Planning Session

Hi all, here's the next chapter. Anyway, I will be taking a break for some time to write a few JD fics...also, I have a message for miss jasadin: WHAT? You want to live in America? I thought everyone outside of it hated America. Well, I guess you could come to D.C. and meet Josh and Donna (I believe I saw them filming the show while I was there, but I didn't actually meet the characters, and i didn't even know about the show at the time). I am so in love with Australia and I thought everyone there loved it there. Good idea, could we switch for a few weeks:-)


"So, how was work?"

"Well…okay. It's no fun without Josh, and the whole West Wing's pretty gloomy right now…"

"I see. So, shall we begin?"

Donna and CJ sat in CJ's symmetrical living room. Donna was holding a paper bag with a few items in it.

"Sure. I've prepared some…stuff, to help us think," said Donna. "Now, we need to begin by going over the problem."

"Okay."

"Tell me what happened with the window thing. Tell me everything."

"Alright. Here goes," CJ prepared herself. "Well…I had just told you about Pedro."

At this, Donna squirmed, but CJ chose to ignore it for the moment; this could be discussed later.

"I went into my office, and I noticed that the window was completely smashed outwards. Like someone had…jumped. The scary part was the red stuff around the edges of the broken glass…I think it was blood. I was totally freaked, so I started screaming, and I guess I sort of went ballistic. I temporarily went a little mad, and sorty of threw things about and runied some stuff. I honestly didn't mean to, ot was just so scary. I tend to overreact sometimes…"

"So anyway, then, I guess you came in, Donna. And you saw me, practically pulling my hair out, and I guess it didn't look too good for me. But you chose not to tell, thank God. So I started cleaning up, but my big mistake was trying to cover up the whole thing. Then, of course, Sam found out, and you blabbed to everyone that I'd lost it."

Donna squirmed again.

"No offense, Donna. So I was running out of there, and on my way out, I looked at the news station on the TV, and who should I see, but me. I skidded to a halt, and that's when the other thing happened."

"Okay, CJ, good job. I think I understand about the whole window thing now. Now…about the news…"

Donna pulled a video out of her bag.

"Got a TV?"

CJ gestured towards a large TV sitting in a corner.

"This is a video of today's broadcast; the killer one." Donna slipped the video in, and pressed "play".

Immediately, CJ saw the face of the new reporter in the Briefing Room.

"Good afternoon, and this is Laura Carter of Channel 33, with another shocking report. Today, CJ Craig, Press Secretary of the White House, commented on the bomb disaster in the White House. Just listen to what she said."

CJ's face filled the screen.

"I'd be surprised if we have a suspect soon."

Laura's face returned.

"Can you believe it? A White House Executive doubts the Secret Service? My, my."

CJ's face again again.

"We are not concerned."

Laura's face.

"Not concerned? A bomb in the White House, and you're not concerned? My, dear."

CJ.

"I quote President Bartlet, 'I am very shocked that such a thing happened here at the White House. I am scared. Our country is scared. We need foreign help."

Laura.

"I believe we have a distress signal here! Foreign help? Scared? The U.S.? What's happened to our courage, bravery, and—"

Donna stopped the tape.

"CJ. I know you're not crazy. But the question is…why did you say all that?"

"That's the problem, Donna. I didn't."

Donna looked at CJ skeptically.

"I didn't! Donna, I thought you of all people would listen to me…"

At this Donna relented.

"Alright. Now, assuming for a minute that you did not, in fact, say any of that, how on earth did that woman get it on videotape?"

"Well…I remember her pretty well. She was new…and she didn't fill out a form to air the press room. But I figured it was ok to let her do it just once…I don't know how she got this—Donna? What're you…"

Donna was staring openmouthed at the screen. She rewound and played.

CJ's face once again dominated the screen.

"I would be surprised if we have a suspect soon."

Donna rewound, and played just a certain part again.

"…if we have a suspect…"

Again, Donna repeated it. She put the tape on slow-mo.

"Donna, what on earth…"

"Watch," said Donna quickly.

"…we have a…"

Donna turned to face CJ. Her eyes were wide with bewilderment.

"Did you see that?" she asked loudly.

"What?" said CJ, irritated.

"The jump. The tape jumped, right after you said 'we', and right before you said 'have'."

"Huh? It jumped?"

"Yeah, watch."

Donna played it back on slow-mo.

Sure enough, between the two words, CJ saw her head jump to another position unnaturally, as if a part had been cut out of the tape…

"Wow, you're right Donna…does this mean…"

"Yep. She took what you said, and cut and pasted it to form a completely scandalous bunch of statements. Illegal in the least."

"Oh my God, Donna…I would never have noticed that…"

"That's okay, CJ. I'm glad to help. Now all we have to do is form a plan…"

The two whispered quietly for a few minutes, then Donna gathered her stuff, and as CJ closed the front door behind her, a smile was on her face.


By the way, WW fans, go back to the chapter with the briefing room ("Suspect"), and you'll see that all the words on the TV could have been cut and pasted from what CJ said in the briefing room. See if you can figure it out!