One Foggy October Night

by ERmashfreak

Here is this story again. I had to redo it, 'cuz something was wrong, but anyways.... my little take on the episode 18th&Potomac but.... it is really just... Donna, Josh's undening love for Donna, and a fatal car crash..... What more could you want? I lov

18th And Potomac

(Previously named Main and 18th)

Author's notes: My little twist on the episode "18th and Potomac" Mrs. Landingham's last episode. This deals with what could have happened, had the producers chosen to do it this way.JJJ This story deals with drunk driving and the effects of it. So if you can't handle reading the material, turn back now. There, I warned you. Oh yeah, the characters aren't mine, but I ask Santa for them every Christmas. Oh, and one more thing, the flashback part I found in a transcript from and episode. It is not mine, and I didn't write it, but I thought it would bring a little pep into my sad excuse for a story. I think that is it. Enjoy the story!!!JJJ

Main & Potomac

by: ERmashfreak

"Josh?"

"Yeah, Donna?"

"I just wanted to tell you that I'm going home and I'll see you tomorrow,"

"Okay……… Wait, Donna." Donna stopped and turned back around from the doorway.

"Yeah, Josh?"

"Never mind. See you tomorrow, Donna,"

"Okay, bye Josh,"

          As Donna got in her little white car she thought about how much she loved Josh. But she knew she couldn't tell him unless she knew that he felt the same. Donna pulled out of her parking spot and drove down the street. It was a little foggy, but not too bad for a warm October night. She approached the 4-way stop at 18th and Potomac. She looked both ways and began to drive through the intersection. All of a sudden, Donna saw a bright light coming from her left. "Damn it. Josh needs me," she thought to herself. The light came closer and it wasn't stopping. "The car can't see me!" she panicked and screamed. Donna was beginning to lose consciousness. Her last conscious thought was of Josh before she succumbed to the unconscious world.

"RING, RING!" rang the cell phone on his nightstand.

"Wha…" snored Josh from his bed.

"RING! RING!" insisted the phone.

"Ehhh?" answer Josh sleepily into the phone.

"Josh? It's Sam. It's Donna; she's been in a car accident. We gotta go to the hospital." Sam said form his phone.

          It took Josh all of about a minute for the information that Sam had given him to register completely.

"What?" asked Josh, who was obviously concerned?

"Josh? I'm outside your apartment with my car. Come on. I'm driving you to G.W. Let's go………" Sam managed to say before all he heard was the click or Josh's phone and the dial tone.

          Josh ran out his apartment and rushed down the stairs and out the front door. He saw Sam's and ran straight to it. This took Josh all of about 30 seconds.

"How did you find out?" asked Josh as he buckle his seat belt.

"Leo called after seeing her car wreck on the 11 o'clock news," replied Sam as he drove down a side street to avoid the traffic from the accident.

"So, Donna could be fine, right?

"Josh, the wreck was pretty bad. The news guy said that the girl was taken to GW,"

"But, she could still be okay. I mean what are the odds that it is Donna?"

"Josh, listen to yourself. Who else could possibly drive a '92 white Grande AM that has a University of Wisconsin bumper sticker on the rear bumper?" exclaimed Sam as he pulled into the hospital parking lot, "Come on Josh, you know it is her."

          All Josh could do was just stare at his best friend. He was shocked that Sam had just yelled at him. "Josh, Look man. I'm sorry for yelling at you. She'll be okay."

          All Josh did was nod in response. He could believe that the only one girl he had ever really loved was now in the hospital. Josh's eyes filled with tears, but he brushed them back. He didn't want to let go yet. Not yet, not until he knew that Donna was still alive. The walk to the admit desk had been quiet, and quick, but worrisome as well.

          "We're here for Donnatella Moss," Josh said with his tone that meant " You'd-better-give-me-some-information-on-her-cuz-she-means-the-world-to-me.

The nurse heard this tone daily and understood what he meant by it, "Let me show you to the waiting room and I'll tell the doctor you're here." She knew that the news was going to be bad. She saw what Donna had looked like when she was first brought in. She knew that if Donna weren't in surgery now, she wouldn't make it.

"Okay," replied Sam. Josh could only nod. Leo and some secret service agents were already in the waiting room.

 "Leo how is she? Did they tell you anything?" pleaded Josh.

"All they told me was what they thought that happened and that she was taken to surgery to repair some internal bleeding. I don't think you want to hear it," Leo grunted out.

Sam looked out the doorway of the waiting room and spotted CJ.

"CJ," Sam called out to get her attention.

"Oh, Sam I got here as fast as I could,"

"CJ, It's okay. You're here. That is the important thing."

"How's Josh doing?"

"Not good. He had to tell her something and now he might not get the chance. He is really heart broken about this."

"I can understand why he is like this. Sam, Josh loves Donna. Couldn't you see it? They couldn't hide it. Leo and I were going to start a pool to see when he would ask her out on a date. Now that this has happened, I think Josh is going to tell her. And I hope to God he does," explained CJ as they walked back into the waiting room.

"CJ, you're here," said Leo as CJ walked into the room.

"Yes, sir. I came as soon as I heard,"

"I'll be back in a couple of minutes. The President should know about this,"

"The President already knows," boomed the President's voice from the doorway.

"Sam called me right after he found out. Abbey is going to find Donna's doctor. She should be back in a couple of minutes. And before any of you ask, yes we did leave the secret service at home. I didn't want anybody calling the reporters just yet. I think we still need sometime for al of this to sink in," explained President Bartlet as he made his way to a chair.

"How did it happen?" asked CJ curiously.

"You really don't want to know. Really, you don't," Leo whispered slightly.

"Leo, tell us. Please, we need to know," pleaded Sam, unsure of whether they should know or not.

"Well, it seems that Donna was at the 4-way stop at 18th and Potomac She crossed the intersection, and a car hit her on her car's left side. I guess the car didn't see her," choked out Leo. His eyes began to fill with tears, but he wiped them away before anyone could notice that he was crying. He didn't need Josh to see him crying. It would make him and the rest of the senior staff break. He needed to be strong. If Donna didn't make it, he needed to be the glue that held the staff together because the "Family Bond" that they all shared was sure to come un-glued.

"Was the driver drunk?"

"Josh…"

"No, damn it Leo. Don't change the damn subject! Was the driver drunk?" yelled Josh as he paced back and forth in the waiting room.

"Yes, the driver was drunk,"

"Damn it," whispered CJ

"Shit," mumbled the President.

          Josh stormed out of the waiting room mumbling to his self and Sam jogged after him. Toby had just arrived and Josh stormed right into Toby.

"Whoa, Josh," Toby said putting his hands on Josh's shoulders.

"Huh? Oh, hi Toby,"

"Come on Josh, Let's go back to the waiting room. Mrs. Bartlet's just came back with Donna's doctor," Sam said from behind Josh.

"Sam?" questioned Toby.

"Yeah, if it is anything about Donna, all I know is what Leo told me. She was hit on the left side of her car. It appears to be that the other driver was drunk," whispered Sam so Josh wouldn't here him.

"Damn," cursed Toby as he helped lead Josh back into the waiting room.

          The look that the doctor had was the look of sympathy on his face. Almost like he had given up on something. The look of sorrow in his eyes was a dead give away that the news was bad, really bad.

"I'm sorry," the man in the white coat said sympathetically.

"Josh," the President said sternly.

"Donna? She's dead isn't she? She's gone, she's gonnnneeee," sobbed Josh as he sank to the floor in tears.

"Josh, Donna's still alive!" screamed CJ over Josh's cries.

"She's alive? Oh thank god," Josh said through his subsiding cries.

"Yes, but she's unconscious. She's very much alive, but the news isn't good. With the injuries that she sustained, the doctors don't think she'll make it through the night," explained Leo as he pulled out a hanky from his back pocket and gave it to Josh.

          Behind Josh, Toby and Sam's eyes were beginning to mist. They knew what kind of injuries Donna had. They didn't want Josh to know. They knew it would literally crush him. They knew that Josh loved Donna so much, that he would do anything for her. They knew that Donna would do anything for Josh. And they knew that it was going to be along couple of nights after this one.

"The doctor will come back after she's moved to the ICU in a few hours," explained the First Lady, who's own eyes were beginning to mist because she knew what was going to happen. She was a doctor and she knew what was going to happen and she knew that it wasn't going to be good at all.

"You should get back to the house before the agents think that they've lost us again, Mr. President," suggested Toby.

"Yeah, okay. Look I'll get back in a few hours. I just want to get Charlie to clear my schedule for the afternoon and tomorrow," replied President Bartlet as he stood up from his chair.

"Okay, Mr. President. Bring the agents next time," said Leo as he squeezed the President's shoulder in a 'reassuring-but-you-have-a-country-to-run' way.

          The President understood this and gave Leo his best 'I'm-coming-back-here-for-a-few-hours. My-senior-staff-needs-me-here-and-the-white-house-can-do-without-me-for-a-few-hours' look before he turned and walked out the door with the First Lady in hand.

          Josh Sat down in one of the chairs and put his head in his head. "How could this have happened? I just saw her leave and she was fine!" he thought. Then the tears that Josh had held in for so long came gushing out. First his shoulders started to shake and then just seconds later, his body shook with sobs.

"Hey Josh… Shhhhhhhhhhhh. It's okay buddy," mothered Sam. Sam pulled Josh into a hug and just let him cry on his shoulder.

"I should have told her. Damn it. I should have told her," sobbed Josh

"She'll be okay. She's still alive. You can still tell her whatever you need to tell her. Josh, she'll be okay. I promise." Sam prayed that he was making a promise he could keep, but deep down inside, he knew Donna wasn't going to make it.

"I should have told her that I love her. Sam, I'm in love with my assistant. I love Donna so much. Now I might lose her. I feel so stupid for not realizing it sooner. Sam I could lose the love of my life," replied Josh, emphasizing on the word 'lose'.

"Josh you won't lose her Donna's a hellva fighter. She'll be okay. She's going to make it. She won't give up on us like that. She's going to make it. She's a hellva kid, Josh. She's hellva fighter," Leo said through his moist eyes.

"You're right, Leo. She'll make it," replied Josh as he smiled, "She'll make it."

          Josh leaned back in his chair and slowly closed his eyes. It had been a long day. Leo and CJ had gone to get something to eat, so it was quiet for the time being. Maybe he could get some sleep with out Leo telling him that Donna was going to make it or with CJ trying to mother him too much. Sam had finally stopped pacing back and forth and sat down in a chair for some much needed sleep. Although the chair was hard, Sam managed to get into a pretty comfortable spot before drifting off to sleep. Josh sat back once again and soon the happy memory of when he first met Donna flooded his thoughts.

[Start flashback]

Donna [into phone]: Josh Lyman. Uh, no, he's not available right now. This afternoon? Uh, he's got a media session, and then a 5 o'clock with finance. [Josh walks into his office, grabs a piece of paper, turns right around to leave and then does a double take] I can get your name and number and give josh the message when he gets back. Thank you very much. [Hangs up the phone]

Josh: Hi.

Donna: Hi.

Josh: Who are you?

Donna: I'm Donna Moss, who are you?

Josh: I'm Josh Lyman.

Donna: Ah.

Josh: Yes.

Donna: I'm your new assistant.

Josh: Did I have an old assistant?

Donna: Maybe not.

Josh: Who are you?

Donna: I'm Donna Moss, I came here to volunteer and the woman assigned me to you. Josh: Which woman?

Donna: Becky.

Josh: You mean Margaret?

Donna: Yes.

Josh: Who are you?

Donna: I'm Donna Moss; I'll be working as your assistant.

Josh: I'm going to talk to Margaret.

Donna [blocking his way]: Actually, Josh –

Josh: Yeah?

Donna: When I said I was assigned to you?

Josh: Yeah?

Donna: I may have been overstating it a little.

Josh: Who are you? [Josh and Donna walk and talk through HQ, ending up back at Josh's desk]

Donna: I'm Donna Moss; I drove up here from Madison, Wisconsin?

Josh: When did your boyfriend break up with you?

Donna: What makes you think that my boyfriend broke up with me?

Josh: Well, you're too old for your parents to have kicked you out of the house.

Donna: I'm here because I want to work for Bartlet. I'm a college graduate, with a degree in Political Science and Government.

Josh: Where did you graduate?

Donna: Hmm?

Josh: Where did you graduate?

Donna: Okay, when I said I graduated, I may have been overstating a little?

Josh: Look –

Donna: I was a couple of credits short.

Josh: From where?

Donna: University of Wisconsin.

Josh: You majored in Political Science and Government?

Donna: And, uh, Sociology and Psychology.

Josh: Uh-huh.

Donna: And biology for a while, with a minor in French?

Josh: Okay.

Donna: And, uh, drama?

Josh: You had five majors and two minors in four years?

Donna: Two years.

Josh: Okay, listen –

Donna: I had to drop out. I had to drop out.

Josh: Your boyfriend was older than you?

Donna: I think that question is of a personal nature?

Josh: Donna, you were just at my desk, reading my calendar, answering my phone, and hoping that I wouldn't notice that I never hired you. Your boyfriend was older?

Donna: Yes.

Josh: Law student?

Donna: Medical student.

Josh: And the idea was that you'd drop out and pay the bills till he was done with his residency.

Donna: Yes.

Josh: And why did Dr. Freeloader break up with you?

Donna: What makes you think he broke up with me?

Josh: Donna, this is a campaign for the Presidency, and there's nothing I take more seriously than that. This can't be a place where people come to find their confidence and start over.

Donna: Why not? I want to come to Charleston.

Josh: I can't carry you, Donna! I got a lot of guys out there not making the trip.

Donna: I'll pay my own way.

Josh: With what?

Donna: I'll sleep on the floor; I'll sell my car. Eventually, you're going to put me on salary.

Josh: Donna.

Donna: Look. I think I might be good at this. I think you might find me valuable.

[Phone rings. Josh and Donna stare at each other, his look measuring, her's beseeching, through a couple of rings. Finally -]

Josh: Go Ahead.

[Donna grabs the phone]

Donna: Bartlet for America, Josh Lyman's office. Uh, yes, I think I'm going to have someone from the press office get back to you if it's related to - yes. Uh, yes. [Josh takes his badge holder off his neck and hands it to Donna] Yes!

Josh: I'm sorry?

Donna: Why can't it be those things?

Josh: Because –

Donna: What, is it going to interfere with my typing?

Josh: Donna, we're picking up today and going to South Carolina. If you want to stay in the Manchester office -

[End flashback]

"She is so perfect for me. Why did I just have to realize this now?" sighed Josh as he ran his hand through his messy hair.

"Josh?" asked CJ from the doorway.

"Yeah?"

"Donna's out of surgery and in the ICU. I talked to the doctor in the hallway. We can go see her now. Is Sam sleeping finally?"

"Yeah he is. I guess I should wake him," said Josh, "Hey Sam. Wake up. Come on. Open those pretty blue eyes of yours."

"You know, even when were not on the campaign trail. You can still be annoying and wake me up."

The walk to the ICU was long. No one said a word for fear of what might happen if they said something wrong. Finally a nurse stopped out the Intensive Care Unit. Sam looked though the glass window. He looked at the bruised body lying on a gurney in a corner of the room.

"Josh?"

"Yeah, Sam?"

"You should go see her first."

"Yeah, okay. She looks like she' sleeping."

"I know. I'll be here when you get out alright?"

 "Yeah," whispered Josh.

          Josh's breath caught in his throat as soon as he open the door to the ICU. The constant beeps and blips reminded him of the events from the past year. Getting shot, putting his hand through a window in his apartment, there was more, but he couldn't remember. His own stay had been long and uneventful, unless you count the countless politicians that stopped by daily, it had been uneventful and Donna had stayed next to him the entire time. Seeing the one woman you love in the hospital was almost unbearable. Now he knew how she felt when he had been shot, but he wish could of found out a different way.

"Donna?"

"Josh?" whispered Donna

"Donna do you remember what happened?"

"No," Donna croaked out.

"Donna, I thought I lost you."

"I'm right here, silly."

"Donna, listen……… I meant to tell you this earlier, but I guess now is as good of time as ever. I love you Donna."

"Josh," choked out Donna as a nasty coughing-fit shook her frail body.

"Donna?!" Josh exclaimed in alarm.

          Donna's heart monitor began to beat wildly. The rest of the room erupted in activity. A nurse had come over and shooed Josh out into the hall, but he didn't notice until Sam called to him.

"Josh?"

"She… she started coughing and then the beeping…… She……," rambled Josh as he stood there looking though the ICU windows at the crowd of doctors and nurses around Donna's bed.

          CJ stood next to Josh and Sam and Leo stood on the other side of Josh. All four of them were watching the heart monitor. All they saw was a flat line. Each time the doctor shocked her, it felt like CJ's heart stopped. She hoped Donna's heart would start beating again, but she knew that with the extent of her injuries: a couple of broken ribs, collapsed lung, ruptured spleen, broken arm, shattered ankles, broken femur, a concussion, and the list still goes on, it would be highly unlikely that Donna would come back. CJ was grateful that Donna had made it this far. She had given Josh a chance to fix his mistake, but she knew that Josh would never forgive himself if Donna died.

"I gotta get Josh away form here before they call the time of death," CJ thought as she remembered watching the men in white coats call her grandmother's time of death. She had been close to her grandmother and when she died, her world had come crashing down around her. She had a pretty good idea of how much Donna meant to Josh, but hearing and seeing the doctor call the time of death was just,…… it was just like seeing someone give up on something. You just didn't need to see it. And she knew that Josh definitely didn't need to see it.

"Josh, you wanna come with me to get some coffee?" asked CJ as she put her hand on Josh's shoulder.

"No, I've got to see if she'll be okay. She'll be asking for me when she wakes up," was Josh's reply as he continued to watch the team of people around of Donna's bed.

          He saw the doctor stop and his breath caught in his throat. He knew what was coming. He saw the nurse turn off all the machines. He saw the doctor's look in his eyes. Defeat and sympathy was the look in the young doctor's eyes. Josh saw the nurse pull the white sheet over Donna's body and head. He saw the doctor snap off his latex gloves and throw them on the floor in frustration. Josh knew what was coming. He saw the doctor come out into the hallway, and he saw the doctor talking, but he didn't hear anything. He didn't feel Sam's arms around him as Sam hugged him. He didn't feel Toby's hand on his shoulder. He didn't feel CJ's arms pull him into a tight-living embrace. He didn't feel his legs give out from underneath him as he finally heard the doctor say, "There were complications. Her injuries were too severe. We couldn't get her back. I'm sorry, but Miss Moss died." Josh didn't feel his body fall and hit the ground as he was swallowed up by the unconscious world. But one thing he did feel was his heart tripping in two as he realized his one true love was dead.

***Should I continue this?***