Residual Scarring 14/? Author: natlski Disclaimers: nope, they're not mine, but a girl can dream! Spoilers: The usual through season 2, with a reference to season 3 'Bartlet For America'; don't blink, you might miss it!

CAPITOL HILL

"Sir, what are you going to do?" Paul awkwardly stood before the Congressman. Lillienfield set his jaw and leveled his gaze on his Chief of Staff.

"I'm going to finish what I started. I'm going to bring down Josh Lyman."

GW HOSPITAL

"Hey!" Josh exclaimed as Donna clicked off the television. He reached for the remote control, which she easily kept out of reach.

"You need to rest. You're going to end up back in intensive care AGAIN."

"Donna!" His whine dissolved as his voice gave out. He gratefully accepted a cup from Donna and gingerly sipped the cool water.

"We watched C.J.'s briefing; it went well. The press were more concerned with your well being then sending your career down in flames. Toby was right."

Josh handed the cup back to Donna, shaking his head. "It's just beginning." His voice caught in his throat and he began coughing.

As the coughing intensified Donna helped him sit up and remove the oxygen mask. She placed a basin in his lap and moments later he was spitting mucus into the container. He pressed a hand against his aching chest, lying down and curling up on his side as he tried to control his breathing and stop the coughing. The fit finally passed, leaving him out of breath, and in pain. Donna shifted on the bed next to him, gently rubbing his back and looking at him in concern.

"You need to rest, Josh." Her voice was soft with just a hint of the defeat she was feeling.

WEST WING- COMMUNICATIONS

C.J. Cregg dropped into her chair and propped her head with one hand, allowing herself a few moments of exhaustion and pity. A knock on the office door ended her private moment and she quickly reached for the files on her desk, recomposing herself before looking up to see Toby and Sam standing in the doorway.

She granted them a smile. "Gentlemen, well done."

"And well executed." Sam replied as he dropped onto her couch. "Our fears were unfounded. Once again, Toby was right."

"Don't get too confident there, Opie, it's just beginning."

"Still, the response this morning is a good indicator. Wait. Opie?"

"What the hell?" Toby exclaimed

C.J. and Sam looked at him in confusion and then followed his gaze to the TV sets in the bookcase. C.J. fumbled with the papers on her desk, pushing aside several files to unearth a remote control and turn up the volume.

"This underlines the point I've been making about the incompetence of this administration." Peter Lillienfield spoke from behind a bank of microphones in front of the Capitol building.

The three Senior Staffers watched the TV screen in disbelief as Lillienfield rambled on.

"Josh Lyman, by the admission of the White House, is suffering from a serious psychological disease. A high level presidential advisor and influential policy maker who suffers from panic attacks. I ask you, is this a person you want anywhere near the President of the United States?"

Sam felt his anger build as he listened to Lillienfield. He jumped up from the couch and began pacing the room. "What the hell does it take to shut this guy up? We've got to respond!"

"No." C.J. kept her attention on the broadcast.

"What?!" Sam exploded, wheeling around to face the Press Secretary.

"Sam, we're not going to go tit for tat with this schmuck." Toby's voice remained soft.

"He's crucifying Josh!" Sam whirled away from C.J. and Toby, slamming his hand into the door. All three froze as images of Josh's bandaged hand and boarded up window flashed into their heads. Sam closed his eyes, leaned his forehead against the door, and held his hand gingerly against his heaving chest as pain began to throb through the appendage.

"Feel better there, Spanky?" C.J. asked after a moment.

Sam slowly shook his head. "I think I broke my hand."

OFFICE OF CONGRESSMAN PETER LILLIENFIELD

Peter Lillienfield greeted Congressman Gibson at the door. "Darren! Good to see you." He turned to his secretary, "Melanie, hold my calls please, and could you get the Congressman a drink?"

"Club soda." Gibson instructed the woman, who nodded and went to get the requested beverage.

Lillienfield ushered Gibson into his office and offered him a seat.

"Thank you for seeing me on such short notice, Peter." Gibson said as he and Lillienfield sat opposite each other.

There was a knock on the door and Melanie entered with drinks for the two men. After serving them and receiving 'thank you's' from the men, she quickly left the room.

"Not a problem, Darren. I'm always happy to take time for you. We have many common goals and I'm confident we can accomplish a great deal together."

"Yes, this is why I've come to you. I want you to lay off Josh Lyman."

Lillienfield carefully schooled his features to hide his surprise and anger. "You want me to lay off Josh Lyman." He repeated and then waited for Gibson to explain himself.

"You're going to embarrass yourself and the party. Bartlet's staff weakened your attack by announcing Lyman's problems and controlled the news cycle. And your timing is bad. Lyman is in the hospital with pneumonia and people are sympathetic. He became a favorite because of what happened at Rosslyn and the fact that he is still recovering is causing sympathy, not out rage."

Lillienfield held Gibson's gaze, controlling his emotions and processing what Gibson had said. "So we cut our losses?"

"No. We concede a small battle in order to win the war." Gibson took a sip of his drink, the clink of the ice cubes reminding him of another time and place; of a stronger drink and another man's moment of weakness. A small smile played across his lips. "You don't have what you need to bring Lyman down with this. They are facing a congressional investigation of the M.S. cover- up. Josh Lyman was a senior political advisor. He knew things. Leo McGarry knew things," He paused, "I know things."

Lillienfield thought for a moment. When he spoke, there was a devious gleam in his eye, matching the gleam in Gibson's eye. "What do you recommend my next move be?"

"Issue an apology and fade into the background. Be patient. I think you'll be pleased with the outcome."

The two men stood and shook hands. "Congressman, I want to thank you for bringing this important matter to my attention and advising me."

Gibson smiled a tight lipped smile that didn't reach his eyes. "You're welcome. Remember; be patient. If all goes according to plan, you will be very pleased. I have this taken care of."

Lillienfield nodded and walked Gibson to the door. After bidding the man farewell, he turned to his Chief of Staff. "Paul," He spoke softly. "I'm going to issue an apology to Josh Lyman and wish him a speedy recovery."

"Sir?" Paul furrowed his brow in confusion.

"And then I'm going to drop this matter."

"Y.yes, Sir." He stammered, trying to comprehend this sudden change. Lillienfield looked at his Chief of Staff expectantly. Paul scrambled to get his wits about him. He knew his boss was waiting for him to give a usable statement. "Congressman Lillienfield deeply regrets any additional suffering Mr. Lyman has experienced and wishes him a quick and full recovery."

"Good. Take care of it."

"Yes Sir."

Lillienfield closed his office door behind him, leaving a very confused Paul still standing at his desk.

GW HOSPITAL

Sam Seaborn slipped quietly into Josh's hospital room, easing the door shut behind him. He stood for a moment, watching his best friend sleep. He adjusted his sling, uncomfortable with the hard cast that encased three fingers and his entire right hand and wrist. He crossed the room and gingerly sat in the visitor's chair by the bed.

Josh slowly opened his eyes and gave Sam a sleepy smile. "Hey." He closed his eyes and rubbed them before dropping his arms to lie across his stomach. He stretched his neck a little, rolling his head on the pillow.

"I didn't mean to wake you."

"It's okay. Seems like all I do anymore is sleep." Josh rasped. He opened his eyes and turned his head to look at his friend. His eye brows shot up when he saw Sam's sling and cast. "Toby finally get feed up with your writing?"

"Lillienfield held his press conference." The young speech writer looked down at the floor in embarrassment.

"Sam, as much as I think he deserves it. please don't tell me you beat the crap out of a congressman."

Sam shook his head. "C.J.'s office door."

"At least I chose something that gave with the force."

Sam's head snapped up, a horrified look on his face. "Not funny, Josh."

Josh closed his eyes and winced. "Sorry." His voice was barely as loud as a whisper.

There was an uncomfortable silence for several minutes.

"Donna wouldn't let me keep the T.V. on." Josh finally spoke.

"I'm glad you didn't see it." Sam shook his head, slumping in the chair and adjusting his sling.

"It was bad?"

"That man continues to astound me with his ability to outdo himself in the horse's ass department."

"Sam."

"Lillienfield is a windbag. He's just blowing hot air. He's."

"Don't you dare say harmless. Don't you realize how much more damage he can do by continuing to shoot his mouth off?"

"Josh, he's loosing all credibility. C.J. and Toby are right. We just have to wait this out."

"Easy for you to say; it's not your career." Josh huffed, crossing his arms over his chest and coughing a few times.

"Josh."

The uncomfortable silence descended again, broken only by Josh's coughing. Sam fiddled with his sling and cast.

After several minutes Josh looked up, uncertainty reflecting in his brown eyes. He studied his friend for a minute before speaking. "C.J.'s office door?"

"Yeah." Sam looked up with a sheepish grin.

"Does it hurt?"

"Like hell, but the doctor gave me some pain killers."

"How long is Cathy going to have to take dictation and do your typing?" Josh asked with a smirk.

Sam chuckled. "Several weeks."

"Can I sign it?" Josh's face lit up like a little boy's at Christmas.

"Got a marker?" Sam laughed.

Josh shook his head. "I bet you could get one from the nurse's station, though."

"I'll be right back." Sam stood and disappeared out the door.

As the door closed Josh pushed himself up and looked around for the remote control to the T.V. He spied it on the table, out of reach. He pulled off the oxygen mask and gingerly, mindful of the I.V., climbed out of bed and retrieved the remote. When he settled back against his pillows he was out of breath. "Can't even get out of the damn bed." he grumbled and placed the oxygen mask back over his face. As he fought to control his breathing and suppress the coughs he flipped on the T.V.

He gasped as the picture came up. A small picture over the news anchor's left shoulder showed a picture of Congressman Peter Lillienfield. The anchor was in the middle of a report and Josh hastily turned up the volume. "Congressman Peter Lillienfield issued an apology." The picture switched to video of Paul Specht, Chief of Staff to Lillienfield, standing at a podium.

"SAM! SAM!" Josh yelled before breaking down coughing.

Sam came bursting through the door with a nurse on his heals. Josh was sitting up in the bed, pressing one hand against his aching chest while he coughed and gasped for breath, and pointing at the T.V. with his other.

The two men watched the news piece in awe while the nurse tried to tend to Josh's medical needs. She replaced the oxygen mask with a nebulizer mask and Josh finally allowed her to push him back against the pillows when the reporter finished.

Josh and Sam looked at each other, wide eyed. "Well," Josh wheezed "it looks like you need to revise your assessment of Lillienfield's horse's ass status." Sam continued to stare at him in disbelief. "Did you get the marker?"

~~tbc~~