A/N: Times are out of order. Next time chapter they'll be in order. I'm to
lazy to fix it.
Chapter Two: 23 Days
1:25 PM
"Karol!" Annie Wildman ran to embrace the Vice Presidental Candidate. "How are you?"
"I should be asking you!" Karol smiled and led Annie, Scott and Annie's mother Allison into her house. It was a small, typical Rhode Island house, left to her by her grandfather when he passed away.
"Now you're sure you don't mind, Karol?" Scott asked his fellow Senator.
Annie and Scott had left Texas to get closer to Washington and to visit a special doctor in Rhode Island for Annie. In exchange for a place to stay, Annie and Allison agreed to take care of the house and feed Karol's cat, Buster.
"Of course not," Karol assured Scott. "As long and Rusty doesn't eat Buster, it's all okay."
The bloodhound puppy in question barked as he heard his name.
"Don't you worry about Rusty," Annie said. "Or Buster. They'll both be fine. Right, Rusty?" She glared at the puppy.
Rusty wagged his tail and barked happily.
"You're going to ride down to DC for the election coverage, right?" Karol asked Annie and Abigail.
Annie nodded. "If the doctor says it is okay."
Scott kissed his wife on the cheek and then kissed her stomach. "I love you. All of you."
Annie smiled and hugged him. "You'd better get going. Congress can't function without you."
Karol laughed. "We'd be happy to be rid of you, Scotty boy," she jested.
The Texan glared and then waved good bye to his mother-in-law. "Call me after the appointment," he shouted as Karol pushed him out of the door.
"Our plane leaves at two, budy boy," Karol told him. "We've got half an hour to get to the air port."
"I know, I know, let's go," Scott said. The two of them got in the car.
Karol walked around to the drivers side and Scott got in the passengers side. Though he liked to drive, he much prefered driving trucks and Karol never let anyone else drive. He figured it was a power thing. Scott didn't care. He began going over some papers for the new gun bill.
"Didn't they resolve guns in the Bush administration?" Scott asked as they were driving.
Karol shrugged. "Stupid people are slowly trying to take away our second amendment rights."
Scott didn't ask.
"You talked to Jody?" Scott asked Karol after awhile.
Jody Summers was one of the Oklahoma Senators and a good friend to the two of them. She'd been diagnosed with breast cancer the year before and had been undergoing treatments in her home state along with her sister who was also diagnosed.
"I did, as a matter of fact," Karol replied. "She IMed me two days ago. Asked how the campaigne was going. Nothing about how she's doing though. I asked her but my cell phone battery died. I borrowed Sam's but she wasn't online we I got back on."
"She called to talk to Annie last night," Scott told Karol. "She says the treatments are working great for both her and her sister. She said she'd probably be back in about a month if things held up."
Karol smiled. "That's good."
They pulled into the parking lot of the air port. Karol checked the car back in and Scott put their luggage on the trolley. They ran into the airport and walked over to their gate. Scott handed the attendent their tickets and they walked onto the plane.
Another attendent showed them to their seats. Second class, though they could have afforded first. Scott felt that people who went up to first class were just people showing off their money. The Texas Senator really was for the people.
"You going to Wafington?" a little boy asked Scott and Karol. "I'm gowing der to see my daddy."
Scott smiled. "We're goint to go there to work. You'll have a lot more fun than us."
"Quit bothering those people, Billy," the little boy's mother said and then apologized to the two Senators.
"No bother, ma'am," Scott said. "Got some of my own coming soon."
The light for them to buckle up came on and Scott fastened his seat belt. "Well, we're going home, Karol."
"God," she said reading the papers Scott had in the car. "I hope I still have those coffee reserves in my apartment. I can just see the mayham in the Chamber."
"Eh... you're right," Scott said. "Probably should have packed my football helmet."
***
6:00 PM
"Nice to see you again, Mr. President," Sam Seaborn said to President Schumer.
"Really, Sam," he said reaching his hand out across his desk for Sam to shake. "Call me Donald. We spent time in Congress together. You survive Congress, you're entitled to call each other by your first names."
Sam laughed and shook the President's hand. "Yes, sir."
"They say Tom is going to win the election," Schumer said, turning serious.
"Only a few of them," Sam said confidently. "I'm not dead yet."
Schumer sighed. "Only twenty-three days, Sam."
Sam nodded. "Me and Karol think we can win," Sam told him. "Have faith, sir. We have Texas on our side. And New York. Maybe Florida. I guess we'll see on election day, huh?"
The President shook his head in astonisment. "You're really something you know?"
"Sir?"
"You're really confident, I mean," Schumer said. "I'd be shaking in my boots."
"I dunno, Donald. I know that I might not make it, the odds are stacked against me," Sam admitted. "And will I ever be able to live up to you? Or Bartlet? To *any* previous President?"
That made Schumer laugh. "Sam, if you become President, you'll surpass us all."
Sam smiled. "Guess we'll have to see, huh?"
"Yeah," Schumer agreed. He reached out his hand again to Sam.
Sam shook it. "I wonder if we'll get DC."
"Don't count on it," Schumer warned. "Billings has this city down packed."
"I think Lisa Morris is doing a great job here," Sam said.
"She is," Schumer told him. "But unfortunately, Billings is more than likely to take this place. Good luck with the rest of the country, Sammy. I'm behind you and McShane one hundred percent."
"Thank you, Mr. President."
"I'll be calling you that soon, Sam," Schumer said.
"We can only hope," was Sam's response.
***
5:30 PM
"Caleb!" Josh Lyman yelled out the back door his Connecticut home. There was some rustling in the bushes at the edge of the woods and eight year old Caleb emerged, covered in dirt and twigs. "Time to eat, son," Josh told him. "Come in and get cleaned up."
Three other boys came out of the woods. "Going in?" the tallest one with black hair asked.
Caleb nodded. "Yeah... I'll see you tomorrow, Ben," the boy said and ran into the house.
"Daddy, Daddy!" a little girl shouted and ran out of the kitchen. "Come on Daddy!"
Josh laughed. "I'm coming, Katie," he told her. "Is Bruce at the table?"
Katie nodded.
Josh yelled up the stairs. "Come on Caleb!"
The eleven year old ran down the stairs in a clean shirt and face. Josh followed him into the dinning room and the two of them sat down at the table. Set out in their places were plates with chicken, rice and corn. Caleb groaned. "We had chicken yesterday," he complained.
"That was Friday," Donna Lyman told her son. "Today is Monday. Two day gap there dear."
Caleb pouted and began to eat.
"When you gotta go back to work, Dad?" eight year old Bruce Lyman asked his father.
Josh smiled. "Not til next week, Brucie," he said.
"Do we *have* to go back to Washington?" Caleb whined. "I like it here."
"We can always come back, Caleb," Josh told him. "We always do."
"But I don't want to leave!" Caleb yelled. "I've got friends here!"
Donna's jaw dropped slightly at her son's outburst.
"You have friends in Washington too, Caleb," she said.
"No, I don't," Caleb retorted. "They only like me because they're told to. Charles told me that. It's cause Dad works with the President is why."
Caleb threw down his fork and ran upstairs.
Bruce and Katie watched him leave. The two of them didn't mind it in Washington. They liked the city better than the small Connecticut town they went to a month every summer and for Christmas break. The city was so much more exciting.
Josh and Donna exchange shocked looks.
"Don't listen to him, Daddy," Bruce said. "The city is better. This place is boring."
Josh smiled slightly at Bruce.
Donna put her fork down and walked up the stairs after Caleb. Josh waited with Bruce and Katie, then did the dishes once they were done eating. He wondered how Donna was doing with Caleb. He also wondered why he'd never seen it coming. But the kids always seemed to like it in DC. They never complained or anything.
"Hey," Donna said and came up behind Josh.
She began drying the dishes he was washing.
"How'd it go?" he asked her.
Donna sighed. "I don't know, Josh," she said. "Do you think he is right? *Do* they only act like they like him because you're Chief of Staff?"
"Maybe we should put him in a public school," Josh said. "Where all the politicians *don't* send their kids. Those kids would have no reason to pretend to like him."
"They may hate him," Donna told him.
"Well what do you propose we do then!?" he shouted. "I can't exactly stop working. If Sam gets elected, I'm staying and if Billings gets in... if Billings gets in I suppose Caleb will be happy."
Donna looked at him curiously.
Josh grinned. "I wasn't going to say anything until after the election... but Bloomdayle isn't going to run for another term as Governor..."
His wife smiled. "You really think you could?"
"I think so," Josh said. "Like I said though, it all depends on this election. I won't leave Sam out to dry. He's going to need me. Especially since I heard Greg is staying on with Sam's administration."
Donna hugged Josh. "Guess we'll see how everything goes in... three weeks?"
"About that," Josh agreed then sighed. "Wether our son loves or hates us will be decided in just weeks."
"He'll get over it," Donna told him.
"Probably," Josh said. "But... we'll see."
***
9:00 AM
"Irene!" Greg shouted out the door of his office. His assistant ran in. "You seen Eryk?"
"He hasn't come in," she told him. "I can call his house if you'd like."
Greg nodded. "Yeah," he said. "Call and see if he's alright. He's never missed a day before. Not one he hasn't called in or anything."
Irene smiled and left.
The Director of Communications continued typing in his word document in frustration. Schumer had decided to make his last couple months big ones. He had five appearances set out across the country, his consecion speech and whatever else he decided he wanted to do. And on top of it all, his Deputy Director hadn't come in. Hadn't even had the decentcy to call in sick.
"Hey, Greg," Wil Parks, Deputy White House Chief of Staff, or rather the Acting Chief of Staff while Josh was away, said as he walked into Greg's office.
"What?" Greg snarled.
"Geeze... nevermind," Wil said and backed up.
Greg sighed. "Sorry, Wil, just... a lot of speeches. What is with this guy? His two terms were good. He needs to let lose as they're coming to an end."
"I've tried telling him," Wil said. "Hasn't worked. Anyways, that intern, Jobey Naismith is taking bets on who you think'll win the next election. Just came to tell you that your best bet is to go with Billings."
"No," Greg replied. "When Jobey comes in I'll put fifty on Seaborn."
Wil started laughing. "Your fifty, man."
"You'll see," Greg told him. "I've been working with the campaigne manager. They're good and working hard. He'll win. Don't you worry."
Jobey came in at that moment. "What'll it be, sir?" he asked Greg. "Some morons are actually placing money on Seaborn."
"Fifty on Seaborn," Greg told the intern.
Jobey's jaw dropped. "Seriously?" he asked and laughed. "You *really* want to bet fifty bucks on him?"
Greg nodded. "Yes, now get out both of you so I can do my job."
Both Wil and Jobey walked out of the office.
Greg sent an e-mail to Sean at the campaigne headquarters.
PEOPLE ARE REALLY CONVINCED THAT SEABORN DOESN'T HAVE A CHANCE AROUND HERE. I JUST BET $50 THAT HE'D WIN AND AN INTERN LAUGHED AT ME. AN *INTERN*. PEOPLE BELIEVE IN HIM EVERYWHERE ELSE. WHY NOT HERE? ANYWAYS, HOW'RE THINGS GOING DOWN THERE, KID? LISA BACK? IF NOT, SORRY ABOUT PLACING THE PRESSURE ON YOU. SHE TOLD ME SHE WAS COMING BACK TODAY SO HANG STRONG.
After it was sent, the Director of Communications continued on his tedious work.
***
A/N: Well? Good? Please REVIEW.
Chapter Two: 23 Days
1:25 PM
"Karol!" Annie Wildman ran to embrace the Vice Presidental Candidate. "How are you?"
"I should be asking you!" Karol smiled and led Annie, Scott and Annie's mother Allison into her house. It was a small, typical Rhode Island house, left to her by her grandfather when he passed away.
"Now you're sure you don't mind, Karol?" Scott asked his fellow Senator.
Annie and Scott had left Texas to get closer to Washington and to visit a special doctor in Rhode Island for Annie. In exchange for a place to stay, Annie and Allison agreed to take care of the house and feed Karol's cat, Buster.
"Of course not," Karol assured Scott. "As long and Rusty doesn't eat Buster, it's all okay."
The bloodhound puppy in question barked as he heard his name.
"Don't you worry about Rusty," Annie said. "Or Buster. They'll both be fine. Right, Rusty?" She glared at the puppy.
Rusty wagged his tail and barked happily.
"You're going to ride down to DC for the election coverage, right?" Karol asked Annie and Abigail.
Annie nodded. "If the doctor says it is okay."
Scott kissed his wife on the cheek and then kissed her stomach. "I love you. All of you."
Annie smiled and hugged him. "You'd better get going. Congress can't function without you."
Karol laughed. "We'd be happy to be rid of you, Scotty boy," she jested.
The Texan glared and then waved good bye to his mother-in-law. "Call me after the appointment," he shouted as Karol pushed him out of the door.
"Our plane leaves at two, budy boy," Karol told him. "We've got half an hour to get to the air port."
"I know, I know, let's go," Scott said. The two of them got in the car.
Karol walked around to the drivers side and Scott got in the passengers side. Though he liked to drive, he much prefered driving trucks and Karol never let anyone else drive. He figured it was a power thing. Scott didn't care. He began going over some papers for the new gun bill.
"Didn't they resolve guns in the Bush administration?" Scott asked as they were driving.
Karol shrugged. "Stupid people are slowly trying to take away our second amendment rights."
Scott didn't ask.
"You talked to Jody?" Scott asked Karol after awhile.
Jody Summers was one of the Oklahoma Senators and a good friend to the two of them. She'd been diagnosed with breast cancer the year before and had been undergoing treatments in her home state along with her sister who was also diagnosed.
"I did, as a matter of fact," Karol replied. "She IMed me two days ago. Asked how the campaigne was going. Nothing about how she's doing though. I asked her but my cell phone battery died. I borrowed Sam's but she wasn't online we I got back on."
"She called to talk to Annie last night," Scott told Karol. "She says the treatments are working great for both her and her sister. She said she'd probably be back in about a month if things held up."
Karol smiled. "That's good."
They pulled into the parking lot of the air port. Karol checked the car back in and Scott put their luggage on the trolley. They ran into the airport and walked over to their gate. Scott handed the attendent their tickets and they walked onto the plane.
Another attendent showed them to their seats. Second class, though they could have afforded first. Scott felt that people who went up to first class were just people showing off their money. The Texas Senator really was for the people.
"You going to Wafington?" a little boy asked Scott and Karol. "I'm gowing der to see my daddy."
Scott smiled. "We're goint to go there to work. You'll have a lot more fun than us."
"Quit bothering those people, Billy," the little boy's mother said and then apologized to the two Senators.
"No bother, ma'am," Scott said. "Got some of my own coming soon."
The light for them to buckle up came on and Scott fastened his seat belt. "Well, we're going home, Karol."
"God," she said reading the papers Scott had in the car. "I hope I still have those coffee reserves in my apartment. I can just see the mayham in the Chamber."
"Eh... you're right," Scott said. "Probably should have packed my football helmet."
***
6:00 PM
"Nice to see you again, Mr. President," Sam Seaborn said to President Schumer.
"Really, Sam," he said reaching his hand out across his desk for Sam to shake. "Call me Donald. We spent time in Congress together. You survive Congress, you're entitled to call each other by your first names."
Sam laughed and shook the President's hand. "Yes, sir."
"They say Tom is going to win the election," Schumer said, turning serious.
"Only a few of them," Sam said confidently. "I'm not dead yet."
Schumer sighed. "Only twenty-three days, Sam."
Sam nodded. "Me and Karol think we can win," Sam told him. "Have faith, sir. We have Texas on our side. And New York. Maybe Florida. I guess we'll see on election day, huh?"
The President shook his head in astonisment. "You're really something you know?"
"Sir?"
"You're really confident, I mean," Schumer said. "I'd be shaking in my boots."
"I dunno, Donald. I know that I might not make it, the odds are stacked against me," Sam admitted. "And will I ever be able to live up to you? Or Bartlet? To *any* previous President?"
That made Schumer laugh. "Sam, if you become President, you'll surpass us all."
Sam smiled. "Guess we'll have to see, huh?"
"Yeah," Schumer agreed. He reached out his hand again to Sam.
Sam shook it. "I wonder if we'll get DC."
"Don't count on it," Schumer warned. "Billings has this city down packed."
"I think Lisa Morris is doing a great job here," Sam said.
"She is," Schumer told him. "But unfortunately, Billings is more than likely to take this place. Good luck with the rest of the country, Sammy. I'm behind you and McShane one hundred percent."
"Thank you, Mr. President."
"I'll be calling you that soon, Sam," Schumer said.
"We can only hope," was Sam's response.
***
5:30 PM
"Caleb!" Josh Lyman yelled out the back door his Connecticut home. There was some rustling in the bushes at the edge of the woods and eight year old Caleb emerged, covered in dirt and twigs. "Time to eat, son," Josh told him. "Come in and get cleaned up."
Three other boys came out of the woods. "Going in?" the tallest one with black hair asked.
Caleb nodded. "Yeah... I'll see you tomorrow, Ben," the boy said and ran into the house.
"Daddy, Daddy!" a little girl shouted and ran out of the kitchen. "Come on Daddy!"
Josh laughed. "I'm coming, Katie," he told her. "Is Bruce at the table?"
Katie nodded.
Josh yelled up the stairs. "Come on Caleb!"
The eleven year old ran down the stairs in a clean shirt and face. Josh followed him into the dinning room and the two of them sat down at the table. Set out in their places were plates with chicken, rice and corn. Caleb groaned. "We had chicken yesterday," he complained.
"That was Friday," Donna Lyman told her son. "Today is Monday. Two day gap there dear."
Caleb pouted and began to eat.
"When you gotta go back to work, Dad?" eight year old Bruce Lyman asked his father.
Josh smiled. "Not til next week, Brucie," he said.
"Do we *have* to go back to Washington?" Caleb whined. "I like it here."
"We can always come back, Caleb," Josh told him. "We always do."
"But I don't want to leave!" Caleb yelled. "I've got friends here!"
Donna's jaw dropped slightly at her son's outburst.
"You have friends in Washington too, Caleb," she said.
"No, I don't," Caleb retorted. "They only like me because they're told to. Charles told me that. It's cause Dad works with the President is why."
Caleb threw down his fork and ran upstairs.
Bruce and Katie watched him leave. The two of them didn't mind it in Washington. They liked the city better than the small Connecticut town they went to a month every summer and for Christmas break. The city was so much more exciting.
Josh and Donna exchange shocked looks.
"Don't listen to him, Daddy," Bruce said. "The city is better. This place is boring."
Josh smiled slightly at Bruce.
Donna put her fork down and walked up the stairs after Caleb. Josh waited with Bruce and Katie, then did the dishes once they were done eating. He wondered how Donna was doing with Caleb. He also wondered why he'd never seen it coming. But the kids always seemed to like it in DC. They never complained or anything.
"Hey," Donna said and came up behind Josh.
She began drying the dishes he was washing.
"How'd it go?" he asked her.
Donna sighed. "I don't know, Josh," she said. "Do you think he is right? *Do* they only act like they like him because you're Chief of Staff?"
"Maybe we should put him in a public school," Josh said. "Where all the politicians *don't* send their kids. Those kids would have no reason to pretend to like him."
"They may hate him," Donna told him.
"Well what do you propose we do then!?" he shouted. "I can't exactly stop working. If Sam gets elected, I'm staying and if Billings gets in... if Billings gets in I suppose Caleb will be happy."
Donna looked at him curiously.
Josh grinned. "I wasn't going to say anything until after the election... but Bloomdayle isn't going to run for another term as Governor..."
His wife smiled. "You really think you could?"
"I think so," Josh said. "Like I said though, it all depends on this election. I won't leave Sam out to dry. He's going to need me. Especially since I heard Greg is staying on with Sam's administration."
Donna hugged Josh. "Guess we'll see how everything goes in... three weeks?"
"About that," Josh agreed then sighed. "Wether our son loves or hates us will be decided in just weeks."
"He'll get over it," Donna told him.
"Probably," Josh said. "But... we'll see."
***
9:00 AM
"Irene!" Greg shouted out the door of his office. His assistant ran in. "You seen Eryk?"
"He hasn't come in," she told him. "I can call his house if you'd like."
Greg nodded. "Yeah," he said. "Call and see if he's alright. He's never missed a day before. Not one he hasn't called in or anything."
Irene smiled and left.
The Director of Communications continued typing in his word document in frustration. Schumer had decided to make his last couple months big ones. He had five appearances set out across the country, his consecion speech and whatever else he decided he wanted to do. And on top of it all, his Deputy Director hadn't come in. Hadn't even had the decentcy to call in sick.
"Hey, Greg," Wil Parks, Deputy White House Chief of Staff, or rather the Acting Chief of Staff while Josh was away, said as he walked into Greg's office.
"What?" Greg snarled.
"Geeze... nevermind," Wil said and backed up.
Greg sighed. "Sorry, Wil, just... a lot of speeches. What is with this guy? His two terms were good. He needs to let lose as they're coming to an end."
"I've tried telling him," Wil said. "Hasn't worked. Anyways, that intern, Jobey Naismith is taking bets on who you think'll win the next election. Just came to tell you that your best bet is to go with Billings."
"No," Greg replied. "When Jobey comes in I'll put fifty on Seaborn."
Wil started laughing. "Your fifty, man."
"You'll see," Greg told him. "I've been working with the campaigne manager. They're good and working hard. He'll win. Don't you worry."
Jobey came in at that moment. "What'll it be, sir?" he asked Greg. "Some morons are actually placing money on Seaborn."
"Fifty on Seaborn," Greg told the intern.
Jobey's jaw dropped. "Seriously?" he asked and laughed. "You *really* want to bet fifty bucks on him?"
Greg nodded. "Yes, now get out both of you so I can do my job."
Both Wil and Jobey walked out of the office.
Greg sent an e-mail to Sean at the campaigne headquarters.
PEOPLE ARE REALLY CONVINCED THAT SEABORN DOESN'T HAVE A CHANCE AROUND HERE. I JUST BET $50 THAT HE'D WIN AND AN INTERN LAUGHED AT ME. AN *INTERN*. PEOPLE BELIEVE IN HIM EVERYWHERE ELSE. WHY NOT HERE? ANYWAYS, HOW'RE THINGS GOING DOWN THERE, KID? LISA BACK? IF NOT, SORRY ABOUT PLACING THE PRESSURE ON YOU. SHE TOLD ME SHE WAS COMING BACK TODAY SO HANG STRONG.
After it was sent, the Director of Communications continued on his tedious work.
***
A/N: Well? Good? Please REVIEW.