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

Rating – PG 13. I know, I know, it's disappointing!

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.
Leo entered the office early, stopping by Margaret's desk to pick up the mail. A plain manila envelope caught his attention – mostly for it's lack of return address. He sat down at his desk and balanced his reading glasses on the tip of his nose. He took out his letter opener, quickly opening the envelope, careful to make sure there wasn't anything funny on the envelope. In this day and age, he knew you couldn't be too careful. He slid the contents onto his desk and gaped at the photographs the envelope had revealed.

"MARGARET!" he screamed.

His assistant popped into the doorframe almost immediately. "Yes, Leo?"

"Get that son of a bitch Deputy of mine in here right this minute," he demanded, sorting quickly through each of the ten photographs he'd found inside the envelope.

"O-okay," Margaret stammered.
Josh sauntered into Leo's office, completely oblivious to the firestorm that awaited him. Leo was sitting on the couch, the President beside him. Neither man looked happy.

"Sit down, Josh," Leo commanded, his tone harsh and cold.

"What's up?" Josh asked curiously, studying their expressions.

Leo said nothing, tossing the envelope at Josh. Josh glanced down at the label, noting that it was addressed to Leo. He slid the contents into his hand and immediately gasped. Photographs of he and Eleanor that had been apparently taken through the window of her apartment. They were kissing and dancing. Josh remembered the night vividly. "L-Leo," he stuttered, "I can explain..."

"What could you possibly have to say to me or to the President that might make this situation even remotely better?" Leo demanded.

"We were going to keep a secret until after the election," Josh answered weakly.

"Wrong answer," Bartlet bellowed, rising from the couch and turning to Leo. "I'm leaving you to deal with this one while I go eliminate the other one."

"It will be my pleasure, Mr. President," Leo answered, never removing his steely gaze from Josh, who was now sweating at the prospect of being "eliminated" by his boss.

The President stepped from the room, leaving Leo and Josh alone. "Leo," he began, "you've got to listen to me..."

"How long, Josh?"

"Three months," Josh answered honestly.

"And before David's death?"

"She kissed me once, I kissed her once. A lot of flirtation, but I swear I never slept with her until three months ago," he answered softly, diverting his gaze to the floor like a schoolboy facing the principal.

"That was a little too much information, Josh," Leo answered coldly. "What am I going to do with the two of you? We're at the end of the campaign, Josh. It's October and the elections are four weeks away. How could you be so stupid?"

"Leo, we really were trying to keep it a secret, I swear." He paused, studying Leo's reaction carefully. "Are you mad because we're dating or mad because we're doing it during the campaign?"

Leo laughed bitterly. "I'm mad about so many things, Josh. First of all, I'm mad that my daughter-in-law is dumb enough to start dating the man she was rumored to be having an affair with during her father's Presidential re- election campaign. Secondly, I'm mad that the political genius I hired as my Deputy is stupid enough to start dating the President's daughter during the campaign. Third, I'm mad that you got caught because it makes us look bad. Fourth, I'm mad that I didn't catch on sooner."

"But that's all your mad about, right? You don't want us to break up, do you?"

Leo closed his eyes and sighed; then yanked the pictures from Josh's hands and scanning them quickly. He chose one out of the stack and handed it back to Josh. Ellie's was wrapped in his arms, and even from a distance, Josh could see the huge smile on her face. "Look at her," Leo commanded. "Look how happy she looks, Josh. I'm angry with both of you, but I'm not heartless. I love Ellie as if she was my own, and all I want for that little girl is to be happy. And if you make her happy, then so be it."

"What about the President?" Josh asked.

"Oh, he wants you dead," Leo answered honestly. "He's far more pissed than I ever thought about being."

"He doesn't care that she's happy?" Josh tried a grin. Leo didn't return it.

"Not especially," Leo shot back. "He's not as nice and forgiving as I am."

"Who has these?" Josh inquired.

"I have no idea, but I have a feeling you are going to be getting a call from C.J......" Leo paused as Josh tried to dig the ringing cell phone out of his pocket. "Right about now," he continued.

Josh flipped the phone open, bracing himself for the barrage of insults and obscenities that were about to come flying out of the Press Secretary's mouth.

"Get in here NOW!" she screamed.
Ellie threw open the door to the Oval Office, barging in on her father and Charlie reviewing the morning schedule. "Dad, I can explain..."

"Don't bother," he answered coldly. "Josh has done quite enough of that for both of you."

"I'm going to step out now," Charlie said sheepishly, making a quick exit out of the room, leaving father and daughter alone.

"Dad."

"Eleanor," he began. "I have prided myself throughout the years on how brilliant, how intelligent and yes, how beautiful my daughters turned out. And now, four weeks before the biggest election of my entire life, one of them goes and screws up royally."

"Dad, stop," Ellie demanded, her tone as harsh as his. "I am not going to stand here and listen to you tell me that I screwed up, because I didn't. I love him, Dad, and I'm sorry if that pisses you off. I'm sorry if you think I should have waited five or ten years before falling in love with someone else. But the fact is, I was in love with him long before David died and..."

"Don't you get it?" the President bellowed, coming around the desk to where she was standing. "That's what I'm the most pissed about! I don't care that you've started dating again, Eleanor. I care that you've started dating him!"

"Why?" she demanded.

"Because once the press gets wind of this, all those questions are going to come creeping up again – were they or weren't they?"

"You're angry because you think this is going to affect your campaign?" she asked angrily.

"I'm angry because this is going to affect you. Screw the campaign, Ellie. You can't do any more damage than I've already done," he explained with a wave of his hand. "But you don't deserve this and neither does David's memory."

He grasped his daughter by the shoulders. "Ellie, I want you to be happy, God knows Leo and I both do."

"He makes me happy, Daddy," she admitted quietly.

"I want you to make yourself happy first," he answered. "You're jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire with Josh, Ellie. You've got to be prepared for what dating a man like him is going to be like."

"And what's that?"

"You knew David from the day you were born. He was so much a part of you – the woman you became. Josh is new and exciting, and that's fine, but he's also arrogant and egotistical and sarcastic."

"You're saying you don't think he's the right guy for me," she stated.

The President shook his head. "No, I honestly don't, Ellie. I know that he loves you and that you love him, but I just don't see you two having what it takes to make it work."

Ellie swallowed the tears begging for release, committing herself to standing tough against her father – something she'd never done before in her life. "I'm sorry you feel that way Daddy. But I love him, and I'm going to let this relationship go where it takes us."

"I was afraid you were going to say that," he grumbled, sitting back down at his desk and putting his glasses on.

"Are you still angry with me?" she asked curiously.

He glared at her over the rims of his glasses. "Ellie, have I ever stayed angry with you for more than five minutes?"

"No, but I also don't want this to be the first," she shot back.

"If he hurts you, I'll kill him," Bartlet announced. "If you hurt him, I'll celebrate. That's the last thing I have to say on the matter."

"That's not very nice, Dad," she scolded.

"Get out of my office," he demanded.

TBC...