Rainbows of the Soul

The party was winding down; Josh and Leo disappeared with the President. Donna had left for two beers and came back to find CJ on the sofa. She looked around to take in the remnants of the party, but then shook her head slightly. She had more important things to take care of.

"Talk to me."

"Beer, please," CJ asked.

Donna handed her the bottle and then sat down next to her friend.

"If I haven't said it recently..."

"Bless me and my mini-fridge," Donna ended the sentence for her with a sad smile. "So, how bad?" she asked.

"All the dailies are going to jump on it, the Post, the Times. Fox will have a field day. Newsweek will do a cover. The Sunday morning shows will hang Josh from a klieg light, use him as a piñata," she listed and then shrugged her shoulders a bit. "All of which is okay. We can't put a lid on the story, but we can control the Schadenfreude, make sure he's still standing in a week. You told Leo that you are planning to stay?" CJ asked.

Donna shook her head, "Not yet. Schadenfreude?"

"You know, 'enjoying the suffering of others'? The whole rationale behind the House of Representatives."

Donna nodded that she understood. She knew what CJ was talking about. She knew there were people out there who had been waiting for this so long, who wanted to see Josh go down in a spectacular fashion. They were going to have a field day with Josh's mistake. And they were going to make him the scapegoat for everything that had gone wrong in the last years.

"It's all about setting the right tone, and it has to start first thing Monday. That's where you come in. You've got to help him protect his image, project business as usual. He's gotta do real work. No meetings that are below him, nothing with the Dairy Caucus or the Malt Beverage Lobby."

"Okay, I can do that."

"Don't be too obvious, but he has to know that you are doing it for him. He has to know that there are people in this building who still like him and still trust him and still look up to him."

"I still do. Despite all the things that made me resign, I still like him, I still trust him and I still look up to him," Donna said.

"Okay," CJ said with a nod. "I don't know how Leo will handle the pressure from the DNC and everyone else's uncle but I assume badly. He is… Not in the best state of mind. And the President is… Well, he and the country need Leo more than Josh. But I will try to remind him that Josh made a mistake like we all had done once or twice and that he shouldn't be sent to the doghouse over Carrick. I'm not sure he is going to listen, but I'll try. I know Toby is going to stand by Josh, but he is so bad at this that we could only pray he doesn't make matters worse. I wish we had the President but he is…" she trailed off.

"I understand," Donna said. "He has to cope, he has to learn to forgive himself and he has to find his way back."

"Yes," CJ said, looking at Donna appraisingly. "You are wise beyond your years, Donna."

"I'm just a people person," Donna deflected the compliment. "So that's it? Project business as usual?"

"Yeah."

"What if they stop call him? What if they refuse to meet with him?"

"Then you find the projects he can still push. Maybe some ideas you two never had the time for. Believe me; he is going to be benched for a while. Just give him enough to occupy himself. I don't have to tell you that he shouldn't sit in his office, brooding, waiting for Leo's call," CJ said.

"Okay. I'm heading over to Leo now," Donna said, finishing off her beer.

"Wait for me; I have to talk to him too."

"Okay," Donna said and then sat in silence while CJ emptied her bottle. They made their way to Leo's office together. Margaret was still there, she was typing something.

"May I?" Donna asked her with a nod of her head.

"Sure, he is alone, Josh left two minutes ago," Margaret informed her. "He looked subdued."

"Okay, thanks," Donna said and wanted to knock when Leo's voice startled the three of them.

"Margaret!" he bellowed.

"Yes?" Margaret opened the door slightly.

"I need Donna and CJ here as soon as possible," Leo told her.

"Yeah, they are already here," Margaret said and let them enter the Chief of Staff's office.

"Donna…" Leo wanted to start but Donna's raised hand silenced him.

"I'm staying," she said. "Until the next State of the Union or as long as he lets me take care of him."

"Okay, I can live with that. CJ?"

"I just wanted to let you know that I'm staying as well. Donna's deadline works for me too. After the next State of the Union I'm out of here," CJ echoed Donna's words.

"Okay. Thank you, both of you," Leo said.

"Leo…" Donna started to say but this time it was Leo who interrupted her.

"Donna, I can't talk about him right now. I don't know what happens, I don't know what the President is planning to do with him, but I know I'll sleep better now that I know that you'll take care of him."

"I just wanted to tell you that you should take care of yourself, you look a little pale and, to tell the truth, a bit run-down," Donna said. "It will be a difficult couple of weeks, and you'll need your strength."

"I know, and thanks for your concern," Leo said with a hint of a smile, but then he looked up at CJ. His face hardened and his eyes became cold. "I'll see you tomorrow at staff."

"Goodnight, Leo," CJ said and then they left Leo's office.

TBC