Fate can be a funny thing. It's a fickle ally and a treasonous foe. It sneaks up on you when you're least expecting it and changes your perception of the world. You may know where you're headed, or at least live your life under the impression that you do, and then suddenly everything you thought you knew just... changes.

Fate is beyond your control. It needs no strategy or logical explanation; it cannot be cajoled.

For Josh Lyman, the concept of fate was the enemy. He was a man who built his reputation on his ability to strong arm his opponents into submission, and the concept of something being beyond his control was one with which he wasn't familiar.

...

"There's a woman in your office."

"And it's not even my birthday, Jude." Josh laughed at his own joke, smirking at his assistant.

"She's your 1:00." There was certainly no humor in the statement.

"1:00?" Josh glanced at the clock on the wall. "It's 2:15."

"You told me when I started this job that there are some people that we always keep waiting, and Senator Berkley was at the top of that list," Jude reminded his boss. "Something about playing hardball? Professional hostility?"

"That does sound like me," Josh conceded. "But that," he nodded towards the slender woman sitting in his visitor's chair, "is not Lewis Berkley."

"No," Jude agreed, peering into Josh's office for a better look. "No, it is not."

Josh scowled at his aide, pouring himself a cup of coffee and gathering his folders once again. "Berkley must not care too much about this initiative or he wouldn't have sent a staffer with this level of political naivety. I mean, who in this town waits over an hour for anything?"

He walked through the bullpen and into his office, tossing his belongings down on his desk.

"I'm Josh Lyman," he began, barely looking at her as he busied himself moving documents around on the top of his desk. He'd have her out of here in 5 minutes, sent back to her office with no bargaining power.

"I'm Donna Moss," she stood, smiling, and extended her hand. He was immediately stunned by her beauty. She had kind blue eyes and a certain grace about here that momentarily stunned him.

He reached across his desk shook her hand, even more taken aback at her kind demeanor. She was going to be eaten alive in this town.

"Sorry about the wait," he told her casually, sitting down in his chair and opening a folder for no other reason than to give her the impression that this meeting was low on his priority list.

"Well, you're a very important man," she stated with a bat to her eye.

"Well, I- Yes." He paused awkwardly, glancing up at he as he realized what she'd said. "Yes. Thank you."

"I'm here to speak with you regarding the funding initiative for early childhood education that is being proposed by Senator Berkley's office"

"I'm aware," he took a sip of his coffee. "You have about five minutes before my next meeting so you'd better start talking," he stated as he continued to read the unimportant memo.

"Well," she began, "the bill proposes…" she trailed off almost immediately.

Stage fright, Josh thought. He sometimes had this effect on women.

"I'm sorry," she began in a much different tone, sounding irritated. "But are you always this rude?"

Josh's eyebrows practically shot up to his hairline. "Am I- huh?"

Donna didn't miss a beat. "I asked you if you're always this rude," she repeated. "I wasn't sure if I had done something to offend you in the last 2 minutes because, and this is just to recap, I came to your office with minimal notice, accommodating your schedule, and I waited for over an hour for this appointment which is, apparently, only going to allot me five minutes to make my argument."

Josh quickly snapped the folder shut, sitting it down on his desk and suspiciously eyeing the doorway for bystanders, wondering if this was a joke.

"By all means, then," he told her in a voice considerably shakier than normal, "make your case." He mentally chastised himself for giving in. He had to get himself back into bulldog mode.

"Thank you," she gave him a polite smile, efficiently outlining the reasons that Senator Berkley hoped the White House would support the bill.

"And that's all great," Josh interrupted towards the end of her short speech. "But at the end of the day, we aren't going to force the American public into-"

"You're not forcing them into anything," she jumped in. "You're giving them a choice."

"But that's where you're wrong, Ms. Moss," he told her, knowing he had just won the argument. Though he was immediately captivated by this woman, he had to remember that, though it may appear otherwise for the moment, he was actually having this argument with Lewis Berkley. "The problem with your boss' proposed system is that-"

"Mr. Lyman? Mr. McGarry needs you in his office," Jude announced from the doorway.

"Can't get a word in around here and it's my own office." Josh muttered as he gathered his portfolio.

"I'll wait," Donna announced without preamble.

"Excuse me?" For the second time in five minutes, Josh was completely caught off guard.

"I said that I'll wait," Donna offered in a less confident voice, ticking her hair behind her ear. "I think that this is an important issue. And an issue that President Bartlet would surely support. So, I'll wait for you. We can continue our conversation after your meeting."

"It doesn't really work that way," Josh interjected.

"What about tomorrow?" Donna sounded hopeful. "Or later in the week? I can meet you early in the morning or in the evening."

"That won't be necessary," he headed towards the door.

"I can take you to a preschool!" She interjected suddenly. He could tell that she was grasping at straws. "You can walk through one of the locations eligible for extra funding."

He turned around, glancing at her. "Okay, you're on. Thursday. 9:00. Leave the information with Jude," he smiled. He wasn't sure exactly what it was about this woman, but he wanted to give her a chance. She had... a quality. He wasn't sure what it was, and he didn't know why he even cared, but he wanted to figure it out. He wanted to see her again.

"Thank you, Mr. Lyman," she beamed at him.

Josh found himself going a little bit weak in the knees at her smile.

"You can call me Josh," he told her somewhat shyly.

"Thanks, Josh. I'll see you Thursday."