Disclaimer: Yeah, I so don't own them. I'm like the babysitter: I just come
over and play with the kids while Aaron and Tommy have a romantic dinner
and catch a movie.
A/N: In case you get confused (like myself) the lovely little asterisks **** signify a change in POV.
Well, lets hope that this time my intricately engineered plan goes the way I want it to. Josh will try to make me fall in love with him, and of course I will, and the two of us be happy together for as long as we both shall live.
Skipping a few steps there, Donnatella?
Right, so I'm back where I was yesterday (was it only yesterday?); sitting at my desk, "working" while CJ talks to Josh. The stupid door is closed, and I'm not spying like I did before. That just causes too many problems. Ok, CJ's been in there for awhile. She should be coming out anytime now.
Just a few more minutes, and CJ'll be back with a full report.
Must be they had to discuss business.
When CJ finally decided to make an appearance, she didn't look so good. "Donna, let's go talk in my office." She said in a quiet voice. I follow her past Josh's office, and by force of habit (pure habit, I'm telling you) I look in. Josh has his head down on the desk, and if I didn't know any better, I'd say he was crying.
"Donna, I hope you realize what you're doing." CJ says, closing the door to her office.
"Don't worry CJ, everything is under control." Hah, good one Donna.
"I told him I wouldn't tell you..." CJ starts
"Tell me what?" This sounds much less than good.
"Well, when I told Josh that the note wasn't really about him he...well...broke down."
CJ, so help me, if you are trying to turn the tables on me again... "Broke down?"
"It broke his heart to hear you didn't love him. I told him he has to make you love him, but he just sort of whimpered and said 'What's the point?'"
The point? You want the point Joshua Lyman? If you loved me, you would pursue me, dammit! "Oh."
"So, I'm thinking we need a new plan." CJ says, looking as though she were trying to hide a smile. CJ, I will hunt you down if you do this again...
"Yeah, well, uh, I need to..." I gesture to the door.
"Oh sure. Just, you know, get back to me."
I should have known better. I should have known CJ was working against me. I should have deduced that there was more to this than meets the eye.
********
As soon as the door closes behind Donna, I pick up the phone. "Operation JDL is underway." I love code names.
"Josh has agreed to cooperate?" Mom asks. "I have set up temporary HQ in Princeton's office. Are you taking care of dinner, Flamingo or am I."
"Mother Goose, as much as I love you, the flamingo is a ridiculous looking bird."
"Well, you're not ridiculous looking." Mom tells me.
"I already told her that!" I hear Sam yell.
"Besides, I happen to think of the flamingo as a very unique and regal looking bird."
I love Donna's mom. Seriously, I'm thinking of joining her family. "Thank you Mother Goose. Yes, the Harvard Yankee Jackass has offered his support." Yeah, it's a mouthful, but it fits.
"Perhaps we can think of a shorter name for Josh." Mom suggests.
I pause for a minute. "No, I don't think so. Anyway, dinner is set for the two of them at...Carol! What's the name of that restaurant?"
"Small problem there CJ." Carol said as she came running into my office. "They're booked solid. But I have another idea." As Carol outlines her plan, everything seems to fall into place. "Carol, you are brilliant. Remind me to have a statue erected in your honor."
"Anytime, CJ." She grinned as she left my office.
"Ok, Mother Goose, there's a slight change in plans. This is what Carol came up with..."
**********
CJ has been in her office for far too long. I saw Carol come running in and out with various papers and phone messages, but no CJ. Thus, I am very suspicious. If CJ was really pulling for me, she would have come out by now. I know this.
"Donna!" CJ threw open her office door, and came running towards me. "I have a plan."
Maybe my suspicion was unnecessary. Simply a reflex. That's all. Yes, a reflex. "What's the plan CJ."
"First things first." She leans over so our eyes meet. "You have to trust me and do exactly what I say." I don't like the sound of that.
"Ok." I say, with a lack of conviction.
"Good. Now come with me, we have to get you ready for your date tonight."
Date? I have a Date? "What date?" I ask as CJ drags me away from my desk.
"You'll see. This is just the thing to get the two of you together at last."
I don't like the sound of that. In fact, I probably would have disliked it even more, had I seen Josh standing in his doorway, smirking.
A/N: In case you get confused (like myself) the lovely little asterisks **** signify a change in POV.
Well, lets hope that this time my intricately engineered plan goes the way I want it to. Josh will try to make me fall in love with him, and of course I will, and the two of us be happy together for as long as we both shall live.
Skipping a few steps there, Donnatella?
Right, so I'm back where I was yesterday (was it only yesterday?); sitting at my desk, "working" while CJ talks to Josh. The stupid door is closed, and I'm not spying like I did before. That just causes too many problems. Ok, CJ's been in there for awhile. She should be coming out anytime now.
Just a few more minutes, and CJ'll be back with a full report.
Must be they had to discuss business.
When CJ finally decided to make an appearance, she didn't look so good. "Donna, let's go talk in my office." She said in a quiet voice. I follow her past Josh's office, and by force of habit (pure habit, I'm telling you) I look in. Josh has his head down on the desk, and if I didn't know any better, I'd say he was crying.
"Donna, I hope you realize what you're doing." CJ says, closing the door to her office.
"Don't worry CJ, everything is under control." Hah, good one Donna.
"I told him I wouldn't tell you..." CJ starts
"Tell me what?" This sounds much less than good.
"Well, when I told Josh that the note wasn't really about him he...well...broke down."
CJ, so help me, if you are trying to turn the tables on me again... "Broke down?"
"It broke his heart to hear you didn't love him. I told him he has to make you love him, but he just sort of whimpered and said 'What's the point?'"
The point? You want the point Joshua Lyman? If you loved me, you would pursue me, dammit! "Oh."
"So, I'm thinking we need a new plan." CJ says, looking as though she were trying to hide a smile. CJ, I will hunt you down if you do this again...
"Yeah, well, uh, I need to..." I gesture to the door.
"Oh sure. Just, you know, get back to me."
I should have known better. I should have known CJ was working against me. I should have deduced that there was more to this than meets the eye.
********
As soon as the door closes behind Donna, I pick up the phone. "Operation JDL is underway." I love code names.
"Josh has agreed to cooperate?" Mom asks. "I have set up temporary HQ in Princeton's office. Are you taking care of dinner, Flamingo or am I."
"Mother Goose, as much as I love you, the flamingo is a ridiculous looking bird."
"Well, you're not ridiculous looking." Mom tells me.
"I already told her that!" I hear Sam yell.
"Besides, I happen to think of the flamingo as a very unique and regal looking bird."
I love Donna's mom. Seriously, I'm thinking of joining her family. "Thank you Mother Goose. Yes, the Harvard Yankee Jackass has offered his support." Yeah, it's a mouthful, but it fits.
"Perhaps we can think of a shorter name for Josh." Mom suggests.
I pause for a minute. "No, I don't think so. Anyway, dinner is set for the two of them at...Carol! What's the name of that restaurant?"
"Small problem there CJ." Carol said as she came running into my office. "They're booked solid. But I have another idea." As Carol outlines her plan, everything seems to fall into place. "Carol, you are brilliant. Remind me to have a statue erected in your honor."
"Anytime, CJ." She grinned as she left my office.
"Ok, Mother Goose, there's a slight change in plans. This is what Carol came up with..."
**********
CJ has been in her office for far too long. I saw Carol come running in and out with various papers and phone messages, but no CJ. Thus, I am very suspicious. If CJ was really pulling for me, she would have come out by now. I know this.
"Donna!" CJ threw open her office door, and came running towards me. "I have a plan."
Maybe my suspicion was unnecessary. Simply a reflex. That's all. Yes, a reflex. "What's the plan CJ."
"First things first." She leans over so our eyes meet. "You have to trust me and do exactly what I say." I don't like the sound of that.
"Ok." I say, with a lack of conviction.
"Good. Now come with me, we have to get you ready for your date tonight."
Date? I have a Date? "What date?" I ask as CJ drags me away from my desk.
"You'll see. This is just the thing to get the two of you together at last."
I don't like the sound of that. In fact, I probably would have disliked it even more, had I seen Josh standing in his doorway, smirking.