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.

The title of this chapter and the previous chapter are a reference to the US Military song "Mansions of the Lord" which is featured on the "We Were Soldiers" soundtrack.

Ellie collapsed on the front porch swing of their Manchester home beside her father, instantly yanking the cigarette out of his hand and bringing it to her own lips.

"Don't ever let your mother see you do that," he said with a warning tone.

She laughed bitterly and took a long drag off the cigarette before handing it back to him. "I think I'm a little too old to be scared of my mother."

The President snickered and rolled his eyes. "I'm a lot older than you and she still terrifies me," he confessed. He placed his arm behind his daughter's head and pushed the swing gently with his foot. "How you doin' kiddo?"

Ellie closed her eyes and leaned against his arm. "I don't know what I'm supposed to feel, Daddy."

"That's normal," he answered.

"How would you know?" she asked irritably.

"Well, I wouldn't, but for the last four days, I've had zillions of experts trying to tell me what you are feeling right now," he stated.

Ellie laughed; then fought back the lump in her throat that her simple reaction to her father's sarcasm had caused.

"It feels wrong to laugh, doesn't it?" he asked tenderly.

Ellie nodded and turned away from him, wiping away the tears streaming down her cheeks.

"David wouldn't want you to stop laughing, Ellie, you know that."

"Daddy?" she said quietly, never feeling more like a little girl than she did at this moment.

"Yeah?"

She took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. "I cheated on David," she confessed.

"I know, honey," he said quietly.

Ellie's eyes welled up with tears again. "How did you know?"

"I'm the leader of the free world, Eleanor. I know what's going on in all four corners of the world at any given moment. I think it's a pretty safe bet I generally know what's going on with my daughters."

Josh stepped out onto the porch and leaned against the doorframe. He glanced over at Ellie and his heart fell into his stomach when he saw the tears.

"Josh, sit with us," the President gently commanded. Josh nodded and dutifully sat on the swing beside Ellie. She curled her legs up between her and Josh and rested her head on her father's shoulder. The men swung in silence, each watching her as her eyes grew heavy, succumbing finally to the peaceful sleep that had eluded her for days.

"She's out, Mr. President," Josh observed softly.

"We should take her upstairs," he answered.

Josh smiled weakly. "We, or me?"

"You. I was just being polite when I said we."

"Yes, sir." Josh stood from the swing and lifted Eleanor gently, cradling her slumbering form in his arms. The President held the door open for Josh, who proceeded quickly up the stairs, pushing the door to Ellie's room open with his foot. He laid her gently in the center of the bed, covering her with a well-loved quilt he noticed at the foot of her bed. He leaned down and kissed her on the forehead. "I love you, Ellie," he whispered.

"I love you too, David," she muttered, almost inaudibly.

Josh's heart broke into a million pieces and he collapsed in the rocking chair beside her bed, silently watching her while she slept.

He watched Josh climb the stairs with his middle daughter cradled in his arms. "Ellie," he thought, "how did you let yourself get into this mess?" He'd seen the stolen glances, noticed them right from the beginning. How she and Josh danced around each other, refusing to give in to the mutual attraction that was so obvious to everyone around them. They all knew – Abbey, Leo, C.J., Toby, even David had known.

David. He closed his eyes and said a quick prayer for his son-in-law, that wherever he was, he was at peace. What would become of them, he wondered, when the press stopped being polite and respectful of David's death, and started asking tough questions?

TBC.....