He had come to her door. She had ridden back to her hotel, back with the enemy to enemy camp, and Josh had followed. She was in the middle of changing into her jeans and t-shirt when she heard the knock. Assuming it was Will, she started going over the events of the evening before she even opened the door. She was shouting that "Russell had done well" and she had "only heard the stupid squinting joke four times" so that when she opened the door she did not even glance up but simply invited in the visitor. Josh had entered the room without comment.

She was just finishing pulling her shirt down so that he was able to catch a glimpse of her bare skin right above her where her hip hugger jeans began and he had to remind himself to breath. She walked right past him into the bathroom still shouting away, "Now I know you said you were in the mood for Indian food but I just don't think I could stomach it, and I saw what looked to be a relatively clean Chinese place a block and a half over so if it is all the same to you I say we just go there. And don't try and give me some Eastern Philosophy crap about why I crave Chinese just shut up and go with me Will." By this time Donna had entered the bathroom, exchanged the 27 bobbi pins holding her hair up for one rubber band and slid on her backless sneakers. All the while Josh remained frozen in the entryway of her cheap hotel room feeling a mixture of jealousy and rage that she would conduct herself with such informal behavior around Will. WILL for crying out loud! Josh had never trusted that guy and now here was Donna letting who she suspected was Will into her hotel room at all hours of the night and propositioning him to go to dinner. It was enough to make Josh sorry he had come.

Sorry, that is, until Donna emerged from the bathroom with the same whisking manner that she had entered it only to stop dead in her tracksat the discovery of Josh Lyman standing in her room. "Josh!" she exclaimed while throwing her hands over her chest and bending forward ever so slightly in an effort to catch her breath. "What the hell are you doing here?" Donna questioned with a look of shock and apprehension that made Josh break into a dimpled grin despite the ackwardness of the situation.

"That happy to see me, huh?" His hands were stuffed deep into the pockets of his coat (the same one he had carried around for half the night) and as he made the comment about her pleasure (or displeasure to see him) he looked down at his feet and then back up at her with an expression she couldn't help but read as flirtatious.

"I just wasn't expecting to see you." Donna answered with sincerity and a hint of coolness in her voice.

"Yeah, I got that, you were expecting Will. Tell me Donna, do you always let people into your room with little regard for their true identify?" Josh's comments came out as accusations and Donna immediately resentedhis hostility.

"Actually Will just called a minute ago, we are going to dinner. I am actually surprised he's not here yet. Was there something I could help you with before I go?" Donna knew it was harsh but she couldn't help it. "Who does he think he is?" she thought to herself. "What does he want with me?"

"Ahhh, no." Josh replied again looking down at his feet. "I don't really need anything," he shrugged, hishands still deep in his pockets, "I just wanted to see you. I wanted to tell you that I thought you looked nice tonight and that if you had stayed at the bar for a moment longer then maybe I could've bought you a drink." He made the comment to tease her, she felt as though she was being mocked.

"Is that what bosses do for their old assistants?" Donna questioned callously, not allowing herself to be fazed by his compliments and building a wall further between them. The casual reference to their relationship hurt his feelings but he continued on, eager to get through to her.

"I don't know Donna, but that is what I wanted to do for you. Why you gotta make this so hard? I thought you said you didn't want this to be a thing?" Josh's voice had raised several octaves and he was pleading with Donna, searching for any sign of the way she used to be.

The moment was interrupted by a knock at the door. "That's probably Will." Donna stated as she moved past Josh and towards the door. He turned sideways so that she could pass by and he closed his eyes as he felt her body brush past him, as her scent drifted by under his nose.

Donna opened the door halfway to greet Will in the hallway.

"Hey you still up for that Indian food?" came his eager voice from the hall.

Josh couldn't help but scoff at the man's pitiful attempt. "Donna doesn't like curry", he thought to himself, "what an idiot."

Josh remained frozen and silent in Donna's room waiting for what she'd say next. He was relived when he heard her decline Will's invitation. The man sounded genuinely disappointed, but Donna game him a small pep talk before sending him on his way. She closed the door and walked slowly back towards Josh, circling him before stopping directly in front of him, looking down at his shoes.

"So what's going on?" Now it was her turn for her questions to sound accusatory.

"Nothing." Josh answered as nonchalantly as possible.

"Nothing?" She immediately sounded angry. "I just turned down a perfectly good dinner date and you're going to tell me that this is nothing?

"Is that what that was?" Josh shrieked incredulously and motioned towards her door, "a date?" He spat the last words like nails.

"So what if it was?" She threw her hands in the air and turned to flop on the bed and it was so cute that Josh felt some hope that he might get his old Donna back. He also noticed that shewas a little tipsy.

"So what if it was a date Josh?" she continued "What do you care? I don't work for you, so it won't interfere with my typing, and it won't interfere with the amount of hours that you have me in the office because I am no longer in your office!" She spoke indignantly and looked like a small child pitching a fit.

"I know." He replied, "I know you aren't in my office anymore. I know that you don't spend hours with me anymore. That is actually kinda the reason I am here." He said this while moving around and taking a seat on the edge of her bed. He said it slowly but it still felt as if he was ripping off a band aide."I miss you, Donna." He looked expectantly at Donna for a response.

Hours later he was getting all kinds of responses from her. He was pleased that she had let him take her back to his hotel. For one thing he could put the champagne and strawberries on his bill and not hers, also there was the matter of the kingsized bed. Never in his life did he think he could enjoy a woman as much as he enjoyed her. It was love, true love and as he slept he thanked God over and over again that he had worked up the nerve to go see her. Now he could see her for as long as he lived!

"If I could just find her in this huge bed," he thought to himself as he began groping around the sheets to find her. "Donna?" he asked aloud after an unproductive search. He popped open one eye to survey the room.

"Donna?" In the dim morning light, it seemed to him that she was gone.