Debating Jealousy

Summary: After making statements in New Hampshire and Iowa Josh and Donna run into each other at the debate.

Author's Notes: This is the third 'change-ep' in the series and is for "Freedonia."

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I have the near uncontrollable urge to yell 'good riddance' as Amy leaves the debate, but somehow I hold my tongue. I know it was my fault. I jumped the gun, I went off like a lunatic and fired her, but come on, it's her. I mean really, I think she's been fired from more jobs than she's actually held. Why in the hell do people keep hiring her and why does she still have so much damn clout?

Anyway, I start to follow her to apologize, but I couldn't be any sicker of her games and her… well, her, so I end up just watching her walk out with a mixture of relief that she's gone and dread that someday she'll probably be back. Then I turn around to watch the debate and I notice Donna, the woman I recently kissed, then stood up, then kissed again, standing in a corner with her eyes glued to a file, biting her thumb lightly like she does when she's deep in thought.

Something must hit her, because her eyebrows shoot up and she walks over to Will and says something. He nods and she walks up to Bingo Bob on stage, who's adjusting his mic and probably practicing that horrible joke of his, and says something to him. He listens intently to her, which is possibly the smartest move he's ever made, then looks at what she's holding. She opens the folder and shows him something else and he looks back at her and must ask her a question, because she nods and starts talking with a look on her face like she's explaining something to him. He writes something down on his notes and nods as she talks, then looks at the file again and writes something else down. That's my girl.

And speaking of my girl, damn, she looks beautiful tonight. Has she always been that beautiful? Really, is it possible that I held myself back from someone that beautiful for all those years? Cause if so, that's really saying something.

What's not saying anything is the fact that this amazing woman has been mine for the taking, and please don't ever tell her I said that, for a good three weeks now, and I've done very little about it. First, there was the whole statement in Will's office, followed by the statementing that went on outside the post office. Then, in true Josh Lyman fashion, I made a colossal mistake. Let's not re-hash it. Donna forgave me, and that's what's important.

However, before I was given the chance to ravish her body in the hallway of the Holiday Inn, and believe me, that's what was going to happen, Congressman Santos took me away and made me work. The next two nights ended around three a.m. for me, and then next morning she left. I managed to suck on her neck for four and a half minutes before the volunteer showed up to take her to the airport, but that's it. Since then, it's been phone calls and e-mails.

She glances over at me and I smile, but she just turns her head back to the stage again. Uh oh; no smile back. What'd I do now? No need to panic, right? I mean, why would I assume I've done something to piss her off? I'm not always to blame, am I? I am, aren't I? I'm hyperventilating. I haven't even seen her in two weeks, what could I have done?

And what do I do now? Do I go over there? Can I keep from kissing her if I go over there? Doubtful. Do I try to get her attention and give her the universal 'is everything ok' head nod? I'm really no good at that nod. Do I wait until the debate's over and then try to get her attention? Like there's gonna be time for that. Realistically, the real work starts after the debate. That's when we have to go back and watch the tape to see where everyone screwed up. Do I slip her a note? What is this, third grade? Do I walk on stage right now, grab a microphone and announce to the world that I'm in love with one Donnatella Moss and then sing a stupid song like… hell, I don't know, "Oh Donna?" Have you ever heard me sing? It's less than amazing.

The debate starts and the moderator doles out the congressman's rules. They're good rules. It's basically the same debate we got during the second campaign for President Bartlett. He kicked Ritchie's ass that night. Ahh… the good ole days.

I, as to not draw attention to myself, start casually making my way to Donna's corner. The first question is asked and Hoynes does his best to dodge it while still answering it, as per the rules. It's quite entertaining and I pause to watch it. This is a man who's never, at least not to my knowledge, answered a question directly. I watch for sweat to start dripping down his forehead, but it never happens. He actually holds his own pretty well. He's a politician, no doubt about it. Possibly the best one up there.

A few more feet and I stop at the coffee station. I don't want any, it's just part of the 'making my way to Donna to see if I've pissed her off without looking like an obvious love-sick fool' plan I've got going here. I pour myself a cup and then I have a brilliant idea. Instead of using one cream and four sugars, as I prefer it, I use two creams and one sweet and low, the way Donna prefers it. It's probably in my best interest to walk over there with a peace offering.

Congressman Santos has a rebuttal for Hoynes and does very well. Amy's right, he doesn't have the voice of the President. I'm learning that that's ok though. The way he came across on that ad last night was brilliant. He's going to appeal to people because he doesn't spin. He's not like every other politician up there, and that's going to work in his favor. He's not afraid to tell the truth, and I need to start letting him do it more often.

The third question goes to the idiot who thinks everyone should be forced to carry a handgun, so I ignore him and begin the mission of casually getting to Donna. I'm about five feet away from her when my phone rings. Damn it.

"Hello?" I whisper.

"He's doing good," Leo says to me.

"Yeah."

"The ad was great."

"Don't tell me, I didn't write it."

"He played it off the cuff?"

"Yes, trying to give me a stroke no doubt."

"Been there. I see what you see in him." Wow, I didn't know I'd been waiting to hear that from Leo. But the relief I feel right now tells me I have been. He told me to go out there and find my guy, and he trusted me to find one as good as the one he found. I can't help smiling as I realize that he thinks I might have actually succeeded.

"Let's hope the rest of the nation does too."

"What's up with the gun guy?" he asks with a slight chuckle.

"I know. Is he even a democrat?"

"At the end of the debate, it'll be clear who the three candidates are."

"Then the real fun begins." The moderator asks Russell a question about health care and funding for low-income families. "Gotta go."

I hang up as I finish the walk to Donna. I hand her the coffee, which she takes without looking at me, and we both stand quietly while Russell answers. It's a good answer, although he answers it like he's reading it rather than saying it. One glance at the folder Donna's holding tells me where he got the answer. Damn we need her on our side.

"Good answer. Yours?" I whisper to her.

"Yes," she says dryly.

One of the other hacks gets a question and I brush her arm lightly with my fingers. She shifts away from me and keeps her eyes on the debate. Ok, change tactics. "You look great," I whisper again.

"So glad you noticed," she says sarcastically. Ok, it's official. I'm in trouble.

"What'd I do?"

"I'm trying to watch the debate."

"What'd I do?"

"Nothing. Nothing at all. It's your campaign and you can run it anyway you see fit."

My campaign? Why's she pissed about the campaign? She knows I'm playing to win. Was it the ad? The chicken? The…. oh no.

"Donna…."

"Shh…" she points to the stage where Hoynes is answering another question. It's a typical Hoynes answer and the moderator calls him on it, asking him to clarify and stay on topic.

I lean into her ear when he's done answering the question. Damn she smells good. "The congressman hired her, not me."

"It's none of my business," she says, still not looking at me. We're both quiet while Congressman Santos answers a question about his education plan. That one's still not popular.

"She was only here for three days, and we fought the whole time."

"I'm not interested in your foreplay with Amy." Foreplay?

"She was mean to me."

"So nothing's changed then." What was that tone? I've never heard her use that tone before. I've used it, but only when I was…

"You're jealous!"

She scoffs. "Right."

"You are!" I say in a joyous voice. A few people look back at us, guess that was a little above a whisper. I give an 'oops' look as an apology and we stand silently next to each other and watch the rest of the debate.

This is newsworthy. Donna's jealous. Jealous of someone gettin' her man. A jealous woman, that's hot. HOT! I must have her now. I can't believe this. And of Amy of all people. You know what that means. She wanted me when we were in the White House. Oh yeah, she wants me bad. I am 'da man.

When the candidates are giving their closing statements an hour and a half later, she starts to walk towards Will. "Donna." I say smirking, grabbing her hand in mine.

"I've got work to do, Josh," she says angrily, tugging on her hand, which I refuse to let go of.

I head to the doors with her, and she reluctantly lets me pull her outside. I lean against the railing and pull her close to me. "Donna, are you jealous of Amy?"

"Please. I don't have time for this," she says while looking over my right shoulder. She tries to take her hand back again, but I just keep holding on.

I put on my best smile. "History's not repeating itself, Donna."

When I say that, she looks me straight in the eyes and without remorse, says, "History already did, Josh." Ouch. True, but ouch.

I rub my thumb over her knuckles and watch her face. "Yes, but you're the one I want now. You're the one I wanted then, granted, which doesn't help my case here, but I'm no longer willing to settle. You're the only option for me now."

She looks down at her feet and mumbles, "You started to follow her."

I bring her hand up to my mouth and kiss it, letting my lips linger. "I fired her yesterday without reason. I was considering apologizing."

She looks up and for the first time since I saw her tonight smiles slightly. "Considering?"

I shrug. "I decided I didn't care if she hates me."

She smiles at me and tilts her head. "So no Amy?"

I shake my head slightly. "No Amy," I tell her.

She bites at he lower lip and I lean in close to her and whisper in her ear. "I want to make a statement really badly right now."

She laughs quietly but pulls back and shakes her head. "No."

"Why not? Your boss saw us statement, my boss saw us statement…"

"The press corps doesn't need to see us statement."

I sigh heavily. I've pretty much had a constant erection since she told me in Iowa that she'd purchased condoms. "Fine. But I'm going to whine for the rest of the night."

"That's ok," she says shrugging. "I don't work for you any more." She drops my hand and starts to turn away from me to go back inside, but then she stops and turns back to me. "Did I tell you Colin's in the states. He's thinking about covering the campaign. He might be tagging along with us for a few days."

"Donna!" I will kill that bastard!

Her smile turns mischievous. "Jealous Josh?"

"Yes! Always! Of every man."

She laughs which makes me smile. "You're a pig, you know that?"

I nod and flash her my dimples. "Yes."