Hey, here's the next part! Sorry about taking so long with an update but I've been ill. Please review and let me know what you think!!
Enjoy!!
A Whole New Story
Things Have Changed
Donna took a deep breath before pushing open the door to the waiting room and as soon as everyone saw her, they jumped to their feet.
"How is he?" Sam asked, walking over to her and placing a hand on her arm.
"He...he's awake..." She smiled, as there was sighs of relief around the room. "He's still a little out of it, but he's awake."
"Thank, God for that!" C.J grinned.
"Can we see him?" Toby asked.
"Leo's with him..." She shook her head. "He's still pretty weak."
"So..." Otto started and everyone looked at him. "What now?"
"I'm going to call the President, let him know what's going on?" C.J pulled out her cell phone and headed for the door.
"How are you doing, Donna?" Sam asked, guiding her to a chair and sitting her down.
"I'm better now."
"Can I get you anything?" Annabeth asked, sitting beside her.
"No..."
"Some food or coffee..."
"I really should get back."
"Leo's with him." Sam reminded her. "Take a break."
"A sandwich?" Annabeth suggested.
Donna sighed in defeat. "Okay, fine."
"I'll get it." Bram jumped up from his seat, wanting to get out of the room.
"I'll get coffee." Otto followed him out the room.
"What's up with them?" Donna frowned a little.
"They're a little confused about what they should be doing." Lou claimed, then glanced up from what she was reading. "Like the rest of us."
Donna sighed and rubbed her forehead.
"Don't worry, I'll sort it." Sam whispered, squeezing her hand gently.
XxXxX
"Leo?" Josh groaned, trying to push himself up from the bed.
"Josh?" Leo stood up, leaning over him. "Lie back down."
"I need...argh..." He moaned in pain but managed to stay sitting up. "My bag."
"What?"
"Where's my bag?"
Leo looked around the room and saw it by the door. "I guess, it was brought in with you..."
Josh groaned again, stretching his hand out for it.
"Y'know, I remember when you graduated from Law school...you're father was so proud of the briefcase he picked out especially for you...You might try using it one day."
"Why would I want to do that?" Josh mumbled as he searched through the bag.
"I have no idea." Leo laughed slightly, watching him. "What are you looking for?"
"I had… I had some clothes in here." He told him, pulling out a t-shirt and some sweatpants. "I was planning on going to the gym after the event."
"You may want to reconsider that."
Josh managed a small smile, letting the bag fall down onto the floor.
"What are you doing now?" Leo asked, reaching out and stopping him from trying to stand up.
"I... to get..." He groaned, taking a deep breath. "I need to change."
"Josh, if you get off that bed, then you'll fall over."
He closed his eyes, trying to get some strength back. "I'll...I'll be okay in a minute."
"Josh." Leo gave him a look of disbelief. "Just get back into bed and get some rest."
"I need... I need to see them."
"Them?"
"Everyone...I need to talk to them."
"Did you bang your head or something?" Leo stared at him. "You've just been shot and had surgery...you can't go wandering the hallways."
"Leo, this is my team... the team I put together with Matt… I have to talk to them...make sure they're okay." He whispered. "I have to."
Leo sighed, thinking back to Rosslyn and how the President had begged them to let him see Josh during the surgery.
"I guess, you'll need help getting dressed then."
XxXxX
Donna looked around the waiting room, it all felt so surreal. Only a day ago, they were on top of the world. They had been on such a high that no one even stopped to think about what they were doing. Now that they had all been forced to stand still for more then five minutes, they had realised they didn't really have a clue what to do.
Apart from Sam, Toby, C.J, Annabeth and herself there was no one else in the room that had worked in the White House before. C.J and Toby weren't a part of the Santos/McGarry administration, so they had their own jobs to deal with, and Annabeth had barley unpacked her things before she had resigned to help out Leo.
Next her eyes settled on Sam, who had been thrown in the deep end and it showed in his eyes, whenever someone asked him a question about something other then a statement or a speech.
Then there was herself. She had worked in the White House for almost six years, and she thought she was ready for a new challenge and that she could handle being in an important position but now, her job was the last thing on her mind.
She just wanted to curl up by Josh's side and never let him out of her sight again. She didn't want to worry about running the country. She didn't want him to worry about running the country.
She looked up when the door opened and jumped to her feet when she saw Leo practically holding Josh up.
"What are you doing?!" She walked over to him, moving to his other side and trying to be careful of his injured arm.
"I heard there was a party going on in here." He winced a little as he moved further into the room.
"Shouldn't you be on your back, recovering somewhere?" Lou questioned, putting down the files and standing up.
He forced a smile. "You know me, never one to sit still for too long."
"Josh, you've just had surgery." C.J said in concern. "You should be resting."
He took a deep breath, gripping tighter onto Leo's arm when he felt a little unsteady on his feet.
"Josh, sit down." Leo attempted to pull him towards the chairs.
"I'm okay..." He whispered, letting go of him and reaching to hold onto Sam as he moved passed Donna, C.J and Toby.
Sam glanced back at them questionably when Josh took another step and this time he was holding onto the wall to keep his balance. He stayed right behind his friend, just in case he needed any help.
"How are you guys doing?" Josh asked, facing Otto, Bram, Ronna, Edie and Lou.
"We're...fine...okay...we're doing okay." Bram told him.
"Lou?"
She just looked at him before shaking her head. "It's a nightmare, but we're getting through it."
Josh gave a small nod and his eyes settled on Ronna. He watched her for a moment; he didn't know what to say to her. She had known Matt the longest. She was probably more of a friend to him then an employee.
Ronna dropped her own eyes to the floor when she felt tears appear. She didn't want to break down in front of Josh, not after everything he had been through. She just had to hold it together.
"So, what's everyone been up to?" Josh asked, slowly lowering himself into a chair, knowing if he didn't sit down, he'd fall down.
"We...weren't really sure..." Bram glanced back at Lou for a moment. "Really, we've just been making phone calls and working on statements for the press."
"What do they know?"
"Josh, this isn't the time for a staff meeting..." Leo started, trying to interrupt.
"I just want to know what's been happening..."
"Sam spoke to the press after we found out about the President-Elect." Lou informed him as she took a seat opposite him. "We were coming up with a statement to release about how you're doing. Also, I think it's time Leo went out there... The country needs to know that come January, they will have a President."
Josh didn't reply, he was grateful that Lou had been honest about what was happening and hadn't tried to keep it from him, but it made him suddenly realise just how much harder everything was going to be now.
Leo was going to be President. Josh knew he'd be an amazing President but he also knew Leo would want him to be there with him.
"Everyone go home..." He broke the silence, standing up and holding onto the wall again.
"What?" Otto asked.
"Go home, get some rest... there'll be a meeting first thing in the morning... we'll take things from there." Josh ordered.
"But what about you?"
"I'm guessing, I'll be escorted back to my room any minute now." He forced a small smile. "There'll be no use you all being here."
"We don't mind staying..." Edie started.
Josh cut her off by raising his hand but as soon as he let go of the wall, he stumbled a little and Donna wrapped an arm around his waist.
"I appreciate it, really I do, but go home." He repeated, leaning against Donna. "You've got a lot of work to do tomorrow."
"Okay, well I can work from home, I guess..." Otto was the first to speak, picking up his laptop.
Josh shook his head. "Get some sleep."
"But..."
"Otto, trust me... Just go home, grab a beer, watch some T.V and close your eyes for a few hours."
Otto gave a small nod. "Okay."
"Uh, I'll have my cell on..." Bram told him, he was used to being available to Santos and Josh, 24/7 during the campaign. "Y'know, if you need...any...anything."
Josh managed a small smile. "Okay, everyone get out of here."
Edie reached down and picked up her handbag, gently hugging him as she walked past him. Slowly the others started to follow, Otto and Bram mumbled goodbyes to everyone as they left the room. When Ronna hugged Josh hesitantly, he pulled away from Donna and hugged her back.
"I'm so sorry..." He whispered. "I really am so sorry."
She stepped back, shaking her head. "Don't be sorry...You've done an amazing thing."
He closed his eyes and resisted the urge to comment on how pointless it all had been.
"I'll see you tomorrow?" She asked, quietly.
"Yeah." He whispered, softy and when he opened his eyes again, Lou was standing him front of him.
"You're not going to die on me, are you?"
Josh let out a laugh. "Like anyone around here would let me."
"Good because I'd hate to have to come and hunt you down to kick your ass." She put her arms around him. "Don't think this means I like you."
"Look after them all for me?"
She stepped back and nodded. "Yes, Sir."
"I think that's the first time you've called me Sir, this whole time."
"Don't get used to it." She stated, picking up her bag.
"Never."
Lou glanced at everyone as she made her way out, staring a little longer at Sam then the others.
"I'll go and see Mrs. Santos." Annabeth said to Donna, placing a hand on Josh's arms, squeezing it gently and putting her other arm around Donna. "So, you don't have to worry about it."
"Thanks, Annabeth, I appreciate it." Donna replied, noticing that Josh tensed when the First Lady was mentioned.
"No problem." She smiled and walked away, speaking to Leo for a few seconds before leaving.
"You need to get back to bed." Donna told Josh quietly, tightening her arm around him.
"Yeah..." He mumbled, watching the door close behind Annabeth then looked at her. "Yeah, okay."
"Let me help." Sam moved to the other side of Josh.
"I'm okay..." He shrugged him off.
"I'm...just...sorry..." Sam's shoulders dropped a little.
He sighed. "What has the Secret Service said?"
"I'm dealing with that."
"Sam..."
"Josh, I'm dealing with it." Sam said firmly. Although he was terrified he wasn't up to the job he was asked to do, he wasn't going to allow Josh to start working hours after surgery.
"Okay, good." Josh gave a nod after a few seconds of silence.
"Lets get back." Donna attempted to slowly move him towards the door again.
"Is there anything I can get you?" C.J asked, reaching out and touching his arm gently as he moved closer to her.
"You need to get back to work."
"Will and Cliff can handle it."
"Even so...You need to get back." Josh shook his head. "Please, just...just go back to work."
C.J looked over at Leo, who silently gestured for them to go. "Okay, we'll let you rest but you better call me."
"Yeah."
Josh's eyes locked with Toby and stopped in front of him. They had talked about what had happened between them after the fight and decided to put it past them but Josh knew things still weren't right.
Toby's eyes dropped to the floor after a few seconds. "I can stick around."
"You need to get back to work." Josh replied, he didn't want him to stay. Not because of the fight, or because he knew Toby would have a lot of work to do... he just didn't want him around.
Toby looked back up at him, guessing it had nothing to do with work but didn't comment on it. "I'll come back later then."
Josh didn't reply and instead started slowly moving towards the door. Donna gave Toby what she hoped was a reassuring smile as she followed Josh out of the room.
"What the hell was all that about?" Sam asked Toby.
"What?"
"Has something happened between you and Josh?"
"It's nothing, Sam." Toby reached down, picking up his jacket.
"It's something, Toby!"
"We just had a few disagreements during the campaign."
"What kind of..."
"Just drop it, Sam!" Toby raised his voice slightly. "It was a stupid argument that we were both too busy to sort out."
"Look, guys..." C.J tried to interrupt.
"It's nothing!" Toby stated again, looking firmly at Sam. "It was a stupid argument."
"Then why has he just kicked you out of here?" He asked, calmly staring back at his old mentor.
"He kicked us all out."
"He kicked you and C.J out."
"Hey, no Sam..." C.J stepped in between the two of them. "You both need to stop this now! He's asked us to leave because we have work to do, not because of something Toby has done... There's absolutely nothing that I've done to him either!"
Sam sighed, turning away from the both of them and rubbed his eyes.
"Everyone is tired, so why don't we just do as Josh asks." Leo stated and noticed Sam about to protest. "He wants no one with him but Donna right now and there's nothing else you can do."
"Leo's right." C.J agreed. "I need to get back to the office anyway."
"Besides I think the doctors would like their hospital back without the hundreds of black suits guarding every door." Leo continued, opening the door. "So, everyone out."
Sam and Toby looked at each other once more but didn't say anything but instead walked out the door Leo was holding open.
C.J, Toby and Sam walked down the corridor in silence. Leo had said he was going to let Donna know that they were leaving before heading back home. When they reached the entrance of the hospital, they stopped and turned to face each other.
"Where you staying?" C.J asked, Sam breaking the silence.
"Josh sorted me a hotel out yesterday...It was part of the deal of getting down here..."
"You're welcome to stay with me..." She offered.
"I'll be fine." He smiled slightly. "Are you two heading back to the White House?"
"Yeah, we should make sure everything is okay and people are probably going to want some news on Josh."
"Right, well I guess I should go find a cab." Sam stepped forwards hugging C.J briefly and then nodded towards Toby. "I'll see you tomorrow if you're around."
"We'll be around." Toby answered before C.J had a chance to respond.
Sam nodded again and started to walk in the opposite direction. He had just pulled open the door to an empty cab when he heard his name being called.
"Things have changed..." Toby stated once he reached him. "I just... you need to know that...Things aren't the same any more."
Sam stared at him for what seemed like hours before speaking. "I know."
Toby hesitated but then nodded. "I'll see you tomorrow then."
"Yeah...Toby?"
He turned back towards him, questionably.
"It's going to be harder then last time, isn't it?" He asked, quietly.
"Yeah."
"I mean, I know things are different... I know that it's not going to be the same people...but... it's going to be a lot harder."
"Yes, Sam."
Sam looked down at his feet for a few seconds before looking back up. "Right, I should go."
"Yeah, me too...C.J is waiting."
"I'll see you tomorrow."
"Get some sleep." Toby called over his shoulder as he walked away.
TBC
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