Calling The Question

by: Evelyn

Josh walked out into the hall and started to turn towards the bullpen, when Margaret came running down the hall. “Josh,” she called, “Leo needs to see you immediately.”

“I’ll be right there,” Josh started to explain, still heading towards Donna’s desk.

“Now, Josh. There’s been a car bombing outside the American embassy in Argentina. Four Marines were killed.”

“Oh my God. OK, OK, I’m coming. I just have to see Donna and...”

“Forget it, Josh. Donna went home 45 minutes ago,” Margaret explained.

“What do you mean she went home? Why?”

“She didn’t say. She looked very pale and just said she was going home. Now come on, Josh. Leo needs you working with the leadership and coordinating agency actions while he’s in the Situation Room with the President,” Margaret insisted.

“Is she sick?” Josh asked as he turned and hustled down the hall with Margaret.

“I don’t know. I asked but she didn’t answer,” Margaret replied as they got to Leo’s door. “Do you want me to call and check on her?”

“Please, thanks,” and Josh walked into Leo’s office. CJ, Toby, and Sam were already in there discussing the possibility of calling the press back for a statement.

After three hours, the situation was under control. The American Ambassador had expressed the U.S. government’s outrage over the situation to the President of Argentina and had received assurances that those responsible would be found, arrested, and tried for murder. Josh had spoken to the heads of the FBI and CIA and arranged for undercover agents to be flown into the country to begin a U.S. investigation. He’d also arranged for the bodies of the dead Americans to be transported back to Dover Air Base where the Secretary of State would receive them with an honor guard. A memorial service would be held later in the week.

Four times, Josh had walked out to Margaret’s desk and asked if she’d heard from Donna, and each time, the answer was “No.”

At 11 p.m., Josh walked back into his office, picked up the phone and dialed Donna’s home number. The answering machine clicked on and Josh said, “Donna, I’m sorry you’re not feeling well. If you’re in the shower or out getting medicine, call me as soon as you can. I’ll still be in the office for another couple of hours.”

Fifteen minutes later, Josh picked up the phone and again dialed Donna’s home number. Once more the answering machine picked up.

“Donna, it’s Josh. Pick up the phone, Donna, I need to talk to you.” He paused for a second, then added, “ I’m sorry about the coffee. Call me,” and hung up the phone.

Fifteen more minutes went by and Josh decided he’d call Donna on her cell phone, but got her voice mail instead. “Donna, it’s me, Josh. Where are you? I’m getting worried. I know you’re pissed at me and I don’t blame you, but call me. I’m still at the office,” then hung up, staring at the phone. He thought for a minute and dialed Donna’s pager, and left his office number as a callback.

It was after midnight, and Josh still hadn’t heard from Donna. He dialed her home phone, and listened again to the same voice message, “This is Donna Moss. Sorry I’m not in, but I’d love to know you called. Leave me a message at the beep,” and Josh began “I’m sorry, Donna. I know I have been the biggest idiot on the earth. I swear I’ll never ask you for coffee again. In fact, I promise I’ll never drink coffee again. Just call me Donna. I’m going home now, but I’ve got my cell. Call me Donna, we need to talk. I want to explain and apologize, grovel even,” and with that he hung up the phone, picked up his backpack, and headed out to the bullpen. He wanted to drop off a folder on Ginger’s desk, but stopped in his tracks when he saw what was sitting in the middle of Donna’s desk. There were her cell phone and pager.

“Shit,” he swore under his breath. Shaking he picked up the pager and saw the ringer turned off and the message he’d left a few minutes earlier. He checked her cell phone and saw that the ringer was off on that too.

He stood motionless, trying to decide what it meant that Donna had left without her cell phone and pager. He thought for a minute and started running.

Chapters - 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | Sequel - Like A Bad Penny

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