Where We Go From Here

Title: This Woman (1/1)

Title: This Woman (1/1)
Author: Michelle K. (CageyGrl@yahoo.com)
Rating: PG-13
Archive: If you have some of my other stuff, feel free to take this too. New archives - drop me a line first.
Pairing: Donna/Leo
Summary: Leo's thoughts on Donna and their relationship. (sequel to 'Just the Touch of Your Hand')

Disclaimer: Not mine. Don't sue. It'll be like squeezing blood out of stone, trust me.

Thanks: To Priya, for looking over my Leo and making sure I didn't do him completely wrong. And, again, to the peeps who like this series.

Notes: Next installment in the "Where We Go From Here" series. Previous installments are:

"Unexpected," "In Need," "Afternoon and Night," "Keeping Secrets," and "Just the Touch of Your Hand."

Written in Leo's POV. This story just exists so I can incorporate Leo POV into an upcoming story seamlessly.

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I never thought of Donna this way. I never thought I'd be with her.

She was just a girl who worked with us. Not unlike Margaret or any of the other assistants. She was strange, for sure. Once again, not unlike Margaret. I suppose I liked her well enough - I had no reason to dislike her. And it does take a capable person to keep Josh's head screwed on straight.

And that's how I thought of her. A girl who buzzed around, managing Josh's life and trying to keep everyone informed about Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

Yeah, that's what she was. I never thought of her as anything more.

Until that night. I was just going to grab a late dinner before I went home. And there she was - I could tell something had happened. I didn't know her that well, but I could tell she was upset. So, I went over. I talked to her. I had dinner with her. I seemed to cheer her up.

And there was something about her. I don't know what the hell it was, but I just felt comfortable with her. I wondered why I'd never spent more time with her. And the thought seemed bizarre to me as it entered my mind. I couldn't understand what it was, but something was happening. I knew she wasn't some girl - she was this woman. This intelligent, beautiful woman who deserved to be treated better than she had been.

And I probably would've been fine with keeping these thoughts to myself; been fine with going our separate ways in that parking lot. Been fine with just having our normal basic interaction in work.

Then she asked to go home with me. In retrospect, I should've foreseen what was going to happen. Christ, maybe I did know what was going to happen and I just wanted it to happen. I don't even know.

But I did. I took her home with me.

We talked, she rested her head on my shoulder. Then she kissed me. I immediately thought of all the reasons why this should stop. I'm twice her age. We work together. Despite all her protests to the contrary, I knew she'd regret this in the morning. Shs ons only doing it because she felt lonely. I was probably the first man in a while to pay attention to her.

I should've stopped it. I told her that it would be a big mistake. I wanted her to stop it because I didn't want to. I couldn't. Maybe it's because it's been a long time since a woman wanted me like this. And maybe it's because I wanted her.

I wanted her to stop it. I gave her a million little opportunities to come to her senses, but she didn't. I didn't either.

The morning after, I felt like an ass. I felt like an ass for doing it, and I felt like an ass bec I w I would've done it again. Because it felt right. She felt right.

But I knew she couldn't want this to go anywhere. Where the hell could it go? So, I said we should just forget it. Two lonely people. It just happened. We're adults, right? We could forget it.

And she had agreed. I was relieved. I was disappointed. But I was going to forget it. I've forgotten worse things. Hell, maybe I've even forgotten better things.

But I didn't forget it. I probably thought about it way too much.

Then, one night, we found ourselves alone again. I wasn't going to say anything. A smart man would keep this mouth shut.

I usually would be that man. But I didn't keep my mouth shut. And we ended up in the same place we did that night before.

I'm still surprised that she thinks of me this way. She knows all this crap about me. She knows I'm old enough to be her father. She knows I'm a drunk with a failed marriage. She knows that I'm a workaholic. She knew all these things before the first time, and she still wants me like this.

I'm still surprised that she reacts to my touch. That she looks at me as if I was the most desirable man on earth. It never occurred to me that a woman would look at me that way again.

I'm still not sure quite what it is she sees in me. I'm still not sure why what we have works so well.

But she makes me happy. Somehow, I've made her happy.

I might love her. I almost said that er ter tonight. But it didn't make any sense to say that - if I say that to her, I should be sure. I should know if this is how I feel, or if it's just because this is the first relationship I've had since Jenny. But this is something real.

I don't know. I do care about her. I miss her when I don't get to see her.

I might love her. Christ, I don't know.

I may still have feelings for Jenny. I can't say I feel nothing for her. This only complicates things.

It doesn't change that I might love Donna.

But I am still hung up on what everyone will think of this. Mal's head is definitely going to explode.

Sometimes, I do feel like a dirty old man that's screwing a girl half his age.

But it's more than just sex. Because she is this woman...this amazing woman. Why I never noticed this before, I don't know. But I do now.

And all this crap that could happen, what people could think of this - I will admit it bothers me. But beyond all that, it feels right.

And this woman...

Donna.

Donna could never be a mistake.

THE END