Title: The Dance Is Over
Author: Lucy Mars
Disclaimer: Nope, they belong to the delightful and delicious ABS, WB
and NBC, I guess.
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Chapter #5:
Blindly walking through the busy corridors to her office, Donna tried to concentrate on what Frank was telling her, but she couldn't get Leo's voice out of her head.
"He's bringing Kathleen to the wedding with him."
She couldn't get the fact that Josh had so easily, and obviously, moved on with his life out of her head.
"He's bringing Kathleen to the wedding with him."
She couldn't stop that numbing pain that had started the moment the words had tumbled out of Leo's mouth.
"He's bringing Kathleen to the wedding with him."
Most of all, she couldn't get that feeling of love out of her heart. She didn't know what disturbed her more. The fact that she couldn't stop loving, or the fact that she thought for a second that she could.
"Boss?" Frank asked regarding Donna strangely.
"Yeah?" Donna asked snapping out of her inner monologue and looking up at Frank.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Donna said a little too quickly.
"Okay," Frank frowned, noticing that familiar blankness in Donna's eyes. The one that she seemed to wear everyday during May. "I finally got the paper for you."
"The what?" Donna asked trying to concentrate on what Frank was saying.
"The London Times. You asked me to get you a copy of the London Times. Remember?"
"Of course," Donna said picking up the messages that were piled neatly on Franks desk, "Thanks."
"No problem. I put it on your desk, under the latest report by the EPA."
"It's late," Donna said looking down at her watch, "I didn't even realize how late it was."
"That's what happens when you're in meetings all afternoon." Frank grinned.
"You can go home, Frank. You didn't need to stick around." Donna said offering Frank a small smile.
"You don't need me?" Frank asked trying to hide his excitement.
"Nah, go do what kids do." Donna said walking into her office and throwing her coat down carelessly onto her couch.
"Yes, you ancient woman, I will." Frank teased.
"Ha, ha." Donna grinned sitting down heavily in her chair.
"My friends and I are going to go to this new bar in Georgetown. Why don't you come with?"
"A night with a bunch of grad students. What more could a girl want?" Donna asked sarcastically.
"Hey man, I was just trying to help you score." Frank laughed.
"I'll pass, thanks."
"If you'd rather sit in your office all night. Fine."
"I've actually got to go and meet Sam for dinner soon."
"Ahh," Frank said sliding into Donna's visitor chair.
"`Ahh' what?" Donna asked looking up from her desk.
"Ahh, you're not coming with because you're meeting the Former White House Communications Director for dinner."
"Why can't you call anyone by their names?" Donna asked, giving her assistant a curious look.
"Because this is the only way for me to feel important." Frank said shrugging his shoulders, "Now tell me, what's going on with you and Sam Seaborn, Esquire?"
"Frank, how many times have you asked me that?"
"I've lost count."
"What do I tell you every single time?"
"That `we're just friends' crap," Frank answered.
"So why bother wasting your breath?" Donna inquired.
"I hold out hope that you'll slip one of these days, and explain to me in torrid detail the hot sex that you and Mr. Seaborn have."
"Get out." Donna laughed waving her pink message slips at Frank.
"I'll see you in the morning." Frank laughed.
"Yeah," Donna replied watching Frank disappear down the dark hall. Taking a deep breath, Donna put down her messages and looked at the edge of the newspaper peeking out under the latest EPA report. Pushing the thick blue folder aside, Donna looked down at the black ink staring back up at her. With trembling hands, she pulled the paper out and looked down at the bottom corner. Her eyes scanning the index for the section that she wanted.
Laying the paper over her desk, Donna quickly and urgently flipped through the pages and watched as the words blurred with her haste. The sound of paper rustling seemed to fill the quite office. Second only to the loud beating of her raging heart. Her hands
stilling immediately as the smudged but distinct picture jumped off the page, Donna felt the air stop in her lungs. Even from here, sitting in a dark office an ocean away, Donna could see his dimples dancing and his eyes shinning. A picture was worth a thousand words they say. In this case though, it was worth a thousand pieces. Because that was how many pieces Donna was sure her heart had shattered into.
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"You look happy."
"What?" Josh asked cradling the phone as he held a sandwich in one hand and a pile of papers that he still needed to review in another.
"I said you look happy." Sam repeated, looking out his office window as the blazing sun set on D.C.
"Sam?" Josh asked through a mouthful of bread and ham.
"Yeah."
"Don't I always look good?" Josh laughed.
"I never realized how photogenic you were." Sam teased.
His eyebrows bunching in confusion, Josh almost choked when it hit him. "Oh my god."
"No, it's just me." Sam laughed.
"You're reading the London Times!"
"I am," Sam confirmed, "It's a nice picture of you. Hey, you should find the original picture and use it for your Christmas cards."
"Why are you reading the London Times?" Josh groaned running his hands through is hair.
"Because I heard an interesting rumor today while I was on the Hill."
"You heard it on the Hill?" Josh yelped, almost falling off of his hair, "It's floating around D.C?"
"Oh Josh," Sam laughed, "it's here all right. Ainsley heard it before I did. What does that tell you?"
"Oh god," Josh moaned getting up and dragging his phone across his office so that he could lean back against the wall, "this is not happening."
"Yes it is, Josh. So how are you and Kathleen doing?" Sam teased.
"Shut up." Josh snapped.
"What?" Sam asked innocently, "Can't a guy know what's going on in his best friend's life?"
"Nothing is going on!" Josh snapped, "Nothing! Absolutely nothing is going on."
"I know," Sam laughed, "I just like getting you all riled up."
"Jackass," Josh sighed.
"Is that how you won Kathleen over?" Sam asked.
"Sam!"
"Okay, okay." Sam laughed, "I'm stopping. I'm stopping."
"Thank you."
"You do realize that when you arrive at the wedding with Kathleen, people are going to talk."
"I know," Josh sighed, "but Abby threatened to set me up with someone if I didn't bring a date."
"Ahh," Sam said nodding in understanding. He'd have to ask Leo about Abby's failed attempt at subtlety the next time he talked to him. Either Abby hadn't been blunt enough, resulting in Josh bringing Kathleen to the wedding, or Josh was purposely being dense.
"Anyway, Kathleen really did help me over here with the merger. I guess bringing her to a high power wedding and introducing her to some people would be much more appreciated than a fruit basket."
"You're bringing her so that she can schmooze with some people?" Sam asked, not entirely surprised.
"What's wrong with that?" Josh asked, "Everyone wins."
"Not everyone," Sam muttered, thinking about how Donna was going to react to that piece of information when he told her tonight.
"What?"
"Nothing, nothing." Sam sighed, "So when do you get in? Zoey's anxious to get to fitted for your suit."
"Remind me why I'm doing this, again." Josh mumbled trying to align his back.
"Because Zoey is getting married and Charlie looks up to you."
"It didn't hurt that the President called me." Josh added.
"Yeah," Sam laughed, "that probably didn't hurt. So when you getting in?"
"In three days, I hope."
"The merger not closing well?"
"No, it's going great actually. I just have some things to wrap up here and I'm done."
"How have you liked your seven month stint in England?" Sam asked sincerely.
"I can't wait to go to the Palm." Josh laughed, "And see some sun. Who would have thought that I would miss the smog."
"Miss it?"
"Politics?" Josh asked, "Yeah, I do."
"I heard that you've been getting offers."
"I have," Josh confirmed, "A few good ones, some not so good."
"Pay or person." Sam asked, though he already knew the answer.
"Person," Josh said, not hesitating.
"You could always come and work with Ainsley and I." Sam offered.
"I don't know if anyone's told you, but I'm not so great at practicing law."
"No, I knew that." Sam laughed, "I was just being nice. Listen…"
"Sam," Josh warned, "if this is another, `Hey, you should call Donna' thing I don't want to hear it."
"Though you don't seem to feel the need to stop me when I tell you about how she's doing and what's going on in her life." Sam shot back.
"Sam," Josh sighed.
"If you're going to be back in D.C permanently, you're gonna cross paths."
"I know that…"
"And at the wedding, you're gonna see each other."
"Really?" Josh asked sarcastically.
"Don't be a jackass." Sam replied, "Call her."
"No."
"Why the hell not?"
"Because,"
"Because?" Sam asked feeling two years worth of impatience rise through him.
"Because it's too late." Josh whispered.
"No, it's not." Sam said stubbornly.
"Yeah, it is." Josh sighed, "Listen, I've got to go."
"Josh," Sam protested, "don't hang up just because you don't want to talk about it."
"I've got work to do," Josh said lamely, "I'll see you in a few days."
Before Sam could protest again, the dial tone filled his silent office.
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Slowly walking down the empty corridors, Donna smiled politely at all the leaving interns and first year law graduates. Stopping at Sam's office, Donna tried to compose herself before going in. Sam was sweet sometimes, but he could be smothering…and right now, Donna didn't know if she could deal with a mother-hen Sam. Her hand quietly pushing the door open, Donna stopped cold when she heard Sam's laughter fill his office.
"Yes it is, Josh. So how are you and Kathleen doing?"
Oh my god, Donna thought feeling the pain rise through her again.
"What?" Sam asked innocently, "Can't a guy know what's going on in his best friend's life?"
`This is not happening,' Donna thought as she eavesdropped on Sam's obviously amusing and lighthearted conversation with Josh.
"Is that how you won Kathleen over?" Sam asked.
Closing her eyes, Donna quickly backed away from Sam's office like it hurt her to be so close to an obviously jovial Josh. Spinning around, Donna didn't see Ainsley till she practically slammed into her. "Oh god!" Donna squeaked, "I'm sorry."
"That's okay," Ainsley laughed, her southern drawl barely touching Donna's ears. Noticing Donna's color, or really, lack thereof color, Ainsley felt worry touch her heart. "Donna, are you all right?"
"I'm fine." Donna said, obviously not fine.
"Are you sure?" Ainsley asked reaching out and touching Donna's arm.
"Yes," Donna lied, nervously tucking her hair behind her ear, "I'm fine."
"Okay,"
"I'm just tired," Donna said feeling her headache begin to take on a new level of intensity.
"Long day on the Hill?" Ainsley asked sympathetically.
"Meetings."
"Oh, there's something I don't miss." Ainsley laughed.
"Yeah," Donna replied, giving Ainsley a strained smile.
"Are you looking for Sam?"
"Yeah," Donna nodded, looking over at Sam's office quickly, "Listen, can you tell Sam that I won't be able to go to dinner with him tonight? It's just been a really long day and I'm not up to it."
"Why don't you just…" Ainsley started.
"Thanks a lot Ainsley," Donna said in a rush, "I'll see you later."
"…tell him yourself?" Ainsley finished, watching Donna quickly walked towards the elevator. "I wonder what that was about." Ainsley muttered to herself. Turning around, Ainsley let herself into Sam's office.
"Hey," Sam said looking up from his desk, "you're still here?"
"Yeah, reading up on the Henderson case." Ainsley said leaning against Sam's desk, "Donna was just here."
"Just here?" Sam asked confused.
"As in not here anymore. She asked me to tell you, in a very rushed manner, that after a long day in meeting she shall not be joining you, on this occasion, for dinner."
"Oh okay," Sam said, having long ago deciphered Ainsley's speech patterns.
"She looked…"
"What?"
"Sad," Ainsley frowned, "She said that she was tired, but she looked sad."
"Maybe it was an afternoon full of meetings." Sam offered, "You remember how it can be."
"Maybe," Ainsley said not entirely convinced.
"I've got dinner reservations, want to come?"
"You offering to feed me?" Ainsley smiled.
"I'm in a generous mood," Sam teased, "I think that I can afford to pay for your meal."
"I'll go and get my jacket." Ainsley laughed, slapping Sam playfully on the arm.
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Do you see what my life has become? Sitting with my laptop, typing away at every free moment, and checking my e-mail to see what you guys thought. *sigh* Who knew writing fanfic could be so much fun? ;] Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. The Josh and Donna "see each other again" scene is coming soon. Hold on. ;]
-lucy