Thank you to everyone who reviewed! It means a lot. Please keep them coming.
Enjoy!
I'm Not Fine
"The congressman has time for a couple of questions…" Lou informed the press before shooting Santos a look and held up her hand to remind him they only had five minutes before they had to move on.
"What role is Ben Joseph going to have on your campaign?" A reporter shouted out over the others there.
"Ben and I have been good friends for a long time and I've always valued his advice." Santos was aware of the rumors that he was going to change his campaign manager and wanted to put a stop to it. "He's done some great work so far for this campaign and I'm happy that he's joining us on the last few weeks on the trail."
"Is it true you're going to shake up your campaign staff?"
"No, I have the people I believe best for the job." Santos said firmly. "Ben is going to be a valuable addition to an already strong team…He'll be working closely with both Josh Lyman and Lou Thornton."
"What about the rumors that he will be taking over as campaign manager for the last part of the campaign?"
"That's all they are, rumors." Matt claimed, taking note that Lou was telling him to wrap it up. "Josh has been with me since day one and there is no one I trust more."
"So, you're not replacing him?"
"Come on, guys…you know Josh Lyman is one of a kind and unreplaceable." He replied jokingly with a smirk, causing a small ripple of laughter. "Right, thanks guys…I'll see you in Denver."
"You should have spun back to education." Lou grumbled as they walked away.
"You think ignoring all this talk about campaign shake up is good?" Santos questioned as they entered the conference room. "We need to quash it and then we can move on."
"It's giving into their idle gossip…" Lou replied as they came to stop in front of Josh who looked just as annoyed as her.
Santos rolled his eyes and turned his attention to his campaign manager. "Are you going to tell me off too?"
"Sir, we agreed we wouldn't comment on staffing changes…"
"No, you agreed." Matt gestured to the both of them. "I was getting tired of being asked the same question…"
"But if we do need to make changes then we need the flexibility to do so." Josh told him. "The only person on this campaign that isn't replaceable is you."
"I can't believe we're having this conversation." Matt ran a hand down his face. "You are taking this way too seriously…"
"Sir…"
"No, I'm sick of talking about this…" Matt turned away from them to face the rest of the room where everyone else was getting everything packed up. "Can I have everyone's attention?"
"Congressman…" Josh tried to cut in.
"I've just had this discussion with the press and this is the last time I'm going to comment on it…" He ignored him. "I know I cannot guarantee that there won't be changes made in the next weeks for everyone member of staff but I'm extremely happy and grateful with our team at the moment and have no plans to make any big changes…that includes keeping Josh Lyman as our leader, so you've all still got to listen to him, okay?"
Matt grinned when they all groaned jokingly. "You all better get used to it too because once we're in the White House, he's going to be my Chief of Staff."
Josh tensed at the words and tuned out as Santos moved on to comment on what they had planned for their stop in Denver before saying he was going to find his wife before they had to leave.
"What's up with you?" Lou stared at him and Josh realized that Santos had gone and everyone had returned to work.
"What?"
"Why do you look so shocked?" She asked. "You must have known Chief of Staff was the reward for winning?"
"I got to go…" He turned and left the room.
Lou watched him go and shook her head; wondering how she stayed sane somedays.
Josh caught up with Matt just as he entered the suite he shared with his wife.
"Donna, will you tell your husband to leave me alone." Matt said when he realized his campaign manager had followed him.
"Sir, we need to talk." Josh closed the door,
"What's going on?" Helen questioned.
"Josh and Lou are annoyed that I answered a question about Ben joining the campaign and told the press that I wasn't planning on changing my campaign manager anytime soon." Matt informed them before continuing jokingly. "Although, a little part of me is considering it now…"
"Sir, I do wish that you had spun back to education like we agreed…" Josh started, ignoring Matt's eye roll. "But it's not about that….It's about what you just said to the staff…"
"About our stop in Denver?"
"No the other thing…"
Matt frowned a little as he replayed the conversation in his head. "About you being Chief of Staff?"
"Yes…"
"Oh come on…" Matt threw his hands in the air. "Please, tell me you didn't chase after me to bang on about tempting the wrath or whatever it is…"
"The what?" Helen questioned confused.
"It seem Josh, here, is a little superstitious." Matt explained. "We're tempting fate by actually discussing what we're going to do once we're in the White House…"
"Really? Doesn't that go against the whole campaigning thing?" Helen questioned.
"It's not really that simple…" Josh started, running a hand down his face. "Sir, you shouldn't be offering anyone a White House position, not yet."
"I can't believe we're actually having this conversation." Matt stated. "I'm not picking my senior staff, Josh… I was just stating the obvious…"
"Sir…"
"I mean, if we win this thing then there is no one I want more as Chief of Staff then you." Matt told him. "You really shouldn't be surprised by this…I thought we were on the same page….that this is what you were aiming for."
"No, sir…" Josh shook his head. "I guess, we really should have had this conversation a long time ago."
Helen looked from Josh to Donna and realized the other woman had been quiet the entire conversation. She could see from the look on Donna's face that she wasn't confused or surprised at where this conversation was heading but she did look concerned.
"Okay, what is it?" Helen asked. "Have we missed something?"
"I'm sorry, Sir." Josh sighed. "I've been putting this off and I should have been straight with you."
"Straight with me about what?" Matt questioned, wondering whether he was finally going to find out what the secret him and Leo had been keeping.
"After the election, I'm not going back to Washington…" Josh told him. "I'm moving back to Connecticut."
"Isn't that going to be a bit of a long commute in the mornings?" Matt quipped.
"Sir, one the reasons I brought Ben in, was because he'd make a good Chief of Staff for you…"
"No." Matt said firmly, cutting him off.
"Sir…"
"No, Josh…" Matt shook his head. "If we do win this election then you've earned the right to sit in that office… After the convention, I told Leo the reason I wanted him as my Vice President was because he knew how to run a country…and so do you…You know how to run the White House, how the senate and Congress work… You spent 7 years with Jed Bartlet and Leo McGarry, learning everything they know…There is no one better for that job then you."
Josh stared at him for a few seconds in surprise. "I'm honored you feel like that, Sir…but I'm done…I've worked in Washington since leaving college and after 7 years in the White House and the last year campaigning, I need a break."
Matt actually let out a laugh. "You take a break from politics? I'll believe it when I see it."
"Matt." Helen gave him a warning look, guessing there was more to this then they were being told.
"What do you think of this?" Matt glanced at Donna.
Donna placed the papers she was holding on the table and crossed the room to stand next to Josh. "We've discussed this together and it's something we both want."
"So, you both spent all this time on a Presidential Campaign and neither of you want to see it through afterwards?"
"That's not fair, Sir…" Josh started.
"Not fair?" He repeated. "When I wanted to take a break from politics, you dragged me into this campaign!"
"It's not like I'm quitting and walking away completely." Josh argued. "I'll be a part of this campaign until you decide otherwise but I cannot do another term in the White House, let alone two…If you need me to, I'll stay and help with the transition but you're going to be just fine with Leo, Ben and Lou."
Matt shook his head. "No, that's not good enough…I want you there with me and I'm not taking no for an answer."
"Maybe we should save this conversation until there is an actual administration to staff?" Helen suggested.
"Yeah, that's probably for the best." Donna nodded.
"Fine." Matt agreed, glancing at his watch. "We need to get going..."
"I'm ready." Helen told him.
"You're heading to Washington?" Matt looked back to Josh.
"Yeah, you'll have Lou and Ben with you in Denver."
"Okay, well, we'll see you in a few days then."
"Yes, Sir."
Matt hesitated for a moment; wanting to tell Josh again that he was serious about him being Chief of Staff but decided against it and instead walked out the room.
"I'll be right there." Donna said to Helen as she passed them on the way to the door.
She gave them both a small smile but didn't say anything as she left them alone.
"You okay?" Donna asked him when the door closed.
"Yeah." He let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. "He'll come around."
"I don't know that he will…"
"He'll have to….He can't force me to take the job."
"Josh…"
"He can't."
"You need to tell him…"
He shook his head. "Not this close to the election."
"He's not going to understand until he knows the truth." She claimed.
"He'll come around." He said again. "You better go or you'll be left behind."
"I could come with you."
"Donna…"
"I could help…"
"You need to stay with the congressman and Lou." He told her. "Go…I'll be fine."
She sighed but knew they didn't have the time to get into it now. "Call me later?"
"Yeah…"
"Josh."
He forced himself to bring his attention back to her, stepping closer and pulling her into his arm. "I will call you later."
"Okay." She tightened her arms around him and closed her eyes.
"You really should go." He whispered after a few more seconds.
She stepped back and then leaned in again, placing a soft kiss on his lips. "Remember to get your tux dry cleaned for Ellie's wedding."
"You've already programmed a reminder in my phone." He waved the blackberry in the air.
"Well, make sure you actually do it and not just ignore it."
He smiled a little. "It'll be the first thing on my list when I get back…"
"Good because we're not going to have time to get you another one if you forget…"
"Donna." He cut her off. "It'll be fine."
"Okay…" She took a deep breath. "I'll see you in a few days then."
"And I'll call you in a few hours." He assured her, guiding her to the door.
She paused, looking at him for a few seconds; a big part of her didn't want to leave him.
"Go." He told her softly, giving her another small kiss.
This time, she walked away, closing the door quietly behind her. He let out a long breath and ran a hand through his hair. Maybe it would have been better for everyone if he had just resigned but now he couldn't even do that after the Congressman vigorously denying there wasn't a problem.
"Josh?" Otto stuck his head around the door, holding out a cell. "Phone."
He sighed and then reached for it; knowing he needed to get back to work.
TBC
Josh being incredibly stubborn, I know. Please review and let know what you think. I'm looking forward to posting the next chapter as it was one of favorite write and also one of the first scene I imagine when I started thinking about writing this story.