A/N: Here's another AU story! But this time, I'm taking a step towards canon divergence. While it starts on the campaign, the meat of this story will take place around season 3, starting in "The Women of Qumar". Hope you enjoy it!

Chapter 1: Lost...Then Found

Donna was walking the hotel hallway in LA at about 11:00 at night. She couldn't sleep-CJ was out for the night, and Margaret wasn't exactly a light sleeper, so Donna didn't feel like waking her after she was done for the night.

She could go back downstairs to the bar, where she knew Sam and Toby were strategizing their long-term communications plan-but something told her she should check on Josh instead. And as if a higher power was pushing her along, she soon found herself in front of the door to Josh's room. The only indication that he was awake was the sliver of light underneath the door.

It was an understatement to say Donna was worried about Josh, the latter only 28 hours removed from sitting shiva for a week following his father's funeral. Noah Lyman's death had been a shock to everyone-but none more so than Josh.

It had only been a week since she had gotten the call the night of the Illinois primary from Rachel Lyman, a pleasant, motherly woman she had spoken to several times in the past month since she had started working for Josh-even meeting her one night when Josh dragged her and Leo to Westport for dinner. She had listened to Rachel's anguished words, her heart breaking every second as Rachel asked her to break the news to Josh. It had been Donna who had to burst Josh's euphoric bubble with four simple words: "Josh, your father died." She wished she could ease Josh's pain as she took in the shocked look on his face.

She wished hard, though deep down she knew that nothing could ease his pain.

After that, it had been a flurry of activity. Donna got Josh on a plane to New York, then Hartford with a car to take him to Westport. Not ideal, but the best she could do under the tight time constraints-in order to follow Jewish tradition properly, Josh needed to be home that night, if possible.

She helped Josh hurriedly pack, then put him in a cab, her silent question-"Do you want me to come?"-going unanswered. She flew to Connecticut the next day, anyway, on Leo and the Governor's orders. She spent the next few days doing whatever she could for Josh and Rachel, sleeping in a guest bedroom.

But after a few days, she returned. Not because Josh had told her to leave him alone, but because he convinced her that someone needed to keep track of his messages in his absence.

That had been two days ago. Now, she stood in the hall, wondering if she should knock.

She took a breath, then knocked lightly. No answer.

She knocked again, this time harder. "Josh?"

"Yeah, yeah. I'm coming." said the voice from inside. After another few seconds, Donna heard a click as the door was unlocked.

"Hi," Josh said as he stood in the doorway, his shoulders slumped. Donna could tell he had lost much of the confident, protective front that had sustained him throughout the day.

"Hi," Donna replied.

"What's going on?" He tried to ask nonchalantly.

"I just wanted to see how you were doing," Donna answered honestly.

"Well, I'm fine," Josh said to her.

"Can I come in?" Donna asked. While she believed him, she wanted to see for herself.

"What, you don't believe me?" Josh cocked his head.

"Of course I believe you. I just thought you might like some company."

Josh said nothing, but opened the door wider. Donna walked past him into the room, where she could see a half-empty beer bottle on the coffee table, and papers were strewn over the bed.

"I was checking polling data," Josh answered Donna's unasked question. "Do you think if we spent more time in Arizona, we could carry the state in November?"

"Arizona's a red state," Donna pointed out. "It would take a lot to flip it."

"What about-"

"Josh." She said. "It's almost midnight. When was the last time you got any sleep?"

"Last night." He said too quickly.

"Josh?"

"I did!"

"A full night's sleep?"

His shoulders slumped again. "Not since before the funeral." He turned to look at Donna. "I can't help it, Donna. Every time I close my eyes, I see my mother, and my father, and Joanie…" He took a shaky breath. "I didn't grab Joanie's hand. And I didn't call my father back. I can't remember the last time I talked to him."

"Josh, you really think things would've been different if you had been there?"

"I-I just-I already let my sister down. And now I let my dad down."

"Oh, Josh." She sighed. She hesitated, then, forgetting impropriety, she reached out and hugged him. "You didn't let them down. It's not your fault."

Josh hugged her back, burying his head into her shoulder and hair.

As they pulled apart, Donna noted a look of longing in Josh's eyes, and felt her face growing hot.

Josh leaned forward. Here was her chance to pull away, but Donna instead felt herself being pulled toward him.

Their lips met in the middle, and before Donna knew it, she was kissing him back.

She didn't remember much of the next few minutes, except that the Wisconsin sweatshirt, teal polo blouse, bra, and grey leggings she was wearing ended up on the hotel room floor.

…

Donna woke up slowly. She blinked, then saw the clock radio blinking 2:37.

As she slowly became aware of her surroundings, she froze as she realized what she was wearing, or rather what she wasn't wearing.

Her first thought was, What have I done?

She had slept with her boss. Her boss. The man she had been in love with since the day she first started on the campaign. And while every part of her knew that it was morally, ethically, 100% wrong, there was also a part of her that wasn't sorry it happened. Not even a little bit.

Not even at all.

And that was why she had to leave. Before she hurt the campaign, before she hurt Josh any more.

She would go back to Wisconsin. Do what, she wasn't sure. Maybe she would apply for next fall at the University of Wisconsin, finish her degree. But first, she had to get out of the hotel room.

She dressed quickly, then slipped out of the room. Thankfully, Josh did not stir.

Just as she reached the hallway, her phone rang. She fished it out of her purse and answered quickly. "Hello?"

"Donna…it's me."

The voice of her ex-boyfriend caused Donna to stop in her tracks.

"Brian." She tried to keep her voice neutral. "How did you get this number?"

"Come on. You've had the same phone number since you started college."

Donna sighed. "Point taken. What do you want?"

"What do I want?" He repeated. "Isn't it obvious? I want you back, Donna. Come home."

"What makes you think I want to come home?"

"Because I miss you. Things'll be different this time, I promise."

Donna leaned back against the wall. She wanted to believe him. And after what had just happened, everything inside her was pushing to go back to something familiar, something safe.

She found herself nodding, even though he couldn't see it. "On one condition."

"What's that?"

"I want to go back to school in the fall."

"We'll talk about it."

Even that limited promise was enough to push Donna over the edge.

"I'll be on the next flight out in the morning."

"I'll be there to meet you. I love you."

Her voice tripped on the words 'I love you', settling for a brief "I'll see you tomorrow" instead.

Without giving another thought to what she was leaving behind, she rushed back to her room, packed everything she had within twenty minutes, and wrote a brief letter of resignation.

She headed down the hall of the hotel, not wanting to wait another second. She was afraid that if she waited, she would lose her nerve.

As she got on the elevator, she took a breath. She was doing the right thing. She had to keep telling herself that.

Even as part of her was hoping that Josh would run after her.

But as the elevator doors closed, so did a chapter in her life.

Josh woke up at 6:00 to his alarm, beeping. His arm slung over the bed and crashed as he hit the sheets.

He woke up suddenly. The night before came back to him in stunning clarity.

Donna coming to comfort him. Their first kiss that had quickly morphed into passion. Sleeping with Donna.

Holy cow. He had slept with Donna. And it...hadn't been bad.

In fact, it had been the best night of his life. Because he realized something that he hadn't before.

He was head-over-heels in love with Donna Moss. And he had to tell her. Now, before the euphoria of the night before wore off and Donna wrote this off as a one-night stand. Because he wanted it to be so much more than that.

He opened his door, ready to rush to Donna and CJ's room. But his eyes fell on an envelope addressed to him in Donna's typically shaky handwriting.

Josh's heart dropped into his stomach as he realized what it was. A resignation letter and a Dear John letter all in one.

He opened it and dropped down on the bed as he began to read.

Josh,

Last night was coming for a long time. I wish I could say that I didn't have any regrets, that I wanted to be with you, no matter what the campaign thinks of us. But I have too much respect for you, for Leo, and the Governor to let that happen. So, I formally resign from the Bartlet For America campaign as of March 19, 1998.

I'm going back to Wisconsin. Brian thinks we should give it another shot, and I agree with him. Do me a favor, don't try to come after me. It'll be better for both of us if we just part now, without looking back.

I thank you for every opportunity this campaign has given me. I will never forget my time here.

Sincerely,

Donnatella Moss

…

Three years later:

"Josh?...Josh...Josh!"

Josh looked up from his computer to find his new assistant-whose name he hadn't bothered to learn yet-looked up sharply.

"Can I get five minutes without being interrupted by banality?" Josh snapped.

"It's not banality," said a familiar voice. "It's the boss's wife."

Abbey Bartlet was wheeled in by an agent. She had broken her leg while she was hiking.

Josh stood up immediately. "Morning, ma'am."

"Morning, Josh."

Josh turned to the assistant. "A little heads-up wouldn't be out of line."

"I'm-I'm so sorry, Mr. Lyman." The young woman said meekly, before disappearing from the doorway.

"What's that, Josh? The fifth one this month? DC's going to run out of assistants for you to go through." Abbey joked.

"What can I do for you, ma'am?" Josh asked, ignoring her comment.

"I got a letter from Amy Gardner."

Ah, yes. Amy Gardner. His college roommate's girlfriend and the current policy director for the Women's Leadership Coalition.

"Yeah, I was CC'd on that."

"She seemed irate."

He sat down. "Amy Gardner's always irate about something. I wouldn't give it a lot of thought."

"I happen to agree with her."

"Me too, and I think it deserves a lot of thought."

"I thought you might feel that way."

"I was kidding."

"I don't care." The First Lady continued. "The letter was co-signed by NOW, the Women's Action League, and about ten women's groups. I've got to go to Vienna next week."

"Honestly, ma'am, due respect, I think they're overreacting. We're talking about one word."

"Isn't this one word that dramatically alters the effectiveness of the treaty?"

"I'm not sure how dramatically…"

"The current draft says 'forced prostitution.'"

"Yes."

"Excluding all other types of prostitution and sex trafficking?"

"Well, I suppose that's for prosecutors to…"

"Well, Amy says that unless the UN removes the word 'forced,' it's going to be difficult to prosecute at all."

Josh took a breath. He had a funny feeling he knew where this was going. "You've spoken with her?"

"Yes. And now I'd like you to do the same."

"Great," Josh muttered sarcastically, with a fake smile.

"See? Now you're wishing it had been banality." Abbey quipped. "Try not to miss this appointment, will you?"

…

The next day, Josh was sitting uneasily in a chair in the waiting room of the WLC. He made some crack to the secretary about being intimidated by strong women, but the truth was, he was intimidated by one woman in particular.

"Special J!" Amy called as she walked down the hallway.

Josh internally groaned. He had always hated that nickname. But he would be cordial regardless. "Amy."

"Thanks for waiting. I was playing a little Nintendo."

"Yeah," Josh said as he followed her to her office, not believing her for a second.

"I'm kidding. I was on a conference call. You want anything? Coke, Pepsi, shrimp cocktail?"

"No," Josh replied. He was hoping to get right to the point.

"How you been?"

"Good."

"Good. Do you mind if one of my deputies sits in?"

"No." Josh nodded his assent.

"She's new, a little wet behind the ears. I want to throw her into the deep end on some of these projects." Amy picked up the phone. "Hey, is she out there?... Good, send her in."

As Amy hung up, the door opened. Josh barely looked up as hands propelled a wheelchair through the doorway, with papers on her lap.

"I have the latest statistics for support of the treaty. Most of the female senators say that if the treaty was passed as is, they would be morally obligated to speak out against it."

Josh's head snapped up. He knew that voice. Turning his head ever so slightly as the woman kept talking, the rest of her features came into focus.

There, sitting in a wheelchair she looked like she had been using for quite some time, was-

"Donna?"

A/N: Hope you like the set-up for this story! I promise I will get to how Donna ended up in a wheelchair and what happened to her in the rest of this story. Please let me know what you thought!