Charlie smiled as he slowly made his way through the all too familiar halls of the West Wing. Offices and desks were configured slightly differently as to when Charlie worked in this building, but he was pleased to see that not too much had changed. Spirits were high in the office as just three weeks earlier; President Santos had sealed reelection by a comfortable margin.

"Hey, sorry," a voice behind him said. Charlie turned just as Sam was catching up to him, putting a hand on Charlie's shoulder. "Just had to clear something up with Lou."

"You decide if I got the job yet?" Charlie asked with an innocent smile. Sam just raised his eyebrows and kept walking. Sam had been interviewing Charlie for a position in the counsel's office.

"You're sure you would feel comfortable working with a Republican?" Sam asked, smirking.

"I think I could handle it, but Sam I really-"

"Oh Charlie, come on. Stop it, it's not favoritism!"

"How do you think the other candidates for this job would feel if they knew I got to hang out with the Chief of Staff after my interview?"

"Charlie," Sam drawled. "He'd be upset if he knew you were here and you didn't stop in to say hi."

"I just don't want anyone thinking I got this job for any reason other than merit."

"Charlie, you have a law degree and how many years of White House experience?" Sam asked. "I think your credentials are just fine. So stop worrying!"

Charlie gave him a pointed look but said nothing.

Sam smiled again and stopped as they arrived at Margaret's desk outside Josh's office.

"Charlie!" Margaret cried with delight. She got up and moved around the desk to hug him. "How are you?"

"I'm fine," Charlie smiled, hugging her back.

"How's the missus?" she asked with a sly smile. Charlie chuckled.

"She's good, visiting her parents in New Hampshire actually."

"Well give Zoey my best," Margaret smiled.

"Hey Margaret, we good to get a few minutes with him?" Sam interrupted as Charlie pulled out his phone to show Margaret pictures from the vacation he and Zoey had taken a few months prior. He swiftly checked his watch.

"Huh? Oh, sure," she said distractedly as she delighted over Charlie's photos.

Sam raised his eyebrows and moved towards the door.

"Come on, Charlie."

Charlie pulled his phone away with an apologetic smile.

Sam knocked lightly before pushing the door open, leading Charlie inside the office.

"Oh." Sam said suddenly as the room came into view, stopping short. A fond smile finding its way to his lips.

"You didn't even tell him I was coming?" Charlie demanded in a whisper.

Josh Lyman was stretched out across the sofa, one leg tucked up underneath the other, snoring softly. His head and shoulders were propped up by the arm of the couch and in his hand hanging off the edge of the sofa; his fingers loosely clung to a briefing memo he had clearly been attempting to read. His other arm was wrapped loosely around a small toddler asleep on his chest, a mop of curly light brown hair atop his head. The boy was dressed in a stripy blue sweatshirt and a pair of beige khaki pants that were cuffed at the bottom. On his feet he wore a pair of socks with red socks with rubber duckies on them. A sharp contrast to the man he was sleeping on, who was wearing an increasingly rumpled dress shirt and pants, but also wearing socks decorated with tiny rubber duckies. ("Do you want anyone in Washington to take me seriously, Donna?" "You'll match!")

"Josh?" Sam called lightly, knocking a bit on the still open door. Josh didn't stir.

"I think he's still catching up on sleep after the election," Sam muttered after a few moments. Charlie nodded sympathetically, remembering the Bartlet campaign.

"Look, Sam, clearly this is a bad time-" Sam rolled his eyes again as he saw Charlie look over Sam's shoulder and out of the office and started to move towards the door, looking for anyone who might catch a glimpse of him and start a rumor about nepotism and favorites.

"Charlie, it's the end of the day," Sam reached to shut the door. "And it's been a pretty light day for once. Just relax."

"Please?" Sam said after the door clicked shut. Before Charlie could answer though, their attentions were diverted to the little head that just popped up from Josh's chest at the click of the door closing. The toddler slowly pushed himself into a sitting position with a slight whimper, rubbing at his eyes with two balled up fists.

Charlie looked accusingly at Sam, who raised his hands up in surrender.

"I forgot what a light sleeper the kid is okay?" he said quickly.

"Hey, Noah," he said soothingly, walking over to him. Josh still hadn't stirred. "You feeling sleepy?" Noah looked blankly at him as if deciding if he wanted to cry at being woken up or not. Sam scooped him up quickly before he could make up his mind. Noah sighed tiredly and rested his head on Sam's shoulder. With the toddler on his hip, Sam swung back around to Charlie.

"Remember who this is Noah?"

Charlie smiled and waved, but didn't expect to see any recognition in the kid's face, Noah was only a year and a half old. They'd met at one of the inaugural balls recently. Noah had been the hit of the party, scoring Josh and Donna major points wherever they went with his adorable miniature tuxedo.

"Charleeee," Noah said happily, reaching out a chubby hand towards him, dimples appeared on both his cheeks and Charlie broke into a large grin.

"Hey, little man. Got any more of those snacks hiding around?"

Noah grinned and shook his head, still rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

They turned as they heard the door open again.

"Josh?" Donna strode into the office purposefully, her eyes flashing across the room and then freezing on Sam, Charlie, and Noah. She paused for a moment, thoroughly confused at the people standing in front of her.

"Charlie?" she said with a baffled expression. She laughed. "What are you doing here?" She walked over and hugged him close. Or at least as close as her swollen belly would allow.

"Interviewing for a counsel job," Sam answered. Donna turned and took in Noah, perched tiredly on Sam's hip.

"Hey, Baby Boy!" Donna greeted cheerfully. She reached out for him and Noah happily reached back, giggling. Though she didn't make to take him from Sam. She was getting to the point now where her belly was too big for her to comfortably carry Noah.

"Why aren't you with..." Donna trailed off and started looking around the room. Her eyes settled on the still sleeping form of her husband on the couch. She smiled warmly as she rolled her eyes.

"He was in the situation room last night until 3," she explained quickly to Sam and Charlie. "Hadn't seen Noah at all yesterday, so wanted time with him now. That seems to have worked out well," she ended with a little bit of sarcasm, but her voice was filled with warmth.

"They were napping on the couch when we came in," Sam supplied eagerly.

Donna looked down at the briefing book dangling from Josh's hand.

"Noah, did he try and read you his notes again?"

"No," came a defiant voice coated in sleep. Everyone looked down to Josh who had finally awoken, at least partially.

"Josh..." Donna said imploringly.

"...Yes," he answered before turning over on the couch so that the back cushions hid his face.

"Do we really think giving Noah codeword clearance is a good idea?" Sam asked with a smile.