The Place Where Dreams are Born (A/U)
("It was years before Wendy saw him again."
This is a sequel to a Josh/Donna fic I once read in which the description was "I am old, Peter. I am ever so much more than twenty. I grew up long ago.")
"The way I flew! Do you know, Jane, I sometimes wonder whether I ever really did fly."
Donna Moss sat in her office looking sadly at a photograph taken several years previously; of President Bartlet surrounded by his senior staff. There was CJ Cregg, everyone was afraid of her but she could be your best friend. There was Leo McGarry, he could drive you mad at times but you would always want him on your side. There was Sam Seaborn, always getting mixed up with a call girl, a republican, or Leo's daughter. There was Toby Ziegler, actually very sweet despite always scowling, and there were the assorted assistants, (Mrs. Laningham, Carol, Margaret, Bonnie, Ginger, and Cathy.)
Donna, however, was looking at two who were standing a bit apart from the others. One, a tall and slim, beautiful woman with long blond hair, was Donna herself. The other, a handsome man with curly brown hair and a nice smile, was Donna's ex-boss and the man who had stolen her heart, Josh Lyman.
Those years had been so wonderful; Donna had never thought that they would end. Those years now seemed like a distant memory of an old dream that had never completely died. Now she wondered at times if it had been real.
Donna had been Josh's assistant for several years but she had left. The rest of the senior staff had become like family to her, and had promised to keep in touch but hadn't called in months. Donna now had a great high paying job, good friends, and a man who loved her and if she would allow him to date her, he would have proposed by now, but she still was not completely happy. Soon after Donna had left, three years ago now, Josh had married a woman named Amy Gardener, the news had broken Donna's heart she had always known Josh could not love her, but it was almost unbearable to hear of his wedding.
"She saw them so often in her dreams that she thought this was just the dream hanging around her still."
Donna continued to look sad-eyed at the picture, facing away from the door, so that she did not notice when someone entered the room until they spoke, softly, "Donna." Donna's heart leapt, she knew that voice but she did not turn around. Donna thought that she must be imagining things, for the voice could belong to no other than Joshua Lyman, the man who broke her heart. Then she heard it again, louder, "Donna," and a third time, almost desperate, "Donna!" Donna turned around and saw Josh, the next thing she knew she was in his arms, she started crying as she stood there being held by Josh, as he gently stroked her hair and whispered, "Don't cry Donna."
"Josh," Donna choked out though her sobs, "what are you doing here?" Josh didn't answer, he just kissed her. She kissed him back, then it hit her, she was kissing Josh Lyman, who three years ago had married Amy Gardener, she was kissing a married man! Then she noticed something, on the third finger of his left hand, he wore no wedding ring. She looked at him with a question in her eyes. "Yes," Josh replied softly, "Amy and I are no longer married, as of three months ago. I've been working up the courage to come see you ever since then." Donna looked at him quizzically,
"Donna," Josh continued, "Donnatella, I've wanted to say this almost since the day you walked into my office and into my life, I love you. I've loved you from the very beginning, I love you more and more everyday, I loved you even while I was married to that horrible Amy." Donna answered "I love you too Josh," and they kissed, they might have gone on kissing all day if they hadn't been interrupted by someone tapping Josh on the shoulder. Reluctantly they broke apart and looked up, then Donna gasped, for the person who had tapped Josh was Toby Ziegler, and standing behind Toby were: Sam, CJ, and Leo.
"We missed you," CJ said. "We missed her?" Sam said incredulously, "Josh was the one who really missed her." "He lost it the minute you walked out the door, that's why he married Amy Gardener," Toby told Donna, allowing himself one of his rare smiles.
"Who cares what I did before? The important thing is what I'm doing now," Josh said as he knelt. "Donna I know this seems sudden but, will you marry me?" Donna looked at Josh and then looked up at her friends and said, not yes, but, "What does the president think about this?" "It was his idea," Leo told her, "so Josh doesn't have to worry about losing his job." "In that case," Donna said, "Yes Josh, of course I'll marry you," then she laughed, "and our marriage will be much better than your marriage to Amy was," then she shut up, as Josh kissed her again.
"By the way Donna," Leo said when Donna and Josh finally stopped kissing, "I'm supposed to ask you to come back to work for the White House. There are two job openings," he told her what they were adding; "if I were you I'd take the first." Donna smiled, "of course I will," then she turned to Josh, "say hello to your new assistant. By the way, I still won't bring you coffee." "I wouldn't want it any other way," Josh grinned.
"And that's my home where dreams are born, and time is never planed, just think of lovely things and your heart will fly on wings, forever, in Never-Never-Land."