Author: Willow
Summary: A trip to Australia, the budget and the midterms, all in one chapter, phew!
Spoilers/Episode: Set in an a/u that leaves the show's timeline after season 5, Memorial Day. This chapter takes place a month after chapter 6.
Characters: Ensemble
Rating: G
Disclaimer: I do realize that they're not mine, but I hope no one minds if I borrow them for a while.
PART II
Monday
"Tell me again why we're having senior staff when we're the only ones here?" Josh asked.
"You came to my office," Leo reminded him.
"Donna said it was time for senior staff."
"Okay," Leo agreed indulgently."Well since you're here, the midterms?"
"Yeah, I'm beginning to think we may have been overly optimistic there."
"I think you could be right," Leo agreed. "You getting calls?"
"Triplehorn has me on speed dial. He's not happy at the thought of still being the minority leader in two weeks. He thinks we aren't doing enough."
"What more does he want us to do?"
"He doesn't think the president going on vacation, as he put it, this close to the elections is a good idea. The problem is that for once I agree with him."
"I know you do, you've told me, often. As long as you don't tell Triplehorn that."
"Yeah, thanks I'll try and avoid that," Josh replied sharply. Leo gave Josh a questioning look and Josh shrugged.
"What?"
"He still has a problem with me," Josh reluctantly admitted. He wasn't sure he wanted Leo to know just how difficult it had been dealing with the minority leader since Carrick.
Leo however, was well aware that Triplehorn didn't want to have to deal with Josh, he'd told Leo frequently over the past year. "Have you pointed out that Carrick looks likely to loose his seat?"
"He doesn't seem to care." Josh chewed his lip for a second and looked questioningly at Leo. "He said he was going to speak to you?"
"He did, I told him to get over it. Look don't worry about Triplehorn, it was over a year ago, it's his problem."
Josh let out a sigh of relief. "Okay." he nodded. "Then we have twelve districts where we have a chance."
"We just have the money for all of them."
"No," Josh agreed.
.................................................................
Tuesday
"You want to get some lunch?" Debbie asked Donna.
"Is it that time already?" Donna asked, looking at her watch. She stood up and walked to the office door. "Josh, I'm going for lunch, you want anything?"
"No, I'm good, I'm meeting Will."
"Okay." Donna followed Debbie through the building and down to the mess where they were meeting Margaret. "How come you had to stay behind?" she asked Debbie.
"Not enough room on the plane. Charlie and I tossed a coin," Debbie smiled, "I won. Anyway, I've been before."
"Vacation?"
"No. I worked there for a few months about twenty years ago. I worked on a sheep station."
"Doing what?" Donna asked with a smile.
"Everything," Debbie replied. "I wasn't too good a sheering, but I did the dipping and feeding, rounding them up."
"Why?"
"Experience," Debbie smiled. "Also, I met this man while I was on vacation, told me he owned a large estate, didn't mention that it was in the middle of nowhere in the Northern Territories," she shrugged, "I enjoyed it, but I had to leave. Seems you need a visa and work permits."
"And the man?"
"Still on his sheep station as far as I know." Debbie noticed Donna was limping a little. "Go get a table, I'll get yours."
Donna considered arguing, but her leg was aching so she did as she was told. Five minutes later, Margaret joined them.
"Did you have a nice weekend?" Margaret asked Debbie.
"It was better than expected. My brother-in-law was working, so I got to spend time with my sister without the maggot," Debbie smiled.
"Not a nice guy?" Margaret guessed.
"Makes my skin crawl," Debbie agreed.
"Did you take your man with you?" Donna asked.
Debbie shook her head. "I want him to like me and that isn't going to happen if he meets my family."
"When are we going to meet him?" Margaret asked.
"I don't see that much of him myself."
"We don't even know his name," Donna said.
"Tom."
"And?" Margaret asked.
"He's a little older than me, he's divorced and he's in public relations," Debbie told them.
"You can't hide him from us forever," Donna grinned.
.................................................................................
Wednesday
"What is it?" Leo asked as Josh checked the message he'd just received on his cell phone.
Josh passed the phone to Leo, who smiled at the picture of CJ, lounging outside their hotel in glorious sunshine. "She's been sending them to me all week," Josh complained.
"You didn't stay behind for nothing. We got a budget."
"We did," Josh agreed. "I'd have burned anyway in that sort of heat," he smiled.
"You've cheered up."
"No point in sulking over what you can't change. How's the president enjoying it?"
"He's torturing everyone with Antipodean history and trivia, according to Abbey."
"Donna's still laughing at me for missing out."
"Well you did spend weeks telling her how great it was going to be," Leo pointed out. "You can see her point. Is she okay by the way? She seemed to be limping quite badly when I saw her before."
"She says she's fine but I think she stopped using the crutches too early. She did have PT this morning though, so that'd make it hurt."
"She needs to take it easier."
"Yeah, I know," Josh agreed. "She won't listen to me."
"I could talk to Abbey if you like?" Leo offered.
....................................................................................
Friday
When the motorcade arrived back from Andrews, Josh went in search of CJ and Toby, he found CJ in her office staring at a pile of work. "How was Australia?" he asked.
"Beautiful and hot. Plus, I now know that in 1606, the Spanish explorer Luis Vaez de Torres sailed through the strait that separates Australia and Papua New Guinea, which was over a hundred and fifty years before Captain Cook claimed Australia for the British."
Josh laughed, "That's what 40 hours on a plane with Jed Bartlet will do for you."
"Yes," CJ agreed. "Also over half the mammals are marsupials and there are 400 species of bird found nowhere else."
"Okay, stop it now."
"Don't you want to know about New Zealand?" CJ asked.
"Is it possible that you're slightly jet lagged right now?"
"Yes. I'm also triviad out."
"I'm not sure that's a word," Josh smiled. "Thanks for the photos by the way."
"Not a problem," CJ grinned. "He wants to see you."
"Really?"
CJ grinned, "Oh yes."
Josh sighed and walked reluctantly to the Oval Office. "Mr President, nice trip?"
"It was, you don't know what you missed, Josh. You should really make time to go there."
"But we should probably get the midterms over with first."
"Probably," Jed smiled. "Did you know that on New Zealand's South Island....." Jed began.
"Jed," Abbey cautioned. "Josh missed the trip, there's no need to torture him with trivia."
"Abbey wanted to talk to you," Jed smiled. "I'm going to see Leo."
As Jed walked into the adjoining office, Abbey smiled. "Leo must be so relieved that him and Jed are speaking again." She turned to look at Josh. "I spoke to Dr Holbrook."
"When did you have time....?"
"Before I went. You've missed two appointments."
"Isn't there some rule about confidentiality?" Josh asked.
"Two appointments," Abbey repeated.
"It was one appointment that I rescheduled."
"And then missed the new one."
"Yeah," Josh agreed. "I've been busy; the budget, the midterms."
"I take it Leo and Donna don't know."
"No. Anyway I feel fine."
"Good, then there'll be no problems when you do visit Dr Holbrook. You can't miss appointments, Josh. I know it's been four years and you feel fine, but there's a reason he wants to see you."
"I know," Josh agreed.
"So you're going to keep your new appointment?"
Josh smiled. "Yes. It's on Monday."
"I'll be checking."
Part 3 ...........