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 III
Thursday
"You are going to behave aren't you?" Josh asked Toby as they walked to the Mural Room.
"As long as they do."
"See, that's not the answer I wanted. We don't need this becoming a battle of who's God is the greatest."
Toby looked at Josh, "We worship the same God."
"You know what I mean," Josh sighed and opened the door to let himself and Toby into the meeting. "Morning Mary, John." Josh looked questioningly at the other people in the room.
"Josh, Toby," Mary replied. "This is Robert Eastham, Glen Fairhurst and Dean Sutherland."
"Hey," Josh smiled at the three men and shook their hands, Toby sat down. "Leo arranged this meeting so that we could hear your concerns about the proposed addition to the heath bill," Josh began.
"They're not just our concerns, Josh," Mary replied. "They're the concerns of every God fearing parent in America."
"What exactly are your concerns?" Toby asked.
John Van Dyke took over. "By offering children these tests you're encouraging them to partake in the activities that cause the diseases in the first place."
"Sex," Mary added, "This amendment is just another way of encouraging children to have sex."
"Just to clarify, Mary, we're not talking about 7 year olds here," Josh said.
"I don't...."
"You keep saying children," Toby added. "They're teenagers, young adults."
"They're under 21, therefore they're children."
"Under 21?" Toby asked. "The age of consent in most states is 16, 18 in the rest. I think most 17 year olds would object to being called children."
"Can we get back to the topic," Josh said. "Your concerns?" he asked Mary.
"Our concerns, and the concerns of millions of Christians...."
"Here we go," Toby muttered.
"Toby," Josh warned.
"Millions of Christians," Mary continued. "Is that we shouldn't be encouraging children to indulge in sexual activities. As if condoms in the schools weren't bad enough."
"You remove the condom and there'll be more STDs," Toby told her.
"The money could be better spent educating children on the dangers of sex, medical and moral," John Van Dyke added.
"Moral?" Toby asked. "What......"
Josh cut him off, "Studies have shown that no amount of education is going to stop teenagers having sex, under age or otherwise."
"Your studies," Mary said.
"No," Josh replied, "independent studies. You have them in your folders."
"We've read them."
"Good, then you'll see...."
"What we see is that we have a generation of children who aren't being taught true moral values. Under age sex, teen pregnancy and sex out of wedlock."
"You're saying that didn't happen in previous generations?" Josh asked.
"Previous generations had more restraint," Mary replied. "The schools today, and the government, are neglecting our children's moral upbringing. I think you'll find that your own parents would agree with that."
Josh seriously doubted that his mother would agree with that, but he didn't go there. "We're straying off the subject again."
"I'm disappointed to find you at this meeting," Mary told Toby.
"Me too," Toby replied.
"How old are your children?" she asked.
"My children have nothing to do....."
"I think they do. You're hosting a meeting to discuss the morals of underage sex and sex outside marriage."
"Is that what this meeting's about?" Toby asked. "I though it was about health screening for STDs."
"Which the children wouldn't have if......"
"We can argue the moral issues of sex all day, it won't change the fact that teenagers are contracting STDs and are too scared to seek treatment," Josh interrupted.
"You're almost as bad as him," Mary rounded on Josh.
"I'm sorry?"
"You and your secretary," Mary clarified.
"My.... Donna? What the hell has Donna got to do with anything?"
"She's considerably younger than you and you're her boss."
"And?"
"It's wrong."
"What exactly is wrong?" Josh asked angrily.
"I think you know," Mary replied. She glared from Josh to Toby. "Children out of wedlock, taking advantage of subordinates, abusing your position. Not that I expect anything better from you people."
"You people?" Josh asked.
"YOU PEOPLE!" Toby shouted.
"Politicians, she means politicians," the man who had been introduced as Robert quickly added.
"I think we both know she didn't," Josh told him.
"Perhaps we should take a break," Robert suggested.
As they left the office, Toby asked Josh, "You people?"
"Yes," Josh agreed, "What else did you expect?"
"We need to talk to Leo."
"Yeah," Josh agreed.
"So what does Mary Marsh know that I don't?" Toby asked.
"Well, apparently she has higher moral values."
"About you and Donna," Toby persisted.
"Nothing."
"Really?"
"Yes." Josh replied.
"But if there was you'd tell me," Toby question sounded more like an instruction to Josh.
"Oh yeah, definitely," Josh agreed. "So that you could yell at me and berate me."
"I wouldn't do that."
"Everyone would," Josh replied. "Where the hell does she get off.....?"
"What else did you expect?" Toby repeated Josh question as they entered Margaret's office. "Is he free?"
"Go on in."
Leo looked up when Toby and Josh entered his office. "That doesn't look good," he said.
"It's not going well," Josh admitted.
"What happened?"
"It seems that Toby and I don't have any morals so we're not qualified to discuss this."
"You don't have any morals?" Leo asked.
"Yeah, being Jewish," Toby replied.
Leo took his glasses off. "She said that?"
"Not in so many words," Josh told him. "Toby, Andi and the twins weren't too popular with them."
"And then there's Josh abusing his position and taking advantage of a subordinate," Toby added.
"You're doing what?" Leo asked.
"She thinks there something going on with me and Donna. Apparently she, and I'm quoting, 'couldn't expect anything better from you people'."
"You people," Leo sighed. "Please tell me there's no blood on the carpet or walls."
"We were restrained," Josh assured him. "You need to find someone else to carry on with the meeting, Leo. There's no way they're going to have a rational discussion with me and Toby."
"Nah," Leo shook his head.
"Leo," Josh almost pleaded.
"It's done, show them out. We're not wasting anymore time on them."
"Really?" Josh smiled. "I thought the president wanted us to meet with them."
"You met with them, I don't think he wanted you abusing for three hours. Show them out."
Part 4 ------------