"Level seven," Josh announced as he put his feet on Toby's table.

"You're sure? You don't want to maybe check your diagnosis with, oh I don't know, a neuropsychologist?" Toby pretended to be unimpressed by Josh's knowledge of the Los Amigos scale of functioning but was secretly fascinated by it and how it related to Sam's recovery.

"Consistently oriented to person and place," Josh declared. "Level seven."

"He's not consistently orientated to me. He calls me Tom!" Toby reached forward and grabbed the brain injury book from Josh's hand. "Remote memory has more depth and detail than recent memory. That's where he's at, level six." Toby put the book down. "Okay, Doctor Lyman, let's look at the evidence. He knows you, he knows his mom. He thinks he worked with CJ at Gage and he keeps referring to the President of the United States as Harold. He can't stand up without losing his balance, he flies off the handle for no reason at all and has no idea why he's not at home or even where he actually is." Toby leant back in his chair. "Level six."

Josh neither agreed nor disagreed. He folded his arms and looked down at his feet. Silence fell and Toby went back to enjoying his scotch and staring at the sunset through the window.

"The doctor told me that we shouldn't mention the crash. His mom tried to talk to him about it and apparently he became 'highly agitated'."

"Why? Does that mean he remembers it? Did he say anything?" Toby put his drink down and stared at Josh. The peace the brief silence and red glow of the sunset had brought vanishing with Josh's words.

"He didn't say, he just said it's important not to try to force memories. Sam is remembering the feelings and emotions associated with the crash but not the crash itself so all talking about it does is bring up those feelings."

"I keep thinking..."

Josh looked up and waited, nodded imperceptibly to encourage Toby to continue.

"I keep thinking about Sam not putting his seatbelt on." Toby ran a hand through his hair and scratched at his nose before finding the courage to continue. "If he'd had his seatbelt on we wouldn't be sitting here now desperately trying to make ourselves believe Sam is moving through some scale that we don't really understand." Toby cleared his throat and sat forward. "He was upset because of what I'd said and because of that he-"

The ringing of the phone made both men jump. It was the closest Toby had come to talking about the night of the crash and Josh knew the interruption had ended any chance he had of continuing the conversation. He returned to his office and decided that the next time Toby opened up he would make sure they weren't disturbed.

When he had finished the call, Toby decided a quick exit would be the best idea in case Josh came back to continue their discussion and force him to 'open up'. Toby hated the expression; he hated any expression that was to do with talking about his feelings. He quickly packed his briefcase and then left his office. He paused at Sam's office. Toby had finally agreed on appointing someone on what he called a very temporary and impermanent basis. He had refused to allow her to use Sam's office though. He unlocked the door and walked in.

Nothing had been moved since the evening of the crash. Toby had a vague sense of tempting fate if he changed how Sam had left it. Now though that fear had left him or rather had reversed and he feared not changing the room would mean Sam wouldn't return. He walked behind the desk and lifted the laptop. It took some time but eventually the screen woke from its hibernation. Amazingly, the speech Sam had been working on was still waiting for him to add a period to the last sentence. Toby pressed the button, saved the document and closed down the machine. He threw an empty paper coffee cup into the trash and picked up a mug that contained the remnants of coffee that had turned into a science experiment. He put Sam's pencils back into a pot and straightened the papers in his in-tray. A couple of messages were lying underneath and Toby glanced at them before putting them on top of the pile. Phone Darren about tonight. Toby had a vague recollection of Sam being with a friend at the bar and supposed that was Darren. He lifted the note and looked at the one beneath. Newsnight have called four times, I've referred them to CJ. Toby wondered how many requests for interviews Sam had gotten that day. He hadn't asked him because he hadn't cared. Your mom called- she doesn't understand what you're meant to have done but she says never mind- DC is full of badoozles. Toby smiled briefly at yet another word from Claire's own dictionary but then the smile faded as he realised Sam must have called her and she'd known what a bad day he was having and maybe how Toby was making it worse.

He picked up all the messages and threw them in the bin. A half-eaten chocolate bar and a banana skin followed. Suddenly exhausted, Toby sat heavily in Sam's chair. He peered at the window between the two offices. The window Sam sat and looked up at when a ball was thrown against it. He looked up at it and tried to see Sam's point of view.

When Josh appeared at the door thirty minutes later, Toby had hardly moved. Josh pushed the door to behind him and sat on the other side of the desk. After a few more moment's silence Toby looked up as if only just realising Josh was there. "I came in here to clear up. Sort a few things out. I was thinking..." Toby stood and walked to the window. "I was trying to imagine what I'm like to work for."

Josh couldn't help the burst of laughter that escaped before he could stop it. "Sorry! Man, that's a thought that could have us here all night."

Toby scratched at his chin. "Yeah, well."

"You'd know if Sam was unhappy." Josh nodded, "Believe me, you'd know."

"I think he's been wanting to say that for some time. You remember he said that? He thought I'd been dissatisfied with his work."

"He always thinks that. It's what makes him write as well as he does. You've both been through periods of 'lost talent'. It's only ever a problem when you lose it at the same time."

Toby smiled at that but it was short lived. "He was right though. I was dissatisfied and I hadn't said anything." He looked up at Josh, his stare almost unnerving him. "I always told him before. Why didn't I bother this time?"

"You were mad, you had that thing with Phillips, you were down two on the communications team, the President had sent back your fourth draft of the-"

"Don't make excuses for me. I don't need you to do that!"

Josh held up his hands to pacify Toby. "I'm just saying."

"He knew I wasn't happy with what he was producing. He wanted me to tell him. I didn't bother." Toby shrugged. "And I don't know why."

Josh stayed silent. He didn't know why either.

Claire loved the sounds of a restaurant; glasses clinking, conversations drifting around the tables, occasional gusts of laughter. She loved expensive restaurants too. Phillip had moaned about the cost of taking her to them. Leo had taken her to one of DC's finest.

"I feel guilty but relaxed and very full." Claire raised her glass. "Thank you Mr McGarry."

"Leo," he corrected.

Claire smiled. "Thank you, Leo."

Leo smiled and waited for their plates to be cleared. "I'm glad you're feeling relaxed. You're spending all your time taking care of Sam. You need a little looking after too."

"At the start he couldn't cope if I wasn't there. It was easier in the end to just be with him all the time."

"Josh said his ankle's healing well. You mentioned you spoke to a doctor earlier. What did he say?"

Claire folded the napkin and placed it on the table before sitting back in her chair. "They continue to be amazed, which is wonderful for whichever one of them goes on to write a paper for a medical journal but not much use to me. I know they can't tell me how much more Sam will improve so I get tired of hearing them rave about how well he's progressed. Josh said it won't be a miracle until the Sam he knows is back. I have to agree."

"Amen to that." Leo shook his head. "I'm privileged to work with some of the greatest political minds in this country. I forget that sometimes. Then again when you've seen two of the greatest minds set fire to a fireplace that's been welded shut for 100 years, it's not so hard to forget."

Claire nodded and laughed. "No, I suppose it isn't."

"It is a miracle though. In those first days after the accident, well, I never thought we'd be where we are."

"I didn't either and every day I know a little more of him comes back to us. Physically he's doing well. He's exhausted and wobbly on his feet. Even doing simple things wears him out but on the whole he's recovering well from his injuries." She sat forward, placing her elbows on the table. "This sounds terrible but at the start, when he first came out of the coma, he was like a little boy again. Exactly like he was when he was a child. Part of me wanted that stage to last a while longer than it did. Isn't that awful?"

Leo smiled. "I don't think it's awful. He needed his mom and let you be there for him. I would think that was better than the 'swearing at the doctors' stage!"

"Did Josh tell you about that? I was mortified. That mouth!"

"So where are we now? What stage is he at?"

Claire smiled again and Leo was glad to see it. He liked her smile. "Well, first of all, don't ask Josh that question."

"He's obsessing and laying claim to a medical knowledge he doesn't have?"

"Boy is he! Sam can remember working in New York. He remembers Josh right up to that time. He knows he works at the White House but only because Toby told him. It's meaningless to him. He's getting better at holding conversations and he's started to remember things from the day before. He sounds more like himself. He knows he's ill and has been in an accident so we don't have to worry about him trying to escape anymore. The doctors have said we're not to mention the crash or try to make him remember it. He is remembering though. I know he is. He gets these, I don't know, flashes or something. He suddenly looks terrified but he doesn't know why and I think that terrifies him even more." Claire stopped talking and suddenly looked exhausted.

"It's late. Let me take you home."

She looked up at him and rolled her eyes. Leo saw Sam in that expression so clearly that he laughed. "His mother's son."

"Be glad of it. If he was his father's son he'd have slept with Mrs Bartlet by now!"

Leo burst into laughter of such volume that Claire told him to shush before giggling herself. "Well, it's true!"

Leo stood and picked up their coats, helping Claire into hers. He was still laughing as they walked out of the restaurant.

For the third time in as many minutes, Josh coughed. He coughed again as he entered the rehab centre and again as he walked past reception. As he entered Sam's floor his coughing grew worse. A nurse stopped as he walked by. "Hi, Mr Lyman. Nasty cough you've got there."

Josh could feel the contents of his gym bag move a little and coughed again in readiness. "It comes and goes. Is Nurse Hatch on today?"

"Yes, she's over there. I can get her if you want?"

"No! I mean...no, that's fine. No need to," another cough, "disturb," and another, "her."

He hurried off towards Sam room, desperately trying not to be seen by Nurse Hatch. He entered and closed the door behind him. "That was close!"

Sam looked up from the model pieces he had spread out at a table. "What was cl-" The sound coming from Josh's bag silenced Sam. He threw a quizzical expression at him and turned away from the table. "What was that?"

"That," Josh said gently placing the bag on the floor and unzipping it, "was Nickleby."

Sam jumped out of his seat and watched as his cat made an equally rapid move out of the bag and under the bed. "You brought Nickleby!" Sam said and any danger Josh had been in from Nurse Hatch was well worth the look on Sam's face now. "He's probably traumatised by the journey and I doubt we'll get him out from under the bed, but you brought him." Sam dropped to his knees and started to try to coax his pet from his hiding place.

"Naturally, I have thought ahead to the 'cat too terrified to say hello scenario' and have planned accordingly." He reached into a pocket on the bag, pulled out a bag of treats and threw them to Sam.

Nickleby feigned disinterest but eventually he came out. Once satisfied that it was understood the move had been on his terms, he moved over to Sam and immediately started to purr.

"That's cute," Josh said as he watched Nickleby pat his paw on Sam's nose. "Hallmark would love this. Man I wish I had a camera!"

Sam ignored Josh and concentrated on Nickleby who was torn between sulking with Sam for abandoning him and purring.

"How long have I got?" Sam asked as he walked over to the bed.

"Your mom's due back at yours in an hour but more importantly Nurse Hatch has just started her shift." Josh sat back in a chair and watched as Nickleby finally forgave Sam for being away so long and abandoned sulking for curling up beside him on the bed.

Josh went over to the model Sam was building. The doctors had told Josh that working on model making and puzzles would be a good mental exercise for Sam and so he had set about finding the most challenging and, he hoped, interesting models. He sat at the table and picked up the instructions lying in the lid of the box. He quickly replaced them, lifted the lid to look at the picture and started to pick out pieces that he could match to it. After spending five minutes and only finding two pieces, he stood and put the lid back on the box. "I'll let you start that and then I'll help out when you get to the dome thing."

Sam would normally have seen through Josh and suggested his model making skills weren't as great as he was claiming but Sam just nodded and replied, "Okay."

The sound of the door handle being turned made both men start. Josh grabbed for the bag and Sam pulled the corner of a blanket over Nickleby. Both men stared as the door slowly opened and then sighed with relief on seeing CJ.

She started to say hello but a meow stopped her greeting. "Is that a cat?"

Josh shook his head but Sam lifted the cover to reveal the cause of the noise.

CJ laughed and walked over to the bed. Nickleby took an instant liking to her and walked over to sniff her hand. "I can't believe the centre agreed to this. That's great that they're allowing you to-" She frowned as she saw Josh toeing the bag under the bed. "Wait a minute, buster. You sneaked him in!"

Josh was about to protest that he didn't see anything wrong with pets visiting their owners but CJ jumped off the bed, walked over to him and hugged him. "That's the sweetest thing! You brought Sam's cat in a bag, which I'm pretty sure is against some sort of feline law, but you brought him! Come here, I'm going to hug you again."

Sam was uninterested in his friends' actions. He had already put on his shoes and was placing Nickleby back into the bag. "You ready, Josh?"

Josh pulled away from CJ and looked over at him. "Ready for what?" He knew with a sinking feeling though that Sam meant ready to go. "Sam, I'm going to take Nickleby back to yours now. I'll bring him again if I can. You'll be ready to go home soon."

Sam frowned. "I'm ready now." He lifted the bag carefully and opened the zip a little wider. An indignant Nickleby peeped out of the hole.

"Give him to me, Sam. I'll take him home for you."

An expression of utter confusion settled on Sam's face. It was an expression Josh had come to hate to see. "No, I'm home now...I...cat's at home...I have a cat..." Sam looked at CJ and back at Josh. "You said I'd be home soon. When? I've got a cat...at home...I've got a cat."

Josh stepped forward and held out his hand for the bag. "I'll take Nickleby home and then, when you're feeling better you can go home too. You can't have cats here. He was only visiting."

"I can have cats at home though can't I?" Sam passed the bag to Josh and placed both his hands on his head. It was becoming a familiar action and one that seemed entirely contradictory to his once familiar hands on hips stance. He suddenly raised his voice causing a flurry of movement within the bag. "Am I home or not?" he shouted, hands scrunching up his hair. Josh passed the bag back to CJ who slipped unnoticed from the room.

"Not, buddy. Your mom's staying there and looking after it for you. You're in a rehab centre now because you've been ill. You're getting better though and you'll be home soon."

Sam nodded slowly. "Yeah, I need to stay here for a while. It's like a hotel." He turned away from Josh and walked over to the table. Josh watched as he quickly identified three pieces of the model and started to make the base. "I'll see you later," Sam said without turning around.

Josh reluctantly said goodbye and walked out of the room. He stood outside the door for a while before catching sight of a frantic CJ who was beckoning him over and seemed to have developed an erratic cough.