Story [The West Wing] Canadians in the East Wing (Dear Diary Challenge 2017) COMPLETED DEC 30

Sorry it took me so long to comment!

Hahaha... I could see Ainsley being freaked out about that! Sam would probably be okay as an alpaca farmer, but not Ainsley.

I imagine that he was driving them crazy, so yeah, I bet they are happy he's got his old job back!

Awww.. This was so cute! From Elvie and Leo being excited to see Matt, to Leo's poor fluffy hair, and them getting to go to Cheese Day!!

I like that she doesn't even argue, she just sighs. She knows that if Sam is going all the way, Josh will be right there with him. She knows who she married and just accepts it.

Maybe one of those things sunk into Leo's brain.

Aww.. I loved these little bits about Miranda and Peter. Miranda is so grown up, I love that she's not too upset about moving, she just wants to live a normal life.

This really made for an interesting thought experiment in how things would change/would have changed in the US (both real life and within TWW) without the term limits. I bet it does make family feel much better to have an end in sight, even if it's a few years away.

And now I need a crack story where Sam, Matt and Josh are farmers!!

 

Haha. Yeah, I can't see alpacas liking Ainsley.

Probably

They are so adorable. And yeah, I can just see Leo's hair as "the puff"

Yeah Donna knows what she got herself into

And the other thing might have sunk into Elvie's He is the future governor of Texas.

Thanks. Unfortunately Miranda and Peter really didn't bite much for me in terms of plot bunnies for this diary and what few ones didn't make it into the diary because I just didn't need the material. Kinda feel like I neglected them, but maybe their absence from the diary is a good thing? It meant that there were no kidnapping schemes or whatnot they had to deal with. But I might re-use what ideas I had for them for Elvie's and Rose's kids in my next diary.

Yeah, it's kinda interesting to think about both in the TWW verse and IRL. On the flip side, in Canada, where the majority of our PMs get voted out of office, it's interesting to think what would happen if there was a term limit. But I think all spouses at least in our verse (Abbey, Helen, Ainsley, Sam, Marc, and Rose) are all VERY happy about the term limit.

West Wing: Retirement

 

AN: I decided to put entries 23 and 24 together because both 23s are quite short but there will be one more epilogue entry for the end of the year.

Donna Lyman - 11/01/2014 - Entry 23

I’ve been in California for the past month. I wish I could say I’ve been enjoying the sun with my husband, but Josh is back home in DC. I’ve been helping the Seaborn for Governor campaign. My official title is baby-sitter for Josie (with Leo), but I’ve done media releases, as well as helped Ainsley with her appearances. Ainsley is six months pregnant and needs a bit more help (and bathroom breaks).

State elections are certainly not what I’m used to. There’s less national media attention (everyone is focused on who the next president will be, and Republican Senator Glen Allen Walken is, quite frankly, lambasting Congressman Nate O’Brien, one of the few men willing to have his name under “Democrat” after 16 years of democratic rule - not that Santos’ years, nor the Bartlet era, are looked upon with displeasure - people are just ready for lower taxes). But there’s still craziness: driving all across the state, living on fast food, and never seeing my husband. I’m glad Josh isn’t doing this campaign - I don’t think his arteries could take it.

I’m glad to be helping Sam and Ainsley out, but I’m also ready to get back to Josh. Leo is having a blast with Josie (we went to Legoland last week and Disneyland the week before) but I think he also misses his dad.

And I also want to go home so I can sleep.

DL



Helen Santos - November 9, 2014 - Entry 23

Normally, I hate it when Josh Lyman wakes my husband up because it usually means the world is ending (which happened much less than I thought it would over the past eight years). But this morning, I’ll forgive him for coming into our bedroom at 2AM.

“Sir,” Josh said, sticking head in the door. “You said you wanted me to wake you when there was a result.”

I jabbed Matt in the ribs. “You couldn’t wait four hours? Josh is lucky it’s November and I’m actually wearing a nightgown.”

“You always wear a nightgown these days,” Matt grumbled as he sat up. “And?”

“Sorry. It was a landslide. Walken won,” Josh said.

Matt sighed. “Well, we knew that was coming. Send our congratulations to Glen and our thanks to Nate.”

“For being the Democratic party’s sacrificial lamb,” I muttered. Poor guy did not stand a chance against Waken. We all knew it.

“What about California?”

Josh smiled and nodded. “I just got off with Donna. I think I might have gone deaf.”

Matt chuckled. “Send Sam our congratulations as well,” he said as I pulled him down. Josh was wise to leave and close the door behind him.

“Our glory days are over, Mr. President,” I said, lying on top of him.

He shrugged as he wrapped his arms around me. “I’m sure there will still be much to celebrate.”

I nodded. I’m sure there will be too.

HS


Donna Lyman - 01/20/2015 - Entry 24

So. This is it. My last entry, written in my last few hours of Chief of Staff to the First Lady of the United States. I came to work early today, along with Josh who has stayed to finish up as Chief of Staff for President Santos, now that Sam is Governor of California - or will be in a few hours. Leo is at his new pre-school.

I’ve spent the past few hours packing up our suite and giving the new staff - and the new first lady - pointers. Since President-Elect Walken is unmarried, his cousin, Elizabeth, is fulfilling the duties of first lady. She’s young - only 30 - but has a good head on her shoulders, plus she has a great staff to help her out.

Annabeth is off to California later tonight. She starts her new job in a week: Head of Media Relations for The Walt Disney Company. She’s always on the go, but she’s super excited. I’d be too if I were getting her new salary.

I was offered a bunch of positions in the private sector as well, but Josh, Leo, and I will be staying on the east coast. Carol Fitzpatrick - the assistant press secretary from back in the Bartlet era (was that really only 8 years ago?) - has offered me a position in her non-profit organization that helps veterans. I think I might take it - after Josh and I take Leo on a much needed family vacation.

The first lady came by before she and the president had to get going to the inauguration. Her hair was up and she was wearing a black dress with a dark red coat. She hugged Annabeth and I, and gave us both gifts (handmade quilts). “Thank you both, for everything.”

“Is this goodbye?” I asked.

“Yeah. Matt and I are to head to Andrew’s air base directly after the ceremony. One last trip on Air Force One back to Texas.”

“Wow, Republicans really boot you out of here fast, don’t they?” Annabeth laughed.

The first lady laughed as well. “I don’t know if it’s that, or we are just so ready to get out of here that we are running.”

“Bit of both?” I guessed. “Either way, please don’t be a stranger.”

She nodded. “Oh, I’m sure we will be hauled back into it all when Sam runs for president. But, we do plan on taking the kids out to California in a few months. And I’m sure other functions will have us running into DC again. And if either of you are in Houston for whatever reason, please come by.”

Annabeth and I nodded. We all looked around and sighed. “We did some good, didn’t we?” the first lady asked.

“Mandatory child vaccinations; paid material and paternal leave; increased funding for support for domestic abuse victims,” I listed.

“Raised two kids; had another two,” she added.

Annabeth concluded. “Not bad for two Canadians in the East Wing.”

First Lady Santos then looked at the clock. “I’d better go, make sure Matt is getting dressed.”

We hugged one last time. Tears were forming in our eyes. It was a good goodbye. I think we are all ready to move on with our lives. But it was still goodbye to eight years of close friendship and goodbye to what history will remember us for, even if we are a side-note to the Santos West Wing. “It was an honour, Ma’am.”

“Donna, Annabeth, it was hell for 8 years, but it was nothing short of a pleasure working with you two.” She started to leave before turning around one final time. “And please stop calling me ma’am!”

“Yeah, okay, fine, Helen!” I called. We all laughed.

I’d better go - tuck this journal in Helen’s bags. Then I’m going to head out. Maybe Josh and I will pick up Leo early from pre-school and take him out for lunch.

This chapter has closed in our lives, but more will begin shortly. There is still more work to do. So, what’s next?

DL



Helen Santos - January 20, 2015 - Entry 24

If Donna thinks that the above entry will be her last, she’s sadly mistaken. When we are old and grey and when we finally decide to publish this, we will have to write another entry - probably all about how our husbands drove us insane in their retirement.

Speaking of husbands in their retirement, my morning - my last morning as First Lady - begun much like that morning 8 years ago. I woke early to see my husband already awake, drinking coffee and looking out the frosted window, wearing a sweatshirt and pyjama pants.

I came up behind him and wrapped my arms around him. I ended up in his arms, drinking his coffee. It was just us this morning: Peter had already taken Miranda and Leo-Vincente to Houston, to our ranch; our home. Elvie actually was evaluated and will be placed in the first grade, not Kindergarten, once he begins at his new public school. “You ready for this?” I asked Matt.

“Retirement? Becoming a stay-at-home dad?” He nodded. “Yeah.” There was a pause. “It’s just weird to think it’s all over in - ” he checked his watch. “Six hours and twelve minutes.”

“You deserve a rest. You did so much. So much good.”

“Did I?” he asked.

“Legalized gay marriage; reformed a failing education system; pulled a country out of the worst recession the world has seen since the Great Depression; how many new jobs created? Gave Americans universal health care; prevented World War III; raised three kids; and somehow remained married to me.”

He laughed. “Pretty sure you have to take credit for the last three.”

“I played a heavy hand in them.” I sighed. “We did it. We made it.”

“Well, we still have six hours, ten minutes and plenty of lawyers around if you want to rectify that last one.”

I was going to cuff him, but I ended up laying my head on his chest. “Never.”

“You ready for Hawaii?” he asked. After we get settled in our new home (which will take about three days with help), Matt, the kids, and I are off to Maui for the sun, warmth, and relaxation. I have been looking forward to it for about 8 years.

I nodded.

The rest of the morning was quiet. I got ready and said my goodbyes to the staff in the residence, and the staff in the east wing. By that time, Matt had finished up his work - his final few pardons and his letter to the next president - and got ready. President (at that time he was still President-Elect) Glen Allen Walken then arrived. He shook Matt’s and my hand. “You certainly are leaving big boots to fill,” he told Matt.

“I have no doubt you will have no issues filling them.” Even though their politics are vastly different, Matt still respects President Walken.

They both escorted me to my limousine. President Walken’s cousin, Elizabeth, will be doing most of the duties of First Lady, but Virginia Walken, his mother, did the swearing-in ceremony. However both were pre-seated at the Inauguration Ceremony. So I had a ride to the Capitol to myself.

“Are you going to be okay?” Matt asked me as I got in.

“I think I’ll manage this by myself one last time.”

“You won’t be lonely?” Matt grinned.

“Screw off, Jackass.”

“Is that really the last thing you want to say to me while I’m President?”

“Yes.”

The door was then shut.

I had long moments to think during that car ride. I may have never asked to be First Lady Helen Santos, and I certainly never dreamed it would happen, but I’m glad I did it. It was an honour to support my husband in changing the country. I am a stronger person for it, and I think our children will be better people, and I know our love is unbreakable.

I was seated at the inauguration ceremony. Abbey and Jeb were there, a row behind me, a reminder that Matt and I will have to do this every four or eight years for the rest of our lives. Abbey leaned forward and whispered. “In four - or eight - years, you and I have to pass the torch to the next person dumb enough to be married to the president.”

I nodded. “It’s going to be Ainsley Seaborn. I already feel bad for her.”

Matt then appeared beside me and sat. “Already becoming a part of the peanut gallery are we, Dear?”

I nodded. “I wasn’t the best first lady, but I’m pretty sure I got this former first lady thing down pat.”

The inauguration was long and cold, but at the end of it all, President Walken walked us to our limo.

“Feel different?” I asked as Matt and I were driven to Andrews Air Force base.

“Like a country has been lifted from my shoulders. What does your mother say? Not my circus, not my monkeys?”

I nodded. “But you still have three monkeys to deal with back in Texas.”

“Yeah, but I need those to keep me from going insane from boredom.”

I’m writing this now, wearing jeans on the back porch of our new home. As I look out, I see the sun setting on rolling hills of green. It has been a long day of unpacking but I found Matt (wearing his dad-jeans) out here after dinner (we ordered pizza). He had an envelope, lighter, and a bucket, and was sitting on the step.

“Destroying evidence?” I asked.

“Kinda,” he laughed. “When I first became President, Jed told me to write you a letter. You know, just incase something happened to me.”

I sat beside him. He continued.

“He told me my last duty as President was to burn it.”

“So I don’t get to read it?”

He kissed my cheek. “Never,” he said, setting fire to it, and then dropping it into the bucket.

I slipped my hand into his.

“So,” I said. “What are we going to do tomorrow?”


HS

 

Oh man...

Awww.. I'm so glad Donna went out there to help them! I mean, of course she would, but it's so sweet!

That's probably true! Josh is lucky we didn't kill him earlier!
Also the part about people wanting lower taxes also made me laugh.

I have no idea why, but I just got the mental image of Josh knocking and walking into their bedroom because Donna and Leo are out of town and he's lonely. I know he'd never do that, even Josh isn't that dense, but it just popped into my head as I was reading that and it made me laugh.

Daaawww....
The pajamas part was funny. I imagine if you could be awakened at any moment, you'd sleep fully clothed all the time!

If that's not the perfect job for Annabeth, I don't know what is!

I love that you included this, and made it Carol who pulled Donna in!

Even though I know this isn't the end, but really is only the beginning, I still got a little misty at this!

Perfect that it came back to this!! I love all the details about the future of those in the White House, and what they accomplished in their time there that you included in this!

What's next gets me every time!

Bahahaha.... YES!!

This is such a great interaction. Helen clearly sees all the great he did, but he probably can only see the failures right now. He does deserve a rest, he's given enough for his country.

Oh man, that was perfect for them!

I'm so happy she came to appreciate it and feels they are a stronger family because of it. They did a lot of good, and gained a lot of friends. It leaves me with such warm, fuzzy feelings!

Oh... oh that just about gutted me. It's a really good idea and I'm so happy he gets to burn it.


Congratulations on making the whole year doing what amounts to two diaries! I look forward to the epilogue!

 

One of these days I'm going to have to write it.

Someone had to go with the Seaborns and someone had to stay behind with the Santoses.

Oh Josh is so lucky I didn't want Leo to get married too soon/without his dad, or else I probably would have killed him shortly after Sam's terms as president!

BAHAHAAHA! Helen would actually kill him.

Yeah, I think the 'sleeping fully clothed' thing will come back up in my next diary (much to Marc's and Rose's disappointments!).

Sadly, pretty much all my ideas for Annabeth in this diary kinda got scrapped, but I had to give her that perfect job!

It made so much sense as Donna's next career step I just had to!

Yeah, it's the ending of a beginning.

Thanks!

It's just so perfect!

The epilogue ended up more sappy than I intended, but you know Matt and Josh drove their wives insane!

Yeah, for all that he did, he probably just sees all that he could have done.

As soon as that popped into my head, I HAD to write it!

I think she's also just glad that it's over But yeah, the Santoses are now a part of this wider (crazy) family, even if they weren't there from the start.

I was actually inspired by the last letter Alexander Hamilton wrote for Eliza. I've actually tried to write the letters Jed, Matt, and Sam all wrote for their wives, followed by the letter Charlie writes for Zoey and I just can't finish it. I just can't do the idea justice.

Thanks so much, and thank you so much for joining me along the way There's no way I could have made it without your support and I am sooooo excited looking forward to doing Marc's and Rose's dairy!

 

Epilogue Entry - Helen Santos & Donna Lyman - January 19, 2055

So, here we are, 40 years later. We are unsure how, or even if, this diary will be published - if either of us will gets the guts to do it while we are alive, or if one of our kids will find it after we are gone. But we thought, if there was a day to write an epilogue together, it would be today.

But, before that, perhaps some recaps are in order.

The Lyman family never got a moment’s rest after the Santos administration. We welcomed the twins, Abi and Noah into the family in late 2015. Then Sam Seaborn decided to run for president in 2018. He won, so Josh was Chief of Staff - on and off - for President Seaboarn for his two terms (of course, the Hayes-Seaborn family would occupy the White House again for over 6 years from 2032 until 2039). Josh retired in 2027, but his children kept him busy. Leo, Abi, and Noah all went to Yale for their Bachelor’s degrees. Leo ended up going to Harvard Law like his father, and eventually became the first Senator for Washington DC. Abi got her PhD on the west coast, and Noah joined the Peace Corps. Leo and Noah are happily married with children. Abi just doesn’t have time for that (yet).

Sadly, we lost Josh in 2038. His heart just gave out but he was surrounded by his family when we decided it was time to let him be at peace. He never got to see his children become the successful, happy adults they grew to be. But he loved them and I am so thankful he got to see Leo marry the love of his life. I know Josh would be so proud of them if he was still around today.

The Santos family retreated to their ranch in 2015, but it was never a dull moment. Matt became a stay at home dad, making up for lost time with his kids. Being a former president made Matt both have authority and respect as a dad, but also made him kind, calm, and understanding. I, Helen, went on to get my PhD in Archaeology, but never worried about getting a job - I mostly publish alongside Dr. Peter Santos (yes, Peter got the career his mother never got). Miranda went on to get her Masters’ in Aerospace Engineering and is currently on Mars as this is written. As for Elvie, well, the kid got his BA in World History, then graduated from Law School before joining the Air Force in hopes of eventually prosecuting war crimes. Unfortunately, he had a training accident. His jet crashed. The cause was virus programming - something that ended up being wrong with all the jets in that class. As Elvie says “that ended that military career real quick”. He became a lawyer, then served a few years in congress before becoming Governor of Texas. Peter, Miranda and Elvie all are happily married with children.

We lost Matt in 2048. Most former presidents live well into their 90s these days: Sam is still kicking around and we only lost Ainsley two months ago. But Matt developed a brain tumour when he was 85. Doctors said operating was risky: that he’d probably lose who he was if he did survive. We decided against any treatment. It just wasn’t worth it at his age. They gave him 3 months to live. The jackass ended up living another 2 years.

A over year ago, Leo Lyman decided he was going to run for president. Once he got the nomination, he dragged Leo-Vincente Santos along to be his running mate. They won. Of course they won.

Tomorrow our sons become President and Vice President of the United States of America.

And we couldn’t be prouder.

DL & HS

 

*Cries happy tears* This is such a lovely tribute to the rest of their lives and a beautiful way to wrap up the diary!

And I'm sooooo happy to read it!! I can't wait!

Love it! I started to give Abi a family in the Hanukkah series but then she was like, nope, not right now.

*sobs* This just kills me even though we did it to them. But his presence is seen in their lives as adults everyday and I'm sure that would bring Donna a lot of comfort.

Go Helen and Miranda!! I mean, yay Peter too, but get it ladies!! I love that Miranda is on Mars! That's such an awesome detail!!

That is so Elvie!!

Of course he did! Because that's just who he is!

(Sorry, I couldn't help the flag, it was just right there and seemed appropriate! )
I love the proud mommas, the 'of course they won' was so perfect!

Congratulations again on completing this! It's made me so happy to read!!

 

Normally I'm really bad at remembering to do final author replies but I wanted to for this! Also, I really hope the multi quote doesn't give you a notification for every bit I add (it just saves me so much typing).

I'm glad you liked it! I had this entry in my head ever since you started writing Leo's diary last January!

I am having so much fun with it.

BWHAHAHA. Me too! And she was like "yeah... right."

It kills me too even though we were so nice too them in letting Josh live as long as he did.

I just wanted to make someone an astronaut and then Miranda was like ME!!!!!

Yeah, he's just a well of self-deprecating humour and I love it.

Oh yeah. He was president, he wasn't going to listen to doctors!

Thats all I gotta say

Thank you, and thank you so much for joining me on this wild "prologue" to our own verse!

I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND. But thank you so much! I'm sorry my muse kinda imploded and it's a bit daunting to get all caught up, but these characters just have minds, personalities and lives of their own!

Thanks. Josh may be at rest, but he is still very much in their lives.

Yeah, it seemed like so very them.

Thanks, and thank you so much for reading and commenting!

 

This was another TWW binge-read for me, and what is more on a day when I was having a particularly bad day, so first of all I need to thank you for fixing my mood

One of the many reasons that make this an amazing diary is how you took two characters, one of which is an almost-OC and the other a well-established EC, and yet by the end of the story we feel that we know them equally well. To start with Helen Santos, I love the snarky personality you gave her here (the pregnancy in particular was one of the most hilarious things I've read in a long time) but also her family background and the story of how she met her husband. I think a risk with choosing her as a narrator was to make her too similar to Abbey Bartlett (or at least it would have been for me, because she was truly one of my most beloved characters on the show) but you didn't do that at all. On the contrary, you made her her own person who handles things in a very different way even when confronted with similar situations. As for Donna... well, she's just Donna and you really wrote her very well here. There's one element of her personality that I really enjoyed in the show, and that's the fact that she doesn't seek the limelight. In TWW she's always playing second fiddle to Josh, here she's in the service of the First Lady, but it doesn't matter because her priorities are elsewhere. She doesn't want to be the best, she wants instead a situation that makes her happy, and this is the takeaway we get from this diary.

I also really liked your portrayal of Matt Santos in this diary. I'm completely on the Bail Organa for president bandwagon and I got everything I wanted on that front for your story.

There are many scenes I could comment about (the state visit to Canada, Donna announcing her pregnancy to Josh, etc etc etc) and that I won't do because I want to keep reading. However, I will comment about the epilogue, because the framing device for this dual-narrator diary is one more great element in a long list of great elements. Not only was the epilogue wonderfully written and a very satisfying conclusion to the story, but it also tells me everything else I have to look forward to was I continue on my TWW fanfic journey. There is both an endpoint for the canon characters from the show, and the promise of new beginnings with the OCs you and @mavjade created. I hope that your muses will continue to provide inspiration, because I really want to know more about the lives of all these characters!

 

Your welcome! These stories have a particular knack for fixing my and Mav's moods sometimes Thank you for reading!

Thank you. I ended up choosing her for this diary because her portrayal in the show kinda bugged me. I saw what the writers were trying to do (she was a supportive wife, but not in a submissive way, she wanted to be involved in decisions because she had opinions and her priority was her kids, but she was also in a completely new world she never expected or prepared to be in, but she also had snark and sass) but the lack of time over the last 2 seasons (trying to fit storylines from both campaigns and the White House) meant a lot kinda didn't get developed so Helen almost came off as mean at times I think, so I wanted to take her and flesh her out a lot more. And yeah, I worried about making her too much like Abbey (initially I had Helen as a nurse, but then, I remembered Abbey was a doctor so that changed quite quickly) because I do love Abbey too (one of these years I want to write an Abbey diary because it would just be pure sass). But Helen quickly became her own character.

Thank you, I was so worried about writing Donna because I love her, but she's a hard mix between sweetness and snark. But I loved where her character and her career ended up at the end of season 7 because it was just the best fit to have her become the First Lady's COS. And yeah, she just wants to happy and useful.

Thank you. Yeah, he basically became Bail Organa and I'm not sorry (the US could use either as their president right now ). He surrounded himself with the best people, who were his greatest attributes, and listened to them all.

Totally understand and totally save it for what is upcoming because the best is yet to come!

Thank you. I hope it didn't spoil too much (the 2nd half of this diary was posted at the same time as the vignettes started), but with the "out of order" style of this 'verse, it really isn't the 'destination' that matters, but the details of the journey, and because of that, we have some fun with "foreshadowing" what we know what is to come. And yes, the epilogue is very much a transition between the ECs and our OCs - though ECs still pop up from time to time. And right now, the muses are still going at it (dang plot bunnies are breeding like bunnies ).