Title: A Mentor for Joanie Part 7/?

Rating: PG-13

Summary: The Interview with Bartlet raises many a question

Note: Part 8 will be posted right after this and in that I fulfill my promise to you crazy Leo/Joanie shippers who are e mailing me. : )

Dedication: Liza for the threatening e-mails. Have fun at camp. And to Erin for the awesome feedback.

A Mentor for Joanie Part 7: Best Friends

God I'm nervous and I'm praying it doesn't show. But it probably does...damn. I'm sitting across from Josiah Bartlet and I'm praying my hands aren't shaking too much when I press ëon' on the tape recorder.

"You're going to tape it all?" he asks, pointing to it.

"Yeah."

ëNot write it?"

"To tell the truth I don't think I can write that fast."

He laughs a little and some of my panic subsides. I sit back in my chair and let out a deep breath.

"Umm...okay, Dr. Bartletó

"Call me Jed."

Oh boy.

"Okay," I smile. "Uh, let's just start with some questions so we feel more comfortable."

"I'm plenty comfortable."

"Well ëm nervous as hell," I admit with a broken laugh. Bartlet chuckles and I see him grip his cane that lies next to his chair. "Uh..."

"So how's the Primary?" Bartlet asks.

"Huh?" Oh god am I stupid. "Oh...fine, Illinois is the end of the week and I'm flying back to Hartford for it."

"Good, it's nice that you be there for your father," Bartlet nods. "All three of my girls were around during my campaign."

"I actually saw Zoey when I was in Hartford," I smile. "She, Lori and I are going shopping."

"Lori?"

"Lori Ziegler, Toby and CJ's daughter."

"Oh right," Bartlet nods. "I sometimes forget when you don't use full names."

"Actually CJ's going to have a baby," I smile.

"Is she?" Bartlet grins. "That's great! I'm going to have to call them later."

"I'm sure she'd love it," I nod. "Trust me when I tell you she's still busy running around even with a baby on the way."

"Maybe I'll have Abbey scold her over the phone," he laughs.

"If you think she'll listen," I say.

"No, probably not," Bartlet sighs. "She always was like a fourth daughter to me."

"She told me," I nod.

"What about you?" he asks suddenly.

"What about me?"

"You have a boyfriend I don't know about?"

"No, I assure you I don't," I laugh. "Right now the only men in my life are my dog Kennedy and my room mate, Leo Seaborn."

"You live with Sam's son?"

"Yeah, we've been friends for forever and we were sick of living in dorms with the underclassmen," I say, leaving out the part about Kevin.

"Well that makes sense," Bartlet says. "So where do you want to start?"

"Maybe you could just start at the beginning? Who convinced you to run for president, anyway?"

"Ah ha," Bartlet says, grinning. "That would be Leo McGarry. Now Leo and I met back in high school. I went to this stupid school where my father was headmaster and I was one of the only Catholic's. A remember Leo cause he was a Catholic too. He was there because his father had decided public school wasn't decent enough for his family and Leo was kind of thrown in to the whole private school thing headfirst. Now for years I had been rallying behind changes in the way the school was being run and Mrs. Landing ham would help me but she said once: Jed, you're a bright boy, but no one man can handle everything himself. One day you'll find your partner in crime and the two of you will go far, Jed, you'll go far."

"Mrs. Landingham sounds like a bright women."

"She was," Jed nods and his eyes get a glazed over look, as if he's remembering something from a long time ago.

"Dr. Bartlet?" I ask softly.

He snaps back to reality with a blink, "Yes...right, yes. Anyway...Leo and I were best friends. Later when I looked at your father and Sam I would think back to Leo and me. We kept in touch even when college put of in different places. I always miss him when Michigan plays Notre Dame." Jed smiles weakly. "I can always hear his deep sarcastic voice behind me saying: Notre Dame is gonna get the ass-kicking they so richly deserve. We were playful like that when it came to rivalry." He pauses and looks up at me. "Do you have a best friend?"

"Yes," I said slowly.

"Is he smarter than you?"

"Yes." I hate to admit it but he is.

"If you're ever President...that's your Chief of Staff."

I look up at him, confused at first now I smile. Sam will be my father's Chief of Staff just as Leo was Bartlet's.

"I have had two best friends in my life," Bartlet continuos. "One was Leo and the other is my wife. Your father was the same way, Sam and Donna. Our partner in life should always be our best friend, as should our partner in business. I learned a long time ago that if you have a true friend working for you they aren't afraid of slapping you sometimes."

"Pardon?"

"Leo was never afraid to go up and smack upside the head if and when I needed it. Oh sure, he knew his boundaries, but when it came down to the wire, he knew when I needed to snap back to reality." Bartlet pauses before saying slowly, "I remember once a man who was serving as a doctor for me was shot down on a trip to Jordan to visit a hospital. He was shot down with other American citizens, and I still can't decide if because I knew that one man that I got as riled up as I did. But it's different, when you think about it. If someone came to you and said, a plane was shot down over Jordan, fifteen Americans were killed. You would pause for a moment and say something along the lines of, oh what a tragedy, but then the next moment you would be all business again, concerning yourself with your own life. But...if someone came up to you and said a plane with fifteen Americans was shot down over Jordan and a friend of yours was on board you would feel very differently. You knew this person enough to know they had a family who loved him and a bright future before him. You would be mad, you'd be pissed as hell. You'd demand someone to strike back as hard as thy can. To make this SOB's pay for ending the life of a man who had such a bright life. Then someone comes along and tells you they can't do that. That all they can do is bust a transmitter and call it even. You'd be mad don't you think?"

I can't really think of the words to express what I felt right them but I managed a swift nod.

"Well...that's how I felt. I knew this man, I knew he had a baby girl at home. And I wanted justice...and I got a proportional response. I spent two days yelling at anyone I could get my hands on. I brought everyone down with me. Leo saw it going on but did nothing at first. He must have over estimated my ability to calm my anger. Finally he dragged me into his office and set me strait. He made me remember that we are a super power. And being a super power comes with a certain degree of responsibility. And if we ignore those responsibilities we become power hungry and think we can push over the little people...take over the world like Charlemenge. I guess as I poured my heart into the cause that I forgot that little detail. Leo was kind enough o remind me." Bartlet pauses and pulls out a cigarette box. "You want one?"
"No thanks, I don't smoke," I explain.

He laughs, "I shouldn't, but I do. Bad habit to kick."

"Didn't you help bring a big case against the Tobacco Industry during your term?" I ask.

"Yes...because the lied. I realize I should have quit then. I was a bad example," he chuckles. "Truth is your father really went after that one."

"I've heard stories."

"I'm sure you've heard tons."

"Probably."

"So what are you going to do after school?" he asks.

"I don't know," I shrug. "Maybe work on the campaign."

"Maybe?"

"I don't know. Doesn't it look a little questionable that I get a job because its my father," I say what's been bothering me for a couple of weeks now. Leo mentioned it briefly before I left and the thought had been stirring in my head ever since and just wouldn't leave.

"You'll get the job because you're the most qualified," Bartlet assures me. "Your father isn't stupid. I'm sure he knows how bad that looks too. If you have the best credentials you'll get the job. That simple."

"I hope so," I sigh.

"Don't worry about it," Bartlet waves it off.

"Can I ask what you're fondest memory of being in office is, Dr. Bartlet?" I ask. I don't care if you told me otherwise, I'm going to call him Dr. Bartlet.

He thinks for a moment, a smile etching its way across his face. "It must have been after I won re-election. After the big party had been held and was over and done with I had a small gathering back in the residence of the White House. Leo, Toby, Sam, Josh, Donna, CJ...Charlie, my girls and Abbey. All of us just sat around together and talked. We didn't play music or eat anything or drink. We just sat around and talked...and laughed. I sat there with these people who had helped me win yet again and it was one of the proudest moments of my life. Just sitting with those amazing people...all of whom I considered family. They never left me, never deserted me. Even after all those hard time." He shakes his head as if he's still in awe over it. "Tell me something, Joanie, does your father ever talk about the shooting with you?"

I'm a little taken aback, but I regained my composure quickly. I clear my throat. "Not really...I mean I know he was shot and that it happened when he was working for you. I learned about it when I was young and saw the scar and, being the innocent child I was, asked what it was. I don't know much about it to tell you the truth. It must have been horrifying though."

"I'll never forget it," Bartlet whispers. "I blamed myself for you father. Just as Charlie blamed himself for weeks afterwards. Josh kept telling us he was fine, that he didn't blame anyone. But...well...he wasn't fine. He had a bad run in with the PTSD that one Christmas. I was worried for him as a father worries about a son. You know Josh lost his father during the Illinois Primary?" I nod. "Well I think after that I took to him. Kept him under my wing so to speak. Leo did too. It did your grandmother good to see us taking care of him. Your father always was like a son to me, Joanie...so you are a bit of a grand daughter. I was that proud when he brought you in to see me after you were born. He had a wide smile on his face." Bartlet stops and smiles himself, and I do too. I've never heard anybody speak with the kind of passion about things that Bartlet does. It's like the tone in his voice my father gets when he talks about politics and that stupid art picture I gave him in kindergarten he still has taped to the fridge next to my SAT scores.

"CJ told me you all were very close," I say finally.

"Oh we were...we were like a huge family," Bartlet laughs. "As will you all be when your father gets into the White House."

Again with the when's and not the ifs. Everyone's constantly optimistic when it comes to my father winning the election. Not that I want him to loose mind you, but how can everyone assume he'll win. I guess a part of me is skeptical about it. Don't ask me why.

"We'll see," I say and leave it at that. I see Bartlet glance at his watch. "Do you need to be some place?"

"I have a doctor's appointment that came up at the last minute," Bartlet confesses. "I didn't think we would spend so much time talking."

"Well I'm hoping I can come back again and do this," I say. I glance at my own watch and gape. I had no idea we had been here for that long.

"I'm up for it," Bartlet chuckles. "How about after you get back from the Primary in Connecticut?"

"That's great," I say. "Do you remember much of your own Primary experience, Dr. Bartlet?"

"Just that I couldn't remember nay of my staffers names," Bartlet shakes his head with a smile. "And that we were the underdogs. No one expected us to win in the long run. But we sure as hell showed them. It was a true super hero story."

"Sounds great," I grin. "Will you tell me more about it when I get here next time?"

"I would love too," he smiles warmly at me. "Now Joan, why don't I walk you down stairs?"

"I'd be delighted Dr. Bartlet."

"You think I didn't notice that's what you've been calling me? Fine, if you won't call me Jed call me Doctor Bartlet," he snorts. "Just like your father."

"Now you sound like my mother,' I laugh.

"I don't blame her, stuck in a house full of Lyman's."

"Come on sir," I say and we walk slowly don the steps of the Manchester house to where Abbey is below speaking in to the phone.

"Oh, Joanie, dear, it's for you," she says and hands it to me.

"Hello?"

"Hey Joan, how did it go?"

It's Leo, figures.

"Great, listen I'll talk to you when I get home okay?"

"All right, see you in a bit."

"Kay, bye."

I hang up and Abbey and Chris drive me back to the airport. I decided against spending the night, I would rather go back home as soon as possible. I said my farewells to Josiah Bartlet before I left and he hugged me. He hugged me...unbelievable. Abbey did the same when I left her at the airport and boarded the plane back to Harvard.

I'm sitting in my seat on the plane, a magazine open in front of me, I'm listening to the tape recording of my interview with Bartlet.

BARTLET: I have had two best friends in my life. One was Leo and the other is my wife. Your father was the same way, Sam and Donna. Our partner in life should always be our best friend, as should our partner in business.

For some reason this passage stuck out to me. I have tow best friends in my life, Leo and Lori. If one is supposed to be my business partner it would have to be Lori. So...where does that leave Leo?

TBC