Title: To The Rescue Rating: PG-13 Spoilers: This is set mid 3rd season, so unfortunately, we have mention of Amy and Cliff. Sorry Summary: Josh comes to Donna's rescue. Disclaimer: Standard. I don't own them. I just like to pretend I do. Feedback: Love it. jengwilson9@c... Author's Notes: After two fics of making Josh look like a bumbling idiot and one making him, well, dead, I decided this time he could be the hero. I also purposefully didn't add in a bunch of thoughts between dialogue. I wanted everyone to read this their own way and get their own story out of it. Hope it doesn't backfire. "I can't Amy, not tonight," he said into the speakerphone as he looked through the research Donna gave him on the marriage incentives. "Why?" "I need to get some stuff done here." Between the MS announcement, the fallout from the hearings, the campaigning, and the everyday work, he'd been here nearly around the clock for weeks. He understood why she was frustrated, he hadn't seen her all week, but there just wasn't enough time. Work came first, and he couldn't leave the office every time she called. "But I'm not wearing anything." "The sex card doesn't always work Amy. I've got to stay." "But, you said Donna left." "A few minutes ago." She'd been working as much as he had, and her friend Casey called wanting to meet for drinks. He didn't care for Casey all that much, but in the end, she looked like she needed a night away from the west wing, and since they'd worked until midnight every night this week, he'd let her go at ten, making her promise to be in at eight on Saturday morning. "Then come over. You can't get anything done without her there anyway." "What? I…Amy, work comes first. You know that. It's your rule too." "But I don't have any work to do tonight. It's Friday." "Well I do, and I can't leave." "You can't or you won't?" "I can't, and therefore, I won't. I'll call you tomorrow." "Fine." Josh hit the disconnect button and went back to work. An hour later, he'd gotten hardly anywhere, and was regretting his decision to let Donna go. The domestic policy agenda had been hit hard during the entire hearing debacle, and they needed to score big with these next few bills to look good come Election Day. It was already March, November would be there before they knew it. The phone rang and shook him out of his concentration. "Lyman." "Josh, hi. It's Casey. Is Donna still there by any chance?" Josh began to panic. "No, she left over an hour ago. She's not with you?" He immediately began thinking the worst. "No, we were supposed to meet for drinks, but I got held up at work. I was just calling to tell her." Relieved, Josh said, "Oh, I thought… never mind. Call her cell." "I did. She's not answering." "She's not, that's odd. Did you try her at home? She wanted to change before she met you." "I tried. She's not there. She must already be at Rush." "Rush! You're meeting at Rush?" Rush had a horrible reputation and was in a very bad part of town. The panic was back. "Yeah, they have killer margaritas." "They're also in the most dangerous neighborhood in the district. I can't believe you sent her there alone. You should have picked her up at her place." "Josh, relax." "Relax? Donna's alone in a crappy bar in a shitty part of town, not answering her cell, and you want me to relax? She shouldn't be there alone and you damn well know it." "It's not that bad, Josh." "It is that bad. I can't believe you, when are you going to get there?" "That's why I'm trying to call her. I'm not going to make it. I'm going to be here for a few more hours. I'll try her cell again." "What? No! She can't walk out to her car alone. Not in that neighborhood. I can't believe this, Casey." "Listen Josh, if she feels unsafe, she'll have a bouncer walk her to her car. She's not an idiot." "She doesn't have to be an idiot to get mugged or… she just has to be in the wrong place at the wrong time." Josh stood up and started gathering his things. "It's not that big of a deal." "It is that big of a deal! Women have to be more careful than men do, especially in that neighborhood. I can't believe you let her go there alone. Forget it. I'll go get her. I can't believe you." With that, Josh disconnected and took off down the hall. Twenty minutes later, he arrived at Rush. The area was even worse than he'd remembered it. There weren't any streetlights, there were homeless men sleeping in the adjoining alley, and there were three women and a man on the corner that he could only assume were prostitutes with their pimp. Even they weren't alone in this neighborhood. He parked as close to the door as possible and walked into the dark bar. He saw Donna sitting at the bar drinking a Bud Light. There was a man on the stool next to her, leaning in saying something to her, and Josh could tell from where he was standing that she felt uncomfortable. She kept one eye on the bartender at all times. After a few seconds, she looked over at the door and saw Josh. She smiled and he walked over. "Hi, did you just get here?" she asked as she got up and stood very close to him. The man who was talking to her looked at Josh and reached out and took Donna's hand. She immediately stiffened. "Yeah, sorry I'm late," Josh said as he put his arm protectively around her waist. He kissed her on the cheek and the man immediately dropped her hand. "That's ok. This gentleman was keeping me company." The way her voice sounded, he was anything but a gentleman. She reached around him with her arms and hugged him at the waist. "Thanks," Josh reached out and shook the man's hand. He held it a bit too long and a bit too tight, and then he turned back to Donna. "Casey's not going to be able to meet us." "Oh, ok. Well, I'm tired. Let's just go home." "Good idea." He dropped a twenty on the bar and they walked out, his arm still around her waist. Once they got outside, he walked them directly to his car and opened the passenger door for her. Then he walked around to the driver's side and got in. Without looking at her, he asked, "Where are you parked?" "I took a cab here. I didn't want to walk alone in this neighborhood." She paused. "Casey called you?" He started his car and pulled out of his space. "Yes. Are you ok?" "I'm fine." "What about that guy?" "It was fine. Thanks for preten…" her voices drifted off. "It just seemed easier. He wasn't taking the hint." Josh's anger starting getting the better of him. "What the hell were you doing there alone?" "Josh, Casey was supposed to meet me there. I didn't think I'd be alone." "Why didn't you have Casey pick you up? You know better than that. That place, that whole area…" "I know. I'd already called a cab to come get me. I would've been fine, Josh." "Are you sure? Can you really be sure?" He was almost yelling now. She started to talk and stopped. He was right. She didn't feel safe, which is why she had called a cab instead of waiting for Casey to arrive. "I'm sorry I worried you," she whispered. "Thanks for coming to get me." He took a deep breath. "I'll always come get you," he said quietly. His anger was gone now, replaced with concern. "I know." "You have to be more careful." It sounded like he was pleading with her. "I know." There was a long pause before he spoke again. "We're you scared?" She closed her eyes. "Uncomfortable, not scared." "Why didn't you call me? Where's your cell?" "I forgot my cell at my apartment. He was only 30 minutes late; I had the bartender call me a cab. I didn't think it was that big of a deal." "It was." "Ok." They pulled up to her building and he walked her to the door without saying anything. "Thanks again." "Donna, next time you're…uncomfortable…next time…call me. You can always call me." "I will." She looked at him for a few seconds. "Goodnight Josh." "Goodnight." She walked into her apartment and shut the door. He didn't turn and leave until he heard her deadbolt click. The next day flew by. It wasn't like a normal Saturday in the office. Most Saturday's were quiet; today, the bullpen was hectic and the full of people. Neither Josh nor Donna mentioned what happened the previous night. Finally, at around seven, Josh came out to her desk. "I think we're done for today." "You sure?" "Yeah, I can't think anymore." "Ok." She stood up and started pulling on her jacket. "Wait a minute. I'll walk you out." "Josh, you don't…" "I'll walk you out," he interrupted. He looked at her for a few seconds, then turned and went into his office to get his things. She followed him. "Why…" He looked up at her and stared. "Why… do you always save me?" "Donna." He didn't know what to say, so he quietly said her name. To him, that was answer enough. "You do, Josh. You always save me. Even when I don't need you to." He felt awkward, so he went for a joke. "Well, I'm trying to earn my `knight in shining armor' status." "Josh." "I don't. It was…a dangerous place." He looked at the floor, but he could feel her eyes boring into him. She wouldn't look away. "But Josh, that's not the only time. When I came to Nashua, when I didn't have any place to go because Dr. Freeride kicked me to the curb. You saved me then. You gave me a job. Then, you saved me from him a second time. You saved me from Cliff. You saved me from that guy last night. You always…save me." He looked at his desk and whispered, "I always will." "I know you will. Why?" "Because it's my fault." "How is it your…" Looking up at her, he interrupted. "Because you shouldn't have to be with any of them. You should…" "Yeah." "So until…I'll save you from the others." "By calling when I'm out, saying you're looking for a folder? By asking me to call you when I get home? It's so you know I'm ok?" "I have to make sure." "You shouldn't have to." "But I do have to. I want to." Trying to lighten the mood, she said, "I thought you were just jealous." He couldn't help but laugh a little and look back at his desk. "That too. I hate to see you with them. I hate to think of them…" "I'm not going to fall in love with any of them." "I know." "I just…you don't…I'm not going to fall in love." "Neither am I." "Are you sure?" He looked up at her, shocked that she would even wonder. "You've been with Amy for months. The two of you have…a relationship." "The two of us have a disaster," he said looking back down and running his hand through his hair. He whispered, "The two of us have sex." She took a deep breath. "I know, but…" He looked her directly in the eyes and said, "I'm not going to fall in love with her. I'm already in love." This time she whispered, "Are you sure?" "Do you want me to stop seeing her?" She looked at her hands. "I have no right to ask you to do that." "I don't care what you have the right to do. If you want me to, then I will." "Do you want me to stop going out with gomers?" "Donna…" "Do you?" she asked looking up at him. "Yes." "I want you to stop seeing her." "Ok." "That's not fair to you." "It's not fair to you either. We have five more years here." "And we…not till we're out?" He took her right hand in his. "I don't know. I can't answer that. I…don't know." "I could quit." "Please don't." "Don't stop seeing Amy. Not now. Not because of this." "Ok." "And…" "You're not going to stop seeing gomers." "No I'm not. But you are going to keep saving me from them, right?" "I told you. I will always save you." He squeezed her hand and let it drop. They stared at each other for several seconds. "Come on, let's go. I'll walk you out." She smiled and let him walk her to her car.