Chapter One Part One

Hello, all! So, I still have one more chapter to write for "The Lyman Twins", but this one just started flowing. I'm just throwing this out there. This fic is not for everyone – the West Wingers aren't even involved in politics in this story, they're all teachers. This fic will be mostly centered around J/D and their kids because they're my favorites. I really have no idea where I'm going with this, so if you have any awesome suggestions, feel free to send them! I hope you don't think I'm too psychotic and messed up. If you think this is awful, please tell me (but gently, please!). This chapter was really long, so I split it into two parts. Please review!

By Friday morning, everyone was always dead tired in the Lyman household and this one was no different. The world seemed asleep when Josh Lyman shut his alarm clock off. Whether it was getting up at six every day or the endless amount of work that went into his job, Josh was always ready for the week to end.

He rubbed his eyes, letting out a tired sigh that seemed to go throughout his entire body and swung his feet over the bed. As he looked around the room, everything was blurry. Finally, he glanced over at the clock on his bedside table. 7:03. 7:03?

"Shit!" He yelled, waving his hand up in the air in defeat. If his girlish scream hadn't woken his children yet, all three would now get a rude awakening. Josh bolted out of the bedroom door and darted to the left.

"Brandon!" he yelled as he hurriedly forced open the door. The door was stopped about six inches out due to a large pile of dirty clothes on the floor, but he finally managed to poke his head through. "Brandon, get up we're really late!" He told his second-oldest. From beneath the sheets, fifteen-year old freshman Brandon Lyman stirred and picked his head up, still not sure what was going on.

"Huh?"

Josh tried to push the door open again, and with a few hard pushes, finally succeeded.

"It's already after seven, sport, we need to get a move on." He ratted on as he hopped over a few piles to finally reach his son's window. With one quick pull, the blinds were open and the morning sun poured into the hideous bedroom.

"Jesus, dad. This is, like, the second Friday in a row this has happened. Your alarm clock sucks." Josh had been known by many of his colleagues and friends to not have a good track record when it came to being on time to work late in the week. Nobody could blame him. He was a single father raising three kids on a teacher's salary.

"I've told you to get your own alarm clock." Josh reminded his son as he hopped his way back to the bedroom door. "What are you going to do when you get to college? Ask me to call you each morning? I don't think so! Move it!"

Brandon started to roll out of bed, motivated by the chance of getting to the bathroom before either of his sisters. On days like this, he would be lucky to get any mirror time if one was already in there.

Next, Josh dashed diagonally across the hall to his youngest daughter's room. Madeline Marie Lyman, aged eleven, looked like a young angel as she slept peacefully beneath her pale yellow comforter. With one arm posed gently above her head, he almost didn't have the heart to wake her. Though he really didn't have a moment to spare, Josh stopped a few moments to watch her sleeping so serenely. It looked as if she didn't have a care in the world. Finally, he strode carefully across the room and knelt down next to her bed. Stroking her hair back gently, he whispered her name as non-urgently as possible to wake her.

"Madeline? Maddy? Time to wake up." He told her and she began to stir. She pawed at her face with the back of her hand as she started her routine cat stretch of the morning.

"What time is it?" She croaked out.

"7:07." He told her and anticipated a screech. Immediately, the growing pre-teen girl sat up straight in bed and hopped out.

"7:07! Jesus, dad! Why don't you set two alarms?" Maddy complained, echoing her brother without knowing it. Josh thought to himself that the serenity of his youngest sleeping was now over. A sixth grader full of energy, Madeline was definitely the spunkiest of the three of his children. You never would have guess it as a baby – she chose to wait around a full two extra weeks before she decided to show her pretty face. That was one of the best and worst moments of his life – the moment when one of his children was born and the moment he lost his wife forever. The spunkiness and demand for attention came days later for baby Maddy. Colic was an understatement. It was as if she knew that something had been taken from her far too early; that she'd been cheated out of getting to know her mother Marie.

"Or you could get one!" Josh suggested again, following Maddy out of her bedroom as she made her way to the bathroom she shared with two siblings. Finding that the door was already closed, she banged on it, demanding her brother to get out. "Patience, Maddy, patience." Josh told her as he at last went across the hall to his oldest daughter's room, Carly. Carly had just begun her junior year of high school and was the only child of his that Josh thought of as responsible – almost too responsible. Josh knocked gently on her bedroom door and called her name before he pushed on it.

"What, dad?" Came a voice from inside. As Josh opened the door all the way, he could see that seventeen-year-old Carly was already dressed and ready to go, finishing with her make-up at her vanity center.

"How long have you been up? I thought you'd be snuggled up in bed." He questioned her with one hand on his hip. Carly turned her head and gave her father a sweet smile.

"Since 6:15."

"And you didn't think to come wake me up?"

"Sorry. I wanted the bathroom to myself." She replied innocently. Josh opened his mouth to speak but didn't know what to say. After a few seconds, he finally managed.

"Get your brother and sister moving and we'll discuss this later." He told his daughter with amusement in his voice and with a point of his finger.

"Whatever, dad." Carly chuckled. Carly really was the responsible child of the family. Faced with difficult circumstances at far too early an age, Carly had taken on the mother role to her two younger siblings. She was very mature and wise for her age and this sometimes made Josh forget that she was only seventeen and not yet an adult.

As Josh exited Carly's room, he assumed that he'd still see Maddy pounding on the bathroom door to get her brother out, but silence fell on his ears. It was almost 7:10 and they needed to leave by 7:20, so he quickly headed off to his bedroom where he thankfully had his own bathroom to get ready in. As he headed towards the bathroom door, Josh soon discovered why there was no pounding on the other door.

"Madeline Marie Lyman, you've got to be kidding me!" He knocked on the bathroom door. "Get out of there this instant, that's my bathroom!"

"Not anymore!" He heard her call back, teasing him.

"You'll pay for this, young lady!"

"Oooh, I'm really scared!" Maddy laughed. Josh and Madeline got a big kick out of each other, having similar personalities and the same sense of humor. Even though she was growing up quickly, she was still his baby girl and he'd always be so protective of her.

"Dad!" He heard from around the corner. Josh spun around to see Carly standing in the doorway. He raised his eyebrows.

"Yeah?"

"You will still be able to leave at 3:30 today, won't you?" Her face was serious.

"Oh!" He remembered, rubbing his face with his hand. "Yeah, yeah, yeah, sweetheart. Three thirty's fine."

Josh taught history at the high school where Carly and Brandon went. He'd been teaching at Washington High for almost twenty years now, since before he was even married. Two years ago when Carly started at Washington, it was a little weird seeing her around the building and hearing about her in conversations and having some of her friends in class. It had been an adjustment, but they got used to hearing about each other by the end of the first year. Now, Josh was going through the same thing with Brandon.

Josh had agreed to let Carly have a few friends over that night for a sleepover. All the girls Josh had known pretty much their entire lives because their parents were also colleagues of his. They'd all been friends for years before their children were born, some even going back to the college years. All their children were born close to the same time, so they occasionally had each other's kids in class also.

"Great." She said and turned to go down the stairs.

"Carly!" He stopped her. Carly leaned back to listen. "Remember what we talked about? No more than the four of you and keep it down."

"Okay." She said sarcastically, making a funny face. Josh knew she was joking around but gave her an evil glare. Carly rolled her eyes and headed down the stairs.

By 7:20, everyone was in the car, breakfast bars in hand with Josh trying to drive with one hand. Carly was in the front seat and was messing with the radio.

"Get off." Josh told his daughter, lightly slapping her hand.

"Dad! We never get to listen to our music."

"That's because it sucks and it should be outlawed."

"Just because it's not prehistoric doesn't mean it's not good."

"Don't get me started on today's music." He glanced in his rearview mirror at Brandon and Madeline. "Brandon, did you get your AP speech written last night?"

"Yeah, dad. I'm sure Mr. Ziegler will be impressed."

Madeline spoke up, "What is AP speech anyways? For people who can talk really really fast?" She laughed at her own joke. It got a chuckle from her father.

"Maddy, that was worse than one of dad's jokes." Her older sister commented.

At Washington High School, the new English teacher, Ms. Donna Moss, was getting things ready in her classroom. She'd recently moved here after divorcing her husband with her two children. Her oldest, Justin, was especially upset because this was his senior year and he had to change schools. Her daughter Ali was eleven years old and a little more optimistic. After dropping Ali off at her elementary school, Justin was stuck hanging around in his mom's room until the bell rang.

"Sweetheart, did you get your history homework done at a reasonable time last night?" Donna looked up from her desk at her son, perched on one of the student desks nearby looking rather sullen.

"Yes, mom." He groaned. Justin hadn't exactly been easy to get along with lately with all his resentment towards his parents for his current situation. It was still only a few weeks into the school year and hadn't really made many friends yet.

"You know how strict Mr. Lyman is about turning those in on time."

"I got it done, mom. Don't worry."

"Just checking. Oh, are you coming to Ali's meet tomorrow or not? We need to leave at eight a.m." His mother's questions were never really questions but suggestions. The look on Justin's face showed his obvious lack of being able to argue with her.

"Justin, it would mean so much to her. You know how nervous she gets at those things, with dozens of gymnasts her age or older. She's terrified, and with dad not there…"

"Mom, okay!" Justin didn't like conversations that turned in to anything to do with his dad. He frankly didn't want to see him or hear about him. "I'll go. I'd just rather sleep in. Seeing preteens dance around like fairies doesn't exactly thrill me."

Donna ran a hand through her long, straight blonde hair in frustration. Life hadn't exactly been easy since leaving her husband. She was frustrated; the kids were frustrated; and she still didn't know anyone close by she could rely on. She clung to her children and found her joy in her interaction with them and her students.

"I know, Justin. Thank you for doing it."

The bell rang for the students to be released into the building for the beginning of school. The students had ten minutes to go to their lockers and get to class.

"Have a good day, Justin. I love you." Donna looked up at him from sorting some papers at her desk. Justin apathetically picked himself up and headed out the door with a simple goodbye.

Josh Lyman had just dropped his youngest daughter off at her elementary school two blocks away and was now "walking quickly" – but not quite running – down the hallway to his classroom with his two kids close behind him (it wouldn't be cool to walk with him). He had a test to give first period and the kids got mad when they didn't have their ten minutes before class to cram for it.

"Bye, kids, have a good day." Josh said over his shoulder as he passed the hallway where his two offspring would turn to get to their lockers.

"Three thirty! Don't forget!" He heard Carly yell to him. Josh waved his hand above his head in acknowledgement. He walked quickly up the stairs to the second floor. Josh knew all the kids would be waiting outside the door and the crammers would be mad."

"Hey, Josh." He almost ran into his longtime friend Sam Seaborn, who taught English at Washington High. "What, did you sleep in again? You know, your alarm clock sucks."

"You know, Sam, I do have your daughter in class. I would hate for her to have to pay the price for your sarcasm."

"Hey, wouldn't hurt. Plus, you're stuck with her tonight and how many other hyper teenagers?"

"You'll have your turn soon."

"I'll be sure to send lots of sugar." Sam yelled over his shoulder as he headed to his own classroom.

Just as Josh had predicted, a group of about ten students were gathered outside the locked door of his classroom.

"You kids are really pitiful, you know that, don't you?" Josh teased them as he fumbled with his keys.

"Mr. Lyman," started Andy, the class loudmouth, "We need time to study."

"Yes, Andy, it's called home."

"It's bad for your health to stay indoors all day, Mr. Lyman. Do you want me to be unhealthy?"

"I'll just keep my mouth shut." Josh pushed the door open and tossed his bag onto his desk. "Sorry, guys, we all slept in again." He ran a hand through his hair as he sat on the edge of his desk as the students streamed in.

"I'm feeling kind of generous today; I may be getting sick – but I'll give you ten minutes to cram."

I general sound of glee swept across the room as they all started flipping through their books, looking for last-minute a-ha's.

Across the school, Carly sat in Ms. Moss's junior English class chatting with her best friend, Courtney Seaborn.

"I'm so glad I'm staying at your house tonight, Carly." Courtney complained to her life-long friend. The girls had been through many things together throughout the years, connected through their parents. Courtney's mother Ainsley was like a second mother to her and she adored Sam. Courtney was feeling a little overwhelmed by all the extra parental attention and criticism she'd been getting since her older sister Alexandra had left for college last month.

"It can't be that bad, Courtney."

"They're on me about everything like stink on cheese!" She explained. "They can't bug Alex anymore because she doesn't hardly call home from Yale, so I get all the flack."

Carly just shrugged to her friend as she saw Ms. Moss about to begin at the front of the room. She thought Courtney was really just exaggerating a bit too much. They were teenagers – they were supposed to hate their parents, but Carly really didn't hate any of them.

"Okay, class, today we're beginning our discussion of The Scarlet Letter. I asked you to read the introduction and chapter one last night and there is a particular section in the intro I want to talk about. Ummm…" She surveyed her students. "Carly, would you please read the first paragraph for the class?"

Carly's heart dropped and she felt her face get hotter and her hands were getting clammy. She decided to stall and perhaps she'd get frustrated and pick someone else.

"Excuse me?"

Ms. Moss looked over at Carly confused and repeated her request. "The first paragraph. Will you please read it for the class?"

"I'd really rather not." Carly couldn't believe she'd actually gotten that out. She felt like diving under her desk or running out the room at the thought of reading aloud in class. She hadn't had to do that in years and the thought of all the embarrassment and feelings of inadequacy washed over her.

"Is there a problem?"

"No, I just…I…"

"I'll read, Ms. Moss." Courtney spoke up, who sat right in front of Carly.

"Alright, Courtney, go ahead." Donna was confused but could see that whatever it was, Carly seemed really afraid of reading aloud. She couldn't figure out why a seventeen year old girl wouldn't want to read out loud to the class. She knew she could read – she wouldn't be here otherwise. Donna knew her father and it just didn't seem like a possibility that Carly wouldn't be able to read. Donna contemplated what to do in her head as Courtney read aloud.

Donna had continued with her lesson after the altercation with Carly. Not knowing what was up, she didn't call on her again that day, but decided to ask her to stay after class.

As the bell rang, she called Carly over to her desk and waited for the other students to leave.

"Carly, stop being a dork. She needs to know." Donna heard Courtney tell her friend. Carly was looking a little unconfident as she approached the wooden desk at the front of the room.

Donna gave her student a reassuring smile as she came over. "Here, take a seat." She motioned to a chair close to the desk.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to be rude, Ms. Moss." She immediately apologized.

"Don't be sorry, Carly. I just want to know what's bothering you. Are you having problems at home or have a fight with someone?" She immediately went into the obvious.

"No, nothing like that. I…it's dumb really."

"No, go ahead. You can tell me." Donna prepared for the worst.

"Well, actually I have dyslexia. I just get really nervous when I have to read out loud because I stumble on the words a lot and I sound like an idiot."

Woah. Donna didn't see that one coming. Wasn't she supposed to be notified about things like this?

"Dyslexia? That's when you…"

"My brain. It's wired wrong. It makes reading a lot harder. My case isn't that bad, but enough for me to suck at reading out loud."

"Okay. And how about reading to yourself? Is that easier?"

"A little. I'm not so nervous about messing up. But it takes me a lot longer to read assignments."

"So, the assignment last night…"

"An hour and a half."

Donna's mouth gaped. That was probably twice the amount of time she expected for her students to spend on her reading assignments.

"I'm sorry, Carly. I had no idea."

"That's okay. Courtney and my dad help me a lot. They're both reading it with me and we talk about it after I'm done."

Donna's next class started to come into the room and Carly looked back in worry.

"Do you have time to come talk to me after school?" Donna asked her quickly.

Carly got up, wanting to get out of this situation. She really didn't want to talk to Ms. Moss about this anymore. She seemed nice enough, but this was just embarrassing – telling her teacher it took her twice as long to read the assignment. Carly didn't want to be a burden.

"Um…yeah, maybe. I'll try." She said as she walked backwards towards the door.

"Okay, please do."