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PART 4/5

The videotapes were on my desk and I went to an empty room to go watch them. I had just dropped the tapes back on my desk when CJ cruised through the Operations bullpen. I stopped her and told her my suspicions. I explained to her how the news feed had made me wonder why they talked about the senator's seven grandchildren, but only showed six on stage with him during campaign stops. Combined with his recent request to Josh and the filibuster in progress, I felt certain that Senator Stackhouse had an autistic grandchild. CJ realized that I could very well be right. She asked me to let Josh know and find out whether or not I was right.

I hurried back to my desk and started plotting how best to find out the answer. Josh walked by and saw me working with purpose while everyone around me was hanging out, watching and waiting for the filibuster to end. He stopped and looked at me for a second before coming over and sitting on the edge of my desk.

"What's up?" he asked. "Anything I need to know about?"

"Oh, good! There you are." I was searching on the Internet for both information and looking up phone numbers to make a few calls. "I was watching the back story that was being broadcast on Senator Stackhouse and I think I may be on to something. Josh, I don't think he's doing this to be ornery-I think he has an autistic grandson."

Josh's face fell and his jaw dropped open. I continued to tell him how I had come up with the idea and how I was currently working to determine if I was right.

"Whatever I find out, I'll let you know and you can take it to CJ, okay?" I asked as I continued my search.

"No, no, no," Josh said as he stood up from my desk and waved his hands at me.

I looked up at him strangely. What the heck was that supposed to mean?

A huge smile spread across Josh's face as he looked down at me. "You figured this out, you're working the research-you work it with CJ and Leo. I'd only get in the way. You don't need me on this-you've got it under control."

I was totally shocked by what he'd just said. I loved it, of course, but I was shocked. I was getting a chance to see something through myself. And he looked really proud of me when he said that. I couldn't help but smile back at my goofy, grinning boyfriend.

"Thank you, Josh." I said, quietly.

He looked embarrassed and waved his hand dismissively. "I'll be in my office, if you need me. I would like to know what comes of this, okay? Just let me know when you get a chance."

"Okay," I smiled at his disappearing back and returned to my research.

I tried to find out without calling the senator's personal assistant; I wasn't sure how she'd react to a call from Josh Lyman's office. If she was nearly as protective of her boss as I am of mine, she might be holding a grudge after Josh's recent visit to their offices.

I was getting nowhere with my other ideas, so I dialed the number. I decided to go with the "one assistant to another" route and found that Shirley Mathers, the senator's assistant, was a lovely woman. She said that she had almost called me 3 times since the senator had started talking earlier in the afternoon. She was concerned about how long he could last. He was getting old and his cold had really slowed him down recently. She hadn't called because the senator was fiercely protective of his family and she hadn't wanted to betray that. However, she did confirm that the senator had a grandson who was autistic.

I thanked her and assured her that I felt certain that something would happen shortly to help out the senator. She thanked me for our concern.

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I walked into Josh's office and leaned against the table just inside the door. I told Josh that I was correct about the senator's grandson. Josh sighed deeply. I could tell that he felt bad about how he'd pretty much blown off the senator earlier in the week. He looked up at me; the corners of his mouth quirking up slightly and said, "Thanks for the update. Now you better go tell CJ. Leo and the president will need to know, as well."

I'm sure I looked a little freaked out by his last statement because he got up from his desk and walked toward me. He took my right hand between his, stroking the back of my hand reassuringly.

Maintaining constant eye contact, he lifted my hand to his lips and softly kissed it. "What's with this face? You've got absolutely no reason to look at me that way. You're good friends with CJ and you know how highly both Leo and the president think of you."

I smiled a little, knowing deep down that he was right. This was no big deal.

Josh smiled widely at me and squeezed my hand. "I better watch it or Leo will be giving you my job." He turned me around so I was facing out the door. "Do good in there," he whispered in my ear as he lightly pushed me out the door.

I started toward CJ's office, a lump forming in my throat at Josh's use of the same phrase I use to send him off to meetings.

I glanced back at him over my shoulder and was strengthened by the look on his face. I desperately wanted to run back, fling myself into his arms and tell him how much I loved him, but instead, made a note to make sure I did that later.

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I took my findings to CJ who immediately picked up her phone and punched in Leo's cell phone number. She told him what I'd discovered, then hung up. "Let's go. Leo and the president will meet us in the Oval Office," CJ said as she started out of her office.

I followed her but had to ask, "CJ, do you really need me to come in with you?"

"Donna, you're the one who figured this out. I want Leo and the president to know that."

"Okay."

Charlie held us in the outer office while we waited for the president and Leo to make it up from the dining room. When we entered the Oval, I hung back near the door as CJ stepped further forward. The president saw me back there and asked, "Donna, did you need something?"

"Donna is the one who started sniffing around it," CJ explained.

They were discussing how we could help out the senator-get him a break and some attention. I knew a way that they could do it, but I didn't want to interrupt. I had been in the Oval Office many times before, but not actually involved with a meeting like this. So I did the only thing I knew in order to get attention in an intimidating situation; I raised my hand.

Leo looked back and saw this and said, "What are you doing?"

"I didn't know if I was supposed to." I started.

"We don't usually raise our hands," Leo answered, somewhat surprised.

The president commented, "Though it's not the worst idea in the world."

Leo looked back at me, his eyes conveying that it was okay for me to say my piece. "He's allowed to yield for a question without yielding the floor."

"What do you mean?" the Leo asked.

"He's allowed to yield for a question without yielding the floor," I said again.

Leo looked questioningly at the president who said, "I was in the House-I don't know the Senate rules."

"Yes, sir, but Josh does, and he likes to explain and I let him."

That's when the machinery began to hum. Everyone got on phones, trying to reach a senator who we could convince to go down to the senate floor and pose a question to Senator Stackhouse-preferably a LONG question, so he could get a break.

We started with the grandfathers and about 20 minutes later, CJ had a hit with Senator Grissom from Washington.

We all gathered in the communications bullpen to see what would happen next. The president even came in from the Oval Office. I was standing near the front of the room and Josh had come in the back. As the Washington senator broke in to ask his question, we all held our breath, hoping that Senator Stackhouse knew enough about the rules of the filibuster to know that he could yield for a question without yielding the floor.

We all held our breath while the senator appeared to be in dazed thought. He yielded to Senator Grissom, who then explained that his question was rather long and in 22 parts, then suggested that Mr. Stackhouse have a seat and some water-two things that are strictly forbidden under normal filibuster circumstances.

A cheer erupted in the bullpen as we high-fived each other. The president's voice rose above the cheers, saying "Great job, everybody-especially Donna." I received a round of applause from the assembled group as Josh beamed at me from across the room. I'm sure I blushed several shades of red.

TBC