Anniversaries & Ado-Annie

Josh and Donna had left the Roosevelt room after working on the hopefully successful rewrite of the president's remarks for the Correspondent's Dinner. Hopefully they really did "find the funny". Although when it started slipping towards one-thirty in the morning all sorts of things managed to seem funny. They never had made Toby laugh, but then Toby didn't look in any mood to find the funny.

In fact Toby looked like he wouldn't be in the mood to see 'the funny' if it did cartwheels and kissed him on the top of his head. Toby had the look of someone who had "a cob crossways", as Bonnie so quaintly put it. Of course that was a look that Toby was never really far from, but back to the point. The funny. They had hopefully found it.

The president could be a funny guy- if you understood his jokes, but the first draft of that speech was- well, it was just bad. So they ate Chinese and tossed jokes around and Sam and Ainsley debated the E.R.A and after trying unsuccessfully to get that look off Toby's face, they decided to call it a night.

So as Josh and Donna were starting to pack up for the night and Donna took another look at the flowers Josh had sent her, a thought popped into her head. Suddenly she whirled around and pinned Josh with a look as he was standing by the doorway shoving file folders in his bag.

"What was that dig about Ado -Annie?" Donna asked, arms folded in front of her, her eyes narrowed- essentially in full battle mode.

"What are you talking about?" Josh asked, totally perplexed.

"You called me Ado- Annie." Donna replied, her tone becoming chilly.

"When?"

"Earlier- when you were begging me to be happy that you sent me flowers to be mean."

"Again- I did not send you flowers to be mean. I was marking an occasion."

"So you said- but since we've already covered that bit of wrongness on you part, let's move on to the dig. The Ado- Annie dig."

"There was no dig!" Josh stated emphatically.

"There `was' a dig. Did you think I wouldn't know the reference? Ado- Annie `Oklahoma'- `I'm just a girl who can't say no' That dig."

"I think you've lost it, Donna " Josh replied with what he hoped was an appeasing smile. Why on earth was she latching on to this, Josh thought. A comment he made in passing over an hour ago. It was clear from the look on her face that she wasn't about to let this particular tid-bit out of her teeth. Her next words confirmed it.

"You wish. Answer the question, Josh."

"I'm sorry- there was a question?" ‘That's right Josh- play dumb.'

"Ado-Annie " Donna prompted with impatience.

"What about it?" Josh asked uncomfortably. `That's right, Josh- play dumb again. It worked so well the first time'

"You called me Ado-Annie. The girl who can't say no." Donna clarified yet again, her patience wearing extremely thin.

"I did that?" Josh asked and again the little voice in his head laughed at him. `Oh yeah Josh- that was a good one- cause when playing dumb doesn't work, amnesia is your best fall back position. ( `Do you think it would possible to critique my remarks before they come out of my mouth?' Josh replied inwardly to that annoying little voice in his head.) `Well- where would be the fun in that?' Inner Voice replied.

"Yes, you did." Donna replied, and Josh could see the pout through the irritation. Well, that wasn't a good sign.

"Okay." Josh said, totally at a loss as to what to say next.

"You think I'm a girl who can't say no?" Donna asked and this time the pout was really showing. This was definitely bad. Mad Donna was one thing-but hurt feelings and upset Donna was another, much worse, thing.

"Uhhh.." Josh floundered. `Oh there you go, Josh. Dazzle her with your wit.' Inner Voice Josh was heckling him now. Could this get any worse?

"Pithy answer there, Josh. You really think I'm a girl who can't say no? I'd really like to know."

"You didn't say no to him." Josh countered. (Okay- where had that come from?) ` Hey Josh, you wanted to know if it could get any worse- well, you just brought up Dr. Free ride and her leaving again.' Inner voice commented- again, after the fact. Josh looked up quickly to see just how pissed Donna actually was after that last dumb remark and he was somewhat surprised to see that she didn't look pissed really -just kind of sad and resolute.

"I did when it counted." Donna replied quietly.

There was this long pause where they looked at each other. Taking each other's measure almost. Josh was thinking about how to go on with this or get out of this conversation. Inner Voice had thankfully stopped heckling him, but then again it wasn't offering any helpful tidbits either. Josh decided that simplicity was best.

"Yeah- you did."

"I'm not Ado-Annie, Josh. I know perfectly well how to say no and I do it without hesitation when the occasion calls for it." Donna stated firmly.

"Yeah, you do. I'm sorry. That was mean to call you that. I didn't mean it. I was just-"

"Being you?"

"Yeah." Josh admitted

"Okay." Donna said, a smile starting to curve the corners of her mouth.

"I'm glad you came back."

"Me too."

Okay this was getting just a little too intense. There was something some sort of moment happening here. ` Say something dumb Josh! Say something dumb! That'll break up this sweet moment' Inner Voice was jumping up and down in gleeful anticipation.

"I'm just sorry it took a car accident to do it."

Josh observed out loud, before he could stop himself. Donna gave him this look that said he was the only person in the world who could dig himself out of hole, only to jump willingly back in and cover himself with dirt.

Knowing, that he would never change, and that she really didn't want him to, Donna decided to practice patience one more time.

"Josh it wasn't just that."

"But, you said"

"It wasn't the only thing Josh- it was just the final thing."

"Okay."

There was a long pause where neither of them said anything and Josh waited to see if, perhaps, Donna would tell him what the other things were. She wasn't- and Josh realized that either they hadn't gotten to that point with each other or Donna had moved so far past it that she didn't want to look back. At some point they reached a non-verbal understanding that the Dr. Free ride portion of the evening was over. But just to make sure the point was crystal clear in Josh's mind Donna made one last statement.

"So no more flowers in April, okay." Donna said turning away to finish gathering the last of her things.

"How about if I send you flowers in February and April."

Donna turned in frustration, but when she saw the statement on Josh's face she just sighed. Who could resist that sweet cocked-eyed smile of his? It was almost enough to turn a girl into `Ado-Annie'- well, with him, anyway.

"Well, I guess a girl can never get too many flowers. Just make sure that only the ones in February make any reference to the anniversary of my employment."

"Okay." But just as he was about to turn back to grab his bag, he stopped and pivoted around to face her. "How about if I take you out to mark our non-anniversary."

"It's like 1:30 in the morning, Josh." Donna pointed out reasonably.

"Okay- tomorrow then. Someplace nice- you know, because I was a mean man who couldn't read a calendar." Josh offered, trailing off kind of sheepishly.

"Do you remember everything I say?" Donna asked

"Everything you say about me." Josh replied with a smirk.

Donna shook her head and smiled in spite of herself.

"Okay, but it better be good. You did it two years in a row."

"If I do it right does that mean you'll start bringing me coffee?" Josh asked hopefully.

"No."

"Okay, just checking."

"No Ado-Annie's here, Josh. I just proved it."

"I never said that you ever had a problem saying no to me." Josh countered.

"That's what you think." Donna muttered under her breath.

"What?"

"Nothing"

Yet again he was about to turn away, when he stopped himself.

"Would you really not stop for red lights?"

"Pardon?"

"If I was in an accident- would you really run red lights to get to me?" Josh asked, slowly walking over to where Donna stood-rooted to the spot next to her desk.

"Yes." She replied simply, if a little breathlessly.

"Me too."

For the longest moment Donna couldn't take her eyes off Josh, but then finally, almost at the same moment they broke eye contact. Josh reached over and grabbed his backpack and slinging his arm over Donna's shoulder they made their way silently through the halls of the now quiet West Wing. Both of them were thinking about what had passed between them that evening. Everything seemed to be on a course to some unknown destination. Neither of them was really worried though no matter what the final destination was they were headed in the right direction and that's really all that mattered.

THE END (for now)