Length Of Journey
Josh isn't happy to learn that Jack Reece is back in town.
Josh, Donna, Charlie, Sam, Toby, CJ, Leo ...
Spoilers to season 5, Shutdown.
Part Three - Military Dress Saber
24 November 2003
Josh was only half listening to Donna while he replied to an email from Danny. She had been talking about Bonny, Margaret and fruit loaf, now she'd jumped subjects to someone called Jack ... Wait, did she just say Jack? Josh stopped typing and turned to look at Donna. "Did you just say Jack?"
"Yes, glad to finally have your attention."
"He called you?"
"Yes."
"Jack Reece?"
"Yes, Josh. Jack Reece called me. He's home on leave, he wants to meet up for a drink."
"And you of course told him to go boil his head after first impaling himself on his military dress saber?"
"No, I agreed."
"Donna!"
"What? He's been away from almost a year, it'll be nice to catch up."
"Nice? He almost got you fired."
"Josh, don't start ..."
"Donna! He gave the quote and left you to take the blame, so I think I'm justified in starting."
"He didn't know it'd be that bad for me."
"He knew exactly what was going to happen, he's an intelligent man. You understand I'm using the term man very loosely."
"Josh," Donna sighed. "I'm still going to meet him. You on the other hand are going to be late for your Cheese Day meeting."
"And my day gets better and better!"
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"Wasn't Cheese Day supposed to be a first of the month thing?" CJ asked.
"How would that make it any better?" Toby asked.
"I'm just saying."
"It's a complete waste of time," Toby added.
"I'll say," Josh agreed. "Like anything's going to come of it anyway."
"Nothing usually does," Toby said. "Apart from CJ's obsession with vending machine deaths."
"All I said ..." CJ began.
"I mean, he has to be the champion of all gomers," Josh interrupted.
CJ and Toby looked at each other. "You go," Toby told her.
"Josh, I really hope you're not calling Leo a gomer."
"Jack," Josh replied
"Jack?"
"Reece. Lieutenant Commander Reece," Josh clarified.
CJ smiled. "Donna's sailor?"
"He isn't Donna's," Josh said. "But yes. He's in town. She's meeting him."
"Is she insane?" Toby asked. "I mean he ..."
"Yes, that's what I told her," Josh agreed.
"He is cute though," CJ added.
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"... the cheese was ..." Leo stopped talking and glared at his deputy "Josh," he said but got no response. "Josh!"
"Sorry," Josh replied as he dragged his thoughts away from plotting captain Jack's downfall and back to the meeting on ... ah yes, Cheese Day.
"He's a little distracted, Leo," CJ smiled. "Jack Reece is back in town."
"Not going to be an issue," Josh told her.
"Who's ... ?" Leo asked.
"Please don't," Toby implored.
"Lieutenant Commander Jack Reece," Josh clarified, "Nancy McNally's former aide."
"Donna's former boyfriend," CJ added.
"I told you, it's not going to be a problem," Josh assured her. He caught Leo's glare, "Sorry."
Leo gave Josh one final glare before starting the speech again. "Andrew Jackson in the foyer of his White House had a big block of cheese. The cheese ..."
"Leo," Josh interrupted. "Can we just get our assignments with the country's nuts and then go, 'cause I have, you know, real work to do."
"The sooner you shut the hell up, the sooner you can go."
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That afternoon, Josh sought out his fellow conspirator from the inauguration - Charlie. "I need advice," Josh sat on the edge of Charlie's desk. "Captain Marvel's back."
"Captain ... who?"
"Lieutenant Jack Reece. He of the 13 buttons and the military dress saber."
"Ah," Charlie nodded sympathetically. At the inauguration, it had been their bond - Donna had Jack, Zoey had Jean-Paul. "What's the problem?"
"He's back. Here. In Washington."
"Yeah I got that."
"Donna's meeting him," Josh clarified.
"Ah," Charlie nodded again.
"So I need a plan."
"Yeah. You know what the best plan would be?"
"Get him posted to ice patrols in Antarctica?" Josh suggested.
"Do we have Naval ice patrols in Antarctica?"
"How the hell would I know?" Josh sighed.
Charlie smiled. "You know how to stop her seeing Jack, in fact how to stop her seeing anyone else?"
"I'm all ears."
"Ask her on a date, tell her how you feel."
Josh stared at Charlie. "That's your plan?"
"Yes."
"That's a terrible plan."
"It the only one I've got."
"I'm calling Sam, see if he has a better plan."
"There is no better plan," Charlie assured him.
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That evening, Josh explained the situation to Sam who just shook his head and smiled. "How long is this going to go on for?"
"Jack and Donna? Not long if I have anything ... "
"Donna going on dates and you trying to scupper her plans," Sam interrupted.
"I don't ..."
"Every time."
"I was the one who originally set her up with Reece," Josh pointed out.
"Umm."
"Umm?"
"That was strange," Sam agreed.
"No it wasn't. She liked him, he liked her and why wouldn't he, she's a very attractive woman."
Sam was openly grinning now.
"What's the grin for?"
"Your voice always get really high pitched whenever we're having this discussion."
"Whatever. I need a plan."
"You do," Sam agreed. "So my advice would be; ask her on a date."
Josh frowned. "Have you been talking to Charlie?"
"Yes and he's right. It's been over five years, Josh. Just tell her."
"No."
"At least you've stopped protesting that there's nothing to tell," Sam smiled as he picked up his bag. "I have a flight to catch."
"What if she says no?"
"At least you'll know."
"And how would that help?"
Sam shrugged. "I have a constituency to get back to." He looked at his friend and grinned. "It's time, Josh. Let me know how the date goes."
Part 4, The Plan (coming soon)