TITLE: "Pass the Piper" (2/4)
RATING: AA
CHARACTERS: The Whole Gang and Piper
SUMMARY: Each person gets some quality time with Piper
DISCLAIMER: The characters used from the West Wing do not belong to me. They are the property of Aaron Sorkin. They are only being used with what little imagination I have.
TIMEFRAME: Continues from "The Morning After"
***SAM***
I had been typing out the second page of Toby's speech while Piper sat quietly colouring. Neither of us had spoken since we switched over to my office. Ginger had yet to return but I hadn't been expecting her too so soon. I can only imagine how hard it is to remove jelly from a document.
"Uncle Sam," Piper called out.
"Uh huh," I answered still continuing my typing. If only Toby didn't write like a serial killer this wouldn't be so difficult to understand.
"I'm bored."
"Why don't you colour me a picture?"
"I already has many times over. I's got like this many." I looked at Piper who was holding up her two palms.
"If you give me five more minutes I promise we will do something together. Okay?"
Piper shrugged and sat back down looking over her creative colouring. I continued typing but my guilty conscious struck me and I stopped typing. "Okay Piper. I have a few minutes before Ginger gets back here. What would you like to do?"
"Does you have any games on your computer that I can play with?"
I took a second or so to think about what I had. "Not really. But I have pinball. Do you know how to play pinball?"
Piper shook her head. "Okay come up here and Uncle Sam will show you."
Piper came over to my side and I picked her up and placed her on my lap. I opened up the pinball game and began teaching her how to play the game. I showed her which keys to use in order to hit the ball and which key to start a new game. I figured that might be her most popular game.
I kept Piper on the seat and I myself decided to run out and find Ginger. I had to get that speech written up and I was running out of time. "Piper, will you be okay here if I just run out for a quick second?"
"If you wants to leave me Uncle Sam I'll be good here."
I gave her a kiss on her head. "I love you honey pie. You're my favourite girl," I ran out of the office in search of Ginger.
I didn't see Ginger anywhere. I went to the copier and she wasn't there either. Bonnie mentioned something about seeing her down near Donna so that was where I was heading. I didn't spot Ginger as I approached Donna.
"Donna, please tell me you have seen Ginger."
"I have seen Ginger."
"Great! Where is she?"
Donna shrugged and tossed her hair back. "I don't know."
"What? But you just finished telling me that you have seen her."
"Yeah," Donna huffed. "Only because you told me too." Donna winked and walked over to her filing cabinets.
"Donna, I need to find Ginger."
"Sorry Sam. I don't know where she is. She did mention something about Piper and jelly though if that helps?"
"No," Sam started to bite his left index nail. "I already know about that."
"Speaking of Piper, where is she?"
"Back in my office."
"You left her alone Sam?"
Sam jerked his head. "Yeah. Why is that bad?" He looked at me all innocent and yet scared at the same time.
"Yeah Sam. She's only three. I swear the men in this place need to take a child care course or something."
"I have to find Ginger. I'm sure she'll be fine for a few more minutes."
"Go back to your office Sam. You can't just abandon a child in a building like this."
"No she's fine. She's got her Terminator glasses on. No one can see her."
Donna looked at me oddly. "Donna I have to get this speech done or Toby is going to have my head. Will you take Piper off of my hands for a little while?"
"What's your idea of a little while Sam? I have a lot to do today."
"Honestly I don't know. Toby should have been back a half hour or so ago and as soon as I find Ginger she can take Piper back," I hope Donna was falling for my look of desperation.
"Fine, but only because you look so damn desperate."
"Oh I am Donna." I made my way back to my office with Donna on my heels. We stepped inside my office and there was no sign of Piper.
"Oh shit," I whispered. "She was right here," I swung around to Donna. Panic dripping on my face.
Donna smiled and pointed underneath my desk. Sitting there looking cool and calm was the Terminator herself. I released a sigh of relief and bent over. "Pipe? Why are you underneath the desk?"
"A big mans came in and he scareded me. I hiding."
Donna slapped me off the tip of my head, "I told you Sam. You can't leave little kids all alone. They get too scared to easy." Donna squatted down and held her hands out for Piper who without hesitation took them.
"You're safe now sweetheart."
"Auntie Donna," Piper clung to Donna's neck. "He left all by myself for a long long time." Piper pointed at me. Oh boy. I wasn't sure who was going to break down first, Piper or myself.
"Piper, I'm sorry. I really am," she wouldn't acknowledge me. "How was your pinball game? Did you win?"
"It went away on me. I think it was cuz I was losing."
"It went away?" I said not understanding what she meant. I stepped behind my desk and looked at the computer. It was sitting at the main window displaying my desktop of Cindy Crawford.
"Looks fine to me. She even got out of the game by herself. That's pretty good for a-" And then it hit me. It went away was what Piper had said, and here my laptop is open to the desktop and the desktop only. Where was my document?
"Where's my document?" I cried out to myself. It caught Donna's attention.
"What's that Sam?"
"The document. The speech. The one I was working on. It's-It's not here." I grabbed the mouse and started clicking through windows explorer.
"Did you save it?"
"Of course I (pause) I didn't," I put my hands over my head and softly squeezed. "Oh dear God Donna. I didn't save it. I didn't save the speech."
"Okay okay Sam. We'll find it. It's got to be in here somewhere. Word always creates a backup file for cases such as this."
"Even if you turn that feature off?"
"What do you mean turn it off? SAM?"
"I never use it so I don't think I have that enabled. I- Oh Donna I'm so dead. Toby's going to kill me. With real pain."
"Daddy says it's not nice to kill peoples Uncle Sam. He won't do that," Piper offered trying to be optimistic.
"You don't know your father honey. For Uncle Sam he'll make an exception." I am so screwed.
***DONNA***
I ushered Piper out of Sam's office so he could have his breakdown in private. I spotted Ginger. "Ginger," I called.
"Donna hi. Hey Piper."
"You need to help Sam."
"Why?"
"He lost the speech he typed out. He's going out of his mind."
"Oh no. I just spent the last little while fixing the one that got- (pause) ruined accidentally." Ginger made sure not to put the blame on Piper who was looking up at Ginger.
"Sam asked me to keep Piper until you returned but I assume you're going to be busy. Do you know when Toby is going to be back?"
"Actually he just called. Apparently things are not going well and he is going to be longer than he expected. Donna I'm so sorry. Are you sure you don't mind watching her?"
"No I don't mind. Just as long as someone comes and collects her, I have plenty to go before the end of the day."
"You're a doll Donna. Let me help out Sam and then I will be by."
Arrangements finished I walked Piper to my area. I told her to take a seat and I would find her something to do. Josh stopped by and said hello to Piper and I.
"Girls day out?"
"Very funny Josh. Toby had to run out so I am sitting with her for awhile. You don't mind do you?"
"Nah, I don't mind. Hey Donna?"
"What?"
"I need that box of ties that you keep hanging around here. I've got a meeting with Hoynes and I managed to get coffee on this one," Josh held his tied up from his neck to show me the stain.
"Okay I'll find it. I had it here but then I forgot where I put it."
"Cool shades," Josh said to Piper and then disappeared into his office.
"Piper when you grow up, don't work for anyone but yourself okay?" Piper nodded her head having no idea what the advice I gave her meant.
"Auntie Donna, I's got nuffin to do," Piper held her hands out sideways. I scanned my desk for something for her to play with. I wasn't about to let her near my computer.
I grabbed a bottle of glue, papers that were for recycling and a Sears Catalogue that I had already gone through.
I placed them on the floor for Piper and she sat down.
I took the lid off of the glue and told her to rip things out of the catalogue and glue them to the paper. She accepted her new craft.
I searched my area for Josh's ties. He came out of his office again bellowing my name. "Josh I haven't found them yet. I'll let you know when I do."
"That's not what I need. I need the proposal for the Board of Education and I need the Tax Forms that were sent over from Texas."
I snapped my fingers. "As you wish Josh."
Josh was walking back to his throne when he said, "Those papers are top priority Donna. The ties can wait until after them."
I half saluted Josh before going back to what I was doing. I found the ties and placed them down on the floor to get them out of the way for the time being. I went back to the cabinet and began working on Josh's request. I found documents relating to the Board of Education but nothing regarding Texas.
"Piper, I'm just going to go to Uncle Josh's office okay. It's right there," I pointed to his closed door. "I'm not leaving you alright?"
"Not like Uncle Sam did right?"
"Right. I'm just going right here. I'll get Uncle Josh to open his blinds so you can still see me. But I have to talk to him."
"Okay dokay," Piper said as she tore a sheet from the catalogue. I went into Josh's office and opened his blinds.
"I can't find anything regarding the Texas thing Josh. Are you sure we got it?"
"Yes we did. What have you got there?" Josh asked indicating the papers I was holding.
"These are the Board of Education. What do you need this stuff for anyways?"
"Hell if I know really. I was just told to have them with me." Josh swung around in his seat and smiled.
"You're a nerd," I stated.
"I want you."
"Come again?"
"I said I want you."
"What now?" I glanced around. The floor wasn't looking half bad actually.
"Have dinner with me tonight?"
"Okay."
"God I love how easy you are," Josh slowly moved closer to me.
"That'll sweep me off of my feet."
"You know what I mean. I am so glad that I poured my heart out to you."
"All you said was I have a crush on you (pause) Goodbye," I stated imitating him.
"Yeah. And I said it all to you."
Josh was so close I could smell his cologne. I felt my knee's going weak. There is nothing more erotic than a hot looking man who smells nice. Man Josh was right, I am easy.
"How about tonight after dinner, we get to know one another a little better?"
"Mr. Lyman, you're trying to seduce me... aren't you?" Josh laughed.
"I always did like 'The Graduate' you know?"
"Well maybe I'll rent it."
Josh smirked, "Yeah and then what?"
"I don't know," I shrugged my shoulders. "Maybe we can act out your favourite parts."
"It's too bad Debbie Does Dallas wasn't my favourite movie. There's some parts there I wouldn't mind acting out."
I pushed Josh away. "That is disgusting Josh," I shouted out trying to be mortified.
"What?" he asked looking all innocent. For no reason I just laughed. "What time is your meeting with Hoynes?"
"Ah Donna. Don't ruin this moment for us."
"I think you and your thoughts of Debbie did that already Josh."
"Okay listen to me first before we get back to the job. How about a nice dinner for two at say Café Milano?"
"I'm listening."
"Maybe some wine, some dancing and if you're good…."
"Dessert?" I just love Italian food.
"Okay," Josh said cocking his head. "We could do that too."
"What should I wear?"
"Nothing but a smile."
"Josh! I'm serious. What kind of place is it? Is it fancy?"
"Yeah I guess. I mean I wouldn't walk in with sweats or anything."
"What are you going to be wearing?"
"I guess the smile since you won't do it." Josh grinned at me and I smiled slyly back at him.
"If you're lucky you might just get to see that smile."
"I can't wait. I'm going to be wearing what I've got on though. I won't have time to go home and change and I-" Josh stopped talking. Something outside the window caught his attention.
"What is it Josh?"
He waved me over. He opened the blind a bit more and pointed outside the window. "What is she doing?"
"Oh my God Piper! I completely forgot about her," I rushed outside to Piper who was sitting in the same spot I left her.
"Hi Auntie Donna. Look what I made?" Piper held up her creation. Oh dear God. She created a link with Josh's ties that were in the box.
"Oh Piper you didn't?" I knelt down and looked at her chain of ties that were soaked in glue.
"Did I do somefin wrong?" her lower lip began to tremble and I felt horrible for her. This wasn't her fault at all. It was completely mine.
"No, of course not sweetie. You made a very nice chain. Can I see it?" Piper happily handed over her chain. "I'm just going to show Uncle Josh what you made okay. I'll be right back."
I hid the chain behind my back and entered Josh's office. "Back for more I see." I shook my head. "Donna, what's wrong?"
Using caution I slowly brought my arm out from behind my back and held up Piper's newly created tie chain. "Holy shit! Those are my ties!"
"I'm so sorry Josh. It's all my fault. I left her alone and I gave her glue and-"
"You gave her glue? Donna are you insane?"
"Josh I'm sorry. I'll fix them."
"How? Donna I have to meet Hoynes in like a half hour. I can't go wearing this tie," he indicated the one he was wearing. "And I sure as hell can't go in there with a chain hanging from my neck. Ironic enough if I miss this meeting Leo will have the authentic put there himself."
"Okay so I'll go and buy you a new tie. Yeah, that's what I'll do. I'll go out and buy you a new tie and then sometime tomorrow I will get these fixed somehow. (pause) Glue comes out right?"
Josh shuffled his hand through his hair making it stand up on one side. "For your sake I hope so. There's atleast 3 grand of ties in that chain you're holding."
"Any specific kind of tie that you want?"
"Actually," Josh calmed down fast. "I wouldn't mind a pale yellow one. I don't have one that colour."
"Pale yellow. Got it."
"What are you going to do about her?"
I followed Josh's gaze to Piper who was still on the floor but just sitting there doing nothing. "You're going to have to take her."
"Me? Donna I have stuff to do."
"Like what?"
"I don't know. Important stuff."
"You're a horrible liar Josh. You and I both know you're just killing time until this meeting. Besides, if I take Piper it will slow me down and I won't make it back here in time for your meeting with Hoynes."
Josh hesitated. I knew I had won. "Fine. But make sure Poison Princess doesn't touch anything while she's in here."
"That will be up to you Josh. I won't be here." I left and went to Piper. I explained quickly that I had to go out for a few minutes and that Uncle Josh was going to watch her for a little bit. She didn't seem to mind.