Disclaimer - I still don't own these characters. They are still the property of Josh Wells, NBC and the fabulous Aaron Sorkin. Wait, hold on, I do own Dr. Curtis West. Yum. I don't own Damian Lewis, though and that is a true crime against humanity. Anybody got any ideas how I can resolve that little problem???? Just asking!

Rating - PG.

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 all continue to enjoy it!!

A/N – This has been one of my very favorite chapters to write, because this is sooo something Josh would do!

Josh leaned over the toilet for what felt like the nine-hundreth time that morning, throwing up everything he'd eaten for what felt like the last nine hundred years.

"What the hell is wrong with me?" he screamed into the toilet bowl, not really expecting a reply.

"Either you've got the worst case of wedding jitters I've ever seen or you're going to die," Sam answered. He was calmly shaving at the sink, seemingly unbothered by his best friend's retching.

Josh leaned back against the tub, resting his neck on the cool porcelain. "Six years I have waited to marry this woman," he said irritably. "Six years, and the day of our wedding I come down with the stomach flu."

"We could call it off you know," Sam answered.

"There is no way in hell I am calling this wedding off," Josh replied. Sam handed him a cold wet washcloth, which he gratefully accepted.

Sam eyed Josh carefully. His skin was a sickly pale and there were dark circles under his eyes. "I'm calling Ellie," Sam said with a dismayed shake of his head.

"No!" Josh bellowed, launching his weakened body at Sam, who was reaching for the phone. "You can't tell her I'm sick."

"Why not?" Sam demanded. "She could at least call you in something to make you stop throwing up."

"If she knows I'm sick, she's going to want to reschedule the wedding and we are NOT rescheduling this wedding," Josh answered forcefully.

"Fine, but if you pass out on the altar, I'm not catching you."

"Some best man you are," Josh shot back, sliding down the wall he'd been resting on and collapsing into a heap on the floor. "I can do this," he said, although it sounded much more confident in his head than the way it sounded coming out of his mouth.

"Oh yeah, you're doing great so far," Sam replied.

Ellie floated down the aisle on her father's arm, happier today than she'd ever been in her life. The small church was filled with her closest friends and family – those she loved most gathered under one roof. Her ivory Vera Wang gown clung to beautifully to her curves and Ellie knew Josh would love the way her fuller breasts filled out the top. Her slightly burgeoning belly was hidden under the carefully constructed folds on her gown.

Her sisters, Donna and C.J. were already at the altar, all gorgeous in chocolate satin and velvet gowns, perfect on cool fall day. Even her father looked happy. It had taken nearly three months, but the President had finally given Josh and Ellie his blessing, just two weeks before their wedding. Now, here she was, about to pledge her life and love to the man she loved.

Josh was standing before her and Ellie was shocked by how awful her fiancé looked. She glared quickly at Sam, who simply shrugged. When the President placed Ellie's hand in Josh's, she noticed that his skin was cold and clammy.

"What's wrong with you?" she whispered.

"Nothing," he answered, his eyes half glazed. "You look beautiful."

"You look like hell," she responded.

"I don't think you can say that in church," he answered, turning to the priest, who was ready to begin the service, joined by Josh's rabbi.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join this man and this woman in Holy Matrimony," Father Keller began. "Marriage is an honorable..."

Josh stood there with Eleanor's hand in his, pretty sure he was drifting in and out of consciousness as the Priest and Rabbi Lerner conducted the service.

"Eleanor and Joshua," Father Keller said, "have you come here freely and without reservation to give yourselves to each other in marriage?"

"I have," Ellie responded. Not hearing Josh's answer, she turned to face him. He blinked slowly, his skin a pasty white. "Josh," she said quietly, nudging him with his elbow.

"Yeah," he answered weakly. "I'm fine." He began swaying slowly back and forth.

"There goes the groom," Sam whispered to Toby, taking his place to catch Josh when he fell.

"JOSH!" Ellie cried as he fainted into Sam's arms. She knelt beside him on the ground, taking his pulse and loosening his bow tie while a crowd formed around them. "What the hell is wrong with him?" she demanded of Sam.

"Stomach flu," Sam answered plainly. "I begged him to let me call you, but you know how he is."

She pinched the skin on his hand, shaking her head. "He's dehydrated," she determined, "we're going to the hospital."

"No!" Josh tried to yell, but barely found his voice as he regained consciousness. "It's our wedding day."

"Not anymore it's not," she said irritably, stepping back so that Toby and Sam could lift him and carry him out to the closet vehicle. She climbed into the backseat with him, lifting his head and resting it on her lap.

"I'm sorry," he muttered as she stroked his hair with her fingertips.

"For what?" she asked quietly. "For loving me so much that you'd put your health in danger to marry me?"

"Well, when you put it that way, I sound like a damn prince," he joked weakly.

"You are a damn prince," she echoed with a smile. She leaned down and kissed his forehead.

Josh woke slowly; feeling the lingering effects of the medication the doctor had given him when they arrived at the emergency room. He glanced at the clock on the wall, surprised to find that it was almost eleven o'clock at night.

The lights in the room had been dimmed and he squinted as he glanced around his hospital room. Ellie and her mother were on the couch by the window. Ellie's head was in Abbey's lap, and she'd clearly fallen asleep while stroking Ellie's hair. His mother was in one of the two recliners along the other wall and Donna occupied the other.

"You're awake."

The voice startled him. He looked back toward the window and found the President staring back at him.

"You've been out quite a while."

"I ruined the wedding," Josh replied miserably.

"Yeah. At least your intentions were good," Jed answered with a slight grin.

Ellie stirred and slowly opened her eyes. She stood and stretched and Josh marveled at how beautiful she was, even with the mussed hair and the sweatpants and t-shirt. She stepped over to him and kissed him lightly. "Have a nice nap?"

"I'm sorry, Ellie," he said quietly, fighting back the tears threatening to fall.

"Stop apologizing," she ordered. "You did okay, you managed to make it almost twenty minutes into the wedding. That's not bad considering you were severely dehydrated and running and 102 degree fever."

"I feel a lot better now," he replied, glancing at the clock again, his mind racing with ideas. "You know, if we're going to get married before midnight, we got some things to do."

"Oookay," Ellie said sarcastically, "Someone's had a little too much medication."

"I'm serious," he said, taking her hand. "I want to marry you today, right now."

"You're nuts," she answered.

"Where's the phone?" he demanded. Ellie raised an eyebrow but handed him the phone. He quickly dialed. "Sam, get your ass out of bed, find Father Keller and Rabbi Lerner, get my tux..." He covered the phone with his hand. "Where the marriage license?" he asked Ellie.

"We are not getting married in the hospital, Josh," she replied.

"Ye of such little faith, woman," he chastised.

"It's in Donna's purse," Ellie answered.

"Okay," he said, returning his attention to the phone call, "Ellie has the marriage license. My tux is hanging in the closet here, so get the guys together and meet us at the church. I'll get Donna to call the women."

"You're insane," Ellie said when he hung up the phone.

"You have no idea," he replied with a grin.

TBC....