Fic: We Believe in Abbey Bartlet
Title: We Believe in Abbey Bartlet
Fandom: The West Wing
Rating: T
Words: 960
Summary: The first moment in a line of many for the Abigail Bartlet campaign.
Notes: Written for self_preserving, prompt Abbey Bartlet, firecracker. I don't know how I came up with the idea that she should run for President. Everything else kinda fell in line accidentally? ALSO. If you have not seen the latest Funny or Die West Wing video, please go here. AND VOTE OMG.
--
"Mrs. Bartlet-Abbey, we think you can win." Josh's smile is kind, much kinder in current years than Abbey's ever seen. Donna's influence has been one of the best things to ever happen to him though Abbey sees the old fire simmering in his eyes.
Jed sits next to her, and after all these years of marriage, she knows he's already thinking. His health is rocky, but will hold as best as it can for a White House run if that's what she wants. However, she doesn't know if he'll last that long.
"I appreciate the sentiment, Josh, really, it's sweet. But, I don't know that it's such a great idea." Jed's hand finds hers, and she squeezes.
"Why not?"
"I'd never pass your vetting," Abbey says. "But something tells me, you've already thought of that and gone ahead and done something anyway."
"You think people care about what happened when?" Sitting in their oversized chair, Toby speaks for the first time. There's a rubber ball in his hand, and Abbey wonders if there's a desk drawer at Columbia full of them. "Our legacy is worth more than one day, one moment, one hour, and if you think otherwise, then you're not who we thought and we should stop this line of thinking right now."
"He's right," CJ says, sitting on the arm of Toby's chair. Abbey tries her best not to focus on the rapport they've seemed to pick back up in these past few minutes.
It's almost like the old days, she thinks.
"Abbey-None of this will happen unless you give the word," Jed says, and suddenly her attention snaps back to the fact that they want her to consider running for President. "But the table is clear, sweetheart. There isn't a better time than now. You'll have the support you need when you need it."
Abbey still can't believe he's giving legitimacy to this crazy notion. Then again, from the people in this room, these strong fiercely loyal people to her husband and their family, she can.
"I'm a doctor, not a politician." Abbey smirks. "How could that possibly equal a President?"
"How does it not?" Toby leans forward, the ball sliding between his hands. "Washington was a soldier, Lincoln a prairie lawyer. Hell, even Harding was a newspaper editor. Everyone has to start somewhere."
"And you want me to start now?" Abbey's eyebrows rise. She sees CJ's smirk slip, and uses the moment to her advantage. "Why such a laugh, Claudia Jean? What's your take on all this?"
"Ma'am?"
"Answer the question."
"I have to admit, it threw me for a loop. Josh flew all the way out to California just to pitch me this crazy scheme of getting the band back together-"
"Tell me we're not calling it that," Abbey says, looking to Josh.
"It's on the list," Josh says.
"There's a list?"
"And-Now we're off topic," CJ says. "Look, Abbey, I wouldn't be here if I thought this was another one of Josh's crackpot schemes. Toby either. We wouldn't want this for you if we didn't know you'd hit it out of the park, grand slam."
"Are you sure you don't want to consider running off with me? I love your baseball metaphors, your children, and your hair. Danny wouldn't notice." Toby looks up to CJ.
"Only if you can promise me a wild ride and have me back by dinner." CJ glares with a smile.
"Guys, focus, will ya?" Josh says. "You can elope after we storm Normandy."
"Joshua, did you just use a World War II reference in regards to my beloved Claudia Jean and Toby? Did you know that that fateful invasion began with overnight parachute and glider landings? Imagine, landing on an enemy's beach in the cloak of night with a parachute to your back and no guess as to whether you'll survive to end the war," Jed begins his diatribe, and Abbey's focus spaces out.
"Mr. President-" Josh starts, but CJ stands and crosses the room, stopping in front of the Bartlets. She pulls a black Sharpie from her top of her blouse Abbey hasn't noticed until now.
"Josh, give me the damn napkin." CJ holds her hand out, clicking her fingers as Josh scrambles to pull said napkin from his pocket. Jed stops and looks to her for answers, but Abbey shrugs. She's got no clue what this is about.
On the coffee table in front of Abbey, CJ scribbles something down on the napkin before handing it over to Josh, who with the Sharpie cap in his mouth, uses CJ's back for his addition to the scribble.
"Who knew I could make such a great desk?" CJ makes a wise crack, waving her arms as Josh passes the napkin and Sharpie to Toby. Toby puts the cap on the top of the Sharpie before adding his own remark. He hands the napkin to CJ who passes it to Abbey.
She sees their curvy signatures towards the bottom, but in CJ's clear handwriting she makes out the printed words at the top.
We believe in Abbey Bartlet.
"CJ, may I?" Jed asks, and CJ holds out the Sharpie. He gently takes the napkin from his wife's hands, and adds his name to the bottom of the list before handing it back to her with a kiss to the side of her head.
"You've just formed a committee to elect Abigail Bartlet to the White House," Abbey says, knowing the symbolism of the napkin is a heavy one. "Sure your candidate is worth it?"
"Every single penny," Toby says. "And several thousand chocolate chip cookies."
"I'll take that under advisement, Toby," Abbey replies. "In the meantime, what's next?"
"We thought you'd never ask," CJ grins.
--
Fandom: The West Wing
Rating: T
Words: 960
Summary: The first moment in a line of many for the Abigail Bartlet campaign.
Notes: Written for self_preserving, prompt Abbey Bartlet, firecracker. I don't know how I came up with the idea that she should run for President. Everything else kinda fell in line accidentally? ALSO. If you have not seen the latest Funny or Die West Wing video, please go here. AND VOTE OMG.
--
"Mrs. Bartlet-Abbey, we think you can win." Josh's smile is kind, much kinder in current years than Abbey's ever seen. Donna's influence has been one of the best things to ever happen to him though Abbey sees the old fire simmering in his eyes.
Jed sits next to her, and after all these years of marriage, she knows he's already thinking. His health is rocky, but will hold as best as it can for a White House run if that's what she wants. However, she doesn't know if he'll last that long.
"I appreciate the sentiment, Josh, really, it's sweet. But, I don't know that it's such a great idea." Jed's hand finds hers, and she squeezes.
"Why not?"
"I'd never pass your vetting," Abbey says. "But something tells me, you've already thought of that and gone ahead and done something anyway."
"You think people care about what happened when?" Sitting in their oversized chair, Toby speaks for the first time. There's a rubber ball in his hand, and Abbey wonders if there's a desk drawer at Columbia full of them. "Our legacy is worth more than one day, one moment, one hour, and if you think otherwise, then you're not who we thought and we should stop this line of thinking right now."
"He's right," CJ says, sitting on the arm of Toby's chair. Abbey tries her best not to focus on the rapport they've seemed to pick back up in these past few minutes.
It's almost like the old days, she thinks.
"Abbey-None of this will happen unless you give the word," Jed says, and suddenly her attention snaps back to the fact that they want her to consider running for President. "But the table is clear, sweetheart. There isn't a better time than now. You'll have the support you need when you need it."
Abbey still can't believe he's giving legitimacy to this crazy notion. Then again, from the people in this room, these strong fiercely loyal people to her husband and their family, she can.
"I'm a doctor, not a politician." Abbey smirks. "How could that possibly equal a President?"
"How does it not?" Toby leans forward, the ball sliding between his hands. "Washington was a soldier, Lincoln a prairie lawyer. Hell, even Harding was a newspaper editor. Everyone has to start somewhere."
"And you want me to start now?" Abbey's eyebrows rise. She sees CJ's smirk slip, and uses the moment to her advantage. "Why such a laugh, Claudia Jean? What's your take on all this?"
"Ma'am?"
"Answer the question."
"I have to admit, it threw me for a loop. Josh flew all the way out to California just to pitch me this crazy scheme of getting the band back together-"
"Tell me we're not calling it that," Abbey says, looking to Josh.
"It's on the list," Josh says.
"There's a list?"
"And-Now we're off topic," CJ says. "Look, Abbey, I wouldn't be here if I thought this was another one of Josh's crackpot schemes. Toby either. We wouldn't want this for you if we didn't know you'd hit it out of the park, grand slam."
"Are you sure you don't want to consider running off with me? I love your baseball metaphors, your children, and your hair. Danny wouldn't notice." Toby looks up to CJ.
"Only if you can promise me a wild ride and have me back by dinner." CJ glares with a smile.
"Guys, focus, will ya?" Josh says. "You can elope after we storm Normandy."
"Joshua, did you just use a World War II reference in regards to my beloved Claudia Jean and Toby? Did you know that that fateful invasion began with overnight parachute and glider landings? Imagine, landing on an enemy's beach in the cloak of night with a parachute to your back and no guess as to whether you'll survive to end the war," Jed begins his diatribe, and Abbey's focus spaces out.
"Mr. President-" Josh starts, but CJ stands and crosses the room, stopping in front of the Bartlets. She pulls a black Sharpie from her top of her blouse Abbey hasn't noticed until now.
"Josh, give me the damn napkin." CJ holds her hand out, clicking her fingers as Josh scrambles to pull said napkin from his pocket. Jed stops and looks to her for answers, but Abbey shrugs. She's got no clue what this is about.
On the coffee table in front of Abbey, CJ scribbles something down on the napkin before handing it over to Josh, who with the Sharpie cap in his mouth, uses CJ's back for his addition to the scribble.
"Who knew I could make such a great desk?" CJ makes a wise crack, waving her arms as Josh passes the napkin and Sharpie to Toby. Toby puts the cap on the top of the Sharpie before adding his own remark. He hands the napkin to CJ who passes it to Abbey.
She sees their curvy signatures towards the bottom, but in CJ's clear handwriting she makes out the printed words at the top.
We believe in Abbey Bartlet.
"CJ, may I?" Jed asks, and CJ holds out the Sharpie. He gently takes the napkin from his wife's hands, and adds his name to the bottom of the list before handing it back to her with a kiss to the side of her head.
"You've just formed a committee to elect Abigail Bartlet to the White House," Abbey says, knowing the symbolism of the napkin is a heavy one. "Sure your candidate is worth it?"
"Every single penny," Toby says. "And several thousand chocolate chip cookies."
"I'll take that under advisement, Toby," Abbey replies. "In the meantime, what's next?"
"We thought you'd never ask," CJ grins.
--