A/N: So my friend Anne Marie starts writing The Joshua Chronicles…She does her
usual brilliant job of sharing Josh’s point of view about canon events with all of us,
but I start to feel concerned about seeing all these events through only one
perspective. Josh HAS been known to exaggerate or leave unflattering details out of
his stories. So I asked very nicely if she would mind it if I shared Donna’s
perspective on all this. Since she plays very well with others, Anne Marie agreed.
April 1998
~Donna’s POV~
Today was my first day back at Bartlet for America. I thought it would be awful;
uncomfortable and awkward, but it wasn’t. After one exchange with Josh, everything
fell right back into place. It was like I’d never left…except that I did. I took a chance
on Dr. Freeride, as Josh calls my former boyfriend, and it blew up in my face. So I
am officially starting over, beginning with this diary. This is the first day of the rest of
my life…Oh, that is too corny. What I mean is that I’m starting over, turning the
page, beginning anew. Did I get all the change clichés, there? I am no longer going
to fall for the wrong guy and invest all my time and energy in a pathetic attempt at a
relationship. And I’m going to keep repeating that until I believe it.
Josh’s office was a complete disaster. How could he ruin all my hard work in the
short time I was gone? It’s going to take days to get things back in order, especially
since I’m moving at a slower pace these days. I got hurt in an accident before I left
Wisconsin and my ankle is sprained. The injury makes it much more difficult to keep
up with Josh. Josh noticed this, of course, and wanted to know what happened. I
couldn’t tell him the real story, it would be far too embarrassing. So I made up a
story about slipping on the ice. Josh, being Josh, totally bought it. Then the weirdest
thing happened…
We were going over things in his office when Joe from advance came in to welcome
me back. In most other cases, this would be a kind and sweet thing to do, but in this
case…well, let’s just say that Joe gives me the creeps. Besides, I’m in no mood to
field flirtations from anybody. I’m here to start over and make a career for myself.
See how I’m already changing my internal dialogue? I couldn’t think of a quick
excuse to avoid Joe and I looked up at Josh for help. He stepped right in and saved
me. It occurs to me that this is the second time he’s done that. Josh…is a good guy.
Really, he is! Okay, he bellows a lot, he’s a slob with his clothes and his papers, and
he gets obsessive about things, but when the chips are down, he seems to come
through.
In fact, he promised to protect me from any Gomer’s that come my way. Apparently
the word “Gomer” originates from the character of Gomer Pyle who I think was a
sweet guy, but who Josh claims was simply the local idiot. In any case, I asked if he
was going to get rid of all the ‘Gomers’ in my life and he answered that he’d do it
any time someone broke my heart. For some reason, that just made me melt inside.
Josh had no reason to trust me the first time and even less reason now. Yet, there
he was, not only willing to take me back professionally, but also calling me his friend
and promising to protect me and my delicate heart.
I felt tears well up in my eyes and turned away quickly before he could see them. I
hurriedly packed and organized some files into a packing box to keep busy. I picked
up a permanent marker and marked the box ‘Bartlet for America 1, polling data, pre-
convention’. I figured it was a good luck thing; presume we’d win the nomination,
presume we’d win the election, and presume we’d be running again in 4 years. With
one flourish of my pen, I’d determined my employment for the next 8 years, which
was great but it got me emotional again and that time I couldn’t hold the tears back.
Why Josh picked THAT moment to be observant I don’t know, but he did. When he
noticed I was crying, he took me in his arms and held me. It felt so nice. I felt safe
and protected and warm all over. I told him I couldn’t go back to Wisconsin, and he
told me we’d just have to work harder then.
Something happened between us in that moment. We made a kind of pact to each
other. We would be in this thing together; partners, even though he’s my boss.
Everything just clicked together and the pieces of my messed up life fell into place.
After that brief emotional interlude, it was back to work as usual; Josh firing off
‘requests’ at rock concert decibels and the rest of the senior staff scurrying around
trying to wear 10 different hats in order to get the Governor the nomination.
I know this campaign is going to be long and hard. There’s more than a decent
chance we won’t win the nomination let alone the Presidency. But for the first time in
years, I feel hope and a sense of purpose. Combine those with one Joshua Lyman
and it gives me the feeling that great things are going to happen.
usual brilliant job of sharing Josh’s point of view about canon events with all of us,
but I start to feel concerned about seeing all these events through only one
perspective. Josh HAS been known to exaggerate or leave unflattering details out of
his stories. So I asked very nicely if she would mind it if I shared Donna’s
perspective on all this. Since she plays very well with others, Anne Marie agreed.
April 1998
~Donna’s POV~
Today was my first day back at Bartlet for America. I thought it would be awful;
uncomfortable and awkward, but it wasn’t. After one exchange with Josh, everything
fell right back into place. It was like I’d never left…except that I did. I took a chance
on Dr. Freeride, as Josh calls my former boyfriend, and it blew up in my face. So I
am officially starting over, beginning with this diary. This is the first day of the rest of
my life…Oh, that is too corny. What I mean is that I’m starting over, turning the
page, beginning anew. Did I get all the change clichés, there? I am no longer going
to fall for the wrong guy and invest all my time and energy in a pathetic attempt at a
relationship. And I’m going to keep repeating that until I believe it.
Josh’s office was a complete disaster. How could he ruin all my hard work in the
short time I was gone? It’s going to take days to get things back in order, especially
since I’m moving at a slower pace these days. I got hurt in an accident before I left
Wisconsin and my ankle is sprained. The injury makes it much more difficult to keep
up with Josh. Josh noticed this, of course, and wanted to know what happened. I
couldn’t tell him the real story, it would be far too embarrassing. So I made up a
story about slipping on the ice. Josh, being Josh, totally bought it. Then the weirdest
thing happened…
We were going over things in his office when Joe from advance came in to welcome
me back. In most other cases, this would be a kind and sweet thing to do, but in this
case…well, let’s just say that Joe gives me the creeps. Besides, I’m in no mood to
field flirtations from anybody. I’m here to start over and make a career for myself.
See how I’m already changing my internal dialogue? I couldn’t think of a quick
excuse to avoid Joe and I looked up at Josh for help. He stepped right in and saved
me. It occurs to me that this is the second time he’s done that. Josh…is a good guy.
Really, he is! Okay, he bellows a lot, he’s a slob with his clothes and his papers, and
he gets obsessive about things, but when the chips are down, he seems to come
through.
In fact, he promised to protect me from any Gomer’s that come my way. Apparently
the word “Gomer” originates from the character of Gomer Pyle who I think was a
sweet guy, but who Josh claims was simply the local idiot. In any case, I asked if he
was going to get rid of all the ‘Gomers’ in my life and he answered that he’d do it
any time someone broke my heart. For some reason, that just made me melt inside.
Josh had no reason to trust me the first time and even less reason now. Yet, there
he was, not only willing to take me back professionally, but also calling me his friend
and promising to protect me and my delicate heart.
I felt tears well up in my eyes and turned away quickly before he could see them. I
hurriedly packed and organized some files into a packing box to keep busy. I picked
up a permanent marker and marked the box ‘Bartlet for America 1, polling data, pre-
convention’. I figured it was a good luck thing; presume we’d win the nomination,
presume we’d win the election, and presume we’d be running again in 4 years. With
one flourish of my pen, I’d determined my employment for the next 8 years, which
was great but it got me emotional again and that time I couldn’t hold the tears back.
Why Josh picked THAT moment to be observant I don’t know, but he did. When he
noticed I was crying, he took me in his arms and held me. It felt so nice. I felt safe
and protected and warm all over. I told him I couldn’t go back to Wisconsin, and he
told me we’d just have to work harder then.
Something happened between us in that moment. We made a kind of pact to each
other. We would be in this thing together; partners, even though he’s my boss.
Everything just clicked together and the pieces of my messed up life fell into place.
After that brief emotional interlude, it was back to work as usual; Josh firing off
‘requests’ at rock concert decibels and the rest of the senior staff scurrying around
trying to wear 10 different hats in order to get the Governor the nomination.
I know this campaign is going to be long and hard. There’s more than a decent
chance we won’t win the nomination let alone the Presidency. But for the first time in
years, I feel hope and a sense of purpose. Combine those with one Joshua Lyman
and it gives me the feeling that great things are going to happen.
