FF: The Reluctant President (9/?)
Title: The Reluctant President (9/?)
Author: caitrin
Rating: PG-13 for a little language.
Disclaimer: These characters are not mine.
Genre: AU, romance, drama, mystery
Feedback: Much appreciated.
Timeline: Day one of the Lyman administration.
General Note: In this world, things went AU in season six when Donna quit.
Five endless minutes later, Donna returned to the living room holding a small child who had his head buried in his mother's neck. All Sam could see was curly dark hair. He had no idea how to estimate the age of a little kid, but it looked like the boy was a little bigger than CJ's daughter, who was almost one.
Sam realized Donna was watching him and pasted a smile on his face. "So, who's this?" he asked brightly.
"This is Leo. I'm sorry, he just woke up. He's a little shy." Donna bent her head to murmur to her son. "Say hi, sweetie."
The boy looked up at Sam and smiled shyly.
"Hey there, buddy," Sam said. As he looked at the adorable little boy, relief washed over him: Leo's skin was clearly darker than Donna's or Josh's, so they just might be saved from rumors that the President had an illegitimate child. His relief turned to fear, though, as he realized the other implications of this revelation.
"He doesn't talk much yet," Donna said apologetically.
"How old is he?"
"About fourteen months."
Sam did some quick math. "So his name . . ."
Donna nodded. "He was born the day of Leo's funeral. Sam, you have to know I'd have been there otherwise . . ."
"That's - that's good to know." Sam paused, wondering what he was and wasn't allowed to ask. "So are you . . . married?"
"No," Donna said defensively.
"I didn't mean it that way. I was just wondering . . ."
"It's fine. His father's name is Justin. We dated for a while after I left the White House. We're not together anymore. He lives in New York, but he visits Leo every few months."
"Okay. I didn't mean to pry, but I'd like to think we're friends, anyway."
"We are. But now it's your turn to explain. Why exactly are you here?"
Sam took a deep breath. "The President would like you to come back to Washington."
"I can't work for him again," Donna said quickly.
"He doesn't want you to."
"I can't be Mrs. Landingham."
"I know."
"Does HE know?" Donna asked.
"Yes."
"How can you be sure?"
"Because Danny asked him."
"Danny? He's doing interviews about me?" Donna sounded alarmed.
"No, Danny works for us now."
"Oh. Never mind, tell me about Danny later. What did Jo - what did the President say?"
"He said that you'd be great at the job, but that he doesn't want you to work for him," Sam said carefully.
"Why not?"
"I'm assuming for the same reason you don't want to work for him."
"And what reason is that?" Donna asked, her voice almost cold.
"Donna, please. Don't make me . . . Please just come to Washington with me so he can say this himself," Sam begged.
"But does he actually want me there? I'm not some idealized picture in his head. It's been years. I have a child. If he knew that, would he even - "
"Donna, listen to me. You know what they say Lyndon Johnson's first words as President were?"
"'Let's get this plane back to Washington'? Something like that."
"Yeah. These things go down in history. They wind up in Trivial Pursuit games. And the first words of President Lyman - "
"Sam?"
"Donna, I was right there. We were standing in that hospital room, watching Matt Santos's heart monitor, Helen Santos sitting next to me crying. I was standing next to him, holding the fucking Torah, and he took the Oath of Office from some judge we'd never seen before, and then you know what he said? He turned to me and said 'I can't do this without her, Sam.'"
"He - he travels with a Torah now?"
Sam stared at her. "No, the hospital called a local rabbi and he brought one. Donna, that's really not the point."
"I know," Donna said quietly. "So he means it. I was never sure . . ."
"I'm sure. I've been sure for years. So has he, for that matter."
"Well, hell of a way he had of showing it, then."
"I know. But please, will you give him another chance?" Sam asked. "He said to tell you that, if you can't give anything else, he really needs your friendship right now."
"He can definitely have that."
"And the rest?"
"We'll see, Sam," Donna said tiredly.
"So you'll come?"
"I'll come." Donna nodded at baby Leo. "WE'LL come."
"Good. It's late, so we might as well just leave in the morning. Can I help you pack or anything?" Sam offered.
Donna shook her head. "I'm already packed."
"You - you are?"
"I started packing as soon as I heard the news," Donna confessed. "But then I realized all the planes would be grounded, and it seemed dumb to drive across the country with a baby if I didn't even know if he - if anyone - would want me there."
"We all want you there," Sam assured her.
"This is just a visit," Donna warned him.
"Take that up with the President."
"The President," Donna repeated. "That's so weird."
Sam chuckled. "Tell me about it."
Author: caitrin
Rating: PG-13 for a little language.
Disclaimer: These characters are not mine.
Genre: AU, romance, drama, mystery
Feedback: Much appreciated.
Timeline: Day one of the Lyman administration.
General Note: In this world, things went AU in season six when Donna quit.
Five endless minutes later, Donna returned to the living room holding a small child who had his head buried in his mother's neck. All Sam could see was curly dark hair. He had no idea how to estimate the age of a little kid, but it looked like the boy was a little bigger than CJ's daughter, who was almost one.
Sam realized Donna was watching him and pasted a smile on his face. "So, who's this?" he asked brightly.
"This is Leo. I'm sorry, he just woke up. He's a little shy." Donna bent her head to murmur to her son. "Say hi, sweetie."
The boy looked up at Sam and smiled shyly.
"Hey there, buddy," Sam said. As he looked at the adorable little boy, relief washed over him: Leo's skin was clearly darker than Donna's or Josh's, so they just might be saved from rumors that the President had an illegitimate child. His relief turned to fear, though, as he realized the other implications of this revelation.
"He doesn't talk much yet," Donna said apologetically.
"How old is he?"
"About fourteen months."
Sam did some quick math. "So his name . . ."
Donna nodded. "He was born the day of Leo's funeral. Sam, you have to know I'd have been there otherwise . . ."
"That's - that's good to know." Sam paused, wondering what he was and wasn't allowed to ask. "So are you . . . married?"
"No," Donna said defensively.
"I didn't mean it that way. I was just wondering . . ."
"It's fine. His father's name is Justin. We dated for a while after I left the White House. We're not together anymore. He lives in New York, but he visits Leo every few months."
"Okay. I didn't mean to pry, but I'd like to think we're friends, anyway."
"We are. But now it's your turn to explain. Why exactly are you here?"
Sam took a deep breath. "The President would like you to come back to Washington."
"I can't work for him again," Donna said quickly.
"He doesn't want you to."
"I can't be Mrs. Landingham."
"I know."
"Does HE know?" Donna asked.
"Yes."
"How can you be sure?"
"Because Danny asked him."
"Danny? He's doing interviews about me?" Donna sounded alarmed.
"No, Danny works for us now."
"Oh. Never mind, tell me about Danny later. What did Jo - what did the President say?"
"He said that you'd be great at the job, but that he doesn't want you to work for him," Sam said carefully.
"Why not?"
"I'm assuming for the same reason you don't want to work for him."
"And what reason is that?" Donna asked, her voice almost cold.
"Donna, please. Don't make me . . . Please just come to Washington with me so he can say this himself," Sam begged.
"But does he actually want me there? I'm not some idealized picture in his head. It's been years. I have a child. If he knew that, would he even - "
"Donna, listen to me. You know what they say Lyndon Johnson's first words as President were?"
"'Let's get this plane back to Washington'? Something like that."
"Yeah. These things go down in history. They wind up in Trivial Pursuit games. And the first words of President Lyman - "
"Sam?"
"Donna, I was right there. We were standing in that hospital room, watching Matt Santos's heart monitor, Helen Santos sitting next to me crying. I was standing next to him, holding the fucking Torah, and he took the Oath of Office from some judge we'd never seen before, and then you know what he said? He turned to me and said 'I can't do this without her, Sam.'"
"He - he travels with a Torah now?"
Sam stared at her. "No, the hospital called a local rabbi and he brought one. Donna, that's really not the point."
"I know," Donna said quietly. "So he means it. I was never sure . . ."
"I'm sure. I've been sure for years. So has he, for that matter."
"Well, hell of a way he had of showing it, then."
"I know. But please, will you give him another chance?" Sam asked. "He said to tell you that, if you can't give anything else, he really needs your friendship right now."
"He can definitely have that."
"And the rest?"
"We'll see, Sam," Donna said tiredly.
"So you'll come?"
"I'll come." Donna nodded at baby Leo. "WE'LL come."
"Good. It's late, so we might as well just leave in the morning. Can I help you pack or anything?" Sam offered.
Donna shook her head. "I'm already packed."
"You - you are?"
"I started packing as soon as I heard the news," Donna confessed. "But then I realized all the planes would be grounded, and it seemed dumb to drive across the country with a baby if I didn't even know if he - if anyone - would want me there."
"We all want you there," Sam assured her.
"This is just a visit," Donna warned him.
"Take that up with the President."
"The President," Donna repeated. "That's so weird."
Sam chuckled. "Tell me about it."