Title: Bashert (4/6)
Author: Aerial312
Rating: PG-13
Category: Angst.
Spoiler Info: Santos administration
Disclaimer: I own nothing…I just borrow.
Feedback: Greatly appreciated. Sure. Just let me know where its going.

PRESENT: Minutes later.

Josh tucked away the Kazakhstan book on his shelf, and grabbed his backpack. He was almost to the door of his office, when Lou appeared in the doorway.

"Where the fuck have you been?"

"Here."

"Josh…"

"You and Sam were the—"

"Your absence was noticed."

"I had a lot to read."

"There was a reporter or two who noticed that the Chief of Staff wasn't there to support his girlfriend's work on the First Lady's first big push."

"Yeah…What did you say?"

"That you were working on something important—"

"Which is true."

"But thank god they didn't ask what!"

"You would have made something up."

"You still looked like a jerk."

Josh sighed.

"Is there a problem I should know about?"

"No."

"No?"

"I'll fix it."

Lou sighed. "You two have such a fucked up—"

"Gee thanks."

"I knew it was complicated. That much was clear from the moment I put you two together in that room. I just thought that things had gotten better."

"They are. They will be."

"I thought that this wouldn't be the cause of headaches."

"Don't worry about it."

"You're certainly in a better mood when you two get along."

"No kidding."

"You couldn't have just come down for a few minutes?"

"Was there anything else you needed?"

"No."

"Then let me go fix this."

"She was heading home when I left."

"Thanks."

SANTOS CAMPAIGN: After the Al Smith Dinner.

Donna sat curled in a chair in the war room, reading position papers, when the people who had gone to the dinner returned. Josh smiled fakely as he bid goodnight to the Congressman, then scowled and threw his backpack at the table, flopping into the chair beside Donna.

"They agreed to a debate."

"That's good."

Josh shrugged.

"Not good?"

"They settled on their own in the kitchen of the fucking hotel while they were waiting to go on."

"So we need to announce first thing."

"Yeah."

"When is--?"

"Sunday night."

"Wow. That's fast. Any specific terms—"

"I don't know."

"No?" she looked up at him curiously.

"I've been cut out of the loop." He closed his eyes and sat back before continuing bitterly. "Cut out of the loop on everything."

"Lou didn't know that we—"

"She knew."

"I really don't think she did. She wouldn't go out of her way to piss you off."

"Why were you working for the Midwest Corridor Campaign—"

"Lou hired me to do press last week. She was pleased with my work on the campaign so far."

She hadn't meant for the words to sting so much.

"Where were you working?"

"In the Madison office. Doing research."

"So you left my office that day and decided to hide out at home."

"I left your office and ran into Leo. He took one look at me and could tell what had happened."

"Leo?"

"He asked me what I was going to do, and I guess I didn't sound thrilled to continue to work for the Vice President—"

Josh snorted.

"So he said he'd find me something, but it had to be on the outskirts for the time being."

Josh sighed.

"I spent a month working in Madison. I was based there even after Lou promoted me. My mom was thrilled."

Josh smiled despite his efforts not to. "I bet."

Donna looked over at him softly, for a moment. "I wasn't trying to spite you. I really wasn't."

"Yeah…"

"I just wanted to work on this campaign. It was the next step—"

"In reinventing yourself?"

"Professionally. I'm good at this, Josh. I am."

"Yeah…" Josh looked away, pained. "And the statement, how did you come to do that? Was Leo scheming behind my back on that too?"

"Lou called me. She said she thought I'd be perfect for it…"

"But?"

"I think Leo pointed her in my direction."

"Probably. You weren't what we had in mind for that statement originally."

"Too young?"

Josh nodded. "We were going for 40-something soccer mom"

Donna laughed. "You guys have needed a spokesperson."

"Yeah…" Josh grumbled, laying his head in his arms.

"Is this going to be a problem?"

Josh was silent for a moment, and didn't look up. "You'll be 100 percent committed to Santos?"

"I have been for over a month."

"Yeah…"

"I can do this."

"I know." He sat up, rubbing his eyes.

"You should get some sleep."

"Ha. I don't even know where to begin I have so much to do."

"What can I do?"

"Really?" he turned to face her.

"Really. This'll help me get up to speed." She scooted closer to him.

He smiled, and opened his backpack.

"I doubt you're much behind. You have a mind like a steel trap."

It was her turn to grin now, as she accepted the folder .