Still Standing

by: Allison

Character(s): Josh, Donna
Pairing(s): Josh/Donna
Category(s): Romance
Rating: TEEN
Summary: Sequel to Great Expectations

"No."

He leaned over her desk, trying to charm her. "It's a very small favor."

She glared expertly. "Do I need to remind you that the last time I did you a very small favor -"

"So keep your underwear on and it'll be fine."

Her glare deepened, if possible. "Sam."

"You know, you could be construed as being in my debt. Seeing as how I asked you to clear up the Karen Cahill thing and you didn't actually succeed in doing that."

"And what, may I ask, did I owe you in the first place that I was obligated to perform this initial favor?"

Sam backed up an inch or so. "Have you ever thought about going to law school?"

She laughed harshly. "I'd have to finish college first."

"Seriously. You'd be good."

"What you mean is, I have the capacity for being just as anal retentive as you are?"

"Basically."

She gave in and allowed him a smile. "What's the favor?"

"I love you, Donna."

"I didn't say I'd do it, I just asked what it was."

Sam settled himself on the corner of her desk. "I met this girl -"

"No, Sam."

"You don't even know what I want."

"I will not ask her out for you."

"That's not it."

Donna gave him a probing look. "What about Mallory?"

"She's still with Richard."

"So you're giving up?"

"I'm expanding my options."

She pretended to frown seriously. "If I go to law school, will they teach me how to say the same thing six different ways?"

"Way more than six."

"What's the favor?"

He grinned as if already sure he'd won. "She wants to go out with me, but an old friend from college is in town."

Donna suddenly caught on. "No."

"She showed me a picture. He's cute."

She hesitated for a fraction of a second. "No."

"He's a professor."

"I don't go on blind dates."

"It wouldn't be a blind date, I'd be with you." Off her surprised look he said, "She doesn't want you to entertain him alone, she suggested I invite a friend and we all go to dinner together." At this new information she seemed to be wavering. He leaned in close again. "Please, Donna?"

She threw up her hands in resignation. "Fine."

Sam's face lit up with delight. "Great." He dove forward and took her face in both hands to kiss her forehead. "Tomorrow night. Eight. I'll make sure you get out."

"Whatever." She shook her head as she watched him bounce away. "The things I do for you, Samuel."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Since when do you need blind dates?"

In all likelihood he'd meant that as a compliment, but she was tired of giving Josh the benefit of the doubt. "I don't," she replied haughtily. "It's a favor to Sam."

Fighting hard against the familiar wave of jealousy sweeping through his entire body, Josh turned back to his papers so that she couldn't see his face. "What, the college professor isn't tempting?"

"I know as much about him as you do," she replied enigmatically. "Sam's waiting for me. I'll see you Monday."

"Wait."

She turned in the doorway, holding the door open with her foot. "What?"

"Will you call me tomorrow?"

She sighed. "I always do."

"'Kay."

She nodded. "Bye."

"Donna."

"Yes?" she asked, her tone exasperated.

He nodded stiffly. "You look good."

A flicker of something appeared briefly on her face, but it was gone before he could decide what it meant. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"And then there was the time we went skinny-dipping in the fountain on the quad..."

Over the sounds of raucous laughter Donna turned to Sam and whispered, "Is our presence really required here?"

He smiled indulgently at her and sipped his drink. "They haven't seen each other in a while. You know how Josh and I get."

She looked at him quizzically. "Did you and Josh swim naked together?"

Sam just about choked. "Okay, no." She dissolved into silent laughter and he kicked her firmly in the shins.

"Sam?"

He looked up at the mention of his name. "Adam."

The other man smiled winningly and asked, "Would you mind terribly if I stole Carrie away for a dance? For old times' sake?"

Only Donna noticed that Sam's smile was forced and abjectly false. "Of course not. Be my guest."

As Adam led Carrie toward the dance floor Donna leaned over and whispered, "So did you and Josh dance together too, or -"

"Shut up."

Her smile faded and she pulled her chair around so that she was almost beside him instead of at a corner. Together they watched Adam and Carrie dance for a moment, before Donna said, "They look pretty cozy."

"Yes, they do," Sam said tightly.

Her hand brushed his arm. "I'm sorry."

"Yeah." His eyebrows lifted and he rubbed his face tiredly. "It was probably a bad idea anyway."

"Picking someone up when you still have a crush on Mallory?"

He didn't even bother to hide it. "Yeah."

She scooted her chair over further and leaned her head on his shoulder. "I'm sorry," she said again.

"Yeah." He patted her leg for a few seconds and then suddenly straightened up, pulling her with him. "Come on. Let's at least make a good showing."

Her smile reappeared. "Okay."

He led her to a spot on the floor fairly near to Adam and Carrie and they fell comfortably into position - his arm around her waist, her hand at the back of his neck, their other hands clasped over his heart and her head on his shoulder. "Donna?" he asked softly after a moment.

"Hmm?"

"I'm glad you're here. Thank you for being with me."

She smiled and squeezed the hand she was holding. "You're a good guy, Sam."

The apparent non sequitur didn't disturb him in the least. He leaned his cheek against her hair and watched Carrie dance with the man she'd been flirting with all night. "If you had a chance to get your college boyfriend back -" he began.

"I'd castrate him with my bare hands."

His eyebrows nearly reached his hairline. "Okay. Obviously non-comparable situations."

"I'd say so."

He liked Donna for being Donna. He loved her for her loyalty to his best friend, for her loyalty to all of them, for her inimitable manner and indestructible spirit. Tonight he adored her for distracting him. He pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead and turned his eyes from Carrie and his thoughts from Mallory.

When they all said goodnight, Carrie pulled Sam aside to apologize. Before she could speak he stopped her. "Don't. I understand. Sometimes you don't know what you want until..."

"Until you know?" she supplied with a friendly smile. "Yeah. Thanks, Sam." She nodded toward Donna, who was saying perfunctory goodbyes to Adam. "She's pretty special."

"She is, but it's not like that," he said, watching Donna. "She's - well - you know how you feel about your best friend's wife - or in your case, your best friend's husband? Kind of like a brother-in-law?"

"Sure," she replied.

He nodded. "It's like that."

Her brow furrowed in confusion. "She's your best friend's wife?"

"No," he corrected hastily. "She's my best friend's assistant. But they have a - relationship."

"A relationship?"

"A bond," he further clarified.

"Oh." He suspected she didn't really understand. "Goodnight, Sam."

"Goodnight. Adam," he called, "it was - nice. Goodnight." He wrapped an arm companionably around Donna's waist and walked her toward the parking lot. "So," he said, "what have we learned tonight?"

"Denial sucks," she answered.

"Yeah." He pulled her a little closer. "Cold?"

"No."

"Okay." At her car they stopped and he turned to face her. "I want to say thank you again."

"You're welcome," she said sweetly.

"Not just for coming with me. For - you know - being there."

She nodded. "You were there, too, Sam."

"Was I?" They both knew his question had nothing to do with his geographical presence and everything to do with her state of mind.

She nodded again. "I may have been able to live without the professor," she began dryly, reaching out to tug at his lapel, "but I think I needed you."

Her admission touched him, as no doubt it was intended to do, and he swept her into an affectionate embrace. "Then I guess it all turned out okay. You gonna call Josh tomorrow morning?" he asked from her shoulder.

"Yeah," she said as they pulled back. She knew very well how much her tone of bittersweet resignation revealed.

He nodded. "Okay. I'll see you."

"See you." He waited to get into his own car until he saw her safely pull away.

Chapters: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14

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