Exclusive 1/5
By Lacy


"Crown Prince?"

I glance up to see Sam Seaborn standing at the entrance to my office,
holding a copy of this morning's Washington Post.

"Crown Prince?"

"Huh?" I ask. My mind is half on other things. Matters of State,
and all that.

"Cinderella Captures Crown Prince."

"Oh," I say. "Yeah?"

"Since when are you the crown prince?"

"Since I didn't get my picture in the paper with a prostitute?"

Sam huffs -- a honest-to-goodness huff. His Ivy League education and
arsenal of ten dollar words have failed him.

"Is that Danny's article?" I ask.

"Yes, and it's remarkably positive. For once."

"Give it here," I demand. I honestly had not had the chance to
peruse the outcome of yesterday's press conference. I came in to
work early this morning in an effort to catch up on some of things
that had to be put on the back burner to make way for yesterday's
reception.

Of course, part of my reason for coming in early is that I did not
get to spend last night with Donna. I had a little trouble
sleeping. We were on the phone with one another until two o'clock,
and I had to remind her to hang up as she drifted off. I think she's
still a little worn out from the whirlwind of experiences that have
been thrust upon her over the last few weeks. I told her to sleep in.

I check my crappy watch and see that Donna has taken my advice
seriously. It's 8:30 -- or more likely, 8:45.

Sam thrusts his copy of the Post in my direction and I extricate it
from his hand. I lay the paper out on my desk. The first thing I
notice is the picture of me and Donna on the front page. She's
smiling at me, her eyes aglow, and I have my arm around her waist.

"We made the front page?" I ask. "There wasn't something going on
yesterday that was...I don't know...more important?"

"The public loves its romance, Josh. Especially when you consider
that apparently, unbeknownst to the rest of us slags that work in the
West Wing, you are American royalty."

"Aren't you taking this a little personally, Sam?"

"Crown Prince?" he asks again, incredulous. He paces back and forth
as I skim through the article, looking for any possible digs.

"Hey, it says here that you're left as the 'heir apparent'," I cajole.

"It does? It says that? I'm the heir apparent?" Sam seizes the
paper from me, and skims the front page.

"Did you even read this article?"

"Most of it," he huffs again.

"So, what else is there?" I ask.

"It's everywhere, Josh. Have you even seen this morning's papers?
You guys made the front page of the Los Angeles Times, the Houston
Chronicle, the Dallas Morning News, the Boston and Miami Heralds, the
Chicago Sun-Times and the Tribune. Did I mention the New York Times?"

"Are you serious?"

"Completely. Sex sells, Josh. Even in the most reputable of news
rags."

"Sex?" I think my pitch just went up a notch. "Who said anything
about sex? Did we talk about sex yesterday, and my mind is
conveniently blocking it out?"

"No, we managed to completely avoid the issue entirely. But, don't
you see? That makes it all more intriguing--" his lecture suddenly
breaks off and he looks down at me. "Are you and Donna not having
sex yet?"

"Get out."

"C'mon, I'm your best friend, you can tell me. Have you decided to
take it slow? Don't you think you two have been in neutral for a
little too long?"

"Your status as my best friend is slipping, Sam," I warn.

"I'm just asking. In the interest of watching yours and Donna's
backs."

"You better not be 'watching' Donna's back."

"Oh, and jealous Josh rears his ugly head," Sam mutters under his
breath.

"Get out."

Sam places his hands on his hips and says, "You bet." He turns on
his heels and steps out of the office.

"Sam?" I call before he has a chance to get very far.

"Yeah?" he pokes his head in through my door.

"Could you round up a few copies of the papers you mentioned? I'd
like to get a look at them."

"So, I'm your assistant now? Where's Donna, by the way? I thought
she might want to be here this morning to, you know, bask in the glow
of her glorious success."

"I told her to sleep in today."

"You what?"

"Are you having problems with that impacted ear wax, again?"

"Josh, do you think that's wise?"

"I do. Look, Sam, let's not forget that Donna was just released from
the hospital."

"Okay, but in light of yesterday's disclosure--"

"Sam, if she wasn't my girlfriend I would've given her the week off."

He considers this for a moment. No doubt trying to decide if this
makes me a good boyfriend or a bad boyfriend.

"Sam?" I draw him out of the depths of his own mind. "The papers?"

"Oh, right," he jumps back into the moment. "I'll get Cathy on that
-- if she's decided that she's talking to me today."

"Thanks." I glance up to see he is still standing at my desk. "You
can go now," I say.

Sam nods sharply, pivots again, and walks off in the direction of the
Communications bullpen with that bouncy stride of his.

"Crown Prince?" I mutter under my breath. I sigh. When Donna gets
in she's going to spend the rest of the day making sure I don't let
this go to my head. On the other hand, she might flit around the
office like the Cinderella she is.

My phone rings. "Josh Lyman."

"Good morning, Joshua." The sound of her morning voice sends tingles
traveling down my spine.

"Good morning, Sunshine," I respond. "Will you be joining me today?
We have a country to run, remember? And I can't do it without you."

"You said I could sleep in."

"I did."

"Okay, I just wanted make sure I wasn't subconsciously projecting my
needs and desires upon you."

"Well, we can discuss that tonight," I chuckle.

"Flirting, Josh?"

"I'm still getting used to it."

"You have a nine o'clock with Leo." She has an eerie ability to get
right down to business.

"What time is it?"

She sighs, and I know that she is mentally cursing my crappy
timepiece. "It's 8:55, Joshua."

"That doesn't leave you much time for prep. What am I seeing Leo
about?"

"The yearly staff reviews."

"You're kidding."

"Sorry."

"You know that I'm going to have complain about your tardiness,
right?"

"Josh, I'll be in before you get done with Leo." I can hear her
smiling at my jest.

"Or he gets done with me," I mutter. "Have you seen the papers?"

"No....I--"

"Too nervous?"

"Yes."

"You really should get in here. You have some basking to do,
Cinderella. Your line is ringing off the hook."

TBC

****