Chapter One
Notes:
This is the prequel to my first fanfic, "The Lyman Family". You do not need to have read that to understand this one, but it helps gain more insight. Thank you to everyone who read TLF – I appreciate your support and kind words so much – that's why I'm continuing! Let me try to explain further my little AU. It takes place in 2001 and the girls are now thirteen years old. The school they go to – The New School of Northern Virginia (which actually exists) is a grade 4-12 school. I guess the Bartlet Administration was back in the 80's. Everything that happened on the show happened in this AU, only in the 80's (and a fine era it was, may I add). Huck and Molly Ziegler were born in '86, and Katie and Audrey were born in '88. Anyone – did Sam go to Yale? I think this is right, but don't sue. I think that is everything. If not, I'll add more later. Thanks again for reading & I hope you enjoy!
Audrey Lyman confidently stepped out of the family's Jeep Grand Cherokee and looked across the sidewalk to the New School of Northern Virginia, the school she and her twin sister, Kaitlyn, had attended since fourth grade. Today was her first day of eighth grade. One more year until high school when she would move to the other wing of the school with the cooler, older kids and she wouldn't be stuck in this childish hell with a bunch of ten year olds.
Kaitlyn and Audrey had both turned thirteen over the summer and were curious about everything to do with high school and being a teenager. Audrey had lately been trying hard – maybe too hard – to get in with the high school crowd. With worried hearts, Donna and Josh Lyman, said goodbye to their budding, spunky daughter and her more reserved twin sister.
"Have a great day, girls." Josh told them. "Mom will be back to pick you up at 3:00."
"We know, dad!" Audrey complained, anxious to depart and get into school with her friends. "It's not like we're in kindergarten."
"Be good and listen to your teachers." Donna reminded her daughter seriously. Donna and Josh were worried at what the new school year would bring for their daughters, especially Audrey. On her last report card, some of her teachers had commented that she was inattentive and sometimes even disruptive in class by talking to friends. Her English teacher had even caught her text messaging in class on her cell phone once. Normally a straight-A student, she had slipped a little, getting three B's. Her grades were still fine, but it wasn't her best work, which everyone had become accustomed to getting.
The daughters of a U.S. Senator and an assistant to another Senator, a family friend, Sam Seaborn, the faculty seemed to automatically expect more of the Lyman girls. Katie and Audrey were both very aware of this fact, but handled it very differently. Audrey had always been the carefree one and handled the pressure in stride. She didn't seem bothered by it most of the time. Audrey just did her work, got her usual A, and went on to the next task. Kaitlyn wasn't as confident as her sister, and usually added more pressure to the situation that was necessary. She felt A's were always expected and high A's, if not 100's. If Katie got a 90, she would always feel her heart drop a little, disappointed in herself. She never told her parents this, but they knew she was a little hard on herself and felt it was somewhat good for her. It didn't help that she had a vivacious twin sister who didn't seem to care and who got almost equally good grades as she did.
Josh and Donna could tell Katie was not quite as excited as her sister at returning to school. Katie had been quiet the last few days and hadn't said a word during the car ride over.
Donna turned around in her seat to give her daughter a little extra encouragement. She met Katie's nervous eyes.
"Katie, you'll be just fine. The first day's always a little nerve-wrecking." Donna patted her knee.
"And you have nothing to worry about." Josh added, "Now you're the oldest in this wing of the school. You can pick on the younger kids."
Donna playfully hit her husband in the bicep. "Josh!"
"I know." She offered a small smile, even though their words had not encouraged her at all. "I'll see you at three, mom."
"Bye, sweetheart." Josh called as she stepped out of the SUV.
"Have a great day." Donna added as she finally shut the door. She turned to Josh in the driver's seat.
"It never gets any easier." Donna said as he put the car back into drive and started to pull out of the drop-off circle, which was crowded with other parents doing the exact same thing.
"What are you going to do when we have to drop them off at college?" Josh inquired, keeping his eyes on the road.
Donna let her head hit the rest on the back of the chair.
"God, Josh, don't even go there." Donna pleaded. They were growing up so fast – college was only five years away. They were eight years old five years ago. Where did the time go?
Josh reached over and took Donna's hand. Even though she joked around about it, he could tell that them getting older really bothered her. They went through this every year. Josh dreaded the day they would finally send them off to some college. Eighteen years of noise, story times, fights, and sleepovers and then suddenly nothing. Silence. How would they deal with that? He tried to push it out of his mind.
One thing at a time, Josh, he told himself. They're still only thirteen.
"They'll be fine." He ran his thumb over her knuckles, trying to soothe her. "They're good kids."
Katie made it a point to follow her sister at a distance as they entered school. She didn't want to get caught in her sister's shadow once again. Audrey was one of the most popular and pretty girls in the middle school and was even getting in with some of the high school kids. She had beautiful, straight blonde hair that shone in the sun and was maturely physically at a much faster rate than Katie. Katie felt she still looked like a little girl – her chest was still almost flat, she had no curves, and she had just gone through a bit of a growth spurt. Her dark brown, curly hair looked immature compared to Audrey's stunning coiffeur. She felt gangly and awkward, a stark contrast from her gorgeous, confident twin sister who was now greeting a group of about ten kids at the front entrance to the school. Katie sighed and decided to take the side door.
Katie sat at her science table during the last period of the school day. This was luckily the only class she had with Audrey this year. It was much better than when they were in elementary school. The New School was a small one, only allowing one classroom for grades four, five and six. Katie couldn't get away from her sister at all then. Not that she hated her sister – Audrey could just be a little, well, too popular. Katie preferred to be known as herself, not Audrey's sister, who is, oh yeah, a little bit geekier and not so attractive.
"You're in eighth grade now. That means you are expected to be responsible." The teacher, Ms. Lewis, rambled on, "That means you come to class prepared each day, you turn your assignments in on time, and you take notes and pay attention in class. Audrey Lyman!" She suddenly shouted.
Katie looked over and saw that her sister had been secretly reading a magazine under her table. Her head shot up but she didn't look embarrassed, as Katie knew she would be if in the same situation. Then again, Katie would never dream of reading a magazine in class.
Ms Lewis walked to Audrey's table and snatched the Teen People magazine out of her hands.
"I'll be keeping this." She announced to the class. "Audrey has also just demonstrated breaking on of the rules of my classroom." Ms. Lewis was glaring at the girl.
"Never bring anything to work on or read from another class or your personal magazine collection. You're on my time while in this classroom. If I catch anyone doing this, he or she will be required to write a letter home to mom and dad about what you did, why it was disrespectful, and how you'll be responsible in the future." She rattled on smugly. "Audrey, I'll need that tomorrow, signed by your parents."
The bell finally rang, releasing them from the tension and boredom in the room. As Ms. Lewis turned her back, Audrey made a silly face at her, making the class laugh. Ms. Lewis gave her a warning glare.
"I'll be watching you, Miss Lyman." She told her as Audrey walked towards the door.
Katie waited for her sister at the doorway, slightly amused but feeling bad for her sister.
"Smooth move, Audrey! Real smooth!" Katie teased, which got her an evil look.
"Shut up!" Audrey ordered her twin. "Not a word to mom and dad."
Katie gaped in surprise.
"You mean you're not going to tell them?"
"Of course not!" She exclaimed. "Katie, it's the first day of school and they already warned me about behaving at school. I'd be in so much trouble." Audrey knew her sister would be getting all goody-two-shoes on her and anticipated a rebuttal.
"Audrey…"
"Don't start, Katie, please." They stopped by their lockers, situated side by side in the ABC-arranged line. "I know what I'm getting myself into and I will fully accept the consequences if they ever find out. Which they shouldn't as long as you don't go postal on me."
"I'm not going to lie for you." Katie told her sister as they packed up the needed books.
"You won't have to. They're not going to ask, 'Katie, did your sister get in trouble today in science class?'." Audrey mocked. "Just don't mention anything and they won't ask and you won't have to lie."
"I don't know, Audrey." Katie was reluctant.
Audrey stood up and put both hands on her hips.
"Kaitlyn Marie Lyman, there is nothing wrong with a little fibbing every once in a while, especially when you're helping out your sister. Now swear to me you're not going to say anything." She ordered.
Katie looked down uncomfortably.
"Katie!" She persisted.
"Fine. I swear." She gave in.
"Good." Audrey pulled the straps of her backpack onto her shoulders. "Let's go find mom."
Katie uncrossed her fingers behind her back and quickly finished getting her things together. Finally, she joined Audrey, walking side by side out to the pick-up circle.
"Donna, do you know where that environmental memo is?" Sam asked his assistant. Donna Lyman had been working for her long-time friend, Sam Seaborn, for about three years now. After the girls had been born, she'd taken some time off until they'd turned ten. Josh and Donna had grown close to Sam years ago when they'd all worked together. Donna had then been Josh's assistant and eventually couldn't function without each other. Sam marveled at their relationship and was quick to snatch up the first-hand-witnessed hard-working Donna when she was looking for work again. She was amazing and was quickly outgrowing her job.
"Yeah, I just filed it away in that cabinet." She told him, always super organized and on top of things. "Here, I'll get it. I know exactly where it is." Donna got up and had the document in Sam's hands within seconds.
"Thanks, Donna. I don't know how you stay so organized. I guess they don't teach that at Yale." He joked about his alma mater. Donna laughed a little and Sam turned to go back to his office.
"Oh, Sam!" She called, causing him to turn around with his eyebrows perched up in attention. "I need to talk to you about something." Donna told her friend and boss with a nervous pit in her stomach.
"Jesus! Where's mom?" Audrey moaned as she picked at the school's lawn with her shoe at almost 3:20.
"She's just running a little late." Katie reasoned, though she was getting a little annoyed herself. Katie always had a mental argument with herself during instances like this. Her mom worked hard for Uncle Sam. She didn't need her daughters giving her a hard time about being a few minutes late. She had to take time out of her own day to come pick them up. Finally, they saw her pulling up.
"Hallelujah!" Audrey celebrated, tired from sitting in the pounding August heat. Audrey called shotgun and got in the front seat as her sister took the back.
"It's about time, mom." Audrey mumbled to her mother. Katie wanted to slap her sister upside the head for that comment, but harnessed her discontent just like she always had. It wasn't worth the verbal attach she'd get from her sister.
"Audrey, please do not speak to me like that." Donna reprimanded. "I needed to talk to your Uncle Sam for a few minutes and it took a little longer than I thought."
"Whatever." Audrey shook her head and stared out the window as her mother pulled out of the circle.
"Yeah, whatever. If that's the kind of attitude you're going to have during eighth grade, you'll be in for a very unpleasant year. Let's lose the attitude." Donna warned her shortly.
"You don't have to bite my head off, mom. Geez! Did Uncle Sam snap at your or something?"
"What? No, of course not. Uncle Sam's not like that. I've just got something on my mind." Donna peered into the rearview mirror to check traffic and caught Katie's sullen face instead.
"Are you okay back there, sweetheart?" Donna asked in a comforting voice.
"Yeah, mom, I'm fine. I just had a long day." Katie answered quietly, looking down at her feet.
"Well, that makes two-fourths of us, then." Donna said. "I think that's a large enough fraction to eat that Sara Lee cake we've been saving for weeks. Whaddaya think, Katie?"
"Okay, mom." Was all Katie said.
"Finally!" Audrey exclaimed. "I've had my eye on that thing for the longest time! And dad has too."
"Well, then, it's settled." Donna proclaimed, drumming the steering wheel happily a few times. "I have something important I want to talk to you about tonight."
"We're getting an eighteen-year-old male nanny?" Audrey guessed hopefully.
"Definitely not. Get your mind out of the gutter."
"What is it then?" Audrey pleaded.
"You'll find out tonight." Donna reiterated. At least Audrey seemed upbeat and interested. Donna wasn't sure how the girls were going to take her news. Sam had been heartbroken but 100 supportive. She and Josh had discussed her decision together at length, weighing every possible pro and con. They'd reached the decision together and hoped the girls would support it.
"Mom, you're such a drama queen."
"Yes, I know. Even worse around my two drama princesses." Donna teased. Then she took a deep breath and concentrated on the road.
Katie threw her backpack onto her bedroom floor, exhausted, and did what she always did after school: logged on to her AOL Instant Messenger. As of three weeks ago, she had an extra reason to make sure she logged on as frequently as possible. Two of her best friends, Molly and Huck Ziegler, had recently moved to New York City because their father, Toby Ziegler, had just been elected as a House Representative for the state. Uncle Toby had also worked with her parents and Uncle Sam years ago. Huck and Molly were like the older, wiser brother and sister she never had. They were also twins coincidentally, so they always related well to each other. Both twins were about to begin their sophomore years at a still undetermined high school in New York City. They'd all grown up together because their parents had stayed close throughout the years and they all understood the kind of environment the others lived in. When the Zieglers moved, Katie had been especially heartbroken. She'd become extremely close with them in the past year as Katie and Audrey had been beginning to grow apart. Katie was going through a touch and awkward time in her life and now her main support system was gone. She could really use Molly right about now. Molly knew all about the prepubescent girl crap she was experiencing. She'd just been through it herself.
Katie logged on under her screen name, katiebell88, the nickname her father had donned her soon after birth, followed by her birth year. She quickly looked to see if they were online.
Two windows popped up simultaneously before she had time to look from H-dog and crazymolly. Thank God they were on. They both had their own laptops and the three friends signed in to a chat room where they could all talk together.
H-dog: What's up, lil' Lyman!
crazymolly: hey, girl
katiebell88: hey, guys!
katiebell88: you have no idea how happy I am to talk to you!
crazymolly: we miss u like crazy!
katiebell88: how's nyc?
H-dog: it's pretty kewl, I guess
crazymolly: we haven't really had a chance to sightsee
crazymolly: we've been making public appearances
crazymolly: yippee
H-dog: ditto : (
Katiebell88: at least you're still on summer vac.
crazymolly: not much of a vac : (
H-dog: dad's really happy though
crazymolly: yep
crazymolly: how's home? any better?
katiebell88: it's okay
katiebell88: they're already getting on Audrey's case on the first day
H-dog: that sux
katiebell88: my mom apparently has some huge thing she wants to talk
to us about tonight…
crazymolly: oooh! sounds interesting!
H-dog: yeah
katiebell88: dunno…we'll see
katiebell88: dad just got home – he's calling
katiebell88: I better log off
crazymolly: okay, lil' sis! call if you need to
H-dog: take care & good luck!
katiebell88: bye, Z's; luv ya
Katie reluctantly logged off and made her way out to the kitchen where her parents were talking.
"I'll tell them tonight." She heard her mother say in a hushed whisper. What the hell was the big deal? This better be good and juicy, whatever it was. They both stopped talking and looked at Katie as soon as she entered the room.
"Katie-bell!" Her dad greeted and started to walk over to his daughter. "How was your first day back?" Josh asked as he gave her a big hug. She seemed like she needed on a lot lately. Plus, Audrey didn't let him hug her anymore. Katie was still his baby girl. His youngest had always been relatively confident, though never as confident as Audrey. Katie's self-worth had seemed to be spiraling downwards the past year or so. Josh didn't know why – Donna speculated it was all the changes a teen girl went through and the inevitable 'Who am I?' phase famous in the adolescent years. But Audrey seemed to be fine. Still, he'd give her as much support, reassurance and hugs in the meantime.
"It was fine, dad. Just really long." She admitted, though she assumed her mom had already told him.
"Yeah, that's what mom said."
Yep. Why did she have to tell him everything? Could this woman keep no secrets? She loved her mom, but this trait sometimes irritated her.
"Good news travels fast." Katie commented, avoiding their faces.
"Dinner's ready, anyway. We can talk later." Josh told her.
Who said anything about wanting to talk about it? Must they know everything about her life? Still, Katie kept it all inside and worded none of her objections. She picked up the plates with a tamed anger and marched to the dinner table.
After dinner, Donna busted out the Sara Lee cake just like she'd promised and the others were elated. A decoy, Katie and Audrey thought. What was up?
"Sweet substance of the Gods!" Josh announced as he took his first bite. Audrey dug in just as hungrily, whereas Donna and Katie took smaller, ladylike bites. They all enjoyed the cake for a minute or so amongst the occasional moan or grunt of approval.
"So, mom, what's the big news? You're not pregnant, are you? God knows I only have enough time to pick on one sibling and that's an overtime job with Katie here." Audrey jabbed.
"No, sweetheart." Donna cleared up. "But I think I'm ready to tell you now." She glanced over at Josh who smiled back at her with love and support in his eyes. He took her hand and squeezed, keeping his gaze locked on her.
The girls put their forks down in anticipation.
"Well, girls, I'm telling you this in hopes that I'll have your support, because Lord knows I'll need it."
"What is it mom?" Audrey coaxed.
"Your father and I have already discussed it and you know I talked to Uncle Sam today and it's fine with him."
"What mom!" Audrey moaned impatiently.
"I've decided to run for a seat in the House of Representatives."