Ghosts in the Smoke Part 44

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 44

Leo's Office

"10, 9, 8, 7, 6." Leo began counting softly to himself. "5, 4, 3, 2, 1"

"Tell me that you did not hire her!" C.J. exclaimed as she and Toby burst into Leo's office as he said the number one.

"I did not hire her." Leo replied evasively.

"But the President did huh?" Toby filled in.

"That would be correct." Leo replied his gaze focusing on C.J.

"I can't believe you let her take Josh's job. Donna will be beside herself you know. Mandy hates Donna she will be driven to quit." C.J. replied angrily.

"That's one of the reasons why she wasn't given Josh's job." Leo said slowly.

"Then what job was she given?" Toby asked in a terse voice.

"She has been hired as Sam's temporary replacement." Leo replied slowly.

"Leo!" Toby and C.J. both screamed at the same time.

"You are going to need help writing the State of the Union and we needed someone who has already been approved by congress. Mandy was a logical choice." Leo explained.

"But she left us after the shooting. She ran away like a scared little girl. Why should she get another chance?" Toby demanded.

"It wasn't my entirely my decision." Leo shot back.

"But you didn't stop it did you?" C.J. asked angrily.

"No I guess I didn't. You know I'm sure that both of you could be replaced as well." Leo threatened.

"He wouldn't dare." Toby replied in a harsh tone.

"There are a lot of things that I never thought he would dare to do." Leo replied in a warning tone.

"Okay guys let's just calm down, I'm sure that Sam is going to wake up any minute now and then Mandy's services will be rendered useless." C.J. replied.

"When does she start?" Toby asked glumly.

"Tomorrow." Leo replied.

"Goody. I guess I will go back to my office now and get as much done as I can." Toby replied as he hastily left the room.

"What you aren't leaving too?" Leo asked once he noticed that C.J. remained.

"Is Josh going to be replaced?" C.J. asked slowly.

"Yes. The President has thrown out a couple of choices and I have to narrow it down by tomorrow." Leo replied.

"I'm sorry, Leo." C.J. said softly.

"I know, but we have to accept the fact that they both might take awhile to be ready for work." Leo commented quietly.

Josh's Office

Donna sat at Josh's desk spinning absently in his chair. The scene was eerily similar to her because she had done the same thing after Josh was shot. The only difference between then and now was that then his chair had been fixed after the shooting.

"It figures that I would find you in here." Mandy said as the door closed behind her with a bang.

"Gee why am I not surprised to find you in here though?" Donna shot back menacingly.

"Touché aren't we?" Mandy replied as she plopped down on Josh's couch.

"What the hell are you doing in here?" Donna demanded.

"I came here to apologize." Mandy replied innocently.

"Yeah right like I believe that one." Donna stated sarcastically.

"I am Sam's temporary replacement and Leo said that I have to try and be nice to you." Mandy replied.

"Try and be nice to me huh? I think you added a word there." Donna shot back.

"Listen you little bitch I am trying to make peace with you believe it or not." Mandy said her voice rising a couple of notches.

"Oh I am so scared. So what happens if we don't make peace, they will fire you?" Donna asked in a loud voice.

"I doubt it but they might fire you." Mandy replied with a voice rich in anger.

"They won't fire me." Donna said in a voice just as anger filled.

"Oh I forgot they have to keep you on for sentimental value." Mandy shot back.

"What's the matter jealous that I still have sentimental value?" Donna yelled back.

"Honey he ain't all that and a bag of chips." Mandy replied.

"Oh sorry that I don't have a vast knowledge of men like you do. But I shouldn't be offended because after all you are the slut in the room." Donna yelled.

"That really hurts Donna." Mandy replied sarcastically.

"Yeah I know the truth hurts don't it?" Donna replied with a smirk.

"I guess I can't blame Josh for wanting to stoop down to a little hayseed like you." Mandy yelled.

"Oh really and why is that?" Donna asked as she rose up out of the desk chair.

"Once he's had a piece of heaven the only way to go is down." Mandy replied.

"I think you have that a little backwards." Donna replied.

"Oh really do tell." Mandy stated clapping her hands together in anticipation.

"You are the one who is going downward." Donna answered with a smirk.

"Oh really and why is that? You are just so full of knowledge today that I can't contain myself. Why am I the one going downward? At least I don't continue to date gomer after gomer." Mandy yelled sarcastically.

"At least I don't have to beg my men to sleep with me." Donna shot back.

"At least I have men that will sleep with me." Mandy replied as she rose up from the couch.

"I feel sorry for them because after all you ain't all that and a bag of chips." Donna replied, thankful that she had picked up Josh's habit of throwing words back in people's faces.

"You bitch." Mandy yelled.

"Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me." Donna taunted.

"How third grade of you." Mandy replied as she gave Donna a little shove.

"Am I supposed to be scared by that little display?" Donna asked as she shoved Mandy back fairly hard.

By now C.J. and Toby had gathered in Josh's doorway. They were witnessing the fight and yet doing nothing to stop it. Both were routing for Donna. They wanted her to kick Mandy's ass.

"Well at least I'm not an assistant to a vegetable!" Mandy shot back as she tried to shove Donna.

Toby and C.J. gasped from their spot in the doorway. They knew that Mandy had gone a little too far with that comment. They watched as Donna shoved Mandy against the desk, knocking off some picture frames that Josh had on his desk. Tears were streaming down Donna's cheeks as she grabbed a hold of Mandy by the shirt and repeatedly banged her against the desk.

Mandy clawed her nails into Donna's back to get her to stop. Donna then released her and punched her in the face. By this time Toby realized that he had seen enough and he pulled the angry Donna off of Mandy. Donna twisted away from him and instead of heading for Mandy again, she ran out of the room. C.J. followed her and Toby stayed with Mandy.

"I don't know what got in to her." Mandy stated as she sat up on the desk.

"I don't know. I mean from my spot in the doorway I don't think I heard you provoke her but I could be wrong." Toby replied sarcastically.

"So you think that this is all my fault?" Mandy exclaimed.

"That's exactly what I am saying. Call either one of them a vegetable again and I think you'll get a more severe beating than that." Toby warned in a seething voice.

"I'm going to…" Mandy began but Toby cut her off.

"If you breathe a word of what went on here today to Leo, I swear to God you'll wish you could be half as lucky as Sam and Josh." Toby threatened as he left the room.

The Mural Room

"I figured that you would duck in here." C.J. said as she found Donna curled up on a couch.

"I just snapped C.J. I can't believe I did that." Donna cried.

"Don't worry about it Mandy provoked you. You did the right thing. Hell, I've wanted to beat her up for the longest time." C.J. said with a small laugh.

"Thanks. Are you going to tell Leo about this?" Donna asked.

"Nope, your secret is safe with me." C.J. replied as she gave Donna a hug.

"I only wish I could've done more damage to her." Donna replied.

"Yeah me too." C.J. laughed.

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