Disclaimer's: I am not writing one.. that's right I am a rebel. WHAHAHAHA.
Author's notes: I wanted to move the story along. Lots of loose ends get tied up. People say what needs to be said. The scene with Donna and the President was one of the ideas that wouldn't get out of my head. Will's POV, Josh's POV, Donna's POV and Josh POV.
Donna enters my room; I fumble and fail with my tie.
"You need some help?"
"No I got it." I don't and she knows it. She sits besides my bed, and chooses her words wisely. She bats my hands away from my tie and starts to fix it.
"Your tie has ducks on it."
"Yeah I know, I think this is your doing some how." A slow and evil smile crosses her face. "Aren't you cheating on Josh by doing this?"
"No, he is only picky about the bow tie; all other ties are up for free game, even ones with ducks on them."
She is trying to get me to smile, but it won't work. "The press statement is finished."
"Great, nice job Will." She opens her mouth and closes it, she stops before she speaks. She returns to fixing my tie. "You have to look nice for your guest."
"I have a guest? But Elise won't be here until tomorrow."
"There are other people who care about you then just your sister."
Silence.
"Donna I will never be able to right what I have done to you."
"Will don't think like that."
"No, its' true. When I think about what you gave up for me, what you could have lost. When I think about everything you wanted to teach me and how I failed every test. Baker's wife, she was the final exam right? Is that why you asked Leo to hire me?"
"No Leo demanded you come on board. But I really wasn't ready to let you out of my sights It's no big deal, you just have to take the class over again." She smiles her sweet smile that could melt the even most jaded of hearts. But my heart isn't jaded; it's broken, torched and lost.
"After everything you have done for me, I threw you out to the dogs, I used you and your body. How can you sit there and fix my tie like there is nothing wrong?"
"Because if you hadn't have done what you did last night I would be dead. I think this beats the alterative. In its own ass backwards way you saved my life, that's how I can sit here and fix your tie and straighten up your hair." She starts to fix my matted and disheveled hair.
Silence.
"You are one hell of a person Donna Moss. In one press conference you created at least 10 battle ground states that would have voted for Vinick without a fight. And since either us or them can spin the story for a week, you've given the American public what they want, and issued based clean election. Your career will surpass all of ours." And all I will be able to do is watch.
"Will, its no big deal. Sit up, your guest is here."
"I will never be able to repay you."
"I'll think of a way." That evil smile crosses her face.
Donna walks out and Kate walks in. I sit up a little straighter, I certainly wasn't expecting to see her. She speaks and my stomach flips. "Hi. How are you feeling?"
"Like shit. You know Kate I won't be much fun tonight on our date, you might want to reschedule."
"It's fine." She sits next to my bed, just as softly and sweetly as Donna did.
I guess I should be honest with one person in my life. I guess I lost her, even though I never even had her. "I did something really shitty last night. It turns out this girl left the man she loved just help me out with my career and I used her as a whore." I expect her to walk out, scream at me and throw stuff
"We all do things we aren't proud of Will."
"You know, Kate, you are out of my league."
"I know." She smiles brightly. "Nice tie."
After a few instances with poking and prodding from the nurses, Toby enters my room.
"Hey."
"Hey."
Silence.
"So."
"So. When are you going home?"
"Tomorrow? You?"
"In about an hour."
"That's cool."
"Andi made me an offer. She said she would marry me if I left the White House. We would both go into private life and raise Molly and Huck. We would be the all American family."
"It's a good offer."
"You think?"
"No."
"I am still undecided."
"Toby, was Andi the first person you thought about when the stage blew up?"
No answer.
He turns to leave. "Josh, we're cool. OK."
"Ok Toby."
And that was it. Toby and I are friends again. It was shaking there for a few hours there.
It's close to four pm and we have been here for like eight hours. Santos, Will and Toby are being released. Josh, Leo and I are stuck here overnight. Thank God I changed into my comfortable clothes. My vile contempt for Amy has died today, since she was the supplier of a clean suit for the press conference and flannel pajama bottoms, with bunnies on them, a pink tank top and a hooded sweatshirt. It's the sweatshirt where she shines, I can be comfortable and not worry about my bruises.
Ronna, Ned and I are going over the final plans for tomorrow when the walking wounded enters the hall. Helen stands close to Matt, Kate hasn't left Will's side. Andi left two hours ago.
Then something happens. The hallway slowly becomes filled with more men in dark suits.
"Eagle and Flamingo are on their way." Jackson whispers to me. I wonder when it Jackson ate last.
CJ embraces me, but her eyes and thoughts are elsewhere. I know it, and she knows it.
"You here to pick up the boys?"
"Yeah I guess they need a ride home." She smiles. The president arrives and I turn my attention to him. He is walking slower now, with a cane more frequently.
"Donnatella."
"Yes Sir."
"Nice job today." Suddenly my vision becomes blurry.
He turns his attention to the injured parties and starts talking to him, but I am just trying to hold everything together right now, I don't know what he is saying to them, and I don't care.
Then a voice fills the air. One I've heard a million times, lately only through phone lines. It's so crisp and clear.
"Donna!" I start running before I realize it fully what is happening.
I jump into his arms. He raps them around me and lifts me up, fire and pain but I don't care. "Sam," I mange to say, before the tears start to flow. Sam. My Sam. Josh's Sam. Toby's Sam.
"Donna,. I am so proud of you." His voice was soft and sweet, but slowly starts to rise with excitement. "Your press conference was wonderful."
"Thanks."
"I heard you yelled at the DNC chairman."
"Yeah."
"I heard you yelled at Andi."
"Yeah."
"Way to go." I press my head to his shoulder and I realize I am getting his shirt salty and wet.
"Thanks Sam."
"You know I barely recognized you."
"Well, I am certainly not at my prettiest right now."
"No, Donna, it wasn't that." He smiles mysteriously.
Mallory, who showed up about an hour ago, emerges from Leo's room, "Daddy I will be here as long as you need me."
Sam turns to me, "Donna I will be here as long as you need me."
His eyes, "Is she looking at me?"
My eyes, "Yes. But if you use this as a chance to score, I will kill you."
His eyes, "I know."
We make our way back to the group and Bram come running up to us. He stops and stares at the President.
"You are the President."
"Yes I know that."
"Um yeah Bram what's up? How is the media reaction?"
"That's the President."
"Bram FOCUS!" Idiot.
"CNN, MSNBC, FOX and all the local stations are saying the same thing, 'Who would want to kill Donna Moss, she is so nice.' Mostly they are saying how you saved the election and they are expecting a huge voter turn out. The speaker of the house says when asked about his opinion of you and I quote, 'After working with Josh Lyman and Toby Ziegler for 8 years, she deserves the Nobel Peace Prize.'"
"I've always thought that too." CJ laughs.
"However there were questions about your relationship with Josh Lyman."
"Oh Shit." Josh bellows from his hospital bed.
"It was brought up on CNN one of the reporters stated, 'There is no way Josh Lyman and Donna Moss were having a relationship. If Josh was tapping that ass, he wouldn't be nearly as up tight as he is.' The reporter says he didn't know he was on camera or miked at the time."
Two for me, none for Josh. "Ronna, what's next?" Small smiles cross CJ and Sam's face.
"There are the appointments."
"Right. Congressman, Will and Toby you have appointment with psychologist to talk about what happened today. Toby you will not be force to go, but of you don't Annabeth with sing show tunes to you and paint your toenails pink?"
"Passion Pink or Petal Pink?" Annabeth smiles and holds up two glass bottles.
"I guess I can talk to some guy for a few minutes."
Annabeth frowns and I continue. "Congressman, your meeting is at one and your family as a meeting at two thirty. But you also have a meeting here at 10:30. Will, yours will be tomorrow at three and then you will be going to John Hopkins, they were able to fit you in."
"Goody." He refuses to look at Sam, or anyone else for that matter, his eyes have been focused on my shoes. I'm not going to tell him he has another meeting scheduled for in four days, not now, not in front of everyone.
"You guys will be staying at the Residence for tonight; the dogs aren't finished with your apartments."
"Dogs? I can't have dogs in my apartment my landlady will kill me." Will looks up. Then he gets it. Bomb sniffing dogs.
The Secret Service sent out the dogs for all the victims of the attack. No one needs to know they found a bomb under my bed.
"You guys are spending the night with family." Annabeth smiles, seeing a need for a subject change. "Your much cooler family in some cases." She nudges Will.
"Annabeth and CJ it will be your jobs to keep Toby awake." I hand over several DVD's provided by Ned of The Muppet Show. Toby's face lights up.
I run down all the schedules of pain meds until I know my boys are in capable hands.
Tomorrow I have two meetings before noon, both here at the hospital. The security meeting and whoever Leo called to look at my finances. Jefferson is going over to my apartment to get my paper work or lack there of maybe I can have him pick up some of my clothes too.
Sam is embraced by everyone and a small smile crosses my face, I turn to the president, "Mr. President, all you prodigal sons have returned." Sam, Toby, Will, CJ, and even Josh smile. Poor Annabeth and Santos are a little confused but they can clearly tell there is something significant going on here. Sam promises to pick Will's sister up at the airport and drop both sister and brother off in Baltimore.
Matt Santos stops and looks around, Helen is holing on to him, CJ stands near Toby, Kate has a death grip on Will's good arm. "I guess we are only as strong as the women who hold us up."
Slowly we start to disperse knowing full well we will meet together later.
Will is half way down the hall when he turns around and I feel his good arm around my waist and his forehead on my back.
"I am your bitch now, right Donna."
"Yes you are." I pat his good arm and he turns away, I watch his as he disappears down the hall.
Cindy stops me on her way out; she says she was really impressed by what I accomplished today. All I can do is smile; I am still not used to getting complements for people.
I have an offer to make her tomorrow; I can only hope she will take it.
Now all the chaos of the last few days winds down and I am left with the silence of the Hospital. Even Jackson left and some new guy took his place. The minutes seem longer and it is harder to keep everything together.
I almost died today. Someone tried to kill me and they missed their target and hit everyone else I care about. Everything that happened today was my fault. My mother's sobs of angry and fear are engraved in my brain.
I don't think I have even been this tried.
Sam and CJ left my room an hour ago. The President made his rounds to the walking wounded as Donna has been calling us. The chaos and visitors have ended and now they are preparing everyone for the night.
While Sam and CJ were in my room, she said she was amazed that Sam got here so fast. What he didn't tell her was that he was already on the plane, because he booked the flight last night. Sam was coming to kick my ass for hurting Donna. The ass kicking would be postponed for a few days, just until I am healthy enough to hold my own.
It isn't until after the nightly news Donna enters my room. For all her work in the media, she doesn't watch any of it. Of course she wouldn't, this isn't the career hungry Donna, this is another Donna, weaker and slower.
She stands in my doorway. "I can't sleep." I shift my weight in the bed and to give her more space if she decides to join me. As if instinct she crawls into bed and her placed her head firmly on my shoulder, she avoids my wounds and I avoid her ribs. Even broken we still fit.
"You were amazing today."
I feel her smile against my chest. "Thank you."
I listen to her heart beat; my breathing goes in synch with hers. My fingers stroke her scalp and her breath tickles my neck. The room is dark expect for the light seeping through the door.
"This would have been the perfect moment to tell you how much I love you."
My shirt starts to get damp and her breathing changes.
"Yeah it would be." She lifts her head from my chest. "Josh, will you ever be able to forgive me?" Her teary eyes and quivering lips are too much for me to handle. I press her head against my chest again. I hold it there, the blinking light on the TV across the room is getting blurry and I find it hard to keep my voice even.
"Donna you have nothing to apologize for. Not now, not before, not ever."
The water spot on my shirt starts to grow.
"But I was the reason you got hurt."
"I can live with that, but I can't live with is losing you, not ever again."
We don't say much for the rest of the night. Each lost in our own emotions, what ifs plaguing every corner of our minds; frustration that this has to happen to us over and over again, the horror of having to go back to square one.
She doesn't weep. She hasn't crashed yet, I know its coming, but it won't be tonight.
I think I am going to crash too. Yet I know she will be the one to catch me, her reflexes are faster then mine.
She is in my arms and she has drifted off to sleep.
Tonight, I cry. Not huge weepy, sappy tears, not tears of fear, or pain. I have more time with her and that's all the matters tonight.