Harry Potter and Sam
P-13 (light swearing later in story)
Sam/Mallory
Mallory, Harry Potter and an accident change Sam's life.
Author: Cora
I do not own any of the characters and give all credit to Aaron Sorkin the brilliant writer of the show. Anything else I forgot sorry. And, no this is not beta-ed so sorry for any mistakes they are all mine!
Harry Potter and Sam
3rd installment of Harry Potter and Sam
On a different note all medical jargon is mine, I have never taken a medical class so most medical stuff is made-up. So excuse me if anything is off the deep end.
- CHAPTER 3
"Did someone page Sam?" Josh asked as he entered the Oval office.
"Sit down, Josh." Command the president softly.
Josh seeing the president, Leo and Abby all with the same look sat quickly onto one of the couches. The others behind him said their 'good evenings' to the president and Abby then sat. Donna took her seat next to Josh, her pen ready to take notes. She had no idea why she was in this meeting but assumed that notes would be needed. She kept her head down and ready to write but she was more surprised when the pen was taken from her grasp. Turning and looking up the president was standing behind her with her pen, she hadn't even heard him get up from his chair. She smiled, but he stayed grim, he pocketed her pen and moved back over to his chair. The silence in the room was deafening.
"Sir?…" Leo asked.
Jed held up his hand and came up behind Abby. He rested his hands on Abby's shoulders and she covered his hands with her own.
The staff knew something was definitely wrong.
"Tonight Sam was in a car accident. He swerved to miss a drunk driver who ran a red light." The president said softly.
CJ and Donna gasped. Toby leaned forward with his head in his hands. Josh did the opposite and leaned as far back into the couch as he could go.
"Was it fatal?" CJ asked breaking the silence.
Jed's head jerked up. "NO," he said loudly, he hadn't meant for the staff to think that. "He's alive, he's in surgery, but the last I heard he was holding his own."
"Do we know his injuries?" Toby asked quietly.
Jed looked down at Abby and she nodded in understanding.
"Sam…" The president didn't know where to start. Abby had told Leo and him the injuries in laymen's terms but there were so many he didn't know where to start. Deciding just to list them he began in a detached voice. "Sam has a broken nose, sprained finger, punctured lung, severe concussion, broken ankle and a broken back, with pinched nerves."
"Broken back?"
"Severe concussion?" Toby and Josh asked at the same time. Their question mingling together.
Abby took over. "He had swelling in his brain, if it doesn't go down within a certain amount of time, the doctors will have to go in and relieve some of the pressure on his brain. They are not sure about brain damage as of yet." She continued stopping the question that was forming on Toby's lips.
Abby turned to Josh. He breathing was fast and shallow, she moved to sit next to him. Taking his wrist she found his pulse and started counting.
Josh looked up surprised at Abby but let her finish.
"The doctors are operating on Sam's back now. The paramedics think his seat slid forward upon impact, cracking his backbone and pinching several nerves. They are trying to correct it all, but they are not sure of the extent of the damage.
Josh nodded slowly.
Abby looked over at Donna who was rubbing Josh's other arm. Their eyes met, conveying messages. Donna nodded then Abby.
"I have a car outside waiting to take you to GW. I hate to do this but I need one of you to stay behind, just in case."
"Sir, I'll stay." Leo jumped in immediately. He was planning to anyway.
"No, Leo. Mallory is there, she needs you." The president said softly putting his hand on Leo's shoulder.
"Mallory's there? Was she in the car with Sam?" CJ asked surprised.
"No, she called Leo to tell him what happened. She must of saw the accident and then went to the hospital." Jed explained.
Silent minutes passed as everyone waited for someone else to volunteer to stay. Finally CJ stepped up.
"I'll stay."
Relief passed over Josh and Toby's faces as they stood and thanked her.
"Thank you, CJ." The president added.
"Call us every fifteen minutes!" The president called to Josh, Toby, Leo and Donna's retreating backs.
"I wish it would stay like this." Commented Josh as he, Leo, Donna, and Toby entered the quiet hospital lobby.
"Like what?" Toby snarled.
"No reporters." Came the soft reply.
"Yeah" Toby agreed, forgetting his anger.
Leo found a nurse and asked about Sam, she asked a few questions then left. Moments later a tall doctor appeared.
"Mr. McGarry?" He looked the chart in his hand. "Josh Lyman, Toby Ziegler, CJ Cregg?" He said looking at them all.
"I'm Leo McGarry." Leo said stepping closer to shake the man's hand.
"Your daughter informed me of all your names." The doctor said to answer all the confused looks the group was giving him.
"I'm Josh."
"Toby"
Donna stepped forward copying Leo. "I'm Donna Moss, CJ was unable to make it."
Dr. Weston nodded and introduced himself. He led them to an elevator to take them to a room the hospital had set up for them.
"Mr. Seaborn's condition remains unchanged since I talked to the president. He is in critical condition and still in surgery. He has one of the best surgeons on his case, she will brief you when she's done. I've had our staff set up this room for your use only. I hope it's comfortable enough." He said stopping at a door and pushing it open.
Leo entered and immediately crossed over to Mallory giving her a big hug.
"When the president told me you called and…I was so worried."
Mallory swallowed hard and pulled herself out of his grasp. She was surprised he had come, she didn't think he would leave the White House, she was touched.
"Dad…thanks for coming." They hugged again and sat down holding hands.
"Mallory, what happened?" Donna asked while she rubbed Josh's arm to keep him calm.
Mallory took a deep breath and glanced at her father and started with her story.
Six hours later
Toby was sprawled out in his chair, looking like he was asleep but his eyes were still slitted open. Josh and Donna were on one of the couches, leaning against each other. Donna was fast asleep, Josh had one arm around her and other stroking her hair. Leo and Mallory were on the other couch. Mallory was lightly dozing with her head on her father's chest.
They all jumped to their feet when the door was pushed open and a small doctor came in. She was wearing blue scrubs and looked extremely wore out. She smiled lightly and entered the room to sit next to where Toby had been.
"I am Doctor Barbara Austin. I worked on Sam's back. He made it through the surgery stable. As of now he is in the ICU listed in serious condition. Are any of you family?" She asked knowing well that none of them were.
Leo looked up guiltily. He hadn't even thought of calling Sam's family. He was surprised when Josh spoke up.
"We are his family. His mother is too ill to travel and Sam is not on speaking terms with his father. His brother is unreachable for the moment. As of now I am his brother." Josh spoke with such conviction that Donna spoke immediately after.
"I'm his sister-in-law." She said hugging Josh's arm closer to her.
"Fiancee." Mallory answered matter-of-factly.
"Future father-in-law." Leo said surprising even himself.
Dr. Austin looked to Toby to see what he would some up with.
"Boss who needs to know if he has to do all the work." Toby answered sourly.
Dr. Austin laughed. "So I'm guessing the president is his father?" She said teasingly. She turned to Mallory, "would you like to see him first?"
Mallory started to nod but changed her mind. "Why don't you go Josh? I can wait a little longer."
Josh nodded his thanks and followed Dr. Austin out of the room.
"You're Josh Lyman? Dr. Austin guessed at Josh's nod she continued. "How's the chest?"
Josh was surprised but then remembered it had been all over the news. "Better, thank you."
"I worked on you for a while when you were brought in. I highly doubt you remember."
"I try not too. Thank you."
"Dr. Austin stopped outside the ICU. "Don't be scared. It's still Sam, just a little banged up."
They entered together. Josh was ready to turn and run out when he saw Sam.
Sam was pasty white, with a bandage around his head, his nose taped as well as his finger.
"You had to intubate him?" Josh asked surprised and horrified.
"Yes, to help him breathe, especially with the punctured lung. We have ruled out brain damage, thankfully. His brain waves are normal and active."
Josh breathed a sigh of relief, then glanced worriedly at Sam again. "Why isn't he awake yet?"
"We are keeping him in a drug induced coma for now. His body needs to heal. We will have to perform another operation on his back and make sure his lung is healing along with the internal bleeding."
Josh's jaw dropped. "Internal bleeding?"
"Yes, but it was very little and we think it is stopped."
"What about his back, is he…" Josh couldn't bring himself to ask if his best friend was paralyzed.
"His lower back was most affected, as of now he has no feeling below his waist. We are going to operate again to take some pressure off some of his pinched nerves. Then he has a decision to make." Dr. Austin said stopping.
"What decision?" Josh couldn't help asking.
"There is an operation available to him if he wants it. We would have to do it in the next couple of weeks. If he has it, it would be painful but he would have a 75% chance of regaining full use of his legs and back and in a few years you would never know this happened."
"What if he chooses not to the have the operation?"
"He has a 50% chance of walking again but there would be restrictions on lifting, exercise, etc. Both involve intense physical therapy, a lot of time and patience. As soon as he wakes he will have to make his choice."
Josh nodded and Dr. Austin stepped out leaving the two alone. She made her way back to the others to update them as she did Josh.
