A/N: Well, without further ado, here's the final chapter! Thank you to all who have read and reviewed this story, and I hope you enjoyed it. There's a really fun scene in this chapter that I've had in my head since the day I thought of the story that features a callback to a certain season 1 scene (you'll know which one as soon as you read it). Please read and review!
Chapter 10: As We Remember Him
Donna sat between Josh and Leo at one of the long, winding tables that had been laid out for the post-funeral reception. It had been Abbey's idea, against the objections of her daughters, to invite the guests at the funeral to the Bartlet home for an informal gathering following the burial.
Josh sat next to his wife, listening to her carry on a conversation with Congressman Maitland from Ohio about some policy bill that apparently the Congressman thought couldn't wait until after the weekend when Donna would be back in DC.
Suddenly, he heard her speak sharply. He knew that tone-it was a tone she reserved only for when someone was standing on her last nerve.
"All due respect, Congressman, I hardly think this is the time or place to be discussing how our slow movement on HR-172 is inconveniencing you. The President has been through more than you can imagine in the last week. He will get to HR-172 when he is good and ready and not one second sooner!" She kept her voice low to avoid making a scene, but the tone in her voice was enough to shut up the Congressman. He quickly gathered his things and left to stride toward someone else he knew from the House.
Donna couldn't believe the nerve of the guy, walking up to talk shop barely two hours after she had buried a father figure. She was calm on the outside, but her annoyance at the Congressman's behavior was beginning to show. Josh put a hand on her arm, and that was enough to calm her down somewhat.
"I'm sorry." she said to Josh quietly. "I just-"
"Shh." Josh soothed, pressing a kiss to the side of her head. "You handled that better than I ever could have."
Donna smiled weakly, then placed her hand over his. He turned it over so he could hold her hand in his, then leaned over and kissed her. Just then, CJ, Will, and Kate walked over with plates of food.
"Finally, familiar faces!" Donna said. "I was beginning to think you had gotten lost in the crowd."
"Well, we almost did." Will said. "If CJ here hadn't been directing us, I think I would've at least." He winced as his wife lightly smacked him in the arm.
"What?"
"You're being ridiculous." Kate said. "You're perfectly fine at directions."
"Oh, yeah?" Will shot back. "Who was the one that got us on a four-lane highway going the wrong way?"
Kate rolled her eyes as Donna smirked. It seemed that, after 10 years of marriage, Will and Kate had gotten down the married-couple banter it had taken her and Josh mere weeks of knowing each other to nail.
"Anyway," CJ said, "I thought the burial service was perfect, don't you?"
Donna reflected on it. It had been perfectly suited for President Bartlet. It was brief, but moving. The priest had said a prayer over the casket, giving a final commendation, and then as the casket was lowered, they had read one of his favorite Bible passages. Then it was over, and they all headed back to the farm for the reception.
"Yeah, it was." she replied.
"I agree with that." Josh said. "So, Will, how's your post-political life coming?" He was quick to steer the subject into something more pleasant.
"It's coming along." Will said. "I'm beginning to think I actually prefer crunching numbers to writing speeches."
"Really?" Donna asked, interested.
"Yeah, I realized that what I really loved about politics was in the rush of new polling numbers, or the excitement of tallying up a vote and figuring out how to make it work."
"I never thought I would prefer infrastructure over press briefings, either." CJ chimed in, shaking her head. "But, now, I've got the love of my life and a beautiful daughter, and that's the only rush I'll ever need again." She gazed past the table outside, where Danny and Tiana had rounded up the Bartlet grandkids and the older Lyman kids for a rousing game of Frisbee.
"Can I go play, Mommy?" Leo asked.
"What do you say?" Donna prompted.
"Please?"
"Yes, you may." Leo jumped down and ran out to join his brother and sisters.
"Leo's a really sweet kid." Kate said.
"Thank you." Donna said. "He really just completed our lives, you know?"
"I get that feeling. I never thought I would ever want or desire kids, and then when Daisy was in my arms the first time, it just felt right."
Donna smiled. She knew that feeling well-she had felt it four times, with each one of her children.
Josh cut into the conversation, asking CJ about how Tiana was doing in school, and CJ began telling an animated story about Tiana's soccer game the previous weekend.
…
The afternoon floated away, and soon everyone but the core Bartlet team that was spending the night had left. As soon as all the kids had been put to bed, and the Ziegler twins had gone up, Abbey went down to the Bartlets' New Hampshire-coveted wine cellar (a term coined by Jed years earlier) and brought up a bottle of Merlot. Everyone, including Abbey, voted that it would be a good way to end the evening.
Soon, everyone had a glass, and Donna looked around at the faces that had become like a second family to her: Josh. CJ. Danny. Toby. Will. Kate. Abbey. They all sat around, chatting and laughing.
Abbey excused herself to bed after a little while, and CJ asked the existential question.
"Okay, guys. Favorite memory of the Bartlet administration. And I think we need to get some laughter going, so maybe some happy memories."
That sounded good to Donna.
"I know exactly what I would say." Danny said, grinning at Josh. "Josh's press briefing."
Josh immediately went beet red. "Do we have to bring that up?"
"No, I want to hear this." Will said. "Josh briefed the press?"
"In a manner of speaking." Danny quipped dryly.
"You set me up!" Josh accused, but couldn't contain his laughter.
"How did Danny set you up?" Will asked, perplexed.
Josh knew he wasn't getting out of it. Danny was having way too much fun at his expense, and began to regale the group with the story of Josh's secret plan to fight inflation. By the end of the story, Will and Kate were howling.
"And then, the President told me, 'CJ, if blood is gushing from the head wound you just received from a stampeding herd of bison, you'll do the press briefing.'" CJ finished.
"And true to his word," Josh said, "I was never allowed back in the press room again." He turned to Donna, eager to get the heat off of him and his screw-ups. "Honey, what about you?"
Donna thought about it. "I think, besides that call with Mrs. Morello in the Oval Office, maybe the night of the Stackhouse filibuster."
CJ nodded. "You know, I didn't say it in my speech, but I don't think we ever gave you enough credit for what you did that night. You literally saved our necks."
"Thanks." Donna said, putting her empty wine glass on the table. "But, really, Josh was the one who told me about the Senate rules."
"Giving me the credit? How sweet." Josh said, kissing her on the cheek.
"But Donna was the one who figured out his grandson had autism." CJ pointed out.
"That's true." Josh replied thoughtfully. "Okay, CJ, what's your favorite moment?"
CJ thought about it. "There was this one night where the White House was hosting a reception for talk radio hosts. And there was this one that had really grated on the President's nerves, because she said homosexuality was an abomination according to the Bible. So he goes to the reception, sees her sitting down and openly disrespecting him. And he decides to go after her. He starts listing all these outdated examples from the Bible, if he took it literally, and he totally put her in her place!"
"What was her name again?" Toby asked. "Something Jacobs?"
"Dr. Jenna Jacobs." CJ said. "Wonder if she's still on the radio."
"Anyway," Will said, "I think my favorite Bartlet administration memory is the second inauguration. President Bartlet, he really just welcomed me into the fold."
"That was sweet of him." Kate agreed. "I don't have a ton of memories, but I remember Ellie's wedding. That was a good day."
Everyone agreed. Then Josh said, "I think my favorite memory of the Bartlet administration was getting Evie Lang and Chris Mulready on the Supreme Court."
"That was a great move you made." Toby complimented him.
"And what about you, Toby?" CJ said.
"Mendoza confirmation, definitely."
"Ah, yes. I believe that was the night you called it 'tempting fate'?" Josh asked.
"Actually, CJ," Toby said. "I remember it for an entirely different reason."
CJ looked at him blankly. Then it hit her. "Toby!"
Suddenly, Toby sat up straight. "I've got a great idea to wrap up tonight."
"What?" Toby and Danny looked at her pointedly.
"No! I haven't done it in twenty years!"
"What? What is it?" Kate asked.
"CJ used to do this party trick where she'd lip-sync to this old jazz record." Toby explained, all the while grinning.
"You're gonna do 'The Jackal'?" Josh said.
"I haven't decided yet!" CJ protested.
"Come on! CJ! CJ!" Toby led the chanting.
Finally, everyone got to CJ. "All right, you all win. Somebody cue the thing up before I change my mind."
"Come on, lighten up!" Danny chided her. Everyone cheered as the first strains of "The Jackal" echoed through the living room via the Bartlets' newly-acquired Amazon Echo.
Meanwhile, the noise had woken up Tiana Concannon. She heard what she thought was her mom's name being chanted downstairs, then cheering. She ran to the bed next to her and shook Anna Lyman awake.
"Anna, why is everyone yelling at my mom? And where's that music coming from?" she said.
Anna sat up. A sly smile crossed her face. "I don't know, but let's go find out." she said. She jumped out of the bunk bed, waking Abby in the process.
"What's going on?" Abby said sleepily.
"We're gonna go spy on the adults. Wanna come?"
"And why would you wanna do that?" Abby asked, ever practical.
"Because they're having fun!" Anna replied. "Come on, lighten up!"
Abby smiled. "Let's go."
The three girls snuck out of their room, where they were met by Matty coming out of the bathroom. After a brief conversation, he joined them on the landing, where they were greeted by the sight of CJ dancing in the living room, lip-syncing.
"Is Mom singing?" Tiana asked.
"No, just moving her lips." Matty answered after quickly analyzing the situation. "She's good."
Suddenly, they heard movement on the stairs. "What are you guys up to?" Molly asked. Huck was behind her.
"Watching Mom dance." Tiana supplied.
"Dance?" Molly asked incredulously. She slipped behind the kids. As she began to make sense of what she was hearing, she suddenly got excited. "Huck! Aunt CJ's doing 'The Jackal'!"
Huck hurried down to his sister as quietly as he could. "For real?"
Molly nodded. Her dad had played them the record one day when she was 12 and told them that one day, they would have to ask Aunt CJ to do this for them. Now, that someday had become a reality.
They watched her from the landing, fighting the urge to shriek out loud. Molly discreetly pulled out her phone to record it. "For posterity." she said. Finally, after several minutes, the song ended, and CJ finished with a flourish. The cheering in the living room was so loud that the kids couldn't resist clapping right along with them.
"Go, Mom!" Tiana stage-whispered.
"Go, Aunt CJ!" Huck and Molly both cheered quietly. Then they all shared a look, then bolted up the stairs to bed as quietly as possible; they could laugh about it later.
…
The next day dawned quicker than they all wanted. They were going to have breakfast, then Abbey had requested that they all stay for the reading of Jed's will. Apparently, they were all in it.
Josh woke up slowly, taking a moment to watch his beautiful wife of 12 years sleep next to him. He had missed her the last few days, and had never admired her more than he had now, having watched her handle her job and her grief with equal balance. Well, maybe watching her give birth to their children came in at a close second.
Donna began to stir, and noticed Josh watching her. "Good morning." she said softly.
"Morning, beautiful." Josh replied, reaching over to kiss her.
"How long have you been watching me?"
"Long enough." Josh said. "Just thinking about how insanely proud I am of how you've handled the last few days."
Donna smiled. "Same goes for you. I mean, you flew to New Hampshire with the kids at a moment's notice to be there for Abbey. That was pretty impressive."
"Yeah." Josh said, running one hand through her hair.
Suddenly, they felt the bed indent, and Leo's head popped up. "Hi, Mommy! Hi, Daddy!"
Donna's smile only grew wider as Leo launched himself on her. "Hi, sweetheart. You sleep all right?"
Leo nodded. "Uh-huh. I'm hungry."
"Well, then." Josh said. "Let's go down and get something to eat, while Mommy gets ready, OK?" He kissed Donna again as he climbed out of bed and lifted his son up into his arms.
"I'll be down in, like, 10 minutes. I just want to jump in the shower." Donna said.
"Take all the time you need." Josh said as they left the room.
Downstairs, Josh found the table filled to capacity. CJ and Danny, Toby and the twins, and Ellie and Melody were all sitting around the table.
"Morning, guys." Josh announced.
"Hey, Josh." everyone acknowledged before heading back into their own conversations.
Ellie got up, leaving Melody in a conversation with the Ziegler twins. "Josh, there's coffee and doughnuts on the counter. We're not making a huge breakfast, but there's plenty of food for everyone. Is Donna coming down?"
"Yeah, in a few minutes." Josh helped himself to a cup of coffee, and made one for Donna, too. He sat down with Leo next to him near CJ, who appeared to be nursing a hangover.
"Was I drunk last night?" CJ asked. "I feel like I was."
"Well, when you were doing 'The Jackal', you seemed pretty sober." Molly piped up. "You were actually good."
The whole table stopped what they were doing and looked at Molly.
"You saw it?" CJ asked incredulously.
"Guilty." Molly said. "I was gonna go back to bed, but when I saw what you were doing, I had to watch. I mean, I've been wanting to see that since Dad told us about it."
CJ shot Toby a look. "You told them?"
"It's a fun memory, CJ!" Toby shot back. "I wanted to show them that the Bartlet administration wasn't all scandals and problems!"
A small smile played on CJ's lips, and she said, "I guess you're right."
Just then, Donna came downstairs. "Morning, everyone."
Josh stood up. "I made you some coffee."
"Thanks, honey." Donna smiled, taking the cup from him.
As Donna sat down on Leo's other side, the kids came piling downstairs.
"There they are! The next generation!" Josh said. "Food's on the counter, guys. Can you say thank you to Ellie for going out and getting food?"
"Thank you!" the kids chorused.
"You're welcome." Ellie said.
"What time's the will reading?" Donna wanted to know.
"11:00." Ellie answered.
Donna turned to Josh. "You want to get going right after?"
"Flight's not til 2. We've got plenty of time."
"All right." Donna said. She turned to her kids. "Are you guys all packed?"
"Yep!" the twins replied.
"Good."
"Last night was fun." Josh said. "I really enjoyed reliving the old days."
"I agree." CJ said. "Forget the funeral, that was a perfect memorial."
…
The executor, an attorney Abbey knew and trusted, arrived promptly at 11. Annie and Gus had gone back to the city, but Liz was at the farm, as were Charlie and Zoey. The kids were sent upstairs, and everyone headed into the living room.
It was a big crowd: Abbey, Liz, Ellie, Vic, Charlie, Zoey, Josh, Donna, CJ, Danny, Toby, Will, and Kate. There was also a section for Sam apparently, but Donna had agreed to take whatever it was on his behalf.
"All right," the attorney said, "I know this has been a painful couple of days, so I'm going to make this as pain-free as possible." He began reading the will: "I, Josiah Edward Bartlet, being of sound mind and body…"
He began with the major things. The majority of the estate, including liquid assets, were to be left to Abbey. Nobody was surprised at that announcement, as that was how it usually worked. The assets set aside were to be divided amongst the three daughters. Josh watched as looks of disbelief passed between the adults. He didn't have to guess that there was more than they could have imagined financially. In addition, Charlie was left the deed to the Bartlet Presidential Library, and was officially named the CEO.
Finally, the executor turned to the rest of the group. "Now, Jed left you all specific things that he hoped would remind you of him:
To Will Bailey, I leave a token of my gratitude for your years of service to politics-my collection of campaign buttons. You may find some of them familiar.
Will fished out a campaign button for Sam's unsuccessful campaign for Congress in 2002. "Wow, he really did have them all."
To Kate Harper, who has managed to put up with Will for this long, I leave my Navy cap. I figured you of all people might appreciate it.
Kate held the worn baseball cap in her hands. "I'll hold onto this with pride."
To Sam Seaborn, the man who will one day be President of the United States, I leave a piece of Presidential memorabilia that has sustained the test of time-my pen with the Presidential seal. Use it wisely.
Josh passed Donna a sleek black box with the aforementioned ballpoint pen. She stuck in her purse to give it to him tomorrow.
To Toby Ziegler, I leave my map of the Holy Land. You know which one.
Toby looked up as it was handed to him. "Do I?" He looked at it carefully and grinned. "Yeah, I do."
Josh spoke up. "Is that the one with.."
"Israel not recognized? You bet."
To CJ Cregg, the woman who gave me many faithful years of service even after everyone else was gone, I leave a token of my gratitude-also, as the only Catholic in the group, I could think of no one better than to leave this to. It was mine when I was at Notre Dame.
CJ was handed a beautiful red Bible with a cross on the cover. "A Bible?"
"I have the one he still read towards the end." Abbey said. "But this one-he wanted it to go to someone special."
CJ nodded, tears in her eyes.
To Donna Moss Lyman-you kept Josh sane all those years, but in the end you wormed your way into Abbey's and my hearts. You'll always be like a daughter to me. However, you're also the only person who could ever stand to listen to my trivia. I leave these to you.
Donna was handed a stack of books. National Parks 101, 1001 Trivia Questions. There were more, but that was all she saw at first. "His trivia books?" Her eyes went wide with tears.
"He knew you were the only one who would appreciate them." Abbey told her, patting her knee. "And, everything else he said-all of it-was absolutely true."
Josh pulled her close to him and kissed her temple as tears sprung down her cheeks.
And to Josh Lyman, who I will always consider to be my son, I leave something that I should've given to you a long time ago. It was given to me on the occasion of my Nobel Prize by my father, and now I think it belongs to you. Give it to your own children someday.
Josh held his breath as the attorney handed him a beautiful gold pocket watch with engraving on the back: "J.E.B: today, New Hampshire; tomorrow, the world."
Josh let a few tears slip as he read the inscription out loud. Donna squeezed his shoulders.
"He cared a lot about you, Josh." Abbey agreed. Everyone else nodded in agreement. Nothing more needed to be said.
"There more in here, if you don't mind." the executor stated.
While nothing will compare to my actual grandchildren, you all having kids made me feel like a grandfather all over again. They are an absolute delight and a joy, and that is why several years ago, I took some of my savings and put aside certificates of deposits for a college fund in the names of Abigail Lyman, Annabeth Lyman, Matthew Lyman, Leo Lyman, Tiana Concannon, Huck Ziegler, Molly Ziegler, Daisy Bailey, and Joshua Bailey. Upon my death, the CDs will be divided equally amongst you all, and will be given to you.
The attorney handed Josh and Donna four envelopes, CJ and Danny one, Toby two, and Will and Kate two. As soon as Donna read the amount of the check in the first envelope, she felt like she was going to pass out.
"$5000?" Donna gasped. "I can't believe it."
"That's enough to at least partially help the kids pay for college." Josh said, overwhelmed by President Bartlet's generosity.
CJ, Toby, Will and Kate all had similar expressions of shock and disbelief on their faces.
"I can't believe he even thought of our kids." Kate said.
"Mine too. Andy and I were wondering how we would split up college costs." Toby explained. "Now we don't have to worry."
"Is that everything?" Josh asked.
"Everything that pertains to you all, yes." the executor explained.
Everyone nodded, still too stunned to speak. They would never forget what President Bartlet had done for them, even from beyond the grave.
…
An hour after the attorney left, it was finally time for the families to hit the road.
"Before we all go," CJ said to the group, assembled in the foyer making their last goodbyes, "I wanted to say how much being with all of you has been a comfort to me."
"Same here, CJ." Donna told her.
"And I think we need to take a minute right now and pay a final tribute." She stood on the stairs and said, "To President Bartlet: may he never be far from our hearts, and let's all say one last time: 'Thank you, Mr. President.'."
"Thank you, Mr. President." everyone said gratefully. With that, everyone started hugging and saying their goodbyes.
"You guys need to come out to DC one of these days." Josh told Danny.
"We'll definitely do that, mi amor." CJ said. "Ten years is way too long to go without seeing everyone."
"Maybe we should make this an annual thing." Josh said. "Not the funeral part," he said quickly, "but a reunion. Next time under much happier circumstances."
"Deal. I'll call you, OK?"
"Yeah, call us when you're back on the West Coast." Donna told her.
"We will." CJ promised.
With that, everyone said their goodbyes, and Josh and Donna and their kids climbed into the rental car for the flight back to DC and back to their lives.
It had been a weekend fraught with sadness, but also a weekend filled with the joy of being together again. And that was what they would never forget.
THE END
A/N: Well, that wraps up my second story! I hope everyone enjoyed it. I want to keep writing in this universe, and I am officially accepting prompts. If anybody has any ideas, feel free to share them in the comments, or PM me.