Title: The Dance Is Over
Author: Lucy Mars
Disclaimer: Nope, not mine.
Chapter #4:
Tapping her pen rhythmically against her desk, Donna tried to concentrate on the piles of paper in front of her but she couldn't help be distracted by that little nagging voice inside of her head; the one that wouldn't die, the one that had been taunting her since she say CJ two weeks ago. Frowning, Donna threw her pen down and caved. "Frank!"
"Yeah boss?" Frank asked popping his head inside Donna's office.
"Could you get me the copy of the London Times?" Donna asked rubbing her throbbing temples.
Quirking an eyebrow, Frank gave Donna a confused look. "The London Times?"
"Yeah,"
"Why boss?"
"Because I asked you too," Donna snapped.
Putting his hands up as a sign of surrender, Frank watched Donna rub her temples fiercely. That was never a good sign. "Oh-kay."
"Frank, wait." Donna called out, "I'm sorry I snapped at you."
"It's okay," Frank shrugged, "but maybe you should lay off the coffee."
"Why?"
"Because you holler more when you have coffee."
"I don't holler." Donna said defensively.
"Ah yeah," Frank laughed, "you do."
"I don't holler, I merely project my..."
"You're what?" Frank asked when Donna trailed off.
"Nothing," Donna mumbled as Josh's voice echoed inside her throbbing head, "Nothing, Frank."
"Okay," Frank replied, "if you're sure."
"I'm sure." Donna said too quickly.
"You've got to get going."
Looking at her watch, Donna felt her frown deepen. "Who am I meeting today?"
"The former White House Chief of Staff." Frank called out as he made his way back to his desk.
"You can call him Leo," Donna yelled as she tried to find her sunglasses.
"Nah," Frank replied coming back with Donna's glasses in hand, "I feel more important when I call him that. Leo sounds so normal."
Rolling her eyes, Donna took her sunglasses from Frank and slipped them on. "Why don't you get Macy and see if she wants to get some lunch with you?"
"Will you stop playing yenta, please?" Frank groaned peaking his head out of Donna's office to see if anyone had overheard Donna and her lame attempt at matchmaking.
"What?" Donna asked innocently, "She's a nice girl."
"Thanks mom." Frank said dryly.
Whacking him on the arm, Donna frowned at Frank. "I'm not old enough to be your mother. You're big sister yes. Mother, not so much, no."
"Sure, sure." Frank teased, "If you say so."
"Shut up." Donna smiled grabbing her car keys from her desk.
"It's warm out. You could walk."
"I don't like walking." Donna replied.
"You just love driving that car." Frank laughed.
"It's a nice car Frank. It's a nice car."
"For the amount of money that you dished out, I would hope so."
"Go get some lunch, Frank." Donna yelled over her shoulder.
`~`~`~`~`
"You're late."
"Traffic was bad." Donna said sliding into the chair opposite of Leo.
Pulling the menu away from his face, Leo couldn't help but smile at Donna. "It's a ten minute walk from the hill."
"Have you seen my new car?" Donna asked picking up her menu.
"Ah yes, your new toy." Leo grinned.
"How's Margaret?" Donna asked slipping into their usual routine.
"Good. She likes writing those little articles."
"They aren't 'little' articles, Leo." Donna laughed, "She's syndicated in 5 major newspapers."
"Who would have thought that Margaret's quirky fetishes would end up a money maker." Leo said leaning back in his seat, "I mean, have you read those articles?"
"I think that they happen to be very amusing and educational."
"You would." Leo smiled, "How are the Cregg-Zeigler's?"
"Good," Donna said feeling her face light up at the mention of Lola. "Lola's so cute."
"She is," Leo agreed.
"Who would have thought that CJ and Toby would fall into domestic life so easily," Donna said, with an undercurrent of longing in her voice.
"You could have that."
Laughing humorlessly, Donna shook her head. "No, I don't think so."
"Why not?" Leo asked, feeling that familiar tug of concern in his chest.
"Because I like my job, and my life." Donna answered, "I don't have much room for anything else."
"Especially if you took that job with Conrad." Leo said, stating the obvious.
"Does everyone know about that?" Donna asked exasperated, "Really, you'd think I'd be smart enough not to tell Sam."
"I didn't hear it from Sam,"
"From CJ?"
"Nope,"
"From Toby?"
"No."
"Ainsley?" Donna asked, feeling confusing mar her features.
"Conrad." Leo answered.
"Conrad called you?" Donna asked surprised.
"Wanted to know if you were the right woman for the job."
"Oh," Donna said trying to process that piece of information.
"I said that you were."
Looking up at Leo, and his cheeky grin, Donna couldn't help but sigh. "I may be the right woman for the job, but he's not the right man for the job."
"Really?" Leo asked, feeling a swell of pride. She was a good girl.
"I'm not going to work for him."
"It would help your career." Leo pointed out.
"Doesn't matter," Donna said with a careless shrug, "I can't work for him."
"Why not?" Leo asked, though he already knew the answer.
"He's not the real thing, Leo. I mean, Durbin's not either, but at least he's trying to be."
"Good girl." Leo grinned.
"You knew I wasn't going to take the job," Donna said watching Leo smile at her.
"Yeah,"
"Than why let Conrad think that I would?"
"I never let him think that." Leo replied. "I just let him know that he'd be lucky to have you."
"Okay," Donna laughed, feeling her face flush. Praise from Leo wasn't something she was use to just quite yet.
"Zoey finished with her wedding preparations yet?"
"No," Donna laughed, "she's still going crazy over all the little details. I think she wants to change the napkins that she originally chose."
"Charlie must be having fun,"
"I think he enjoys watching Zoey slowly start to unravel. He views it as a form of entertainment."
"Ah," Leo said nodding his head in understanding, "like how Josh use to like to watch you go crazy over the little details."
"Yeah, something like that." Donna said pretending to be engrossed with her menu.
Waiting for a reaction out of Donna, Leo wasn't surprised to see her face calm but her fingers gripping at her menu. "CJ told you?"
"Seeing how she probably called you after I left, I think it's safe to say that you know the answer to your own question." Donna answered flatly.
"She did call me. Because she was worried about you." Leo told Donna, "If she still lived in D.C she'd probably do that hovering thing she does."
"You're not going to do it for her...are you?"
"No," Leo scoffed, "you're a big girl. You can take care of yourself."
"Thank you, Leo."
"But that doesn't mean that I don't worry."
"Oh god," Donna groaned putting her menu down.
"Listen to me," Leo said seriously, "you're going to see him in a month. Can you deal with that?"
"Seeing how CJ told me this two weeks ago and I've yet to fall apart, I think that it's safe to say that I can handle seeing him." Donna said dryly.
"Even if I tell you that Charlie asked Josh to be groomsman?" Leo asked.
"That's fine," Donna said slowly through clenched teeth, "It's his wedding. He can have whomever he wants in his wedding party.
"Are you sure?" Leo asked unconvinced.
"Leo," Donna sighed, "if you guys are splitting up the information on Josh that you think would hurt me, you're wasting your time. I don't care about him. He can do whatever, and whoever, he wants. It's none of my business."
"I don't believe you, but fine."
"Can we have lunch now?" Donna asked craning her head for a waiter.
"He's bringing Kathleen with him."
"What?" Donna asked wiping her head back to Leo.
"He's bringing Kathleen to the wedding with him." Leo repeated.
"Oh," Donna said her mouth forming a circle of surprise.
"Sam was going to tell you that tonight at dinner, but I just saved him the trouble."
"Okay," Donna said still shocked.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Donna lied looking away from Leo, "It's not a big deal."
"Are you sure?" Leo asked not bothering to mask his doubt.
"Yeah," Donna said pulling her well-worn mask over her face and giving Leo a hollow smile. "So, what are you going to have for lunch today?"
`~`~`~`~`~`~`
So......whatcha think?
-lucy
Author: Lucy Mars
Disclaimer: Nope, not mine.
Chapter #4:
Tapping her pen rhythmically against her desk, Donna tried to concentrate on the piles of paper in front of her but she couldn't help be distracted by that little nagging voice inside of her head; the one that wouldn't die, the one that had been taunting her since she say CJ two weeks ago. Frowning, Donna threw her pen down and caved. "Frank!"
"Yeah boss?" Frank asked popping his head inside Donna's office.
"Could you get me the copy of the London Times?" Donna asked rubbing her throbbing temples.
Quirking an eyebrow, Frank gave Donna a confused look. "The London Times?"
"Yeah,"
"Why boss?"
"Because I asked you too," Donna snapped.
Putting his hands up as a sign of surrender, Frank watched Donna rub her temples fiercely. That was never a good sign. "Oh-kay."
"Frank, wait." Donna called out, "I'm sorry I snapped at you."
"It's okay," Frank shrugged, "but maybe you should lay off the coffee."
"Why?"
"Because you holler more when you have coffee."
"I don't holler." Donna said defensively.
"Ah yeah," Frank laughed, "you do."
"I don't holler, I merely project my..."
"You're what?" Frank asked when Donna trailed off.
"Nothing," Donna mumbled as Josh's voice echoed inside her throbbing head, "Nothing, Frank."
"Okay," Frank replied, "if you're sure."
"I'm sure." Donna said too quickly.
"You've got to get going."
Looking at her watch, Donna felt her frown deepen. "Who am I meeting today?"
"The former White House Chief of Staff." Frank called out as he made his way back to his desk.
"You can call him Leo," Donna yelled as she tried to find her sunglasses.
"Nah," Frank replied coming back with Donna's glasses in hand, "I feel more important when I call him that. Leo sounds so normal."
Rolling her eyes, Donna took her sunglasses from Frank and slipped them on. "Why don't you get Macy and see if she wants to get some lunch with you?"
"Will you stop playing yenta, please?" Frank groaned peaking his head out of Donna's office to see if anyone had overheard Donna and her lame attempt at matchmaking.
"What?" Donna asked innocently, "She's a nice girl."
"Thanks mom." Frank said dryly.
Whacking him on the arm, Donna frowned at Frank. "I'm not old enough to be your mother. You're big sister yes. Mother, not so much, no."
"Sure, sure." Frank teased, "If you say so."
"Shut up." Donna smiled grabbing her car keys from her desk.
"It's warm out. You could walk."
"I don't like walking." Donna replied.
"You just love driving that car." Frank laughed.
"It's a nice car Frank. It's a nice car."
"For the amount of money that you dished out, I would hope so."
"Go get some lunch, Frank." Donna yelled over her shoulder.
`~`~`~`~`
"You're late."
"Traffic was bad." Donna said sliding into the chair opposite of Leo.
Pulling the menu away from his face, Leo couldn't help but smile at Donna. "It's a ten minute walk from the hill."
"Have you seen my new car?" Donna asked picking up her menu.
"Ah yes, your new toy." Leo grinned.
"How's Margaret?" Donna asked slipping into their usual routine.
"Good. She likes writing those little articles."
"They aren't 'little' articles, Leo." Donna laughed, "She's syndicated in 5 major newspapers."
"Who would have thought that Margaret's quirky fetishes would end up a money maker." Leo said leaning back in his seat, "I mean, have you read those articles?"
"I think that they happen to be very amusing and educational."
"You would." Leo smiled, "How are the Cregg-Zeigler's?"
"Good," Donna said feeling her face light up at the mention of Lola. "Lola's so cute."
"She is," Leo agreed.
"Who would have thought that CJ and Toby would fall into domestic life so easily," Donna said, with an undercurrent of longing in her voice.
"You could have that."
Laughing humorlessly, Donna shook her head. "No, I don't think so."
"Why not?" Leo asked, feeling that familiar tug of concern in his chest.
"Because I like my job, and my life." Donna answered, "I don't have much room for anything else."
"Especially if you took that job with Conrad." Leo said, stating the obvious.
"Does everyone know about that?" Donna asked exasperated, "Really, you'd think I'd be smart enough not to tell Sam."
"I didn't hear it from Sam,"
"From CJ?"
"Nope,"
"From Toby?"
"No."
"Ainsley?" Donna asked, feeling confusing mar her features.
"Conrad." Leo answered.
"Conrad called you?" Donna asked surprised.
"Wanted to know if you were the right woman for the job."
"Oh," Donna said trying to process that piece of information.
"I said that you were."
Looking up at Leo, and his cheeky grin, Donna couldn't help but sigh. "I may be the right woman for the job, but he's not the right man for the job."
"Really?" Leo asked, feeling a swell of pride. She was a good girl.
"I'm not going to work for him."
"It would help your career." Leo pointed out.
"Doesn't matter," Donna said with a careless shrug, "I can't work for him."
"Why not?" Leo asked, though he already knew the answer.
"He's not the real thing, Leo. I mean, Durbin's not either, but at least he's trying to be."
"Good girl." Leo grinned.
"You knew I wasn't going to take the job," Donna said watching Leo smile at her.
"Yeah,"
"Than why let Conrad think that I would?"
"I never let him think that." Leo replied. "I just let him know that he'd be lucky to have you."
"Okay," Donna laughed, feeling her face flush. Praise from Leo wasn't something she was use to just quite yet.
"Zoey finished with her wedding preparations yet?"
"No," Donna laughed, "she's still going crazy over all the little details. I think she wants to change the napkins that she originally chose."
"Charlie must be having fun,"
"I think he enjoys watching Zoey slowly start to unravel. He views it as a form of entertainment."
"Ah," Leo said nodding his head in understanding, "like how Josh use to like to watch you go crazy over the little details."
"Yeah, something like that." Donna said pretending to be engrossed with her menu.
Waiting for a reaction out of Donna, Leo wasn't surprised to see her face calm but her fingers gripping at her menu. "CJ told you?"
"Seeing how she probably called you after I left, I think it's safe to say that you know the answer to your own question." Donna answered flatly.
"She did call me. Because she was worried about you." Leo told Donna, "If she still lived in D.C she'd probably do that hovering thing she does."
"You're not going to do it for her...are you?"
"No," Leo scoffed, "you're a big girl. You can take care of yourself."
"Thank you, Leo."
"But that doesn't mean that I don't worry."
"Oh god," Donna groaned putting her menu down.
"Listen to me," Leo said seriously, "you're going to see him in a month. Can you deal with that?"
"Seeing how CJ told me this two weeks ago and I've yet to fall apart, I think that it's safe to say that I can handle seeing him." Donna said dryly.
"Even if I tell you that Charlie asked Josh to be groomsman?" Leo asked.
"That's fine," Donna said slowly through clenched teeth, "It's his wedding. He can have whomever he wants in his wedding party.
"Are you sure?" Leo asked unconvinced.
"Leo," Donna sighed, "if you guys are splitting up the information on Josh that you think would hurt me, you're wasting your time. I don't care about him. He can do whatever, and whoever, he wants. It's none of my business."
"I don't believe you, but fine."
"Can we have lunch now?" Donna asked craning her head for a waiter.
"He's bringing Kathleen with him."
"What?" Donna asked wiping her head back to Leo.
"He's bringing Kathleen to the wedding with him." Leo repeated.
"Oh," Donna said her mouth forming a circle of surprise.
"Sam was going to tell you that tonight at dinner, but I just saved him the trouble."
"Okay," Donna said still shocked.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Donna lied looking away from Leo, "It's not a big deal."
"Are you sure?" Leo asked not bothering to mask his doubt.
"Yeah," Donna said pulling her well-worn mask over her face and giving Leo a hollow smile. "So, what are you going to have for lunch today?"
`~`~`~`~`~`~`
So......whatcha think?
-lucy