Chapter Two

Thanks to everyone who pointed out that Sam went to Princeton for undergrad and then Duke for Law School. Also – I couldn't remember Huck and Molly's names at the time I started writing. When I went back and changed their names, I forgot to change a few spots – oopsy! But, yeah, their names are Huck and Molly, just like in the show. Without further ado, here it is. Thanks so much for everyone who read ch. One.

"Huh?" Was the first thing Katie had said for the last five minutes in response to her mother's news. It was about the last thing Katie thought her mother would say. She already had one parent in Congress, she didn't need two.

Donna chuckled nervously in response to her daughters' gaping mouths. Josh kept his eyes on his wife in support.

"I, uh…I'm running for one of the open seats for Connecticut for the next election in 2002." She smiled, now unsure of her decision than ever. Her children's support meant everything to her. She couldn't do this if they were going to be in opposition.

"Why?" Audrey asked her candidly.

Donna tucked a piece of her golden blonde hair behind her ear even though it had already been in place.

"Well, I've been working for Uncle Sam for a while now and I kind of feel like it's time to spread my wings a little."

Katie took a sip out of her empty glass of water, trying to drain out any tiny drop to soothe her shock. Josh finally looked over at his girls, sensing it wasn't going well. Katie seemed especially upset, but she was keeping it all in.

"Girls, this is a great opportunity for your mom and she's an excellent candidate. She deserves our support." He told them seriously. They knew this wasn't going to be easy to tell them, but he just wished they'd say something.

"Connecticut?" Audrey asked. "Are we going to have to move like the Zieglers?" Leaving her friends was the first thing on her mind.

"No, sweetheart." Josh clarified, a little disappointed that was the first thing on her mind. "We'd stay right her in D.C. You wouldn't have to move."

The girls had been through elections before when Josh had run for the House and later the Senate. They knew what would be coming: being dragged on the campaign trail for at least part of the time, making public appearances as a family, and minding their manners. Both instantly dreaded it and Audrey was the first one to vocalize it.

"But you can't run! Dad's already a politician. We can't have two!"

"Audrey, your mother's entitled to do whatever she wants, and she decided this is what she'd like to do."

"But…" She stumbled, wondering why she was the only one who found this totally preposterous. "You can't run! You have to be here for us!"

Josh and Donna would have to write that one down. Audrey actually wanted her mother around. Donna still wasn't saying anything so Josh stepped back in.

"You're getting older, girls, and you're perfectly capable of taking care of yourselves after school." Josh reasoned with them. Or just her. Katie still hadn't really said anything. She was currently staring a hole into the table. Josh grabbed her hand, startling her a little bit.

"Sorry." He apologized when he saw her jump. "Are you okay, sweetheart?"

"I…" She stammered.

"But then we'll have to take the bus!" Audrey shallowly complained.

"Audrey, there are greater issues at hand here." Josh finally called her on her selfishness. "Your mom has the opportunity to follow her dreams and really make a difference in the world."

Donna finally spoke again.

"Girls, I know this is sudden and it would mean a huge change in lifestyle, but it's something I really want to do. Like your dad said."

Audrey shook her head in disbelief.

"Whatever, mom. Just do what you want."

Audrey pushed her chair out noisily and threw her napkin down on her plate.

"Audrey!" Josh called her gently. Even though her words had been somewhat selfish and short, he hated to see her upset about it. Josh had seen what his elections had done to them years ago. It exhausted them to no end, but they would need to be there at least part of the time with them. He couldn't stand to be away from them for too long, and he knew Donna wouldn't be able to either. Josh could tell they were just thinking of the negative things right now. They weren't thinking about all the interesting people they would meet, the places they would see, and all the fun they'd have together traveling across the country.

"Just leave her, Josh, it's fine." Donna told him as they heard her door shut loudly.

"No, I'm gonna go talk to her." Josh decided. He didn't sound mad, just a little frustrated and disappointed. Josh got up and tossed his napkin on his plate also, making his way to Audrey's room.

Donna watched her husband walk away and then turned her attention quickly back to Katie, who seemed to be trying to compose herself. She reached her hand across the table and took Katie's.

"I know it's hard, Katie. And it's a shock, but this is something I've always dream of doing. I hope you can understand that. I can't do this without you."

"I know mom. It's okay." She offered quietly. What she really wanted to do was stand up and yell out, 'No! Please don't do this!', but that just wasn't her. Her mom needed their support, and, as usual, she was the one that ended up showing reluctant support and Audrey had thrown her mini-tantrum, escaping the real issue at hand.

"Thank you, sweetheart." Donna managed as tears formed in her eyes. "I can always count on you." She loved both her daughters deeply and equally, but Katie had always had a tenderness and compassion towards others that Audrey rarely showed.

Katie choked back the tears that were threatening to spill over – tears that had been burning in confusion. She hated the role she had in this family. Picking up the pieces Audrey threw around at will; always being quiet and never showing her true feelings out of guilt.

"I need to go do my homework." She announced, wanting out of the situation.

"Okay, honey. I'll be back later to say goodnight."

Oh my God! Katie screamed in her head. Just leave me alone – I'm not six years old!

Josh tapped on the door covered with hunky teenage boy pin-ups. He always had to resist the urge to tear them down when he went to Audrey's room.

"What?" The angry owner of the room demanded.

"It's dad. We need to talk." He peeked in the door to find her throwing one of about twenty garments from the floor into the hamper. Audrey was what he referred to as an angry cleaner – she only picked up when something was bothering her. This way, she got to throw things around.

"Come in, I guess." She mumbled.

"You wanna try that again?" He told her. Josh and Donna had been trying to be consistent about not letting Audrey get away with the mouthy comebacks or utterances she'd been trying out at length lately.

"Come in." She replied in a mock-sweet voice."

"Thank you." He came in and closed the door, immediately heading to her bed. He quickly cleared off the pile of crap that had somehow found its way there since the last time she'd slept.

"Come sit down." He patted the space next to him. "We need to have a little conversation."

Audrey sighed theatrically and rolled her eyes, knowing an inevitable lecture lay ahead. She sat as far away from Josh as possible and stared out the window defiantly. Josh wasn't going to let her get away with this cold shoulder crap she frequented.

"Uh-uh." He told her, eyebrows raised. "Over here." He pointed again to the space beside him. "This Queen Bee attitude stuff is not flying in this house. You will look at me and talk to me, understand?"

Audrey nodded and looked at him reluctantly.

"Better." He commented. "Now tell me why your mother running for election is bothering you so much."

"You wouldn't understand." She mumbled, looking down.

"Excuse me?" He tilted his head to get a look at her face, guessing she was being a smart-ass once again.

"I said you wouldn't understand!" She repeated much louder for him, suddenly not caring what he thought, meeting his stern gaze again.

"Why don't you try explaining it to me."

"How about I don't!" She answered back quickly with edge in her voice. She was so tired of him asking her to explain everything to him. It's not that complicated – she didn't want her mom to run for elections because it just might ruin her life.

"Listen, little lady. I don't know who in the hell you think you are, but you do not get by talking to anyone like that! You are just asking for it!"

Audrey just crossed her arms and looked away.

"Your mother is running for the House whether you like it or not. You can make this a supportive family venture, or you can make your life a living hell, it's your choice."

"It'll be a living hell either way." Audrey retorted, just loud enough for him to hear.

Josh resisted the instinct to blow up at her and took a different route, not letting her experience the thrill of knowing she'd gotten to him.

"Why don't you just stay in here the rest of the night until you can talk to your mother and me in a civil, respectful manner. Until then, I don't want to hear any television, music, talking on the phone, or typing on your computer. You've been warned."

Josh left the room and was proud of himself for not going off on her. It had taken him years to tame his temper. He loved to take the easy, fun way out when battling political opponents years ago. After he'd had kids, he'd come to realize people deserved to be listened to (most people, anyway), and not attacked. He most certainly didn't gain anything on the home front by bellowing and letting his anger take over like he used to.

He joined his wife in the dining room, where she was beginning to clear the dishes away.

"Honey, you don't need to do the dishes." He said, taking the plates from her hands. "I'll take care of it."

"Thanks, Josh." She wiped her hands on her jeans. "How'd it go with Audrey?" She asked, already guessing the answer based on the voices that had been resonating throughout the house.

Josh sighed heavily, attending to the washing up, but focusing still on Donna.

"Not too well." The understatement of the year.

Donna put her hand on her forehead and closed her eyes, shifting her weight.

"She'll come around." Josh reassured her. "Once she gets over herself. She's just been so self-involved lately, Donna. Don't take it personally."

"It's hard not to." Donna admitted, now leaning against the counter, facing Josh with her arms crossed.

Josh could tell this was really upsetting her, so he turned off the faucet and quickly dried his hands on a tea towel.

"Donna," He began, standing in front of her, trapping her between him and the counter. "You are the most amazing person I've ever known, and I know I'm biased." He quickly added when he saw a look of objection and dismissal on her face, resting his hands on her sides.

"Don't let Audrey bring you down. You deserve this. This is what you want. You still want this right?" He questioned her, realizing he'd just been assuming that's what she still wanted.

"Yes, of course."

"Okay." He whispered, letting his forehead rest against hers. "Then we'll do it."

Donna smiled at him with that child-like excitement and hope he'd always loved about her. She'd always been his rock, and now it was his turn to keep her going. This was going to be so hard, but he'd do anything for her. He always had and always would.

Katie quickly logged on to her AOL Instant Messenger, anxious to let her frustration out. She knew Huck and Molly would understand, having just survived their father's election. They were the only ones who would get it. The hard work, agony, and endless days were complete hell to live with and she was just supposed to be all smiles all the time about it.

Only Huck was on at the moment.

katiebell88: Huck!

H-dog: hey Katie

H-dog: what's up?

katiebell88: my life is ruined!

H-dog??

katiebell88: my mom's running for the House in Con.

H-dog: r u serious?

katiebell88: this sux so bad

katiebell88: what am I gonna do?

H-dog: calm down –

H-dog: did u just find out?

katiebell88: yeah just now

H-dog: r u okay?

katiebell88: no

H-dog: log off and call me

katiebell88: why?

H-dog: u need to talk to someone, not type

katiebell88: okay

H-dog: call me right away

katiebell88 has logged off

H-dog has logged off

Katie cried as she frantically dialed the Zieglers' house in New York. Huck's dad, Toby, answered unexpectedly. Huck didn't have a phone in his room and probably had to rush out to the kitchen.

"Hello?" The deep, all-too-familiar voice answered.

"Uncle Toby?" She sniffled.

"Katie, is that you?"

"Yeah." She cried more.

"Honey, what's wrong?"

"I need to talk top Huck." She told him, hoping she wasn't offending him.

"Sure. He's right here."

Katie heard the phone being handed over. Great, she thought. Uncle Toby will make Huck tell him what's wrong and then he'll tell her parents and they'll be upset with her for not coming to them and then she'll feel guilty and so will they…

"Katie?" Huck said quietly.

"Huck!" She immediately felt better after finally hearing his familiar voice instead of typed words.

"Let me go up to my room with the cordless, hold on." He said. Katie imagined her Uncle Toby putting his hands on his hips and looking a little frustrated at being kept out of the loop.

"Okay, I'm there. What's going on?" He asked with so much concern that she wanted to start bawling.

"I don't understand why she would want to do this to us! She knows how hard the campaign trail is on us!" She started.

"Yeah." He let her know he was listening but he just let her pour her heart out.

"And I really don't want it to happen but I can't say anything because Audrey's gone off on them about it so now I have to mop up the mess…"

"Katie!" Huck finally cut her off in this familiar territory. "You know you don't have to let Audrey dictate what you do. You're your own person. You don't always have to be yin and yang."

"Huck, I can't…"

"Yes, you can." He told her. "You just say it – 'Mom, I don't want you to run for this election.'"

"It's not that simple. You don't have to look at mom's face."

Huck sighed into the phone, now knowing how to counter that one. The Katie/Audrey relationship had been one subject he'd gotten used to discussing over the years with Katie. He could probably get a doctorate in it. But she's pulled out the mom card. That was something he didn't know well. He and his sister had lived with their dad since they were about nine. Their mom just couldn't handle the single mom thing anymore so they got shuffled to their dad's, where they'd been ever since.

"Sorry, Huck." Katie immediately apologized, hoping she hadn't stirred up any difficult moments. "I didn't mean to…"

"It's okay. Don't worry about it. Listen, Molly might be better at this kind of stuff, but she's at softball practice right now. I'll have her call you later, okay?"

"Okay." She agreed. "Thanks, Huck."

"Don't mention it. You just need to be honest with them, K." He used his nickname for her.

"Okay. Bye."

"Bye."

Click.

He made it sound so easy. Just be honest with them. She still felt like a little girl around her parents. They were above her – people who you didn't want to make mad or test. Katie wasn't exactly afraid of them; she just never wanted them to be disappointed in her. To see that look on their faces and in their eyes.

Katie had been so engrossed in her telephone conversation that she hadn't even noticed her father poke his head in to check on her. He'd heard everything – that she hated the idea of her mother running for the House; she hated that Audrey got all the attention with her fits; that she was afraid of sharing her feelings.

Josh quickly backed away from Katie's door as he heard her say goodbye to Huck. Poor girl – she missed Huck and Molly so badly. Now she had this to deal with on top of all that and her new problem with self-confidence. He walked back to the kitchen table where Donna was nursing a glass of wine in contemplation of this new situation they had on their hands. She looked up at him lovingly but with concern mixed in too.

"Donna…" He sat down at the head of the table, to his wife's right.

"I don't know if I should do this, Josh." She cut him off, assuming he was going to talk her into it.

"Yeah, about that." He began, unsure of how to talk to her about what he'd just witnessed. "I think you should still run, but I need to tell you something."

Donna suddenly looked very vexed again as she waited for Josh to explain.

"I just kind of overheard a conversation. Katie was on the phone with Huck Ziegler, and she was talking about how she didn't like the idea of you running, and that she was sick of Audrey and her little tantrums. And, uh…."

"There's more?" Donna whispered, already upset by the news.

"And she doesn't feel like she can express her feelings." Josh managed to get it out, and watched his wife's face closely for any hint as to how she was taking it. She looked hurt and worried, like he'd predicted. They worked hard to raise honest, hard-working, self-confident girls, and everything she'd just heard pretty much crumbled that vision.

"She can't express her feelings?" She repeated.

"She doesn't feel comfortable doing so. I think it's probably, in large part, due to Audrey's personality. She's kind of the alpha chick in this household, unfortunately."

"Yeah. How did we let this happen? She's been feeling so alone all this time and she hasn't said anything?"

Donna was looking tearful, so Josh got up and squeezed into the chair with her, wrapping his arms around her from behind. He kissed her on the cheek and nestled his head next to hers. Normally responsive with at least a touch or a movement, Donna just stared blankly ahead.

"God, Josh. Is it really this bad? How haven't I noticed?"

Josh rubbed her arm, trying to soothe her, but he was just as puzzled as she was. It broke his heart to think that their daughter couldn't be honest with them and even hid her emotions from them.

"She shields herself so well. I don't think you weren't an attentive mother, Donna, if that's what you're thinking. We can't read her mind."

"Are we not open enough with her? She doesn't feel comfortable around us."

"Well, she thirteen years old, Donna. She may not be coming to us with everything now." Josh couldn't believe the words that were coming out of his mouth. They were growing up, and he was about the last person to accept the fact that he wasn't number one in their lives anymore. Josh could tell that hit Donna like a ton of bricks.

"I know, baby." He kissed her again and squeezed her tight. Having kids was the most rewarding and agonizing thing that had ever happened to him, both at the same time.

"We need to go talk to her, Josh." Donna suddenly felt steeled in her resolve to confront these feelings her daughter had.

"Maybe we shouldn't tonight, honey." Josh suggested. "She's still pretty upset, and I don't know if she'll be mad at me for listening in on her phone call."

Donna started to get up and Josh let her, rising with her, but keeping his hands on her.

"No, we need to do it now. We need to tell her it's okay. I don't want her going to bed feeling this alone." She said frantically, still tearful.

Josh still didn't think it was a good idea, given his wife's current emotional state. He didn't want her to say anything she might want to take back later.

"Donna, are you sure? Are you really okay?" Josh questioned her as she began to walk towards Katie's room. He was at her heels, still unsure of the confrontation.

"Yes. I need to do this."

"Okay." Josh figured he shouldn't mess with an upset mother trying to get to her child. He held back a second and waited as he saw Donna disappear into Katie's room, leaving the door open. As Josh stood there, his mind wandered to Audrey. He hadn't expected her to be so quiet and obedient. She was probably listening to her personal CD player with her headphones on, so she wouldn't make any audible noise. Josh decided to go check on her and prepared himself for another confrontation. Audrey was definitely a fighter.

Josh knocked on her door, waiting for her to tell him to come in. When he didn't hear an answer, he knocked a little louder.

"Audrey? It's dad. Can I come in?"

Still no response. Josh was sure she was probably jamming away with her headphones on, unable to hear him calling. He pushed the door open and his eyes fell upon an empty room.

"Audrey? Where are you?" He called. Josh stepped into the room and looked in her closet. Tons of clothes scattered around, but no Audrey. He frantically searched the other corners and crevices and finally concluded she'd snuck out of her room.

"Donna!" He yelled from the middle of the room at the edge of her bed.

Donna reluctantly got up from Katie's bed where they were just beginning to start their conversation when she heard her husband bellowing. Something was wrong. She could tell by his tone.

"What is it?" She reached the doorway.

"Audrey's gone."