For a Monday morning, the West Wing was oddly quiet. Josh found himself in arriving early at work and walking through a calm, inactive bullpen. In fact, Josh was so early that Donna hadn't even arrived at her desk. After depositing his things in his office, Josh walked back out and towards CJ's office. Her light was on and he knew that she was clearing her head before prepping for the morning briefing.

"Ceej." Josh said from the door,

"Ah, good morning mi amor. You didn't show up to lunch yesterday. Sam said you called to cancel. And then I ended up having to watch a hockey game with him. You know, there are times when I still don't get that game. Blue line. Red line. Icing, by the way I thought that was something that happened to airplanes or cakes. They're skating this way, they're skating that way. It's hard to keep up."

"You just need to watch more hockey. We should play sometime." Josh said with a smile. He walked over to CJ's couch, sank down into the cushions and leaned back to look up at the ceiling.

"Yes, Josh. Let me just grab my skates out of my bag and I'll meet you at the Reflecting Pool." CJ said sarcastically. "Why are you here so early?"

"I don't know. I got up and got dressed and the next thing I knew I was in the office. CJ, about yesterday, I…"

"Hey, whatever floats your boat my friend." CJ said nonchalantly as she walked from her desk over to where Josh was sitting on the couch. "Seriously, Josh. It's your personal life; I have no say in it. If it makes you happy, and as long as she's not a call girl, I don't have a problem with it."

"CJ, she's…"

"Don't say it, Josh. God, she's a call girl isn't she?"

"CJ! No!" Josh rose up off the couch and started pacing around CJ's office. "CJ, she's a Republican!"

"I think I might have heard that somewhere. You know, Josh, in the grand scheme of life, there are worse things than being a Republican."

"It's not that, CJ. Look where she works. Look where I work, for that matter."

"Josh, yesterday, did I ruin things yesterday? Juliana didn't look too happy when I left. Well, at least not too happy with you."

"It's fine CJ." Josh started to walk out of CJ's office. He could see that staffers were beginning to filter in to work. The steady hum of voices could be heard and phones were beginning to ring.

"Josh?" CJ called from behind him. Josh simply turned to look at her. "Does Sam know?"

"Yeah, I haven't gotten around to that yet."

"Tell him Josh."

Josh stepped out of CJ's office with a sigh and turned to walk back to office and begin the day.

"What haven't you gotten around to yet, Josh?"

Josh turned to see Donna bouncing down the hall a step or two behind him.

"I haven't gotten around to beating some Republicans down in an effort to make the world a better place, Donna!"

"So Josh," Donna started as she walked behind him, her heels clicking away as she kept up with his pace. "Do you have a date for the congressional gala next week? Are you taking your new girlfriend?"

Donna's last comment stopped Josh in his tracks. With Josh stopping so quickly, Donna ran right into him as he turned to face her. Josh and Donna collided, spending papers and Donna's cup of coffee flying.

"What?" Josh stammered.

"Josh, I'm not asking you for nuclear launch codes. I was just asking if you had a date yet for next week, or if I was going to need take one of my gowns to the cleaners. Calm down."

Donna collected her papers and walked around Josh to her desk. She seemed to have moved on from the subject and was paying little attention to Josh as she took of her coat and logged on to her computer.

Josh, still standing at the point of impact, shook off the shock and casually walked over to Donna's immaculate desk. "Donna, what did you mean about my new girlfriend?"

"Well, I sure don't know. It's not like you tell me anything anymore. I just know that you've been seeing someone sporadically, which, considering your life, is equivalent to dating. So, Josh…who is your new girlfriend?"

Donna's eyes were shining and she was grinning with a devilish look.

"Whatever. What do I have this morning?"

"Staff in 10." Donna paused, giving wait time and trying to catch Josh a little off guard. "And, lunch with your girlfriend. What's her name? I can pencil her in."

Donna waited in the doorway to Josh's office. Silently she counted to three as he continued to talk. Wait for it, she thought.

"Lunch? I didn't think she was…Wait. Donna!"

"Ha! So you are seeing someone!"

"I'm going to senior staff."

Josh breezed past Donna and turned in the direction of Leo's office. He could hear Donna laughing behind him.

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