Unwelcomed Changes Part 3

Un-welcomed Changes

By Mer

Part 3

Rosslyn Long-term Care-Just outside Sam's Room

Donna checked her bag one last time. She had been told Of Mice and Men was Sam's favorite book and for the last couple of days she had been reading him a few chapters. After they had both been in coma's for a couple of weeks begging them to wake up had gotten old, so she had taken to reading to both of them. She was reading All Quiet on the Western Front to Josh but today she felt like seeing Sam first.

"Well here goes." Donna muttered as she pushed the door open.

"Here goes what?" Sam asked coldly.

Donna was so shocked that she dropped the book on the floor. It landed with an awkward thump. Casey had let her leave even earlier than normal that day and she had already been on the way to visit them when C.J. got the call from Dr. Winters. She was completely shocked. She would have never guessed that Sam would be awake, especially since she saw him everyday and heard the doctors tell her what an unlikely possibly that was. Yet there he was, awkwardly sitting up and staring at her.

"You're awake." Donna stuttered slowly, realizing that there may be hope for Josh too.

"Sorry he's still a Sleeping Beauty." Sam remarked as he saw her eyes flash with that revelation.

"That's okay, I came to see you too." Donna replied, trying not to be taken off-guard by this different Sam.

"I know that I am just an afterthought to your boy-toy Josh." Sam exclaimed angrily.

"That is not true. You are my friend too Sam. I've been reading you your favorite book Of Mice and Men." Donna protested as she bent down and picked up the book.

"That's all well and good but that still doesn't convince me. So how is everyone getting along without me? I bet Toby is going nuts without having me there to help him." Sam stated.

"Actually…" Donna began not knowing how to say that Sam had been replaced.

"Actually what?" Sam demanded.

"Mandy Hampton has temporarily been given your job." Donna said and then immediately looked at Sam to gauge his reaction.

"Mandy has been given my job! What the hell are they thinking? That bitch couldn't write her way out of a phone book." Sam exclaimed angrily.

"Sam they weren't sure how long you were going to be out and Toby needed some help." Donna tried to explain.

"Oh sure they replace me but I bet your boss has yet to be replaced, because he is just too precious." Sam mocked angrily.

"That's not true. Josh was replaced by a man named Casey Adams a few days after you were replaced." Donna replied in an upset voice.

"Well at least he was replaced by someone competent." Sam replied bitterly.

"Sam I really don't want to get into this fight with you." Donna warned quietly.

"No of course not, I forgot that you hate Mandy more than anyone in this administration. I guess it could be worse, she could be your boss." Sam taunted.

"But she's not and thankfully I can avoid her." Donna shot back, starting to get a little unnerved by this new Sam.

"So why weren't you there that night anyway?" Sam asked coldly.

"Because I had a date with someone else and at the time I wasn't about to let Josh ruin that date as well." Donna said a bit shakily.

"Too bad we had to change your plans. You know Josh he always has to come up with a way to ruin them. I must say that he did a damn fine job this time. You must be so proud because at least he's getting more original." Sam said icily.

"This time it wasn't Josh's fault. It wasn't your fault either." Donna replied, refusing to give in.

"Bullshit. Everyone knows that it was my fault. I was the one who mouthed off. I was the one who got us both punished. It was my fault that he was even there and you know it." Sam exclaimed angrily.

"Sam Senator Herman set you both up. You were both supposed to die in that fire. You were both supposed to suffocate from the smoke. And then when that didn't work they tried to kill both of you at the hospital. You really had nothing to do with this." Donna explained.

"What the hell are you talking about? How the hell could Senator Herman set us up?" Sam asked.

"That's something that they are still trying to sort out. But the Senator was involved with a terrorist group and he owed them money or something, he tried to kill both of you to pay off his debt." Donna answered matter-of-factly.

"Then maybe I would have been better off dead. Would you please get the hell away from me?" Sam yelled.

"What? What did I do?" Donna asked.

"Just take your stupid book and go read it to Josh. I am not in the mood for your company right now." Sam screamed.

Donna didn't argue she just left the room like she had been told. Sam was left alone like he had wanted. But the truth of it was, was that being alone was the last thing he wanted at the moment. He just felt this intense resentment of Donna and he didn't know why. She hadn't been there that night, but she came and visited him everyday so that should've accounted for something. He knew that something was definitely wrong with him, but he couldn't quite figure out what.

Leo's Office

Leo sat at his desk staring at a copy of a bill that Casey had submitted to Congress. The bill was almost sure to pass. Only it hadn't originally been Casey's bill, it had started out as Josh's. It was Josh's pride and joy and Casey had just finished it. But the bill was going to pass and Casey was going to get the credit. Leo figured that he should be happy that it was going to pass, but instead he was bitter because he could just imagine what Josh's reaction would've been and frankly he was beginning to miss Josh's victory dance. Believe it or not he actually enjoyed the exuberant Josh and the raised spirits that everyone had after it.

Leo shoved the bill aside and he picked up a speech that Mandy had written. It was a damn good speech, but nothing like a speech that Sam would have come up with. He was starting to miss those types of speeches too. It may seem strange but he longed to hear Toby complain about how Sam lacked knowledge of the English language. It was just part of the daily routines that he never thought about until they weren't there anymore.

But the difference between Josh and Sam was that Sam had woken up. He had received the good news a little while earlier. And it was like an answered prayer. The President was preparing to visit Sam and Leo was expected to join him.

And Leo was going to go but he couldn't help but harbor a little resentment. He wanted Sam to wake up so that everyone would stop bitching about Mandy. But more than anything he had hoped to get a call that Josh had woken up too. He needed both of them back. It wouldn't seem right to have one without the other.

"Leo, there is something I have to tell you." C.J. said as she burst into his office.

"C.J. there is a door there for a reason." Leo commented as he looked up from Mandy's speech.

"It's about Sam." C.J. exclaimed.

"You already told me that Sam is awake, that is excellent news right?" Leo asked C.J.

"I don't know anymore Leo." C.J. replied slowly.

"What do you mean you don't know? Twenty minutes ago you were bouncing off the walls like a kid with a sugar high. What's changed all that?" Leo asked.

"I just got off the phone with Donna and she said that Sam was completely different." C.J. stated.

"Well of course he's going to be a little different C.J." Leo replied defending Sam a little.

"I know but she said that he's almost mean." C.J. protested.

"C.J. he was put through a terrible ordeal and then he's been in a coma for almost two months. He's probably just a little cranky, especially if he was told that he was replaced. The President is making plans right now to visit him within the hour." Leo replied.

"I'm just not sure that is really wise right now. Maybe we should let him get woken up a little bit more first." C.J. hesitated.

"C.J. what is your problem? You said that you were going to be the first one to visit him and you have yet to leave. If the President wants to visit Sam then he will and not even I can stop him." Leo replied.

"I just don't think that it would be a wise decision right now that's all." C.J. advised.

"C.J. what did Donna say that makes it seem like you are almost scared to go and visit Sam?" Leo asked.

"Well, she didn't really say much but it was the tone in her voice. She seemed like she had almost been scared to visit with him any longer. And I just remember that when he was like this at the hospital he said some things that he shouldn't have, and I'm just afraid that he is going to do it again." C.J. answered.

"C.J. I'm sure that everything will be fine. I'm sure that the President can handle Sam." Leo replied.

"I didn't mean that." C.J. stuttered.

"Don't worry I won't let him get any punches in either, if that is what you are worried about." Leo answered as he waved his hand to dismiss her.

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