Hey guys, here's the next chapter. Please review and let me know what you think!! Thanks!

Enjoy!!!

From The Past

Best Friends:

Leo looked at Margaret, who stared silently at him. "Do you need something?"

"Uh, no sir." She sat down at her desk quickly.

Leo rolled his eyes and closed his office door. If Margaret had been listening he was sure that everyone in the entire West Wing would know within an hour.

He decided that Josh just needed time to cool off. There was no way he was serious about resigning. This job was Josh's life. He would never willingly give it up without a fight.

XxXxX

"I'm telling you, something is going on that he doesn't want us to know about..." Sam told Donna.

"Well, I defiantly think he's seeing someone." Donna replied, sorting through some files on her desk.

"Yeah but why won't he just tell us that?" He asked. "What's he hiding?"

Donna was just about to answer when Josh stormed past them.

"Josh?"

"Anyone call?" He asked, pausing in his doorway, keeping his back to them.

"No." She told him. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah."

"Do you need anything?"

"No, I've got a few reports to read so I'll be in here." He told her before walking in and closing the door.

Sam and Donna shared a concerned look before Sam walked towards the door, knocking lightly then opening it.

"Josh, what did Leo want?"

"Nothing." He replied, not taking his eyes off of the report he was reading.

"Josh?"

"Sam, seriously just leave it." He looked up at him.

"But..." He was cut off again but this time by someone else.

"Joshua Lyman?!"

"Oh, God..." Josh groaned, letting his head fell down to the desk as Mallory O'Brian entered the office.

"Mal?" Sam looked at her surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to hurt him!" She pointed at Josh. "You should have called me!"

"Yeah, well…" Josh started.

"Called about what?" Sam asked.

"It's been going on for a week, Josh!" She folded her arms.

"Yes."

"And you didn't tell me?!"

"No."

"Josh!"

"Look, if you want to lecture me about how terrible this idea is, then you're going to have to get in line behind my Mother and your Father." He stood up. "But y'know what, say what you like because I don't give a damn any more! This is my life! I'll do what the hell I like with it!"

Sam and Mallory stared at him for a moment.

"Are you finished?" She asked.

"Yes."

She stepped closer to him then hugged him.

"Uh, Mal?"

"I'm happy for you." She told him.

"Really?"

"Yes, you idiot!" She pulled back, slapping his arm. "But you should have told me."

"Okay, can we back up a little bit?" Sam waved his arms around to get their attention. "What the hell is going on?!"

"Sam, can you give us a minute?" Josh asked.

"No."

"Sam..."

"No! I want to know what's going on!" He insisted, crossing his arms.

"Bye, Sam." Mallory gently pushed him out of the office and closed the door.

"How did you find out?" Josh questioned.

"Leanne called me to see if we could catch up...She thought you had already told me."

He sighed and sat back down. "I did mean to tell you...Things have been a bit hectic."

"Well, you've just discovered you have a three year old son and you've asked a woman, you weren't even dating to move in with you..." Mallory stated. "So, I think I can agree with you on that."

Josh smiled slightly. "Y'know, if you didn't know Leanne and me, you'd think we were mad."

"Yeah, probably...Is that why you haven't told Sam and the others?"

Josh put his elbow on the desk, leaning his head on his hand.

"The reason I haven't told them is because they're going to go crazy." Josh stated. "I mean, I can't blame them, it's their job to think how this will reflect on the President...Hell, it's my job to think how this will reflect on the President..."

"So, what do you think the solution is?" She asked.

He was quiet for a moment, before looking up at her. "I just told your Dad that I'd resign if they needed me too."

She stared at him before laughing.

"I'm serious." Josh told her.

"You can't quit!" She claimed. "God, Josh... You love this job!"

"Yeah." He shrugged. "But I'm not willing to choose it over Leanne and Jackson."

"You shouldn't have to!"

He sighed. "Sometimes that's just the way it is."

"What did my Dad say?"

"What?"

"When you said you'd resign. What did he say?"

"Nothing, I didn't give him a chance..."

"Well, there is no way he'd would let that happen!"

"Mal..."

"No, Josh! He wouldn't make you choose between having a family and your job!" She calmed. "Besides, I'm sure that's illegal."

"It would be what's best for the administration." He told her.

"What did you mean earlier?"

"When?"

"When you said if I thought it was terrible idea then I'd need to get in line behind your Mom and my Dad." She reminded him. "What did you mean? He thinks this is a terrible idea?"

Josh shrugged. "He...He probably has his reasons..."

"You're in love, Josh! He wants you to give up on that?!"

He rubbed his eyes and leaned back in his chair. "I don't know... I know he doesn't trust Leanne...I know he doesn't want her around."

"Yeah but...You're like a son to him...Why wouldn't he be happy for you?"

"Because I'm like a son to him." Josh answered.

She frowned. "I don't understand."

"The last time Leanne and I were together... Her brother's attacked me." He said. "He thinks there's a chance of that happening again."

"But that was years ago."

"That's what I've been telling him." He replied. "I don't know how much more I can take, Mal."

"Talk to him!"

"I've tried! This has gone too far! I'm trying to spilt my time between work, Leanne and Jackson...I've got Sam acting like Sherlock Holmes trying to work out what's going on..." He started to rant. "And I can't tell him the truth yet because I can't bear to hear one more person tell me how stupid I'm being!"

"Josh..."

"Maybe, it'll be better for everyone if I did just leave." He sighed. "Leanne has been living in England...We could move there."

She raised an eyebrow. "What would you do?"

He shrugged. "I dunno...They have Starbucks over there right? Maybe I could get a job there."

She smiled. "You might be a little over qualified."

"Either that or I'd become the crazy American guy who claims he knows the President of The United States."

"That could be fun..." She laughed a little.

He smiled for a moment before it faded slightly. "Seriously though, maybe it is time I moved on."

XxXxX

Jed knocked on the door connecting to Leo's office.

"Mr President..." Leo got to his feet as he walked in.

"It's been a pretty quiet day." Jed observed, walking over to the couch and sitting down.

"For some people maybe." Leo replied, retaking his seat behind the desk.

"Y'know I had chance to go and talk to some of the staff."

"Oh, God." He groaned.

"Well, actually talk to might not be the correct word..."

"Sir?"

"I over heard Margaret talking to Donna."

"Margaret?" Leo repeated, having a feeling where this was heading.

"Yes, according to her...Josh resigned earlier."

He sighed. "Margaret should spend more time working then gossiping."

"Leo." He gave him a look. "What's going on with Josh?"

"Nothing for you to worry about, Sir."

"He resigned?!"

"No, Sir." Leo shook his head. "He offered to resign if I thought it was needed."

"And is it?"

"No. It'll all blow over soon."

"Well, it better!" Jed told him.

There was a knock on the door and Margaret stepped in.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, Mr President..." She looked at him before Leo. "But Mallory is here to see you...She said it's important."

"Send her in." Jed answered for Leo. A second later, Mallory walked in. "Mal, how are you?"

"I'm very good, Mr President." She smiled at him. "And yourself?"

"I'm fine." He replied, standing up. "I should leave you two to it."

"No, sir...This won't take a minute." She replied. "Then you can get back to whatever you were doing."

"What's going on, Mal?" Leo looked at his daughter.

She turned towards him. "Stop being a jackass!"

"Mallory!" Leo exclaimed.

"He's happy, Dad! Why can't you see that?!"

"What's this all..."

"You know what this is about!" She told him. "I can't believe you're going to let him quit his job over this..."

Leo rolled his eyes. "He's not going to quit."

"Oh really! Well, I've just spoken to him and he's talking about working at a Starbucks in England!"

Leo laughed a little at the image of Josh serving coffee.

"Dad! I'm being serious!" She insisted. "If you don't sort this out then he's going to go."

"To Starbucks?" He joked.

"To anywhere he can be with Leanne and Jackson!" She claimed.

"Look, Mal...I know you're their friends, but you don't understand how..."

"No, Dad! Don't tell me I don't understand! Because I was there when they were together before...And I've been there when they've been apart..." She started. "Do you know how hurt he is about how you and his Mom reacted to all of this?"

"Mal.."

"Do you know how crazy Sam is driving him trying to find out what's going on?" She continued. "Do you know how crazy it's making him not being able to tell everyone the truth...But he's scared they will all react like you did."

"I think you need to calm down a little..." He told her.

"I think you need to talk to him." She replied. "Because you're going to push him away...We almost lost him when he was hit by the bullet and we could do nothing about it...You can stop this now by just talking to him."

Leo was silent for a moment, thinking about what she had just said.

"He's happy, Dad... They are what he needs... He knows that, and so do you." She added quietly. "Don't ruin it."

"Wow." Jed commented when Mallory had left the office. "Y'know maybe we could use her in debates."

"Sir..." Leo started.

"Because I don't know half the story on what the hell is going on but she's already convinced me to be on Josh's side." He continued. "I mean, it was Josh she was talking about, right?"

"Yes, sir."

"I think you should start from the beginning."

"I have it under control, Sir."

"Leo, Josh is talking about resigning!" Jed pointed out.

"He's not serious."

"Can you be sure of that?" He asked and Leo stayed silent. "This Leanne...Josh's new girlfriend?"

Leo sighed and sat down on the couch next to him. "They dated whilst they were high school."

"Now they're back together?"

"You could say that..." He mumbled.

"Is she bad news?"

Leo rubbed his eyes. "She's a nice girl."

"So, what's the problem?"

"She hasn't got a very nice family." Leo told him. "Her father was old school. Violence was his answer to everything, yet he was a very strict Catholic and well, a Jewish boy dating his youngest and only daughter wasn't acceptable."

"What happened?"

"He forbid her to see him, but I guess neither of them were happy about that and kept dating in secret...But they got caught and Leanne's brothers attacked Josh."

"Attacked?!"

"I was there that night, Sir...At his house with his parents when they got that call to go to the hospital. They were absolutely terrified. They had already lost one child..." His voice trailed off for a moment, thinking about that night. "He was unconscious for a few hours...They were concerned about brain damage...He had some broken ribs and a broken arm...Within a week, he was allowed back home..."

Jed stayed silent, whilst Leo talked.

"That night everyone was afraid he wasn't going to make it...Then the next morning, he woke up and it's like nothing had happened."

"What happened with Leanne after that?"

"She broke up with him...Told him they were both better off ending it there before one of them got hurt again." Leo seemed to snap out of the daze he had been in. "She went off to college...So did he...They both moved on."

"Except they didn't or she wouldn't be here now."

"They got together for one night when he went back home for his father's funeral...I think after that was when she decided to move to England." He told him. "Then she heard about the shooting and was worried about him."

"Well, England is a long way to come...She must care about him."

"Hmm."

Jed watched him for a moment. "What else is there?"

"Sir?"

"There's something you're not telling me." He stated. "I know you, I know there's something."

"She didn't come alone."

"I don't understand..." Jed frowned.

"She's brought her son with her."

"She has a son?"

"He's three years old..." Leo told him, continuing when Jed still didn't seem to understand. "He was born about 9 months after Josh's father died."

"What?" He started before realising, his eyes widening. "You can't be serious?!"

"Apparently, so...I advised Josh to do tests just in case...I mean, he hasn't seen this girl since he was a teenager, really..."

"You think she's lying?"

Leo opened his mouth to reply but then stopped himself, sighing. "No."

"So, you think it's his kid?"

"Sir, the minute I saw that boy...I knew... He looks just like his father." He admitted.

Jed nodded slightly, thinking for a moment. "Then why would you try and stop Josh from having a relationship with him?"

"I was not trying to stop him...They live in England...How hard do you think it would be for Josh to be a father with him miles away?" Leo claimed. "Not to mention the fact that Leanne's family are still a bit peeved about getting put into jail for the attack or about how they haven't seen Leanne since then either..."

"Leo!"

"And I'm pretty sure they're not going to like the Jewish boy knocking up their little sister then abandoning her for three years!"

"Wait, a minute…I thought Josh didn't know about the child.."

"That won't matter to them, Sir." He replied.

Jed sighed. "You can't stop him from dating her Leo."

"They're living together."

"What?"

"He told his Mom last night that he's asked her to move and she agreed."

"Hmm, Josh Lyman who would have thought it..." Jed said quietly to himself before looking back at Leo. "Mallory was right, Leo... You're going to end up pushing him away if you make him choose between them and this job."

"This is Josh were talking about." Leo reminded him.

"This is Josh, in love and a father now... Y'know it changes things, Leo...I've noticed he's changed the past few days...I had no idea it was anything like this...But I noticed something was different..." Jed stated.

"Yeah..." He sighed.

"You've got to talk to him..." Jed stood up. "I don't want to lose him, Leo... I don't want to lose him as a member of my family...And I don't want to lose him as an advisor..."

"Yes, Sir."

"So, fix this." He ordered softly, before leaving the room, going back into the oval office.

"Yeah." He said quietly, sitting back down behind his desk.

XxXxX

"You threatened to quit?!" Leanne exclaimed, when Josh told her what had happened with Leo.

"I said I would, yes..." Josh sighed.

"You can't!" She insisted. "You love your job!"

"Yeah…" He shrugged.

"Josh!"

"What?"

"You can't quit because of me!"

"Sure I can..." He replied.

"Have you've completely lost it?!"

"I think you should calm down." He told her. "Yes, I said I'd resign partly because of you...But also because of Jackson. I want to be father... Besides, I've also got to think about how this would look to the press."

"What do you mean?"

"The Deputy Chief of Staff has a secret son..." He pointed out. "It's not going to make me or the administration look very good...Especially since my boss doesn't approve."

"Oh, God... Josh, I'm sorry...I never thought I'd cause this much trouble..."

"Hey, don't worry...You haven't...Everything will be fine."

"But you could lose your job!"

"But I'll have you." He said softly.

She couldn't help but smile. "You know how cheesy that sounds?"

"Yet I don't care." He grinned.

She rolled her eyes teasingly just as Jackson ran into the room, grabbing Josh's hand.

"Josh! Come play cars with me!"

He laughed as he tried to pull him out of the room just as the doorbell rang. "Okay, I'm coming."

"I'll get the door then." Leanne called after them sarcastically before walking towards the door.

She pulled it open and was surprised to see Leo standing there.

"Mr McGarry?" She said. "Uh, come on in..."

"I just dropped by to talk to Josh..." Leo stepped into the apartment.

"He's just through there..." Leanne pointed into the living room.

"Thanks." He gave her a small smile.

Leanne took a deep breath before following him.

"Josh."

He looked up from where he was lying on the floor next to Jackson. "Leo?"

"Can we talk?"

"Can't it wait until I get to work, tomorrow?"

"It's not about work." He told him before quickly adding. "It won't take long."

"Fine." He sighed, pushing himself up, looking at Jackson. "I'll be right back, Kid."

"Okay..." He shrugged and continued to play.

Leo followed Josh out to the kitchen.

"You want a coffee?" He offered.

"Nah, I'll say what I have to say then I'll leave you in peace." Leo replied. "I was wrong to act the way I did."

Josh's head snapped up in surprise. "What?"

"I'm sorry." Leo said. "I was wrong."

"Seriously, Leo...What the hell?" He started, completely confused.

"I spoke to Mallory...Well, actually...It was more of her shouting and me listening..." He replied. "But she sort of made me understand that you're going to choose anything over your family...And also that you shouldn't have to choose either."

Josh was still a little stunned that he was here apologising. "Mal, shouted at you?"

"In front of the President." He nodded.

"Oh, God." He groaned.

"She was right, though Josh..." He told him. "And I'd like to say I didn't act like that because of how it would make the administration look or because I don't like Leanne."

"I know that." Josh said quietly.

"I promised your mother after the shooting, I'd look out for you...I was there the last time you two were together...I remember how hard it was for you...I remember what happened." Leo stated. "Sam, Toby, C.J, Donna, Charlie...You guys, you've all become part of my family…I'd do anything for either one of you... But I've seen you go through so much already in your life... I don't want to see you go through anything else."

Josh was quiet for a moment before repeating what he had just said. "Leo, I know."

He smiled slightly. "Well, then...I'd better leave you to it."

"You could stay for a coffee, y'know."

"Yeah I know, but I need to get back." Leo headed towards the door. "Go play with your son."

Josh smiled. "Yes, sir."

"And Josh?"

"Yeah?"

"I am happy for you."

"I'm happy for me too." He replied, smiling slightly. Everything was starting to look up.

XxXxX

"I'm telling you, that's what Margaret said." Donna said to Sam and Toby, who was stood next to her desk.

"He resigned?" Sam eyes were wide. "Why?"

"I don't know, Margaret said she couldn't hear the whole conversation but she said that Josh told Leo, that all he had to do was say the word and he'd hand in his resignation." Donna replied.

"Oh please!" Toby rolled his eyes. "This is just gossip!"

"I don't gossip!" Donna said defensively. "I'm only concerned because my job is on the line in this also."

"This all happened, yesterday right?" Toby questioned.

"Yes."

"Then why is he sitting in his office today, if he's quit?"

Donna rolled her eyes. "I didn't say he had quit. I said he offered to quit!"

"Who offers to quit?!"

"Apparently Josh." Sam stated.

"Right, well I'm going to leave now and do some real work..."

"Don't you want to know what's been going on with him, Toby?" Sam asked. "I know it's been driving you crazy for the past few days."

"I'm not interested in gossip, Sam...Come find me when you have some proof!"

"Right, I'm going to talk to him." Sam turned to look back at Donna.

"Toby?"

"No, Josh."

"Ah right."

"I'm going to do it now."

"Okay."

He hesitated before going into his best friend's office.

"Josh?" Sam knocked on the door as he pushed it open.

"What's up?" Josh looked up from what he was reading.

"I just wanted to talk to you about something." Sam replied, closing the door and taking a seat, before Josh could say any more. "You know you're my best friend, don't you."

"I guess, yeah..." Josh said slowly, looking at him curiously.

"Well, you are...And I just don't think I say it enough." He stated. "I mean, after what happened at Rosslyn, it sort of shows you how much someone means to you..."

"Sam, are you hitting on me?" Josh cut in, jokingly.

"What? No, God, no!" He said defensively. "I just...Well, you're my best friend and I'd do anything for you."

Josh gave him a confused look but smiled slightly. "Okay, well thanks."

"I mean, it... And I know I can tell you anything...Like Laurie... Oh and all the trouble I was having with Mallory..."

"Oh, God, Sam, who did you sleep with this time?"

"No one!" He exclaimed. "I just...Well..."

"Sam, what's this about?"

"Nothing, I just wanted to tell you, you're my best friend."

"Okay, thank you, I think..." Josh replied. "You're my best friend too."

"Good! Good!"

"Right, well I need to finish reading this report..."

"And as your best friend...I think you should know that you can tell me anything." Sam cut him off.

"I do know..."

"Like say if you found another job...You'd be able to talk it over with me...I wouldn't tell anyone... Or if you were dating someone you shouldn't be...As your friend... Your best friend...I'd help you with what I could..."

Josh stayed silent as Sam rambled, deciding it was probably a good time to tell him what was really going on. Leo had warned him earlier that the President knew about Leanne and Jackson and wanted to question him about them. So, it was a probably good idea to start telling people before they found out by someone else.

"I could help you out if you were having money troubles..." Sam continued.

"Sam, I have a three year old son."

"Exactly! If you had a child, I'd be supportive." Sam replied, not realising. "Even if you broke the law...I'm a lawyer...Wait, hang on."

Josh watched as he thought about what he had just said.

"You have a son?!"

"He's name is Jackson."

"What? How?"

"Well, I'm not explaining that to you...Go ask Toby."

"Josh!"

"Leanne, the girl that came to the bar last week... We used to date..."

"Wow..." He stared at him. "Oh, God! C.J's going to hit you... Hard."

"What?! Why?"

"Well, one, the press are going to love this and two, you left your pregnant ex-girlfriend?"

"I didn't know she was pregnant." He explained. "I only found out about Jackson, last week...She's been living in England."

"What's going to happen now? Is she going back?"

"No, they're kind of living with me."

"You only have two bedrooms." He pointed out.

"Uh, well... Yeah we only need two bedrooms really..."

Sam's eyes widened slightly. "So, since last week, you've found out you have a son, got back together with your ex and moved them both in with you?"

"Pretty much, yeah."

"I think, I'm going to need a big drink."

"No one knows apart from Leo, The President, Mallory and my Mom... I know I need to tell everyone and I will do soon, so please you can't say anything."

"Mallory knows?"

"Leanne and her used to be best friend." Josh answered. "You won't say anything to anyone?"

"Y'know C.J's going to wanna kick your girlfriend's ass for not telling you sooner?"

"Sam!?"

"What?"

"You can't say anything!"

"I won't, I promise."

"Good."

There was a silence as they both sat deep in thought.

"Donna's gonna probably want to hurt her too."

Josh picked up the file had been reading before.

"Get out."

"See you later." Sam stood up and left the office, still stunned from what he just learnt.

TBC

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