TIMELINE: This really doesn't fit in, it's more of an AU fic based on my own twisted musings
ARCHIVE: Go ahead. Make my day. Seriously though, it's all good, just tell me first.
DISCLAIMER: Sadly, they don't belong to me. If they did, I wouldn't be waist-deep in college loans to support my education habit :-p
SUMMARY: Donna finds herself in a difficult situation and makes a choice that no woman should ever be forced to make.
SPOILERS: None. Canon sucks right now, so I'm deviating.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Feedback is your friend. Mine too. ;)

Eating for Two

Donna sat at her desk taking calls and doing filing, as usual. There were multiple memos about the upcoming dinner with the Indonesian ambassador scheduled for the following night that all essentially said the same thing and that pile of repetitive memos only grew larger with each passing hour. Josh was out at meetings, so Donna had a few hours to get things done without the "DONNA!" every 15 minutes or so. Josh came back from his meeting with Breckenridge at around 12:30 and put his hand on her shoulder, startling her as he walked back towards his office.

"How are you doing? Are you okay?"
"Oh my gosh, you scared me, Josh. Please don't do that."
"Are you okay?"
That's an awfully dumb question, now isn't it?" Donna shot back. "I'm sorry Josh, I didn't mean to snap at you. I'm just really stressed about all," she moved in hands in a circle as if to hold everything between her palms, "this."
"It's okay. Hey, how would you like to go get some lunch with me? I'll buy."
"Joshua Lyman, what has come over you? Are you ill?"
"Please, Donna, I just want to talk to you. We never get to talk anymore unless it's about office business. We used to sit around and shoot the breeze so much more often." He was almost pleading now.
"Can we order in?" Donna smiled.
"Chinese it is then."

Josh rubbed her shoulder before heading back into his office.

"This is exactly what I didn't want from him," Donna thought. "I don't want his pity." She watching him descend into the dark depths of his crowded office wondering what was going through his mind.

Josh sat in his office still in shock. He felt like he had been betrayed. Not that he wanted Donna in that way—Donna was very much like a little sister to him. It was more that older brother protection that he felt for her that made him want to kill the guy that had put her in this situation in the first place.

He remembered what happened when his cousin Molly and her boyfriend Tommy got themselves in trouble. Josh was a senior in high school and Tommy was his best friend. Tommy was livid and pushed Molly to have an abortion. Molly went through with the abortion and she had come out of it a complete wreck. She had planned on Tommy's marrying her and raising that baby together, and all she got was an expensive therapist bill at the end of it. Josh had refused to get involved, but tried his best to be supportive and ended up becoming estranged from his cousin and losing his best friend because of the situation. He didn't want to lose Donna too.

Donna dialed the phone to call the Year of the Dragon delivery number and ordered 2 eggrolls, an order of lo mein, a pack of sesame noodles and a pint of wonton soup. Josh always wanted lo mein and an eggroll—he was rather predictable when it came to Chinese food. Donna shouted into his office, "Chinese food will be here in fifteen!"

Fifteen minutes later Josh and Donna sat in Josh's office eating lunch in silence. Donna's early morning revelation was like the elephant in the room for both of them. Each was afraid to be the first to broach the subject with the other. Finally, Josh spoke.

"Does the father know?"
"Do you think I should tell him?"
"It's all up to you. He might try to change your mind, but if—" Josh paused, unable to say the word, "what you're doing is expensive, he might be able to help you out."
"I don't want to tell him."
"I'm scared for you, you know." Josh uttered the words softly, barely looking at Donna as he said them.
"I'm scared too. I just hope you're not disappointed in me." Donna looked at the floor as she said it, hoping that he wouldn't hear that last part.
"I'm not disappointed in you. I support you in what you're doing. I just want you to be sure that you know what you're doing and that you don't feel pressured into anything by anyone. You should do what is best for you and for, you know," Josh gestured at her abdomen.

Donna and Josh looked at each other for a long moment, each amazed at how much the other cared.

Suddenly, the phone rang breaking their concentration and Donna picked up with a rather mechanical, "Josh Lyman," effectively ending their lunch and sending them back into work mode.