A/N: This was written for the Soulmates challenge (at JDFF), I wrote the second installment first (with the Stackhouse filibuster) but then realized that it didn't make any sense without this story.

Disclaimer: You'll recognize some lines from the original episode, those are Sorkin's of course, as are all the characters, I'm just playing with them.


Soulmates

Donna entered the room, she didn't know what she would find there, but one thing was sure, her husband was there, he was going to take her in his arms and she would feel safe once again. When she heard the news that there were shots fired at the President of the United States a fog descended upon her mind. She couldn't believe that someone had enough hatred in them to hurt one of the greatest minds that ever occupied the office of the President and a nice, kind man who had a family to live for. Donna met the President a few times before but she was a bit intimidated in his presence. Back when he was Governor Bartlet they had an interesting encounter but as soon as he took the oath of office, Donna couldn't muster the same courage.

"I'm sorry, they told me I should come back here? I'm sorry. Is there word on the President?" she asked, looking to Sam and CJ.

"The President's going to be fine," CJ reassured her. Donna didn't register that there was a strain in CJ's voice.

"Oh, thank God." Donna sighed and felt the fog lifting from her mind. "Oh, thank God, that's the best news I've ever heard. I got here as fast as I could. I had a hard time getting in. I had… I had to find an agent who knew me, and I was shaking. I was just… I didn't know…

"Donna," Toby addressed her, and then took a deep breath. "Josh was hit."

"Hit with what?" she asked, apparently her mind still in a haze.

"He was shot… in the chest," he clarified.

"He's in surgery right now," CJ supplied.

"I don't understand. I don't understand, is… is it serious?" Donna felt all blood drain from her body; she couldn't understand what CJ and Toby were saying.

Finally, Toby stood up and approached her. He put his arms around her waist and led her to one of the plastic chairs in the waiting room.

"Donna, it's critical," he answered with brutal honesty. "The bullet collapsed his lung and damaged a major artery," he added then.

"I was just saying," the doctor started speaking, "we can't make you very comfortable here, and the procedure's likely to take 12 to 14 hours. We won't know anything until morning. I'm sure there are things you're supposed to be attending to right now, so if you like we can stay in contact with your homes and offices throughout the night. He asked for his wife, so I'm going to wait for Mrs. Lyman…" he said, and Donna's mind registered his words, as if they were the buoy in her mind of a stormy sea.

"May I see my husband?" Donna asked then, looking at the doctor.

"I'm sorry; I didn't know…" the doctor apologized. "Of course, Mrs. Lyman. Here we go."

"Thank you," Donna said, turning back to the others. "He is going to be alright, I know that. You go back to the White House and do what you have to do. Josh would tell the same. I will keep you posted."

The doctor brought her back and told her to wait there. While she was praying for a successful surgery, she didn't notice that someone approached her.

"Donna?"

She turned slowly and finally recognized the voice. It was Leo McGarry, Josh's boss and mentor.

"Hi, Mr. McGarry," she greeted him with a shaky smile.

"Hi, Donna. Listen, I'm sure he is going to be okay," Leo told her, and Donna decided then and there that Leo McGarry was her favorite person in the world. After Josh, of course.

"I know," she said with a nod. "He is too stubborn to leave the running of the country to others."

Leo chuckled at that and then hugged her. Donna was grateful that he did, and she clung to him like he was her lifeline.

"Donna?" came another, slightly familiar voice while she had her head buried in Leo's shoulder.

"Dr. Bartlet!" Donna exclaimed. "How is the President, ma'am?"

"He is okay, honey, don't worry about him. Dr. Chambers said you wanted to see Josh?"

"If that's allowed," Donna said after a nod.

"Yes, come with me, please. Leo?"

"I'm going back to run the country until Jed and Josh are ready to do it instead of me," Leo told the two women with a crooked smile. He stalked off, his agents flanking him.

"Okay," Abbey Bartlet said and then took hold of Donna's hand. "I didn't know you married Josh."

"Yesterday," Donna told her. "We didn't want to make a big deal out of it. We couldn't find the time to organize a wedding. Sarah was okay with it, my parents were okay with it, and we thought if we ever get some vacation time, we would rather spend it on a honeymoon than on wedding preparations."

"That sounds logical to me," Abbey Bartlet said, and then stopped Donna. "Okay, Donna, this isn't going to be easy. Are you sure you want to see him?"

"Yeah," Donna said with a nod.

"His chest was cracked open, Donna," Abbey warned her.

"They stopped his heart, I know," Donna said. "I have to see him, Dr. Bartlet."

"Okay then."

And she found herself behind a Plexiglas window, watching the surgeons operate on Josh. Her husband, Josh. She knew that God can't be so cruel as to take him away from her now that they were married. It just can't happen. While sending another prayer to God, she grabbed her locket that held a picture of her and him. It was a gift from Josh; he gave it to her yesterday after the ceremony.

TBC