Title: Noticing
Author: Published as Finn AUS
Rating: PG 13 (suggested situations)
Spoiler Info: Takes place loosely after The Cold
Disclaimer: WB, NBC, Aaron Sorkin are the masterminds, John Wells is the minor-mind who had the good fortune to co-produce. I have no money, and even less with the US conversion rate so really not worth it.
Archiving permission: Awesome, please let me know so I can go look!
Summary: Josh and Donna’s new relationship is noticed by a few people…or not.
Author Note 1: This is a just short post ep - I thought of whilst travelling for work and being stuck in an airport. Human interaction is always so interesting…
A/N 2: Massive thanks to my star beta Caz. She’s knows her stuff!!
Feedback: Love it like that KISS, and also the look Josh gives Donna across the table before the key swap.
Bram noticed - which was ironic considering he wasn’t really paying that much attention. In fact, he’d been wondering how much trouble it would have caused had he called that undies girl and invited her back to his room. Probably quite a bit. Still, as he was staring into space waiting for the carousel to deliver his luggage so they could all jump into an overcrowded mini-van and head to the Houston Sheraton, he saw it. Donna was returning a few messages, standing only a few feet from him across the carousel and Bram could tell she was tense. She marched back and forth, her free hand gesticulating wildly. After a few more words that he couldn’t hear, she snapped the phone shut in disgust and stared angrily at the belt that lay motionless, holding their luggage hostage. That’s when he saw it. Josh appeared almost out of nowhere and leaned toward her - closer than was strictly necessary - and whispered something into her ear. Her eyes lit up and she smiled tenderly, looking back into his beaming grin. Bram spotted Josh’s hand placed discreetly on Donna’s back and noticed the way Donna had immediately relaxed in his presence. It struck him as odd; but as the thought hit him, the carousel began to move and as he spotted his luggage, the thought vanished.
Lou noticed - and she was definitely not the type of person to pay attention to triviality. It was pure chance that she happened to be looking in that direction. Like a school group heading to camp, they were lined up along the kerb awaiting the arrival of their transportation. It arrived with a speedy flourish and everyone began reaching for their hand luggage. As Lou reached for the handle of the case sitting next to her on the sidewalk, Donna pushed down the handle of hers, which was when Lou spotted it. Josh’s bracelet – the beads he’d been wearing with his watch were now on Donna’s wrist. She knew they were Josh’s because the first time she’d noticed them months ago, she’d taken special care to mock him about them. He’d never struck her as a bead wearer but she’d noticed them one day when he’d reached across to pour himself a coffee one day. Now, here they were on Donna’s wrist. Just as she began to wonder the cars arrived, everyone began moving towards them and she moved onto other things in her head.
Ronna noticed - and she was distractedly staring out the window at the passing houses. After they’d piled into the Suburbans, an unusual silence had descended. With only one more day left in the campaign, at times like this there wasn’t much to say and talking for the sake of talking seemed too much of an effort. So Ronna had taken to gazing out the window, imagining the lives going on behind the doors of the passing Houston residences. It was a sunny afternoon and the reflection of the other passengers was mirrored onto her window. Donna was sitting opposite her, with Josh on her right - and that’s when Ronna saw it, in the reflection of the window. His fingers gently grazed Donna’s thigh in a very un-boss like way. Donna’s fingers reached out to his and for a moment Ronna watched as they wrestled playfully back and forth. Just as she turned her head to see the reality rather than the reflection, the van pulled into the drive of the Sheraton drive and Ronna began wondering how quickly she could escape to her hotel room.
Otto noticed - but only because his mind often wandered into the gutter when not focused on work. Checking into the Santos floor, the team waited as room keys were dispensed. As the clerk handed Donna her key, he announced her room number.
‘Okay Miss Moss, that’s floor seven and room number 69.’
Josh choked and turning his head away to face the courtyard, coughed loudly. Still Otto noticed the grin that spread across Josh’s face and glancing at Donna, saw her cheeks flush with embarrassment. But the thought left his head as quickly as it had entered it when he was handed his own room key.
Edie noticed - but only because she’d left her cell at the check in desk. She’d dumped her bags onto the bed and reached into her jacket pocket for her cell but immediately realised it wasn’t there. Damn – she’d put it down at the desk when she’d reached for her driver’s licence. That relaxing bath she’d promised herself would have to wait. Leaving her room, she rounded the corner into the main corridor of the Santos floor – and that was when she saw Josh - standing in the hallway, being dragged by his tie into a room. He was laughing playfully and Edie couldn’t decide if it was that, or the fact that he was actually getting some action which shocked her more. Walking past the now closed door, Edie wondered who was in Room 69.
Lester noticed - but only because Donna was never late. As the assembled group sat at the table, just thirty minutes after they had all checked in, they were all staring at one another waiting for Josh to appear. He’d called the meeting, after all. Still, Lester noticed that Donna was absent – usually she would be here first, pen at the ready, ideas formulated and ready to leap to into action. Lou finally took charge and began the meeting, and it was at that moment that Lester noticed Donna circle around the tables in the bar and rush to join them. She looked flushed and harried, and apologised profusely as she sat down. Lou continued on and nobody gave it any further thought. After going through everything that needed to be worked out and discussing a few plans, everyone decided to order a drink. Lester decided that Josh must have been called away to an important meeting, when he appeared, cell pressed to his ear having what seemed to be a enjoyable conversation with someone. He snapped it shut and sat down next to Donna, apologising for his tardiness and blaming an important call with Congressman Santos.
‘Hey Donna, those beads are really nice,’ Ronna commented.
‘Thanks,’ Donna smiled shyly.
‘Excuse me, what room can I charge this to?’ the waiter interrupted, placing Donna’s drink in front of her.
‘Make it mine. Moss. Room 69,’ Donna responded.
‘Josh, that was the Congressman,’ Lou moved to stand by Josh’s chair. ‘He wanted to make sure we’d all arrived as he hadn’t heard from you.’
‘Thanks.’ Josh was oddly quiet.
‘I actually need to call Mrs Santos about a few things. I’ll catch up for dinner in about an hour.’ Donna smiled as she rose from her seat and walked away. A few murmurs about what they might have for dinner led to a general ‘meat versus seafood’ discussion, and after a few minutes, Josh excused himself with a sigh.
‘I guess I should call the Congressman. Excuse me.’ Josh left a generous tip and strode out of the bar.
Everyone sat in silence, sipping their drinks, wondering what the next 72 hours would bring. They all felt so tired that it was hard to focus … difficult to really notice anything.
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