Length Of Journey
Part Two -- First Kiss

Josh is confused by a kiss after the shutdown party
Josh, Donna (J/D), Charlie
Spoilers up to season 5, Shutdown.

Two Months Earlier -- November 2003

The shutdown party at The Hawk & Dove was starting to wind down and people were leaving, some called goodnight to Josh and Donna as they passed by, but they didn't seem to hear. They were standing in a shocked silence, studying each other, each trying to work out what the other was thinking, what the other wanted to happen next. The kiss had been spontaneous, unexpected. They were both still on a high after the days events. It had just been a quick kiss, had started as a friendly peck but had become something more, much more. And now neither of them knew what happened next.

Donna broke the silence. "That's my cab, I should probably ..."

Josh nodded and let go of her hand. Until that moment he hadn't realized he'd still been holding it. The voices inside him were all crying out, 'don't go, stay with me,' but he pushed them back down and watched Donna walk to the waiting cab. When she reached the door he finally found his voice. "Donna."

Donna turned expectantly, but unsure what it was she was expecting. "Yeah?" she prompted.

"I... I'll see you tomorrow," he replied, while his inner voices called him names that didn't bear repeating.

As the cab drove away, Donna sat quietly in her seat, not hearing the driver's questions, trying to work out what had just happened.

Josh waited until the cab turned a corner and disappeared from view, before he turned back to the bar and found Charlie standing in the doorway watching him with a small smile. "What?"

"Did I see you and her kissing?" Charlie asked

"Apparently."

"You okay?"

"I don't know."

"Go after her," Charlie advised.

"Just chase the cab down the street?"

"I was thinking more along the lines of, call another cab, but it running works for you..." Charlie grinned. "Go after her."

"I... I don't think it meant anything. It was just, I have no idea what it was."

"Okay. So, if you're not going after her, come back inside and have a beer."

Forty minutes later, Josh and Charlie were still in the now mostly deserted bar. They'd discussed the shutdown, Abbey's welcome return to Washington, Leo, Toby, the president. In fact they'd discussed every topic they could think of, apart from Donna.

"I don't know what's happening with me and Zoey," Charlie confided.

"I thought you and her were getting back on track?"

"We talk on the phone, we email and text, but I don't want to push her. The trouble is, I don't know what she wants. I don't know how she feels, if she wants me to just be her friend or if she wants something more, you know?"

"Unfortunately I do," Josh agreed.

"I'm pathetic."

"Yep," Josh nodded. "It's like looking in a mirror."

Charlie finished his drink and sighed. "You think there's any hope for us?"

"You and Zoey?"

"Me and you."

"Not if don't stop pissing around and do something. Otherwise we're going to end two sad, lonely old men sitting on a park bench ruing the chances we missed." Josh smiled at the look Charlie was giving him. "You understand I'm very drunk, right?"

"I understand that you're a little scary and maybe it's time to get you home."

"You know I'm right though," Josh said as he stood up and followed Charlie out of the bar.

"I do," Charlie agreed.

Part Three, Military Dress Saber (coming soon)