Work Text:
I knew you before the west was won
And I heard you say
the past was much more fun
You go your way, I go mine
But I'll see you next time
--"It's All Been Done", Barenaked Ladies
“Look, sir,” Josh Lyman said to President Bartlet. “I know we’ve been talking about stricter gun control laws--”
“I’ve already made up my mind, Josh,” the president cut him off.
“But if you would just listen--” Josh tried again.
“That’s the beauty of being the president, Joshua,” the president said, but there was more humor in his tone than reprimand. CJ snickered and Sam was grinning. “I don’t have to listen if I don’t want to.”
Josh was opening his mouth to try again, but an odd grinding, whirring noise interrupted him.
“--why you don’t trust my driving,” a young man said, stumbling out of the box.
A woman about the same age as Josh, with curly brown hair followed him, her arms crossed and one eyebrow arched. “I can’t imagine why, sweetie.”
Three more people filed out--a younger, red-haired woman, a brown-haired man, and a man in a black suit.
“Oh, hello!” the first man said, straightening his bow tie and tweed jacket. He had a noticeable British accent. “Don’t worry, we only missed by a couple of decades,” he added towards the first woman.
“Who are you?” President Bartlet demanded. “And how the hell did you get in here?”
“I’m the Doctor,” the intruder cheerfully replied. “And you, sir, are Josiah Bartlet!”
The Doctor took three long strides across the room, hand outstretched; Josh moved on instinct to stand in front of the president; Leo, Toby, and Sam had moved too. Mike Casper, who Josh had nearly forgotten was sitting in on the meeting, stepped forward.
“The Doctor is a special operative from Scotland Yard,” Mike said. He sounded unconcerned and unsurprised that these people had just appeared in the middle of the Oval Office. “And Mr. Delaware,” he added, pointing to the man in the suit, “is his FBI handler.”
“You know these people?” Leo demanded of Mike.
Mike looked at the man he referred to as the Doctor, then to the Doctor’s companions, before offering Leo a bland smile. “The Doctor is a friend of my father’s.”
“You asked them to join us?” President Bartlet asked Mike. The woman with the curly hair walked a circle around them, grinning like a kid in a candy shop.
“You’ve really outdone yourself this time, sweetie,” she said to the Doctor. “Have you started your re-election campaign?” she asked the president.
“You’ll have to forgive River, she’s an archaeologist,” the Doctor said, like it was something dirty. The woman--River--had stepped close to Josh and was peering at him like he was an interesting insect.
“Uh, hi,” Josh said warily. “Can I help you?”
River grinned. “Whenever you wanted, sweetheart,” she said.
“Why is Josh always the one that women throw themselves at?” Sam complained to CJ, apparently oblivious to the admiring looks the redhead was giving him. Josh shifted uncomfortably, trying to back away from the woman.
“Can someone explain why my meeting has suddenly turned into a high school dance?” the president demanded.
“The Doctor was just leaving,” Mike said quickly, ushering the crowd of strangers back towards the blue box they’d all piled out of.
“I’ll come back and visit when you’re next door,” River called to Josh, winking at him as the young man who hadn’t spoken steered her away.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Josh asked the room at large, as the box vanished with the same whirring and grinding noise it had appeared with.
“Well,” Toby said dryly. “You don’t see that every day.”
