When Lighting Strikes Twice

Rating: PG-13 to be safe

Couples: J/D

Category: Angst, Drama, Romance

Summary: This wasn't suppose to happen. You didn't bury people who were young enough to be your child. That wasn't how life was supposed to work. However, fate seemed to be out to get them all.

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 your comments mean so much I hope that you all continue to enjoy the story.

Chapter 4

Party at Donna's place, or so it's being said

The President approached his staff.

"Leo, Donna, do you want to greet her?"

"Yeah," Leo responded.

The tired chief of staff studied Donna's nodding face. He couldn't really believe that this was happening. Noah had been a close friend and it had been hard enough to help bury him, and now... Now he would have to bury his friend's son. This wasn't suppose to happen. You didn't bury people who were young enough to be your child. That wasn't how life was supposed to work. However, fate seemed to be out to get them all.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

November 14

12:45 AM

"Flight 969 has landed."

The loudspeaker told them that it was time. Miriam's flight had landed. Leo took Donna's hand and gave it a small squeeze before she went to get Miriam. She looked at him and there was relief and thankfulness written all over her face. He gave her a smile and she couldn't help but to smile back. Then she and Leo started towards the gate. Miriam looked around and spotted Leo and Donna about the same time that Donna spotted her. Donna started to walk towards her and then embraced her in a tight hug. She felt Miriam tense and then relax as she let a few tears that hadn't yet fall. Leo then took her place, and then took her hand as they walked back to the President.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The staff exchanged hugs with Josh's mother before heading back to the limo. Toby and CJ were talking while the President, First Lady, and Sam were with Josh's mother. Leo fell in step with Donna. She withdrew for a split second when she felt a hand grasp hers, but relaxed rather quickly. She turned to face him and gave a half smile.

"Thanks for earlier, I really needed that."

"It was nothing. Donna, let it go everyone can see that you are on the edge. We can all be strong for each other. You don't have to be the pillar of strength that everyone leans on. It's your turn. We can be strong for you too."

She nodded.

"Where are you staying tonight? Because I'll be damned if you think that you are staying alone, and I think that goes for everyone else as well. But is there anything I can do? Josh's mother is staying with the President and First Lady. Do you want me to tell them you'd be staying with them? Nothing right now would be any kind of problem. I could even come over or have CJ stay with you, you just have to ask. "

She didn't know what to say. She hadn't thought about what she was going to do. She and Josh had been engaged, but only their families, the first family, and senior staff had known that. They had wanted to keep a low profile they decided not to get married until after their stay in the White House, however they had been living together. Now, the thought of going back to the apartment didn't sound appealing. There were to many memories and the whole place would just scream Josh. She knew that she couldn't handle that right now.

She knew that she couldn't handle it, and yet she knew that she had to. She would have to go back to the apartment. She had to do it for herself, a reminder that this all had happen that it wasn't just some bad dream that she was having.

She turned. "I'm not really sure what I'm doing. I have to go back to the apartment, but I really haven't taken the time to think about it."

Leo nodded. "I'll have CJ, Toby, and Sam spend the night with you, because I wasn't just say that you weren't going to stay alone, I meant it."

"Thanks."

Leo left her side to talk to the staff and let them know what they had just been signed up for. This once again left her stuck with her own thoughts, s something that she really didn't want to handle right now. Luckily, help arrived to relieve her of that situation. Toby took Leo's spot by her side.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"So, I hear that we are going to have a party at your place tonight."

He gave her a smile. It was funny she had to admit. She smiled back.

"Yeah, but don't tell anyone else their feelings may be hurt cause they weren't invited, and I don't want to hurt the President's feeling. So try to keep a low profile."

That made Toby laugh.

"CJ and I will be dropped off at your apartment with you. Sam, will be dropped off at his place so that we won't all starve. Now, with that said is there anything that you would like to eat?"

She laughed and then thought about it for a moment. Toby had this way of taking even the most serious thing, and suddenly making it funny. He also had the habit of making funny things serious, but that is a different story. Now, to the topic of food. Well, she didn't really care what they had, and she wasn't sure how much of it she would eat so she figured that anything that they had would be fine,

"Pizza would be fine. It's quick and easy and everyone will eat it."

"Pizza it is then. I'll tell Sam," he said with a nod in Sam's general direction. He then walked off to inform her "party guests" what the menu for the night well, morning was.

TBC