Donna arrived at work at her usual 5:45 time the next morning. She sorted through the overnight deliveries and faxes at Josh's desk while she booted up his computer so he could review his emails. Josh managed to get to work a little earlier than his usual 7:15 and stood in his office doorway for a moment to watch her work.
"Okay...so, about the ravishing you in my office part of the negotiations," he started in a husky murmur. "Can we do that first? Like, now?"
"Jeez, Josh," Donna remarked. "You scared the hell out of me," she scolded. "What's going on?"
"You look great," he told her.
"As do you," she commented out of habit.
"You didn't even look at me," he laughed as he came in and closed the door.
"Josh?" she asked, giving him a bit of a glare.
"We're having a staff meeting," he rationalized.
"You have many more members of your staff," she told him. "They'll be crushed if they do not receive invitation to this meeting of your staff."
"Why did I let you befriend Ainsley while she was here? You seem inherit her strange speech patterns at times," Josh commented. "Regardless," he smirked. "I'm the boss and you're the only staff that I need at this meeting."
"We need to develop rules," she told him, standing up in front of him.
"Boundaries, if you will," Josh added.
"Exactly. Boundaries and rules for this plan of deception that you've decided we should embark upon," she rambled as his fingers toyed with her long hair.
"I believe you are also embarking on this journey with me," Josh laughed.
"I am easily led," she told him.
"I doubt that," Josh answered her honestly. "You've got yourself a mind, Miss Moss, and you use it quite regularly."
"Rule number one," she murmured as her face drew close to his.
"Yes?" Josh asked closing his eyes as her breath danced across his lips.
"No messing around in the West Wing," she told him.
"My office is in the West Wing," he told her as he nipped at her lips a little.
"It is," she told him.
"So this would be wrong, somehow," he said.
"I suppose it would be," she agreed.
"It's a damn good thing that these rules are not finalized yet," he whispered before he closed the rest of the space between them and captured her sweet lips.
Their kiss quickly became passionate and deep and before he knew it, Josh had Donna up on his desk. "Watch the keyboard," he mumbled as Donna pushed it out of their way.
"We shouldn't be doing this," Donna moaned as she loosened his tied and kissed his bare neck.
"No...it's not helping our plan of deceit if we do these things in plain sight," he told her.
"And yet...here we are..." she mumbled as Josh's hand found their way under her shirt.
Josh fiddled with the clasps off her bra and mumbled, "But, in our defense the door is closed."
"Yes," Donna murmured as she nipped his ear. "But who really knocks around here?" she asked.
"You're right," he agreed, as his hands slowly made the trip down her back and out of her shirt.
"I usually am," she agreed as she whimpered a bit at the loss of Josh's hands on her back.
"I really do hate that about you," Josh said as he caught his breath and ran his fingers through his hair.
"I'm not a big fan of my persistent rightness myself at the moment," she whined as she went to work on fixing his shirt and tightening his tie.
"So," he sighed as he moved to sit behind his desk and straighten things out.
"Yeah," she huffed as she sat down in his visitor's chair.
"Okay," he collected himself. "We need to develop some definitive rules."
"Right," she agreed. "Like none of what just happened should...well...happen here."
"Unless we're completely alone," he amended.
"Or we develop a lock system for the door to allow for...locking it," she continued.
"Brilliant," he smiled.
"Thank you," she smirked.
"Okay...second thing. We act normal," Josh said. "To keep them off the scent."
"That's a given," Donna smiled. "We can do our kind of normal."
"We can," Josh smiled.
"Rule 3," he announced. "You can't wear clinging clothing."
"What?" she asked.
"It makes me want you more than usual," Josh explained. "And we can't have that here in the office."
"I'll wear whatever I want, thank you very much," she huffed.
"Okay," Josh said quietly.
"Rule 3," Donna said with a smile. "No strutting."
"I don't mean it," Josh told her.
"But yet you do it," Donna remarked.
"If it's involuntary, how can it be my fault?" he asked, confused.
"It's our jobs here Josh. Control it. Fight the urge to strut!"
"Fine. No more Winston," he told her.
"I thought I was phasing him out?" Donna asked.
"Do it now," Josh told her.
"I can't," she answered him. "Everyone would be suspicious. I genuinely like him, too. I couldn't just drop him like that with no explanation. And then...our friends will most definitely be suspicious."
"Okay," Josh consented. "Why am I trying to come up with boundaries and rules if you insist on rejecting them all again?"
"Because you enjoy appearing to be in charge," she smiled.
"Thanks," he smirked.
"Relax," she told him.
"Okay."
"Okay," she smiled. "We don't have to figure this out right now," she told him. "Keep your hands and mouth to yourself through the day and we'll discuss this in more detail this evening."
"Yeah?" he asked. "No date with the Winster?"
"I have to work late because my boss is an overbearing psycho," she explained.
"So we could use that exception thing if no one else is here, right?" he asked hopefully.
"You have staff in ten minutes," Donna smiled at him and got up and left the room.
"She's gonna kill me," he muttered as he opened his email just to see what was going on before Staff.
----
Later that day, Donna called Winston to explain why she couldn't meet him for dinner as planned.
"I just can't talk him out of it," Donna explained.
"Did you try?" he asked. "I mean...I know your job is important. I know this...your dedication is amazing. But what about me? I'm starting to feel like I am always playing second fiddle around here," he admitted.
"I have to work," Donna reiterated. "A whole lot of stuff just came down on our office," she explained. "It's not that I don't want to see you. It's more that the Federal Government says I can't...at least not tonight."
"Okay," he sighed. "I'd say I understand, but you'd know I was lying."
"Winston..." she sighed. "We could go to the zoo tomorrow," she offered, smiling. "With my friends," she amended. "We'll all be here late tonight and I think we'll be able to take some time off in the afternoon tomorrow. You had fun with all of them, right?"
"Yeah," Winston smiled a bit. "That would work."
"Okay...I'll talk with them all tonight and I'll call you in the morning. We'll have fun, I promise," she told him.
"I'll talk to you later, baby. Don't work too hard," he offered.
"Thanks," she smiled. "I'll call you tomorrow."
She slumped back in her chair. She didn't lie. She had tons of work to do...they all did. It would be a long night for everyone and that meant Josh would be whiny that his late night romp in the West Wing would assuredly be interrupted by actual work in the West Wing.
"We need food," Toby bellowed as he walked down the hallway. "Bonnie!"
"What?" Bonnie asked as she ran out of Will's office with some more folders.
"We need food. Tell Will we need food," Toby ordered.
"Will," she called. "Toby says we need food."
"Pizza!" Josh yelled. "The food we need is pizza. With lots of cheese and stuff on it."
"Will!" Bonnie yelled again. "The food needed is pizza with lots of...what was that again, Josh?" she asked.
"Cheese and stuff on it!" he yelled back.
"Pizza with lots of cheese and stuff on it, Will. That's the food that is needed," Bonnie yelled to Will.
Will poked his head out of his office. "Am I ordering this food?" he asked.
"Yeah," Toby and Josh called simultaneously.
"Kay," Will mumbled and went to order the food.
"He's doing okay here," Josh remarked.
"Yeah," Bonnie laughed as she ran past them both. "He can order with the best of them!"
"Hi," Donna smiled as she approached Toby and Josh.
"Hi," they smiled at her.
"So...food?" she asked.
"Will's on it," Josh told her.
"Pizza," Toby further explained.
"So tonight's going to be late?" Donna asked.
"Yeah," Toby answered. "We'll all be here all night almost."
"Fabulous," Josh muttered.
"What do you all think about the zoo?" Donna asked.
"I don't," Toby told her.
"There are wild animals there Donna," Josh told her. "I only think about it when one or more than one of them escapes."
"Funny," she smirked as CJ went past the group. "CJ!"
"Yeah?" she turned for a moment and caught her breath. "Did someone order food?"
"I did," Will answered coming over to them. "It'll be here in a half hour."
"Good...I'm starved," CJ smiled. "What's up, Donna?"
"The zoo," Donna answered. "I wanted us all to go tomorrow...after the work- a-thon tonight," she explained.
"All of us?" Josh asked.
"Yeah...Will didn't get to meet Winston the other night, so I want him to come," Donna smiled. "And Winston's open to the idea since I had to cancel my plans with him for tonight," she explained. "And I'll ask Sam if he's game."
"Sounds like a plan," CJ smiled.
"And we can bring Will! My life is now complete," Toby grumbled. "Call me when the food gets here," he said and slammed the door to his office.
"I'm in," Will smiled at Donna. "Thanks for thinking of me," he said.
"You're part of the crew, buddy," Donna smiled warmly back at him.
"I think Toby's starting to warm up to me!" Will laughed and went back to his office.
"I gotta talk to Leo," CJ told Donna and Josh. "I'll be back in time for the nourishment."
"She got the fact that it's just pizza right?" Donna asked in amusement.
"The zoo with Winston?" Josh asked, confused. "You thought this was a good way to phase him out?"
"Josh," she huffed. "I had to cancel my date with him for tonight."
"Yeah...you were going to try to do that anyway...even if work didn't come up," he reminded her.
"Yes, but I don't want to be the bad person here, Josh," she whispered.
"Donna...you're dating Winston and screwing around with me," he explained. "How do you end up being the good person in this scenario?"
She rolled her eyes and sighed loudly. "I could just stop screwing around with you."
"Not possible," Josh smiled. "I'm charming...you like charming."
"Shut up," she hissed.
"So about the zoo..."
"So...about that. I figured it'd be less pressure for me if everyone else was there. I wouldn't have to find excuses not to kiss him and what not with an audience. And there'd be the added bonus because I'd get to spend time with you at the same time," Donna told him, shyly.
"You wanted to hang out with me?" Josh asked, his voice was a little higher than usual.
"Don't you dare make fun of me!" she told him, poking his side.
"I'm honored, is all," he told her with a smile. "That's kinda sweet."
"Thank you," she sniffed, composing herself again.
His hands crept around her waist as he came to stand behind her. Her hands met his and held them in place for a moment while she laid her head back into his chest. "This feels right," Josh whispered, as he placed a light kissed on her head. "We're in public," she reminded him.
"No one's here," he argued.
"Hey Josh!" Will's voice called as he came out of his office and into the Communications' Bullpen.
Donna moved away from Josh as fast as possible and Josh's hands fell limply at his sides as he cleared his throat. "Yeah, Will. What's up?" he asked, trying to act natural.
"Did..I...I mean did I interrupt something?" Will asked looking between the vast distance between Josh and Donna.
"No," Josh said quickly. "We're just...you know...procrastinating the work thing till the pizza arrives. Donna's famished."
"Uh huh," Donna agreed, looking at the floor.
"Yeah," Will said.
"Will," Donna said softly. "You didn't...interrupt anything," she told him.
"Right," he said.
"Seriously," Josh said.
"Okay," Will said.
"What can I help you with?" Josh asked, trying to change the subject.
"I wanted your take on a thing I have in the draft that I'm working on for the thing later this week," Will explained.
"Okay," Josh said. "Let's check that out then," Josh smiled and followed Will into the office. He looked back and smiled bravely for Donna and gave her a wink.
"Yeah," Donna muttered to herself as she went off in search of Bonnie. "This whole deceit plan is not really our forte."
----
Hours and hours later, Donna lay curled up amidst stacks of research in a corner of Josh's office. He had been haggling over language and policy with the Senior Staff for a few hours and Donna had just recently succumbed to her sleepiness. Josh yelled her name down the hall and his pace quickened when she didn't appear like magic, as per her usual.
"Donna?" he asked hopefully as he stuck his head in his office and smiled when he saw her lying on the floor. Her hair cascaded over most of her face and her cheek rested on her forearm which was propped up on some files. He smiled when he saw her. She looked like an angel, he thought and he leaned on his door frame to quietly observe her stillness.
"Josh?" CJ asked, coming closer to Josh. "What's going on? I need that information," she insisted.
He raised his finger to his list and gestured with his other hand to keep her voice down. "Donna's sleeping," he told her.
"So?" she asked. "Wake her up! I need that information!"
He sighed and went inside his office and sat down next to her and stroked her hair lightly and moved it off of her face. "Donna," he whispered. "CJ's demanding information again."
Donna moaned a little and gently leaned into touch and a smile appeared on her face before she opened her eyes. "Josh," she whispered.
"Yeah," he smiled. "You fell asleep on me there."
"I'm sorry," she told him as her eyes struggled to open.
"You should get to sleep. You know...go on home," he told her.
"No," she smiled and rubbed her eyes. "I can stay up," she promised. "Besides...if we work now, we can play later."
He smirked at her and laughed a bit. "CJ!" he called, alerting Donna to her presence. "She's been dreaming about the zoo!"
"CJ's here?" she winced.
"Donna," CJ called. "Josh needs statistics on the thing we discussed earlier...like now. Can you help him out?"
"Right away," she smiled and pushed herself off the floor.
"Good," CJ smiled. "Josh, bring it to my office ASAP."
"Yes ma'am," he mock saluted.
"You look beautiful asleep on the floor," he murmured as he moved passed her.
"You're going to ruin the plan," she spat at him.
"What plan?" Will asked, poking his head in.
"The...the...President's plan to fight inflation," Donna smirked at Josh.
"Huh?" Will asked, confused. "Well...never mind," he told them.
"Okay," they said in unison and then looked at each other in surprise.
"Do you think you two could do me a favor?" Will asked.
"What?" they asked at the same time.
"Toby hates me," Will said.
"He hates himself most days," Josh explained.
"Yeah," Will sighed. "But I want him to like me."
"I don't know if I can perform a miracle," Josh smirked.
"I would be very appreciative," Will smiled broadly and nodded toward Donna.
Donna nudged Josh. "Don't you think you talk to Toby or something?" she asked sweetly. "Make him believe he's always loved Will and have him convinced that it's all his idea."
"And what do I get for braving Toby's eternal bitterness?" Josh asked, cockily.
"My trust," Will said honestly.
Josh laughed and Donna hit him on the arm. "He'll talk to Toby," Donna promised. "Thanks, Will."
"I'll do what?" Josh asked Donna, confused.
"We'll talk about it later," she hissed.
"Kay," Josh mumbled.
"Thanks you guys. I'm going to finish up with Toby and get ready to head out. Donna?" he asked. "What time are we meeting tomorrow?"
"We'll pick you up around 11 or so," she smiled at him. "Go home and get some rest Will."
"Why am I helping him with Toby, exactly?" Josh asked as they gathered what CJ needed and prepared to get going themselves.
"Because he suspects something's up," Donna rationalized.
"How? We're usually weird and stuff," Josh sighed.
"He doesn't know that about us. Most new people ask what's the deal with us. And usually someone says that we're just weird like that," Donna explained. "But Will's not comfortable to ask anyone that. So he goes with what he sees. And he's not wrong."
"But it's all circumstantial," Josh whined.
"Still...it's true," she reasoned. "And maybe it'll be easier for us if we...you know...confide in him or something. That way you could have a friend to talk to about...stuff," she offered. "I know usually you'd be blabbing to Sam or even Toby on a good day. Will could be your outlet to...you know...decrease the strutting," she explained.
"This could work," he nodded as Donna smiled at him happily.
"That's what I'm saying."
"Okay," he said. "CJ! Here's the information. We're outta here!"
"Kay," she smirked. "Good work tonight guys," she sighed. "So...11 or so?" she asked Donna.
"Yeah," Donna confirmed. "I called Sam before. He's doing the car again."
"Great," Toby commented. "Night, people."
And they went home.
