NOTES:
Author: Yana
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: Minor, through Season Three
Disclaimer: Really, totally not my characters. Just my
ideas.
Archive: Please ask.
AN: I've never been arrested in the US, so please forgive
any glaring errors in my version of due process.
“Were you always like this and I just never noticed?”
“We’re not leaving here until this is finished.”
“I’m just saying, you get really crabby late at night.”
“I do not.”
“How did you hide it from me?”
“Look at page eighteen again.”
“Fine.”
Ginger burst into the Roosevelt Room at full speed, interrupting Josh and Amy’s bickering. “Josh! Donna’s on the phone.”
“I’m busy.” He glared at Amy.
Amy raised her eyebrows at him, giving him an annoyed look, then went back to the folders strewn in front of her.
Ginger was agitated. “She won’t talk to me. She says it’s an emergency.”
“Fine,” Josh sighed. He picked up the phone and punched the flashing line. “Donna?”
“Josh...are you alone?”
“Ah, no. Amy’s here, and Ginger--”
“Josh,” Donna’s voice interrupted him. “I need to say something and you can’t react...Okay?”
“’Kay.”
“I’m serious...and my time is running out here...”
“Okay. I understand.”
He heard her sigh in relief at the other end of the line. “Good. You have to come get me. I’m in jail.”
“YOU’RE IN JAIL?”
“Nice going, Josh. I think you woke up the press.”
“WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU--”
“JOSH! Just come get me. You can kill me when you get here.”
He opened his mouth to say something and paused. “Fine,” he said tightly. “Where are you?”
Donna gave him directions hurriedly and he hung up without a word. Looking up, he saw both Ginger and Amy staring at him, shocked.
“Donna’s in jail?” asked Ginger disbelievingly.
“Yeah. Where’s CJ?”
“At the thing.”
“Still?”
“I don’t know if she was coming back here afterwards.”
“Try her cell, then her house. But don’t tell her over the phone. Just get her here. And...” He hesitated, and Ginger looked at him questioningly. “Don’t say anything,” he decided. “To anyone.”
Ginger vanished. Amy’s mouth was still open, her work forgotten. “Is she okay?” she asked, concerned.
Josh was gathering his papers together swiftly and angrily. “She won’t be when I’m done with her.”
“You want me to come?”
He looked up, surprised, then considered. “No. Two of us going looks suspicious. Just keep...” He gestured at the papers around her.
“Right. Will you be coming back?”
“Yeah, but depending on whatever this is...”
She sighed. “I’ll finish.”
He scooped up his files and headed for the door. “Good.” He stopped in the hall and stuck his head back in. “Thanks,” he said softly.
Amy didn’t look up, but he heard her dry response. “Sure.”
*****
“You owe me.” He strode out of the police station with her following at his heels.
Donna sighed. “I’m aware.”
“No, seriously. You owe me.”
“What do you want?”
“Well, let’s start by having you pay me back for the fine.”
“You were very impressive, flashing the checkbook and all.”
He grabbed her arm to turn her to face him. “I’m not joking.”
“You’re going to yell at me,” she ventured hesitantly.
“It’s gonna take more than money to repay this. Just wait ‘til I get you alone.”
“Why not here?” she said, knowing it wouldn’t be quite so bad if they were in public.
“I’m waiting ‘til we’re someplace private.” He dropped her arm and headed for the car.
“Then you’re gonna let me have it?” She struggled to keep up but as she neared the car her ankle turned on her high heel and she stumbled.
Josh came back to her side. “You okay?” He helped her to her feet and she swayed a bit, clinging to his jacket. He wrapped his arms around her to steady her. Letting her weight fall against him briefly, she took a deep breaths.
“Yeah. Sorry.” She straightened and let her hands rest on his upper arms.
He put his hand to her cheek and smiled. “It’s okay. And I wasn’t going to yell at you.”
She tilted her head, “Really?”
“Really. You okay to walk?”
“Yeah.”
He put his hand on the small of her back and guided her to the passenger side door. Opening it, he gestured her in, grinning.
“What?” she asked nervously.
“I’m not going to yell at you...” he leaned in closer and kept talking so she couldn’t get in a word of thanks, “because CJ wants to see you.”
She pulled back, fear explicit on her face. “You didn’t.”
“I did.”
“Oh--” she groaned. “I’d rather have had you.”
“I’m choosing to take that as a compliment.”
“Sure.” She ducked inside the car.
*****
“Doooon’t throoooow......bouqueeeets at meee...”
“Oh dear god.”
“Sounds like they’re back from the Kennedy Center.”
“Doooon’t pleeeeeeease.....my fooolks too muuch...”
“Sam!”
“Doooon’t laaaaaugh...at...”
“There’s not much chance of that.”
“Are you dissing my singing?” Sam asked.
“Absolutely,” Josh said firmly.
“Sorry,” Sam said. “But they had the leads from the Broadway show there, and Patrick and Josefina were just *so good*.”
“Okay.”
“It sticks with you, is what I’m saying.”
“Okay.”
“Hey Donna.”
“Hey Sam.”
“Anything interesting?”
“No,” she answered, at the same time as Josh said, “Yes.”
Donna glared at Josh. Josh smirked back. Sam looked confusedly at both of them.
“Guys?”
“In here.” Josh pulled them into Sam’s office and shut the door. “There was a thing. Donna...”
“YOU GOT ARRESTED?” Sam’s door slammed open and CJ stormed in.
Donna shrank back. “Yes.”
“This isn’t a bad dream?” CJ raged on. “You were actually in jail.”
“Yes.” Donna winced.
“Were any press there?”
“At the station?” Donna asked in a small voice.
“At the station, at wherever you were arrested, at any points in between...”
“I don’t think so.”
“You don’t *think* so?” CJ’s voice hadn’t lessened in volume.
“I...I didn’t see anyone...noone asked any questions...”
“And you didn’t say anything, except to the police, right?” CJ pressed.
“Right.” Donna nodded emphatically.
“Okay.” CJ seemed to calm down a bit. “Next. What were you arrested for?”
“I got pulled over. My roomate’s been borrowing my car. I made the mistake of believing she’d paid the outstanding tickets.”
“Ah, so your night of fun isn’t over yet.”
“She’s out of town right now. I’ll handle it when she gets back.”
“All right.” CJ relaxed. “Now. You’re here, you’re not in jail. Why?”
“I called Josh.”
“I got her.” Josh jumped into the conversation, having taken refuge behind Sam’s desk and behind Sam.
CJ turned her glare on Josh. “Please god, tell me you didn’t go down there, flash your ID, and say...”
“No!” Josh said defensively. “I said I was a friend. We paid her fine. She still has to show up in court.”
“Someone could have recognized you.”
“If they did, they didn’t say anything.”
“All right.” CJ didn’t hesitate. “This is minor. One White House staffer has some outstanding tickets. She’ll make amends as required by law. I don’t think I’ll get the question. But no White House influence was used?”
“None.” Josh said emphatically. “All done by the book.”
“Okay. Donna?”
“Yes?” Donna looked up fearfully.
CJ’s face had softened. “You okay?”
“Yeah.”
“Have Josh take you home. Screen your home phone calls for a couple of days. It’ll be fine.” CJ squeezed her shoulder briefly.
Donna nodded. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t worry about it.” CJ grinned. “Trust me, you could have been arrested for worse things.”
“Oh, right.” Donna remembered something CJ had told her once. “True.” They shared a knowing smile.
“Like what, CJ?” Josh smirked.
She fixed a playful look on him. “Like, oh, I don’t know...being naked somewhere you shouldn’t be?”
“Really?” Josh looked interested.
“Goodnight, Josh. Samuel. Donna, go home, have a stiff drink and a hot bath.”
“Yes CJ.”
CJ grinned and left.
“That wasn’t so bad, was it?” Josh asked. Donna just stared at him. “You want to go home now,” he surmised.
“Yes.”
He smirked, but made no move to leave.
Sam cleared his throat. “The sooner you guys leave, the sooner I can finish up and go.”
Josh turned to him. “I’ve already ditched that whole 735 thing on Amy, I’ve put Donna in my debt, got to watch CJ scream at someone besides me...where’s the fun in making your life easier?”
“I feel a song coming on,” Sam said evenly. He took a deep breath and started in: “Peeeeeople will saaaay..wee’re in looooooove...”
He grinned at his empty office and hastily slammed door.
*****
Josh’s car pulled up to Donna’s building. She had been silent on the drive home, but now she turned to him. “Thanks again for coming to get me.”
“It’s no problem,” he said firmly.
“I’m sorry...it seems like these things happen to me, and you have to fix them...” She grimaced, trying to keep her remorse from spilling over into tears.
Josh put his hand to her cheek again. “Forget it. I know what you’re talking about. Forget it. Okay?”
She shook her head. “I’m not careful enough.”
“Donna...”
“Not when it comes to personal...stuff...” she persisted. “I trust people, and...”
He sighed. “We all make mistakes, Donna.”
“I know,” she said in a small voice. “But mine...”
“No,” he said flatly. “You’ve seen me make mistakes, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Big ones.”
“Yeah,” she conceded.
“We fix them together. That’s what we do.” He held her gaze with serious eyes.
Donna felt the tears well up and she bit her lip. “Okay,” she nodded.
“Okay.” He leaned over to rest his forehead against hers. “Go relax. We’ll have this behind us in no time.”
As he pulled away her mouth darted forward, planting the briefest of kisses on his lips. He looked a little surprised and she smiled. “Thanks again, Josh.”
He returned the smile, settling back in his seat. “Anytime, Donnatella.”
She climbed out of the car and waved to him once more from the top of the steps. He was still smiling as he waved back. Once she was safely inside, he pulled away from the curb, heading for home.
*****
Josh’s phone rang early the next morning, Carol’s voice urging him in as quickly as possible, telling him to bring Donna with him. He rolled out of bed slowly, stumbling on his way to the bathroom, and only emerged from the shower to the persistent ringing of his cell.
“Josh?”
“Donna, I’ll be there in ten.”
“What’s going on?”
“I have no idea.”
“Is it me?”
“I’m sure it’s not. Don’t worry, I’ll be there soon.” He hung up and looked down at his still soapy-wet body. “Damn.”
*****
“I’M GOING TO KILL YOU BOTH!”
Though she’d been lacking her usual confident poise when he’d picked her up, Donna straightened her back when she heard CJ’s yell. Josh could practically see her concluding that whatever had happened to make CJ *this* mad couldn’t possibly have been her fault. He grimaced, because by process of elimination, that probably meant that it was h...
“WHAT THE HELL DID YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING?” CJ held the tabloid cover in front of their noses.
Donna turned pale and gasped. Josh’s mouth fell open.
“WHEN THE HELL DID THIS HAPPEN?”
Donna took the paper from CJ and bent her head to study the picture. Josh sidled in behind her and looked over her shoulder. When Donna turned her head to meet his eyes, their faces were very close. She felt his breath tickle the corner of her mouth. They stared at each other a moment, then she remembered where they were and jerked her head back down to the picture.
CJ hadn’t stopped glaring. “Both of you. My office. Now.”
They followed her in. Josh went to put his hand on the small of Donna’s back as he usually did but stopped himself before he touched her, letting his hand fall limp at his side. Only Donna noticed, and she bit her lip.
CJ slammed the door behind them. “Start at the beginning.” She sat down behind her desk and looked at them expectantly.
“I’m not sure what I’m supposed to say,” Josh said hesitantly.
“Flip to page four.”
He did so. This time Donna peeked over his shoulder. They both gasped.
Slumping down on the visitor’s chair, Josh sucked in a breath. “It...we...”
Donna took up the explanation. “It’s my fault. I kissed him last night. To say thank you for bailing me out. But....” she stared at the picture again, “it was just a quick kiss. Like, less than half a second.”
“No tongues,” Josh offered. That earned him a glare from both women.
“They must have taken it at just the right moment,” Donna continued, ignoring him. “I kissed him, said ‘hey, thanks again’, then left.”
“Yeah,” said Josh. “It wasn’t...” he gestured at the cover photo, “like it looks there.”
CJ glanced again at the incriminating picture and grunted. The kiss didn’t look innocent or quick. Both Josh and Donna had had their eyes closed. Donna’s face had been turned upwards, seeking his lips. The photo must have been taken at that brief instant when their lips had made contact. The sincerity with which she’d kissed him, his instinctive response to her, all that and more had been captured in a fleeting second. One could easily believe they’d been kissing for hours.
The cover photo was coupled with a spread on pages four and five featuring additional pictures: of the two of them standing together under a lamppost, his hand on her arm; of her being held in his arms as they stood in front of his car; of him leaning in and grinning at her as she was getting in the passenger side door; of her waving to him as he drove away from her house...and then there were the quotes...
CJ, noticing how enthralled they both seemed by the pictures, snatched the paper away. Far from being mollified, she began to read out loud, “’Wait ‘til I get you alone?’ ‘It’s going to take more than money to repay this?’” Her voice rose to a shout again. “HAVE YOU COMPLETELY LOST YOUR MIND?”
“It wasn’t like that!” Josh protested. “I was angry...I wanted to get back to the office to yell at her! Not to...” He broke off, gesturing with his hand. “You know...”
“You’re lucky you didn’t finish that sentence,” CJ bit off.
Josh took that as a sign that her anger was lessening and ventured to agree with her. “Right. You know me,” he said more quietly. “I wouldn’t...” He glanced at Donna. “We wouldn’t...”
Donna nodded her agreement vehemently, trying to look as innocent as she possibly could for CJ.
CJ looked at both of them sternly. “Fine. We’ll need to discuss some rules going forward, to make sure this never happens again. But for right now, we--” Her telephone rang, cutting her off. “Yes?” She frowned and hung up. “Well. We’ll continue this discussion immediately in Leo’s office.”
“Oh, god.” Josh’s face turned pale.
“Yes, Josh,” said CJ. “Oh god indeed.”
*****
“I’m not happy,” Leo barked immediately they came into the office.
“I know, Leo,” Josh began. “But...” He took in Leo’s appearance. “What the...”
Leo looked down at what he was wearing. “For more reasons than one.”
“It’s just...” Josh tried to stifle a chuckle, reminding himself he was in serious trouble. Donna chose that moment to elbow him sharply and he swallowed a groan of pain. “I never saw you as a, uh...” He gazed at the yellow and black plaid pants his boss were wearing, and then up at the pink button down shirt with denim fringes, complete with a string tie, then back down to the white patent shoes. “A colourblind cowboy golfer?” he offered.
Leo tugged on the pink shirt to straighten it and went to the fiddle with the tie in the mirror Margaret was holding for him. “For reasons passing understanding, I have to wear this shirt on our next campaign trip into the South.”
“Oh,” said Josh. “So not the funny big hats, but...”
“Yes, the rest of the cowboy look.”
Josh smirked. “But that doesn’t quite explain the pants...”
“I like these pants,” Leo snapped. “And you, of all people, are not currently in a position to say anything--anything at all--right now.”
“Yes, Leo. See, what happened was...”
“Are you two together?” Leo interrupted, dangerously quiet.
“No!” they both shouted in unison.
Josh took up his explanation again. “No, Leo... It’s really simple. Donna--Donna had some trouble last night, and I helped her, and she just thanked me, that’s all, and someone caught it on film.”
Leo grunted. “I’ve seen the pictures. Just how much ‘thanking’ went on?”
“None! Leo...”
“I just kissed him, Leo, that’s all.” Donna explained, hoping to cut Josh off before he started to rant. “Just a quick one, like this.” She swooped in and pecked Josh’s lips again.
Josh stared at her, shocked, for a moment, then recovered himself. “Leo, it was nothing.”
“It looked like nothing to her, but it certainly didn’t look like nothing to you just now.” Leo took in the slight flush on his deputy’s expressive face.
“She surprised me! After all this, I didn’t think she’d do it again!”
“Sorry,” Donna mumbled.
“You should be!” he exclaimed, a little more forcefully than necessary.
“Yes,” CJ agreed.
“Yes,” Leo repeated. “So, how are you going to fix this?”
CJ stepped in. “The White House doesn’t comment on...”
“They aren’t going to be happy with that, not with pictures out there.”
“It’s a tabloid, Leo. The pressroom knows us.”
“Someone else will pick it up. Be prepared.”
CJ sighed. “Maybe, on a personal note, I could say that they’re close friends and have never behaved in an unprofessional manner.”
“I think it needs to be even clearer than that,” Leo pressed.
“Fine. And I can also say for myself that they were both shocked and horrified that an innocent moment between friends was twisted into some sort of...” She tried to frame the right words.
“Sordid affair?”
“Improper liason,” she amended. “Beyond that I’ll have to play it by ear.”
Leo nodded. “Fine. Fix it. And the two of you...” he fixed his glare on Josh and Donna, “stay the hell away from each other outside the office.”
CJ broke in again. “I was going to suggest a public appearance for Josh with a date other than Donna? A photo op?”
“That might work,” Leo agreed. “Josh?”
“I’m not comfortable with that, Leo,” Josh admitted. “Any of it. I--we--shouldn’t need to do that.”
Leo studied him for a moment. “We’ll see.”
“Thanks, Leo.”
“But be ready to suit up. We don’t need this.”
“Okay.”
“Donna?”
Donna had tried to make herself as unobtrusive as possible throughout the conversation. “Yes, Leo,” she acknowledged quietly.
Leo looked at them both. “Okay. Get back to work.”
They left and CJ watched them go. Once they were out of earshot, she turned to give Leo a meaningful look. “Leo...” she said.
“I know,” he said.
“We’re going to have to...”
“I’m not blind, CJ. I just wish everyone else was.”
“Right.” She closed the door softly as she left.
“Margaret?” He turned to his assistant, who was still holding the mirror patiently.
“Yes Leo?”
“Please, for the love of god, will you give me back my normal clothes?”
“You have to make sure everything fits...”
“NOW!” he barked.
“Yes, Leo.” She scurried out of the room.
He sank down in his chair. “Oh, god what a day.”
*****
CJ’s briefing was playing on the television in Josh’s office. Both he and Donna stood in front of it, tense and glued to the screen.
“CJ!”
“Yes Bill?”
“So, what you’re saying is that Josh and Donna are not involved in a romantic relationship?”
“The White House doesn’t...”
“Just as far as you yourself know, CJ.”
CJ fixed her gaze on them. “No, they aren’t.”
“CJ! Followup.”
“Yes Bill?”
“Why the hell not?”
The Press Room broke into laughter.
“It’s a cute picture,” he grinned.
CJ smiled briefly, appearing to relax in front of the reporters. The staffers watching her, though, could see that the tension in her neck hadn’t gone away. She directed the questions to another subject and the issue was dropped.
Josh and Donna stared dumbly at the screen, watching the press joke about them. Donna inhaled, trying to think of something to say.
“You were lucky,” Amy remarked acerbically from the doorway.
Startled, they both looked up. “Someone else will pick it up,” Josh muttered.
Donna hastened to gesture between them. “There’s nothing going on--”
Amy cut her off with a raised eyebrow. “I know. I asked J that the day we met.”
“Oh. Good.” Donna was tempted to ask for details, but stifled her curiosity.
Amy grinned at her and turned to Josh. “You were lucky,” she repeated.
“And you might not be,” he shot back. She looked at him questioningly and he continued, “Leo says I might need to start parading around the high profile events with a date.”
Understanding dawned on Amy’s face and she wrinkled her nose in distaste. “Uh oh.”
“Yeah.”
“Damn.”
“Leo’s playing it by ear.”
She stared at him for a second, then said, “I’m going to go work. 735, when you have a minute.”
“Okay.” He watched her disappear out the door.
“I’m sorry,” Donna said again.
He turned to her and tried to smile for her. “This is entirely your fault, you know,” he teased.
“I know.” Her head drooped and she started flicking through their copy of the tabloid. Josh watched her, trying to think of a way to lighten her mood.
“Except this part.” She gestured to the article and he looked up at her face in surprise.
“No. In no way, shape, or form is this my fault.”
Donna read out the quote. “‘It’s going to take more than money to repay this,’ Lyman was heard to remark in a powerful voice. ‘Just wait ‘til I get you alone.’”
“Donna, for the love of...”
“And then it says here that I shivered? I did not shiver! What the hell?” She brandished the paper at him and he took a step back. “You have never made me shiver, in the entire time we’ve...” She broke off and glared at his laughing face.
“See what I mean?” he chuckled. “This is entirely your fault.”
“Why the hell...”
“You kissed me,” he interrupted, his laughter subsiding. “You kissed me, and that’s why they have a story.”
“Hmmph.”
“So while we’re asking questions, why the hell...”
“At least it doesn’t say you shivered afterwards,” Donna interrupted petulantly.
He suddenly decided to let the question go unasked. “No,” he agreed. He sensed Donna’s quick glance at his face and knew she was surprised he’d let the matter drop. “What does it say?”
“Blah, blah, blah...something about a powerful gaze...blah, blah...”
“They said I have a powerful gaze?”
“You’d think they could afford a thesaurus.”
“Do I really have a powerful gaze?”
“Josh.” She sighed, wondering how this hack tabloid reporter had managed to insult her and boost Josh’s ego at the same time.
He was frowning at her, trying to give her a serious, glaring look. “How about this?”
She giggled. “Keep trying.”
Grinning, he relaxed. “Okay.”
Their eyes met for a moment, then hers slid to the pictures again. “I am sorry,” she said ruefully.
He nodded and followed her eyes down to the page. “We do look pretty serious there.”
Donna exhaled. “Yeah.”
He flipped through the photos again: the kiss, the hug, the grin, the wave. She watched him as he scanned them. “Thank you,” she said again, softly.
Feeling her eyes on him, he shut the tabloid with an air of finality and dropped it in the trash. “You’re welcome anytime, Donna. You know that,” he said, busying himself with papers on the desk.
She smiled at him when he finally looked up. “Yeah.”
They shared a look and he reached out, tentatively, to squeeze her arm. She accepted the gesture and let him guide her out of his office.
“735?”
“735.”
She went back to her desk and started to flip through files. He watched her for a moment, noting the exact second her mind went back to the job when she suddenly frowned and brought a paper to her face so she could read it more closely.
Going back into his office he sat down and looked around. On impulse he reached into the trash and pulled out the tabloid again, staring at the picture of him kissing Donna on the front page.
A few minutes later Amy stuck her head around his door again. Silent, she watched him study the photo for a few seconds before saying, “J?”
He jumped, startled, but didn’t have time to hide the paper. “Yeah?” He strove for a normal tone.
“735.”
“Twenty minutes.”
“’K.” She left without further comment.
He stared at the picture a moment longer, then stuffed the whole
thing in his backpack.
THE END
End Notes:
To hear what Sam really didn’t sound like, check out a soundbite of Hugh Jackman in the 1998 recording of Oklahoma! The Musical:
RealPlayer: http://www.oklahoma-themusical.com/content/sounds/people.rm
Quicktime: http://www.oklahoma-themusical.com/content/sounds/people.mp3
People Will Say We’re In Love
Don't throw bouquets at me
Don't please my folks too much
Don't laugh at my jokes too much
People will say we're in love!
Don't sigh and gaze at me
Your sighs are so like mine
Your eyes mustn't glow like mine
People will say we're in love!
Don't start collecting things
Give me my rose and my glove.
Sweetheart they're suspecting things
People will say we're in love.
Don't praise my charm too much
Don't look so vain with me
Don't stand in the rain with me
People will say we're in love!
Don't take my arm too much
Don't keep your hand in mine
Your hand feels so grand in mine
People will say we're in love!
Don't dance all night with me
Till the stars fade from above.
They'll see it's alright with me
People will say we're in love.
All lyrics are the property and copyright of their
owners.