"You're really losing it, Donna. Aaaand now you're talking to yourself too, so that's reassuring." Donna took a large gulp from the paper cup, making a face when the now cold gas station coffee hit her tongue. "Ack."

She'd been on the road for hours, running on caffeine and adrenaline. She was exhausted, more so emotionally than physically, but she was proud of herself. She'd finally done it. She'd left him. For good this time.

It was time- it was over due, really. She'd just kind of done it. No elaborate plan, no screaming match with Paul. She'd woken up one morning and she had been, just, drawn away. There was no other way to explain it. He'd left for class and she'd taken a shower, calmly packed her things and loaded them into her car. He'd come home as expected, between class and his shift at the hospital, and she'd ended it. He was furious, as expected, but they'd had only a limited amount of time. He'd screamed, cursed and broken a glass vase in his fury. He told her they'd continue this when he got home, and she assured him that she'd already be gone.

And she was.

She'd quit her job. She'd cashed out her modest checking account. And at 11:30 that morning she hit the highway, driving to her mother's house in Ohio to spend the night. Her mother didn't exactly approve of what she'd called a hair brained scheme, but on the way out the door early the next morning her step father had kissed her forehead and slipped her some gas money. "Have fun with your sister," he'd told her. "I'm proud of both of you."

And so, 11 hours later, here she was. Zipping down the freeway, singing along to the radio and finally approaching her destination.

She'd called her sister the day before, taking her up on the standing offer. After Donna's return from vacation her sister had taken a new job, and a few months later, she was still on the east coast. Donna hadn't asked many questions initially, but she'd done her own research and come to her own conclusions. She could take a job working with her sister and do something that made her proud. Something that mattered. Something that she was doing for herself, and not for a man.

It had become her mantra over the course of the last thousand miles: 'Do this for yourself,' she repeated.

Her eyes flicked over to the passenger seat, focusing on the now well worn scrap of paper she'd carried in her wallet for the last months.

Noah Lyman

Debevoise & Plimpton

919 3rd Ave #43

New York, NY 10022

(212) 555-0127

She'd stared at it for hours, she was sure. But maybe, she thought, this was the opportunity. She wasn't far now- she's already planned to find a day or two to head into the city and find him. She still had no idea what she'd say, but if she could just get a message to Josh she was sure he'd be receptive. She was just sure of it. And then... we'll, actually she didn't have a plan beyond that. But she'd have a job and be her own woman and maybe, just maybe, she'd know what could have been. Closure, she told herself, was all she needed.

OoooooooO

"Where's idiot boy?" CJ flopped down in the visitors chair in Sam's makeshift office.

Sam didn't even look up from the papers he was studying when he muttered his response. "On a personal call."

CJ raised her eyebrows. "But he doesn't have a personal life."

Sam shot her a sideways glance. "What about Mandy?"

CJ rolled her eyes. She wasn't fond of the woman- nobody who was friends with Josh was fond of that woman. "You know as well as I do, Sparky, that what those two have can be defined more as entrapment than a relationship."

Sam shrugged his shoulders. Josh and Mandy's on again off again situation was too exhausting to keep up with. She used him, he used her. But Josh just wasn't really the conventional relationship type. He was so high strung and such a workaholic that Sam couldn't imagine him in any other arrangement. He also knew, however, that Josh didn't ever break things off. He'd made it pretty clear to Mandy and everyone else that nothing serious was going on between them, but that didn't stop him from being drug along as the fill in boyfriend for half of a DC power couple.

"Anyway," CJ changed the subject, "he's been all mopey for a day or two. Know what that's about?"

Sam shook his head no. "He keeps yelling that he's just going to get on an airplane to Wisconsin and do it himself. Are we having staffing issues with the volunteers in Wisconsin?"

"No idea. Are we still on for the thing tonight?"

"Yeah," Sam confirmed. "I think we could all use a few drinks." He glanced at his watch and dropped his papers. "It's already past 8:00. Maybe we should just get out of here and tell Josh to meet us at the bar. There's no telling when he's going to be back."

Just then, the front door to the makeshift campaign headquarters opened and slammed shut, immediately filling the office with a tirade that could only come from one staffer.

"Ah, speak of the devil," CJ smirked. She stood, watching Josh storm into the disaster area that was his cubicle and throw his backpack down, muttering something under his breath.

"Well Sam, that's your cue," CJ grinned. "I'm going to head back to the hotel and change. Should we meet you there?"

"We'll stop by your room and walk you over," Sam told her. He was always such a gentleman.

"Godspeed," CJ told him with a laugh, hearing a crash from the next office over.

OoooooooO

Donna lugged her suitcase up a flight of stairs and into the hotel room she'd been given a key for. She had to admit she was a bit surprised- it wasn't like the fancy places her sister usually stayed. But, the again, this wasn't the type of work her sister usually did. Donna was still thankful- it was a roof and a bed and it was paid for.

Her sister had managed to snag her a volunteer position, and though it was unpaid for the time being she was determined to prove herself and leverage it into a full blown job.

Dropping her luggage onto the floor with a sigh, Donna didn't want anything now but sleep. She dug into her bag, pulling out a pair of flannel pajama shorts and Josh's old Yale sweatshirt that she'd snagged on their vacation. It had quickly become her favorite. Donna changed clothes and washed her face, glad to rinse away 13 hours of travel. She then flopped down on the bed and turned on the TV, anxious to see her big sister before she passed out from exhaustion.

OooooooooO

"Toby's meeting us," Josh questioned.

"In the lobby in five minutes," Sam confirmed.

They walked a few more steps in silence.

"What's so bad about having an assistant," Sam wondered as he and Josh climbed the stairs to CJs room.

"Well nothing, in theory. But Leo just hired her sight unseen. I mean come on! This is a campaign for the Presidency, Sam. Not a place to find yourself. I don't have time to supervise someone who's never done this before."

"I'm sure it won't be so bad," Sam offered. "She comes highly recommended," Sam gave a half smile. "And I bet she's cute."

"Yeah, Mandy will love that," Josh sighed, his shoulders slumping. "I just don't need anything else on my plate right now."

"Well, here's your moment of truth," Sam clapped him on the back. "Just be nice to her for CJ's sake. And loosen up tonight. You could use a little fun."

Josh shook his head and shoved his hands in his pockets. "We should be working..."

Sam didn't wait for Josh to finish, knocking sharply on the door to CJ's room.

The door swung open a quick moment later and Josh's heart skipped a beat.

OoooooooO

"Will you get that?" CJ yelled out from where she was changing in the bathroom. "It's the guys to pick us up."

"Yeah, okay." Still clad in her pajamas and really not wanting to head out to a bar she undid the latch and causally opened the door. Donna gasp. She couldn't believe her eyes.

XxxxxxxxX

Well, what do you think? Did you see that coming a mile away?