RATING: NC-17. ***Please read responsibly.

SUMMARY: Josh gets fired, Donna gets drunk, and they both get happy.   This is set in the first season, i.e. before Rosslyn.

DISCLAIMER: Sadly, I do not own these characters.

THANKS: To Em, who asked for it; to Jo for some incisive comments; and to Ryo, because... She knows what I'm talking about.

This is for M.B.

***

Not surprisingly, Josh's loud, angry voice was audible in the bullpen when Donna returned from lunch.   At 4:17 p.m.   But what was a day without food compared to the pleasure of listening to Josh rant nonstop about an obstructionist Senate Majority Leader?

Donna briefly considered tossing the wheat bagel and lite cream cheese she'd brought him, since it appeared he'd kept right on talking the entire length of time it had taken her to scarf down a turkey sandwich and six or seven chips.   He probably hadn't even noticed her absence.

Instead of trashing his lunch, Donna squared her shoulders, gave a perfunctory knock on the doorframe, and walked into his office.   Josh, on the phone, merely gave her a distracted look.   She tossed his food on the desk and stared at him, trying to figure out who the hell he was talking to; he didn't have anything scheduled, and it didn't sound like he was still talking about the vote on 105.

"No," Josh argued, and Donna could tell from his tone of voice that he'd said something stupid and was trying to regain control of the conversation.   "I'm not saying that Christians--"   He stopped, frowning.

"Oh, God," Donna muttered.   In her short absence, Josh had clearly done something incredibly stupid.   She considered just disconnecting the call, but then Josh spoke again.

"Mary," he started, "I'm not saying that Christians are--"

Horrified, Donna reached across the desk, smacked Josh on the arm, then ran across the bullpen, yelling for Carol.   "Get CJ!"   Eyes wide, Carol nodded and fetched the press secretary.

CJ joined Donna in the bullpen with a vaguely disgruntled, "What?"   Then she took a good look at Donna's face.   "What's wrong?"

"Josh," Donna said, tugging CJ towards his office.

"What's he done?"

"I'm not sure.   I left for lunch and he was bitching about the Senate Majority Leader and our chances with 105.   But now he's on the phone and he's apologizing and he mentioned Christians and he's talking to 'Mary.'"

CJ stopped short.   "Mary Marsh?"

Donna opened her mouth to answer, but Bonnie came careening around the corner, caught sight of CJ, and headed straight for her.   "Are you listening to NPR?"   Bonnie's gaze slid to Donna, and she gave her fellow assistant a sympathetic look.

So much for Donna's fleeting hope that Josh had managed to screw up in private this time.   She sagged against a nearby desk while CJ yelled for someone to turn up their damn radio.

And then Josh's familiar voice--muffled slightly by the phone connection--echoed through the bullpen.   "All I'm saying is that if this judgment is allowed to stand, any religious group could use it to excuse violent behavior."

CJ's eyes slammed shut, and she pressed the heel of her hand against her temple.   Donna's head dropped as she plotted ways to punish her idiotic boss.

"You said," Mary Marsh's sour tones replied, "that wingnut Christians could blow up abortion clinics at will."

"I'll kill him," CJ yelled as she took off for Josh's office at a dead run.

It was too late, though, because Linda Wertheimer was already wrapping up the segment.   CJ emerged from Josh's office, deputy chief of staff in tow, seconds later.   She looked over at Carol.   "Get me a tape."

"I'm on it," Carol replied.

Josh didn't say a word, which Donna found disheartening.   He followed CJ towards Leo's office almost meekly, but just before he disappeared through the double doors, he glanced over at Donna and gave her a sad smile.

***

It had all happened so fast, Donna thought six hours later.   She glanced blearily around and decided she really hated this bar with its loud 80s rock and its smoke-filled interior.   Not that it mattered.

Josh was fired.

She laughed into her whiskey sour, even though it wasn't at all funny.   The President had warned him last time, not to mention the fact that on this particular occasion, Josh had called into NPR specifically to fight with Mary Marsh.   The man was an idiot.

An unemployed idiot.

Donna took another swig of her drink to obliterate the image of stunned misery on his face when he'd returned to his office, flanked by two Secret Service Agents.   Donna had sat, frozen, at her desk, the audio of CJ's press conference--of her announcement that Josh Lyman had been fired--providing an absurd score as Josh disappeared into his office.   He gathered a few things into his backpack, and then emerged, his gaze finding Donna's.

Donna slammed her empty glass on the counter.   "S'cuse me," she hollered.   "C'n I have 'nother?"

The bartender gave her a look.   "You missed last call, sweetheart."

Donna peered down at her watch, but couldn't discern if it was a little after ten, or a little before two.   Her watch, she decided, sucked.   Not unlike Josh's watch.   She blinked back tears at the thought of Josh's sucky watch.   He would never be able to get his stupid self to wherever he needed to go with that shitty watch.

She lurched off her barstool, staggered outside, hailed a cab, and rattled off Josh's address.   What kind of assistant would she be if she didn't offer assistance in his time of need?

***

Donna stood in front of Josh's condo, a perplexed frown in place.   She wasn't quite sure why she was there, or how she'd arrived.   And she definitely had no idea who let her get so damn drunk.

With a jaunty shrug that compromised her precarious balance, she leaned forward and knocked.   She decided it would be much easier if she leaned against the nice, sturdy wall, but before she could fall asleep standing up, Josh's face appeared.

"There you are," he said.   "I've been calling your cell--"   His face got really close to hers and he grinned.   "Donnatella Moss, are you drunk?"

"Yes," she answered promptly.   Donna stood there, swaying a bit and beaming at him.   Josh steadied her with a hand on her waist, and she decided that two goddamn years was long enough, and besides he wasn't her boss anymore, so where was the conflict?

Donna tossed an arm around his neck and kissed him.   She was quite impressed with herself; even utterly drunk, she knew exactly how to kiss this man to make him moan.   Josh slid his arm around her waist and yanked her closer, his mouth opening under hers.

Then the idiot pulled away and gave her a wide-eyed look.   "Donna, you're drunk."

She giggled.   "Thought we already 'stablished that."

"We can't do this," Josh decided, even as his hands traced patterns on her hips.

"We jus' did."   Donna thought that was an extremely well-organized argument given her state of inebriation.

"Yes," Josh grinned.   "We certainly did.   But we can't do anything more."

"Why not?" Donna pouted, her fingers sliding into the collar of his shirt to make him shudder.   She couldn't seem to stop touching him.

"Because you're drunk," Josh answered with no small measure of regret.

"But I wanna do this," she pointed out, drawing her fingers down his back.

Josh grinned.   "I kinda figured that when you stuck your tongue down my throat.   Nevertheless, we're not doing this when you're drunk."

She stared at him for a moment, then pulled her hands from his body, eliciting a small groan from him.   "You don' want me," she said in a small voice.

Josh pulled her closer to him.   "Are you demented?   Believe me when I tell you that your desirability is not in question.   It never has been, Donna, not since New Hampshire."

Mouth pursed, Donna ducked her head, trying to see if he was lying.   Unfortunately, her advanced stage of drunkenness had affected her ability to see straight.   Everything was kind of... topsy-turvy.   So she reached out and cupped him with her free hand.

"Donna!" Josh yelped.   Then he moaned when she squeezed him through his jeans.

She grinned at him.   "You do want me!"

Josh laughed, a strange kind of laughter, and pulled her hand away.   "Yes.   Now stop that.   You're embarrassing the neighbors."

Donna whipped her head around to make sure no one was actually watching.   She overestimated, however, her ability to balance and twirl at the same time.   Josh caught her before she could tumble headlong into the opposite wall.   She sagged into him, allowing his arms--he had very, very nice arms--to support her.

"All right, Drunk Girl, time for bed."

Donna perked up, slipping her hands down towards his waist.   "Really?   I thought you said we couldn't!"

Josh groaned, unable to stop her hands from wandering his backside while he dragged her into the apartment.   "Sleeping, Donna.   We will be sleeping. In different rooms."

"Spoilsport," Donna mumbled, her eyes sliding shut as he guided her towards the bedroom.

"You'll thank me later," Josh promised, easing her onto the bed.   He stared down at her for a moment, then tugged halfheartedly at her clothes.

Donna peeled open an eye to watch him.   "Tease."

Josh recoiled.   "Huh?"

"Stripping me," she explained.   "No sex."

Josh blinked a few times.   "Okay.   I'm going to go stand under the cold water for about ten hours," he said, backing away.   "No more stripping, no sex, no teasing.   Just sleep."   He pulled the door most of the way shut, holding her gaze.   "Sleep."

She nodded, snuggling under the Josh-scented blankets.   "'Kay.   Sleep now, sex later.   G'night, Josh."

A strangled noise was his only reply.

***

When Donna woke up, her mouth was dry, her head was fuzzy, and her body was wrapped in sheets that smelled distinctly like--Josh?

Frowning, she pushed herself upright and blinked, staring around her.   Even in the darkness, she recognized Josh's bedroom.   Oh, God, she thought, what have I done?

She peeked under the sheets and found herself--still fully clothed.

Disappointed and somewhat miffed, Donna climbed a bit unsteadily out of bed and headed for the living room.   After a brief pit stop in the bathroom to steal a bit of Josh's mouthwash, she stalked down the hallway and flipped on the light.

"Huh?" Josh jerked upright, squinting in confusion.   He focused on her.   "Donna?"

"What am I doing here?" she demanded, arms crossed over her chest.

He relaxed back into the cushions, flinging one arm over his face.   "You were drunk.   Are drunk.   There was drinking involved."

"Why was I--Oh, God."   Donna clamped a hand over her mouth.   "Josh, you were fired," she mumbled.

"I have no idea what you just said," he sighed from his position on the couch, "but I suspect it has something to do with me being temporarily unemployed."

"Temporarily unemployed?   Josh--"

"You know what, Donna, I've had kind of a bad day, what with the firing and then my drunken assistant throwing herself--"   He stopped, swallowed.   "I'm just going to lie here and pretend this conversation never happened."

"So I did throw myself at you," Donna surmised, her face flushed.

"I think," Josh started, "maybe it's best if we never--"

"I can't believe you," Donna interrupted.   "I threw myself at you and you slept on the couch?"

Josh stiffened--in more ways than one, Donna noted with interest--and slowly slid his arm from his face.   He peered over at her.   "Well, I..."   He struggled upright, pulling his t-shirt out to cover his pointed interest in her argument.

"You what?" she demanded, her hands on her hips.   "Did it escape your attention that as of this afternoon, there's no reason for us not to do, you know..." she gestured vaguely at his lap, "that."

"That?" Josh choked.   "Gee, Donna, you're such a romantic."

"You know what I mean."

"I do, in fact, know what that is."

"So?" she prompted.

Eyes wide, he asked, "So what?"

"So why aren't we doing that?"

"You know," he smirked, and she was amazed at how hot he was just sitting there, hair in disarray and looking smug, "your vocabulary last night was--"

"Joshua," she warned.

"I'm just saying," he shrugged.   "'That' could mean many different things.   I myself am particularly fond of--"

"If you don't get your ass over here right now--"

"Just my ass?" he smirked.

She couldn't help the answering grin on her face.   She was ridiculously giddy, all of a sudden.   She thought it probably had to do with the look Josh was giving her.   "So apparently you don't want to have sex with me."

Josh groaned just before he vaulted off of the couch.   "That's what that means in this case, huh?" he asked, advancing on her.

Donna forcibly kept her hands at her sides--though she wanted nothing more than to grab him by his incredible biceps and toss him onto the floor--and gave him a saucy smile.   "I don't think we should limit the definition of 'that.'   After all, 'have sex' can be defined in many different ways."

"It can be," Josh agreed, halting mere inches from her.   His eyes were dark, and his gaze kept dropping to her mouth.

"For instance," Donna breathed, "we could start by--" She leaned in and kissed him softly.   "--doing that."

Josh growled.   He actually growled, and then his hands clutched at her, pulling her to him.   This kiss was nothing like its predecessor; it was hot and wet and incredibly arousing.   After an endless moment, Josh tore his mouth from hers.   "We definitely need to do some more of that."

Donna blinked up at him.   "Definitely."

***

Donna was pretty much naked when Josh licked her nipple and mumbled into her skin, "Who needs job security when they can have this?"   He leaned in closer, but Donna jerked away, eyes wide.

"What?"

Josh blinked a few times, bare-chested and tousled and incredibly hot.   Also enticingly hard and--

Donna forced her gaze away from the bulge in his boxer shorts and met his eyes.

"Huh?" Josh said finally.

She crossed her arms, which probably wasn't the brightest move, considering that Josh's attention immediately shifted to her breasts.   "Josh, you were fired."

He gave her that sexy grin of his.   "Yeah, I know.   I was there."

"Josh."

"I don't really want to talk about that right now.   Or think about it."

She frowned.   "Is that what this is about?"

Bless his idiotic heart, but Josh looked honestly confused.   "You are incomprehensible sometimes, Donna.   Look at me."   He gestured to his obvious arousal.   "Do you really expect me to give you a well-reasoned argument right now?"

Donna's gaze slid down his chest, following the lines of his body until they disappeared under his boxer shorts.   Then she blinked and tried to remember what he'd asked her.   Oh.   Right.   "Yes," she answered finally.

Josh groaned and placed one warm palm on her shoulder, easing her towards him.   His eyes were practically hypnotic when they were this close.   Leaning down, he pressed a delicate kiss into the curve of her neck.   "You know exactly what this is about, Donna.   It's..." he shrugged.   "It's us."

Her hands were twined around his neck again.   She wasn't entirely sure how that had happened, but she decided to go with it.   Leaning into his strong, warm body, Donna kissed him for all she was worth.   When he gave a guttural groan, she grinned into the kiss and pulled back, breathing heavily.   "I like us," she decided.

Josh's eyes crinkled a little at the edges when he beamed down at her.   "You'll like us a lot better in about two minutes."

Donna let her fingernails trail down Josh's back until he shivered.   "Two minutes?" she teased.   "It's going to take you two whole minutes to get the rest of our clothes off?"

Josh jerked away from her, grabbed her hand, and yanked her down the short hall.   She followed, laughter trailing behind.   He all but threw her onto the bed and reached for her panties before the mattress adjusted to her weight.

"Josh," Donna laughed, "you don't have to--"

And then his mouth, that talented mouth, was pressed against her; that quicksilver tongue found her clitoris with surprising ease.   Donna fell back on the bed, her blurry gaze settling on the ceiling for a moment before her eyes slid shut.   It was too much.   She couldn't really concentrate on anything besides the feel of Josh's ministrations.

His hands slid so, so slowly up her thighs, the measured movement in direct contrast to the almost frantic pace of his lips and tongue. Donna's trembling legs spread wider, allowing him greater access.   If she had a coherent thought left in her head, she might have been embarrassed by the desperate noises she was making.   Instead, she merely lifted her hips, a wordless plea for more.

And then Josh found the right rhythm, the perfect stroke of his warm, wet tongue against her clit.   Donna's back arched, her gasp turned into a shriek, and she pressed herself harder against his face, one hand landing in his hair to hold him there.

The sun exploded inside of her.   Waves of heat.   And all the while, Josh stayed with her, teasing and licking and sucking at her clit to prolong the incomprehensible pleasure.

It was over way too quickly, Donna thought, her muscles relaxing into the mattress.   When her fingers released him, Josh gave her sex one last, lingering kiss then slid up her body, trailing his mouth along her skin.   Her legs fell flat to the bed and she tried to catch her breath.   Josh pressed a series of soft, wet kisses into her neck, and palmed one breast.

"Well," Josh said, his tone decidedly self-satisfied.   "That was fun."   He licked her collarbone.

Donna opened one eye and watched him as he tongued her nipple.   She thought she may have whimpered.   Her hands smoothed up his back.   "Probably more fun for me than for you."

Josh leaned up, his torso landing atop hers, the feel of his hot, sweat-slick skin against hers incredibly erotic. She met him halfway, kissing him soundly.

"Don't underestimate how amazing it feels to make you come," he whispered then kissed her again.

Donna wound her arms around his neck, and shifted below him, wrapping her legs around his waist.   She pouted when she felt his boxers against her thighs.   "You're still dressed."

He grinned at her.   "I got distracted."

She couldn't help but laugh.   He was so impossible sometimes.   But damn if he didn't have very impressive arms.   She found herself obsessing, her fingernails lightly tracing patterns on his arms, even as he rocked gently against her.   "Well," Donna said, her tone low and throaty.   "You'd best get un-distracted, because I want you inside of me."

The choking noise he made in response was incredibly gratifying.

But not nearly as satisfying as the way he launched himself off of her to divest himself of his boxers.   She lay there, laughing, as she watched him struggle free.   Then he tossed the garment aside and turned back to her.   Suddenly, it wasn't funny--not the way he was looking at her.   Not the way he was crawling up her body.   Not the way he settled possessively atop her.

"Josh," she whispered, kissing him so, so softly.   Just kissing him, even though she could feel his erection pressed intimately against her.   His arms slipped beneath her, his palms pushing her harder into his chest.   She hugged him tightly, wrapping her arms and legs around him, even as she concentrated on kissing him with all the love and affection she could muster.   And Josh gave as good as he got, kissing her until she was breathless.

When they had to surface for air, their eyes locked on each other. Josh raised one eyebrow.   "You ready, Donnatella?"

She arched her hips up against him, laughing softly as he groaned and thrust against her.   "More than ready, Joshua."

He held still for a long moment, just watching her face.   "You're gorgeous."

Donna pressed a kiss to his throat.   "Let's go, Josh."

"Demanding, Donnatella," Josh laughed.

"Would you expect anything less?" she grinned.

He beamed at her.   "Nope."

And then he was there, pressing into her, filling her up.   She strained upwards, wanting him all the way inside of her.   Josh grunted and sank all the way in.

"Donna," he gasped, pulling back, only to thrust back into her immediately.

Donna would swear she could feel him all the way to her fingertips.   Her entire body thrummed with tension, even as Josh started moving, slowly at first.

But she didn't want that.   She didn't want him controlled and focused; she wanted him pounding into her with abandon; she wanted him as mindless as he'd made her just minutes before.   She shifted her hips up, moaning as he sank even deeper.   Donna leaned up, pulling the slick skin of his throat into her mouth as she tightened herself around him.

With a grunt, he thrust harder, taking most of his weight off of her, balancing on his elbows.   Josh made a sound suspiciously like a whimper.   "Tell me what you want."

"Faster," she told him, wrapping her legs higher around his hips.   "Please, Josh..."

Josh pushed up onto his palms, changing the angle of penetration until she gasped.   "Yeah?" he asked, his voice low.

"Yeah," she confirmed, reaching up to him, dragging her fingers down his back until she could cup his ass, pulling him harder into her, grinding against him.   If he could still talk, he was way too calm.   She gripped him tighter, holding him still for a moment, deep inside of her.   He stared down at her, his mouth hanging slightly open, his eyes wide and desperate.   The sight of him above her, his amazing arms straining, sweat sliding down his chest--it was almost too much.   To be doing this with Josh... There were no words.

"God," Josh gasped, thrusting almost involuntarily, moving against her as best he could.   "Please, Donna."   She smiled up at him and released his hips.   He pulled out almost all of the way and thrust back inside, her name coming out on a half-sob, "Donna."

She recognized the desperation in his voice, knew he was getting close.   The knowledge that she was able to do this to Josh Lyman, that she was able to reduce this loquacious man to repeating her name over and over again--it was quite a heady feeling.   Donna pushed herself up, supporting herself on her elbows until she could lean up and reach his chest.   She sucked and licked and tasted his salty skin, grinning against him as he moaned her name.   When she nipped his chest, his motions grew less and less controlled.   His hips pumped in and out gracelessly, sacrificing finesse for faster and harder strokes.

Donna dropped back onto the mattress and clutched at him, urging him on.   "Come for me, Josh."

She watched him, memorizing the look on his face, the way his mouth hung open just a little, the way his muscles clenched as he pushed hard against her.

"Donna," he yelled, spilling into her, trembling against her.

Moments later, he collapsed onto her, his sweaty skin slipping against her, pressing her into the mattress.   Donna locked her ankles behind him, squeezing him with her thighs, wanting him as close as possible.   Her arms twined around his neck, listening to his ragged breaths as he nuzzled just underneath her jaw, his hot breath giving her the chills.

She kissed his forehead.   "You're gorgeous," she whispered.

He chuckled softly.   "I think you're getting us mixed up."

"No," she told him.   "The look on your face..."

Josh pushed himself up on trembling arms, kissing her soundly.   "You glow, Donna.   You actually glow."

She smiled up at him.   "It's probably the seven whiskey sours."

"Seven?" Josh laughed, his whole body shaking against hers.   She really liked that feeling.

"I don't know," she admitted, grinning.   "I drank a lot."

He sobered, peering down at her.   "But you're not drunk now," he said, his tone uncertain.

"No," Donna answered seriously.   "I'm not drunk now."

"Good."   Josh eased off of her, settling next to her, his leg tossed possessively over hers.   "Seven whiskey sours," he mused.   "I didn't even have that much to drink, and I'm the one who got fired."

She hugged him to her, somewhat awkwardly, as he was lying on her arm.   "I'm so sorry, Josh."

"My own fault," he answered, but she could hear the regret in his words.   "The President warned me."

She let the silence stand for a few moments then asked quietly, "What are you going to do?"

Josh levered himself up, elbow on the pillow, his head resting on his hand, and peered down at her.   "Definitely more of that."   His fingers traced little patterns on her abdomen.

He had really talented fingers.   Grinning, Donna nodded.   "Definitely. But I meant--"

"Donna?"

"Yes, Josh?"

"In light of the stunning orgasm I gave you--"

"Oh, like the orgasm I gave you wasn't stunning," Donna scoffed, smiling despite herself.

Josh pressed a kiss to her forehead.   "I haven't come up with the appropriate adjective for that yet," he told her.   "But I'd rather spend tonight searching my impressive vocabulary--"   He ignored her derisive snort.   "--than worry about what happens tomorrow."

Her smile softened as she met his gaze.   She knew he was still shocked, still hurt by the events of the day, so she decided to go along with his plan.   They could leave all the pesky details for tomorrow.

Besides, she thought, his plan no doubt involved more sex, and she was definitely on board with that idea.

"Sure," she told him.   "Now let's talk about adjectives."

THE END

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