crack_van | The Daughters of Abraham by Melymbrosia (PG-13)

Fandom: THE WEST WING
Pairing: none; Ellie gen-fic
Author on LJ:

melymbrosia
Author Website: Inauthentic Prototype
Why this must be read:

It's a sharp, beautiful story delving into a little-seen character.

Taking a left turn away from CJ/Toby and pairing-fic in general for a moment, we have "The Daughters of Abraham." The title refers to a concept Abbey brought up in the hastily-written post-9/11 episode Isaac & Ishmael; here Melymbrosia uses the theme of sibling rivalry to examine the Bartlets' middle daughter, Ellie. In the first-season episode bearing her name, we discover that Ellie feels marginalized as a member of the Bartlet family, that her father always liked Zoey, and then Liz, best.

Here we see the toll this has taken on Ellie. We see, too, the difficulty she has in coping with the life her parents have thrust upon her. Being the daughter of a president can't be easy; in this story, we see just how hard it could be.

You never go to see your parents at the White House. As long as you don't see them, they're safe. Unchanging. As untouchable as figures in a snowglobe, round-faced and red-cheeked and shining with health, standing upright with their arms around each other's waists, smiling at you and waving good-bye as the snowflakes fall into their hair. You don't mind that the crystal keeps you from touching them as long as it keeps them safe.

The Daughters of Abraham