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.

Josh stormed into his office, his third day back on the job and he was literally up to his eyeballs in meetings, paperwork and files. Donna had been hounding him all day to sit at his desk and go through the mountain of stuff. He tossed a file onto the stack, watching amusedly as it began to sway slightly under the new weight. He heard a cough and looked up.

"What the hell do you want?" he asked a seated David McGarry. The Commander was wearing his Class A uniform, balancing his white cap on his knee.

"So many things, Josh," David answered. "So very many things."

Josh remained standing, glaring at the unwelcome intrusion planted in one of his leather guest chairs. "Let me ask again, David, what can I do for you?"

David laughed bitterly. "There was a time when I had the perfect marriage. Of course, that was before my wife met you." He stood and began slowly pacing across Josh's office. "There was a time when I believed my wife loved only me, a time when I didn't worry about where she was spending her evenings or with who."

Josh sifted through the pile on his desk, pretending to be disinterested in David's rant. "What changed?" he asked dully.

"Stay away from my wife, Josh."

Josh looked up at the Commander. "When Ellie tells me to stay away, I will. I don't take orders from you," he shot back.

"I'm her husband," David answered, fury dripping off each word.

"Oh is THAT what that ring on her finger means?" Josh asked sarcastically.

"You think this is funny?" David demanded, leaning on Josh's desk with closed fists.

"David, Ellie and I are friends. You could even say she's my best friend," he lied, hoping that David might actually believe it.

"You're in love with her," David pressed on.

"I love her, yes," Josh answered, shrugging his shoulders. "I love her like I love Donna."

Donna arrived in the doorway right then and dramatically pressed her hand over her heart, hoping to relieve some of the tension she felt in the room. "You love me?" she asked sweetly.

Josh looked over at David and laughed, grateful for his assistant's interruption. "Look at what you made me do. I admitted that I love my assistant. I'll never get another decent day's work out of her."

David clearly wasn't amused. He straightened up and smoothed his dress uniform; then placed his hat under his arm. "I think we understand one another," he said dryly.

"Completely," Josh answered, eyeing David with a steely gaze. David turned to Donna and tipped his head. "Miss Moss, always a pleasure."

"Commander," she smiled back at him as he passed her. She stepped into Josh's office and shut the door. "Oh my God," she said, collapsing into the chair David had recently occupied.

"Do we let just anybody into my office these days?" Josh demanded, falling into his desk chair.

"He must have slipped in when I went to the bathroom. God knows I never would have let him in here," she explained. "What did he want?"

"Ah, you know, the usual threatening that goes on when one guy's in love with another guy's wife," he shrugged.

"You're awfully glib about this," Donna admired.

"Glib?" Josh asked, his expression one of complete amusement.

"What? It's a perfectly acceptable word to use in this situation," Donna defended herself.

"But why did you use it?" he continued, cocking his head to one side and waiting expectantly for her answer.

"I'm expanding my horizons, Josh," she answered, standing and handing him the file she'd been holding in her hands. "Learning something new everyday."

Josh checked his watch, realizing he had another meeting in five minutes. He grabbed a notepad and followed Donna out the door. "Yeah, but 'glib'?" he continued his harassment.

"Shut up," she demanded, sitting down at her desk and glaring at him. "I don't make fun of you."

"That's because I'm perfect," he shrugged, looking over at shoulder at his calendar for the rest of the day. "Can you clear me some time this afternoon? I want to go talk to Ellie."

"Sure," Donna answered, immediately picking up the phone. "The thing with Congressman Gibbs can wait a couple of days. That should buy you a couple of hours."

"Thanks," he answered, starting down the hall for his meeting.

Josh stood patiently at the reception desk for the emergency room at Walter Reed, waiting for the nurse to page Eleanor.

Ellie sauntered out into the lobby in her blue scrubs and white lab coat. A smile immediately broke out on Josh's face. She saw him and grinned. "What are you doing here?" she asked, planting her hands on her hips and sashaying over to him.

He kissed her cheek gently. "Would you believe that I missed you?"

"Nice try, Lyman," she laughed. "What really brings you here?"

"Is there somewhere we can talk?"

Ellie eyed him suspiciously. "Yeah, out here," she motioned to one of the door leading to the ambulance bay. He followed her outside and rested against the brick wall. "What's up?" she asked again.

"Ellie," he started, hunting for the right words in his head. Finally, he just spat out, "He knows."

"Who knows what?" she frowned, clearly not understanding.

"David knows," he clarified, "about us."

"What are you talking about?" she demanded.

"He was at my office today, Ellie. He threatened me. Told me to stay away from you," Josh explained.

"He THREATENED you?" Ellie asked incredulously.

Josh nodded and sighed. "What did you say?" she demanded.

"I told him we were just friends," he shrugged.

"Did he believe you?" she asked.

"I don't know," Josh sighed. "Guess you'll find out when you get home tonight."

"Funny," she answered, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Ellie, he seemed pretty pissed..." Josh fought the images swirling in his brain. He hoped to God that David would never hurt Ellie, but he just couldn't be sure. "If anything happens..."

"Josh, I'm a big girl, I can handle myself."

"I'm not worried about you, I'm worried about him, what he might try to do to you," he explained.

"Okay," she said quietly, closing the space between them, resting her head on his chest while he wrapped his arms around her. "I need to get back to work."

"Okay, just a minute," he answered, savoring every second that she was in his arms. He rested his head on top of hers, sighing deeply as he tightened his arms around her. His cell phone rang in his pocket and he groaned loudly. "That would be Donna telling me time's up."

Ellie laughed and stepped out of his embrace. "Then you better go. You've got a country to run and I have sick patients."

"Yeah," he said distractedly, pulling the cell phone out of his pocket and checking the caller ID. He flipped it open and told Donna, "I'm on my way back now." He snapped the phone shut and turned his attention back to Eleanor. "I gotta go," he said sadly, eyeing the beauty before him. "I love you."

"I love you, too," she responded, her voice soft with emotion. Josh wanted nothing more at the moment than to kiss her, but he knew it would have to wait. Her declaration of love would have to be enough for now. "Go!" she demanded, pushing him toward his waiting car.

He walked backward; stumbling into his bumper as he drank in every second he could see her. "Bye," he mouthed, opening the door to the car and starting to climb inside. Ellie waved; then pointed authoritatively toward the street. He got the message, firing up the ignition and putting the car into gear. Being together would just have to wait.

TBC....