Maybe it takes Mishaps
Author's Note: Okay…depending on the feedback I get from this chapter, I may do one of two things: write one final chapter to totally wind up the story (that's if you guys don't like this!) or I may write a sequel that might involve more evilly hilarious plans and revenge on friends by a certain two West Wingers. So that was a not so subtle note to say, Read this and Review. Really – I do read the reviews and I love getting them. Also, let me know if I should write more stories in general, cause I have some zingers of ideas.
Thanks and much Love to all who reviewed – you all rock so very much!
Author's Note²: Okay, okay, so I know I've said this multiple times before – I love Bradley Whitford, and really, well I love Josh too. Are we seeing a trend…I'll say it until my death…I freaking love him! (By the way: just be glad y'all aren't my sister, because I make her tell me everyday who I love. :)
Donna was frozen in her place – no matter how mad she was at him, no matter how much he had hurt her just then in his office – she couldn't make her feet move. She was afraid the sounds of her steps might silence out the words he had just said to her. The words that she wasn't even sure were real. Donna turned her body to face him, resting her hands behind her on her desk, too afraid that her skeletal system would fail her at any moment. "What?" It was really all that she could manage.
"I said that it tears at me, from deep in my gut, to know that you're going home to Sam when I wish you were going home with me." Josh was in his office doorway, slightly pale and slightly off-kilter, as if he had just come to this realization a minute ago. As if reading her mind, Josh took a very tentative step forward and sighed, "I'm sorry about today – my behavior, I mean. It finally hit me that the reason I was so angry and upset was because deep down I was hurt. I was hurt that you chose my best friend over me."
Donna couldn't prevent the one very big tear from slipping down her left cheek. What is happening to me? She couldn't catch her breath, and her chest felt tight. She was on the verge of bawling and yet she still felt slightly angry, and definitely confused. "Who said I was going home to Sam?" Donna watched his face closely. Where in the world had he gotten this crazy idea that she loved Sam?
"I overheard it. And it made sense to me, after everything that I saw and heard today. I overheard you guys this morning talking, before you went to lunch with him. You told him he gave you that look that made you fall in love with him." Josh stopped, the pain in his chest taking his breath away at the thought that she didn't love him. He pushed on. "But I thought maybe I got it wrong, maybe I was crazy. So I was going to the Mess to see you both when I found you together. His arms were around you and I lost my mind." Josh took another couple of steps towards her. Donna hadn't moved and she hadn't said anything to dispute what he was saying. That was as good a proof as any to Josh that it was all true. He choked down the vomit that threatened to come up at that thought.
"Donna, I wanted to be the one to hold you like that, to put my arms around you." He was less than a foot from her now. Donna couldn't look him in the eyes, hers would betray her right away, and she wanted to hear what he had to say. "It's true, isn't it?" Josh gulped, rambling on. "And when I heard C.J. saying that she would have to spin this story to keep the press away from you two, that you had fallen in love, I couldn't take it anymore. I almost lunged at her when she said that I would be the first one to defend your relationship – I was so mad and so hurt. But I didn't know it yet; I hadn't realized yet that I love you."
Josh kept talking, spilling out his fears and angers of the day in a rapid speech of half mumbled syllables and hurt looks. But Donna wasn't listening to him anymore. She was smiling and she was crying openly now, staring directly into his face. She knew now what C.J.'s real plan had been – and she couldn't be happier that it had worked so brilliantly. Donna stared at the man she loved and sighed, smiling.
"Joshua, stop rambling. It's not true. Do you understand? I don't love Sam, you just misunderstood everything. I love you." Donna breathed that last statement on a deep sigh, her knuckles turning white from gripping the desk so hard for support. "I love you, Joshua," she whispered. Josh met her eyes, and it wasn't hurt that shown there, but truth. Donna's eyes reinforced what her lips had said.
Josh decided that now was a time for action, not words. Besides he was never really one on making big, eloquent speeches – that's more Sam's department, he thought ironically. Josh wrapped his arms around Donna's waist, gripping her to him, holding her secure against the length of his body as he dipped his head and captured her mouth. He couldn't do anything but kiss this woman he loved, all coherent thought left his head and he was overwhelmed by Donna. Donna moved her hands from the desk edge to Josh's dress shirt. She gripped it to keep from melting into a puddle before him. She whimpered into his mouth and folding herself into him, wanting to be as close as possible – neither one of them remembered they were currently at work. But really neither one of them cared either.
Neither wanted to break the kiss - it was too passionate, too heated, too hopeful for what was in store for them – but seeing as oxygen was rather essential to breathing, and breathing was essential to life, and Josh suddenly wanted to live a very long and very full life with Donna, he finally pulled his lips from hers, panting. Donna was just as breathless, feeling cold at the loss of his mouth on hers. Josh moved his lips over her cheek, feeling her tears dampen his lips, and kissed the skin right in front of her ear. Donna ran her hands up over his shoulders and neck, into his hair. "Joshua…" her voice was breathy and drawn and husky. "I'm sorry, Donnatella. You're the most valuable thing in the world to me. I love you."
They stayed like that for a while. Just being quiet and in love and embracing each other. And no one knew about what had happened in the West Wing that night. The heavy rain still beat on the windows, and in an apartment across town, the best-looking Cupid ever smiled hoping her plan had worked, and a helpful best-friend grinned, hoping that 'Cupid' was right too.