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.

A/N – My obsession with the men of Band of Brothers continues. In my sick and twisted imagination, now that I've killed off Ron Livingston, I need a new hottie to fill his shoes. Dr. West looks bizarrely like Damian Lewis, the very handsome British gentleman who plays Captain Winters in the mini- series.

Josiah Bartlet stood on the stage outside the US Capitol, reciting the oath taken by every President before him:

"I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States and will, to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

He shook the Chief Justice's hand; then turned to his family, embracing Abbey first, then each of his three daughters. The crowd cheered, loudly affirming the American people's choice for President. He then stepped up to the podium and began his speech. "My fellow Americans, I stand before you today..."

Josh watched Eleanor - unable to tear his eyes away from her. She looked beautiful and he was captivated, just as he'd been the day he met her. Her hair was down, covered by a light blue winter hat with a black band around the base. Her long black coat was covering the matching blue wool skirt suit he'd seen her wearing in the residence that morning. Her eyes shown brightly as she watched her father delivering his second Inaugural address. She gazed at him with all the love and admiration a daughter could possibly have for her father.

She was still angry with him - still not speaking to him, refusing to take his phone calls and having every batch of flowers he sent her returned, unceremoniously, to his office. She'd turned down his request, by way of Ben, to accompany her to the Inaugural Balls, insisting that she'd rather go alone than to go with him.

C.J. tapped him on the shoulder as the speech wrapped up. "Time to go, Sparky."

"Yeah," he answered, turning from Eleanor to climb into the Suburban that would carry the Senior Staff back to the White House.

Josh paced the floor outside the hallway leading to residence, waiting for Eleanor to appear. He had to talk to her – it had been over a month and he had decided it was time for Eleanor to let him out of the doghouse. He checked his watch, looking up when he heard laughter. Ellie was sauntering down the hallway behind Charlie and Zoey, her arm linked through the arm of a tall red headed man he had seen that morning at the Inauguration, but didn't recognize.

She was gorgeous and Josh was rendered speechless - unable to feel anything but an overwhelming love for her. Her royal blue silk Emanuel Ungaro gown clung seductively to her curves. Her hair was swept up into an elegant chignon, revealing small sapphire and diamond chandelier earrings that hung enticingly from her earlobes. She was laughing, something Josh couldn't honestly remember seeing her do in months.

They were almost past him before Josh finally found his voice again. "Ellie," he said weakly. She turned to face him, her smile fading immediately.

"Josh, what do you want?" she asked coldly, "we're in a hurry."

He stepped up to her, smiling on the outside even though he felt like he was dying on the inside. "I just wanted to..." he sized up the man standing next to her. "Who's your friend?"

Ellie sighed and waved her silver evening purse between them. "Doctor Curtis West, Josh Lyman, Deputy Chief of Staff."

Josh extended his hand to the doctor, who shook it firmly. "And Eleanor's boyfriend," he added to her introduction. "Do you work with Ellie at the hospital?"

"No," Curtis answered, and Josh was surprised by the British accent. "The President and my father are old chums. Lord Phillip West – he just passed with my mother and the Bartlets. I've known Rosie here since she was a baby."

"Rosie?" Josh asked curiously, furrowing his brow in confusion.

"It's a nickname, Josh. Eleanor Rose," she explained.

"I know your name, Eleanor," he answered, cutting her off.

"Well, we should be going," she announced, noticing that the limos were waiting on them. "Josh, if you'll excuse us."

"Ellie, we need to talk," he answered, deciding not to follow their exit to the limos. She didn't hear him, or she was ignoring him, but either way, she left him heartbroken.

Curtis climbed into the limo behind Eleanor and settled himself on the leather seat. "Boyfriend, huh?" he asked curiously.

"Ex-boyfriend," she corrected him. "He's the guy I told you about on the phone, Curt."

"What you told me was that he was a heartless, egotistical, self-centered bastard," he clarified. "What you neglected to tell me was that he was still in love with you."

"Yeah, well, I can't do anything about that," she shot back, fiddling with the skirt on her dress. She glanced up at him, her eyes pleading. "Curt, I don't want to talk about Josh." She took his hand and smiled gently. "One of my best friends in the whole wide world came all the way from the Congo to escort me to the ball. I just want to have a good time tonight."

He reached over and pulled Eleanor close to him, placing a chaste kiss on her forehead. "I think I can manage that, Rosie."

TBC...