Chapter Text
“You want ME to be your campaign manager?” Ali asked her father-in-law in disbelief as she bounced her baby boy against her knee.
Mike laughed, “Of course, sweetheart. I don’t know of anyone better to get me in the White House than you. You helped me get this far as Vice-President. I trust that you can get me there.”
Ali shook her head. “I just don’t know, Mike.” Ali admitted as she looked down at her five month old son to hand him his pacifier as he became fussy. “I just don’t see how I could do it with the kids being so young. Your daughter is amazing with them and everything, but let’s be honest, this house would fall apart if I’m gone for more than a day.”
Mike chuckled at that. “Oh, I know it would, but here’s the beauty in being the campaign manager for your father-in-law, I want my daughter and grandchildren around also. Soooo, the solution is simple, bring them all with you.”
Ali sighed. “What about Ashlyn’s company? She’s going to want to be here to manage it.”
“She’ll understand.” Mike said simply. Ali rolled her eyes, it’s like he didn’t know his daughter at all. No way would Ashlyn be ok with leaving for long periods of time to go on the campaign trail.
“I’ll have to think about it. And I mean really think about it. Thank you for the opportunity, Mike, but Ellie just turned two and Michael needs my attention now in these early stages of development more than anything. I just need to think about what will be best for my family.” Ali explained.
Mike nodded. “I understand, Alex, and I’m not trying to pressure you into anything. I want what is best for the four of you also. Just think about it, and talk to Ashlyn.”
Ali nodded and stood to walk her father-in-law to the door. They walked to his car and Mike gave Ali a hug and placed a kiss on his grandson’s cheek before getting in the car with the secret service and leaving.
Ali returned inside and shut the door. She held her little boy close and sighed. “What am I going to do, buddy? What am I going to do?” she whispered.
~~ ~~ ~~ ~~
“We’re home!” Ashlyn called as she came into the house with Ellie running in front of her.
“Mommy!” Ellie squealed as she spotted Ali sitting on the couch playing with Michael.
“Hey, sweetie.” Ali gushed as she gave her daughter her free hand to help pull her up on the couch.
Once Ellie was up she crushed Ali in a hug. “Did you have fun at the park with mama?” Ali asked.
Ellie nodded and began to snuggle into Ali.
Ali smiled and pulled her close before looking up to Ashlyn. “Looks like you wore her out.”
Ashlyn shrugged. “I tried. How’s my little man been?” she asked as she came to sit on the other side of Ali and picked up Michael to put him in her lap.
“He’s been good. He’s a little tired to, he got a visit from his grandpa that wore him out pretty good.”
“My dad?” Ashlyn asked surprised.
Ali nodded, her nerves getting to her as she thought of talking to her wife about her dad’s visit.
“Sorry I missed him, I haven’t seen him this week. What did he want?”
“Ummmm, why don’t we put our two kiddos down for a nap and then talk about it.” Ali suggested.
Ashlyn looked at her wife curiously before agreeing and carrying Michael off to his room.
They met back up in the kitchen about thirty minutes later and Ashlyn crossed her arms as Ali walked into the room. “So?” she started.
Ali sighed, no avoiding it now. “He asked me to be his campaign manager.” She mumbled out.
“What?” Ashlyn asked.
“I said, that he asked me to be his campaign manager.” Ali said a little louder.
Ashlyn’s eyes went wide and a huge smile spread across her face. “Finally!” she said dramatically and swooped her wife up in her arms. “He asked me about it two weeks ago and I told him it was an awesome idea. I’m so proud of you, babe.”
Ashlyn set Ali back on the ground and saw that Ali did quite have the excitement on her face that the blonde was expecting. “What’s wrong?”
Ali hung her head. “This is all I’ve ever wanted for my career but I just don’t think now is the right time for our family.”
“What? Its fine, Alex. This could be a once and a lifetime opportunity. You have to take it.”
Ali shook her head. “The kids are too young. I can’t do it right now, I don’t want to do it right now. I want what is best for my kids, and having me busy beyond reason is not what is best for them.”
Ashlyn pulled Ali into her and put her finger under her wife’s chin so she could make Ali look at her. “Alex, we’ll be fine. The kids will be fine. My dad and I talked about this, he wants his family with him. That includes his daughter, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren. You’ll still be with the kids, I’ll just be the one taking care of them when you’re busy.”
“I’ll be 35 when the campaign is over. What about us having another baby? That’s something we said we wanted to do, but I’m not getting any younger.” Ali complained, she was making excuses now and her wife knew it.
Ashlyn laughed. “You make it sound like 35 is ancient. We’ll have another baby after the campaign, it’s not a big deal, princess. Now stop making excuses. This is your dream, don’t let me and the kids hold you back from that.”
“You aren’t holding me back! I want to be with my family. Dreams change, Ashlyn, and I think mine might have.”
Ashlyn shook her head. “No. No, you’re still the ambitious grad student I fell in love with almost ten years ago. I know family is important, but this family, our family, is going to help you fulfill your dream.”
Ali had a tear stream down her face and Ashlyn wiped it away with her thumb before placing a kiss to her wife’s lips.
“Are you sure that I’m good enough for a presidential campaign?” Ali asked quietly.
Ashlyn smiled down at her. “I know you are.”
“Why do you believe in me so much?” Ali asked in disbelief.
Ashlyn shrugged. “Because you’ve always believed in me.”
~~ Two and a half years later ~~
“Mrs. Harris, the numbers are in!” an intern yelled as he carried a paper over to his boss with the poll numbers of the last state that would assure the presidency to Ali’s father-in-law.
Ali grabbed the paper from the young man and took a deep breath before looking at the paper. She wanted to cry tears of joy when she read that Mike had won the state of Iowa. She composed herself quickly before heading to the conference room that held all of her family, who was patiently waiting for the announcement. She walked in and everyone’s eyes turned to her. “We did it!” Ali yelled as she gave the paper to Mike and watched the room erupt into celebrations. Ali didn’t have a moment to think before Ashlyn was scooping her up in her arms and kissing her.
“I told you I believed in you.” Ashlyn whispered into her ear as the rest of the family filed out of the room heading towards the party that was waiting to hear the announcement, Whitney and Gabe holding their niece and nephew.
“Thank you.” Ali whispered back.
“I’m so proud of you.”
“I couldn’t have done it without you. You’re the best wife I could possibly ask for, it’s been a long couple of years but now it’s over. Now it’s back to giving 100% to my family.”
Ashlyn chuckled. “Well, until the reelection campaign.”
Ali groaned. “We’ll talk about that after we’ve had some time to settle back to normal. I’m ready to have some more babies with you first.”
Ashlyn scoffed. “Normal? I don’t think you know the definition of normal if you consider ‘settling back to normal’ as having more children and having a father-in-law as the President of the United States.”
Ali giggled. “It’s ok. Nothing has ever been normal with you in my life.”
Ashlyn sighed and pulled Ali in close. “True that.” She said against Ali’s lips before connecting them in a passionate kiss.