Title: Minor Incidents
Author: Willow
Summary: Store robberies, Mary Marsh and Christmas parties.
Spoilers/Episode: Set in an a/u that leaves the series after season 5, Memorial Day. This chapter is set a month after chapter 7.
Characters: Ensemble
Rating: PG (a little angst, well you know I can't resist)
Disclaimer: We all know they aren't mine.
Part I
Monday December 13th 2004
Josh stopped typing and turned his attention to Donna. "Why?" he asked.
"I just don't want to. Assistants don't normally go to those parties anyway," Donna replied.
"You and Margaret always do."
"Well, this time I don't want to."
"I don't understand," Josh said.
Donna started re-arranging the files on Josh's desk.
"Donna?" Josh prompted.
"I don't want to wear a dress," Donna replied quietly.
"Why? You look great in a dress."
"Not now," Donna replied.
Josh looked blank for a second and then understood. "You look great in a dress," he repeated. "Donna, no one's going to even notice."
"God, of course they will, Josh."
"They're tiny."
"No they aren't."
"You've worn skirts for work, I don't see how it's different."
"It just is. I have to type these reports."
"They can wait." Josh stopped Donna leaving the office, he closed the door and sat Donna down. "You are a beautiful woman, a couple of tiny scars don't change that."
Donna watched him for a second. "When it was sweltering hot the other summer, you refused to take your top off."
Josh smiled at the memory. "You laughed at me and poured a jug a water over my head."
"You needed cooling off," Donna agreed.
"Then you made me take the t-shirt off. What was it you told me? Scars are proof that we survived."
"Yeah," Donna reluctantly agreed. "But you wouldn't take your shirt off in front of everyone would you?"
"You want me to?" Josh asked.
"Okay," Donna smiled. She watched as he took his tie off and started unbuttoning his shirt. "Stop," she laughed as he pulled his shirt out of his trousers. "Leo would fire you."
"Will you come tonight?"
"I don't know."
"If you don't go then I'm not going. We'll do something else."
"Then Leo really would fire you."
"So you'd better come to the party and save my job."
Donna sighed. "Okay, but only because Leo has enough to do, without having to find a new deputy."
"Good," Josh smiled. "Now go and type those reports."
Once Donna had left the office, Josh grinned and started to button his shirt back up, just as CJ entered through the other door.
"Why are you undressed?" she asked.
Josh spun round to face her, "I, I was hot," he tried.
"In December?"
"It's a long story."
............................................................................................
Congressional Party, Monday Evening
"Hey," CJ grinned at Josh and Donna. "It's about time you two got here, the concert's about to start."
"Someone," Donna glared at Josh, "can't tell the time."
"We're only ten minutes late, stop whining," Josh told her. "I need to see Toby, I'll be back in a minute."
CJ watched him walk away. "You okay?" she asked Donna, who had confided in CJ that she hadn't wanted to come tonight.
"Yeah," Donna smiled. Now she was here, she was glad she'd come and had no idea why she'd been so nervous about wearing a dress.
.................................
An hour later, Donna found Josh stood near the dance floor. "The concert was good," she said.
"It was," Josh agreed. "He's very talented."
"Yeah, but he's no Yo-Yo Ma."
"He was playing piano, Yo-Yo Ma play cello."
"I was just saying."
"You want to dance?"
"I'd love to," Donna smiled and let Josh lead her onto the dance floor.
.........................................
"Everyone's having fun," Debbie commented.
"The president likes to see people enjoying themselves," Leo agreed.
"How many Christmas parties do we have?" she asked.
"I loose count."
"Would you like to dance?" Debbie asked. "I figured if I didn't ask you we'd just stand here all night."
Leo smiled, "I'd love to."
...................................
"Is something going on with those two?" Zoey asked.
Charlie followed Zoey gaze and smiled. "He wishes."
"I think she does as well," Zoey grinned. "They should be together."
"Not sure your father would agree."
"It's Christmas," Zoey told him. "Let me dream." She watched Josh and Donna as they sat and talked. After every dance they danced, he'd led her to a seat and made sure she'd rested her leg.
"Shall we dance?" Charlie asked.
"All night," Zoey agreed.
......................................
Jed looked across the room and frowned, "He's monopolizing her."
Abbey smiled, "He's in love, so's she for that matter. Leave them alone."
"You'd think she'd be able to spare one dance for her father," Jed complained.
"I'm fairly sure he won't object if you butt in."
"You bet he won't," Jed replied and walked across to his youngest daughter.
Abbey shook her head and went to stand with Leo. "Jed's gone to torture Zoey and Charlie."
"I can see," Leo smiled.
"Your deputy seems to be enjoying himself."
Leo looked across at Josh, who'd just led Donna back onto the dance floor. "He does," he agreed.
"What about you?"
"So am I."
"And when I told you you needed a good woman in your life, it turned out you already had one," Abbey said.
"Yes," Leo smiled.
"I'm glad and so is Jed, for all his teasing."
Part 2 ---------