TITLE: Midnight Train (10/?)
"Simon, are you sure you have everything?" Leo asked.
"I'm not going to be in there all that long," He pointed out. "Any word yet?"
"No one has called. I'm going to head out there after you give the briefing."
"They'll be fine," Simon smiled. "I know it."
"Thanks Simon," Leo smiled. "Lets get this over with. Remember; let them know that both are still in critical condition. Due to false reports, Toby is still alive and is still in surgery."
"I think I can handle that," Simon took a deep breath and walked out to the roaring pressroom.
"Simon?" Everyone yelled.
"Please, everyone sit down and be quiet," Simon ordered. "It is now eight in the morning, exactly twelve hours after the wreak last night. As of right now, 97 people have been confirmed dead, 64 people have been rescued and taken to the nearest hospital. Around midnight last night, GW closed its doors to all patients because it was getting too full. The rest of the patients were taken to nearby hospitals."
"How many are still missing?"
"There are still 54 people who are unaccounted for as of an hour ago," Simon said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those people lost last night."
The room was silent for a short moment and then the press started in again.
"Any news on CJ?"
"Is it true Toby Ziegler is in fact dead?"
"Okay, first of all, everyone stop!" Simon snapped. "Reports about Toby Ziegler have been circling around all night. Reports claimed him dead, but I am here to tell you as of right now, Toby Ziegler is still fighting for his life. He's been in surgery since ten last night and they continue to work on him. CJ got out of surgery around eleven last night. She remains in a coma this morning. White House Deputy's Joshua Lyman and Samuel Seaborn are with her as we speak. Out of respect for those lives at risk today, all meetings in the White House have been called of for the next week; Chief of Staff Leo McGarry will handle all emergencies here. As soon as we know anymore, you will be briefed, until then, please wait patiently with the rest of us. Thank you," Simon said and walked off.
"Well done," Carol patted him on the back.
"How does CJ do that every day?"
"She's a master at dominating," Carol smiled. "You want to come to the hospital with us?"
"No thanks, I think I'll stay here just in case something happens. I'm going to go out there tonight."
"Okay, I left everything you need on my desk. If you need anything else, call me."
"Thanks Carol," Simon smiled. "Give everyone my best."
"I will," Carol said and walked off to get everyone else. "Margaret, we're leaving."
"Go ahead. I'm going to ride with Leo."
"Okay. Ginger, Bonnie, and I will meet you guys there."
"Okay," Margaret said and watched Carol walk away.
"He's driving me crazy," Leo moaned as he walked back to his office.
"Who?"
"The President. He wants to go with us."
"He can't."
"I know. I told him that," Leo snapped again. He looked over at Margaret and saw the look she had on her face. "There're going to be okay."
"I know, it's just." Margaret looked down. "You never think twice about something like this until it hits home."
"I know," Leo walked over and hugged her. "I'm hurting too."
"It's just not fair," She cried.
"I know," Leo felt the tears form in his own eyes. "I know."
TBC
"Simon, are you sure you have everything?" Leo asked.
"I'm not going to be in there all that long," He pointed out. "Any word yet?"
"No one has called. I'm going to head out there after you give the briefing."
"They'll be fine," Simon smiled. "I know it."
"Thanks Simon," Leo smiled. "Lets get this over with. Remember; let them know that both are still in critical condition. Due to false reports, Toby is still alive and is still in surgery."
"I think I can handle that," Simon took a deep breath and walked out to the roaring pressroom.
"Simon?" Everyone yelled.
"Please, everyone sit down and be quiet," Simon ordered. "It is now eight in the morning, exactly twelve hours after the wreak last night. As of right now, 97 people have been confirmed dead, 64 people have been rescued and taken to the nearest hospital. Around midnight last night, GW closed its doors to all patients because it was getting too full. The rest of the patients were taken to nearby hospitals."
"How many are still missing?"
"There are still 54 people who are unaccounted for as of an hour ago," Simon said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those people lost last night."
The room was silent for a short moment and then the press started in again.
"Any news on CJ?"
"Is it true Toby Ziegler is in fact dead?"
"Okay, first of all, everyone stop!" Simon snapped. "Reports about Toby Ziegler have been circling around all night. Reports claimed him dead, but I am here to tell you as of right now, Toby Ziegler is still fighting for his life. He's been in surgery since ten last night and they continue to work on him. CJ got out of surgery around eleven last night. She remains in a coma this morning. White House Deputy's Joshua Lyman and Samuel Seaborn are with her as we speak. Out of respect for those lives at risk today, all meetings in the White House have been called of for the next week; Chief of Staff Leo McGarry will handle all emergencies here. As soon as we know anymore, you will be briefed, until then, please wait patiently with the rest of us. Thank you," Simon said and walked off.
"Well done," Carol patted him on the back.
"How does CJ do that every day?"
"She's a master at dominating," Carol smiled. "You want to come to the hospital with us?"
"No thanks, I think I'll stay here just in case something happens. I'm going to go out there tonight."
"Okay, I left everything you need on my desk. If you need anything else, call me."
"Thanks Carol," Simon smiled. "Give everyone my best."
"I will," Carol said and walked off to get everyone else. "Margaret, we're leaving."
"Go ahead. I'm going to ride with Leo."
"Okay. Ginger, Bonnie, and I will meet you guys there."
"Okay," Margaret said and watched Carol walk away.
"He's driving me crazy," Leo moaned as he walked back to his office.
"Who?"
"The President. He wants to go with us."
"He can't."
"I know. I told him that," Leo snapped again. He looked over at Margaret and saw the look she had on her face. "There're going to be okay."
"I know, it's just." Margaret looked down. "You never think twice about something like this until it hits home."
"I know," Leo walked over and hugged her. "I'm hurting too."
"It's just not fair," She cried.
"I know," Leo felt the tears form in his own eyes. "I know."
TBC