Residual Scarring 10/? Author: natlski Disclaimer: Kelly Mackenzie is mine (not that I really want her.), as is Dr. Chad Morgan. All others belong to the great and powerful Aaron Sorkin and all those other people who get money for them.

GW Hospital- Intensive Care Unit

Josh lay unmoving in the hospital bed. Wires ran from his body to various monitors. An oxygen mask covered his mouth and nose. Even through the oxygen mask the wheezes of his breathing could be heard. Several blankets had been placed over him, but his body still shook with chills.

Donna sat watching him. Her legs were drawn up, feet resting on the edge of the chair, arms wrapped around her legs and chin resting on her knees. She fought the exhaustion that threatened to overtake her. She rubbed her burning eyes and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. She realized she was developing a pretty intense dislike for hospitals; she was spending entirely too much time at the bedside of her boss.

Her eyes slid shut. She felt tightness in her chest as she fought the tears building in her eyes. Donna opened her eyes and bit her bottom lip as her gaze drifted to the machines monitoring Josh's vitals then back to his pale, thin face. The weight of the situation slammed into her, combining with the pressure of the last two weeks. Tears spilled down her cheeks. She couldn't hold back the sobs, and covered her mouth in an effort to stifle them. She was startled when an arm wrapped around her shoulders in comfort, and looked up to see Sam by her side. The sight of tears on the young man's face broke what little hold Donna had on her composure and she sobbed uncontrollably. Sam pulled her against him and held her as she cried.

After a while her sobs began to subside; turning into occasional hiccups. Her shaking shoulders stilling to an occasional shudder. Donna rested her head against Sam's side, too exhausted to rise from the chair. Sam continued to stroke her head and she calmed.

"Thank you." She whispered.

"You're welcome." Sam spoke, his voice barely audible and thick with emotion. "Come join us in the waiting room. Leo and Toby arrived a little while ago and Danny's here. He's got information."

Donna turned her attention back to the still form in the bed. "He shouldn't wake up alone."

Sam gently rubbed Donna's back as he spoke. "I'll stay."

"I don't know." Donna felt the tears building again.

"Hey," Sam knelt on the floor in front of his friend and gently turned her face toward him. He tucked stray blond locks behind her ear and wiped away her tears with his thumbs. "You don't have to shoulder this all on your own. Go; be with the others, get something to eat, get some rest. I'll stay with Josh. He won't be alone."

Donna held Sam's gaze briefly before looking at Josh again. "Okay." She whispered, allowing Sam to pull her to her feet and into an embrace.

"He's going to pull through this, and I don't want to have to face him with the news that you've worried yourself sick and are in the hospital."

Donna smiled. "I could say the same to you."

Sam chuckled. "We make a pair, don't we?" He walked her to the door and gently pushed her out into the hallway. After watching her walk down the hall to the room where the others were, Sam returned to the bedside to take up Donna's vigil.

Waiting Room

Toby Ziegler looked up from his notepad as the door opened. He felt his stomach drop as an intense feeling of déjà vu swept over him. Donna Moss stood before them, face pale and drawn, and still wet with tears.

"How is he?" C.J. asked looking up.

"The same." Donna sank in to the chair between C.J. and Leo. She realized that if she wasn't so exhausted she would probably burst into tears again.

"Take a look at this." Toby handed the young woman the memo.

"Maybe you can help us figure out where this came from." C.J. watched Donna's face as she read the memo; an expression of anger replaced the exhaustion and defeat. "Sam and Toby insist that it is from Steve Joyce, but he was fired before any of the events described here happened."

Leo stood and walking over to Donna, leaned down to kiss her on the top of the head. She looked up in surprise. "He's a tough kid. He's been through a lot and he always comes back. I've got to get back to the White House. Keep me up dated."

The others watched the older man leave while Donna sat in stunned silence. After a moment she dropped her head and turned her attention back to the paper in her hand. She re-read it again and again, trying to push aside her anger at Lillienfield and who ever had written the memo and grasp the piece of information that was eluding her. She furrowed her brow in concentration. Suddenly her eyes widened with realization and she looked up at the others.

"Kelly Mackenzie!"

"Kelly Mackenzie?" Toby repeated leaning back in his chair.

"She's a junior staffer in Josh's office. She's started dating Steve Joyce a few weeks before he was fired." Donna read the memo again. "I think they're still dating."

"So, she goes home and tells her boyfriend about what is going on at work." C.J. took the paper from Donna to read again.

"Except said boyfriend is a disgruntled former White House employee." Danny Concannon spoke for the first time since Donna had entered the room.

Donna looked at him in surprise. "Danny!"

"Hi Donna." He grinned sheepishly before turning the conversation back to the problem at hand. "If Sam is the one who fired Joyce, why would he try to destroy Josh? Wouldn't it make more sense for him to go after Sam?"

"Maybe he's trying to get Sam through Josh."

"You've been watching too many soap operas, Donna." Toby quietly scoffed.

"Since when do I have to time to watch soaps?"

"He could be trying to hurt the administration in general. If I recall correctly, he wasn't all that helpful when he was working for us." C.J. interjected, bringing the focus back on topic.

Toby stood and stretched. "I'm going back to the White House. I'd have to be at work in a few hours anyway." He started past Donna but stopped and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Call me if there are any changes."

She nodded in response and watched him leave. "You should go, too C.J. Thank you for everything."

"Are you sure you'll be all right here?" C.J. studied Donna's face, concerned by the clearly evident exhaustion.

Donna managed a small smile. "Yeah, I'll try to get some sleep here." She motioned toward the couch where Danny was sitting. "Thank you for everything tonight. I promise I'll call with any news." Donna captured C.J.'s hand in her own and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"If you're certain.." C.J. hesitated, but knew that Donna's response would be the same. She stood, letting go of the younger woman's hand and turning toward Danny. "Come on Bernstein; I need a ride to work."

After the two left Donna moved to stretch out on the couch. She closed her eyes, allowing herself to relax, and quickly drifted off to sleep.

ICU - early morning

Sam Seaborn jerked awake. Looking at the watch on his left wrist he realized he'd only dozed off for a few moments. He turned his attention to the hospital bed and sighed in disappointment when he saw there was no change. Josh was still unconscious. Sam moved his chair a little closer to the bed and placed his hand on Josh's forehead. He wasn't certain, but it was possible that his fever was down.

"You know, this is actually getting kind of old. I know you didn't want to go to that meeting on the hill tomorrow, but there are cheaper ways of getting out of meetings." Sam sighed again. "Josh." his voice broke. "You're scaring me, buddy. Please wake up."

Sam dropped his head and closed his eyes, regaining his composure. He was startled by the door opening and turned to be greeted by the doctor who had been treating Josh.

The middle aged physician smiled at Sam as he crossed the room to his patient. "Good morning, Mr. Seaborn."

"Sam."

"Sorry, I forgot." The doctor responded quietly.

"Any news, Dr. Morgan?"

Dr. Chad Morgan checked the chart and then the patient before turning to answer the question. "I just got the last of the test results back."

Sam caught his breath. Finally they'd get some answers!

"Josh has developed pneumonia. In addition to that, he was having a bad reaction to the medications he was given for the initial bronchitis and asthma. I've changed his meds. His fever has started to come down. We should see him waking soon. He's pretty much out of danger. When he wakes up he will be extremely weak and it will probably take him a while to start to get his strength back and beat the infection. Mr. Lyman will definitely be our guest for a while longer; although I can assure you that once he wakes up we should be able to move him out of intensive care."

There was a soft groan from the bed and a muffled, "Josh."

Sam, giddy with relief, grinned at the doctor. "He doesn't really like being called Mr. Lyman- claims that title belongs to his father."

"Josh, I'm Dr. Morgan. It's good to see you awake."

"Home?" Josh wheezed, opening his eyes briefly before letting them slide shut, exhausted from the effort.

Dr. Morgan checked Josh's vitals again as he answered. "No, and I'm afraid not for a while, Josh. You're pretty sick."

Josh's groan dissolved into coughing that increased in intensity. Sam looked at Dr. Morgan in alarm as his friend struggled to breathe.

"Help me get him up, Sam." The doctor elevated the head of the bed slightly before grasping Josh's shoulders and with Sam's help pulled him into a sitting position, leaning forward. He kept one arm supportively around Josh's shoulders and with the other hand he reached behind him, grabbed a basin from the bedside table and deposited it in Josh's lap. He removed the oxygen mask just as Josh expelled a great deal of green mucus from his lungs. Sam blanched at the sight.

Without missing a beat Dr. Morgan gently laid Josh back against the bed, removed the basin and proceeded to clean Josh up. He replaced the oxygen mask. Josh lay still, chest heaving and his breathing audible. Tears streamed from closed eyes and his features were twisted in pain.

"I know it hurts, Josh, and I won't lie to you. This is going to be around for a while. But we're going to help you." Dr. Morgan pressed the call button to summon a nurse and began to make notations in the chart.

Sam stood beside Josh, hands still on his shoulder, watching while Dr. Morgan gave instructions to the nurse. He didn't understand all the medical terms and the names of drugs and their doses slipped by him. His best friend was in agony, and he could do nothing. He swallowed and looked down at Josh. He'd fallen asleep despite the pain; his body's need for rest overriding all else.

Dr. Morgan motioned to Sam and gently moved him out the door, leaving the nurse to finish carrying out his orders. Once in the hallway Dr. Morgan stopped to address the young man. "I know that looked bad, and yes he's in a lot of pain, but he will be alright. He's going to be sleeping a lot now and there is a long road ahead of him. I noticed Miss Moss was asleep in the waiting room. I suggest you wake her, tell her Josh's condition, then you both go home and get some sleep."

Sam turned to look at the closed door of Josh's room. "She's going to want to see him."

"That's fine; but only briefly. I don't want either of you to become patients here."

Sam gave the doctor a small smile. "Thank you Dr. Morgan." The two men shook hands.

"I have no doubt I'll be seeing a lot of all of you in the coming weeks."

"You can count on it." Sam turned and headed for the waiting room, feeling just a little more light hearted then he had for several weeks.