Comfort
By Misha

Disclaimer- These characters are all the property of NBC, Aaron Sorkin, or whoever. I'm not writing this for profit in any way, shape, or form, but because I have a lot of spare time on my hands. So please, don't sue me.

Author's Notes- Okay, I mention the events of this story in "Never Meant to Be Mine" and decided to write a story about it. It's just a short Sam/Donna friendship piece focusing on Sam's would-be wedding day. It's short and kind of sweet. Well, that's all for now, enjoy!

Spoilers- "In the Shadow of Two Gunmen", "17 People", and "100,000 Aeroplanes".

Rating- PG

He heard the knock on the door and the gentle female voice, but he ignored them both.

He continued to sit on his bed and cry.

It was the first time he had allowed himself to cry since it happened last March. Since Lisa and he decided not to get married. Since she had decided that they weren't getting married.

He thought that he was doing okay. But, then today happened. It should have been his wedding day, but it wasn't. Instead he was sitting alone in a hotel somewhere in Oklahoma. That was all he could think about and, finally, the tears came.

Suddenly, he heard the door open.

"Sam?" He saw Donna stick her pale blonde head in.

"Go away." He muttered, not looking at her.

She ignored him and crossed the room, closing the door behind her. "Sam, what's wrong?"

He didn't know Donna very well, even though she'd been with them since September if you didn't count that three week period when she had gone back to her ex and Josh had been miserable.

He really just thought of her Josh's assistant, even though he was beginning to suspect that Josh thought of her as more than that. Still, Donna was not someone he wanted to have see him this way.

"I said go away." He said forcefully.

Donna ignored him, Josh had told him that she ignored a lot of things, and sat down on the bed beside him.

"Sam, what's wrong?" She repeated gently.

He looked up and saw her big blue eyes full of concern.

"You can talk to me." She whispered, taking his hand in hers.

He didn't know why, but suddenly he realized that she was right and decided that he wanted to talk to her.

"I was supposed to get married today." He told her in a low voice.

"I'm sorry." She whispered.

"So am I." He told her. "I was so sure that she was the one. That this was right, but then it fell apart."

"Which proves that it wasn't right." She told him. "When it's right, it won't fall apart."

She looked him straight in the eye.

"Sam, when the right woman comes along, you'll know." She told him. "The right person won't make you sacrifice your beliefs or your life for them. Oh, there will be compromise involved, because with love there always is. But someone who truly loves you and who you truly love, won't make you give up what makes you happy just because it means that their life doesn't have to change. If that happens, then obviously it's not right."

He could tell that Donna was speaking from her own experience. That she was drawing on her relationship with the ex that Josh referred to as ÔDr. Free-ride.'

"I just... I just want marriage and family." He told her.

"And you'll have them, one day." She promised. "Sam, you're a great guy and sooner or later, the right woman will come along. All you have to do is wait."

"Thank you." He whispered.

"No problem." She told him.

She moved to stand up and he stopped her.

"Would you mind sitting here with me a little longer?" He asked. "I don't want to go face everybody, but I don't want to be alone either."

"Of course." She said, smiling at him.

He smiled slightly in return and suddenly realized why this woman meant so much to Josh, even if he wouldn't admit it. She was warm and kind, and her very presence made Sam feel a little bit better.

Whoever Donna eventually married, and Sam was already willing to place money the fact that it would be Josh, was very lucky indeed.

He only hoped that he could be as lucky someday.