Thoughts from the Shadows Come into the Light

Part II

Feedback is a beautiful thing – thank you all. The plot bunny is enjoying all the carrots! Karen

Previously:

"You do good work, too." Ron gave her a wink and walked away down the shadowy hall.

Donna stood in the hall, watching as the tall agent walked away, a tear coursing down her cheek.

THAT SAME NIGHT

Ron smiled to himself as he walked the halls of the West Wing. He hadn't planned to tell anyone what he knew, certainly never Donna or Josh, although he was glad she knew. It might just ease her conscience a bit to know that someone had her best interests at heart. And how typical had her response been – bringing the lightest touch of humor into play at the right time. He could certainly understand why Josh Lyman was so protective of her – she was a special person, someone to cherish.

Ron returned to his office and logged in his own sweep report. He then settled in to write down the salient details of the crash report for polishing later. An hour passed while he completed the paperwork. Just after midnight his earpiece crackled with an incoming transmission.

"Johnson to Control – Yankee has returned to his office, Visitor has left the building."

"Control to Johnson – what is the status of Rolling Stone?"

"Rolling Stone is asleep in Yankee's office. He just found her."

"Understood. Control out."

Butterfield leaned back in his chair – he knew Josh would be reluctant to disturb Donna, and he wouldn't let her stay alone in the office. It was a safe bet that Josh would soon be wandering the deserted halls of the West Wing. Ron had seen it before when Josh was bothered by something important. He would roam the halls, returning to check on Donna periodically. After two or three trips around the Wing, Josh would return to his office and attempt to work, only to end up sitting in his chair watching over Donna. Ron and the other agents had seen the routine countless times. Invariably Donna would wake up in a couple hours, at which time the weary staffers would pack up and head for home.

He glanced at the clock – it was time for another sweep. He left the control center, leaving Agent Torkelson on station. Ron started his sweep at the Oval Office – all was quiet there. The next leg of his circuit brought Ron down by Josh's office. Josh was sitting out in the bullpen at Donna's desk. He looked up at the sound of approaching footsteps to discover Ron Butterfield coming his way.

"Hello Josh. How are you doing this evening?" Ron asked as he stopped at the desk.

"Hey, Ron. I'm fine, how about you?" Josh replied, trying to appear relaxed, but failing as usual.

"I'm good, thanks. Did Donna go home?"

"No, the thing tonight shook her up pretty good. She fell asleep in my office about an hour ago, and I haven't had the heart to wake her." Josh's gaze strayed in the direction of his office where his assistant was sleeping, unaware of just how apparent his concern was to Ron.

"I know, I talked to her right after we apprehended the shooter. She tried to assure me that she was fine, but I could tell the incident had bothered her." Ron informed Josh, watching the other man's reaction with keen interest.

Josh spun back to face the other man. "She wasn't near the press room when it happened, was she?"

Ron caught a note of panic in Josh's voice, a note eerily similar to the day Josh woke up in the hospital.

"No, Josh, she was in the Mess at the time. She was perfectly safe, but it wasn't her safety that she was concerned about. She was very determined to get back upstairs. Agent Murphy had his hands full." Ron smiled slightly – Kelton Murphy was 6'5" and solidly built, handling Donna Moss should have been fairly routine, and any other time it might have been. But not tonight, not when shots were fired at the building. Murphy had reported that Ms. Moss had made some rather interesting anatomical suggestions in hopes of persuading the agent to let her get back upstairs. Kelton had joined a select fraternity that night – the wrath of Donnatella Moss had been directed at the Secret Service.

The smile did not go unnoticed by Josh. "What did she do, Ron? Please tell me she didn't assault a Secret Service agent." Josh pleaded, eyes half-closed, hoping against hope that Ron's answer wouldn't lead to a thing. CJ would absolutely kill him, if Leo didn't first.

"Relax, Josh. It's not a problem. Her reaction is perfectly understandable given the circumstances. And Agent Murphy didn't take it personally, he knows the situation." Ron paused.

"The situation? What do you mean?" Josh was wary now, wondering if there was something he had missed along the way.

Ron looked steadily at the younger man. "Agent Murphy was at GW."

Josh was puzzled by the agent's quiet statement. "There were a lot of agents there that night, Ron."

"Yes, but Murphy had a special assignment that began once you came out of surgery and woke up."

"After I woke up?"

Ron weighed the question in his mind. 'It seems tonight is the night for confession' he thought to himself. Hopefully Josh would handle this as well as Donna had – his mood didn't seem to be volatile so there was a chance this could work out well.

Ron spoke quietly. "I was there when she came to the hospital, when Toby told her what your status was. I watched that young woman almost crumble from shock, then turn right around and take up a vigil outside the operating room. She spoke very little, refused rest or food, her attention focused solely on what was happening in the surgery suite. When they moved you from recovery to the ICU, I accompanied the President and Leo McGarry to your unit. When you woke up, you were very agitated about Donna, you were scared for her well-being. You didn't calm down until Leo told you she was alright, that she hadn't been at Rosslyn. They promised you that you would see her later on and you relaxed completely. I stepped out to confer with Dr. Bartlet, only to find her and Donna in a 'discussion' about Donna allowing an agent to drive her home. Donna won that round with Dr. Bartlet, she flat out refused. What Donna didn't know was that I had overheard their argument. I made arrangements for a covert detail to insure Ms. Moss's safety and well-being. Agent Murphy was the first agent to volunteer for the detail. He advised me at that point that all the agents stationed at GW had already decided amongst themselves to monitor Ms. Moss as much as possible."

Josh was stunned by the information he was receiving. CJ and the others had never really told him how Donna had reacted to the news of his injuries, although the events of last Christmas now made more sense to him. He had always thought that Donna's concern was largely based on their boss/employee relationship, but now things were clearer. Joey's comment about 100 Donnas was crystal clear to Josh now.

"Why did they do that, Ron? Donna isn't a senior staff member, why put a detail on her?"

"You have to understand something, Josh. Most of these men and women have been here since the beginning of the Bartlet administration. We keep an eye on everyone in this building, regardless of their title or position. I guess you could say that we have become fond of most of you, and that makes protecting you even more important to all of us. We notice things, even those things that people desperately try to hide for fear of hurting the President or anyone else. Things that should be celebrated and cherished, not hidden. I never questioned my decision to assign a detail to Ms. Moss without her knowledge. Her focus was elsewhere and that made it easier for the agents to function. I conferred with Dr. Bartlet and the agents were instructed to watch for signs that Ms. Moss was pushing herself too hard. If anything happened, the detail agent was to inform me immediately and I would advise Dr. Bartlet. Thankfully that wasn't necessary, but we were ready." Ron's voice was filled with a firm conviction that the actions taken had been correct in every way.

Josh was truly amazed. The enormity of Ron's statement was staggering. For all intents and purposes, Ron Butterfield had just told him that the Secret Service had tacitly acknowledged the reality of the Moss/Lyman dynamic and would do its collective best to ensure the survival of that dynamic. A sobering thought suddenly interrupted Josh's reverie.

"Ron, does Donna know any of this?"

"Yes, we had a similar discussion outside the Roosevelt Room earlier this evening." Ron admitted.

"What did she say? How did she take it?"

"I'm sorry, Josh, I can't tell you that. I suggest you talk with Ms. Moss about the matter." Ron couldn't resist tweaking Josh just a bit. After all, it had been a long night, he needed a little fun.

"Ron! That's not fair, you can't just spring this on me and then leave me hanging!" Josh spluttered, annoyed that the older man had seemingly slipped back into "Stoic Agent Mode".

"Josh, I'll say this much. Take care of each other, and we'll take care of the rest of it. We have your backs." Ron replied.

"I thought the Secret Service wasn't supposed to get involved with the protectees?" Josh said.

"I wouldn't say that we are involved, per se. I'd say that we are acting more as 'facilitators' in this particular matter." Ron paused, then decided to plunge ahead.

"Don't miss your chance, Josh. The price would be too much to pay." Ron said quietly.

Josh considered the older man's words, then nodded. "I would have to agree with that assessment, Agent Butterfield."

"Good, then take the next step, Josh."

"I think I will. Thank you Ron."

"Just doing my job, Josh. You're welcome."

"Josh?" Both men turned in the direction of Josh's office to find Donna standing in the doorway. She was leaning against the door frame, trying valiantly to stay upright.

"Donna, are you okay?" Josh walked over to her, completely forgetting Ron for the moment.

"What time is it?" Donna asked groggily, not looking forward to the answer.

"Just about 1 a.m. – do you feel up to going home now?" Josh gently brushed a stray strand of hair away from Donna's face.

"Yeah, can you drive me home? I don't think I should drive." The end of Donna's statement was punctuated by an enormous yawn as she laid her head on Josh's shoulder.

Ron spoke quietly so he wouldn't startle Donna. "If you'd like, I can arrange for a driver to take you both home. You have both had a long day."

Donna's eyes popped open as Ron's voice penetrated her foggy brain. "Oh! Agent Butterfield, I didn't see you there. I'm sorry, did I interrupt something?"

Ron shook his head. "Not at all, Donna. Why don't you two get your things together and I'll have the driver meet you in the Northwest Lobby?"

"Thanks, Ron, that's probably a good idea." Josh said as Donna went back into the office to retrieve Josh's backpack.

"Oh, and Ron? About the other thing tonight? Thanks for that too." Josh smiled at the older man.

"No thanks necessary, Josh. It's what we do." Ron replied modestly.

"Just so you know, it is appreciated." Josh insisted.

"Thank you." Ron nodded to Josh and then left the bullpen.

Ron activated his link and arranged the car and driver as he walked back to the Control Center. Agent Torkelson was checking the monitors when Ron entered the bullpen. "Anything interesting happening?" Torkelson asked his superior.

Ron sat down at his desk before answering. " Yankee and Rolling Stone are being taken home by Murphy and Tuscano."

Pulling the sweep log towards him, Agent Butterfield began to update it. While the entry was seemingly void of context or meaning, it would remind him of a night when out of chaos came understanding. He threw down his pen and leaned his head back against his chair and closed his eyes. The respite was brief, his earpiece crackled to life once again.

"Murphy to Control. The packages have been safely delivered."

"Control here – one destination or two?"

"One – Harvard."

"Understood. Return to base. Good work."

"Murphy out."

Ron Butterfield permitted himself a small smile. It would seem that tonight's events might just lead to something good, something that needed to find the light of day. He had done his duty, now it was time to step back and resume his vigil.