Painful Progress Chapter 5-10
Chapter 5
“Maybe we should just take it off the hook.” Katherine Moss suggested.
“No.” Donna snapped.
“Honey, it was just a suggestion. All the press calls seem to be upsetting you.”
“I can’t even stand by myself and you think it’s the press calls that are upsetting me?”
Donna tried again to reach for her bag and winced in pain.
“Let me get that for you, sweetie.” Katherine offered but Donna literally shook her off.
“And then what am I supposed to do after you leave on Sunday?” Donna asked petulantly.
Katherine tried to hide the hurt she felt at Donna’s remark. She’d dropped everything and
flown to Germany; of course she had. Then she’d brought Donna back to Wisconsin to
recuperate. When she saw that Donna was pining for her life in D.C. she even agreed to
come to D.C. while Donna got settled into a new routine and recovered enough to function
on her own. “We talked about this already, Donnatella. I can’t stay here any longer. If you
want to go back to Wisconsin with me-“
“I don’t.”
“Then stop acting like a spoiled brat.” Katherine admonished her. Donna blinked in
surprise.
“I’m sorry.” Donna replied instantly. “I didn’t mean it like that. I’m just frustrated. I couldn’t
even stand up unassisted today.”
“You did! Just not for very long yet, but that will come with time and work.” Mrs. Moss
reminded her. “You were very seriously injured, honey, it’s going to take awhile to get
better.”
“I don’t have awhile. I need to get better, faster.”
“I think you’ve caught some of Josh’s impatience. I didn’t know that character trait was
contagious.” Katherine teased and saw her daughter’s eyes drop. “It was nice of Josh to
drop by last night. He must have been tired after his long day, too.”
“He’s been very considerate.”
“Considerate?”
“Yes, especially when you take into account the fact that the Chief of Staff position went to
C.J. But he doesn’t seem to be very upset with me about it.”
“Why would he be upset with YOU about it?”
“Mom, the only reason he got passed over for it, was because he chose to come to
Germany instead of staying at the White House.”
“You know that for certain? He told you that?” Katherine confirmed.
“He didn’t have to, I know how things work in the White House.” Donna explained right
before the phone rang again.
“Do you want me to get that?” Katherine offered.
“They’ll just want to hear the ‘no’ from me anyway.” Donna pointed out and held her hand
out for the cordless phone. “Hello?... Hi, I’m doing okay, thanks…” Donna motioned with
her head toward the bedroom, indicating she was going to take the call in the other room
and motored her way there.
Katherine sighed again and wondered if she was doing the right thing. Maybe she should
just insist that Donna come back with her to Wisconsin. She didn’t mean to downplay what
her daughter had been through, but she’d never seen Donna like this swinging from high
to low and crying at the drop of a hat. Katherine was very pleased that part of Donna’s
treatment included psychological help. She was going to need it. A knock at the door
interrupted her heavy thoughts.
“Josh! Flowers for me?” Katherine teased.
“Uh…no?” Josh answered hesitantly.
“Used to be handsome young men brought me flowers.”
“No doubt, Mrs. Moss, but I’m neither.” Josh replied. “Where’s Donna?”
“She went back to her room; go on back and I’ll put these in water for you.”
“Thanks.” Josh watched her take the flowers from him with mixed feelings. It was nice of her
to put them in water, but couldn’t she wait a few minutes so he had something in his hands
when he spoke to Donna? He needed a prop of some kind for this conversation.
He walked back toward Donna’s room hesitantly, which was out of character for him, but fit
the uncertainty he was feeling. His conversation with Mallory had played in his head all
day. Now it was time to do something about it. But then he picked up part of her
conversation.
“No, they’re on my bedside table…I told you they were beautiful already…Hmmmm, I don’t
think you’d say that if you could see me these days, the electric wheelchair doesn’t let me
show off those legs you’re talking about…I know, and it meant a lot to me that you came all
that way to see me…”
Shit. It could only be Colin. Josh froze for a few precious seconds and then turned on his
heel and walked quickly back toward the kitchen where he could here Katherine Moss
filling a vase with water.
“She kick you out?” Katherine poked fun at him.
“She’s…on the phone.” Josh explained.
“It’s probably the damn press.” Katherine complained. “Josh, they’ve been hounding her
for days. Isn’t there something we can do to block the calls or something?” Josh knocked
himself out of his reverie to concentrate on what she was saying.
“The press is bugging her? She hasn’t said anything to me.” Josh noted. “I’ll get her
number changed and unlisted.” He decided and got on his cell to make it happen. He hung
up with the job done but couldn’t shake the nauseous feeling in his stomach. He’d figured
out what he wanted, only he was too late. In the meantime, he also missed out on his
professional opportunities. He was absolutely screwed.
“Thanks Josh, that will help, I’m sure. The phone just keeps ringing, and ringing!”
“If it’s still a problem, let me know and I’ll have C.J.- I mean, I’ll have someone talk to the
press directly.” Josh promised.
“I thought I heard voices out here.” Donna noted when she wheeled in.
“Josh brought me flowers. Wasn’t that sweet?” Katherine asked her daughter. Donna
smiled at Josh who was studiously looking at the kitchen table.
“Very sweet. Good thing you’re going back to Wisconsin on Sunday or Dad would have to
challenge him to a duel. First he invites you to meet him in Europe… now he brings you
flowers…” Donna trailed off when her comments didn’t get the desired results.
“I should get going. I just stopped to bring the flowers and see how your day went.” Josh
explained.
“It was long.” Donna replied. “How about yours?”
“Very long. Tomorrow will be better with you there.” He offered a small smile. “Oh, and your
mom told me how you’ve been getting harassing phone calls from reporters. I called the
phone company and they’re going to have your number changed in the morning.”
“What?” Donna asked.
“I…asked them to change your number and keep it unlisted. That way you won’t be
hassled at home anymore. I suppose they can still try at work but-“
“YOU decided to change my number and keep it unlisted? That costs extra Josh.” Donna
protested.
“I’ll spot you the $5 a month, Donna.” Josh drawled. “I think it’s more important that you’re
not being bothered while you try to rest at home.”
“Maybe what YOU think is important isn’t the important thing here.”
“What?”
“Donna, it’s my fault, I asked him to-“ Katherine tried to take the bullet.
“Neither of you live here or pay the bills so I really don’t understand where you get off-“
“Donna!” Katherine interjected. Everyone took a breath.
“I’ll call them back and cancel the work order.” Josh announced.
“Don’t bother.” Donna scoffed. Josh got up awkwardly from the table.
“I’ll be on my way then. You’re still planning on coming in at noon?” He inquired.
“Yes, why?”
“So I can meet you at the gate.”
“I don’t need help. I have the electric chair now.” Donna pointed out. Josh let out a nervous
laugh.
“Then I can get the doors for you and-“
“Fine.” Donna cut him off. Her head was pounding and her conversation with Colin made
her feel like she was cheating on Josh. She didn’t know WHY it felt that way, but it did. She
just wanted to take a pain pill and disappear into the oblivion of sleep.
“Goodnight, ladies.” Josh told them both and let himself out.
“Donna, that was unforgivably rude.” Katherine chastised her.
“He needs to stop feeling guilty about me being hurt and move on with his life and I don’t
need the guilt visits.” Donna remarked. “Once he gets past it his life is bound to improve.”
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When Donna got to work the next day, Josh solicitously met her at the gate and helped her
get from the car to the chair. They talked briefly about his schedule and then went their
separate ways. It felt stilted and awkward but what else did she expect? An hour into her
work day, Kate Harper appeared at her desk and offered to ‘talk’ if Donna wanted to.
Donna wasted no time in blowing her off. Who was this woman and who did she think she
was to tell Donna what she was going through? The nerve!
Donna’s bad mood was apparent to everyone who crossed her path. Soon, they were
bypassing her to get to Josh and that pissed her off even more.
“Toby, you can’t just go in his office.” She snapped when his hand was on the doorknob.
“Why not?”
“Because he might be busy.” Donna replied frostily.
“Is he?”
“No, but he could have been.”
“But he’s not?”
“Just go ahead.” Donna waved him off.
Toby opened the door and closed it behind him. “She seems a little…”
“Tense?” Josh supplied.
“I was going to go with brutal, but okay.” Toby agreed. “Have you talked to her?”
“I told you I would and I did.”
“I was just checking because she still seems pretty pissed at me.”
“Believe me when I tell you that is not something I have any control over.” Josh explained.
“What can I do for you?”
“I really don’t want to be the one to bring this to you.”
Josh moaned. “Then don’t. You can still leave now and not say anything. It’s not too late.”
“There are some…rumors flying around.” Toby rolled his eyes. He so wished he hadn’t
walked in on the conversation. “About your…conversation with C.J. and her…advice to
Donna…”
“Shit. Margaret.” Josh shook his head. “Is there anything else that can go wrong this week?
Seriously, can I inadvertently start a war with a foreign Government or something?”
“If you’re going to bitch at the Chief of Staff, you need to make sure you’re doing it in
private.” Toby advised. “Just wanted you to know because I have a feeling it’s going to
cause a lot of eyeballs to be watching you and your assistant.”
Toby always chose his words carefully. It was his job. So Josh noted that he referred to
Donna as his assistant; not his friend or anything else. It was a subtle shot across the bow,
warning Josh away from doing something stupid that might cause headaches for all of
them. Josh wanted to tell him not to worry. Colin had taken care of that for him. Instead, he
simply nodded and Toby snuck out of his office through the other door. No doubt, trying to
avoid Donna. Shit.
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Chapter 6
“I need the new version of the Patients Bill of Rights, Donna.” Josh nearly shouted before
he noticed she was on the phone. She gave him a look but continued her conversation.
“…I appreciate the offer, but I don’t-“
“No means no, now leave her the hell alone.” Josh said into the phone after he’d snatched
it away from Donna, then unceremoniously hung it up. “Now the updated bill?”
“Look, Josh, it’s not my fault you crashed a Prius with an SUV. And will you keep your
hands off my phone?” Donna shoved a copy of the new bill into his stomach.
“I was being chivalrous. You can thank me later.” He said snarkily and disappeared back
into his office, shutting the door behind him. Things had been tense between them since
the night he’d brought her flowers and changed her number. Donna had to remind herself
that she’d wanted him to stop being so nice to her all the time. The sooner he stopped
feeling responsible for her, the sooner he’d be able to repair his professional reputation.
Be careful what you wish for, right? Now he was as snappy and distant as she was and it
was making their work environment very tense.
“Is he free?” Kate Harper asked, jerking her head toward Josh’s door.
“He’s working on the Patients Bill and trying to come up with an alternative energy
program.” Donna told her.
“So…nothing important?” Kate laughed and Donna responded with a small chuckle of her
own.
“Nothing that he wouldn’t love to drop for a bit.” Donna agreed. “Kate?” She called just
before Kate knocked on the door. Kate walked back to her when she didn’t say anything
else right away.
“I…I didn’t mean to be so…rude before….when you asked if I wanted someone to talk to?”
“That’s okay.” Kate shrugged it off. “We don’t know each other very well.”
“Still, it was a kind gesture, and it’s not that I think I don’t need to talk about things. I mean,
they told me what to look for, not that I had to look very hard…I know I still have things to
work out…I’m just not ready, okay?”
“I understand.” Kate nodded. “I’m here if you change your mind.”
“Thanks.” Donna said sincerely. Her physical therapy was going better this week and she
was starting to feel more optimistic. Josh had stopped treating her like she was made of
glass. Maybe things were turning around.
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Josh didn’t know how else his week could possibly suck more. After the rumor mill got done
with his confrontation with C.J. they made it sound like he’d proposed to Donna and
threatened C.J.’s life…not that he hadn’t been THAT angry, but he really hadn’t- It didn’t
matter. He’d gone out of his way to be abrupt and distant with Donna in order to kill the
rumors quickly. Maybe it did the job, but it also made him positively miserable.
He stopped going over to visit her at night, he didn’t touch her in ANY way and had one of
his interns meet her at the gate each day in case she needed help. The press seemed to
continue to bother her and he did what he could to shield her from that but that was
precious little. He didn’t use the new unlisted telephone number to check in on her. She
had Colin for that.
He knew Colin was still around because of the flowers on her desk. He’d just searched for
the card to see who they were from. “I’m not going anywhere” was the inscription on the
card. Did women really fall for that…malarkey?
“Can I help you with something?” Donna asked with her eyebrows raised.
“I was just looking for something.” Busted, he thought.
“In my flowers?” she replied.
“They’re nice.” Josh offered. He turned to go back to his office, but in the end, he just
couldn’t help himself. “Seriously though, ‘I’m not going anywhere’? From a photojournalist?”
“You READ my CARD?” Donna felt sick. Photojournalist was probably the nicest thing Josh
had ever called Colin, but he shouldn’t be reading her personal cards. “It wasn’t from
Colin.”
Now Josh felt sick. There was ANOTHER guy pursuing her? He needed a drink. “Are you
going to the thing? For the Presidential library?”
“Margaret and I are going together in a bit.” Donna said quietly.
“Toby and I are going now.” He tried to offer the olive branch.
“I’ll wait for Margaret.” Donna decided and Josh went ahead.
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“Ready?” Margaret asked.
“Yes, can you hand me the crutches?”
“Are you sure you want those? Wouldn’t it be easier to use the chair?”
“I’m getting pretty good with them and it will be good practice.” Donna reasoned.
“Josh isn’t going to like it.” Margaret shook her head.
“I really don’t think Josh gives a damn.” Donna muttered.
“Right.” Margaret rolled her eyes. “Josh doesn’t give a damn about you. That’s why he
went off on C.J. for her interfering in your life.”
“Excuse me?” Donna stopped cold. Margaret’s eyes went wide. “When did this happen?”
“About a week or so ago.” Margaret admitted. “You can’t tell him I told you. You can’t tell
anyone I told you. We all agreed that-“
“You ALL AGREED?” Donna shrieked.
“Wait! Just wait a second. Let me explain!” Margaret begged.
“Make it fast.” Donna snapped.
“I overheard it accidentally. C.J.’s door was open and Josh was REALLY loud on account of
being very pissed-“
“Skip the how you overheard part and move right to the WHAT you overheard part and the
WHY you shared what you overheard part.” Donna laid into her.
“He was really mad about her encouraging you to…explore your personal and professional
options.” Margaret tried to sugar coat it, but Donna wasn’t having any of it and Margaret
had to amend her statement. “I think it was the suggestion that you have a one night stand
with the reporter from the Post Intelligencer that put him over the edge.”
Donna made a strangled sound in her throat. “Oh, my God, she TOLD him that?” A million
thoughts were running through her head now. If C.J. told him that she must have told him
what she suspected were Donna’s feelings about him. Donna wanted to crawl under a
rock. “And you told OTHER people about that?”
“I just talked to Bonnie and Ginger. I needed some advice about how to handle it and-“
“How you handle other people’s private conversations is by keeping them private.” Donna’s
face was red and she could feel the tears coming. How humiliating! No wonder he’d been
keeping his distance lately; he didn’t want to fan the flames of Margaret’s mouth!
“I was worried about you!” Margaret defended herself. “I was also worried that Josh was
going to quit and then-“
“Stop.” Donna put a hand out to physically keep Margaret from continuing. “Just stop.
I don’t want you to EVER repeat any of this to anyone. Do you understand?” Margaret,
afraid to speak again, nodded her head ‘yes’. “Now we’re going to the reception for the
Presidential library where I will show off my skills on crutches and try very hard to forget
that there are people there that know way more about my personal life than they should.
Also, I’m going to get drunk.”
Margaret dutifully followed her down the hall. “Okay, but if you’re going to get drunk, then I
REALLY think you ought to use the wheelchair.”
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“Thanks, I’d love a glass of wine.” Donna deadpanned when Josh joined them bearing only
one glass of red wine he was currently taking a sip of.
“Oh…here.” He offered it to her sheepishly.
“I don’t drink red.”
“Right.” Josh nodded and looked around for a waiter with white wine.
“I drink red.” Margaret chimed in, but Josh chose to ignore her. She was on his shit list. “Or
champagne.” She added when Toby joined them and gave a glass of the bubbling liquid to
each of the women. Donna leaned against the wall behind them so she could let go of one
of her crutches and downed the glass in one swallow. All three of her companions dropped
their jaws.
“Toby, would you get me another please?” She asked sweetly.
“Uh…sure.” Toby agreed and went to fetch another glass.
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Josh asked her.
“I’m done with work for the day, and I’m not driving home.” Donna offered. “Besides, what I
drink and who I drink it with is none of your damn business.”
Josh literally stepped back. “I was just looking out for you.”
“I don’t need your help, Dad. I don’t need you screening my calls, carrying my books to
work, or telling C.J. off.” Donna summarized. “I can take care of myself.”
“Margaret…” Josh growled.
“I’ll go see where Toby is with that drink.” Margaret excused herself.
“Don’t blame her. You were the one who brought personal business to the Chief of Staff. I
TOLD you my conversation with C.J. was private.”
“That conversation concerned me too. I had a right to know-“
“You did not. It was for and about me. I know you think the world revolves around you but-“
“I really don’t think you want to have this conversation here.” Toby interjected and handed
Donna another glass that she downed half of immediately. “And you would do well to
remember that his entire world revolved around you at a time when it cost him to do so.”
Toby said directly to Donna and she flushed. “Josh is going to walk away now and find
someone else to piss off for awhile.”
Josh resented the directive but he really didn’t want to make a scene, so he left them
alone. Donna sipped the champagne in silence. Just when Toby thought things were
calming down, C.J. appeared.
“Hey, look at you on crutches! I hear you’re getting pretty good on those things.”
“Oh, yeah, I’m getting pretty good at a lot of things.” Donna smirked and C.J.’s smile
dropped a notch. “I’m thinking about putting it on my resume. Can I list you as a reference?”
“A reference?” C.J. traded a confused look with Toby. “You’re looking for another job?”
“I don’t think I have a choice anymore. Thanks to you and Josh, my private life has been
spread around the West Wing like butter on toast.”
“Butter on toast?” Toby repeated. “I think the alcohol, combined with your pain pills is-“
“Josh came to me, Donna, I didn’t go to him.” C.J. clarified.
“Well, that’s just fine then. As long as he came to you first, then it’s perfectly
understandable that you’d tell him the details of our conversation, humiliate both of us, and
make working here impossible.” Donna spouted off.
“I was trying to help.” C.J. said softly which only made Donna angrier.
“Who needs that kind of ‘help’?” Donna cried. “You tell me to go off and have a life without
Josh because I’ll never have a life with Josh and then just to make sure that I never do, you
tell him all about my feelings?”
“I didn’t-“ C.J. started.
“You were jealous. You were jealous of our friendship and you were jealous of his career
here. Looks like you took care of both problems.”
“Jealous? I was seeing Ben. And I never asked or aspired to be Chief of Staff, Donna.” C.J.
defended herself. “You asked me what you should do to further your career.”
“Umm…ladies?” Toby tried valiantly.
“Then why did you tell me to go have a one night stand? Is that your routine career path
suggestion or do you reserve it for college drop outs with a crush on their boss?”
“Seriously, let’s go back to my office.” Toby suggested when they began to attract attention.
“Your ‘career path’ was inextricably connected to Josh and as long as you thought there
was a chance with him, there was no other career path you were willing to consider.” C.J.
reasoned.
“Well, you took care of that, didn’t you? And gave yourself a career boost in the process.
Well done.” Donna mocked her. “Too bad it cost me personally and Josh professionally,
but what are you going to do?
“Tell the truth when someone asks me for it.” C.J. snapped back. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.
If I did, it was accidental.”
“If you hurt me?” Donna laughed. “I never realized just what a cold bitch you could be, C.J.
Maybe you’ll be a fine COS after all.” Donna placed her glass on the table and picked up
her crutches. She knocked them pretty hard into the table causing all three glasses to spill
and dump most of the contents onto C.J. “Sorry. It was an accident.” She said as she
wobbled unsteadily away from them. C.J. jumped up from the table and started wiping
herself off. Toby just shook his head.
“I told you to give her some space.” He told her.
“I just came over to say something nice; try to repair some damage.”
“Good job.” He replied and handed her another napkin. “Your little conversation with Josh
has gone viral.”
C.J. closed her eyes. “How bad is it?”
“Pretty bad.” Toby nodded and took another sip of his scotch. “Josh is afraid to look at her
too long because he doesn’t want to fuel any rumors, your excellent idea for a one night
stand followed her to Germany and his calls/flowers here are causing more friction
between them, and Donna is humiliated having your conversation with her broadcast
around the West Wing.” C.J. gave him a puzzled look. “I hear things. Though I really wish I
didn’t.”
“Yeah.” C.J. agreed and gave up trying to dry herself off. “I didn’t want this job, you know?
But when the President asks you to serve, what are you supposed to say?”
“Say, ‘respectfully, sir, I appreciate your confidence in me but I am in NO WAY ready for
this challenge. I don’t even know what I don’t know, but you have an excellent Deputy Chief
of Staff who could step in seamlessly and I think you should talk to him.’ Something like
that.” Toby finished his drink. “Oh…was that rhetorical?”
“That’s what you really think?”
“I’m sorry, did you not just ask me for career advice?” Toby said sarcastically.
“You’re pissed at me too?”
“Sometimes, the best thing you can do for a friend, is let them figure things out for
themselves.” Toby concluded and left C.J. to do just that.
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Chapter 7
“You just stood there and let him accept the Taiwanese flag?” Josh shrieked. “C.J.!”
“Between China and Taiwan there are like 12 different flags. I’m supposed to know all of
them?”
“When you’re meeting with the Chinese delegation and the President on the eve of an
important summit, then YES!” Josh continued. “This is going to blow everything!”
“We’ll return the flag. Right away.” C.J. assured him.
“You think?!” Josh was so frustrated. The one thing he’d been feeling good about. The
one project he’d been successful in completing and it was all going to hell now. Will was
bugging him to work for Russell, Hoynes was calling him too. His relationship with Donna
had gone completely to shit and the only thing that had kept him from going over the falls
in a barrel was the China summit. Once people saw he’d pulled that off, he’d have repaired
his professional reputation enough to make some decisions about the future. So now, of
course, a flap about the Taiwanese flag.
Josh paced in Leo’s office while C.J. gave Charlie directions to get the flag back. Finally,
he couldn’t listen anymore and went back to his office. Donna started rattling off his
schedule for the day when Annabeth interrupted them to ask about Dateline.
“When am I doing dateline?” Josh asked.
“You’re not.” Donna answered hurriedly and turned to Annabeth with a pointed look. “I
declined Dateline.”
Annabeth read between the lines and excused herself. When Josh continued to look at her
strangely Donna misdirected. “You hate Dateline and you’re leaving for China tomorrow.”
“That’s right.” Josh noted.
“That’s right.” Donna agreed and changed the subject. “Cable news is all over the first
peace keeping casualty.”
“Are you okay?” He asked quietly.
“I just had it in my head that those guys would be able to just stand there and look tough
and nobody would push it.” Donna admitted.
“That would be ideal wouldn’t it?” Josh asked as he came around his desk and sat next to
Donna in the other visitor chair. “But if people could be counted on to do the right thing, we
wouldn’t need the peacekeepers to begin with.”
He reached over and squeezed her hand. “There’s going to be more casualties.” He
reminds her gently and she nods her understanding. This was one of the nicest moments
they’d had since she came back to work full time. “You’re not responsible for any of it.”
“Neither are you.” Donna replied and they both knew they weren’t talking about Gaza
anymore.
“Josh, we’re having some trouble with the flag. Do you think-“ Charlie interrupted them.
“Charlie. We have to return the flag. Now. Yesterday.” Josh told the young man when he
walked into the office.
“Bernard, the gift Nazi, is saying that-“
“Bernard needs a refresher course in who’s in charge around here. Take someone from
counsel’s office and out maneuver him.” Josh suggested.
“Got it.” Charlie nodded and left to try again.
“Is this going to screw everything up?” Donna asked.
“Oh….yeah, pretty much.” Josh shook his head. “Call and get me on Senator Vinick’s
schedule, will you? The President wants me to talk to him about an Ambassador position.”
“Shouldn’t the Chief of Staff be taking care of that? Especially considering you’re doing all
the work for her on China?”
Josh took a deep breath. He’d heard what happened between her and C.J. at the library
reception but he was steadfastly staying out of it. “The President asked me to do this, so
I’m doing this, okay?”
“Okay.” Donna got up and walked slowly to the door.
“Hey, where are your crutches woman?”
“I don’t need them for the 15 steps between your office and my desk.”
“Are you sure?” Josh looked like he was ready to sprint the distance between them and
catch her from falling any second.
“I’m sure. I’m getting stronger.” Donna bragged. “But thanks for asking.” She gave him a
small smile and returned to her desk.
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“You weren’t kidding.” Josh’s voice came from behind her at physical therapy.
“Josh?” Donna panted out his name since she was out of breath. “What are you doing
here?”
“I promised you a ride after therapy.” He shrugged but kept walking towards her.
“I thought that meant you were sending a car. That’s what you’ve been doing.” She
protested. “And you’ve got a lot to do before you leave for China tomorrow.”
“I’m not going. Some things came up and C.J. had to pull me off the trip.”
“Oh, Josh…” The pity on her face made him wince.
“Look how well it all turned out. I get to come see you show off on the stairs.” Josh covered.
“Hi, I’m Josh Lyman.” He held his hand out to shake the hand of the PT working with Donna.
“Pete Bohn.” The PT shook his hand and exchanged names. “Your timing is good. We’re
just about done here.”
“Just about?” Donna whined. “I’m way done.”
“Not yet.” Pete corrected her. “You did great with the stairs, but you need to walk a couple
laps to cool down so your leg doesn’t lock up on the way home. Take this guy with you for
company if you like.” Pete indicated Josh.
“You up for a stroll around the gym, Donnatella?”
“I guess…” Donna took another deep breath and a swig of water from the bottle Pete
handed to her. Josh let her take a few steps to set the pace and then walked alongside her.
“I’m sorry about the China trip, Josh. I know how hard you worked for that.” Donna noted.
“Yeah…it just seems to be the way things are going lately.” Josh blew it off. “You’re doing
great here Donna.”
“Some days it feels like it more than others.” Donna admitted. “Today is a good day.”
“I know how that goes.” Josh replied.
“I know you do.” Donna met his eyes.
“I’ve really let you down here, haven’t I?” Josh asked.
“What are you talking about?” Donna scoffed. “You set me up here, made sure I’ve got
rides coming and going. When I first got back you checked on me every night.”
“But when I was going through this it was your hand holding mine when I attempted the
steps, not some…PT guy.”
“That’s because you’re too phobic to hold Pete’s hand. He’s really pretty great; when he
isn’t FORCING ME TO DO PAINFUL EXERCISES.” Donna shouted the last part back at
Pete who waved a hand at her in acknowledgment.
“Why are you giving me a pass on this?” Josh asked.
“Because you were there when I needed you the most even though it-“
“It didn’t cost me anything. When are you going to stop feeling guilty because I’m not Chief
of Staff?”
“I don’t know Josh, when are you going to stop feeling guilty for sending me to Gaza?”
Josh gave a short laugh. “We’re quite the pair aren’t we?”
“We used to be.” Donna agreed. “Lately, it hasn’t felt quite the same. I’ve missed you.”
“You’ve seen me every day.” Josh pretended not to understand. Donna sighed.
“It’s not the same.” She repeated. “I’m glad you came tonight though; very glad.”
“I wanted to be here.” Josh answered honestly. “I’m proud of you, Donna.”
“I’m proud of you too.” Donna told him. “One more lap and then I’ll treat to some Chinese?”
“Deal.” Josh took her hand in his and picked up the pace.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
“Can I have your egg roll?” Donna asked.
“Sure, I don’t want it.”
“Then why did you order it?”
“So you’d have something to steal off my plate.” He smirked and moved his plate closer to
her.
She gave him a dirty look but took the offered egg roll. “I think you’re lucky you don’t have
to go on the trip. I bet that authentic Chinese food isn’t this good.”
Josh rolled his eyes. “Yeah, cause it was all about the food for me.”
“Did she have to bump you?” Donna asked cautiously.
Josh shrugged. “She said she did.”
“Yeah, but did you believe her?”
“I can’t…Donna, I can’t second guess every decision she makes and wonder if she’s
making it because she has to or because she’s pissed and wants to pull my legs out from
under me.”
“But you are.” Donna countered. “And you’ve been giving Russell pointers?”
“Are you asking me something, Donnatella?”
“If I were going to ask you something, Joshua, I’d ask you what the hell you are doing
wasting your time on Bingo Bob.”
“But you’re not going to ask.”
“Certainly not. That would be insulting.” Donna agreed and took a bite of the egg roll.
“God, I’m starving.”
“Therapy does that to you. You burn a ton of calories.” Josh explained.
“Thanks, because I was clueless about that, Dad.” Donna mocked and Josh set down his
chopsticks.
“Okay, that’s the SECOND time you’ve called me that.” Josh complained. “I may be older
than you-“
“Significantly older than me.” Donna interjected.
“But I am not old enough to be your father.”
“I never said you were.” Donna countered. “I just said you were acting like an
overprotective father. Reading my cards and intercepting my phone calls; trying to
intervene with C.J.”
“That wasn’t-“ Josh stopped mid-sentence. “I’ve always looked out for you.”
“Yeah, you have.” Donna looked down at her food. “It just got to be too much.”
“I’m sorry. If you want me to talk to Colin and apologize…” Josh offered half-heartedly.
Donna must have picked up on his reluctance because she started laughing.
“That’s a great idea. You can apologize to Colin.” She laughed harder. “I’d pay money to
hear that. ‘Sorry there Colin, I didn’t mean to be rude, I just don’t like IRA bag guys hanging
around my assistant’.” Donna continued to chuckle.
“If it will help, I’ll call him.” Josh maintained over her laughter.
“As tempting as that is, I think we should just let sleeping dogs lie. Besides I don’t have his
number.” Donna mentioned.
“You could get it from him the next time he calls.” Josh threw that comment out to see what
information he could glean from her about their relationship. At some level he knew it was
pathetic, but he had to know.
“I don’t have his number and SOMEONE changed my number to an unlisted number, so I
don’t see that happening real soon.” Donna noted.
“Maybe he’ll call you at work.”
“I doubt it. He never has before.” Donna saw his eyebrows go up. “It wasn’t Colin on the
phone that day. It was a reporter wanting to do an interview.”
“Oh…” Josh digested this news. “Then the flowers?”
“From the executive producer at Dateline.” Donna told him.
“They didn’t want me for an interview, they wanted you.” Josh put it all together.
“I’m sure they’d like to interview you too.” Donna teased.
“Uh-huh.” Josh drawled. “Are you going to do it?”
“I’m supposed to meet with Annabeth tomorrow to go over the various offers and sift
through things.”
“She’s good. Normally I’d ask C.J., but…”
“Yeah, but…” Donna agreed. “I’ll have to see what Annabeth says, but I have a hard
enough time talking about what happened during therapy. I don’t think I could talk about it
with a reporter.”
“Then don’t. You don’t owe it to anybody, Donna.” Josh warned.
“I know. I’ll just have to see if it feels right.”
“That’s usually a good barometer.” Josh agreed. “I should get going. Thanks for dinner.”
“You’re welcome. Thanks for coming to pick me up tonight.” She started to get up.
“No, I’ll see myself out. I’ll see you in the morning.” He hesitated for just a beat and then
kissed her on the cheek. “I’m very proud of you Donnatella.” He whispered and Donna’s
insides turned to mush. “Night.”
“Night.” She choked out.
<><><><><><><><><><><>
“I’ve had two more press requests and a m.o.w. passed through to me.”
“M.o.w?” Donna repeated.
“Movie of the week.” Annabeth explained. “They’re willing to let you do a cameo as part of
the deal.”
“I don’t want to be on television!” Donna exclaimed.
“Well, it’s not required, they just thought it might sweeten the deal.”
“It does NOT.” Donna was adamant. “All these are interview requests?” She asked paging
through sheet after sheet in the pile of papers Annabeth handed to her.
“These are the interview requests I’ve determined are legitimate and worth your
consideration. The rest are in the circular file.” Annabeth pointed to the trashcan and
Donnna’s eyes grew wide with disbelief.
“I honestly don’t know where to start.” She admitted.
“Let me ask you this, Donna. Do you want to tell your story?”
“I don’t know that I want to tell my story, but I’d like to tell my story of Gaza.” Donna
explained. “I’d like people to understand why the peacekeepers there are so important.
Does that make sense?”
“I think it does.” Annabeth nodded. “Now you need to decide how you want to tell it. It could
be told through the prism of a well made drama, or a personal one on one interview in print
or on camera.”
“Tell me pros and cons.” Donna requested.
“Print would have the fact that you’re not in front of a camera in it’s favor. If you got
emotional you wouldn’t have to worry about becoming emotional in front of an audience.
The con is that without the cameras the audience misses some of the emotional impact. If
your goal is to help an audience understand the importance of our work there, you want to
be pulling on their heartstrings.”
“And that’s not manipulative?”
“Of course it’s manipulative; it’s politics. Doesn’t Toby search for just the right words that
will have the most impact for the President to use? Doesn’t Josh search for just the right
leverage to get a bill through Congress? That’s essentially what we’re doing here.”
“Hmmmm…”
“A movie of the week might be the most gripping of all and it has the added bonus of
providing you with a huge check for your trouble.” Annabeth grinned. “The down side
would be you’d have to quit your job because you can’t do that and this at the same time.”
“That’s a serious down side, Annabeth.”
“I know. But it’s got great people attached to it and I’d be remiss by not telling you the
details.” Annabeth noted. “And remember, you don’t have to pick just one. Maybe you start
with a print interview and see how it feels. Then depending on your comfort level you could
think about something on camera.”
“Just see how it feels?” Donna asked.
“Exactly.”
“Okay. And you’ll facilitate this for me if I decide to do one of these?”
“Absolutely, I’ll be at your side through the whole thing. We can even do a practice
interview.”
“Thanks, Annabeth, I truly appreciate it.”
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Chapter 8
“Did I wake you?” Josh asked when Donna picked up the phone.
“Actually no. I couldn’t sleep.” Donna admitted.
“Good, unlock the door will you?” Josh requested.
“You’re here?” Donna sat straight up in her bed.
“I’m just coming up the stairs.”
“I’ll be right there.”
Donna opened the door to a distraught looking Josh. “You met with Hoynes didn’t you?”
“What, are you psychic now?” Josh stormed in and began his ritual pacing.
“It’s hardly worthy of a Governmental study. The man’s been calling you and he sent you a
book with the inscription ‘Time to lead’. Your typical second grader could put it together.”
Donna flopped on the couch and put her leg up while Josh did his thing. “So what did he
have to say?”
“Oh no, you’re not misdirecting now. I want to talk about the other thing.”
“What other thing?” Donna played innocent.
“The interview you’re doing tomorrow morning with Danny ConCannon.” Josh specified.
“Oh, that thing.”
“Yes, that thing.”
“He’s flying out just to talk to me; that’s pretty cool don’t you think? I may develop a serious
ego like yours and then where will we be?”
“Donna…”
“I want to tell people about what I saw there, Josh. I want them to understand the
importance of our mission there and why their sons and daughters are risking their lives in
Gaza.”
“Which is a noble goal, Donna, but just yesterday you weren’t sure about this and now you’
re just full speed ahead?”
“I talked to Annabeth about it and then I looked at the list of people requesting interviews
and my eyes just locked on Danny’s name. It just felt right. Are you really angry about it?”
“He’s a reporter, Donna.”
“He’s also your friend and mine.”
“He’s a reporter first.” Josh reminded her.
“Then maybe, you can sit in on it with me and make sure he behaves himself?” Donna
suggested.
“You bet your ass I’ll be sitting in.” Josh said vehemently.
“Then what are you all worked up about here, Joshua? Is it Hoynes?” Donna asked and
rubbed her calf.
“Is your leg bothering you?” Josh asked suddenly.
“I keep getting cramps in my calf tonight.” Donna complained.
“Move over.” Josh commanded and sat next to her before putting her leg in his lap and
gently kneading the calf muscle.
“You don’t have to do that.” Donna told him.
“You used to do it for me all the time when I was sore after therapy.” Josh pointed out and
continued to rub. “Right there?”
“Yeah…” Donna tilted her head back and moaned. The sound lit a fire in Josh and he had
to restrain himself from moving his hands higher on her leg. “Tell me about Hoynes.”
“He wants me to run his campaign.”
“Duh, I meant what are you going to do about Hoynes?”
“I don’t know. It’s tempting.” Josh admitted.
“Really?” Donna asked.
“He said I’ll never be Leo to Jed Bartlet but that I could be Leo to him.” Donna laughed.
“Why is that funny?”
“You could never be Leo to John Hoynes.” Donna shook her head.
“Why not?”
“Because you don’t respect John Hoynes.”
“He said he’s changed.”
“Uh-huh.” Donna said doubtfully.
“Somebody is going to have to be next, Donna. You’d prefer it to be Bingo Bob?”
“I’d prefer a third term for Jed Bartlet, but until you get that amendment through
Congress…”
“You’re pretty mouthy tonight.”
Donna shook her head. “This is nothing new.”
“Maybe not, but there’s a tone…” Josh eyed her carefully and Donna decided to get it over
with. She carefully got up and retrieved an envelope that had been in her purse.
“I was going to give this to you tomorrow.” Donna began and handed it to Josh. “It’s been
an honor to-“
“No.” Josh stopped her midsentence. “Do not do this to me now.”
“I’m not doing anything TO you, Josh.”
“The hell you’re not!” He stood up and threw the letter on the table between them like it
was a poisonous snake. “I need you with me right now and you think you can just quit and
that it’s not doing anything TO me?” Donna remained silent. “What’s wrong? I’ll fix it,
whatever it is.”
Donna’s eyes softened. “You can’t. I know you would if you could but you can’t. You don’t
even know what YOU are going to be doing next week, how can you possibly think-“
“Because wherever I’m going and whatever I’m doing I want you with me.” Josh insisted and
Donna closed her eyes in relief and smiled.
“I’d like that too.” She admitted. “But that’s just one of the reasons you should accept my
resignation.”
Josh stopped his pacing and railing and looked at her as if she’d lost her mind. Then the
light bulb went on. He walked back to where she was sitting and sat in front of her on the
coffee table.
“This is about…us?” He asked.
“Partly, yes, but I’m also ready to move on to something different professionally.” Donna
explained.
“Like what?” Josh asked cautiously.
“I’m not sure yet, but it’s not with John Hoynes or Bingo Bob.” She drawled and saw him
smile.
“Then what?”
“Maybe classes; I’d like to finish college and earn my degree. I don’t have many credits left.”
“You already know more than most of the poli sci professors do.” Josh scoffed.
“Then it should be easy A’s for me.” I brag. “Especially if I had a study partner.”
“I think I could be persuaded to help out there. We can even negotiate my hourly rates.” He
grinned. “But you don’t have to get a degree Donna. You don’t have to prove anything to
anybody.” They both realized he was touching on her conversation with C.J. without
directly talking about it.
“I want to finish.” Donna replied. “It’s important to me.”
“Then you should do it.” Josh paused. “Do you have to quit to do it? Couldn’t we just cut
back your hours or-“
“Josh…” She gave him the look that said, ‘you know that would never work’.
“What kind of notice are you giving me?” He motioned with his head to the envelope he
had yet to open.
“Two weeks.”
“Four.” Josh shot back more out of habit than anything else.
“Are you going to be there in four weeks?” Donna asked and shocked Josh.
“The President is leaving for China, we may get a Patients Bill of Rights through thanks to
Santos, and we-“
“There will always be work to get done at the White House. You never catch up.” Donna
pointed out. “That’s not what I’m asking you. Do you want to stay?”
Josh gave her question the thought that it deserved. “It doesn’t feel right anymore.” Donna
nodded.
“Then I think you have some decisions to make too.” She offered. “I myself am going to be
busy casting my made for television movie of the week event.”
“Excuse me?” Josh’s eyebrows shot up.
“I get casting approval. Who do you think should play me?” Donna asked.
“It will be easy to find a beautiful blond in Hollywood to play you. I think the more
challenging casting will be finding someone to play your handsome and powerful boss.” He
opined.
“Who said you’re going to be in it at all? Maybe it will just focus on my trip to Gaza.”
“Nah…at the very least you’d have to show how I blew off the President of the United
States to cross an ocean to be at your side.”
“Probably.” Donna shrugged. “Knowing Hollywood writers, they’d probably play it up as
some grand romantic gesture or something.”
“Yeah, a guy leaves the White House in the middle of an international incident with only the
clothes on his back and his backpack. What else could that mean?”
“They might think he felt guilty for sending her there in the first place.” Donna suggested.
“They wouldn’t even realize that she never blamed him for sending her and that she was
just so glad to see him when she woke up.”
“They’d probably miss that entirely. Just play up the photojournalist that followed her from
Gaza.”
“Yeah, how would they know he meant nothing to her?” She risked a look at Josh and saw
comprehension in his eyes.
“They couldn’t… I couldn’t.” He admitted.
“Yeah, but you’re clueless about women.” Donna shook her head.
“I have skills with women.” Josh countered.
“Uh-huh.” Donna teased.
“I do.”
“I’ve seen no evidence of it so far.”
Josh moved quicker than she’d ever seen him. He moved in and took her face in his hands
before kissing her breathless. When they needed air, they pulled apart.
“Good evidence.” Donna panted.
“I’ve got more.” Josh told her.
“Then in all fairness to you, I should see all the evidence before I render an opinion.”
Donna agreed and before long they were spread out on the couch indulging in fantasies
they’d only imagined up until then.
<><><><><><><><><><><>
Wrapped together in her warm comforter, Josh ran his fingers through her hair. “You’re
really going to do the movie thing?” Donna chuckled.
“I haven’t decided.” She admitted. “Annabeth thinks it would get huge ratings. It might be
an opportunity to show people the importance of the peacekeepers there.”
“It might also dredge up a lot of things you don’t need to be dredging up right now.” Josh
reminded her.
“I can handle it.” Donna noted. “As long as you’re with me, I can handle it.” Josh kissed her
forehead.
“I’m not going anywhere.” He promised. “I’m not even going to China.”
“I’m sorry Josh.”
“All things considered…I’m not.” Josh smirked and kissed her lips. “I get to stay here with
you and help Santos pass the Patients Bill of Rights.”
“How did he pull that off? I thought it was dead in the water once the insurance lobby got
into it.”
“He was amazing, Donna.” Josh got animated as he told her the tale of how Santos got
everyone on board. “I can’t believe he’s really going to just quit. Someone with his brains
and talent…” Josh trailed off.
“Someone with his brains and talent, what?” Donna pressed.
“Nah, it’s crazy…” Josh shook his head. “He’s a three term Congressman.”
“Are you thinking what I think you’re thinking?”
“It makes no logical sense whatsoever. He’s got no national name recognition, no money,
no party backers…and yet it feels…right.” Josh concluded and look into her eyes again.
“I’ve had pretty good luck doing what feels right lately.”
“I can’t argue with that.” Donna replied. “You should talk to him.”
“Will you set it up? For after the President gets back from China?”
“Yes, but you can’t just fly down there and ask the guy if he wants to run for President.”
“Sure I can.”
“No, you really can’t. You need to have a plan and a strategy. You need to put together a
compelling reason for him to run. I’ll put it on note cards for you.” Donna sighed when he
just continued to look at her with those puppy dog eyes.
“We can work on it together.” Josh agreed. “After your thing with Danny.”
“Deal.” Donna settled in to sleep for the last few hours they had before they needed to
leave for work. Tomorrow was going to be bring a lot of changes.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Chapter 9
“She’s not answering that.” Josh interrupted again.
“Look, Josh, you can sit here silently and let Donna answer the questions, or you can feel
free to answer them yourself, I’d love to get you on record. But you can’t keep deciding
which questions SHE is going to answer. She invited me here for this interview.”
“That’s because she was under the impression that you’d be a friendly interview.” Josh
maintained.
“I am being- look, I already told her that if she felt uncomfortable with any of the questions
to tell me so.” Danny argued.
“You asked her what it was like in the damn SUV! She doesn’t need to-“ Donna cut him off
the best way she knew how; with her lips. Josh was stunned into silence and Danny was
just stunned period.
“Josh, don’t make me regret asking you to be here.” She told him and he nodded but gave
Danny a glare that would’ve scared him if he hadn’t known Josh for years.
“I don’t remember a lot after the explosion.” Donna recalled. “Everything hurt and my vision
was very blurry; I think that was because of the blood running across my eyes. I was
hanging upside down and I remember thinking that I shouldn’t be upside down, but I
couldn’t do anything about it and then I passed out.” Josh’s teeth clenched hearing the
details but he stayed silent.
“That was probably a mercy at that point.” Danny noted. “What’s the next thing you
remember?”
“I get flashes of what I think was the ambulance ride. I don’t remember any of the plane ride
to Germany. When I woke up there, I couldn’t figure out where I was. Seeing Josh there
had me very confused. I thought I must be back in D.C. Josh had to convince me I was in
Germany.”
“You had complications after you got there?”
“An embolism…a blood clot…caused some complications and I ended up back in
emergency surgery. My family wasn’t there yet, and I was so scared. I asked to see Josh
before they put me under and he was able to calm me down a bit. I don’t know what I would
have done if he hadn’t been there.” Donna felt Josh’s hand take hers and squeeze. Danny
took notice.
“By the time you returned to Washington, the President had signed the Middle East Peace
Treaty. What did you think about that?”
“She’s not going to comment on the President’s-“ Josh began.
“I was so proud.” Donna teared up. “When someone attacks you, especially when it’s an
unprovoked attack, the easiest thing in the world is to respond with another attack; to
respond with violence. What President Bartlet did, not only took courage and wisdom, but
great strength. He flew in the face of his own people and the Congress the people elected
and said, ‘no more, it stops here and now’. I was never prouder of President Bartlet than
the day he signed that treaty.”
“The peacekeeping force experienced their first casualty this week. Do you think the
human toll in trying to enforce the treaty may become too great to remain in Gaza?”
“The human toll will be too great if we leave.” Donna replied. “Don’t get me wrong, it’s awful
to lose a single life and those men and women who serve our country should never be
treated like pawns in this struggle, but the service they’re performing is noble and brave
and the fruits of their labor will be seen for generations to come.”
“I don’t imagine you can go through an experience like yours without it changing you in
some way. How do you think this has changed you?” Danny expected Josh to object to this
question as well, but surprisingly Josh seemed content to wait for her answer.
“I’ve spent a lot of time trying to figure out what possible reason there could be for me
being spared while everyone else in that SUV lost their lives. It felt like the others had much
greater accomplishments than I could ever hope to achieve and were people of great
importance and influence. I’m an assistant in the White House.” Donna shrugged. “I may
never figure it out. But I do feel compelled to make each day count now and not to take
anything for granted. I want to make a difference and that’s part of why I agreed to talk to
you about what I saw and experienced in Gaza. I’m not sure what’s next but I want it to
count for all the people who’ve lost their lives in Gaza. So, I’ve decided to resign my
position here and try to figure out what’s next.”
“Talk about burying the lead, Donna!” Danny exclaimed and turned to see his friend’s
serene expression. “Josh…Donna just said she’s resigning.”
“Did you think I’d suddenly gone deaf?” Josh asked.
“No, but now I’m wondering if you’ve suddenly lost your mind.” Danny replied.
“Not my mind…”Josh trailed off and Danny’s eyes lit up.
“Seriously?”
“Very seriously.” Donna confirmed. “But that’s not on the record.”
“Come on!” Danny complained. “What a great ending to the story!”
“And a great ending to our jobs.” Josh noted. “We haven’t told anybody but you, Danny.”
“And it’s kind of hard to turn in your resignation when the boss is on his way to China?”
“Extremely hard.” Donna agreed. “I would never want to do anything to embarrass the
President or cause problems for this administration.”
“Okay…but I get a follow up in say…3 months. I can write the happy ending then.”
“We’ll consider it.” Josh smirked.
“Speaking of work…we should get back to it.” Donna suggested.
“I’ll be right there.” Josh told her and waited until she gathered her crutches and hobbled
out of the room. “Danny…about the stuff she told you about the explosion…”
“Josh, do you think I’m a good writer?”
“Sure.”
“Do you have any idea how much I adore Donna? I mean, not just as the woman my friend
is in love with, but as a person?”
“Why do you think I let her go through with this interview?”
“I’m telling her you said you were ‘letting her go through with this’.” Danny smiled. “Then
trust me. I’ll take care of it. And when I’m done, everyone will know about what an
extraordinary woman Donna Moss is and what an important mission our men and women
are on in Gaza.”
“Okay.” Josh agreed reluctantly. “But if you screw it up, I’ll kill you. She’s been through
enough already.”
“Understood.” Danny rolled his eyes. They walked through the halls together.
“JOSH!” Donna called out to him across the bullpen. “C.J. needs you on the phone, now!”
Josh didn’t waste time asking questions, he just waved Danny off and followed Donna back
to his office. When they got off the phone, they got into gear with phone calls to leadership
and the cabinet and a frenzied SOS to Leo.
When Leo arrived he met briefly with Josh before they went their separate ways in an
attempt to calm nerves about the President’s severe MS episode. It was hours before an
obviously tired Leo McGarry dragged himself into his former Deputy’s office and fell into
Josh’s desk chair, put his head down on the desk.
That’s where Donna found him a short time later. He looked old and sick to her eyes. She
was still very angry at him for the way he treated Josh but it would take a heart colder than
hers not to feel sympathy for the man in front of her. She gently shook his shoulder.
“Leo, you should go home now and get some sleep. I’ll call your car.” She offered.
“I just needed a little nap. I’m fine now.” Leo objected.
“You’re really not.” Donna contradicted. “I’m not sure why Josh called you in the first place.
He’s handling things fine.”
Leo picked up the chill in her tone and the defense of Josh. “Of course he is. He’s worth
his weight in gold during a crisis. He just couldn’t be in two places at once today. The White
House truly does need a COS AND a DCOS.”
“Especially now.” Donna muttered.
“With the President having an episode?” Leo guessed.
“With C.J. as Chief of Staff.” Donna corrected him while looking him straight in the eye. Leo
couldn’t help a short pause to admire this brave and bright woman. Josh was a lucky man.
“Yeah, that adds some pressure to everyone.” Leo admitted.
“Then why did you do it?” Neither pretended not to know what they were really discussing
here.
“Mallory said she talked to Josh about my decision.” Leo noted in confusion.
“She may have, but she didn’t speak to me. I want you to tell me personally why you’d hurt
Josh that way after all he’s done for you and the President.”
“I didn’t pass Josh over to hurt him, Donna, I did it try and help him.”
“Help him what? Find another job?” Donna mocked.
“Maybe, yeah.” Leo agreed easily. “I saw him after he was told what happened to you in
Gaza, Donna. I’ve never seen him so frantic. He was advocating bombing most of the
Middle East. He was crazed. I told him to go to you and I covered for him as best I could so
he could stay with you there as long as possible.”
Donna sat down heavily in Josh’s visitor chair as she listened. “He did lose the COS
position because of me?”
“Yes and no.” Leo answered. “He wasn’t being punished, if that’s what you mean.”
“It looks like he was. It looks to everyone that you didn’t think Josh was up to the job.”
“He wasn’t.” Leo maintained.
“LEO!”
“His head, and dare I say his heart, was with you in Germany. There was no way he could
do his job, the job the President needed him to do, while he was out of his mind with worry
over you.” Leo explained. “I gave him as much time as I could so he could see you and
help you in Germany. When the question came for who would be the next COS…then I
gave him the freedom to make his own choices rather than be bound by loyalty to me or
the President. With Josh out of the running, it had to be C.J. Toby doesn’t have the
temperament and the President doesn’t do well with new people.”
Once Donna looked at it from that perspective it made perfect sense; and made her feel
ashamed of all the awful things she’d been calling Leo in her head. She suddenly realized
that any impediment that might have been between her and Josh when he was DCOS
would only have increased exponentially if he’d been made COS. That’s if she would get to
see him at all with the new demands that would be placed on him in that higher position.
“I didn’t realize…I’m sorry, Leo. I thought you’d committed the ultimate act of betrayal. Josh
thinks of you as a father and-“
“And I was thinking of him as a son, Donna. I would want my son to have something in his
life besides work; some balance. I want my son to love and be loved; to have a family
someday and enjoy a healthy long life so he can enjoy many years with them.” Leo
concluded. “Don’t worry about the perception thing. Yeah, a lot of people will wonder why
he wasn’t given the job, but given his skills and accomplishments, most will conclude it was
my mistake in not offering it to him, not his fault for not earning it. Besides, once he finds
his ‘real thing’ he’ll be out of here and on to his own path. Don’t worry about Josh…not
professionally anyway.” Leo gave a smirk that was very familiar to Donna.
Just then, Josh came in and picked up the undercurrent. “Donna?”
“It’s time to go home, Joshua.” She answered him but kept eye contact with Leo.
“I’ve got to-“
“You’ve got to get some rest and some food.” Donna interrupted him. “You both do. C.J.
can reach you at home or on your cells if she needs to.”
“I’d listen to her if I were you, son.” Leo turned his smirking face on his protégé.
“Who am I to argue with Leo McGarry?” He replied and both Leo and Donna rolled their
eyes thinking he’d done little BUT argue with Leo McGarry his entire tenure there.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
“They’re leaving aren’t they?” C.J. asked point blank.
“I asked you to dinner.” Danny re-iterated.
“And in response, I asked you if they’re leaving.” C.J. clarified.
“But that’s not an answer to my original query.”
“Picked that up did you?”
“I am a first class reporter.” Danny smiled.
“Danny…” C.J. moaned.
“Okay, I made the first class part up myself, but I did win a Pulitzer.”
“I vaguely remember.” C.J. rolled her eyes. “Answer my question.”
“I’ll answer your question over dinner.” Danny negotiated.
“I don’t have time for dinner, Danny. If you haven’t noticed, we just got back from a China
summit and I’m barely able to keep my head above water in a job that I’m not sure I’m
suited for.” C.J. admitted.
“That’s why I brought dinner to you.” Danny reported, stepped out to Margaret’s desk and
came back in with a pizza box and a bottle of wine. He set them on her corner table and
began to uncork the wine.
“Danny…”
“You can take a few minutes to eat, C.J. You need to take a few minutes to eat.” Danny slid
a piece of pizza on a paper plate and handed it to C.J. She reluctantly took it from him and
accepted the plastic cup with wine in it as well.
“I know they’re both pissed at me.” C.J. muttered. “That much has been made abundantly
clear to me. I should have never taken this damn job.”
“It’s not about the job.” Danny replied and took a large bite of pizza.
“Excuse me?”
“It’s not about the job.” Danny repeated. “Do they think Josh should be sitting in your chair
right now? Yeah, probably, but then so do a lot of people outside this building.”
“Thanks, Danny, you picked me right up there.”
“You didn’t let me finish.” Danny complained. “It’s a big job; huge! I don’t think Josh could
have taken it even if it had been offered to him. He wasn’t in the right head space.”
“The right head space.” C.J. drawled.
“Toby would have killed someone or been fired, maybe both, by noon on the first day. You
really were the best choice.” Danny opined.
“Wow…by process of elimination I end up being the right choice.”
“The best choice.” Danny corrected her. “And let me tell you something else, Leo or no
Leo, the President never would have asked you if he didn’t think you could do it. But if you
think you can just walk in and pick up where Leo left off without missing a beat, then you’re
the White House staffer on drugs that Lillianfield warned us about.” Danny waited a beat.
“But this is irrelevant because this thing with Josh and Donna wasn’t about the job.”
“Not entirely, no.” C.J. admitted. “It’s possible that I may have waded in a little too deeply
between Josh and Donna right before she left for Gaza. I said some things to her, about
Josh and her relationship with him that, in retrospect, may have been incorrect…and ill
advised.”
Danny took another bite of pizza and thought that over for a minute. “Let me ask you
something. If you weren’t Chief of Staff, if you were still Press Secretary, how would you fix
things between you and Donna?”
“What about Josh?”
Danny shakes his head. “You’re missing the pecking order here. You fix things with Donna
and SHE will fix things with Josh.”
C.J. thinks about that logic while she takes a sip of wine. “I guess I’d go to her and
apologize for butting in where I shouldn’t have; tell her I was wrong about her and Josh.”
“Yeah. That’s a good plan. You should do that.” Danny agreed.
“But if I-“
“Between you and me? Their days here are numbered. It’s not going to cripple you as COS
to eat a little crow with a friend and it might be the key to getting them on board with you.
Once you get them on board with you, you’re going to find your job getting a whole lot
easier.”
“You’re pretty damn sure of yourself.”
“I’ve had a few days to process this and get a good read on the situation.” Danny grinned.
“I’m a people person. And a keen observer of human interaction.”
“That you are.”
“Want to know what I observed during my interview with them?” Danny wiggled his
eyebrows.
“Them? I thought you just interviewed Donna for your piece.”
“Josh sat in.”
“He SAT IN?” C.J. choked on her pizza. “On YOUR interview with Donna?”
Danny nodded. “So…want to know what I observed?”
C.J. shrugged. “What did you observe Danny?”
“They were holding hands during the interview.” Danny grinned again. “When Donna was
talking about the bombing, Josh was rubbing her back.”
C.J. rolled her eyes again. “They’re always like that.”
“No this time was different. There was something else.” Danny teased. “Josh started to say
something and Donna wanted him to shut up. Guess what she did.”
“What?”
“This.” Danny told her and leaned in to touch his lips to hers.
“That can be effective.” C.J. whispered.
“Uh-huh.” Danny agreed and kissed her again.
“C.J., Kate Harper needs five-“ Margaret stopped in shock. She’d never had to worry about
walking in on something like this with Leo. “God, I’m sorry!”
“That’s okay, Margaret. Don’t worry about it.” Danny smiled through his disappointment. “It
sounds like you need her.”
“Well, not me so much as, well, Commander Harper.” Margaret explained. “She’s on her
way up.”
“I’ll let you get back to work.” Danny told her. “Thanks for sharing the pizza with me. You’re
going to love the story. It’s running tomorrow.”
“I’ll see if I can find the time to look for it.” C.J. teased.
“Oh, I can have them clip it for you!” Margaret volunteered. C.J. and Danny both chuckled.
“Thanks Margaret.” Danny said sincerely and took his leave.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Chapter 10
“You’re really leaving me?” C.J. asked from the doorway of Josh Lyman’s office. Josh had
already left to meet Matt Santos in New Hampshire and Donna was just taking care of the
final details of closing up his office before she too left to join her fiancé on their first foray
into politics as partners.
“Why is it that everyone here takes resignations so personally? I’m leaving the job.” Donna
pointed out.
“I AM the job.” C.J. responded. “At least that’s how it feels these days.”
“I’m sure that’s true.” Donna continued packing up boxes of Josh’s personal items trying to
remember how he’d talked her into doing this particular chore. Oh, that’s right. It had
started with wine and music and a proposal of marriage. Then when he had her saying
‘yes’ to all manner of things, he’d slipped a request to close up his office in there. Donna
pondered for a moment; she still may have gotten the better end of this deal. The ring
alone…
He attention was brought abruptly back to C.J., when the Chief of Staff closed the doors to
Josh’s office.
“I wanted to talk to you for a minute.” She announced.
“I’ll make sure everything gets passed off so nothing falls through the cracks.” Donna
assured her.
“I’m sure you will. I have no concerns about any of that.” C.J. waved it off and took a seat in
one of the visitor chairs. “You seem to be moving around pretty well on the crutches.”
“Yeah…but I’m pretty exhausted by the end of the day. I don’t know how the hell I’m going
to be able to keep up with Josh on the campaign trail.”
“I imagine he’ll wait up for you. He always has.” C.J. smiled hesitantly. “I guess I should
have remembered that before I shot my mouth off the night of the crash.”
Donna didn’t reply. She just kept her head down and continued to pack up Josh’s things.
“I should have remembered a lot of things; like how he always saved a spot for you on the
campaign bus even when you first started with us in Nashua. Or how he always ate with
you even though you routinely stole his food.”
“C.J….” Donna trailed off, not comfortable with the personal turn this conversation was
taking.
“I did remember how you dropped everything and practically moved in with him after
Rosslyn, but I forgot how you were the only one who could motivate him through all that
horrible physical therapy and how his eyes lit up whenever you came into the hospital
room.”
“I really don’t-“
“I shouldn’t have said those things, Donna. I was…there were a lot of things going on in my
life and I- It doesn’t matter. I had no right to say those things to you. You asked about
professional opportunities and I used that as an excuse to butt into your personal life.”
“We always used to share personal advice.” Donna added.
“I’ve missed that.” C.J. admitted. “I’m sorry that I hurt you. And I’m terribly sorry that I
screwed things up between you and Josh; even though that appears to be straightened
out now.” C.J. gave a rueful smile and motioned to Donna’s ring finger. “You two are truly
perfect for each other.”
“Thank you.” Donna said sincerely. “You know, Danny did a very nice job on the interview.
He not only made me sound heroic, which I wasn’t, but he made the administration sound
noble in the peace process which is going to make your job significantly easier.”
“Are you butting into MY personal life now?” C.J. asked smiling.
“I’m saying that it wouldn’t be unusual for the Chief of Staff to thank a reporter for a job well
done…with say, drinks or a nice dinner.” Donna corrected her.
“Uh-huh…” C.J. didn’t comment further. “When are you heading out to meet Josh and
Congressman Santos?”
“In two more days.” Donna replied.
“Then maybe you’d have time for a girl’s night out before you leave?”
“I’d like that.” Donna agreed.
“Okay. I’ll clear my schedule for tomorrow night.” C.J. rose to leave. “I’m going to enjoy
watching you two try to pull off another long shot campaign.”
“It should be entertaining.” Donna nodded. “I’ll see you tomorrow night.”
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
“I appreciate the offer…again, but we’re a little busy with a Presidential campaign right
now.” Donna spoke patiently into the phone. “I will hang onto your number; you’ll be the
first one I call if I change my mind.”
Josh rolled his eyes and motioned for her to hang up.
“I understand. Goodbye.” Donna finally disconnected the call and Josh let out a long
suffering sigh.
“Do these people not understand the meaning of the word ‘no’?” Josh asked.
“In all fairness, I haven’t actually said ‘no’, just ‘not right now’.” Donna admitted. “They want
me to understand that the marketing opportunities drop dramatically the longer I wait.”
“Wait…this is for the movie of the week thing?”
“Uh-huh.” Donna went back to her opposition research.
“And you’re still considering this…why?”
“We’re basically unemployed Joshua. We could use the money.”
“Donna! We’re running a scrappy insurgent campaign for the Presidency.”
“On no money whatsoever.” She reminded him.
“This is what you’re worried about?” Josh asked.
“No.” She shook her head. “I’m not. I think it might be a good way to help people
understand what’s going on in Gaza.”
“Danny’s article caught fire. It got play everywhere.” Josh objected.
“Yes, but not all Americans read Danny’s wonderful articles. In fact, there’s good evidence
to suggest many of them don’t read any articles at all.”
“That really depresses me.”
“I know.” Donna agreed. “So I’m thinking this might be another…venue with which to reach
people.”
“I don’t like it.”
“Because it makes us the story or because it reminds you of the story.”
“Both; but mostly the second one.” Josh admitted.
“I understand that. And I promise not to make any final decisions before we discuss it,
deal?”
“How about we skip the discussions and just say ‘no’ now?”
Donna just gave him ‘the look’.
“Fine. We’ll talk about it later.” Josh acquiesced. “But you’re not REALLY worried about
money, right? Because I have plenty saved up and what’s mine is yours.”
Donna smiled. “That’s so sweet.”
“Donna…”
“Seriously. We’re not even married yet and already you’re offering all your worldly
possessions.” She gushed and walked over to him and sat in his lap.
“Donna…” He rolled his eyes but put his arms around her waist to hold her there.
“It’s SO SWEET.” She told him and kissed his cheek.
“What did I tell you about calling me that while we’re working? Other people could hear.”
Josh complained.
“They’ll never hear it from me.” She assured him. “As far as the others are concerned,
you’re a ruthless, heartless bastard.”
“Okay then.” Josh let it go and kissed her to seal the deal.
“Did you see how well I walked over here?” She asked.
“Yes, you’re quite the accomplished walker, Donnatella.”
“I am.” She agreed.
“I think your walking partner deserves the credit for the speed of your recovery.”
“Right.” Donna rolled her eyes now.
“Think about all the times I said something obnoxious and then you had to walk quickly to
catch up to me and hit me with something. That was all for you; to motivate you in your
recovery.”
“You’re really too good to me.”
“I really am! The doctor said he’d never have predicted you’d be off the crutches this
soon.” Josh pointed out.
“That’s only because they ruin the line of my clothes when I’m speaking to the reporters
covering this campaign; both of them. When are you going to do something about that?”
“Once we pick up a little more traction on our education plan, the reporters will be flocking
to cover the Congressman.” Josh boasted.
“Uh-huh.” Donna said tongue in cheek. “And just when are we expecting this traction to
occur?”
“Ye of little faith.” Josh shook his head sadly. “I bring you into this campaign, as a partner,
and this is the thanks I get?”
“We’re in last place and have no money to speak of. Did you make me a partner so I’d
have to assume half the debt?” Donna asked.
“What’s mine is yours.” He repeated and kissed her soundly.
“Ronna said you were conferencing, but I didn’t understand that it was a private
conference.” Came the voice of Matthew Santos. They broke apart quickly. Donna walked
back to her spot at the conference table in their Iowa headquarters.
“Sorry, sir.” Donna blushed. “We were having a personal discussion.”
“Is that what we’re calling it these days?” Santos laughed. “And will you please call me
Matt?”
“No, sir. That’s not the way this works.” Josh replied.
“Then at least tell me my wife will be joining us soon, so I have someone here I can
‘conference with’ and who will call me Matt…along with some other words.”
“She’ll be here the day after tomorrow, Congressman.” Donna reported. “She’s just
arranging for her sister to come along to help look after Peter and Miranda.”
“How did you get her to agree to come out here so soon?” Santos asked. It was no secret
that Helen Santos had been less than thrilled about the decision to make the run for
President.
“It’s a gift.” Donna smirked, reminding Matt of Josh.
“Don’t ever lose this woman.” Santos advised Josh.
“No, sir.” Josh agreed and smiled possessively at Donna.
“I’m almost through with the op research. Give me another hour and we’ll go over it
together?” Donna suggested.
“Wait a minute. I thought I was very specific about not doing opposition research on my
opponents.” Matt interrupted.
“It’s not on your opponents, sir, it’s on you.” Josh told him.
“On me?” Santos repeated.
“We need to know about any public statements or rumors that are circulating around about
you.” Josh explained.
“Your opponents are doing this on you and we need to know what kind of ammunition they
have so we know how best to combat it.” Donna continued.
“Nobody is better at research than Donna. She’ll get a complete picture of the landscape
and then we can work out our strategy from that.” Josh added.
“That way we won’t be caught by surprise with whatever they throw at us.” Donna finished.
You two are really spooky when you do that, you know?” Santos asked.
Josh and Donna merely shared a smile.
“From these polling numbers it looks like it won’t matter what are strategies are. We can’t
seem to break 5%.” Santos commented.
“We’re making progress, sir.” Josh noted.
“If we are, it’s painfully slow.” Santos replied.
“Sir, it’s been my experience that some of the very best things come out of slow, painful
progress.” Donna told the Congressman.
“I’d have to agree.” Josh added looking contemplatively at Donna.
“Then we’re right on track.” Santos quipped.
“Yes, sir, I believe we are.” Josh answered.
The End.