FF: Domestic Affairs
May. 14th, 2006 04:13 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
quaggyTitle: Domestic Affairs
Rating: TEEN
Category: Post-Ep for The Last Hurrah
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters or this show.
Archiving permission: Sure, just tell me first.
Notes: A conversation fic explaining where Josh, Donna and Sam were during The Last Hurrah written as a birthday present foramycurl. Sorry it's late, sweetie!
Rating: TEEN
Category: Post-Ep for The Last Hurrah
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters or this show.
Archiving permission: Sure, just tell me first.
Notes: A conversation fic explaining where Josh, Donna and Sam were during The Last Hurrah written as a birthday present for
amycurl. Sorry it's late, sweetie!“Lyman Residence.”
“I’m kinda running late.”
“Yes, the whole you not being here sort of gave that away.”
“Yeah, the meeting ran long. Then I stopped by the office to meet with Sam, except Sam wasn’t there and the President-Elect was.”
“Because of the thing?’
“Yeah.”
“Well?!”
“We got him!”
“Really?!”
“Yeah. It’s a done deal.”
“Does Sam know?”
“Not yet. The President-Elect is going to tell him when he gets back from the Hill.”
“He’s still on the Hill?!”
“Yeah, apparently after eight years of loud, obnoxious Deputy Chiefs of Staff, more than that if you count the previous administration, they don’t know what to make of Sam’s chill.”
“Iceman cometh.”
“Something like that.”
“Sam’s going to be thrilled about the news.”
“As well he should be! It was his idea!”
“He thought we should be thinking outside the box for the Secretary of State. You were the one that was worrying about trying to neutralize Vinick. Which made the President-Elect realize we could kill two birds with one stone. And the three of you together came up with the plan to get him.”
“Yeah, but we’re gonna let Sam get the credit for this one.”
“So are you on you way home?”
“Yeah. Do you want me to pick something up for dinner?”
“Nope. I cooked.”
“You cooked.”
“Yes.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“Wow!
“It’s not that unusual. Besides, I’ve cooked for you before.”
“Yes, but not when you were living with me… and sleeping in my bed.”
“Feels sort of domestic, doesn’t it?”
“Yeah. Wait! That’s not a bad thing, is it?”
“Come home, Josh. I’m waiting for you.”
“On my way.”
~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~
“DONNA!”
“I’m in the kitchen. Don’t yell. Hi…………. Umm……. Josh!”
“Hi!”
“Hello, yourself! Dinner’s almost ready. Here carry this to the table.”
“Smell’s great. What is it?”
“Pasta Primavera.”
“That’s just a fancy way of saying pasta with vegetables, right?
“I stopped at Whole Foods and got inspired. You’re not going to give me grief, are you?”
“Do I look like I’m insane?”
“Not right at this second. So I’m taking today was a good day?”
“Yeah. Hey, this is really good!”
“Thank you. I’m a little amazed that you are even eating the vegetables. Let alone enjoying them.”
“Maybe I’m growing up?”
“Hardly.”
“Yeah, I didn’t think so.”
“You met with the head of the DNC again today?”
“Yeah, more commotion about the VP. Nothing really new there. Sat in a couple of Kazakhstan briefings with CJ. Met with the directors of FEMA and the Red Cross. We’re going to want to have our disaster relief plans in place before we even take office. Not that it’ll be much different from the Bartlet plan, but things like that can never be improved enough. Truthfully, it was nice to work on something of vital public importance without worrying about party lines.”
“Who are you and what have you done with Josh Lyman?”
“Funny. Know how CJ didn’t like campaigning because kept her from helping?”
“Yes. And I remember your face when she said it.”
“The point is I think I finally understand where CJ is coming from.”
“But you love the struggle!”
“Yeah, but some of the stuff I chose to struggle over as Deputy Chief of Staff just seems stupid to me now.”
“You’ve got larger concerns.”
“That I do. And I’m enjoying it far more than I ever thought possible. And how was your day?”
“You are enjoying all this domesticity aren’t you?”
“I truly, truly am.”
“I had staff interviews that took the whole day. Not to mention trying to adjust the schedule for the First Lady moving into the White House six months early."
“But you expected that to happen.”
“I did, but it still is more work. Did you hear that the Santoses decided to send the kids to public school?”
“Yes. The President-Elect was quite impressed that you already had a school vetted and approved by the Secret Service.”
“I’m thorough like that.”
“That you are.”
“Wow. That was your third helping you just polished off, wasn’t it?”
“It was good.”
“Apparently!”
“Wait a second…. I just got a message. Heh. Apparently, Sam just found out about our new Secretary of State.”
“Sam text messaged you?”
“Yeah. A little weird?”
“That the President-Elect’s Chief of Staff receives text messages from his Deputy?”
“Yeah.”
“Actually, not so much. I think the idea of Sam actually text messaging is what’s throwing me.”
“Huh? Why’s that?”
“Someone as verbose as Sam willing condensing his message to a few words?”
“Well, when you put it like that…”
“Are you done? With the pasta, I mean.”
“Yeah.”
“Is there any desert?”
“What would you like?”
“……………..”
“Josh…. Dishes first. Then, I’m all yours.”
“Sigh. The down side of domesticity. I’ll help. It’ll go faster.”
~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~
“Josh?”
“Nefgempble…”
“Shhh… Sorry. Go back to sleep.”
“Naw… I ‘m awake. What’s wrong?”
“No, nothing’s wrong. I…”
“What?’
“It’s just… I wanted to say…”
“It’s ok. Don’t worry about getting it to sound right.”
“Today was such an ordinary day. I’m mean, ordinary for the White House. And now I was just lying here with your arms around me and I couldn’t imagine what could possibly improve it all. Our life… the path we’re on… is just so near perfect. I mean, I know that bad things will happen. Not that I am a pessimist but they do. And, if the last eight years at the White House were any indication, they will probably be big things… just because of who we are and what we do. But, even knowing that, it doesn’t diminish what we have right now. After all we went through… I love our life. What we do. How we live the everyday. I just… I love it.”
“I do too. And it’s only going to get better.”
“I know. I think that might be the best part.”
“I’m kinda running late.”
“Yes, the whole you not being here sort of gave that away.”
“Yeah, the meeting ran long. Then I stopped by the office to meet with Sam, except Sam wasn’t there and the President-Elect was.”
“Because of the thing?’
“Yeah.”
“Well?!”
“We got him!”
“Really?!”
“Yeah. It’s a done deal.”
“Does Sam know?”
“Not yet. The President-Elect is going to tell him when he gets back from the Hill.”
“He’s still on the Hill?!”
“Yeah, apparently after eight years of loud, obnoxious Deputy Chiefs of Staff, more than that if you count the previous administration, they don’t know what to make of Sam’s chill.”
“Iceman cometh.”
“Something like that.”
“Sam’s going to be thrilled about the news.”
“As well he should be! It was his idea!”
“He thought we should be thinking outside the box for the Secretary of State. You were the one that was worrying about trying to neutralize Vinick. Which made the President-Elect realize we could kill two birds with one stone. And the three of you together came up with the plan to get him.”
“Yeah, but we’re gonna let Sam get the credit for this one.”
“So are you on you way home?”
“Yeah. Do you want me to pick something up for dinner?”
“Nope. I cooked.”
“You cooked.”
“Yes.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“Wow!
“It’s not that unusual. Besides, I’ve cooked for you before.”
“Yes, but not when you were living with me… and sleeping in my bed.”
“Feels sort of domestic, doesn’t it?”
“Yeah. Wait! That’s not a bad thing, is it?”
“Come home, Josh. I’m waiting for you.”
“On my way.”
~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~
“DONNA!”
“I’m in the kitchen. Don’t yell. Hi…………. Umm……. Josh!”
“Hi!”
“Hello, yourself! Dinner’s almost ready. Here carry this to the table.”
“Smell’s great. What is it?”
“Pasta Primavera.”
“That’s just a fancy way of saying pasta with vegetables, right?
“I stopped at Whole Foods and got inspired. You’re not going to give me grief, are you?”
“Do I look like I’m insane?”
“Not right at this second. So I’m taking today was a good day?”
“Yeah. Hey, this is really good!”
“Thank you. I’m a little amazed that you are even eating the vegetables. Let alone enjoying them.”
“Maybe I’m growing up?”
“Hardly.”
“Yeah, I didn’t think so.”
“You met with the head of the DNC again today?”
“Yeah, more commotion about the VP. Nothing really new there. Sat in a couple of Kazakhstan briefings with CJ. Met with the directors of FEMA and the Red Cross. We’re going to want to have our disaster relief plans in place before we even take office. Not that it’ll be much different from the Bartlet plan, but things like that can never be improved enough. Truthfully, it was nice to work on something of vital public importance without worrying about party lines.”
“Who are you and what have you done with Josh Lyman?”
“Funny. Know how CJ didn’t like campaigning because kept her from helping?”
“Yes. And I remember your face when she said it.”
“The point is I think I finally understand where CJ is coming from.”
“But you love the struggle!”
“Yeah, but some of the stuff I chose to struggle over as Deputy Chief of Staff just seems stupid to me now.”
“You’ve got larger concerns.”
“That I do. And I’m enjoying it far more than I ever thought possible. And how was your day?”
“You are enjoying all this domesticity aren’t you?”
“I truly, truly am.”
“I had staff interviews that took the whole day. Not to mention trying to adjust the schedule for the First Lady moving into the White House six months early."
“But you expected that to happen.”
“I did, but it still is more work. Did you hear that the Santoses decided to send the kids to public school?”
“Yes. The President-Elect was quite impressed that you already had a school vetted and approved by the Secret Service.”
“I’m thorough like that.”
“That you are.”
“Wow. That was your third helping you just polished off, wasn’t it?”
“It was good.”
“Apparently!”
“Wait a second…. I just got a message. Heh. Apparently, Sam just found out about our new Secretary of State.”
“Sam text messaged you?”
“Yeah. A little weird?”
“That the President-Elect’s Chief of Staff receives text messages from his Deputy?”
“Yeah.”
“Actually, not so much. I think the idea of Sam actually text messaging is what’s throwing me.”
“Huh? Why’s that?”
“Someone as verbose as Sam willing condensing his message to a few words?”
“Well, when you put it like that…”
“Are you done? With the pasta, I mean.”
“Yeah.”
“Is there any desert?”
“What would you like?”
“……………..”
“Josh…. Dishes first. Then, I’m all yours.”
“Sigh. The down side of domesticity. I’ll help. It’ll go faster.”
~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~~<*>~
“Josh?”
“Nefgempble…”
“Shhh… Sorry. Go back to sleep.”
“Naw… I ‘m awake. What’s wrong?”
“No, nothing’s wrong. I…”
“What?’
“It’s just… I wanted to say…”
“It’s ok. Don’t worry about getting it to sound right.”
“Today was such an ordinary day. I’m mean, ordinary for the White House. And now I was just lying here with your arms around me and I couldn’t imagine what could possibly improve it all. Our life… the path we’re on… is just so near perfect. I mean, I know that bad things will happen. Not that I am a pessimist but they do. And, if the last eight years at the White House were any indication, they will probably be big things… just because of who we are and what we do. But, even knowing that, it doesn’t diminish what we have right now. After all we went through… I love our life. What we do. How we live the everyday. I just… I love it.”
“I do too. And it’s only going to get better.”
“I know. I think that might be the best part.”
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
Best. Present. Ever.
Date: 2006-05-14 09:47 pm (UTC)That was beautiful. Deliciously domestic and delightful.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I just can't get over all the love!
(And I apologize about what you stumbled across on the other thread. I'm a bit embarrassed by that, really. *points to Ray* He started it. I can't help it if boys don't know how to play nice...)
Re: Best. Present. Ever.
Date: 2006-05-15 10:21 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-05-14 10:56 pm (UTC)(And I'll get back to you in a day or so on that other stuff!)
no subject
Date: 2006-05-15 10:29 pm (UTC)And I'm really glad you liked my fic!
no subject
Date: 2006-05-16 07:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-05-16 10:06 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-11-17 10:16 am (UTC)I liked the last part because when I started to read the paragraph I had gotten confused and thought it was Josh talking. When I realized it was Donna waking him up and saying all that stuff I liked it even better. So many stories have him being such a shmoo and her being the one that has it together. I like it this way and I think it is how it would be. At the end we always saw her being so cold but I bet when they actually got together and she could trust him she got all mushy like that.
I am commenting to your last comment here (which is from may 16!) because I like what you say that they would just enjoy being together because they always did. I think that sums up their whole story for me. The part we didn't get to see, that I still feel a little cheated out of, was just seeing them enjoying being together as much as they always did, but this time being honest about how much they enjoy each other.
no subject
Date: 2006-11-26 11:36 pm (UTC)Yeah... I'm actually surprised with myself for posting on that day of all days! I normally time things better.
The part we didn't get to see, that I still feel a little cheated out of, was just seeing them enjoying being together as much as they always did, but this time being honest about how much they enjoy each other.
The thing is as scene with them just being them, while intersting to us, would just be boring for those lacking in focus. But Brad and Janel are such good actors that they gave us the quiet moments anyways. The scenes in Tomorrow. Even the moment in Requiem when Josh basical takes Donna and runs away from Matt and Amy. (They even turned around at the exact same momment. So cute.) It's not a lot. But I'll take what I can get.