Title: A Girl Named Donnatella (1/?)
Author: Julia
Spoilers: Everything up to HL (and the next parts will probably incorporate some DIW)
Disclaimer: After you read this there should be no doubt that I have nothing to do with the characters in an official capacity.
Summary: Amy comes up with a plan.
Archive: Just ask.
Feedback: If you're so inclined [jmarie_ib01@yahoo.com]
Notes: This story is very loosely based on AS's infamous dating plan, which I had an inexplicable desire to mock. There isn't a lot of Josh and Donna in this part, but it's coming.
Thanks to Jen and Christine for beta reading
A Girl Named Donnatella (1/?)
***
"I don't know if I can," Amy said as she stood up from her couch.
He looked up at her from his kneeling position, feeling pretty stupid watching her pace around the living room while he held the small jewelry box.
"Why not?"
"Because I'm not sure-"
"I love you."
"I don't know if we're ready for this kind of commitment."
"Do you love me?"
"I- I don't know," she lied.
"Damn it, Amy. Why are you doing this?"
"I want to make sure that this is for real. You're a congressman: once we cross that line, it's hard to get out."
"What line?" he asked, getting to his feet.
Conveniently ignoring his question, she asked, "How do I know you want me?"
"Because that's what I'm telling you."
"And you're not just courting women?"
"Why would you think that? I'm courting you." She was moved by the sincerity in his voice, though she still had her doubts. After staring at him for an immeasurable amount of time, she was ninety percent sure that he was what she wanted.
But, of course, his very public profile could make getting out of a relationship more complicated. She just wished that there was some kind of test. All she needed was a little proof. Suddenly, inspiration struck. After four nights with another man she still wanted John. The fact that she was thinking about John even when she was showing Josh her old feather boa had to mean something, right? She figured it would be best to run with that.
"I have a plan," she announces.
"A plan?" he asked.
"Would you stop that?"
"What?"
"Repeating everything I say. I have a plan to make sure that this is what we both want."
"This isn't gonna be one of those tests out of Cosmo, is it?" She gave him a dirty look. "Right, you don't read Cosmo. I forgot."
"I have a plan to see if we're really ready to cross the line."
"What line?"
"It's a dating plan," she states simply, again ignoring his question about the imaginary line.
"A dating plan?" he asked incredulously. Then holding up his hands in a placating manner he added, "I wasn't just repeating you. Seriously, you made a dating plan?"
"It's a good plan."
"What does it involve?"
"You love me and I love you. If this is really how it's supposed to be, then it won't change. If we spend some time apart, go out on dates, we'll be sure that this is right."
"You want to see other people?" His tone was suddenly much higher than normal.
"Yeah."
"You're breaking up with me?" he yelled.
"No. Yeah. Kind of," Amy sputtered. She was finding it very difficult to articulate her plan, though she knew in her heart that it was brilliant.
"Well, I'm just confused." John collapsed with a sigh on her sofa and she came over to sit by his side.
Taking his hand she explained, "If, after a few months with other people, we still want to be together, we'll know it's right."
"You'll accept my proposal?"
"Yes."
"What about the other people?"
"What about them?"
"Isn't it kind of mean to date someone just to prove that you want to be with someone else?"
"This would make me more comfortable."
He sighed heavily. "Do I have a choice?"
She smiled and answered coyly, "Not really."
"So three months apart? That's it?"
"And you have to see people. It won't count if you're alone."
"Okay. The end of April. I can do that."
"Thank you."
***
John sat alone in a nearly deserted bar. He knew he should go home because his chief of staff had just informed him that his eight o'clock meeting had been moved to seven. At least, he thought that was what Andrew had said. His phone got so much damn static he was amazed that he didn't get more messages confused.
He really didn't feel like going home alone. This whole 'dating plan' was completely frustrating to him. He'd heard through a mutual friend that Amy had already found someone else to see. Joshua Lyman, Deputy Chief of Staff for the President.
Seeing a woman at the other end of the bar, he decided that he might as well get started finding 'other people.' He approached her from behind and rolled his eyes before he spoke, unable to believe that he was stooping to picking up strange women in bars.
"Can I buy you another?" he asked, noticing that she had finished her drink.
She was just about to tell him that she was fine when she recognized him.
"Congressman Tandy?"
"Uhh, yeah. Do I know you?"
"No. Well, we've met a couple of times. I'm Donna Moss, Josh Lyman's assistant."
"Oh. Okay. I'm sorry to bother you," he said, backing away.
"It's okay, really," she said hesitantly, wondering why the mention of her boss made Tandy look like he was going to be sick. "Did Josh do something?" she asked, only half in jest.
'Other than my fiancée? No, why do you ask?' he almost said. Then he decided that he would probably be a lot happier with his life if he didn't get killed by Amy for being an overprotective jackass. So he settled for a quick, "Nothing."
"Are you alright, Congressman?" Donna asked, concerned that he seemed to have some type of nervous tick.
"No, not really," John sighed, sitting down on the stool next to hers. He knew that he was a little drunk, and should probably avoid this conversation, but he couldn't muster the will to move. "See, there's this woman," he started.
"I could've guessed."
"I love her."
"She left you?"
"Not really."
"Not really?"
"I don't know. It's a plan that she came up with. We see other people for a few months, then if we still want each other, we can be together."
"So you have to follow a dating plan?"
"Yup," he replied, trying not to be too freaked out that Donna called it a dating plan, too.
Donna nibbled on her lower lip and looked questioningly at him. "Can I ask you something, Congressman?"
"Sure, and call me John."
"When someone wants to see other people, doesn't that usually mean-"
"She is fairly inept when it comes to love. She's just afraid."
"And you don't think she's seeing someone else?"
"Ohhh, she is. I just don't think that her heart is in it."
"You really do love her."
"She's bewitching."
He considered whether he should ask Donna out. She knew about the dating plan so he ran less of a risk of hurting her. Amy would hate it. Since he was forced to participate in her little plan, he might as well have some fun with it. After a long pause, he decided to go for it. "I don't suppose you would want to…"
"No, I really - I'm flattered, but I'm not the kind of -"
"I just meant- Not like that. It's just that I don't want to date someone else who I'd feel bad about hurting. And oh, my God, I just realized how incredibly bad that must sound." He sat quietly for a moment, trying to gauge her reaction. She seemed interested, but she was still hesitating. "This is about her being ready, not me. She wants me to see other people because she doesn't think that I… well, I'm not actually sure why she's insisting on it, but I want to be with her. So maybe we could just go to public functions together. That's it."
"Well, I've never dated a Congressman before."
"If it helps, I'm also a lawyer."
She smiled at him.
"And I was once in a television commercial."
"Okay," she finally conceded. After all, what was wrong with being seen in public with a handsome, well-known political figure? She also knew that it would really bug Josh that she had managed to get a life while he was so busy being ensorcelled by Amy.
He looked at his watch and realized that he should be getting home. "Do you need a ride?" he asked.
"Oh, no I'm fine. I'll just get a cab."
"Nah. I've got a driver: we can drop you off before I go home."
"I'd appreciate that," she said gratefully.
As they left, neither of them saw a woman in the bar point discretely at them to alert her date.
"Do you know who that is?" asked Margaret. "That's my friend Donna, and, unless I'm mistaken, Congressman John Tandy."
Author: Julia
Spoilers: Everything up to HL (and the next parts will probably incorporate some DIW)
Disclaimer: After you read this there should be no doubt that I have nothing to do with the characters in an official capacity.
Summary: Amy comes up with a plan.
Archive: Just ask.
Feedback: If you're so inclined [jmarie_ib01@yahoo.com]
Notes: This story is very loosely based on AS's infamous dating plan, which I had an inexplicable desire to mock. There isn't a lot of Josh and Donna in this part, but it's coming.
Thanks to Jen and Christine for beta reading
A Girl Named Donnatella (1/?)
***
"I don't know if I can," Amy said as she stood up from her couch.
He looked up at her from his kneeling position, feeling pretty stupid watching her pace around the living room while he held the small jewelry box.
"Why not?"
"Because I'm not sure-"
"I love you."
"I don't know if we're ready for this kind of commitment."
"Do you love me?"
"I- I don't know," she lied.
"Damn it, Amy. Why are you doing this?"
"I want to make sure that this is for real. You're a congressman: once we cross that line, it's hard to get out."
"What line?" he asked, getting to his feet.
Conveniently ignoring his question, she asked, "How do I know you want me?"
"Because that's what I'm telling you."
"And you're not just courting women?"
"Why would you think that? I'm courting you." She was moved by the sincerity in his voice, though she still had her doubts. After staring at him for an immeasurable amount of time, she was ninety percent sure that he was what she wanted.
But, of course, his very public profile could make getting out of a relationship more complicated. She just wished that there was some kind of test. All she needed was a little proof. Suddenly, inspiration struck. After four nights with another man she still wanted John. The fact that she was thinking about John even when she was showing Josh her old feather boa had to mean something, right? She figured it would be best to run with that.
"I have a plan," she announces.
"A plan?" he asked.
"Would you stop that?"
"What?"
"Repeating everything I say. I have a plan to make sure that this is what we both want."
"This isn't gonna be one of those tests out of Cosmo, is it?" She gave him a dirty look. "Right, you don't read Cosmo. I forgot."
"I have a plan to see if we're really ready to cross the line."
"What line?"
"It's a dating plan," she states simply, again ignoring his question about the imaginary line.
"A dating plan?" he asked incredulously. Then holding up his hands in a placating manner he added, "I wasn't just repeating you. Seriously, you made a dating plan?"
"It's a good plan."
"What does it involve?"
"You love me and I love you. If this is really how it's supposed to be, then it won't change. If we spend some time apart, go out on dates, we'll be sure that this is right."
"You want to see other people?" His tone was suddenly much higher than normal.
"Yeah."
"You're breaking up with me?" he yelled.
"No. Yeah. Kind of," Amy sputtered. She was finding it very difficult to articulate her plan, though she knew in her heart that it was brilliant.
"Well, I'm just confused." John collapsed with a sigh on her sofa and she came over to sit by his side.
Taking his hand she explained, "If, after a few months with other people, we still want to be together, we'll know it's right."
"You'll accept my proposal?"
"Yes."
"What about the other people?"
"What about them?"
"Isn't it kind of mean to date someone just to prove that you want to be with someone else?"
"This would make me more comfortable."
He sighed heavily. "Do I have a choice?"
She smiled and answered coyly, "Not really."
"So three months apart? That's it?"
"And you have to see people. It won't count if you're alone."
"Okay. The end of April. I can do that."
"Thank you."
***
John sat alone in a nearly deserted bar. He knew he should go home because his chief of staff had just informed him that his eight o'clock meeting had been moved to seven. At least, he thought that was what Andrew had said. His phone got so much damn static he was amazed that he didn't get more messages confused.
He really didn't feel like going home alone. This whole 'dating plan' was completely frustrating to him. He'd heard through a mutual friend that Amy had already found someone else to see. Joshua Lyman, Deputy Chief of Staff for the President.
Seeing a woman at the other end of the bar, he decided that he might as well get started finding 'other people.' He approached her from behind and rolled his eyes before he spoke, unable to believe that he was stooping to picking up strange women in bars.
"Can I buy you another?" he asked, noticing that she had finished her drink.
She was just about to tell him that she was fine when she recognized him.
"Congressman Tandy?"
"Uhh, yeah. Do I know you?"
"No. Well, we've met a couple of times. I'm Donna Moss, Josh Lyman's assistant."
"Oh. Okay. I'm sorry to bother you," he said, backing away.
"It's okay, really," she said hesitantly, wondering why the mention of her boss made Tandy look like he was going to be sick. "Did Josh do something?" she asked, only half in jest.
'Other than my fiancée? No, why do you ask?' he almost said. Then he decided that he would probably be a lot happier with his life if he didn't get killed by Amy for being an overprotective jackass. So he settled for a quick, "Nothing."
"Are you alright, Congressman?" Donna asked, concerned that he seemed to have some type of nervous tick.
"No, not really," John sighed, sitting down on the stool next to hers. He knew that he was a little drunk, and should probably avoid this conversation, but he couldn't muster the will to move. "See, there's this woman," he started.
"I could've guessed."
"I love her."
"She left you?"
"Not really."
"Not really?"
"I don't know. It's a plan that she came up with. We see other people for a few months, then if we still want each other, we can be together."
"So you have to follow a dating plan?"
"Yup," he replied, trying not to be too freaked out that Donna called it a dating plan, too.
Donna nibbled on her lower lip and looked questioningly at him. "Can I ask you something, Congressman?"
"Sure, and call me John."
"When someone wants to see other people, doesn't that usually mean-"
"She is fairly inept when it comes to love. She's just afraid."
"And you don't think she's seeing someone else?"
"Ohhh, she is. I just don't think that her heart is in it."
"You really do love her."
"She's bewitching."
He considered whether he should ask Donna out. She knew about the dating plan so he ran less of a risk of hurting her. Amy would hate it. Since he was forced to participate in her little plan, he might as well have some fun with it. After a long pause, he decided to go for it. "I don't suppose you would want to…"
"No, I really - I'm flattered, but I'm not the kind of -"
"I just meant- Not like that. It's just that I don't want to date someone else who I'd feel bad about hurting. And oh, my God, I just realized how incredibly bad that must sound." He sat quietly for a moment, trying to gauge her reaction. She seemed interested, but she was still hesitating. "This is about her being ready, not me. She wants me to see other people because she doesn't think that I… well, I'm not actually sure why she's insisting on it, but I want to be with her. So maybe we could just go to public functions together. That's it."
"Well, I've never dated a Congressman before."
"If it helps, I'm also a lawyer."
She smiled at him.
"And I was once in a television commercial."
"Okay," she finally conceded. After all, what was wrong with being seen in public with a handsome, well-known political figure? She also knew that it would really bug Josh that she had managed to get a life while he was so busy being ensorcelled by Amy.
He looked at his watch and realized that he should be getting home. "Do you need a ride?" he asked.
"Oh, no I'm fine. I'll just get a cab."
"Nah. I've got a driver: we can drop you off before I go home."
"I'd appreciate that," she said gratefully.
As they left, neither of them saw a woman in the bar point discretely at them to alert her date.
"Do you know who that is?" asked Margaret. "That's my friend Donna, and, unless I'm mistaken, Congressman John Tandy."
