Rainbows of the Soul

Author: Joanna Lyman
Rating: PG-13 (maybe higher for language in later chapters)
Category: AU, Angst, Drama, some Romance in later chapters
Spoilers: Everything up to Disaster Relief.
Disclaimer: Sorkin has the power, NBC and WB the rights, I'm a mere
scribe.

Amy brought him coffee, he was over at the East Wing numerous times since Zoey was kidnapped, but the ultimate proof of them being together again was the same suit she saw him in a moment ago. Donna felt bad for leaving him without warning but she already told Leo about her intentions, and it was only because of the President's Chief of Staff she stayed this long. She handed him her resignation the morning after Independence Day, and Leo accepted it. He only asked her to think it over the summer and get back to him after Josh's birthday.

Amy leaving the fish at the office and him appearing in the same suit without a tie gave her the final push. Leo said she would have to work two weeks after Josh's birthday but since she had some vacation time left, she could reduce that to one week. In which she could train her replacement. The term stung a bit, but Donna knew it had to be this way. Josh didn't need her anymore, he had Amy and he had Leo. They had to take care of him from now on, she needed to move on. She needed to face reality, to truly realize that he would never be hers, that he obviously didn't feel the same way about her.

When Ryan asked her about them she almost started to howl in pain. His words hurt like someone stabbed her in the heart. Repeatedly. She didn't want to stay here and watch them rekindling their relationship. It was torture. God only knows she would do anything for Josh, even if it would involve physical pain, but her heart would never be able to deal with them together again. She suffered through their relationship the first time, she wouldn't want to find out what happened if she stayed to watch them the second time.

So after the celebration tonight she would send him on his way, probably to Amy. She would come into the office tomorrow and tell him she resigned. Sure he was going to throw a tantrum but he would learn to live with it. Maybe he would be even grateful for being freed from the burden of her obvious affection.

And now, he needed Amy. Why couldn't he just call her himself? What could have possibly gone wrong while he was in with Leo? Well, she already self-destructed once, maybe she was about to do it again.

"I'm leaving," she said as she stepped into CJ's office.

"So early? I thought you are going to stay until Birthday Boy's party," CJ said, looking up from the article she was about to read.

"As a matter of fact, I'm staying for that until the cake eating part. Then I'm leaving," Donna repeated.

"And this would be news to me because…" CJ asked with an arched eyebrow.

"Well, I'm leaving after the cake and then come back for a week," Donna clarified.

"You are leaving?" CJ asked her as it slowly dawned on her what her friend was trying to say.

"Yeah," Donna said with a nod. "I gave Leo my letter of resignation on July 5, he asked me to think it over and get back to him after Josh's birthday. I thought it over and I came to the decision that it's time for me to leave. I would ask you to keep an eye on him but I know you will without me asking. I just wanted to tell you before I tell him and before the rest of the staff learns about it."

"I appreciate the heads-up, and I'll return the courtesy," CJ said. "I'm thinking about leaving too."

"Really?" Donna asked her.

"Yeah, recent events made it clear to me that I can no longer support the administration. I decided to take on an aggressive role from now on. If they let me voice my opinions, hear me out and seriously consider taking my advice, then I'm staying. If not, well, then I'm ready to part with my podium," CJ told her.

"I could be your assistant," Donna said half-heartedly. Truth was she was ready for more. But she knew she lacked the formal education and that she probably had to work as an assistant until getting her degree.

"You don't have to be an assistant anymore, Donna. You are ready to do more," CJ said persuasively.

"Strange as it might sound from me, I'm aware of that. But I don't have a college degree, so I will probably work as an assistant until I get one."

"You are considering it? I mean going back to school?" CJ asked taken aback.

"You don't think it's a good idea?" Donna asked her.

"Indeed, it's a very good idea," CJ said with a nod. "You are going back to Wisconsin?"

"No, the DC is my home now, and I want to stay close to politics. I like it," Donna said. "Besides, I wouldn't want to live with my parents again, and if I went home my mom would find a way to convince me of moving back with them."

"Yeah," CJ nodded.

"What about you? Have you thought about the afterlife?" Donna asked.

"Well, not really. I wanted to take two weeks off and simply enjoy doing nothing. What comes after that is still a mystery. Probably a PR agency for politicos. I could earn a heap of money."

"Yeah," Donna said with a nod. "Okay, I'm stopping by at Leo's and then I need to go back; there is something wrong at the East Wing. Josh was really upset over it."

"Does he know who planted the fish in his office?"

"No. Should I tell him?"

"If he asks about it, or, you know, if you feel like it," CJ said with a devious smile.

"Yeah, I really should," Donna said and then left the Press Secretary's office.

TBC

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