Disclaimer – I don't own any of these characters – they are the property of NBC, John Wells and the fabulous Aaron Sorkin.

Rating – PG for now

Pairings – Josh/Ellie, Ellie/OC

Spoilers – None

Summary – Josh Lyman meets Eleanor Bartlet during the campaign and falls in love with the young, married medical student. For the purposes of my story, Ellie is several years older in this story and very different than she is on the show.

I've had this story in my head for years, and have finally forged the courage to begin writing. Here's hoping you enjoy it!! The song by Evanescence, "My Immortal" is the soundtrack for the story.

Ellie sat in a cold hard chair in the Critical Care unit of the hospital, patiently watching over Josh. She hadn't moved from this spot in hours – ever since they'd brought Josh out of surgery. Her muscles were sore, but she could have cared less. He needed her right now and there was no way she was going to let him down. Her father had her mother, Zoey and Liz. Josh needed only her.

She stretched in the chair and reached over to take Josh's hand again, reminding him once more that she was with him. "I love you, Josh," she whispered, pressing her lips to his hand. "I never meant to, but I do," she explained. "You really shouldn't do that to a girl, you know? All that charm and charisma, I mean, who could resist that combination?"

Ellie rested her chin on the bed next to him. "Do you remember the first time we met?" she asked, knowing full well he couldn't answer her. Even if he was awake, there was still a breathing tube down his throat. "I knew it even then," she continued. "It's like walking into the perfect house or sitting down in the perfect car for the first time. You just know.

"I'd always heard that," she continued to ramble, "when you know you know, but I never believed it. Not until I met you. What am I supposed to do, Josh? I'm married, and until I met you, I was happy. I couldn't have imagined there was someone in the world I'd love more than David, want more than David. This whole thing, Josh, it just completely caught me off guard..."

She glanced up at his face. His eyes were open and a single tear ran down his cheek. She let her own tears fall then, rising from the chair quickly and pressing kisses over his forehead, laughing happily. "You're awake," she said gently. "I was so worried about you."

Josh reached for the tube in his throat and Ellie caught his hand. "They had to put in a breathing tube," she explained. "Don't try to talk, okay?"

He nodded weakly and squeezed her hand. "Are you in a lot of pain?" she asked.

He nodded again and Ellie reached over him, squeezing the call button. The nurse arrived almost instantaneously. "Dr. McGarry?" she asked.

"He's in pain, and I want to see if maybe the tube can be taken out now that he's awake," she explained.

"Yes ma'am, I'll get him some meds and check on the other for you," the genial nurse said.

"Thanks, Mary," Ellie said softly. She stroked his hair with her fingertips and glanced up as the surgeon, Dr. Kallin, stepped into the room. "Well, well, well," he said pleasantly, "Look who's awake."

Dr. Kallin checked the dressing on Josh's wound; then checked the blood pressure monitor and the heart monitor. "You ready to get the tube out?" he asked.

Josh nodded again and Kallin glanced over at Ellie. "You sure you're ready to have him talking again? Didn't you comment a minute ago and it was nice and quiet?" he teased.

"Stop trying to get me in trouble, Stan," Ellie warned.

"Jeez, try to have a little fun," he answered with a grin. "Ellie, will you assist?"

"Sure," she answered. Dr. Kallin indicated to Ellie how and where he needed assistance and before Josh knew it, the tube was out and he was breathing on his own again.

His throat was unbelievably sore and his voice was raspy when he tried to speak. "The Pres..." he croaked.

"He's fine, sweetie," she explained. "The bullet missed all the major organs. He'll have a scar, but his won't be near as impressive as yours."

Josh grinned. "You saw me naked?"

She slapped his shoulder lightly. "Not completely," she corrected him. "He's already been in to see you."

"Who?" Josh asked, grasping his throat as he tried to talk again. Ellie handed him a glass of water, which he accepted gratefully.

"My father," she said gently, sitting back down in the chair and taking his hand again. Mary came in with the pain medicine and pushed it into Josh's IV.

Ellie watched his eyes growing heavy as the drug took effect. He blinked slowly and turned his head to face her. "Hey, Ellie," he whispered just before he drifted off to sleep, "I love you, too."

TBC.....