A/N: I've never done two stories at once before, so this should be interesting, but I had to get this idea down on paper. As a result, this story may get updated less often than my other one. I am going to do something that nobody on West Wing FanFiction has tried yet-a military AU. We'll see most, if not all of the main characters as the story moves along. The story picks up where the Bartlet campaign would have started, in 1998. I have no firsthand knowledge of how the Army works, but have done lots of research; however, any errors made are completely mine. Please let me know what you think!
Chapter 1: We're In The Army Now (May 1998)
It was the day that all cadets at the United States Military Academy at West Point had waited for-graduation day. In just a matter of hours, they would become college graduates and be sworn in as officers of the United States Army. Their time in the Army would be hard, they knew. But if there was anything their four years at West Point had taught them, it was to be ready for and embrace every challenge.
Donnatella Moss couldn't quite believe she had made it. From the outset of her childhood, she always believed her dreams of wanting to serve her country in the military would always be just that-dreams. She excelled in high school, and had just begun college at the University of Wisconsin when she first learned about West Point. She had heard of it, of course, but always assumed it would be too difficult for her to get into. After all, why would a first-rate military college want a girl from Wisconsin? But one of her favorite counselors at UW had encouraged her to apply. She put together the application package, finangled a nomination from her Congressman in Wisconsin, and had her acceptance in hand by the spring of 1994. She would have to attend all four years (her UW classes would only account for so much, and it was an intensive program), but she was well on her way to achieving her dream.
And now, after four years of hard work, it was almost over. She sighed, looking around her dorm room for the last time. Her parents had flown up the day before for the graduation festivities leading up to the Commencement, and had helped her pack up everything but what she needed to get through the next three months to be driven back to Wisconsin. The day after graduation, she would drive to Fort Benning in Georgia to begin her officers' training before taking her first post.
"Donna?" A voice sounded at her door, bolting her from her thoughts. She turned to find her roommate and best friend, Carol Fitzpatrick, leaning against their door in full dress uniform. Carol had been one of the first people she'd met over four years ago when she was starting at West Point, and they had become fast friends. "Formation in five."
"Be right there." she said, before smiling at her friend of four years. "Can you believe this is about to finally happen?"
"Two hours and we're going to be Second Lieutenants in the United States Army." Carol said, almost in disbelief. She looked around. "Is it just me, or does this room seem smaller somehow?"
"I know how you feel." Donna replied, looking around at her home away from home for the last four years.
Suddenly, a voice reverberated down the hall. "Outside for formation, let's go!"
Donna and Carol exchanged looks before hugging briefly.
"We'll meet up afterwards, right?" Donna confirmed.
"Right!" Carol yelled back as they jogged outside. Donna stopped for a minute to make sure her hat was on and her dress uniform met all the standards before joining her fellow cadets outside. It was time to march to the stadium for graduation.
…
As Donna and her fellow cadets marched into the stadium, she took a brief glance into the stadium looking for her parents, but she knew she would never find them. After marching to her seat, the beginning of the ceremony went quickly. The Vice-President spoke, then the Chief of Staff of the Army, General Leo McGarry, gave speeches to the graduating class.
Then, it was diploma time. Donna had decided to major in American Politics, although what drove her to that particular field she had no earthly clue. Maybe she thought it would be something to fall back on when her military career inevitably ended. She cheered loudly as Carol received her degree in Psychology. Then, it was her row's turn. She stood anxiously as the cadet in front of her, Jack Milner, received his degree.
Then, she heard, "Donnatella Moss!" She approached the Superintendent, saluted, accepted her degree while shaking his hand, and made her way down the dais, saluting each of the heads of the departments. She returned to her seat as each of the cadets in all three companies received their degrees. Then, all the cadets stood. Donna knew what this meant. The Superintendent approached the podium and led the Class of 1998 in the Army Oath of Office. Then there was the performance of the Army fight song, the invocation, and then, finally, finally….
"Class of 1998, dismissed!"
Everyone's caps went up in the air as Donna spontaneously hugged all of her classmates within reach. They had all been through the battle together, and now it was over. After congratulating her classmates, she went off in search of her friends and family.
Meanwhile, Daniel Moss was trying in vain to search the crowd, knowing full well that he would never be able to find his daughter in the sea of faces surrounding him on the green.
"Daniel, calm down, she'll find us." his wife Roberta told him.
"I'm just excited, Roberta! It's not everyday that your daughter graduates from a top school at the top of her class, and she's not here to meet us!"
"I can hear you, you know." said a familiar voice from behind them. They spun around to find their daughter, an amused look on her face.
"Donna!" Her mother exclaimed, racing up to envelop her in a hug. "Congratulations!"
Daniel just stood with a misty look in his eyes. "Now there's a sight to behold. My daughter in an Army uniform." He walked up to her and kissed her on the cheek. "We're very proud of you, sweetheart."
"Thanks, Daddy." Donna said gratefully. She looked around before spotting familiar faces across the green. "Come on, guys. There's some people I want you to meet."
Officer Josiah Bartlet had been Donna's economics professor her first year at West Point. Having served tours in Vietnam and Cambodia during the 1960s and 1970s, he had risen to the rank of Chief Warrant Officer and had served as a professor and academic advisor at West Point since 1982. Upon learning that Donna was struggling in his economics class, he offered to personally tutor her to succeed in his class. At around the same time, he also became her academic advisor, guiding her not only towards her academic degree in American Politics but also guiding her in her personal growth. His wife Abbey, a matronly military wife her entire married life, had a soft spot for wayward students who couldn't always afford to go home every school break. So, Donna and Carol (who hailed from Ohio) spent many dinners at the Bartlet home in nearby Peekskill on weekends and during holiday breaks.
Their three daughters also were destined for military careers. Their eldest daughter Elizabeth, a West Point graduate, had been an Army aviator before being paralyzed in a helicopter crash during Operation Desert Storm; having been discharged with full honors as a Colonel, she now lived in New Hampshire. Ellie Bartlet took a slightly different route: attending Johns Hopkins University for undergrad, she attended medical school on a ROTC scholarship and was now an Army medic. And the youngest, Zoey, was now a third-year cadet at West Point. She had met and started dating Charlie Young, another one of Officer Bartlet's students who was in Donna's year, and through the Bartlets, Donna and Charlie had also become good friends.
Now, Donna led her parents over to the Bartlet family, who were congratulating Charlie and chatting with their daughters. Donna noticed that Ellie wore her combat uniform, while Elizabeth was dressed in civilian clothes and Zoey in her full cadet dress uniform. Officer Bartlet was speaking intently with Charlie before he turned and noticed Donna approaching.
"There she is!" Officer Bartlet proclaimed loudly. "Another success story!" He strolled over to Donna and her parents. "We're all very proud of you, Donnatella."
Donna flushed pink. Officer Bartlet was the only person besides her parents who ever used her full name. "Thank you. I couldn't have done it without you, sir."
Officer Bartlet patted her shoulder affectionately before turning his attention to the Mosses. "You must be Donna's parents. That is a wonderful young woman you've raised. You should be very proud."
"We are, very much, sir." Daniel told him, placing an arm around Donna's shoulders. "We wouldn't have chosen this path for her, but it's clear she has created a life for herself."
Donna internally puffed up with pride at her father's words. He had finally accepted her chosen career in life.
"She certainly has." Officer Bartlet said. "Come meet the rest of my family.", he continued, leading them over. "Mr. and Mrs. Moss, may I present my wife, Abigail Bartlet. Abbey, these are Donna's parents."
"We've heard wonderful things about you." Roberta as she and Abbey shook hands.
"Likewise." Abbey said politely. "Donna's a wonderful young lady, and it's been an absolute pleasure getting to know her. You know, if you need any advice about being a military mom, I'd be happy to answer any questions you may have."
"Thank you." Roberta replied, surprised.
Meanwhile, Donna had wandered over to her friends. "Hi, Charlie. Congratulations!" she said, hugging the younger black man.
"Thanks, Donna." Charlie responded.
"Zoey, this'll be you next year. You ready?"
"So ready!" Zoey said. "I can't wait to start serving my country."
Donna smiled, then turned to the other two Bartlet daughters. "Hey, Ellie." she said, hugging the older woman. They were only a year apart in age, and Donna had felt connected to her right away.
"Ellie, did you tell Donna your news yet?" Abbey called from over near Donna's parents.
"What news?" Donna asked quizzically.
"I got my deployment orders."
Donna's jaw dropped. "Where? When?"
"Afghanistan. I leave Monday."
"Wow." was all Donna could say in response. "I'm glad I got to see you before you had to leave."
"Me, too." Ellie replied. "I'm glad I was able to see you and Charlie graduate."
Abbey then interrupted the conversation, asking if the Bartlets could treat the Moss and Fitzpatrick families to lunch. All the parties (including Carol and her parents, who had finally walked up) agreed, and they spent the rest of the day visiting.
…
Twelve weeks later, Newington, VA (near Fort Belvoir):
It was now August, and the normally quiet suburb of Newington, VA was hopping with nightlife: mainly soldiers from the nearby Fort Belvoir and other military installations across the state.
Donna (now officially, with a military ID to prove it, Second Lieutenant Donnatella Moss) drove up, looking for somewhere to stop and have a drink. She never drank much, but wanted one to celebrate her last night of freedom before reporting to her first-ever Army post, Fort Belvoir, in the morning.
She was exhausted, too. She had just completed twelve weeks of intensive training in infantry at the BOLC (Basic Officer Leader Course) parts I and II training course in Fort Benning, Georgia. It had been hard, it had been tough, but at least she could say with conviction that her years at West Point had prepared her well for the rigors of basic training. Not that her parents were happy when she elected to go straight to Virginia after graduation rather than come home to Wisconsin for a few days, but she felt it was for the best. She had gone to the base that afternoon to get processed, but didn't need to move into the barracks until her post officially began the next day.
Finally, she came across a bar that looked promising: Shooters Sports Bar and Grill. Well, she didn't really care for sports, but at least she could sit down somewhere and have a drink. She parked her car, pulled on the US Army sweatshirt that was her near-constant companion over her light green polo shirt, and headed inside.
Quickly finding the bar, she sat down.
"And what can I get you, ma'am?" the bartender asked.
Donna couldn't tell if he was this polite with all of his customers or if he was intimidated by her sweatshirt, being they were near a military base. Donna took a gamble that it was the latter; she wondered just how much more awkward it would get if she had walked in in her uniform.
But before Donna could answer, there was a very familiar voice behind her: "Oh, just get her some seltzer water, she barely drinks anyway."
Donna whirled around and found herself face to face with Carol Fitzpatrick.
"Oh my God, how have you been? What are you doing here?" Donna said, jumping up to greet her friend with a hug.
"Just passing through on my way to base. I've been in BOLC training all summer." Carol replied.
"Me too! What's your station?"
"Fort Belvoir, 29th Infantry."
"Get out! That's where I am!"
"Oh!" Carol said excitedly. "Guess we're working together! And I hear Young's gonna be there too."
"Where'd you hear that?"
"I have it on good source from his girlfriend."
"How is Zoey?"
"Itching to start her final year. I keep telling her to be careful what she wishes for. In a year, she's gonna wish she was back at West Point." Carol grabbed the bar stool next to Donna. "So, you order yet?"
"Well, you kinda ordered for me."
"Yeah, sorry about that. I just remembered that you never used to go out to bars with us."
"Well, I think I'm gonna order something. Bartender?" The guy turned around at Donna's voice. "Two absolut martinis, please."
"Well, well, well, aren't we adventurous?" Carol remarked.
"What? It's our last night of freedom, let's live a little!" Donna replied. "Tomorrow, we are going to report to our first Army post and turn over our lives for five years."
Carol chuckled. "I guess you're right."
On their second round of drinks, Carol turned around, then turned to Donna. "Moss, don't look now, but there's a cute guy checking you out at 3:00."
Donna turned around. "I told you not to look!"
"He's cute." A guy with curly hair, dressed in civilian clothes with an Army cap, had wandered into the restaurant and approached the bar.
"Ladies." he greeted, tipping his cap and settling down next to them.
"Hi." Donna said.
"You got names, or…"
"Carol, Donna." Carol said, indicating them both.
They started talking, and Donna found herself getting more and more interested in the man.
…
The rest of the night was a blur, but the next thing Donna knew, she was waking up in an unfamiliar apartment-not the hotel room she had rented until she could move into the barracks. She knew what had happened almost immediately when she realized her clothes were conspicuously absent from her body. She turned her attention to what had awoken her-her watch alarm, which was beeping in the tangles of her clothes on the apartment floor. She sat up, grabbing for her watch and clothes. She snuck a glance at the guy in the bed-he looked familiar; she thought she had met him last night, but she couldn't quite place him. Her watch read 4:00 am-a little under an hour before she needed to be on post. She dressed quickly and discreetly, and noticed her head was buzzing-obviously she hadn't drunk enough to have a full hangover, but enough to sleep with a guy while barely remembering his name in the process.
"Way to go, Moss." she muttered. "Way to kick off your first day in the Army."
She had pulled on her shoes and was crossing the apartment when a voice from the bed said-
"Sneaking out already?"
She whirled around. "Yeah, I have to get to work."
His face screwed up. "What job makes you get up at 4 am?"
"The Army."
He laughed. "Yeah, I guess the Army sweatshirt should've given it away. You at Ft. Belvoir?"
She nodded. "Listen, I doubt we'll ever see each other again, so it was nice to meet you...God, I'm sorry, my head's buzzing, I'm blanking on your name."
"Josh." he responded. "It's Josh."
"Donna." she replied.
"Donna." he repeated. "That's pretty. Nice to meet you too."
"Thank you. I need to go."
With that, she headed out of the apartment to the first day of the rest of her life. She pulled out her cell phone as she walked out to her car-how she had managed to get it over there from Shooters, she had no idea. A small smile played on her lips as she dialed a familiar number. Wait until Carol heard about this.
A/N: To be continued! Hope you enjoyed this first chapter. You may already have your suspicions about where Josh falls into this, but all will be made clear in the next chapter-stay tuned!