For Disclaims, Notes, and all that fun stuff, please see Part One...
PART TWO: Show of Gratitude
The next morning when Josh arrives at the bullpen outside of his West Wing office, he is surprised when Donna's chair is empty. He thinks she might be is in his office, straightening his notes before he comes in, but she's not there either. Josh frowns, takes off his coat and hangs it behind the door. He flops onto the chair at his desk, as though it is the end of a tiring day at the end of the week, rather than early Monday morning. Josh blinks, tells himself he has to focus, and turns to the papers desk. And that is when he finally notices it.
On his desk sits a cup of coffee, not a styrofoam cup from the mess or the vending machine down the hall. No, this coffee is from Starbucks. He cautiously lifts the lid, and steam drifts out, lazily. Did Donna get me coffee? Josh wonders if his wish has come true. Wondering if Donna is trying to poison him, he lifts the cup, and sees the note. It is unsigned; but Josh easily identifies the distinctive loopy handwriting as Donna's. Josh reads it carefully:
"Josh. Don't ask questions, just please read the last entry. The page is marked. Thanks."
He frowns, and for the first time sees the leather bound book with the red velvet ties around it, carefully placed next to the coffee. He looks at the note again, then back at the diary.
He considers this for a moment, and takes a sip of the bitter, scalding coffee.
"Donna," he bellows, looking towards the door, waiting for her to appear. Belatedly, he remembers that she wasn't there a moment ago, so he gets up to go look for her.
Donna is wandering the halls of the West Wing aimlessly. After she left her diary and the note with the coffee on Josh's desk, she decided to go for a walk. She wonders if he's gotten to the office yet, if he's seen the note, if he's read it. She passes Sam as she walks by the communications bullpen. "Hey Sam," She greets him, wondering if she looks as nervous as she feels.
"Morning, Donna." Sam replies, as he wanders into Toby's office. Donna walks past Toby's door, and Sam calls out to her. "I think Josh was looking for you."
Donna blinks, wondering why Sam mentioned it, thinking he knows something is going on. But she's being paranoid – Josh is always looking for her. "Thanks Sam," she says, her voice deceptively monotone.
And so, Donna slowly makes her way back to Josh's office. When she gets there, he is pacing back and forth in front of her desk.
"Morning Josh," she says, trying for bright and cheery and, well, normal. It doesn't work.
"Donna, what's going on?" Josh asks her.
"What do you mean..."
"Did you bring me coffee this morning?" He looks at her.
"Let's talk in your office." Donna suggests, moving past him. The first thing she does when she gets there is look to see if her book has been disturbed. It hasn't been – or if it has, Josh has put it back exactly how it was.
Josh follows her, wordless closing the door behind them and walking to the far side of his desk, where he flops down in his chair for the second time that morning.
"What's going on?" He asks again.
"You're not going to thank me for the coffee?" She asks him, her voice laced with deadly sarcasm and enhanced by the fact that she doesn't smile. She sits on the chair on the other side of Josh's desk, as though she is some rebellious schoolgirl who has been called to the principle's office.
"Donna," Josh is becoming frustrated now, and Donna finds her courage and dives in.
"Josh, about last night…" Donna starts, then falters. "It was something you really didn't have to help me with, but you did. And I know you're still pissed at me Josh, and that's totally understandable. I'm pissed at me right now." Donna pauses for a breath, and Josh cuts her off.
"So that's why you brought me coffee? Because you think I'm pissed at you?" Josh is incredulous.
"No. I brought you coffee to thank you for helping me out. I brought you coffee because you were mature enough to see past how hurt you were and do something nice for me. I brought you coffee because you were unbelievable supportive last night. And because I can't even begin to imagine how much worse things would be if I faced Cliff without you. I brought you coffee, because it is something I wouldn't ordinarily do, and it was hard for me, and I know what you did for me last night was hard for you. I didn't bring you coffee because I think you're pissed at me." Donna pauses, and this time Josh doesn't jump in. "You didn't read it did you?"
Josh blinks. "I read the note," he tells her.
"Not the..."
"No, Donna, I didn't read your diary. The only person who should ever read your diary is you."
Donna sighs, and Josh can see her shoulders fall.
"This disappoints you?" He asks, sensing he is about to launch into some sort of lecture. His senses about these things are rarely wrong. "Donna yeah, I was pissed at you. I was really pissed at you, mostly for going out with Cliff Calley and then, yeah, I was pissed that you lied –"
"Shut up," Donna interjects softly, so softly that Josh doesn't hear her, and keeps on going.
"-- at the thing yesterday. I was pissed that you didn't tell me about all of this a little sooner and that you didn't – "
"Shut up" Donna says again, this time quite vocally. Josh blinks, his rant put on hold.
"I'm... what did you say?" Josh questions.
"Shut up, Josh. You thought I didn't know all of that?" Donna pauses, and again Josh doesn't fill the silence. "I know more than you think I do. I even understand how pissed you are at me. But I said that before. I just –" Donna stops again, to look down at her hands, and mentally regroup. When she finally looks up, she looks directly at Josh who, she notices isn't looking at her either. "I just wanted to say thank you."
"What do you want from me, Donna?" Josh asks, after a sizable and suitable awkward silence.
"I wanted to say thank you," she sighs, waiting for his response.
"You just did. Twice." He points out, making it clear that she's not off the hook yet. His cynicisms are uncharacteristically bitter this morning, she notices and she is tired of sitting there absorbing his bitterness. So she stands up.
"I'm her saying thank you, Josh. Is it so difficult for you to say you're welcome??" She asks him incredulously.
Josh's face softens, surprisingly, and he shrugs. "We've had this conversation already."
"Josh - -" Donna starts, warningly.
"I told you it was no big deal," Josh raises his hand for emphasis.
"Josh - -" Donna is now noticeable annoyed.
"Yeah," he looks up at her from where he is still sitting on the far side of his desk.
"I'm saying thank you," she insists, her eyes piercing his.
"And I'm saying don't worry about it!" Josh looks down to avoid her searching gaze
"Josh..." she whispers, and her tone has changed from the angry and commanding voice that it was a minute ago, to something smaller, younger, more fragile or more innocent. And so, Josh looks up, into the eyes that a moment ago were boring through him, and that now looks so tired and ready to break.
"Thank you," she tells him, now aware that she has his full attention.
"You're welcome," he replies, with a tenderness that crept into his voice while he wasn't paying attention.
Donna lets out a breath and smiles slightly. Deftly, she reaches out to take back the diary - - her diary. And at once, their relationship turns back into one of poised professionalism. "You have Senior Staff in five minutes." She turns to head out, back to the bullpen where the day has now officially begun. She reaches the door, and is just opening it when Josh calls her name.
"Yeah?" She asks, turning back to face him.
"Thanks for the coffee," he tells her, smiling, showing his dimples.
A strange look passes over Donna's face. "Yeah, it was nothing," she shrugs, and it doesn't escape Josh's notice that the twinkle has returned to her eyes as she turns, once again, to go.
"Donna - -" Josh starts, but Donna doesn't let him finish.
"You're welcome, Josh," she laughs, and she leaves his office, leaving him to stare after her.
~*~
comments are most welcomed and can be directed to hilary_claire_@hotmail.com
~*~
PART TWO: Show of Gratitude
The next morning when Josh arrives at the bullpen outside of his West Wing office, he is surprised when Donna's chair is empty. He thinks she might be is in his office, straightening his notes before he comes in, but she's not there either. Josh frowns, takes off his coat and hangs it behind the door. He flops onto the chair at his desk, as though it is the end of a tiring day at the end of the week, rather than early Monday morning. Josh blinks, tells himself he has to focus, and turns to the papers desk. And that is when he finally notices it.
On his desk sits a cup of coffee, not a styrofoam cup from the mess or the vending machine down the hall. No, this coffee is from Starbucks. He cautiously lifts the lid, and steam drifts out, lazily. Did Donna get me coffee? Josh wonders if his wish has come true. Wondering if Donna is trying to poison him, he lifts the cup, and sees the note. It is unsigned; but Josh easily identifies the distinctive loopy handwriting as Donna's. Josh reads it carefully:
"Josh. Don't ask questions, just please read the last entry. The page is marked. Thanks."
He frowns, and for the first time sees the leather bound book with the red velvet ties around it, carefully placed next to the coffee. He looks at the note again, then back at the diary.
He considers this for a moment, and takes a sip of the bitter, scalding coffee.
"Donna," he bellows, looking towards the door, waiting for her to appear. Belatedly, he remembers that she wasn't there a moment ago, so he gets up to go look for her.
Donna is wandering the halls of the West Wing aimlessly. After she left her diary and the note with the coffee on Josh's desk, she decided to go for a walk. She wonders if he's gotten to the office yet, if he's seen the note, if he's read it. She passes Sam as she walks by the communications bullpen. "Hey Sam," She greets him, wondering if she looks as nervous as she feels.
"Morning, Donna." Sam replies, as he wanders into Toby's office. Donna walks past Toby's door, and Sam calls out to her. "I think Josh was looking for you."
Donna blinks, wondering why Sam mentioned it, thinking he knows something is going on. But she's being paranoid – Josh is always looking for her. "Thanks Sam," she says, her voice deceptively monotone.
And so, Donna slowly makes her way back to Josh's office. When she gets there, he is pacing back and forth in front of her desk.
"Morning Josh," she says, trying for bright and cheery and, well, normal. It doesn't work.
"Donna, what's going on?" Josh asks her.
"What do you mean..."
"Did you bring me coffee this morning?" He looks at her.
"Let's talk in your office." Donna suggests, moving past him. The first thing she does when she gets there is look to see if her book has been disturbed. It hasn't been – or if it has, Josh has put it back exactly how it was.
Josh follows her, wordless closing the door behind them and walking to the far side of his desk, where he flops down in his chair for the second time that morning.
"What's going on?" He asks again.
"You're not going to thank me for the coffee?" She asks him, her voice laced with deadly sarcasm and enhanced by the fact that she doesn't smile. She sits on the chair on the other side of Josh's desk, as though she is some rebellious schoolgirl who has been called to the principle's office.
"Donna," Josh is becoming frustrated now, and Donna finds her courage and dives in.
"Josh, about last night…" Donna starts, then falters. "It was something you really didn't have to help me with, but you did. And I know you're still pissed at me Josh, and that's totally understandable. I'm pissed at me right now." Donna pauses for a breath, and Josh cuts her off.
"So that's why you brought me coffee? Because you think I'm pissed at you?" Josh is incredulous.
"No. I brought you coffee to thank you for helping me out. I brought you coffee because you were mature enough to see past how hurt you were and do something nice for me. I brought you coffee because you were unbelievable supportive last night. And because I can't even begin to imagine how much worse things would be if I faced Cliff without you. I brought you coffee, because it is something I wouldn't ordinarily do, and it was hard for me, and I know what you did for me last night was hard for you. I didn't bring you coffee because I think you're pissed at me." Donna pauses, and this time Josh doesn't jump in. "You didn't read it did you?"
Josh blinks. "I read the note," he tells her.
"Not the..."
"No, Donna, I didn't read your diary. The only person who should ever read your diary is you."
Donna sighs, and Josh can see her shoulders fall.
"This disappoints you?" He asks, sensing he is about to launch into some sort of lecture. His senses about these things are rarely wrong. "Donna yeah, I was pissed at you. I was really pissed at you, mostly for going out with Cliff Calley and then, yeah, I was pissed that you lied –"
"Shut up," Donna interjects softly, so softly that Josh doesn't hear her, and keeps on going.
"-- at the thing yesterday. I was pissed that you didn't tell me about all of this a little sooner and that you didn't – "
"Shut up" Donna says again, this time quite vocally. Josh blinks, his rant put on hold.
"I'm... what did you say?" Josh questions.
"Shut up, Josh. You thought I didn't know all of that?" Donna pauses, and again Josh doesn't fill the silence. "I know more than you think I do. I even understand how pissed you are at me. But I said that before. I just –" Donna stops again, to look down at her hands, and mentally regroup. When she finally looks up, she looks directly at Josh who, she notices isn't looking at her either. "I just wanted to say thank you."
"What do you want from me, Donna?" Josh asks, after a sizable and suitable awkward silence.
"I wanted to say thank you," she sighs, waiting for his response.
"You just did. Twice." He points out, making it clear that she's not off the hook yet. His cynicisms are uncharacteristically bitter this morning, she notices and she is tired of sitting there absorbing his bitterness. So she stands up.
"I'm her saying thank you, Josh. Is it so difficult for you to say you're welcome??" She asks him incredulously.
Josh's face softens, surprisingly, and he shrugs. "We've had this conversation already."
"Josh - -" Donna starts, warningly.
"I told you it was no big deal," Josh raises his hand for emphasis.
"Josh - -" Donna is now noticeable annoyed.
"Yeah," he looks up at her from where he is still sitting on the far side of his desk.
"I'm saying thank you," she insists, her eyes piercing his.
"And I'm saying don't worry about it!" Josh looks down to avoid her searching gaze
"Josh..." she whispers, and her tone has changed from the angry and commanding voice that it was a minute ago, to something smaller, younger, more fragile or more innocent. And so, Josh looks up, into the eyes that a moment ago were boring through him, and that now looks so tired and ready to break.
"Thank you," she tells him, now aware that she has his full attention.
"You're welcome," he replies, with a tenderness that crept into his voice while he wasn't paying attention.
Donna lets out a breath and smiles slightly. Deftly, she reaches out to take back the diary - - her diary. And at once, their relationship turns back into one of poised professionalism. "You have Senior Staff in five minutes." She turns to head out, back to the bullpen where the day has now officially begun. She reaches the door, and is just opening it when Josh calls her name.
"Yeah?" She asks, turning back to face him.
"Thanks for the coffee," he tells her, smiling, showing his dimples.
A strange look passes over Donna's face. "Yeah, it was nothing," she shrugs, and it doesn't escape Josh's notice that the twinkle has returned to her eyes as she turns, once again, to go.
"Donna - -" Josh starts, but Donna doesn't let him finish.
"You're welcome, Josh," she laughs, and she leaves his office, leaving him to stare after her.
~*~
comments are most welcomed and can be directed to hilary_claire_@hotmail.com
~*~