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Disclaimers and warnings in Part One |
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A good heart is hard to find Part Six ‘Sir?’ ‘Dan, what is it?’ ‘I’m sorry to bother you Sir. I know it’s late.’ ‘Hey, come on in.’ ‘Sir, it’s about Josh and Sam.’ ‘Yeah?’ ‘They need to talk about what happened.’ ‘I’m sure Keyworth would help out.’ ‘Keyworth?’ ‘Stanley Keyworth, he helped Josh after…’ ‘Rosslyn. I thought I recognised the name. But his specialty is trauma, isn’t it?’ ‘Yup.’ ‘That isn’t what Josh and Sam need.’ ‘Josh?’ ‘Sir, he may not have been the target of the attack, but he witnessed it. He may be more traumatised than Sam, particularly as he’s also dealing with the events at Rosslyn.’ The conversation was rapidly moving outside the President’s scant knowledge of trauma, and he poured coffee, handing one cup to Dan. ‘So what do you think?’ ‘They need to see a trauma counsellor.’ ‘Okay. I’ll get onto it.’ Dan said quietly: ‘I know someone.’ Bartlet looked up. ‘Okay.’ ‘I’ll call him tomorrow.’ ‘Yeah.’ ‘Oh, and Sir…’ ‘Yeah?’ ‘Someone will have to talk to Sam and Josh about this.’ Bartlet took a deep breath. ‘Okay.’ ******************** Josh knocked on the closed door. He heard the quiet voice and opened the door slowly. He hadn’t seen Sam since the night they were both bought to the White House, and he wasn’t sure how Sam would react. He need not have worried. Sam smiled at the sight of Josh’s nervous face. ‘Hi.’ Josh crossed the room and sat on the chair at Sam’s side. ‘Hi.’ ‘You want some of this? I’m full.’ Sam pushed the plate of fruit across the table which was across his bed. Josh helped himself to a strawberry. Sam lay back against the pillows. ‘What’s going on over there?’ Josh shrugged. ‘Not much. The same old stuff.’ Josh was conscious of Dan’s threat as to what she would do to him if he discussed work with Sam, and, although he wasn’t sure she would know, he decided not to. Leo was scared of her temper, Josh knew, and he was sure Leo wouldn’t have told him if it wasn’t true. So he was cautious. Just in case. ‘JL…’ Josh looked up. ‘Yeah?’ ‘Thanks.’ Josh felt Sam’s hand on his. And he remembered. Forcing his voice to remain calm he asked: ‘For what?’ Sam was suddenly shy. ‘Just being you.’ Ellie walked down the corridor and heard voices in Sam’s room. When she reached the doorway, she saw Sam cradling Josh’s head in his arms, Josh reaching round Sam’s waist, his body shaking with his sobs. She closed the door quietly and walked back to the Agent standing outside the sitting room. ‘Please see that Mr Seaborne isn’t disturbed until I come back.’ The man nodded. ‘Yes, ma’am.’ ‘Are you okay?’ ‘Me? Lit, I’m fine.’ ‘They didn’t hurt you?’ Flinching as he broke his grip on Sam, Josh was forced to admit: ‘I got a couple of broken ribs.’ ‘Oh, JL…’ ‘It’s okay Lit. I’m fine now.’ Sam looked into Josh’s face. ‘JL, what is it?’ Josh decided he would go for the ripping off a Band-Aid approach. Do it quick and it would hurt less. ‘Dan thinks we need to see someone.’ ‘Who?’ ‘A counsellor.’ Sam shook his head. ‘I don’t wanna talk about what happened.’ ‘The President agreed.’ Josh waited while Sam figured it out. ‘He won’t let me come back to work if I don’t.’ Josh nodded. This was because of the Rosslyn thing. The way he’d reacted. It wasn’t until Leo talked him into seeing Keyworth that he talked about what had happened to him and began to get over it. And he was to blame for Sam having to go through it. But now was not the time to apologise. He settled for: ‘Yeah. Dan knows someone.’ ‘Why not Keyworth?’ Josh swallowed hard. ‘Someone who is experienced in…’ Sam’s voice was hard. ‘Assault.’ Josh nodded. ‘Yeah.’ Sam’s eyes dulled. ‘Okay.’
******************* ‘Sam, are you sure?’ Dan frowned. A long day at work, then Mrs Cunningham catching her as soon as she walked into the Residence. Sam was asking for her. Dan had to force herself to remember what had happened to Sam was a million times worse than the tiredness she was feeling. ‘If you don’t want to…’ ‘Wouldn’t you rather have Josh here?’ ‘He’s been working all day.’ Dan didn’t point out that Josh wasn’t the only one. ‘If you’re sure. I’ll make sure we’re not disturbed.’ He smiled gratefully. ‘Thanks.’ While Dan walked to the Agent standing outside the sitting room, Mrs Cunningham unpacked the sterile kit. ‘I’ll be as gentle as I can, Sam, but these stitches really need to come out.’ Sam was shaking by the time Dan came back, and she knelt at the side of the bed. ‘Just try and relax. Close your eyes. Breathe gently. That’s it.’ The two women turned Sam onto his side, and Dan pulled his leg towards her, bending his knee. ‘Keep still now.’ Sam’s tears flowed unchecked. Not from pain. It was uncomfortable, nothing more. Rage. Hurt. Anger. And a million other emotions he couldn’t even find a word for. Josh could have. He was proud of his knowledge of English, although sloppy in its usage. He was surprised when Dan released her grip on his leg. ‘All done. You were so brave. It’s over now. It’s all over now.’ She wiped his tears away and Mrs Cunningham left, taking the last of the physical reminders of Sam’s ordeal with her. She stood outside the door until Dan came out, wondering where she was, almost bumping into her. Concerned, Dan asked: ‘Is everything all right?’ Ellie nodded. ‘I just thought you two could do with some time alone. Now, I think I’ll go and say goodbye to Sam.’ ***************** Dan was sitting with Leo and Josh enjoying an early-morning coffee and doughnut. All three looked up as Sam walked slowly into his office. Toby heard someone in the office next door and got up. The President was walking out of the Oval Office towards the coffee machine and saw him too. No-one spoke, then Dan got up. Picking the box up from the desk, she walked into Sam’s office. ‘Breakfast, Sam?’ Sam looked up, already distracted by the pile of folders on his desk. ‘Thanks.’ Without really looking, he reached into the box and pulled a doughnut out. As the other staff began to arrive, Dan moved from Leo’s desk to a position nearer the door. As each person came in, Dan said: ‘Sam’s back.’ Her voice indicated that it was nothing out of the ordinary. He had been away. Now he was back. End of story. ********************** ‘Ready?’ Dan knocked on Leo’s door, leaning into his office. Leo looked up. ‘Two minutes.’ As she waited, Dan looked around the office. Charlie and the President were walking back to the Oval Office. Josh and Donna were arguing about something as they refilled their coffee cups. CJ and Danny were coming down the corridor, their heated discussion not dampened by the people around them. Toby and Sam were in Sam’s office. Sam was sitting at his desk, laptop open in front of him. Toby was standing over him, occasionally commenting on Sam’s typing. Just a normal day. Or what passed for normal when you were standing in the West Wing of the White House waiting for the Chief of Staff to the President to the United States to take you to lunch. End Return to the X-Files Fic Index Return to the West Wing Fic Index
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