A/N: This drabble is set early in season 6 and references a line Charlie said to Donna about a promise he made to President Bartlet. Enjoy!
Coat Rack
By angellwings
"Because he doesn't want me holding his coat for the rest of my life."
Charlie's words about The President haunted her. She stared at the box and the pen Josh had given her. His line about not taking her for granted had been sweet, but he hadn't mentioned anything about helping her advance her career. Or even wanting her to. In fact, he would change the subject when she even started to bring it up.
How do you talk to someone about something they don't want to talk about? How did she talk about something she didn't really want to talk about? Maybe that's why she hadn't done anything before now. It would mean leaving Josh. Josh who tried his hardest to leave anyone behind. Josh who had dropped everything including the United States of America to fly to Germany and be there for her. Josh who had taken her in and given her a job even though he knew nothing about her.
How did she leave him?
She was starting to realize the reality of her situation and the reality of it sucked.
It was either stay with Josh and be a coat rack or leave him and have her own career. Could she sacrifice her professional growth for him?
She bit back a bitter chuckle. Sacrifice seemed to be the theme of her life. She'd given up college, nearly given up her professional integrity, and perjured herself. All for men she liked or thought she liked. It could also be argued she'd already given up her career for Josh. She'd declined two job offers for him. Once she'd told him about and the other she'd kept to herself. Where would be right now if she'd taken one of those offers?
Would Josh still be in her life if she didn't work for him?
Would he still be in her life if she stopped working for him now?
CJ's words from before she left for Gaza suddenly came back to her and she knew what she had to do. She needed to talk to Josh soon. As much as she cared about him she couldn't be his coat rack forever. She was done sacrificing what she wanted for someone else.