Plus or Minus One
Title: Plus or Minus One
Author: wind_dork
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I only borrow from time to time from Sorkin, Wells, and NBC.
Spoilers: Up to Transition for the background info. The rest is my idealized picture of the future, and therefore a flight of fancy.
Summary: The Santos administration reflects on their election win one year earlier, and all the changes that have happened and are yet to come.
I'm a comment whore. It's my crack.
And I don't claim to be an excellent writer by any means.
There was a knock at the door. Josh looked up to notice that it wasn't Margaret's door, it was the President's.
"Come in." Josh waited nervously behind his desk fiddling with his wedding band. Whenever something was 'up' Josh would start spinning the ring around his finger. It was his calming agent, as if thinking of Donna made it better.
Thinking of Donna did make it better, in the sense that no matter what he still had her.
" 'Afternoon Josh. Do you know what day it is?"
"Should I Mr. President?" Josh fiddled even more as he thought "Oh hell! What did I forget?!!"
"It's nothing too terribly important, except that one year ago today we won the election." President Santos beamed.
Josh mulled it over. The president was right; one year ago was election day. Yet his only thought after that was that he should call Donna. It was, after all, the day that got the ball rolling towards his marriage....
"Come out on the veranda with me. I think we should celebrate with some fresh air."
Josh sputtered. "Are you kidding? It's COLD outside. It's like....minus one!"
President Santos laughed. "The cold will do you some good. Come on."
Josh grabbed his jacket and the two men proceeded to walk out onto the veranda. Once outside, President Santos proceeded to state his reason for the outdoor excursion.
"Josh, can we spend a moment where I'm not 'Mr. President' and your not my Chief of Staff. Do you think we can be just Matt and Josh?"
Although Josh did find the notion rather odd, it wasn't uncommon. Leo and President Bartlett had these conversations periodically. "Go ahead Mr....I mean...Matt."
Matthew Santos smiled. "Some days I just want to be Matt. Helen never lets me forget that, but it's nice to have other people acknowledge it as well. How's Donna?"
Startled by the question Josh launched in to his typical response. "Well, she's busy in the office what with the Christmas season coming, and..."
Matt interrupted. "No. How's Donna."
"Oh. Good, good. Except she's been a little sick lately. I think it's the flu and that she should stay home for a couple of days, Donna says that I'm just overprotective and should can it. Keeps muttering something about going to a pharmacy, although I think she should see a doctor."
Matt Santos grinned as he figured it wasn't his place to drop hints. They could be unfounded. "And yourself?"
Josh shrugged. "As good as this miserable November weather will allow. I hate the cold." Then there was a sly grin. "But Donna keeps me warm."
Matt nodded in acknowledgement. "Wives are good for that. Houston never really got that cold, but up here in D.C. it's sure nice to have Helen around."
"And yourself Matt?" Josh returned the favour.
"Going steady. Peter and Miranda are finally adjusting. Helen is still running things like we're back in Houston. She keeps us grounded, Josh. Never lets them get spoiled, never lets me get wrapped up in my job. It's nice to come back to the residence and there's Helen getting the table ready. The kids doing their homework." Matt turned to Josh and decided it's time to get the man thinking about things. "You and Donna should think about starting a family."
"WHAT?!!"
"You know, kids. They ground a person. Make you think of something other than yourself."
Josh started to shake his head. "Kids would be nice, but....that's a Donna call."
"Understandable. It was all Helen when we decided to have kids. Still, it's a discussion you two should think about."
"Matt, Donna and I have been married less than a year. We are both in extremely busy jobs." Josh stood there still shaking his head. "By the way, I thought we came out here to celebrate the anniversary of the election."
"We did" Matt patted Josh on the back as they went back in, "by having a normal moment."
**************************
Donna used a small break in the afternoon to sneak off to the washroom. She searched her purse for her most recent purchase and then pulled it out of the box. She fished out the instructions and started to mutter aloud.
"....place strip in glass and wait 90 seconds for result. Clear Accurate test results will indicate a plus sign (+) in event of pregnancy and a minus sign (-) in the absence of pregnancy..." She followed the instructions and then washed her hands. 90 seconds was taking far too long. And she didn't know how to feel. Part of her was excited at the prospect of being pregnant, another was apprehensive since she was not even a year into what was turning out to be a dream job.
"Que Sera, Sera, whatever will be will be..." She found herself singing softly.
90 seconds were up. She looked over to the strip. Nothing...no blue marker indicating anything. "Yes, of course, I would be THE ONE to get the defective product." She was about to throw it in the garbage when she noticed something changing in the little window.
+
Donna's breathing hitched as she realized what she was looking at.
"I'm pregnant."
The door to the washroom area opened and she quickly slid the test result into her purse. As her assistant walked in Donna walked out and returned to her office.
In her office, Donna sat down and pulled out the test result again to make sure her mind wasn't playing tricks.
+
As she looked at the test she grew to accept and even embrace its result. She, Donna Moss-Lyman, was going to be a mother. A large smile grew on her face as she thought about it. Even thoughts about how Josh was going to take it didn't damper it.
A knock at her door broke her reverie.
"Come on in."
It was the First Lady. "Am I interrupting something Donna?" She looked down at the test result still in Donna's hands.
Donna quickly shoved it in a desk drawer. "It's nothing. Is there something you would like?"
Helen Santos drew up a corner of her mouth into a twisted grin. "I know what that was. I've purchased a couple in my lifetime you know." The grin turned to a smile. "Well?"
Donna beamed as she nodded.
Helen came over and beckoned for a hug. "Don't just sit there! Let me be one of the first to congratulate you. Does Josh know?"
Donna, still beaming, shook her head. "No, I just found out myself."
"Well then, what I have to say takes the back seat. Go find Josh. Now!" Helen took Donna by the shoulders and lead her out of the office. "Don't come back here until he knows."
**********************
Amy's day was not a good day. They were minus one vote in the House and she was scrambling to find that one person, or worse yet find a republican to side with the Education bill.
She was careening around the hall when she bumped into Donna. Great, the last person she wanted to see right now.
Amy Gardner had done her best to avoid Donna Moss-Lyman since that vacation she took with Josh almost a year ago. They had come back engaged, then Josh upped the ante a week later and married her. There were times when she had to meet with The First Lady's Chief of Staff to discuss legislative support from the First Lady, but those meetings were few and far between; something Amy hoped would continue throughout the administration.
To top it off Donna looked like she was in a state of near-bliss. She was glowing.
Glowing....women don't glow unless they have excellent news. Or are feeling rather maternal.
Shit.
"Hey watch where you are going there. Cloud nine is not a safe place to be when walking in the White House." Amy could not believe she had just said that.
"Sorry Amy. Do you know if Josh is in his office?"
"I think so, he just spent a few minutes with the President, not sure about what though. He has a meeting with the Canadian Ambassador at three so if you want to catch him you might want to hurry. Although I think you have the hurry part down."
"Sorry again...I....just have a lot on my mind right now." Then Donna caught the look on Amy's face. "Not that anything you have to do is less important."
Amy made a face. "Yeah, we just might lose a vote in the House due to an errant congressman. This bill has to pass or we're going to have egg on our collective faces. Any suggestions on moderate Republicans?"
"You might try Stenton, maybe Korinek. Is it Education?"
"Yeah. Stenton and Korinek sound like possibilites, although I thought Korinek supported private school vouchers when he was Governor." Why was she having this conversation with Donna Moss-Lyman of all people? Donna knew the hill, but this was the one person who had thwarted any successful relationship with Josh.
"Yeah...if it's Education you might want to try Stenton. Maybe Jantzen. She was a high school Civics teacher before she ran for Congress. She might break party line for this one. Run it by Josh, he'll know more than I do on this."
"Yeah, I'll run it by him." Amy said sourly.
Donna could not believe this was happening either. It was like Amy still held a torch for Josh; probably did, but that ship long sailed and it was Amy's own doing. "Look Amy, we're married. You have to deal with it eventually. We all work for this administration and we have to do the best job possible. That means getting along. Bury the hatchet and move on."
"You presume a lot Mrs. Moss-Lyman."
"It's all over your face. Everytime we talk you carry your distaste for our marriage openly like it's some sort of cross you bear. Suck it up and get over it."
Sam Seaborn overheard the ensuing catfight and interrupted the conversation. "Ladies, if we are going to have an incident at least warn us ahead of time so we can arrange bikinis and a paddling pool full of pudding."
The two stopped and gawked at Sam, who was having a chuckle at their own expense.
"Josh is in his office. Go catch him before he's locked away in meetings." Sam said as he took Donna by the shoulders and guided her towards the appropriate door.
"Amy, come walk with me." Sam said after Donna was well on her way.
"Are you going to lecture me on etiquette, because if you are..."
"Donna's right Amy. Let it go. Remember you are the one who left him." Sam interrupted.
"That doesn't make it any less strange that he married his assistant."
"And you can't fool me that you didn't see it coming. Everyone saw it coming, it was just a matter of time."
"Of course you're going to defend Donna. She's one of your closest friends." Amy retorted.
"For godsake Amy get over yourself and move on." Sam snapped back as he walked away, being motioned by one of his assistants.
And there she was, Amy Gardner, standing alone in a corrider of the West Wing wondering how in the hell some assisant from Minnesota, or Wisconsin, or wherever, had beat her.
************************
"Donna!" Josh flew from his chair to give his wife a hug and a kiss.
"Hello there!" Donna was surprized at his excitement in seeing her, yet she still managed to kiss him back. "You certainly have a lot of energy today."
"Not really, but just seeing you makes my day a little brighter." Josh motioned to the two chairs and table in the corner. "What's on your mind."
What would she do? Would she just tell him? Would she lead into it? Of all the years she had spent with Josh Lyman there were only a few times she was a loss for words. This would now be one of them.
"There's a lot on my mind right now actually." Donna started to lose her nerve. "Maybe this should wait until we're at home. Remember our promise; that work was work and home was home."
Josh began to get worried. "What is it Donna? Don't leave me hanging like this because if you leave me now I'm going to be thinking about what you might have said all throughout my meeting with the Canadian Ambassador and then when The President asks me how the meeting went I won't be able to tell him a damn thing because all during that meeting I was thinking about you and not what the ambassador was saying and-"
Donna started to laugh. "Josh. Stop! You're rambling again."
"Well, you're laughing so it must be good news."
Donna started to grin again. She was doing a lot of that. She suspected she would be doing a lot more of it too.
"You're grinning like the Cheshire Cat Donna, so what is it?"
Donna decided to let it fly the best she could. "Kids."
Josh looked confused. "Slightly annoying at times they have a penchant for being rather messy and loud. What about them?"
"Our kids." Donna smiled.
"We don't have any...." Josh starting to get Donna's line of thinking, "....yet."
"Yet. Do you think you can ready for one in say...seven and a half months...give or take a couple of weeks."
Josh sat in his chair letting the news sink in. There she was, his beautiful wife, sitting across from him just glowing. Looking more radiant then ever.
He reached out and took her hand, then stood up and pulled her to him in a warm embrace. "I can be ready, if you'll help me. Like you've always helped me." He kissed her and then pulled back, looking down at her midsection. "I'm going to be a father." Then he realized what he said and grinned with full dimple. "I'm going to be a father!"
"Well, I've shared my bed with no one else for the past 11 months, so that obviously makes you the father." Donna quipped.
Again, there was a knock at the door. Margaret's door.
"Come in." Both parents to be replied. Then they laughed.
It was Sam, Margaret, and Sam's assistant. Margaret spoke first. "So when is the Little Chief of Staff due?!"
Donna shrugged. "I'll have to honestly see a doctor now I guess."
Author: wind_dork
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I only borrow from time to time from Sorkin, Wells, and NBC.
Spoilers: Up to Transition for the background info. The rest is my idealized picture of the future, and therefore a flight of fancy.
Summary: The Santos administration reflects on their election win one year earlier, and all the changes that have happened and are yet to come.
I'm a comment whore. It's my crack.
And I don't claim to be an excellent writer by any means.
There was a knock at the door. Josh looked up to notice that it wasn't Margaret's door, it was the President's.
"Come in." Josh waited nervously behind his desk fiddling with his wedding band. Whenever something was 'up' Josh would start spinning the ring around his finger. It was his calming agent, as if thinking of Donna made it better.
Thinking of Donna did make it better, in the sense that no matter what he still had her.
" 'Afternoon Josh. Do you know what day it is?"
"Should I Mr. President?" Josh fiddled even more as he thought "Oh hell! What did I forget?!!"
"It's nothing too terribly important, except that one year ago today we won the election." President Santos beamed.
Josh mulled it over. The president was right; one year ago was election day. Yet his only thought after that was that he should call Donna. It was, after all, the day that got the ball rolling towards his marriage....
"Come out on the veranda with me. I think we should celebrate with some fresh air."
Josh sputtered. "Are you kidding? It's COLD outside. It's like....minus one!"
President Santos laughed. "The cold will do you some good. Come on."
Josh grabbed his jacket and the two men proceeded to walk out onto the veranda. Once outside, President Santos proceeded to state his reason for the outdoor excursion.
"Josh, can we spend a moment where I'm not 'Mr. President' and your not my Chief of Staff. Do you think we can be just Matt and Josh?"
Although Josh did find the notion rather odd, it wasn't uncommon. Leo and President Bartlett had these conversations periodically. "Go ahead Mr....I mean...Matt."
Matthew Santos smiled. "Some days I just want to be Matt. Helen never lets me forget that, but it's nice to have other people acknowledge it as well. How's Donna?"
Startled by the question Josh launched in to his typical response. "Well, she's busy in the office what with the Christmas season coming, and..."
Matt interrupted. "No. How's Donna."
"Oh. Good, good. Except she's been a little sick lately. I think it's the flu and that she should stay home for a couple of days, Donna says that I'm just overprotective and should can it. Keeps muttering something about going to a pharmacy, although I think she should see a doctor."
Matt Santos grinned as he figured it wasn't his place to drop hints. They could be unfounded. "And yourself?"
Josh shrugged. "As good as this miserable November weather will allow. I hate the cold." Then there was a sly grin. "But Donna keeps me warm."
Matt nodded in acknowledgement. "Wives are good for that. Houston never really got that cold, but up here in D.C. it's sure nice to have Helen around."
"And yourself Matt?" Josh returned the favour.
"Going steady. Peter and Miranda are finally adjusting. Helen is still running things like we're back in Houston. She keeps us grounded, Josh. Never lets them get spoiled, never lets me get wrapped up in my job. It's nice to come back to the residence and there's Helen getting the table ready. The kids doing their homework." Matt turned to Josh and decided it's time to get the man thinking about things. "You and Donna should think about starting a family."
"WHAT?!!"
"You know, kids. They ground a person. Make you think of something other than yourself."
Josh started to shake his head. "Kids would be nice, but....that's a Donna call."
"Understandable. It was all Helen when we decided to have kids. Still, it's a discussion you two should think about."
"Matt, Donna and I have been married less than a year. We are both in extremely busy jobs." Josh stood there still shaking his head. "By the way, I thought we came out here to celebrate the anniversary of the election."
"We did" Matt patted Josh on the back as they went back in, "by having a normal moment."
**************************
Donna used a small break in the afternoon to sneak off to the washroom. She searched her purse for her most recent purchase and then pulled it out of the box. She fished out the instructions and started to mutter aloud.
"....place strip in glass and wait 90 seconds for result. Clear Accurate test results will indicate a plus sign (+) in event of pregnancy and a minus sign (-) in the absence of pregnancy..." She followed the instructions and then washed her hands. 90 seconds was taking far too long. And she didn't know how to feel. Part of her was excited at the prospect of being pregnant, another was apprehensive since she was not even a year into what was turning out to be a dream job.
"Que Sera, Sera, whatever will be will be..." She found herself singing softly.
90 seconds were up. She looked over to the strip. Nothing...no blue marker indicating anything. "Yes, of course, I would be THE ONE to get the defective product." She was about to throw it in the garbage when she noticed something changing in the little window.
+
Donna's breathing hitched as she realized what she was looking at.
"I'm pregnant."
The door to the washroom area opened and she quickly slid the test result into her purse. As her assistant walked in Donna walked out and returned to her office.
In her office, Donna sat down and pulled out the test result again to make sure her mind wasn't playing tricks.
+
As she looked at the test she grew to accept and even embrace its result. She, Donna Moss-Lyman, was going to be a mother. A large smile grew on her face as she thought about it. Even thoughts about how Josh was going to take it didn't damper it.
A knock at her door broke her reverie.
"Come on in."
It was the First Lady. "Am I interrupting something Donna?" She looked down at the test result still in Donna's hands.
Donna quickly shoved it in a desk drawer. "It's nothing. Is there something you would like?"
Helen Santos drew up a corner of her mouth into a twisted grin. "I know what that was. I've purchased a couple in my lifetime you know." The grin turned to a smile. "Well?"
Donna beamed as she nodded.
Helen came over and beckoned for a hug. "Don't just sit there! Let me be one of the first to congratulate you. Does Josh know?"
Donna, still beaming, shook her head. "No, I just found out myself."
"Well then, what I have to say takes the back seat. Go find Josh. Now!" Helen took Donna by the shoulders and lead her out of the office. "Don't come back here until he knows."
**********************
Amy's day was not a good day. They were minus one vote in the House and she was scrambling to find that one person, or worse yet find a republican to side with the Education bill.
She was careening around the hall when she bumped into Donna. Great, the last person she wanted to see right now.
Amy Gardner had done her best to avoid Donna Moss-Lyman since that vacation she took with Josh almost a year ago. They had come back engaged, then Josh upped the ante a week later and married her. There were times when she had to meet with The First Lady's Chief of Staff to discuss legislative support from the First Lady, but those meetings were few and far between; something Amy hoped would continue throughout the administration.
To top it off Donna looked like she was in a state of near-bliss. She was glowing.
Glowing....women don't glow unless they have excellent news. Or are feeling rather maternal.
Shit.
"Hey watch where you are going there. Cloud nine is not a safe place to be when walking in the White House." Amy could not believe she had just said that.
"Sorry Amy. Do you know if Josh is in his office?"
"I think so, he just spent a few minutes with the President, not sure about what though. He has a meeting with the Canadian Ambassador at three so if you want to catch him you might want to hurry. Although I think you have the hurry part down."
"Sorry again...I....just have a lot on my mind right now." Then Donna caught the look on Amy's face. "Not that anything you have to do is less important."
Amy made a face. "Yeah, we just might lose a vote in the House due to an errant congressman. This bill has to pass or we're going to have egg on our collective faces. Any suggestions on moderate Republicans?"
"You might try Stenton, maybe Korinek. Is it Education?"
"Yeah. Stenton and Korinek sound like possibilites, although I thought Korinek supported private school vouchers when he was Governor." Why was she having this conversation with Donna Moss-Lyman of all people? Donna knew the hill, but this was the one person who had thwarted any successful relationship with Josh.
"Yeah...if it's Education you might want to try Stenton. Maybe Jantzen. She was a high school Civics teacher before she ran for Congress. She might break party line for this one. Run it by Josh, he'll know more than I do on this."
"Yeah, I'll run it by him." Amy said sourly.
Donna could not believe this was happening either. It was like Amy still held a torch for Josh; probably did, but that ship long sailed and it was Amy's own doing. "Look Amy, we're married. You have to deal with it eventually. We all work for this administration and we have to do the best job possible. That means getting along. Bury the hatchet and move on."
"You presume a lot Mrs. Moss-Lyman."
"It's all over your face. Everytime we talk you carry your distaste for our marriage openly like it's some sort of cross you bear. Suck it up and get over it."
Sam Seaborn overheard the ensuing catfight and interrupted the conversation. "Ladies, if we are going to have an incident at least warn us ahead of time so we can arrange bikinis and a paddling pool full of pudding."
The two stopped and gawked at Sam, who was having a chuckle at their own expense.
"Josh is in his office. Go catch him before he's locked away in meetings." Sam said as he took Donna by the shoulders and guided her towards the appropriate door.
"Amy, come walk with me." Sam said after Donna was well on her way.
"Are you going to lecture me on etiquette, because if you are..."
"Donna's right Amy. Let it go. Remember you are the one who left him." Sam interrupted.
"That doesn't make it any less strange that he married his assistant."
"And you can't fool me that you didn't see it coming. Everyone saw it coming, it was just a matter of time."
"Of course you're going to defend Donna. She's one of your closest friends." Amy retorted.
"For godsake Amy get over yourself and move on." Sam snapped back as he walked away, being motioned by one of his assistants.
And there she was, Amy Gardner, standing alone in a corrider of the West Wing wondering how in the hell some assisant from Minnesota, or Wisconsin, or wherever, had beat her.
************************
"Donna!" Josh flew from his chair to give his wife a hug and a kiss.
"Hello there!" Donna was surprized at his excitement in seeing her, yet she still managed to kiss him back. "You certainly have a lot of energy today."
"Not really, but just seeing you makes my day a little brighter." Josh motioned to the two chairs and table in the corner. "What's on your mind."
What would she do? Would she just tell him? Would she lead into it? Of all the years she had spent with Josh Lyman there were only a few times she was a loss for words. This would now be one of them.
"There's a lot on my mind right now actually." Donna started to lose her nerve. "Maybe this should wait until we're at home. Remember our promise; that work was work and home was home."
Josh began to get worried. "What is it Donna? Don't leave me hanging like this because if you leave me now I'm going to be thinking about what you might have said all throughout my meeting with the Canadian Ambassador and then when The President asks me how the meeting went I won't be able to tell him a damn thing because all during that meeting I was thinking about you and not what the ambassador was saying and-"
Donna started to laugh. "Josh. Stop! You're rambling again."
"Well, you're laughing so it must be good news."
Donna started to grin again. She was doing a lot of that. She suspected she would be doing a lot more of it too.
"You're grinning like the Cheshire Cat Donna, so what is it?"
Donna decided to let it fly the best she could. "Kids."
Josh looked confused. "Slightly annoying at times they have a penchant for being rather messy and loud. What about them?"
"Our kids." Donna smiled.
"We don't have any...." Josh starting to get Donna's line of thinking, "....yet."
"Yet. Do you think you can ready for one in say...seven and a half months...give or take a couple of weeks."
Josh sat in his chair letting the news sink in. There she was, his beautiful wife, sitting across from him just glowing. Looking more radiant then ever.
He reached out and took her hand, then stood up and pulled her to him in a warm embrace. "I can be ready, if you'll help me. Like you've always helped me." He kissed her and then pulled back, looking down at her midsection. "I'm going to be a father." Then he realized what he said and grinned with full dimple. "I'm going to be a father!"
"Well, I've shared my bed with no one else for the past 11 months, so that obviously makes you the father." Donna quipped.
Again, there was a knock at the door. Margaret's door.
"Come in." Both parents to be replied. Then they laughed.
It was Sam, Margaret, and Sam's assistant. Margaret spoke first. "So when is the Little Chief of Staff due?!"
Donna shrugged. "I'll have to honestly see a doctor now I guess."