In So Many Words

Chapter 3

A Two Word Answer

Leo McGarry stood with Jed Bartlet at the side of Josh's hospital bed. The doctors and nurses were quietly moving about the room, checking monitors and restocking supplies. Dr. Martin finished checking Josh's chest and looked up at the men standing on the other side of the bed.

"Well, gentlemen, here we go."

The President nodded.

"Josh, Josh, it's OK. I want you to wake up." Dr Martin called to the young man as he began to surface from the anesthesia.

All eyes focused on Josh, hoping to see a sign that Josh heard anything.

Slowly his eyelids fluttered open, and groggily Josh took in his surrounding. As he realized where he was and who he was with, he tried to speak.

Jed Bartlet leaned down.

"What's that, Josh? I couldn't hear you."

Josh repeated himself.

As the President straightened up, he placed his hand on the head of his deputy, his "son" and smiled softly.

Leo leaned in. "What did he say, sir?"

"He said, 'What's next?'" Jed replied.

Leo bowed his head briefly then nodded. Typical Josh, how could they have expected any other response?

The President turned to Leo. "I think we'd better get Ruth in here before she breaks down the door."

"Yes, sir – that wouldn't be a good thing."

"And Leo?"

"Yes, sir?"

"Make sure that Donna gets in here next – then tell the rest of the staff. Then have someone take Donna back to the Residence – Abbey left instructions that Donna is to return there and go directly to bed, or else. If it takes agents to convince her, do it. She's been through a lot already and we've only just begun. What in God's name did Josh ever do to inspire this much loyalty from that remarkable young lady?" Jed shook his head in wonder.

"Yes, sir. She's been amazing, hasn't she?" Leo replied with a proud smile.

"Amazing doesn't even come close. Abbey spent time with her during the operation, you know. She told me that while Donna never said a word, you could sense that she was focusing her energy towards Josh, as if she could somehow will him to survive. Who knows, maybe that's just what happened. Who am I to question faith? The President lapsed into silence once again, leaving Leo with his own thoughts regarding the indomitable spirit of Donna Moss.

"If you'll excuse me, I'll go get Ruth, sir." The President nodded his permission and Leo left the room, returning moments later with Ruth Lyman.

"Oh, my son!" Ruth Lyman entered the room, Leo right behind her to offer support. She looked around at the various machines and such and was reminded sharply of the last hours of Noah's life. This time, death had been denied. They told her that her son would survive. She moved to the bed and reached a shaky hand to brush Josh's hair back into a semblance of order. Only the steady beeping of the heart monitor could be heard. Tears rolled down her cheeks, uncaring of the presence of the gentleman on the other side of the bed. She murmured Josh's name in the hopes that he would wake up and see her there. Her wish was granted – Josh slowly opened his eyes and whispered, "Mom?"

Seeing Josh open those chocolate brown eyes and look at her, understanding that it wasn't a dream, that she was actually there in his room, that made the uncertainty and anguish of the preceding hours disappear like the clouds after a rainstorm. She smiled through the tears coursing down her face, and bent down to kiss her son's forehead, much like she did when he was a small child. Leo and the President quietly left the room so mother and son could have some privacy.

"Yes, Joshua, I'm here. It's all right, don't struggle. Just lie still and do what the doctors tell you to do." Ruth knew exactly what kind of patient her son was with just a common cold, she could just imagine what kinds of hell he would be putting the GW medical staff through in the course of his recovery.

Josh closed his eyes briefly. There was something niggling at the back of his mind, a question that he had to ask. He lay still a moment, and then it came to him.

"Donna?" he whispered, trying not to panic.

Ruth smiled at her son. Noah had been right; Josh and Donna had a bond of some kind, a bond that was more than just a boss – assistant relationship. Hmmmm.

"Shh, Donna is just fine, she wasn't at Rosslyn, remember? She wasn't hurt. She is waiting outside; I told her she could see you right after I made sure you were all right. Do you want to see her now?" Ruth asked gently.

"Please, get her." Josh replied. He needed to see Donna; he needed to see that she was okay for himself, even though he knew his mother wouldn't lie to him about something like that.

Ruth stepped to the partially closed door and beckoned to someone out in the hall. Donna slowly walked into the room, uncertain of what she would see. She looked at Ruth, who motioned her towards the bed. Ruth then quietly slipped out the door and into the hall, giving Josh and Donna a moment alone. Leo rose from his chair and escorted Ruth down the hall to a private waiting room.

"Are you okay, Ruth?" Leo asked gently, knowing how difficult it must have been for Ruth to see her son lying in a hospital so soon after losing Noah.

"Yes, Leo, now that I've seen him and talked to his doctors, I feel much better. Now I'm worried about Donna, she looks like a wraith, a ghost. How long has it been since she's eaten or slept?" Ruth was slipping in her mother hen mode; Leo knew the signs all too well. Between Abbey Bartlet and Ruth Lyman, Donna didn't stand a chance. He sighed before answering Ruth's question.

"Well, Josh was in surgery for over 14 hours, then in recovery for another 2 hours, that's 16 hours, and let's say that Donna may have had dinner about 2 hours before all hell broke loose. I'd say 18 hours since she last ate, and probably well over 24 since she last got any sleep. Ever since she got here and found out about Josh, she refused to budge. I think the only person to get her to do anything was Mrs. Bartlet, and Abbey may have had to threaten Donna with sedation at that." Leo sighed again, knowing that Ruth would be less than pleased with his answer.

Ruth just shook her head. She knew that Josh was fond of his quirky assistant, and that his whole disposition had improved greatly since she joined the campaign. She cast her mind back to that pleasant visit before the Illinois primary. Even then it was apparent to those closest to Josh that the bond he shared with Donna was something special yet indefinable. Josh's emails home usually mentioned Donna in some way, something that never happened during the Mandy period. Any information about his relationship with Mandy usually required a crowbar. Ruth wondered about the difference. She wondered if anyone else had noticed.

"Leo, do you think that she'd be willing to come to my hotel with me?" Ruth inquired.

"Actually Ruth, you won't need a hotel – the Bartlets want you to stay at the Residence. You will have a driver at your disposal at any time, and they won't take 'no' for an answer. Sometimes I wonder if secretly they aren't Jewish." Leo said with sly grin, hoping to get Ruth to relax just a bit.

Ruth just chuckled. "You are a naughty boy, Leo Thomas McGarry. Please tell the President that I accept his gracious and generous offer, with the proviso that Donna accompany me. That girl need to be put to bed before she falls asleep on her feet, and when she wakes up, she needs a good matzo soup and then straight back to sleep. She'll be no good to anyone if she collapses from exhaustion." Ruth finished emphatically, determined to take care of the sweet girl who had been taking such care of her son.

Leo smiled broadly. "I already have explicit directions concerning the health and well-being of one Donnatella Moss, from both the President and Mrs. Bartlet. I suspect that should I fail to fulfill those directions, I probably shouldn't bother returning to the White House anytime soon. But since you're here to help me, I think between the two of us we can handle Donna. Shall we?" Leo stood up and gallantly offered his hand to Ruth, who clasped it warmly in her own.

"Let's go get our girl, Leo."

"Ladies first!"

Leo escorted Ruth back down the hall to Josh's room under the watchful eyes of the Secret Service agents. The agent at the door opened it to allow Leo and Ruth to enter. The sight that greeted them was both heart-wrenching and breathtaking. Josh lay in bed, surrounded by all manner of machines and tubing. Donna had laid her head down on the bed, probably intending just to rest a moment or say a quick prayer, but exhaustion overcame the spirit and she fell asleep, fresh tear tracks evident on her cheeks. Josh's hand rested gently on Donna's head, as though he had tried to comfort her as she cried. But he too had fallen asleep, but it seemed to be a peaceful sleep for now.

Ruth turned to Leo, tears in her eyes. "Will he really be alright, Leo?"

Leo put his arm around Ruth and looked back at his "children" before he answered.

"Yes, Ruth, I think he will be just fine. And so will she."

Ruth nodded and wiped her eyes. "Well, as much as I hate to wake the poor child, the sooner we get her tucked into bed at the Residence, the better. Do you want to wake her, or shall I?"

"I think you'd better do it, 'cause if I tell her that she's going to be staying at the Residence, she just might put up a fight and I'd have to call the agents in here." Leo trailed off as Ruth started chuckling and shaking her head.

"What's so funny, Ruth?" he asked, confused.

"You, that's what. I think you are actually afraid of what this poor tired girl might do to you! You're a big chicken, Leo McGarry!"

"You know what, Ruth? You're right – I've seen that "poor tired girl" smack your son upside the head and then grab his ear and drag him back to his office. Yes, I'm scared of her! Satisfied?" Leo retorted.

"By his ear, you say? Are you sure Donna isn't Jewish, because that is standard procedure in the Jewish Mothers Training manual."

Leo just hung his head. "Ruth, can we just wake her up and go? Please?"

"Very well, Leo. Maybe you'd better wait outside, we don't want to scare the poor girl, do we?" Ruth snickered.

"Funny, Ruth, very funny. I'll call ahead and let them know to expect us."

"You do that, Leo."

With that, Leo left the room chuckling. Noah my friend, I think your son will be just fine, because I don't see Ruth or Donna letting it happen any other way.

TBC