A/N: Wow. It's been two years? Damn.
COVID really has me doing the craziest things in my down time, like returning to a fanfiction account I haven't looked at in years.
I've missed you all so much! Thank you for all the kind reviews in my absence - I'm barely getting through them.
Who knows, maybe I'll update some of my tragically abandoned stories. My muse drifted away from me for some time, but I hope she's here to stay for the time being. What do you most want to see updated?
In the meantime, here's a little thing I've been working on. Why do I always think of the strangest AUs? This one explores the possibility that Josh and Sam planned for Sam to run in the California 47th in S4, and started his campaign a long time out from the election. It might also involve a political marriage and/or engagement? I'm excited about this one haha.
Let me know if you're interested! I've missed you all :')
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Josh breezes into Sam's office with a large file in hand and a distinct "I told you so" smirk on his face. Sam looks up wearily as Josh sets the file on his desk with a thud and sinks into his visitor's chair.
Sam looks at the file much like one might look at a dirty sock. "What's this?"
"Latest polls are in. Joey just faxed them over."
"You didn't actually-"
"Look, I included the question. It's not all I included, but it's in there, alright?"
Sam sighs. "I told you it wouldn't change my mind."
"I'm not saying it will. But it's useful information to have, isn't it?"
Sam rubs a temple and opens the file. "Sure. Sure, Josh. So how bad is the number anyway? Just tell me."
"Thirty-four percent among middle aged women."
Sam winces. "And if I'm - whats the wording you and Joey agreed on?"
"It's bachelor versus married, but obviously there's something to be said for serious relationships, engagements, who the person is-"
"I get it."
"Fifty-seven percent of middle aged women. That's what Sam Seaborn in a relationship gets in the California 47th."
"That's...that's a big jump." Sam grants.
Josh holds up his hands as if to say, 'Don't shoot the messenger.' "Thirty-four is workable. But it's not fifty-seven."
"Point taken."
"You see mild improvement in middle aged men and negligible in young men, with both sexes in the oldest bracket showing marked improvement. Young women is mild."
"And..."
"You're not winning the election without senior citizens, and you're definitely not winning it without women."
"Loud and clear."
"If you want me to do a little matchmaking..."
Sam holds up a hand. "I can get girls perfectly fine on my own, Josh."
Josh raises an eyebrow. "Politically gainful girls?"
Sam snaps his fingers. "You know, that's always how I described my ideal life partner."
Josh gives him a wry smile. "That's the spirit. Just food for thought, alright?"
"Gotcha." After Josh closes the door, Sam rests his head in a hand.
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Chuck Webb sips from his water bottle as he breaks between questions. The retiree he'd just slapped down with a simple turn of phrase stands, befuddled, before his wife slowly pulls him back to his chair. Josh hears the man mumble "That was it?" to his spouse, and Josh can't help but agree. This weak excuse for a town hall showcased some truly contrived lines from Webb that might as well have come from fortune cookies. Josh smirks. If he could get this guy in a debate, Sam would eat him alive.
Just then, a blonde woman a few rows in front of Josh stands and makes her way to the microphone. The congressman squints at her. "Uh, yes, miss?"
"Moss. Donna Moss. I'm an Orange County public school teacher, and I'd like to ask you about reevaluating need based aid packages for-"
Webb waves a hand. "I've answered this before. Are you with the union?"
"Yes, sir." The woman doesn't skip a beat. "Need based aid packages for schools that don't have adequate funds to modernize their curriculum-"
"If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Webb gives a crooked grin.
"Very good sir, only, it is broken. It's no secret that technology is the fastest growing job sector, and our classrooms are not equipped-"
Webb shakes his head. "Have we met before?"
"Yes, sir. Once when the teacher's union picketed your office and you called us a bunch of raving lunatics, and another in a meet and greet with Lincoln Middle school teachers in which you called teachers the backbone of society. As I was saying, the classrooms at my school and others-"
"I've answered your question. Please sit down." At his words an aid steps forward to the microphone.
Still composed, the woman responds tersely. "Of course." She marches back to her seat and picks up a novel, opening it to a bookmarked page. Josh watches her with raised eyebrows. She seemed to know this would happen - he wouldn't be surprised if she did this kind of thing every week.
He listens to the rest of the Q&A, which is brief, but he can't help his attention wandering to the woman a few rows ahead. She continues reading, only looking up when the people surrounding her start leaving, signifying that the town hall has ended. She calmly replaces her bookmark and starts to walk out, and Josh catches her as she passes by him.
"Excuse me, miss."
She turns to look at him, a little startled. "Yes?"
"I was just wondering what you were reading. It seemed a lot more interesting than the town hall, though I'll admit that's not difficult."
She smiles. She holds up Pride and Prejudice. "I wish I had a more original recommendation for you. Sorry, I'm an English teacher, I'm just refreshing on my Austen for a lesson tomorrow."
"Still a good rec. I've never read Austen, believe it or not."
"You're kidding me."
"Wish I was."
"Give her a try. Northanger Abbey is really the place to start. It's nice to see the evolution."
"Maybe I will."
"My work here is done, then." She gives him a polite smile. "Nice meeting you."
He continues walking with her into the lobby. "I actually had another question for you, Ms..."
"Moss." She gives him an appraising look, and he tries to look trustworthy. "But you can call me Donna."
"Donna. I thought I heard you say that you're a part of a union. Is that right?"
"I am. The Orange County teacher's union, and the California teacher's union."
"Do they always send a representative to these town halls?"
She shrugs. "When someone is available. I go most often, just because I have more free time than some other teachers."
"I see." They slow to a stop before the double doors leading out. "Well, Donna, my name is Josh Lyman, and I'm actually here doing some opposition research for a candidate I think could meet the needs of this district's teachers, among other constituencies, much better than Chuck Webb."
She raises her eyebrows. "Wow. God knows we need it."
"Right," he barrels on. "The next time my candidate and I come down here, maybe you could sit down with him and talk teachers? It's one of his most devoted issue areas."
"Oh, I don't know..." she purses her lips. "I'm not a high ranking member of the union, you'd do much better to talk to one of my superiors-"
"But Donna," Josh smiles, "You're the one who goes to all these insipid meetings. You know all his weak spots."
"I suppose, but I just think that seniority should-"
"Okay. We'll meet with your superiors, of course. But...sit in for me, would you?" He gives her a winning grin.
She begrudgingly accepts. "Okay. Anything to defeat that asshole."
He laughs. "Perfect." He fumbles for his wallet. "Here's my card. Call any time, we'll set something up for when he's in town."
"Sure thing, Joshua." She smirks, reading his full name. It looks vaguely familiar to her in print, as if perhaps she'd come across it in a news story. "I'll be in touch."
"Fantastic. You won't be disappointed."
She shrugs. "I'm really an easy girl to please, Joshua."
"Josh."
"Okay." She allows. "See you."
"See you." He watches her walk away. He is interested in her opinions on policy, of course he is - he would be courting the Orange County teacher's union regardless of whether he'd met Donna that night or not. But he simply couldn't help the PR part of his mind from latching onto certain marketable qualities about this specific teacher - a dedicated public servant who cared about local politics, and would certainly love Sam. Not to mention the fact that the two of them would look like Barbie and Ken (or, dare he say, the next Kennedys).
The vision of the all-American schoolteacher on Sam's arm is picture perfect. Yes, Josh Lyman is a political operative, but his skills as a matchmaker are not to be underestimated.
Hell, Sam likes Jane Austen, right? Josh thinks to himself. It'll go off without a hitch.