FF: The Reluctant President (18/?)
Hi everyone! I'm so sorry for the delay. I was traveling for a few weeks, and I've been ill since I got home. But I'm finally on the mend!
Title: The Reluctant President (18/?)
Author: caitrin
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: These characters are not mine.
Genre: AU, romance, drama, mystery
Feedback: Much appreciated.
Timeline: Day two of the Lyman administration.
Note: There's one spot here when someone has a different job than you might expect, but just go with it and I'll explain later - if I explained in advance it would ruin the suspense. :)
A few minutes after Josh had hung up with Toby's twins, Ron Butterfield came back to the Oval Office.
“We have Danny Concannon and the two children, sir,” he said. “I can have one of the agents put Mr. Concannon on the phone if you'd like to speak with him.”
“Please,” Josh said gratefully. He picked up the phone.
“I didn't realize that working for you would be so exciting, Mr. President,” Danny said when he got on the line.
“God, I'm sorry,” Josh said. “How are the kids?”
“Frances is fine. I'm with her and she's been around the Secret Service enough to be used to them, anyway.” Danny paused. “Leo's a little scared. I think he wants Mommy.”
“Well, he'll have to make do with us until we can get Donna, CJ, and my mom back here.” Josh had considered asking the agents to bring the three women right back to the White House, but he didn't want to worry them until he had the children safe with him. Besides, they still needed dresses for the speech. “Bring both of them right in when you get here, okay, Danny? I want to see for myself that they're okay.”
“Of course, Mr. President.”
Josh hung up the phone and turned to Sam. “This is ridiculous. We need a vice president. Now.”
“I agree, sir, but these things take time . . .”
“Why?” Josh demanded. “You said it yourself - it would be natural for us to have been working on this already, since I wasn't going to stay on the ticket. I want to announce my choice tonight.”
“TONIGHT, Mr. President?” Sam sounded shocked.
“The people are going to want me to say something new and important in this speech,” Josh pointed out. “If I can't tell them we have the shooters in custody, this is the next best thing.”
“But who? We can't possibly vet someone in a day.”
“You still haven't figured it out? You're slipping.”
Sam made a face. “Why don't you just tell me, sir?”
“Because it will make me feel better if you come to the same answer yourself,” Josh admitted. “Now, think about the characteristics our choice needs to have.”
“It has to be someone who's been elected, sir,” Sam said. “A bunch of times, preferably to a few different offices. The fact that you've never even run for anything is probably going to be your biggest weakness.”
Josh nodded. “Go on.”
“But at the same time, we can't risk making you seem like a puppet. It can't be someone who seems more presidential than you. Biden, Dodd . . . those guys are all out. It needs to be someone young, maybe a woman.”
Josh just nodded again.
“Someone well-liked by both houses of Congress would help.”
“Yes . . .”
“Someone who agrees with us, at least on the major stuff.”
“Right. And?”
“God. Someone we can completely trust, without any question. That's going to be the hardest part.”
Josh stared at his best friend for a moment. “Are you there yet?”
Sam thought for a minute, and then suddenly the light came on. “Oh, God. You think they can handle it?”
“I'm not convinced any of us can handle any of this, but I think I have to ask them to try,” Josh stated bluntly. “CHARLIE!”
Charlie appeared a moment later. “Zoey's on her way, sir, but she's not happy about it.”
“Thanks. I bet she'll be even madder when I ask her to babysit during the speech tonight, huh?” Josh asked.
Charlie raised his eyebrows. “I think I'll be very far away when you spring that on her, sir.”
“Look, get the stewards started setting up some kind of nursery for Frances and Leo to use for the moment, and a playroom for the twins. I'm sure Peter and Miranda won't mind if they borrow some of their DVDs and stuff.” The Wyatt-Zieglers had had a few play dates at the White House, and all four children got along well. “The Secret Service wants the kids to all stay here for now so they're easier to protect.”
“Yes, sir.”
“And then we need to get a VP selection vetted in the next - How long do we have, Sam?”
Sam glanced at his watch. “I'll give you about three hours. Then we really need to finish the speech.”
“Fine. Three hours.”
Charlie looked skeptical. “What do you need me to do first, sir?”
Josh paused for a moment. Was this really happening? Was he really about to do this? He looked Charlie straight in the eye. “I need you to get Senator Wyatt over here immediately without actually telling anyone that she's going to be the next Vice President of the United States.”
Title: The Reluctant President (18/?)
Author: caitrin
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: These characters are not mine.
Genre: AU, romance, drama, mystery
Feedback: Much appreciated.
Timeline: Day two of the Lyman administration.
Note: There's one spot here when someone has a different job than you might expect, but just go with it and I'll explain later - if I explained in advance it would ruin the suspense. :)
A few minutes after Josh had hung up with Toby's twins, Ron Butterfield came back to the Oval Office.
“We have Danny Concannon and the two children, sir,” he said. “I can have one of the agents put Mr. Concannon on the phone if you'd like to speak with him.”
“Please,” Josh said gratefully. He picked up the phone.
“I didn't realize that working for you would be so exciting, Mr. President,” Danny said when he got on the line.
“God, I'm sorry,” Josh said. “How are the kids?”
“Frances is fine. I'm with her and she's been around the Secret Service enough to be used to them, anyway.” Danny paused. “Leo's a little scared. I think he wants Mommy.”
“Well, he'll have to make do with us until we can get Donna, CJ, and my mom back here.” Josh had considered asking the agents to bring the three women right back to the White House, but he didn't want to worry them until he had the children safe with him. Besides, they still needed dresses for the speech. “Bring both of them right in when you get here, okay, Danny? I want to see for myself that they're okay.”
“Of course, Mr. President.”
Josh hung up the phone and turned to Sam. “This is ridiculous. We need a vice president. Now.”
“I agree, sir, but these things take time . . .”
“Why?” Josh demanded. “You said it yourself - it would be natural for us to have been working on this already, since I wasn't going to stay on the ticket. I want to announce my choice tonight.”
“TONIGHT, Mr. President?” Sam sounded shocked.
“The people are going to want me to say something new and important in this speech,” Josh pointed out. “If I can't tell them we have the shooters in custody, this is the next best thing.”
“But who? We can't possibly vet someone in a day.”
“You still haven't figured it out? You're slipping.”
Sam made a face. “Why don't you just tell me, sir?”
“Because it will make me feel better if you come to the same answer yourself,” Josh admitted. “Now, think about the characteristics our choice needs to have.”
“It has to be someone who's been elected, sir,” Sam said. “A bunch of times, preferably to a few different offices. The fact that you've never even run for anything is probably going to be your biggest weakness.”
Josh nodded. “Go on.”
“But at the same time, we can't risk making you seem like a puppet. It can't be someone who seems more presidential than you. Biden, Dodd . . . those guys are all out. It needs to be someone young, maybe a woman.”
Josh just nodded again.
“Someone well-liked by both houses of Congress would help.”
“Yes . . .”
“Someone who agrees with us, at least on the major stuff.”
“Right. And?”
“God. Someone we can completely trust, without any question. That's going to be the hardest part.”
Josh stared at his best friend for a moment. “Are you there yet?”
Sam thought for a minute, and then suddenly the light came on. “Oh, God. You think they can handle it?”
“I'm not convinced any of us can handle any of this, but I think I have to ask them to try,” Josh stated bluntly. “CHARLIE!”
Charlie appeared a moment later. “Zoey's on her way, sir, but she's not happy about it.”
“Thanks. I bet she'll be even madder when I ask her to babysit during the speech tonight, huh?” Josh asked.
Charlie raised his eyebrows. “I think I'll be very far away when you spring that on her, sir.”
“Look, get the stewards started setting up some kind of nursery for Frances and Leo to use for the moment, and a playroom for the twins. I'm sure Peter and Miranda won't mind if they borrow some of their DVDs and stuff.” The Wyatt-Zieglers had had a few play dates at the White House, and all four children got along well. “The Secret Service wants the kids to all stay here for now so they're easier to protect.”
“Yes, sir.”
“And then we need to get a VP selection vetted in the next - How long do we have, Sam?”
Sam glanced at his watch. “I'll give you about three hours. Then we really need to finish the speech.”
“Fine. Three hours.”
Charlie looked skeptical. “What do you need me to do first, sir?”
Josh paused for a moment. Was this really happening? Was he really about to do this? He looked Charlie straight in the eye. “I need you to get Senator Wyatt over here immediately without actually telling anyone that she's going to be the next Vice President of the United States.”