Notes: From Part II: Josh arrived at the inaugural
ball, having escaped the crash by not getting on the plane. He found Donna
on the terrace and apologized for causing any worry. The emotion brought
them close, but Sam's ill-timed arrival interrupted the near-intimate moment.
They decided to forego any further inaugural celebrations to catch rides
home in Sam's limousine.
*********************************
I'm a fool, in love with a fool
who doesn't know he is or that I am, Donna mused gleefully as she walked
along.
And I don't care.
They had taken the limousine most of
the way to Josh's place. The city was in gridlock because of the increased
police and Secret Service presence in the city. Josh suggested they walk
back to his place and that Donna could get a ride from there. It wasn't
far to walk, but it took time as her dainty heels were not meant for a
brisk pace.
They strolled down the quiet street.
The bustle and hum of a city in celebration reverberated in the not-too-far
distance. Donna casually looped her arm through Josh's during their promenade.
She was unsure whether he noticed as he neither remarked on it nor pulled
away. From his far off stare, she surmised he was lost in thought; his
mind, like a master chest player, subtly tracking moves and counter moves
for something as yet unspoken. She sighed softly as she watched him in
her peripheral vision.
"Did you say something?" he remarked
suddenly as they climbed his steps.
"No."
"I thought you said something."
"No," she said. "Did you want me to
say something?"
"No," he said. "Unless you had something
to say."
"No," she said as they entered the
building and then his apartment.
The heat inside was welcoming. She
felt comfortable in Josh's space. She had spent much time here since she
started worked in the White House. She practically lived in his apartment
when he first came home from the hospital after the shooting. She shook
her head, dismissing those memories.
"Donna?"
"Yes," she said stepping out of her
trance.
"What are you doing?" he asked through
a yawn.
By then, Josh was sitting on the couch
with his head tipped back, looking at her over his shoulder. The questioning
expression on his face and the wrinkle in his brow made her take stock.
She realized she was standing in the middle of the floor, still cloaked
in his jacket, shaking her head from side-to-side for no visible reason.
"A proper gentleman would ask a lady
to take a seat," Donna said simply.
"If you find either of them in my place,
let me know," Josh answered as he kicked his feet on to the coffee table.
"Donna, sit! You're making me nervous."
"You're kind of paranoid like that,"
she remarked drifting toward the couch.
"I am not," he protested.
"It's one of your issues," she said.
"I don't have issues. I'm complex."
"So you keep telling me," she said.
"I mean, I don't think you're shallow...."
"You think I'm shallow?"
"I didn't say that."
"Yes, you did," he said.
"I said I don't think you're shallow,"
she replied.
"We were talking abou tme being complex
then you brought up the word shallow," he said.
"I mentioned the word in a negative
construction..."
"Yeah, I'll say it was negative," he
said. "Nice way to talk to the boss, Donna."
"Josh, you don't always listen," she
said.
"So now I'm shallow and selectively
deaf," he continued.
"Josh."
"I'll have you know when I got to the
hotel tonight, there was quite a stir," he said.
"Well, everyone thought you were dead."
"No, after they knew I wasn't," he
said. "Loads of attention, Donna. Accolades for my work on the campaign.
I heard the word genius at least once."
"Echoing over and over in your mind,
no doubt."
"Women swooned, Donna."
"They swooned?"
"Yes, they swooned," Josh stated matter-of-factly.
"By the way, I kept up the spirit of our contract."
"You did what?"
"I did, so you can't yell at me."
"I don't yell at you," she said confusedly.
"You could have."
"Where?" she asked.
"At the office."
"I never yell at the office," she said.
"What are you talking about?"
"I'm not sure," she said as she took
a seat beside him.
Sitting felt good. The heat felt good
as well. She slipped off her shoes as she tipped her head back and sighed
peacefully. The stillness was nice as well. She stared at the ceiling thinking
of nothing in particular. She was content. It was a good evening. It had
started out anxious, swiftly turned horrible and had resolved itself into
normalcy. She smiled as she realized that it was, in fact, a metaphor of
what life was like with Josh. The next crisis was probably less than 24
hours away, but the lull could be enjoyed for its simple act of being nothing
special.
Gradually, she became aware of the
quiet. She could sense he was looking at her. It was a thoughtful stare
that she could not interpret through a sideways glance. She wanted to turn
and stare back, but she did not want to break his gaze. She could literally
feel the tingle of his eyes upon her. She closed her eyes briefly and took
a slow, deep breath.
When she opened her eyes again, pale
rays of winter sunlight were streaming through the windows. She could hear
a dull throb lulling her back to sleep. She came to consciousness slowly,
in stages. First, she noted the sound, then the warmth beneath her cheek.
Next she noted the room; it was not in her apartment. Finally, she noticed
his arms encircling her as she huddled close to his chest.
An awkward feeling came over Donna.
She was exhilarated and scared. She had dreamed of waking up in Josh's
arms many times--more times than she dared to admit--yet it felt strange.
What do I do now? she wondered.
How
do I handle this? Will he be mad if I leave now? Will he be angry if I
don't? Does he even know I'm here? How did this happen? Who fell asleep
first? Should I wake him? We have to work today, don't we?
"Does this sudden onset of fidgeting
mean you're awake, or are you having a seizure?" Josh asked plainly though
he sounded half asleep.
Donna pursed her lips and tilted her
head to look at him. His eyes were partly open and fixed on her. She sat
up and shivered as she left the warmth of his body. He blinked hard and
stretched and rolled his neck.
"I... uh.... Sorry, I fell asleep,"
she said inanely. "You didn't have to stay out here with me."
"You sort of leaned this way," he said.
"I didn't want to wake you."
"Oh," she said and felt a misty pink
fill her cheeks. "Josh..."
"Donna, about you working with me,"
he said. "I was kidding."
"I know you couldn't to fire me," she
said. "I've known that since you hired me in New Hampshire."
"No, I meant about working today,"
he said. "What do you mean I couldn't fire you? I could fire you."
"No, you couldn't."
"I've fired lots of people," he said.
"That's sounds very authoritative of
you."
"Thank you."
"The image would be very powerful if
you didn't have make up all over your shirt," she said.
"What?" he exclaimed as he noticed
the smears. "Donna!"
"Don't shout," she said. "It's morning.
People are sleeping."
"We're not sleeping."
"No. We're not. Very good."
A sudden knocking on the door followed
by a laugh that could belong only to Sam Seaborn sounded in the hall.
"Hey, you in there?" Sam called. "Josh!
I can hear you. Open up."
Josh went to the door. He looked through
the spy hole, shook his head then opened the door. Sam stumbled into the
room looking glassy-eyed and rumpled in his formerly-crisp tuxedo. He held
an unopened bottle of champagne.
"Well, well," Sam said. "You're still
wearing your formal threads. Did you just get in?"
"No," Josh said closing the door. "Apparently
your evening went well?"
"It did," Sam said with a grin. "I
spent a good, long while toasting with several of our friends on the Hill.
We toasted to the new term and the old term. We toasted both sides of the
aisle for the upcoming battles on education, health care and gun control.
We toasted to the memory of the late Fred Drummer, God rest him. And yes,
even you. You will be gratified to hear, I and large number of contributors
to the DNC and even a few GOP members tipped a glass in your honor."
"The GOP?" Josh remarked. "Were they
aware I'm still alive?"
"I wasn't sure," Sam said. "But, since
you didn't come to partake in your resurrection, I brought this for you."
He handed Josh his bottle and laughed
loudly. He turned around and finally noticed Donna.
"Well, well, well," he said. "Good
morning, indeed."
"Yeah, I'm going to take a shower,"
Josh said, handing the bottle to Donna. "You two entertain yourselves.
Donna, I think Sam wants some coffee."
Josh left the room. Sam kicked his
legs over the back of the couch and landed deftly beside Donna with his
arms draped over her shoulders.
"Ms. Moss."
"Mr. Seaborn," she said.
"I don't want coffee."
"I wasn't getting you any," she replied.
"Well, you're in a fairly disreputable state for this hour of the morning."
"You are correct," Sam said with a
definite nod. "Life is good. What, may I ask, are you doing here at this
hour?"
"Same thing as you," Donna replied.
"What am I doing here?"
"I have no idea."
"Excellent," he agreed. "So tell me,
what did you kids do last night?"
"Well, we took a walk because traffic
was at a standstill," she said. "Then we came back here. We had a discussion."
"About what?"
"I'm not certain, but Josh assured
me women swooned," she said.
"Did he tell you that?" Sam exclaimed.
"Yeah. There is something wrong there, don't you think?"
"So, the women didn't swoon?"
"No, they did," Sam said testily. "I
saw it. I don't get it. I'm more handsome. I'm also a snappy dresser--daper
some might say--a fine wordsmith, and I was a real lawyer. I had real clients
and everything. Okay, so I wasn't a Fulbright Scholar, but I'm a smart
guy, don't you think?"
"Sell yourself high, Sam."
"Thank you," he replied. "So what did
you do?"
"We talked and then we fell asleep."
"By that you mean...
"I mean, we fell asleep," Donna said
with emphasis. "I dozed off, and Josh didn't want to wake me so he let
me sleep here--on the couch."
"Yeah, that sounds innocent enough,"
Sam agreed. "I'd find it to be a credible story except there was make up--your
make up no doubt--all over his clothes. So, it finally happened, huh?"
"What?"
"You and Josh," he laughed loudly.
"Josh and you. Josh and Donna. Ha, ha! The never beginning, never ending
west wing love story."
"I don't know what you're talking about,"
she said stiffly.
"Donna, I saw you last night before
we knew.... well, you know," Sam said soberly. "Everyone knows, everyone
can see, how you feel about Josh. It's a well-known secret."
"I care for Josh," she said. "He's
my boss, and I respect him."
"I respect Toby and Leo, but I wouldn't
wear a slinky dress to impress them," Sam said.
"Who would you wear a slinky dress
for, Sam?"
"Certainly not Josh."
"I was going to the Inaugural Ball,"
Donna said.
"Yeah, only I heard you talking to
Carol two days ago, and you said you were wearing 'a red dress that was
elegant with classic lines'," Sam said mocking her voice. "That was when
you were going to go with that other guy. However, what you wore for Josh..."
"I wore it for the event."
"What you wore for Josh," Sam
continued, "was a slinky, sexy, blue number cut all the way down the back
and slit all the way up the side. Did he notice?"
"What kind of question is that?"
"A serious one," Sam replied. "I'm
not making a joke. I'm curious if he noticed. You looked fabulous last
night, Donna. I just wanted you to know in case the absent-minded politician
was either too shy or too stupid to say so."
"He said I looked very nice," she responded.
"Very nice," Sam repeated. "That's
the best he could do?"
"No, he said stunning," Donna said
holding her chin up. "But he didn't like my hair."
"He said that?" Sam guffawed. "Do you
know why do women swoon, Donna? Because they don't know him!"
"He likes my hair down," Donna said
loftily.
Sam smirked and leaned close to her.
"I'll bet he does," Sam said lecherously.
"So, what's the real story?"
"There is no story," she said.
"Man, I've gotta get the two of you
in therapy," he announced. "Look, just between friends, I understand that
it's complicated since you have this boss/assitant thing, but do us all
a favor, Donna. Jump him, OK?I think he'll be a hell of a lot easier to
deal with if he gets laid once in a while, you know. I know that's
crass, but I am entirely too inebriated to be eloquent now. You've got
the hots for him, and he's mad about you. That's enough."
"He is?" she asked doubtfully.
"Oh yeah," Sam nodded. "Big time, but
don't tell him I said so."
"He told you?"
"No," Sam said. "The First Lady."
"Josh told the First Lady he's mad
about me?"
"No, Leo."
"Josh is mad about Leo?"
"No."
"Leo is mad about the First Lady?"
"Donna, my head is spinning already,
don't make it worse," Sam said rubbing his temples. "Okay, I can get this
straight. The First Lady overheard you once when you and Josh walked by
in one of your normal bickering sessions."
"We don't bicker."
"I was being colorful," Sam insisted.
"The First Lady was then talking to the President and mentioned what she
saw. She said you and Josh bicker like an old married couple, and she remarked
on the obvious chemistry between you. The President and Leo were talking
about the staff and that subject came up just as Josh walked into the room.
He asked what they were talking about and the President said 'Donna and
you.' Apparently, Josh made a snide remark and left."
"He made a snide remark to Leo and
the President about me and that's how you know?"
"He wasn't the President yet," Sam
said. "Oh wait, I forgot the part where he blushed."
"The President?"
"No, Josh."
"Josh doesn't blush."
"He does when people talk about you
in a certain way," Sam sighed. "So, I'm guessing he hasn't poured his heart
out to you yet?"
"No."
"Damn!" Sam said. "CJ is going to win
the pool."
"What pool?"
"The one on when Josh will finally
come to his senses and realize that he's been searching for what is already
there: You," Sam said. "Sure, he can make a US Senator cry, but really.
I think we all know Josh's just a big chicken about this kind of stuff.
I mean, he had his flings with Mandy and there was that thing with the
Lucas chick. Those were nothing. You... He's smitten with you, Donnatella
Moss, and it scares the hell out of him."
Before Donna could react, Josh appeared
again. He was dressed in faded jeans and a Harvard sweatshirt Donna had
considered stealing for years. She stifled a smile as he eyed them suspiciously.
"This is my cue to leave," Sam said
standing unsteadily.
"Well that's too bad," Josh said blandly
as he opened the door. "Going to work?"
"Um, no," Sam said. "I have a limousine
outside idling. I am going to my apartment, where I expect shortly to have
a guest with whom I will have a better morning than you did."
"Sorry to see you go," Josh said flatly.
Sam paused at the door.
"I think I've been very helpful here,"
he said and winked confidentially to Josh.
"Gratified, really," Josh said and
shut the door immediately. "And I'm the one Toby has conniption fits about.
I'm starving. You want breakfast?"
She nodded. However, he searched the
cupboards and came up mostly empty. He told her he would run out to the
store and be back shortly. She nodded and watched him go.
She decided her dress no longer looked
stunning and was disappointed. She pawed through Josh's clothing and retrieved
a pair of sweats and a shirt. They would be a bit big but comfortable.
She climbed into the shower and washed the remnants from the previous evening
away. She felt the release of the horrible events of the evening. She dressed
in his clothing, again breathing in his scent and feeling that warm spot
deep inside. She was piling her damp hair on top of her head when she heard
him return. He shouted something she could not understand.
"What?" she asked peering from behind
the door.
"I said I brought you coffee as well,"
he said. His back was to her. He had a newspaper in front of him. "There's
a lesson here. Josh, good boss. Donna, bad assistant."
She shook her head and went back to
the bathroom to finish with her hair. She looked at herself in the mirror
then released the clip holding her hair in place. She tousled her hair,
letting it fall loose past her shoulders.
She walked to the kitchen, retrieved
her coffee and a bagel. She looked at the clock for the first time. It
was just after 8 a.m. She joined him on the couch where he was intently
reading an OpEd piece in the New York Times. From his scowl, she deduced
that what he was reading displeased him.
"Bad news?"
"When isn't it?" he remarked.
"So?"
"So what?"
"Guess I should get going," she said
with a shrug.
"Got plans?"
"Not really," she replied.
"Then what's your rush," he said.
"Nothing, I guess," she said. "Um,
Josh."
"Donna."
"Are you going to work today?"
"Later," he said. "You?"
"No," she said. "Unless you need me."
"Nah," he said and finally looked at
her appeared taken back. The hint of a smile flashed on his lips, but he
stopped it quickly. "Comfortable?"
"No," she said. "My feet are cold.
I forgot to look for socks."
He sighed and stood. He walked back
to his room. Donna followed. He put the paper on the top of his bureau.
Donna grabbed it.
"Give that back," he said.
"No, you either get grouchy or ignore
me when you read the paper," she said, holding it behind her back.
"Donna, stop it," he said. "Give it
to me."
"No."
"Donna."
"Josh."
"Don't make me take it away from you,"
he warned
"Like you could," she scoffed.
He bowed his head and shook it. Before
she was prepared, he reached behind her and got a partial grip on the pages.
She tried turned around to wrench it from him, but he held firm. They wrestled
for a second until she tripped over a pair of shoes.
"Careful," he said letting go of the
paper reached for her.
Together, they stumbled onto the bed.
Donna froze for a moment, locked in his grasp, staring into his eyes. The
moment lasted a second longer than necessary. Without thinking, she placed
her lips to his and kissed him tentatively. She pulled away shocked and
unsure. She looked back at him. He sported a confused expression.
"Josh, I..."
Before she could finish, he met her
lips again and kissed her deeply. Shivers raced up and down her spine.
Her knees trembled and her palms were sweating.
******************************
Donna breathed softly as she rested
her head in the crook of his shoulder. The curtains were still drawn in
Josh's bedroom though it was nearing noon. He was silent but awake. She
could tell because he lightly traced her spine with his fingertips. She
had no need for conversation. Indeed, what was there to say, she wondered.
The phone rang. Josh reached for it.
"Yeah," he said. "Sam.... No, I didn't
go to work yet, that's how I answered the phone here.... No, I'm not in
a bad mood. In fact, I'm going to compliment you. Let me say I'm impressed
you were capable of dialing the phone.... What? Donna?"
She looked up at him; he shook his
head briefly and continued to speak.
"Of course, I saw her today," Josh
continued. "You saw her here if you recall.... Uh, she asked if I needed
her in the office and I didn't think so, but I'll probably change my mind....
Okay, so I am a bastard... I'll think of some way to make it up to her...
Don't worry about it, Sam.... I'll be nice to her today."
Josh hung up the phone and laughed
quietly.
"I noticed you didn't mention..."
"No," he said. "That okay?"
"Yeah," she said. "I prefer it."
"I thought so," he said. "But I guess
we should...."
"Talk?"
"Yeah," he said. "Technically, you
could have a colossal sexual harassment suit here."
"I don't feel sexually harassed."
"I meant me," he said.
"Josh!"
"Kidding, Donna," he said. "Don't start
taking me seriously now. But we may have a problem."
"How so?"
"Well...."
"Yeah," she agreed. "What's next?"
"Up to you," he said.
"Josh, you know... I mean, for the
longest time...," she said. "I don't want it to affect how we work. If
it does, then we can just write this off as unexpected."
"Unexpected?" he said. "Donna, half
the office thinks we sleep together already. The other half have a pool
going for when."
"You know about that?"
"Toby told me," he said.
"When?"
"A while ago," Josh replied. "After
he lost, he told me the whole thing. He told me what CJ bet and said he
would appreciate it if I could see that she doesn't win. So, I thought
about it..."
"Josh!"
"Shhh," he said soothingly and kissed
the top of her head. "Don't shout."
"So who won?"
"I think Sam did," he said. "But we
aren't going to tell him, right? I mean, I'm not... There's nothing wrong
with this, is there?"
"I don't think so."
"Okay, but we should, you know..."
"Keep it to ourselves?" she suggested.
"You think?"
"Yeah," she said. "I can do that. No
one will know. It can be our special secret."
"It might even work," he said. "You're
one of the few who doesn't swoon."
"Want to know something?"
"Sure."
"I do, Josh."
"You what?"
"I swoon, but I hide it."
"I know," he said.
"You did?"
"Yeah," he replied.
"When?"
"When what?"
"When did you know I swoon?"
"When you tripped over my shoes," Josh
said. "Classic swoon maneuver, Donna."
"So, you're going to the office?"
"Yeah," he said. "You?"
"Yeah," she said. "You got that Hannah
thing."
"Donna," he said.
"Josh?"
"Nothing."
"Okay."