Hey, my computer isn't working at the moment so I'm borrowing one. Instead of trying to remember what I've already got saved on my computer, I decided to do a standalone fic but this idea got bigger and bigger. So it's not going to be a very long series but was to long for one piece and it's just a little fun so please review and let me know what you think!! Thanks for Allie for her help!!

Enjoy!!

The Perfect Proposal

"Hey, Josh." Bram smiled at his boss as he sat next to him and opposite Sam. "We were just talking about the Mets game last night."

"That's great," Josh replied. "Go away."

Bram stared at him for a few seconds and opened his mouth to reply but decided against it. He quickly gathered his lunch together and hurried off.

Sam watched Josh questionable. "You okay?"

"Sure," he shrugged, taking a bite of his sandwich.

"I can't help but notice you just chased Bram away."

"Yes."

"And you're eating in Mess."

"I am."

"You never eat in the Mess."

"I've eaten in the Mess loads of times."

"Yeah, sure while you were Deputy Chief of Staff but as Chief of Staff not so much….Well, not since you and Donna decided to 'eat alone' now you're together." Sam used his fingers to do the quotations, never getting bored of teasing Josh at how domesticated he's become.

"She's got a lunch meeting."

"Ah."

"Anyway, I was thinking…" Josh pushed his food aside and leaned in closer to Sam. "It's Donna's birthday next week and I want to do something special."

"Isn't the First Lady throwing her a party?"

"Yeah, her parents and my Mom are coming down," Josh informed. "Plus C.J and Danny are flying in."

"Really? That's great."

"And hopefully President Bartlet is going to try and make it."

"So, it's going to be quite some party then." Sam picked up his soda. "You'll have to do something quite special to top all of that."

"I'm going to propose to her."

Sam choked on his drink. "Excuse me?"

"I'm going to ask Donna to marry me."

"You're serious?"

"Yes, why? Don't you think it's a good idea?"

"No, I think it's great!" Sam insisted. "I'm just a little shocked."

"Why?"

"Because…well, because it's you."

"Hey!"

"I'm sorry but come on; you've got to admit…"

"Whatever…" Josh cut him off, rolling his eyes. "You have to help me."

"How?"

"I don't know…just make sure I don't mess this up."

"Yeah, okay." Sam chuckled slightly.

"Enough with the laughing," Josh told him. "I'm trying to be serious."

"Right, sorry…What do you have in mind?"

"Well, everyone she loves is going to be at the party anyway so I'll ask her to come outside for some fresh air with me," he started. "And I'm going to have the garden decorated with hundreds of little candles and flowers…I'll tell her how much I love her and how I want to spend the rest of my life with her."

"You know you'll make her cry."

"Sam…"

"I'm just warning. You because you go all weird when Donna cries, whether she's crying because she's happy or sad."

"I'll be fine."

"Well anyway, it sounds perfect," he smiled. "Congratulations."

"She hasn't said yes, yet."

"You think she'll turn you down?"

Josh grinned. "No."

"Hey, we can have a double wedding."

Josh stared at him for a moment before standing up and leaving without saying a word.

"Hey, come on…I was kidding." Sam called after him. "Josh?"

XxXxX

Josh stood by the bar, looking around the room. It was only a small party and Donna seemed to be enjoying herself. She was stood catching up with C.J and Danny on the other side of the room. She looked over and when she saw him watching them, she gestured for him to join them.

"Joshua," a familiar voice from behind called him before he had a chance to move.

He turned and came face to face with Abbey Bartlet. Normally he would love talking to her but she had called him Joshua…He was always in trouble when she called him Joshua.

"Dr Bartlet, you look great." He greeted her with a kiss.

"You don't look so bad, yourself," she replied. "How are you?"

"I'm eating the right foods, exercising the right amount and my blood pressure is fine," he reported. "My Doctor says I'm in great shape."

"Have you been practicing that?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

"I thought as much," she smiled. She paused and looked around the room before speaking again. "Jed wanted to be here tonight but he's off somewhere doing his thing?"

"Doing his thing?" Josh repeated, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, I forget what he's up to this week." She waved her hand dismissively. "You know, now he's not the President, I don't have to listen to him nearly as much as I used to"

Josh laughed, shaking his head slightly.

"So, I couldn't help but notice something…" Abbey started.

"Ma'am?" Josh suddenly felt nervous again.

"Donna still hasn't got a ring on her finger."

Josh rolled his eyes. "Y'know I've already had this conversation with my Mother, Donna's Mother, The First Lady, C.J… I get it from Margaret everyday…"

"One would think you'd listen to us," Abbey replied. "We women are smart."

"Yes, Ma'am."

"So?"

"So, I'm working on it."

She smiled and patted his cheek. "Good boy."

"Dr Bartlet?" Donna approached. "Wow, I can't believe you came."

"Donna, you look beautiful." She leaned in to hug her. "Jed sends his love and his apologies that he couldn't make it…"

"Oh that's okay; I'm just thrilled you could make it."



"Are you kidding and miss the chance to get drunk with you again?"

Donna blushed at the memory and Josh groaned quietly.

"So, is he behaving?" Abbey questioned, nodding towards Josh.

"Most of the time," Donna answered, smiling at her boyfriend.

"And is he telling the truth about eating and excising?"

"Yes, Ma'am…He has salad for lunch everyday and is eating his five portions fruit and vegetables…"

"Do you have to talk about me like I'm not here?" Josh questioned but neither of the women took any notice of him.

"You seem to have him well trained."

"I've had a lot of years to practice."

"This cannot get any worse…" Josh mumbled to himself.

"Hey, how's everyone doing over here?" Matt Santos joined them, with Helen and Sam behind him.

"Apparently it can..." Josh added, causing everyone to look at him. "What?"

"Just ignore him…" Abbey told the President and First Lady.

"We normally do," Matt joked.

Josh pulled Donna away from the group as they caught up with each other.

"How about we go outside for a bit," he whispered in her ear.

She smiled a little at him, curiously. "Why? What's going on?"

"Nothing, I just want to spend some time with you."

"Why are you being so sweet?"

"Hey, I'm always sweet…." He insisted but she just stared at him. "Okay, most of the time."

"If you say so..."

He reached for her hand. "Let s go…"

"Where are you two going?" Matt asked them both.

"We're just stepping out for some fresh air," Josh informed him.

"You can't go yet…Sam's just about to give a toast."

"Well, we can listen to it out ther…." Josh stopped in mid-sentence and turned to stare at the President. "Wait! He's doing what?!"

"He's giving his toast." Matt gestured to where Sam was stood at the front of the room.

"But...what?" Josh stuttered, a little.

"What are you worried about?" Helen asked. "Sam makes great toasts."

"Yeah but… it's not time."

"Not time?" Donna looked at him. "What does that mean?"

"He was meant to wait."

"For what?"

"For ….uh…nothing…"

"Josh?" Donna turned to face him fully, while Abbey, Matt and Helen watched.

"Donna, it's just…it's…" He shrugged to come up with a good excuse.

"Joshua Lyman if you have planned something that will embarrass me…"

"What? No, no…" He cut her off. "No, it's nothing like that."

"Shh, Sam is starting," Abbey hit Josh's arm lightly and they all turned to face the front again.

"Oh god…" Josh groaned, knowing deep down that his best friend was about to ruin what should be one of the best nights of his life.

"Good evening everyone…" Sam started and everyone immediately turned their attention to him. "Firstly, I'd like to thank everyone for being here night and I'm sure you'd all like to join me in saying a very Happy Birthday to Donna…"

There was a chorus of happy birthday and Donna smiled politely back at them, gripping a little tighter onto Josh's hand, self-consciously.

"Now, Donna is one of my very best friends…I've known her for almost ten years now and I first met her when she hired herself as Josh Lyman assistant during the 'Bartlet For America' campaign…Yes, hired herself…" Sam paused for a moment when there was a quiet laugh. "And thank God, she did… Josh has told me repeatedly, that he wouldn't have coped without her."

Josh let the breath he hadn't realised he was holding as Donna stepped a little closer to him. This was okay…Sam was actually making him sound good. Maybe this way was better.

"Donna was one of the best assistants in the West Wing and has learned from her experience to become a valuable Chief of Staff for the First Lady," Sam continued. "And I'm sure that everyone in this room can tell a story about how Donna's helped them."

Josh wrapped an arm around Donna's waist, pulling her closer, kissing the top of her hair.

"I know, I have hundreds…Helping put out the fire in the Mural Room, that two people who shall remain nameless started…"

Josh looked around and noticed that most of the people in the room were looking at him.

"Countless help with work, advice whenever I needed it…" Sam continued to list. "I could go on but we may be here all night…I'd just like thank Donna for everything she's done for me and to tell you all just how proud I am of her….So, if everyone would like to raise your glass to Donna Moss."

"Donna Moss." Everyone cheered, raising their glasses in the air.

"He can be so sweet sometimes," Donna commented as everyone went back to their own conversations.

"Well, we haven't heard Josh's speech yet." Helen grinned at her husband's Chief of Staff.

"Oh god, you're not going to make a speech, are you?" Donna asked wide-eyed.

"Hey, I can be just as sweet as Sam."

"Oh no, you're going to embarrass me…." She covered her face with her hands. "In front of the President and the First Lady… and all my friends…Oh God, in front of parents."

Josh rolled his eyes, reaching up and pulling her hand away from her face and leading her away. "I'm not going to embarrass you…"

"Where we going?"

"For a walk."

"A walk?"

"Yeah," he replied, wanting to get out of there before something happened that would ruin everything.

"Oh, I almost forgot!" Sam shouted over the noise to get everyone's attention again and causing Donna to stop and listen. "Megan and I have set a date for the wedding… March 18th."

Josh's mouth fell open while Donna rushed over to congratulate Sam and talk weddings with Megan.

"See, Joshua… Sam has the right idea." His Mother commented as she walked past him, heading over to Sam as well.

"But I was…I…I had a plan…I…" He stuttered but no one was around to listen to him.

30 minutes later, Josh was able to drag Sam away from the party and out into the garden where all the flowers and candles had been set up.

"Wow, it looks great out here." Sam looked around. "But shouldn't you do the proposal soon, people are starting to leave."

"I can't do it now!" Josh almost shouted.

"Why not?" Sam frowned. "What happened?"

"You happened!" He exclaimed. "You and your speech!"

Sam stood up a little straight, almost offended by the comment. "It was a good speech!"

"Yeah, right up until you announced the date of your wedding!"

"Yeah, so?"

"So, all people have been talking to me about is when Donna and I are getting married!"

"See, I was setting the mood…" Sam insisted. "Now you can propose and go and tell everyone."

"But they're all going to think I only asked her because everyone's been telling me I had to!"

"Ah."

"Yes! All of this was perfect! I had it all planned out!" He exclaimed. "Now I've got to think of another romantic way for asking her."

"I can help."

"You think I want you're help after tonight?"

"It'll be different next time…we can plan it together…we'll be on the same page," Sam stated. "That way it'll easier for us not to screw it up."

Josh glared at him. "All you had to do was keep quiet until after I proposed…That was all I asked for you too do."

"I know…I'm sorry…"

"Josh?" Matt stepped out, looking around. "Wow."

"Is everything okay, Sir?"

"What? Oh yeah just Donna was looking for you," he replied. "Are you coming back inside or shall I tell her you two wanted some alone time."

"I'll be right there, Sir." Josh answered, while Sam took a big step away from him.

"Right." Matt laughed to himself as he returned to the party.

"Why don't we talk about this tomorrow?" Sam suggested.

"Yeah, let's get back to the party." Josh sighed and headed inside with Sam following.

TBC

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