(no subject)
Title: Running Mates (and Other Considerations)
Author: Christine
Fandom/Pairing: The West Wing, Josh/Donna
Spoilers: Series
Disclaimer: Not mine in any way.
Notes: This was a scene that was going to be part of the Coming Back To You alt-universe and then never made it into the fic because it never quite fit right. So I've expanded it a bit, changed it a bit, and left it all on its own here.
Much thanks to Leli and Zinke for looking this over first and pointing out all my inconsistencies amid dealing with the AUishness of it all. :)
~~~
Josh looked out over the pile of folders strewn across the bed and frowned. They'd been at this for hours - first at the office, and now here at home - and they were getting nowhere. They couldn't come up with a single viable candidate for Vice President.
"Treebler?" he suggested in desperation, handing a folder over to Donna. "He's been in congress for the better part of seven years and he's well liked in his state."
Donna took the folder and tossed it onto the 'No' pile without even bothering to open it. "He opposed the gun lobby bill five times and there have been rumors about the nanny."
He raised a brow at her. "That's the twelfth one you've said no to."
"That's the twelfth one you've proposed who would make a significantly less than ideal candidate," she said, arching a brow right back at him in a manner that he generally found endearing. Right now, though, it was more annoying than anything else.
"Fine," he said, pulling another from the pile. "What about Strunk?"
"He's a possibility," she said hesitantly, taking the file and reading his bio.
"But?" he prompted.
She closed the file and looked over at him. "But I'm not sure he'd bring enough to the ticket to give us an edge over Vinick. He certainly wouldn't hurt us but…"
"He doesn't help either." Josh pushed the entire pile away from him in frustration. "Dammit! Treebler, Strunck, George. Isn't there anyone in the Democratic party who could do this job?"
"There has to be," she said, frowning at the pile littered across the comforter.
"Yeah? Who?"
Looking from the scattered files to Josh and back again, Donna nibbled at a cuticle. "I hesitate to mention it, but… what about Rickie Rafferty?"
He stared at her, sure he'd misheard. "What?"
"Rickie Rafferty," she repeated a little more firmly. "Admittedly, I know very little about her personal life, but her record is impeccable and if Toby was willing to back her -"
"Toby was willing to back anyone who wasn't Matt Santos."
"When are you going to stop blaming Toby?" she asked.
If anyone could manage to look imposing while wearing a man's pajama top and not a lick of makeup, it was Donna. And she was doing a remarkably good job of it right now. Still, Josh refused to be cowed.
"When is he going to stop being an egotistical jackass who thinks he knows better just because he's -"
"Josh."
The warning tone of her voice let him know that he'd gone too far. He pushed down his anger and focused on the matter at hand. "Fine. Talk to me about Rickie Rafferty."
"She's got an outstanding voting record. She supports a woman's right to choose, she's been a huge advocate for gun control, she's not afraid to speak her mind -even if it goes against popular thinking - and she also happens to agree with Santos about education and healthcare."
All excellent points, he conceded. And if it weren't for the fact that Toby had suggested her first… It was irrational - and he knew it - but he couldn't seem to let it go.
"She's not visible enough," he complained.
"She's been on national television more than a dozen times and she's a favorite of the pundits."
"She's a woman."
Donna glared at him. "Excuse me?"
He gulped, wondering how far he'd have to backtrack to get Donna to stop glaring at him without backing down so much that it looked like he was agreeing on Rafferty. "You know what I mean. The public isn't ready for a woman in office. They'd never -"
"I understand," she interrupted, causing him to frown. She'd given in far too easily. Josh eyed her warily until she rolled her eyes at him and offered him a wry smile.
"I said that I understood," she continued. "But I don't think the women in this country - who just happen to make up 56% of the voting population," she reminded him pointedly, "would. Women are the majority, Josh. We’ve had voting rights since 1920, we hold important positions in business and industry. It's time that we had a woman in a position of power in the White House."
"And CJ isn't in a position of power?" he snarked.
"Honestly, Josh, how many people actually know the name of the White House's Chief of Staff during any given year?"
He glanced away. "A few."
"A very few," she said.
"Fine. You've made… Toby's point," he sulked. "What else?"
"She's from New York and we need New York."
It was true. They did need New York. In fact, it was currently one of the key battleground states. But was it enough to make Rafferty the one?
"Rafferty…" He repeated the name, thinking it over. She wasn't actually a bad choice. In fact, she was a pretty damned good choice - she had all the qualifications they were looking for and then some. If he could just get over the fact Toby was the one who had picked her first…
"I think she'd do well," Donna said quietly. "I think she'd help make a difference."
It was the softness of her tone and the sincerity in her voice that finally got to him. While the past year had given Donna a political edge she hadn't had before, she still had a way of getting to the heart of things and putting them in perspective for him.
Swallowing his pride, he reached over to grab a post-it and scribbled Rafferty's name on it. "OK, we'll put her on the short list."
She rewarded him with a wide smile.
"There are no guarantees she'll get it," he warned. "If Santos doesn't approve, we may have to go through this process all over again tomorrow."
"I just want us to have the strongest Vice Presidential candidate possible," she told him.
"So do I," he agreed, "But don't get your hopes up about Rafferty."
"I won't," she promised, even as the slight frown forming on her face belied her words.
He sighed. "Yeah, I'd believe that if I didn't know you so well. Seriously, Donna… Stop with the hamster face."
"I'm not -"
"You are. We'll take it to the Congressman and see what he says. Meanwhile…" He eyed her oversized pajama top, which was sliding precariously low on her shoulder, "maybe we should forget about candidates for the rest of the night."
"That sounds like an excellent idea," she agreed, smiling impishly. "Right after you tell me a little bit more about your views on women."
"Right now, my view is very limited," he said, leaning closer to her. "All I can see is a beautiful blonde who -"
"Amazes you with her political prowess?"
"Well, yes…"
"And is stunningly brilliant?"
He eyed her warily. "Yeah."
"And?"
He should have known she wouldn't let the comment about women go so easily. "And who is absolutely right about women candidates and women voters," he said, sighing. "You're never going to forgive me for that comment, are you?"
"Nope. But maybe I'll let it slide for another hour or two," she conceded, popping open first one button and then the next on her top. "if you can wow me with something other than your outstanding oral skills."
"But Donna… I thought you loved my oral skills," he said, smirking.
"I do."
"Excellent," he said grinning and catching her lips in a kiss. "Then let me show you what else I can do."
~End~
Author: Christine
Fandom/Pairing: The West Wing, Josh/Donna
Spoilers: Series
Disclaimer: Not mine in any way.
Notes: This was a scene that was going to be part of the Coming Back To You alt-universe and then never made it into the fic because it never quite fit right. So I've expanded it a bit, changed it a bit, and left it all on its own here.
Much thanks to Leli and Zinke for looking this over first and pointing out all my inconsistencies amid dealing with the AUishness of it all. :)
~~~
Josh looked out over the pile of folders strewn across the bed and frowned. They'd been at this for hours - first at the office, and now here at home - and they were getting nowhere. They couldn't come up with a single viable candidate for Vice President.
"Treebler?" he suggested in desperation, handing a folder over to Donna. "He's been in congress for the better part of seven years and he's well liked in his state."
Donna took the folder and tossed it onto the 'No' pile without even bothering to open it. "He opposed the gun lobby bill five times and there have been rumors about the nanny."
He raised a brow at her. "That's the twelfth one you've said no to."
"That's the twelfth one you've proposed who would make a significantly less than ideal candidate," she said, arching a brow right back at him in a manner that he generally found endearing. Right now, though, it was more annoying than anything else.
"Fine," he said, pulling another from the pile. "What about Strunk?"
"He's a possibility," she said hesitantly, taking the file and reading his bio.
"But?" he prompted.
She closed the file and looked over at him. "But I'm not sure he'd bring enough to the ticket to give us an edge over Vinick. He certainly wouldn't hurt us but…"
"He doesn't help either." Josh pushed the entire pile away from him in frustration. "Dammit! Treebler, Strunck, George. Isn't there anyone in the Democratic party who could do this job?"
"There has to be," she said, frowning at the pile littered across the comforter.
"Yeah? Who?"
Looking from the scattered files to Josh and back again, Donna nibbled at a cuticle. "I hesitate to mention it, but… what about Rickie Rafferty?"
He stared at her, sure he'd misheard. "What?"
"Rickie Rafferty," she repeated a little more firmly. "Admittedly, I know very little about her personal life, but her record is impeccable and if Toby was willing to back her -"
"Toby was willing to back anyone who wasn't Matt Santos."
"When are you going to stop blaming Toby?" she asked.
If anyone could manage to look imposing while wearing a man's pajama top and not a lick of makeup, it was Donna. And she was doing a remarkably good job of it right now. Still, Josh refused to be cowed.
"When is he going to stop being an egotistical jackass who thinks he knows better just because he's -"
"Josh."
The warning tone of her voice let him know that he'd gone too far. He pushed down his anger and focused on the matter at hand. "Fine. Talk to me about Rickie Rafferty."
"She's got an outstanding voting record. She supports a woman's right to choose, she's been a huge advocate for gun control, she's not afraid to speak her mind -even if it goes against popular thinking - and she also happens to agree with Santos about education and healthcare."
All excellent points, he conceded. And if it weren't for the fact that Toby had suggested her first… It was irrational - and he knew it - but he couldn't seem to let it go.
"She's not visible enough," he complained.
"She's been on national television more than a dozen times and she's a favorite of the pundits."
"She's a woman."
Donna glared at him. "Excuse me?"
He gulped, wondering how far he'd have to backtrack to get Donna to stop glaring at him without backing down so much that it looked like he was agreeing on Rafferty. "You know what I mean. The public isn't ready for a woman in office. They'd never -"
"I understand," she interrupted, causing him to frown. She'd given in far too easily. Josh eyed her warily until she rolled her eyes at him and offered him a wry smile.
"I said that I understood," she continued. "But I don't think the women in this country - who just happen to make up 56% of the voting population," she reminded him pointedly, "would. Women are the majority, Josh. We’ve had voting rights since 1920, we hold important positions in business and industry. It's time that we had a woman in a position of power in the White House."
"And CJ isn't in a position of power?" he snarked.
"Honestly, Josh, how many people actually know the name of the White House's Chief of Staff during any given year?"
He glanced away. "A few."
"A very few," she said.
"Fine. You've made… Toby's point," he sulked. "What else?"
"She's from New York and we need New York."
It was true. They did need New York. In fact, it was currently one of the key battleground states. But was it enough to make Rafferty the one?
"Rafferty…" He repeated the name, thinking it over. She wasn't actually a bad choice. In fact, she was a pretty damned good choice - she had all the qualifications they were looking for and then some. If he could just get over the fact Toby was the one who had picked her first…
"I think she'd do well," Donna said quietly. "I think she'd help make a difference."
It was the softness of her tone and the sincerity in her voice that finally got to him. While the past year had given Donna a political edge she hadn't had before, she still had a way of getting to the heart of things and putting them in perspective for him.
Swallowing his pride, he reached over to grab a post-it and scribbled Rafferty's name on it. "OK, we'll put her on the short list."
She rewarded him with a wide smile.
"There are no guarantees she'll get it," he warned. "If Santos doesn't approve, we may have to go through this process all over again tomorrow."
"I just want us to have the strongest Vice Presidential candidate possible," she told him.
"So do I," he agreed, "But don't get your hopes up about Rafferty."
"I won't," she promised, even as the slight frown forming on her face belied her words.
He sighed. "Yeah, I'd believe that if I didn't know you so well. Seriously, Donna… Stop with the hamster face."
"I'm not -"
"You are. We'll take it to the Congressman and see what he says. Meanwhile…" He eyed her oversized pajama top, which was sliding precariously low on her shoulder, "maybe we should forget about candidates for the rest of the night."
"That sounds like an excellent idea," she agreed, smiling impishly. "Right after you tell me a little bit more about your views on women."
"Right now, my view is very limited," he said, leaning closer to her. "All I can see is a beautiful blonde who -"
"Amazes you with her political prowess?"
"Well, yes…"
"And is stunningly brilliant?"
He eyed her warily. "Yeah."
"And?"
He should have known she wouldn't let the comment about women go so easily. "And who is absolutely right about women candidates and women voters," he said, sighing. "You're never going to forgive me for that comment, are you?"
"Nope. But maybe I'll let it slide for another hour or two," she conceded, popping open first one button and then the next on her top. "if you can wow me with something other than your outstanding oral skills."
"But Donna… I thought you loved my oral skills," he said, smirking.
"I do."
"Excellent," he said grinning and catching her lips in a kiss. "Then let me show you what else I can do."
~End~