Title: Our Next Life
Category: Romance/Humor/Drama
Rating: PG-13
Summary: "Join me in ten years," the message said. "Then we'll see what happens next."

Disclaimer: Since I own them you all must pay ME for the use of them…oh, wait…that's not me. Don't own them, never will : (
Author's Notes: Feedback Love

Also, I know this is kind of regurgitation, but I feel it's vital to the story and has a few comments added in. This was kind of hard to write, so bear with me please.

Chapter 4

Josh didn't notice her presence at first because it felt so familiar and so…normal. He only did a double take when his brain registered that there was a gorgeous blond sitting in his visitor's chair. A blond who he decided he must take to dinner as soon as he got her name.

"Hi," he began.

"Hi."

"Who are you?"

"I'm Donna Moss, who are you?"

"I'm Josh Lyman."

"Ah," she replied, trying to think of something quickly.

"Yes."

"I'm your new assistant." So much for dinner, he thought.

"Did I have an old assistant?"

"Maybe not."

"Who are you?"

"I'm Donna Moss, I came here to volunteer and the woman assigned me to you."

"Which woman?"

"Becky."

"You mean Margaret?"

"Yes."

"Who are you?"

"I'm Donna Moss, I'll be working as your assistant."

"I'm going to talk to Margaret."

"Actually, Josh…" she said blocking his way.

"Yeah?"

"When I said I was assigned to you?

"Yeah."

"I may have been overstating it a little."

"Who are you?" She ran after him, trying to keep up and Josh noticed that she was one of the few who could.

"I'm Donna Moss, I drove up here from Madison, Wisconsin?"

"When did your boyfriend break up with you?" She was about to make a smart-ass reply, but held back, she really needed this job.

"What makes you think that my boyfriend broke up with me?"

"Well, you're too old for your parents to have kicked you out of the house."

"I'm here because I want to work for Bartlet. I'm a college graduate, with a degree in Political Science and Government."

"Where did you graduate?"

"Hmm?"

"Where did you graduate?"

"Okay, when I said I graduated, I may have been overstating it a little?"

"Look…" he said, this was getting ridiculous. He liked her, but he needed to have some standards on this campaign.

"I was a couple of credits short."

"From where?"

"University of Wisconsin."

"You majored in Political Science and Government?"

"And, uh, Sociology and Psychology."

"Uh-huh." Now he was glad he hadn't asked her out, she was a little crazy.

"And biology for a while, with a minor in French?"

"Okay."

"And, uh, drama?"

"You had five majors and two minors in four years?"

"Two years."

"Okay, listen…"

"I had to drop out. I had to drop out." She really didn't want to tell him everything, no matter how comfortable she immediately felt around him.

"Your boyfriend was older than you?"

"I think that question is of a personal nature?" He smirked.

"Donna, you were just at my desk, reading my calendar, answering my phone, and hoping that I wouldn't notice that I never hired you. Your boyfriend was older?"

"Yes."

"Law student?" He had seen it happen all the time when he was at Yale.

"Medical student."

"And the idea was that you'd drop out and pay the bills till he was done with his residency."

"Yes."

"And why did Dr. Freeride break up with you?"

"What makes you think he broke up with me?"

"Donna, this is a campaign for the Presidency, and there's nothing I take more seriously than that. This can't be a place where people come to find their confidence and start over."

"Why not?" He thought she was nuts, there was no way she was questioning him.

"I'm sorry?"

"Why can't it be those things?"

"Because…"

"What? Is it going to interfere with my typing?"

"Donna, we're picking up today and going to South Carolina. If you want to stay in the Manchester office…"

"I want to come to Charleston."

"I can't carry you, Donna! I got a lot of guys out there not making the trip."

"I'll pay my own way."

"With what?"

"I'll sleep on the floor, I'll sell my car. Eventually, you're going to put me on salary."

"Donna." It struck him that he liked her name, he liked to say it.

"Look. I think I can be good at this. I think you might find me valuable." The phone was ringing but he just couldn't take his eyes off of her. He knew she wasn't qualified for the job. He knew this could be disastrous. But he also knew that he wasn't lying to him. He knew she would work hard, and he knew he could trust her. The trust, that was what got him, he has never been able to instinctively trust anyone.

"Go ahead," he said, nodding towards the phone.

"Bartlet for America, Josh Lyman's office. Uh, yes, I think I'm going to have someone from the press office get back to you if it's related to…yes. Uh, yes." He took his badge off. Hell, driving all the way from Madison, Wisconsin to work free for a long shot deserved something. A grin lit up her face, and the one that followed on his didn't leave for the rest of the day.

A/N: PLEASE leave feedback, it really does feed me…