Title: Silver Lining Author's Note: My first fanfic, it picks up right after The Benign Prerogative. Unbetaed.
~AFTER THE STATE OF THE UNION~ "I'm serious Jed, I'm back and I'm going to work." "Okay." Jed continued to read as Abby fluttered around their bedroom. "I'm not going to be quiet anymore. You're going to hear from me." "Okay." "And your staff is going to hear from my staff." He set down his book and smiled ruefully at his wife. "My dear, are you trying to tell me you're bringing back Amy Gardner?" Abby smirked. "That got your attention." Jed remained silent but looked pointedly at her over his glasses. She relented, "No, but thank you for firing my Chief of Staff without consulting me." Jed sighed, "Abby, she wasn't going about things the right way-" She cut him off before he could finish. "Jed, its fine. You were right, I wasn't here. Besides as good as Amy is she probably wasn't right for the job. Certainly she knows the game, but I don't want to play games anymore, political or otherwise, with you or your staff. I want to make a difference for women and children in this country. I told Leo I wanted to role up my sleeves and I do, I want to make a contribution and be a voice in this administration." "I'm listening." She smiled. "I appreciate that." "So it sounds like you have a plan." "I do have a plan. My plan is to be a part of the team. And I think the best way to do that is to hire a new Chief of Staff…" She paused before continuing, "Someone that your staff respects, someone who will work with your people instead of against them, someone bright who knows the game but doesn't delight in playing it, you know someone who can handle…say… Josh, but who he won't rejoice in beating." "Kind of a tall order don't you think, Abigail." If her back hadn't been to him as she took off her earrings he would have seen the smug expression on her face. "Actually, I have someone in mind," she said as she came back to the bed and busied herself turning down the covers on her side. "The only person who can handle Josh..." He trailed off as he looked over at his wife, understanding dawning in his voice. "No," he said shaking his head. "My Deputy Chief of Staff would lose his mind." "What? I'm just tossing around a few ideas. And your Deputy Chief of Staff losing his mind is just… icing." She looked like the cat that swallowed the canary. "Abby-" "Jed," she interrupted him. "I'm currently just considering my options." She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "Good night my love, get some rest," she said as she turned over. A moment later she added in a softer voice, "You know, if I forgot to say, you did good tonight." Jed smiled broadly. He was just so happy to have his wife back that he didn't care if she was about to wreck havoc on his staff. *** "You still here?" Donna asked as she peaked into Josh's office. Josh's head shot up the second he heard her voice. "Yeah, I was…" he had been about to say 'waiting for you' when he stopped himself, instead he said, "Um… finishing up some stuff, waiting for polling numbers on the State of the Union…" He trailed off before adding, "What about you, are you done with the special guests?" "Yes, they're all finally gone." She said with a wane smile, the strain of the evening evident on her face. "Those people, they were all so happy and grateful but I couldn't stop thinking about…" She stopped afraid she would get emotional all over again. Josh stood and crossed towards her. "You were a big part of why all those people were pardoned tonight, you know that right?" "Josh, I didn't have anything to do with-" Josh put a hand on each of her shoulders. "Donna, you convinced me that it shouldn't just be a handful of pardons that they all deserved a second chance, and I convinced Leo and the President. You made that happen." "It didn't happen for Donovan Morrisey." She looked down. "Politics got in the way and it's a tragedy, but it's not your fault and you've got to focus on the good you did tonight." She nodded in disagreement. "Josh seriously all I did was read the files-" He gripped her arms tighter. "No, you read the files, you took the meetings and then you knew the right thing to do." He reached over and lifted her chin so their eyes met. "Sometimes, doing what we do, you forget we're talking about people's lives… you didn't forget." Then he added in a whisper, "You were my conscience." They stood, eyes locked, for a time something passing between them… but neither knew exactly what. Donna was the first to shake it off. "It's late I should get going." She started to turn, but halted and looked back at him pointedly. "You should go too." He shrugged noncommittally. "I have a couple of things and then…" "Josh," she interrupted. He smiled at her. "Alright." Although Josh would never admit it out loud, he loved the way Donna looked after him. "I'll walk out with you." Donna rewarded him with a warm smile. *** ~8:15 AM WEDNESDAY~ "What's next? Jed asked his senior staff. "Josh and Toby have the thing with Parsons on the Hill," Leo answered. "You guys ready?" "Yes, Mr. President," Toby replied as Josh nodded his affirmation. "Good, brief me when you get back." "That's it," Leo said and the senior staff started to exit the Oval Office. "Leo, a minute," The President directed to his Chief of Staff. Once the others had exited, Leo looked at him expectantly. "Abby is back," Jed said as he looked over at his old friend. "She's back and she wants to play a role." "I figured as much, Sir," Leo replied with a stiff smile. Still not knowing where he stood personally with the First Lady, Abigail Bartlet made for an awkward subject of conversation for Leo to engage in with the President. "Apparently she's going to take a different tact, work in harmony with the West Wing, etcetera. She wants to hire a Chief of Staff that can accomplish that." "I think that's great." Leo's groan was almost inaudible, almost. "No, you don't." "Well, I think it's great that she's back and if she wants to have a voice in things your staff will prioritize your agenda in whatever way you tell them to," Leo changed the subject. "And there are a lot of good people. I can have Josh suggest a list of candidates for her Chief of Staff position." "I don't think that will be necessary." "She has someone in mind?" Leo looked surprised. "Yes, and I don't think this person would be on Josh's list." "Not Amy?" Leo looked suddenly wary. "No, No." Jed laughed at Leo's apprehension. "I think her candidate is someone who has considerably more influence over Josh than Amy did… she said she wanted someone who was bright, understood the politics, was respected by the senior staff and who can handle your Deputy." A look of understanding crossed Leo's face. "Oh no, she wants Donna." "Well she didn't come out and say it, but who else fits that description?" "She wants Donna for her Chief of Staff," Leo said thoughtfully. "Actually it's a really good choice." "Yes." "Donna is ripe for a promotion she has really taken on a lot more responsibility lately. I think she's ready for this." "Agreed." "She would certainly have the respect of everyone in the West Wing and as for Josh… well, it's going to kill Josh." "I know." "Does Abby know?' Jed nodded. "I think she regards it as something of a bonus." Jed and Leo chuckled, and then Jed looked seriously at Leo. "Will he be okay?" "He'll be crazy. But he'll get over losing her professionally, if he gets too crazy we can use the silver lining argument." "What's the silver lining argument?" Jed looked puzzled. "That if she's no longer his assistant, then he will no longer be her boss." "I see." The President raised an eyebrow at his old friend. "It's like that is it?" "Sir, come on… don't try to tell me you haven't noticed?" Leo looked pointedly at the President and then shook his head quickly. "Actually, I try not to notice anything, but some things are just, you know, so horrifyingly obvious that I have no choice but to notice." They both laughed before the President admitted, "Yes, of course I've noticed but I had a year ago Christmas in the pool and when that came and went I guess I ceased to care." The President snickered at his own joke while Leo nodded in agreement and exited the Oval Office. *** "Angela!" Abby Bartlet called down the hall trying to capture the attention of Angela Blake as she hurried towards the bull pen. Angela stopped and turned. If she was surprised to find the First lady of the United States hurrying after her, her face didn't register it. "Yes, Mrs. Bartlet, How are you Ma'am?" she asked. "I'm fine thank you." The First lady had caught up with her. "May I have a moment of your time?" "Of course, Ma'am." "In here." Abby motioned to the unoccupied Roosevelt Room. Angela stepped into the room. "I'm happy to help you in any way I can." Abby pinned her with a look. "Donna Moss." Angela looked puzzled. "What about her Ma'am?" "I heard she worked closely with you during the budget crisis?" "She did." As Abby moved to close the door she said, "I want to ask what you thought of the work she did with you…" *** "Leo, the First Lady wants to know if you have a minute," Margaret said as she walked into the Chief of Staff's office. Leo looked up from his phone call. He covered the mouth piece. "Sure, send her in I'll be off in two minutes." Abby wandered into the room and looked around while waiting for him to finish up his call. As soon as he had replaced the received she began without preamble. "I want to hire someone from your staff for my staff." "I know." "I want Donna." "I know." "You know?" She looked at him questioningly. "The President gave me a heads up this morning." "Oh, well… I just wanted to inform you of my intention to hire her, so I guess that's it." "You know this is going to be upsetting for Josh." She looked at Leo blankly. "I assumed as much, but I am confident that he will be happy to see Donna advance." "I'm hoping he looks at it that way, too." "Honestly, Josh's reaction really isn't my concern, besides Jed told me about the Silver Lining argument so that should temper any disappointment he has on a professional level, right?" Leo cringed. "You know the less I think about the personal lives of my staff the better." "Maybe I'm doing you a favor, seems like you've been concerned about dodging this particular bullet for quite some time?" Abby ventured. "Only since the New Hampshire Primary…" He smiled, finally, before adding, "During the first election." They both laughed breaking the ice a little. "I'll need to talk to Josh before he hears anything, so you let me know when you want to meet with Donna and then I'll break it to Josh?" "Tomorrow morning," The First Lady stated and turned to leave. "Okay, tomorrow." Leo tentatively looked at her retreating form trying to find a way to breach the gap between them professionally. "Abby, she's a good choice." She looked back briefly before exiting. "You don't need to tell me that." *** ~THE NEXT MORNING~ "Margaret!" Leo yelled from his office. "Yes, Leo?" Margaret appeared immediately in his door. "Find Josh and get him down here when he's got a free moment." Leo looked up when he didn't hear a response. "What are you waiting for?" Margaret appeared unfazed by Leo's glare. "So it's true?" "What?" Leo sounded exasperated already. "Donna. It's true that Donna is going to work for the First Lady?" Leo just stared at her. "Because that's great, Donna would be great as her Chief of Staff. I think more assistants should-" "Margaret," Leo interrupted as he shook his head. "How do you know that? The only people who know about this are me, the President and the First Lady. How do you know? Are you listening at the door again?" "Well," Margaret looked down before plunging in, "Dale in Human Resources said that The First Lady had been over there poking around looking in her personnel file and Suzie in Political Affairs said that Mrs. Bartlet was asking about Donna's work with…" "Oh, geez, okay, find Josh right now." "Okay." Margaret turned and moved out the door. Leo muttered to himself, "Last thing I need is Josh finding out about this from Suzie in Political Affairs…" *** Donna was certainly curious why Jan Stebbins, the First lady's personal assistant, had called and asked her to come up to the residence. Josh had just been called into Leo's office on some urgent matter on the other so she figured he wouldn't miss her for the duration of her visit to the residence. She couldn't imagine it would take long. When she arrived she was ushered into the sitting room; Jane told her that the First Lady would be there momentarily and excused herself. "Donna, good morning, thanks for coming up on such short notice." Abby Bartlet swept into the room. Donna stood instantly. "Of course, Ma'am." "Sit down, sit down. I apologize for doing this in the residence but I didn't want to invite gossip before it's a done deal by meeting with you in my office." The First Lady took a seat in the chair opposite Donna and signaled for the steward to enter. Donna hadn't noticed him standing there by the door and she was struck once again by how stealthy the staff that served the President was. "Tea, Donna?" she offered. For a moment Donna was struck dumb by the fact that the First Lady had called her to the residence and was now offering her tea, she realized that Mrs. Bartlet was still staring at her and was able to recover. "Okay… sure if you're having some, Ma'am." "Excellent," replied the First Lady as she motioned for the steward to pour. "Donna, I'm sure you're wondering why I asked you to meet me this morning." Donna relaxed a bit seeing the kind look in the other woman's eyes "Yes, Ma'am, I admit I'm curious." "Donna, do you enjoy working for Josh?" Mrs. Bartlet dove into the thick of the matter. "Excuse me?" "Josh. Do you enjoy working for him?" "Um, I uh… Donna stuttered having no idea what the First Lady was getting at. "Yes?" It came out as a question rather than an answer. A fact which did not go unnoticed by Mrs. Bartlet. She smirked, "Was that a question?" "No, I mean, yes, I love working here. I love my job." Donna stated emphatically, but betrayed a bit of worry when she asked, "Have I done something wrong?" Mrs. Bartlet smiled kindly at her. "No, No, I'm sorry I didn't mean to make you think you were in trouble and I believe you love working in the White House, what I'm curious about is your working for Josh. You've been with him for, what?" "Almost seven years," Donna supplied feeling very nervous all of a sudden. "I just wonder why?" "Ma'am?" Donna felt her insides twist, 'she knows, she knows I have,' but stopped unable to admit or define her feelings for her boss even to herself. Suddenly, she realized Mrs. Bartlet had been talking and snapped back to attention. "… I just don't understand how such an affable, competent young woman could put up with that insufferable egomaniacal jackass for seven years?!" Donna's eyes went huge. "Oh no, what has he done now?" Before the First lady could respond Donna launched into full Defend Josh Mode. "I know he can be those things you said, I know better than anybody, but he is also a committed, compassionate…" She took a deep breath before resuming her defense, "Kind man, he genuinely cares about what he's doing, about what we're doing in this building. He really only wants to do good." She paused and looked Mrs. Bartlet in the eye, "And I've learned so much for him… I owe him everything." The First Lady smiled slyly. "I guess that answered that question. Donna, I asked you here this morning to offer you a position on my staff." Donna was stunned, if she was expecting anything that wasn't it. Her eyes wide, she opened her mouth, but unable to summon a response, she closed it again. "Donna?" The First Lady looked at her questioningly. She tried to pull herself together; she knew she needed to say something. "Ma'am, I'm… I just wasn't expecting that. I thought for sure this was about one of Josh's messes." "No, Donna, I want you to come work for me." Donna looked at her completely dumbfounded. "But, Ma'am, you already have an assistant." "Actually I have three, one personal, one social and one administrative." "So why would you want another?" "I don't want to hire you as one of my assistants; I want to hire you to be their boss." "Their boss, I don't understand. Their boss would be…" "My Chief of Staff," the First Lady replied triumphantly. |