A/N: This story takes place after season 4 episode 15 "Inauguration: Over There". I just finished binge watching the entire series. There will be a few more West Wing fics on the way.

Enjoy!

Sacrifice

By angellwings

Josh grinned at Donna in the back of the cab next to him. She was tired, but happy. Well, almost happy. There was something serious on her mind. Something named Jack. Yes, a thing. Not a he. Jack was not a man to Josh. A man would not have let Donna take the bullet for his mistake. They had finally left the office after the ball. It was nearly four in the morning. Donna looked exhausted, but beautiful in her navy gown.

He grinned softly at her and shook his head before he spoke gently. "I could kill you, you know."

"What?" Donna asked in a quiet and sleepy voice.

"For covering for…him."

"Josh, don't say 'him' like Jack is the spawn of Satan," Donna said with a yawn.

"Donna…"

"Josh."

"Donna."

"I told you. He was angry and thought he was off the record."

"Uh-huh. That I understand. What I don't understand is why you think it's your job to protect him," Josh stated in a flat tone.

"No one else was going to," Donna said softly.

"Donna, it's not your responsibility to protect every one, you know."

Donna chuckled and bumped his shoulder. "It's not yours either."

"I should have been able to protect you. Or—or, at least, trusted you more," Josh said in a guilty tone. "Maybe then you would have told me about this and I could have told you what a terrible idea this was."

She ignored his last statement. "Josh, don't worry about it. You and I both know that this is all me," she said bitterly. "I have a pattern."

"You have a what?" Josh asked with a chuckle.

"A pattern of sacrificing for the men in my life," she said tiredly "I mean, am I stupid or am I stupid? I make these one sided connections and I—I risk everything I've worked for to keep it. I'm the worst example of women's lib ever. Amy Gardner would be ashamed."

Josh chuckled darkly "Who cares what Amy Gardner thinks?"

"You do, for starters," Donna said with a sigh.

"Only about certain things and definitely not about you. I don't need anyone else's opinion about you, Donna. Trust me," Josh said softly. "And you're not stupid. You care about people and you give a lot of yourself when you do. That's not a bad thing."

"Well, it hasn't been much of a good thing in my experience," Donna said dryly. "She signed and leaned her head back against the seat. "Who are we kidding, Josh? If I'm not stupid then I'm a glutton for punishment."

"You're neither one of those things," Josh told her as he casually slipped an arm around her and pulled her to him.

"Yeah, okay," Donna said sullenly as the cab stopped."

"I'll walk you up," Josh said as Donna reached for the door.

"No, its fine—"

"Donna, let me walk you up," Josh insisted.

"Why?"

"Because I want to talk to you when there's not a cab driver listening in," Josh said as he motioned to the driver.

"If you're going to lecture me, Josh, then I understand but can we do it tomorrow when I've had a few hours of sleep?"

"I don't want to lecture you," Josh assured her. "I just want to talk."

"Fine," Donna said in a resigned tone. "Walk me up."

They walked up to her apartment in awkward silence and reached her door a little quicker than Josh would have liked. She leaned against her door and then turned to face him.

"So, what do we need to talk about?" She asked.

"You want to do this in the hallway?" He asked.

"Josh."

"Okay, okay," Josh said with a sigh. "I just…I wanted to tell you not to be so hard on yourself. I don't like Jack, but he's ten times better than your other ex-boyfriends. That's a step in the right direction." He grinned teasingly at her and she gave him a weak smile in return. "You are a very caring person and, to be honest, I admire that. There are very few people I would be willing to protect the way you protect every one. I don't know about anyone else, but having you around encourages me to be...better. Don't give up, Donna. There are people out there who have just as much concern for you as you do for them. If you stop trying, you'll never find them all."

"All?" Donna asked with a wry smile. "Polygamy's not really my thing, Josh. It's also illegal."

Josh grinned and looked down at the floor briefly. "You've already got one person who's here no matter what, Donna. I had to make it plural since I'm not going anywhere."

Donna's smile brightened considerably. She leaned forward and pressed a hesitant kiss to his cheek. "Thank you, Josh."

"For what?"

"For coming to get me tonight and for just…being here. I appreciate it."

"Anytime, Donna," Josh said as he hugged her quickly. "I'll see you at the office in about—" he paused to check his watch. "Four hours. Wow."

Donna chuckled and turned to unlock her door. "Good night, Josh."

"Good night," he said with a nod as he waited for her to step inside her apartment. He turned to leave as her door closed. He promised himself then and there to never let Donna sacrifice herself for him. She deserved better.