A.N – There originally wasn't going to be an epilogue for this story but Kursk suggested it and once I read the suggestion I had the epilogue in my head so here we go. This is set five years from the last chapter, so three years since the Bartlett Administration ended. Josh works for President Santos as does Toby and Leo is Vice President. Not sure of ages or anything so if I am wrong I am sorry.
Epilogue.
A party on the Bartlett farm was just what everyone called for and for what better reason that CJ's 50th birthday. It had been a while since they had all seen one another and not many people had met the new babies in the team so it was a family gathering to end all family gatherings.
Jed stood on the front porch of the house awaiting his first guests. The guards at the gate had informed him that the first mini van had just entered. Abbey watched from the window as her husband practically bounced on the soles of his feet at the prospect of his family arriving.
The silver grey mini van pulled to a halt in front of the house and Sam stepped from the driver's side. He walked straight to his former boss and enveloped him in a hug. "It's great to see you sir."
"Sam how often do I have to tell you to stop calling me that." Jed laughed.
"I don't think any of us will stop calling you it sir." Sam told him as he headed back to the car where his wife was leaning in the back door of the van.
"Mallory, you look amazing." Jed told her as she approached him.
"Why thank you. You must teach my husband how to give compliments." She laughed looking back to where Sam had retrieved their two-year-old son from the confines of his seat. "Joshua, do you remember who this is?"
The little boy's face lit up when he saw the man he considered another grandfather. "Ampa Jed." He squealed struggling to get down from his fathers arms. Once on the ground he raced into the arms of Jed. "Hi-hi."
"You got big." Jed laughed as Abbey joined the little group on the porch. "Abbey look how big this boy has grown."
"I can see that. Joshua look at you." She said giving him a little kiss and a ruffle of his hair before moving onto his parents. "You two look good." She said with a twinkle in her eye. Both Sam and Mallory looked at one another and before they could respond another mini van pulled up.
Jed looks even happier when his eldest daughter steps from the car, buy before she can reach her father, her son has almost knocked her over to get to his grandparents. "Grampa, grandma, guess what I made the school basketball team and I got 100 on my English assignment." Gus proudly reports.
"Gus I am so proud of you." Abbey tells the ten year old. "That is such great news. And the basketball team. You'll have to tell us when your first game is."
"I will." He beams as the rest of his family approaches. His sister sullenly hanging back until her grandfather pulls her into his arms.
"Annie, how are you?" He asked the almost eighteen year old. He couldn't believe how much she had grown since he last saw you. She was stunning looking, taking her looks from her mother definitely. "You get more and more beautiful every time I see you."
"Thank you grampa. I'm doing well. Can't wait for September to start university." She told him. Being the eldest grandchild, Annie always had been spoiled just slightly.
"Have you finally decided where to go?"
"Yeah, but can I leave the announcement until everyone is here."
Jed nodded as he moved onto his daughter. He hadn't even spoken to her when another mini van pulled up. "Is there a party here or something?" Josh' voice came as he opened the door.
"Unca Josh." Little Joshua ran towards his uncle.
"Hey Joshua." Josh hugged his namesake before turning to help his wife get their children from the car. "Noah, do not run off please." He told his five-year-old son as soon as he was out of the car. Noah was the image of his father. Right down to the curly hair.
"Donna, my dear you look amazing." Abbey complimented her young friend.
"Thank you. Talia, please take your backpack." She said handing her eldest daughter a brightly coloured backpack. Lifting her two-year-old daughter from the car, she finally turned to see everyone standing. "Hey guys." Donna said spotting Sam, Mallory, Liz and Doug.
"Donna how do you do it?" Liz asked as she watched her friend place two year old Eryn on the ground before reaching back into the car.
"I just do." The blonde smiled. As she came back out of the car all the women crowded around her to see the newest edition to the Lyman clan. Rebecca was now the youngest of the entire Bartlett clan. At just three weeks old she was the image of her mother, just the same as her oldest sister Talia had been.
"Guys she is amazing." Liz commented, Mallory making similar comments.
"Let me see this baby now." Jed approached the huddled mass of women. "Now then little lady, your Grampa Jed needs to see you." Donna handed her baby over to the man she considered her father.
"Ampa Jed, what about us." The chorus of Noah and Talia came from behind. Jed turned to see Noah, Talia and Eryn all standing awaiting inspection.
"Well would you look at that? Four perfect children, who would have thought it from Josh?" Jed laughed as the kids ran off in search of adventures.
Eryn hung back, still a little unsure of her surroundings. Abbey came along and took her by the hand. "Come on sweetness, let's find something for you and Joshua to do." Abbey told the little one as little Joshua joined them. The three headed into the house as another SUV pulled into the driveway.
The black SUV in front told the group standing that Leo was on his way. The smaller town car behind pulled to a stop allowing the Vice President to step from his car. "Grampa." Little Joshua shrieked as he tore towards his grandfather. Luckily Leo was prepared for the onslaught and was crouched to catch the little boy.
"Hey buddy. How are you?" Leo tickled the child before listening intently to the child's excited babble about being with his cousins.
Only minutes behind Leo two more SUV's pulled up. Charlie, Zoe and their three-year-old son Harrison exited from the first. From the second the birthday girl and her family appeared. CJ and Toby had married a year after leaving the White House and had produced daughter Rosie nine months later. Having a child so late in life had brought its problems but no one could have been happier when Rosie had been born. Rosie was an astounding child, a perfect mixture of both her parents. She had her mother's patience, but some of her father's impatience. Her mother's beauty, but her father's colouring. Her father's knowledge and her mother's power of speech. A perfect balance.
"Hey, it's the birthday girl." Josh called out as everyone made a beeline for CJ. "So how does it feel to join the over 50 club?"
"For that comment you are awarded a slap." CJ joked to her friend as she gently slapped him across the back of the head.
"Come on everyone inside." Abbey called from the porch. "Let's get the weekend celebrations under way." She watched as her extended family all hugged one another and walked towards the house. Never had she felt more proud than she did at that moment in time. Just seeing them all together and with their own families. More than she could have wished for.
The living room was alive with all the conversations going on at once. Jed took a step back watching his family. Josh and Toby stood in a corner talking about something. Both had their daughters in heir arms and looking so comfortable with it.
Donna and Mallory were sitting by the fire. Rebecca lay quietly in her mother's arms, completely unaware of what was going on round about her. CJ walked across to join her friends and join in the conversation.
Doug, Sam and Annie were discussing something by the windows and by the looks of things Abbey was headed to find out what was going on.
"Okay guys I think before we get right into the party spirit someone should tell me some news. I know a lot of you have it." Jed announced getting the attention of everyone in the room.
"Can I start?" Annie asked. Her grandmother nodded to her. "I told Grampa before you all arrived that I got into University but I wouldn't tell him where. But I really hope that he is pleased, because Grampa I'm going to Notre Dame."
A burst of applause came throughout the room as Jed approached his grand daughter. He couldn't be more pleased that she was attending his school. "Annie I am so proud of you. What made you choose there?" He asked her.
"You've talked so much about it over the years I wanted to go and try it out for myself." She smiled as she snuggled into her grandfather's embrace. Liz and Doug looked over with a look of pride in their eyes. Their daughter had really grown from the young girl who pierced her face into this beautiful, smart and impressive young lady.
Once the chaos had calmed down Mallory spoke up. "I guess Sam and I should give you our news next shouldn't we?" She looked up to her husband who smiled down at her and nodded. "I'm pregnant."
"That's so great. Another baby." Josh said walking up to his best friend and hugging her. "Congratulations." Everyone followed with their congratulations.
"Okay anyone else." Jed asked. When no one answered him he carried on. "Well let's get this party started. God knows we need one."
There was never a man more proud on that day than former President Josiah Bartlett. He stood in his home surrounded by the family he had watched grow and grow together. A family that hadn't started out as together as they were but one that he couldn't have been prouder of. He was pleased to tell people that he was father to six daughters, five sons, five granddaughters and four grandsons and many more to come he hoped. He only hoped he would live long enough to see each of them grow and live the lives that their parents had worked so hard for. That was his dream.
A.N – Well finally I have finished this story. I have loved writing it and with your continued support and reviews I have managed to finish it. Thank you for all the encouragement. I hope you liked it. Kursk and Mary-Kate113 a big thank you to you.