TITLE: Relapse, Chapter 3 - Waiting
AUTHOR: Jacinta
SUMMARY: A plane crash starts to put things into perspective.
SPOILERS: Anything up to Constituency Of One (but set in an a/u)
CHARACTERS: Ensemble
RATING: PG
DISCLAIMER: I've checked and it appears they're still not mine. It'll soon
be Christmas though so who knows.....
WEDNESDAY, LEO'S OFFICE
"Charlie?" Josh asks.
Leo glances absently at his deputy. "You need an assistant. Toby can't spare Bonny, Ginger's on holiday and Donna's not back until tomorrow."
"What about the President?"
"He says it's fine. Charlie'll be back on Friday. What's the problem?"
"None. If Charlie's happy to play nursemaid......"
"Josh," Leo sighs. "You really think Charlie...." he shakes his head, "never mind. What time are you leaving?"
"The flight's at 9.30."
"I'll see you before you go. Don't forget you're taking Ryan with you."
"Ryan?" Josh sighs, he had been hoping to escape from his intern for a few days.
"Yes. It'll do him good. He's suppose to be experiencing all aspects of the job."
"Yeh," Josh reluctantly agrees.
After Josh has left the office Leo sits in silence for a moment. It's been a week since Josh agreed to stay, but things between them aren't much better. Josh is reading too much into everything, in Leo's opinion anyway.
FRIDAY
Josh hangs up the phone and walks back the others. "Leo says it's fine, as long as we're not paying anything." He looks questioningly at Ryan.
"He's flying back to National anyway so it's no bother for us to get a lift," Ryan insists.
"How big's the plane?" Will asks, trying not to sound too worried.
"It's a mid size business jet," Ryan tells him as they set off across the airport. "Don't look so nervous. It's a twin engine jet, with a separate cabin that seats eight, a galley, a restroom, DVD players. It's pretty cool," he smiles.
"It's a different world," Charlie mutters. "Hey," he nudges Josh and nods across the concourse, "look who else is stranded."
Josh grins mischievously and leads them through the throng of angry, delayed passengers. "Hey."
Danny turns round and gives a mock sigh, "Well if I'd known you were here I'd have tried walking home. How long you been delayed?"
"Four hours, you?"
"Boarded the plane and had to get off again. Which I don't understand 'cos our baggage was already onboard. So, does this strike have anything to do with you lot then?" he grins.
"More than likely," Josh agrees. "We got a flight out, you want a lift?"
"How?" Danny asks suspiciously.
"Private jet," Ryan supplies.
Danny raises an eyebrow and smiles, "Isn't that a misappropriation of government funds?"
"You want a lift or not?" Josh grins.
"Yeh," Danny nods, collecting his hand luggage and following them across the concourse. "So who's plane is it? Am I going to be part of government conspiracy?"
"It's a friend of Ryan's father's," Charlie supplies, with a grin.
"Wow, it really is who you know rather than what you know."
"I enjoyed that, I could be an assistant," Charlie announces, as he returns from the galley area with a tray of drinks.
"It'd be a salary cut," Josh points out.
"If they cut my salary by much, I'll be paying them," Charlie smiles. "Are you sure you're okay?" he asks Will.
"Yeh." Will's sitting across from Josh and Charlie, gripping the armrest and trying to look calm.
"Really?" Josh asks doubtfully.
"I don't like small aircraft."
"Well, I guess if you get scared on Air Force One," Charlie smiles.
"You get scared on Air Force One?" Danny asks from behind them.
"The landing gear was stuck. Anyway I'm not scared, I'm just cautious."
"Cautious? You hold onto that arm rest much harder they're gonna make us pay for it," Charlie grins, before turning his attention back to Josh. "So you think I should stay were I am then? 'Cos it seemed like a solution. I mean if Donna and I swapped jobs then you'd have no excuse not to ask her out."
"Apart from the fact that she'd more than likely laugh at me?" Josh asks.
"If you'd have quit last week, she'd have gone with you."
"Only 'cos she likes the idea of living in California."
"Yeh, that could be right," Charlie agrees. "Deana loves it out there."
"You miss her?" Josh asks, as a strange knock echoes through the plane.
"What was that?" Will asks.
Josh shrugs, "Turbulence?"
"What do you mean, 'missing'?" Jed asks.
"It disappeared off radar about thirty minutes ago, Sir, after a mayday from the pilot. Search and Rescue have been deployed to the area, but it's mountainous terrain and heavily forested, so it may take some time to locate and reach them."
"Thank you, Peter, keep me informed."
"Yes, Sir."
Jed watches Peter leave and then walks into the adjoining office. "Leo, have you got a moment?"
"Mr President." Leo goes to stand but Jed waives him back down.
"Peter Marsh has just been to see me. It appears that the plane carrying Charlie, Josh and Will has gone missing somewhere over Shenandoah "
"Missing?" Leo pales. "How long ago?"
"About thirty minutes. There was a mayday, S & R have an idea where to look, so......" Jed trails off.
"Yeh. I should tell the others."
"They'll be alright. S & R's already out looking for them."
Leo nods. Once Jed's left he phones Toby and asks him to bring CJ and Donna with him. When they arrive at Leo's office they only have to take one look at his face to know something's very wrong. "Sit down all of you."
"What's going on?" CJ asks.
"There's a plane gone missing over Shenandoah," Leo looks at the three faces before him. "Josh, Will and Charlie are on board."
CJ's the first to speak. "When?"
"Half an hour. S & R are out looking."
"This is why I hate flying," Will tells Josh. "You think it's broken?"
"I don't think so, but then I failed the only first aid course I ever took."
"Then get away from me," Charlie mutters with an attempt at a smile.
"The pilot's broken his arm," Danny tells them. "He's given me our location to tell the emergency services. Let me take at look at Charlie."
Josh stands and lets Danny check Charlie over. "How are you now?" he asks Ryan.
Ryan pulls the cloth away from his head. "The bleeding's stopped, I'll be fine."
"What about you?" Josh asks Danny.
"Well, it's the last time I hitch a ride with you," Danny smiles. "The pilot's given me his cell phone, but there's no signal," he says, as he checks out Charlie's shoulder.
"We need to be higher up," Will tells them. "I could walk up the hill a little."
"I'll come with you," Josh says, causing Charlie and Danny to laugh. "What? I keep telling you I'm an outdoorsman."
"We got lost in the National Arboretum," Charlie reminds him.
"But Will must have learnt some kind of outdoor skills in his time in the Air Force," Josh replies.
"I'm a JAG reservist," Will points out. "Come on."
Josh takes the cell phone and map location from Danny and they set off.
"I'm briefing the press in two minutes. Someone needs to call Sam," CJ tells Toby.
Toby reluctantly picks up the phone and dials the number, it's answered on the third ring. "Hey, Sam."
"Hey, Toby," Sam replies. "How are the twins?"
Toby smiles slightly at the mention of his babies, "The twins are fine." He sighs as he catches CJ's look. "Sam, there's a plane gone missing, a business jet." He knows he can't stall any longer. "Charlie, Will and Josh are on it."
"Oh God."
"It's not been missing long, it disappeared off radar forty minutes ago. The pilot sent a mayday that he was making an emergency landing."
"Where?" Sam asks, praying that Toby's going to say an abandoned airstrip or a road or at least the desert, but knowing deep down that he's not going to say that at all.
"Shenandoah."
"Oh God," Sam repeats. "Well someone's looking for them though right? I mean if the pilot sent a mayday...."
"S & R are out looking now. I'll call you as soon as we hear anything."
"I should be there."
"By the time you got here, they'd have been found. I'll call you as soon as we hear anything."
"Yeh, Ok. I'll speak to you soon. Toby, is everyone alright there?"
"As you'd expect."
Leo's suppose to be reading a memo. He's suppose to be thinking about at least ten things at the moment. But all he can think about is Josh, Charlie, Will and Ryan. Why is it that every time things seem to be going right something else happens to bring them crashing back down. Surely this isn't how it's suppose to be.
"Leo, Howard Pierce on line three," Margaret interrupts his thoughts.
"Yeh," Leo nods. He picks up the phone and presses three. "Howard."
"Leo, it's been almost two hours, what the hell's happening?"
"I don't know anymore than you do."
"Well find out. My son's missing out there for God's sake. I sent him to you, you were suppose to be taking care of him."
"He's not six, Howard, and I'm not his nanny," Leo snaps. He takes a deep breath before continuing, "Look, I'm sorry. I know you're worried, we're all worried. As soon as I know anything I'll call you."
"Fine," Howard hangs up the phone and Leo sighs.
"Are you alright?" Margaret asks from the doorway.
"Will you not hover like that," Leo snaps. "I'm fine."
"Okay, if you need me...."
"Yeh," Leo replies. "Margaret," he calls after his assistant's retreating back, "thanks."
Once Margaret's left Leo tries to focus back on work, but it's hopeless. Since Jed told him about the crash he hasn't been able to stop thinking about how he left things with Josh, and now Howard Pierce's words are echoing in his ears. He realizes it's twenty five years since he told Noah he'd keep an eye on Josh, make sure he was okay, but he still feels that responsibility. How did they go from being so close to having such distance between them in the space of a couple of months?
He's always liked Josh, even when he was a child. In the last six years, as he got to know Josh better, he's come to trust him above almost everyone else. Of course he knew before he employed him that he could count on Josh, that was one of the reasons he hired him, he knew were Josh's loyalty would lie.
So how did their relationship deteriorate so quickly? He understood what Josh meant when he shouted those words at him, when he told him that there was a time he would have done anything for the administration, 'administration' wasn't the word Josh had intended.
"Leo," Margaret appears in the doorway again. "Senator Bruce is here."
"Show him in," Leo tells her, trying to ignore the concerned look she'd giving him.
Josh stops and looks up the slope they're climbing. "How high do we have to go?" he asks.
"Tired?" Will smiles.
"I'm fine, I just thought you looked a little winded there that's all."
"Hey! I'm as fit as the next man." Will looks up at the sky, "I think it's gonna rain."
"Yeh," Josh agrees as the first spots of rain begin to fall. "I think you could be right there."
"Do we have any idea how to get back to the plane?" Will asks.
"I thought you were keeping track?"
"What with? I haven't got a map or a compass."
Josh grins, "You see if we'd been in my car we'd be fine."
"Okay," Will says a little indulgently. "Apart from the fact that I don't think your car's ever likely to need to make an emergency landing in Shenandoah. Why?"
"I have a box in the trunk for emergencies."
"Me too," Will tells him. "Flashlight, blanket, rope, waterproofs. My dad's idea. Once a soldier always a soldier," he smiles. "You?"
"My mom," Josh replies, as he grabs hold of a tree branch to stop himself slipping, again. "She sends me things to add to it at regular intervals. I swear if I put everything in there it'd be bigger than the car."
"Bet she's never sent you a thermal all weather blanket with a hood."
"No," Josh agrees, "she obviously hasn't seen any of those yet." He stops to catch his breath and glares at the cell phone. "You think maybe this phone's broke, 'cos we've been climbing for thirty minutes now and there's still no signal?"
"Well, it's been in a plane crash, so there's a good chance." Will agrees. "What should we do?"
Josh shrugs, "Keep trying I guess."
Ten minutes later, they're both tired, wet and covered in mud and there's still no signal. "I suppose if we walk for long enough we'll reach civilization," Josh comments.
"God I hope so, otherwise we're going to have to walk back. Bet you wish you'd quit now."
"What and miss this adventure," Josh smiles. "It's like being a frontiersman in the 18th century."
"Only in suits, with a cell phone," Will adds.
"Yeh. And there's probably less likelihood of us getting ambushed by natives who are a little angry that we're stealing their land."
"Maybe. But knowing our luck we'll stumble across a survivalist camp."
"At least it'd be dry," Josh complains. "Hang on, I've got a signal."
"Thank God for that," Will sighs and sits down on a convenient rock.
Josh grins and dials 911. He gives the operator their location and details and hangs up.
"Call work," Will tells him.
Josh nods and dials.
Donna looks at her ringing cell phone but she doesn't recognize the number. "Answer it," CJ tells her.
"Donna Moss."
"Hey," says a familiar voice on the other end of the line.
"Josh," Donna sighs with relief and CJ grins. "Where are you? Are you alright? What about everyone else?"
Josh laughs, "I have no idea. I'm fine. Will's here, he's fine too. Charlie's hurt his shoulder. Ryan and Danny are okay and the pilot's broken his arm. How are you?"
"Better now. You have called for help haven't you?"
"Yes. The pilot gave us the co-ordinates, we'll be home before you know it. Are you sure you're alright?"
"Yeh, we were all worried, but it'll be okay now."
Josh catches Will's sigh and grins. "We're going to go now and get back to the plane before the weather sets in anymore. Will's looking a little chilly."
"Why aren't you with the plane?"
"We crashed in a ravine, Will and I hiked out."
"You hiked! Well thank God Will's with you," Donna smiles. "Hang on, Danny?" she asks, glancing at CJ. "Danny Concannon?"
"Yeh, he was stranded at the airport, we gave him a lift."
"He must be really grateful for that," Donna smiles.
"We are. He's the only one of us who knows first aid. I've got to go. I'll see you soon and try not to worry."
"I'll see you soon."
Josh hangs up the phone and catches Will's smile. "What?" he asks.
"If you don't tell her how you feel I'm going beat the crap out of you."
Josh follows Will down the slope. "You think you could do that do you?"
"I could get Toby to do it," Will smiles.
"Danny?" CJ asks.
"Hitched a ride with them. Josh says he's fine. They're all fine, apart from the pilot who's broken his arm."
"Okay," CJ nods. "How did he sound?" she asks as her and Donna rush to Leo's office.
"Same as always," Donna smiles.
Leo looks up as the two women enter his office. "What?" he asks.
"Josh has just phoned me," Donna tells him. "They're all fine.
Leo smiles with relief. "Thank God. Where are they?"
"He didn't know, but they have a map reference and he's called the emergency services. They crashed in a ravine, him and Will hiked out to get a signal on the cell phone. Charlie's hurt his shoulder, but other than that they're all fine." Donna's well aware that she's babbling, but she's just so relieved.
Leo smiles at her, he knows just how she's feeling. "I'll tell the President. Toby should he back from the Hill soon. CJ, hold off telling the press anything until we have more information."
"Danny Concannon's onboard as well," Donna adds.
"Danny? Is he okay?" Leo looks questioningly at CJ.
"He's fine apparently," CJ replies.
"Okay." Leo knocks on the door and walks into the Oval Office. "I'm sorry to disturb you, Sir. Do you have a minute?"
Jed excuses himself from the three men he's sat with and follows Leo across the room. "Well?"
"Josh has just phoned Donna. They're all fine. They crashed in a ravine, him and Will hiked out and called the emergency services from a cell phone."
"Thank God for that. So they should be home soon."
"By nightfall hopefully. Also, Danny Concannon's with them."
"Was he just hiking in the area?" Jed asks.
"Hitched a ride with them," Leo amends.
Jed smiles. "So we have a senior White House staffer, a senior member of the VP's staff, my bodyman, an intern who's the great great grandson of a former president and a Washington Post reporter stranded out there somewhere?"
"Yes."
"Okay."
FRIDAY, 5.30PM WHITE HOUSE PRESS BRIEFING ROOM
".....the plane's location is now known and search and rescue are on their way. As far as we know, everyone's fine. Mark?"
"If S & R aren't with them, how did they located them?"
CJ smiles. "Josh Lyman and Will Bailey hiked out of the ravine until they could get a signal on a cell phone and called from that." When the assembled reporters laugh, CJ grins, "Yes, it amazed us as well. We're just glad Will was with him. Katie?"
"Can you tell us how White House employees came to be using a private jet?"
"The plane belongs to a friend of the Pierce family. Ryan Pierce is currently interning in Josh Lyman's office."
"Is he onboard?"
"Yes he is." CJ pauses and glances at Carol, who nods to affirm that Danny's relatives have been informed. "As is Danny Concannon."
"Is he alright?" Mark asks.
"He's fine. Steve?"
"Why was Danny onboard?"
"He hitched a lift with them."
"I bet he's pleased about that," Steve comments.
5.30am SHENANDOAH
"Josh," Danny prompts. "Stay awake."
"If I sleep it'll be over quicker," Josh mutters.
"Josh." Danny shakes Josh awake again. It's starting to come light and Danny's praying that S & R get here soon, because Josh is freezing cold, and he's stopped shivering. "You're suppose to be in charge of this lot," he says. "Wake up and set a good example."
"Ryan's asleep," Josh replies.
"He's an intern."
"He went to Harvard," Josh says.
"Yeh?"
"Long time after us. Played on the squash team."
"Was he good?" Danny asks, willing to follow Josh's slightly odd train of thought, if it'll keep him awake.
"Probably."
Ryan stirs ,"I was," he agrees.
"He was frat boy," Josh continues as he closes his eyes again.
Danny nudges him awake again. "Not a Crimson then?"
"Nah." Josh looks over at Ryan and tries to remember what he was going to say, but his mind just wants to sleep.
"Were you a Crimson?" Ryan asks Danny.
"Danny the editor," Josh tells him.
"Yeh," Danny agrees. "I was his boss. He was.... actually I'm not sure what Josh was suppose to do."
"Not much has changed then," Charlie comments.
"Josh, wake up," Danny orders, shaking his friend. "There's no way I'm telling CJ that I let you drift into unconsciousness, she'd kill me."
"Donna would," Josh comments.
"Yeh her too," Danny agrees.
"She'd have come to California," Josh informs them all.
Danny looks blankly at Charlie and Will, who both shrug, a movement that causes Charlie to flinch with pain. "You okay?" Danny asks him.
"Yeh," Charlie whispers.
"Phillips'll be pleased," Josh continues.
"Why?" Danny asks. The whole Phillips story had intrigued him. He was sure there was more to it than anyone would say. Danny's known Josh for 20 years, since they worked on the Harvard newspaper together, and he knows Josh is quite capable of shooting his mouth off, but this time it just didn't seem quite right. He watched the TV footage and he was sure there was more.
"Me and Charlie in a plane crash," Josh replies.
"Yeh," Danny agrees. "He's never liked you."
"Or Donna."
"He doesn't like Donna?"
"Not with me."
Danny thinks about that. "What happened?"
"Hey," Ryan protests. "You fishing for a story?"
"I'm trying to keep him awake."
"Then talk about baseball," Ryan suggests.
Danny shrugs, "Seen any games recently then, Josh?" he asks.
"She got a letter," Josh continues, "warning her." Josh closes his eyes and this time Danny can't wake him.
7.30am WHITE HOUSE
Donna looks up as Leo enters the office. "Any news?" she asks, as she places her hand over the receiver.
"They found them ten minutes ago. They're fine. Cold, but fine. Toby and I are going to down to the hospital to meet them."
Donna smiles and nods. "I just..." she points at the phone and Leo frowns. "Josh's mom," she tells him.
"Tell her he's fine. I'll get him to call her later."
Leo's just leaving the office when a thought occurs to him. "Donna," he interrupts her again. "You want to come with us?"
This time Donna beams. "Yes, please, I'd like that."
"We're leaving in about half an hour."
Leo wasn't completely honest with Donna, which was one of the reasons he asked her to come with them to the hospital. Josh and Will both have hypothermia and Charlie has a cracked shoulder blade, Ryan and Danny have escaped unhurt. Will's awake and talking, although he's very cold and a little disoriented. Josh is drifting in and out of consciousness when Leo, Donna and Toby reached the hospital.
"You can go in and sit with him for a while if you like," the doctor tells them. "Just two of you. I'm afraid he's not very coherent at the moment."
"You two go in," Toby says, "I'll check on the others.
When Donna and Leo enter the room, they're relieved to find it looks nothing like the last time Josh was in hospital. True he's on a heart monitor, but there are no drips and no tubes. They sit either side of the bed and wait for Josh to wake up. After about five minutes he opens his eyes and looks at Donna and then Leo.
"Others?"
"Everyone else is fine," Leo tells him. He tries not to feel too hurt when Josh turns to Donna for confirmation.
Donna nods and smiles. "How you feeling?" Josh closes his eyes again though and doesn't answer, so Donna carries on talking. "I told your mom I'd let her know how you are when I got here. Her and Sam both want to come up, but the baggage handler's strike has grounded everything."
Josh opens his eyes again and watches Leo, looking like he's trying to remember something. He gives up and closes his eyes again. "Cold," he mutters.
"You'll be warmer soon," Leo promises.
"Can't remember," Josh replies, looking from Donna to Leo, as a nurse enters and beckons for them to leave now.
"We're going to go now and let you get some rest," Donna tells him, but he's already closed his eyes.
They leave the room and walk down the corridor, through the smell of anesthetic and antiseptic, the smell that brings back memories of another hospital. "I'm going to speak to the doctor," Leo tells Donna.
"I'm coming with you."
They find Doctor Mellor leaving another patient. "We want to talk to you about Josh Lyman's condition," Leo begins.
"I can only discuss patients with their next of kin I'm afraid."
"Well his mother's in Florida, so that's not really possible," Donna tells him. "We just want to know how he is. He seems out of it, like he doesn't really know where he is."
"Hypothermia can cause the patient to become very confused."
"But Will's fine," Donna persists.
"Each patient is different." Doctor Mellor sighs, he can see that these two are very worried and while he really can't discuss specifics he can generalize. "Mr Bailey's hypothermia isn't as severe as Mr Lyman's. Mr Lyman's medical history makes him far more susceptible to illness, but he should make a good recovery once is body temperature returns to normal."
"Why's he on a heart monitor?" Leo asks.
"Hypothermia can cause heart problems, we want to monitor him for 24 hours to make sure there are no complications."
"Like?"
"An irregular heart beat."
"Has there been?" Leo asks
"I can't discuss that."
"You mean there has?" Donna demands.
"If there had been, is it treatable," Leo asks.
"Yes. If there has been then we can treat it with drugs or, if necessary, with shock treatment. Look I know you're worried, but there's nothing I can tell you for a few hours. Go and get some rest, something to eat and come back then. We've got your cell phone number, if there are any changes in Mr Lyman's condition we'll let you know."
It's four hours before Josh is finally fully conscious.
"Hey," he smiles drowsily at Donna.
"Hey," Donna tries not to sound too concerned. "How are you?"
Josh smiles, "Tired."
"The doctor says...."
"Yeh, I know. He wants me to stay here, but I'd rather go home."
"You've got hypothermia, he thinks you should stay."
"If there are any complications, I seem to remember we've got a good hospital not far from my apartment."
Donna sighs and squeezes Josh's hand. "Leo's outside."
Josh nods. "I'll see you soon." he says as Donna lets Leo into the room.
"How you feeling?" Leo asks.
"Sore, cold, tired."
"Sore? I didn't think you were hurt?"
"I think the hike may have been a bit adventurous."
"You should stay here until tomorrow at least. You had a night out in the cold. You've got hypothermia. Do as the doctor says."
"I'd rather come back with everyone else."
"Donna can stay." Leo studies Josh, this is the first time in weeks he's been able to read him and he's not sure he likes what he sees. "You'll be alright you know."
"The doctor's worried about my heart, he says the rhythm's irregular. They've given me some drugs to control it."
"That's why you should stay and let them monitor you."
"You worried about me then?"
"Of course I'm worried about you," Leo snaps. "I've spent the last 18 hours scared half to death worrying about you, again. I should have let you quit."
"Nah. I wouldn't miss the fun of working at the White House. Although I do think we should get danger money," Josh smiles. Then he looks serious. "I hate hospitals."
"I know."
"When the doctor asked if I'd had heart surgery, which is a pretty dumb question by the way, I mean why the hell else would I have the scar? Anyway, when I told him what the procedure was, he looked a little concerned. They want me to stay on a heart monitor for 24 hours."
"Then for once do as you're told. I can always get Abbey down here to control you, you know."
Josh tries a smile, but it doesn't happen. "I'm scared, Leo."
Leo places his hand on Josh's head, like a father with a feverish infant. "You'll be fine. They'll monitor you. They can give you drugs to regulate your heart. You're in the best place."
"I know. And Donna can stay if she wants?"
"You think she might not want to?" Leo asks.
"She might get a little bored here on her own."
"Then I'd better stay with her. That's if you don't mind me hanging around?"
"I'd like that. Don't go worrying my mom will you."
"She knows you're in the hospital. But I won't tell her anything until we know for sure."
"Thanks.
"You want to see Toby?"
Josh nods.
Three hours later Toby's left the hospital with Will, Danny, Charlie and Ryan, and Donna and Leo have gone for something to eat. "What did Abbey say?" Donna asks.
"Abbey?"
"I know you asked the president to talk to her. What did she say?"
Leo hesitates before telling Donna. "She says that hypothermia can cause heart problems. But it's three years since Josh's operation and he'd had no problems with his health before or since. The hypothermia isn't that severe. She doesn't think they'll be any complications."
Donna studies Leo. He looks tired and worried, but not scared. "Good," she smiles.
Leo's been curious about something since last week, something he'd overheard CJ and Toby discussing. "If he'd have quit, would you have gone with him?"
"Yeh I would have. I know that doesn't make me sound very loyal to the White House." Donna looks at Leo to see whether he's annoyed about that.
"It makes you seem very loyal to Josh."
"Margaret would do the same for you," Donna points out.
Leo smiles and nods in agreement. "We've worked together a long time, fifteen years next month," he tells Donna, thinking that he should probably buy Margaret a gift of some sort for that landmark anniversary.
"I don't know whether I'd put up with Josh for that long," Donna jokes.
Leo grins, "You were the first assistant to put up with him for more than a week."
"You just have to know how to handle him and how to recognize his moods."
"I don't suppose I made life too easy for you the last few weeks?"
"No," Donna admits. "He was upset, Leo. No one asked him what had happened. Everyone, apart from Sam and Charlie, believed the press and Phillips. I spoke to Lucy Gutheridge, the intern, she told me what Phillips said about me and Josh. Why won't he tell the press?"
"Because he didn't want you to know what Phillips said about you and him, and he didn't want you dragging into it."
"What he said was disgusting. How dare he say something like that about Josh, how dare he call Josh.... CJ had to stop me going to tell him what I thought of him." Donna stops, fearing she's said too much.
"Don't look so worried. I agree with you. People like Phillips, they should be brought down. But it's not up to us, it's up to Josh."
"Then I think we should persuade him."