Sent You Away~ Blood of Kings

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=200 BGCOLOR="#003399" TEXT="#080000" background="03fc8c00erkjxk.jpg"> <div> <B>Fifth in the "Sent You Away" series.</B></div> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#0066CC" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#99CCFF" FACE="Arial" ><B>Smiles, Tears, & Happy Endings</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFFF99" FACE="Arial" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#CC0000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT>  |     <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Smiles, Tears, Happy Endings"><U>home</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id196.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="A Little Of Each..."><U>A Little Of Each...</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id197.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Murder On The Campaign Express"><U>Murder On The Campaign Express</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id200.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sent You Away A Good Year For the Roses"><U>Sent You Away~ A Good Year For the Roses</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id201.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sent You Away All You Can Be"><U>Sent You Away~ All You Can Be</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id202.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sent You AwayLet Me See What Spring Is L"><U>Sent You Away~Let Me See What Spring Is Like</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id203.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sent You Away Water Sports"><U>Sent You Away~ Water Sports</U></A>   |   <B>Sent You Away~ Blood of Kings</B>   |   <A HREF="id205.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sent You AwaySilence Is Golden"><U>Sent You Away~Silence Is Golden</U></A></div> <div> Sent You Away~ Blood of Kings</div> <div> When Michelle (cat@hiley.demon.co.uk) wrote "Personal Assistant's </div> <div> Plan/West Wing Assistant's Game" she speculated that Donna had disposed </div> <div> of Mandy, hiding her body so effectively that nobody even noticed she'd </div> <div> gone. Separately, Shelley (kuebsr@yahoo.com) wrote "Does Anyone Really </div> <div> Miss Her?" in which Donna managed to enlist Mandy in the Israeli Army. </div> <div> We obviously saw this the same way. A writing partnership was born.</div> <bR> <div> The Sent You Away series is a number of little fun ficlets, by Shelley </div> <div> or Michelle, each with a basic premise. How did Donna dispose of Mandy? </div> <div> Motive? She might have several, but love for the Dimpled One is probably </div> <div> reason enough.</div> <bR> <div> So far:</div> <bR> <div> Sent You Away One. A Good Year For The Roses by Michelle.</div> <div> Sent You Away Two. All You Can Be by Shelley.</div> <div> Sent You Away Three. Let Me See What Spring Is Like by Michelle.</div> <div> Sent You Away Four. Water Sports by Shelley.</div> <bR> <div> By the way, these stories are pro-Donna. We both adore her, and our </div> <div> sympathies are very much with her in this.</div> <bR> <div> "I sent you away, oh Mandy." - Barry Manilow.</div> <bR> <div> Characters belong Aaron Sorkin, story is mine please ask before </div> <div> archiving. First posted 2nd September 2001. Thanks to Shelley for </div> <div> editing help, and to Brenda for archiving.</div> <bR> <div> Sent You Away: Five.</div> <bR> <div> Blood Of Kings.</div> <div> by Michelle Hiley.</div> <div> cat@hiley.demon.co.uk</div> <bR> <div> Mandy wasn't too surprised, the evening after the shooting, when Donna </div> <div> quietly drew her aside, at the White House. Most of the staff had gone - </div> <div> Josh's survival had encouraged several people to head for the bars, to </div> <div> celebrate. Donna had arrived back in the late afternoon, to be greeted </div> <div> with hugs from people delighted Josh had made it through the operation. </div> <div> He still had a long way to go, they were saying, but the worst was </div> <div> behind him. Mandy hadn't been impressed. She'd never doubted Josh would </div> <div> make it, and she knew Donna hadn't either.</div> <bR> <div> "I hear you were at the hospital all night, pretending to worry," she </div> <div> told Donna. "Nice acting job."</div> <bR> <div> "Thanks."</div> <bR> <div> "Why did you stay? Really? Standing guard until you could find out where </div> <div> I was?"</div> <bR> <div> "Oh yes. They think Charlie was the target. We know better. Don't we, </div> <div> Mandy?" Donna said, softly. Menacingly.</div> <bR> <div> Mandy smiled. "Yes. We know better." She raised her head, proudly. "I </div> <div> knew about you, of course. I sensed you at once. Just as you sensed me."</div> <bR> <div> "Just as we both sensed Josh," Donna whispered.</div> <bR> <div> "Yes. Josh was fun, while he lasted. But he didn't want me anymore. The </div> <div> two of you were growing closer. So...."</div> <bR> <div> "So, you arranged for them to shoot Josh. I knew, as soon as it </div> <div> happened. It was just *too* convenient for you."</div> <bR> <div> Mandy laughed, lightly. "It could have been an accident."</div> <bR> <div> "I didn't think so."</div> <bR> <div> "Well, you were right," she acknowledged.</div> <bR> <div> "Did you pay them?"</div> <bR> <div> "Extremely well. And I promised them they'd escape. The fools believed </div> <div> me."</div> <bR> <div> "And then, while Josh is weak, while he's recovering...." Donna made a </div> <div> gesture with her hand, across her throat. "You take his head. Was that </div> <div> it?"</div> <bR> <div> "Something like that," Mandy agreed. "Then I would have come for yours. </div> <div> But I'm not averse to doing it the other way around. You're all that </div> <div> stands between me and Josh's power now." Her eyes gleamed. "It's worth </div> <div> it. Do you *know* how old Josh is?"</div> <bR> <div> "Seven hundred and thirty seven," Donna said, evenly.</div> <bR> <div> "And you?" Mandy jeered.</div> <bR> <div> "Two thousand, five hundred and sixteen."</div> <bR> <div> She saw Mandy blink, shocked, clearly not anticipating that reply. The </div> <div> dark-haired woman stared at her, and Donna sensed Mandy was reassessing </div> <div> the situation.</div> <bR> <div> "Yes. Quite a bit older than you," Donna hissed, softly. "I know all </div> <div> about you. I was *very* careful to do accurate research. What are </div> <div> you...about three hundred years? The earliest record I could find was </div> <div> revolutionary France...."</div> <bR> <div> "Three hundred and fifty." Mandy smiled. "I underestimated you, Donna," </div> <div> she admitted. "My research suggested you were only about eighty."</div> <bR> <div> "I know. I laid the false trail. I knew you'd look."</div> <bR> <div> "You wouldn't be lying to me, would you?"</div> <bR> <div> "Not at all. But hey, try and find out for yourself."</div> <bR> <div> "Your Quickening will tell me," Mandy agreed. "I'll get your power."</div> <bR> <div> "I'm not inclined to part with it."</div> <bR> <div> There was a pause, as the two women sized one another up. "Tell you </div> <div> what," Mandy said, in a reasonable tone. "I'll let you live. Another </div> <div> woman - call it a favour to the sisterhood. You can leave. Just let me </div> <div> have Josh."</div> <bR> <div> "Sorry Mandy. There can be Only One. Or in the case of Josh and me, Only </div> <div> Two. Three's kinda a crowd."</div> <bR> <div> Mandy snorted. "And what happens when you and Josh decide to fight?"</div> <bR> <div> "We won't," Donna said, grinning evilly. "Josh and I have an agreement. </div> <div> Eternity together sounds like something worth living for."</div> <bR> <div> "You've discussed it," said Mandy, shocked. "You're together </div> <div> already...."</div> <bR> <div> "Oh yes. Did you think we weren't? Did you think we'd only just met?"</div> <bR> <div> "You *have* just met. He hired you....during the campaign." She stared, </div> <div> as Donna threw back her head and laughed.</div> <bR> <div> "Hi, I'm Donna. I'm your new assistant," she said, mockingly. "You know, </div> <div> we're quite proud of that. All the campaign workers witnessed it. Ask </div> <div> anyone when we met, they'll tell you. Josh hired her, during the </div> <div> campaign..."</div> <bR> <div> "And really?" Mandy asked, eyes narrowing.</div> <bR> <div> "We've been lovers for over six hundred years," Donna told her, smiling. </div> <div> "His year with you...well, we wanted to know about you. We sensed the </div> <div> danger. Know your enemy. I didn't mind. You were doing the same, right?"</div> <bR> <div> "Right," her enemy agreed, looking at her with new respect. "I never </div> <div> cared for him."</div> <bR> <div> "He suspected. He never cared about you - he used to spend what nights </div> <div> he could in my bed, even then. I didn't mind, those nights he spent with </div> <div> you. Six hundred years - it forms a bond. You were never a threat to </div> <div> me." She folded her arms, challengingly. "I love him, Mandy. He loves </div> <div> me. Which is why I'm afraid I simply can't permit you to go down to GW, </div> <div> and behead him while he's weak. I kinda like Josh's head on his </div> <div> shoulders."</div> <bR> <div> "Then you'll have to stop me."</div> <bR> <div> "Happy to."</div> <bR> <div> "Here?"</div> <bR> <div> Donna looked around Josh's bullpen. "No. We'll blow every electrical </div> <div> socket in the place....let's go outside. Find a quiet street."</div> <bR> <div> "Fine. But let's make it quick." Mandy smiled, cruelly. "I have to go </div> <div> see how dear Joshua is doing."</div> <bR> <div> They took Donna's car in the end, since Mandy didn't want to risk hers </div> <div> in a dubious neighbourhood at dusk. Facing one another across a deserted</div> <div> parking lot, in the rougher part of town, Donna tossed the keys down, </div> <div> between them.</div> <bR> <div> "Winner gets to drive away."</div> <bR> <div> "Anything I should know about the car?" Mandy smirked.</div> <bR> <div> "Jiggle the key a bit, if it doesn't start," Donna replied. "Though </div> <div> you're never gonna get to drive it. My car. My man. *Mine*, Mandy. This </div> <div> is your last chance to walk away."</div> <bR> <div> Mandy pulled a sword from inside her coat. "There can be only one."</div> <bR> <div> "There can be only one," Donna agreed, drawing her own sword. "At least </div> <div> as far as you and me go. And you know what, Mandy?"</div> <bR> <div> "What?"</div> <bR> <div> "That would have applied even if we weren't Immortals."</div> <bR> <div> "True," Mandy spat back, and lunged.</div> <bR> <div> After it was over, Donna leant against the car, breathing heavily. The </div> <div> Quickening had been....intense. Mandy sure had packed a lot into those </div> <div> years. She looked down at the headless body at her feet. At the end, </div> <div> Mandy had realised the truth. Donna wasn't lying about her age. And </div> <div> surviving against the odds for more than two thousand years, had taught </div> <div> her a thing or two about fighting.</div> <bR> <div> Tired, she groped for her keys, then reached down, and scooped up the </div> <div> body into the trunk, tossing the head after it. The remains would need </div> <div> to be weighted down, and dumped into the Potomac. And after that, she </div> <div> wanted to head back to the hospital. They'd have to check in a medical </div> <div> book, find out how long Josh was supposed to be ill for, and then he was </div> <div> gonna have to fake it. He was still sedated, but she knew within a week, </div> <div> he'd be healed up. </div> <bR> <div> He was going to go nuts, pretending. She'd better keep everyone away </div> <div> from him for a while.</div> <bR> <div> *****</div> <bR> <div> "I am immortal. I have inside me blood of kings." </div> <bR> <div> - Queen "Princes Of The Universe."</div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>