It was only a few hours later that Daisy arrived, still stained with tears but determined, now, to see herself and her children through it. She left the boys with Noah and Jackie in the Residence, and spent the afternoon answering condolence calls with Alice and Donna and Josh in the Oval, moving to her office in the East Wing when Donna and Josh had to get back to the situation room twenty minutes later. And there was another change. It wasn't really her office any more, and with Josh staying on as Chief of Staff, everything she'd been working on would fall apart.

Having Alice with her was a blessing; she'd never have been able to focus if she'd been alone. But her daughter was so brave, so collected and warm as she spoke to every caller, taking plenty of the calls that Daisy might have otherwise had her staff handle. Alice was a rock, steadfast and immovable, and Daisy had a funny feeling that her daughter might be the one to really see them all through.

It took hours to get through the calls, by which time Stella had two more pages of names for her, but she didn't like to leave the boys so long, and Alice was still just a kid herself, really. This was too much.

But when they arrived in the residence it didn't seem right to take the boys away. They seemed, for the first time, at peace: sat around a coffee table playing cards with Noah and Jackie, talking quietly. Matt and Noah were holding hands, and for once they didn't instantly spring apart when they saw her, although Noah shifted to block it from her view. They were going to have to talk about that now.

"Go get some sleep," she murmured to Alice, nudging her towards the bedrooms.

"Aren't you going to sleep?"

"I'll sit up, I should talk with Donna and Josh. Give me the letters, would you?"

Alice handed over the bundle, stifled a yawn, and slipped away.

Daisy sat with the kids for a half hour, pretending not to see that Matt and Noah still had their hands clasped together, but certainly noticing Matt let go the second Donna appeared. She packed her two off to bed at once, giving Daisy a chance to give the boys their letters before they went to their own rooms for the night. They'd call if they needed her, but she knew her children, and suspected they'd rather be alone.

Donna moved then, to sit down beside her on the couch, and after a moment of hesitation Daisy relaxed, resting her head on her friend's shoulder. Donna's arm wrapped around her immediately, and Daisy knew she was free to cry, but she couldn't.

"Is Josh heading over soon?" she asked instead, her voice steady.

"Yeah, he was just tying up some loose ends," Donna said. She sounded exhausted. In a way Daisy thought that Donna's deal might be worse than her own right now.

"We've got to talk about what's going to happen next," she said.

"You know you're welcome as long as you want."

"I know, and I appreciate that, but I wonder if I should find somewhere local and get the kids away from here."

Donna shifted, carefully, moving to look Daisy in the eye. "If that's what you really want. But I - Josh and I talked it over, and there's no way he can handle anything in the East Wing as well as the West. The work you've been doing over there is really important; I'd like for you to stay."

"Let me talk to the kids," she said, "let me give it a bit of thought, but - Donna, that's so incredibly kind of you."

She smiled back, a little embarrassed. "It's what's right. What's best for the country, and we'd like to have you. Of course, think it over."

Daisy nodded, and of course it would be now that the tears would come. She blinked them back quickly and looked up to the doorway, where Josh had just appeared. He smiled at her, a little uncertainly, and came to stand behind Donna, a hand resting on her shoulder and massaging a little.

"I think," Daisy said, "we need to talk about Matt and Noah."

—

"I don't think I've ever been so tired," Josh said, later, half-grinning at her and running a hand through his thinning hair. "You must be exhausted."

Donna started to peel away for her clothes, grabbing for the old sweats she'd been sleeping in. "Yeah," she said, yawning. "I talked to Daisy before. I don't know if she's going to agree to stay."

"Don't worry." He was already sat in bed, but he got up and took her hands, tugging her back with him. "She'll do what's best for her and the kids. Which is what we want anyway. Come on, we should get some rest."

Donna kept hold of his hands as she settled in the bed next to him, holding him upright. She hesitated, just briefly, and shifted to lean against him, lowering her head to his shoulder. She felt him press his face against her hair and then plant a kiss there. He was rubbing soft circles against her knuckles with his thumb, and she could feel the steady rise and fall of his chest against her side. She turned her head to press a soft kiss against his shoulder.

"How are you doing?" she whispered. He ran a hand up and down her arm.

"Just tired. Let's get some sleep," Josh pressed. He let go of her to lie down, and pulled her back against his chest.

"Josh…"

"Sleep, Donna," he murmured into her ear. She wriggled around to face him, but he was already asleep - or pretending to be? She wasn't sure.

She leaned forward a little. "Josh," she sighed close to his skin, and kissed his forehead. She did want to talk to him, her heart was heavy - but so were her eyelids, so she let it be, and wrapped an arm around his waist, drawing herself against him. Soon, she promised herself, and drifted into sleep.

—

"Josh?" Donna poked her nose into his office and he got up at once to follow her into the Oval. "I'd like to hold senior staff in here today."

He sat down alongside her desk. "Yeah, I - I don't know if that's such a good idea."

"Why not? I should get to know them, how they work."

"You already know them all," he pointed out.

"This is different, Josh."

"Yeah," he conceded, "it is."

"Well, then?"

"They're adjusting. You'll still have meetings with most of them today. Give them time to settle into the new routine."

She hesitated. "I don't want to seem closed off. I need them to trust me like they trusted Sam, that's going to take a lot of work."

"And they will. It's just going to take time as well."

"Alright. Hey, have Stella and Dinah clear us a half hour together later on, will you? I think we might be able to find time for an actual lunch break today."

"Okay," he grinned, standing and moving for the door.

"Josh?"

"Yeah?"

"Where are you going?"

He gestured vaguely at the door. "I have staff in - well, now."

"I don't get a kiss?"

Josh actually blushed. "I thought we weren't gonna…"

"Joshua, come here."

"This is the Oval Office," he protested, but walked back towards her despite himself.

"Every first couple we know has kissed in the Oval." She moved over to meet him in the middle. "Relax."

"It was different for Daisy. And Helen and Abbey too, I can't just…"

"Josh…"

"When I'm your Chief of Staff it's got to be 'I serve at the pleasure of the President'."

"Just be my husband for a minute."

He nodded resignedly. She smiled, and kissed him softly, taking his face in her hands.

"Josh, I know how weird this is for you, but we can't stop being married whenever we're in the Oval."

"Donna-"

"Yes?"

"Nothing. You're right." He leaned forward to press a chaste kiss on her lips. "You're right. Now are you going to let me go to senior staff?"

"I suppose so," she allowed, sighing theatrically. "See you at lunch?"

"Yeah." He kissed her once more. "Have a good day at work, honey."

Donna's laughter followed him out of the office.

—

The assassin paid for his coffee, and walked up the street towards work. Pennsylvania Avenue was lovely in the fall.

—

"Max was pissed after your meeting," Josh said around a mouthful of pasta.

"He went to you? Really?" Donna shifted on his couch to put down her plate. "I didn't think he had it in him."

Josh snorted. "He doesn't. He went to Violet."

"Did she show you the list?"

"Yeah. What's she thinking? That's the ten most moderate Democrats in the country. What good's that going to do us?"

"That's what I said. Max insists the Senate will vote down any nominee with the slightest lean to the left."

"Which of course is exactly what happened when Wallace stepped down."

"Exactly," Donna sighed, shaking her head. "Max is the only one I didn't work with before. Is he worth his keep?"

"He was doing what Violet told him to do. She should know better. Hey, I saw the name you wanted, though. You think he can do it?"

"I think he'd be great, don't you? He leans far enough to the left, he gets stuff done, he's mild enough that Republicans won't laugh us out of the building. He's retiring soon, so I can have a running mate who's more liberal for the election and the Republicans can't say a word."

"Tamheed's worried it'll seem like a favour."

"There are plenty of things we might do as favours, but handing out the Vice Presidency isn't one of them. Nominate someone you trust, that's what Sam said."

Josh nodded. "Violet can get it done. For what it's worth, I think you're right."

She squeezed his hand appreciatively, and shifted to face him. "Have you talked to Daisy?"

"No. I've been busy."

"She's been planning the funeral. She wants you to speak."

Josh didn't look at her. "I think you should do it."

"Forget perception. I think it would mean a lot to Daisy, and to you as well. I know how much you loved him."

"So did you."

"Yes, I did. But you two had this whole history, this whole… You know what I'm talking about, Josh."

"I don't want to talk about that."

Donna pulled his hand to her lips. "You and Sam were friends for years before we met. And you loved each other very much. I know it would have meant the world to him."

"Donna, please - stop it. Just stop." He'd turned his face away so she couldn't see him. Donna laid a hand on his shoulder and turned him back towards her. There were tears on his cheeks, and she pulled him into a close hug.

"It's okay," she whispered. "If you really don't want to do it you don't have to."

He nodded stiffly against her shoulder and took a moment to compose himself before pulling back. "So this afternoon," he said, firmly, "we're meeting with the Speaker of the House."

—

"Tamheed." Violet grabbed the press secretary by the arm and tugged her along as she made her way through the bullpen. "We need to talk."

"About what?"

"Not here." She opened the door to Elsie's office, where the woman herself was sat with Max in eerie silence.

"Not a word of this leaves this room," Violet said, and shut the door. "We need to do something about Josh."

"I think we're making too much of this," Elsie said.

"You're not making anything of it."

"But plenty of people are."

"You think Josh can't figure out for himself that people are questioning his position as his wife's chief of staff?"

"I think he needs us to back him up," pressed Elsie. "If you're proposing we try and get rid of him, Violet, you're crazy."

"Get rid of Josh?" Violet stared at her. "We need to protect him. And the President too."

"I had a meeting with Jackson Vaudeville this afternoon," Max said, "he's playing games with the press, trying to insinuate that the President isn't up to the task. As if the President - I mean President Seaborn - wouldn't have known better than that."

"People think she's Josh's puppet," Tamheed said, "because apparently in the year 2029 it's still too much for a woman to actually be good at her job. Or for a man to not feel constantly emasculated if his wife's more powerful than he is."

Violet stared. "That's insane. Josh doesn't care about that. Nobody cares about that."

"The press care."

"We'll put a stop to it."

"She fought Josh and the President - I mean our President - I mean, God, there's got to be a way around that." Elsie hesitated. "It doesn't matter. But she fought them on a bunch of issues. We can leak something like that, can't we, make it clear she stands for herself?"

"Won't that suggest she and the President weren't on good terms?" Max protested.

"They were on good terms. They were close friends since the Bartlet campaign, and especially since she was sworn in. Anyone could see it was a different relationship than he had with Wallace."

"We need to present a united front. We've got the state dinner next week, and there's going to be press. Let's all be photographed being friendly with the President. The First Lady needs to go too -" Tamheed paused. "Do we still call Mrs Seaborn First Lady?"

"Josh did this morning."

"The First Lady goes, and Alice if she likes. What about Noah?"

Violet shook her head. "Noah's underage. Alice didn't start going to these things till she was eighteen, neither does he. Noah and Jackie get the same rules as Matt and Tommy."

"Matt's fifteen and Noah's sixteen. There's a difference; and Noah cares about politics. He always has questions after my press briefings."

"Josh and the Vice - I mean the President - don't want him in the public eye till he's eighteen."

"Josh can be persuaded to do a lot to make the process smoother for the President."

"Not use his kid, Tamheed, God."

"We don't need to do that," Elsie stepped in. "Just make it clear to the press, and clear to Josh, and clear to the President that we're a united front."

A rapping on the door interrupted them and they were faintly horrified to discover Josh himself watching them. He pushed the door open and said, "Violet, think you can tell your staff where you're going next time you disappear? I need a word with you."

Violet got up to follow him, but Elsie spoke before they could disappear. "Josh-"

"Make it quick."

"We just want you and the President to know we're all with you. Okay?"

He grinned at her, and at Max and Tamheed behind her. "Thanks. Now, will you let us go? We're keeping Mrs Seaborn and the President waiting."

Violet squawked. "Why didn't you say so?" she demanded, and chased him down the hall.

—

It was night, now. The kids were in bed, Daisy and Alice had disappeared about an hour ago, and Donna and Josh were curled up on the couch together, sharing a glass of wine.

"I'm glad they're staying," Donna said pensively, watching the fire crackle across the room. "It'll be good to have them."

Josh nodded, absently humming an agreement.

Donna studied him for a second, and took his wine glass, and set them both down on the table. "I really need you to be honest with me."

He stared at her, surprised. "I - Donna, I'm always-"

"Sweetheart, you've got to talk about Sam."

He looked away from her.

"You've got to. Everyone's going to want to talk to you tomorrow, and if you can't do it…"

"I can do it, I can do it," he said, but his voice was thick. "It's not - the speech, I know you wanted me to do that, I can't do the speech, but I can do people."

"Josh. You can't even talk to me about it."

"You know why."

"Yes, I know why, and Daisy knows why, and Sam knew why. It doesn't upset me that you loved him, Josh."

"It wasn't like that." He scrubbed angrily at his face. She moved his rough hands away and replaced them with her soft ones, removing the tears and keeping his eyes on her. She nodded encouragingly. "It wasn't like that," Josh repeated, "I didn't love him like - not like I love you. Everything that happened between us, it was before you and I even met, we were just friends long before-"

"I know," she said before he could get lost in himself. "I know, Josh."

"It's just, I did love him once, really love him, and I hate that he's not here, and I - I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry. Please don't hide from me."

He shifted towards her, urgently, his hands moving for her shoulders. "I love you. I love you like I've never loved anyone, and it was never this good with Sam, it wasn't. I don't want you to ever think I - we were so young, and we were just playing. It got a little too real, but we were playing. I don't want you to think I ever even thought about it…"

"I don't, Josh. Listen to me. It's okay that you loved him. And it's okay that your love changed over time. Everything you're feeling, everything you ever felt, it's okay. It's not a betrayal, it's not a weakness, or - or a failure. It's all normal. It's all okay. I just don't want you to ever feel like you can't talk to me."

He hugged her then, tight, pressing his face into her neck, not daring for a second to let go. She shifted just a little to press a kiss wherever she could reach; it landed on his ear.

"I can't say goodbye to him in front of all those people," he said. "I have so much to say to him, but I can't share it. I don't have a single thing to say that I can share with anyone but Sam."

"Then I'll speak," Donna said, her fingers running through his hair and her lips still against his ear, "and you'll go and see Sam and say goodbye to him alone. We'll have everyone over for drinks, and we'll swap stories till the sun comes up, and he'll see us, Josh, he will."

"Jews don't believe in heaven. I don't."

"I know you don't, but Sam did, and he'll see us. He'll hear all those things you have to say to him, he'll know how much we all loved him, and he'll rest in peace."