See previous chapters for disclaimers.
A Daughters Love Cont..
Three days later
" Abbey I don't need to tell you how important this is! This money would mean new teachers, new facilities, new books, better pay incentives, more.."
" Mallory! There is more to this than fresh money for education! Now I know what this would mean financially, but you have to look at the political ramifications as well. They will jump all over it Mal, and you know that."
" Well don't let them! Send out a message by signing this bill that this administration will not be bullied and held hostage by issues that are valid and long overdue, simply because they are unpopular to most, because it will give our numbers a bump! It's crazy!"
Mallory had said all that in one lung full of air, and found herself slightly panting. She watched as the first lady began to smile at her.
" Three things. One, I don't sign for the money sweetie, that's what my husband gets paid for. Two, I know it's frustrating to see something you believe in be trampled from something good, to a political pawn, but that's the game. You just need to learn which pieces to move and at what time. And three."
Mallory saw her eyes take on a warmer slightly sadder sheen.
" You are getting more and more like your dad every day."
Mallory swallowed past the sudden lump in her throat and smiled bitter sweetly, dropping her gaze to the floor as she tried to compose herself. Abbey took a shaky breath herself and cleared her throat before speaking again.
" Not that I'm in any way trying to drive you away from this, but have you thought about what your going to do?"
Mallory looked up and ran a hand over her forehead.
" You mean school?"
" Yeah"
Sighing deeply, Mallory began to pace a little, before sinking down to the comfortable couch that sat on the far wall of Abbey's office.
" I called them yesterday. They've been great. Basically I have an open ticket, so there's no need to rush back which I'm glad off. I'm not sure I'm ready to get back to normality yet, it's too soon."
Abbey nodded her head and seemed to hesitate before speaking again, something that didn't go un-noticed by Mal.
" Spit it out Abbey"
" How about financially? Do you need."
" No, I'm fine. But thanks. Dad left.he had obviously thought about.. well, needless to say he's left me secure." She stuttered.
There was a comfortable silence as both woman thought of what to say.
" Well, you know your more than welcome to stay here as long as you like. We love having you here, Jed especially, and Zoey. Take your time, think about what you want, and you know I'm always here for you if you need anything right?"
" Mallory smiled somewhat tearily and stood in tandem with Abbey, walking forward and falling easily into a warm embrace.
" Thank you Abbey."
Abbey pulled her away and to arms reach.
" Don't thank me sweetie, if anything it should be me that's thanking you. You've done some great work these past few weeks, and been an invaluable source of information and opinions to me on the issues of new money for schools and the better chance pilot schemes. If I knew you weren't going to say no, I would ask if you wanted a job as an educational advisor, or something to that effect."
" It would cause a stir Abbey, and I don't have the experience or.."
" You've worked as a teacher for years Mallory! Half of our advisors came straight from college and haven't had a days work experience in their lives! And as for causing a stir, as I said before, it's all about timing and knowledge."
"Ok, ok, I'll think about it. Right now I have to go pester your husband.." Abbey laughed, and began walking her to the door.
" Sounds like fun. Have a good day honey and I'll see you at dinner"
" Bye Abbey!"
Abbey closed the door and leaned against it, smiling warmly and feeling a little better about the rest of her day
The walk to the oval office was hampered by, what felt like, several hundred conversations with members of the staff. It wasn't that she didn't understand their intentions, she did, it was just hard to say she was fine several hundred times a day when she knew she really wasn't. It was something she knew she would have to deal with when she decided to stay a while longer with the Bartlets, her father was a popular guy, and she had decided that she could deal with the constant attention as long as she had her adopted family around her. Well, most of them anyway. There was still Josh to deal with. A heavy sigh that seemed to last forever was all that accompanied that thought. Josh was a delicate subject, but she knew that it had to be dealt with soon, or the relationship they had left would be destroyed all together. She just hoped that the man she was about to see would be able to help.
Stepping into the outer office she smiled as Charlie rose to greet her.
" Hey Charlie, is he in?"
" Yeah, you can go right in Mal, he's just catching up on some reading."
" Thanks."
" No problem"
Mallory walked over to the door and knocked lightly before opening it, peeking around the antique door to make sure that he was in fact alone.
" Mr President?"
The President was sitting behind his desk obviously fully engrossed with whatever he was reading, but true to form, when his name was called, or rather his title, he looked up and smiled warmly, his full attention granted and given without question.
" Mallory! Come on in."
" Hey"
Jed came around his desk and motioned for her to sit on one of the expensive sofas, unbuttoning his jacket and sitting down himself. It was she who spoke first.
" I didn't see you last night, is everything ok?"
" Just some meetings and papers I had to deal with. Nothing to worry about."
" Good, good."
Mallory shifted a little, and looked from the President to the room in general, taking in the pictures on the wall and the various flags and historic knick-knacks that made the room what it was.
" Out with it"
Mallory's head snapped back to the President and she stammered slightly.
" W-what?"
" Whatever it is that your trying to say, say it."
" How do you know I have something to say?" she asked with a frown
Jed stood and divested himself of his jacket, throwing it over the back of the nearest chair.
" Because I have three daughters and I've picked up a few things over the years. Now, stop stalling and tell me what's on your mind."
Mallory looked down to her hands and thought for the one-millionth time about the right way to say this.
" Sir, I need."
" Jed" he corrected gently
Mallory looked back at him and blushed slightly, nodding her head.
" I need to..I want to talk to Josh, but I don't know what to say to him to make things better between us."
She watched as the President pursed his lips slightly and leaned forward, clasping his hands in front of him and looked to the seal on the carpet in deep contemplation. Or so she thought.
" And what did you come to me for?" he asked quietly.
Mallory frowned and shook her head slightly, causing the President to jump in quickly.
" I only mean, what did you come to me for when you already know what to say to him." He amended quickly
" But I."
" Mallory, just tell him how you feel. Tell him you want to be able to talk to him again without him feeling guilty about doing so, tell him he hasn't done anything wrong and neither have you. He'll listen to you Mal, just start speaking and the rest will come naturally."
" You make it sound easy," she whispered, feeling all of a sudden a little emotional, a regular occurrence in the past weeks.
" You'll do fine Mal" he moved to sit next to her and was a little surprised to spot the light tear tracks that glimmered slightly in the lights. She was making a valiant attempt to control it if the slight shake to her hands were anything to go by.
" Mal?" he questioned gently, laying a hand softly on her arm.
" I miss him so much Jed." she whispered harshly, her voice distorted slightly by the lump in her throat.
Mallory felt herself being pulled to the side and didn't make any struggle against it. She turned into the warmth and buried her face, her sobs quiet and painful, as they had been every day since her father had passed so suddenly.
Jed rocked slightly and held her close, his own heart constricting as his thoughts strayed to his best friend and a thousand images that had haunted him these pasts weeks once more came to the surface. When he felt her quieten he made no move to disentangle himself, instead pulled her a little closer and planted a feather light kiss on her hair.
" I keep ruining your shirts," she mumbled, her face still hidden by his clothes.
She felt him chuckle and finally raised her head, her face red and slightly swollen from crying.
" Yeah, I keep getting dirty looks from house-keeping."
It was her turn to chuckle.
" Feel better?" he queried softly
" Yeah" she smiled
" Then you can ruin my shirts whenever you like." he added with a smile
Mallory accepted the handkerchief he offered and cleaned her face, brushing her fingers through her hair and straightening her clothes, she turned back to him feeling a lot better than she had all day.
" So, what do you have on this afternoon?" she asked somewhat croakily
" Well, I have a meeting with Toby and Sam in about five minutes, then I have a.. thing.. it's.well.. it's not so much that I can't tell you.."
" Uh huh, top secret information that if I were to find out about you would need to have me killed?"
" There's more to that saying than you think you know.."
" I really don't want to know.."
" Probably best if we just drop this whole conversation."
" Yes sir."
Both stood, one looking a little awkward, one looking a little pale.
" I should probably go.."
" Yeah, just remember, start talking and the rest will come naturally."
" Yes sir."
" And I'll be here most of the night if you need.well, for whatever you need."
Mallory's lopsided grin was infectious and she didn't hesitate to give him a quick hug and a peck on the cheek before walking determinately towards the door.
"Donna!"
"Donna!!!"
"Your impression of a foghorn is getting more accurate by the day Josh"
"Donna I need you to cancel the thing"
"Sorry, my psychic powers seem to be failing me today, what thing are you referring to?"
"The thing at the hill!"
" You mean the one that started ten minutes ago?"
" Well, yeah"
Donna shook her head slightly and backed away from his desk towards the door.
" Sam called, he says he can't make it tonight"
Josh looked over the pile of paperwork on his desk to glare at his assistant.
" Did he say why?"
" Nope, but it's because of the thing"
" The thing?"
" Huh, I guess your psychic powers must have failed too, imagine that" " Go type something"
" I love you too"
Josh sighed and began scribbling notes again, trying his best to ignore the flashing lights on the telephone beside him.
" Josh?"
" Where on your contract of employment does it say you need to constantly ask me ridiculous questions!!!!" Josh whined from behind the lopsided pile of memos.
" Well if I had a contract, it would probably be written somewhere near the part that says I can kick your ass anytime I feel like it too"
Josh stood quickly from his seat, his eyebrows jumping to the top of forehead as his eyes settled on the petite form that stood leaning on his doorway.
" Mallory, I'm sorry I thought."
" Uh huh, I can see why Donna makes time for herself."
" Yeah, I just have a lot of.. thing's have piled up because of the meetings yesterday and I'm a little snowed under."
" Do you want me to come back another time?" Mal asked a little too eagerly
" No! No, it's fine, I could use a break actually"
" Ok, wanna go for a walk?"
" Sure"
Mallory waited for him to put his suit jacket on and began to walk slowly down the long corridor, the silence they created not as uncomfortable as it could have been thanks to the general noise around them.
" So, how are things?" Mallory ventured, saying the first thing that popped into her mind to start it off.
Josh looked straight ahead, nodding his head before he had even said anything.
" Good! You know, keeping myself busy, keeping Donna busy, just the usual."
" Ok"
" How about you?"
Mallory slowed a little and turned to face him, glad when he did the same, although his eyes seemed to be everywhere but her face.
" I miss my friends." She said quietly, her eyes catching the sad pull of his face.
" Yeah" he whispered just as softly, his eyes trained to his feet, which were shifting back and forward nervously.
There was a long silence in which neither spoke, and Mallory decided now was as good a time as any to confront him about their problem.
" If my father were still here he would have slapped you across the head called you an idiot and told you to fix the problem. Am I right?"
" Yeah" came the harsh whisper.
" If he were here, which he is by the way, he would be saying that you are doing exactly what he wants you to do, and that there is no-one else in this building that he could trust to do this job other than you. He would be saying it ain't nothing but a family thing, and you ain't done nothing but inherit the family business. And he would tell you to do the job to the best of your ability, advise his brother well, and look after his daughter, your sister, me."
Josh worked hard to control his breathing, the lump in his throat making it difficult. He raised his eyes to meet the ones of the incredible woman before him for the first time, and almost immediately she was in his arms, her sobs muffled by his clothes, his battle with the wetness on his own cheeks long lost.
" I'm sorry, I'm so sorry"
Mallory knew the words held significance for a host of problems. He was sorry for the loss of her father, he was sorry about the past weeks, and she knew he was needlessly apologising to Leo McGarry for being nothing but broken hearted.
They stood that way for long minutes, both seeking strength and a promise of healing friendship for the future.
A Daughters Love Cont..
Three days later
" Abbey I don't need to tell you how important this is! This money would mean new teachers, new facilities, new books, better pay incentives, more.."
" Mallory! There is more to this than fresh money for education! Now I know what this would mean financially, but you have to look at the political ramifications as well. They will jump all over it Mal, and you know that."
" Well don't let them! Send out a message by signing this bill that this administration will not be bullied and held hostage by issues that are valid and long overdue, simply because they are unpopular to most, because it will give our numbers a bump! It's crazy!"
Mallory had said all that in one lung full of air, and found herself slightly panting. She watched as the first lady began to smile at her.
" Three things. One, I don't sign for the money sweetie, that's what my husband gets paid for. Two, I know it's frustrating to see something you believe in be trampled from something good, to a political pawn, but that's the game. You just need to learn which pieces to move and at what time. And three."
Mallory saw her eyes take on a warmer slightly sadder sheen.
" You are getting more and more like your dad every day."
Mallory swallowed past the sudden lump in her throat and smiled bitter sweetly, dropping her gaze to the floor as she tried to compose herself. Abbey took a shaky breath herself and cleared her throat before speaking again.
" Not that I'm in any way trying to drive you away from this, but have you thought about what your going to do?"
Mallory looked up and ran a hand over her forehead.
" You mean school?"
" Yeah"
Sighing deeply, Mallory began to pace a little, before sinking down to the comfortable couch that sat on the far wall of Abbey's office.
" I called them yesterday. They've been great. Basically I have an open ticket, so there's no need to rush back which I'm glad off. I'm not sure I'm ready to get back to normality yet, it's too soon."
Abbey nodded her head and seemed to hesitate before speaking again, something that didn't go un-noticed by Mal.
" Spit it out Abbey"
" How about financially? Do you need."
" No, I'm fine. But thanks. Dad left.he had obviously thought about.. well, needless to say he's left me secure." She stuttered.
There was a comfortable silence as both woman thought of what to say.
" Well, you know your more than welcome to stay here as long as you like. We love having you here, Jed especially, and Zoey. Take your time, think about what you want, and you know I'm always here for you if you need anything right?"
" Mallory smiled somewhat tearily and stood in tandem with Abbey, walking forward and falling easily into a warm embrace.
" Thank you Abbey."
Abbey pulled her away and to arms reach.
" Don't thank me sweetie, if anything it should be me that's thanking you. You've done some great work these past few weeks, and been an invaluable source of information and opinions to me on the issues of new money for schools and the better chance pilot schemes. If I knew you weren't going to say no, I would ask if you wanted a job as an educational advisor, or something to that effect."
" It would cause a stir Abbey, and I don't have the experience or.."
" You've worked as a teacher for years Mallory! Half of our advisors came straight from college and haven't had a days work experience in their lives! And as for causing a stir, as I said before, it's all about timing and knowledge."
"Ok, ok, I'll think about it. Right now I have to go pester your husband.." Abbey laughed, and began walking her to the door.
" Sounds like fun. Have a good day honey and I'll see you at dinner"
" Bye Abbey!"
Abbey closed the door and leaned against it, smiling warmly and feeling a little better about the rest of her day
The walk to the oval office was hampered by, what felt like, several hundred conversations with members of the staff. It wasn't that she didn't understand their intentions, she did, it was just hard to say she was fine several hundred times a day when she knew she really wasn't. It was something she knew she would have to deal with when she decided to stay a while longer with the Bartlets, her father was a popular guy, and she had decided that she could deal with the constant attention as long as she had her adopted family around her. Well, most of them anyway. There was still Josh to deal with. A heavy sigh that seemed to last forever was all that accompanied that thought. Josh was a delicate subject, but she knew that it had to be dealt with soon, or the relationship they had left would be destroyed all together. She just hoped that the man she was about to see would be able to help.
Stepping into the outer office she smiled as Charlie rose to greet her.
" Hey Charlie, is he in?"
" Yeah, you can go right in Mal, he's just catching up on some reading."
" Thanks."
" No problem"
Mallory walked over to the door and knocked lightly before opening it, peeking around the antique door to make sure that he was in fact alone.
" Mr President?"
The President was sitting behind his desk obviously fully engrossed with whatever he was reading, but true to form, when his name was called, or rather his title, he looked up and smiled warmly, his full attention granted and given without question.
" Mallory! Come on in."
" Hey"
Jed came around his desk and motioned for her to sit on one of the expensive sofas, unbuttoning his jacket and sitting down himself. It was she who spoke first.
" I didn't see you last night, is everything ok?"
" Just some meetings and papers I had to deal with. Nothing to worry about."
" Good, good."
Mallory shifted a little, and looked from the President to the room in general, taking in the pictures on the wall and the various flags and historic knick-knacks that made the room what it was.
" Out with it"
Mallory's head snapped back to the President and she stammered slightly.
" W-what?"
" Whatever it is that your trying to say, say it."
" How do you know I have something to say?" she asked with a frown
Jed stood and divested himself of his jacket, throwing it over the back of the nearest chair.
" Because I have three daughters and I've picked up a few things over the years. Now, stop stalling and tell me what's on your mind."
Mallory looked down to her hands and thought for the one-millionth time about the right way to say this.
" Sir, I need."
" Jed" he corrected gently
Mallory looked back at him and blushed slightly, nodding her head.
" I need to..I want to talk to Josh, but I don't know what to say to him to make things better between us."
She watched as the President pursed his lips slightly and leaned forward, clasping his hands in front of him and looked to the seal on the carpet in deep contemplation. Or so she thought.
" And what did you come to me for?" he asked quietly.
Mallory frowned and shook her head slightly, causing the President to jump in quickly.
" I only mean, what did you come to me for when you already know what to say to him." He amended quickly
" But I."
" Mallory, just tell him how you feel. Tell him you want to be able to talk to him again without him feeling guilty about doing so, tell him he hasn't done anything wrong and neither have you. He'll listen to you Mal, just start speaking and the rest will come naturally."
" You make it sound easy," she whispered, feeling all of a sudden a little emotional, a regular occurrence in the past weeks.
" You'll do fine Mal" he moved to sit next to her and was a little surprised to spot the light tear tracks that glimmered slightly in the lights. She was making a valiant attempt to control it if the slight shake to her hands were anything to go by.
" Mal?" he questioned gently, laying a hand softly on her arm.
" I miss him so much Jed." she whispered harshly, her voice distorted slightly by the lump in her throat.
Mallory felt herself being pulled to the side and didn't make any struggle against it. She turned into the warmth and buried her face, her sobs quiet and painful, as they had been every day since her father had passed so suddenly.
Jed rocked slightly and held her close, his own heart constricting as his thoughts strayed to his best friend and a thousand images that had haunted him these pasts weeks once more came to the surface. When he felt her quieten he made no move to disentangle himself, instead pulled her a little closer and planted a feather light kiss on her hair.
" I keep ruining your shirts," she mumbled, her face still hidden by his clothes.
She felt him chuckle and finally raised her head, her face red and slightly swollen from crying.
" Yeah, I keep getting dirty looks from house-keeping."
It was her turn to chuckle.
" Feel better?" he queried softly
" Yeah" she smiled
" Then you can ruin my shirts whenever you like." he added with a smile
Mallory accepted the handkerchief he offered and cleaned her face, brushing her fingers through her hair and straightening her clothes, she turned back to him feeling a lot better than she had all day.
" So, what do you have on this afternoon?" she asked somewhat croakily
" Well, I have a meeting with Toby and Sam in about five minutes, then I have a.. thing.. it's.well.. it's not so much that I can't tell you.."
" Uh huh, top secret information that if I were to find out about you would need to have me killed?"
" There's more to that saying than you think you know.."
" I really don't want to know.."
" Probably best if we just drop this whole conversation."
" Yes sir."
Both stood, one looking a little awkward, one looking a little pale.
" I should probably go.."
" Yeah, just remember, start talking and the rest will come naturally."
" Yes sir."
" And I'll be here most of the night if you need.well, for whatever you need."
Mallory's lopsided grin was infectious and she didn't hesitate to give him a quick hug and a peck on the cheek before walking determinately towards the door.
"Donna!"
"Donna!!!"
"Your impression of a foghorn is getting more accurate by the day Josh"
"Donna I need you to cancel the thing"
"Sorry, my psychic powers seem to be failing me today, what thing are you referring to?"
"The thing at the hill!"
" You mean the one that started ten minutes ago?"
" Well, yeah"
Donna shook her head slightly and backed away from his desk towards the door.
" Sam called, he says he can't make it tonight"
Josh looked over the pile of paperwork on his desk to glare at his assistant.
" Did he say why?"
" Nope, but it's because of the thing"
" The thing?"
" Huh, I guess your psychic powers must have failed too, imagine that" " Go type something"
" I love you too"
Josh sighed and began scribbling notes again, trying his best to ignore the flashing lights on the telephone beside him.
" Josh?"
" Where on your contract of employment does it say you need to constantly ask me ridiculous questions!!!!" Josh whined from behind the lopsided pile of memos.
" Well if I had a contract, it would probably be written somewhere near the part that says I can kick your ass anytime I feel like it too"
Josh stood quickly from his seat, his eyebrows jumping to the top of forehead as his eyes settled on the petite form that stood leaning on his doorway.
" Mallory, I'm sorry I thought."
" Uh huh, I can see why Donna makes time for herself."
" Yeah, I just have a lot of.. thing's have piled up because of the meetings yesterday and I'm a little snowed under."
" Do you want me to come back another time?" Mal asked a little too eagerly
" No! No, it's fine, I could use a break actually"
" Ok, wanna go for a walk?"
" Sure"
Mallory waited for him to put his suit jacket on and began to walk slowly down the long corridor, the silence they created not as uncomfortable as it could have been thanks to the general noise around them.
" So, how are things?" Mallory ventured, saying the first thing that popped into her mind to start it off.
Josh looked straight ahead, nodding his head before he had even said anything.
" Good! You know, keeping myself busy, keeping Donna busy, just the usual."
" Ok"
" How about you?"
Mallory slowed a little and turned to face him, glad when he did the same, although his eyes seemed to be everywhere but her face.
" I miss my friends." She said quietly, her eyes catching the sad pull of his face.
" Yeah" he whispered just as softly, his eyes trained to his feet, which were shifting back and forward nervously.
There was a long silence in which neither spoke, and Mallory decided now was as good a time as any to confront him about their problem.
" If my father were still here he would have slapped you across the head called you an idiot and told you to fix the problem. Am I right?"
" Yeah" came the harsh whisper.
" If he were here, which he is by the way, he would be saying that you are doing exactly what he wants you to do, and that there is no-one else in this building that he could trust to do this job other than you. He would be saying it ain't nothing but a family thing, and you ain't done nothing but inherit the family business. And he would tell you to do the job to the best of your ability, advise his brother well, and look after his daughter, your sister, me."
Josh worked hard to control his breathing, the lump in his throat making it difficult. He raised his eyes to meet the ones of the incredible woman before him for the first time, and almost immediately she was in his arms, her sobs muffled by his clothes, his battle with the wetness on his own cheeks long lost.
" I'm sorry, I'm so sorry"
Mallory knew the words held significance for a host of problems. He was sorry for the loss of her father, he was sorry about the past weeks, and she knew he was needlessly apologising to Leo McGarry for being nothing but broken hearted.
They stood that way for long minutes, both seeking strength and a promise of healing friendship for the future.
