Chapter 2
After overcoming the shock Leo set out to find his oldest friend. As he made his way to the Presidential Suite he was trying to figure out just what he was going to say. He had an idea; however he couldn't speak like that to the President of the United States. He finally got to the room and he asked the agents if he was in. The agent nodded and he knocked and waited a second before opening the door. The scene he saw was not what he was expecting. Abbey was talking to Helen Santos and the President and Congressman were talking in the corner. As he made his way in they turned to look at who had walked in and Abbey spoke first. "Matt, Helen, we should probably get ready for the rest of the night. I have a feeling the protocol for the moment is going right out the window." Matt and Helen were shocked and looked between the President and Leo then simply walked out.
After the trio had left Leo broke the silence, "With all due respect Mr. President but are you trying to kill me?"
"No I'm not. I really believe you are the best man for the job. I am going to make sure the party pays for a doctor to go with you and make sure you're staying healthy. I may have pushed Josh along to nominate you but I am not losing my best friend." When the President finished Leo was speechless.
He just looked at his friend eight years after he got him the nomination and smiled, "Are you sure, sir?" Leo was a bit apprehensive, "I was Labor Secretary not anything executive like this."
"Leo, there is no one who can do the job better. Matt needs foreign policy experience and you have that in spades. You also are the calming influence on the man that will be his chief of staff."
Leo smirked and responded, "Oh no, that's our Press Secretary. I know he thinks he's hiding it well, and he is from Donna but Josh is going to propose to her tonight."
As Jed let the information sink in there was another knock at the door. Abbey walked in and smiled at the two old friends. "Are you two done fighting? We have to go out there and listen to me make the nomination speech for Leo and then the balloons have to fall." The men stood there shocked as Abbey explained further. "Donna called and said they wanted someone who has known you a long time to make the speech. Since Jed can't I'm going to."
"Thank you, Abbey. You guys are really the best friends a man with a checkered past like me could ever ask for."
In reaction to Leo's sentiment Jed just looked at him and simply said, "It was a nice thing you did for me. It is my turn to return the favor."
West Wing
Later that night President Josiah Bartlet climbed the stairs to watch his wife finish her nominating speech for his oldest friend and then he took the stage. Jed looked out over the crowd for the third straight convention and began to speak. "It has been an honor to serve you these past eight years." His speech was cutoff by the delegates and crowd cheering 'four more years'. He smiled and tried to calm the crowd down. "It now gives me great pleasure to introduce to you the leaders of our party, and the next President and Vice President of the United States Matthew Vincente Santos and Leo Thomas McGarry." The cheering reached a deafening pitch and the balloons started to fall. As the President, First Lady, and the Santos family along with Leo and Mallory all held their hands high they let it all soak in. They all knew the next few months were going to be a fight but for now the moment felt pretty good.
West Wing
Josh, Sam, Donna and Charlie were watching in the back on the television the payoff of all their hard work so far. They knew they had more work to do but they were soaking it all in. For Josh, Sam and Donna this was the second time they had gotten an unknown here and for Charlie his first. Ned and Ronna were with the Congressman's staff on the hill and couldn't believe what they had helped do. As Josh looked over at them he pulled them aside and started to speak, "You guys have been invaluable. The way you know the Congressman has helped us get to know him and you. Thank you for all your hard work you have done and all I know you'll do. What I need from you guys now though is help getting something personal done."
At that the duo looked at him and didn't know what to think. Ronna asked him, "What's up, boss?"
Josh was shocked at the way Ronna addressed him and smiled as he put his arms around them both, "I need you to keep Donna occupied and away from the press. I am proposing in a little bit and don't want her to get sidetracked."
Ronna began to tear up and Ned shook his head in the affirmative that he would help. "If she asks what we're doing what do we tell her?" Ned asked with an almost fearful look on his face.
"Just tell her I asked you to keep her away from the press. We don't need them making a big thing about Leo yet until we can put a poll in the field. Sam and Charlie are gonna be helping me." The two of them shook their heads and set off to find Donna.
West Wing
Josh, Sam and Charlie along with Zoey were getting the Santos staff room to look as close to Josh's old office at the White House as they could. They were almost finished when there was a knock at the door. CJ Cregg stood on the other side with a bottle of champagne and a smile, "Thought you'd like some refreshments for the big moment Josh."
"Thank you, Claudia-Jean. Please put it in the fridge for me."
She looked at him like he had six heads, walked out the door and brought in an ice bucket on a tripod. "You think I'm letting you put Dom in a mini fridge!"
Josh just smiled and then told them to get lost. 'Good luck' echoed around the room from all those who were helping him. The he pulled out his cell phone and called Ronna, "Tell her I need to see her in the staff room to go over what we want on the poll." He hung up after a quick goodbye and began to pace.
The next conversation was going to determine the rest of his life. He had never been so nervous in his near forty years. What seemed like an eternity after he called Ronna, Donna walked in and was taken back by the scene in front of her. Josh stood there in a tux with the tie undone and he had turned the room into his old office. "Josh, we aren't going to talk about a poll are we?" Donna asked him in a quiet voice.
"No, we aren't," he responded. He took a few steps toward her and reached in his pocket. He pulled the ring out and held it in his hand his eyes never leaving hers. Donna couldn't break eye contact if she tried. He had captivated her with this whole scene and she wasn't entirely sure she was breathing.
"Josh what is all of this. I mean I know it's as close to your office as you could make it but what's with the tux and the champagne?" Donna asked him confused.
"I am trying to set a mood for this and the only thing besides my office I could think of was too far in the future for my taste. Donna, you are everything to me and it took me way too long to realize it. I love you with every fiber of my being and I would like nothing more if you would agree to be my wife and marry me."
As he said the last part he got down on one knee. Donna was now crying and nearly hyperventilating. She had everything she ever wanted right in front of her and it didn't seem real. She reached out caressed Josh's face and pinched his cheek. At his loud exclamation of pain she smiled and realized it was real. "Yes," she told him in a breathy quiet voice. Josh jumped up and kissed her with everything he had. What they didn't know was that when Josh yelled everyone came running. So as Sam, Charlie, Zoey and CJ looked on Josh slid the diamond ring on Donna's finger. She looked at it and then back to Josh and in typical Josh and Donna fashion asked him an off the wall question, "What was far to in the future for your taste Josh?"
He said to her with a sheepish grin on his face, "I didn't want to wait until I could throw snowballs at your window." After hearing that Donna, CJ and Zoey were all in tears.
"You know, for a jackass, you can really be sweet sometimes, Josh," CJ said to him and drew a laugh from all of their friends.
West Wing
When the staff caught up to the Congressman the next morning he brought up a topic no one was expecting. "I think we need to bring more voices onto this ride Josh," Matt Santos told his campaign manager.
Josh looked at him with a very puzzled expression on his face. "What do you mean, sir?"
"I was thinking that we are basically running against ourselves. He's a moderate and we have the same views on a lot of different issues. We co-sponsored a bill for god sakes. We need to shake it up a little while retaining our message that we communicated so well during the primaries."
Josh thought it was a pretty good idea. He looked to his right and Sam had the same look on his face. It was time to bring a different point of view into the fold.
"Well, Congressman, I have a suggestion," Sam contributed.
"What would that be, Sam?" Matt responded.
"Well we need to hear stuff from both sides. My idea is really two fold. One, we bring in Louise Thornton from the D.N.C. office and try and get Will Bailey from the V.P. The second part is to have my fiancé join us and help craft our message. She said she worked with you on some language for the Workers Bill a couple years ago when she was in the White House Counsel's office."
Matt looked at this blue in the blood democrat and quietly asked Sam. "You're marrying a republican?"
"Why yes, sir, I am. She is the best thing that ever happened to me and is the reason I'm here," Sam answered with a defensive edge to his voice.
Matt put his hands up in surrender, "Okay, I was just shocked. Ainsley is a great lawyer and was very helpful with the bill. Do you think she will come and be on the staff of a democratic presidential nominee?"
Sam looked at Josh and Josh looked at Donna. "Leave her to Mrs. Santos and me sir. We could always use another member of the sisterhood on the trail," Donna finished with a smile and left the room. Josh and Matt shared a glance both faces showing the same thought 'oh boy'.
West Wing
Ainsley Hayes sat at her desk in L.A. and wondered what Sam was doing right now. She saw him a few days ago but he was distracted with the Congressman's speech for the convention. She was lonely and wondered if they won the White House was this what life was gonna be like. Her assistant buzzing her over the intercom brought her out of her daydream, "Miss Hayes there is a Donna Moss on line three for you."
"Thank you, Stephanie, please hold all other calls till I am done with this one." She then picked up the phone with a big smile on her face, "Congratulations soon to be Mrs. Lyman, or are you hyphenating like me?"
Donna chuckled and responded, "I don't know yet. It depends on what I do after we win. Speaking of, you and I need to talk."
Ainsley was now curious as to what Donna wanted, "Is there something wrong Donna?"
"Oh my god no there is nothing wrong. I'm sorry I didn't mean to worry you. I am on my way to L.A. and wanted to know if we could meet for lunch."
Ainsley knew there was something up but didn't let on that she was suspicious. "Sure, I don't have anything for this afternoon except covering for Sam, what's up?"
"There is someone who wants to see you, well two people really. Can we come to the office say now?"
"You're in the lobby, aren't you?" Ainsley asked quickly.
"Yeah and between everyone congratulating Sam and the Secret Service detail for the Congressman it's causing quite the ruckus," Donna added quickly.
"Come up and I will clear my schedule. Just do me a favor and send Sam up first. I need a few minutes with him," Ainsley requested.
"No problem he is on the way up," Donna answered before hanging up the phone.
When Sam walked into her office she jumped in his arms kissing and holding on as tight as she could. "God, I've missed you" he told her in between kisses. "I'm gonna kill Josh when I see him next for taking you away from me for so long." That line made Sam laugh. She looked at him with her trademark smile and asked, "What is so funny, Samuel?"
"It wasn't Josh that convinced me to go it was you," Sam answered.
She looked at him again and asked him the question that had been on her mind since the phone rang, "What's going on?"
"Well, I can't tell you just by myself I need a little help," he added and after fixing themselves the Secret Service came in and did a sweep of the room and in walked Matt Santos and Donna Moss.
"Congratulations, Congressman," Ainsley told Matt as he entered.
"Thanks Ainsley but I thought I told you to call me Matt?" Santos responded shaking her hand. After a hug for Donna they all sat at the table in her office.
Matt started off the conversation, "We would like you to come with us. We need a different voice on the campaign trail. Vinnick has hired Bruno Gianelli to run his campaign and we need a voice from the other side of the aisle just like Arnie does."
Ainsley looked a little shell shocked, "You want me to advise you sir, I'm just a lawyer."
"So am I," Sam defended.
And then Donna added the piece de resistance, "Hey don't look at me I'm here because I hired myself for Josh eight years ago."
"I need to hear that story," Matt said as his eyes danced with laughter.
"What about work, Sam?" Ainsley asked him.
Sam then pulled something out of his pocket that not even Matt or Donna knew he had. "This is the nest egg I was telling you about. It is all the investing I did when I was younger and the trust my father left for me. I'd say we were set financially."
Ainsley opened the envelope and nearly fell over. "How long have you had this in your possession?"
"Since the last time I saw you. His lawyer brought it to me in San Diego. I then called the White House Counsels office and asked election law questions so we couldn't get in any trouble. Then I called Jeff in finance here and had him open up an account that we could draw from," Sam explained with great precision. "So, you see we don't have to worry about money, the mortgage is being paid every month and at the end of this ride I have a feeling we will have new jobs."
Matt looked on as the shock wore off Ainsley's face. She then turned to Donna and Matt with a big smile and asked them both the next thing that came to mind, "Are either of you hungry?"
Sam couldn't help himself and began to laugh loudly.
West Wing
After a nice lunch the Congressman had to head back to the main arm of the campaign. Matt, Donna and his detail got on a plane at LAX while Sam and Ainsley went home to have Ainsley pack to leave for D.C. At lunch the plan was all laid out. Sam and Ainsley would be running the operation in Washington while Donna, Josh, and the newly hired Louise Thornton would be doing the traveling. Charlie elected to do both; he would be Sam's right hand in D.C. and on the road when he was needed. Bram Howard, who worked in advance, was brought on to the National campaign as the Congressman's body man. Sam took Toby's advice and hired a young kid named Otto to be a speech writer. Toby had read something Otto had published in college and Toby knew he had the chops to write for a Presidential candidate. Annabeth Schott was pilfered from the White House and would be traveling with Leo to help the first time candidate adjust to this new endeavor.
West Wing
As Josh looked at the new polling numbers Joey Lucas dropped off he felt like his head was going to explode. "DONNA," Josh bellowed.
"Can I help you oh future husband of mine?"
"My head fells like its going to explode. I see these numbers and part of me doesn't believe it. The numbers are telling me Leo is a drag on the ticket, but I don't see how he can be."
Donna observed Josh as he paced back and forth knowing exactly what he is thinking.
"He is the best choice. He has foreign policy experience, he knows how to run a country, and he is the only person you trusted enough that's not currently the President to help the congressman be President."
Josh stopped and stared at the woman in front of him. He was in awe of her ability to see right through him.
"I don't want him to think he's going to be the reason we lose if we do."
Donna paused a second before she answered "He knows that. Leo taught us during the first campaign. The top of the ticket is the way people vote; they don't care about V.P. except for it sounding good on the bumper sticker."
Josh smiled as he remembered that particular conversation. It was the night before the convention eight years ago. Josh and Leo were arguing about Hoynes for Vice President as Josh didn't trust him and Leo was arguing for his guy.
Flashback
"You brought me here to be the political director and I am telling you this is bad politically, Leo. John Hoynes will turn us down just to be a spiteful prick and then leak it to the press and rub it in our choice's face to make himself feel better because he lost," Josh finished his tirade running his hands through his hair and breathing heavy.
"I am telling you he will not do that Josh. He would be stupid and would look like a petulant child should he even try that. All I want to do is have the Governor talk to him about it. See if he would consider it, then we go from there," Leo told him with his hands on Josh's shoulder.
"I still don't think he'll do it, but this is yours and Governor Bartlet's show to run. Please don't make me be there though Leo, I can't."
"I understand Josh. You let us handle it. Do you want me to have Sam there to get a read on him," Leo asked gently.
"Please. We have the real thing here. A man we both believe in to the highest level and I do not want an ego maniac like Hoynes ruining this."
"No problem," Leo replied with his trademark smirk.
Josh looked at his future wife while he was remembering that conversation and smiled. She calmed him down that night and she was doing it again tonight.
"I remember. He has been like a father to me and I don't want him to feel guilty."
"Feel guilty about what," Leo questioned as he walked in the room.
"Nothing, I was just having a mini melt down as I usually do," Josh coolly answered his mentor.
"Let me guess, the new polling data is showing I am a drag on the ticket and you're afraid I'm gonna feel guilty if I drag us down." Leo retorted as Josh looked at him with wide eyes.
"How bad is it Josh," Donna asked softly.
"It isn't that it's bad I just am reading into it like I always do."
Leo yanked the paper out of Josh's hand and looked at it for himself. As he went through the pages he began to smirk. When he finished the packet he calmly handed it back to Josh and turned around to leave. Before he got out the door he turned around and looked Josh in the eyes. He took a deep breath and gave him some sage advice, "Josh this poll says people only know about my addiction issues and my heart problem. Annabeth and I will work on that. You get your guy elected. Donna please get him to calm down, we got a long way to go."
West Wing
Sam and Ainsley walked into headquarters close to 9 o'clock that night and immediately went looking for Josh. What they found was something they didn't expect. Josh and Donna were fast asleep on a couch in Josh's office with take out containers on the desk. As Ainsley smiled Sam decided to be juvenile.
"OOOOHHHHH I'm telling the Congressman you guys were playing grab ass in the office," he announced loudly and the sleeping couple woke with a start.
"What the hell is wrong with you Sam," Josh yelled loudly.
"Nothing, I just know what you would have done to me."
"When did you guys get here," Donna asked Ainsley.
"About five minutes before my lovely future husband decided to revert to being seven. I was smiling and thinking it was cute, then Lewis Black over here tried to get a laugh."
"How was the poll, Josh," Sam asked with a little apprehension in his voice.
"Told us what we thought it would. The people polled know Leo is a recovering alcoholic and pill addict that was the Chief of Staff to a President that lied about his health."
Sam shook his head and before he could ask josh the next thing on his mind Ainsley beat him to it "How did you react, and when Leo figured out why you were acting strange what did he say?"
Sam and Josh looked at Ainsley mystified. Donna just smiled as she saw the realization on the pair's faces when they realized their women could read their minds.
"He reminded Josh that the top of the ticket is where people vote and he needed to relax," Donna supplied smugly.
"He told me to let him and Annabeth handle his image and I am to go get my guy elected."
The two couples spoke for a few more minutes before they decided to head home for the night. Sam and Ainsley were staying with Josh and Donna instead of paying for a hotel room. On the way home Donna told the guys the rules.
"There will be no shop talk at home unless it is so pressing it can not wait till tomorrow or we will lose the campaign. Home is home and we won't be there enough to decompress fully so we eliminate a stressor."
Ainsley seemed fine with it but Sam and Josh looked like they were going to lose their minds. One look from their future spouse's told them to knock it off and surprisingly they did. Once home the couples talked weddings and family and let the campaign for the White House go to the back of their minds. After a good nights sleep they would be ready to take on the world, and do their level best to make it a better place.