*** The Day After That***

"Josh! I can't find your notes on S.53! I've looked everywhere! Did you take them with you? I really need them. I've got to get them typed up so I can make sure you can review them before I give them to Margaret so that Leo has them!"

"Whoa, slow down. It's okay."

"Josh! This is important."

"Wait. Are you back at the office?"

"I was about to get on the Metro and I remembered that I needed to type those notes. Do you know where they are? I've looked everywhere for them. I hope I haven't lost them."

"I thought you were going out to lunch with Margaret and the girls? When I left they were waiting for you."

"Yeah, no, yeah. I told them I couldn't. The job is more important. I really need to do this. Do you know where the notes are?"

"I've got them. You don't have to do them today. It's Saturday, live a little."

"NO!" Her voice is desperate. "I really want to get this done. Otherwise I'm going to be thinking about it all weekend. And I'm going to feel behind. Can I come get them?"

He pauses for a moment, concerned about how on edge she seems, but deciding that ordering her to go home isn't going to help her mental state, he responds softly. "I'm not home. I'm at Amy's. I'll bring them to you in half an hour."

"Oh." The word swooshes out of her as she loses her breath for a second. When she recovers her voice isn't manic anymore, it's coolly detached. "I'm so sorry to disturb you. This phone call was completely unprofessional. Don't worry about it. I'll take care of this first thing on Monday."

She hangs up without another word and Josh stares at his phone for a minute. He's never seen her quite like this and it's freaking him the hell out. What's going on with her?

"Problem at the office?" Amy asks, studying him intently.

"Yeah, I guess. It's Donna. I just don't know . . . something weird is going on."

"I could hear most of it."

"She sounded weird, right? She's not normally like that."

"And you're worried?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I don't know her that well, so I can't tell you if something is going on with her. Sounds like she's dedicated to her job, J. It also sounds like she doesn't have much of a social life. Regardless, it appears our afternoon is about to be cut short, but hey it was great spending almost a full half hour together. Thanks for the coffee." There's an edge to Amy's voice as she settles on the couch and turns the tv on, no longer giving Josh her attention.

Josh sighs in indignation. Why couldn't Amy understand that this was important? He 's worried about Donna and clearly she needs the notes on S.53. It irritates him to no end that Amy doesn't seem to grasp that Donna's wellbeing is significant to him. He's her boss! Of course he cares about her.

"Look, I shouldn't be gone more than a few hours. I'll call you when I'm done."

"Sure," she answers him a bit shortly, with a resigned shrug of her shoulders. And she doesn't even bother to say goodbye or look at him as she continues flipping through the channels.

And with that he walks out the door, not saying another word.

. . . . . .

"Hey, I brought you the notes and I got us a sandwich and fries from Levine's. It's your favorite."

He gives her a disarming grin, and for a moment it feels like old times. "Also, I got here earlier than expected. I should get some points ya know, for time management." Josh flashes Donna his dimples as he hands her the to go box, but she barely even smiles.

"Thank you," Donna replies, her tone polite, but distant. Josh deflates a bit, wondering what he's doing wrong. He's eager to try to make things better between them but he's at a loss. None of his old tricks for charming her seem to be working.

"You're welcome. I just figured that since you missed lunch with the girls, I should feed you. We can work together in my office while we eat."

"That's fine." She quickly agrees, taking the notes and making her way into the office. Josh sighs, picking the food up off her desk where she left it.

Donna quickly settles herself into his chair and begins to type. He smiles a bit to himself as he takes a big bite of his half of the sandwich. He likes seeing her there. Someday, she really will be running an office of her own, with her own staff.

After a few minutes she looks up. "You know, you don't have to stay. I can do this. You can go back to Amy's."

"I want to stay, Donna. Is everything okay?"

"I'm fine Josh." She responds, still typing.

"Okay. You want some fries?"

She shakes her head as she continues to type. He's oddly disappointed. He usually has to tell her not to take his fries, and now he can't even give them away. His eyes fall to her half of the sandwich, still untouched.

"Okay, but eat something, will ya?"

She sighs deeply, stops and turns the chair toward him, slowly and deliberately picks up the sandwich and makes eye contact with him as she takes a bite. The sight shoots to his loins, how can that be the sexiest thing he's seen all day? The feeling troubles him a bit, and he sits quietly for the next half hour. But while he sits, he tries to distract himself by figuring out what might be bothering her. When he lands on an idea, he takes a few minutes to try to figure out how to bring it up.

"So," Josh begins, eager to break their silence. He pauses for a moment as Donna stops typing and swivels around to face him. He can't help but look at her tired eyes, causing a pang in his chest. "You said earlier that you skipped girls night and then lunch today, is it a money thing? Did rent go up? I can help if-"

Donna's eyes flash, "I'm fine Josh. I can budget," she snaps as she turns away from him feeling humiliated that he thinks that she can't even manage her money. That he needs to take care of everything for her, no wonder he brought lunch. He must think she's completely incompetent.

"I know you can, I was just checking in." He digs his foot into the floor and shoves his hands in his pockets, not sure what to do or say next.

"I'm sorry," Donna offers quietly, ashamed at her outburst. "You're my boss and I shouldn't speak to you that way. Thanks again for coming in and for the lunch. I'm sorry I ruined your plans with Amy."

Josh's stomach drops as she stands to collect her things. Even though the whole experience has been awkward, he wants to be with her. The reminder that she only wants to work together stings. He thought they were so much more than boss and assistant, at least they had been up until recently. But before Josh can respond, she's out of his office and heading to her cubicle in the bullpen, leaving him standing there, still unsure of what to do next.

As he watches her gather her coat and bag, he's feeling more dejected about the state of their relationship than ever. It seemed like no matter what he does, the distance just continues to grow.

He tries not to stare as she puts her coat on, but the material seems to swallow her as she stands there with her hands in her pockets.

"See you Monday, Josh. Thanks again," she offers, her voice cool and detached.

"Are you okay getting home? Do you want me to drive you?" He holds out the smallest hope that she will say yes, but he isn't surprised when she turns him down.

"Okay. Thanks for your hard work Donna." He looks at her with expressive eyes, hoping that if his words can't reach her, that maybe his eyes can. But she only gives him a faint smile as she walks out the door.

He wanders back into his own office, still puzzling over the changes in Donna over the last five weeks. He flops into his chair, stumped. As he picks up the phone to call Amy, his eyes fall on the clear to-go container in the trash and the sandwich with literally one bite out of it.

The phone rings a couple times before Amy answered with a breezy, "hey J."

"So, we're done here. I'm getting ready to head back over."

"I don't think that's a good idea."

"No?" Just what he needed, two women upset with him.

"No. You know, J, you might not be dating your assistant, but you should, because you are head over heels for her."

"Amy, it's not like that . . ." Josh starts defensively, not wanting to examine how he truly feels, but Amy interrupts.

"It's exactly like that, J. Really, it is. I know you. For God's sake when I asked you if you were dating her you said no because she's your assistant. I probably shouldn't have gotten involved with you to begin with. You've got some misplaced moral compass that's telling you that you can't like her because she's your subordinate. But you do like her. And she really likes you too."

"Not right now she doesn't."

"Gee, I wonder why."

"Why?"

"Well, I'm sure dating someone else doesn't help."

"I don't think that's it."

"I disagree. I think that it is very much a part of this messy picture and I'm going to help you find out. I'm not upset, but this isn't working for me Josh. I don't play second fiddle to anyone. Especially not assistants that you don't think you can date. Figure it out with her. And maybe I'll see you around sometime."

Amy hangs up before Josh can get another word in. You really can't tell that he's a powerful man from the way the women in his life treat him. So he calls Sam. Maybe some beer and a burger will bring some clarity.