"

"He's definitely going to say no."

TBC - Next up: Josh Lyman in California!