"Ginger, thanks for covering for me." Donna said as she came back to her
desk. Ginger was sat with her back to her. "Ginger?" Donna repeated. She
spun her chair round. "Oh my god what happened?" She said as she saw the
tears falling down her friends face. "Shush, it's okay." Donna said taking
her in her arms as Ginger sobbed. "What happened?"
"Josh." Was all she could manage.
"Come with me." Donna escorted her across the bull pen to outer CJ's office. "Carol is she in?"
"Yes. Is everything okay Ginger?"
"Josh did something." Donna said before tapping on CJ's door and opening it.
"Hi Donna, Ginger." CJ said looking up from what she was reading. "Oh my god what happened?"
"Josh, did something while I was out. Ginger was covering for me."
"I kill him." CJ said as she sat Ginger down on her couch. "I will literally kill him."
"Don't worry I've got it covered. Can Ginger stay here?" Donna asked.
"Of course. Carol call Margaret and get her to bring over the ice-cream and Kathy and Bonnie I think they has a stash of chocolate in their desks."
"Right away." Carol said picking up the phone.
"What are you going to do?" CJ asked.
"I think its time I had a little chat with the Communications Director don't you?" Donna said before heading across the building to the Communication's bull pen. She passed Bonnie and Kathy who each has their hands full of chocolate.
"Kathy do you have." Sam stopped as he saw the bull pen was deserted, he then saw Donna storm in. "Hey Donna do you know where everyone is?"
"Yes. Is he in?" She asked pointing at Toby's door.
"Yeah, he's working on the speech he doesn't want to be disturbed." Sam said.
"Well he'll just have to put up with it. I need you too." Donna flung open the door.
"Bonnie, I told you." Toby stopped and looked up at Donna. "You're back can we get Ginger back now."
"No, not for a while and Kathy, Bonnie, Margaret, CJ and Carol will be unable as well."
"What the hell? Is this some kind of walk out." Toby snapped.
"No they're looking after Ginger."
"Why what happened?" Sam asked.
"I got back and she was in floods of tears."
"What happened?" Toby asked standing.
"She was too upset to say anything other than it had something to Josh. I just thought you should know."
"I'll take care of this. Sam you're with me." Toby said marching out of his office.
"Have you seen Margaret she's vanished?" Leo asked.
"She's unavailable at this time." Toby growelled.
"Excuse me?"
"She and the rest of the women of the West Wing are in CJ's office comforting Ginger." Sam supplied.
"What happened?" Leo demanded.
"Josh, he did something or said something while she was covering for me while I was at the dentist."
"Why did we ever hire him? Toby don't go over there it's to close to the press, Donna tell him I want to see him in my office immediately, I don't care what he's doing, then go and see what you can find out from Ginger then take her home, she can take the rest of the day off. Sam call Anisley in case we need a legal view point on this. Toby you're with me."
"Leo, there were a couple of the press corps hanging around when I walk her to CJ's office." Donna supplied.
"That's all we need. Go get Josh now."
"Yes Leo." Donnas said before heading back to Josh's office.
Donna entered without knocking.
"Thank God your back and Ginger can go back to Toby, I need the report on the thing."
"Sorry it'll have to wait Leo needs you in his office now." She snapped.
"Did I do something to upset you?"
"Leo's office now and I won't be here when you get back."
"Why where are you going you only just got back?"
"None of your business, Leo's office now other wise the Secret Service agents will be here to drag you. Goodbye Joshua." Donna marched across the hall to CJ's office.
"DONNA" He yelled after her.
"Josh, when I say now I mean now." Leo yelled.
"Coming." He said trailing after him. "What's going on?"
"We could ask you the same thing?" He said closing the door. "Toby?"
"What did you do to her?" Toby snapped.
"Donna? I know she pissed about something, but honestly I don't know why."
"Not Donna, although we know why she's pissed. Ginger."
"I didn't do anything to Ginger." Josh protested.
"That's why she is in CJ's office crying is it?" Leo asked.
"What? Really?"
"What did you say to her Josh?" Toby bellowed. There was a knock on the door.
"What?" Leo yelled.
"Sorry, you wanted to see me?" Anisley said tentatively as she entered.
"Yes, come in and take a seat, Sam you too."
"If you don't mind me asking what's happened?" Anisley asked.
"Didn't Sam fill you in on what we know so far?" Leo asked.
"No. He just said you need to see me in your office in case of a legal issue."
"Josh has done something to make Ginger cry in the hour Donna was a dentist appointment." Leo informed her.
"That's where she was. She didn't tell me she had a dentist appointment." Josh stated.
"Actually she did." Sam said. "Twice last week. Twice on Monday, three times yesterday and this morning before staff and just before you left for the hill."
"How am I supposed to remember that?" Josh asked.
"Josh, if you can't remember her telling you something that many times, it makes me seriously question how the hell you manage to help run the country."
"We're getting off the issue. Josh what did you do to Ginger?" Toby demanded. Not that he'd admit it but he was protective of his assistants.
~ ~ ~
"Ginger, look at me." CJ said. "I need you to calm down enough to tell us what Josh said to you." Ginger swiped at her eyes.
"He got back from the Hill about ten minutes after Donna left. He walked into his office and slammed the door. So I just left him to it and took a few messages from people wanting appointments to see him and told them I'd have Donna get back to them about the best times since she knows Josh's schedule better than anyone." She stopped.
"Go on." Margaret encouraged.
"About fifteen minutes later, he flung the door and started yell for about needing the 'report for the thing' and then he went back into his office. I didn't know what the 'report for the thing' meant so I went in to ask him what he meant." She hesitated. "He started yelling about what I had done with his assistant. So I explained that Donna had to go out for an hour and I was covering for her until she got back. I asked him what report he was looking for and I told him I'd try and find it." She paused again. "I spent the next fifteen minutes looking for it everywhere I went through the filing cabinets and Donna's desk but I couldn't find it."
"It's on his desk where most of the reports he's looking for usually are." Donna supplied.
"You know what the 'report for the thing' is?" Bonnie asked.
"Research report for the Education Bill. Josh has been working on it on and off for weeks. So I put it on his desk every morning for when he has a free ten minutes." Donna informed them.
"Go on." CJ encouraged Ginger.
"I went and told him I couldn't find, and asked him if it could wait until Donna got back. He started yelling at me and saying that I must be an incompetent assistant and then he started mumbling about how it was a wonder that the communication office was still running with such useless staff. He said other things but that was the gist of it. I left when I started crying and that's when Donna found me."
"Come on I'll take you home, Leo gave you the rest of the day off." Donna said.
"Leo knows about this?" Ginger mumbled.
"He was looking for Margaret after I told Toby and Sam what had happened. They're all in Leo's office with Anisley."
"Does Leo." Margaret started.
"He knows where you are. Come Ginger, Bonnie can you grab her bag for me?"
"Of course."
"Did you say they were in Leo's office?" CJ asked.
"Yes." Donna replied.
"Excuse me, I need to say something to that idiot boss of yours." CJ left her office.
"CJ," Danny said.
"I don't have time Danny, I need to see Leo."
"So you don't want to comment on why all the senior assistants are hauled up in your office, where Ginger was seen entering crying and all the rest of the senior staff are in Leo's office with one of the associate White House counsels?"
"No comment. The brief will be pushed back an thirty minutes. So go back to the press room I have to see Leo."
"But you'll have a comment later?" Danny asked.
"Danny leave or I'll have someone remove you and get your credentials suspended for a week."
"Fine. But I'd like an answer."
"Later Danny." CJ strode across the west wing and knocked on Leo's office door and entered without waiting for permission.
"How's Ginger?" Toby asked.
"Donna's taking her home. You're an idiot." She said clouting Josh around the back of the head.
"Ow." Josh said as he instantly ran his hand over the back of his head.
"How the hell could you call her incompetent for not being able to find a file that is sitting on you're desk already?"
"He called Ginger incompetent?" Toby questioned. "Josh, Ginger is good at her job, even if she does question whether the constitution is still in print. If she can't find something it's usually because it isn't there."
"Anisley?" Leo said.
"Sounds like she could have a cause of action. But Ginger probably wouldn't sue if Josh apologised, and by that I don't mean have Donna send her flowers, I mean a proper apology."
"Toby?" Leo said.
"Sam can probably talk her out of it, if we promise she never has to work for Josh again."
"We have another problem." CJ stated. "Danny knows something is up."
"Great just what we need. Josh why can't you keep your mouth shut." Leo said.
"I have an idea but I'd need to run it by you and the President first." CJ suggested.
"Margaret!!" Leo yelled.
"Yes Leo." Margaret said stepping into the office.
"See if the President has a minute to see me and CJ."
"He has five minutes in about five minutes." Margaret said after a minute.
"Right, Josh I want you to go back to your office and work on an apology for Ginger, Ainsley go with him. Sam, Toby get back to your speech."
"CJ what's this plan?" Sam asked.
"You'll have to wait. Tell Carol to set the briefing back thirty minutes."
TBC
"Josh." Was all she could manage.
"Come with me." Donna escorted her across the bull pen to outer CJ's office. "Carol is she in?"
"Yes. Is everything okay Ginger?"
"Josh did something." Donna said before tapping on CJ's door and opening it.
"Hi Donna, Ginger." CJ said looking up from what she was reading. "Oh my god what happened?"
"Josh, did something while I was out. Ginger was covering for me."
"I kill him." CJ said as she sat Ginger down on her couch. "I will literally kill him."
"Don't worry I've got it covered. Can Ginger stay here?" Donna asked.
"Of course. Carol call Margaret and get her to bring over the ice-cream and Kathy and Bonnie I think they has a stash of chocolate in their desks."
"Right away." Carol said picking up the phone.
"What are you going to do?" CJ asked.
"I think its time I had a little chat with the Communications Director don't you?" Donna said before heading across the building to the Communication's bull pen. She passed Bonnie and Kathy who each has their hands full of chocolate.
"Kathy do you have." Sam stopped as he saw the bull pen was deserted, he then saw Donna storm in. "Hey Donna do you know where everyone is?"
"Yes. Is he in?" She asked pointing at Toby's door.
"Yeah, he's working on the speech he doesn't want to be disturbed." Sam said.
"Well he'll just have to put up with it. I need you too." Donna flung open the door.
"Bonnie, I told you." Toby stopped and looked up at Donna. "You're back can we get Ginger back now."
"No, not for a while and Kathy, Bonnie, Margaret, CJ and Carol will be unable as well."
"What the hell? Is this some kind of walk out." Toby snapped.
"No they're looking after Ginger."
"Why what happened?" Sam asked.
"I got back and she was in floods of tears."
"What happened?" Toby asked standing.
"She was too upset to say anything other than it had something to Josh. I just thought you should know."
"I'll take care of this. Sam you're with me." Toby said marching out of his office.
"Have you seen Margaret she's vanished?" Leo asked.
"She's unavailable at this time." Toby growelled.
"Excuse me?"
"She and the rest of the women of the West Wing are in CJ's office comforting Ginger." Sam supplied.
"What happened?" Leo demanded.
"Josh, he did something or said something while she was covering for me while I was at the dentist."
"Why did we ever hire him? Toby don't go over there it's to close to the press, Donna tell him I want to see him in my office immediately, I don't care what he's doing, then go and see what you can find out from Ginger then take her home, she can take the rest of the day off. Sam call Anisley in case we need a legal view point on this. Toby you're with me."
"Leo, there were a couple of the press corps hanging around when I walk her to CJ's office." Donna supplied.
"That's all we need. Go get Josh now."
"Yes Leo." Donnas said before heading back to Josh's office.
Donna entered without knocking.
"Thank God your back and Ginger can go back to Toby, I need the report on the thing."
"Sorry it'll have to wait Leo needs you in his office now." She snapped.
"Did I do something to upset you?"
"Leo's office now and I won't be here when you get back."
"Why where are you going you only just got back?"
"None of your business, Leo's office now other wise the Secret Service agents will be here to drag you. Goodbye Joshua." Donna marched across the hall to CJ's office.
"DONNA" He yelled after her.
"Josh, when I say now I mean now." Leo yelled.
"Coming." He said trailing after him. "What's going on?"
"We could ask you the same thing?" He said closing the door. "Toby?"
"What did you do to her?" Toby snapped.
"Donna? I know she pissed about something, but honestly I don't know why."
"Not Donna, although we know why she's pissed. Ginger."
"I didn't do anything to Ginger." Josh protested.
"That's why she is in CJ's office crying is it?" Leo asked.
"What? Really?"
"What did you say to her Josh?" Toby bellowed. There was a knock on the door.
"What?" Leo yelled.
"Sorry, you wanted to see me?" Anisley said tentatively as she entered.
"Yes, come in and take a seat, Sam you too."
"If you don't mind me asking what's happened?" Anisley asked.
"Didn't Sam fill you in on what we know so far?" Leo asked.
"No. He just said you need to see me in your office in case of a legal issue."
"Josh has done something to make Ginger cry in the hour Donna was a dentist appointment." Leo informed her.
"That's where she was. She didn't tell me she had a dentist appointment." Josh stated.
"Actually she did." Sam said. "Twice last week. Twice on Monday, three times yesterday and this morning before staff and just before you left for the hill."
"How am I supposed to remember that?" Josh asked.
"Josh, if you can't remember her telling you something that many times, it makes me seriously question how the hell you manage to help run the country."
"We're getting off the issue. Josh what did you do to Ginger?" Toby demanded. Not that he'd admit it but he was protective of his assistants.
~ ~ ~
"Ginger, look at me." CJ said. "I need you to calm down enough to tell us what Josh said to you." Ginger swiped at her eyes.
"He got back from the Hill about ten minutes after Donna left. He walked into his office and slammed the door. So I just left him to it and took a few messages from people wanting appointments to see him and told them I'd have Donna get back to them about the best times since she knows Josh's schedule better than anyone." She stopped.
"Go on." Margaret encouraged.
"About fifteen minutes later, he flung the door and started yell for about needing the 'report for the thing' and then he went back into his office. I didn't know what the 'report for the thing' meant so I went in to ask him what he meant." She hesitated. "He started yelling about what I had done with his assistant. So I explained that Donna had to go out for an hour and I was covering for her until she got back. I asked him what report he was looking for and I told him I'd try and find it." She paused again. "I spent the next fifteen minutes looking for it everywhere I went through the filing cabinets and Donna's desk but I couldn't find it."
"It's on his desk where most of the reports he's looking for usually are." Donna supplied.
"You know what the 'report for the thing' is?" Bonnie asked.
"Research report for the Education Bill. Josh has been working on it on and off for weeks. So I put it on his desk every morning for when he has a free ten minutes." Donna informed them.
"Go on." CJ encouraged Ginger.
"I went and told him I couldn't find, and asked him if it could wait until Donna got back. He started yelling at me and saying that I must be an incompetent assistant and then he started mumbling about how it was a wonder that the communication office was still running with such useless staff. He said other things but that was the gist of it. I left when I started crying and that's when Donna found me."
"Come on I'll take you home, Leo gave you the rest of the day off." Donna said.
"Leo knows about this?" Ginger mumbled.
"He was looking for Margaret after I told Toby and Sam what had happened. They're all in Leo's office with Anisley."
"Does Leo." Margaret started.
"He knows where you are. Come Ginger, Bonnie can you grab her bag for me?"
"Of course."
"Did you say they were in Leo's office?" CJ asked.
"Yes." Donna replied.
"Excuse me, I need to say something to that idiot boss of yours." CJ left her office.
"CJ," Danny said.
"I don't have time Danny, I need to see Leo."
"So you don't want to comment on why all the senior assistants are hauled up in your office, where Ginger was seen entering crying and all the rest of the senior staff are in Leo's office with one of the associate White House counsels?"
"No comment. The brief will be pushed back an thirty minutes. So go back to the press room I have to see Leo."
"But you'll have a comment later?" Danny asked.
"Danny leave or I'll have someone remove you and get your credentials suspended for a week."
"Fine. But I'd like an answer."
"Later Danny." CJ strode across the west wing and knocked on Leo's office door and entered without waiting for permission.
"How's Ginger?" Toby asked.
"Donna's taking her home. You're an idiot." She said clouting Josh around the back of the head.
"Ow." Josh said as he instantly ran his hand over the back of his head.
"How the hell could you call her incompetent for not being able to find a file that is sitting on you're desk already?"
"He called Ginger incompetent?" Toby questioned. "Josh, Ginger is good at her job, even if she does question whether the constitution is still in print. If she can't find something it's usually because it isn't there."
"Anisley?" Leo said.
"Sounds like she could have a cause of action. But Ginger probably wouldn't sue if Josh apologised, and by that I don't mean have Donna send her flowers, I mean a proper apology."
"Toby?" Leo said.
"Sam can probably talk her out of it, if we promise she never has to work for Josh again."
"We have another problem." CJ stated. "Danny knows something is up."
"Great just what we need. Josh why can't you keep your mouth shut." Leo said.
"I have an idea but I'd need to run it by you and the President first." CJ suggested.
"Margaret!!" Leo yelled.
"Yes Leo." Margaret said stepping into the office.
"See if the President has a minute to see me and CJ."
"He has five minutes in about five minutes." Margaret said after a minute.
"Right, Josh I want you to go back to your office and work on an apology for Ginger, Ainsley go with him. Sam, Toby get back to your speech."
"CJ what's this plan?" Sam asked.
"You'll have to wait. Tell Carol to set the briefing back thirty minutes."
TBC
