Josh couldn't take anymore, as she sang he glanced over at the stage, thinking maybe if he looked enough times the woman before him would turn into another actress, singing the song with no emotion, just repeating the lines she had rehearsed.

But every time he looked there was Donna, dressed in a brown and white linen dress. Tears streamed down her face, her voice cracked several times as she held it together, looking down on the audience Josh saw people wiping away tears, even the President shed one. the hate and hurt in her voice was unmistakable.

He couldn't watch anymore and left, standing outside in the fresh air, his coat was still inside but he didn't care, he didn't need it, he just needed some distance from the music.

"I saw you leaving, hope you don't mind I thought you might want some company." Danny said as he joined him.

"Yeah thanks." Josh said hoping Danny hadn't see on his face how much he was effected.

"I didn't want to show you the film, thats why I took it to CJ, I had no idea you were gonna see her tonight on stage." Danny admitted, feeling guilty but it was a no win situation, someone would get hurt.

"Its ok, I think I needed to see it" Josh admitted. he knew on a daily basis he was emotionally stunted, the only thing about him people normally saw was his ego, but Donna had seen more, he had written how much she meant to him on the inside of an alpine skiing book he had bought her last Christmas.

"It must be hard for you guys, wanting to be together but knowing that you cant." Danny said.

"Its the same for you and CJ is it not?" asked Josh, hoping that Danny would really see how he felt.

"Not really, we admit we want to be together, you and Donna don't. we know what lies ahead of us after this administration is over, you and Donna haven't worked it out. it looks to me like you both wish the feelings will go away, you have both dated other people, you date strong brunettes who hate you, its like you are intentionally going for the opposite of Donna and whenever she gets a date you try and sabotage it." Danny told him, he had to be blunt.

"If I dated a sweet innocent blonde haired girl I know that would hurt me. I know I would end up calling her Donna by mistake. there is noone like Donna anyway. plus, have you seen her dates? they all have brown hair, they all have some kind of authority, and they all end up using her." he told Danny.

"Is that why you do your best to wreck the dates by making her stay late?" Danny asked

"I wreck her dates because I would rather he get hurt than she did and I don't like the idea of her being with someone else, we have a special relationship, its not that I'm her boss and she is my assistant, its like she said, we spent a summer watching movies and eating take out, not talking about work, we had a real friendship. I get drunk and go to hers to shout at cats when I don't get my own way with congress, I cant do that if there is a guy there with her, I need her to be alone." Josh admitted, it made him feel awful for saying it but it was the truth.

"What happened when you dated Amy?" Danny asked, glad to see that Josh was really starting to think about his life.

"Amy hated me and I hated her, we were only together a few nights. I have a picture next to my bed of Donna and me on the campaign, we were so happy that night, I had my arms wrapped around her and she has this massive grin on her face, we had just won New Hampshire, I think it was Sam that took the photo.

I forgot it was there and Amy called me on it one night, I lied and told her it was nothing and I just like remembering how good it felt to win that state but she didn't believe me, so every time she came over the picture would go into my draw next to my bed." Josh said,

"Where is that picture now?" Danny asked

"Its still next to my bed. it has been since Amy and I broke up." Josh told him.

"It sounds like you might need to talk to the tigers and figure out what you can do" Danny told him, heading back into the theater.

Josh walked back inside, he was still freezing cold. The warmth of the presidents box overwhelmed him, he could feel his fingers again after several minutes.

there was a man singing about some stars then the curtain came down, the audience cheering and standing to leave.

"Did I miss the end?" josh asked CJ,

"No, its the intermission, lets go get drunk," she said, taking his arm and leading him out into the bar area.

Josh drank his whisky slowly, looking around wondering if the actors came out to this are too for a quick boost. As he turned he saw the President standing behind him, causing Josh to jump a little. He was too on edge tonight as it was.

"She is a very good actress, why do you think she doesn't do it full time?" the President asked him.

"She is good but then she would miss working for you sir. you know how much that means to her." Josh replied, thinking maybe a little tact was needed for this situation.

"I think you give me too much credit Josh, I think the only reason she stays is for you" the President told him, a look of sternness on his face. He knew the truth, he had hoped Josh and Donna would be together by now, he didn't want the bad publicity but he wanted to see the man he loved like a son be happy.

"You know the reason she and I cant be together Mr President." Josh told the man he loved and admired like a Father.

"To be honest Josh I really don't. I would have thought you and Donna would be together by now, heck I thought you would be together by the end of the campaign." He told Josh, causing the man to return the stern look in his eyes.

"Mr President if Donna and I got together you know that the press would have a field day, it would cause too many problems" Josh said. he was hurt, he knew the President knew that and couldn't help but feel mocked.

"Josh we have a great press secretary, if my MS, the assassination of a foreign leader and Toby filling in for CJ haven't killed us then I doubt my administration will fall because you and Donna figure out what you want." The President told him, hearing the bell he started heading back to his box.