I'm reposting this because it has been so long, since I have updated…There are some minor changes, but nothing that changes the story.

Please send feedback. The good, the bad or the ugly. Just let me know what you think. Also, I have an outline for this story, but I am also open to suggestions, so if you have any, please feel free!

Title: Home to Stay

Author: Nicole

Rating: Teen; for now I guess

Category: AU, Friendship, Romance, Angst

Spoiler Info: General tidbits, and some of the storylines from all seasons, but the story itself is AU

Disclaimer: They are not mine; they belong to Mr. Sorkin and the rich people at Warner Bros. I'm just borrowing them.

Feedback: Yes please, any and all would be appreciated

AN: This is AU, taking place after Donna comes back to the first campaign after leaving for that brief period of time.

Chapter 1

Mid-May, during the first campaign, 1 month after Donna returned from Wisconsin

"NO!"

"Josh-"

"Donna, NO! I'm not going to accept this!"

"You have to Josh." She knew this was coming. She left the letter in his office during his meeting, but she didn't know he was going to find it so fast. She thought she would be gone before he found it with all the junk on his desk. Just like last time. She couldn't bring herself to face him then, and she wasn't ready to face him now. She was planning on facing him this time; she didn't want to lose him. She just needed some time first.

"Donna, in my office, now" His was so full of anger. She knew he was confused, and he deserved the truth but she didn't know how to tell him. She took a deep breath and followed him into his office, shutting the door behind her.

He was a little calmer now, and she took the time to really look at him as he sat down behind desk. He was exhausted of course. They all were. But there was something else, a deeper sadness that she hadn't really noticed before. When he finally spoke, it was so soft, she could barely hear him.

"What did I do?"

She was a little taken aback by the question. She knew he had a tendency to blame himself, but there was no reason for him to this time. "What?"

"You already left me once, and I get it, you had to go back to that loser to see if there was anything there to rebuild, but Donna I gave you another chance. You came back to me, and I can't remember ever being that happy. You can't go back to him again; he's only caused you pain. I don't know what I did to make you want to leave this time, but please you can't go back to him. You have so much potential; you'll waste it with him"

"Trust me Josh. I'm never going back to him."

She wasn't leaving because of him. Josh felt some relief with that. It was quickly replaced with a new sense of anger. How could she just leave again? He took a chance on her, two. The first time she let him down, but he thought he could still trust her. Apparently he was wrong, and now he wanted some answers.

"Then why the hell are you leaving me again?" This time he raised his voice at her, standing. He never really did that with her before but he was so hurt, he didn't know what to do. "I gave you another chance. A chance, by the way, you didn't really deserve. After leaving here the first time, I should have shown you the door when you came back, but I didn't. I trusted you!" He paused for a second, about ready to continue, when he saw her break down in front of him. All his anger instantly disappeared, and he was beside her in an instant.

"I don't want to leave Josh" She choked out through her sobs, "I have to."

"Why? Why do you have to leave?" His voice was softer now as he pulled her into a hug, trying to calm her down.

She pulled away slightly, but didn't pull out of his embrace. "I'm sorry Josh but I can't tell you. It just isn't possible for me to stay here with the campaign. I don't want to leave you Josh. You have been such a good friend to me, but I can't work here. I'm sorry. It wouldn't be good for the campaign"

"Donna, please you have to tell me," he quietly begged.

He saw her breaking down. She wanted to tell him but was currently waging a war with herself over how he couldn't find out yet. She didn't need him worrying about her. He had a campaign to focus on. An important one.

Josh couldn't take the silence. "Does this have anything to do with Dr. Freeride?"

She laughed a little at the name he gave to her ex, Michael. He gave her a soft smile. "Donna?"

"Yeah, technically it does."

"Donna, he doesn't deserve your time. Whatever he said to you, to make you want to leave me again, don't listen to him, Donna. I care about you, he doesn't."

"Josh I told you, I'm never going back to him, not after what he did."

Josh stopped for a moment. He knew they were getting off track but he couldn't help but wonder what he did to her, and if he needed to find this jerk and hurt him.

"What did he do to you, Donna?" His protective side was coming out. Donna loved how protective he was of his friends. He was such a great man; he shouldn't have to deal with her mistake.

"Remember, how I was on crutches when I came back."

"Yeah, you slipped on some ice, right?"

Donna looked away sheepishly. She hated that she had lied to him. Again, something else he didn't deserve. "Well, um…actually…well, you see…" She mumbled nervously.

"Donna. What happened?"

"I was in a car accident. It wasn't that bad, but I needed someone to come get me at the hospital. I called him and on his way to pick me up, he decided to stop at a bar and have a few drinks with his friends. I waited two hours before calling my mom to come get me. I've never been so embarrassed in my life. I hate that I let him talk me in to coming back; that I was stupid enough to give up my life for him. And most of all, I hate that I lied to you about why I left him again, but I couldn't tell you. I was afraid of what you would think of me." She looked down, trying to hide her tears.

Josh put his hand under her chin and lifted her face up to look her in the eyes. "I could never think anything bad about you. You are a wonderful person and you've been a great friend. You were there for me when my father died, and I honestly don't know what I would have done if you hadn't been there keeping me together." That was true. After the short period of time he'd been without her, he realized how much he missed her, both professionally and personally.

"Don't you see Donna? You can't leave this job. I need you. I don't think I'd make it…" He paused fearing he'd almost revealed too much. "…to the election without you here."

Donna started to cry again. "I can't stay Josh. I can't."

"Why not?" This time his voice was gentle, but firm.

"I'm pregnant, Josh"

Pregnant? No, she couldn't be. He knew he must look like an idiot right now, but he couldn't really comprehend what she was telling him.

"Josh?"

He could hear the nervousness in her voice but couldn't bring himself to say anything. So, he pulled her into a strong hug.

She let out a new round of tears as he whispered in her ear. "How far, um, along are you?"

"About a month and a half, it happened at the beginning of April."

"You can't leave, Donna." She wanted to believe him. She wanted to stay and work with him.

"I don't know how it's going to work, Josh."

"We'll make it work. We'll figure it out, and it won't cause any problems with the campaign. You have to stay Donna. You have become my best friend in such a short amount of time and I couldn't picture not working with you anymore. I promise you can do this, and I'll be here to help."

She wanted him to be right, but her mind said it would end badly. At that moment; however, she didn't care. She needed a friend, and he was the only one she could trust. "Ok, I'll stay for now, but I'm not ready to tell anyone else, and you can't treat me any differently."

He gave her a full dimpled smile. "I won't tell anyone. That is all up to you. Can I ask you one question though?"

She looked at him waiting for him to ask.

"Have you told him?"

She knew he would ask eventually. "Yeah, and he wants nothing to do with it. He said he'll help out financially but that was all the contact he wanted. As selfish as it sounds, I'm glad he won't be around. He wouldn't be a good father."

"That doesn't sound selfish." He told her honestly. He knew Freeride had hurt her in many ways. He didn't know the specifics, but he knew she would tell him one day.

"Well, I better get back to work, as should you." She was trying to pull back into professional Donna. As much as she loved the tender moments her and Josh had every now and then, she needed to keep some space. They could be friends, but it couldn't be anything else. He was currently with Mandy, though she expected that was almost over, but she now had a baby coming. There could never be anything more between them.

As she was walking out the door, Josh spoke up, "If you were in an accident, I wouldn't stop for a beer."

She smiled at him, "If you were in an accident, I wouldn't stop for red lights. Thanks for taking me back."

They looked at each other a few moments longer before Donna turned and went back to work.

TBC…