President's Daughter by sarahj
Summary: Life for Jessica is one hurdle after the other. With the President of the United States for a father there are already the stresses of being a twenty-one year old. Balancing an ordinary life with the hectic schedule she lives from day to day is difficult enough, but a clash with another of the celebrity status twentysomethings of the country brings more than maybe she can handle.
Rating: PG-13
Categories: Long Stories
Characters: Justin Timberlake
Genres: Drama, Romance
Warnings: None
Challenges: None
Series: None
Published: 03/26/05
Updated: 04/12/05
President's Daughter by sarahj
Chapter 1: Election Time
Author's Notes: ”Time to rise and shine Washington, the sun is out and, let me tell you, this must be some sort of reflection as to how the Mortensen family are feeling right now…”
Washington DC wasn’t always exposed to days such as this one. The air was light and crispy, yet the sun’s rays dominated a good deal of the sky. The clocks had only just hit seven, yet the building in which Jessica Mortensen awoke in was already a beehive of activity. Maids scuttled around the corridors sorting flower arrangements, hovering carpets, dusting frantically. Business suit clad men and women strode importantly down hallways, stopping occasionally to give out extra instructions. Phones around the building rang continuously, hardly giving anybody enough time to answer at least one. For 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, it was the busiest day of the year. Inside the White House, there would be no rest today.
Jessica angrily ripped the covers from her bed and glanced at the alarm opposite; 7 am. She furrowed her brow, trying to remember setting it to such an early time, and realised someone must have come in and done it for her when she traipsed back in from a party at 3 am earlier. It was the most prestigious day she had experienced in a long time; surely she was to be allowed a drop of rest.
The previous night was a whirlwind of memories in her mind, only a selection of the events of yesterday were becoming clear in her early morning haze. The family had been sitting around a television set, her father making a huge deal about the event being modest. He insisted that he would learn the results of the election with the rest of the world. Jessica sat on the couch rigidly, her mind a million miles away from the results that would, in effect, be life changing to the family. Her eyes drifted over to the setting sun in the distance behind the city, casting a dark shadow across the skyline much like how she felt now.
The past four years had been something of an experience to say the least. From the moment her father, Senator David Mortensen, had been elected President; the lives of the Mortensen family were to be transported to a new level and never fully return to the old one. Jessica, then the age of seventeen, was going through enough problems without any added change. Still at school, the concept of holding onto friends was proving to be more than a challenge. Her father’s status made it difficult for her to calculate her true friends against the popularity seeking fakes. In the fifth school of her teenage years, the build up of the election was causing a bigger impact than she would’ve liked. Photographers took up hidden posts behind the gates if her high school, waiting to capture her every move on camera. Ex-boyfriends would turn out to be leaking inside information to the press. ‘Friends’ eventually became banned from visiting her as security became intensified. Seventeen should have been a difficult enough age to live with. The fact she couldn’t go anywhere without being flanked by two bodyguards, made it more difficult still.
Sitting on the sofa awaiting this year’s results was something she was not looking forward to. Glancing across at her father, he was the image of calm, his legs crossed leaning back in his chair in a relaxed manner. She could tell beneath the surface he was suffering from sheer anxiousness. His body looked laid-back, yet his eyes darted around the widescreen television, his right foot was bobbing up and down. Something Jessica knew as a sign of worry or impatience.
It pained her that the thought even crossed her mind, but if her father’s opponent, Gavin Rowlind was granted what their family had now…she didn’t think the consequences would be so bad. It was a selfish thought, but a huge weight would be lifted form her shoulders. In effect, everything would take up to a year for the dust to settle, but after that…the prospect of living as a normal twenty-one year old, looked more hopeful.
Therefore when it was announced David Mortensen was stay the most powerful man in America, if not the world…Jessica couldn’t entirely feel the happiness so many others in the room felt at that moment in time.
“Good morning Jessica.”
Jessica was greeted with an array of ‘good mornings’ and ‘congratulations’ as she walked down the hallway. Despite her tired state, she knew it was only polite to respond. Although her reputation was exactly squeaky clean, she didn’t take it for granted how much effort the staff put in to their work. She had a lot to be grateful for.
Her destination at this moment was exact. She was going to visit her father and she didn’t need to think twice about where he would be. Making her way to one of the many private office’s located around the building, she saw her father exactly where she had suspected. He was on the phone, but she would bet anything he was talking with Gavin Rowlind. It was one of his policies to give his condolences to the opponent. Jessica knew how hard it must be for Gavin to put on a convincing ‘congratulations’ act at the moment.
Finishing up his phone call, David turned and was surprised to see Jessica standing by the door.
“Ahh, you’re up early. I don’t think I’d see you at all this morning considering the time you got back last night.”
Jessica sighed. There was truly nothing you could keep from the man. She knew no one had told him, he just was aware of what went on around him.
“Cup of coffee?” He strode over to the machine in the office and smiled. “Or too early still?”
Jessica shook her head. Caffeine was definitely top of her list of what she needed now. That and paracetamol to calm her pounding headache. Reaching across she relaxed at the effect of the warm drink against her palms. David gave her a moment or two to awaken before he began again.
“Actually, I was meaning to talk with you…”
Jessica looked up. It could be good or bad news, but judging from his tone she guessed it was nothing too serious. “Mmhmm?”
“Oh, it’s about the dinner party this evening. As you know, Maria has been ill for the past few days so I need a hand with organising the catering. Your mother used to put a hand into organising it…” he trailed off, turning to stare out across the city. Jessica gulped as her fathers face hardened at the mention of her mother. It was two years ago now since her mother had unexpectedly developed cancer. The cure would have been simple, but the form her mother had was too advanced to take care of now. For the final few months, her mother had taken full opportunity of the time she had left and it was the hardest period her father and the family had dealt with.
The following months after her death had great effect on them all. Jessica was at the point of leaving high school and the event was nothing compared to what it should have been if her mother had been there. Her father obviously had to continue and the media added extra tension the situation by following his every move, his every emotion. He still had to attend press conferences, but his face looked weary and sombre. His feelings barely making an appearance. He tried to keep to himself as much as possible, but his status made it impossible. He was now left with the responsibility of Jessica, aged nineteen, and her younger sister Amanda, the mere age of eleven.
Winning the election for a second time was an achievement David was proud of, but it was by no means the celebration it should have been without Samantha. Sometimes they felt it was her strong will that kept everything working in clockwork order. This was why Jessica was proud of the way her father had handled the events of the previous night and now he was calmer than usual.
Jessica took a sip of coffee and made her way over to the window where her father stood. “It’s not a problem, I’ll take care of it.”
He turned to look at her and saddened at Jessica’s face. She had the eyes of her mother and he knew she would grow older to have the strong will of Samantha as well. His features softened into a smile. “Thank you. For taking this so well as well. I know it’s sometimes not easy...you do so well to handle everything. Better than myself sometimes…”
It was Jessica’s turn to smile, for a recently elected President of the United States for the second time, he was handling the situation unlike she had ever seen before. “Is there anything else I can sort out?”
“No, no! Everything else is fine. This is going to be one big gathering.”
From the memories of the last election party, Jessica knew exactly what he meant. This day of celebration would be lasting long into the evening.
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