Ghosts in the Smoke Part 45

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 45

Twenty-nine hours later

Georgetown Hospital-Just outside of Sam's Room

"Mrs. Bartlet, I'm sure that you are aware that the deadline we set has come and gone." Sam's doctor stated gently.

"Yes, I understand it's even five hours past that." Mrs. Bartlet replied slowly.

"Both Sam and Josh have failed to respond to external stimuli. And all of their brain wave functions indicate that they are still deeply entrenched in a coma." He continued.

"Yes I understand that. But they can still wake up right?" Mrs. Bartlet asked.

"Yes they can but the longer they stay in a coma the higher the chances that they never come back out. In a few weeks I recommend that they both be sent to a long-term care faculty in Rosslyn, Virginia. I don't think that they need to be sent there yet, but there is only so much we can do here for them at the hospital." He stated gently.

"What you are trying to say that a hospital is for people who get better aren't you?" Abbey asked.

"Mrs. Bartlet I know that you are a doctor and that you understand what I am saying. Pretty soon they are going to need more specialized care than this hospital can provide them." He replied.

"Is the Rosslyn faculty good?" Abbey asked.

"One of the best, but I will agree with any one you might choose to send them too." He answered slowly.

"But I don't have to make this decision quite yet do I?" Abbey asked.

"No of course not. They could still wake up in the next few days or so. All I'm doing is trying to prepare you in the event that they don't." The doctor replied softly.

"What do you suggest I do?" Abbey asked slowly.

"I suggest that you prepare their friends for the worse. I'm sorry but it doesn't look good for them at all." The doctor answered.

Abbey watched the doctor walk away as she leaned back against a wall. She could feel a couple of warm tears sliding down her cheeks. She hated to think what would happen when she told everyone the bad news. C.J. and Toby were already upset about Mandy being hired and now it seemed like she might be there a little more permanently than everyone would like.

As Abbey leaned against the wall she thought about what the news would do to Donna. She was already worried about the young woman. Abbey was fairly certain that this would completely devastate her. And she wasn't sure how to prevent that from happening.

"Charlie can I speak with the President for a moment?" Abbey said once she pulled out her phone and dialed Charlie's special cell phone number.

"Is something wrong, ma'am?" Charlie asked after hearing the pain in her voice.

"Yes." Abbey replied quietly.

"Hang on I will go get him for you." Charlie replied softly.

"Abbey, honey what's wrong?" Jed asked once he picked up the phone.

"I need to gather everyone at the hospital. There is some bad news to report." Abbey replied slowly.

"I will see what I can do. How about we have everyone meet in that main waiting room in about an hour?" Jed asked.

"That's fine, but I need everyone who cares about Sam and Josh to be there." Abbey replied.

Michael Herman's House

"This is the F.B.I. please come out with your hands up." Agent Davidson yelled through a megaphone.

"What's the charge Agent?" Senator Herman asked once he came out.

"Two counts of attempted murder, 8 counts of espionage, treason, 3 counts of arson, 2 counts of conspiracy, destruction of public property…" Agent Davidson began to rattle off.

"Oh and good Alicia you are here too." Detective James replied as his sister stepped out of the house. "Your under arrest for two counts of impersonating a doctor, 3 counts of illegally administrating drugs, 2 counts of attempted murder, breaking and entering, 2 counts of conspiracy…"

"Let's face it you are both going to be put away for a long, long time." Agent Davidson replied as they shoved them both into separate cop cars.

Leo's Office

"You'll do it? Thank you. You do realize that this is only a temporary position right? Good. Report to work tomorrow. I will bring you more up to speed on things then." Leo said into the phone.

Jed waited patiently at the door for his best friend to get off the phone. Once Leo did, he gave him a minute to collect himself. He knew that hiring a replacement for someone Leo considered a son wasn't an easy task.

"So I take it he agreed." Jed said gently.

"Yes, starting tomorrow Casey Adams will be the acting Deputy Chief of Staff." Leo said with a heavy sigh.

"It's time to go to the hospital now." Jed said slowly.

"I figured as much. It must be bad news if Abbey even wants the assistants to come." Leo remarked absently.

"Maybe it's good news." Jed said optimistically.

"I highly doubt that. Do you think that they will ever forgive us for doing this?" Leo asked.

"I hope that they will understand." Jed replied.

"You hope huh? That sounds promising." Leo remarked as he got up to join his best friend.

Georgetown Hospital-Waiting Room

Abbey waited patiently as everyone filed in. Sarah Lyman was the first to arrive. She sat nervously in the corner trying to avoid eye contact with Abbey. Donna, Bonnie, Ginger, Carol, Margaret and Cathy showed up next. They formed an assistant circle. Charlie, Zoey, Jed, and Leo followed after them. Toby and C.J. were closely behind, with Mandy and her black eye and all, being the last one to arrive.

"I guess you all are wondering why I have gathered you here today." Abbey began slowly.

"Yes." They all said in unison.

"I wish I could stand up here and tell you that I had good news to report. I wish I could tell you that the arrest of at least two of the culprits was enough to erase the bad memories. I wish I could you that these last couple of days have all been one huge nightmare." Abbey said softly.

"What's wrong Abbey?" Jed prompted.

"Yesterday Sam and Josh were both given an ultimatum. The doctors discovered that they hadn't quite reached the poison in time. The doctors said that unless Josh and Sam woke up within twenty-four hours, they were uncertain whether they would ever. They also went on to say that if they did wake up they could have a host of problems such as violent mood swings, memory loss, diminished of motor skills, which means the inability to perform simple tasks. It has now been over thirty hours since that ultimatum was issued and neither one of them has shown any signs of waking up." Abbey stated quietly.

"What does that mean?" Sarah asked softly.

"It means that there is a huge possibility that they might never wake up and that if they do they probably never will be the same again." Abbey replied.

"So basically you are telling us that they might never wake up?" Zoey asked slowly.

"Yes." Abbey replied gently.

"So you are saying that neither one of them will ever accidentally set the building on fire, that neither one of them will ever stick their foot in their mouth? That Sam won't ever accidentally sleep with a call girl and Josh's voice won't ever carry down the hallway. That Sam won't be able to put in a swimming pool and that Josh won't be able to embarrass Donna again?" C.J. asked.

"Or that Josh won't be able to piss off the Christian Right, and Sam won't be able to answer to Toby throwing rubber balls at his window, or that Josh won't be able to whine about me not bringing him coffee, and Sam won't be able to embarrass himself in front of Mallory by not knowing anything about the White House?" Donna asked her eyes filling up with tears.

"Josh won't ever be able to fill in for a Press Conference and Sam won't ever be able to be a klutz?" Toby asked.

"There is a strong possibility that neither one of them will ever be able to do that again." Abbey answered softly.

"So life just has to go on then huh?" Toby asked angrily.

"All we can do is wait and pray. But Toby we have to go on with our lives. Mandy will have to fill in for Sam and someone will have to replace Josh. We have to move on, but forever keep them in our hearts." Abbey replied.

"I am not going to give up on them yet." Leo protested.

"Nobody wants you to give up on them. But we have to face the reality that they may never be the same again." Mandy answered slowly.

"Of course you would say that." Donna replied.

"I'm being serious. I never wanted to take Sam's job like this." Mandy replied.

"Let's all pray for them." Jed suggested.

"Do you think it will work?" Sarah asked quietly.

"It's all we have left." C.J. said quietly.

"Our father who art in heaven…" Jed began softly.

The End

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