Title: The Dance Is Over
Author: Lucy Mars
Disclaimer: Oh, if wishing made it so
*Spoliers: Everything just to be safe.
*This is an A.U kinda fic that spawned off of the short [ha! have i ever written anything short?] fic-let that I was going to do for the "2 year Anniversary" challenge on the JoshDonnaFF List. As my fics tend to do, this took on a life of it's own, and I have no idea where it's going or when it's gonna end. Hold on.*
**And yes, I'll be working on my other two WIP's...you know, soon. ;] At least I hope so. ;]**
Chapter #1:
"So,"
"So," Josh echoed.
"I finished packing up my stuff." Donna said needlessly as she balanced a box full of memories against her hip.
"Yeah," Josh said absently looking everywhere but Donna.
"Do you need help?" Donna asked stepping over the threshold, "I could help you..."
"That's okay." Josh said abruptly stopping Donna.
"Oh...oh okay." Donna stammered, taking an automatic step back.
"I can do it myself," Josh shrugged.
Nodding, Donna sighed heavily. "Okay."
"It's late." Josh mumbled.
Looking over Josh's shoulder and into the darkening sky, Donna watched their reflection with a sense of detachment. Five years of her life and she and Josh hadn't moved forward much. If anything, they've moved backwards the past few months. "It is late." Donna agreed tiredly.
His eyes catching Donna looking over his shoulder, Josh ran his hand through his already crazy hair. "The new guy's going to be here tomorrow."
"Yeah," Donna mumbled, distracted by her thoughts.
"We're not going to be here tomorrow." Josh whispered looking down at his shoes.
"No, we're not going to be." Donna replied sadly.
"It's late, you should go home."
Looking at Josh, Donna tried to figure out what was going on his head, but she'd lost her ability to read him a long time ago. Either that, or Josh was purposely holding Donna at arms length. She wasn't sure which hurt more.
"Donna?" Josh asked when she didn't reply.
Meeting Josh's eyes, Donna asked him bluntly. "Where are you going to be tomorrow?"
"I don't know." Josh said honestly.
"Where do you want to be?" Donna asked, her voice echoing through the empty office.
Tearing his eyes away from Donna, Josh turned his back to her and pretended to sort out the masses of paper on his desk.
"Where do you want to be?" Donna repeated when Josh didn't answer her.
Looking up at their reflection, Josh watched as Donna waited for him to answer her unspoken question. For five years they danced around the question because of where they worked and who they were. In less than 15 minutes a new day would greet them and they would no longer work here or under the rules and standards that the White House held. The reason that Josh held onto and Donna identified as a valid reason to wait wouldn't be a good enough reason anymore. It wouldn't be there for Josh to hide behind anymore. It wouldn't be there to persuade Donna to hold on just a little while longer.
"I don't know." Josh whispered.
"You don't know?" Donna asked, as five years worth of tears began to work their way through her heart and towards her tired eyes.
"I don't," Josh confirmed, his back still to Donna but his eyes glued on their hazy reflection.
"You don't know." Donna laughed bitterly, as she stood watching Josh watch their reflection. The dance that they did had just ended. Midnight hadn't arrived yet, but Donna was stepping out. She didn't want to dance anymore. "You're right."
"About what?" Josh asked softly.
"It's late." Donna replied, her voice wavering with emotion, "It's too late." She whispered turning around and making her way out of the White House and out of Josh's life. She didn't want to dance anymore.
Watching Donna's reflection disappear, Josh turned around and looked at the empty space that now greeted him. The empty space before him and the empty space in him.
`~`~`~`~`~`
What do you think?
-Lucy
Author: Lucy Mars
Disclaimer: Oh, if wishing made it so
*Spoliers: Everything just to be safe.
*This is an A.U kinda fic that spawned off of the short [ha! have i ever written anything short?] fic-let that I was going to do for the "2 year Anniversary" challenge on the JoshDonnaFF List. As my fics tend to do, this took on a life of it's own, and I have no idea where it's going or when it's gonna end. Hold on.*
**And yes, I'll be working on my other two WIP's...you know, soon. ;] At least I hope so. ;]**
Chapter #1:
"So,"
"So," Josh echoed.
"I finished packing up my stuff." Donna said needlessly as she balanced a box full of memories against her hip.
"Yeah," Josh said absently looking everywhere but Donna.
"Do you need help?" Donna asked stepping over the threshold, "I could help you..."
"That's okay." Josh said abruptly stopping Donna.
"Oh...oh okay." Donna stammered, taking an automatic step back.
"I can do it myself," Josh shrugged.
Nodding, Donna sighed heavily. "Okay."
"It's late." Josh mumbled.
Looking over Josh's shoulder and into the darkening sky, Donna watched their reflection with a sense of detachment. Five years of her life and she and Josh hadn't moved forward much. If anything, they've moved backwards the past few months. "It is late." Donna agreed tiredly.
His eyes catching Donna looking over his shoulder, Josh ran his hand through his already crazy hair. "The new guy's going to be here tomorrow."
"Yeah," Donna mumbled, distracted by her thoughts.
"We're not going to be here tomorrow." Josh whispered looking down at his shoes.
"No, we're not going to be." Donna replied sadly.
"It's late, you should go home."
Looking at Josh, Donna tried to figure out what was going on his head, but she'd lost her ability to read him a long time ago. Either that, or Josh was purposely holding Donna at arms length. She wasn't sure which hurt more.
"Donna?" Josh asked when she didn't reply.
Meeting Josh's eyes, Donna asked him bluntly. "Where are you going to be tomorrow?"
"I don't know." Josh said honestly.
"Where do you want to be?" Donna asked, her voice echoing through the empty office.
Tearing his eyes away from Donna, Josh turned his back to her and pretended to sort out the masses of paper on his desk.
"Where do you want to be?" Donna repeated when Josh didn't answer her.
Looking up at their reflection, Josh watched as Donna waited for him to answer her unspoken question. For five years they danced around the question because of where they worked and who they were. In less than 15 minutes a new day would greet them and they would no longer work here or under the rules and standards that the White House held. The reason that Josh held onto and Donna identified as a valid reason to wait wouldn't be a good enough reason anymore. It wouldn't be there for Josh to hide behind anymore. It wouldn't be there to persuade Donna to hold on just a little while longer.
"I don't know." Josh whispered.
"You don't know?" Donna asked, as five years worth of tears began to work their way through her heart and towards her tired eyes.
"I don't," Josh confirmed, his back still to Donna but his eyes glued on their hazy reflection.
"You don't know." Donna laughed bitterly, as she stood watching Josh watch their reflection. The dance that they did had just ended. Midnight hadn't arrived yet, but Donna was stepping out. She didn't want to dance anymore. "You're right."
"About what?" Josh asked softly.
"It's late." Donna replied, her voice wavering with emotion, "It's too late." She whispered turning around and making her way out of the White House and out of Josh's life. She didn't want to dance anymore.
Watching Donna's reflection disappear, Josh turned around and looked at the empty space that now greeted him. The empty space before him and the empty space in him.
`~`~`~`~`~`
What do you think?
-Lucy