Ghosts in the Smoke Part 22

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 22

Georgetown Hospital-Sam's Hospital Room

Sam woke up later that next morning and he looked around the room. It took a moment for him to realize where he was. The last thing he remembered was going to a hotel with Josh. He figured that something must have happened at the hotel. He squirmed a little on his bed and he realized that he couldn't move his leg. Something really bad must have happened at the hotel.

Sam's mind was a little hazy, kind of like it was every time that he had woken up with a hangover. He groaned because he figured that he must have done something really stupid. He racked his brain searching for any drunken memory but he couldn't come up with any. Groaning louder he just plopped back on his pillows.

He did remember going to the hotel with Josh so he wondered what kind of shape Josh was in. Sam knew that despite Josh's protests that Josh really wasn't able to hold his liquor. Sam knew that he himself wasn't the best at it himself, but he was a hundred times better than Josh. So if he hurt his leg, he could just imagine what injuries Josh might have.

There was a phone by his bedside so Sam picked it up. After glancing at his watch and realizing that it was only eight and a drunken Josh is never in before eleven he decided to try Josh at home. Sam laughed softly when Josh's answering machine came on after a few rings. He yelled at Josh to pick up, but when he got no answer he swore that he would call back later.

Sam hung up the phone and wondered if anyone else knew that he was in the hospital. He thought about trying to call someone else. He knew that C.J. would have a field day when she realized why he was in the hospital. Sam decided he liked this being able to lounge in, and not get yelled at. So instead of picking the phone back up he picked up the television remote.

He passed by a couple of channels but he stopped when he saw his face on the screen. In horror he realized that his cocoon of peace wasn't going to last very long. The press already knew about his little drunken escapade. Realizing that he didn’t know what happened and that he probably should, he turned the volume up and gave the television his full attention.

"There is isn't any word on the conditions of White House Deputy Communications Director, Sam Seaborn, or Deputy Chief of Staff, Josh Lyman. White House Press Secretary is trying to keep a tight lid on their conditions until she has something definite to report. We have received word that Mr. Seaborn is in stable condition and appears to have some sort of leg injury. We do not yet know the severity of the injury, only that it required some surgery. Mr. Lyman condition is said to be critical though no confirmation has yet been given." A reporter droned on.

Sam looked at the screen in horror as the burned out shell of a hotel was shown. He listened as the reporter said that they had been trapped in the building when a fire started and it had taken them several hours to be rescued. The pictures helped to jog Sam's memory of the night before and he suddenly felt sick to his stomach. He had begun to remember the choking smell of the thick smoke that has surrounded him.

As he remembered that sensation he began to wonder about Josh. He could vaguely remember that Josh was bleeding and had been talking kind of crazy. Sam hoped that Josh was okay. He felt terribly responsible for what had happened. He remembered that it was his fault that Leo had sent them there in the first place.

As Sam began to wallow in self-pity and immense worry, the door opened and Donna walked in. She gave Sam a small smile when she realized that he was awake. Sam took one look at her and realized things must be really bad. She looked exactly the same way that she had after hearing of Josh being shot.

"Donna, come here." Sam said as he opened his arms for her to give him a hug.

Donna hesitated for a moment then she gave Sam a long hug. Sam half expected her body to be overcome with sobs but Donna didn't cry. She pulled away after a few moments and she sat down in the chair next to his bed. She appeared to be studying him and Sam felt a little unnerved by that. Donna was looking at him almost as he would imagine one would look at a psycho like.

"Donna, why are looking at me like that?" Sam finally asked breaking the uncomfortable silence.

"They said that you were acting a little weird last night." Donna finally admitted.

"Weird how?" Sam prodded not being able to remember much of the night before.

"You were saying some things and you threatened to kill yourself. They had to sedate you last night." Donna admitted.

Sam gave her a slight nod. The hazy-hangover feeling could now be explained. He had it because the affects of the sleeping pill he had been given were wearing off. Sam prayed that no one important had been in the room with him at the time.

"Who was in the room with me while I was threatening to kill myself?" Sam asked slowly.

"Well, I know that while you were acting weird Toby and Leo were in the room. I think you threatened to kill yourself while the president was here." Donna announced slowly.

"At least I didn't threaten to kill him." Sam moaned aloud.

"They said you were delirious or something." Donna replied.

Sam nodded at that too, that could probably explain part of the reason why he had very little memory of the previous night. He looked at Donna again and wondered how she was really doing. Her words didn't seem to have any emotion behind them at all. That worried him a little bit. He was afraid to ask her about Josh because he was afraid of her reaction, but he knew he had to ask.

"Donna how's Josh?" Sam asked softly.

Sam leaned forward on the bed a little in anticipation of her answer but just as she opened her mouth Sam bumped the remote and the television came blaring out at them full blast. A firemen from the night before was being asked about what he had seen. He was in the middle of describing how close the flames were when they were finally able to reach both of them. Sam listened to what he was saying because he was still trying to piece together the incident but stopped once he heard Donna's sobs.

"It's really bad." Donna said through her sobs and Sam encouraged her to give him another hug.

Sam turned the television off and he threw the remote on the floor. Donna came over and gave him another hug and this time she didn't let go. She just sobbed on Sam's shoulder about how worried everyone had been about them, and about how worried she still was about Josh. Sam tried to soothe her, but the truth was, he had no idea what to say.

Georgetown Hospital-Josh's Room

It had been several hours since Josh's nightmare. Unfortunately, Josh had made no attempts to wake up after that. In fact he had made little movement at all. His doctors were very worried about that. They wondered how much brain damage he had received from the initial injury, and how much more damage had been done while he had died for a few minutes on the operating table.

"He's going to wake up right?" Leo asked after hearing the doctors' fear.

"I can't say for sure, and even if he does he could be a vegetable." The doctor had answered.

That had been a few hours ago and Josh had been moved to a regular room since then. As promised they let Donna in for a few minutes but Abbey didn't let her stay long. Leo had remained by his side the whole time. C.J, Jed, and Abbey had joined him periodically but for a majority of the time he had been left alone with Josh.

Leo had given up pleading for Josh to wake up a while ago. Pleading wasn't his style and he knew that Josh knew that as well. So instead he had gone to reminising with Josh about anything he could think of.

"Hey Leo still no change?" Abbey asked as she entered the room.

"No not yet." Leo admitted quietly.

"He'll wake up, just give him time. He's body needs a little time to recover from the shock." Abbey assured gently.

"So where did the president go?" Leo asked trying to change the subject.

"He is with Zoey and Charlie back at the Residence. The hospital was a little mad about having to remained closed to new incoming patients because of the security risk it could pose to the president." Abbey replied.

"I bet Ron was more than happy to kick him out." Leo joked softly.

"Yeah he was a little eager. Sam's awake now. He doesn't appear to be delirious anymore. So far the antibiotics seem to be doing their job." Abbey stated.

"That's great. Toby hasn't tried to come back yet, has he?" Leo asked.

"No not yet why?" Abbey asked.

"Because I told him not to come back before eleven and that he had to apologize for his actions last night first." Leo replied.

"I haven't seen him, but I promise I won't let him see Sam until he sees you first." Abbey pledged.

"Thank you." Leo replied as he turned away and looked back at Josh.

"Leo, you need to take a little break okay. You need to stop blaming yourself for what happened last night. It wasn't anyone's fault. It was an accident." Abbey assured him.

"I never should have sent either one of them, but I should definitely not have sent Josh. He still hasn't completely recovered from punching his fist through a window. I know that he seemed better…" Leo's voice trailed.

"When he wakes up and if he seems like he was before at least you'll know to give him the kind of help he needs before it comes to that again." Abbey stated.

"Does Sam know about Josh's condition? I mean he was going berserk over it last night. How is he coping?" Leo asked.

"I don't know if he knows or not but he doesn't seem to be acting as weird as he was." Abbey assured him.

"That's good, there's one less problem to worry about." Leo mumbled.

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