Take a Chance on Me Part V

by: Raye

Author's Note: this was supposed to be a SHORT story, dang it!

"Come on, Miss Moss, 'No Comment?'"

She held her thumb down on the remote's rewind button.

"Come on, Miss Moss, 'No Comment?'"

Her teeth ground together. Again.

"Come on, Miss Moss, 'No Comment?'"

"Brilliant," she sighed. "Just brilliant."

Donna set the remote down on the top of her desk with a clatter. "Well that is going to make a great impression. First time out and I nearly go down in flames."

An eager face appeared in the doorway. "Did you say something, Miss Moss?"

She had to smile. "Nothing you needed to hear, Helen. I was talking to myself."

"Oh," her assistant had a certain wide-eyed nature that called to a part of Donna that she'd thought had been long buried, "okay then, I'll just be out here... filing something."

Donna's smile died on her lips as the younger woman disappeared from view. Here, alone, it was too easy to slip into the dark worrisome thoughts that were niggling at her confidence. She reached out and absentmindedly tapped at the buttons on the remote. Her intention to spend the rest of the day torturing herself firmly written into her mind.

Then the phone rang.

"Donna Moss."

"Hey, Donna."

She smiled and sighed into the phone. "Hey, Margaret."

"I've got the girls in the office." There was a little click then a sound of white noise as the speaker phone came on.

"Donna!"

She could recognize Carol and Ginger on the other end. "Hey...."

"We just wanted to tell you, " Margaret again, "we saw you on the news-"

"Oh God.. really?"

"Donna!?" Carol. "Why do you sound like that? You did great!"

"Carol, it really wasn't... I mean.. I didn't-"

"Okay, so you didn't jump down their throats," Ginger, "but you had finesse."

"Finesse." Donna wasn't quite sold on the assessment. "Is that what you call it?"

Laughter... horsing around. Suddenly, her office was that much more lonely.

"Seriously, girl," Margaret. "You rock!"

Donna had to laugh, if only at the irony. "Thanks.. really."

"Yeah," echoed Carol, "I saw Josh in the hall after it aired.."

"You too?" Ginger. "He came out of Margaret's office looking like-"

"Wait..." Donna sat up in her chair, "Margaret? What was Josh doing there?"

"Oh yeah, that," whack

"Hey!" Ginger sounded a little upset.

"Yeah, well," back to Margaret, "he came here looking for you."

"He thought I was in Leo's office?"

"No, here, Donna. He wanted to know where you were and thought I would know."

"You told him?"

There was a pause with absolute silence. Donna could see the three sitting there, sharing looks over the phone. "He saw it too, Donna. He saw the story on TV."

Why this story? Why now? Why couldn't he see her hit one out of the park...or even a base hit... why a bunt? A horrible one at that.

"Oh... kay. Thanks for letting me know, Margaret, I've got to get back to... something. Talk to you later." Her tone was flat and even though the three on the other end were still talking...still trying to tell her what a good job she did, she hung up and bit down on her lip to keep from crying.

"I agree with them, you know."

Donna looked up into the doorway. "Dr. Barlett?" Behind the First Lady, Helen gave her an apologetic look.

She waved Donna back into her chair as she sat down on the opposite side of her desk. "I just wanted to stop in and see how you're settling in."

It didn't help that Donna was already a bit rattle by Margaret's call. This wasn't helping and she knew it showed on her face. "Fine, thank you, I-"

"The office alright?"

"Yes, thank you, Dr. Bar-"

"Helen doing a good job? She's young.. but she's eager... reminds me of you, really."

"Yes, she's fine, thank you, I-"

"You think you didn't do a good job with the press."

"Dr. Bartlet, I-"

"You think I came in here to can you over your first press meeting."

"Well, I really didn't-"

"Donna," the First Lady leaned back in her chair and gracefully readjusted her skirt with a single brush of her hand, "I have a feeling that you're second guessing your decision to take this job."

"Dr. Bartlet-"

"Abbey."

Donna gave her a grateful smile. "Thank you, but... you're... you're right." She waited for a moment, watching the First Ladies reaction. It took a split second for her to realize that Dr. Bartlet had a future on that cable TV poker show. "I am worried."

"You're going to be fine, Donna."

"Sure. I'll be fine in a week... or two... a month maybe, but now.. I don't want to do this wrong."

"Everyone takes time to adjust to it. No one walks into this job and nails on the first try."

"That's the problem, Dr. Barlett.. Abbey." She gave the First Lady a worried look. "I came into this job with a little experience. I came into this job with an almost college degree. I came into this job with your blessings, my high hopes, but I-" She laid her hand flat on the desk to keep it from trembling. "I came into this job with less qualifications than any of the women that have held it before. I came into this job ready to hit a homerun. I came into this job with blinders, Abbey. I thought I... I believed I.. that I could do this well... that I could make... you proud. I just think that I-"

"You think you were wrong."

"Dr. Bartlet, I-"

She raised an elegant brow, "You think I was wrong to hire you?"

Donna shook her head vehemently. "No.. no, that's not what I meant, Dr. Bartlet."

"It's Abbey, Donna and I think that's exactly what you meant, and that's why I came down here to talk to you." She shifted her weight from one arm of the chair to another and resettled her skirts. "You wanted time with me before the you talked to the press and I said I was too tired. If I remember correctly, and you can feel free to contradict me, I was quite short with you when you asked."

Donna's eyes flickered down to her hands and back to the First Lady.

"I promised you time later, and this is later, correct?"

"Yes, ma'am... Abbey."

"And you know what?"

Donna shook her head.

"You might not remember the night of my birthday party-"

"Ma'am?"

"The night we enjoyed a few too many bottles, just the girls."

"Oh, yes, that night."

"You charged right on in there that night. Told me what I needed to hear." The First Lady looked a bit chagrined. "You didn't couch it to make me smile, Donna. You didn't bend to kiss feet. You and I were women in that room. I've seen something in you, Donna.. and it's more than pluck. It's honesty, tenacity, and..." she smiled, "a damn big heart. That's why I asked you. That's why I need you here."

Donna took a beat to consider her words. "Thank you, Abbey, but-"

"We're not going to talk about it now." She continued before Donna could argue, "As long as you don't have anything else on your calendar, you are going to go home. You are going to draw a warm bath, with bubbles, if you have it. You are going to sip a delicious wine and listen to calming music. In other words, you are going to pamper yourself like there's no tomorrow. Am I clear?"

"Yes, ma'am- Abbey."

"Good." The First Lady rose and Donna followed. "Then tomorrow morning, 7 am sharp, we'll have a meeting in the residence and we'll go over everything that happened in China. Okay?"

"Okay." Donna was still standing a few minutes later, staring at the open and empty doorway.

Josh stepped up to the security desk. "I'm here to see Donna Moss."

The guard looked up over his newspaper and gave him a once-over. "You got an appointment?"

Giving the man a sharp look, Josh answered back. "No."

"Then there's your answer." He adjusted the paper and went back to reading.

Josh stood stock still for a moment before spinning on his heel, his suit coat nearly slipping off his arm. He took a few steps toward the exit before changing directions. He stepped back up to the desk and cleared his throat.

The guard looked up again. "Back?"

"It would seem so, wouldn't it?" Josh could tell by his expression that the guard was unimpressed by his charm and wit.

"You have that appointment now?"

"No... I still don't have an appointment," Josh held up a hand, "but I am going to see her."

The guard nodded, picked up the phone and dialed. "Yeah, Hi, Douglas here. We've got a problem."

The phone set clicked back into its cradle and the guard nodded toward the door. "They're coming."

"They're coming?" Josh looked at him in surprise. "You called security on me?"

A few heads in the lobby swivelled around to watch.

"No sir..." Douglas continued as the doors burst open from the West Wing followed quickly by the East, "I called the secret service."

Josh groaned as Ron Butterfield stepped up to within a few feet of him. "Got a problem, Josh?"

"No," Josh couldn't help the nervous laughter that he coughed up, "I was just explaining to Doug here-"

"Douglas, sir."

"I stand corrected, Douglas; I was explaining to Douglas that I wanted to see Donna. That's simple enough. I know her. She used to work for me." He looked at Douglas to see if the guard was catching his drift, but the stoic look didn't give him any indication. "I just wanted to go up and talk to her."

"Josh-"

"Ron?"

"Did you call her?"

Josh shook his head and stared at the guard, "Excuse me?"

Douglas repeated himself. "Did you call her and make an appointment?"

"It's a fair question, Josh."

"Ron!?" Josh couldn't believe what he was hearing. "How can you say that?"

"Josh, I guard the president," Ron nodded across the way to the other guards wearing similar cardboard expressions, "they guard the First Lady." He looked back at Josh. "It's not the same thing."

"So, you're trying to tell me the Deputy Chief of Staff of the White House can't just walk into the East Wing?"

Ron bobbed his head, "That's about it, Josh."

"Ahkay."

Looking over at Douglas, Ron continued. "We alright, here?"

Douglas flicked the newspaper and settled it down on the desk. "Fine by me."

Ron stepped back and held out a hand to the West Wing door. "You coming, Josh?"

Shaking his head in disbelief, Josh took a step toward the West Wing before looking up at Ron, "This should be easier, you know... how can we get a bi-partisan legislature if we can't even get a bi-partisan White House?"

Following Josh back into the West Wing, Ron added. "That would be nice, Josh, but that's not my department."

Josh waved him off and headed back to his office. He tossed a few words over his shoulder as he passed Marla. "I need to get a hold of Donna Moss's secretary in the East Wing."

She swung around in her chair. "You want that now?"

He peered around the doorjamb with an incredulous smile. "Yeah, if that's alright with you."

"Sure, boss."

Josh watched Toby pass by and ignored the muttered words he heard from his friend. Manhood wasn't the issue here. It was going to be groveling, and he was prepared.