Season 6 AU begins after Opposition Research
Josh
I've been going nonstop since the start of this campaign. I'm beyond exhausted. I'm living off coffee and seriously considering buying some of those caffeine pills that Donna confiscated from me eight years ago and didn't allow me to have all the years at the White House. I wouldn't let Matt drive anywhere but my vision is blurring sometimes. I haven't been this tired since the days during the MS crisis before Toby told Donna and one particular night that involved a diary.
My point is my exhaustion is entirely to blame for me blazing into my office, seeing a tall blond, and just start spouting off about things we need to do, talking about the campaign, hell, even complaining about the Congressman.
"Josh?" She interrupts me. Her voice is serious, not teasing or whining or adorable. My brain reels for a minute, remembering the fact that she left, that she's not on my team anymore.
"Oh my god. Forget everything you just heard."
"Okay…"
"What are you doing here?" I demand. I just saw her like an hour ago as she passed out some flyer things, cutting into our time with the voters. "Did Will send you?"
"No." She doesn't give anything else away but I can see that she's nervous. It's almost imperceptible but even now, I've spent years learning to read Donna. Donna is much better at reading me than I, her but still. She might have a doctorate in Josh Lyman but I have at least an Associate's Degree in Donnatella Moss.
"Donna, I don't have a ton of time-"
"I quit." My blood goes cold. Why the hell is she bringing this up?
"Yeah, I'm aware of that, thanks."
"No! I mean, yes. But I mean, I quit Russell's campaign." She's looking at the floor. Oh. She quit. She's standing in my office. I sit down before my knees go out. I thought I'd lost her. This morning when she made the comment about getting a decent wage and benefits with the Russell campaign, when she used my own campaign truisms against me, honestly, I thought that was it. I thought it was it when I saw Marla Whoriskey at my desk, when it sunk in that she had actually left. This morning, telling her she's on the wrong campaign, that attempt was in vain. Or so I believed at the time.
"Are you…?" I looked at her, not able to form sentences but hoping she'd use the PhD in understanding Josh and glean what I meant.
"I was on the wrong campaign. You were right."
"Is this the right one?" My blue eyes stare into her blue ones, my exhaustion allowing myself to be vulnerable. I'm not just asking about Matt Santos for president here.
"I hope so." She pulls her gaze away from mine. It's all I can do. I stand up, walk to the other side of the desk and pull the campaign badge from my neck.
"It is, Donna. You should be with me." I put the badge over her.
AN *sigh* ok so i wanted to do this whole thing where i post a fic/fic update a day til Valentine's Day and I had a plan and everything but out of nowhere wham my mental health is completely thrown im so depressed i can't see straight but im too busy being guilty to sleep tonight so im gonna play catch with me little vday challenge oh boy am i oversharing whoops ok anyways this is for VDAY challenge Day 3- i'll probably continue this story but if not it works as a little drabble I guess
