Nights Of Fire
A small fire at Camp David finally forces Josh and Leo to discuss the one thing they've always tried to avoid. -- Mainly Josh and Leo
Disclaimer: The West Wing characters don't belong to me, I just like to play with them and fill in some back stories from time to time.

Part I

Monday Night - August 2002

Toby reached out with his left hand andtried to turn his alarm off, but couldn't find it. It took him a few seconds to remember that he wasn't at home, he was a Camp David. He was about to yell at Josh to turn the noise off, when he smelt smoke. "Shit," he muttered as he realized the noise was actually the fire alarm. "Josh," he shouted as he climbed out of bed.

Josh could smell the smoke and he could hear the sirens. He could feel the hands on his shoulders, stopping him returning to the house and as much as he fought to break free, he couldn't. Someone was calling his name, was shaking him, he didn't want to leave, he had to find her, but the shaking was getting more insistent. He slowly opened his eyes and tried to shake off the nightmare. As Toby's face came into focus, Josh realized that the smell of smoke was real and it wasn't sirens he could hear, it was a fire alarm.

"Come on," Toby was telling him. "I don't know where it's coming from, but there's smoke..."

"Yeah, I can see. Ed and Larry?" Josh asked as he climbed out of bed, stuffed his feet into his sneakers, grabbed his backpack and followed Toby out of the cabin.

They met Ed and Larry outside. Looking around, they could see the fire was in the roof of the building. Camp David staff were evacuating the nearby cabins, while the Secret Service were securing the president and Leo. Josh, Toby, Ed and Larry were led, coughing, into the mess. Someone handed them drinks of water and told them a doctor was coming. They were surrounded by concerned faces.

"Josh," Donna pushed her way through. "You okay?"

"Yeah," Josh nodded and started coughing.

"Toby?" CJ was asking.

"Fine," Toby muttered.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Leo and Jed had been finishing a game of chess when Ron Butterfield and several other agents had entered the room. Ron had told them about the fire and that Camp David had been crashed. Ten minutes later, Leo had had enough of waiting, but Ron was still refusing to let him leave.

"But they're all alright?" Leo asked.

"Yes, they're fine," Ron confirmed.

"Stop pacing," Jed told Leo. "They're fine. You know they won't let us leave until the crash is lifted."

"Yeah, sorry."

"What's wrong?"

Leo sat down. "Nothing, it's... nothing."

"Leo?"

"Josh and fire," Leo sighed.

"His sister?" Jed remembered.

Leo nodded.

"Donna'll look after him," Jed assured Leo.

"I know, call it irrational but I just want to see he's okay for myself."

"As soon as the Secret Service give the all clear." Jed gave Leo a concerned look. "What's wrong?" he asked again.

"I was there when his sister died."

"You can go now," Ron told them and Leo left the cabin before Jed could question him further.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

When Leo reached the mess; Josh, Toby, Ed and Larry had been given the all clear by the medics and Josh was sitting outside with Donna. "Hey, you okay?" Leo asked.

"Yeah," Josh nodded.

"He managed to save his backpack," Donna smiled. "I'm going to check on the others," she said and left them alone.

"She's nagging me to call my mom, I keep telling her it's the middle of the night."

Leo sat down. "You don't want her hearing it on the morning news."

"No, but I don't want her waking at 3 in the morning and then worrying all night. Do they know what happened?" Josh asked.

"Not yet. Seems to have started in the roof though."

"Well, that's a little weird," Josh said.

"Where you sleeping now?"

"Sleep?" Josh asked, "I wouldn't have thought anyone will be getting much of that tonight."

"Tomorrow night then."

"Sam's cabin."

The two men sat quietly looking out at the woods. "It's nice here," Josh suddenly announced.

"You've only just noticed?" Leo asked.

"Never really had time to look before. I am okay," he said. "And I'm pretty sure you, Donna and Sam will be keeping a close eye on me for the next few days."

"You can count on it," Leo agreed.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Flashback - October 1970

Leo turned into Noah's street, just as it was starting to get dark. He was only there on the off chance that Noah was in. He hadn't seen his friend for a few weeks and it would be nice to catch up over a drink or two. As he pulled up outside the house, he was surprised to see Noah's eight year old son running out of the front door and across the grass in his pajamas.

"Josh," Leo called as he climbed out of the car. "What are you doing?"

Josh was coughing and pointing back at the house. When Leo looked he saw Jack Calvert, Noah's neighbor, and his two sons running from the side yard.

"Joshua, thank God," Jack said. "We couldn't get in the backdoor." He looked back towards the house. "Where's Joanie?"

"In there," Josh replied in between coughs. "She's in there." He started to go back to the house, but Leo grabbed him.

"Keep him here," Jack instructed. The neighbors tried to enter the house the way Josh had left, but when the front windows smashed and fire leapt through, Jack and his sons were forced to retreat.

Josh meanwhile was struggling with all his strength to break free of Leo's grip. He was kicking Leo and screaming his sister's name. Leo pulled Josh into his arms and tried to make him look away from the house, but the little boy continued to struggle and to scan the burning building for his sister.

"Josh, no," Leo said. "Come away."

"Let me go," Josh shouted. "I have to get her, she was behind me. Let me go!"

No matter how hard Josh kicked and struggled, Leo didn't loosen his grip. He stared in horror at the flames, that were now licking the outside of the ground floor and starting on the upstairs, and he tried not to think that Noah's 14 year old daughter was trapped inside.

Jack had now come back over to them. "Joshua," he crouched down to the youngster's height. "You can't get in there. Come to our house."

"No!" Josh shouted. "I want Joanie!" With one final struggle he broke free from Leo, but luckily he wasn't quick enough. Leo and Jack both grabbed hold of him and forced him to the neighboring house, as the sound of sirens in the distance signaled the arrival of the fire department.

End Flashback

Part 2 -->