Part I

Washington DC - 2043

Molly was plaiting her still slightly damp hair, taking note of the streaks of silver and gray that slipped through her fingers, when she was startled by the sound of her phone ringing. She chastised herself for her reaction, she had thought that she'd developed an immunity after the nearly incessant vibrating and pinging that she'd felt and heard since she'd started working at the White House.

Molly leaned forward to get a better look at her phone. "Margot Webber" scrolled across the screen and Molly released her hair, most of the braid coming undone as she did so.

"So, you're the one Bruce assigned Josh Lyman to," was Molly's salutation.

There was no "hello Margot" or any other sort preamble. They'd known each other for years, since their grad school days at Medill, they were completely comfortable around each other and, given events of the last several hours, Molly wasn't in the mood for small-talk; she knew Margot wouldn't mind her cutting to the chase.

"I'm so sorry, Molly- for your family's loss and for having to call you like this," Margot replied softly.

One of the many things Margot had learned about Molly over their years-long friendship was how close the Zieglers were to the Lyman family, she knew what Josh meant to Ziegler family- what he'd meant to Molly. She knew that he'd once been dubbed "Uncle Squash" by Molly when she'd been a toddler.

"Thanks, but don't be sorry for having to call, it's your job. Besides, I'm glad it's you, you're the only other writer I'd trust to do this other than my dad and myself."

Molly meant what she said. Not only had they known each other for years, they'd also written a book together and Molly had been following Margot's articles in the Times for as long as her friend had worked there and she always looked forward to reading the narratives she created celebrating the lives of the people that the Times deemed interesting enough for publication.

There was a soft amused sigh from Margot in response to what she knew to be praise, it wasn't often that a writer was mentioned in the same breath as Toby Ziegler.

"You're not going to ask me how we found out before the White House has even issued a press release?"

"I was a reporter once, remember? I know you have your sources and I know you won't give them up even if we're old friends."

"That's never stopped anyone from the White House from trying to get us to rat out our sources," Margot pointed out

"No, no it hasn't. So, do you need comments from me or-" Molly paused, she felt ready to talk about Josh and his life but she knew that she wasn't the only person Margot would want to speak to, she wasn't sure how to answer the question she knew was coming.

"I feel a little rotten about this- I need- I was wondering... do you think any of the family would be up to speaking to me about him?"

Molly noted the hesitation in Margot's voice. It was obvious that she was uncomfortable having to ask this of a friend. Margot had been in this line of work for years and Molly knew she couldn't possibly be this hesitant with bereaved families. She could imagine her friend on similar phone calls, her voice steady and compassionate, letting family and friends of the deceased know that she needed something from them but she would also respect their feelings if they chose not to share anything with her.

By now the Lymans were used to being public figures, with Donna having been a Congresswoman, Katherine being one of the very public faces of NASA, and of course Jake being president; they would certainly be able to put brave faces on and grant interviews to members of the press. But, as someone who saw the Lymans as family, Molly couldn't help but feel that they also had a right to some privacy while they dealt with their grief; even if it was just a few more hours to themselves. Then again, who was Molly to decide for them, they might even find it helpful to share a few things about Josh as a husband and a father, not just the senior statesman that the country had known him as.

There was only one person better equipped to answer Margot's question at that moment.

"Margot."

"Yeah?"

"Do you think you could give me a few minutes to call Huck and see how everyone's doing? He'll have a better idea of who'd be ok talking to you than I would right now."

"Of course."

"When's your deadline?"

"The minute you guys issue the press release we'll publish a few paragraphs online with an editor's note stating that we'll be adding to the piece, so I've got until 4pm to finish the longer piece. I don't need an immediate answer they can have a bit of time to think it over, I'll be going through our photo archives again and polishing the draft I've got while I wait for an answer."

Molly knew how writing obituaries worked, they'd probably been writing draft after draft of Josh's obituary for decades now, stored away in a physical or digital file somewhere; just waiting for the day he passed away. Margot had probably gotten to work creating her own draft the moment her editor had given her the assignment right after hearing about Josh being hospitalized the previous afternoon. It wasn't all that different from when Molly had to write multiple drafts of a speech in case there was an outcome different from one the President and his staff expected. She knew all these things and yet she was a little thrown by the fact that Margot was virtually finished with Josh's obituary and he'd died no more than two hours ago. Molly had thought that the reality of Josh's death had really hit her when she'd been in the shower, away from everyone else, in a quiet place in her own home where she could process the day's events. But apparently she wasn't done feeling that strange grief that came over her and made her feel more hollow than sad as she accepted that what had happened at the hospital was real and that Josh was actually gone.

Molly closed her eyes tight and pressed her closed fist against her mouth as she felt the wave of emotion roll over her, it passed quickly and she returned her attention to her conversation with Margot.

"Alright, I'll- I'll call Huck. If no one's up to talking about Josh I'll give you a thing or two about him, or do some fact-checking. I could even give you a few numbers of people who might be willing to talk to you."

"Thanks Molly, and again, I'm so sorry for your loss."

"Thanks Margot, bye."

"Bye."

Molly ended the call and stared at her phone for a brief moment and inhaled deeply before speed-dialing her brother.

He picked up almost immediately.

"Huck, I've got a question for you."