Title: The Path Which Has Led to the Present (6?)
Author: Aerial312
Rating: PG
Category: Humor/Fluff/Angst/Romance (a little of everything)
Spoiler Info: Pre-Series.
Disclaimer: I own nothing…I just borrow.
Feedback: Greatly appreciated. Sure. Just let me know where its going.

"How was the drive?"

"Good," Josh replied.

"There Merritt Parkway is beautiful," Donna answered on top of him.

"Oh, good. You took the Merritt."

"Yeah, I think I know how to get from New Haven to here—"

"Who drove?"

"She did. She had orders from Le—"

"And me."

"Even though I got a full night's sleep last night."

"Probably the first time you've slept more than 2 hours in a night all week."

"No!" Josh protested, but Donna was nodding her head from behind him on the couch.

Mrs. Lyman laughed, and whipped around to face Donna, who was smirking at him.

"You need to continue to get some sleep, Joshua."

"I know, mom. I know. There just aren't enough hours in the day for what I need to get done."

"Uh huh. You're soooo important."

"I really kinda am, mom."

She stood up and grinned at him. Donna smiled to see the broad dimples that Josh shared with her.

"Do you kids want some coffee?"

"Yeah."

"Yes, please."

"See, she gets me coffee."

Donna smacked him hard on the arm.

"Ow!"

Mrs. Lyman turned back around in the kitchen doorway to face them. "What was that?"

Donna blushed. Perhaps hitting Josh in front of his mother was bad idea. "Uh…"

Josh smirked. "She hit me, because I made a comment about how you were getting me coffee."

Mrs. Lyman gave them an odd look, so Josh continued.

"She won't bring me coffee. Ev-er."

"Well, if you're going to be that obnoxious about it, maybe I won't bring you coffee either."

"Mom!"

"If she's as valuable to your office as you say she is, then she's too valuable to be fetching your coffee. You have two feet."

Mrs. Lyman turned an entered the kitchen.

"But its arbitrary!" Josh stood up.

"Its not arbitrary."

"How do you figure? You'll do all sorts of above and beyond type things, you'll get my lunch…but you won't get me coffee."

"We've been over this."

Josh sighed. "It brings back bad memories. From Dr. Freeride."

Donna nodded. Silence fell over the room, and Josh wandered over to the fireplace.

"Donna, dear, how do you take your coffee?"

"Milk and sugar. I can come do it if you want."

"No, honey, I've got it. Joshua?"

Josh didn't answer. He wasn't paying attention. Donna looked over at him, and saw that he had picked up a photo from the mantle and was turning it over in his hands.

"He wants cream and three sugars."

Mrs. Lyman laughed, as she entered the room with the coffees. "You won't get him coffee, but you know how he takes it."

Donna smiled.

"Joshua, your coffee," Mrs. Lyman extended the mug. "Joshua…"

"What? Oh…"

"Your coffee."

Josh took it, and sat back down on the sofa beside Donna.

"So what's next for you kids?"

Josh was staring into his coffee cup.

"Tonight he's got a fundraiser gala. Then we continue our Northeast swing. On to Pennsylvania."

"Oh. Where is this fundraiser that you guys are going to?"

"Its at the St. Regis, in midtown."

"Oh, that's a nice one."

"Donna nodded. "Hopefully a nice soft bed."

"Will you be there long enough to enjoy that, with a late fundraiser?"

"Oh, I'm not going."

"He's not letting you go to one of the fun events? Just the hard work?"

Donna glanced over at Josh. He was in his own little world for sure, as he hadn't made it clear that he wanted her to go.

"I just want a night off."

"No interest in the ball?"

Donna shrugged.

Mrs. Lyman looked nervously at her son. "Josh, honey, what about you? Are you looking forward to the gala tonight?"

Josh looked up. "Not really."

"No?"

"It'll be boring, and I'll have to pretend to be interesting, and as Leo said, be on my best behavior. Alone."

Donna bit her lip. There was the bitterness she had been expecting earlier.

"Mom, do you mind if I go take a walk in the back?"

"No, go ahead."

He turned to Donna. "Do you mind?"

She shook her head, and he continued out of the room and out the door.

"I worried this was going to be hard for him. I thought it wouldn't be as bad if he brought you."

"He's just got to work it over in his head. He's been to busy to really come to terms…"

"That's what he needs to do now."

"Yeah. He was worried about this too. He thought that my coming would help him too"

"I don't think he meant to snap that at you, about going alone."

"He wants me to go. But no, I don't think he meant to be that harsh either."

"Donna, honey, why don't you want to join him. It might be good for him."

Donna looked into the depths of her coffee.

"You want to go?"

"It's…just…"

"You don't have a dress."

"No, I don't."

"This is the first big gala you've been invited to?"

"I went to one before…before I left. But we knew well in advance…I had my parents mail me my prom dress," Donna laughed.

"Your prom dress?"

"Thankfully I had gone for black, simple and tasteful."

"You didn't bring it back with you?"

"I left in such a hurry, it didn't even cross my mind. I wasn't even sure if he'd take me back."

"Of course he took you back. He was lost without you."

"That's what I hear," Donna said nervously.

"Do you want to go to the fundraiser?"

"I'd go if I could. I have nothing even remotely appropriate."

"Come with me. I've got a bunch of old formal dresses in the attic. You're a bit taller than me, but I was close to that thin when I was younger. We'll find you something to wear."

Mrs. Lyman tugged on Donna's arm, and they climbed the stairs to the attic.

"You have so much here."

"I don't think I've ever thrown one out. Hmm…now they're all old. We're looking for something that looks retro, as opposed to out of date."

Donna laughed.

"See anything you like yet, dear? Anything here is fair game."

"Really?"

"I haven't worn any of these dress in…a very long time."

"They're all so pretty…Ooh! Can I try this one?"

Donna held up a light yellow strapless dress, with a full, puffy skirt."

"The volume of the skirt will make up for the length discrepancy."

"Its beautiful."

"Go behind that rack and put it on for me."

"Sure."

"I think that dress is older than you are, my dear."

"Really?"

"It may be nearly the same age as Joshua."

"Its still in great shape."

Donna stepped out from behind the clothing rack. The skirt hung to mid-calf on her.

"We have a winner."

Donna grinned. "Are you sure?"

"Of course. You are so excited. Look at you."

Donna could feel herself blushing at the attention.

"Do you have shoes?"

"I have a pair of dressy sandals I can wear."

"Heels?"

"Not too high. In really high heels I'm taller than Josh."

Mrs. Lyman laughed. "Let me find a garment bag for you to put that in."

"Mom! Where are you guys?"

"We're in the attic! We'll be down in a minute!" Mrs. Lyman shouted. "You go change back, honey. I've got a bag here."

A few seconds later, Josh came pounding up the stairs. "What's going on up here?"

"We're just going through my old dresses."

Donna stepped out from behind the clothing rack again, handing the pale yellow dress back over to Mrs. Lyman.

"What's that?"

"It's the dress I'm lending Donna."

"For what?"

"She's decided to go to the fundraiser after all. I'm going to go down and make us some sandwiches for lunch. It should be ready in ten minutes."

"Thank you, Mrs. Lyman."

Josh watched his mother go down the stairs, then turned to Donna. "I'm sorry I got rude earlier…I promised Leo I wouldn't hound you about this."

"Its okay. Are you feeling a little better?" Donna put her hand on his arm and looked right into his eyes.

He covered her hand with his. "A little. This is hard. Harder than I thought it would be."

Donna nodded, "The fresh air helped?"

"I went out back to my father's garden. Its more of a landscaped garden than a plant garden…its really quiet and calm out there."

"Good."

"How did my mom change your mind? She's not pushing you too hard is she? Cause I really did promise Leo I'd stop being a jerk about it, and as much as I'd like company I under—"

"I want to go."

"I thought—"

"I want to—"

"What changed your mind though?"

Donna blushed, and crossed toward the stairs. "She lent me a dress."

Josh and Donna sat playing Boggle with Mrs. Lyman.

"I won again!" Josh proclaimed.

"Well, as much as I hate to deprive your ego of another win, we do need to get going in case traffic is bad."

"I'm so glad I'm not driving now."

"I'm a little terrified of driving in Manhattan."

"You're making her drive in Manhattan?"

"I, uh…I can drive."

"I'm sure I can do it, its just the biggest city I've ever driven in is Madison."

"You're not driving into the city!" Mrs. Lyman protested.

"How do you propose—"

"Do you have a lot in the car?"

"Just us."

"Where does the rental car come from?"

"Uh…"

"Avis."

"I'll call up the local Avis, and we'll drop it off here. Then I'll take the two of you to the Metro-North station and you'll take the train in—"

"We can mana—"

"You'll take the train."

"That sounds like a great idea, Mrs. Lyman."

"Why didn't you think of that in your master planning?"

"Says Mr. I-Drove-This-Route-All-The-Time-in-Law-School."

Mrs. Lyman laughed. "Let's get this plan started, so that you are still running on time. I want you both to have a good time tonight."