Title: Inauguration Day (1/1)
Author: Jen Wilson
Rating: PG
Disclaimers: These characters aren't mine and make me no money, sadly enough.
Summary: Donna's last day at the office
Author's Notes: I've always wondered how their last day in office would've gone, had John Wells not ripped them apart at the seams. So, assume for the sake of argument that Leo didn't have a heart attack, Toby didn't leak anything, Donna didn't lose what made her, her, and Josh and Donna didn't leave the White House early.
She pushes the filing cabinet closed and walks back to her cubicle, stopping just before entering and looking inside with a sad smile on her face. Her desk is clear save for the computer on top of it, her personal things packed and taken home, she even took the time to wipe out the drawers for whomever it was who would sit there next. Her coat's still hanging on the coat rack in the corner, but that will be gone soon too.
She smiles to herself, remembering her first day there. She'd walked with Josh and Sam from the inauguration to the White House, her cheeks pink and fingers frozen, and when they'd walked through the front gate, she'd nearly cried. Josh asked if she was ok and she told him yes, it was just the wind in her face, but that wasn't the truth. She was about to walk into the White House for the first time in her life and she was completely overwhelmed. By the time they'd made it through security and to their assigned offices, he'd given her a list of things to do a mile long, but she'd still taken the time to stand just outside this same cubicle and smile at the possibilities. She's outgrown it now, but she'll miss it just the same.
She turns then and wanders towards Josh's office, stopping at the door and looking inside. It looks like hers; empty book shelves, picture-less walls, a clear desk. If she didn't know better, she'd be hard-pressed to believe Josh Lyman ever worked there.
But he did. Late nights in the dark with only his desk lamp on, leaning over the desk with his elbows on it and his chin propped in his hands, looking at papers and files that littered the room… that's how she'll always remember this place.
She steps inside and walks up to the large, mahogany desk, running her fingertips over it gingerly as she walks around it to his chair. She spins the chair slowly and the picture in her mind changes to him leaning back with his hands behind his head and a smirk on his face, teasing her about something. 'Let's put you on a stamp.'
She lets out a small chuckle and turns to look out the window. Snow is falling lightly, dusting the grass outside, and it makes her think of that night exactly four years ago, with snowballs and tuxedos and warm brown eyes telling her she looked amazing. She's fallen asleep to that image a hundred times.
"Have I been gone long enough?"
His voice startles her and she turns quickly around to face him. He's wearing his navy blue suit with a crisp white shirt and her favorite tie, and he's leaned against his door jam with his hands in his pockets and a knowing smile on his face.
"Long enough for what?" she asks, crunching her eyes in confusion.
He pushes himself off the doorframe and takes a step inside. "For you to do whatever it is girls do when they're about to leave someplace they love."
He knows her too well, she thinks with a smile. "What makes you think I'm going to miss this place?" she asks in a teasing voice.
He grins at her. "Where else can you work these kinds of hours for this kind of pay?"
She laughs then and shakes her head. "Well that's true."
He walks the rest of the way inside and sits on the edge of his desk. "You about ready to go?"
She takes a deep breath. Once they leave, that's it. They're gone. She wouldn't be back here.
That, of course, isn't the truth at all, but it feels like it is. In three weeks, she'll be working for Senator Millhouse, which will undoubtedly bring her back here occasionally, but it won't be the same. Someone else will be sitting at her desk and someone else will be yelling things from his office or worse yet, using the intercom. She's not sure she wants to come back here and see that.
She looks around the empty room one more time before meeting his eyes again. "Yes," she says with a brave nod.
"Good," he says standing up. "The motorcade's ready to take us to the Capitol."
He places his hand on her back and leads her out the door and to her cubicle, watching as she puts her coat on before grabbing his own. She in turn watches him shrug his on, and then he looks at her for several quiet seconds. "You need to button it," he mumbles finally, taking a step closer to her and starting with her buttons. "It's cold out."
She's startled and stands still watching him with wide-eyes. He's never done this before; it's always been her dressing him. Bowties, suit jackets… her excuse to stand close. When he's done he looks up at her and their eyes locked. One of their many moments to be interrupted by one of them talking or looking away. "Do you have gloves?" he asks quietly a moment later, it apparently being his turn.
She puts her hands into her pockets and pulls out her black knit gloves, smiling at him before shoving them back into the pockets. "I've been to this twice before." He raises at eyebrow at her and she pouts. "Well, I was there in thought the second time." He chuckles and leads her towards the motorcade. Pausing at the doors that exit the bullpen, they both turn and look back one more time.
"You aren't going to miss it?" she asks quietly as they look at the large dark room.
He shrugs. "I'm going to be around."
That was true. He'd be working for the D triple C after some time off. The assistant chairman of the party and the legislative director for the Senate majority leader, they've come a long way.
Still, a part of her, a large part, wants him to miss this. Wants him to miss the time they've spent together here. It's not like she'll never see him again, she's sure they're going to remain close. But still, she's going to miss this part of what they are and she thinks he should too.
"Come on," he says quietly after a moment, turning her and leading her out of the bullpen. "They're waiting for us."
They leave the bullpen, walking through the corridors together, their rhythm perfected over the years. The innuendoes made in these hallways, the flirting, the banter… This is where the oft-used term 'gomer' was originated, she thinks with a smile. She wonders if he'd like to be her next gomer… her last. It's something she hopes will come up eventually, once they've gotten settled into their new lives and he's gotten used to the idea that they're not working together. Her decision to not follow him to the D triple C was not one he was pleased with, but in his defense, he's been handling it much better than he did two months ago when she made it.
"You're starting with Millhouse in two weeks?" he asks, breaking her out of her reverie.
"Three. How 'bout you?"
"Two, three, whenver," he says with a shrug. "They know I need to decompress."
"You should go see your mother."
"Like I could decompress there," he grumbles. "You going to Wisconsin?"
"Probably," she sighs, as excited with the prospect as he is with Florida.
He pushes the door open and the wind blows in her face and chills her to the bone. She crosses her arms over her chest and Josh steps closer to her, shielding her as much as possible from the cold. She smiles; it's been a long time since he's shielded her from anything.
A porter holds the back door of the limousine open and she climbs inside before him. Toby, CJ, Leo, Charlie and Margaret are already inside and she smiles to them as she settles in. Margaret moves closer to Charlie to make room for her. The limo really only seats six comfortably, but the president insisted Charlie ride with the senior staff and Josh and Leo followed by insisting Margaret and Donna did as well. Once the door's closed, Josh drapes his arm on the back of the seat and she instinctively moves closer to him, giving Margaret some of her space back. They're all quiet as the limousine pulls slowly down the driveway and up to the opening gate. When they turn right onto Pennsylvania Avenue, she looks out the window at the White House, tears pooling in her eyes.
Josh leans in close to her. "You alright?" he asks softly into her ear, his breath warm on her cheek.
"We used to work there," CJ answers for Donna from the seat across from them, staring out the window herself.
The limousine grows quiet until Toby speaks quietly a moment later. "I suspect some of us will again." Josh nods and squeezes Donna's shoulder and she watches until the building's out of sight before turning and facing front again. The limousine is quiet for the rest of the three minute trip to the Capitol.
When the driver pulls to the back entrance, Josh jumps out and gives Donna his hand to help her out as well. She nods at him and then looks at the limousine in front of them, watching as the president and first lady get out followed by President-elect Baker and his wife. President Bartlet catches Donna's eye and winks at her, bringing a smile to her face. Believing in that man changed her direction. Believing in the one next to her changed her life.
They all walk inside, seemingly waiting for instructions, but there aren't many. President-elect Baker's staff pulls him aside and talks intently to him about protocol and order and what will happen next, but Josh, Toby, CJ, and Leo have no more words of wisdom for President Bartlet. He's had his day and this isn't it.
"CJ," the president says jovially after a stretched silence. "You're leaving tonight?"
"Yes sir," she says, nodding. "6:05 to Phoenix."
"And this group you're going to work for…"
"The Make a Wish Foundation?" she asks with a grin.
"Never heard of 'em," the president replies with a smile.
CJ shakes her head and leans in, kissing him on the cheek. He smiles at her the way a father does at his daughter, Donna thinks. And in a way, CJ is his daughter... Leo's as well.
"And what about you Toby?" the president asks a moment later.
"8am to Orlando tomorrow," Toby replies with a painful look on his face, making Charlie chuckle.
"Something funny, Charlie?" the first lady asks.
"Yes ma'am, the thought of Toby in mouse ears."
"The Magic Kingdom is something every father goes through at least once in his life," the president says, patting Toby's shoulder in his defense. Then he looks over at Charlie with a conspirator's grin. "But I would like to see those pictures."
"I hope you're enjoying this, Mr. President," Toby replies.
"I am…"
The conversation continues, but Donna watches more than listens. She already knows everyone's plans anyway; CJ's going to be the new director of the Make a Wish Foundation, Toby's going to write, Leo's going to retire, Margaret's going to get married and stay home with her son for a while, and Charlie's going to law school. And the president knows too; this is just something to fill time.
"Leo?" the president continues.
"I'm just looking forward to going a few weeks without having to hear your voice," Leo replies good-naturedly.
The president looks at Donna. "I give it two days before he calls bored."
Donna chuckles and nods. "Yes, sir."
"And what about you, Donna? Does Senator Millhouse have his eye on the White House?"
"I certainly hope so sir, I'd like to help him get there some day. Of course," she adds, glancing over at Josh. "We'll have to convince the D Triple C to give him a chance."
Josh raises an eyebrow. "You'd better start sucking up now."
They all laugh and continue talking until the ceremony's about to begin. Then President Bartlet gives them each one more hug, thanks them for their service and friendship, and walks out onto the stage, head held high. Quietly, and holding back tears, the rest of them bundle back up and go outside to their reserved seats.
She sits between Josh and Charlie, listening with little interest to the speeches and musical features, her mind traveling back in time again to Yo Yo Ma concerts and State of the Union addresses. To words that Sam and Toby and later Will and Toby wrote over the years. Words that encouraged her and gave her hope and made her proud. Words that made them all believe anything was possible; that made them keep going when they learned the truth.
The wind's blowing right through her, causing her to shake the slightest bit, and at some point, Josh takes his scarf from his coat and wraps it around her neck. President-elect Baker continues talking of a future and of carrying on the great work of President Bartlet and at that mention, the crowd stands and cheers. But instead of cheering along, the seven of them stand silently as if acknowledging the thanks of a nation. The applause is for the president, yes, but it's for them as well and she thinks this might be the first time they've acknowledged that.
And finally Chief Justice Lang stands up, followed by the audience, and as Donna stands too, she looks at the man on her right. The man who single handedly made that possible, who gave the country the gift of this amazing woman. He looks over at her and smiles widely and she wonders if this is the thing he'll look back at someday as the crowning achievement of his time with the Bartlet administration. Maybe it won't be this; maybe it'll be the college tax credit or the Family Wellness Act, or maybe even something smaller like getting the roof fixed on the Church of the Nativity. For her, it will be 35 people who were pardoned due in part to her belief that they should be. When she thinks of the one who wasn't, it's those 35 faces that remind her she did good that day.
She feels his leather-gloved hand take her knit-gloved hand, his fingers lacing with hers and she looks at him again to see that he's watching the Capitol steps. But she knows what he's doing. Chief Justice Lang is administering the oath and then it's over. Eight years of work… nine really, and in a moment it'll be as if it never happened. She faces front again and uses her other hand to wipe the few tears threatening to escape.
She focuses on the oath of office; it suddenly seems like yesterday that President Bartlet stood there with his hand on a bible. She remembers Mrs. Bartlet and the girls standing behind him stoically. She remembers Josh bouncing on the balls of his feet, ready to get to work, and Sam putting a steady hand on his shoulder. She remembers thinking they were going to save the world.
"Don't go to Wisconsin," she hears quietly. Her head snaps in his direction, but he's still looking at the Capitol steps as if he hadn't said a word.
"Don't go to Wisconsin?" she questions in a confused voice.
He nods slightly, his eyes still front. "Come with me instead."
Her eyebrows knit together. Something's happening right now and she's not sure she trusts herself to know what it is. "To your mom's?"
He shrugs but still watches the stage. "Or Paris or Venice or Fiji. Anyplace you want to go." He turns his head finally and looks at her. She doesn't think she's ever seen his eyes so warm. "Just as long as you go with me."
"Wha…"
"Shh…" he whispers, a smile slowly spreading over his face. He turns and looks towards the Capitol steps again. "We're about to have a new president."
"But…" She trails off, watching him with wide-eyes as he looks forward again. Did he just…
Thunderous applause startles her and she drags her eyes from him to the stage where the new president is waving to the crowd and hugging his wife to his side. Her breath caught in her chest, she pulls her hand from Josh's and claps numbly for several seconds before looking back over at Josh. He's watching her now and he smiles widely at her. "You don't work for me anymore."
She shakes her head in a daze. "No…"
And then he brings his hands up to cup her cheeks, and while the rest of the country applauds and cheers, Josh Lyman kisses her.