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. This is pretty AU.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Feedback is your friend. Mine too. ;)

Suspicion

Donna sat at her computer while Josh was at his 2:00 meeting with Toby and perused the internet looking for a place that sold the herbs she needed to procure in order to make her mixture. She found a little retail store mentioned called The Herb Box not too far from work that was open until 8, so she wrote on her hand the address of the place, reminding herself to stop there on the way home.

4 hours later:

It was 6:30 when Josh looked at Donna with sadness in his eyes and told her to go home and to come back when she felt well enough to return, that everything would survive without her. Secretly, Josh wondered what he would do without his right hand, his assistant, the sister he had never had.

Donna packed up her file folders, purse and chinese leftovers, put on her coat and walked toward the building's exit, trying to make as inconspicuous an exit as possible. It was too late, however, for C.J. had already seen Donna and called her over to say hello.

"What are you doing leaving so early?" C.J. asked? "You're normally not out of here before 10. Is Josh sending you out to get him dinner or something?"
"Nah, he let me go early. I'm not feeling well, so I might not be able to come in tomorrow."
"Donna, what's going on? You haven't taken a sick day in the entire time you've been here."
"I have a few built up, so I might as well use them when I'm under the weather, right?"
"Suit yourself. Anyway, feel better very soon—I'm sure Josh will revert to early boyhood again without you take care of him for the next few days," C.J. chuckled.

Donna gave a weak smile and looked at her watch, hoping to find a way out of the situation. "I hate to leave so soon, but I have to catch the metro back home in 5 minutes, so I'll see you when I'm better. Have a great night, C.J.!" Normally, Donna would have liked to stay and chat with C.J.—it was like talking to Josh, only it was different with C.J., which was always refreshing for the both of them. However, tonight was no ordinary night in the life of Donnatella Moss.

As Donna left the building, C.J. wondered to herself what was wrong with Josh's normally-bubbly assistant. She had seemed very...off and almost distracted during their conversation. C.J. was determined to find out why. She walked over to her assistant's desk and leaned against it, acting casually.

"Hey Carol."
"Yeah, C.J.?"
"Have you talked to Donna Moss lately?"
"Not in great depth, why?"
"She seemed...fishy today."
"What do you mean by 'fishy?'"
"I mean that I just had a conversation with her and she's leaving early and taking a sick day tomorrow."
"Donna? A sick day? I haven't seen her take one of those in -- "
"Ever. I have never seen Donna Moss take a sick day," C.J. said.
"Okay...Hold on," Carol said as she picked up the handset and answered the incoming call in one fell swoop.

As Carol talked on the phone, C.J. went back into her office, trying to figure out what could possibly be going on in the life of the West Wing's second busiest assistant (after Margaret).