Post Ep: The Al Smith Dinner
A/N: You know, I know everyone loves the original cast, but as a wanna-be writer, these new characters are fun to play with since we know crap about them! Based on my all time fav DMB song of the same title as the story! Not one of my best, but enjoy
Disclaimer: Neither the characters nor the song are mine - just showing my love for both!
He sat fiddling with the label on his beer bottle, lost in thought, when she slammed down a can of Raid in front of him.
He looked up at her and sighed. "What's that for?"
"To kill the bug that has crawled up your ass!"
He sighed again as she sat down. "Look, Edie…"
"Knock it off Lyman. How long have we known each other?"
"Awhile."
"Yeah, awhile. I left my very satisfying, six figure job to work as your deputy, so you are going to humor me for a bit, alright."
He just stared at her before going back to concentrating on his beer label.
She was about to start in when the waiter came over. She quickly ordered a beer for her and another for Josh. After the waiter left, she stared at him.
"What Edie?" he said without looking up.
"How pissed are you?"
"I'm going to need you to be more specific."
"Lou."
He looked up at her. "Why would I be pissed at Lou?"
"Josh…"
"Really, why?"
"Fine, let's try this another way, then. How's Donna?"
He returned his attention to his beer label. "You would have to ask her that."
"Funny, cause I could remember a time when that question would bring a completely different kind of answer."
"Yeah, well, things change. That was a long time ago."
"Not that long ago."
He groaned and ground his palms into his eyes. "Edie, I really don't want to…"
"Well, that just a bunch of tough shit, Lyman. I just don't get it, I mean…"
"Yeah, well, join the party."
"I mean, damn Lyman, you and her… well, I've never been that comfortable with someone. Watching how much fun you two would have over briefing memos of all things… it was astounding… I mean, after… well, let's just leave it at stuff… I just thought that of all people out there, you two would… and now…"
"I'm just trying to make the best of what's around, the best of the situation. Too much has changed, Edie."
"Not that much."
"She's changed."
"People do that a lot Josh. Experiences, life, love, loss… no one can ever stay exactly the same. It's called living, Josh – life changes you. How could it not? I mean, are you the same person you were 8 years ago on the Bartlet campaign?"
He just stared at her and she knew that he knew she was right.
"No need to agree, I'm right and you know it. But, Josh, you have to…"
He was staring over her shoulder and she knew she had lost him. She turned to look over her shoulder and saw what had distracted Josh Lyman – Donna Moss had just entered the room. For a split second, Edie thought Donna was looking at her, but suddenly realized that Josh could distract her just as much as she could preoccupy Josh's mind. She glanced back and Josh and wished, for just a moment, that someday a man would stare at her like that.
He lit up at just the sight of her. Josh was always good at hiding just how much Donna affected him in the past, but Edie, knowing him for as long as she had, knew better. It was like they needed each other to be the best they could be and with them not speaking, well… she just knew that the campaign was not seeing the best of their spokesperson and campaign manager. She had discussed it with Lou and Ronna and they all agreed that something had to change. Lou tried to make it happen, but Vinick and the women's groups had managed to keep that from happening.
"Josh, you know you could…"
"I can't."
"Chicken?"
"It would be inappropriate. She doesn't want to talk to me and I couldn't… it's too hard… I mean, we're on the road and…"
"Were you this miserable on the Bartlet campaigns?"
"Not even close."
"Why?"
"Because I had…"
"What?"
"Her."
As she watched him, it was like the fog cleared in his head, like the road ahead of him had suddenly cleared and he could see what laid ahead.
"Lyman, my mother used to tell me, it doesn't matter where you are, just be happy with who you are with, and Lord knows we could all use you lightening up a bit!"
He finally tore his eyes away from Donna, who kept glancing across the bar at him.
Edie gave him a slight smile. "She really just the best of what's around?"
"Absolutely not. She's just the best."
"Well, then, maybe you should get off your ass and…"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah."
With that, he smiled at her and rocketed out of his seat and across to where she was sitting at the bar. Bram, Otto and Ronna all scurried away as Josh made his approach. They quickly joined Edie at the table to watch either a great reconciliation or World War III – Edie wasn't real sure which it was going to be yet.
The other three gasped at Josh and Donna both smiled brightly at each other and he sat down right next to her, but Edie, well, she just knew. She turned in her chair and drained her beer while the other three stared at her.
"What is that?" Bram asked, point back toward the couple.
She glanced over to see Josh and Donna, deep in conversation.
"That, my dear friends, once they get all their crap worked out, well, that will be the best of what's around."
With that, she left a tip on the table and headed out of the bar, with a quick nod to Josh and receiving a nod in return from her boss as she headed out toward her room, with her mission accomplished.