Walk of Life
Character(s): Josh, Donna, and a mix of current characters and future kiddos
Pairing(s): Josh/Donna
Category(s): Romance, Post Season 6
Rating: TEEN
Disclaimer: Not mine, not mine, not mine. Feel free to sue if you like, but it would be a waste of your time since you all have more pocket change than I have in my checking account!
Summary: Epilogue – A New Day Has Come
Author's Note: FAIR WARNING – EXPLANATIONS OF CHARACTER'S DEATHS INCLUDED IN THE FOLLOWING STORY!
Early June 2030
Buzz, buzz, buzz
No movement came from the bedroom.
Buzz, buzz, buzz
"D, I'm begging, turn off that damn alarm before I break it and you have to tell your parents why they have to buy you yet another alarm!"
"Fine, but I'm just hitting snooze. Next time it goes off, you deal with it!"
She hit the alarm and turned back over in her bed and was just about back asleep when the bedroom door was thrown open.
"What in the world are you two doing?"
Deidre Joan Lyman and Joanna Rose Seaborn shot up at the sound of Donna Lyman.
"Oh my god, Mom, what is your problem? We were up late and now we are sleeping!"
"Exactly, dear child, why in the world are you two still asleep?"
Joanna had already turned over and was struggling to get comfortable on the air mattress while Deidre laid back down and pulled the covers over her head.
"God, mom, seriously, what time is it even?"
"7:45."
"AM?" Both girls asked as Donna did her best to stifle of chuckle.
"Yes, that would be AM."
Deidre huffed. "Mom, it's Saturday, we are sleeping, go away."
"That's fine, but yeah, remember, you mentioned it was Saturday and…"
Both girls screamed as it hit them – "GRADUATION!"
Donna couldn't help but laugh as she watched the best friends both shoot out of bed and start running around the room looking for dresses and makeup and the things that teenage girls needed.
"Yeah, glad to see you two remembered that. You know, we all tried to warn you two that this whole sleepover thing the night before graduation wasn't the greatest idea, but you two insisted…"
Deidre waved her hand at her mom as she walked past her to use her parent's shower since Joanna had managed to beat her to hers. "Yeah, yeah, whatever Mom."
'Wonder where she picked that up from' Donna wondered to herself as she walked back down the stairs.
Donna walked back onto the sun porch to rejoin Josh, Sam, and Mallory as the girls got ready. She noticed Josh laughing.
"Something funny, Mr. Lyman?"
"You know, I tried to tell them at like 1 to go to sleep, but they were hard at work on something. You can't seem to tell that girl anything, why in God's name was she still working on whatever it was at 1AM!"
"Yeah, that apple didn't fall far from the tree."
"Yeah, I mean… no… wait… what did you say, Donnatella?"
Donna just giggled as Sam and Mallory laughed into their coffee.
Deidre and Joanna had been born about two weeks apart in October 2012. Joanna was Sam and Mallory's first while Deidre was the soon to be younger sister of the already spunky Noah William Lyman. Noah had just turned 4 when Deidre and Joanna were born, so it was like he got two sisters to pick on for the price of one.
The two families lived near each other as long as the kids could remember. They had always lived in Arlington and were currently residing in houses that were across the street from each other.
Deidre and Joanna had played together and were always in the same classes – their four years at Washington-Lee High School were no different. They both took the same classes, too the same AP tests and were both getting ready to be roommates in the fall at Duke University – much to Sam's pleasure and Josh's dismay.
Josh took a quick glance at his watch before he knocked on the door to his daughter's room. Most of her friends referred to it as 'Deidre's suite' since she had her own bathroom and a sitting area along with the normal bedroom stuff. When they had moved into this house 8 years ago, Noah had claimed the very large basement bedroom as his own and Deidre was very upset. Rather than fight the kids, they decided to renovate the third floor attic area into a bedroom for their daughter, which is why she seemed to have a larger room than most of her friends.
Josh noticed that it was 9:15 – graduation was going to start at 11, but the students needed to be there by 10 for pictures and all the other stuff that goes along with graduation. He knew they needed to leave in about 10 minutes if they were going to get there on time.
"DJ, you two about ready?"
Deidre rolled her eyes as Joanna giggled. Her dad was the only one allowed to call her DJ.
"You can come in Dad!"
Josh opened the door and watched the two girls finish primping. Joanna was the spitting image of her father – dark skin, green eyes and long black hair. She was even tall and slim like Sam still was these days. Deidre was an amalgam of him and Donna – Deidre had inherited Donna straight hair, but it was the reddish-brown coloring that he had had in his youth. She had his brown eyes, but Donna's alabaster skin. She had inherited Donna's knack for useless knowledge and organization, but had also inherited his ability to shoot off at the mouth before thinking about the words that were coming out – this got Josh and Donna more than one parent-teacher conference during the last 18 years, especially when she told the teachers that they were wrong about this or that – yet another trait that she had picked up from her father.
He just smiled as the girls traded hair spray, curling irons, lipstick and words. He finally had to interrupt them if they were ever going to get moving.
"Really, girls, or you are going to miss your own graduation!"
Both girls turned and posed for him.
"Beautiful. Now let's move. Joanna, your parents are across the street with your brother."
She sighed and stalked across the room. "Josh, you know that Leo is going to do something to completely embarrass me today, right!"
He just laughed. "Yeah, but that's what little brothers do best, so you better just get yourself prepared."
She let out a strangled cry as she walked down the stairs and across the street.
Josh looked out the window at the family across the street. Leo Matthew Seaborn had been named after his grandfather. He was born 4 years after the girls had been and two years after his grandfather died from liver disease. 'It's a shame you never got to see this kid, old man' Josh thought to himself as he watched Leo chase Joanna around with a handful of mud as Sam tried to catch him 'he sure does give Sam a run for his money – you'd be proud!'.
"Is Noah here yet?"
Josh turned to face his daughter, who seemed to be all ready to go. "He got here after you two locked yourself in here last night. By the way, what in the world have you been working on?"
Deidre gave her dad what Donna called the 'patented Lyman smirk' – "you'll see later".
"Oh lord, that's never a good sign!" He said, smiling, as the two of them went outside to join Donna and Noah in the car.
It turned out to be a decent day to sit outside on stadium bleachers at graduation. Their group had gotten quite large. Along with Josh, Donna, Noah, Sam, Mallory and Leo was CJ and Alex – the man she had met on her cruise right after the first Santos Inauguration. They had never gotten married, but had been together since they met. CJ was alright with that – she would rather be able to spoil her friend's children than have to deal with her own.
Toby had come from New York with Huck, who was spending the summer interning at Gage Whitney – Sam still knew some people up there and had gotten the internship for him. Molly was currently working as a producer on some independent film that was currently filming in Vancouver and couldn't make the trip.
Ainsley and Joe had also joined them at graduation. They had started their own practice, together, after Santos left office – Hayes and Quincy had quickly become one of the most prestigious firms in DC – Republicans from all over the city and country looked to them for help and advice when it came to politics. Cliff and Stephanie had been invited, but their divorce had been very bitter and they were currently living on opposite sides of the country – Stephanie in New York, Cliff in Sacramento – and they barely talked anymore. No one had expected them to come, but the invitation to events like this were always extended.
Charlie and Zoey Young were also with the group. By the time the girls had been born, Lyman, Cregg, and Lyman Consulting was in full operational swing. After the Santos Administration had ended, Josh and Donna were tired of that kind of political work, so, with CJ wanting to try something different than the PR she was currently doing, they decided to open a consulting firm. What had started as a small operation out of Josh's old townhouse in Georgetown had turned into a huge operation. Political wanna-bes from all over the country were hiring LCL Consultants to help run their political campaigns. Charlie and Zoey had been happily living life – Charlie had just taken a job with the White House council's office and Zoey had been working her up through the Women's Leadership Coalition when it happened.
It was a cold and nasty night in New Hampshire that February – four months before Charlie and Zoey were to be married. Jed and Abbey Bartlet had been on their way back from a DNC fundraiser in Manchester when a teenage boy named Zach Harris hit a patch of ice and slammed right into the side of the black Suburban. The Bartlets, along with the two Secret Service Agents, were killed instantly. It turned out that Zach and his friends had been snorting cocaine and were on their way to buy more when they ran into the former President and First Lady. This came in year 7 of the Santos Administration – Noah was only three and Donna had yet to find out she was pregnant with Deidre – just as they were looking to pass a national 'three-strikes' bill about those who were driving under the influence. This story became much more than the death of a former President and First Lady. Zoey was the only Bartlet daughter still in the DC area, so all the media frenzy came down on her shoulders. Zoey became withdrawn and quit her job with the WLC to stay at home. They all had to deal with the unending questions, the unending clips of the funeral, the MS press conference, Rosslyn, Jed Bartlet being carried off the Air Force One by his Secret Service Agent. The passing of these two people brought up more than most of them could deal with – they tried not to talk about the accident much at all. It had gotten much easier as the years passed, which is why none of the current kids knew much of the Bartlet years.
Zoey and Charlie ended up eloping the summer after the Bartlets died. Zoey spent most of her time staying at home, taking care of their kids. She stayed withdrawn for so long that people quit recognizing her after a few years. Since she went by Zoey Young, no one really made much of a fuss over her anymore.
Josh seemed to be seemed to be struggling with the digital camcorder when Donna came back from seeing the girls backstage. All Josh had been able to decipher was something about fly-away hair. Josh had learned a long time ago not to try to decipher anything when it came to his daughter and her best friend.
"I told you to wait for me to get back before you tried to mess with that thing."
"Donna really, it's an inanimate object and I'm a Fulbright Scholar – I can beat this thing."
"Yeah, I don't think our computer has yet to buy into that train of thought, but go ahead and give it a shot on the camcorder."
"Are you going to shut up and help me with this thing or what?"
"What's the matter, Fulbright Scholar, the machine too smart for you!"
"Shut up. C'mon Donna, now it's beeping at me."
"Did you charge it last night like I told you to?"
"Ummm…. I meant to, but the Mets were on satellite last night and then I found some idiot Republican…"
"HEY!" came a shout from Ainsley and Joe.
"…sorry, but there was some idiot Republican on TV spouting off idiot ideas and I got to yelling…"
"So, Joshua, what you are telling me is that the battery is dead on the camcorder and now we are not going to be able to record this moment for posterity!" Donna did her best to sound mad, but she knew this man too well. 'Let him squirm for a minute before I get the backup out of my purse'.
"Oh god."
"How are you going to explain this to our baby girl? She is going to be crushed."
Josh felt sick. "Ok, let's see, if I drive really fast… the speakers will be first… who needs to hear the valedictorian speech anyway…" Josh checked his watch "I should be able to get back here before they get to the L's…"
"OK, easy there. I was just giving you shit." With that, Donna produced the backup battery from her back and replaced it with the dead battery.
"You are an evil woman, Donnatella Moss."
She giggled. No matter how long they were married, she still loved it when Josh called her by her full, original name. "And that's why you love me, Joshua."
"You bet your ass." He gave her a quick kiss before adjusting the focus on the camcorder.
"… Deidre Joan Lyman…"
Everyone in their section stood up and cheered. Deidre took a little bow and waved to her dad behind the camcorder as she made her way off stage.
"… Joanna Rose Seaborn…"
The entire group stood again to cheer for the other girl, but the cheering turned to laughter as Joanna's faced turned bright red. Her classmates also started to laugh as they all witnessed Joanna's brother mooning the entire class.
Deidre and Joanna stayed up that night, finishing up the surprise for Deidre's parents.
Flashback:
It had started out as a class project for Political Affairs, one of the electives the girls had chosen to take during the spring term their senior year. The teacher, Mr. Kendrick, was relatively new to the school and to the DC area, but he was very popular with the kids. Only the best and smartest students were allowed to take this class and there was only room for 30 kids. It was a discussion class with a semester long project that would make up their only grade in the class.
When the class started after Christmas, Mr. Kendrick told the students their project for the semester – they were to do an in-depth research project about a President and his administration during the last 50 years.
"Score!" Joanna and Deidre both yelled out that day in class. This was going to be cake, they both thought as they smiled at each other. They knew that both of their fathers were close with ex-President Santos.
Mr. Kendrick just smiled. "Not so fast you two – I'm completely aware of who you are and, more importantly, who your parents are. I'm assigning the projects. The Santos Administration will be covered by John and Adam" he said pointing to two boys at the back of the class.
"Hey, can we interview your dads?"
"Shut up!" Deidre yelled at them.
"Deidre, Joanna, take the Bartlet Administration." Mr. Kendrick, not being from around here and a staunch Republican, really had no idea the can of worms he was opening.
0
It had started out as a Google search in the school library one afternoon. The girls had tried to get Mr. Kendrick to let them trade with John and Adam, but Mr. Kendrick wasn't going to have these two girls get a free pass just because their parents had been political operatives at one point.
Deidre had been getting books off the shelves about the Bartlet Administration when she heard Joanna scream her name across the library.
"Shhhh!" the librarian said as Deidre ran back to the computer lab.
"Jesus, Joanna, what? Are you on fire on something?"
Joanna just stared at the computer screen wide-eyed and speechless, which was amazing for Joanna Seaborn. She may look just like her father, but she talks more than her mother ever did!
"Joanna, what's wrong?"
Joanna just stared at her best friend. "I... um… well… I found the Bartlet Presidential Library website… I clicked on the photo album section… umm…"
"God, Joanna, would you just spit it out!"
Without saying anything, Joanna turned the computer screen so that her friend could see what she had come upon. Deidre now understood why Joanna was speechless. She was staring at a picture of a very young Josh Lyman and Donna Moss on either side of an older man, who had his arms around each of their shoulders.
"Those… those… those are my parents?"
"Yeah – I mean, your mom's maiden name is Moss, right?"
"Ye… Ye… Yeah. Wait… what website is this?"
"BarletPresidentialLibrary.gov"
"So, that would mean the man in the middle is…"
"Yeah, it seems your parents knew this President Bartlet. By the way, do you have any idea what a Stackhouse Filibuster is?"
"No, why?"
"Well, it seems this picture was taken the night of the Stackhouse Filibuster, whatever that is."
"Are…are…are there any other pictures?" Deidre was shocked she could still get words out.
Joanna returned to looking at the computer screen. "Umm… yeah, there are tons. They are separated by topic. Which one should I click on?"
Deidre looked at the list. "Umm… I guess… oh I don't… the first campaign?"
Joanna clicked on the link and they both screamed this time. "HOLY SHIT!"
"SHHHHHHH! And no cursing at school." The librarian said again from behind her desk.
Joanna and Deidre didn't even here her. Deidre collapsed into the chair next to her friend as they both stared at the picture. Joanna finally was able to form a sentence.
She leaned over and whispered to her friend "what in the world is going on here?"
Deidre just shrugged her shoulders and they both stared at the picture with the caption "Bartlet Campaign Spring 1998, Chicago." Standing in front of a huge 'Bartlet for America' banner was Josh Lyman, Donna Moss, Leo McGarry, Jed Bartlet, CJ Cregg, Toby Ziegler, and Sam Seaborn. There were a few other people in the picture they didn't recognize – an older blonde lady with glasses, a tall redhead, and a young woman with long black hair.
"Deidre, what in the world…"
"Joanna, I have no idea, but we have got to figure this out!"
0
That night, Deidre and Joanna stayed locked in Deidre's room. They had run up there as soon as they got home from school and hadn't come out. Josh tried to get them to come out and eat dinner, but all he got was a "go away". At 11, after her parents had gone to bed, Joanna and Deidre were no closer to any answers.
Joanna had been working on her laptop this whole time, reading everything she could find on the Bartlet website when she started to cry.
Deidre shot across the room. "Joanna, what?"
"Oh god! D, your dad… Josh… he got shot." – the last part was barely a whisper and if there had been any other noise in the house, Deidre wouldn't have even heard her.
"Joanna, what? What in the world do you mean my dad…" but Deidre never got a chance to finish that sentence as Joanna turned the computer. Deidre came face to face with a scanned page of the Washington Post from August 1999 – "Presidential Assassination Attempt at Rosslyn".
Joanna continued. "Turns out these skinheads were made that Charlie and Zoey were dating and they were trying to kill Charlie but got your dad and the President instead. The President just had a minor injury but your dad… it says he was in surgery for like 14 hours."
Deidre fell on the floor. "That explains so much."
Joanna was intrigued. "What?"
"I remember, one summer, before she got sick, we were visiting Grandma Lyman. We were on the beach and Noah and I were playing in the water and I wanted Dad to come in but he wouldn't. He kept his t-shirt on the whole time we were on the beach. I remember asking Grandma Lyman about why daddy wouldn't take his shirt off and she just told me that 'he had been hurt by some really awful people' and that he didn't like to talk about it. That was the only time I ever asked. Oh god! Joanna, what about Mom?"
"What do you mean?"
"Was she shot? She's got scars and stuff on her legs – was she shot too?"
Joanna returned to the computer and searched the site for Donna Moss. What she found sent her into another crying fit. This time, Deidre didn't even ask, she just started to read.
'Explosion in Gaza – by Danny Concannon'
'Yesterday, the CODEL to Gaza was attacked. The car carrying Chairman Fitzwallace and Congressman DeSantos was exploded as they left the checkpoint. The only survivor from the car was White House Staffer Donnatella Moss, executive assistant to Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Lyman…'
"God, Joanna, what in the world have our parents been through?"
0
Before school started the next day, Deidre grabbed Joanna and pulled her into a bathroom. After checking the stalls, she turned to her friend.
"Give me your cell phone."
Joanna knew better than to question Deidre when she had that determined look on her face, so she handed over her phone. Deidre pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket with a number on it and dialed the number.
"Who are you calling?"
"Someone who will hopefully give us some answers."
Deidre stood there for a moment before the receptionist picked up the phone. "Hayes and Quincy
"Ainsley Hayes, please."
"Please hold."
Deidre looked into Joanna's questioning eyes, but she just shook her head as Ainsley's secretary answered the phone.
"Ainsley Hayes' office – this is Miranda, can I help you?"
"Miranda, it's Deidre Lyman. Is Ainsley there?"
"Sorry, sweetie, she's on the hill all morning. Can I leave her a message?"
Suddenly, an idea struck Deidre. Joanna recognized that look on her face and immediately started feeling dread. That face always meant that they were bound for a parent-teacher conference. "Deidre…"
Deidre shushed Joanna and returned to her call.
"Actually, Miranda, what does her schedule look like for Friday?"
Deidre heard Miranda flip some pages. "Friday seems pretty light. Why?"
"I want to make an appointment – can you schedule us for her lunch time – like from 11 to 1 or so."
Miranda also knew better than to question a Lyman. She would just let Ainsley deal with the girl. "Sure thing. You are down! It is just you?"
"Me and Joanna Seaborn."
'What are those two up to now' Miranda thought to herself as she wrote down the appointment. "Got it – you and Joanna."
"Thanks Miranda." Deidre snapped the phone shut.
Joanna was stunned. "So, what, we are just going to skip school on Friday and hope our parents don't find out?"
Deidre slapped Joanna upside the head – something she had seen her mom do to her dad lots of times.
"No, stupid, remember – Friday is an in-service day – no school."
"Oh yeah, but… how in the world are we going to get downtown on a Friday?"
"Noah will be here Thursday night. He's got some interviews for an internship this summer downtown – I'll make him take us. Don't worry about it."
"Yeah, and every time you say don't worry about it, I end up in detention."
Deidre just laughed and pulled her friend out of the bathroom and to their first class.
0
Noah dropped them off in front of the offices of Hayes and Quincy at 10:45 Friday morning.
"I'm not going to lie for you, Deidre, so whatever you are up to…"
"Noah, chill. It's nothing."
"Fine, but I won't be done until like 2:30. I am begging you, please stay here till I get back."
"God, Noah, it's like you don't trust me or something!"
"Yeah, wonder why that is. Just, don't do anything stupid till I get back."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Get out of here!"
With that, Noah took off. The two girls walked through the door and up to the reception area.
"Diedre Lyman and Joanna Seaborn to see Ainsley Hayes."
"Go on up. Ms. Hayes is expecting you."
The elevator doors opened to an expectant Ainsley Hayes.
"Color me surprised when I saw my appointment book for this today and saw that you two were my lunch meeting."
The girls just smiled with Ainsley looked concerned. "Please tell me you aren't here because you need representation for something."
They heard Miranda laugh from across the room.
"Good God, Ainsley, no – we just… well, we needed to talk to someone and our parents and CJ and Toby are out so we just thought…"
Ainsley still looked concerned. "What's wrong?"
The girls looked at each other and Deidre spoke again. "OK, see, Mr. Kendrick, our Political Affairs teacher… well, he gave us our project for the semester… it's an in-depth analysis of a President and his Administration… well, we thought that we could sweet talk our way into the Santos Administration but Mr. Kendrick is such a butthead…"
"Deidre!"
"Sorry, Ainsley, but he is! Anyway, he gave out the assignments and he gave the two of us the Bartlet Administration…"
The color drained out of Ainsley's face. She was actually surprised that it took one of the kids this long to find out. Ainsley turned to Miranda.
"Is the conference room free?"
"All day."
"Great. The three of us will be in there. Also, can you order us some sandwiches from the deli down the street."
"Sure, Ainsley."
Ainsley directed the girls to the conference room to try to explain.
Once the girls explained what they had found and how much they already knew, Ainsley filled in the rest for them. She thought that maybe she was delving into a family issue, but she knew the girls would get their information from somewhere. She decided that it would be better if they got their information from someone who loved these people as much as these two girls did.
At 1:45, Ainsley asked Miranda to cancel the rest of her day and to see if Joe was free. The girls had so many questions that they had just gotten up to Zoey's kidnapping and she knew she was going to need some help. As soon as Miranda explained to Joe what was going on and who Ainsley was meeting with, he immediately had his secretary cancel the rest of his day and joined Ainsley in the conference room. He held their hands as Ainsley explained about the CODEL and Donna spending months in the hospital in Germany. By 2:45, Noah had walked into the conference room just as Ainsley had finished up about the car accident that killed the Bartlets and the effect it had on all of them.
Noah saw that his sister had been crying and that Joanna was pensively looking at pages upon pages of notes that she had taken during the afternoon.
"Deidre, you alright?"
Deidre shot out of her chair and latched on to her older brother.
"Did you know… do you know… Mom and Dad and President Bartlet… did you know?"
"You mean Santos, D, President Santos, right?"
"No, I mean Josiah Bartlet… you don't know!"
"Know what? Deidre…"
Joanna got out of her chair. "Look, I think we need to go home. Noah, we will tell you everything on the way home and probably more once we get there."
Ainsley could see Sam shining through this young girl – keeping her head and trying to take control when she saw that others weren't going to be able to. Ainsley and Joe gave both girls a hug and a kiss and told them that if they had any other questions, to call either one of them. Noah kept his arm around his sister as they walked out to the car and headed home.
Noah was just as shocked as his sister and best friend had been once he had been filled in on all the information they had gathered during the afternoon, but he swore that he wouldn't tell Mom or Dad or Sam or Mallory what he knew until Deidre told him it was alright.
Present Day:
Deidre and Joanna put some finishing touches on the binder before the parties started the day after graduation. They had gotten an 'A' on the assignment about a week ago from Mr. Kendrick, but had told their parents that they wouldn't get their grades until graduation day.
Deidre had text messaged Noah to come to her room before the parties. They showed him the finished product – Noah was so proud of what his sister and best friend had done for their parents, but he was also proud to know about his parents and about the people they were.
Deidre found Josh, Donna, Sam and Mallory sitting on the back deck of the Seaborn's house. Joanna was in search of Ainsley and Joe.
Deidre was very quiet as she watched the four of them talk. Mallory finally noticed her.
"Deidre! Something wrong?"
"No, no, no… not at all… it's just…"
"HOLD ON! We're coming!" Joanna busted through the door with Noah, Ainsley and Joe in tow.
Donna seemed concerned. "What's wrong? Oh dear god, please tell me you didn't do something that requires legal representation…"
Deidre rolled her eyes. "God, Mom!"
"Sorry, but you are your father's daughter…"
"Hey!" was all Josh was able to say before he noticed the purple binder behind Deidre's back. "Deidre, is that your Political Affairs project?"
She sheepishly pulled the binder out from behind her back. "Yeah, kind of. I… well we… we added some stuff after we got it back from Mr. Kendrick. We got an 'A' and well… well, we wanted you two to have it." And with that, she handed the project to her parents.
Josh got up to hug his daughter as Donna opened the binder.
"That's great DJ, an 'A'. Oh, what was the project…"
"Josh."
"… hold on Donna. You never told me…"
"Josh."
"…keep your pants on Donna. Anyway, what kind of research project…"
"JOSH!" Sam yelling his name finally got his attention
"What?"
With that, Donna held up the binder, open to the front page, which read 'The Bartlet Presidency by Deidre Lyman and Joanna Seaborn'.
Josh started to stammer. "What… how… why… that IDIOT teacher… doesn't he know… I'm going to kill him…"
It was Ainsley who grabbed Josh to calm him down.
"Look, Josh, I may be putting my head in the lion's mouth here, but this Mr. Kendrick… he didn't know. Look, the girls came to see me one day right after Christmas break. They came across the library website and were confused and wanted information. They came to see me and I told them everything… Joe and I did our best. After they left, I called and talked to Mr. Kendrick. He didn't know – he knew that he wasn't going to assign them the Santos Presidency, but he swore he had no idea about the Bartlet Presidency."
Josh was livid. "YOU told them? WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?"
Ainsley had never been one to back down from a pissed off Josh Lyman. "I was thinking that it was better that they find out from someone in the know, someone who cares about them rather than someone who has a vendetta against you and Donna – that's what I was thinking."
"Thank you Ainsley." Donna said.
"DONNA!"
"Josh, just stop."
"But… but, they could have come to us."
"God, Dad, obviously you didn't want to talk about it or we would have already known. We wanted information and we thought Ainsley was our best bet. If you are going to be mad at someone, be mad at me – Ainsley was just trying to help!" Deidre got the same look on her face her dad got when he was mad and standing up for someone else.
Josh collapsed back into his chair. His daughter was making perfect sense.
"Dad, will you just look at the project, please?"
With that, the four of them started to turn the pages. Everything was there – Rosslyn, the MS disclosure, Qumar, the CODEL, the kidnapping, the car accident and funerals, pictures from the first campaign. They had articles, transcripts of interviews they had done with Ainsley, Joe, Danny Concannon, Ellie Bartlet and Carol Fitzgerald. They found everything – a transcript of Josh on Capitol Beat with Mary Marsh, transcripts of the night the White House got shot at, a picture of all of them standing in Rose Garden after he and Sam had tried to set fire to the White House. But, at the back was more than just the Bartlet legacy. The girls had added Josh and Donna's wedding invitation, pictures of the whole Bartlet group at the reception, pictures from Sam and Mallory's wedding, pictures of them visiting Manchester. They had found everything.
Donna started to cry.
"Mom? I didn't mean to make you cry… I just wanted you all to have this… I'm sorry."
Donna hugged her daughter. "Honey, its fine. Its things I haven't thought about for a long time, things I've tried to block out, but there are some great memories. Most of all, if it hadn't been for the Bartlets, your dad and I would never have met. I wouldn't have met Sam and Mallory and Ainsley and Joe and CJ and Toby and everyone else we know. Honey, it's beautiful. Thank you so much."
Deidre looked at her dad. "Daddy?"
He joined his wife and daughter in their hug. "Lots of great stories, if anyone is interested."
"Yeah!" yelled Deidre, Joanna and Noah. Everyone got a chair and sat down around the table to listen.
As the day became night, the group at the table got bigger. Zoey and Charlie had cried as they looked through the pages, but Zoey felt liberated at seeing all of this again. Each page brought out another funny story from CJ. Deidre observed the group – the walk of life that all these people had been on had made them the people sitting in front of her now, the adults she looked up to and would strive to be as she did her own walk through life.
The End!