AN I'm sorry if you thought the WVWP was a past threat. There will be more about the documentary.. about what's been happening with the WVWP.. more more more info..
Please stay with me. It's going to get ugly but I promise I'll make it all nice in the end. I need lots of reviews on this story. Just to keep it on track. Humor me please..
Lori
Runaway Train
Call you up in the middle of the night
Like a firefly without a light
You were there like a blowtorch burning
I was a key that could use a little turning
(Present)
"Joshua?" Donna grabbed her phone off the hotel table before it could wake Ainsley who was passed out cold on the other double bed.
"I think we messed up the Chicago thing. We should have gone the southern routes." He muttered trying to force the key into the lock of their front door.
"No we didn't. He'll make a sweep of the Southern Illinois Universities and Colleges when it's closer to November. They're not even in school now." She listen to him grunt as the keys jingled out of his hand and onto the floor.
"But we'll have to advertise there now." He moaned, she listened to him bend over.
"Bend at the knee's Josh." She reminded.
"I'll drop your son, Donna." He grunted again, she heard him grab the keys.
"You're not going to be able to walk tomorrow." She murmured.
"I was thinking of getting one of those 'Hover Rounds'." He smirked. "Have you seen the commercials? Those things take corners better than I do on my feet."
"Are you limping worse than when I left?" Donna frowned into the receiver.
"I'm alright." He hedged.
"I'm coming home tomorrow." She decided tossing the covers back and jumping out of the bed.
"I'm fine Donna. Helen gave you till Friday and the campaign needs you out there." Donna held her breath as he cursed under his at the jingling keys and shifted Noah to his other shoulder.
"Josh turn it to the left." She said softly, waiting until she heard the click of the lock. " The Chief of Staff wants me on the road, but my husband's saying heneeds me in Washington." She pressed her lips together when she heard how slowly he was doing the steps to Noah's room.
"It'ssix more months, Baby." He whispered somewhat breathlessly as he laid Noah on the bed and kissed his head. "I can hold outsix more months."
"Why didn't you let Nick carry the kids in?" She whispered.
"I can still carry the kids in." He muttered somewhat sadly.
"He could have at least opened the door." She bit her lip.
"He opened the outer one and I sent him home.Dave offered to help I said no." He explained, she listened to him lift Joanie out of the stroller.
"Josh please put her on our bed." Donna closed her eyes, flopping into the chair at the desk.
"I was planning on it." He was smirking again. She pulled up her travel site and started clicking through the flights to Washington.
"What times the speech tomorrow?" She asked nonchalantly.
"Twelve fifteen." He told her. "You got mail."
"Humm?" She put herself on the eleven thirty arrival.
"You're monthly letter from the Dumb-land Protestant Church requesting you leave your dirty Jew of a husband and come back to the fold." He muttered.
"Save that one for me." She teased.
"Two letters from papers requesting you do your yearly what it's like to be the salvation project of the West Virgina White Pride interviews." He continued.
"How many did you get?" She asked pretending to be hurt.
"Are you jealous that your husband is the family media darling?" He teased.
"For ten years they hate you. You make one speech and suddenly you're on Barbra Walters list of favorite interviews." She complained, confirming her flight.
"Ahh. I love your jealousy. It's like medicine." He grinned. She frowned, being reminded of his current state.
"Are you taking the anti-inflammatories?" She asked warily.
"Donna." He sighed.
"You have to take them Josh! They'll help." She'd gone into boss mode.
"I'm taking them. It's just arthritis, Donna. We've known since Roslyn it was going to happen at some point. I'm taking them. I'm taking the Alive. I'm-."
"Alleve . It's called Alleve, Josh." She closed her eyes.
"That too." He sighed again. "It's okay."
"I'm sick of campaigning." She whined.
"I know." He told her soothingly.
"I don't want to be away from you and the kids." She swallowed hard to keep from crying.
"I know." He took a slow breath. "Donna don't cry."
"I wanna make sure you're taking the four hundred pills a day that they want you to take.." She sniffed.
"I know you do." His voice lulled her. "You'll put them in a little custard dish next to the orange juice you'll make me drink."
"I love you." She stopped trying not to cry.
"I know." He sighed hard. "Six more months. You'll be home on Friday."
"Actually, I'll be home tomorrow." She whimpered sheepishly."I put myself on the business-person's lunch meeting special."
"What am I going to do with you?" She could hear him shaking his head
"Take me to dinner?"
"Deal."
"Go to sleep Josh. Promise me you'll get some sleep." She pleaded.
"I'm going right now."
So tired that I couldn't even sleep
So many secrets I couldn't keep
I promised myself I wouldn't weep
One more promise I couldn't keep
It seems no one can help me now,
I'm in too deep; theres no way out
This time I have really led myself astray
He looked at himself in the bathroom mirror before dragging the razor across his face. He'd lied to his wife four hours ago. He knew there was no way he'd be able to sleep. Now he'd get ready, pour cereal for the kids and pull them out of there beds. He should have left them in the East Wing last night like Helen had told him too. He didn't even understand this annoying need he had to pretend that he was capable of doing everything right now.
He looked like Leo. He decided looking at his ashy completion and thinning hair in the mirror. Another day of running the country. Another day of being CJ's shadow campaign manager. Another day of being the almost never home father to his children. Another day of not being there when his wife cried. When had it become this?
"Get Sam elected." He told himself in the mirror, holding up a finger. "Get Santos through the last two months." He rubbed his face before shooting up another digit. "Then get Donna and the kids the hell out of DC before it kills me." He looked into his own eyes for a few moments, then back down at the three physical reminders of his list. "And if you'll buy that..."
Runaway train, never going back
Wrong way on a one-way track
Seems like I should be getting somewhere
Somehow I'm neither here nor there
Can you help me remember how to smile?
Make it somehow all seem worthwhile
How on earth did I get so jaded?
Life's mystery seems so faded
"Damn DC! Damn people! Damn government!" Donna ran her hands through her blond hair before burring her face in them. "Move People!"
Ana lifted and inquiring eyebrow at her.
"Don't start." She snapped. "I'm an absentee mother." She shook her head. "My husband is in the middle of a mid life crisis and I'm in Omaha, because 'Hey! Nebraska was important in the last election.' My boss.. you know my actual boss? The First Lady of The United States? Has been reduced to playing Nanny to my children who have undoubtedly forgotten what I look like, since I am.. as previously stated... an absentee mother!"
She slammed her eyes shut as the car finally made it through the crowd and into the White House gate. She vaulted over her agent and forced herself out of the car and into the lobby.
Where she ran smack into her husband.
"Don't I know you?" He said seductively.
"You're late." She muttered somewhat weakly, letting his strong arms snake up her back.
"It's good to see you too, Donnatella." He laughed.
"I'll walk over with you." She said softly as he slowly relinquished his hold on her.
"I'm taking a car. It's kinda rainy." He told her, holding her eyes for a moment. "Sam just left a few minutes ago it won't start before one. Go see your kids."
"They're.."
"With Saundra in the residence." He grinned leaning in and pecking her on the lips. "Like they are every Tuesday after lunch?"
"Sure rub it in." She pressed her head against his shoulder before breaking away.
"After the speech I'll welcome you home less publicly." He gestured around him and got into the car with Nick.
If she would have had any idea she would have kissed him goodbye.
I can go where no one else can go
I know what no one else knows
Here I am just a-drownin' in the rain
With a ticket for a runaway train
And everything seems cut and dried,
Day and night, earth and sky,
Somehow I just don't believe it
It was close to one when she left the White House with her assistant back at her side and the entourage of agents around her she convinced them all to let her walk, despite the crowds, and the light rain, to the Capital.
In a 'boundary bubble' as Abbey Bartlett had irritatedly referred to the way they made a small circle to keep the public away.
They were about half way when it happened.
Donna saw the way the woman's eyes widened when she saw her.
"She's supposed to be in Omaha!" She muttered looking back at the man she was with. "You said she was in Omaha!"
The man took her roughly by the shoulders. The agents had started their protective stance around her as the woman attempted to pull away.
"Donna! Donna! Don't go to the Capital!" She screamed at the top of her lungs as the man moved her through the crowd. Ana put her hand on her back. "She's not supposed to be there! She's not supposed to-! Don't go to the Capital!"
"Josh." She breathed the word out like it was her last breath. Turning to Ana with wide eyes.
"Alpha this is Fox. Alpha this is Fox! CODE FIVE. CODE FIVE." Ana yelled into the cuff of her blouse. "Donna!" She made one final attempt to grab her charge as she broke away and started running through the crowd. "Chicken Fighters on the move. I'm in pursuit!" She yelled charging after Donna who had fled into the crowd.
She could see the podium. She couldn't make out who was who. She could see the agents moving around the crowd.
Ana grabbed her from behind as another agent circled in front of her and started pushing her back away from the Capital. Then she heard the shots, as both agents threw themselves over her and pinned her to the ground.
Runaway train, never going back
Wrong way on a one-way track
Seems like I should be getting somewhere
Somehow I'm neither here nor there
Bought a ticket for a runaway train
Like a madman laughing at the rain
A little out of touch, a little insane
Its just easier than dealing with the pain
She stood there shivering, her wet clothes leaving a pool of water around her feet. Her chest was still heaving from running the half a block after Ana released her, her arms wrapped protectively around herself.
"Donna?" Sam walked up behind her. "Donna?"
Her head tilted slightly to the side towards him but her eyes never moved from the trauma room. He came closer, softly laying his arms on her shoulders and following her gaze through the window that framed the frantic scene.
"You're freezing." He dropped his arms from hers and worked his way out of his damp coat before wrapping her in it. She leaned back into him when his arms encircled her. He looked at the floor. "Where are your shoes?"
She shrugged.
"Steps of the Capital?" She guessed. "I took them off to run." She looked at her hands, moving the blood on them in circle between her finger and thumb. "I was holding them." She pulled away from Sam and walked closer to the window. "I have no idea what happened to them after I saw him."
They stood in silence.
"Sam?" She rasped softly.
"Yeah?"
"I want you to bomb West Virgina."
Runaway train, never going back
Wrong way on a one-way track
Seems like I should be getting somewhere
Somehow I'm neither here nor there
(Black Monday 2005)
"You left him?"
"Zoe please don't try to make me feel-." Donna breathed into the phone.
"I have to try to make you feel something?" The first daughter squeaked.
"Everyone else understands." She whispered somewhat bitterly. Almost aristocratically.
"Maybe everyone else doesn't understand Josh as well as they think they do. Why does he get to be the designated Bastard here?" The younger woman countered. "This is going to kill him."
She huffed out a laugh.
"He'll find someone else to-."
"Oh cut the crap, Donna." Zoey huffed back. "Save the little sob story about how he's 'the man' keeping you down."
"I know you've always been fond of Josh." Her voice was sharp. "But I don't think you understand-."
"Really Donna? You don't think I understand what it's like to try and get over an traumatic experience by isolating myself from the person who loves me the most?" Her voice softened. "Charlie felt responsible too.. you know? For the kidnapping." Donna swallowed hard. "Maybe for a second I let him be responsible. I mean he sent me to the club right? Why shouldn't he be just a little bit responsible if he sent me there."
"I don't think that Josh-."
"I mean he sure thought he was. The man looked like hell when I saw him at the hospital. You'd have thought he'd been the one hurt. You know Charlie came to the hospital right? Dropped everything and rushed there. It's nice isn't it?"
"Yes." Donna heard the word slip out of her mouth.
"I thought it would change things." She stilled at Zoey's words. "I thought it would be different when I got home. He wanted it. I wanted it. But nothing changed."
"Same old dance."
"Yeah. You have to work really hard to keep it that way don't you?" Zoey knew. Donna swallowed hard. "Don't you Donna?"
"Zoe.."
"Josh went through hell. He told Daddy to kill them all. Kill the people who did it. Kill the people behind it. Kill the people happy about it. He was ready to bomb the whole middle east off the map before they let him go to Germany. He went all the way to Germany." She paused for a minute to let it sink in before she went for the kill. "I wonder if it was because he wanted you to order him a hamburger the way he liked it?"
"Zoey.."
"For nine years he's been afraid of one thing." Zoe was almost crying now, her voice wavering. Donna wiped the tears from her own face. "Today it happened." Donna swallowed back the sob. "Guess he needs a new worst case scenario."
"Zoey this wasn't personal.."
"Yeah.. I'll let everyone else believe you when you say that." Donna started to reply until she heard the click. She let the phone slip from her hands onto the table. For the first time all day she was faced with what she actually did.
She'd left Josh.
And he'd watched her go.
Runaway train, never coming back
Runaway train, tearing up the track
Runaway train, burning in my veins
I run away but it always seems the same
(Present)
"Mrs. Lyman?" Ainsley looked towards Donna from where she and Sam had been sitting.
"We removed the bullet from your husband's shoulder." He told her calmly.
"What about his brain?" She said softly. "I don't really give a fuck if he'll ever pitch in the major league. I just want to know if I should be getting him some bibs and-!"
"Donna." At some point during her rant Sam had moved to her side. He cupped his hands around hers. "Doctor, do you know anything more about the extent of his head injury?"
"He hasn't regained consciousness since he was brought in." The man told them grimly. "It's not uncommon with the extensive amount of damage the bullet caused."
"He was conscious right after." Donna looked at her hands settled into Sam's like a nest. "When they were putting him on the stretcher."
"Mrs. Lyman there are many stages of Coma-."
"I understand that. I'm familiar with Coma Scales." She shook her head. "He was responding to my voice."
"He's not doing that any longer." The doctor made a face.
"Of course not because you've got me waiting across the hall. How the hell can he respond to my voice if I'm out here?" She shook her head and looked at Sam. "What's his total Glasgow now?"
"Eight." The doctor told her, his eyebrows raising with her knowledge.
"No." She shook her head quickly, before wiping away her tears. "We can do better than that."
"Mrs. Lyman.."
"Let her try." Sam said suddenly. "She..He'll..." He swallowed hard. "Let her try."
Runaway train.. Runaway train..
Runaway train.. Runaway train..