Disclaimer – I do not own these characters – they are the property of NBC, John Wells and the fabulous Aaron Sorkin. I do own Emma Lyman and any other characters I invent, but please feel free to borrow them. Just let me know what you're doing with them!
Rating – PG-13
Spoilers – this is a sequel to That Which Time Cannot Erase
Pairings – Sam/Donna, Josh/Ellie
Summary – Sam and Donna's wedding goes off without a hitch – yeah right, come on, how much fun would THAT be????
A/N - As always, many, many thank yous to Bartlegg for previewing this chapter and adding many wonderfully funny lines to the chapter! You have an amazing gift for writing comedy and I'm so thankful you've shared that gift with me!
Josh stretched and yawned, then pushed back the sleeve of his shirt to take a quick peek at his watch. 2:13 a.m. His mind wandered to Eleanor – wherever she and Emma were at the moment. He hoped that Ellie hadn't had too difficult of a time getting their eighteen-month old daughter to sleep in an unfamiliar place. He wished he could be there to tuck her in.
"Josh?" the President said quietly from his spot in his Oval Office wingchair, "why don't you head up to the Residence and get some sleep? We can call you if something comes up."
"No, Sir, thanks, I'm fine," Josh lied, righting himself on the sofa and rubbing his eyes. He glanced around the Oval Office, the dimmed lights casting a soft glow on the features of all assembled in the room. "I don't sleep until you sleep, remember?" he said with a slight smile.
"Yeah, how unlucky for you that I'm a registered insomniac." Jed nodded, smiling gratefully at his son-in-law.
There was a knock on the door to the Oval Office and the President said loudly, "Come in!"
Admiral Fitzwallace, Nancy McNally, and Adam Minor entered dutifully. This would be the group's fifteenth briefing for the President since the bombing. Each took a seat in the circle before beginning to speak. "Mr. President," Nancy began quietly, "we have a development," she smiled softly. "I think you'll be pleased."
"Mr. President," Minor stated, "a little over an hour ago, D.C. police, working in conjunction with the combination FBI, NSA and CIA force you authorized, apprehended four members of the Bahi splinter group in a room at the Latham Georgetown Hotel." Minor laid a series of photographs on the coffee table. "The agents found enough C-4 to level at least one wing of the White House."
Josh took the photograph the President handed him and examined it. It showed a small hotel room loaded with more bomb making materials than Josh had ever seen. "God," Josh said under his breath.
"Yeah," Minor said quietly, allowing the finding to sink in slowly before continuing. "One of the members, Hassan Abdul, is beginning to provide us with very valuable information, including the targets of the other planned attacks."
"What are they?" the President asked curiously.
"The group is going after the embassies in Paris, Lisbon and Ankara, Turkey," Minor explained.
"Why these embassies?" Leo demanded.
Minor shrugged. "The locations of these three embassies are more difficult to defend than others. They're older, in the center of town..."
"What's being done now?" Jed asked.
"Teams are en route to defend the embassies from attack. Streets around the embassies are being closed off completely," Minor explained.
"Our people are out?" the President continued.
"Yes, Sir, our people are safe. Essential personnel have also been evacuated," Minor answered.
"And you're sure the threat to the White House has been neutralized?" Leo inquired.
"Abdul says it was just the four of them," Minor said reluctantly, "but I'd like more time before I say I'm sure."
"You have all the time you need, Adam," the President assured him.
Minor stood, as did Fitzwallace and Nancy. "Thank you sir," they said in unison before departing.
The President, Leo, Josh and Ron Butterfield simply stared at each other. For the first time in seven years of the Administration, a threat to the White House had never been more real. "Ron," the President said softly, "we'll remain under lockdown until Adam is sure."
"Yes, Sir," Ron replied gravely.
"In the meantime," the President said, standing, "let's all get some sleep, shall we?"
Josh remained in the Oval Office with his father-in-law. "I'll meet you in the Residence in a few minutes, Mr. President," he said, tapping his finger on the President's desk.
"Josh, it's just you and me, you can call me Jed. I've told you that a million times," he replied, somewhat exasperatedly.
Josh grinned. "Yes, Mr. President, I know you did, but until Leo starts calling you Jed, I'm not about to," he answered.
"Hmmph, " Jed scoffed, tossing several files into his briefcase. "Fine Mr. Deputy Chief of Staff, but don't expect me to use your first name until you use mine." He straightened up and tossed his jacket over his head, sliding his arms into the sleeves with ease. "Charlie!" he bellowed towards the closed office door.
Charlie poked his head inside. "Yes, Mr. President?"
Jed pointed back toward Charlie's desk. "Get your stuff, Charlie, let's go. I'm tired."
Josh noticed Charlie's slightly embarrassed expression. "I don't need to stay in the Residence, Sir."
Jed stared at Charlie; then rolled his eyes. "Charlie, my boy, this may be the only time I let you sleep in my daughter's bed and not go ballistic. I suggest you get your stuff and come on."
"What about Josh and Leo?" Charlie asked.
"Leo's gathering his things and Josh is going back to his office to get C.J., Sam and Donna. We're having a regular slumber party," Jed grumbled.
"Yes, Mr. President," Charlie said with a nod, heading back toward his office.
Josh pointed at the door. "Meet you up in there in about fifteen?"
"Yeah," Jed answered, grabbing his briefcase, "I'll have the beer waiting."
"Thank you, Mr. President," Josh said politely before stepping out of the office. He made his way through the eerily quiet hallways of the West Wing toward his own door. In seven years of the Bartlet Administration, he'd never seen the White House this quiet, and it terrified him. The door to his office was closed and he opened it quietly, finding it empty. He grabbed his backpack off the floor and his change of clothes from the closet. He stepped out of the office and shut the door again, heading this time for C.J.'s office. He rapped lightly on her door and was greeted with a soft, "Yeah?"
He opened the door and smiled at the disheveled Press Secretary. "The President says to Grab your stuff and come on. We're all sleeping in the Residence tonight."
CJ halted her actions and looked up at Josh. "Wow, I've never had a guy be that direct before..."
Josh seemed embarrassed at his gaff, "No, CJ, I mean we're all, all of us, sleeping with the President in the residence..."
CJ's eyes widened a little more. "We're all sleeping with the president? Does Abbey know?"
Josh shook his head vigorously. "No, no, its because..."
CJ interrupted. "I know Sparky. I was just bein' smart."
"More like dirty."
CJ ignored this last statement. "So who's bringing the popcorn and sodas?" she asked sarcastically, running a hand through her hair.
"I wish it was that kind of party," Josh said with a soft laugh as he watched C.J. gather her belongings.
"Okay, I'm ready," she said finally, making her way to Josh, who was hanging in the doorway. "Who are we lacking?"
"The lovebirds," Josh said with a sigh. "I was hoping they might hear me walking around and stop whatever they might be doing."
C.J. grinned. "Walk in on something, did you?"
Josh rolled his eyes. "They were about to defile my office furniture."
"Not any more than it's already been defiled," C.J. shot back.
"She's my wife and it's my office," he replied irritably, winding through the maze of offices to the Communications bullpen. He pounded on Sam's closed office door. "Wake-y, wake-y," he said loudly, continuing the pounding.
The door swung open and Donna reached out, grabbing Josh by the ear and dragging him inside. "I hate you," she said with a yawn, sitting down on the couch beside Sam. "We JUST got to sleep."
"That was way more information than I really needed," Josh answered.
"You really are an ass, you know that?"
"What's up?" Sam changed the subject quickly as he sat up from the couch.
"Get your stuff, we're sleeping in the Residence tonight," Josh explained.
"They got four of the guys, but we're still under lockdown until Minor clears us."
"They got the guys?" Donna asked brightly. "That's great!"
"Don't get too excited there, Donnatella," Josh explained with a dimpled grin, "I said they got four of the guys, there could be more."
Donna glanced over at Sam. "It's like he's the official 'take the wind out of my sails' guy." Sam smiled and patted her on the arm. "Okay, fine," she said with a shake of her head, "Whatever, let's go, I'm tired."
Sam and Donna gathered their belongings and headed for the Residence with Josh and C.J. They fell out of line in succession – Josh dropping off when he reached the door to Ellie's old room, Sam and Donna taking the next bedroom, and C.J. another.
"Maybe this will all be over by tomorrow," Donna chatted excitedly as she pushed the covers off the bed and climbed inside.
"Yeah, maybe," Sam said somewhat reluctantly, knowing full-well that even if the lockdown were lifted by tomorrow morning, they'd be hard pressed to salvage anything of their already cancelled wedding. She snuggled in beside him and Sam wrapped an arm around her waist. "I love you Sam Seaborn," she said with a sleep-heavy voice.
"I love you too, Donnatella," he replied, pressing a kiss to her blonde hair.
TBC...