DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters or dialogue taken directly from the show. I do not claim to be a political expert, I am far from that, I am a biology major. Therefore I would like to preface this story with the notion I wrote this story out of pure love of the show and the characters. Thank you & enjoy.

Part 7: Tuesday, January 18, 2000

Two days before the State of the Union.

"Mack, you have a call," Mary said as I walked into the office.

"I can't be bothered, Mary," I replied as I set my briefcase down next to my desk and handed her my jacket. "Alex isn't having a good day."

"What's wrong?"

"He has the stomach flu," I replied as I booted up my computer.

"That sucks. Mack, you have a call – "

"Mary!"

"I – I just … " she looked at me. "It's Josh."

I just stared at her a moment.

"Fine, I'll take it, but hold all other calls and get me the first five minutes Senator Davison has free."

"Okay … "

"Hey Mary?"

"Yeah."

"I'm sorry," I bit my lower lip in shame. She nodded and ran off. "Hello?"

"Mack."

"I really can't talk Josh, my brother's sick today and we have a boatload of work."

"When you get a chance could you please come down to the White House?"

"Am I in trouble?"

"No, just, when you get a chance."

"You know that chance may not be for a week, Josh," I turned as Mary ran back into the office.

"Yeah, I do, just whenever."

"Okay. I have to go. Bye."

"Senator Davison said that he'll see you now," Mary said.

"Great … " I grabbed my briefcase and ran to his office.

Two hours later.

My cell phone rang. An unidentifiable number popped up. I simply ignored it and continued drafting a grant proposal on behalf of the University of Maryland. My cell phone rang again. Sighing, I answered.

"Hello?"

"Mack … "

"Who is this?"

"It's Toby Ziegler from the White House."

I froze. My heart stopped. I got a throw-up hiccough.

"Yes?" I replied softly.

"Your father is here at the White House."

"Yes."

"He's here because the President collapsed. The President has been diagnosed with the flu and is running a fever. I am calling you because we're worried and Abby is flying home because the President has a fever."

"What do you want from me Toby?" my voice quivered.

"I want you to come to the White House right now, as quietly and calmly as possible, and be with your godfather because you're all he's asking for right now."

I looked at the mound of papers I had.

"I am only going to tell my secretary, okay?"

"That's fine. Please come here as soon as possible."

"Sure … "

I hung up and looked at the screen. Mary walked in carrying stacks of papers.

"Mary, close the door," I said softly.

She frowned and turned to me.

"I have to leave," I sighed. "There is an emergency with the President. He is sick right now. I am only telling you so that you can tell whoever asks for me that I had a family emergency. You do not need to specify the emergency, simply keep it vague. I do not know when I will be coming back. Notify the University of Maryland's Dean of Students and let them know that we are working on their grant; it is just going to be a little later than they wanted. Explain the circumstances. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

"Okay."

I rushed into the West Wing. My dad was there along with the entire senior staff. Jed looked worn out and older. He was slumped over in a chair, his blood pressure being read. At first all eyes turned to me and we all stared at each other. No words had to be exchanged. Everyone knew that the situation was grave – of course they did not know how grave the situation really was.

"McKayla … " Jed said softly.

I slowly walked over and looked down at him.

"Is he going to be okay?" I looked at my dad.

"I'll be fine!" he mustered as much strength as possible to say this, but it was not convincing.

"He'll be fine, McKayla," Dad said as he removed the blood pressure cuff and draped his stethoscope around his neck. "Sir, you need plenty of fluids and bed rest."

"Yeah, yeah … " Jed sighed and then looked back to me.

"Why am I here?" I looked at everyone as if they were all responsible for this.

"You're here because we know that by the time you get here on your own time, we'll be out of office."

"So? What's wrong?" I put my hand on my hip.

"Good luck with this one, Josh," Jed chuckled. "McKayla, the reason I've called you here to offer you a job here at the White House."

"Really, Sir, why did you call me here?" I smiled and then it faded as I realized he was serious. "Sir, I have a job. I work for my brother; we're a great team. Dad, did he tell you any of this?"

"He did," Dad sighed and continued packing his stuff up.

"I can't think about this right now. With all due respect, I have a mountain of paperwork to do for Alex and he's sick with the stomach flu. I can't stay any longer. Feel better, Sir," I turned, but my father's voice prevailed.

"McKayla Elizabeth Whitman, turn yourself around this instant and show your respect for the President of the United States."

An uncomfortable silence settled amongst us. I turned, on the brink of tears.

"What do you want of me?" I looked at my father and Jed.

"We want you to join our team," Jed replied.

"As what? Another assistant to an assistant?" I snapped.

"No, as a director of public relations. We've been having a bit of trouble in the area of communications; I thought you would do well to help us. I don't want to take you from your brother. You can still help him, but we'd like to see your face around the office every few days to give us your feedback and professional opinion. So what do you say?"

I sighed.

"I'll have to think about it, Sir. Is that okay?"

"Sure … "

"Can I go now?"

" … Sure … " Jed muttered.

"Sir, we need you in the situation room, then he'll head up to the residence. Is that okay Dr. Whitman?" Leo walked in.

"That's fine."

I looked over at Josh then left the Oval Office.

"Mack, wait."

"What do you want Josh?"

"Just, come here," he pulled me into this office. "What is it? What's bothering you?"

"Well the fact that the only reason I was called down here was to be embarrassed by my father and asked to join the White House staff."

"Is that so bad?" Josh tried to smile. "Seriously Mack, what's so bad?"

"I don't need any more complications thrown into my life. I am content with the way things are going now. I have a nice paying job with my brother, my own comfort zone up at the Hill, a wonderful boyfriend here at the White House." I smiled fixed Josh's tie. "What more could a girl want?"

"To get two nice paying jobs and get to see her boyfriend at least three times a week?"

"I don't know … " I stepped back and looked down. "I don't want whispers about this job going around up at the Hill. I have good relationships with Senators and Congressmen from both parties and I don't want that jeopardized because they think the President has a soft spot for his goddaughter who already had more than she needs."

"What does that matter?"

"It matters when I go to play poker with these people I turn over a ten, Jack, Queen, King, three! That's when it matters, Josh!"

"Mack, we really do need you and you're the best person for this job. You have people skills; your face looks nice on the cover of magazines, people generally like you. You know that's rare in DC – to be liked that is."

I looked away.

"Mack, we're not asking you to make a decision today, just really consider it and get back to us. We want you because you're good at what you do. You get things done and make others look good. Take your brother for example. He's a great senator, but I don't think he'd be half as great if you were not there – "

"Which is why I cannot leave him!"

"But you wouldn't be! You would be here for a few days and the rest you would spend with him doing his stuff - !"

"Josh, you know that's not how it's going to go," I looked at him. "You know that there is always a crisis that needs to be solved and that America has to put her best side forward and that's when I'll be called in, right as I'm drafting a grant proposal for the University of Maryland. And then I'll never get around to it because I have official government orders and this new job supercedes my old one. And then U of Maryland will have some shit proposal thrown together at the last minute by one of our secretaries and then the deans will be pissed at us. It just can't happen, Josh."

He smiled. I reveled in his ability to smile at the peak of my freaking out.

"You'll be fine," he kissed my forehead and then sat down at his desk.

"That's all you're going to say to me?" I asked incredulously.

"Yeah," he continued to smile.

"And if I decline the job offer?"

"Whatever," he shrugged.

"Wait, were we not just arguing – "

"Mack, I love you, I trust you. Whatever. The President is still going to care for you even if you don't accept his job offer," he opened a folder and began sorting through papers.

"Josh, just one question," I asked with hand on the door.

"What?"

"Who thought of this position and to have me in it?"

"Toby Ziegler," Josh smiled at my shock.