FF: The Reluctant President (10/?)
Title: The Reluctant President (10/?)
Author: caitrin
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: These characters are not mine.
Genre: AU, romance, drama, mystery
Feedback: Much appreciated.
Timeline: Day one of the Lyman administration.
General Note: In this world, things went AU in season six when Donna quit.
Josh looked around the Oval Office and tried to get his bearings. He sternly told himself that this shouldn't seem so odd. He had spent hundreds of hours in the Oval Office. But it was obviously different now, and he couldn't convince himself otherwise. He was suddenly in charge.
"Can I get you something to eat or drink, sir?"
Josh looked up. Thank God for Charlie.
"Ah, another cup of coffee, and maybe some . . . water?"
"Of course. Anything to eat?"
Josh shook his head.
"When's the last time you ate something, sir?"
Josh tried to think. "I have no idea. Breakfast? I think I ate breakfast."
"You need to eat something, Mr. President. Tell me what you want and the kitchen staff will make it."
Josh realized there was no point arguing. Charlie was using the respectful but stern voice he had perfected while working for President Bartlet. Ah, well. This was why he'd wanted Charlie around, after all.
"I don't know, a burger," he finally said. "Make sure they burn it."
Charlie smiled slightly. "I know. I'll be right back, sir."
While he was waiting, Josh leafed through some the papers that President Santos had left on the desk. There didn't seem to be anything urgent there. He noticed that someone had taken away some of President Santos's personal things and put a few of the pictures from the Vice Presidential office on the desk and shelves. Josh walked to the bookcase and picked up a photo of his whole family from when he was a child. He stared at it, wishing his father and Joanie could be there with him. At least his mother was on her way.
"Hey, uh, Mark?" he said to the agent standing at the edge of the room. He hoped that was actually the guy's name.
"Yes, sir?"
"Would you see if you can get an update on my mother's location?"
"Of course, sir." Mark began to speak into his walkie-talkie.
Just then, Will knocked at one of the doors.
"Come on in, Will," Josh said. "Take a seat." Josh himself sat down on one of the couches. At least that didn't seem quite so weird. He wasn't ready to sit behind that desk yet.
Will sat across from him on the other couch.
"They've set up bedrooms for you and your mother," he began. "I didn't know if you had a preference, so I chose one for you. If you'd like, I'm sure they can move you to a room of your choice."
Josh waved a hand vaguely. "Nah, whatever. I'm sure it's fine."
"I had someone call the networks. We've got the time reserved for your speech and press conference tomorrow night."
"Thanks."
"Now, about the speech . . ."
"I started making some notes on the plane. Hold on." Josh looked around the room. "Where did my briefcase go? Charlie!"
The door opened, but it wasn't Charlie who entered the room.
"J! I'm so sorry, I got here as soon as I could. This must be so hard for you, so I'm here for whatEVER you need," Amy babbled as she swept into the room.
Josh simply raised an eyebrow at one of the Secret Service agents, who quickly stepped between Amy and the President.
"Stop right there, please, ma'am," he said politely but firmly.
Amy glared at the agent. "Don't be ridiculous. I've known him for years. Tell him I have walk-in privileges, J."
Josh shrugged. "You don't. And that's 'Mr. President' to you. I'll also answer to 'sir.'"
Amy stared at him, dumbfounded. "You must be joking."
"Do I look like I'm joking?"
"Come on. You know people are going to be suspicious of a single President. You need me on your side here."
"I don't need anything from you," Josh said coldly. "Other than for you to do your job, of course. If you need anything, make an appointment with Sam. He's your boss. He'll decide if you need to talk to me."
As Amy stood there gaping, Charlie reentered the room. "The food will be here in a minute. And Sam's on the phone."
"I need to talk to him," Amy interjected.
"Not now," Charlie said firmly as he took Amy's arm and began to lead her from the room. Will got the hint and followed. "Line one," Charlie said. "We'll be outside if you need anything, sir."
Josh forced himself to sit at the desk. He closed his eyes for a moment before picking up the phone. If Sam was calling, that meant he had news from Wisconsin, and Josh wasn't sure he could handle hearing that news. He took a deep breath.
"Sam? Did you find her?"
Author: caitrin
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: These characters are not mine.
Genre: AU, romance, drama, mystery
Feedback: Much appreciated.
Timeline: Day one of the Lyman administration.
General Note: In this world, things went AU in season six when Donna quit.
Josh looked around the Oval Office and tried to get his bearings. He sternly told himself that this shouldn't seem so odd. He had spent hundreds of hours in the Oval Office. But it was obviously different now, and he couldn't convince himself otherwise. He was suddenly in charge.
"Can I get you something to eat or drink, sir?"
Josh looked up. Thank God for Charlie.
"Ah, another cup of coffee, and maybe some . . . water?"
"Of course. Anything to eat?"
Josh shook his head.
"When's the last time you ate something, sir?"
Josh tried to think. "I have no idea. Breakfast? I think I ate breakfast."
"You need to eat something, Mr. President. Tell me what you want and the kitchen staff will make it."
Josh realized there was no point arguing. Charlie was using the respectful but stern voice he had perfected while working for President Bartlet. Ah, well. This was why he'd wanted Charlie around, after all.
"I don't know, a burger," he finally said. "Make sure they burn it."
Charlie smiled slightly. "I know. I'll be right back, sir."
While he was waiting, Josh leafed through some the papers that President Santos had left on the desk. There didn't seem to be anything urgent there. He noticed that someone had taken away some of President Santos's personal things and put a few of the pictures from the Vice Presidential office on the desk and shelves. Josh walked to the bookcase and picked up a photo of his whole family from when he was a child. He stared at it, wishing his father and Joanie could be there with him. At least his mother was on her way.
"Hey, uh, Mark?" he said to the agent standing at the edge of the room. He hoped that was actually the guy's name.
"Yes, sir?"
"Would you see if you can get an update on my mother's location?"
"Of course, sir." Mark began to speak into his walkie-talkie.
Just then, Will knocked at one of the doors.
"Come on in, Will," Josh said. "Take a seat." Josh himself sat down on one of the couches. At least that didn't seem quite so weird. He wasn't ready to sit behind that desk yet.
Will sat across from him on the other couch.
"They've set up bedrooms for you and your mother," he began. "I didn't know if you had a preference, so I chose one for you. If you'd like, I'm sure they can move you to a room of your choice."
Josh waved a hand vaguely. "Nah, whatever. I'm sure it's fine."
"I had someone call the networks. We've got the time reserved for your speech and press conference tomorrow night."
"Thanks."
"Now, about the speech . . ."
"I started making some notes on the plane. Hold on." Josh looked around the room. "Where did my briefcase go? Charlie!"
The door opened, but it wasn't Charlie who entered the room.
"J! I'm so sorry, I got here as soon as I could. This must be so hard for you, so I'm here for whatEVER you need," Amy babbled as she swept into the room.
Josh simply raised an eyebrow at one of the Secret Service agents, who quickly stepped between Amy and the President.
"Stop right there, please, ma'am," he said politely but firmly.
Amy glared at the agent. "Don't be ridiculous. I've known him for years. Tell him I have walk-in privileges, J."
Josh shrugged. "You don't. And that's 'Mr. President' to you. I'll also answer to 'sir.'"
Amy stared at him, dumbfounded. "You must be joking."
"Do I look like I'm joking?"
"Come on. You know people are going to be suspicious of a single President. You need me on your side here."
"I don't need anything from you," Josh said coldly. "Other than for you to do your job, of course. If you need anything, make an appointment with Sam. He's your boss. He'll decide if you need to talk to me."
As Amy stood there gaping, Charlie reentered the room. "The food will be here in a minute. And Sam's on the phone."
"I need to talk to him," Amy interjected.
"Not now," Charlie said firmly as he took Amy's arm and began to lead her from the room. Will got the hint and followed. "Line one," Charlie said. "We'll be outside if you need anything, sir."
Josh forced himself to sit at the desk. He closed his eyes for a moment before picking up the phone. If Sam was calling, that meant he had news from Wisconsin, and Josh wasn't sure he could handle hearing that news. He took a deep breath.
"Sam? Did you find her?"