OUTDOOR SHOT: A large white building, spring time, a name plate which reads "Columbia University"

INDOOR SHOT: A group of college students are sitting in a lecture hall, engaged, relaxed, taking notes and smiling. A familiar male voice is talking about separation of powers and the impact that decision has on the workings of government. A mobile phone can be heard ringing. Camera pans to TOBY ZIEGLER standing at the lectern.

TOBY: Whoever's that is, turn it off, you know the rules about cell phones in my class…

A harrassed middle aged woman hurries up to him, carrying a mobile.

WOMAN: Professor, it's your phone … you need to take the call.

TOBY: I'm in the middle of a …

WOMAN: *hushed whisper* It's the President…

Toby takes the phone and leaves the stage without a further word as a shocked murmur spreads through the lecture hall.

FADE TO BLACK

We see footage of an ambulance coming to the front of the White House, emergency paramedics rushing through the building into the office of the White House Chief of Staff, a body is lying collapsed on the floor. The paramedics go to work, and after a while a gurney is wheeled out and loaded into the back of an ambulance, a face mask on the patient, the White House Press Corps explodes into a flash of cameras.

V/O TOBY: This is Toby Ziegler

V/O UNKNOWN FEMALE VOICE: Please hold for the President…

V/O FEMALE VOICE: Toby?

V/O TOBY: I'm here…

Camera cuts to ANDIE WYATT, on the phone in the Oval Office, dry eyed but shocked.

ANDIE: Toby, it's Carrie...

TOBY: Your Chief of Staff Carrie?

ANDIE: She's had a heart attack. I'm going to need a replacement…

Camera cuts to Toby's face on the phone, one hand on his forehead, panic on his face.

Fade to Black.

Camera cuts to a shot of CJ walking into a large white building.

V/O ANDIE: I can't ask CJ…

CJ is sitting in a hospital gown, on the edge of a bed, a worried look on her face.

V/O TOBY: No, obviously not

Cut to a press conference outside a government building, where CHARLIE YOUNG and BILLY WESTON are taking questions from a crowd of reporters, clasping hands and holding them aloft, campaign smiles all over their faces.

V/O ANDIE: Billy and Charlie can't leave their seats, the margin is far too narrow

V/O TOBY: I agree, the last thing you need is to lose the House or Senate.

Cut to SAM SEABORN getting off a plane somewhere cold, an overcoat turned up around his ears, shaking hands with people in fur hats.

V/O TOBY: Where's Sam?

V/O ANDIE: Russia. He should be landing about now…

V/O TOBY: Has he gone to take care of… ?

V/O ANDIE: Yes.

V/O TOBY. I see.

Camera cuts back to Andie still on the phone in the Oval Office, looking scared.

ANDIE: I don't know who else to choose. Nobody that I trust is available to help.

V/O TOBY: You missed someone off your list…

ANDIE: Who?

Cut to the outside of a suburban house, a messy garden filled with children's toys. A BMX bike lies abandoned, a swing hangs from a tree, other summer time toys spread across the grass. Birds tweet, sun shines, the image of suburban bliss.

From inside the house we hear a male voice bellowing at top volume.

JOSH LYMAN: DONNA…?!

Inside we see a montage of family life. Josh looks older, more settled, making breakfast for his family. He hands DONNA a brown paper bag and kisses her as she picks up her car keys and overcoat. She pauses, obviously on her way out, to drop a kiss on the head of a toddler girl, with blonde bunches, sitting in a high chair eating something clutched in her hand, jam smeared around her smile. A young boy, around 8 years old, sits up at the table, tucking into pancakes. Josh rumples his hair as he walks past.

V/O ANDIE: Toby, I don't know if he'll do it…

V/O TOBY: He has to, surely… you need him. We all need him.

V/O CJ: Why do you have to be so selfish…?

V/O Josh: I'm being selfish…?

V/O Charlie: We need you man, it's time to get back in the game…

V/O Josh: You're all doing great without me, I got this done, you're running the show now…

Josh turns from loading the dishwasher to see on his TV screen news footage of MATT SANTOS, with HELEN SANTOS, attending an event at the United Nations Headquarters, raising his hand and smiling at the cameras.

V/O Matt Santos: It's time to get back up off the mat Josh…

V/O Josh: I've told you Matt, I'm done. I'm out. I've got nothing left in me to give.

V/O Sam: You'll never be happy without this...

Josh walks over to wipe his daughter's face and scoops her out of the high chair, holding her aloft and smiling into her face, talking to her, obviously delighted.

V/O Josh: I am happy Sam, I don't need this any more…

Cut to a group conference in the Mural Room of the West Wing. Chinese cartons litter the table, as Andie, Charlie and Billy sit drinking beers a look of resignation on their faces.

ANDIE: I don't know what else we can do.

Close up on Charlie's face as an idea comes to him.

CHARLIE: There's only one more thing I can think of. Let me make a phone call...

Cut to Josh sitting on his couch, glasses on, leafing through some papers, the doorbell rings in the background. As Josh walks to the door, we head another voice over

V/O Jed Bartlett: Hello Josh…

Josh opens the door to see JED BARTLETT sitting in a wheelchair, ABBY BARTLETT standing behind him. Jed smiles a welcome up at Josh, into the camera.

Fade to black. Camera resumes on Jed in Josh's sitting room.

Jed: Josh… The President of the United States is asking for you to serve. What do you say?

Camera turns to Josh, smiling despite himself, reluctant, but determined.

Josh: I serve at the pleasure of the President.

Shot of male legs in grey suit pants and shiny shoes walking through the halls of the White House.

In the Oval Office, Andie rises from behind the President's Desk and walks forward, smiling, relieved.

Camera turns to see Josh, walking into the office.

Josh: "Good Morning Madam President."

Andie: "Good Morning Mr Lyman."

Josh: "Shall we get started…?"

Andie: "Absolutely … What's Next?"

Fade to Black.

White Text.

COMING SOON.

WEST WING: CHIEF OF STAFF