500 Dollars

by: Sophia

Character(s): Josh, Donna
Pairing(s): Josh/Donna
Category(s): Romance
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: Aaron Sorkin left them orphans but they sure aren't mine.  And I really can't afford to be sued, so please don't.
Summary: There's plot then there's dirty office fun and in the middle, I am very mean to Amy. Part 3 of the By The Numbers Series
Spoiler: Up to Red Haven's on Fire.  So be careful.
Author's Note: I don't like Amy. That's apparent in this story. So I am warning you in advance. And as must be noted in all my work, I couldn't do any of this without Shelley.  She's amazing. Written: September 17, 2003
Feedback: I live for feedback.  I crave feedback.  I need feedback.  Please give me feedback.

I'm watching Josh and Donna stride resolutely toward his office with what appears to be a renewed sense of purpose.  This is the complete opposite of how they left the West Wing yesterday.  As I watch them sweep past me the only thought that comes to mind is this: Some time last night, I lost $500.

Don't ask me how I know.  It's nothing specific.  It's just a gut feeling I get when something happens to this staff that I know will end up in my pressroom.  Josh and Donna got together last night. They finally figured it out.  The strangest thing about this is that after planning for it to happen for the last 6 years, I always thought there would be strutting, that Josh's body language would scream "I GOT LAID".  I mean it was loud with Mandy, and almost deafening with Amy.  When Josh and Donna got together I always thought it would be an explosion of cocky swaggers, arrogant boasts, and a complete inability to stop smiling on both their parts.

I was thankfully, gratefully, completely wrong.  It's business as usual; they just seem much more relaxed, with each other and in general.  Leo has got to see this.

####################

Josh and I watch as CJ makes a beeline for Leo's office.  She knows.  That woman has a finely honed sixth sense when it comes to the Senior Staff.  I am hoping that's how she knows; that it's not that we're sending out pheromone signals from all the sex we've had in the last 12 hours.

Josh is still staring off in the direction of Leo's office.   I've gotten past it.  Josh has to deal with Leo, and I'm quite sure at this very moment he is strategizing who he needs to maneuver to our side and what we have to offer.  I leave the strategizing to him; he leaves the planning to me.  In the meantime, I have to get the office up and running.   I drop my bag on my desk and go into Josh's office.

Oh how I wish I had stayed at my desk.  He tried to work when he got back from Senior Staff yesterday.  He makes such a mess of all my nice organized files when he tries to work, as opposed to when he actually works.  He's fine when he's focused and working... when he's faking?  Let's just say keeping up with a set of two-year-old triplets wouldn't be a problem for me.

I turn on his computer so I can login for him.  While the system is booting up, I attempt to return order to his desk.  Once his machine is up, I print out this morning's schedule and head back out into the bull pen to find out why Josh never came into the office.

####################

Wow.  CJ's impressive.  She watched as Donna and I walked in and then high-tailed it over to Leo's.  Less than a minute and she knew.  I wasn't even strutting.

Donna joked about it in the car.  She said everyone would know in a second because I would strut when we walked in.  But I didn't.  Before it was always about proving something; proving that I was still hot, that I could get the girl, and that I had a life.  The thing is; I know Donna thinks I'm hot, I got the girl of my dreams, and we have a life already.  Knowing all that, I don't feel like strutting, I just feel happy.   I'm standing by Donna's desk, staring towards Leo's office, thinking about how happy I am.  And wondering who's going to kill my mood.

I'm going to get Donna a cup of coffee.  She takes it with cream and sugar.  If I keep Donna happy, she'll hurt whoever tries to kill my mood.

Donna just came out of my office with the morning's schedule.  She hands me the paper, I hand her a cup of coffee.  She smiles at me, I smile at her. The spell is broken by Leo and CJ staring at us.

####################

"My office, now," I bark at Josh.  Scared the hell out of him but Donna just straightens her posture.  She tops 6 feet in heels and the look on her face says 'if you hurt Josh I will destroy you'.  How that boy got so lucky I will never know.

"Congratulations, Leo."  The naive girl we picked up in Nashua is long gone.  Her voice is light but the volley is clear.  This happened, it's a good thing, protect us and we will protect you.  All in two words.  That girl is one hell of a communicator.  But hey, I'll play along.

"On what?"  My message is just as clear, 'I know what happened, we have to figure this out now, but I'm going to have some fun with Josh first'.

"I understand you came into quite a bit of money last night.  Hope you do something good with it."  Message received.  Now, it's time to get back to work.  Josh has been watching our little exchange like it was a tennis match. It ends with him looking at Donna, who smiles and pushes him in the direction of my office.

"Go run the country now, Joshua." And with that she goes back to running Josh's office.  Good girl.

Josh walks blindly alongside CJ as we head toward my office.  He's smiling but he keeps looking at me.  He doesn't know how to tell me what happened even though he knows I know.  I can read that boy like a book.  I must admit I am waiting to hear his plan.  I am sure he has one and knowing Josh's plans I can't wait to hear this one.

Toby and Will join us as we all file into my office.  It only takes Toby a second of staring at Josh to break into the type of wide smile I thought he reserved just for his kids and say, "Damn... who do I owe $500?"  Margaret's right, happy Toby is kind of scary.

####################

Josh and Donna got together last night.  God, that's so cliché.  I can't believe I just thought that.  But they did.  I saw the smile on Donna's face before I went to Senior Staff.  And Josh, Josh can't stop smiling.  This is one thing I am not going to get agitated about.  I have watched them dance around this attraction they have, I have watched them fight it, and if any two people deserve happiness it's Josh and Donna.  I also think they will be a much stronger team for the administration if they stop fighting their attraction to each other and focus that energy on something more worthwhile.

CJs been planning for this like we planned the election.  Only she's had more time, six long hard years.  By now the play book on this thing resembles the Library of Congress.  She has thought of every thing that will be said, by whom, and what the response will be.  She may fall into pools but Claudia Jean is a juggernaut when she has a plan to put into action.  I know enough to stay the hell out of her way.

In the meantime, I'm out $500.  And from the lopsided grin on Leo's face, I know to whom I lost. Damn, I hate losing to Leo.  I know how much he relishes the prospect of reminding me of every bet I have ever lost to him.  I will hear about this for years.  I suppose it's a good cause though.  Once CJ puts the announcement out to the press, I am going to sit down with Andi and we are going to figure out exactly when the first baby gets born.  I am going to win one of these damn bets if it's the last thing I do in the White House.   And I really hate losing to Leo.

####################

I'm having a really hard time figuring out whether or not I'm in trouble.  Leo's got his half grin that means 'I may be messing with you or I may be really pissed at you'.  CJ's smiling but I can't figure out if it's her ' I'm so happy that you stopped being an idiot' smile or her 'Yeah, I get to yell at Josh' smile.  You know technically I am her boss.  She shouldn't yell at me, I should yell at her.  But you know, 2 campaigns and 5 years in the White House have taught me never to take on the Shiksa Feminista from Berkeley without backup.  And since Sam isn't here I look to Toby, who is smiling.  God that's scary, but it's also a good sign.  Will is trying to figure out what the hell is going on.  He might think this is more hazing.  All I know is that he is the only one in the room in the dark and he knows it.

Okay Lyman... time to bite the bullet.  "Donna and I started dating last night."  I look to Leo to see where he will take this, because really it's his show.

"Dating; is that what you kids are calling it these days?"  Leo McGarry did not just say that.

"Here's the plan:  Donna will be transferred on paper to the Office of the Chief of Staff and then loaned to me.  I never did her performance reviews to begin with, so there won't be any issue there.  CJ will create a timeline that Donna and I will adhere to.  This timeline will include announcing our relationship, getting engaged, moving in together, getting married.  We may even let you have a say as to when we start having kids but other than keeping that until after the wedding, I can't make any promises.  Did I leave anything out?"

I look straight at CJ, who is giving me a look that says she knows I didn't come up with that little speech alone, and she doesn't hesitate to call me on it.  "Donna came up with the plan, didn't she?"

"Yes, but we're a team so I get to take some of the credit too.  Besides, she just said it would be best if we went with a relationship timeline that you come up with.  I came up with the bullet-points I want you to cover."

"So you're already talking marriage?  Did you ask her if she is thinking that permanently?  You should be taking this slow.  This is new."  Leo is doing his old friend of my father thing.  He's worried I'm going to screw this up like all the other times.  But I'm not because it's Donna.

"Want to know how she got me to come to work this morning?  Because I was ready to give her the day off so we could play hooky.  But she said we had to make the world a better place for 'the Wyatt-Zieglers, God willing the future Bartlett-Youngs and the someday soon Moss-Lymans.'  So no, I'm not jumping the gun.  Donna and I are going to get married and have little Moss-Lymans.  And we're willing, for the sake of the administration, to do it on a schedule set by CJ."

"I know a guy," this from Toby, who is staring at his shoes.

"A guy?"  I don't know where he's going with this.

"In New York.  I know a guy who weaves chupahs by hand.  We need to call him so he can make one for you and Donna."

Toby's planning my wedding; he's not blowing up and he's planning the ceremony.  Leo hasn't gone ballistic and I think CJ is going to cry.  This is going better than I thought.

Then Will finally speaks up.  "Back up for a minute, I mean congratulations and all, but I'm confused.  You're Donna's boss, have been since she started working here.  Why don't you do her evaluations?"

"I never really thought about it.  When we first got to the White House she asked for a raise and I mocked her for almost an hour about public servants and budget issues.  After that, she went straight to Margaret and had Leo do her reviews.  She still asks me for more money, but it's just a joke between us now.  You know that's really going to help us when we go public; you don't think she knew back when we first got here.... Do you?"

"Let's not look a gift horse in the mouth.  Donna made all of our lives a lot easier by placing her review in my hands, not yours.  CJ will work on the plan.  Now let's all get back to, you know, running the country."

Senior Staff doesn't last that long, we get our assignments and make a few decisions on how to proceed with the current agenda.    Before we break, I throw out the last issue of the morning.  "Oh, just so you all know, Donna and I aren't telling anyone but Senior Staff and the Senior Assistants until CJ makes the statement.  Donna specifically doesn't want Amy to know about all of this.  She thinks that Amy will do something to throw a wrench in everything, and I agree with her.  We just don't want to deal with whatever acid she wants to spew, it's pointless and the less time she has to plan an attack the better.  So we think it's best if she stay out of the loop."

"Best if who stays out of the loop, Joshua?"  We all stand quickly as the President enters from the Oval Office.

"Donna and I are dating, Sir.  And we think it's best to keep it in-house as it were, and not tell Amy, or anyone else for that matter, outside Senior Staff and the Senior Assistants, for the time being."

The President gives me a paternal smile that actually makes me feel more at ease than I've felt since we started this meeting.  Then he looks at each person in the room and asks CJ, "Claudia Jean, do you agree with Josh's plan?  Knowing what we know about plans he comes up with?"

"I do agree, Sir.  And just so you know; it was Donna's plan so I think we're safe."

"Well then," the President claps his hands together, "I guess that's a reasonable request from the new couple.  Did I miss anything in the meeting?"  He looks at Leo and the pained look on Leo's face tells us that the President is fishing for someone to mess with.  I feel like the unprepared kid in elementary school.  Please not me, please not me, please not me.

"Josh, why don't you stop by the Oval Office when you're done here and we can discuss the history of dating and proper courting techniques?"  What did I ever do to deserve this?

####################

While Josh is in Senior Staff, I take the time to gather the assistants and tell them the fabulous news.  They smile, they laugh, they hoot, they cheer.  I'm so lucky to work with such good friends.  Then I drop the big favor.  Keep it quiet.  Don't talk about it in the office or in public. 

"But WHY, Donna?  This is some of the best news ever and you aren't going to let us spread it around?  That's just mean."  Margaret's love of gossip is being thwarted.  This isn't going to be pretty so I cut straight to the chase.

"Come on, Margaret.  If Amy Gardner finds out about this before we go public you just know she will try to cause some kind of trouble, and most of it will be for me.  Besides, it's just until CJ takes us public, which should be pretty soon.  Please, please, please help me with this?"  I beg because it's that important.

Margaret, Bonnie, Ginger, and Carol all agree to keep it quiet in the name of the sisterhood.  We're just breaking apart when CJ walks by.  I ask where Josh is and am appalled by the answer I get.

"He's in the Oval Office with the President being lectured about the history of dating and the proper way to woo a woman."  She's openly laughing by the time she finishes.  Oh God, Josh is going to be miserable; I'll have to come up with a creative way to make it up to him.

We all drift back to work and I wait for Josh to get back from his Presidential Punishment.

####################

After the trivia lecture that would NOT end, I was finally allowed to return to my work.  I have never been so happy to meet with a Republican.

The day went faster than I expected.  Donna and I were totally in sync.  I don't think our rhythm has ever been better.  We got through all the things from yesterday; including her notes on the Education bill discussion that she overheard.  Toby and I had a meeting and decided on a course of action to fix the situation before it becomes a bigger problem.  I made it to all my meetings on time.  Donna made me eat a salad for lunch but it was topped with sliced tri-tip.  Our relationship is definitely based on compromise and the best of both worlds.  That alone makes it much different from every other relationship I have ever been involved in.

By the time I look up from my last set of note-cards on the latest budget numbers, I realize that it's already 10pm and it's very quiet.  "DONNA!!!!"

"Must you yell, Joshua?"  My Donnatella stands in the doorway, silhouetted by the light in the bullpen.  God she is so beautiful.

"I yell and you show up, it's how we work."  Okay that really wasn't the right thing to say just then.

"Joshua.  Here's a very important piece of advice.  I am not your dog.  You don't yell for me and just expect me to show up.  You have to show me a little more respect."  She hates it when I yell for her.  I know that and I do it anyway.  That doesn't make me a good boyfriend does it?

"I'm sorry, Donna.    I just wanted to see you and was too lazy to get up and find you.  But I'll never admit that to anyone but you."  I smile at her but she doesn't smile back.  "Close the door and come over here."

She does what I ask her to and then smirks at me, "See there you go, ordering me around again.  Why do you insist on doing that?"

"I have a better question for you Donna.  Why did you close the blinds this afternoon?"  Her eyes dart immediately to the windows, which have been closed to prying eyes since lunchtime.  When she looks back at me she has her lower lip caught between her teeth.

"What do you say I make it up to you for all the yelling?"  I stand up and take her hands in mine, drawing her behind the desk.

"Well, what did you have in mind?"  She willingly lets me lead her to my big leather chair behind the desk.

"To start with, why don't you take off your pantyhose and anything else you have on under your skirt?"  It's after 10, it's very quiet, and the desk will hide what we're doing if someone shows up.  Besides, it's kind of kinky... doing this in my office.

"Are you sure about this?"  She is looking at me with wide eyes filled with passion.  I think the kink factor works for her too.

"Oh, yeah!"  I stare as she shimmies out of her pantyhose and thong.

####################

 I'm taking off my underwear in the Deputy Chief of Staff's office so that my boss and boyfriend can go down on me.  Oh my God, this is all just too much.  But at this point I don't think I'm capable of stopping.

My shoes, pantyhose and undies are in a pile behind the desk.  Josh runs his hands up my thighs and drags my skirt up over my hips, then he pushes me back into his chair.  My bare ass is sinking in to the soft leather.  He swivels the chair around and lowers himself to the floor.  The desk covers the view in case someone wanders in.  I start to think we should hold off long enough to lock the door because I didn't think to do that earlier, but then Josh starts kissing his way from my knees up my thighs and it would take a World War to move me.

I am already wet.  The feel of the leather, where we are, what he's doing to me.  It's such a turn on I can barely stand it.  His hands are on my knees opening me wider.  I slide farther down the chair, closer to his mouth.  I look down and see his curly hair between my thighs and I moan.  Then I realize, even this late noise could be an issue, so I try very hard to stay quiet, which only intensifies every feeling he's evoking in me.  His tongue is fast and insistent.  He uses his hands on my knees to change the angle.  I help by lifting one of my legs over his shoulder.  Oh my god... I am there... I'm right there but he won't stop.  I can't take it.  I can't... oh my God, oh my God.... Oh shit someone is at the door.

Josh slips farther beneath the desk and pulls my legs and the chair towards him so that whoever is at the door can't tell that I am naked from the waist down, or that he's on his knees in front of me.

"Who is it?"  I ask loud enough to be heard through the door in what I hope is a passably normal voice.  I hope whoever it is will go away quickly.

Amy takes that as an invitation to open the door.

"Hey Donna, I'm looking for Josh."  She looks at me like she's caught me doing something I shouldn't be doing.  Only she thinks it's sitting at Josh's desk when he isn't here.  She hasn't got a clue.  But I took 3 semesters of acting and have watched the political game played by the finest in the league.  I can bluff a jumped up lobbyist.

"He went out for a bit.  He said he needed some fresh air after all the meetings he had today but I think he wanted to go grab some carbohydrates since I made him eat a salad at lunch."  See that's a good line and it's not like he isn't somewhere eating anyway.  In fact, I can feel him running his fingers up and down my thighs.  He's going to try to make this difficult for me to pull off.   I love a challenge.

"Well, would you tell him I need to see him when he gets back?   Just tell him to come over to my office; I'll be expecting him.  No need to call first."  God I hate this woman.  She thinks she's so much better than me.   And with no real reason.  Just because Dr. Bartlett used to be her babysitter she thinks she can run roughshod all over little old me.  I don't think so.

Good God, Josh has his tongue in a hard point playing with my clit.  I clench my jaw and grip the chair as tight as I can to keep from screaming his name.  This must look very odd to Amy, or maybe she just thinks I'm nervous around her.  Doesn't matter to me, I am the one Josh is going down on.  She's stuck in the East Wing and I doubt very much she enjoys her office as much as I enjoy this one.

"He may not be able to get back to you tonight, but if you let me know what it's about I may be able to plan a meeting in the next few days."  See I can be professional.

"That's okay Donna, I'll catch him later.  You don't have to worry about it."  She's walking towards the door.  I take the opportunity to adjust my legs against Josh's back.  Then she starts talking again with her back to me.  "Oh and since we're here ... you never did answer my question."  She would bring that up.  But since Josh is staying quiet and being so very nice to me, I'm going to give him a little gift.

"What question?"  But first I'm going to make her say it; because she's a bitch and also I want Josh to hear what she asked me.

"You know very well what question.  Are you in love with Josh?"  She has this superior smirk on her face.   I don't move.  I run the foot that is still draped across Josh's back up and down.  He was pushing one of his fingers inside me when she asked the question.  With a little pressure from my legs I tell him to continue and he does... slowly.  Two days and he know every pressure point, every spot that sends shivers down my spine.  I may be talking to Amy, and Josh may be creating whole new levels of pleasure inside my body, but my mind is coming up with ways to make Josh feel as amazing as he makes me feel.

My smile is genuine, if not meant for her.  "Amy, you know I love him.  I have always loved Josh Lyman.  Always will.  Are you happy now that I've said it?"  I really never understood the point of this damn question; she knew the answer.  But Josh must have really enjoyed hearing me say that because now he's got two fingers inside me and he's leaning in to suckle on my clit.  His talents really know no bounds.

"I wanted to hear you say it.  But just so you know, I'm not letting him go.  I'm going to get him back.  You should just give up your little schoolgirl crush now because it's embarrassing to everyone involved. You have nothing to offer someone like him.  You might as well accept that and back out gracefully. Don't bother telling Josh I stopped by.  I'll catch him later."  What, am I supposed to be impressed?  The only thing that kept Josh quiet through that little speech was the completely quiet and controlled, at least for my viewing public, orgasm that he just gave me.  Josh could see my hands clench and unclench against the chair's armrests.  He could feel the muscles in my thighs tighten and then turn to jelly.  And all the while he just kept licking at me, like I was a piece of candy.

Thankfully Amy closed the door when she left.  I slump down in the chair.  And push back so the chair rolls from the desk.  Josh looks up at me.  I think he wants to know what the hell that whole thing with Amy was. 

"Thank you, Josh.  That was major fantasy fulfillment.   I'll have to reciprocate... soon.  Let's go home."

"You aren't going to tell me what all that was about?"  He waves his hand in the direction of the door as I straighten myself up so we can get out of here.

"Yeah - I'll tell you in the car.  It's not that big a deal now that we're together but seriously, how did you ever date her?"  I turn off the computer, gather up his backpack and we head out. 

As he holds the door to his office open for me I hear him say, "I haven't got a clue.  Sorry"

He means it.  That's so cute.  "I think you just made it up to me."  God we must have matching sappy grins on our faces. 

####################

I can't believe Amy thinks I'll go back to her.  Even if I weren't with Donna now I wouldn't go back to her.  She was mean to me.  I mean the sex was nice but it's so much better when you enjoy the company of the person you're with, and vice versa.  Really, dating to prove a point is not a good idea.  Believe me, I know.

We have to get out of here.  That appetizer in my office did nothing more than make me hungry for the next course.  I want to go home, strip Donna naked and prove to her that no other woman exists for me.  Not the way she does.

But first we have to get out of this damn building, which may be difficult since CJ just found us.

"Hi CJ, we're just heading out."  Short and sweet.  Donna nods in agreement. 

"Amy was looking for you.  She said you were out, but it looks like you just came out of your office. Were you hiding?"

I think I might be blushing, which makes Donna start to turn a little pink.

"Oh my God!  This is the White House!  What the hell were you two doing in there?"

"CJ, do you remember the first thing you told me you learned as Press Secretary?  The most important thing?"  Donna is asking this question because I am very busy staring at the floor and avoiding the death beam eyes of a pissed off Press Secretary.

"Never ask a question you don't want to know the answer to.  Are you saying I don't want to know the answer?  Do you know how stupid..."

"CJ, we're tired and we want to go home, so here's the deal.  I am offering Maid of Honor at the wedding and Godmother of the first baby.  We will be more respectful of the work place and we won't cause you any more problems.  Promise.  Can we go now?"  Donna's got the skill to deal with CJ when she's angry.  She's the backup you need when dealing with the Feminista.

CJ actually looks like she might cry when Donna tells her our plan.  Of course we always wanted CJ as a Godmother to our kids.  But this way we can use it as leverage to get out of Dodge.  And it looks like it's working.

"Get out of here.  Keep quiet and I'll let you know tomorrow when we'll announce you as a couple."  I grab Donna's arm and almost run toward the exit.  We are almost all the way down the hall when I hear CJ say in a low voice, "Toby was right, best $500 I ever lost."

The End... until the next story...

See the Sequel: 3 Hour Tour

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