The Gods Have Conspired

by LemonyLyman

It's inauguration day and Josh is watching as the candidate he campaigned for is being sworn in as POTUS. Josh has been in this position 6 times before but there is something different about this candidate, it's almost as if it was meant to be this way from the very start. A series of vignettes that tell the stories of people and events that make a president.

24. Leading the Charge

Summary: After a tragedy Congresswoman Moss-Lyman finds a new cause to champion.

A/N: This has been sitting in my drafts for eons but while I was listening to NPR earlier today I was reminded that today is the 5th anniversary of the tragedy at Sandy Hook and I thought that I should try to publish this today.

Connecticut

2022

A year into Donna's third term there is a shooting at a school near the edge of her congressional district. Josh is conspicuously absent during her first round of visits to people affected by the tragedy. Donna knows he wants to support her, the way he always has, he tells her so himself, but he can't seem to make himself walk out their front door.

So, Josh stays home, hovering around their children, watching them from a distance so that they won't notice his uneven breathing. When Donna returns he tells her how sorry he is that he couldn't be there with her, knowing how hard it would be for her to do alone. The apology is difficult, not because he doesn't mean it, but because the tightness in his throat since he heard the news refuses to go away. Donna in turn apologizes for not being able to stay at home with him, he tells her she shouldn't apologize, she's just doing her job, but she tells him she's sorry all the same. After they tuck the children into their beds (even if the kids are too old for it) she drags Josh to their own bed, curls up beside him, and lays her head on his chest so she can hear his heart beating.

The next day Donna continues her visits to the victims and their families.

She goes to see some of the survivors at the hospital and this time her husband is conspicuously present. He doesn't say much, just stands behind her looking supportive, but his relative silence doesn't matter because Josh's presence has always filled whatever room he walked into and it's a comforting sight to see him beside his wife. His presence reminds people that Congresswoman Moss-Lyman really does understand some of what they're going through, her condolences and words of support aren't empty platitudes.

Those that have any doubts about their Congresswoman's willingness to lead the charge on gun control legislation abandon them a few days later after she appears on TV alongside one of her colleagues from the other side of the political aisle. Congressman Jarvie accuses her of being irrational, he tells her that she shouldn't let her personal experiences get in the way of the people's constitutional rights.

"Let me tell you about my personal experiences," she says calmly, though it's impossible to miss the storm raging in her eyes.

A/N: I plan on expanding this eventually because I have a lot of notes on this in my drafts, including what Donna says to Congressman Jarvie.