Ghosts in the Smoke Part 41

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 41

The Oval Office

"Sir, there is someone here to see you." Mrs. Landingham said with much distain in her voice.

"I take it, this is an unscheduled visit, which is why you are all worked up in a snit." Jed replied with a smirk.

"That and forgive me if I'm stepping out of line because I strongly advise you not see her, sir." Mrs. Landingham replied in an uncharacteristic tone for her.

"Why who is it?" Jed asked with a slight laugh.

"Mandy Hampton, Mr. President." Mrs. Landingham replied, knocking the smirk off of his face.

"It's a little early for an April Fool's Day joke." Jed replied seriously.

"She wasn't lying." Mandy said as she entered the room and looked around.

"Sir, do you…" Mrs. Landingham began helplessly.

"Relax, she's already here I might as well humor her." Jed replied to which Mrs. Landingham turned and glared at Mandy before leaving.

Mandy made a wide sweeping circle of the office as she waited for the President to address her. He just kind of stared after her, wondering why she chose now to pop back up. He tightly gripped the edge of his desk once he figured out the only reason that she was there. And he didn't like it one bit.

"Not much has changed in six months." Mandy stated to break the silence.

"Why are you here?" Jed asked in an even voice, though deep in his heart he already knew the answer to his question.

"I though that you might need my help." Mandy replied.

"Excuse me?" Jed asked.

"Well with Josh and Sam out I figured that you might need my help." Mandy replied seriously.

"So you think that I should just let you walk back in and have another job with this administration after you walked out on the first one?" Jed asked trying to keep his cool.

"I needed some time to regroup." Mandy replied.

"Oh so you thought that leaving while Josh was in surgery fighting for his life and while I was trying to assure my daughter that it wasn't her fault that we both were almost killed, that you were the one who needed to regroup?" Jed asked.

"We both know that you were running out of reasons to keep me anyway. I just figured that I would do the right thing and resign before I was forced too." Mandy replied.

"Contrary to popular belief I was the one who wanted you to stay. I was trying to figure out how to carve out a bigger niche for you." Jed replied.

"Seriously?" Mandy asked.

"Yes, but that thought was only a brief one because by the time I had planned it all out Rosslyn happened and you disappeared. In this administrations hour of need you ran away like a scared little girl. Josh took a bullet for me and yet he stayed. Sam had to play linebacker to protect C.J. and yet he stayed. You weren't even there and yet you left." Jed replied.

"That was a little bit different. I wasn't there because Leo told me to stay home. I saw the writing on the wall." Mandy replied.

"Oh really, I don't think so. Leo didn't want you there incase something happened. He needed you back here. But after we left for the Newsuem you hightailed it out. Mandy if you want to work for me you have to stay through the bad times as well. You have to continue on and ask for more. You can't just up and leave whenever you think that things get little rough." Jed scolded.

"I'm sorry, sir." Mandy said softly.

"Mandy, I loved what you were able to do for this administration. I mean I loved that you pitted yourself off against Josh and Toby. They both work better when they are knocking heads with someone, but I'm sorry that is not enough. You are here only to score Josh or Sam's job, albeit temporarily to further your career in the future. " Jed began but was interrupted by Donna's emergence from the patio.

"What is she doing here?" Donna exclaimed wildly.

"She is asking for a job." Jed answered not knowing what to do about the two women.

"Donna, how good it is to see you again." Mandy replied sweetly.

"Mr. President will you please excuse us, sir?" Donna asked.

"Of course, I have a thing in the Situation Room. Just don't throw anything. Mandy, we will have to continue this conversation later." Jed replied as he left the room.

"Just what in the hell do you think you are doing here?" Donna demanded, eyes flashing.

Georgetown Hospital- Sam's Room

"Well Sam we at least figured out who the doctor that did this to you was. I know that doesn't seem like much, but hey at least it's a start. Oh Sam what are we going to do now? You have never been good at being the quiet type. I need to hear you whine about Toby. I need to hear you complain about someone who cut you off while you were in line at Starbucks." C.J. laughed.

Sam didn't answer. He just lay there perfectly still. C.J. wasn't sure if she liked this anymore than she liked the psycho Sam. At least the psycho Sam was talking and acting alive. This Sam seemed like a doll and a very fragile doll at that.

“How is he?” Abbey said when she entered the room.

“Sam or Toby?” C.J. asked quietly.

“Toby.” Abbey answered softly.

“Oh he is mad at hell. I have never seen him just shoot up out the room like that before. He’s very angry, but I think he’s relieved that he has at least been able to do something.” C.J. replied.

“What do you mean by that?” Abbey asked.

“He’s been able to focus his energy on finding out who did this. I mean he helped with the sketch and now he knows who she is and he can help the cops nail her to wall.” C.J. replied.

“But you aren’t comforted by that are you?” Abbey asked softly.

“How can I be? How can I be comforted when Sam lies here in front of me in a coma and they have no idea whether or not he is going to wake up? And if that weren’t bad enough, Josh is two floors up, under the same condition.” C.J. replied.

“I know C.J.” Abbey replied gently.

“I just wish I could close my eyes and this would all be a dream. I wished that after Rosslyn too.” C.J. replied.

“There are many things that I wish I could do that with, I mean just close my eyes and pretend that the problems didn't happen. I wish we could do that, but we can’t.” Abbey stated softly.

“Then can you answer a question for me?" C.J. asked.

"I will try my best." Abbey replied.

"Why wasn’t I a target? Why?” C.J. asked.

“I have no idea. I wish I could help you there but I can’t. C.J. there is nothing wrong with not being a target.” Abbey assured her.

“I know. The press was just asking me today and for the life of me I had no idea how to answer that question.” C.J. replied.

“I don’t think there is anyway to answer that question. Just like there isn’t a way to answer why they were. I mean sure they might figure out why they were targets but that’s just why on paper, they will never figure out why God choose them to be ones.” Abbey replied.

“I know that some people, myself included believe that there is a plan for everything, but why did this plan have to include this? Who makes up this stuff?” C.J. asked.

“I don’t know.” Abbey admitted.

“So has Sam’s doctor said anything new?” C.J. asked.

“Well, his leg infection is clearing up and they are 98 % positive that Sam will be able to keep his leg. But other than that they don’t know.” Abbey replied.

“At least that is some good news.” C.J. replied.

“True." Abbey sighed deeply.

"I think I need to get a little fresh air." C.J. commented after a moment of silence.

"Take Toby with you. The two of you should get away from the hospital and try and eat something. I can't have all four of you in here." Abbey scolded.

"Yes ma'am." C.J. nodded as she left the room in search of Toby.

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