Authors: Westwinger247 and Ellie
Notes: Sorry it took us so long, folks! FYI, there are like 20 more chapters so don't worry about whether this is the end. There's a lot more where this came from. Thanks for reading!
Madison, Wisconsin
CJ Cregg's Hotel Suite
8:30 p.m.
Go with him, he says.
Go with him? What does he think I am?
A baby-sitter? I don't get paid enough to keep these boys in line.
Okay, so Josh on occasion does need some... supervision. But, and I would stake my miserably inadequate paycheck on it--this is not one of those times. The stress is getting to Leo already. That has to be it. Why else would he be sending me to watch Josh talk to a local party chairman? I'm not the politician. I'm not even in the loop half the time. And, from what I know, this guy was friendly to the party and the president! Even Josh isn't stupid enough to... well, he is, but he wouldn't screw this up. There is nothing to screw up!
No, there's something else going on here. Sam met with Leo over lunch, just before Leo caught a flight back to DC. I know they were talking about the changes in the schedule since we've decided to go to Seattle to view the damage from the earthquake yesterday and whether the President should make brief remarks or just be there. But I get the feeling there's something else going on. Leo's not happy with Sam about something and... well, I have no proof, but I'm a woman and I sense things... Josh is involved somehow.
*****************
The rental car raced along the straight and darkened road a solid 20 miles per hour over the posted (and easily visible) speed limit. CJ sat in the passenger seat scowling, with her arms folded, as she stared cautiously out her window toward the endless darkened fields.
"I still don't see why I had to go with you," she said for the third time since they had left the hotel parking lot.
"Sam insisted," Josh said, tapping his hands on the steering wheel, agitating her further..
"Since when is Sam in charge of me... or you," CJ countered, then reached across and quieted his percussion techniques. "Do you mind?"
"Fine," Josh said, then started to unconscious tapping again. "CJ, I was kidding about the cows."
"I know that," she said. "I know you were kidding."
She continued to scan the pastures on either side of the stretch for the menacing red glow of large eyes. They were out there. She knew it. Where else would they be?
"There are no cows with rabies," he said, feeling the proclamation unnecessary. "No one was attacked. I made it up."
In his peripheral vision, Josh watched the press secretary, her eyes nearly quivering in their sockets. The muscles around her mouth were tense and twitched the way they did after being blind-sided in a press conference--something that didn't happen often. Her posture was hunched in a defensive way and she appeared ready to jump from the moving vehicle should the feared attack ever appear.
"How can you be afraid of cows?" he asked loudly.
"They don't like me and the feeling has become mutual," CJ said tersely. "Stop smirking. White Supremacist hate you; vindictive bovines are my nemesis."
The trouble had started in New Hampshire during the first campaign. Then-Governor Bartlet had her accompany him to a discussion with New England dairy farmers to talk about the controversial New England Dairy Compact. Who suggested the group take a walk in the pasture for some photos, CJ did not know. What she did recall was a curious Holstein.
"Is it crazy to think the word Holstein has some Jewish origin?" she asked, seething from his mirth.
While cows were on CJ's mind, Josh's mind was on the Chairman of the Wisconsin Democratic Party. The telephone conversation between him and Leo did not go quite as well as expected, due to the Chairman's desire to get to the wedding reception of his nephew, who coincidentally was marrying Donna's cousin.
Josh was instructed by Leo to head to the reception to talk with the Chairman's staff about setting up a face-to-face meeting the next afternoon. Upon hearing where Josh was headed, Sam informed CJ that she was to accompany him, much to Josh's chagrin.
They arrived at the reception at 9 pm and went to a corner of the reception hall with members of the Chairman's entourage. Fifteen minutes later, after a successful conference and the Chairman's word that he would be available for a 7:30 am meeting, they said their good-byes. It was as they were leaving the back room that Donna saw Josh and CJ. Surprised to find the familiar but out of place faces at the family wedding, she approached them--concerned something had gone wrong.
"Why are you here?" she asked frantically.
"I know why you're here," Josh said sharply to Donna, then turned his sights toward CJ. "What I want to know is why are you here? You were precisely no help back there, you know that?"
"No one needed to call the cops so apparently I served my purpose," CJ retorted. "I found out two hours ago that I'm your body guard or something for the next three days, I think. Why, I don't know. But let me say, don't expect me to be throwing myself in front of you should anything happen. I've noticed that people generally don't like you that much and I don't get paid enough to suffer those consequences. Though, if I wanted to, I'm sure I could be good at the job. That man was intimidated the moment I walked in the room... Hey, is that Mark Ashford?"
"If I had a clue who that was I might be able to help you there," Josh said with a shrug.
"Yes, that's Mr. Ashford," Donna replied. "He's the editor of the state's biggest paper, Josh. He's a cousin of the groom's mother, I think."
CJ nodded and said she needed to speak with him about an interview his paper was requesting with the President. She stalked off to spar with her quarry, a hint of the devil in her grin.
"So where is he?" Josh asked. "Where's Saint Buford of John Deere Land?"
"Bradford," Donna sighed. "Josh, don't start. He's not here."
"Imagine my surprise," Josh said feigning shock. "It's Okay, Donna. Just admit it. He's not real, is he? You made him up."
"I did not."
"Buford's a figment of your imagination," Josh asserted with a curt nod.
"BRADFORD is not made up, Josh," Donna protested. "He was here but had to call it a night. He's got a convention of his own to prepare for."
"Sure he did," Josh condescended. "He and all the little fairies and leprechauns went back to their magic mushroom houses so they can rise at midnight and dance beneath the Harvest Moon. I understand."
Donna pursed her lips and dug her fingers nails into her palms to keep from smirking. He was not going to do this to her--not here, not now. She was surrounded by her family and this was her home turf--sort of. That counted for something. Josh's mouth and wily and addle mind was not going to take over her evening while he waited for CJ to finish mentally maiming a pushy yokel editor.
"I'll prove it to you," Donna said as she reached into her purse and drew a ring from the bag. "He gave me back my ring. He said that he shouldn't have it anymore. It just wasn't appropriate."
"Wow," Josh nodded. "So he dumped you twice? And this time at a wedding? That's harsh. You still think he's so wonderful?"
"I dumped him in high school," Donna sighed, shaking her head as she realized her error.
Even letting the dialogue continue after Josh's initial observation had been a fatal miscalculation. She realized several sentences too late that she was not dealing Deputy Downer but with the other alter ego: His Regal Annoyingness, the Prince of Passive/Aggressive Behavior.
"Right," Josh agreed. "Your story sounds very.... convenient. I mean, Buford giving it back to you here and yet not being here."
"Bradford," she insisted. "And he did, Josh."
"'Cause no one else on the planet could have had your class ring," he continued. "You couldn't have found it at, say, oh, I don't know, your parents house or something."
"That's right," she agreed, knowing it would do no good but feeling compelled all the same.
"Because that would be outlandish," Josh said. "Whereas a secret boyfriend, who you never mentioned before, mystically appearing at a family wedding then disappearing without a trace is completely believable."
"I don't need to tell you every aspect of my personal life," she said trying to grab for a handful of the higher ground. "I already heard enough about Dr... you know... from you to last a lifetime. I knew I should have never mentioned Bradford to you."
"And yet you insisted on sharing," he pointed out. "Hey, whatever gets you through the day, Donna. Just let me say this, when you're ready to admit you need help, I know people you can call."
It was his superior smirk more than the callous remark that she disapproved of. She shot him a warning glance that appeared to only further his mirth.
"Shut up," she snapped.
"Donnatella Moss, that is no way to speak to someone," came a booming voice from behind.
Donna grimaced at the sound of a familiar voice. She turned to face the only person that could make her feel like a child - her father, Artemis Moss.
Artemis Moss stood stoically in front of his youngest daughter. Donna's mother Patricia accompanied the silver-haired gentleman. Patricia came to Art's shoulders and their clothes were pristine.
"Josh, these are my parents, Artemis and Patricia Moss," Donna said politely. "Mom, Dad, this is my boss, Josh Lyman."
"Pleasure to meet you both," Josh said as he shook their hands. Josh studied the two for a moment and saw that while Donna got most of her looks from her mother, her eyes were the mirror image of Artemis.
"So, this is your employer," Art mused. "Donnatella, I know your mother and I raised you better. Why aren't you referring to him as Mr. Lyman?"
"Yes, Donnatella, why is that?" Josh smirked.
"When you start acting like a Mr. then I'll start calling you that," Donna shot him an evil stare.
"Donnatella," her father scolded. "That's no way to speak to a superior."
At the word 'superior' Donna's peripheral vision caught the slightest twitch from the corner of Josh's mouth. While the grin did not appear fully, it didn't need to for Donna. She knew it was there even if no one else could see it.
"Yeah, he's a superior, all right," she steamed. "A superior pain in the a..."
"Donnatella!" her mother interjected.
"Work for him for 24 hours, mother," Donna protested, feeling 12 again and on the verge of being grounded. "And I mean 24 hours around the clock because that's pretty much what he expects."
Her mother then turned an apologetic gaze on Josh, offering her sympathy. "You should feel privileged to do what you do, my dear. I wouldn't go scoffing at anyone. You're fortunate Mr. Lyman is the kind of man he is. Not many men in his position would have hired you."
"Mother," Donna huffed.
"Don't take that tone with your mother," Art warned her.
"Oh for cryin' out loud," Donna groaned. If her mother wasn't guilting her, her father was scolding her. Donna knew what it felt like to be facing a double-barrel shotgun of parental charm.
"Now, now, Donnatella," Josh smiled. "There's no need to get hostile."
"Oh, great. They've gotten to you now."
"I'm just saying...."
"See here, young lady," Art waved his index finger in the air. "Mr. Lyman, you let her speak to you in this manner?"
"Dad, I'm not 12 anymore!" Donna yelled.
"Then don't act like a child," he continued with his scolding.
"Stop treating me like one!" Donna said. "You've never stopped, Dad. Just once..."
"Donnatella," Pat warned, "don't raise your voice to your father."
"It's never going to stop," Donna said, shaking her head.
"Well, if you would use the brains the good lord gave you," Art spouted.
"What?" Donna asked shocked by what her father said.
"Running off the second you get a notion in your head," Art said. "I'm surprised you've stayed in one place this long. You do worry me, Donnatella. I'm waiting for the day you call to tell us you've moved to Ecuador to follow some Missionary..."
"I've stayed because I love what I do," Donna said, exhausted at having to defend her choice yet again to her father. "I'm excellent at my ASSISTANT'S position. Do you know who organized the President's Summer Kick-Off Celebration? Me, Dad. It was me. All me."
Donna stood toe to toe with Artemis, not backing down. She finally had a worthwhile career and her father was not going to belittle that. Not this time.
"I'm sure you're a good party planner and a good secretary, dear," Art mused.
Donna threw her hands up in disgust. Her father had once again managed to turn Donna's life into something trivial. "There's no getting through to you is there?"
Art turned to Josh. "She is the one who needs some getting through. That hard head of hers is... is..."
"Impervious," Josh offered, pleased to help.
"Precisely," Artemis said gratefully. "Impervious to common sense some times. She's proven to us time and again how she can't focus on any one thing that's constructive or worthwhile. Eighty different majors at college and then throwing it all away for a man who anyone could see was… well, I don't want to mention that. Whether it's her career choices or her boyfriends, she hasn't given me much reason to have confidence in her since she got out of high school."
"If that's the way you feel, then fine," Donna fumed, her face feeling hot and choking back tears. " You have your opinion and I have mine. But, I won't stand for this anymore. I'm leaving. Josh, you can stay and listen to them berate me for the rest of the evening, but I won't. I'll see you back at the hotel."
Donna turned on her heels and headed for the exit as swiftly as her legs could carry her.
"Donnatella," Pat sighed, glaring at her husband. "Oh, did you have to say that?"
Patricia excused herself then ran after her daughter, hoping to catch her and convince her to stay.
Josh, seeing the pain in Donna's eyes from her father's reprimanding words, decided to step into the lion's den.
"She's not hopeless," Josh offered.
"I have yet to see proof," Art scoffed. " She goes off gallivanting after god knows what, just because that jackass of a boyfriend dumps her. I, by the way, never liked him."
Josh nodded in agreement. "With good reason, it seems. But if you think of it one way, it was a good thing--in retrospect."
"How is it a good thing?"
"It compelled her to start over," Josh began. " She ended up working with the President of the United States. That's not too shabby."
"She should have gotten her degree," Art declared. "After all, what if you don't win this time around? It's not looking good for you right now. And what happens to my Donnatella then? She has no degree to fall back on."
"Her job is secure," Josh said. "The White House might not pay her, but she's got a job for as long as she wants it."
"Are you saying that you'd take her?"
"I'm saying I'll need to be dead and buried for five years before anyone hires her away from my staff."
"She's that good of a secretary?" Art asked. "Even though she treats you with such disrespect?"
"I get people elected to office and then I help them legislate," Josh explained. "To do both I need people I can trust. There are few people on the planet I trust as much as Donna. And she's not a secretary. She's my assistant. That's like... like my lieutenant, my deputy. As for the disrespect, it's really not. Donna helps keep us honest and keeps me thinking."
"So, Mr. Lyman," Art approached. "Tell me what my daughter does that is so valuable to you."
"Okay, but first, you can drop the Mr. Lyman. Frankly, that always makes me look over my shoulder for my father. Please, just call me Josh."
"Okay... Josh."
Josh cleared his throat before he began. "Well, Donna is the best assistant I've ever had. The fact she focuses on so many things, that her interests are so varied, is her greatest asset. She catches little pieces of stuff that the rest of us who are so focused on just one thing tend to miss."
"Donnatella always was very inquisitive as a child," Art informed him.
"It serves her well," Josh agreed. "Because of that she helped stop a filibuster last year because she noticed something about Senator Stackhouse that no one else did."
"Donnatella? My Donnatella stopped that windbag Stackhouse?" Art asked.
"She helped. "
"I notice you didn't correct me when I said windbag," Art commented. "He is a member of your Party. That's not... uh, politically correct of you. ."
"Most things about me aren't," Josh said. "I'll never be the most popular member of the Party."
"You don't sound concerned," Art remarked.
"You don't need to be popular to be right," Josh observed.
"Now tell me, is that cynical or conceited?"
"It's both," Josh said with a shrug. "It's also realistic and the absolute truth. That's not unlike Donna's approach to the world and it's helped us out a few times, like with the filibuster. She saw something during that led us in one direction we hadn't thought about, and it turned out to be the key we were missing. Don't misunderstand me, politics is not her game. But people, there she has insight and compassion and without that, no politician--no worthwhile one-- can be any good."
"Well, I'll be damned," Art exclaimed.
"You should be proud."
"I'm always proud of her," he defended. "I know it seems like I'm a little rough, but I just want the best for my little girl."
Josh nodded. "I can see that. She probably understands that on some level, but as you know, Donna can be kind of sensitive. She's independent enough to do things on her own, but praise can go a long way."
Art and Josh looked over at the coat-check at the two generations of Moss women. Josh studied Donna for a moment, and then turned his gaze towards her father. He watched as Art looked at Donna, a smile appearing across his face. For a brief moment, Josh wondered what it would be like to be in his shoes.
"Are you married?" Art asked, turning towards Josh. "Do you have any children?"
"Me? I'm married to democracy."
"Well, if you ever do and you have a daughter, you'll know what I'm talking about and where I'm coming from," Art said. "Donnatella knows I love her. I'm just not that affectionate kind of father. I always left that kind of thing to her mother."
"It's obvious Donna was raised in a close family," Josh said. "I don't think she expects anything more from you. But she might appreciate a simple acknowledgment that she's done something worthwhile with her life and done it on her own, without anyone's help."
"Well, by your accounts, I can see that she is doing better than I thought," Art replied. "But, working in the White House? Don't get me wrong, I know what it is you people do, but her mother makes it sound like she knows the President himself."
"That's because she does," Josh said. "Donna's briefed the president on some minor matters of his own personal interest. She's the one who explained her pick up on Senator Stackhouse's diatribe to him. President Bartlet knows Donna quite well."
"But, she's only a secretary."
"Again, she's not a secretary," Josh said, fighting to keep the exasperation out of his voice. "She doesn't fetch coffee--even if I beg--or take dictation. As for knowing President Bartlet, she met him when he was still Governor Bartlet. I hired her as my assistant, and she goes where I go. Her work is my work, and I'm the Deputy Chief of Staff. That gives her a lot of access. Did you know she was the only assistant invited to his Manchester farm for the Senior Staff annual Fourth of July retreat?"
"My goodness," Art sighed. "My Donnatella's certainly come up in the world. You seem to know my daughter much better than I. Can I ask you something?"
"Absolutely."
"Is Donnatella happy?"
Josh shrugged as he responded. "She's overworked and underpaid, but she keeps coming back for more, so I can only assume...."
"Yes," Art nodded. "Well, as long as she's happy, then I'm happy. I do have one request from you."
"From me? What?"
"Take care of her and see that she stays happy."
"I can tell you that she'll never want or need for anything," Josh assured him. "Donna means so much to ... all of us. If she ever... Well, she wouldn't even have to ask. We'd take care of her. I can promise you that."
"I'm asking you," Art said firmly. "Let me tell you something, Josh. I make my mind up quickly about people and consider myself a fair judge of character. I've decided I like you. And I'm entrusting my daughter to your hands. Promise me that you'll look out for her."
"Of course."
"Good," Art smiled and clapped Josh's shoulder. To Artemis Moss, a shoulder clap was his way of granting permission to the deputy to whatever was necessary to make Donna's life happy.
At that moment, Patricia returned with Donna.
"Hi," Donna said shortly.
"You didn't leave I see," Art said.
"No," Donna answered as she faced Josh. "Josh, CJ left with Mr. Ashford a couple minutes ago. I told her that I'd take you back to the hotel."
"She got it under control?"
"She had that look, you know. That Cheshire Cat one."
"Poor man," Josh chuckled shaking his head. "Well, we better get rolling,. We've got about 10,534 things let to do."
"Only that many?" Donna grinned. "Jeez, I thought we at least had 10,600 left."
"Yeah, it should be a snap," he smirked. "I'm leaving about 90 percent of it to you to finish tonight so we'd better get going. I'll want a full report before 11."
"Right," Donna said with a roll of her eyes.
Josh again shook the Moss' hands. "Nice meeting you both."
Donna hugged and kissed her mother and lightly hugged her father. Art held on and leaned to her ear.
"I'm proud of you, Donnatella," he whispered. "Never doubt that."
Donna pulled back and looked into his blue eyes, seeing that his words were spoken from the heart and wasn't a standard apology. With tears blistering in her eyes, she hugged him tighter and walked away.
Donna and Josh head for the car in their near perfect unison. Donna started the engine, and they drove in silence for a few moments, before Josh spoke.
"Did you enjoy your furlough?" Josh asked. "You don't look as though you had the time of your life."
"I guess I was just hoping for a peaceful reception, that's all."
"Why? What happened?" he questioned. "Did I miss a fight? Brawl between the bridesmaids over the bouquet? Someone belt the caterer?"
"Josh," Donna chided. "I meant the 'Let's see what else we can find wrong with Donnatella's life' extravaganza that you got to experience with my father."
"Don't let it bother you," he said. "All parents do that. Well, mine didn't, but I'm normally the exception to most rules. Your father wasn't being insulting. He was just... being your father. He just didn't understand what you did."
"Well, I'm sure you left him with some great barbs he can tell the rest of the family," she moaned.
"Actually," he corrected, "I told him you've briefed the president and are probably one of the most in-demand assistants inside the beltway; I also delineated between what an assistant is versus a secretary."
"You did?"
"I'm capable of answering questions. Are you?"
"Of course I am. Why?"
"Well, he had no trouble asking me, a stranger, what you did," Josh began. "I was just wondering if he had ever asked you, and if so had you answered or take offense to the question instead. "
"He never really asked or cared what I did," Donna replied. "When I call home, I mainly just talk to my mom. Dad always thought that what I did wasn't really important. Sure, I'd talk to him on the phone, explaining in general terms what I did, but he'd just say 'Uh-huh. That's nice, dear.' and wanted to know when I was going to go back to college."
"What did you say?"
Donna took a deep breath before beginning. "I told him I didn't know. I'm just too busy trying to organize your life and keep you from flying off the handle. That in and of itself takes a lot of time."
"I'm sure," Josh agreed. "Glad I don't need to do it myself. But see, here's my thing: Why didn't you ever say 'I'm working for the President right now and that's important too'? Most parents, upon learning their daughter works for and with the President would be impressed. Hell, my mother's impressed and she's known all my life this is what I was aiming to do."
"I don't know why I never said that, Josh."
"You should find out, Donna," Josh offered solemnly. "You're gonna wake up one day, and he's going to be gone. Then you'll never be able to tell him all the things you wish you'd said."
"Yeah, I know," Donna sighed.
"He wants what's best for you and he worries about you," Josh whispered as he gazed out the window at the Wisconsin farmland.
"So, Josh," Donna hedged. "What did you and my father talk about?"
"Oh, the weather, the stock market, nuclear test ban treaties. You know, the usual."
Donna pulled into the hotel parking lot and parked the car. "Josh…"
"What do you think?" he chuckled. "What could that man and I possibly have to talk about?"
"So you talked about me, huh?" she asked as they exited the vehicle.
"You're name might have come up," Josh circumvented.
"If it's bad, don't tell me," she warned him. "I would hope that you at least said some nice things about me to him."
"Well, I really didn't have time once he pulled the baby photos out of his wallet," Josh remarked, keeping his eyes forward away from her scrutiny to hide his bluff.
"What?!"
"And he said something about some incident at a band concert..." Josh ventured in a strategic tone. "What was that again?"
The entered the empty lobby and made their way to the elevators with Donna groaning. Josh stifled a quick grin as his stab in the dark paid off.
"Oh god..." Donna moaned as she buried her face in her hands.
"You want to tell me your version, for the record?" Josh prodded.
Donna pressed the elevator call button, took a deep breath and began her tale.
"I was trying to concentrate on the piece we were playing," Donna said sorrowfully. "I wasn't watching where I was marching. You know it's really hard to play and count steps at the same time."
"Uh huh and that's when it… happened?"
"Yeah," she nodded, a ripple of red rising in her cheeks. "I didn't mean to trip the entire tuba line and drum core."
"Was it like dominos?"
"Yeah," she said softly as she nodded. "And those poor flag girls..."
"You took 'em all out?" he exclaimed. "You and your flute! What parade was it again?"
"It wasn't a parade," she corrected. "It was the half-time show at our Homecoming - and in front of all the alumni."
"Right. Right. Homecoming," he hastily agreed with a smirk. "The big game."
"I can't believe he told you that, Josh," Donna muttered.
"Actually," Josh admitted with a bold grin, "he didn't. I was just fishing for anything there."
"WHAT?!" Donna exclaimed as she slapped him on the back of the head. "I can't believe you did that to me!"
"I can't believe you didn't think I would," Josh said as he placed one hand on her shoulder while rubbing the sore spot on his head with the other. "Come on. Don't you feel better now that you've shared?"
"No. Why did you do that, Josh?"
"Well, it served no great purpose, but it entertained me,." he admitted without regret.
"Wonder if the stairs are faster?" Donna asked as she stabbed the button again. "You are incorrigible."
"But entertained!" he defended. "I feel I know you so much better now."
"I'm here to please," she drolled.
"That's my girl."
"Where are those stairs?"
"Other side of the lobby," he said gesturing to the doors across from the front desk. "Of course, you can take the stairs, but then you'll never hear what we did talk about."
Donna looked around the foyer at the hotel's décor. She tapped her foot and crossed and uncrossed her arms. Josh stood beside her, a teasing grin on his face as he folded his arms and leaned against the wall.
"It's killing you, isn't it?" he asked.
"No."
"Okay," Josh shrugged and turned as the elevator chimed and the door opened.
"What did he say?" Donna gave in.
"I don't know if I'm supposed to tell you," Josh sighed.
"Josh."
"Your father had an interesting suggestion," he said as they entered the elevator. "It seems he worries about his daughter being so far away from home and in such a complicated world. He's not sure you can fully and properly look out for yourself."
"I can look out for myself just fine, thank you."
"I know that," Josh concurred as the elevator rose rapidly to the seventh floor. "I tried to plead your case, but it didn't work. So, I had to put his mind at ease."
The elevator doors opened and the pair exited and headed towards their rooms. "What did you do, Josh?"
"Put him in a headlock."
"Josh."
"He asked me to be your keeper, sort of.," Josh relented as he cleared his throat and continued in an uncomfortable fashion he relented. "I just said that he shouldn't worry that you'd be… you know... looked after, by... us."
"Josh… I," Donna said as she looked away. "I'm glad that you said that... just to make my father feel more at ease about me being in DC."
"I meant it," he said softly.
"I'm sorry?"
"I didn't just say it for the sake of the conversation," Josh declared. "You know that you can count on me if you need anything, right?"
"I guess so," she said, taken aback by his comment.
"You can," Josh restated. "You're part of the team and I... I'm not gonna let anything happen to my best asset."
"You..." Donna said shakily as she moved towards Josh and hugged him.
"Uh, Donna…"
"Yeah?"
"Come on... Don't..." he whispered, not bothered by the embrace but feeling awkward all the same.
"You really can be a nice guy," she sighed, breaking the hug.
"Yeah... well... keep that a secret, would ya?"
"No one would believe me anyway," she sighed then pointed toward the door to her room. "Okay, I guess it's time to..."
"Right," he agreed. "You know what I like best about Wisconsin?"
"What?"
"Real keys," he said fishing one out of his pocket and slipping it into the lock with ease. He grinned madly at the maneuver, as though he had felled a giant with one blow.
"Well, we'll modernize yet," Donna said as she rolled her eyes and wondered again whether he was an actual Harvard graduate--she had never seen a diploma to prove it.
Josh opened his door but paused before entering. He leaned on the casing and turned toward his assistant.
"Donna."
"Yeah, Josh?"
"Did you have a good time seeing your family?" he asked.
"I did," she smiled.
"I'm glad," he nodded. "You deserved a day off."
"Thanks."
"But I've got a phone meeting with Leo at 6 a.m. so be ready early tomorrow," he reminded her. "Since you blew off all your work today, you've got double duty tomorrow to catch up."
"Right."