Author's Notes:
You know the drill. The West Wing does not belong to me; it is the property of Aaron Sorkin and John Wells. Kudos to my betas, Bex and Megan.
DONNA FALLS INTO A HOLE
Chapter IV
"I was having a bad day," Donna explained. At the shaking of heads, she barked: "What? You people have never had a fucking bad day in your entire lives?" She scoffed. "I find that so hard to believe."
Office of the White House Chief of Staff
Thursday, December 23, 2004
Morning
"Sure we've had bad days," Josh said. "Hell, I've had shitty days. But I've never put anyone's life in danger."
She balled her fists and dug her fingernails into her palms; she felt satisfied when she saw she had drawn blood. "What the hell?"
"You drove under the influence," the president accused Donna. "It's bad enough you almost got yourself killed – you almost got Charlie killed, too."
"What are you talking about?"
"You became paranoid and starting weaving in and out of traffic," Bartlet said. "You thought Josh was chasing you so he could murder you."
"That's ridiculous!" Donna said. "Why the hell would I ever think Josh would want to hurt me?"
"Kill you," the president corrected.
"No offense, Josh, but you don't strike me as a criminal mastermind," CJ quipped.
"None taken," he responded.
Charlie's mouth dropped open. "Sir? When did you …"
The president waved his hand to silence the young man. "When I catch my former body man shaking like a leaf and dry heaving into a potted plant in the Oval Office, I tend to want to make inquiries." He shook his head. "The fact that you thought you had to lie to me about it – that's something you and I will have to discuss at a later date." He turned his attention back to Donna. "I already lost one person to someone driving under the influence. Please don't make me lose any more."
If Donna wasn't so angry, she might have noticed the fear and sadness swimming in the eyes of the most powerful man in the country. Instead, she snapped: "I don't know what the hell you're talking about. Sir. Maybe your MS is messing with your head?"
Josh emitted a cough to get her attention; she just glared at him and waited for President Bartlet to chastise her for such glaring disrespect for the Chief Executive of the United States of America. She briefly wondered if anyone in American history had ever yelled "Fuck you!"to a president's face.
Instead, the president told her: "If your ultimate goal is to push everyone away with insults, it's not going to work."
Charlie stared at his shoes, apparently gathering his thoughts, then abruptly jerked his head up to face her. "You really don't remember?"
Streets of Washington DC
Sometime in the Last Four Months
Charlie gripped the dashboard and squeezed his eyes shut as the car swerved into the adjacent lane. "Would you slow down!"
"He's after us!" Donna cried. She kept glancing in the rearview mirror, looking for a car that wasn't there.
"Who?"
"Josh! He knows that I know."
Take a deep breath and play along. Maybe it'll calm her down. "What do you know?"
"Leave us alone, you sick fuck!" she screamed. Charlie held his breath and listened to the blaring horns of angry drivers Donna was cutting off. "Josh is trying to kill us," she explained. "I can't tell you anything more. Maybe he'll spare you."
"Maybe I can protect us if I know what's going on," the young man ventured.
"I overheard Josh and the First Lady the other day. They're poisoning the President. That's why he's been sick lately."
"President Bartlet has multiple sclerosis. That's why he's been sick lately."
"Ah ha!" she exclaimed. "That's what they want you to think. They've been slowly poisoning the president since the first campaign. Soon as he dies, they're getting married and taking over the nation. Remember Rosslyn?" Charlie nodded. "He masterminded the entire attack."
You're losing it, Donna. "So he had himself shot in the chest?"
"I never said his plan didn't have flaws! But it was perfect – nobody would ever suspect one of the 'victims'. Remember Mrs. Landingham's accident?" She swerved to miss an oncoming truck. "Not an accident at all. Josh contracted a hit on her."
"What the hell is wrong with you? You trying to get us killed?" He tried to grab the steering wheel, but she smacked his hand. Hard.
"No! I'm trying to keep us alive, you asshole." She resumed her "explanation." "Gaza? Leo's heart attack?"
"Let me guess," he said dryly. "Josh." He continued wrestling Donna for control of the wheel. I don't want Deanna or Debbie getting a call saying we're dead. The White House and the Young house had gotten too many bad news calls to last a lifetime. He didn't want to be the cause of one.
"And Dr. Bartlet. She put arsenic in Leo's coffee. Too bad for her, he survived." She turned a corner, narrowly missing a curb. She exhaled. "I think we've lost him," she said. Charlie looked around and realized – for the first time – he had no idea where his friend and coworker had driven them. "He won't give up that easily," she quickly added. "Whatever I told you today – forget it." Sure thing, Donna. "Play the ignorance card. It's the only way."
"You mind if I drive back?" Charlie asked. "You look exhausted." And you'll get us killed before we get to Pennsylvania Avenue. Donna reluctantly acquiesced and pulled the car off to the side of the road. He opened the passenger door, jumped out, and attempted to ignore the fact his legs had the consistency of jelly.
Office of the White House Chief of Staff
Thursday, December 23, 2004
Morning
"There's nothing wrong with me!" Donna explained for what seemed like the thousandth time that morning. "I don't know what you people are drinking, but … I. Am. Fine!"