out_there | WW fic for michellek: Time Warp

Title: Time Warp
Fandom: West Wing
Pairing: CJ/Donna
Rating: G
Spoilers: Set vaguely during S4
Notes: Michelle requested CJ/Donna featuring the line "I think you've changed. A lot." Thanks to Signe for quickly betaing and making sure it made sense.

***

Time Warp

Donna reaches for the can of Red Bull and blinks at the words in front of her until they make sense again. She remembers the late nights from the first campaign but somehow she forgot that another campaign would demand the same hours. "It's like stepping back in time," she mutters under her breath as she searches for her pen.

"What?"

Donna spins around at CJ's voice. She's tired and punchy enough that she nearly spins herself off her chair. Instead, she just manages to send her not so small pile of pens and pencils clattering to the floor. "It was nothing," Donna manages as she drops to her knees and starts grabbing at her pens.

CJ laughs, not unkindly. "You were just reciting Rocky Horror for the fun of it?"

Donna looks up - and from this angle, it's a long way up - to CJ's amused grin. "What?"

"Rocky Horror Picture Show. The Time Warp?"

"Oh." Donna sighs, and climbs back up to her chair. "It's been a long night, CJ. I think my sense of humor fell asleep a couple hours ago."

"It's probably in bed with my enthusiasm." CJ runs a hand through her hair, but it somehow falls back into the same well-groomed shape. Donna guesses it must be a really good haircut, or else CJ knows some magic spell to keep her looking glamorous hour after hour. She isn't discounting either theory right now. "You want to grab a cup of coffee?"

Donna doesn't point out the half-empty can of caffeine sitting on her desk. "Sure." Right now, she appreciates the walk almost as much as the company.

CJ's heels click on the hard floor of the cafeteria, and Donna quickly realizes that other people have raided all possible snacks. If she wants food, she's going to have to order it in, which seems more bother than it's worth.

CJ's already pouring the coffees. "So what was the stepping back in time crack?"

"Huh?" Donna's a little surprised that CJ heard her; she's more surprised that CJ bothered to listen. She's too used to Josh ignoring the complaints and railroading over her. "Just... Do you ever get the feeling that time's gone back a few years and you just didn't notice?"

CJ pauses, brows drawing together slightly as she thinks. "No," she replies, staring straight at Donna.

"Oh. Well, I was just having one of those moments." Donna shrugs and blows on her too-hot coffee. She could ask for more milk, but the quicker she finishes this cup, the sooner she'll be back at her desk, working on the next stack of files. "It's just the campaign, I guess. Sometimes, it feels as nothing's changed. Like I'm going to have to go running after Josh any minute now, and try to convince him that I can do this job."

"You do a good job." CJ drinks her coffee and Donna doesn't even wonder how CJ can do that without leaving a lipstick echo. It's just part of CJ.

"Yeah, it's just..." Donna tries to shake it off with a bright smile. "Suddenly realizing that years have passed, and you're still the same."

CJ tilts her head to the side, studying Donna rather obviously. "I think you've changed. A lot." CJ takes a step closer, encroaching on Donna's personal space.

"The small stuff? Sure." Donna waves it away easily but doesn't move away from CJ. "I dress better and my apartment's nicer, and I don't date half as much as I used to. But deep down, I'm still me. I'm still running to keep up but I always seem to fall behind."

"You're not." CJ leans forward, running long, manicured fingers down Donna's arm. Donna is almost certain that she hid her shiver. "It's impossible to keep up with everything that goes on around here. Trust me on that."

Donna nods just a little too quickly. "Okay."

"I've seen you in action," CJ says with a smile that could be friendly, if Donna ignores the heat in her eyes. "You're a formidable woman when you're going after something you want." CJ steps back gracefully and picks up her coffee.

Donna blinks for a moment, not quite sure what just happened. "Thank you."

"It all depends on how badly you want it," CJ says and then walks away.

Donna watches the easy sway of her hip, thinking over CJ's words as she mindlessly stirs her coffee. Then she sets it back on the counter with a small clatter, and half-runs and half-trots up the corridor.

She catches up to CJ quickly. CJ must have been dawdling. "And if I want it badly enough?" she asks hastily.

"You'll find a way to get it." CJ grins, and the way her hand brushes Donna's hip could be accidental. It could be perfectly innocent. But Donna knows it isn't either of those. It's a promise for later.

The End