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Once
Upon a Southern Sky. Response
to 'Gone with the Wind' challenge) By:
Jaye Reid Started
and completed: 01.01.02 Genre:
PWP, Humour, J/D Rating:
PG Spoilers:
Bits and pieces through season 1 & 2. Disclaimer:
Not mine, and in this one, I don't think AS or WB would want to lay claim
to them either. Summary:
Challenges that face Josh and Donna over coffee. Authors
notes: Response to challenge.
Challenge criteria are listed at the end.
This is not the most creative piece I have ever written.
I chose the title to reflect the challenge, and the fact that I live in
the southern hemisphere, where the New Year had started before I wrote this.
It's just a fluffy little piece - yes yet another from me.
You guys will have to read some of my stuff in other fandoms or you'll
think I can't write anything serious! Dedication:
To all those in the chat room the other day who have truly made me feel like a
member of this list! Thanks!! ~*~*~*~ "Leo,
do you have any idea how much longer the President is going to be?"
complained Josh for the umpteenth time in 10 minutes. "How
many times do you need to be told Josh? You're
starting to sound like a five year old on a road trip across the state,"
snarled Leo. "Well
at least I'd be able to count the mile posts along the way and get some sort of
idea on how far away I am," he remarked sullenly. Please,
can we *not* do this?" asked Sam as he shifted uncomfortably in his chair. Josh
sighed auditably and ran a hand across his forehead and through his hair. "So
Josh, how did the meeting go with that woman?" Sam questioned, hoping the
change in topic would help. "What
woman?" asked Leo looking up from his report. Why, he thought to himself, did the President want to meet
all three of them in his office? What
was wrong with the Oval office? Then
he could have at least had some peace without Laurel and Hardy to distract him
before they started. "Her
name was Scarlet O something or other," replied Josh. "O'Hara?"
joked Leo. "Well
no. I don't believe it was.
But it just as well could have been.
She has a very pronounced southern accent.
She's an environmental lobbyist, " Josh replied. "So,
it wasn't O'Hara? But her name was
Scarlet and she was from the south? Did
she breeze in all corseted with a huge gown and ribbons in her flowing chestnut
hair?" chuckled Sam. "No,"
replied Josh, "she wore heavy work boots, jeans and t-shirt.
She had her hair cropped in what one would term 'buzz' cut I think... oh
and she had a ring through her eyebrow and a stud in her nose. "And
her name was Scarlet?" Leo asked with an incredulous tone. "Yeah,"
laughed Josh. "I sure bet her
parents were expecting her to turn out a little differently." "Ya
think?" Leo responded. "Gentlemen?"
stated the President as he stood in the doorway of the office. There
was a chorus of 'good morning Mr. President' from the trio as they stood when
the President entered Leo's office, before they all sat down to begin analyzing
the figures. ~*~ "So,
are we done?" Leo asked. "Think
that will do us," replied Josh. "Say
Josh, how did it go this morning with Scarlet O'Leary?" the President
asked. "Well
I listened to her. But she's gone
now and I have to think about a couple of issues she raised," he replied,
rubbing his temples. He really
*didn't* want to think about what she had said.
It was going to mean weeks of research that he didn't know whether or not
he'd have the time to do. Or more
importantly, whether *Donna* would have the time to do for him. "Ahh
so she's gone? Left town.
Blown it. Vamoosed.
Gone with the Wind! Did you
like my little humor there Sam? You
could perhaps find a *use* for that line?" The President quipped. "Oh
yes Mr. President. If I find the
right speech I'll make sure to include it," replied Sam. "You're
just humoring me there weren't you Sam?" the President asked. "Ahh
we have to get going now," Josh interrupted Sam's reply, knowing all too
well that it could lead into a long winded explanation of trivial factoids. "Did
you know," started the President, "that during the American civil war,
almost 50,000 people from what is now classified as Canada fought in the
war?" "That's
a lot of angry Canadian's," replied Sam.
"They must have held some passionate beliefs." "Well
I think it says something that there were only 200 enlisted with the
South," replied Barlet. "So
you're saying 200 of them actually?" quizzed Josh. "I'm
saying, that just because some of them don't fit the mould that you expect,
doesn't mean what they have to say isn't of some value," lectured the
President. "Sir,
really, I don't think I was expecting a Southern belle to waltz in here and
sweet-talk me into agreeing with whatever she said," replied Josh. "No,
but I'm sure you weren't expecting G.I. Jane either," chuckled the
President. "No
I wasn't," Josh with a smile. "Okay,
we're done? Good, what's
next?" asked the President as he rose. ~*~ "G.I.
Jane?" queried Sam has he followed Josh out of Leo's office and back
towards his office. "Well,
he's probably not too far wrong on... Hey what's happening?" asked Josh rhetorically as he
rounded the corner and found the Communications bullpen a hive of activity -
well, certainly more than usual. Sam
and Josh walked over to where a ladder still lay on the floor, along with a
staffer that Josh thought he recognized, but then again... perhaps not. The
men cleared a way through to the staffer. "Um...
hello there," stated Josh, looking down at the man who was obviously in a
serious amount of pain. "Yeah,"
the guy breathed awkwardly. "Um,
can you get up or are you, you know, planning on staying down there?" asked
Sam. "I
think I've broken my hip," came the thready reply. "He
was taking down the Christmas decorations around the office.
He's ladder appears to have slipped and he fell," offered Ginger. "There's
help coming?" asked Josh, stepping back. "We
called them," replied Ginger. "Good.
Well I'm just going to go back to my office and not think about G.I. Jane,"
Josh told Sam as he pivoted and wandered away. ~*~ "Josh!"
called Donna, as he tried to get to his office undetected. "Yes?"
he yelled, still heading for his office. "Scarlet
O'Leary called." Josh
sighed and back stepped to the doorway. "Why?"
he replied. "She
wouldn't say. I think she's
interested in you Josh," Donna smiled.
Well to most people it would be a smile, underneath she was gritting her
teeth. There was something she
didn't like about Ms O'Leary. "She
is not interested in me. She just
wants to torture me," he replied and started back to his office, Donna in
tow. "I
don't think so," continued Donna. "I'm
a woman, I can tell these things, and I think she really likes you." "The
only thing she would like about me is to see me hung, drawn and quartered,"
he scoffed. "Josh,
she's from the south, not Tudor England hundreds of years ago," Donna
deadpanned. "Excuse
me, Donna?" "Hung,
drawn and quartered. It was
something done during Tudor times to the enemy when they were caught.
Do you have any idea what that actually involves?" Donna quizzed as
they stepped into his office and closed the door. "Well
I'm guessing the hanging is fairly self-explanatory," he replied, knowing
he was about to get a Donna lecture and also knowing there was no way of
avoiding it. "Yes
Josh. First they would hang their
enemy when they were captured, then before they were dead, they would cut them
down..." "Ah
see that's not so sadistic..." he interrupted. "...and
then they would cut them open, whilst *still* alive and rip out their intestinal
system along with their... their... um, *private* parts before chopping their
bodies up into bits." "Quarters
so to speak," said Josh swallowing hard. "Yes." "Okay,
that thing I said about them not being sadistic... they were *very* sadistic.
I don't even think I'd wish that on any of the Republican Party - being
the enemy of the day as it is," Josh replied.
Also hoping Scarlet O'Leary would *not* want to do that to him. "No,
I think there's probably a law against it these days," Donna replied.
"So I think you should ask her out." "Donnnna,"
he whined. "We've been down
this path with Joey Lucas, and we both know how well that went." "Well
you could always try. You don't
want to be alone forever do you?" "And
since when has my loneliness become your concern?" he questioned, before he
realized he'd virtually admitted to being lonely. She seemed to have a way of doing that to him far too often.
Get him to admit to things he usually wouldn't, he thought. "Since
I am your assistant and if you are in a good mood, you don't yell as much.
If you were in a happy relationship, I'm sure you would be in a permanent
good mood," she replied brightly. "So
it was obviously very loud around here during the Mandy era, eh?" he joked. "Excruciatingly,"
she replied. "And
you want me to risk getting involved with someone even though there is a chance
I won't be a happy camper all the time. Coz
I've got to tell you Donna, I don't think Scarlet O'Leary would make me a happy
camper," he replied as he reached for another folder on his desk.
He hoped if he got on with some work, Donna might drop the subject. "Josh!
Look out! That cup of...
coffee." she finished as she watched the half cup of early morning, now
stone cold coffee, toppled of the desk and across the folders.
It trailed a path across the paperwork and down onto Josh as if it was in
slow motion. "Urgh!"
"I'll
grab a towel or, or... something," she replied rushing out of his office to
her desk, and grabbing a tissue box, before hurrying back. "Here,"
she said whipping a handful of tissues from the box and shoving them at Josh as
he sat back in his chair, away from the desk. She
grabbed a handful herself and they mopped at the folders on his desk as quickly
as possible, before Donna absentmindedly started wiping the coffee of Josh's
shirt and trouser leg. "Ah
Donna..." "Yes
Josh?" she replied, still not realizing what she was doing. "Listen
Donna, you're gonna have to stop rubbing my leg like that, or... you know... I'm
not going to be responsible for what happens next," he tried to joke,
whilst seriously getting turned on. "Huh?
Ohhhh... oh my... Josh. I'm
so sorry that was extremely inappropr..." "Enjoyable,"
he almost whispered, as he grabbed Donna's hands and held them to his chest.
"But something I think I'd prefer you do in a more private setting
rather than my office." "Josh,
I... you'd like that?" she almost squeaked, he face now only inches away
from his. "Yeah,
I think I would. What about you,
Donna? Do you think you
might?" he asked, almost afraid to breathe until he had her answer. "Yes,
I think I would but..." "But
what?" he asked worriedly. "But
what about Scarlet O'Leary?" she gulped. "Scarlet
O'Leary? Well frankly my dear, I
don't give a damn." The
End. Challenge
criteria. 1)
It can be anything you like, Romance, humour, angst as long as it J/D related. |