Title: The Path Which Has Led to the Present (8)
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. Archiving: Sure. Just let me know where its going.
A/N: So the dress I'm describing, in this chapter and chapter 6 is the dress that Janel wore to the 2003 SAG awards. You can see a picture of it on IMDB.

Josh stood by a table of hors d'ouevres looking impatiently at the entrance to the large ballroom. Donna had insisted that she'd meet him downstairs, that she needed to finish primping for what she termed the greatest social event I have ever been to, and he needed to go downstairs and start mingling. Well, he was mingling with a table full of little sandwiches cut into odd shapes and other strange looking things that he wouldn't put in his mouth if he were paid to. He hadn't actually seen the dress yet, not on her. This he was looking forward to. The way Donna talked about the dress, it must be exquisite.

"You look like you need this," Sam quipped, as he handed Josh a glass of champagne.

"Thanks."

"Oooh, what are these?"

"I have no clue. If you can tell me what it is, maybe I'll try it."

Sam picked up one of the strange yet pretty little items.

"Mmm."

"What is it?"

"You know, I'm not sure. But its good. Try one."

"Not until you identify it."

"Oh, come on."

"I'm picky."

"Yeah. Yeah, you are….So, how was mom?"

"She was…good." Better than he was.

"Did she send cookies?"

"So no actual concern about my mother…"

"I'm just asking."

"My mother is doing quite well, considering. And apparently she find baking therapeutic, because we were sent home with 2 tins of cookies and a banana bread."

"Where are they?" Sam asked excitedly.

"You're standing there, munching endlessly on those things, in the middle of a fundraiser, and you want to know where the cookies from my mom are?"

"Josh, anything your mother has baked is far superior—"

"They're upstairs, in Donna's bag."

"Oh…"

"If you're a good boy, maybe you can have one later."

Sam laughed. "So…how did that go?"

"How did what go?"

"Your mom…Donna…"

What was he getting at? "Donna talks to my mom on the phone all the time. More than I talk to her."

"But she was meeting her for the first time."

"Yeah."

"And?"

"They got on famously, as expected. They had plenty of time to talk just the two of them." Josh gulped down the rest of his champagne.

"What? What's wrong?"

"I had a rough afternoon. I needed some time to be by myself, I realized. So I went outside for a while, and Donna stayed inside and talked to my mother."

"That's good at least."

"Yeah. I was really glad for the company. If it had been just me, I don't think I would have been able to be by myself and just think…you know?"

Sam nodded.

Josh grinned. "My mom got her to change her mind about coming to this thing."

"How?"

"She lent her a dress."

"Really?"

"My mom used to go to all sorts of fancy events…I didn't realize she kept all her dresses."

"Is it pretty?"

"I've only seen it in the bag." Though in all of his mental pictures of Donna in the dress it was exceptionally pretty. This was bad.

"Where is she?"

"She should be down in a few minutes." He hoped.

"Who is that over there?" Sam pivoted Josh to face the room.

"Where?"

"Talking to CJ."

"That's Senator Wallem."

"Do you think she's hitting on him?"

"Sam?"

"Do you?"

"I think she's talking to him."

"Really close."

"Its loud in here. Not everyone is talking as loud as we are."

"Uh huh."

"Sam."

Sam turned back to face Josh, laughing, "Just saying. They're awfully close. Woah."

Josh spun around quickly. Woah, indeed. If he had any coherent thoughts in his head, he would have been mad at same for that remark, but it seemed all he could notice right now was Donna. She had just walked into the room. The yellow dress clung to curves he didn't realize she had, and dipped lower than he had ever seen. It was fitted through her waist, then the skirt puffed out, hitting mid calf. She saw Josh and Sam, waved, and headed their way.

"Close you mouth."

"Wha—oh . Was I really gaping?"

"Yes, my friend you were. That's some dress."

Josh nodded. That was certainly quite a dress.

"That dress was your mother's?"

Donna arrived beside them. "Hi guys."

"Hey, Donna, we were just admiring your dress."

"Did Josh tell you where it came from?"

"He did. I can't believe his mother had that in her closet."

"Its older than I am."

"Well, it fits you like a glove."

Josh glared at Sam, who smirked.

"Well, uh, I'm going to find more to drink. I'll see you two later." At least he got the hint.

Josh remained silent, looking at Donna. There was a very subtle pattern around the top of it, almost lacy. But he couldn't get caught looking there, at that pattern. That would be bad. So he turned his gaze to his feet.

"Josh Lyman, at a loss for words?"

Josh looked up and smiled at her.

"You are taller than me in those shoes."

"Only a little."

"Is that dress really older than you are?"

"Your mom couldn't quite remember, but she thinks its close to being older than you are."

"Really?"

Donna nodded. "It was the first one I tried on. We were going for old but stylish, not out of date."

"Its…its…great. You look…great…incredible." Still no luck with the coherent thought.

Donna smiled. "Thank you."

Finally she broke his gaze, and turned out toward the rest of the room. "So who have you talked to so far?"

"Sam."

"Just Sam?"

"Just Sam."

"You need to mingle."

"You need to keep reminding me who people are."

"Fair enough. Wow, look at CJ and Senator Wallem."

"That's what Sam said. You think so too?"

"Totally."

"Hmm…" The fact that Josh could no longer identify major flirting concerned him.

"Smile, both of you!" Margaret yelled, and snapped a picture before they had a chance to pose.

"Margaret, take one more, a nice one, and can I get a copy, please?"

The red head nodded, and Donna stepped closer to Josh.

"Your mom had requests in terms of pictures. One of you. One of me in this dress. I think she preferably wanted the two together."

Josh grinned, and put his arms around Donna's waist, pulling her flush to him. She let her cheek rest against his.

"Say cheese! One more! Thanks! I'll make you a copy, Donna!" Margaret called as she scurried away.

"I have a copy of the list of attendees in my purse. We should take a look and see who you need to talk to," she pulled away from him and began digging through her purse. "Josh? Josh? Earth to Josh."

Josh blinked out of his reverie of the smell of her hair and the warmth of her pressed to him. "Yeah?"

"Let's see who you need to talk to."

"Can I steal him for a minute?" Leo asked, walking over.

"Sure. I'm just figuring out who its most important that he talk to."

"Excellent."

"Josh, do you want some wine?"

He nodded. "Red, please."

Donna made a face. "I'll be back in a few minutes."

Josh watched her walk away.

"What did I tell you about pushing her about coming to this?"

"I…"

"Though I have to say, she looks like she's enjoying herself."

"I was not the one who persuaded her. I couldn't figure out the problem. Mom did, and she solved it."

"Leave it to Rita. What was the problem?"

"She didn't have a dress. Mom lent her that one. I can't believe I didn't realize it."

"Women see these things."

"I was all huffy she didn't want to go, and it was really because she couldn't afford to."

"Josh, I said we'd talk about salary again in a few weeks."

"I know. I'm not pushing. It was just a realization. I wish I had caught on before we got into a fight about her coming. It's a sensitive topic for her."

"Are you worried about her leaving again?"

"A little…not really anymore, I think she's back for good. No, I'm not worried."

"Anymore?" A lifetime in politics had caused Leo to develop a highly attuned sense of the important word in a sentence.

"I, uh…well… its…"

"You paying her out of pocket?"

Josh looked up at the older man, and nodded sheepishly.

"How much?"

"I gave her $100. I told her that the campaign couldn't afford to put her on salary yet, which is true, but that you said she'd be able to get a small stipend, for the little things that come up, so she didn't get overwhelmed."

"I see."

"I just…I…I didn't know what else to do."

"Sometimes you can be a very nice guy. If you try."

Josh smiled.

"I assume this doesn't hurt you in the least?"

"Doesn't even make a dent. I was, uh, toying with how much to make it."

"$100 is a good number."

"I even had Mrs. Landingham write her name on the envelope, because I knew she wouldn't take it if she really knew where it was coming from."

Leo nodded. "If you really believe in her, I think you're doing a good thing. Just keep this quiet until we can get her on salary."

"Will do."

Donna came back over to them bearing a red wine for Josh and a white wine for herself.

"You look lovely tonight, kid," Leo smiled as he walked away.

See, Leo knew how to phrase it. Sam hadn't.

"So," Donna began, dragging Josh to his feet. "I found Gregory White. He—"

"I'm coming, I'm coming…I don't need the life histories."

Donna scoffed, and grabbed him by the arm, leading him across the room.

This he could get used to.