Josh glared at the door for the second time in a day. He'd spent all day cursing himself for not knocking on Donna's door the night before. He just wasn't expecting to see her there, let alone in the room opposite his. He was quietly terrified. More regrets were the last thing he wanted but facing her? Talking to her again?

Josh sighed as he confronted the door. Biting his lip and muttering 'fuck it' under his breath, he hammered the door more suddenly than was considered polite.

An immediate urge to run away kicked in but he froze to the spot. He could do this. He was Bartlet's Pitbull! Or at least, he used to be. When it came to this, he felt like a helpless and probably irritating puppy.

It felt like an eternity waiting. He looked down the whole time, hoping it'd somehow make him invisible.

Eventually, he heard the door slowly click as it opened. Looking up nervously, he faced Donna.

"Hi"

"What do you want, Josh?"

She looked tired. Admittedly, he knew he probably looked just as tired, and worse looking for it. He was wearing more clothes, though, while Donna had short pyjama pants on that meant he immediately noticed the long scar down her leg. It looked nastier than he'd expected.

"We need to talk," he explained. "Can I come in?"

Donna looked as if she was thinking about her answer before grudgingly replying, "I guess."

Donna moved aside, allowing Josh into her room. He took a moment to take a deep breath, away from her watchful eyes. In the same breath, he quickly looked around the room.

The bed was covered in medication boxes. Ok, not covered exactly, he admitted to himself, but more than enough. He knew Donna rarely used to take pain medication. She would grudgingly put up with any headache without backing down, muttering how she'd rather just keep hydrated. A quick glance suggested those days were in the past. Near the meds were a plentiful supply of heat pads - including one still plugged in and presumably charging. A pillow was placed quite far down the bed. He guessed that was what her leg had been resting on till he knocked.

"What's all this stuff?" He questioned.

"You come in my room and start questioning me about how neat I keep things?" She threw back at him, accusingly.

As she spoke, she walked towards the bed. Josh noticed it was an awkward walk. A kind of shuffle as if she was trying to cover for something. He suspected the things on the bed and her shuffling walk were caused by the same problem.

"Is your leg still bad? I thought it had healed up before you lef..."

He didn't finish the sentence. This wasn't how things were meant to go.

"Did you ever think to ask?"

She asked the question simply, without any real aggression behind it. The simplicity to the question still hit him hard.

"No, but I assumed you were walking around so..."

She sat down on the bed, moving to prop her leg up on the pillow.

Josh stayed standing, not entirely sure whether he was even allowed to be in her room now, let alone sitting on her bed.

"You mean like how I've been walking around on the campaign all this time?"

Josh looked dumbfounded.

"Yes, Josh. It still hurts. A lot."

Crestfallen, Josh shook his head, "I'm sorry, Donna."

"Why? You didn't do it."

She moved the now charged heat pad and placed it on her leg. Josh scratched the back of his head and looked on.

"It's just..." He started, not even sure himself what he was going to say next.

"What, Josh?" She glared as she said it.

This wasn't going how he wanted it to.

He took a deep breath as he moved towards her bed, perching himself on the edge of it. He looked away from her, clutching his hands tightly together.

"I miss you."

He'd never felt so nervous in his life before. Just by voicing this to her, he felt like he was saying too much.

"Josh, I..."

Josh interrupted her, "I need to say this, Donna..."

She returned to silence, watching his back, wishing he'd turn and show his face.

"I didn't think I'd miss you. I know that's not what you're meant to say in these situations, but I didn't. I miss enough people. I thought one more wouldn't be a big deal but..."

His voice cracked as he stumbled over his words. Donna could feel her anger dissipating.

"I just didn't realise this would be so hard," he practically whispered.

Donna moved to reach out to him.

"Josh..." She uttered, placing one hand on his shoulder supportively.

Josh tensed as he felt her hand brushing his shoulder, before getting up and stepping away from the bed.

He looked towards the window, still not turning to look at her.

"I screwed up and I don't know what to do. I kept not wanting you to take new opportunities, then I thought I'd send you to Gaza and look what happened," Josh sighed.

Donna could see his shoulders slump as he said it.

"Then? I was so pleased to have you back. For you to still be you. That I didn't want to face that you were struggling so much. It was so scary seeing you in that hospital."

He paused for a beat, "I wish it had been me."

"Josh..." Donna got off the bed and slowly stumbled towards him.

"You didn't deserve to suffer like that. And you didn't deserve me to treat you like I did."

Donna stopped a pace or two away from Josh. Josh paused for a moment.

"You deserve better than all of this, and for your leg to be so screwed up," he finished.

"You think I deserve my leg to be this screwed up?" Donna said with a hint of mirth in her voice.

"Don..." Josh stuttered.

"I know what you meant, Josh. It was meant to lighten the mood."

"Oh," Josh turned to look at Donna. He refused to look her in the eye, though.

"Josh, look at me." Donna announced forcefully.

Josh looked up slowly. Almost sullenly. It was hard not to notice that he really did look quite broken, as well as exhausted.

Donna sighed at the sight, before she said what needed saying.

"Josh, you're an idiot."

He recoiled slightly in surprise at such a declaration.

Donna moved to sit back down on the bed now she had his attention. She propped her leg up carefully.

"I say this because I love you, but you've got to stop blaming yourself for everything. This..." She glared as she pointed back and forth between them, "is down to both of us. Both of us being stupid at different times."

Josh raised his eyebrows in surprise. Before he had a chance to speak, Donna interrupted him.

"You being more stupid than me, obviously."

He nodded in agreement, looking thoughtful for a moment.

"Wait a second," he said. The penny had finally dropped. "Did you just say you love me?"

His eyes lit up as he focused on her. The most they'd lit up in what felt like months.

She smiled gently at him, appreciating the reaction.

"Yes, Josh, I do. Even if that makes me nearly as stupid as you," she smirked.

Josh grinned back at her, elated at the response. He moved towards her, sitting on the bed now, almost within touching distance of her.

"So, now what?" He asked timidly.

"We talk," Donna replied quickly.

Josh nodded, moving his hand to clasp hers gently. She folded her hand into his and briefly appreciated how it looked.

"Not tonight, though," she concluded.

Confused, Josh went to question her remark just as she continued.

"We both need some sleep. We can come back to this."

"I guess..." Josh answered uncertainly, rising from the bed but not yet releasing Donna's hand.

"Go get some sleep, Joshua," Donna said softly, trying to give him a reassuring smile.

"K," he replied, finally letting go of her hand, and moving towards the door.

He turned by the door to look at her.

"Sleep well," he quietly uttered, mustering the warmest smile possible at such a late hour.

She smiled as he opened the door and left.

As he stepped towards his own hotel room door, he realised he'd never said he loved her too.