Second Chances
By Anne Lanham
This is a Josh/Donna romance story. It takes place one year after Two Cathedrals. Contains references through the end of the 2nd season. I'd say it's probably PG. An @ indicates a flashback. Thanks to Amanda and Heidi for betareading, and all their suggestions. Feel free to archive it, just let me know where so I can be amazed. Obviously they are not my property, and all that other stuff that goes in disclaimers.
There had been coverage all morning of the second anniversary of the Rosslyn shootings. All the local and network newscasts mentioned it, as did the morning shows. Every newsmagazine and cable station planned to cover it that night. An emergency room nurse who had been on duty that night was telling her coworkers how quiet the evening had started out, until the call came in from the White House. As if on cue, that same line rang again. There was a medical emergency and the First Lady would be arriving shortly. The hospital was closed to outside trauma and the building sealed.
Moments later, Secret Service agents swept through the Emergency room securing the area. When they were satisfied it was safe; an agent returned to the limousine and opened the door. Abigail Bartlet emerged from the car, as did a tall, attractive woman those watching would recognize as White House Press Secretary CJ Cregg. Then, two agents reached into the car and retrieved a semi-conscious young woman who was obviously in labor. The nurse who had been on duty after the shooting recognized her because she had been quite a fixture at the hospital for weeks.
Joshua Lyman was just leaving his meeting on the Hill when he received a page from his office. Dialing, he wondered what was up. His new assistant, Rebecca, rarely bothered him when he was out of the office. She was nothing like Donna, his former assistant. Josh didn't know why, but Donna had been in his thoughts constantly lately.
"Deputy Chief of Staff's Office"
"Rebecca, it's Josh. Did you page me?"
"Yes, sir. Ms. Cregg left a message for you. There's an emergency and you are needed at George Washington University Hospital immediately."
Josh thought about the President and wondered if it was an episode with his MS. "Is it the President?"
"No, sir. Ms. Cregg asked that you call her cell phone if you have any questions. I believe she mentioned a Donna."
Donna? She's in Wisconsin, he thought. Josh hung up the phone and remembered the last time he saw his former assistant.
@"Josh? I'm leaving." He looked up to see a very tired Donna standing in the doorway to his office, holding a stack of mail.
"Okay. I'll be home in a little while." He added quietly. No one at the White House knew they had been involved all summer, although CJ suspected it, and had warned him about any scandal.
"No. The hearings start tomorrow. You should go home and get some sleep."
"I sleep better at your apartment. In your bed, holding you." He noted a faint smile crossing Donna's lips and a sparkle in her eye he would realize later was a tear.
"Here's some mail, Josh. Goodbye. I love you." She handed him the mail, turned and left. He flipped through the stack until he came to an envelope addressed in Donna's distinctive scrawl. He ripped it open and read the note inside. As soon as he realized it was a letter of resignation, he grabbed his coat and ran out. @
Josh dialed CJ's number and waited for her to answer.
"CJ Cregg."
"It's me. What's going on? Rebecca said something about Donna. Is she in DC?" Josh rambled on until CJ interrupted him.
"You need to come to the hospital as soon as possible, Josh."
"What is it? Tell me, CJ." He demanded.
"I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this, but it's Donna-"
"She's in Wisconsin." Josh interrupted his friend. That was where she'd gone when she left him.
"No, Josh. She is here. She is pregnant. She is in labor and she is in trouble. Get here now!"
CJ hung up the phone and turned toward the waiting room door when Abbey entered. "How is she?"
"Well, they have her stabilized. The contractions have stopped and they put a fetal monitor on the baby."
"Will she be okay?"
"I really don't know. It depends to a great extent on how long she was out before you got there."
"Oh, Abbey. This is all my fault. She would never have left if it weren't for me. Then today, when I found her, I couldn't stop being Press Secretary for two seconds." CJ let the tears flow. "Instead of calling 911, I called you. I didn't want anyone to find out."
"Claudia Jean Cregg, you know that's not true. When one of you is sick or hurt, you call me. I am a doctor, it's instinct. And the advantages of calling the First Lady may very well have saved Donna today. We were able to get her here much faster than an ambulance might."
"Thank you, Abbey."
"Now, tell me. Why was it you, and not Josh, with Donna today?" CJ related the story of the last few months to the First Lady.
@It was right before the primaries began, and CJ decided to spend a quiet afternoon catching up on some shopping. She stopped in a children's store to buy a shower gift for her sister-in-law, when she noticed a young pregnant lady with her back turned. The long blonde hair reminded her of Josh's former assistant, but CJ thought she had gone back home. The girl turned toward CJ.
"Donna? Is that you?"
"CJ, Hi! I, um…" Donna blushed as she looked down at her growing belly.
"What are you doing here?"
"I think that's a question I should ask you. Come on, let's go find some place to talk." They found a quiet table at the food court and sat down. "So, Donnatella Moss, spill it. I thought you went home to Wisconsin."
"I did, for a while. My dad was excited that I was home, and very supportive. My mother, on the other hand, started in from the beginning. How I'd thrown my life away by following the campaign. And how Josh was a bad influence on me during my time in Washington."
"How was that throwing your life away? You helped elect the President."
"A president my mother does not support. She wanted me to settle down and marry a doctor. Instead, I ran off to join the circus, in her eyes. Then, when I came home before the hearings started, my mother started in about how he lied to the public, and how she'd told me nothing good would come of it." Donna paused to catch her breath and calm her nerves. "Josh kept calling and writing after I left. She wanted to know why my boss was so insistent on finding me. What had I done?"
"And the baby? Does Josh know?"
"No one does. When I found out I was pregnant, I knew I couldn't stay in Wisconsin with my mother. So I came back to the only other home I'd known."
"You have to tell him, Donna. He needs to know."
"CJ, I never took his calls and I returned all his letters unopened. He finally stopped trying. It's too late now. I plan on raising my baby alone. Please don't tell anyone, especially Josh. I don't want this to be a thing."
CJ promised to keep Donna's secret for the time being but worried about all of the other people that this secret would hurt. The two grew closer again in the weeks that followed. As her due date neared, CJ spent more time with Donna. She had been coming by to check on her friend when she found her that afternoon. @
Josh stood for minute, absorbing what CJ had told him. How could Donna be here in DC? And a baby? Was it his baby? Josh thought back to the day she left his life.
@After reading the letter of resignation, Josh raced to Donna's apartment and rushed up the stairs. Knowing she would never answer the door, he let himself in with the spare key. Inside, the apartment was bare. All of Donna's belongings and furniture were gone. On the bar by the kitchen, he saw another envelope with Donna's writing.
"Joshua," the letter began. "I knew you would come to stop me. That's why I left this way. CJ is right. We cannot do this anymore. Our being together will only hurt the President more. You have to focus on saving the administration. Unfortunately, I can't be here and not be with you. So, I am leaving. I will miss you more than you will ever know. Yours forever, Donna."
For months, Josh called and wrote to Donna, but to no avail. She refused to speak with him and returned all his letters unopened. Finally, he accepted her decision and stopped trying to reach her. But, he never stopped loving her. @
"Dr. Bartlet? The doctor would like to speak with you in the hall." A young nurse was standing in the doorway.
"Thank you. I'll be right back, CJ." CJ smiled weakly at the First Lady. She was still thinking about how she'd found Donna a few hours earlier. Her friend had not sounded very well that morning when CJ made her usual morning phone call.
@"Hey, little mama. How ya doing?" CJ teased.
"I wish I could just get this over. My back is killing me. I can't keep anything down. I wasn't this nauseous when I had morning sickness." Donna sounded exhausted.
"You only have a few weeks left. Then you will have that little bundle of joy to make it all better."
"I know. I am excited, really. I just have this terrible feeling that something is going to go wrong. I don't want anyone to find out. Josh doesn't need this right now."
"Josh should know, Donna. He is the father."
"No, CJ. Josh can't know. He has the campaign to worry about. He has gone on with his life. The baby and I will be fine. I can make a life for this baby without Josh. I don't need anyone trying to ride in on a white horse and save us." Donna sounded like she was crying.
"I won't tell him, unless I have to. That's all I can promise."
"Thank you. Now, you have to go to work and I am going back to bed. Talk to you later."
"Tell ya what, I'll bring lunch by later. See you soon."
CJ knew her friend would enjoy the visit. Donna wasn't venturing out much lately because she was afraid that someone would recognize her and make a connection about the baby. When CJ arrived at noon, Donna did not answer the bell. Thinking that her friend was probably still sleeping, she let herself in with Donna's spare key. She called out to Donna as she entered the bedroom. There, CJ found Donna lying on the floor between the bed and the bathroom. CJ quickly checked Donna's pulse, then used her phone to call Abbey.
Donna woke up just before Abbey arrived. She told CJ that she was sick again after her call, and then did not feel the baby move anymore. Donna drifted in and out on the way to the hospital. CJ decided it was time to break her promise and call Josh. @
As Josh snaked through the slow DC traffic, he thought back to the first time he met Donna, when she joined the campaign in New Hampshire. He came into the office to find a gorgeous, leggy blonde at his desk. She was answering his phone while leafing through his appointment book.
@"Who are you?"
"Donna Moss. Who are you?"
"I'm Josh Lyman."
"Oh, I'm your new assistant."
"Did I have an old assistant?" Josh didn't remember one.
"Maybe not." This girl in front of him seemed a little suspicious.
"Who are you?" He asked again.
"I'm Donna Moss. I came into volunteer and the woman assigned me to you."
After a rather confusing conversation, Josh finally found out that Donna had driven from Wisconsin to join the campaign. She had just broken up with her boyfriend. Against his better judgment, Josh hired Donna on the spot. There was something intriguing about the quirky, impulsive girl. Looking back, Josh knew he had fallen in love with her right then and there. @
He finally reached the hospital and made his way through the Secret Service stationed outside. A nurse ushered him into the same private waiting room where Donna and the others stayed during his surgery. The memories of that night came flooding back.
@It was beginning to shape up into a good night. The shuttle, with Toby's brother aboard, was headed back to Earth. The lost Navy pilot had been recovered. The President's Town Hall meeting here at the Newseum had gone well. Now, all they had to do was make it through the rope line, and they would be on their way back to the White House. Suddenly, he heard shots and screaming. A white hot pain shot through Josh's chest, and he felt himself sink back against a cement wall. As he started to lose consciousness, Josh thought of Donna. He was glad she hadn't come with them. He wouldn't want anyone to hurt her.
He awoke much later in the hospital. After seeing that the President was okay, he asked for Donna. He knew she would be worried. Josh watched as his assistant tentatively entered the room.
"Josh?" It was obvious that she had not left the hospital since he came in.
"Wow, you look hot." Josh tried to tease her through the fog of painkillers.
"Are you all right?" He could see that she had been crying.
"Oh, yeah. It's just a scratch." He tried to sound brave, though it hurt him terribly to move.
"I was so worried I had lost you." Donna began, then realized that there were others in the room. "I mean, I didn't know where I was needed, at the White House, or..."
"I need you here, Donna." Josh was just beginning to realize how much. But it would be some time before he could do anything about those feelings. Donna continued to spend most of her time at the hospital until he was released. Then, she took care of him at home.
She spent her nights at his apartment, in case he needed something. When he called out to her after the nightmares, she comforted him. One night it became something more.
"No! Don't shoot!" Josh screamed out then sat up in his bed, sweat pouring off him. Only seconds later, Donna was at his side, pulling him into her arms.
"Shhh. It's okay, Josh. You're home and I'm here. It's okay." Usually, as Josh woke up, he pulled away from her. He didn't want her to see him so frightened. But this time, he wrapped his arms around her.
"It was the nightmare, again, wasn't it?"
"No, this one was different. This time they were shooting at-" He stopped. He didn't want to tell her.
"Who, Josh? Who were they shooting at? " She hated to see the emotional turmoil he was going through. It hurt her to see Josh suffering.
"You, Donna. The bastards were shooting at you." He pulled her closer and kissed her forehead. Their mutual attraction and individual fear of what could have happened pulled them together that night. They didn't make love because of Josh's injury, but they came close.
The next morning, Donna told Josh she shouldn't stay at night anymore. There was too much emotion and she was afraid that they would cross lines that weren't meant to be crossed. @
Josh entered the waiting room and found CJ.
"Hey! You got here okay?" She looked up and asked. Josh could tell CJ had been crying.
"Yeah, no problem. How is she? When can I see her?" Josh implored.
"Abbey said that she was stable. They have a monitor on the baby, too."
"CJ, why didn't she tell me? I just don't understand." The enormity of the situation overwhelmed him.
"She didn't want to drag you into this. Because of that damned conversation we had that night, she left to save you. She's been back in DC since she found out she was pregnant." CJ thought back to the argument she and Josh had just before the congressional hearings began.
@"Not now, Josh. This administration cannot deal with your little sexual adventures right now. There's too much else on the line." CJ was livid now that her suspicions about Josh and Donna were confirmed.
"This is none of your business. And you damn well know this isn't a little sexual adventure. It's Donna. You know this isn't just about sex."
"You can rationalize it all you want. This will not play well in the press, and you know it. Do you really think we need to deal with this two days before the President goes to the Hill with his head in his hands?"
"Get off it, CJ. We deserve to be happy."
"This isn't about whether you deserve happiness. God knows, if this was any other time, I'd be dancing in the streets. You two are my best friends, but you cannot have an affair with your assistant.
"This is so much more than that. I love her with all my heart and I don't want to live without her."
"Then don't. Get her to resign. If you are not her boss, then the story goes away. You cannot have it both ways. Either be her boss and break off the relationship, or get a new assistant." CJ didn't know until months later that Donna was on her way into the office and heard every word. @
Abbey Bartlet came back into the waiting room to find CJ trying to explain to Josh what she'd found when she went to Donna's.
"Joshua, I am glad you're here."
"Yes, ma'am. Thank you for taking care of her. May I see her?"
"Not just now. The contractions are starting again. The doctors are doing their best to save both Donna and the baby." The realization that he could lose Donna again knocked the air out of Josh, and he fell back into the cushions of the sofa.
"I almost forgot. When they took her into surgery, they removed her jewelry. Maybe you'd like to hold these." Abbey handed him Donna's earrings and a delicate silver necklace with a snowflake pendant. It was the necklace Josh gave her the Christmas after the shooting.
@"I got you a present." Josh was smiling as he watched his assistant try to hang garland on her computer monitor.
"You better have. By the way, I'm still waiting for my skis." Donna laughed, remembering the Christmas before.
"Keep waiting. Did you get me anything?"
"You're Jewish. You don't celebrate Christmas."
"Ah, but we get Hanukah, which is eight days. So in reality, I am expecting eight gifts."
"Not on my salary, buster. I work for the Federal Government. But, yes, I did get you a present."
"I knew it." Josh smiled and went back into his office. Donna followed him in.
"So, where's my present?"
"It's not time, yet."
"Then why did you tell me?" Donna pouted.
"Just to torment you. Spirit of the Season and all."
Later, during the staff's party in the bullpen, the two went for a walk. They stopped in the Rose Garden where a light snow was falling. Josh helped Donna across a patch of ice.
"Would you like your present now?" Josh was still holding Donna's hand. Neither wanted to let go.
"Out here? But I don't see any skis."
"Will you stop with the damned skis, already?"
"What a nice attitude."
"It's hard to keep a good attitude when your assistant is constantly browbeating you."
"Oh poor Josh. Now, give me my present." He let go of her hand and reached into his coat pocket, removing a small gold box tied with a red ribbon. He handed it to Donna and smiled. She pulled the lid off and peered inside at the silver snowflake. It sparkled with a single diamond in the center.
"A snowflake because it's one of a kind, like you."
"Its beautiful. I love it." She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him tenderly. He pulled her closer and returned the kiss. Then they heard a door open and the music inside grow louder.
"We'd better go back inside." @
It suddenly occurred to Josh that CJ had been at the hospital for a very long time. "Who's doing the briefings? Does anyone know we're here?"
"Sam is doing the briefings. Toby knows that I am here with a friend who's ill. Rebecca knows to tell people only that you are out of the office for the rest of the day. We can let the others know when it's over." CJ hoped that it would be good news.
"Thanks, Claude. You are the best." Josh leaned his head back and closed his eyes. His thoughts drifted back to last year, when the news spreading around the White House wasn't good.
@The phone on Josh's desk rang just as he was heading to a meeting with the President. They were going to decide how Bartlet would disclose his MS and whether he would run again. Donna had already left for the day.
"Josh Lyman."
"Josh, its me." Leo said with a hint of emotion in his voice.
"I'm on my way, Leo. Just closing up the office."
"We're not having the meeting. There's been an accident…" Leo began.
"Is it the President? What happened?"
"No, it's not him. There was a traffic accident. A drunk driver ran a red light at 18th and Potomac. Mrs. Landingham was hit heading back here after picking up her new car."
"Is she all right?" Josh thought of the President's secretary who acted as a surrogate mother to all the White House staff.
"She's gone, Josh. I am going over to the residence now. Go home. We'll deal with the thing in the morning." Josh did not hear the Chief of Staff's last words. His mind filled with images of Mrs. Landingham teasing the President. She was the only one who didn't treat Jed Bartlet like he was some kind of god. Delores Landingham had been his father's secretary and knew him as a teenager. The images shifted to the others with Mrs. Landingham. She always had some advice for them and a cookie for those she favored.
His mind was then filled with images of Donna. His heart ached when he thought of how Donna would respond to losing her mentor. He couldn't imagine how he would react if he ever lost her. The thought propelled him out the door. He had to be the one to tell Donna. And then he would tell her how much he loved her and that nothing was going to keep them apart.
Within minutes, he was at her door. Josh knocked lightly and listened as her footsteps came closer. He saw the fear in her eyes when she opened the door.
"Josh, who was it?" He could see the news coverage on the television. They had only identified the victim as a White House staffer.
"Oh, Donna. I didn't want you to hear it this way." Josh pulled her into his arms. "It's Mrs. Landingham."
"Where is she? What hospital? We need to get there." The news bulletin did not announce the victim's death.
"She's gone, Donna. She died on the way to the hospital." He felt sobs rack the body of the woman he loved as he held her. They stood in the doorway until Donna stopped crying. Then he picked her up and carried her to the bedroom.
Setting her down on the bed, he went into the bathroom to get a washcloth. He wiped the tears from her face, then kissed her gently on the lips.
"Josh, why did this happen? She never hurt anyone." Donna began to cry again.
"No one knows. It's just a cruel twist of fate."
"How is the President? This has to be so hard on him."
"Leo and the First Lady are with him. I'm not worried about anyone else right now. I am worried about you."
"Don't worry about me. I'm not the most important person right now."
"Yes, you are. You are the most important person to me all the time. I love you, Donnatella. Tonight, I realized I couldn't live without you." He leaned in and kissed her more passionately.
"I love you, too, Joshua." Donna pulled him onto the bed with her. They let the emotions of the night bring them together in a fierce rush of passion. All the feelings each had held in for so long poured out into their lovemaking.
The days that followed were easier for both because they had each other. As the summer progressed, Josh and Donna grew closer and closer. @
"Josh, are you listening?" CJ tried to get his attention. The doctor was back at the door of the waiting room.
"What? Is it Donna?" Josh searched for some clue on the doctor's face.
"We performed an emergency C section. Your daughter is small, but healthy." Relief flooded over Josh, then he thought of Donna. "What about…"
"Your wife lost a lot of blood." Josh cringed at the doctor's mistake. He planned to change that if, when Donna was better. "However, we were able to stabilize her. We were also able to avoid a hysterectomy."
"Can I see her?" Josh just wanted to hold Donna and see for himself that she was okay.
"She hasn't come out of the anesthesia, yet. You'll be able to go in for a few minutes when she has been moved into a room."
"And my daughter? Can I see her?" The words were foreign and yet comforting to him.
"She is in the neonatal ICU, so that we can keep a close eye on her. Because of the stressful birth, we don't want to take any chances. You can go see her now."
"Thank you, doctor." Josh turned to CJ and hugged her in relief. "Oh, CJ. Tell me she'll wake up. I have to make this right."
"She'll be okay, Josh. Now, go see your little girl." Josh stood and followed the nurse to the NICU. After donning scrubs and a mask, he entered the unit and crossed over to his daughter's bassinet. He looked down and sighed at her resemblance to her mother. Her alabaster skin and downy blonde hair sent chills through his whole body.
"Would you like to hold her, Mr. Lyman?"
"Can I?" The nurse nodded and handed the gurgling baby to Josh. Her bright eyes sparkled as he leaned down to nuzzle her. It was love at first sight.
"Hey there, little one. I'm your daddy." He cooed. "You gave us all a bit of a scare. Now, your mommy is resting, but you'll meet her soon. I promise." He hoped that he was not lying to his daughter. Josh looked around and sat quietly in a nearby rocking chair. The two of them stayed there for quite a while getting to know each other.
Donna slowly woke up and became aware of her surroundings. She realized she was in a hospital room, her arm attached to an IV. She tried to sit up, but felt too weak.
"Don't move. I'll get the nurse." CJ moved from her chair.
"CJ, what happened? What about the baby?"
"She's fine. Let me get the nurse." CJ moved out of the room, and Donna lay back against the pillow. She couldn't remember much about the last twenty-four hours, except the panic she felt when the baby didn't seem to be moving. CJ said 'she', so Donna knew she had a daughter. No, she thought, she and Josh had a daughter. She knew now that Josh needed to know about the baby. Even if the two of them weren't together, her daughter deserved to know the wonderful father she had.
"Ms. Moss? How are you feeling?" CJ was back with the nurse.
"Tired and sore."
"Well, the doctor performed a C section, so your incision will be sore for a while. And, you lost a lot of blood, so that explains why you're tired. But, your vital signs are all good. We have every reason to believe that with plenty of rest, you will recover completely."
"And my daughter?"
"She is quite a fighter, Ms. Moss. She weighed in at 4lb. 6 oz. All her APGAR scores are high. However, with the stress of the difficult birth, we wanted to keep an eye on her. So, she is in the neonatal ICU. Your husband has been with her for a while now. I need to find Dr. Bartlet, now. She wanted to be informed as soon as you woke."
Donna glared at her friend as the nurse left. "My husband, CJ?"
"So, I told him. He needed to know. He has been here the whole time."
"It's okay, CJ. One thing I realized is that Josh deserves to know his daughter."
"He loves you, Donna. It was you that he worried about. The baby wasn't real to him, yet. He told me he couldn't stand to lose you, again."
"Where is he now?"
"He said there was something he needed to take care of. He should be back, soon."
The door opened and Abbey Bartlet entered the room.
"Well, young lady. You certainly caused quite a stir today."
"Thank you, ma'am. I know I wouldn't be here right now if it weren't for you and CJ."
"It was your strength and will to survive that saved you and the baby. Now, CJ, let's give Donna a chance to rest."
"Of course. I will be back later. I need to run back to the White House for a while."
"Oh, CJ. I made you miss your briefings."
"And for that, I am eternally grateful. See you soon." CJ wanted to get back and tell the others the good news.
Josh quietly entered the room, watching Donna sleep. His heart filled with love. His Donna was alive and back in his life. He stood there for a few minutes when he heard a faint whimper coming from the bassinet by Donna's bed. He reached down to pick up his daughter.
"Hush, little one. Don't wake mommy. She needs her rest." He moved to the rocker on the other side of the bed and sat down. "You are going to be the most spoiled girl in DC."
"She already is." Donna's voice was low, but stronger. She was feeling much better.
"Hey, you're awake."
"Yeah. Listen, Josh, I want to…"
"We have plenty of time to discuss this later. I'm not going anywhere."
"Neither am I, never again."
"I love you, Donnatella, and this little rugrat here."
"I love you, too, Joshua."
"So, does she have a name, yet? Little One Lyman will look awfully funny on her Medical School degree."
"Delia Jane. Is that okay with you?"
"Delia?"
"I wanted to name her after Mrs. Landingham, but I couldn't saddle her with Delores. So, Delia is close. And Jane is for…"
"My sister."
"Yes. I think they were both watching out for us today."
"Delia Jane Lyman. That sounds pretty good."
"Actually I thought it should be Moss-Lyman. After all, we aren't married."
"Oh yeah, I almost forgot." Josh pulled a gold box out of his pocket and handed it to Donna. She opened it to find a diamond and platinum engagement ring. "Marry me, Donnatella Moss. After today, I know I can never live without you, again."
"Oh, Josh. I love you."
"Is that a yes?" Josh searched Donna's face for an answer.
"Yes! I'll marry you." Josh leaned down and passionately kissed her. A cry of protest came from the baby in his arms.
"Delia, I've got something for you, too." He pulled another box out of his pocket and opened it to show Donna. Inside was a silver necklace. "It's a star, because I am very lucky that she brought her mother back to me."
"And the emerald?"
"That's her birthstone."
"It's beautiful. It reminds me of…" Donna's hand moved to her neck and a look of panic crossed her face. "My snowflake?"
Josh reached into his pocket once more. "I have it. They removed it before surgery and the First Lady gave it to me to hold. Here, hold your daughter and I will put it back where it belongs." He watched as the snowflake again settled into the space near her heart.
Noise outside the door broke the intimate mood. One by one, members of the senior staff entered. Leo, Sam and CJ each held a bouquet of roses. Toby was sporting a rather large pink bunny. His somber facial expression clashed terribly with the bunny's large floppy ears. Josh started to laugh hysterically.
"So help me, Lyman, if you're laughing at me, I will shove this animal where stuffed rabbits rarely return. This happens to be a gift from the President of the United States."
"Hi, Donna, whatcha got there?" Sam smiled broadly and moved toward the bed.
"Allow me to introduce Miss Delia Jane Moss-Lyman." On cue, the baby cooed to the delight of everyone.
Everyone took turns holding Delia and welcoming Donna back home. They congratulated Josh on his new family and the engagement. Half an hour late, it was obvious that Donna was getting tired.
"Well, boys and girls, it's time to go back to work." Leo smiled. "Josh, take tomorrow off. We can handle things. Congratulations again, Donna. I'm glad you're both okay."
"Thanks, Leo."
"By the way, when you're ready, there will be a position at the White House for you, Donna. It's just not the same without you."
"Thank you all. Especially you, CJ. If it weren't for you, I hate to think of what would have happened." Donna's eyes filled with tears.
"I will be by tomorrow. I am just happy you aren't upset that I told Josh."
"It was something I should have done from the beginning. I know that now."
After they all left, Josh moved to the bed where Donna was feeding Delia. "Why did you leave?"
"Because I couldn't stay. We were too close to hurting the President more."
"I could have handled it. You should have stayed and fought for us."
"I thought I was fighting for us when I left. Every time you called, it took all I had not to grab the phone and tell you to quit the damn job and come get me."
"I would have, you know. I would have moved mountains to get to you."
"I know. That's why I didn't ask. President Bartlet got through the hearings because of you. He will be re-elected because of you. That was more important."
"It's just a job. Nothing is more important than this. You, me and Delia, that's what's important."
"We're together, now. I'm not going anywhere."
"That's good, because, if you did, I would follow you. I would follow you to the ends of the Earth, Donnatella Moss." With that, Josh wrapped his arms around his new family and sighed.