Unwelcomed Changes Part 11

Unwelcomed Changes

By Mer

Part 11

Josh's Office (The next day)

Casey sat slumped at the desk. He had a killer hang over. He knew that he had been mean to C.J. and that she was probably going to be pissed off at him. And he also knew that he was probably in trouble because of the shattered picture. C.J. must have cleaned the mess up because the picture or the shattered glass was nowhere in sight.

Casey knew that if he wanted to keep a job in this administration that he had better change his attitude real fast. He took a huge gulp of coffee and then he sighed. Even though everyone seemed like a zombie, it was a huge honor to be working for the President of the United States. It was an honor that he didn't really want to give up quite yet.

After a few moments, he willed himself to get up and go get his schedule from Donna. But before he did he took a couple of Aspirin to kill the pounding in his head. He hadn't really had that much to drink in a long time and he was feeling the repercussions of it. All he wanted to do was lay down and die.

"Rough night?" Donna asked once Casey appeared at her desk.

"You could say that." Casey mumbled as his headache began to pound faster.

"You have a meeting with Joey Lucas in twenty minutes and then you have a meeting with Leo at eleven. Don't forget to call Mike at Global Strategies to have the new poll set up. And Casey what's wrong?" Donna asked suddenly as she didn't like the way he was staring at her.

"It's nothing really." Casey replied.

"That doesn't look like nothing to me." Donna protested.

"Okay, I really want to ask you a question, but I'm unsure of how it will sound coming from me." Casey replied.

"What's your question?" Donna asked softly.

"How is he?" Casey finally asked quietly.

"Josh?" Donna asked softly.

"Yeah how is he?" Casey asked slowly.

"It might take a little while but I think he's going to be just fine." Donna replied and Casey finally figured out what her true smile looked like.

"That's good. If you want to cut out early today to be with him it's alright with me." Casey offered.

"He's having some tests run on right now, so maybe when he comes back if that's okay with you." Donna asked eagerly.

"By all means, just let me know when you're leaving." Casey replied.

"I will." Donna smiled back.

Casey walked back into Josh's office and he laid his head back down on the desk. He promptly fell asleep. He was still lying there when Joey and Kenny walked in. Joey had to smile because the scene reminded her of a drunken Josh. Though she couldn't quite picture Casey in hip waders.

"You know there is a couch in here for a reason." Kenny translated and Casey jumped.

"Hi Kenny, Joey." Casey said once he recovered.

"We can come back later if you need your rest." Joey joked.

"No that's okay, I just have a bit of a headache." Casey replied as he could feel his face flush.

"Ahh." Joey said with a knowing smile.

"So are the numbers good or do we need to dial it down?" Casey asked, steering the conversation away from him.

"For the most part. The 17th district in Illinois didn't return it as favorable as we had hoped, but otherwise the responses were really good." Kenny translated as Joey handed Casey the sheet.

"Okay, I guess we will have to figure out what went wrong there. But you're right I am pleased with the results. I'm going to send the bill over to the House if Leo gives it his blessing and it looks like he will." Casey said as he scanned the paper, not remembering to keep his mouth in Joey's line of sight.

"Not necessarily, if that district doesn't like it then you know a domino effect will happen." Kenny translated.

"I'm not worried about the dominoes, I was the king at them when I was younger!" Casey boasted.

"By the way congrats on the Hate Crime Bill." Kenny translated.

"Yeah I'm really proud of that one too. It took a lot of hard work but I got it passed." Casey smiled.

"Didn't you have help on the bill?" Joey asked.

"Not really." Casey replied, not knowing that Joey had helped Josh with the Bill.

"Well, I have other places I need to be. Just let me know when you need me again." Kenny translated for an angry Joey.

"Thanks, I will." Casey stated, as he didn't even look up at them.

"Jerk." Joey whispered as soon as they got out of the office and Kenny just simply nodded.

"Hi Joey, Kenny." Donna said once she saw him.

"Hey Donna." Kenny replied for both of them.

"Kenny could you?" Joey asked him in her special code.

"Yeah, it was nice seeing you again Donna. I'll be in the mess when you're ready." Kenny replied as he walked away.

"How are things with you and Casey?" Joey asked softly.

"He drives me nuts, but as Josh pointed out last night it's probably because I didn't really give him much of a chance." Donna replied.

"How's Josh? Is he any better today than he was last night?" Joey asked slowly.

"He's upset because he can't remember everything and he's scared because he fears that his blindness might be permanent." Donna replied softly forgetting that the type of voice didn't matter to Joey.

"You'll help him get through this." Joey stated.

"I will." Donna reassured her.

"Donna be patient with him, he needs to sort some stuff out." Joey replied.

"Sort what out?" Donna asked.

"You'll find out soon I hope." Joey smiled.

Leo's Office

"Well did he take the bait?" Leo asked as soon as Toby walked in to his office.

"Sam?" Toby asked as he shut the door.

"Yes, did Sam take the bait?" Leo asked.

"Oh yeah he was pissed. He thought that I was making it up." Toby replied.

"Did it change his attitude any?" Leo asked with anticipation.

"Leo you look like a kid who is planning to rob a candy store." Toby commented.

"Sorry." Leo apologized.

"It was too early to tell if he took the bait or not." Toby confessed.

"There's still time." Leo mumbled to himself.

"I guess he went to visit Josh." Toby offered.

"How did that visit go?" Leo asked with a groan.

"I don't know I wasn't there. I was only there when he got back from seeing him. I'm not sure I liked the look on his face when he came back." Toby replied.

"Josh said that he doesn't remember much after the damage control press conference." Leo stated.

"I'm not sure how much Sam remembers but this new eviler Sam might use the fire information against him." Toby theorized.

"You mean make something up about the fire? I thought of that too. But I don't think Sam is that heartless after knowing what happened to Josh's sister." Leo replied.

"You never know with the way that Sam has been acting." Toby offered.

"I know but that would be too cruel even for him. Why would he bring up a fire in which someone lost their beloved sister?" Leo asked.

"I don't know. Maybe Sam won't bring it up but Josh himself has to be remembering it on his own." Toby replied.

"His parents were afraid that he wouldn't survive that grief." Leo remembered.

"With his PTSD we just have to keep an extra eye out for him." Toby replied.

"Sounds like you're worried about him." Leo teased.

"The last thing I need is another psycho co-worker running around. A psychotic Sam is enough." Toby replied.

"Amen to that." Leo muttered.

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