Disclaimer – I don't own any of these characters – they are the property of NBC, John Wells and the fabulous Aaron Sorkin.

Rating – PG for now

Pairings – Josh/Ellie, Ellie/OC

Spoilers – None

Summary – Josh Lyman meets Eleanor Bartlet during the campaign and falls in love with the young, married medical student. For the purposes of my story, Ellie is several years older in this story and very different than she is on the show.

I've had this story in my head for years, and have finally forged the courage to begin writing. Here's hoping you enjoy it!! The song by Evanescence, "My Immortal" is the soundtrack for the story.

"Donna!" Josh bellowed, standing outside his campaign headquarters office. His assistant was at his side in a second. Josh pointed inside his office, to the beautiful, young brunette standing inside. "There's a woman in my office."

"I'm glad you know the difference," Donna answered sarcastically, attempting to return to her previous task.

"Why is there a woman in my office?" Josh asked, turning to face Donna.

"Because she wants to meet you," Donna answered. "I can't imagine why, though."

"Oh," Josh replied, stepping inside. He extended his hand to the young woman in front of him. "Josh Lyman."

She shook his hand firmly and smiled. Up close, the woman was even more beautiful than he'd previously thought. "Eleanor McGarry," she answered.

"McGarry? Leo's daughter?" Josh furrowed his brow in confusion. "I thought her name was Mallory."

"It is," she answered. "I'm Leo's daughter-in-law and the Governor's daughter."

"Which governor?" Josh asked distractedly, sitting down at his desk and rummaging through a stack of papers. "Donna!" he screamed again.

"What?" she asked, standing in the doorway. "Hi, Ellie," she said, turning her attention from Josh.

"You two know one another?" Josh asked curiously.

"She's Governor Bartlet's daughter and I met her earlier," Donna explained, crossing over to the desk and removing Josh's hands from the pile. "Tell me what you are looking for," she demanded.

"Joey Lucas's telephone number," he explained. "I need those polling numbers."

Donna motioned for him to stand and then sat down in his chair, turning to face his computer. She brought up the screen and clicked on his address book, finding Joey's number quickly. "Ask and you shall receive," she commented.

Josh stared at her in amazement. "When did you put my address book in the computer?"

"Yesterday," she answered with a shrug. "It's on your Palm Pilot too."

"I have a Palm Pilot?"

Donna rolled her eyes and let out an exasperated groan. "I'm not even going to justify that with a response."

He turned to Eleanor with a flabbergasted grin. "I can't live without her, but please don't tell Leo. He still thinks I'm competent."

"Good to know I'm needed," Donna answered smugly, returning to her desk outside Josh's office.

He turned his attention back to Eleanor. "So, what can I do for you, Mrs. McGarry?"

"Call me Ellie," she stated gently. "I'm sort of between jobs right now and I told Leo that I wanted to help with the campaign. He said to come see you."

"Why are you between jobs?" Josh questioned.

"I'm a doctor, Johns Hopkins," she explained. "I scheduled to start my residency in the fall, but I don't quite know where I'll be in the fall."

"Huh?"

"Well, since my father's running for President, I could very well decide to take a residency in Washington or Baltimore."

"And there isn't something you'd rather be doing than working on this campaign?" he continued.

"I could sit at home eating bon-bons, pining away for my husband, but it's not every day that a girl's father runs for President," she explained with a grin.

Josh returned the grin and sat back down in his chair. "No, I guess not."

"So," she said excitedly. "What can I do?"

"Donna!" he shouted again, causing Ellie to jump slightly.

"WHAT?" Donna asked, the tone of her voice barely concealing the annoyance she was currently feeling. "For God's sake Josh, there's not being able to live without me, and then...well...then there's this."

Josh dismissed her exasperation with a grin. "Eleanor is coming to work for us this summer. Where do we need help?"

"She could strap you to the chair and tape your mouth shut so that you can't scream my name anymore," she shot back.

"As fun as that sounds, I meant that seriously."

"So did I," she said through clenched teeth. "I need help with coordinating everything for the convention."

"That sounds like fun," Ellie said, following a retreating Donna out the door. She stopped in the doorway and turned to face Josh again. "Thanks, Josh."

"What, no Mr. Lyman?" he asked sarcastically.

She shot him a megawatt grin. "I'm the future President's daughter, Josh. I don't have to call you Mr. Lyman." She spun on her heels and was gone.

Josh grinned and settled back into his chair, watching Eleanor McGarry intently as she spoke with Donna while he dialed Joey Lucas' telephone number. He guessed that she was slightly taller than either of her parents. Her long, honey brown hair cascaded past her shoulders in slight waves. She wore a navy blue pantsuit with heels and a soft pink shell and was, quite possibly, one of the most beautiful women he'd ever laid eyes on. She had her mother's incredible sense of style and her father's innate confidence.

He spoke with Joey for about five minutes and hung up just as the Governor entered the office. Jed Bartlet immediately crossed over to his daughter and kissed her on the cheek. He whispered something to her and Ellie laughed, blushing slightly at her father's comment. The Governor looked over his daughter's shoulder and into Josh's office.

"Governor," Josh said brightly, standing as the older man stepped into his office.

"You're going to be nice to my daughter," he warned, glaring at his campaign director with steely eyes.

"Of course, sir," Josh answered.

"You'll treat her with the dignity and respect she deserves. You'll take care of her and make sure she takes care of herself," the Governor continued.

Josh grinned. "Am I hiring her or marrying her?" he asked with a smirk.

"I'm not laughing, Joshua."

Josh swallowed the grin. "No sir, I can see that."

"Her husband is trained to fly fighter jets equipped with state-of-the-art navigational bombs, Josh. I wouldn't make either of us angry if I were you."

"No, sir."

"Okay, as long as we're understood." Bartlet tugged on the front of his suit jacket. "What's next?" he asked, looking over his shoulder at Leo McGarry.

"You have the electricians union at one," Leo explained. "We should be going. Josh, you're in this one."

"Yeah," Josh answered, jumping up and grabbing his jacket and book bag. He slid into the soft grey fabric and hustled out of his office, stopping at Donna's desk. She and Ellie were engrossed in something they were reading on Donna's computer screen.

"Goofing off, already?" Josh teased.

Neither woman answered him, instead both pointed to the door. Josh got the message and shook his head, muttering, "Now I have to deal with two of them," under his breath as he followed Bartlet and Leo out the door and into the waiting limousine.

TBC....