Title: Late Night Conversation
Author: TommyGirl828 (at) gmail (dot) com
Disclaimer: not my characters, but could I borrow Josh Lyman?
A/N: First time writing in the West Wing fandom, but a friend asked and I obliged. It's also only sorta J/D, more J/D potential set after the most recent episode this season. Anyway, feedback always appreciated. Enjoy!
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Josh didn't believe in easy answers. He had worked in politics too long for such a thing to exist anymore. An easy answer was like the Tooth Fairy, nice in theory, but nothing more than a pain in the ass when relied on. No, Josh didn't believe in easy answers, but he couldn't help hoping there was one out there for him on this particular subject.
Maybe a handbook entitled "Dealing with Insane Ex-Assistants with Penchants for Obscure References Named Donna." He'd be the first in line to pick up a copy.
Fights with Santos on the direction of the campaign, he could handle. Messages from Toby on his cellphone questioning his methods and mentioning the words "deserter" one time too often were okay too. Having a hotel room directly across from his former assistant and good friend, Donna Moss...that was making Josh a little crazy. He was beginning to think the two of them were doomed to their newfound inability to talk and that scared him more than the idea of a Republican in the White House.
There were things he wanted to say to her, things he didn't get the chance to because he refused to believe she'd really quit. Had he known she was serious (why didn't he realize she was serious? She had on her serious face when she had resigned), he would've made sure to tell her how much she meant to him, how much he appreciated all her hard work. Maybe he'd even admit that all those times he claimed not to be jealous wasn't quite true. Occasionally, he was a tad envious of her IRA terrorist boyfriend.
If she wasn't working for him, he could admit that, right?
Instead, he offered her a quick hello and went about his own business. Day after day of the same. Every night he battled with the thoughts of knocking on her door and asking her to join him for drinks at the bar. Every night, something stopped him in the hallway and he would turn back around.
It was getting to be ridiculous even by his standards. He had so many questions for her – how she was handling the new responsibilities, was she happy, why she would want to work for a candidate like Bob Russell? Donna was a woman of ideals. She was often the one who kept him fighting for all those just-out-of-reach legislative pieces that could actually make a difference. And there she was working for a man that had no charisma, no charm, and no idea what he was doing.
So that night, he expected it go much the same way as all the nights before. They shared an elevator up, smiling and exchanging pleasantries as if they were nothing more than acquaintances. They parted ways at their own doors and shut the rest of the world out. He stared out his peep hole to check the area and paced the hall for a few moments, telling himself it was a really bad idea to do anything when he was this tired.
And then he broke the cycle. He knocked.
The minute he did it, he wondered if he could take it back, trying to think up some lame excuse about his phone not working and needing to contact the front desk, but when Donna answered the door, he found himself unable to do anything.
"Josh? Did you get locked out?"
"What makes you think I got locked out?"
"The fact that you're you and that you're knocking on my door after midnight."
"I was a FulbrightScholar, Donna. I don't get locked out. I know to bring my key with me when I leave my room."
"What is it then?"
"Can I come in for a second?"
Donna looked at him for a moment before opening the door for him to enter. He looked around the room and said, "You're much neater than me."
"Tell me something I don't know."
"So...how are things going?"
"I told you in the elevator. I'm fine."
"Donna…"
"What?"
"Honestly. How are things?"
She sat down on the edge of the bed and looked up at him. For the first time since she left the White House, he recognized her, felt almost comfortable in her presence. She sighed, "Busy, weird, fascinating. I'm just trying my best to keep up."
"It gets easier. You'll be great at this."
"Even though I'm working for Russell?"
"Leo was right. You were too smart to stay my assistant forever. I guess I just didn't want to lose you."
"You don't adapt well to change."
He smiled at her, sitting down next to her, and replied, "Not my forte." He glanced at his haggard appearance in the mirror and sighed, "But things are changing, no matter what I do."
"I'm proud of what you're doing."
Josh looked at Donna out of the corner of his eye and replied, "You are?"
"You might even get my vote in the primary."
"Might not want to tell your boss that."
She laughed, "Thanks for the tip." She stood up and said, "It's getting late, Josh."
"I know. I should go so that I can better deal with the headache that can be my candidate from time to time."
"Let him be himself."
"What?"
"Aren't you the one that taught me that?" Donna replied.
Josh stood up and said, "Well…night, Donna."
"Night Josh."
He stopped and said, "Could we maybe have dinner tomorrow night? Or late drinks?"
Donna smiled, "I'd like that. I have to check my schedule in the morning though."
"You know my number."
"And where you're staying."
"Right," he replied. His hand was on the door and he found he couldn't bring himself to turn it. He looked back at her. Her blonde hair falling over her shoulders, her face red from being freshly scrubbed clean…she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. He always knew that she was pretty. He was a guy and her legs didn't go unnoticed by him (no matter what she might say). But when had she gotten so beautiful?
"Josh?"
He forced himself to concentrate, "I'm going."
"You have your key?"
"Donna, for the last time, I'm not a complete..." he patted his trouser pockets and looked up, "...yeah, don't have it."
She smiled knowingly and handed him the phone. As he finished his conversation with the front desk, he found himself too close to Donna for comfort. It threw him off his game – he had shared close quarters with her many times. Why was he suddenly acting like a bumbling teenager on his first date?
"Donna…"
"Josh?"
"I've missed you."
"Who wouldn't miss me? I'm fantastic," she paused and added, "Plus, I heard about your temporary assistant after I left. She scared you."
"In fairness, she scared Toby more."
"Josh…"
"Donna?"
"Go get a new key and get some sleep."
He nodded and said, "So dinner tomorrow night?"
She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek, "I'll call you."
"Goodnight."
"Goodnight."
Josh watched Donna close the door behind him. He moved down the hall before allowing the grin to overtake his face. Couldn't have her getting a big head on him or anything. He punched the button to wait for the elevator and decided that maybe things were starting to look up.
fin