Title: True Lies Part 4 of 4
Author: Rhasa
Rating: PG-13
Category: J/D light drama.
Disclaimer: Not mine. Aaron Sorkin's
Summary: Josh can't put it off any longer.
"Josh?" Donna sounded mildly surprised when she opened
her door and found her boss on her doorstep at eleven
thirty at night.
"Hey Donna."
"Hey. What brings you here?"
"Oh nothing. Can I come in?"
She eyed him suspiciously for a moment or two with her
head on the side. "You're not drunk are you?"
"No. No. I'm sober as a judge, well only if you don't
count McKinnely in that little analogy," he smiled
softly.
Hearing the sound of the kettle boiling Donna turned
back inside and heads towards the kitchen as Josh
entered her apartment and began to take off his coat.
"Is you flatmate around?" he asked.
"I'm between flatmates right now."
"Since when?" he sounded surprised.
"Since about four months ago. I'm making tea, can I
get you something?" She called as he turned and walked
toward the sound of her voice
"Whatever you're having will be fine," he answered as
he appeared in the doorway of the kitchen and watched
her. She moved about the kitchen quickly not pausing
to look at him, which disturbed him. It felt almost as
if she was hiding something. "I guess it's hard," he
said.
"Hard?"
"Having no flatmate."
"I get by," she shrugged.
He wanted to clarify what he just said. He wanted to
ask her how she manages to pay rent when she doesn't
have a flatmate to share expenses. He wanted her to
assure him that there is some other way she has found
to make ends meet other than selling Barlett
Administration secrets. He wanted to come straight out
and ask her, but he can't - not yet.
A sick feeling began to settle in his stomach. He
turned away from the kitchen and moved throughout her
living room, looking at the assorted contents as if
they held the secrets of the universe. Her bookcase
caught his eye and he moved over to it, running a hand
across the spines of the assorted mish mash of titles.
There are a few of the classics, Moby Dick, Catcher in
the Rye, Lord of the Flies, The complete works of Mark
Twain, Jane Austen, Shakespeare's MacBeth, as well as
more contemporary works, all of Chuck Palahniuk's
novels, some Tom Clancy's, a few on virology including
The Coming Plague, Hot Zone, and Demon in the Freezer
all mixed in with other assorted scifi works that
include favourites from Douglas Adams, Tolkien's Lord
of the Rings, Robert Jordan and Harry Turtledove. Josh
grinned at the strangeness of her collection until his
eyes fell on to a series of leather bound books that
smelled as if they were brand new. Picking up one of
the many volumes he notices that it has gold stamping
on the cover, "Anne of Green Gables by
L.M.Montgomery." He opened it and was reading when
Donna entered carrying two mugs in her hands.
"I didn't know you were an 'Anne-girl', fan, Josh."
"I'm... I'm not," he stammered while hastily replacing
the book. "I was just looking at these. They seem so
out of place next to the others. Are they new?"
"Yes. They're very expensive leather bound," she said
matter-of-factly as she stepped closer and handed him
his mug. "But they're worth it."
"It's a story about an orphan, isn't it?" he asked
awkwardly at the feeling in his stomach grew.
"Yes. Anne Shirley. She survives the death of her
parents and a terrible upbringng of foster family
after foster family to find a true home with a
bachelor and spinster brother and sister and true love
with her childhood chum, Gilbert Blythe. It's a
classic."
"I haven't read it."
"I doubt that many men would have. It's a really girly
story, but beautiful and sweet in it's eternal
optimism and innocence. Anne is quite the romantic."
Josh wonders if Donna realises that she had just
described exactly how he saw her, optimistic, innocent
and above all a romantic. His stomach churns again and
for the first time he can name the feelings as guilt
and fear.
"I don't think you came here to ask about my personal
library, Josh."
"No."
"So what's up?"
"What do you mean what's up? Couldn't I have just come
over for no particular reason?"
"Well, yeah you could have but seeing you never have
before then forgive me for suspecting that that isn't
why you're here."
"You're right. That's not while I'm here."
"Okay, sit down and spill."
"Do you remember three days ago when we talked about
Sam... Samantha and the kiss in the photocopier room-"
"Who did you tell?" she butted in.
"Excuse me?"
"Well I knew after the fact that you wouldn't be able
to resist telling someone about what I told you."
"I-"
"I mean you are a man afterall and men kind of get off
on a thing like that."
"Donna I-"
"It's all right, Josh I forgive you. It was Sam... as
in Sam Seabourne, wasn't it? I can just imagine you
telling Sam. He would have sat there with his jaw wide
open after it would have hit the floor. I bet he said
something like "I wish I was a fly on the wall that
day." This from a man who 'accidentally' slept with a
*prostitute*!"
"Donna, I didn't tell Sam... Sam Seabourne."
"Oh God not Toby-"
"No, Donna-"
"CJ?"
"Donna, stop. I didn't tell anyone. No one. I told no
one. Just like I said, I was totally sensitive and
professional about it."
"Oh, okay."
"But before we had that particular discussion, I said
there was something else I wanted to discuss with you,
do you remember that?"
"Yes I remember."
"I said that it was something sensitive."
"I think you said personal."
"What?"
"I think you said you had something personal to
discuss with me."
"Well it is, I guess but it is also sensitive."
"Okay."
"Um...Ummm."
"Josh?"
"What?"
"Whatever it is, I can handle it."
"I'm not so sure."
"Look I was surprised when Toby told me about the
President and the MS. But I didn't flinch, Josh."
He looked at her with sad eyes.
"I didn't flinch, Josh," she said again.
He nodded, glad for her eternal optimism and
confidence. He didn't know why, but his palms were
sweating and as he made an attempt to take a sip of
tea, the mug slipped and sloshed liquid down the front
of his shirt. Jumping up quickly he managed to spill
half of the remaining liquid on his pants.
"Josh! When I said sit down and spill, I didn't mean
literally." Donna cried as she tore into the kitchen
to get a cloth. "Did you scald yourself?"
"No. I don't think so."
She tried as best she could to clean up the mess, but
gave up after a few moments.
"You're going to have to take those off."
"What?"
"They're soaked, Josh. You're going to have to take
those things off."
"Why does this conversation suddenly remind me of the
start of a bad porno flick?"
"Is there any other kind?" she asked. "I mean it, take
them off and I'll sponge them."
"I'm not taking them off here, Donna."
"I'm not suggesting that you do." She disappeared into
her bedroom and retunred almost immediately with a
pair of sweats that looked alarmingly familiar.
"Here. You can change into these. Use my bedroom."
"These are mine."
"Yes."
"But you have them."
"I wore them when I was at your place, you know, after
Rosslyn. I took them home and washed them and
forgotten to return them."
"Oh, okay," he said satisfied with her reply. "I'll
just go and...." he trailed off as he headed to her
room.
After closing her bedroom door, Josh sighed heavily.
He had been trying to have this conversation with her
for days, but something always seemed to get in the
way. He loosened and removed his tie, then unbuttoned
his shirt, toed off his shoes and took off his pants.
Turning to toss them tmporarily on Donna's bed, he
noticed a red file on her nightstand, one that seemed
oddly familiar. Picking it up he gasped as he realised
that it was indeed the file that contained the
information that Bruno had accused Donna of leaking to
Blake's office. He thought that Leo had that
information now. A million thoughts began to run
through Josh's mind. He had been certain that what
Bruno had told him were all lies, but now he was
beginning to doubt the confidence he had in his
assistant. What if everything Bruno had said had been
true? Josh knew Donna couldn't afford the rent on her
apartment on her own and yet she admitted that she
hadn't had a flatmate for four months. Then there was
the little matter of all the new purchases she had
made recently that she definitely couldn't afford.
What the hell was going on?
Josh felt something boil inside of him. He had given
her the benefit of the doubt for the last couple of
days, but now... well he couldn't take it anymore.
Without really thinking Josh flung open the door. He
was a little surprised to come face to face with
Donna.
"Look, Donna. I gotta ask you... well... it's been
days... I've been trying to ask you for days... and
well...damn," he cursed himself for not being able to
get the words out. He had wanted to do this so
differently. "Donna-"
"Josh, I'm flattered, really," she began her eyes
flicking between him and the floor. "But we shouldn't
be talking about this." If he didn't kow better he
would have sworn that she was blushing.
"What?" asked Josh, totally confused.
"I mean if it was another place and another time then
I'd definitely jump at the chance to go out with you.
You're smart and funny and sweet and clever and you
have a confidence about you that is at times
infectious. But we can't. You're my boss and I'm your
assistant, it just isn't right at the moment, no
matter what we feel."
Josh stood dumbstruck. He was trying to get his head
around what it was she had just said to him. He stood
with wide eyes before her, with his mouth hanging open
slightly and literally shook his head. "What?'" he
asked her again.
"As I said another place another time, different
circumstances, then yes. Definately yes. But now isn't
a good time. I'm sorry, Josh."
"WHAT? You think... I'm hitting on you?" He asked his
voice an octave higher than usual.
"I'll admit, the boxers are a nice touch," she said
cheekily looking down.
Josh followed her gaze. Of course. He was indeed
standing there in his boxers, shirt and socks, totally
oblivious to his state of dress or undress as the case
was. He closed his eyes in a moment of embarrassment.
What was it with this woman and the craziness that
seemed to surround her.
"Donna, I'm not hitting on you. I have to talk to you
about something serious. I found this in your
bedroom," he said as he stepped closer and handed her
the red folder.
Donna took the folder from his hand. Josh was watching
her reaction carefully. She sighed and her shoulders
visibly dropped. She pursed her lips and shook her
head slightly, all of her jestures making Josh sick in
the stomach again.
"I know this looks bad, Josh," she said looking up at
him, but he couldn't hold her gaze and it was his turn
to drop his eyes to the fall. "But, I think if we
rework the ethanol bill then we could strike a
compromise with the environmentalists and the oil
companies. I know we can do it, we just gotta give it
a little more time."
What was she talking about? "Donna, these are all the
notes from last Monday. Everything that went on in
that meeting. All platform drafts. All of my policy
notes."
"I know. I was the one who typed them."
"The file is supposed to be kept at the White House."
"It is."
"Then what the hell is this?" he asked louder than he
had expected.
"It's my file."
"Your file?"
"Yes."
"Okay, I'm going to take this real slow and ignore the
fact that I am standing here having this discussion
without any pants. Donna," he began with a well
restrained polite somewhat patronising voice."Why do
you have your own file?"
"Josh," her voice mimicked his own. "I always have my
own file."
"Would you expand on that please?"
"Josh, look I always have a copy of what we're working
on. It helps when you ring me at all hours of the
night asking for particular pieces of information or
wanting me to remember whatever insane addendums that
have suddenly come to you in your sleep. I reread
everything and even make a few notes myself, see?" She
points to some scrawl in the margin.
Josh wanted to believe her. He could see some degree
of sense in what she was telling him. It could all be
very innocent, hell it probably was, but then there
was the other evidence to consider.
"Donna, someone leaked the information in this folder
to Blake's office," he said bluntly, not at all proud
of himself that he had finally achieved what he had
been dreading for the past few days.
"What?" she asked her eyes going wide.
"Blake has this information."
"How?" she asked, staring at him. "What, they think I
leaked this?"
"Yeah. They do."
"Who? Who suspects me of doing something like that?"
"It doesn't matter."
"Who, Josh. I want names," she said through gritted
teeth, her shock suddenly giving way to increasing
anger.
"Donna, I am not going to tell you the names. For
crying out loud. This is serious."
"I know."
"No you don't know," he yelled. "There are other
concerns."
"Like what?"
"There are concerns that this information wasn't just
leaked, it was sold."
"Sold? SOLD?"
"Yeah."
"They think I SOLD THIS INFORMATION?"
"Donna, listen to me. Calm down. I have to ask you
some questions."
"Are you going to interrogate me?"
"No, I am going to ask you some questions."
"Did they send you here to break me, Josh? Did they
think I would crack under the Lyman pressure?"
"Okay, now you're just freaking me out. This is
serious, Donna. If you were thinking logically right
now you would understand the need for questions. So I
am going to ask you some things and we can clear all
this up, okay?"
"Okay," she nodded.
"What is your relationship with Amanda Davis? How well
do you know her?"
"Amanda Davis? Blake's secretary? We don't know one
another that well."
"Donna, you were seen having lunch with Amanda and
handing her an envelope."
"What, are you Perry Mason now?"
"Donna!"
"What, yes." she yelled at him, furious that she had
to defend herself in this way. "Yes, I had lunch with
Amanda Davis exactly one time. One time, Josh. Lunch.
A perfectly innocent lunch. I had tuna fish sandwich
and a diet coke and she had something on a bagel and a
coffee."
"Donna," he sighed warningly. "What about the
envelope? Someone saw you passing an envelope to her."
"Oh for crying out loud, Josh. Amanda is engaged to
Allan Davenport."
"He works on the hill," Josh added suddenly
remembering who Allan Davenport is.
"Yeah."
"And so?" he prompted. "Donna?"
"Well, as I said they're engaged. They are going to be
married. Allan is leaving to work for Winton."
"James Winton? From Wisconsin?"
She nodded. "I'm pretty sure he thinks a challenge for
the Presidency is part of his long term plans. I think
they're bringing in Allan to prime him."
"And what does this have to do with the envelope?"
"Josh! Didn't you hear a word I said? Allan and Amanda
are engaged and are moving to Wisconsin. I am from
Wisconsin. Amanda wanted to know a little about what
it is like to live there. She's anxious about leaving
DC since this is as far north as she's ever gotten.
She asked me to lunch to talk about my home state. I
gave her a list of real estate agents and other things
'you'd wanna know if you were to live in Wisconsin'."
Josh slowly processed the information Donna was
providing him. He could see that happening. A "hey I'm
moving to Wisconsin, what's it like there" kind of
conversation over lunch. It was perfectly
understandable. Unless it was all a cover story. In
fact it would be the perfect cover story. "Why were
there so many calls from Blake's office to your line?"
"We were trying to set up the lunch. You were working
me hard on the ethanol thing, I had to cancel a few
times. She had to cancel a few times. Honest, Josh
that's all it was. It was perfectly innocent."
"Okay. But there is a little matter of a large sum of
money being deposited to your bank account."
"What? How did you find out about that."
"It doesn't matter. Is it true?"
"Yes, it's true."
"Well?"
"Well what, Josh?"
"Tell me about the money."
"Do you really think that if I was smart enough to
arrange to sell Bartlett secrets to the Republicans,
to put my job and everything else on the line, that
after the payoff I would simply stash the payoff money
into my regular savings account for everyone to see?
That money is Simone's."
"Simone?"
"Yeah, Josh. Simone. Simone, my flatmate, Simone? It's
her settlement."
"For what?"
"Her butthead boyfriend, well not exactly her
boyfriend and his friend got into a fight on New
Year's Eve. During the fight her boyfriend's friend
threw a punch at Simone's boyfirend but instead of
hitting him made contact with Simone and broke her
nose. Not only did she charge him with assault, but
she sued for damages."
"Oh yes well I can see how that fully explains why all
that money wound up in your account."
"Simone and her boyfriend broke up just before
settlement. The jerk was pissed off that she had sued
his buddy. She was awarded damages but couldn't put it
into her bank account because it was a joint account
with her boyfriend. She didn't want him getting his
paws on it. She wanted to bank it right away so I
offered for her to put it into my account. She had
decided to go back home by this stage, but she was
breaking a lease we had together so she offered me
five months rent which would take her to the end of
her lease so I wouldn't be out of pocket as well as
some other money I leant her while she was in hospital
having her nose put back into place. I just take te
money out of my account and I've arranged to transfer
the rest when she settles in back home. It's all very
simple, Josh."
"I can assure you, Donna. Nothing is very simple when
it comes to you," he sighed.
"Well that explains the secret luncheon meeting, the
ominous envelope, the suspicious phonecalls, the money
and the folder. Was that all, Josh? Or are there
doctored photos of me giving Blake a lapdance at the
Republican Convention?"
"I'm afraid that mightn't be enough to get you off the
hook."
"What? I just explained everything to you, Josh! What
more do they have?"
"It's not what they have. It's what they haven't."
"What are you talking about."
"They don't have anyone else."
"So they'd just assume it was still me because it is
convenient? Josh, I didn't leak, sell, whatever...
Blake's office did not get that information from me."
"I believe you," he said.
"You do?"
"Of course."
"But you weren't sure though, right?" she eyed him
warily.
"Well yes, I mean, no. I was sure. I was certain when
I first heard anything about this that it wasn't you.
But, I gotta tell you, Donna. As certain as I was of
your loyalty and dedication to us, I was a little
concerned when I saw that folder and heard that you
hadn't had a flatmate in some while."
"Yeah well, all that's about to change as I have to
find someone else in the next month or I'll be out on
the street," she pouted.
"Look I don't want you to worry. We'll find out who it
was or still is.But until then, I believe you, I trust
you, but no more bringing files or folders home from
work. Okay?" He grnned reassuringly at her.
"Okay," she smiled softly, concern still edging her
eyes.
"Now as bad as all of this looked for you it is not
nearly as bad as the Deputy Chief of Staff standing
near naked before his assistant in her apartment. I'm
going to go and get some clothes on. Are you okay?" he
asked as he was turning back towards her bedroom.
"Yeah. I'm okay."
"Good. I'm sorry, Donna, about having to ask, about
all of this."
She stood looking at him, not offering anything in
reply until he had completely turned around and was
half way into her bedroom. "I'm sorry too, for
thinking you were hitting on me."
He stopped dead in his tracks. He had forgotten about
that little misunderstanding from earlier. He could
hear just how sad and lost she felt, this whole
business was one ugly mess, and he wished things were
different - he wished a lot of things were different.
"If it was really another place and another time, you
would definitely say'yes'?" he asked, thinking about
the possibilities that she had opened.
"Definitely, Josh, definitely." she said softly, which
surprised him. He had thought she would have joked
with him or taken her words back, but when he spun
back to face her, her face was full of determination
and honesty.
The End
Rhasa4@yahoo.com
Author: Rhasa
Rating: PG-13
Category: J/D light drama.
Disclaimer: Not mine. Aaron Sorkin's
Summary: Josh can't put it off any longer.
"Josh?" Donna sounded mildly surprised when she opened
her door and found her boss on her doorstep at eleven
thirty at night.
"Hey Donna."
"Hey. What brings you here?"
"Oh nothing. Can I come in?"
She eyed him suspiciously for a moment or two with her
head on the side. "You're not drunk are you?"
"No. No. I'm sober as a judge, well only if you don't
count McKinnely in that little analogy," he smiled
softly.
Hearing the sound of the kettle boiling Donna turned
back inside and heads towards the kitchen as Josh
entered her apartment and began to take off his coat.
"Is you flatmate around?" he asked.
"I'm between flatmates right now."
"Since when?" he sounded surprised.
"Since about four months ago. I'm making tea, can I
get you something?" She called as he turned and walked
toward the sound of her voice
"Whatever you're having will be fine," he answered as
he appeared in the doorway of the kitchen and watched
her. She moved about the kitchen quickly not pausing
to look at him, which disturbed him. It felt almost as
if she was hiding something. "I guess it's hard," he
said.
"Hard?"
"Having no flatmate."
"I get by," she shrugged.
He wanted to clarify what he just said. He wanted to
ask her how she manages to pay rent when she doesn't
have a flatmate to share expenses. He wanted her to
assure him that there is some other way she has found
to make ends meet other than selling Barlett
Administration secrets. He wanted to come straight out
and ask her, but he can't - not yet.
A sick feeling began to settle in his stomach. He
turned away from the kitchen and moved throughout her
living room, looking at the assorted contents as if
they held the secrets of the universe. Her bookcase
caught his eye and he moved over to it, running a hand
across the spines of the assorted mish mash of titles.
There are a few of the classics, Moby Dick, Catcher in
the Rye, Lord of the Flies, The complete works of Mark
Twain, Jane Austen, Shakespeare's MacBeth, as well as
more contemporary works, all of Chuck Palahniuk's
novels, some Tom Clancy's, a few on virology including
The Coming Plague, Hot Zone, and Demon in the Freezer
all mixed in with other assorted scifi works that
include favourites from Douglas Adams, Tolkien's Lord
of the Rings, Robert Jordan and Harry Turtledove. Josh
grinned at the strangeness of her collection until his
eyes fell on to a series of leather bound books that
smelled as if they were brand new. Picking up one of
the many volumes he notices that it has gold stamping
on the cover, "Anne of Green Gables by
L.M.Montgomery." He opened it and was reading when
Donna entered carrying two mugs in her hands.
"I didn't know you were an 'Anne-girl', fan, Josh."
"I'm... I'm not," he stammered while hastily replacing
the book. "I was just looking at these. They seem so
out of place next to the others. Are they new?"
"Yes. They're very expensive leather bound," she said
matter-of-factly as she stepped closer and handed him
his mug. "But they're worth it."
"It's a story about an orphan, isn't it?" he asked
awkwardly at the feeling in his stomach grew.
"Yes. Anne Shirley. She survives the death of her
parents and a terrible upbringng of foster family
after foster family to find a true home with a
bachelor and spinster brother and sister and true love
with her childhood chum, Gilbert Blythe. It's a
classic."
"I haven't read it."
"I doubt that many men would have. It's a really girly
story, but beautiful and sweet in it's eternal
optimism and innocence. Anne is quite the romantic."
Josh wonders if Donna realises that she had just
described exactly how he saw her, optimistic, innocent
and above all a romantic. His stomach churns again and
for the first time he can name the feelings as guilt
and fear.
"I don't think you came here to ask about my personal
library, Josh."
"No."
"So what's up?"
"What do you mean what's up? Couldn't I have just come
over for no particular reason?"
"Well, yeah you could have but seeing you never have
before then forgive me for suspecting that that isn't
why you're here."
"You're right. That's not while I'm here."
"Okay, sit down and spill."
"Do you remember three days ago when we talked about
Sam... Samantha and the kiss in the photocopier room-"
"Who did you tell?" she butted in.
"Excuse me?"
"Well I knew after the fact that you wouldn't be able
to resist telling someone about what I told you."
"I-"
"I mean you are a man afterall and men kind of get off
on a thing like that."
"Donna I-"
"It's all right, Josh I forgive you. It was Sam... as
in Sam Seabourne, wasn't it? I can just imagine you
telling Sam. He would have sat there with his jaw wide
open after it would have hit the floor. I bet he said
something like "I wish I was a fly on the wall that
day." This from a man who 'accidentally' slept with a
*prostitute*!"
"Donna, I didn't tell Sam... Sam Seabourne."
"Oh God not Toby-"
"No, Donna-"
"CJ?"
"Donna, stop. I didn't tell anyone. No one. I told no
one. Just like I said, I was totally sensitive and
professional about it."
"Oh, okay."
"But before we had that particular discussion, I said
there was something else I wanted to discuss with you,
do you remember that?"
"Yes I remember."
"I said that it was something sensitive."
"I think you said personal."
"What?"
"I think you said you had something personal to
discuss with me."
"Well it is, I guess but it is also sensitive."
"Okay."
"Um...Ummm."
"Josh?"
"What?"
"Whatever it is, I can handle it."
"I'm not so sure."
"Look I was surprised when Toby told me about the
President and the MS. But I didn't flinch, Josh."
He looked at her with sad eyes.
"I didn't flinch, Josh," she said again.
He nodded, glad for her eternal optimism and
confidence. He didn't know why, but his palms were
sweating and as he made an attempt to take a sip of
tea, the mug slipped and sloshed liquid down the front
of his shirt. Jumping up quickly he managed to spill
half of the remaining liquid on his pants.
"Josh! When I said sit down and spill, I didn't mean
literally." Donna cried as she tore into the kitchen
to get a cloth. "Did you scald yourself?"
"No. I don't think so."
She tried as best she could to clean up the mess, but
gave up after a few moments.
"You're going to have to take those off."
"What?"
"They're soaked, Josh. You're going to have to take
those things off."
"Why does this conversation suddenly remind me of the
start of a bad porno flick?"
"Is there any other kind?" she asked. "I mean it, take
them off and I'll sponge them."
"I'm not taking them off here, Donna."
"I'm not suggesting that you do." She disappeared into
her bedroom and retunred almost immediately with a
pair of sweats that looked alarmingly familiar.
"Here. You can change into these. Use my bedroom."
"These are mine."
"Yes."
"But you have them."
"I wore them when I was at your place, you know, after
Rosslyn. I took them home and washed them and
forgotten to return them."
"Oh, okay," he said satisfied with her reply. "I'll
just go and...." he trailed off as he headed to her
room.
After closing her bedroom door, Josh sighed heavily.
He had been trying to have this conversation with her
for days, but something always seemed to get in the
way. He loosened and removed his tie, then unbuttoned
his shirt, toed off his shoes and took off his pants.
Turning to toss them tmporarily on Donna's bed, he
noticed a red file on her nightstand, one that seemed
oddly familiar. Picking it up he gasped as he realised
that it was indeed the file that contained the
information that Bruno had accused Donna of leaking to
Blake's office. He thought that Leo had that
information now. A million thoughts began to run
through Josh's mind. He had been certain that what
Bruno had told him were all lies, but now he was
beginning to doubt the confidence he had in his
assistant. What if everything Bruno had said had been
true? Josh knew Donna couldn't afford the rent on her
apartment on her own and yet she admitted that she
hadn't had a flatmate for four months. Then there was
the little matter of all the new purchases she had
made recently that she definitely couldn't afford.
What the hell was going on?
Josh felt something boil inside of him. He had given
her the benefit of the doubt for the last couple of
days, but now... well he couldn't take it anymore.
Without really thinking Josh flung open the door. He
was a little surprised to come face to face with
Donna.
"Look, Donna. I gotta ask you... well... it's been
days... I've been trying to ask you for days... and
well...damn," he cursed himself for not being able to
get the words out. He had wanted to do this so
differently. "Donna-"
"Josh, I'm flattered, really," she began her eyes
flicking between him and the floor. "But we shouldn't
be talking about this." If he didn't kow better he
would have sworn that she was blushing.
"What?" asked Josh, totally confused.
"I mean if it was another place and another time then
I'd definitely jump at the chance to go out with you.
You're smart and funny and sweet and clever and you
have a confidence about you that is at times
infectious. But we can't. You're my boss and I'm your
assistant, it just isn't right at the moment, no
matter what we feel."
Josh stood dumbstruck. He was trying to get his head
around what it was she had just said to him. He stood
with wide eyes before her, with his mouth hanging open
slightly and literally shook his head. "What?'" he
asked her again.
"As I said another place another time, different
circumstances, then yes. Definately yes. But now isn't
a good time. I'm sorry, Josh."
"WHAT? You think... I'm hitting on you?" He asked his
voice an octave higher than usual.
"I'll admit, the boxers are a nice touch," she said
cheekily looking down.
Josh followed her gaze. Of course. He was indeed
standing there in his boxers, shirt and socks, totally
oblivious to his state of dress or undress as the case
was. He closed his eyes in a moment of embarrassment.
What was it with this woman and the craziness that
seemed to surround her.
"Donna, I'm not hitting on you. I have to talk to you
about something serious. I found this in your
bedroom," he said as he stepped closer and handed her
the red folder.
Donna took the folder from his hand. Josh was watching
her reaction carefully. She sighed and her shoulders
visibly dropped. She pursed her lips and shook her
head slightly, all of her jestures making Josh sick in
the stomach again.
"I know this looks bad, Josh," she said looking up at
him, but he couldn't hold her gaze and it was his turn
to drop his eyes to the fall. "But, I think if we
rework the ethanol bill then we could strike a
compromise with the environmentalists and the oil
companies. I know we can do it, we just gotta give it
a little more time."
What was she talking about? "Donna, these are all the
notes from last Monday. Everything that went on in
that meeting. All platform drafts. All of my policy
notes."
"I know. I was the one who typed them."
"The file is supposed to be kept at the White House."
"It is."
"Then what the hell is this?" he asked louder than he
had expected.
"It's my file."
"Your file?"
"Yes."
"Okay, I'm going to take this real slow and ignore the
fact that I am standing here having this discussion
without any pants. Donna," he began with a well
restrained polite somewhat patronising voice."Why do
you have your own file?"
"Josh," her voice mimicked his own. "I always have my
own file."
"Would you expand on that please?"
"Josh, look I always have a copy of what we're working
on. It helps when you ring me at all hours of the
night asking for particular pieces of information or
wanting me to remember whatever insane addendums that
have suddenly come to you in your sleep. I reread
everything and even make a few notes myself, see?" She
points to some scrawl in the margin.
Josh wanted to believe her. He could see some degree
of sense in what she was telling him. It could all be
very innocent, hell it probably was, but then there
was the other evidence to consider.
"Donna, someone leaked the information in this folder
to Blake's office," he said bluntly, not at all proud
of himself that he had finally achieved what he had
been dreading for the past few days.
"What?" she asked her eyes going wide.
"Blake has this information."
"How?" she asked, staring at him. "What, they think I
leaked this?"
"Yeah. They do."
"Who? Who suspects me of doing something like that?"
"It doesn't matter."
"Who, Josh. I want names," she said through gritted
teeth, her shock suddenly giving way to increasing
anger.
"Donna, I am not going to tell you the names. For
crying out loud. This is serious."
"I know."
"No you don't know," he yelled. "There are other
concerns."
"Like what?"
"There are concerns that this information wasn't just
leaked, it was sold."
"Sold? SOLD?"
"Yeah."
"They think I SOLD THIS INFORMATION?"
"Donna, listen to me. Calm down. I have to ask you
some questions."
"Are you going to interrogate me?"
"No, I am going to ask you some questions."
"Did they send you here to break me, Josh? Did they
think I would crack under the Lyman pressure?"
"Okay, now you're just freaking me out. This is
serious, Donna. If you were thinking logically right
now you would understand the need for questions. So I
am going to ask you some things and we can clear all
this up, okay?"
"Okay," she nodded.
"What is your relationship with Amanda Davis? How well
do you know her?"
"Amanda Davis? Blake's secretary? We don't know one
another that well."
"Donna, you were seen having lunch with Amanda and
handing her an envelope."
"What, are you Perry Mason now?"
"Donna!"
"What, yes." she yelled at him, furious that she had
to defend herself in this way. "Yes, I had lunch with
Amanda Davis exactly one time. One time, Josh. Lunch.
A perfectly innocent lunch. I had tuna fish sandwich
and a diet coke and she had something on a bagel and a
coffee."
"Donna," he sighed warningly. "What about the
envelope? Someone saw you passing an envelope to her."
"Oh for crying out loud, Josh. Amanda is engaged to
Allan Davenport."
"He works on the hill," Josh added suddenly
remembering who Allan Davenport is.
"Yeah."
"And so?" he prompted. "Donna?"
"Well, as I said they're engaged. They are going to be
married. Allan is leaving to work for Winton."
"James Winton? From Wisconsin?"
She nodded. "I'm pretty sure he thinks a challenge for
the Presidency is part of his long term plans. I think
they're bringing in Allan to prime him."
"And what does this have to do with the envelope?"
"Josh! Didn't you hear a word I said? Allan and Amanda
are engaged and are moving to Wisconsin. I am from
Wisconsin. Amanda wanted to know a little about what
it is like to live there. She's anxious about leaving
DC since this is as far north as she's ever gotten.
She asked me to lunch to talk about my home state. I
gave her a list of real estate agents and other things
'you'd wanna know if you were to live in Wisconsin'."
Josh slowly processed the information Donna was
providing him. He could see that happening. A "hey I'm
moving to Wisconsin, what's it like there" kind of
conversation over lunch. It was perfectly
understandable. Unless it was all a cover story. In
fact it would be the perfect cover story. "Why were
there so many calls from Blake's office to your line?"
"We were trying to set up the lunch. You were working
me hard on the ethanol thing, I had to cancel a few
times. She had to cancel a few times. Honest, Josh
that's all it was. It was perfectly innocent."
"Okay. But there is a little matter of a large sum of
money being deposited to your bank account."
"What? How did you find out about that."
"It doesn't matter. Is it true?"
"Yes, it's true."
"Well?"
"Well what, Josh?"
"Tell me about the money."
"Do you really think that if I was smart enough to
arrange to sell Bartlett secrets to the Republicans,
to put my job and everything else on the line, that
after the payoff I would simply stash the payoff money
into my regular savings account for everyone to see?
That money is Simone's."
"Simone?"
"Yeah, Josh. Simone. Simone, my flatmate, Simone? It's
her settlement."
"For what?"
"Her butthead boyfriend, well not exactly her
boyfriend and his friend got into a fight on New
Year's Eve. During the fight her boyfriend's friend
threw a punch at Simone's boyfirend but instead of
hitting him made contact with Simone and broke her
nose. Not only did she charge him with assault, but
she sued for damages."
"Oh yes well I can see how that fully explains why all
that money wound up in your account."
"Simone and her boyfriend broke up just before
settlement. The jerk was pissed off that she had sued
his buddy. She was awarded damages but couldn't put it
into her bank account because it was a joint account
with her boyfriend. She didn't want him getting his
paws on it. She wanted to bank it right away so I
offered for her to put it into my account. She had
decided to go back home by this stage, but she was
breaking a lease we had together so she offered me
five months rent which would take her to the end of
her lease so I wouldn't be out of pocket as well as
some other money I leant her while she was in hospital
having her nose put back into place. I just take te
money out of my account and I've arranged to transfer
the rest when she settles in back home. It's all very
simple, Josh."
"I can assure you, Donna. Nothing is very simple when
it comes to you," he sighed.
"Well that explains the secret luncheon meeting, the
ominous envelope, the suspicious phonecalls, the money
and the folder. Was that all, Josh? Or are there
doctored photos of me giving Blake a lapdance at the
Republican Convention?"
"I'm afraid that mightn't be enough to get you off the
hook."
"What? I just explained everything to you, Josh! What
more do they have?"
"It's not what they have. It's what they haven't."
"What are you talking about."
"They don't have anyone else."
"So they'd just assume it was still me because it is
convenient? Josh, I didn't leak, sell, whatever...
Blake's office did not get that information from me."
"I believe you," he said.
"You do?"
"Of course."
"But you weren't sure though, right?" she eyed him
warily.
"Well yes, I mean, no. I was sure. I was certain when
I first heard anything about this that it wasn't you.
But, I gotta tell you, Donna. As certain as I was of
your loyalty and dedication to us, I was a little
concerned when I saw that folder and heard that you
hadn't had a flatmate in some while."
"Yeah well, all that's about to change as I have to
find someone else in the next month or I'll be out on
the street," she pouted.
"Look I don't want you to worry. We'll find out who it
was or still is.But until then, I believe you, I trust
you, but no more bringing files or folders home from
work. Okay?" He grnned reassuringly at her.
"Okay," she smiled softly, concern still edging her
eyes.
"Now as bad as all of this looked for you it is not
nearly as bad as the Deputy Chief of Staff standing
near naked before his assistant in her apartment. I'm
going to go and get some clothes on. Are you okay?" he
asked as he was turning back towards her bedroom.
"Yeah. I'm okay."
"Good. I'm sorry, Donna, about having to ask, about
all of this."
She stood looking at him, not offering anything in
reply until he had completely turned around and was
half way into her bedroom. "I'm sorry too, for
thinking you were hitting on me."
He stopped dead in his tracks. He had forgotten about
that little misunderstanding from earlier. He could
hear just how sad and lost she felt, this whole
business was one ugly mess, and he wished things were
different - he wished a lot of things were different.
"If it was really another place and another time, you
would definitely say'yes'?" he asked, thinking about
the possibilities that she had opened.
"Definitely, Josh, definitely." she said softly, which
surprised him. He had thought she would have joked
with him or taken her words back, but when he spun
back to face her, her face was full of determination
and honesty.
The End
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