Chapter Three
"Toby I appreciate the offer but I really just want to go home tonight," Sam said as he started to tidy his desk. He was beginning to feel slightly unnerved by his boss who had now asked him three times if wanted to go for a drink after work. "Is it your birthday?" Sam asked, suddenly panicking.
"No it's not my birthday."
"Well then, thanks but no thanks."
"But it's a special day," Toby explained.
"A special day?"
"For me it's a special day, a day of remembrance of…things past." Toby silently cursed Donna and her scheme to get Sam and Josh together away from the White House.
"Well it could hardly be a day of remembrance of things still to come," Sam pointed out. "Is it a Jewish thing?"
Toby became more confident. "Yes it's a Jewish thing, and I would be honored if you would spend the evening with me…remembering things."
Sam studied Toby for a moment and then shrugged, picked up his coat and followed him out of the office.
Josh ran his finger through the small puddle of liquid on the table. CJ and Donna sat opposite him glancing occasionally at the door. Donna had not had any problem persuading Josh to join her and CJ for a drink. CJ said she was buying and Donna promised she would drive him home and so it sounded like an ideal way to end a stressful week to Josh. He looked up to see Toby walking towards them. "You didn't say Toby was coming," Josh said. Then his eyes widened. "You definitely didn't say Sam was coming."
"Didn't I?" CJ answered innocently. "Well wasn't that remiss of me."
Josh's glare at CJ was matched by the look Sam was giving Toby now that they had reached the table. There was an awkward silence and then Donna spoke. "Hey, Sam, what a coincidence."
Sam muttered something about a Jewish thing at Toby and turned to walk away from the table.
"Oh Spanky," CJ called out and Sam turned back reluctantly towards her. "You might want to know that I've been getting a few questions recently from Danny about a breakdown in communications between members of the senior staff."
Sam just shrugged and looked impatiently at CJ not understanding what that had to do with him wanting to leave the bar as soon as humanly possible.
"I'm not saying you should stay for the sake of appearances but it would add fuel to the rumors if you were to walk out now. Especially as half the press core is sitting over there celebrating Danny's birthday."
"What a coincidence," Donna repeated.
"Isn't it," CJ answered and waved at Danny.
Sam sighed and shook his head. A part of him was impressed with the planning that must have gone into this and as much as he wanted to leave he had to agree that it wouldn't be the smartest move with Danny sitting a few feet away staring intently at them. He positioned himself at the edge of the table, studiously ignoring Josh who was so busy glaring at Donna that he didn't notice.
By the time they were on their second round of drinks the atmosphere had improved slightly. Josh and Sam had started to join in with the conversation and on a couple of occasions even spoken to each other. First Donna and then CJ made their apologies and left. Josh complained that Donna had promised to drive him home and Toby had explained that he was going to do it. "It's all part of-"
"The plan," Josh interrupted, "Yes, Toby, we know. You guys are freaks of the highest order of freakdom."
Sam laughed at Josh's nonsense words but earnest expression.
Having found a common enemy in Toby, Donna and CJ, Josh and Sam found a subject on which they totally agreed. Toby sat back and tried to think of another subject on which there would be no likely disputes but his thoughts were interrupted by Sam's sudden laughter. He didn't know what had prompted it but he was glad to hear it even if it resulted in another awkward moment of silence and Sam and Josh both staring at their beers. Sam stood and after asking Josh and Toby what they wanted made his way to the bar.
"This is like a first date or something," Josh murmured and Toby raised his eyebrows. "It's awkward. When did Sam and I become awkward?"
"Around the same time you stopped speaking to him because you didn't like what happened with Kahn and you didn't like how he dealt with the MS and I suspect you didn't like that you didn't want to discuss it with him because you were afraid to admit how you felt."
It was rare for Toby to enter into discussions about relationships but when he did he was normally right. Josh just stared at him. He had given the subject a lot of thought recently and he knew Toby's conclusions were pretty similar to his own. Toby shifted in his seat and the change of view allowed Josh to see the bar. He scanned the length of it for Sam and finally found him at the end. Sam was facing away from the bar talking to someone. Josh could only see the back of the person but he could tell from Sam's face that the conversation wasn't a friendly one.
"Who's that?" Josh asked Toby who turned and shook his head. They sat and watched as Sam continued to try to speak but was clearly being cut off by the other man. People around them were beginning to turn and stare as well, as even above the music and chatter it was clear the conversation was turning aggressive. A short, plump man came over and gently tugged at the elbow of the man who was now leaning close towards Sam and shouting. Josh stood and Toby followed. They walked towards the bar not wishing to make more of a scene by running and both were acutely aware of the members of the press who had now also turned to watch.
As Josh got nearer he heard the man shout, "You bastard, on my boat-"
"Ben," Sam tried again to calm him down.
"On my boat you sat and talked about which states we should choose and which districts were most deserving and all the time you knew!"
Josh came to the realization that the stranger was Ben Draper at the same time as Ben's fist came into contact with Sam's stomach.
When Ben struck, Sam could feel the bar rail pressed against his back. For a split second it felt as if Ben's fist and the brass rail met within him, so hard was the force of the blow. He immediately slumped downwards, winded. Toby caught hold of him before he hit the floor and supported him while Sam desperately tried to refill his lungs. Josh meanwhile stepped towards Ben until their faces were inches away. "He didn't know. He wasn't playing you. He didn't that-"
"Josh!" Toby's voice rose above the noise and he gave Josh a look which was half pleading and half warning. Josh took a deep breath and went and stood next to Sam.
The man standing next to Ben took a firmer hold of his arm and tried to drag him away but Ben shrugged him off.
"There you go," he shouted towards the members of the press corps who were all watching the scene with fascination, "Bartlet's senior staff don't even tell each other what they're up to."
Toby and Josh looked at the table of reporters. Slowly and purposefully Danny turned around until he was facing away from them. A few other reporters followed the example. Toby closed his eyes and sighed in relief. It would be a story tomorrow but he could be pretty certain that Ben Draper's comments wouldn't be a part of it.
Ben's friend pulled him roughly away and out of the bar. As soon as he had left, Sam sank to the floor. Josh crouched beside him as Toby wandered off to have a quiet word with Danny. By the time Toby returned Sam had managed to get his breath back and Josh helped him to stand. Sam immediately wrapped his arm around his waist and waited in silence while Toby went to get their coats.
Sam winced as he moved to put his arm through the sleeve but dismissed Toby's concerns, "I've just been punched in the stomach, Toby, of course I'm not alright."
Sam sat in the back seat of the car and again wrapped his arm protectively around his waist. When they were nearing Sam's apartment Josh glanced in the mirror as he had been doing throughout the drive. "Have you got the Booker file at your place?"
Sam nodded in response and leant his head back against the seat.
"Can I come up and get it? It's still early and if I take it home I can get some work done and give it back in the morning." Josh turned around in his seat for Sam's reply.
"Pull over," Sam muttered.
"What, we're nearly there, I can't just stop in the-"
Josh took one look at Sam's face. "Shit, pull over, Toby."
Toby found a place to stop just in time. As soon as the car stopped moving Sam flung the door open and managed to get out before he finally gave in to his churning stomach. When he was finished he got back into the car and apologized.
Josh and Toby followed Sam up to his apartment. Sam insisted that he felt a lot better since he had thrown up. Since Ben had punched him the pain in his stomach had intensified but when he was sick it had immediately disappeared. Sam went into the kitchen and started to make some coffee. Josh sat on the sofa and looked around the room. He noticed that Sam had moved the furniture around since he had last been there. "Didn't that sofa used to be under the window?" he asked as Sam placed the drinks on the table.
"Yeah, months ago but then I got the wiring fixed so that I could have the computer there. I don't like extension leads," Sam explained. "I have a tendency to trip over them."
Josh nodded and continued to look around the room. There was something else. Suddenly it struck him, "You've got rid of the kitchen door!" he exclaimed, pleased that he had worked out what was so different.
"God, Josh, that was months ago. I had that done during the last State of the Union because I knew I wouldn't be home much. That was over a year ago."
Another awkward silence descended as both men realised there was a time when Sam's apartment was as familiar to Josh as his own.
Sam took a sip of the coffee but found his stomach strongly rejected the idea. He put the cup down and listened to Josh tell Toby about when he had tried to knock through a dividing wall only to discover it was, 'one of those other types' of wall. Sam knew the story well, he closed his eyes and smiled as Toby explained to Josh the importance of knowing his limitations. When he opened them again Toby was standing and Josh was putting the cups in the sink. "You fell asleep," Toby explained. "We're heading off. You should go to bed."
"What?" Sam asked.
"You sure you're okay? You look a little pale."
Sam nodded. He couldn't wait for them to leave. He was starting to feel really cold and the pain had returned as well. He heard Josh say goodbye and then Toby said something about not needing to come in before nine and then he heard the door close. He stayed on the sofa for a little while and started to drift off to sleep again. He managed to rouse himself and remembering Toby had told him to go to bed he stood up on shaky legs and walked towards his bedroom. He didn't switch off the lights, he didn't lock the door. He just went over to his bed and lay down.
Toby had been driving for fifteen minutes when Josh suddenly smacked his hand against his forehead. "Damn, I forgot that file."
"Oh for crying out loud, Josh!" Toby moaned but to Josh's surprise immediately turned the car around and headed back to Sam's.
"It can keep. I'll get it in the morning. It wasn't that important."
"I told Sam to come in late. It's no problem," Toby muttered.
"Well it is a problem Toby because you're doing something nice for me and something thoughtful for Sam and that's freaking me out a little."
Toby shrugged and drove a little faster. He was relieved that he had an excuse to go back to Sam's. As they had been driving Toby had been thinking about how Sam had looked before they left and he had the feeling that something was not quite right.
The space they had parked in before was still empty and so Toby pulled up and told Josh he wouldn't be long. When he reached Sam's door he knocked gently. There was no response so he knocked again more loudly. There was still no answer and so Toby tried calling Sam's name. Now that he was actually there Toby's paranoid thoughts about Sam had lessened and he chastised himself for thinking them in the first place. He smiled and shook his head and was just about to turn and leave when he noticed the light coming through the gap below the door. Thinking Sam must still be up and not answering Toby knocked more loudly. He noticed the door move slightly and tried the handle, the door opened and with his sense of panic increasing Toby walked quickly through it and towards Sam bedroom. Toby stood in the doorway and from the light from the living room made out Sam lying curled up on his bed.
"Sam," Toby whispered, suddenly very worried that Sam was just asleep and he was about to scare the life out of him. There was no reply and so Toby said his name more clearly. This time Sam responded.
"Toby?" Sam mumbled sounding half asleep.
Toby let out an embarrassed laugh, "It's alright Sam, it's Toby. Go back to sleep." He waited, heard no reply and so turned to walk out of the room.
"Toby?" Sam's voice came again. Toby didn't answer in the hope that Sam would fall back to sleep. But Sam repeated his name and this time it was louder, more urgent and something about Sam's tone made Toby rush to the bed. He crouched down and even in the dim light could see that Sam's face was white and that he was shaking. He placed his hand on Sam's forehead and took a sharp intake of breath as it met with cool, clammy skin.
"Don't feel so good," Sam murmured.
"It's okay…you're alright…it's okay," Toby soothed as he knocked a book and a glass off the bedside table while trying to locate the lamp switch. When he found it and was able to see Sam more clearly he didn't hesitate in picking up the phone and dialing 911. Sam's arms were wrapped tightly around his waist, his face was white and he was shaking uncontrollably.
While making the call Toby walked over to the window. On the street below, Josh was leaning against the car. The curtain being opened caught his eye and it wasn't necessary for Toby to gesture for him to come up, he could see something was wrong from Toby's expression.
Toby returned to Sam's side. He was lying fully clothed above the covers and so Toby leaned across him and pulled the comforter over Sam. He sat watching Sam as he listened to the sound of Josh running up the steps and bursting into the apartment.
"What's wrong?"
"I don't know, he's sick. I thought he-"
"What do you mean sick? He was fine when we left?"
"I don't know, Josh!" Toby shouted.
Josh came and crouched down beside Toby and placed his hand on Sam's arm. "What's wrong, buddy?" Josh asked.
"What?"
"Where does it hurt?" Toby asked in a calmer voice than Josh's.
"It hurts," Sam answered.
Josh stood and pulled the comforter and tried to gently prize Sam's arms from around his waist.
"Don't, it's alright," Sam pleaded. Josh ignored Sam's anxiety and finally succeeded in pulling his arms away. As he did so Sam rolled onto his back, his breathing becoming even more rapid than it had been. Josh cursed as he saw the swelling on the left side of Sam's stomach and set about loosening his belt while trying to ignore the obvious pain it was causing Sam. As soon as he was done, Sam immediately placed his arms around his waist again, drew his knees up and rolled away from his friends. They exchanged worried glances as Toby sat on the side of the bed and Josh walked around to the other side.
"Thirsty," Sam mumbled. Josh looked at Toby unsure if they should let Sam drink or not. Toby got up and went into the kitchen. Josh placed his hand on Sam's head and for the first time Sam focused on him. Toby returned from the kitchen carrying a glass.
"I don't think he should drink anything, Toby," Josh said as he moved out of the way for him.
"I'm just letting him have a sip." Toby placed his hand under Sam's head and lifted the glass to his lips. He let him take a little and then put the glass on the floor. "There you go." Sam closed his eyes and mumbled his thanks. Toby shook him and told him to open his eyes, he had no medical basis for doing so but suddenly felt afraid that if Sam closed his eyes now he might not open them again.
Josh stood and looked out of the window willing the ambulance to arrive. He heard a gagging sound and Toby curse and turned in time to see Toby rolling Sam onto his side as he vomited over the bed.
"God, Toby, there's blood in it," Josh whispered and his reply was the shrill sound of a siren. "It's about time, I'm going down to them," Josh hurried out of the room. Sam seemed to be weakening with every breath.