When Lighting Strikes Twice

Rating: PG-13 to be safe

Couples: J/D

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.

Thank you to all those who have reviewed this so far

Chapter 3 Beginning to End in a Split Second

November 13

9:54 PM

The ringing continued to stay with Donna even as Josh left. Why wasn't it going away? However, it finally clicked, the phone.

"Hello."

"Donna, it's CJ. I need you to listen to me, okay. First of all it is almost 10:00. Nothing was happening so I thought I would let you sleep, but now there has been a problem and it doesn't look so good. You better get down here quick. Donna, I'm sorry I should have called you at 8:00."

"CJ, calm down. It isn't your fault." She hoped that this would help her calm down too.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't worry. I'll be down there soon."

With that she hung up the and moved into action grabbing something to wear, throwing it on, and then getting her keys and heading for the door. However just as she was ready to leave the phone rang again.

"Hello."

"Donna?" It was CJ again.

"Yeah. I'm on my way there now."

"No, Donna he's dead. Just stay there...."

She dropped the phone and crumpled into a ball as she sobbed. She could still hear CJ on the other end.

"....the President is sending Sam and Toby over to get you. They should be there soon, so don't try to get over here...."

The rest was drowned out. Sam and Toby didn't even have to knock as they arrived at the apartment. They could hear Donna and entered. Donna didn't notice them and didn't even seem to realize when Sam picked her up and carried her to the car.

OOOOOOOOOOOOO

November 13

10:30 PM

They entered the hospital together. Donna had tried to calm herself some and now had her emotions in check enough to just have a constant stream of tears. CJ greeted them at the waiting room that they had been using. She embraced Donna in a tight hug as they let themselves use each other for the support they yearned for. For the moment the whole world could wait, as this was all that mattered now. CJ held her at arms length.

"He didn't seem to suffer, it was quick. Oh Donna, I know none of it means much, but it almost seems to be some comfort."

CJ wiped her eyes and started to lead her to Josh's room. The heads of Leo, the President, the First Lady and the doctor rose as they heard the door open. The doctor was the only one that did not have tears in his eyes. Leo looked like hell and had the same blank expression as he had had when Josh and the President had been shot at Rosslyn. The President didn't look much better than Leo, and neither of them seemed to function. Abbey was also crying, but she had enough sense at the moment to try to hide the scene that Donna had walked into. She moved in front of Josh's body and tried to shield Donna from the fact of life.

"Miss Moss, may I express my deepest sympathies for your loss."

"What happened?"

"He had a pulmonary embolism, a blood clot."

"I know what it is."

The doctor nodded as Donna moved towards the bed.

"Donna don't," the President said. "It was messy. You don't need to see it. This isn't what Josh would want you to remember him by."

"I have to say good bye Sir."

The door closed as the doctor left the room. The President nodded at Donna's last comment and Abbey moved aside. There was a sheet over Josh, but she could tell that there had been plenty of blood. She walked up to the bed and folded the sheet that covered his face down to his chest. He looked so peaceful. He almost appeared to be sleeping. He didn't look like he was dead. He's not dead, Donna thought illogically, Any minute now he'll spring up and say "fooled ya" and we'll all laugh and be happy and go out for drinks. But there were no laughs. Only tears came. She leaned down and gave him a quick kiss and then made one last effort to fix his hair before she put the sheet back over his head. She turned to find that all that were in the room were watching her. She straightened up.

"Has his mother been called?"

Leo looked at her.

"Yeah, she was already on her way, but she has been updated."

Donna nodded.

"Okay well...."

However her response was cut short as she felt a wave of nausea hit her. She ran to the bathroom, and made it just in time. Abbey followed her and held her hair out of her face.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Actually I'm surprised that this didn't happen earlier. It's been going on for about a week. Josh wanted to go to a doctor. Do you have any input?"

"I have some ideas, but lets discus them later. You okay to go back into the room now?"

"Yeah."

They left the bathroom.

"Leo, when is his mother's flight getting in?"

"Miriam will be here in about two hours. The President and First Lady were coming too. How about you?"

"Miriam will need support. We all do."

"Yeah. I was going to invite the entire staff."

"Okay."

She turned away as the tears still streamed down her face. They beaded with each other, each of her tears a silent drop of repressed emotion. Leo came over to her and gave her a much needed hug.

"He loved you so much and I can see why. I remember when you left he went crazy. The worst part was that he wouldn't even admit to himself how much you meant to him then. I swear in the end I was paying people not to kill him. You were the best thing that ever happened to him."

He let her go and walked to the door as the others followed.

"Come on lets get the rest of the gang and head to the airport."

They fell in step, the President next to Donna.

"I know that this is so soon, but I wanted to get out of the way. Eventually I'm going to need someone to fill Josh's position and I was wondering if you would be interested."

"Sir, I ..."

"Now, before you tell me that you're not qualified let me stop you. You're more than qualified; you've seen how it's run for a few years now. I don't need an answer now, but remember that everyone would help you."

The mood started to change as the President let this set in.

"He was a good man Donna, and like a son to me. I can only think how proud he would be if you were to take this offer. He knew that you could do this. Think about it."

With this he moved up to walk next to Abbey. She leaned over and whispered something that Donna couldn't catch, but caused the President to smile.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

They entered the waiting room while the senior staff all jumped to their feet.

"Sit."

The President looks that them all.

"Josh's mother flight is coming in about two hours. Anyone who wants can come, and I suggest that you do. It will be easier with all of us together right now. What do you say?"

The staff didn't need to be asked twice as they all knew that what the President said was true.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The staff sat in utter silence for the beginning of the ride to the airport. However, it was broken after several minutes.

"We really need to do something other than mope."

It was Sam.

"This isn't what Josh would have wanted. I mean think about it. He would probably tell us to go to a bar and spend the night getting drunk in his honor."

"Yeah," CJ started, "if he could see us now he'd be saying 'CJ, you guys are so dull. You are being complete and utter party poopers. Loosen up, live a little.' Then he would smile and walk away knowing that we would do just that, when he was gone because we wouldn't want to inflate his ego anymore than we had to."

CJ looked around.

"Toby, you' re smiling."

"Yeah. It's funny, and yet it is sad. It is so strange to think that Josh and yet we can still predict how he would react in certain cases. Josh is gone and yet he isn't."

They all stopped to think about what had been said. As they sat there lost in their own thoughts they arrived that the airport. They exited the limo knowing that this was going to be one of the times when they were all going to have to stay strong.

TBC