DISCLAIMERS: You know the drill.
SPOILERS: Set during ITSOTG part 2. Everything through the end of Season One and ITSOTG parts one and two
NOTES: Because even tho I haven't finished "Come Home" and have started a new episodic one, I challenged myself to do a short one.
ARCHIVE: Sure, just let me know.
FEEDBACK: Yes please
For Suki & Angie S who inspire without knowing. And for K, with love.
LOOK WHAT HAPPENED
"They are rocked on their heels at this hour to put it mildly. Press Secretary C. J. Cregg has appeared at her briefings to be shaken and distraught"
Toby closes his eyes and puts his head in his hands, letting the voices from the TV wash over him for a moment. But the moment he closes his eyes all he can see is Josh, pale and sweating, hands clutched to his body, blood seeping over them, before he slides to the ground at his feet. The image has kept playing over and over in his head since he saw it for real and he can't make it stop. Everything slowed down the moment he saw Josh lying there and all he has done since is wait. Wait to hear new of the President; wait for Donna to arrive so he could tell her, wait for Nancy McNally to provide the answers they need. He can't sit and wait any longer; he has to do something. He heads out of his office.
He sees CJ leave Leo's office just ahead of him, followed by Leo, who turns to him. "She doesn't want to do the morning shows." Toby files the information but moves to the one thing he can do something about: the tent. Leo assures Toby he doesn't need to speak to Ron, but knows Toby well enough to suspect he will go anyway. He heads back to his office to tell Ginger where he's going, then instinct makes him head to CJ's office.
He stands in her doorway for a moment. She's looking out the window, swinging softly in her chair, which she does when preoccupied, and fingering the deep scratch on her neck.
"Hey."
She turns to face him. "Hey. I didn't know you were there. Have you heard? They're going to take him off bypass soon."
"I hadn't. You heading to the hospital?" he asks.
"In a bit; I'm going to watch a copy of the morning shows…Sam did it."
"Yeah, Leo said. You want to meet me there?" he says.
"Why don't you watch here, then we'll head over together?" she asks.
"I have a thing I need to do first. I'll come back and get you." He says, walking out.
"And anyway, Secret Service doesn't comment on procedure" says Ron as he walks away.
"Ron? Good job last night."
"Thank you."
Toby sits on the bench, leans back. Ron has absolved him of blame and he feels cleansed. He sits up and looks toward the hospital, sees the crowds of people who have come in vigil for his friend. The kindness of strangers. Suddenly he realises the world is moving again, time is no longer standing still for him. He takes his phone out of his pocket and punches a number in.
"It's me. You heading to a briefing? We have a "no comment" from the Secret Service. I'll see you in 15."
He crosses over to the hospital and heads for the room they have commandeered. Donna looks up as he enters, gives him a small smile. He touches her shoulder as he passes, encouraged that she seems to be keeping it together. He sits in front of the monitor showing CJ's briefing. She seems more sure of herself, he thinks; watches as she takes her glasses off and deviates from her script. He listens as she recites the statistics of gun deaths last night. He smiles, knows where she's going. She's good. The team is pulling itself together again, standing up on its feet despite everything.
" She's back." Sam sits down beside him.
"Yes she is. Wherever she went, she is back." He replies.
"She couldn't remember anything about…That's why she didn't want to do the shows."
"And now she does?" he asks.
"Now she does." Sam replies.
"I'm gonna get her. We should be together for this." Toby gets up, finds an Agent to take him back.
He stops off at his office, picks up what he needs from the shelf and heads for CJ's office. She's on the phone, but waves him in and he closes the door behind him.
"Daddy, Toby's here, I've got to go. We're heading back to the hospital. Ok. Talk to you later." She breaks the call andstands up,then takes the necklace out of her pocket and drops it on the desk.
"Sit down for a second" Toby says, pointing to the couch.
She looks at him quizzically, but complies. He sits next to her, reaches into his pocket. He unscrews the lid, and squeezes some cream onto his finger. He holds CJ's chin with one hand, tipping her head away from him, and gently rubs the cream onto the scratch on her neck.
"We always were a good team" he says.
"You and me?" she asks.
"Yeah. We cover the spectrum."
She waits, knowing he'll explain.
"You couldn't remember." He says.
"Remind me not to confide in Sam again" she says.
"No, he told me for a reason. Because he knew."
"Knew what?"
He screws the lid back on the tube of cream and looks at her.
"He knew the spectrum was covered. You couldn't remember…and I couldn't forget. I couldn't forget the image of Josh propped up against the wall, holding on, with the blood seeping through his fingers."
She looks at him, and is surprised by the smile he gives her.
"What's going on? I know you…you don't just let go that easily…what's lightened your soul?" she lays her hand on his arm.
"You did. You washed the image away." He smiles widely at her, and leans back on the couch.
"On the way back, I was thinking about how we all got here. I was thinking about when I came to get you and you fell into the pool. And you climbed out, soaking wet, your clothes clinging to you. And you were angry at first, then when I told you why I was there, you were surprised, then scared, doubtful, then finally you were the focused, determined woman I know and love. The moment I told you Jed Bartlett was a good man, you made up your mind. And you've just gone through all those emotions again. So now..." he rises to his feet, and pulls her up, takes her necklace from her desk and gently fastens it around her neck "…now I'm going to follow you out the door and we're going to go join the rest of our team, and we'll start again." He says.
"I never did thank you for coming to get me." She smiles at him.
"Well you always were an ungrateful wretch" he says, laughing as she smacks his arm.
"Toby…" she starts, but stops, as he opens the door and pushes her through.
"One of the four is still down. We need to go pick him up. Let's go get our team back on its feet."