Ghosts in the Smoke Part 1

Disclaimer: I don't own these lovely characters, Aaron Sorkin and his friends do.

Sam and Josh are caught in a hotel fire.

Spoilers: Everything up through The Leadership Breakfast (set two days later)

Archive: Anywhere you want, just please e-mail me Partnrpal@aol.com

Ghosts in the Smoke

By Mer

Part 1

Leo's Office

"I thought that I was very clear when I spoke to you both this morning that Senator Herman wasn't to be messed with. I thought that I specifically told you not to make him mad because we need his vote on 542, along with the votes of his four best friends. Did I or did I not tell you guys not to piss him off?" Leo barked at Sam and Josh.

"Well, you see…" Sam stuttered.

"My point exactly. And Josh, what do you have to say for yourself?" Leo asked angrily.

"Actually Leo, Sam really…" Josh began.

"You aren't going to blame this on Sam. I let you blame the fire on him, but I won't let him take full credit for this." Leo snapped.

"But Leo…" Josh whined.

"I don't care, what your explanation is Josh, I am smart enough to realize that you are the one who can't control your mouth. Sam was probably trying to get you out of the jam, but you guys still managed to piss him off." Leo snapped.

"Sam…" Josh pleaded looking at his friend for some back up.

Sam gave Josh a tiny smile. Granted, Josh hadn't been at the meeting like he should have been. And granted, it was he Sam who had set the Senator off. But he never in a million years believed that Leo would be so mad at them both. But on the other hand Josh had let him take full blame for the fire incident, even though it had been Josh's idea, and Josh had helped create the disaster.

"Would you like us both to apologize to him?" Sam asked, turning his attention back to Leo.

"Well, you see I was about to get to that. Senator Herman is really a nice guy deep down. He swore to me that he would forgive the earlier incident if you both attended this charity bachelor auction that his wife his hosting." Leo began with a smile spreading across his lips.

"So he's resorting to blackmail?" Josh asked in a shocked voice.

"I guess you can call it that." Leo smiled.

"When is this auction? Do we have to bid on anyone?" Sam asked.

"Oh it's tonight, and I haven't even told you guys the best part yet." Leo smirked.

"Tonight, tonight's no good, Toby and I are working on…" Sam began but was cut off.

"Tonight you both will be at the auction to be auctioned off." Leo interrupted.

"I strongly oppose this." Josh complained.

"I second that motion." Sam replied.

"Well, maybe if you two had actually decided to use your law degrees I might be an impartial judge. But since you chose to work for me, I've decided to make you both go and be auctioned off. Josh, maybe you could convince Donna to go and bid on you." Leo suggested.

"Can't, she's still not speaking to me, due to the underwear incident." Josh replied as he hung his head in shame.

"You have to admit that was funny." Sam joked, but Josh only glared at him.

"You both will be at the D.C. Hilton at six p.m. sharp. You will meet Senator Herman at his hotel suite, in your tuxes ready to let yourselves be auctioned off. You will not get out of this unless their is a dire emergency, which according to my crystal ball is highly unlikely this evening." Leo replied.

"But..." Josh protested.

"Your assistants have cleared your calendars after four this afternoon. I made sure that they made tux arrangements for you. Don't screw this up." Leo warned.

"What could possibly go wrong?" Sam asked innocently enough.

"With you two together, nothing surprises me anymore. Screw this up and you might not have a job tomorrow." Leo threatened.

"What do you mean by that?" Josh asked, offended.

"Have you been near the Mural Room lately?" Leo asked with a sigh.

"Point taken." Josh consented.

"Sam you can go, I need to speak with Josh alone for a moment." Leo asked.

"Yeah, I'll see you tonight Josh." Sam grumbled as he left the room.

"I think you need to apologize to Donna about the incident." Leo urged.

"I've tried." Josh whined.

"Well, try harder, because you’re of no use to me when you two are fighting." Leo stated.

"Leo you are acting like she's my girlfriend or something." Josh protested.

"Sometimes I wonder." Leo mumbled.

"What?" Josh asked.

"Nothing, just don't screw up tonight. I don't want to see you both on the news." Leo warned.

"Yes, sir." Josh replied as he sulked back to his office.

Toby's Office

"Leo's making me get auctioned off like some slab of meat tonight." Sam moaned from his position on Toby's couch.

"Well, if you two hadn't pissed of Senator Herman then I'm sure you could be here helping me write the State of the Union instead." Toby replied.

"I would rather work on the speech that we've been working on for the past two months than go to this stupid auction instead." Sam sputtered.

"So what exactly did Josh say to piss him off anyway?" Toby asked as Sam's face reddened.

"Josh actually..." Sam's voice wavered a little.

"It wasn't his fault for once was it?" Toby asked, catching the look on Sam's face.

"No, he wasn't even there." Sam admitted.

"And yet you both got a dressing down...boy the things you do for your friends." Toby muttered.

"Hey he let me take the fall for the fire we both started." Sam protested.

"Yeah, but everyone knew you both were at fault. So what did you say to anger Senator Herman?" Toby asked.

"I told him, among other things that he was a self-righteous son of a bitch." Sam replied matter-of-factly.

"Big words for you." Toby commented dryly.

"I still would rather be here with you tonight." Sam complained.

"Which reminds me, you had better get back to work. If I have to work so do you." Toby said shooing him out of his office.

Josh's Office

"Mr. Lyman you have a budget meeting in ten minutes." Donna said in a dull voice as she caught Josh staring out the window.

"Thank you, Miss Moss." Josh said icily.

Donna was taken back by the tone in his voice. He hadn't talked to her like that since before Christmas. She wondered if maybe he was having a flashback or something. He turned in his chair to face her as she thought about this. His eyes were filled with a mixture of anger and sorrow.

"I didn’t mean to snap at you just then. And this thing about the other day has been bugging me. Donna you got to believe that I didn't mean for you to get so embarrassed." Josh said softly.

"I know, but did you have to do it in such a public place?" Donna asked.

"I've said I was sorry a million times. For three days I've put up with you calling me Mr. Lyman, and for you only to give me half of my messages." Josh began.

"I've given you all of your messages." Donna protested.

"Really, and when did my meeting with Senator Herman get set up?" Josh asked his eyebrows raised.

"Leo called right after staff this morning and told me your meeting was at ten." Donna replied.

"And I was given this message when?" Josh asked slowly, trying not to sound angry.

"I'll call and reschedule. I'm sorry, I'm not perfect." Donna replied.

"Sam went to the meeting and pissed Senator Herman off so now I have to attend a charity auction to make it up to him." Josh replied.

"Why?" Donna asked.

"To appease Senator Herman, and because Leo just assumed it was my mouth that had gone awry." Josh replied.

"I'm sorry." Donna replied.

"You might want to grab me a cup of coffee, because if we screw up tonight Leo's threatening to fire us." Josh sighed.

"But he said that you would have a job as long as he did." Donna protested.

"That was before I almost burned the building down and before he thought I angered Senator we desperately need." Josh replied.

"But you weren't there." Donna protested.

"Just bring me the coffee." Josh sighed.

"No, I'm still not getting it for you." Donna smirked.

“Then you can come bid on me tonight.” Josh offered.

“Can’t I have a date which you aren’t going to screw up this time. And no, I’m still not bringing you coffee.” Donna smirked as she left the room.

“Thanks for your support.” Josh muttered as she left the room.

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