Author: Willow
Summary: Store robberies, Mary Marsh and Christmas parties.
Spoilers/Episode: Set in an a/u that leaves the series after season 5, Memorial Day. This chapter is set a month after chapter 7.
Characters: Ensemble
Rating: PG (a little angst, well you know I can't resist)
Disclaimer: We all know they aren't mine.
Part II
Tuesday
"Remind me that I have to be out of here by 8," Josh told Donna.
"What are you doing?"
"Meeting Alex."
"Ah yes. And it's still not a date?" Donna asked with a smile.
"No," Josh replied.
"If it's a date you can tell me."
"It isn't."
"I promise not to mock," Donna grinned.
"It isn't a date," Josh protested. "She wants to talk about funding for something. She can only meet this evening."
"Okay," Donna replied doubtfully.
"What was that tone?"
"She needs this funding desperately and yet she can only meet you at night in a bar. Sounds like she may think it's a date even if you don't."
"Go away and do some work."
"Leo wants you," Donna said as she left the office.
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Toby caught up with Josh on his way to Leo's office. "Are you meeting some woman from NASA this evening?"
"Alex Moreau," Josh agreed. "She lobbying for funding for, actually to be honest I'm not sure what it is. Why?"
"I was talking to David."
"Was he lobbying you?" Josh grinned at the thought of Toby's reaction to his brother lobbying him for funding.
"He wouldn't dare. He mentioned this Alex knows you and she was in town. If this is something that's going to be getting our attention, you'll let me know in time?"
"In time for what?" Josh asked as they entered Leo's office
"State of The Union."
"That's a month away," Josh replied. "And whatever it is, we're not going to back it."
"Going to the meeting with an open mind then?" Toby asked.
"I am," Josh agreed. "What does David think?"
Leo interrupted them. "Are you two here to see me, or were you just passing through?"
"We're here separately," Josh said. "Donna said you wanted me."
"I did," Leo agreed. "You're meeting with Mary Marsh on Thursday."
"Oh God, really?" Josh whined.
Leo saw Toby's slight smile and added, "You and Toby."
"Right 'cos my to do list isn't long enough," Toby complained.
"Well now you can add, stopping Josh from killing Mary Marsh and John Van Dyke, to your list," Leo told him.
"We can't kill them?" Josh asked with a smile.
"No," Leo said. "Not this close to Christmas."
Once Josh had left, Leo handed Toby a sheet of paper. "President would like you to include something about this in tonight's speech."
"It was finished," Toby sighed and took the paper off Leo.
"Well now it may need altering a little."
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Tuesday Evening
Josh looked at the report Alex had given him. "I admit it looks impressive on paper," he said. "But there's no way Congress will agree to fund it."
"Not if the White House aren't interested, no," Alex agreed.
"I think you have more chance if we're not interested," Josh commented. "What happened to Mars Or Bust?"
"Nothing, this is something new."
Josh looked back down at the report. "This kind of money," he shook his head. "You don't even know it would work."
"You never know something will work until you try it. I know it's a difficult sell."
"It's an impossible sell," Josh amended. "You know what you need if you're ever going to get the kind of funding you're asking for?"
"A new space race?"
Josh smiled, "Well yes, but I was going to suggest a better publicity machine. People think nothing has happened since the moon landings. They see something about the shuttle taking off on the news, they catch the odd item about the International Space Station, but they don't see any point to it. You need to better inform people how any of this makes their lives better."
"The experiments carried out on the shuttle could never be performed on earth and are of great benefit to everyone. The technology developed for space travel has applications in everyday life."
"But most people don't realize that, you need to convince them."
"If we spend money on that, we have less to spend on other things."
"Catch 22," Josh agreed. "I really wish I could help, but there's no way the president is going to get behind this."
"I knew it was a long shot," Alex tried not to look too disappointed."Thanks for meeting me though."
"It's okay," Josh smiled as he stood up and followed Alex out of the bar. "At least I'm not covered in mud this time."
"You enjoyed that."
"It was like being in college again," Josh agreed. "Except telescopes have improved a little since then."
"See something else we did," Alex smiled. "Anyway, I thought you only looked in the girls' dorm."
"My girlfriend was interested in astronomy."
"The one you've got a star named with?"
"Linda," Josh agreed as they walked out onto the street.
"Thanks again for....." Alex began, but her words were cut off by a bang and scream. "What was that?" she asked.
Josh had spun around at the sound of a gunshot. "Over there," he said and nodded towards a convenience store. Two more shots rang out and a body fell to the ground while police circled it.
Josh and Alex stood and watched the scene unfold before them, until a police officer walked over and moved the onlookers away.
"You think he was dead?" Alex asked.
"Yeah," Josh replied. "Where are you parked?"
"Just here," she said as she walked to her car. "You want a lift?" she asked, but Josh was staring back along the street to the flashing lights of the police cars. "Josh?"
"No, I'm fine," Josh replied and turned back to Alex. "Don't give up, keep lobbying Congress and us."
"We will. Goodnight."
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Josh caught a cab back to the White House, although it was 9.45 and he knew he should really go home, the White House was closer. He walked through the lobby and into his bullpen. Most people, including Donna, had gone home, so he entered his office and closed the door. He turned the TV on low and sat behind his desk waiting for the panic to arrive. When nothing happened, he sat and stared out of the window for a while, before opening an agriculture file and starting to read.
An hour later Toby walked through the bullpen. When he saw Josh's closed door he almost walked past, assuming Josh had gone home, until he saw a faint light from under the door.
"It's gone 11, Josh. Go home," Toby said as he opened the door.
Josh looked up. "Yeah in a bit."
"You okay?"
"The police shot a robber dead outside Mario's this evening," Josh told Toby before looking back down at his work. "I'm going home soon."
"Mario's?" Toby asked.
"Alex and I had just left the bar, we were walking past on the other side of the street. There were three shots."
"Were you alright?"
"I didn't dive for cover if that's what you're asking."
"Let's go home."
"In a minute."
"Josh?"
"I don't......" Josh frowned and glanced at the window.
Toby had a worrying thought that that translated to 'I can't'. "Come on, get your coat. I'll give you a lift."
Josh nodded. As he followed Toby out of the building and across the parking lot, he couldn't help but wonder whether there was anyone else out there with a gun, just waiting to fire off a random shot while they robbed a store, or a house, or mugged someone.
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The following morning Toby found Josh in his office at 7.15, reading an email from Sam. He watched Josh for a second, before tapping gently on the door.
Josh looked up, "Hey, what's up?"
"Do you, do you want to get some breakfast?"
"I've had some already."
"Okay." Toby hovered in the doorway.
"I can come to the mess with you if you like?" Josh offered.
"No."
Josh smiled and leaned back in his chair. "I'm fine, honestly."
"Okay," Toby agreed. "Did you tell Donna?"
"No."
"Why?"
"Don't want to worry her."
Toby smiled slightly. "You remember the talking to she gave you after the CCTV thing?"
"Yeah, but what she doesn't know."
"Talk to her, and to Leo."
"You're kidding?" Josh asked. "Come on, Toby. It was nothing, we were across the street. I'm not going to do anything."
"Then there's no harm in telling them."
Part 3 ------------------