Lynne left shortly after she spoke with Josh and Donna and Josh agreed to bring Donna to the condo in a few hours. Donna was thrilled to jump in and help. Campaigning was one of her most favorite things in the world to do. Sadly she didn't have too much to do at this point. They were in the homestretch. Everything that needed to be done had been, more or less. It was just a little pressure here and there and a few calls to friends in this place and that. Easy stuff that she could do in her sleep but she loved it just the same. She smiled with joy when Josh handed her a stack of contacts in key battleground states to call and make sure they were set. She dutifully called each one. The ones that she knew she pleasantly chatted about their families and the latest goings on wherever they were from. It made her feel like she was back at work again.
"She's fitting right in again, isn't she?" Will asked Toby with a grin.
"She's an able girl," Toby remarked. "I'm getting a drink," he said dryly.
"I could go and get you guys something," Donna volunteered as she hung up with her last call. "I'm done with my list and I don't mind," she smiled.
"You don't have a car," Sam pointed out.
"Josh?" she smiled charmingly.
"Yeah?" he said, looking up from his paperwork and just tuning into the conversation. "What's going on?"
"Can I borrow your car please?" she asked sweetly. "Toby's thirsty. So are the rest of them," she said nodding to the crew. "I volunteered to go but then I remembered I didn't drive here," she pouted.
"Here," he said, absently tossing the keys across the table to her waiting hands. "Be careful."
"Always," she smiled brightly and waltzed out of the office.
Everyone just looked from Josh to the swinging door after he readily handed over the keys to his brand new car to Donna. They said nothing and, like Josh, went right back to their work.
Donna returned with drinks for everyone. Toby got a bottle of scotch. Will and Sam got a case of beer. CJ got a half gallon of iced tea with extra sweetener. And Josh got an extra large cup of coffee. She gave him his drink last and sat across from him when his eyes rose to meet his cup.
"Coffee?" he asked, afraid of the answer.
"Josh," she whispered quietly.
"Get up," he told her.
"Josh," she said again.
"Get up and go into the back room," he ordered.
She got up and quietly went into the back room. Josh waited for a moment and then he picked up his coffee and followed her in. Josh turned to face the others and smiled briefly - a smile that didn't come close to reaching his eyes. "Just give us a minute, would you?" he asked. They remained quiet and all of their eyes remained focused on the closing door.
"What happened?" Will asked quietly.
"She brought him coffee," Toby said simply.
"Coffee?" Will asked.
"It's been the source of many problems in their relationship," Sam offered.
"Wow," CJ sighed.
"Let's get back to work," Toby suggested.
----
"What's with the coffee?" Josh asked quietly, not quite looking Donna in the eye.
"Josh," she started. "You like coffee," she tried to explain.
"I do," Josh said, sitting down watching Donna pace. "Sit," he said softly.
"Hi," she said in a whisper as tears threatened to fall down her face.
"Hi," he smiled at her sadly. "How was your flight?"
"Good," she forced a smile. "I miss the peanuts, though."
"Yeah," he nodded. "You can still get those on Airforce One," he smiled. "Maybe I should steal some or something for when I fly commercial."
"Yeah," she agreed.
"You're not moving back here," he said. It was a statement more than a question.
"Josh," she sighed as she swiped her hair off of her face.
"Just answer me," he said. "I won't be mad," he lied.
"You're a terrible liar," she laughed bitterly.
"I'm a politician!" he said feigning shock.
"Which makes it twice as bad," she said shaking her head.
"I don't think banter can save us this time," he said smirking sadly.
"Olivia misses you," Donna tried to change the subject. "She smiles and points when she sees you on C-Span."
"Misdirection won't do, either," Josh told her.
"Well then," she sighed. "I'm all outta tricks," she said, allowing tears to flow down her face and a sad laugh escape her mouth. "Ya got anything?"
"Donna," he sighed, reaching across the table and grabbing her hands with his. "Donna, I love you. I've loved you for so long I don't think I can figure out how to not love you," he told her.
"I love you, too, Josh," she sniffed.
"Okay," he smiled.
"But," she sighed. "I don't know what that means anymore," she told him honestly. "I've been basing my entire life on loving you, Josh. What the hell has that gotten me?"
"We have a beautiful daughter," Josh said seriously.
Donna smiled and her heart melted. "We do," she agreed. "And she's the best of both of us..."
"Donna," he sighed. "Are you staying in Hawaii?"
"Ya see," she sniffed. "It's a complicated situation," she sighed.
"I love you," he said again.
"You can't be my reason for everything anymore," she told him honestly. "You've been my whole world. You've been the factor behind almost all of my decisions the past few years or so," she continued. "I don't think that you should be my reason for living anymore. I just don't know what to do anymore. I don't know how not to care about what you think."
"Donna," he tried to interrupt.
"No," she shook her head. "I love that you love me. I love that you want me to be here. And I love the way you love Olivia," she smiled. "Josh," she sighed. "You're an amazing man," she smiled. "And I am proud that I have had the opportunity to play a small role in your life," she wiped her falling tears and smeared her mascara.
"You're my leading lady," he murmured sadly bringing her hand to his lips.
"We still are going to be faced with the same scandals – the same obstacles," she cried. "I don't know if I can do that."
"You can," Josh assured her. "Donna, we can – together!"
She shook her head and smiled sadly. "I don't know if I want to," she clarified. "It's so simple in Hawaii."
"Yeah," he shrugged. "And Hawaii's so far away from Washington," he nodded.
"Yeah," she sighed.
"Yeah," he sighed.
The sat in silence for a few moments. Neither knew what to say or what to do. They both had too many emotions rushing around their heads. "I can go," Donna said breaking their silence.
"Where?" he asked.
"Away...home...Wisconsin...Lynne's place," she said softly. "Away from here."
"How would that help?" he asked.
Her head went back and she rolled her eyes to the ceiling. "I don't know," she said, shaking her head. "I don't know – I just wanna help I guess."
"Well, you can't help me with the election unless you're here, right?" he asked trying to smile.
"When did everything get so complicated?" Donna asked, finally allowing herself to look in his eyes.
"The moment I realized I was in love with you," Josh answered honestly. "From that moment on trials and tribulations have been customary around here," he tried to joke.
"Maybe this," gestured between the two of them as she stood up and he rose to join her. "Maybe we just weren't meant to be," she shrugged sadly.
"That's not possible," he said softly as his arms reached forward and wrapped around her body.
She allowed herself to be engulfed in his embrace and she snuggled against his chest and let out a low sigh of contentment. "How can you say that?" she wondered.
"Donna," he sighed. "The two of us – we made Olivia. We created the most perfect little person in the world! How can you think that we're not meant to be? That we're not destined?"
"You sound like a lovesick teenager," she murmured into his now tear soaked shirt.
"I love you," he shrugged. "I don't care how stupid I sound right now. I've done it all right, Donna. I've decided what I need to be me again," he said with authority. "I need to work. I need to delve into my work again. I need to be important. I need to look to the next Presidential Election," he smirked in his best cocky manner. "I'll make Sammy the next President of the United States," he said with a confidence that Donna hadn't seen in months. "I can do that. I need to do that. I can't do that in Hawaii. I love you Donnatella Moss. I will love you forever," he smiled and pressed a kiss on her head. "I love our daughter more than I ever imagined I could," he continued. "But," he sighed. "I can't let myself down. I can't not be true to myself."
Donna pulled back and looked into his eyes and smiled through her falling tears. "You're back, Joshua Lyman," she said with authority. "I am very proud of you."
Josh leaned into her mouth and captured her lips between his and began to assault her mouth with his own. Donna was surprised by Josh's unusual forwardness and shocked by his force. Her mouth instinctively lifted up to his and parted to allow him all the access that he wanted. Josh moved forward, pushing Donna backward and tripping over chairs and the table before he got her back against the wall near the door. He broke their kiss for a moment to reposition himself and then decided to kiss her face and down her neck while his hands fiddled with the buttons on her shirt.
Donna's chest was heaving while she tried to catch her breath and her hands made their way to Josh's curly hair. "Josh," she breathed. "Josh stop," she said.
He continued to kiss her and despite her protests, she tilted her head back to allow him more access. Her eyes fluttered closed with contentment and she sighed happily as his hand traveled down her body and gripped her left led and pulled it up and around his hips so that they were flush against each other. The close proximity of their bodies jolted her into awareness. She grabbed his face and pulled it up to her own and smiled at him as they both caught their respective breaths. "Josh," she sighed. "Josh...baby," she whispered. "I need you to stop."
"Why," he said, swallowing to moisten his suddenly dry throat.
"We are no where near this," she told him. "It's just out of habit. I can't be the 'out of habit' kind of girl," she said, with a hint of laughter in her voice to attempt to lighten the mood.
"Okay," he said, backing away from her. "I can deal with that. I can be your friend, Donna. I can always be your friend. You just know," he said smiling as his hands framed her flushed face. "Just know that when you're ready for more – I'll be waiting," he told her.
"I won't hold you to that," she said, trying to smile.
"I'll be here," he reiterated.
"Okay," she smiled as he backed away.
"I gotta work," he smiled. "There's a Presidential Election tomorrow," he said with a full-dimpled smile. "Come on out when you're ready. And I'm going to need you to go and get me a soda – a Pepsi or something – since you didn't remember to get me something that I can drink."
"I can take your car?" she asked.
He moved toward the door and kissed her cheek before opening it. "Just be careful," he whispered as his lips left her skin.
----
When Josh opened the door everyone turned back to their respective work areas. "How we doing?" Josh asked.
"Good," Will said, flipping through some paperwork.
"Yeah," CJ echoed. "How about you?" she asked looking from Josh to the slightly open door of the room he just vacated.
"I'm good," he said with a shaky voice. "Anyone else need a drink?" he asked. "Donna's gonna need to run back out for a moment."
"We're fine," Toby said, answering for the group.
"Yeah," Sam agreed as the others nodded their heads.
"Okay," Josh smiled and sat down at his desk and began going over the percentages in Florida again.
After they had all began working again, Donna made her way through the room and grabbed her coat before looking back. "Can I get anyone anything?" she asked.
"They're fine," Josh said, still looking at his paperwork.
"I'll be back," Donna said, imploring him to look at her.
"Kay," Josh nodded. "See ya."
"Yeah," she tried to smile as she left the building.
Once she left, Sam turned to Josh, "What the hell happened in there?"
"Nothing," Josh insisted.
"Josh," Will pressed.
"She's thinking she likes Hawaii better than DC," he answered casually. "That's all."
"Josh," CJ sighed. "I'm so sorry."
"Why? I'd 'probably like Hawaii better too if I was there long enough," he said flippantly. "No big deal."
"But you want her and Olivia here," Sam said.
"Of course, but sometimes we can't always get what we want," Josh shrugged. "I can't let that screw me up right now."
"Right," Toby agreed. "Bottle that aggression up."
"I don't need your sarcasm right now, Toby," Josh warned. "Let's just get to work so we can get a couple of hours sleep tonight before our long day tomorrow."
"Fine," CJ shrugged.
"Yeah," Will and Sam agreed.
"Whatever," Toby shrugged.
A few moments later Donna returned with a Pepsi for Josh and smiled at him when he took it from her. "What can I do?" she asked and received her assignment and went to work.
"She's fitting right in again, isn't she?" Will asked Toby with a grin.
"She's an able girl," Toby remarked. "I'm getting a drink," he said dryly.
"I could go and get you guys something," Donna volunteered as she hung up with her last call. "I'm done with my list and I don't mind," she smiled.
"You don't have a car," Sam pointed out.
"Josh?" she smiled charmingly.
"Yeah?" he said, looking up from his paperwork and just tuning into the conversation. "What's going on?"
"Can I borrow your car please?" she asked sweetly. "Toby's thirsty. So are the rest of them," she said nodding to the crew. "I volunteered to go but then I remembered I didn't drive here," she pouted.
"Here," he said, absently tossing the keys across the table to her waiting hands. "Be careful."
"Always," she smiled brightly and waltzed out of the office.
Everyone just looked from Josh to the swinging door after he readily handed over the keys to his brand new car to Donna. They said nothing and, like Josh, went right back to their work.
Donna returned with drinks for everyone. Toby got a bottle of scotch. Will and Sam got a case of beer. CJ got a half gallon of iced tea with extra sweetener. And Josh got an extra large cup of coffee. She gave him his drink last and sat across from him when his eyes rose to meet his cup.
"Coffee?" he asked, afraid of the answer.
"Josh," she whispered quietly.
"Get up," he told her.
"Josh," she said again.
"Get up and go into the back room," he ordered.
She got up and quietly went into the back room. Josh waited for a moment and then he picked up his coffee and followed her in. Josh turned to face the others and smiled briefly - a smile that didn't come close to reaching his eyes. "Just give us a minute, would you?" he asked. They remained quiet and all of their eyes remained focused on the closing door.
"What happened?" Will asked quietly.
"She brought him coffee," Toby said simply.
"Coffee?" Will asked.
"It's been the source of many problems in their relationship," Sam offered.
"Wow," CJ sighed.
"Let's get back to work," Toby suggested.
----
"What's with the coffee?" Josh asked quietly, not quite looking Donna in the eye.
"Josh," she started. "You like coffee," she tried to explain.
"I do," Josh said, sitting down watching Donna pace. "Sit," he said softly.
"Hi," she said in a whisper as tears threatened to fall down her face.
"Hi," he smiled at her sadly. "How was your flight?"
"Good," she forced a smile. "I miss the peanuts, though."
"Yeah," he nodded. "You can still get those on Airforce One," he smiled. "Maybe I should steal some or something for when I fly commercial."
"Yeah," she agreed.
"You're not moving back here," he said. It was a statement more than a question.
"Josh," she sighed as she swiped her hair off of her face.
"Just answer me," he said. "I won't be mad," he lied.
"You're a terrible liar," she laughed bitterly.
"I'm a politician!" he said feigning shock.
"Which makes it twice as bad," she said shaking her head.
"I don't think banter can save us this time," he said smirking sadly.
"Olivia misses you," Donna tried to change the subject. "She smiles and points when she sees you on C-Span."
"Misdirection won't do, either," Josh told her.
"Well then," she sighed. "I'm all outta tricks," she said, allowing tears to flow down her face and a sad laugh escape her mouth. "Ya got anything?"
"Donna," he sighed, reaching across the table and grabbing her hands with his. "Donna, I love you. I've loved you for so long I don't think I can figure out how to not love you," he told her.
"I love you, too, Josh," she sniffed.
"Okay," he smiled.
"But," she sighed. "I don't know what that means anymore," she told him honestly. "I've been basing my entire life on loving you, Josh. What the hell has that gotten me?"
"We have a beautiful daughter," Josh said seriously.
Donna smiled and her heart melted. "We do," she agreed. "And she's the best of both of us..."
"Donna," he sighed. "Are you staying in Hawaii?"
"Ya see," she sniffed. "It's a complicated situation," she sighed.
"I love you," he said again.
"You can't be my reason for everything anymore," she told him honestly. "You've been my whole world. You've been the factor behind almost all of my decisions the past few years or so," she continued. "I don't think that you should be my reason for living anymore. I just don't know what to do anymore. I don't know how not to care about what you think."
"Donna," he tried to interrupt.
"No," she shook her head. "I love that you love me. I love that you want me to be here. And I love the way you love Olivia," she smiled. "Josh," she sighed. "You're an amazing man," she smiled. "And I am proud that I have had the opportunity to play a small role in your life," she wiped her falling tears and smeared her mascara.
"You're my leading lady," he murmured sadly bringing her hand to his lips.
"We still are going to be faced with the same scandals – the same obstacles," she cried. "I don't know if I can do that."
"You can," Josh assured her. "Donna, we can – together!"
She shook her head and smiled sadly. "I don't know if I want to," she clarified. "It's so simple in Hawaii."
"Yeah," he shrugged. "And Hawaii's so far away from Washington," he nodded.
"Yeah," she sighed.
"Yeah," he sighed.
The sat in silence for a few moments. Neither knew what to say or what to do. They both had too many emotions rushing around their heads. "I can go," Donna said breaking their silence.
"Where?" he asked.
"Away...home...Wisconsin...Lynne's place," she said softly. "Away from here."
"How would that help?" he asked.
Her head went back and she rolled her eyes to the ceiling. "I don't know," she said, shaking her head. "I don't know – I just wanna help I guess."
"Well, you can't help me with the election unless you're here, right?" he asked trying to smile.
"When did everything get so complicated?" Donna asked, finally allowing herself to look in his eyes.
"The moment I realized I was in love with you," Josh answered honestly. "From that moment on trials and tribulations have been customary around here," he tried to joke.
"Maybe this," gestured between the two of them as she stood up and he rose to join her. "Maybe we just weren't meant to be," she shrugged sadly.
"That's not possible," he said softly as his arms reached forward and wrapped around her body.
She allowed herself to be engulfed in his embrace and she snuggled against his chest and let out a low sigh of contentment. "How can you say that?" she wondered.
"Donna," he sighed. "The two of us – we made Olivia. We created the most perfect little person in the world! How can you think that we're not meant to be? That we're not destined?"
"You sound like a lovesick teenager," she murmured into his now tear soaked shirt.
"I love you," he shrugged. "I don't care how stupid I sound right now. I've done it all right, Donna. I've decided what I need to be me again," he said with authority. "I need to work. I need to delve into my work again. I need to be important. I need to look to the next Presidential Election," he smirked in his best cocky manner. "I'll make Sammy the next President of the United States," he said with a confidence that Donna hadn't seen in months. "I can do that. I need to do that. I can't do that in Hawaii. I love you Donnatella Moss. I will love you forever," he smiled and pressed a kiss on her head. "I love our daughter more than I ever imagined I could," he continued. "But," he sighed. "I can't let myself down. I can't not be true to myself."
Donna pulled back and looked into his eyes and smiled through her falling tears. "You're back, Joshua Lyman," she said with authority. "I am very proud of you."
Josh leaned into her mouth and captured her lips between his and began to assault her mouth with his own. Donna was surprised by Josh's unusual forwardness and shocked by his force. Her mouth instinctively lifted up to his and parted to allow him all the access that he wanted. Josh moved forward, pushing Donna backward and tripping over chairs and the table before he got her back against the wall near the door. He broke their kiss for a moment to reposition himself and then decided to kiss her face and down her neck while his hands fiddled with the buttons on her shirt.
Donna's chest was heaving while she tried to catch her breath and her hands made their way to Josh's curly hair. "Josh," she breathed. "Josh stop," she said.
He continued to kiss her and despite her protests, she tilted her head back to allow him more access. Her eyes fluttered closed with contentment and she sighed happily as his hand traveled down her body and gripped her left led and pulled it up and around his hips so that they were flush against each other. The close proximity of their bodies jolted her into awareness. She grabbed his face and pulled it up to her own and smiled at him as they both caught their respective breaths. "Josh," she sighed. "Josh...baby," she whispered. "I need you to stop."
"Why," he said, swallowing to moisten his suddenly dry throat.
"We are no where near this," she told him. "It's just out of habit. I can't be the 'out of habit' kind of girl," she said, with a hint of laughter in her voice to attempt to lighten the mood.
"Okay," he said, backing away from her. "I can deal with that. I can be your friend, Donna. I can always be your friend. You just know," he said smiling as his hands framed her flushed face. "Just know that when you're ready for more – I'll be waiting," he told her.
"I won't hold you to that," she said, trying to smile.
"I'll be here," he reiterated.
"Okay," she smiled as he backed away.
"I gotta work," he smiled. "There's a Presidential Election tomorrow," he said with a full-dimpled smile. "Come on out when you're ready. And I'm going to need you to go and get me a soda – a Pepsi or something – since you didn't remember to get me something that I can drink."
"I can take your car?" she asked.
He moved toward the door and kissed her cheek before opening it. "Just be careful," he whispered as his lips left her skin.
----
When Josh opened the door everyone turned back to their respective work areas. "How we doing?" Josh asked.
"Good," Will said, flipping through some paperwork.
"Yeah," CJ echoed. "How about you?" she asked looking from Josh to the slightly open door of the room he just vacated.
"I'm good," he said with a shaky voice. "Anyone else need a drink?" he asked. "Donna's gonna need to run back out for a moment."
"We're fine," Toby said, answering for the group.
"Yeah," Sam agreed as the others nodded their heads.
"Okay," Josh smiled and sat down at his desk and began going over the percentages in Florida again.
After they had all began working again, Donna made her way through the room and grabbed her coat before looking back. "Can I get anyone anything?" she asked.
"They're fine," Josh said, still looking at his paperwork.
"I'll be back," Donna said, imploring him to look at her.
"Kay," Josh nodded. "See ya."
"Yeah," she tried to smile as she left the building.
Once she left, Sam turned to Josh, "What the hell happened in there?"
"Nothing," Josh insisted.
"Josh," Will pressed.
"She's thinking she likes Hawaii better than DC," he answered casually. "That's all."
"Josh," CJ sighed. "I'm so sorry."
"Why? I'd 'probably like Hawaii better too if I was there long enough," he said flippantly. "No big deal."
"But you want her and Olivia here," Sam said.
"Of course, but sometimes we can't always get what we want," Josh shrugged. "I can't let that screw me up right now."
"Right," Toby agreed. "Bottle that aggression up."
"I don't need your sarcasm right now, Toby," Josh warned. "Let's just get to work so we can get a couple of hours sleep tonight before our long day tomorrow."
"Fine," CJ shrugged.
"Yeah," Will and Sam agreed.
"Whatever," Toby shrugged.
A few moments later Donna returned with a Pepsi for Josh and smiled at him when he took it from her. "What can I do?" she asked and received her assignment and went to work.
