Evidence of Things I Saw
Characters: Donna, Josh and Joe Quincy
Rating: Child
Summary: Josh and Donna from the perspective of the new associate WH council Joe Quincy. Post ep Evidence of Things Not Seen /Life on Mars.
Spoilers: Probably for the two listed above.
Disclaimer: Not mine, but bring back Joe Quincy! I just love that character!
Author's Notes: In response to the Multi-faceted challenged posed on the JDFF site on Yahoo! Quickly – write a post-ep fiction from the perspective of a secondary character about what they witness about Josh and Donna. Evidence of Things Not Seen has to be one of my favorite episodes, so I decided to write about this one. Besides, the look on Joe's face when Josh is talking about the letter to Donna is priceless!
POV: Joe Quincy
So, here I am, wandering the halls of the White House late tonight. Being Republican, I knew I wasn't going to get a lot of love from the Bartlet White House, but now that I have single handedly ousted John Hoynes, not many people are looking to make friends. That's alright – I'll give them some time.
I am still trying to get acquainted with the layout and where the offices are of the Senior Staff. Being that I'm in the basement, I should really leave bread crumbs to find my way to and fro from the bullpen.
I round the corner when I see her – the infamous Donna Moss. She's actually quite attractive – someone that I could see myself asking out if I wasn't a more perceptive man. But, being as that I consider myself a perceptive and smart man, I quickly learned that Donna Moss has a keeper, whether she wants one or not – a keeper that is very protective and very much in love with her.
How anyone could miss that is beyond me! I mean really, he talked about Donna just as much as he talked about my qualifications. I had heard about Josh Lyman from my Republican friends on the hill. I had heard how he was a brilliant political mind, a force to be reckoned with in the Bartlet White House, but that he one soft spot – and that was for a one Donna Moss. I know plenty of people who are waiting for them to get together, not to try to put yet another scandal on this administration, but so that the rumors will finally stop!
I watch her type at her computer, finishing up the days' work when we both hear a loud thud from inside the office of the Deputy Chief of Staff. She didn't see me as she shot out of her chair and made a beeline for his office. Now, I'm normally not one to be a voyeur into the affairs of others, but this dynamic is very intriguing. From my vantage spot, I could see Donna in the door of Josh's office, watching him struggle with the binders that had been on his shelf but that were now on the floor.
"Josh, what are you doing?"
"Working, Donna. That's what we do here."
"You need to stop. Don't even think about taking that tone with me – not after the two weeks we have had. Take it out on someone else!"
I watched as what she said registered with him. His shoulders sagged and he leaned back against the bookshelf, running his hands through his hair.
"I'm sorry Donna. I didn't mean to snark you."
"Its fine, Joshua, don't worry about it. Did you need something?"
"I honestly don't know anymore!"
I watched as she gave him a small smile and crossed the room to him. She placed her hands on his shoulders.
"Josh, we need to go home. We need to get out of the office!"
"I don't want to go home."
"Do you want to come over and yell at my roommate's cats?"
I saw him smile. "I'm not drunk."
I watched as she returned his smile. "Well, that usually makes you feel better when you are drunk, so it might have the same effect on a sober Josh!"
He pulled her into him – he wrapped his arms around her waist as she moved her hands from his shoulders to around his neck. They stood like that for what seemed like minutes – just giving each other the strength to keep going. I had only been here a few weeks, but I knew that they were a team – that they brought out the best in each other and gave each other the courage and strength to keep going, even when things looked bad and right now, without a Vice-President, things seemed pretty bad.
I watched as she pulled back enough to look him in the eye, but not so far so that they had to let go of each other.
"C'mon – I'll brew the coffee and you can pour it!"
I watched him laugh and place a light kiss on her forehead before finally letting her go. She grabbed his suit jacket off the visitor's chair as he put files in his backpack. Donna came out of the office first. It was then that she finally noticed me.
"Hey Joe. You been lurking out here long? Did you need Josh for something?"
"Nah. I'm just wandering – still trying to get my bearings."
Josh came out of the office and shut the door. "Believe me, I know the feeling. I took us weeks to get the layout figured out. You should go get a map from personnel – that should help until you get where everyone is figured out."
Now, why didn't I think of that! They really have maps in personnel? Interesting.
"I'll do that tomorrow. Thanks!"
Donna emerged from her cubicle with her bag and jacket. "Yeah, that's fine and all, but just a piece of advice, if you are interested."
"Yeah, sure."
"West Wing 160 doesn't seem to exist. Don't get roped into any meetings there."
I watched as Josh laughed and shook his head. Must be one of those thousands of inside jokes that I will probably never get.
"Good to know. Thanks Donna!"
I watched her look Josh over before she spoke. "You ready?"
"Let's get the hell out of here!"
She looked at me. "Joe, we are going to get some coffee. You want to go?"
For an instant, I thought I saw Josh turn green from envy or jealousy or something like that. I just smiled. "No thanks Donna, I'm good – maybe another time."
He seemed to relax when I responded that way. "Have a good night Joe." Before she had a chance to respond, he had placed his hand on the small of her back and was leading her toward the door.
I watched them walk away. She's a beautiful woman – definitely my type, but I'm a very observant man who realized on day one that he loved her and she loved him and that there was going to be no getting in the way of that. Hopefully they would realize it one day. I sighed and started to make my way back to the Steam Pipe Distribution Venue, otherwise known as the office of Associate White House Council Joe Quincy.
