A/N: I guess this can be seen as some kind of continuation of my other story, One for Sam, two for Toby, but it's really a stand-alone. I know it has a crappy title (I wanted to name it Donna and the Sunshine Boys, but then decided against it), nevertheless I hope you'll like the story, if so, please leave a review. :)
Preventing the Donnagate
"Josh, please introduce Bonnie to Toby and then you have a meeting with Ken, right?" Leo asks Josh, and I nodded.
"Right," Josh says, and guides Bonnie out of Leo's room.
"Margaret!" Leo shouts, and Margaret appears.
"Yes, Leo?"
"Please, call Mrs. Landingham that we are coming over," Leo tells her, and when I give him a surprised look he sends me a reassuring smile. "Donna, we should have done this way before but right now, I think it's time."
"What are we doing?" I ask him, but Leo doesn't answer because Margaret steps in.
"They are ready for you, Leo," she says.
"Thanks. You are coming with us, Margaret," he says her then, and beckons me after him.
We make our way to the Governor's suite and I'm confused. What are we going to do? What could they possibly want for me to do? I hope everything is all right with Josh, although he might have done something stupid I don't know of. Maybe they want me to smooth it over or whatever. It's not unheard of, but it's usually Margaret who tells me to send some apology letters for this or that Senator, Governor or Congressman who Josh might have offended one way or the other. Sissies, if you ask me. Although I was never on the receiving end of Josh' wrath but he is just the Deputy Campaign Manager, if they can't deal with him, how are they supposed to deal with Leo? Right? Right. 'Cause Leo is more frightening than Josh.
"Come on in, sir," Mrs. Landingham tells Leo, and Leo sends her a frown. They like bickering with each other, but neither would actually admit that. "Don't worry, Donna dear, it's nothing," she tells me reassuringly. Only I'm not reassured. Because why there is a need for encouraging words? I mean if there is nothing to worry about, why do they want to reassure me?
"Donna," Governor Bartlet booms, and I'm really worried now. I mean why do we need to talk to the Governor? I never talk to the Governor unless Josh sends me with some memo, but then all I say 'Here is the memo, sir' and then I disappear again. Okay, there were other occasions as well, on the bus or on the plane, but usually it's Leo who relays any messages from the Governor. If he has any messages for the assistants, that is.
"Good morning, sir," I greet him, and he too sends me a reassuring smile. I'm so in trouble! I decide that it's time to get over my fears and I ask, "Is there something wrong, sir?"
"Oh, no! No, no," he says in discomfort. "Leo, you didn't tell her?"
"No, sir. Had no time. Donna and Josh introduced me to Bonnie this morning," Leo explains.
"Who is Bonnie?" Governor Bartlet asks.
"She is Toby's new assistant, sir," I inform him.
"Toby has two assistants?" I think he is surprised and even a bit offended.
"He is a busy man, sir," Leo tells him with a chuckle.
"I mean, I have two assistants," the governor says. And yes, he is pouting.
"Leo," Margaret then warns her boss who turns to me then.
"Donna, the things is, we would like to keep you working for Josh, but there is a problem."
"I know. I don't have a degree," I say, hanging my head in shame. How could I have been so phenomenally stupid? By now, I could have a BA. But then again, I wouldn't be there if I had.
"Yep," Leo confirms my worries. "That's why we have to have this interview with you. We will write an assessment, and then the case will be settled. I hope you don't mind that we didn't tell you beforehand, but I think that's the way it should go. Otherwise Josh could have prepared you or something."
"Yeah, I don't mind," I tell him. Of course, I don't! I mean they are giving me a chance, why should I mind that I have to partake in a job interview.
"Margaret will take notes and then each of us will write an assessment. Okay?" Leo asks me, and I nod.
"Good, let's sit," he says then, and we all sit down.
"Okay, Donna. Why don't you tell us something about you? Tell us why you like working for Josh, why you chose us and why you'd like to say," Leo says. So he will conduct the interview. I'm a little nervous because of the Governor's presence, but if Leo is conducting the thing then I guess everything will be alright.
"Well, sir, I'm 25 and from Madison, Wisconsin. I studied for two years on the University of Wisconsin, some poli sci, government studies, sociology, psychology and French and Drama," I think the biology part can be left out, I only had like two credits.
"Wow, that's not bad for two years," Governor Bartlet says. "Which one did you like the best?"
"Well, I think psychology was the most interesting, but I like government studies the best," I tell him the truth.
"Okay, Josh told me you had to drop out. He didn't give any reasons and you don't have to answer," Leo says, "but I'd like to know why."
"Well," I start and throw a nervous look towards Margaret who nods encouragingly, "the idea was that I drop out and pay the bills while my boyfriend finishes school and when he is done he would help me."
"Law student?" Governor Bartlet asks, and I would really like the earth to shallow me. I'm so ashamed and I notice something in Leo's eyes that I can't place. I think he is disappointed or rather repelled. God, why didn't Josh tell the story? Okay, I think he would have been a jerk, but right now I would be grateful for that.
"Medical student, sir," I tell him.
"The one Josh calls Dr. Freeride?" Leo asks surprised. How could he know? I mean Josh likes to joke around about Paul but I never saw Leo around when he did.
"Yes, sir," I answer Leo, and receive and arched eyebrow. Well, better start to address him sir, I won't be Josh' assistant any longer.
"Okay, Donna. Go on. Why did you pick us?" Leo asks then.
"I realized how foolish I had been when I caught Paul, Dr. Freeride," I amend, "with another girl." I think they know enough already so why not tell them the whole shebang? "Then I went to the library and did a little research. I was pretty much apolitical before, I have to tell you this, although I was never a fan of the Second Amendment."
"Well, that makes two of us," Leo inserts and then smiles at me. "Go on, please."
"Well, I read everything about the Democratic candidates and I thought your program was something I could identify myself with, sir," I tell the governor. "Then I drove to New Hampshire and I think you know the rest. I like working for Josh because I learn a lot of stuff from him. He might be…" I start but then I have to stop myself because I don't want to speak ill of my boss. This interview is about how I could stay with him.
"We all know Josh, Donna," Leo tells me with a slight grin.
"Well, he can be very demanding, and he is a bit monomaniacal, but I don't mind because he is a good boss to me, and as I said I'd learned a lot from him."
"Why would you like to continue working for him?" Governor Bartlet asks.
"Well, sir, I think I can be valuable and I think that there are still things I would like to learn and experience. When you move into the White House it will be a whole new chapter, a whole new experience, and I'd like to be part of it," I tell them in all honestly.
"You see," Leo tells the governor, "even she says when."
"I prefer the if-variant, Leo. No, don't get lost in details," Governor Bartlet warns Leo.
"Okay, Donna, in the next part you have to prove your problem solving skills. We will sketch out some scenarios and we'd like you to see how you would solve the particular problem. Ready?" Leo asks then, and I nod.
"Okay, Josh has a meeting with Congressman Tillinghouse but he is running late for a meeting with Senator Aiello. What do you do?" the governor asks.
"Now or in the White House?" I ask back.
"Let's say in the White House," Leo answers.
"Okay, the meeting with the Congressman is obviously about some gun control issue, and that's a pretty important agenda of every administration. Senator Aiello is a relatively junior senator from Arizona, so I think I would call the Senator's office to try to reschedule Josh' meeting. If they can't then I would tell them that Josh' is running late. Josh says that running is late is pretty much the recognized method of doing business on the Hill."
Yeah, as I said earlier, I really learnt loads of stuff from Josh.
"Okay, Donna," Leo says, not even indicating whether I answered right or wrong. "Here is another one. Josh forgets his memo on his desk but he is not able to run back to the White House because he would be late for his next meeting on the Hill. What do you do?"
Okay, these are the easy questions, wonder when they are going to bring out the canon.
"Well, I guess the Deputy Chief of Staff's memos are sensitive material or sort of so I would put it in a lockable attaché case and bring it to him. I would probably tell Ginger or Carol to watch my phones or maybe ask for an intern or a temp to pitch in," I tell him, looking for approval, but none comes. Well, I guess that's his strategy. But it would be really good to have some kind of feedback. Even a scowl or frown would do, at least then I would know where I am.
"Okay, last scenario, Donna. Josh' girlfriend arrives in the White House. Josh is in the Oval Office," the governor begins, "and she wants to go into his office where there might be some sensitive material."
"I would ask her to wait for him in the Mess or in the Lobby," I tell them.
"Even if she would press on and tell you that Josh told her to go into his office and wait for him there?" Leo presses on. And you know I was a bit thrown off balance with this girlfriend thing. I mean Mandy is the past, she gave him the boot three weeks ago. I don't know why, I don't know why now, but then again, I don't really care. Mandy was not right for Josh, and that's not jealousy you hear in my voice. So yes, I was a bit nervous about this question.
"I don't know, Leo, I guess we would have to talk about these kind of things with Josh," I offer and I know it's not the best of answers. "Maybe he could clear it with you and then he could tell me what I should do when this happens," I amend.
"Okay, Donna. Now, some trivia questions," Leo says and I wonder. Why would he quiz me on trivia? Is this some kind of special test the governor makes him run on everyone?
"Okay," I answer showing more confidence than I actually have.
"Good, could you name at least ten senior senators?"
"Adler, Aiello, Avery, Baynes, Bennett, Bowles, Cambridge, Crandell, Dane and Englemann," I list off.
"Oh my God!" Leo mutters and the governor actually beams. "You know their names in alphabetic order?" Leo asks then, sounding quite… I don't know, maybe exasperated.
"Josh wants me to quiz him on them, where they stand on education, Social Security and so on, and he has a list. I have seen that list at least a thousand times, so yes, I've learned their names in alphabetic order."
"What's Aillo's biggest agenda?" the governor asks.
"Immigration," I respond fast. Yeah, no big surprise being from Arizona and all.
"And what about Bennett?" Leo asks then.
"Well, he is a wolf in sheep's clothing," I rattle off what I heard from Josh. "He might be a Democrat but only because his home state votes Democrat. He is a proponent for gun rights, and he is secretly pro-life."
"Secretly?"
"Yeah, he avoids every vote that concerns this question," I tell them. "And his statements are murky about this issue."
"Josh told you this?" the governor asks then.
"Well, he told me about him being the wolf in sheep's clothing, but the pro-life thing was me," I tell them.
"I have no other questions, Leo."
"I have to have more, sorry," Leo tells me and he smiles at me ruefully.
"It's okay, Leo." This time it's me who is sending out reassuring smiles.
"Well, I'll just name some legislative and executive officials Josh might have to do with and you are to tell me what you know about their actual role," Leo says, and I nod. This won't be my favorite subject. You see, I'm a people person, I know how to deal with individuals but with titles and offices, without putting a name or a face on it? It will be difficult.
"Speaker of the House."
"Well, he is the leader of the majority party. And he is second in line for the succession of the presidency. And that's all I know, sorry," I tell them, and Leo nods. Governor Bartlet has a distant look in his eyes. Maybe he has bad memories about the Speaker of the House. I wouldn't be surprised.
"Attorney General," comes Leo's next question.
"Head of the Justice Department and not to be confused with the Solicitor General," I tell Leo, and smile at the memory when Josh had to explain the whole thing to me.
"And?" Leo urges me on. What else?
"Seventh in line for the succession of the presidency," I finally tell him. Nothing else comes to mind, sorry.
"You've also memorized the presidential line of succession?" he asks me taken aback.
"Yeah, that was for fun," I tell him, and I see Governor Bartlet shudder. Well, okay, maybe we are a bit insensible here, talking about line of succession when he is about to become the next person who could be replaced according to that line.
"Okay. Moving on. Could you name a member of the Supreme Court of Justice?" Leo asks me.
"Chief Justice Roy Ashland," I say, and I'm really glad Leo didn't ask for another name, because honestly I don't know any of them.
"Could you name some landmark decisions of the Supreme Court, Donna?" the governor pitches in, although he already told Leo that he didn't have any more questions. Doesn't matter, really.
"Well, there is Roe v. Wade," I tell him, and then hesitate. I really don't know much, just two or three more, I think.
"And?" Governor Bartlet presses on.
"Johnson v. Texas," I say.
"It's called Texas v. Johnson, but that's okay," Governor Bartlet corrects me. "Is there more, Donna?"
Well, there is US v. Nixon, I guess, but I won't bring that one up. I really don't know much about the Watergate scandal. I don't really know what that was about. I know that there was a scandal, I know that there were tapes involved and a hotel name Watergate, but I never saw the movie. Although I really like Robert Redford. So I shake my head and they don't press on.
"Okay, Leo, any more questions?" Governor Bartlet asks then, and I would really like to escape from here.
"Donna, do you have any questions?" Leo asks me.
"Did I pass?" I ask hesitantly, and I stare down at my hands. There were parts where I knew what I was talking about, but there were parts where I would rather have been someplace else.
"We'll have to write our assessments, Donna. We'll tell Josh as soon as we finish," Leo tells me. "Donna, there is no question that you are the best person for the job. You can keep Josh in line, you can keep him organized but you know that they will scrutinize us day in day out, we have to cover our bases," Leo tells me.
"Do you plan on finishing your education, Donna?" the governor asks then.
"Yes, sir. I already told Josh that I will when you get into the White House and Leo fires me," I say, sending a slight smile at Leo. "I know that you have to, Leo. And I just really want to thank for everyone for giving me a chance and then a second chance to experience this with you."
"You've already paid back everything we did for you, Donna," Leo says, and the governor nods. "And you should really get a degree. It's a shame that someone this smart should be deprived of a job just because of a paper."
"A missing paper, Leo," I correct him, and then we both nod. "Is that all?" I ask then.
Leo shoots a questioning glare at me, and I start to explain.
"Well, Josh was scheduled with Advance and then he has a meeting with the precinct captain. I didn't tell him his schedule this morning because we went to you about Bonnie."
"I see. Run along, then. He must be crazy by now," Leo tells me, and I can finally escape the lion's den.
"Where were you?" Josh shouts at me when I return to his room.
And that's when I lose it. I mean totally. I know it wasn't that bad, I know that Leo and the governor like me despite the lack of a diploma but I can't help it. I feel so drained emotionally, and I feel so… Empty, I guess. I don't know what to do without this job. I don't know what to do without Josh. Speaking of Josh, he looks frantic. Sorry, right now I can't comfort him, I need comfort myself.
"What happened?" he demands to know.
"Nothing. I'm just tired," I tell him.
"Donna, don't misdirect me!" he exclaims. "I left you with Leo. Were you with him the whole time?"
"Yes," I tell him the truth.
"And where were you?" he asks me then.
"Governor's suite," I manage to say between sobs.
"What did they say to you, Donna?" he asks, again his voice is very demanding.
"Nothing bad. Really, Josh. I'm just drained," I tell him, but he doesn't listen.
He tears the door open and wants to rush out of the room, but I can't have that. No, that would look really bad.
"Josh!" I wail then, and he returns to me. Interesting. Useful knowledge.
"Are you hurt?" he asks me then, and then I have to smile at him. He can be so sweet sometimes.
"No, I'm not. And you are not going to Leo. They told me they will give you my assessment when they are finished. And now your schedule," I tell him, opening my folder.
"Donna, I don't want to know my schedule, I want to know what they did to you!"
"Josh. They did nothing, they didn't say nothing to upset me. I was nervous, I was anxious, I had to get rid of that feeling and crying helps," I tell him.
"Are you sure?" he asks me then.
"Yes, I am sure. What would you have done? Tear Leo limb from limb?" I ask him jokingly, but he doesn't seem to be in the mood.
"Maybe. Donna, we have been through this. You are one of my best friends," he tells me, "and I care about you. I don't want anybody to hurt you, even if it means that I have to tell Leo that…"
"What do you have to tell me?" Leo asks, having walked into the room.
"Nothing," I hurry to state.
"I won't allow anybody to hurt Donna," Josh says, looking deep into Leo's eyes.
"That's good, but I'm not about to," Leo tells him, and I sigh relieved. Danger averted. Josh in protective mode is really very dangerous.
"Well, let's hope that it stays so." Or not. Did I just hear what I heard? Did Josh really threatened Leo?
"Apologize to Leo, Josh," I tell him.
"There is no need, Donna," Leo tells me gently.
"There is a need. Josh, apologize to Leo!" I demand. I don't want to have this thing between them unresolved.
"I'm sorry, Leo. I know you wouldn't hurt her intentionally," Josh concedes.
"Of course not, Josh. Anyway, there was one more question I wanted to ask Donna, and then I'm out of your hair," Leo says, and I nod. "If you can't stay with him," he continues and nods towards Josh, "would you like to work in the White House elsewhere?"
"Leo…" Josh starts, but I cut him off. He can't go and offend his father's friend, his boss, his mentor.
"Josh!" I warn him. "I told you to wait for the assessments before you rile yourself up about something that might not be anything. And yes, Leo. I guess HR would be a good place to start."
"Okay, thank you. And thank you for finding Ginger, Kathy and Bonnie, Donna. They are really great assets," Leo says and then retreats.
"Josh, you can't go and offend Leo," I admonish my friend. "You have to work close, you have to trust each other. Don't you ever dare do something that would offend him, and certainly not on my behalf!"
"Okay, okay, keep your hair on," he says, but I didn't hear any promises.
"Promise me, Joshua," I press on.
"No, I won't, but I'll try," he says, sending me the first smile since I came back.
"Okay, Advance is waiting for you. I'll be in our suite," I tell him in case he needs me later.
"Okay," he says and leaves, but turns back from the door. "And Donna?"
"Yes?"
"I'll fight for you," he promises and the tears return. He can be so sweet sometimes! You see, that's why I love him. Am I really ready to spend another four years with him without telling him how I feel? I certainly hope so.
THE END