Author: Liza C. Title: In His Corner Beta'ed: By Kim Post-ep: Liftoff "Did someone around here call for a ride?" Josh shot her an impish grin as he jumped out of his car. "You don't have to do this, Josh," she insisted as he helped her into his still-running vehicle, which was currently parked at the East Entrance of the White House. It pained Donna to think about what a burden she had become to him since her release from the hospital. She didn't like feeling dependent on anyone, even Josh; she longed for the day when she would once again be strong and self-sufficient. However, if pressed, Donna would have to admit that she didn't mind the way she had to slide her arms around his neck in order for him to hoist her out of the wheelchair. Or the way it felt to have his strong arms circled around her waist, supporting her weight, as he eased her gently into the car. "I want to do this." "Seriously, when have you ever left the office by 6pm before? For several days in a row?" "I'm coming back tonight." "That's what you said last night." "But I mean it tonight. I have stuff to do." "Well then, you shouldn't be wasting time chauffeuring me around." Her protest came out just shy of a whine. "I like chauffeuring you around." He shot her a dimpled grin as he pulled the car out of the circular drive. "Being your sole means of transportation makes me feel like I have some control in this relationship… for once." "Relationship?" The corner of Donna's lips quirked slightly. Technically nothing had changed between them since Gaza. Heck, she'd only been back a short while. But things sure felt different between them… different, but better. "Yeah, you know, co-worker/co-workee…" Josh felt himself redden slightly. He also felt Donna staring at him, surely noticing that his cheeks were flushed. "Oh, that relationship." She nodded with mock gravity. "It is tricky to get the upper hand in the co-worker/co- workee dynamic." "I know. Trust me, I've spent years trying to figure out how to accomplish it. Besides, if I didn't pick you up and drop you off, how would you manage to get to work in your current condition?" "I wouldn't," Donna answered with a slightly sardonic tone. "I'd stay home and recuperate fully, like a normal person." "Exactly!" "You're carting me around so that I can't recuperate from my injuries in the comfort of my own home?" "No, I'm carting you around for your own good. You'd go stir-crazy sitting in that tiny apartment of yours, day in and day out, nothing but bad movies on basic cable starring Winona Ryder to keep you company. Besides, you don't want to become one of those Gen-X slacker types… lying around all day, becoming a drain on society." "Josh, nobody has used the term 'Gen-X slacker' in years. And nobody had ever used it in reference to me." "Yes, because you always had your work with me to keep you busy and away from an indolent life filled with video-games and whiney rock music. See, by me committing to be your chauffeur, I'm giving you an outlet to keep your mind sharp and focused." "So this driving me around is pretty much entirely selfish on your part, so that I'd be able to come back to work sooner?" "Pretty much." "I can live with that." Donna chewed the inside of her cheek and tried to suppress a smile. No matter how he tried to spin it, his attention and compassion towards her hadn't gone unnoticed. Not by the denizens of the West Wing, and especially not by her. Turning slightly, he glanced at her as they came to a stop at a red light. He was absolutely amazed at the difference in her since she'd come back from Germany. She seemed to be returning to normal at a record pace. However, he knew what she'd been through and he knew it was going to be a long road to full recovery. "How'd you hold up today?" "Okay. I'm tired… but less tired than I was yesterday, so that's something." She smiled genuinely at him. "You know, if it gets too much…" "I know," she said quickly. He wanted to make sure she knew she had an out if she needed it, but he also didn't want to push her, so he changed the subject. "I hear that we're stuck with Toby at the podium for awhile? You guys couldn't find anyone who could do better than announcing that we'll combat enemies with large swinging purses?" She smirked at him playfully. "At least we didn't have to come up with any secret inflation-fighting schemes after his briefing." "Touché," Josh replied sheepishly. "You should have seen some of these candidates…" Donna nodded her head slightly in disbelief. "Bad?" "Comical. If this is the best that's out there, we're in trouble. I could do better than half of them." "I know you could." He watched a fierce shade of pink creep over her cheeks at the compliment, before continuing playfully, "Because there's no one who talks more than you do." Donna swatted him lightly on the arm in response, which only egged him on. "I mean, maybe somewhere in the world, there's someone that talks more than you, but I haven't met them… if indeed they exist." After rolling her eyes at him, twice, and swatting him one more time for good measure, she asked, "Tell me about your meeting with Matt Santos." "He's not running for re-election." "But you said the meeting was good?" "Yeah, I like him. He's one of the rare good ones that got into this for the right reasons." "But he's still not running for re-election?" "Nope." "Why not?" "He says he doesn’t like the fight… which I find hard to believe, but he has young kids… it's a shame he's quitting, he could have gone places." "Convince him," Donna said emphatically. "Huh?" "Josh, you're one of the most persuasive men on the planet. If he's got the right stuff, convince him he needs to stay. The party needs guys like that." Josh felt his insides warm slightly at Donna's seemingly intrinsic belief that he could reverse the tides. Funny thing was he used to believe it too… what had changed? "I already tried the party guilt trip. He seemed to pretty much have his mind made up. But he did say one thing that I've been thinking about…" "What?" "Never mind." "Josh." Her voice was stern. "Seriously, it's nothing." "It's not nothing if you've been thinking about it since your meeting. Tell me." It wasn't an order, but it might as well have been, for all his non-existent ability to resist confiding in her. "He said something about it being a tough blow that I was overlooked for Leo's job, but that I couldn't do what I do from behind Leo's desk." "Oh." Donna exhaled slowly as she stared straight ahead at the road. They hadn't had a chance yet to discuss his being passed over for the position of Chief of Staff in favor of CJ. Part of her had been waiting for him to bring it up and part of her still couldn't believe it had happened at all. In her mind, Josh was not only the logical choice, he was the only choice. Of course, she might have been a tad biased, and truth be told, there was a selfish part of her that was very glad that he wouldn't be working Leo's hours. She swallowed hard and looked at his profile. "Why weren't you promoted? It seems like a no-brainer to me." He glanced over at her a second and then shifted his gaze back to the road just as quickly. "Because Margaret goes with the office and I refused to go without you. I have trust issues with redheads." "Jooooosh. I'm being serious." "I really don't know." He shook his head slightly. "Was it the President's whim… do you think Leo had a say in it?" "I'm not sure," Josh replied softly. They sat in silence for a lengthy pause, before she asked gently, "He didn't explain his decision?" "It wasn't so much an explanation as a declaration. He sang CJ's praises and said why he thought she was a good choice for the administration; he did not explain why I was not." "Are you okay?" "Why wouldn't I be okay?" He asked quickly, his posture immediately defensive. "I mean are you going to be okay with the whole working-for-CJ thing?" "I don't know, Donna, I really don't know. I'm trying…" "I know you are. And it doesn't make you a bad person if you have trouble accepting this. Just don't take it out on her." "Who should I take it out on? The President of the United States? A man in ICU?" His voice had a definite edge and Donna noticed the way he gripped the steering wheel tightly. "Take it out on me. I'm tough, I can handle it." He slowly turned his head to look at her and then broke out in a wide smile and chuckled. "Yes, I didn't get a promotion so I should take it out on the woman…" Josh paused briefly, swallowed hard and rethought what he was going to say, "The woman who is recovering-- very nicely, I might add-- from extensive injuries." "Very nicely?" Donna asked with a trace of a giggle in her voice. "Very nicely, indeed." Josh nodded emphatically. Anytime Josh flirted with her, or even pseudo-flirted with her, it made her a little lightheaded. She shook her head slightly in order to clear it and then looked back to him. "It's probably for the best. You don't want to spend 18 hours a day behind a desk giving other people orders on how to wind down an administration, not when there are real fights that still need to be fought." Josh was silent for a second and then his lips quirked upwards. "You know, that's pretty close to what Santos said, too." "Well, there you go, it must be true." She looked, and sounded, self-satisfied. But that only lasted a couple of seconds until a thought that had been nagging her since the announcement occurred to her once again. Suddenly, a frown marred her features. "It's not…" she took a deep fortifying breath. "Is it my fault?" His brow crinkled instantly and he glanced over at her as she spoke. "Because you came to Germany, to be with me, instead of staying when they needed you." He was already shaking his head before she finished asking the question. "No." "Are you sure? Because I'm so sorry. I hate that it could have affected your career or-" "Donna, no," he interrupted her, still shaking his head. "I'm sure the fact that I went to Germany had nothing to do with the decision…and if it did, I don't care. I would do it all over again. And I wouldn't hesitate getting on that plane, not for a second. Do you understand?" She nodded quickly and turned to look out her passenger-side window as she desperately tried to swallow the newly-formed lump in her throat. It wouldn't do for Josh to see her mist up. The intensity in his voice and expression had caught her fully off-guard. The insecure part of her had feared that Josh might begin to resent her if he suspected that she was the reason he'd been overlooked. But as she brought her emotions back under control and thought about the words he'd just spoken, she was more than reassured that that wasn't the case. The interior of the car was silent for several minutes. Each lost in thought, but comforted by the other's presence. When Josh spoke again, his voice was low and gravelly. "It's not so much that I don't have the job. And it has nothing to do with working for CJ…. it's just… it's just that they didn't want me. I was his deputy for all those years and they didn't want me." "I know." Donna reached over and covered his hand on the steering wheel with her own. Josh felt his heart contract at the simple gesture. Without taking his eyes off the road, he let go off the steering wheel with his right hand, laced his fingers with hers, and squeezed back. She looked at their entwined hands and sighed. "They must not be as smart as I gave 'em credit for; there's no other explanation." Josh felt his lips tug skyward at that. He glanced next to him and caught her eye. Instantly, he was overwhelmed by the honesty he saw there; she'd meant what she said. Her words weren't placating or polite, she'd actually meant them. Suddenly, he felt lighter, better than he had in days. With Donna in his corner, who needed the rest of them? The End. |
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