Title:
The Path Which Has Led to the Present (23/30?)
Author:
Aerial312
Rating: PG-13.
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.
A/N: It seems that Bartlet's Republican opponent in the first election was never named. Wikipedia doesn't have it either. I'm going to make it up when I need to use it.
"Excuse us, Congressman."
"What was that?" Donna asked, as Josh led her away from the good-looking, young congressman from California.
"I need you over here."
"You do not. You've been keeping your seat warm for the last half hour."
"And you've been chatting up—"
"I have not! I've been talking to Congressman Janis for—"
"Far too long."
"Josh!"
"What?"
"Its none of your business who I talk to."
"It is when it affects the campaign."
"He backs the Governor completely, how—"
"We're still at a fundraiser, and I—"
"It's none of your business and you know it."
Donna stormed away. Josh watched her go, and shook his head. She still looked gorgeous, even when she was mad at him.
"What did you do?"
"Hello to you too Sam."
"Well?"
"She's pissed off at me."
"And I repeat my first question, what did you do?"
"I pulled her away from a conversation she was having with Congressman Janis."
"Good call."
"Really? I'd have thought you'd side with her, the way you attacked me."
"He gets around. He was hitting on Margaret earlier. Then CJ. Then apparently Donna. All while I know for a fact that he's already made plans to hook up with Ginger tonight. Though I don't know how she—oh, is Donna staying with you tonight?"
"She was going to, but now, who knows?"
"She'll stop being pissed when you explain—"
"Somehow I don't think it will work if I am the one to explain what you just told me."
"You want me to?"
"That would be nice."
"So, why should I encourage you bunking with your assistant?"
"Because otherwise, your assistant is going to be pissed at you for ruining her hook up."
"Donna would sooner sleep on the bus or in the conference room than walk in on Ginger again, and you know it."
"Yeah…but I don't want her to do that. I need my assistant well rested tomorrow. We're flying up to Seattle for the prep for the first debate."
"Okay, okay. But you owe me."
"Uh huh. I'm heading upstairs. Tell her where I went."
"Will do." Sam crossed the room to the wine bar, where Donna stood. "Hey there."
"Hi."
"You look good tonight."
"Thank you, Sam."
"You must get a lot of compliments in that dress."
"Some. You. Congressman Janis."
"Josh?"
"Yeah, Josh," she smiled softly to herself. "He was very sweet about my dress earlier."
"That's good."
"But now he's being a jackass."
"He's just looking out for you."
"He's…I don't know…I can't explain it."
"Donna, he may usually be a jackass about this, but this time his instinct was right on. He didn't know it at the time, of course, but it was."
"What do you mean?"
Sam spun her to face the dance floor. "Look at the Congressman."
"Kayla, from advance."
"Right. And he's been working his way through our campaign staff."
"Oh."
"And, uh, he's…the guy that Ginger's hooking up with tonight."
"What?"
"She met him last night, at a bar, and they…hit it off."
"So, he hits it off with everyone?"
"Apparently."
"Dammit! Why do I have such bad luck? I was having a good night—and now I have to sleep on the bus!"
She grabbed another glass of wine from the table.
"I think you've had enough."
"You sound like Josh."
"He's not holding a grudge."
"So he says."
"Donna."
"I stormed away from him! I can't go knock on his door, and be like, guess what, I'm staying with you anyways."
"Yes, you can."
"You're encouraging me to spend the night with Josh?"
"I'd rather that than you spend the night on the bus or in the conference room. And I know you won't interrupt Ginger."
"Why didn't he come after me?"
"Because you would have snapped at him again if he told you what I just did."
"Yeah…"
"I told him I'd talk to you."
"I feel like a fool."
"You didn't realize that you were being played. He didn't either, but that's neither here nor there. Go up there."
She looked at him. "Thanks, Sam."
Josh padded across the room to open the door. Donna stood on the other side, a little more disheveled than when he'd last seen her.
"Hey."
"Hi."
Donna crossed over to Josh's suitcase, pulled out a T-shirt and pair of boxer and walked over to the bathroom. Josh flopped down on the bed, waiting for her to return. Finally, Donna emerged, and sat down on her side of the bed. Josh lay back against the pillow.
"What's on the morning schedule?"
"Not much. You have a staff meeting at 8:30, then we have an 11am flight."
"Great."
Donna curled into the blanket and turned on her side, away from Josh.
"You still mad at me?"
"I'm mad at myself."
"You didn't know."
"Why can't I find a nice guy?" She turned to face him.
"You don't have time right now. You shouldn't be looking now."
"Ginger manages to—"
"Hook up indiscriminately. You're better than that."
"She's getting some."
"You have standards."
"You're getting some."
"I, uh, have lower standards."
"Why can't I have lower standards?"
Josh laughed. "I haven't slept with Mandy since we were in Boston."
"Really?"
"I spend a week having to deal with her bullshit for every orgasm."
"Not worth it?"
"No, its really not."
"Campaigns are not for anything meaningful."
"Definitely not."
"There are lots of peculiar hook ups, but nothing else."
"Misery acquaints a man with strange bedfellows?"
"Indeed."
"Just look at us."
"Yeah…"
"I mean, its not the same as what we were talking about, but this, this is not normal."
"No, I guess not. Do you like having your own room?"
"You know I don't. And its not my own room. Now I have a roommate."
"You don't like Ginger?"
"I do. But…I don't know."
"I prefer having a roommate."
Donna looked up at him. "Really?"
"You make sure I go to sleep. Even when you try to make sure I go to sleep, when you go back to your room—"
"You don't—"
"And even when I do, I can't sleep."
"Me either."
"Should we try to do this less, to get used to sleeping alone?"
Donna shrugged. "Do you want to?"
"Not especially. I kind of treasure my sleep right now."
"Yeah."
"Tired?"
"Mmmhmm."
Josh reached over and clicked off his light. He curled behind Donna, and tentatively wrapped his arm around her waist.
She curled closer to him. "Sleep is good."
"Yeah…it is."
