Title: A Glimpse of the Possibility (8/?)

Author: Aerial312
Rating: PG-13
Category: Humor/Fluff/Angst/Romance (a little of everything)
Disclaimer: I own nothing…I just borrow.
Feedback: Greatly appreciated. Sure. Just let me know where its going.

A/N: So this chapter took MUCH longer than I expected it to. Between the holidays and having to pay a lot more attention during my usually dull show while my lead was sick, I had no time to write. Visit my archive: http://aerial312. .

Episode Timeline: Manchester 1 & 2


"DONNA!"

"I'm right here."

"I couldn't find you."

"I'm sitting where we always sit."

"You disappeared when we got on the plane."

"You were talking to CJ."

"I need to talk to Gail Trent."

"I'll get her on the phone when we're in the air."

"I need to talk to her now."

"We're about to take off."

"I—"

"Sit down, and put on your seat belt."

"Donna, this is important."

"Joshua."

"As soon—the second the captain says we can use the phones."

"I will."

"I mean it."

"When I call, can I say what this is in regards to?"

"Just tell her that Josh Lyman wants to talk to her NOW."

"Okay."

"I'm trying to follow up on this thing CJ told me. I need to talk to her, discreetly, as soon as possible."

"Got it. Seat belt."

Josh paced in front of her. She tugged on his sleeve, he looked down on her, dismayed.

"Sit."

He sat. "We need this news cycle to ourselves. We can't—Argh!" He slammed his fist down on the armrest.

Donna nodded to him, reaching across his lap to fasten his seatbelt. "What did CJ say that got you in such a bad mood?"

"I need to follow up on this. I need to…" He flopped back against his seat, raking his hand through his hair.

"Are you okay?"

He closed his eyes. "I'm fine…I'm fine."

"What--?"

"CJ heard that the FDA is going to approve mifispristone on Monday, and it's going to throw off our announcement, and I need to talk to Gail Trent to try to confirm it."

"Ten minutes."

"Yeah."

"Try to relax a little."


"Oh, good, you grabbed my bag."

"What, did you expect it to teleport in all by itself?"

"You're not funny. I was gonna go get it."

"If I'd left it, you'd be in a tizzy about why I didn't get it."

"Well then don't complain about my not having grabbed it yet."

Donna sighed. "What are you brooding about?"

"I'm not brooding. Where are the others?"

"They're probably still arguing over who's going to drive their rental car. And, yes, you are brooding. I walked in to find you pacing—"

"I pace when I think—"

"I know, but the look on your face—"

"Donna, I'm not brooding!"

"Is this still about the RU-486 thing?"

"No! Yes! I need to try to stop this thing"

"It's still be bothering you—"

"I can't screw this one up! Where the hell is everyone?"

"Did you not listen to my answer two seconds ago?"

"Donna, I don't have the patience for this right now! Where—"

"On their way."

He sighed loudly, pacing in a circle around Donna. Donna stood still.

"Do you want me to call them—"

"Yes!...No…no."

"Josh?"

"What?"

"Calm down."

"I—yeah…"

"Did you check in yet?"

"No…"

"Come on," she led him by the arm, suppressing the snarky comment that that was what he had come in ahead of her to do. "We'll check in, put our stuff down, and head down to the bar."

"Okay…"


"You look better."

"I took a shower and changed."

"Good. Everyone's down in the bar, "working", they say."

"I bet. We really do need to do some work tonight."

"I know."

"Is Leo coming down?"

"Margaret said he's gonna come join us a little later."

"I need to talk to him."

"I know, and I told Margaret. She'll let him know when he gets down here."

"Where is she?"

"On her way."

"Where's Leo?"

"She said, and I quote, "He's talking to Bruno for what he hopes is the last time tonight". She said you should give him a minute to eat when he gets back before you pounce."

"Before I pounce?"

"You pounce."

"I don't pounce."

"You really do."

"I have a list of people I need to get on the phone for me, before I talk to him anyways."

"This thing's gonna happen?"

"Seems that way. I'm hungry. You want food?"

"Nah, I'm still full from lunch. I don't want any food."

"You're sure?"

"I'm sure."

"Drink?"

"Yes, please. Beer's good. And a Coke."

"Go grab that table over there. Oh, and buy a newspaper."

"Money?"

"For a newspaper?"

"I suppose I can front the fifty cents."

"Go."


"I heard you were afraid of a little garter snake earlier."

"I don't have patience—"

"It was a little snake?"

"Donna, I—Leo won't let me do what I need to do right now!"

"Relax."

"I just need to make a phone call, one phone call and I can put this—I'm gonna talk to CJ again."

"That sounds like a good idea."

"Who told you about the snake thing?"

"Sam."

"Sam was abnormally interested in the snake."

"And you were afraid."

"I don't like reptiles. CJ was scared too."

"Garter snakes are little."

"This one wasn't little."

"Maybe it wasn't a garter snake then."

"The President said it was a garter snake. It's his barn."

Donna chuckled.

"Stop making fun of me."


Donna sat on the bed jotting some notes in her planner as Josh emerged from the shower, wearing a towel.

"It's a good thing I kept the towel on."

Donna looked up at him and smirked. "Shame, really. Glad to see you're mood is better."

"You didn't have to stay."

Donna shrugged, and handed him his boxer shorts.

"I'm just gonna…" He cocked his head toward the bathroom, and disappeared for a moment, returning with his shorts on.

"You feeling better now?" Donna asked, turning to face him.

"Yeah, I guess. T-shirt?"

She passed it to him. "You did what you could. It's not something you're supposed to know about—"

"But I do know about it."

Donna sighed, and stood up, holding out his trousers for him. He took them, and put them on. "Shirt?"

"You want me button it for you too?" she teased, dangling it in front of him.

"You didn't have to stay."

"Yes, I did."

"Why?"

"You're scattered this morning."

"Yeah…"

She picked up his tie, and stepped closer to him, as he finished buttoning his shirt. Flipping his collar up, she placed the tie, and deftly began to tie the knot.

"You know, I do know how to do this."

"I like to."

"Because you seek to control me?"

Donna chuckled. "I just like to."

"I know."

"Can I ask a question?"

"Since when do you ask permission to ask a question?"

"You said that you blew tobacco. How did you blow it? You got the money."

She patted his shoulders, and stepped back.

"I moved too fast," he grumbled, slipping into the jacket she held out. "I pushed for the money, and missed the issue."

"The issue?"

"Every house seat is up for re-election. We could have made this a campaign issue for these guys."

"Like they support increased smoking because they didn't provide Justice the money they need for the suit?"

"Exactly."

"And this is what's really got you, more than the RU-486 thing?"

"I would've liked to get one of them right."

"You did as much as you could on this one. Leo told you no."

"Yeah."

"Come on, let's head out there. Everyone else has left already."

"I need to put the things in my backpack."

"It's packed." She held it out for him.

"What would I do without you?"

She grinned, as he lay his hand on the small of her back and led her down the hall.