Title: Peripheral Vision

Author: Tinkerbell99

Rating: T

Disclaimer: The characters are not my creation, they belong to someone else.

Summary: And so it was that Donna joined the campaign, but what else happened that day? Told through the voices of those on the outside of the main event.

POV: Margaret

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I had a feeling he may be unhappy about this. "You asked for a trashcan, Leo. I don't see what the problem is."

"I asked for a wastebasket for my office. I did not ask you to troll up and down the streets of Nashua looking for unattended lawn and garden items!"

First of all, I did not troll up and down the streets. I took a very well-timed walk down two blocks and over one more until I found Leo a trash can. A trash can, I might add, that was not properly located on the homeowner's private property, but was, instead, off the curb and sitting in the street.

"I've explained this before, Leo. It was a traffic hazard. I'm serving the public."

"By stealing trash cans? Honestly, Margaret! This is not what we need right now! I can just see it. National Enquirer stories about the campaign office that pilfered from private citizens. Only it won't be a trash can in the story. It'll be a wheelbarrow or a garden hose. Maybe a lawnmower!" He makes very little sense when he's angry.

"A lawnmower, Leo? What would-"

"Margaret!" Perhaps he could reduce his stress threshold through yoga.

"If it's that much of a disruption, I'll take it back. And I was just wondering what specifically we would be doing with a lawnmower."

"Will you-" He takes a deep breath. "You can't take it back. Someone might see you taking it back. Just give it-" he snatches at the can "-here and I'll put it in my office."

"Leo, if we needed a lawnmower for the-"

"Margaret!" Another deep breath. I really think he might enjoy yoga. "What we need is for you to pack for South Carolina and attend to the schedule for tonight. Thank you very much for your assistance in the trash can matter. Go back to work." With that, attempts to lift the can, only to drop it on his foot. "Margaret!"

"Yes, Leo?"

"There's…are there…there are branches in the can!" Before I can formulate a response, he cuts me off. "Never mind. It's fine. Go to work." And with that, he lugs the garbage can across the lobby and follows the Governor into his office.

All in all, I'm not feeling that appreciated today. There's a gym across the street from where I obtained the trash can. Perhaps I could run over and get some brochures on their classes for Leo. He could decide on a school of yoga and then-

"Excuse me, Margaret?" I look up from my badges to see Josh's new assistant. Still wearing a badge. A badge I didn't give her.

"Yes." This is exactly how the overflow occurs.

She smiles. "Josh said you could tell me what to pack for South Carolina and what needs to stay in the office here. I think I've got most of it squared away, but there are a few things I don't know about."

"Let's take a look." I abandon my own sorting in favor of a new project. After all, if it wasn't for Donna, I'd still be pacifying Josh as well as finding waste receptacles for Leo. We wind our way through the chaos that is the lobby and back into the relative calm of the offices.

"Josh was helping me, but he got called into a meeting with someone named Mandy and he's been grouchy ever since. Is that normal for him? The grouchiness?" With Mandy? That's an understatement.

"Usually when a member of the senior staff takes a meeting with Ms. Hampton, the assistants and volunteers try to avoid them for the remainder of the day."

"Right." She flashes a quick smile and resumes the packing process.

I, meanwhile, am amazed. Josh Lyman's office has never looked this good. Donna has removed clothes from the floor and the mountain of loose papers from his desk. She's even managed to…

No.

She didn't.

"Donna?" I have to ask. Just to be sure. "Is that a salad on his desk?"

"Hmm?" She glances over her shoulder while balancing on a folding chair. As she grabs a box of files from the top shelving, I inspect the green mass. It does appear to be a salad…with no dressing. "Yeah. He told me to order him a lunch so I got him that." She's balancing the box over her head, making her way down from the chair. "I don't think he liked it much, though. He only ate maybe half of it before the meeting." Whomp! An overstuffed box lands on the desk. "Why? Should I have gotten him the sandwich instead?"

I am now in awe of this newcomer. I've been trying for the last two months to encourage a healthy diet among campaign pointpeople. Studies show that worker productivity is dramatically increased when diets high in vitamins and organic substances are introduced. Leo and Josh have been particularly difficult subjects. I declared victory over Leo the day I caught him eating an orange, but Josh never budged.

"He ate part of a salad?"

She nods. "Why?"

The day I ordered Josh Lyman a salad, he and Toby hid my research on overflow and my color-coded post-it notes. Toby also insisted on removing the whole grain organic muffins from the coffee nook, but at least that was less disruptive to overall worker productivity. Donna arrives, orders Josh a salad, and he eats it?

"No reason." I make a mental note to document the occurrence, and help her finish taking down the file boxes. It isn't long before the office is packed, tidy, and ready to go.

"Well, it looks like that's about it. Thank you so much for your help. Everyone here is just so nice." Obviously she has yet to meet Toby.

We exchange a smile and I prepare to go back to Leo. As I pass out the door, I remember one more thing. "Donna?"

"Yeah?"

"Be sure you take the trash can."

"The…trash can?" She appears somewhat confused. "To South Carolina?"

"Yes." With a nod and a smile, I leave her to her new boss.