Now that the show has ended I'm ending my "Departure" story which deals with Leo's death. "Yes We Can," which is AU from early on will continue with Amy's child being raised by Josh and Donna. Lastly, "The Path We Take" which follows directly along with the West Wing show through the final episode "Tomorrow" will pick up where the show left off. I hope the two will not overlap a huge amount; some of the writing may be similar considering it's me writing both stories. Also, some dynamics may have a similar flavor as well, but I'll do my best to keep them separate.
Chapter 6: Close to the Heart
"Josh?" Donna's voice was quiet.
"Huh?" He smiled up at his wife of six months. He and Donna married shortly after the first hundred days were over. President Santos was a strong leader and Josh and Sam worked round the clock to ensure that he would remain that way. Josh decided however that letting his relationship with Donna remain in the dating phase was ridiculous and their wedding was quiet affair at the Bartlett's Manchester home. Donna had never been close to her parents and didn't inform them about the wedding until afterwards. The West Wing crew had always been more of a family to her. The former President, aided by a cane, had offered to give her away and Donna happily accepted. Josh still remembered how beautiful she looked coming down the aisle. Sam and Mallory were engaged and Mallory was four months pregnant. Sam proposed six months ago, but they wanted to wait for an early spring wedding sometime in April
Josh asked the President to attend, but Santos politely declined saying that the media and additional secret service protection would make it a less private affair. He did however give them a week for a honeymoon with Sam filling in the position.
It had been a year since Leo's death and although they all moved on with their lives, they were joining Jed and Abbey for a reunion in memory of Leo. Josh missed Leo's guidance keenly realizing that Leo had pushed his relationship with Donna, guided his political senses and urged him to settle down with some real policy instead of acting like a pit bull. Josh knew it was thanks to Leo that he was able to be a Chief of Staff, his days of man-handling other politicians were over.
"Josh?" Donna's voice was worried, she fretted constantly over the stress in his life. Her own life was new and exciting as Mrs. Santos's Chief of Staff and they often joked that Donna had more power and influence than anyone in the building with her control over Josh and the First Lady who were both influencing the President.
"I'm okay Donna," he assured her.
"We're leaving in about twenty minutes," she held out his coat.
Josh sighed, he'd
been so blessed having her in his life.
"Charlie and Zoey will
be there too," Donna mentioned the new love birds who were engaged,
they were still struggling over a date.
"Yeah, it's been a while," Josh shrugged his coat on and turned to his wife tucking a strand of blonde hair behind her ear.
"We're all set to go, they'll survive the weekend," she said.
"I feel bad that Sam's not going," Josh admitted.
"Josh he left for almost four years, he didn't even make it to the funeral. He understands, he urged you to go, he knows how close you were with Leo." Donna took his arm as they walked towards the waiting car.
"Josh," Sam appeared as if by magic.
"Yeah?" They turned to their friend.
"Give my love to
everyone and enjoy yourself," Sam smiled his approval on
them.
"Thanks, don't hesitate to call…" Josh couldn't
let it go.
"We'll be fine," Sam cut him off.
"Okay," Josh turned and escorted Donna out the door with his hand on the small of her back, a protective measure he'd been doing for years.
NH later that evening
"Josh," Jed Bartlett was thrilled to see the man before him looking so well.
"And Donnatella Moss Lyman," he kissed her cheek.
"Mr. President," she had a deep seated admiration for this man before her who had gone from an idol to the father in law who gave her away.
"Mr. President,"
Josh smiled, "you're looking well."
"So are you, the Chief
of Staff position agrees with you," Bartlett grinned with his
trademark grin.
"Well Sir, it has its moments," Josh turned to Abbey who came up beside her husband.
"Civilian life agreeing with you ma'am," Josh inquired.
"It always did Joshua," Abbey kissed his cheek and he chuckled.
"Come in, Mallory is here, the girls are here, with husbands, kids and boyfriends."
"Glad to hear it Sir," Josh followed him in.
"Who else is here?" Donna asked hanging up her coat.
"Margaret arrived a few minutes ago, Kate and Will are here, Debbie arrived last night, and CJ, Danny and the baby are on the way from the airport."
"Donna, you look like you're glowing," the former First Lady stopped the younger women in the hallway.
"Ma'am?" Donna questioned.
"Don't ma'am me Donna, I'm not the First Lady anymore. I'm a doctor, I've had three children…you're pregnant aren't you?"
Donna blushed, "you
can see that?"
"Of course dear, but men are clueless, Josh
shouldn't figure it out anytime soon so don't worry."
"Not figure what out?" Josh appeared.
"How much influence women have over their men," Donna teased throwing him a smile. The three of them made their way into the living room.
The group settled into to various discussions, marriages, kids, the new education plan, the military chaos in the Middle East and other topics. Suddenly a knock on the door interrupted and CJ and Danny entered soon after.
"CJ," the former President had always regarded CJ as a forth daughter. He had watched her suffer for years for him from afar. She had never complained, but she had suffered. She'd taken bullets for him in the press room, had a dear man and romantic interest murdered, been targeted, and finally jumped off a cliff for him. He was so happy she'd found a second life, a better one with Danny. The baby was three months old, she was adorable, Marie they'd named her and Bartlett examined her like a proud grandfather.
"CJ she is beautiful," he whispered.
"Thank you Sir," she would never be able to break the habit and deep down Jed mourned that fact for just once he would have wished for that wall of formality to vanish.
"Mi amor," CJ embraced Josh tightly, "Donna," she squeezed her friend to her. She was so proud of Donna who had managed to create a new life for herself, both through a career and with Josh as her equal.
"CJ it looks like California agrees with you," Charlie hugged his old boss.
"It does Charlie, you
look so accomplished," CJ admired his confident stature.
"Yeah,
well it's all thanks to Zoey," he grinned at his fiancé.
"Yes apparently my youngest has a taste in fashion," Jed's eyes twinkled.
"Dad," Zoey blushed and the others laughed. Some things didn't change.
"I think we're all here," Jed smiled at the family around him, they had all eagerly agreed to his invitation to have a reunion at this time one year from Leo's death. Sam wasn't there, Ainsley, Hoynes and a few others who had been at the funeral had been unable to make it. However, the core family who had been with him from the beginning was all there, except for one.
"Wait," Abbey appeared with Toby and his family behind her, "they just arrived."
"Hey," Jed nodded to them his face unreadable.
"Toby," CJ reached
for her old friend.
"CJ," he brought Andi and the kids and the
hugging began again.
"Mr. President," he hesitated and extended his hand.
"Toby, good to see you," the President finally spoke but made no additional gesture of notice but turned to the group.
"I was hoping to meet here, Leo was buried as you know in Arlington, but this seemed like an appropriate place to be. Leo spent a great deal of time here with our family; he touched us all very deeply. Look where we are today, I think each of us has a thank you owed to him. I know that everything I've done in the last nine years was thanks to his vision for me and I am so grateful that his vision included all of you."
He studied each and every person in the room with him, he missed their presence in his life, but he was so very proud of them.
"I never told you enough how much I appreciated the work you did for me, and the memories you left me with. I never told you how much I enjoyed your antics and your mishaps. You gave eight years of your life to something greater than me, greater than yourselves and greater than Leo. Leo knew though, he always held that bigger picture up for us to guide us when we were lost. I miss his wisdom and his friendship, just like I miss having you all in my daily life. It's dull without you all."
Bartlett took Abbey's
hand tightly in his own, it was his pride in them that kept him
going.
"I live through your lives now, knowing that Josh and
Donna are in the White House with Sam carrying on our legacy, knowing
that CJ and Danny are raising a little one, that CJ is doing great
things with her generous benefactor and that my daughters are all
happily settled. I so enjoy keeping track of you, I'm a better
person because of you. I miss Leo, he was my closest friend and he
was the one who kept the wheel turning. We all miss him, and we all
looked up to him. He would be very proud of you. I want this weekend
to be about memory sharing, dreams for the future, policies to make
this country better. I want it to be about old friends, and past
hopes, future wishes. Eat, drink, and enjoy being here with each
other. Abbey and I are so glad you could make it this weekend, and
we hope you all will never be strangers in our lives."
They clapped then, for
this man, for his vision, which was one with Leo's. They shared
stories, ate rich food and dreamed together. That night long after
the last of the food was gone Donna took Josh's hand and led him
into the kitchen.
"You okay?" he studied her face.
"Josh I need to tell you something," she smiled, "we're going to have a baby."
Josh's jaw dropped and his hand was instantly on her stomach, "there's a baby in here?" he whispered.
"I love you Josh," her voice was soft.
His kiss melted her and made her remember how far they had come.
"Everybody, we have an announcement," Donna spoke clearly just minutes later.
"We're going to have a baby," her smile lit up the room.
The congratulations
went on and on.
"Son, if you ever hurt either of them…" the
president smiled.
"I understand Sir," Josh nodded.
"Donna," CJ smiled
at her, "I'll pass along the baby clothes," she laughed, "I
always knew you'd end up with him."
"So did I," Donna
turned to watch her husband grinning at Charlie and watched Zoey
blush bright red at something Josh said and she smiled inwardly
imagining what it was.
"Josh," she spoke softly but he heard and was at her side in a second.
"Are you okay?" His
voice was tinged with panic and CJ chuckled, "So it
begins."
"What?" Donna raised her eyebrows.
"Nine months of
worrying and then a lifetime of obsessing if the family is safe,"
CJ responded.
"Josh, I'm fine," Donna assured.
"Always
be patient," CJ advised.
"Donna," Jed stood in front of her,
"if this idiot here ever gives you trouble, I'm only a call
away."
"Thank you Sir, but we'll be fine," Donna took
Josh's hand.
"Yeah okay," the elder in the room stepped back with Abbey's hand held to his lips watching his family exchange congratulations with the happy couple. They'd all turned out well.
"Watch out for us Leo," he whispered.
"He will Jed, he will," his constant source of strength spoke reassuringly from beside him.
"I feel like a father of many," he said finally.
"You have to let them
go," she returned.
"Yeah, Leo would want that."
"They'll never
leave us Jed," she said.
"We're going to leave them before
they'll leave us sweet knees." He used the pet name.
"You'll see them again," she looked up at him.
"Maybe," Jed Bartlett didn't want to tempt fate, but he was happy now, happy that he could watch these wonderful people interact; this would be the last time he knew somewhere deep down. This wasn't the time to dwell on that, but to watch and love in this moment.
The photographer arrived moments later and captured the end of an era, a mixed bunch, bound by a past of incredible proportions. Leo McGarry smiled proudly above them, they were his family, and they were his legacy. "We did good Jed., this will outlast us."
