I know it has been a while - a really long while - since I have updated this story, but if there is anyone out there who still wants to read it, I am willing to write it. I have been rewatching West Wing and working on the next few chapters. Enjoy. :)

Josh was on his way back from dinner. He could have taken a cab - probably should have - but he felt like walking. He had just finished his secret "diplomatic meeting" with one of Mukarat's back-channel representative - something Josh felt extremely unqualified for - and his relief at having that over with was making him euphoric and giddy. He had already called Kate Harper and relayed the information. It was out of his hands and he hadn't screwed it up. Josh breathed a sigh of relief.

The streets of Germany were lit by the soft glow of hazy street lamps and there was a chill that made him glad he had grabbed his coat before boarding Lufthasna. It was hard to feel worried about anything right now. Not Palestine or Israel. Not the federal budget or health care reform or gun control. Let somebody else worry about that. Right now, he was in Germany. He was in Germany and Donna was alive.

Josh smiled thinking back to the conversation they'd had just before he left for dinner. Kate had called him back to give him instructions about the meeting.

"You want me to have a meeting with the Son of the Sword?!" Josh exclaimed. Donna wasn't exactly lucid, but she wasn't asleep so Josh didn't bother to leave the room. .

"I must be high from the morphine." A groggy Donna mumbled from the hospital bed. Josh jumped slightly.

"You know," Josh said into his phone, "stealth isn't exactly my strong suit."

"He's very clumsy." Donna called in typical Donna fashion. Josh ignored her and started pacing around the room.

"Josh, you're just sitting down with a guy and seeing what he has to say." Kate explained.

"Yeah, but technically, I'm going to be a . . ."

"It's a diplomatic meeting." Kate reassured him. Josh did not feel reassured.

"Do I need to carry a piece?" Donna looked concerned, but Josh just continued to pace.

"Josh . . ." Kate began, but Josh cut her off.

"Why aren't you sending, I don't know, someone more like . . . you?"

"Because they didn't send me flowers." Kate explained.

"They sent Donna the flowers." Josh pointed out.

"Donna can't walk. And they were angling for you." She said. "If I send in a professional, it'll probably just spook the guy."

"So to speak." Josh muttered.

"Is this dangerous?" Donna asked.

Josh put his phone to his shoulder, turning to Donna. "No, it's a diplomatic meeting. It's not dangerous." Donna didn't look very convinced. It was no wonder, since Josh was feeling extremely nervous. He put the phone back to his ear and, speaking in a low voice, repeated Donna's question to Kate.

"You flew Lufthansna. You've been wandering the streets alone. If someone wanted to kill you, it would have happened already."

That wasn't very reassuring.

"I'm sending someone from the embassy," Kate continued, "and we'll have someone in the restaurant if you run into any trouble. Maybe try to keep a low profile."

"Should I switch cabs?" Josh asked tentatively. This was not his area of expertise. Spy work, subtly, low profile - Josh had never been very good at that stuff. Put him in a room with a congressman and let him kick him around. That was what Josh was good at.

"Sure." Kate said after a long pause. "Whatever makes you feel safe. Just be at the restaurant on time and don't do anything stupid. Call me if you have any questions. I'll be standing by."

Josh hung up the phone and turned back to Donna. She was sipping water from a straw and looked nervous.

"What was that about?" she asked.

"That? Nothing. I just have to meet with some people to discuss the . . . ya know . . . trade deficit." He didn't want to worry Donna and the trade deficit was the first thing he could think of.

"Josh . . ." Donna warned. She could always tell when he was lying.

"Don't worry about it, Donna." he reassured her. "It's not a big deal. Really. I'm just meeting with someone Kate thinks is probably a representative of Prime Minister Mukarat to discuss . . . well, I don't really know what we are discussing. But Kate thinks he is trying to send a message and he wants me to deliver it."

"That kinda sounds like a big deal." Donna said.

"I'll be fine." he started gathering up his things.

And it had been fine. He had been fine. And now he could go back to the hospital and tell Donna that he was . . . well, fine. Better than fine. Practically an ambassador-diplomatic-hero! Maybe it was the relief or the adrenaline or the euphoria, but on an impulse he decided to pick up some flowers for Donna. Nothing dumb like that bouquet the photographer had brought her. Something classy and romantic. Something that said "I may not be tall and sexy with an exotic accent, but I got your these flowers because I am clearly more of a man than that other guy is." Roses ought to do the trick. He picked the largest bouquet he could find and to hell with the expense.

Roses in hand, he hurried back to the hospital and straight to Donna's room. He would tell her all about his meeting and how brave he had been. And then he would explain to her that real men participate in important political meeting, not just take pictures of them. Real men don't wear cargo pants and they don't go around kissing people in hospital beds with their unhygienic lips and they-

Josh froze. Bloody gauze pads and rubber tubing littered the floor where Donna's bed had been.

He nearly collided with several nurses as he ran back down to the hall and skidded to halt at the information desk.

"Where's Donna Moss?" he asked urgently.

"Excuse me?"

"Donna Moss. She isn't in her room."

"Are you a relative?" Seriously, how many people was he going to have to explain this to?

"I work for the President of the United States. I have the diplomatic rank of a three-star general. Tell me where Donna Moss is."