Donna did her best not to smile as her younger classmates followed her into the west wing. She could remember her own mouth hanging open in awe as she had trailed after Josh as they had taken office. Donna knew that the White House had been designed to evoke just this reaction in its visitors. She stopped to exchange greetings with a few staffers in the hallway giving Bri, Ethan, and Greg a chance to get their bearings as they gawked at their surroundings.

"So how are you feeling?" Bonnie asked as she gave Donna a hug.

"I'm fine," Donna assured her friend. "Bonnie, this is Bri, Ethan, and Greg. They helped me when I collapsed last month and have been helping me keep up with my classes while I was confined." Bonnie extended her hand and greeted each of them in turn. "Bonnie is one of the Communications assistants. She keeps Toby and Sam organized," Donna explained.

"You giving them the tour?" Bonnie asked. "CJ's about to start the last briefing."

"Thanks," Donna told her. "I'll take them down to watch." Donna led her guests down to the briefing room where they stood along the back wall to watch CJ do the last briefing of the day.

"Good afternoon," CJ greeted the reporters gathered in the briefing room though the focus of more than a few of them was directed towards the back of the room where Donna stood observing. "First, since I can see I won't have your attention until it's out of the way, everybody say 'hi' to Donna who is returning for the first time since being released from her second confinement to bed rest. She's still on medical leave and just visiting today," CJ waited as the reporters called out greetings. "Donna, anything you want to say?"

"I want to thank all of you that sent cards and gifts during either of my hospital stays. Danny, I especially want to thank you for the daily delivery of the Post. It kept me from going crazy with boredom," Donna told them causing several members of the press corp to chuckle. "That's it."

"Okay," CJ said before continuing the briefing. She spoke for another fifteen minutes before delivering her last tidbit of the day. "Finally, the President is holding a small dinner party tonight in the Residence. The guest of honor is, wait for it, Donna Lyman. The President and his staff are celebrating her release from 'bed rest hell' as she puts it. Besides the First Family and members of the West Wing staff, three of Donna's fellow students at Georgetown University will be in attendance. Sabrina Johnson, Ethan Delany, and Greg Brenner. They were instrumental in getting medical help for Donna when she collapsed in class four weeks ago. This dinner is our way of saying thanks, and with that I'm putting the lid on. Have a nice evening everyone. See you bright and early tomorrow," she told them before stepping down from the podium. "Danny," she called beckoning him to the back of the room where Donna stood.

"What's up, Flamingo?" Danny asked with a smile.

"Do you have a death wish?" she asked with a glare.

"Awww...come on. I think it's a cute," Danny protested. Turning to the students he asked, "Don't you think it's cute?"

"They changed it three months ago," Donna told him. "She's 'Berkley' right now."

"How'd you....never mind," CJ decided. "Danny, the President wants to invite you to the dinner tonight as long as its understood that you're not there as a reporter. We all appreciate your help with keeping the lid on Donna's medical problems."

"I'm off the clock," Danny assured her. "I love chili!"

"You would," CJ groused as she led the group towards the Residence. "At least the First Lady's having the staff make something for those of us who don't have cast iron stomachs."

"Thank God," Donna said. "I have enough heartburn without adding the President's chili into the mix." The women in the group chuckled even though Donna was the only one of the three to experience pregnancy. CJ and Bri had both been around enough pregnant friends to be familiar with the heartburn, swollen ankles, and other joys that went with pregnancy. "Hey, Mary" she greeted the other woman as they approached her desk in the outer office. "Where's Charlie?"

"Deena's got Parent's Day at school," Mary told her. "The President gave him the day off to go. He was a little uncomfortable about it."

"Well, he's not much older than the students. So Deena's joining us tonight?" Donna asked.

"Yeah, the President and Leo want to grill her about this US History project she's doing," Mary explained. "You can go right in. They're waiting for you." Holding up a file folder she asked, "Can you take this to him, Donna?"

"You're putting me to work?" she gasped then smiled to let the other woman know she was joking. "Sure, Mary." CJ and Donna led the way into the Oval Office trailed by Danny and the three students. "Mr. President, Mary wanted me to give this to you."

"Donna!" the President greeted her as he came out from behind his desk to meet her.

"You look..." Sam began as he surveyed the denim overalls and t-shirt she was wearing.

"One Wisconsin farm girl crack from the peanut gallery, and I'll have Margaret shuffling the Big Block of Cheese Day assignments, Samuel" Donna warned.

"Peanut gallery?" questioned Toby raising an eyebrow at her word choice. "How was your first day back in class?"

"Amazingly stress free," Donna said with a glare. "It seems Dr. Danielson decided to take a sabbatical for the rest of the semester. None of you know anything about that would you?" she asked.

"Us?" Bartlet asked innocently. "Why aren't you accusing Josh?"

"Because she already threatened me if I did anything. Donna wants to fight her own battles," Josh explained. "Even though this is a family, and family help each other," he continued with a glare of his own for his wife even as he rubbed the ache in her lower back that never seemed to go away.

"Katie did that," Danny told them. "She wanted to make up for asking the question of CJ."

"Why..." CJ wondered.

"I....uh....sort of...." Danny mumbled.

"You yelled at her, didn't you fish boy?" CJ demanded.

"She yelled at me first!" he defended himself as he blushed brightly.

"CJ, call Carol and have her see if Katie's still here," the President ordered. "Invite her to dinner too. If that's okay with you, Donna?"

"She's forgiven," Donna assured him.