Maybe It Takes Mishaps

Author's Note: Thanks so much to those who have read this little story. I enjoy writing it for y'all, especially those who seem to love it so.

They are: miss jasadin, kursk, Caia, KristyP and khughes830. I love you all, keep reading and reviewing!

To everyone else…Enjoy and Review!

P.S. – Bradley Whitford's mine so step off biatches! - Ok, well not really, but it was worth a shot, right!

It was a Thursday afternoon and the rain beat heavy and hard against the West Wing windows. And Josh felt about as happy as the weather. He turned to watch the water run in rivulets down the panes of his office and absent-mindedly played with the pen in his hand. Oh God, what was he going to do?

5 Hours Later

Josh was at his desk, feet planted firmly in front of him, head resting firmly in his hands. Oh man, how did this day go so amazingly wrong? Josh moaned into his hands. He was so angry at Donna, so unbelievably upset that she would date Sam. It wasn't that Sam wasn't a great guy – he was Josh's best friend after all – it was just that he was Sam, and she was Donna, and the two should never be mixed. Not in a romantic way at least. Josh groaned again. He fought to keep down another surge of anger when he thought about how she hadn't even had the courage to tell him that she and Sam were dating, let alone falling in love.

And that was it, Josh decided. It wasn't that she was with Sam; it wasn't even that she had been planning on going home and being cozy with him – despite the fact that Josh shuddered at that thought. It was that she didn't tell him. Donna told him everything; she told him about all her other local gomers. Why didn't she feel she could tell me? Josh thought as he sat back in his chair. And as Josh sat there, convincing himself that he was angry because she hadn't confided in him, he was also trying to ignore that voice from deep, deep down inside himself that seemed to say: You're more hurt that it's Sam. But the anger was easier to deal with, it was simpler and more straightforward, and it didn't get tangled in a big emotional web. But most of all, he wasn't afraid to admit the anger.

Donna shuffled files and reached for a pen. She was still fuming. Her date had been this very nice guy who was planning on taking her to the best restaurant in town and then maybe out for a nightcap, and so far, in all the time that she had known him (which was all of about 2 weeks), he hadn't yet bothered her with a whole night filled with questions about work. Does Josh know how rare it is to find someone like that? Obviously not, because today he was acting nastier than she had ever seen him act – even to Republicans. At the thought of his behavior earlier, Donna fumed once more. Oh Lordy, she could just go in there and kill him. And then her deep inner voice chimed in: You're just mad because it wasn't Josh you were going out with tonight. "Oh shut up!" Donna mumbled to herself as she grabbed a couple files and headed for his office door. Hopefully tonight wouldn't last much longer – Donna didn't think she could take it.

"These are your files for tomorrow's first slate of meetings. The studies are checked and I made up a set of index cards for each one, which are attached to the files. And I reorganized the Appropriations folders to accompany the new changes." Donna dumped multiple files around the room as she spoke. She turned and stood in front of his desk, facing him: "I'm going home now." She didn't ask, just made a simple statement – and Josh's foul mood rose up once more at the thought that she might be going home to Sam.

"You can't leave, we're not done." Josh stared at her. There was a silent war going on between their eyes and neither one blinked for fear that they might miss a crucial message from the opponent.

"No Josh. You're not done, I'm going home." Donna stood firm, then turned and started for her desk. She had her hand on the doorknob and was halfway out the door, when Josh fired his first missile.

"What, so you can go home and be with him?" Donna turned, fire in her eyes and went back to stand across the desk from him. Hands on her hips, Donna glared at him, "Just what the hell is your problem today?"

Josh stared her down, his eyes burning just as much as hers. "So you can be with him? Screw it, Donna! If you want to have a personal life so much, why do you even bother to come to work? Here's an idea – you can just go, we'll find someone else. Just go and run off to him just like you ran to Dr. Freeride!"

"With the way you've been acting, it's a wonder I don't! How dare you accuse me of not caring about work? I live and eat and breathe this office just as much as you do. I slave away hours here, all because you say you need something. I give up dates – sorry, date, because this is the first one I've had in months – and I don't complain. Not usually. Besides, if I had wanted Dr. Freeride so much, I'd have him!" Donna planted her hands in front of her, on his desk, and bent over slightly to face him.

"You only came back to work here after him because you had no where else to go. Now that you have Sam you can just go. You didn't even have the decency to tell me about it, but I'm sure he'd be happier with you there to be all cozy in his apartment with him. He sure as hell finds you more valuable than I do, it seems." Josh stood up, hands in front of him on the desktop, inches from Donna's, as he went toe-to-toe with her.

Donna really had no idea what he was talking about, but her face crumpled anyway. Josh watched her eyes – he saw the hurt there – and he knew he had gone too far. "You know, sometimes – most times – I think you're sweet and funny and really a great guy, but tonight I've decided that you're an ass." He had wanted to hurt her like she and Sam had hurt him. But the sight of her eyes haunted him, and it that moment when he saw the real pain he had caused her mirrored in her eyes, he couldn't stand it. He couldn't bear to hurt the woman he loved.

And like earlier in the day, Josh came to an instantaneous realization. Only this time, the realization was true. I love Donna, Josh thought. That was why he was so upset – not because she didn't tell him that she was going on a date, but because she wasn't going on a date with him. That was why his heart had stopped for a brief second that morning when he had overheard her say the word 'love' to Sam. Not because she hadn't said it when he was present, but because she hadn't said it to him. All the while that Josh was having his moments of self-enlightenment Donna had left his office and gone to her desk to collect her coat and purse.

"I just can't stand the idea that you're going home to Sam. Not when I love you." Donna froze at her desk, her back to him, and just listened to the heavy silence that enveloped the bullpen after what he had just said.