When Lightning Strikes Twice
Rating: PG-13 to be safe
Couples: J/D to start
Category: Angst, Drama, Romance
Summary: Josh is shot again. What will happen this time?Disclaimers: These characters aren't mine (god knows I wish that they were) they belong to Aaron Sorkin etc.Author's Notes: This is my first fanfic so tell me if you like it. This takes place in the second term of the administration, but since it is an AU Sam is still at the White House, and Will is not. Major Major Angst Alert!! You may want lots of tissues. I even had a hard time writing it. Please read and review. Your comments will be greatly appreciated.
BTW: Thanks to all of my reviewers! I hope to make your dreaded Agnst worth it in the end!
Chapter 2 Not all things go bump in the night"Donna, please don't cry. I hate it when you cry."
"Josh you shouldn't be here wasting energy. You need to rest so that you get better."
"I know that's why I won't stay long. It's just I need you to promise me that if I don't make it you won't be afraid to love and that you'll let others love you."
"Josh don't talk like that. You have to live. You can't just go and leave me and the others."
"Donna you have to promise me, please. There are people that will be there for you if you need it. You can push them away."
"I promise Josh, but please don't leave"
"I'll try Donna, but it is so hard this time. I'll try, but I don't know if ..."
"You can. Now please get some rest. I'll see you when you wake up, along with everybody else. So go"
"I will. Goodbye Donna. I love you."
"I'll see you later Josh, and I love you too."
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
November 13
10:30 AM
She stirred. She was on a cot, and Josh was right near her. She looked around to see Leo asleep in a chair and busying with Josh. The nurse turned and saw that Donna was awake. She started towards Leo.
"No," Donna said, "let him sleep."
The nurse then turned back to her.
"Would you like some breakfast?"
She shook her head 'no'. The thought of breakfast just didn't seem to settle with her right now.
"How is he?"
The nurse looked a little nervous.
"Well, he's still critical, and the doctors are watching him closely."
Donna absorbed all that was said, taking it all in a stride. This isn't the time to be weak. This was the time she had to be strong for Josh, and for everyone else. She knew that she had her time to cry; now it was up.
"What are his chances?"
Now the nurse was looking even more nervous.
"I'll get the doctor so that he can talk more to you."
The nurse left and Donna watched as she saw the nurse stop and talk to someone outside the door. The door opened, and in walked Abbey. She looked over at Leo's sleeping figure.
"I should probably wake him. He has been here all night since Jed came out and said to get something that you could sleep on."
She went over to him.
"Leo, get up she's up now. Plus you need to get home so that you can get more sleep."
Leo opened his eyes saw Donna and gave her an encouraging smile. Then he got up from the chair that he had been in and walked out of the room. Abbey turned to her.
"So, how are you holding out?"
Donna smiled weakly trying to prove to herself and Abbey that she was fine.
"Donna, don't try that act with me. Right now your poker face isn't much better than Josh's."
Donna looked at her.
"I'm sorry Mrs. Bartlet."
"First of all it's Abbey, and second of all you have nothing to be sorry about. You have every right, within reason, to do what ever you want right now. I hear that the doctor is coming shortly, do you want me to stay?"
"No."
Abbey didn't look too surprised. She seemed to understand the way that Donna was going to play the game.
"Okay then. I just wanted to say hi, and see how you were doing. I'll stop by later most likely."
"Goodbye, and thank you Abbey."
Hearing Donna say Abbey made Abbey smile as she walked out the door leaving Donna alone with her thoughts.
However they were disturbed, once again by the opening of the door. She looked up to see the doctor walk in,
"Miss Moss, I'm Dr. Smith. I've been monitoring Mr. Lyman's Condition since he came in."
He held out his hand. Donna took it and looked him straight in the eye.
"What are his chances?"
Dr. Smith hesitated for a moment.
"They're not to good at the moment. He suffered from blood loss, due to the fact that the bullet entered at almost the same spot as his first wound, so he wasn't in the best condition when he came in here because of the weak spot. Right now will be the determining factor on whether he makes it or not."
She felt the shudder move through her body.
"Numbers. I need numbers. Can you give me numbers?"
She smiled recalling Josh's anxiety that night.
"Numbers?"
The doctor looked confused.
"Yes. What are the percents?"
"In all honesty Miss Moss, and this is the same thing that I told the rest of your group, they don't look promising. Right now I'd give him a 30% survival rate."
"Thank you." She watched the doctor walk out to watch C.J. walk in.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
"Donna, do you want me to run to your apartment and grab some stuff so that you can stay here?"
CJ looked almost hopeless. She didn't know what to do.
"No, don't worry about it actually can you stay with him CJ? I really want to get back to our place to sleep some. It wouldn't be to much of a bother would it?"
CJ shook her head.
"It's not a problem at all. Want me to leave while you say good bye?"
"No, it won't embarrass me and I'm pretty certain that you wouldn't mind having the blackmail on him."
CJ smiled.
She went to the bed and kissed his lips and then the top of his head, while in the process of smoothing his hair. Then she whispered.
"I love you and I promise."
She stood up and turned towards CJ.
"Could you call me at ... Well, actually what time is it now?"
"11:15"
"Okay could you call me at 8:00?"
"Yeah, no problem. Now go get some sleep."
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
"Josh, why aren't you resting? I told you. You have to get better and the only way you can do that is if you rest. Do you want me to have to reinstate the rules again?""Donna, shh listen to me. I can't do it this time it's to big I don't have the power to fight it this time around."
"Don't say that! You can't give up it just isn't you. How can you even think of give up?!"
"Donna! You know me and you know that I would never NEVER give up. I just wanted to make sure that I could have one more chance to say good bye."
"No Josh you can't leave I need you."
"Donna, I don't want to but I can't promise anything. Come here."
She went into his open arms and was enveloped in a tight hug. She looked up with tears in her eyes, which Josh wiped away and then gave her a quick kiss before hugging her again.
"I love you, remember that, and remember our promise," he said into her hair.
"I have to go now , but I promise to hold on as long as I can. Love you."
"I love you too."
She watched him leave and heard the growing presence of a ringing.
TBC...
