Well, we're almost to the end. I'm sorry I've been so crappy about updating lately but I've had limited time to do this and blah blah blah (goes on listing excuses). So put up with with me and my lazy ways for another two chapters. I've had a lot of fun with this story and these characters, but it's time to move on in the next direction of my fanfiction writing career: X-rated Care Bear slash!!!!!!
When you're done vomiting, here's the next chapter.
CHAPTER 8
Josh pulled a beer out of CJ's mini-fridge and stretched out on her office couch.
"You'd think the Chief of Staff would have some work to do." CJ grumbled, but she too took out a bottle.
"For once, not at nine o' clock at night. Donna's working on that thing right now so I'm all set."
"Yeah, I have to brief on that later. Nothing like late night press briefings. I'm going to have to find a way to throw out that Bruger thing. That blew up in our faces."
Josh's face hardened for a moment. "Donna was just doing what I told her to." He said.
"I know." CJ replied quickly, "But at least he apologized to her."
"Yeah." Josh took a swig of beer and they were quiet for a second. Then he said suddenly, "I remember what happened."
"What?"
"The-the explosion. I'm starting to remember things about it."
CJ didn't speak. "Do you have nightmares at all?" he asked her.
"Sometimes." She admitted.
"I've been having them. I dream about Sam a lot. He had to be scared. They sat there in the dark for a while. I wonder what he was thinking."
He took a bigger swallow. "I had nightmares every night for a week after we got back from California. Then I tried staying awake. That lasted about a night and a half. Then they went away for a few nights and came back. I dream that he-he blames me. That he thinks I should have died."
"He would never say that." CJ said more firmly than necessary.
"I know. But they don't stop. So I've tried not sleeping again. It's been two days now, almost three."
"You haven't slept in two nights?"
"Nope."
"You're aware that Donna will kill you when she finds out?"
"She won't find out."
"If I don't tell her."
Josh gave her a horrified look. "You wouldn't!"
CJ shrugged, taking another sip. "How long do you think you can do this?" she asked.
He shrugged. "A while. Coffee and caffeine pills work wonders."
"Have you talked to Stanley?"
"Have you?" he shot back.
"Why would I talk to him?"
"Have you gone to a psychiatrist?"
"No. But I'm not the one with PTSD."
"Ceej, I'm okay. I can handle this."
He yawned. "So what did you think of that fiasco last week?"
CJ laughed. "That poor girl. I don't think she's ever going to stop apologizing."
"And David. He was a mess."
Yeah. Why'd he eat that? I mean, being polite is one thing, going to the emergency room for it is a whole other."
"I think he likes her."
"She's nineteen years old, Josh."
"So?" Josh said.
"He likes Donna."
"What?! No he doesn't."
"Alright. Whatever you say."
"You don't say that often enough."
She glared at him and he smiled innocently. Rolling her eyes, CJ went back to her desk.
"Fiona's friend, she was completely nuts about you. Poor girl. But there's hope for her yet."
She waited for his comeback. When it didn't come, she looked up. He was asleep, his bottle tipping dangerously in his hand. She wheeled over and took it out of his hand. Setting it on her desk, she thought about what Josh had said about Sam being scared. As though a movie were playing in her head she could see what might have happened. The lights went out. There would be a lot of worried muttering; maybe the children would start crying. Sam would figure out that it was more than a power outage. He would try to figure out what he could do and realize that there was nothing. Then there would be the waiting...
A tear snaked down her face. She wiped it away hurriedly. "Spanky," she said, her hands clasped as though praying, "Sam, I know you're busy tormenting Toby up there in Heaven but please, look after Josh. He needs you right now."
She glanced at her watch. She should probably go get what she needed from Donna and get the briefing over with so she could release the press corps.
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"CJ, a spokesperson for Senator Bruger said that the White House actually wrote the wording of the bill with him. Why would you do that if you were not planning to fully support the measure?"
"Well, Katie," CJ said, kicking impatiently at her podium, "There was some miscommunication about the amount of support the bill was to be given. You see—"
She froze. Had she just been moving her leg? Not breathing, she tried again. Her foot swung out and knocked her notes off the podium. She was unable to stop the grin that spread across her face at the moment.
"Um, CJ?"
Katie was waiting for an answer to her question. CJ rattled off her prepared lines, not really focusing on the words she said. All she could concentrate on was getting back to her office and trying, just one more time, to get out of this prison.
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CJ wheeled back into her office. When she got to the doorway she pushed herself into a standing position, then let go of the chair. She stayed upright for a second, then fell back down. But this time, instead of being miserable, she was elated. She was going to walk again!
Josh muttered something and turned over. CJ had forgotten about him. And now she realized that she had never told him what her doctor had said. She felt a split second of guilt about that, then realized that it was probably for the best. He had enough stress right now without taking on CJ's.
She decided to leave him there for the night. He would be mad in the morning, but it was better than him staying awake again. Hurriedly, she scrawled a note to him. She was halfway done when he spoke.
"Sam?"
CJ froze. Then she put down her pen and looked over. Fear was etched across Josh's face, his closed eyes scrunched tight. She wasn't sure what she should do.
"Sam." He mumbled again, "Buddy, you have to help me."
CJ reached over to shake him awake. "CJ's after me." He said, "I don't know what I did. Hide me."
CJ stopped, dumbfounded. Then she laughed softly. "Thanks Sam."
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I wanted to get this up as soon as I got it back from Lexi, so sorry, no responses today. I'll try to respond to reviews for both last chapter and this one in chapter 9. Sorry this took so long. Hopefully I'll get the next one up sooner.
Bye!