Chapter 11: The Transfer Orders

Donna was sitting in the common room with Carol and Charlie, talking as they did nearly every day. There were other people around, but Donna barely noticed them. That particular day, a hot Thursday in May 2001, Donna was in an introspective mood. She couldn't believe it had been three years since her graduation from West Point, two years since Ellie Bartlet had given her life for her country, two years since she and Josh had kissed for the first time, and one year since they had been investigated for improper conduct. After the investigation had determined that they were grown adults who could pursue a personal relationship as long as it remained separate from their professional lives, they had blossomed in their relationship. They had dinner together at least three nights a week, often ending up at Josh's apartment. They talked on the phone nearly every night, with Josh and Donna each swapping stories about their days. They were more in love than ever before, and Donna, for the first time, felt good about their relationship. Josh had even taken the big step of introducing her to his mother while on leave last Christmas. Rachel Lyman had welcomed the young woman with open arms, making it quite clear to both of them that she never anticipated that her son would find someone with whom to share his life.

Marriage was something that they discussed, but put on the back burner. They knew it was a legal step that they could never dream of taking while they were in the Army. Donna was also dreading the other step she knew was coming-her inevitable PCS (permanent change of station) away from Fort Belvoir. She had been there three years, and she knew it would only be a matter of time before the orders came through. If that happened now, she wondered, what would happen with her and Josh? Would they be forced to break up?

She was about to find out sooner rather than later. There was a knock on the door of the common room, and everyone stood as CJ entered the room.

"Major Cregg." Everyone greeted and snapped to attention.

"At ease, soldiers." Major Cregg said, holding out his hands. "I've only come to bear news that may be good news, but may also be bad news, depending on how you feel."

"What's the news, ma'am?" Carol replied.

"I've just heard from upstairs. PCS orders will be in everyone's mailboxes within the hour."

"So it's really happening." Donna muttered.

"You're surprised, Moss?" CJ replied incredulously. "Something you want to share with the class?"

"No, no." Donna said, shrugging. "Just took me by surprise, that's all."

"Uh-huh." CJ nodded skeptically. She stepped closer as everyone else went back to what they were doing. "Listen, I wanted to ask the three of you. I've been thinking, why don't we all meet up at Woody's tonight? Open up our letters together, shoot some pool, for old time's sake?"

Donna grinned. They hadn't been to Woody's since before Toby retired. It didn't feel right going there without him, for some strange reason.

"I'm in." Donna replied enthusiastically. "What about you guys?"

"Let's do it!" Carol agreed.

"I'm in." Charlie replied.

"I'm going to invite Seaborn, Lyman, and Bailey too, if that's alright with everyone."

A small smile played on Donna's face as she said, "Perfectly all right."

CJ raised her eyebrows but said nothing. She had heard much to-do over the last year about Josh and Donna's evolving relationship. Now she would be able to witness it firsthand.

…

The afternoon passed, and soon it was evening. Donna, Carol, and Charlie piled into Donna's Pontiac and followed the familiar path to Woody's. They pulled up right on time, and as they hopped out of the car, they were greeted by a welcome sight: Josh and Sam hopping out of Josh's car. Donna smiled fondly at the car-after all, it had been the car where they had first gotten to really know one another.

Josh waved at her, then approached. "Hey."

"Hey." Donna replied, leaning in for a quick peck on the lips that quickly became deeper. They were only jolted from their kiss by Sam's call of, "Hey, lovebirds! You coming or what?"

Donna laughed softly as they broke apart and strolled into the pool hall hand in hand. This time around, there would be no hiding their relationship.

They all sat around, and Charlie got up. "Okay, I'm buying tonight."

"No, you're not." Josh said, waving him down. "Sit back down, I'm buying."

"How chivalrous of you." CJ quipped.

"Um, I'll have an absolut martini." Donna told him. The rest ordered in quick succession. As soon as Josh had left, she turned to Carol and said, "You know when the last time I ordered a martini was?"

"When?" Donna just looked at her.

Then it clicked. "Shooter's. The first night you met Josh."

"Indeed." Donna smiled.

"How nostalgic of you." Carol replied.

As soon as the drinks were handed around, silence fell around the table as CJ said, "OK, guys, we all know why we're here. So, who brought their envelopes?"

Everyone shifted in their seats and pulled out identical white envelopes. Donna's hands practically shook. Her entire future in the Army for the next three years laid in print in this envelope.

"All right, guys." Sam cut in. "Let's open them on my count. One...two...three."

The group tore open their envelopes and read silently to themselves. Donna ran her finger down the line of the official letter to find the part she was looking for.

PCS REASSIGNMENT: Fort Hood, Killeen, Texas.

Well, that was something at least, she thought. She had never even been to Texas, and now she was being PCS'd to one of the biggest Army bases in the country.

"Okay." CJ took control of the situation. "Let's all go one at a time, around the table: base name and location. I'll start: Fort Buchanan, Puerto Rico."

"Puerto Rico." Charlie commented from next to her. "That's not a bad place to be stationed." He read off his sheet. "Fort Wainwright. Fairbanks, Alaska." He let out a harsh laugh. "At least I won't ever have to worry about it getting too hot."

He masked it off as a joke, but Donna knew that he was in pain. Alaska was hundreds of miles from Missouri, where the love of his life was currently stationed. How on Earth would they be able to live so far apart for another three years?

Now, she just smiled comfortingly. "It'll be OK, Charlie."

Charlie looked at her with disappointed eyes. "We'll see about that. But thanks for trying anyway."

"Okay." Will said, taking over from Charlie. "Fort Riley. North Central Kansas."

"That's a good station." Sam commented. "I have Fort Irwin. Barstow, California."

"That's around where you grew up, right?" Josh said to Sam.

"Yeah. It'll be like going home for me. The sand, the surf…"

"The women." Josh cut in, causing peals of laughter from around the table.

Sam blushed. "Yeah, that could be part of it, too."

"You ever gonna call that JAG lawyer back?" Josh asked.

Sam froze. He hadn't thought of Major Ainsley Hayes since she had come to base, resolving himself to the fact that they wouldn't work in a relationship unless one or both of them left the service. And it was a sacrifice neither of them were quite ready to make.

"Someday." he said, waving his friend off. "Carol?"

Carol looked at hers. "Also Fort Riley."

Will smirked. "Well, how do you like them apples?"

"Shut up, Bailey. I'm actually glad someone I know will be around."

Will sat back, pleased with himself for befriending her. His eyes wandered to Josh and Donna, hands clasped on the other side of the table. They didn't know he was the one who leaked their relationship, and he sure wasn't going to be the one to tell them.

"Okay, Donna." Carol said, turning to her longtime friend. "What did you get?"

"Fort Hood. Killeen, Texas."

"All right!" Everyone cheered.

"That's the biggest Army base around, Moss." Will said to her. "You'll do great there."

"Et tu, Lyman?" CJ asked with curiosity.

Unlike everyone else, however, Josh was staring in shock at his PCS order. Sure, he knew there was nothing he could do about it. But now, knowing Donna's, he was suddenly afraid to tell her, knowing it was destined to alter their relationship.

"Um…"

"Josh?" He turned his head to meet Donna's worried eyes, a hand on his shoulder. "What does it say?"

"Fort Lewis." He finally read. "Tacoma, Washington."

Donna blinked, stunned. She had anticipated a lot of things, but somehow, being across the country from her boyfriend was not one of them. "Ta-Tacoma?" she stammered.

"Donna?" Josh asked. "You OK?"

"I don't know. I just-I need a few minutes to myself." She stood up from the table and headed back to the pool tables, ignoring her friends' calls of concern.

…

Thwap!

Donna sunk the four balls into the pockets without even batting an eyelash. Sometimes, she even impressed herself with how good she had gotten over the years. She felt hot tears escaping her eyes. How on Earth was she going to be without him?

"Hey." said a voice from behind her. Donna turned to find Josh a few feet behind her. "I told you if you aimed it, you'd get a cleaner shot."

"I told you to leave me be." Her voice was rough-edged, and Josh could tell she had been crying.

"Donna, you knew this was coming." Josh said gently.

"Yeah. I just didn't expect it to-to…"

"To what, sweetheart?"

The term of endearment that Josh had only used a handful of times during their relationship, and yet made her feel cherished every time she heard it, made her break down in tears.

"Hey, hey." Josh said as he closed the gap between them, enveloping Donna in a warm and necessary hug. "It's gonna be OK."

"How?" she sobbed against his shoulder. "I prepared myself so much for this moment, Josh. But what I didn't expect, I didn't expect it to hurt this much."

"Oh, Donna." Josh said tenderly. He kissed her temple and just held her. "Shh." he said soothingly. Suddenly, he had made a decision. A decision that would change the trajectory of his life forever.

He loved this woman. He loved her more than anything else on Earth. And he would never do anything to hurt her. And then he felt General McGarry's advice calling him back. That there would come a time where he would need to choose between the military and his true love. Because he had an out.

"I didn't say anything before," Josh said, "because we were going to do this big thing and then, frankly, you were too upset for me to even explain."

"What?" Donna said, her voice muffled by her tears.

"I have an out."

"What?" The thought was too positive, too unbelievable for her to comprehend.

"My contract's up this year."

"It is?" Donna asked, confused. Then, it hit her. Wait, was he saying…

"I'm not gonna re-up, Donna." Josh's voice was hard and determined. "I'm turning down the Fort Lewis post. I'm getting out and I'm moving to Killeen with you. If we can't live together on base, I'll find an apartment somewhere."

Donna was flabbergasted. "Josh, are you sure? I mean, it's a big decision, and what about your future?"

"Donna, I've been in the Army for 17 years. I've accomplished all I can in those 17 years." He softly cradled her face, his thumb wiping away the tears now streaming down her face. "Donna, you're my future. If these last three years have taught me anything, it's that you don't take what you've got for granted. I love you so much, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. To me, that's worth giving up the Army."

"You're sure about this?" Donna asked him skeptically.

"More sure than I've ever been of anything in my life." Josh said determinedly.

Donna didn't say anything, but leaned forward and kissed him. When she pulled apart from him, she said, "Josh, I would want nothing more than to have you by my side for the rest of my career."

With that, she pulled him in for a kiss. And, in that moment, neither one cared who was watching.

…

Two weeks went by far too quickly for Josh, Donna, and the rest of the 29th Infantry crew. The day had come where they were all heading out to their new lives on different army posts.

"Soldiers." Colonel Santos said as he saw them all assembled on the tarmac. "I just wanted to say, as I take my well-deserved retirement, what a pleasure it's been serving with you these past few years."

"Likewise, sir." they all said. As Colonel Santos walked away, they all turned to one another. It was time to say goodbye.

They all reached out and started to hug one another.

"You'll keep in touch, right?" CJ asked Donna as they hugged.

"Absolutely." Donna said. "You should come visit us down in Texas."

"I might just take you up on that." CJ replied.

Finally, Donna faced Carol. It would be her hardest goodbye yet. They hesitated, then hugged tightly.

"This isn't goodbye." Carol told her. "We'll call, email, do whatever we have to do to stay in touch. And you're inviting me to your wedding."

"What makes you think we're getting married?" Donna asked, puzzled.

Carol just smiled, glancing at Josh's hand brushing against Donna's back. "Some things you just know."

With that, in a hail of hugs and laughter, everyone started to disperse to their cars. Carol and Will hopped into Will's car to start the trek to Kansas, CJ headed home to pack before her early-morning flight to Puerto Rico, Charlie and Sam drove off to the airport for their flights to Alaska and California, respectively, and finally Josh and Donna hopped into their cars for the flight to Texas. As Donna took one last look around, she reflected on the time she had spent here. It had been the hardest three years of her life, but it was definitely worth it, because she had met Josh.

She shook her head slightly and turned her key, driving towards the horizon to the next chapter in her life.

A/N: I could end it right here, but I have a little bit more I want to write. Stay tuned! Let me know what you thought!