Some Planning

Hi all, and welcome to the very first Friday 9 chapter release! Every Friday night at around nine o' clock, there will be a new chapter. Have fun with this one!


CJ cried softly. Things had gone so wrong in the past couple hours. What she had found she couldn't explain, but it scared her so badly. She didn't mean to do what she had done. And Donna would have kept quiet about it, but then of course the other thing had happened…and yes, it was her fault, but she didn't mean for it to happen, and Donna had told…

Ring, ring. The telephone. CJ didn't want to answer it. She wanted to ignore it, to pretend she hadn't heard it at all. She knew what they thought. She knew what was happening now. Nonetheless, the phone kept ringing, then, after the fourth ring, quite abruptly, it stopped. After a minute, CJ's butler came into the room, knocking softly.

"A Donna Moss for you. Will you take the call?"

"Oh…yes. Alright," CJ said, wiping her eyes dry. She picked up her extension.

"CJ? It's Donna."

"I know. Hi, Donna."

"Hi. I just wanted to see how you're—"

"You think I'm crazy!"

"What? No…"

"Of course you do! I know what it looked like! I know that!"

"No, CJ…"

"I just wish you'd leave me alone!"

"CJ! I just wanted to say…"

"What? What do you want to say to me? Are you gonna recommend an asylum? Huh?"

"…I'm sorry."

"What?" CJ paused. Had Donna just said she was sorry? For what? If anyone should be apologizing, it should be CJ.

"I'm sorry."

"I heard you…what for?"

"For telling."

CJ snorted.

"What else were you going to do?"

"Can I come over?"

"Of course," CJ found herself saying, " I'll be ready for you when?"

"In fifteen minutes."

"Okay…fine."

Fifteen minutes later, CJ was wearing a deep purple dress, a pearl necklace, and matching heels. And the doorbell rang,

Donna came in quietly. She had taken a cab.

"Hi, Donna. Come in."

CJ led Donna into a large marble entrance hall, through a sitting room, TV room, and dining room, to an elegant living room with a red theme. They settled down on a velvet couch with leathery pillows.

"So, Donna. Why did you want to come over?"

"Because…can I just talk? For a while?"

"Sure," said CJ, surprised.

"Okay. Two things happened today. These things have led the people of the White House to believe that you are…mentally ill. However, I don't believe that to be true. And I'm sure Josh would agree with me, although he's still in the hospital. But, anyway. I think we can solve this problem…you know, form a plan."

CJ smiled. She liked plans.

"Anyway, I have ideas. But…"

"Yes?"

"In exchange…I need your help."

"With what?"

"Love," said Donna sheepishly,

CJ smiled. Josh and Donna had always had a little something about them.

"You want me to help bring you and Josh together?"

Donna blushed. "What? N-no, not Josh…"

Not Josh? Did Donna love someone else?

"Then who, dear girl?"

"Well, truth is, CJ, while Josh is a friend…I don't feel all that strongly about him…"

"Really? Well, I'm surprised. Who did you want me to get you together with?" CJ asked suspiciously.

"I met him a little while ago. James Leger. He works with editing of speeches for the President…"

"James Leger? Tell me more."

CJ feigned excitement, but really, deep within her, all she felt was plummeting. How could Donna not care for Josh? It had seemed so obvious. And now this…it was sad, really. Josh loved Donna for sure…didn't he? If he did, his heart would break… CJ silently resolved to prevent that at all costs.

"Well, I was walking through the bullpen, and I was looking at my shoes. They were new shoes, so I was looking at them, just to see how they looked. Then I ran into him," Donna's eyes became dreamy. "He was carrying a stack of papers a mile high, and they flew all over the place. I leaned down to help him clean them up, and then we both went for the same paper, and I touched him…"

"At the end of the day, I thought I owed it to him to go help him reorganize the papers. I went to his office, but I didn't tell Josh…then I helped him, but I stayed later. We had a cup of coffee, and then he invited me out for a drink. But…I had to get home. I promised my mother I would come home at 9, so I had to leave him. Ever since, I've never summed up the courage to ask him out again…"

"Okay," said CJ. "I'll help you."

"Thanks, CJ. Now, about me helping you…"

"Let's hear the plan."

"Well, I thought we could start tomorrow. I don't have time now…Josh will be looking for me. But how about tomorrow night, 11 'o' clock, right here?"

"Sure. What will we do?"

"Call it a planning session. By the way, are you going to work tomorrow?"

"Are you kidding? I can't show my face in the White House tomorrow!"

"Okay. Well…I'll see you tomorrow, then."

"Thanks Donna. I really appreciate this."

And with that, Donna left. CJ's mind was throbbing. What had happened. What was she going to do. All these thoughts crossed her mind. And the one she pushed out, banished from her mind, but kept coming back, was, "How can Donna not love Josh?"