Crazy
I remember when, I remember, I remember when I lost my mind,
There was something so pleasant about that phase...
Even your emotions had an echo in so much space.
"Holy Crap this is the best day of my life!" Josh yelled into the hallway.
"I'm going to try not to take that personally." Donna yelled back.
"Hulbreck shot his hunting partner."
"What?" Donna made her way back into the bedroom. "You're kidding me?"
"Not kidding." He said pointing emphatically towards CNN where an older man with his face half bandaged sat in a wheel chair in front of the podium.
"Oh my God he shot him in the face?"
"Yes because there is a God!"
"Joshua Lyman you of all people-."
"He's fine. He's fine." Josh waved his hand at his wife dismissively. "He's already being released. No harm done."
"Except to his face." Donna furrowed his eyebrows. Josh's cell phone started ringing.
"Josh Lyman, luckiest man in the world!" He answered grinning like a fool at Donna. "CJ! I know I know. Our new slogan is Sam Seaborn: He hasn't shot anyone today!"
"Josh!"
"Donna thinks I'm going to anger the Shooting Gods."
"I just think maybe you should have some more sympathy for the man, seeing as you've been in similar-."
"Similar? I've been critically wounded twice by White Supremacists. This guy got a flesh wound on a quail hunting trip. He's fine. The only casualty is Hulbreck's campaign. Huh?" Josh turned his attention back to the phone. "Yeah. CJ says wake Sam."
"Josh!" Sam's voice bellowed in from the hall way excitedly.
"He's awake."
"Josh!!" Sam burst through the doors pointing wildly at CNN. "This.. Is.. Incredible!"
"CJ says you need to go to California. CJ says-. Here wait, talk to CJ." He handed the phone to the President and walked towards his wife. She looked at him sternly.
"The guy's fine Donna."
"Luckily." She pointed out.
"My regards and a muffin basket?" He asked, reaching his arms around her and pulling her flush against him.
"A personal phone call and a tasteful flora arrangement." She whispered, her pout betraying her as he nuzzled into her neck.
"Deal" He kissed her cheek, before turning her towards Sam who was enthusiastically making plans with CJ. "Look at him." He beamed, pressing his head against Donna's. "We're going to win."
And when you're out there,without care,
Yeah, I was out of touch.
But it wasn't because I didn't know enough:
I just knew too much
(Post Runaway train)
"It's the.. the.. the.." She startled into alertness, her eyes falling over him again. She reached out her hand and soothed it across his face.
"Shh.. Josh, it's alright."
"It wld be. It wld be.. if she'd jst. It wld be."
"It is. It is okay."
"NO!" He shouted, his eyes shooting open into the dark room, focusing loosly on her face. "Why-do-you-do-this?" She pressed her lips together at his jumbled string of words. "Why?" She held her breath for a minute, until he sat up more and looked at her intently. "WHY?"
"I don't know Josh."
"I try-an I- I - try... an you.." He swung his arm akwardly towards her. "Why you won't help me?"
"Joshua.."
"Hw many How many.. damn jogging meetings." He flopped back against the pillows., his eyes falling on his naked feet. "What I need is shoes Donna!"
"We'll get you some." She whispered quietly.
"Not the ones.. the ones my... Flordia shoes suck."
"Okay."
"If y'd just help me..."
"What do you need me to do Josh?"
"How do I tell her?"
"Who?"
"Donna.. how do I tell her .. to wait for me?" She loooked at his tearful eyes.
"She will." The words squeaked out of her mouth. "She will Josh I promise." He setttled back into the blankets. "Forever."
Does that make me crazy?
Does that make me crazy?
Does that make me crazy?
Probably!
(Present)
"Mr. Lyman Mr. Lyman.."
"Josh! Over Here! Josh!"
"Donna! Has this brought back any memories for you?"
"Josh do you have anything to say to Governer Hulbreck?"
Donna squeezed his hand tightly in a reminder to behave. He laced her fingers tighter, turning towards the reporters.
"You know gun safty has always been something near and dear to us. We're releaved that Congressmen Seavers injuries were not life threatening." He noded his head a few times before smiling and restarting there stride towards Marine 1. "Thank you.."
"Wow."
"I can do respectful.."
"Apparently.."
"You wound me.."
"Ma'am." The secret service agent offered her his hand.
"Thank you." Donna's eyes widdened through her tight grin.
"He ma'amed you." Josh licked his lips in vain as his smirk got away from him.
"Shut up."
"He totally Ma'amed you."
"I'm about to show you what it means to be wounded."
And I hope that you are having the time of your life,
But think twice, that's my only advice.
(Post Hurt)
"Why these memories?" She whispered,. He pictured her picking at the edge of the bandage across her hand just how Josh had done.
"It's not uncommon." The voice on the other end of the phone told her soothingly. "He feels confused. These are other times he's felt confused."
"I don't know if.."
"You can."
"You're so sure." She choaked out angrily. "Everyone's so damn sure! She can handle it. She will be fine, she-."
The man on the phone waited as she paused, swallowing a whimper.
"I need him. I-." He could tell she was holding her breath.
"Stop.." His voice was athoritative. "Breath slowly." She compled and he scribbled this into his notebook. "No one expects you to do it all."
She snorted
"Have you asked for help?"
"I-."
"Sam.. Ainsley.. CJ? Have you been asking them?"
"They're in the middle of a-."
"Yes they are."
"They're already-! They help with the kids and the office and-. I can't-."
"Breath.." She stopped and started breathing slowly again.
"I can't ask them to do anymore."
"What if it were Ainsley who'd been hurt? Or Danny? You'd be helping right?"
"Yes." She huffed.
"Why?"
"It's what I do."
Stanley Keyworh smiled, circling the passage he had just scribbled on the paper in front of him a few times.
"Why do you think that is Donna?"
Come on now who do you, who do you, who do you, who do you Think you are, ha ha ha, bless your soul,
You really think you're in control!
(Present)
"Holy shit." Josh muttered looking at the monitor like it was going to explode.
"That's what I'm talking about." Danny Concanon laughed.
"What the hell was that?" Josh breathed.
"That was Sam Seaborn kicking Hulbreck's ass infront of millions of home viewers." CJ explained flipping open her cell phone as Josh watched Sam and his opponent shake hands as Donna and Leo stood waiting for him in the front row.
"He didn't have that last night." Lyman squeaked. "Not last night."
"He was channeling Leo McGarry." CJ grinned, before turning her attention back to her call.
"He was channeling something." He ripped his eyes away from the screen as Sam made his way back stage. "You smoked him."
"I did, didn't I?" Sam raised his eyebrows, as looped his arm around Leo's small shoulders.
"Phone banks are open." CJ shouted as she shut her phone and turned to the President. "Get those loose lips over here Seaborn."
"He didn't have that last night." Donna whispered in her husband's ear as her hand skimmed the small of his back.
"No." He agreed as CJ kissed Sam on the mouth, his eyebrows raising slightly as Danny did the same.
"So where the hell-?" Donna asked softly.
"I have no idea."
Well,
I think you're crazy...
I think you're crazy...
I think you're crazy...Just like me.
"Just name the image you see." The tech explained pointing to the monitor. "You won't know them all. That's alright. If you run out of time, the next image will appear."
Lyman nodded and Donna bit her lip.
"It's common to miss over fifty precent the first time Mrs. Lyman." Doctor Thomas explianed.
"Donna."
"Okay, Donna." The doctor shot her a fake smile. "I don't want you to get discouraged."
"I understand." She watched the way Josh's eyes studied the images as they blinked by.
"Boat. Tree. Brick. Sofa. Staircase. Oven. Pencil. Blowdryer. Stoplight... .."
Her eyes shot up at his silence taking in the black and silver object on the screen.
"This is common." The doctor reminded her through the palpable panic that was quickly filling the room.
Spatula., she silently willed to him. Spatula Spatula Spatula..
The image blinked away and Josh missed the next three, still stuck on the nameless kitchen utencil.
"Chicken. Igloo. Slipper..."
My heroes had the heart to live their lives out on a limb,
And all I remember is thinkin' I wanna be like them.
(Present)
"Sam.."
"Josh."
"When I left last night.. did.. um.." Josh forced the air out of his lungs and coughed uncomfortably. "You just went to bed last night right?"
Sam felt the side of his face twich into a smile. He watched Donna pull his tie from around his friends neck, unbuttoning the first few buttons before tugging at his jacket.
"Josh? What are you implying?"
"You know what I'm-. Sam.." Donna shook her head slowly before making her way out the door.
"Ask me." Sam grinned.
"Sam." Josh whined.
"Ask me."
"I'm not going to ask you I'm just going to remind you that-."
"Ask me!"
" Fine!" Josh tossed his hands into the air. "Did you sleep with a former prostitute in the Residence of the White House?"
Ever since I was little, ever since I was little it looked like fun,
And there's no coincidence I've come,
And I can die when I'm done.
( Post - And It's Surley to There Credit)
"I hate her." Sam blew air through his lips.
"You don't."
"No I really think I-.."
"Because of the gun thing?" Josh squeaked.
"Mainly." He looked away for a second. "No.."
"Cause she kicked your ass on-."
"We said we weren't going to-."
"Yeah.. I lied."
"Yeah."
"So you hate her because?"
"She.. imbodies everything.. evil in-."
"She's smart."
"Yeah."
"She makes good.. " Josh shook his head in disbelief. "Points.."
"There in lies the evil."
"Yeah?"
"She's right intirely too often." Sam stared past Josh for a minute before clicking his gaze back to his friend. "I find that strangly attractive. You wanna get a beer?"
"Nah.. I.." He rubbed his eyes. "Donna's going crazy today.. she's already given me an hour over.."
"She's too good to you." He sniffed.
"She is." Josh whispered. "Night."
"Josh?" Sam called softly just before Lyman touched the door. "Donna.. she.. she's been through a lot.."
"Yeah."
"She-."
"Yeah."
But maybe I'm crazy?
Maybe you're crazy?
(Present)
"We're going to go over this once, so pay attention." Sam quirked his head to the left.
"Yes Sir." Josh growled.
"She's a former call girl..."
"Damn it." Josh cursed, raking his hand through his hair.
"She's now a highly respected legal power house."
"Oh Sam..." Donna whispered.
"And yes." He said frimly. "Last night she joined me in the Residence for dinner."
Maybe we're crazy?
Probably!
