Title: The Path ( June 2004-Pres.) Author: Laura H… but Mel’s been so supportive and such a big help that I want to mention her name here,too. Rating :Mostly PG, but I might throw a swear word or two in occasionally Pairing: (In order of importance) CJ/Leo, Josh/Donna, Sam/Mallory… Jed/Abbey Category: Post-Administration, Drama, Friendship, Romance Synopsis: 2009-At the Bartlet Manchester home during an Administration reunion, the old senior staff approach current Congressma,n Leo about their idea to have him run as the Democratic nominee for president next year. Leo is not overly enthused about the idea because he is settled and near retirement, so he tells the guys to forget about it. But Sam lets it slip to CJ who is thoroughly unimpressed because she assumes her husband has been planning a campaign behind her back. Eventually CJ warms up to the idea of Leo’s candidacy and wholeheartedly supports him and joins the campaign. Throughout the story we see the campaign unfold and learn what the couples have been up to since the end of Bartlet’s term. Author’s Notes: Basically I found a way of getting them all back together and electing Leo president at the same time. I hope you’ll find some elements of this funny, particularly the relationships, mostly CJ and Leo because they’re just so fun to write. Please excuse any inconsistencies. I’ve never ran a national campaign so some of this may be unrealistic. Disclaimers: I wrote a couple of characters in this one. Allison, CJ and Leo’s daughter, is mine, as is Rebecca, the press secretary, Cayleigh, Harold Richards, and all of the rest of the campaign team. Anyway, I’m pretty sure you can distinguish which ones are mine and which ones rightfully belong to Aaron Sorkin, John Wells and the West Wing. Part 1- Reunions and Marriage Counselling “Damn, it’s freezing out here.” CJ Cregg McGarry shivers as she stares around the dimly lit front porch of the Bartlet’s Manchester House. She runs her hands up and down her bare arms, but knowing she’s wearing a spaghetti-strap dress, she realizes it’s futile to try to get warm. She stops shivering for one moment to check her shoulder-length reddish-brown hair through her reflection in the pained window in the massive door. Leo McGarry rolls his eyes at his tall, middle-aged wife and waits patiently for someone to open the door for them and let them inside. “ Here, take my coat.” He begins to shrug out of his charcoal suit jacket. “No, it’s fine. I’m fine.” CJ nods and stops him with a hand, still shivering, her lips quivering in the dark night air. Leo shakes his head in bewilderment, running a hand through his graying, light, sandy hair. “ It’s the middle of November and they’ve just reached an unseasonable low for this area, honey. Take my coat.” He practically thrusts his suit jacket at her, not wanting to have to discuss this further. She glares back at him and clenches her fists, which is probably more from the cold and not from the frustration she feels toward her husband. “No, sweetheart.” She practically hisses, tossing the jacket back at him. “I don’t want your damn jacket. If I’d wanted a coat I would have brought my own, but instead I left it in the hotel room.” “You left your coat, why couldn’t you have left you attitude?” Leo mumbles bitterly under his breath, wondering when their friends were going to open the door for them. To distract himself he tries ringing the doorbell again. These stupid old Manchester farmhouses. CJ looks likes she is about to pop a vein. “Oh, like I’m behaving badly? I’d watch it if I were you, Leo, or we won’t be sharing the same bed tonight.” CJ threatens as she exhales deeply, taking in the fresh air. This was such a relief from the stale air she was used to breathing in Chicago, where they currently reside. She stares around the farm and wishes someone would answer the damn door. “What difference will it make, sweetheart? We haven’t done anything in practically four months!” He booms as he stares CJ directly in the eyes, almost challengingly. It’s the first time he’s really turned to face her. CJ’s eyes bulge and she feels the hot urge to deck him right between the eyes. She can feel her heart start to beat faster and she has to clench her fists to restrain herself from doing something she’ll regret. “ We haven’t fucked in four months, Leo, because you haven’t got the time!” “Good evening.” Josiah Bartlet’s voice at the open door alerts both CJ and Leo to their hosts’ presence. CJ physically deflates and she tries to gain some composure, smiling at the couple ushering them inside. But more than anything she is mortified and it shows on her beet red face. She can’t believe her former boss and his wife, who happened to be her best friend, just heard her say that to Leo. Abbey Bartlet smiles at the posh couple in front of her, who look a little more than slightly disheveled. “ Come on in, Leo McGarry, House Minority Whip, and my darling CJ.” She smiles playfully, knowing that Leo would know she was only using his title to lighten the mood. “Uh, yes, well you look lovely tonight, CJ. How’s, uh, business, there, CJ? Things good at Cregg McGarry?” It’s hard to believe only three years ago he was President of the United States by the way Josiah, or Jed, as he is more commonly known, talks. But, he was just trying to make his two friends comfortable as he leads them into the large, dark sitting room expensively furnished with New England furniture-Jed’s personal favourite. CJ takes a seat on the love seat Abbey had directed her to sit on and surprisingly Leo slides in beside her. She directs her attention to Jed who had just sat down on the couch across from them. “ Yes, yes, sir, everything’s fine. Public Relations has always treated me well. The only thing I hate about it is if I’m out of the office for more than seven or eight hours things tend to get a little messy.” She laughs forcefully, glad no one has brought up her little fight with Leo out on the porch Wait, did she just call him ‘sir‘? She supposes old habits die- hard. When you spend nine years calling someone ‘sir’ and ‘Mr. President’, it’s very hard to remember to use their first name. Slipping onto the couch beside her husband, Abbey smiles at the couple in front of her. This was going to be one long night, she could tell. But, fortunately these weren’t the only guests coming to the semi-annual, unofficial Bartlet senior staff reunion. In fact, it was a surprise that she and Jed concocted every so often and didn’t tell everyone about so that they’d just so show up under the impression that it was just a small, intimate dinner. But, tonight was slightly different, because there was a purpose to this gathering. Some of the old senior staff members of the administration were planning on making Leo a certain “proposition”, and although no one knew about it, she and Jed had invited everyone over tonight so they could do just that. But, it was still a surprise, just like it always was. “So, how’s our darling Allison? We told you to bring her, why didn’t you?” She asks, casually running a hand through her wavy dark hair. CJ steals a glance at Leo. She almost smiles with relief when she sees he is looking at her. They had come here alone in the hopes of a weekend without work or the wrath that their three year-old could be on occasion. It was unspoken, but both of them had figured that by going away for a weekend it would give them an opportunity to work out some of the kinks in their still-new marriage. “ We…uh…we left her with the sitter. We figured it was just too long a trip for her. You know how it can be with kids.” She suddenly starts laughing when she remembers something. “We couldn’t tell her where we were going or we would never have escaped without her. She would have demanded us to take her to see her favourite grandparents.” Both Jed and Abbey smile proudly. Leo and CJ’s toddler was like a granddaughter to them. In fact, Allison was born right before the end of Jed’s term and had quickly become the Whitehouse Princess in the time they were there. All the rest of the staff had adopted her as their own niece, grandchild or something else. But Jed and Abbey were Allie’s godparents, and they knew that kid was the centre of her parents’ world, and that was only part of the reason CJ and Leo were having some trouble. Leo smiles warmly at CJ. “CJ’s not kidding. Allie’s one determined kid. Once she makes up her mind that she wants something, there’s no stopping her. She’s like three going on twenty-eight, too. Half the time the two of us tag- teaming can’t keep up with her.” Laughing in agreement, CJ nods, leaning back into the couch. “There was this one time I brought her to the office, because I always do, and she convinced one of my clients I was selling them the wrong image. I was so mad I could have screamed, but in the end I had to agree with her.” And she suddenly feels Leo’s arm drape around her shoulders. It was like something he would have done a year ago when they were at one of his fundraisers or sitting with an old friend of his. His fingers begin to softly massage her neck and she completely forgets what she is saying. If all else failed, their daughter could bring them together. Jed laughs heartily and stands up. “Ah, kids do the damndest things, don’t they? What can I get you to drink?” He begins to make his way toward the kitchen, so glad to see his best friend and his wife again. Tonight would be wonderful because he would see all his old staff again-his good friends. He knew it was awful that CJ and Leo were fighting, but he knew they would work it out, and he was too excited about the evening to dwell on their little drama. “It wouldn’t be too unladylike to ask for a beer, would it?” CJ glances at Leo and then Abbey before turning to smile at the man she used to serve. Perhaps tonight wouldn’t be so bad after all. He simply smiles and shakes his head affectionately. “Not at all, Claudia Jean, not at all. One beer coming up. How about you, Leo?” Jed watches his best friend ponder his decision. “Club soda if you don’t mind.” Leo finally decides with a firm nod. Abbey can’t help but smile now at the couple, because they look much more relaxed. Thank God for those little anecdotes about Allison. But then the doorbell rings and she quickly gets out of her seat. “ Just sit tight. I’ll get that.” Show time! The one thing Abbey had always loved about her husband’s administration was that the people involved were all friends and that had made working together for over nine years so much fun and easier for all of them. She knew how much her husband missed these people sometimes. Leo, his former chief of staff and lifetime confidant and CJ, the one who always made him look good and showed him exactly what to do-his former press secretary. CJ and Leo exchange a questioning glance. They weren’t aware that there were others coming. They knew that Mallory, Leo’s daughter, and her husband, Sam, who was Bartlet’s old deputy communications director, were coming because they had arranged to get rooms at the same hotel and have breakfast together in morning. “Who else is supposed to be coming?” Leo calls as Abbey walks back to the foyer to answer the door. Abbey peers out the window and smiles. It was Josh Lyman. This was going to be a terrific evening. Of course, as soon as he walked in the surprise would be blown, but oh well, it was all worth it. She throws open the door , fully prepared to greet her husband’s former deputy chief of staff. But, she’s thrown off guard to see the woman at his side “Donna?” She stares in disbelief. Josh Lyman glances back and forth from Abbey Bartlet to his girlfriend, Donna Moss, a cordial smile on his face. He had purposely not told Jed or Abbey that he was bringing his old assistant, he had said just “a date” would accompany him. “Evenin’, Abbey. I’d like you to meet my date, Donna Moss. Donna, this is a very good friend of mine, Mrs. Abigail Bartlet.” He smiles goofily as Abbey opens the door wider for them to come inside. Abbey composes herself. She had been temporarily caught off guard to see Josh and Donna, arm in arm. She rolls her eyes at Josh’s cocky swagger. “ Get your ass in here, Joshua. It’s nice to see you again, Donna.” Her smile is warm and friendly. “It’s nice to see you too, ma’am. I assume Josh didn’t tell you he was bringing me like he told me he did?” Donna looks slightly embarrassed, and very shy. She turns to Josh and glares as Abbey takes her coat. “No, but that’s alright, dear. He told me he was going to bring a date, so there’s plenty of food, don’t you worry. Come on, follow me.” She leads them through the doorway, foyer, and into the living room, a huge smile on her face because she knows the surprise will be out soon. But still, big shot New York politician Josh brings his old assistant, Donna? Wow! But, she had always thought the couple would be cute together, so she supposed this was a good thing, after all. And when Josh and Donna walk in the room and everyone sees each other for the first time in probably months or maybe a year or more, all of their faces light up and immediately it’s like the classic meeting of old friends with lots of hugs and handshakes. Josh and Leo embrace and slap each other on the back, both in temporary shock of seeing each other. “Oh, God, CJ, you’re still as gorgeous as ever. Having a kid did nothing to you. And…” Josh purposely deepens his voice as he slips out of CJ’s embrace and offers Leo his hand. “House minority whip,Leo McGarry, always good to see you outside of business. How are things in Washington these days? Keeping all the House Democrats in line?” As Josh goofily makes stupid small talk, CJ gives Donna a quick hug. She has no idea how long it’s been since she’s seen Josh’s old assistant, but it’s good to see her. “Donna, how are you? What have you been up to lately?” Donna smiles awkwardly. “Uh, I’m, I’m good. I’ve been doing some work for a couple of NGOs in the last few years. Right now I’m with a group that lobbies for stricter legislation against pollution and tries to get the government and large businesses to take responsibility for the damage they’ve done to the environment.” “Wow!” CJ exclaims as they all move to claim their seats. “ Three years ago you worked in the Whitehouse and now you lobby against the federal government.” She laughs out loud as Leo joins her on the love seat. Leo slips an arm around CJ and curls in comfortably as Donna and Josh settle into the couch at Abbey’s prompting. “So, Josh, how are things at the New York DNC?” He inquires, thinking that it was so good to see his old deputy again. It had been probably a six months or a year since they had caught up. Just then Jed slips into the room, carrying the drinks. “Ah, Josh, you’re here! My, Donna, what a surprise. How’ve you been these days? You look wonderful.” He smiles broadly and hands CJ and Leo their respective drinks. “I’ve been fine, thank you, sir.” Donna smiles coyly. Abbey rolls her eyes and smiles from her spot standing near the couch. “Oh, Donna, we’re not Sir and Ma’am, anymore. This isn’t the Whitehouse, and Jed isn’t President anymore.” Leo looks expectantly at Josh. “Josh, the DNC?” He’s still interested. Josh’s high-level position intrigued Leo, and although he usually vowed never to talk politics at a social event, this was somewhat different considering they all ran the Whitehouse not three years ago. He simply couldn’t resist it now with Josh being here, even though he was informed enough about the Democratic party from being on the Hill. Josh had the inside scoop. Josh looks from the people he was watching back to Leo. “Yeah, it’s great. I mean, I live in a New York pent house, I make a hell of a lot more than I did working as a government official, uh, no offence, Jed, and I’ve got the love of a beautiful woman. I can’t complain. Business is good and life has treated me well.” He snakes an arm around Donna and flashes a cocky, dimpled grin. He’s still good old Josh Lyman. “How ‘bout you guys? How’s business, Ceej? And how’s my favourite niece in the whole wide world?” CJ can’t help but look at Leo and smile proudly. “My business is booming, as is Allison. She misses you, of course. But, we’re all doing well.” She turns her attention to Abbey. “Abbey, just out of curiosity, are there any more people coming tonight that we should know about?” Abbey conceals her smile perfectly. “You’ll just have to wait and see.” This night was going to be absolutely fabulous. There was nothing like talk of old times and fresh beginnings to reunite best friends.