FF: South Dakota (1/1)
Title: South Dakota (1/1)
Author: Aerial312
Rating: PG-13
Category: Fluff
Spoiler Info: Pre-Administration
Disclaimer: I own nothing…I just borrow.
Feedback: Greatly appreciated. robinmgrady@gmail.com
Archiving: Sure. Just let me know where its going.
A/N: I need a little more time to put together my next chapter of "Glimpse…", so I wrote this. http://aerial312.googlepages.com. This one ties into a conversation they had in chapters 20 & 21 of "Gravitation is Not Responsible".
<><><><><><><><>
"Why are we bothering with South Dakota?" Donna asked, sitting on the conference table where Josh was busy poring over a stack of documents, scribbling notes as he went.
"What?"
"I mean, they haven't gone for a Democat since the sixties…"
"Republicans have a nine percent edge in voter registration."
"So it's a "get out the vote" swing through the state?"
"More or less."
"Cool."
"And it's just the two speeches. The one tonight, and the one tomorrow morning. It was a pass through."
"That the California stuff you're working on?"
"Yeah. Budget versus ad buys."
"Anything I can do?"
Josh smiled. "You got me all the data, now I've just gotta plow through it and analyze."
Donna nodded.
"What time does the bus leave tomorrow?"
"Six-thirty"
"And I may just be finished with this by then…" he sighed. "You should feel free to go to the bar with the others. They're leaving soon."
"Okay."
Josh's cell phone rang. "Area code 608. Must be one of your crazy cheese heads."
"Thanks for letting me give my parents this number."
He handed it to her. She saw the number and gasped slightly. Josh looked back up at her for a moment.
"I'm gonna take this in the hall."
Josh nodded, and Donna stepped outside the door.
She took a deep breath. "Hello?"
"Donna, baby!"
"How did you get this number?"
"I have my ways."
"Who gave it to you?"
"Your sister."
"Which one."
"Now, I don't want you to get all mad at her-"
"Which one?!"
"Gabby-"
"That little-"
"Baby, calm down."
"You shouldn't be calling this number!"
"I just wanted to-"
"Do you even know what this number is?"
"The only way to reach you."
"Roy! I gave this number to my mother, so she wasn't completely cut off. I don't even know how Gabby got it."
"What's the big deal?"
"It's my boss' phone!"
"You don't have a number of your own? What kind of secretary doesn't have a phone?"
"I have a phone," she snapped, "when we are back at headquarters in Manchester."
"You travel?" He sounded surprised.
"More often than not."
"And your sister said you're working on the Bartlet for America campaign," he said with scorn.
"Yes."
"The long shot *Democratic* candidate's campaign? You couldn't even pick the front runner?"
"The front runner isn't the real thing."
"Huh?"
"I believe in what Governor Bartlet stands for."
"I can't believe you ran away all the way to New Hampshire. We could have worked it out."
"I don't think so."
"You didn't give it a chance."
"I gave it four years."
"It was a misunderstanding."
"You're saying I imagined walking in on you in bed with Carrie, the ER nurse?"
"It was a one time thing."
"I don’t' care that it was a one time thing!"
"Baby-"
"Don't call me that!"
"I just wanted to call, patch things up. I still love you so much."
"I'm not coming back."
"What do you have there? No friends-"
"I have plenty of---"
"Your sister said you're not even making any money."
"I'm doing something I believe in."
"That doesn't pay the bills."
"You're such a Republican."
"Since when is that an insult?"
"I have to go-"
"Baby, hear me out."
"I have work to do." She clicked the end button, and blinked rapidly, determined not to cry.
"Donna! You and Josh coming with us?" CJ called.
She nodded. "Well, I am, at least."
"Are you okay? The end of that seemed kind of heated…"
"Yeah…yeah. Just a stressful call."
"Tell me about it at the bar."
"The bar is exactly what I need right now. Let me just give this back to Josh."
"Why isn't he coming?"
"California ad buys."
"Ugh."
"Yeah." She stepped into the conference room. "We're going across the street now. Think you'll be able to make it before last call?"
"I'll try…are you okay?" Josh asked, taking the phone back.
"Did you hear all that?"
"Parts."
"Which parts?"
"The loud parts."
"So, the whole conversation…"
"I wasn't actively listening…some things were…louder…than others."
"Yeah…"
"Dr. Freeride?"
She nodded.
"What did he want?"
"What do you think? Me back."
"And you told him to go to hell…not in as many words...but you should have."
Donna smiled weakly. "I'm sorry. I didn't give him this number-"
"I know."
"I'm gonna kill my sister." She bit her lip.
"You're okay though?"
"Nothing a few Rusty Nails can't fix?"
He looked up, alarmed.
"A drink."
"A Rusty Nail?"
"Scotch, Drambuie, and a twist."
"Isn't Drambuie a Scotch?"
"I think so."
"So the drink is a giant Scotch with a lemon twist?"
"On the rocks."
"Take it easy."
She nodded, and headed for the door. "Come if you can."
Four hours later, Josh finally walked into the bar, and spied his friends sitting at a large round booth in the corner. Toby was contemplating his empty Scotch glass. Sam sat beside him, resting his head on the table, a shot glass beside him. Danny Concannon sat in the middle, having an animated chat with CJ. Both were clearly several drinks into the evening. On the end of the booth, Donna leaned against CJ's shoulder staring into space. Josh slid in next to Donna.
"She's a little drunk," CJ laughed, pulling Donna off her shoulder, and onto Josh's.
Josh patted Donna's head as she nuzzled further against his chest. "How many did you have?"
Before she could answer, the waiter came by the table. "Last call folks."
Toby raised his finger in affirmation. Sam followed suit, not raising his head, and Toby smacked his hand back down. "He doesn't want another. They don't either." Toby gestured to Danny, CJ, and Donna.
The waiter chuckled. "What can I get you?"
"Bass?"
"Coming right up."
"How many, Donnatella?"
"They kept coming." She buried her head, and he rubbed her back.
Josh's beer arrived and he took a long sip. Toby knocked back half of his Scotch in a single gulp.
"Rough day for you too?"
"Would it kill him to stick to the speech?"
Josh chuckled.
"You finish the California plan?"
"I think so."
"How much did she drink?"
"She had 3 or 4, but she was drinking the hard stuff.
"A Rusty Nail."
"Really?"
"That's what she said."
"Hunh. I've never know a girl to drink those."
"I didn't even know what it was until she told me."
The lights popped on. Sam groaned.
Toby knocked back the rest of his Scotch, and threw $40 on the table. "Time to go." He yanked Sam by the arm.
CJ and Danny slid out. "I've gotta close my tab…" CJ slurred. "I took care of Donna…" she told Josh as they walked off.
Josh took another long sip. "Hey Donna…you awake?"
"Mmm…"
"We're gonna leave in a second. You think you can walk?"
"Mmmhmm…"
Josh sighed, and gulped down the rest of his beer. He threw some money at the table.
"All right. We're gonna try to stand up now."
Josh lifted Donna off his chest, and slid out of the booth, still holding her up. "Slid over."
He helped her to the edge, and pulled her to her feet. "Can you walk?"
"…think so…"
Josh hooked his arm around her, and under her arm, supporting a good portion of her weight. "It's a good think we're just across the street."
"Yeah…"
"One foot in front of the other…"
"…can do it…"
Josh smiled, and they slowly made their way across the street. "I have no idea where you're staying, so you're coming with me."
"…'kay…"
They got into the elevator, and Josh pushed the button for the 10th floor. As the elevator started to rise, Donna groaned and tipped into Josh. He wrapped both arms around her, and stroked her back.
"We're almost there. Just lean on me."
The elevator stopped, and Josh lead her to his room. He opened the door, and sat her on the bed. "I'm gonna get you a t-shirt…"
He stepped away, and looked through his suitcase. When he turned back, Mets shirt in hand, she had tipped back, and was out cold. He crossed over to her, and slowly slid her up to the pillows. He paused for a moment, watching her, then rolled her onto her side. Gingerly, he pulled the blanket up over her fully dressed form. He watched her again for a moment, to be sure that she was breathing comfortably, then settled into the chair at the desk. He laid out his work on the California ad buys, but kept finding himself staring at Donna sleeping form, watching for the rhythmic rise and fall. There was no way he was going to be able sleep.
Author: Aerial312
Rating: PG-13
Category: Fluff
Spoiler Info: Pre-Administration
Disclaimer: I own nothing…I just borrow.
Feedback: Greatly appreciated. robinmgrady@gmail.com
Archiving: Sure. Just let me know where its going.
A/N: I need a little more time to put together my next chapter of "Glimpse…", so I wrote this. http://aerial312.googlepages.com. This one ties into a conversation they had in chapters 20 & 21 of "Gravitation is Not Responsible".
<><><><><><><><>
"Why are we bothering with South Dakota?" Donna asked, sitting on the conference table where Josh was busy poring over a stack of documents, scribbling notes as he went.
"What?"
"I mean, they haven't gone for a Democat since the sixties…"
"Republicans have a nine percent edge in voter registration."
"So it's a "get out the vote" swing through the state?"
"More or less."
"Cool."
"And it's just the two speeches. The one tonight, and the one tomorrow morning. It was a pass through."
"That the California stuff you're working on?"
"Yeah. Budget versus ad buys."
"Anything I can do?"
Josh smiled. "You got me all the data, now I've just gotta plow through it and analyze."
Donna nodded.
"What time does the bus leave tomorrow?"
"Six-thirty"
"And I may just be finished with this by then…" he sighed. "You should feel free to go to the bar with the others. They're leaving soon."
"Okay."
Josh's cell phone rang. "Area code 608. Must be one of your crazy cheese heads."
"Thanks for letting me give my parents this number."
He handed it to her. She saw the number and gasped slightly. Josh looked back up at her for a moment.
"I'm gonna take this in the hall."
Josh nodded, and Donna stepped outside the door.
She took a deep breath. "Hello?"
"Donna, baby!"
"How did you get this number?"
"I have my ways."
"Who gave it to you?"
"Your sister."
"Which one."
"Now, I don't want you to get all mad at her-"
"Which one?!"
"Gabby-"
"That little-"
"Baby, calm down."
"You shouldn't be calling this number!"
"I just wanted to-"
"Do you even know what this number is?"
"The only way to reach you."
"Roy! I gave this number to my mother, so she wasn't completely cut off. I don't even know how Gabby got it."
"What's the big deal?"
"It's my boss' phone!"
"You don't have a number of your own? What kind of secretary doesn't have a phone?"
"I have a phone," she snapped, "when we are back at headquarters in Manchester."
"You travel?" He sounded surprised.
"More often than not."
"And your sister said you're working on the Bartlet for America campaign," he said with scorn.
"Yes."
"The long shot *Democratic* candidate's campaign? You couldn't even pick the front runner?"
"The front runner isn't the real thing."
"Huh?"
"I believe in what Governor Bartlet stands for."
"I can't believe you ran away all the way to New Hampshire. We could have worked it out."
"I don't think so."
"You didn't give it a chance."
"I gave it four years."
"It was a misunderstanding."
"You're saying I imagined walking in on you in bed with Carrie, the ER nurse?"
"It was a one time thing."
"I don’t' care that it was a one time thing!"
"Baby-"
"Don't call me that!"
"I just wanted to call, patch things up. I still love you so much."
"I'm not coming back."
"What do you have there? No friends-"
"I have plenty of---"
"Your sister said you're not even making any money."
"I'm doing something I believe in."
"That doesn't pay the bills."
"You're such a Republican."
"Since when is that an insult?"
"I have to go-"
"Baby, hear me out."
"I have work to do." She clicked the end button, and blinked rapidly, determined not to cry.
"Donna! You and Josh coming with us?" CJ called.
She nodded. "Well, I am, at least."
"Are you okay? The end of that seemed kind of heated…"
"Yeah…yeah. Just a stressful call."
"Tell me about it at the bar."
"The bar is exactly what I need right now. Let me just give this back to Josh."
"Why isn't he coming?"
"California ad buys."
"Ugh."
"Yeah." She stepped into the conference room. "We're going across the street now. Think you'll be able to make it before last call?"
"I'll try…are you okay?" Josh asked, taking the phone back.
"Did you hear all that?"
"Parts."
"Which parts?"
"The loud parts."
"So, the whole conversation…"
"I wasn't actively listening…some things were…louder…than others."
"Yeah…"
"Dr. Freeride?"
She nodded.
"What did he want?"
"What do you think? Me back."
"And you told him to go to hell…not in as many words...but you should have."
Donna smiled weakly. "I'm sorry. I didn't give him this number-"
"I know."
"I'm gonna kill my sister." She bit her lip.
"You're okay though?"
"Nothing a few Rusty Nails can't fix?"
He looked up, alarmed.
"A drink."
"A Rusty Nail?"
"Scotch, Drambuie, and a twist."
"Isn't Drambuie a Scotch?"
"I think so."
"So the drink is a giant Scotch with a lemon twist?"
"On the rocks."
"Take it easy."
She nodded, and headed for the door. "Come if you can."
Four hours later, Josh finally walked into the bar, and spied his friends sitting at a large round booth in the corner. Toby was contemplating his empty Scotch glass. Sam sat beside him, resting his head on the table, a shot glass beside him. Danny Concannon sat in the middle, having an animated chat with CJ. Both were clearly several drinks into the evening. On the end of the booth, Donna leaned against CJ's shoulder staring into space. Josh slid in next to Donna.
"She's a little drunk," CJ laughed, pulling Donna off her shoulder, and onto Josh's.
Josh patted Donna's head as she nuzzled further against his chest. "How many did you have?"
Before she could answer, the waiter came by the table. "Last call folks."
Toby raised his finger in affirmation. Sam followed suit, not raising his head, and Toby smacked his hand back down. "He doesn't want another. They don't either." Toby gestured to Danny, CJ, and Donna.
The waiter chuckled. "What can I get you?"
"Bass?"
"Coming right up."
"How many, Donnatella?"
"They kept coming." She buried her head, and he rubbed her back.
Josh's beer arrived and he took a long sip. Toby knocked back half of his Scotch in a single gulp.
"Rough day for you too?"
"Would it kill him to stick to the speech?"
Josh chuckled.
"You finish the California plan?"
"I think so."
"How much did she drink?"
"She had 3 or 4, but she was drinking the hard stuff.
"A Rusty Nail."
"Really?"
"That's what she said."
"Hunh. I've never know a girl to drink those."
"I didn't even know what it was until she told me."
The lights popped on. Sam groaned.
Toby knocked back the rest of his Scotch, and threw $40 on the table. "Time to go." He yanked Sam by the arm.
CJ and Danny slid out. "I've gotta close my tab…" CJ slurred. "I took care of Donna…" she told Josh as they walked off.
Josh took another long sip. "Hey Donna…you awake?"
"Mmm…"
"We're gonna leave in a second. You think you can walk?"
"Mmmhmm…"
Josh sighed, and gulped down the rest of his beer. He threw some money at the table.
"All right. We're gonna try to stand up now."
Josh lifted Donna off his chest, and slid out of the booth, still holding her up. "Slid over."
He helped her to the edge, and pulled her to her feet. "Can you walk?"
"…think so…"
Josh hooked his arm around her, and under her arm, supporting a good portion of her weight. "It's a good think we're just across the street."
"Yeah…"
"One foot in front of the other…"
"…can do it…"
Josh smiled, and they slowly made their way across the street. "I have no idea where you're staying, so you're coming with me."
"…'kay…"
They got into the elevator, and Josh pushed the button for the 10th floor. As the elevator started to rise, Donna groaned and tipped into Josh. He wrapped both arms around her, and stroked her back.
"We're almost there. Just lean on me."
The elevator stopped, and Josh lead her to his room. He opened the door, and sat her on the bed. "I'm gonna get you a t-shirt…"
He stepped away, and looked through his suitcase. When he turned back, Mets shirt in hand, she had tipped back, and was out cold. He crossed over to her, and slowly slid her up to the pillows. He paused for a moment, watching her, then rolled her onto her side. Gingerly, he pulled the blanket up over her fully dressed form. He watched her again for a moment, to be sure that she was breathing comfortably, then settled into the chair at the desk. He laid out his work on the California ad buys, but kept finding himself staring at Donna sleeping form, watching for the rhythmic rise and fall. There was no way he was going to be able sleep.