Epilogue:

The DC morning sunlight began to creep through Donna's soft white curtains, quietly filling her bedroom with a gentle glow. Two figures lay on the nearby bed, clinging to each other in silent sleep. After a few final precious minutes of solace, however, one of them begins to stir.

Josh opens one eye and lifts his head to glance at the clock.

7:09am.

Yawning, he puts his head back down on the pillow next to Donna, squeezing her midsection with his arm. He watches her body move softly in response before returning to a deeper sleep.

He resists the urge to get up and turn on the news, but he knows there's probably more on the abortion clinic bombings.

Cursing himself, Josh slowly crawls out of bed and makes his way down Donna's hallway to her living room. He finds the remote on the couch and turns on the tv to CNN, making sure to mute the volume so as not to waken the sleeping woman in the next room.

Josh stands in front of the tv for a moment, reading the headlines that are scrolling across the screen. Satisfied, he makes his way into the kitchen.

He quietly opens a few cupboards, and, unable to find anything fitting for breakfast, pries open the refrigerator.

"She's been busy," he says to himself, taking note of her fridge's sparse contents.

Returning to the living room, he spots a grocery flier on top of a pile of mail on a nearby table. WE DELIVER! it shouts to him in big bold letters. Josh grabs the flier and a phone and dials.

"Yeah, I need some groceries delivered," he says into the phone. "Gimme a pound of your best gourmet coffee," he says as he walks back into the kitchen and re-opens the fridge. "And we're going to need a quart of milk, and one of OJ, too. Some plain bagels, and do you have danishes? Yeah, some danishes."

He peeks his head down the hallway to Donna's bedroom, where he sees her stirring a bit. "And a dozen roses," Josh says to the grocer, lowering the volume of his voice. "That's it. Do I pay when you get here? Great. And you've got the address from caller ID? Ok. An hour is perfect."

As Josh hangs up, he sees Donna appear in the doorway of the kitchen. She's wearing his undershirt, with a pair of pink panties. Her hair is slightly disheveled from sleeping, and as she looks up at him groggily, Josh can't believe how sweet she looks.

"Hey," he says to her quietly.

"Do you have to go in?" she says, still half-asleep.

"No. What made you think that?"

"You were on the phone," she says, wiping her eyes.

"That was nothing. You know, I was going to do the whole breakfast in bed thing, but you have no food in your kitchen."

Donna sighs. "I've been too busy to shop this week. What time is it?"

Josh takes a step closer to her, placing his hands on her hips. "Early," he breathes.

Donna rests her head on his chest, exhausted. "Have you heard anything more about the bombings?"

"Shhh," Josh says, stroking her hair with his hand. After a moment, he reaches down and scoops her up in his arms. "We're going back to bed," he says as he carries her down the hallway. Donna doesn't argue.

Bzzz!

At the sound of the intercom, Josh stumbles out of the bedroom and down the hall, hurriedly putting on the shirt Donna was wearing earlier. Donna sits up in bed and watches him sprint while she gathers the covers around her. "Who is it?" she asks him.

Bzzz!

Josh jogs lightly towards the intercom and presses the entry button when he reaches it. "I ordered us some groceries," he calls to her.

Josh grabs a few twenty dollar bills out of his wallet and walks out the door. Standing in the stairway platform, he calls to the figure coming up the stairs.

"How much do I owe ya?" he says. Slowly, he comes to realize that there are two figures coming up the stairway, and neither of them are holding groceries. In fact, one of them is holding a camera.

A middle-aged woman with a helmet of curly brown hair replies with, "Is that Josh Lyman?"

"Yeah?" Josh answers, still confused.

The man in the leather jacket with the camera shoots a few pictures of Josh before he can realize the mistake he's made by letting two reporters in the building.

"Will you comment on your relationship with Donna Moss?" the curly-haired woman says, pulling out a tape recorder.

Josh quickly retreats back into Donna's apartment, shutting the door and locking it. He stands there for a moment, his hand still resting on the doorknob. He starts to wonder about the odd opening question the reporter used, until it dawns on him that he's only wearing a pair of boxer shorts and a white t-shirt, inside-out.

He lets his head fall against the door with a depressed THUD.

Donna appears suddenly, wrapping a pale silk robe around herself as she walks towards Josh. "So, what's for breakfast?"

Josh turns to look at her, and his expression makes Donna's face fall. "What is it?" she asks.

As if to answer her query, the reporter outside the door begins to knock. "This is April Harner from the Washingtonian. We just want a few comments from you as a follow up for the Newsweek story."

Upon hearing this, Donna begins to frown. "She saw you like that?"

For what seemed like the ten thousandth time that morning, the phone rang.

Donna takes a bite out of a bagel as she puts her feet on the coffee table. Josh is next to her, reading the paper and having another cup of coffee. He grimaces at the sound of the ringing and looks over at the phone receiver on the end table, near a vase of fresh roses.

"Who's getting it this time?"

"You are," Donna says, chewing her bagel.

"I got it last time."

"No, I got it last time. Besides, you got us into this mess."

"Yeah, well, you're eating the reason why I got us into this mess," he retorts before snatching up the phone. "Hello?" he says warily.

"So I just got a call from the Washingtonian fact checker asking me for a comment on your relationship with Donna Moss," the voice on the phone begins.

Josh winces. It's CJ. "Yeah.."

"And when I put on my Dunce cap and ask the Washingtonian what the hell they mean by that (and, as the Press Secretary, I'm getting pretty good at looking like an idiot, so that's not the issue here).."

"Yeah, CJ, listen.."

"The little pipsqueak tells me you greeted their field reporter in your BVDs!"

Josh stands up, running a hand through his hair. "Ok, look.."

"A word of advice, Josh," CJ says, her voice rising. "The next time your ex-assistant appears on the cover of a nationally-circulated magazine, try to NOT answer her front door in your tighty whities! Jackass!"

"CJ--"

"Did the usefulness of the peephole suddenly elude you this morning?"

Josh makes a face. "Yeah, I didn't check to see who it was.. I, I thought it was breakfast."

"Jesus. Of all the days.. I swear to god, if this turns into something today, I'm going to punch you in the face."

"Do you think it's going to turn into something?"

CJ hesitates before answering. "Honestly? I don't know. We're going to have to sit tight and see if this gets picked up by the major outlets."

"Ok."

"Josh," Donna says, interrupting his train of thought as he paces around the livingroom. Donna points to the tv. CNN is showing a grainy picture of Josh in Donna's hallway, wearing a rumpled pear of underclothes and looking very confused. Even so, it's Josh, so he fills out his shirt nicely, even if it is on inside out.

Donna gives Josh a crooked smile. "Well, it's a nice shot of you, anyway."

Josh stares at the television, dumbfounded. "I have bedhead," he says. "On national television."

Just then, Josh's cellphone begins to ring on the coffee table. Donna dutifully grabs it and hits the answer button, placing it to her ear.

"If that's The Globe and Mail again, I want something clear," Josh says to her. "I wear boxer briefs. None of this tighty whitey bullshit."

"Lemme talk to Donna," CJ barks to Josh through the phone still at his ear.

"It's Leo," Donna says to Josh, holding out his cellphone for him.

Josh walks over to Donna and takes the cellphone, giving her the cordless phone in exchange. "It's CJ," Josh replies, "but I think you already knew that."

Donna takes the phone. "Hi, CJ," she begins. "I am so sorry.."

"Yeah, yeah," CJ interrupts. "So.. how was it?"

Donna takes a moment to realize what CJ means. "How was what?…oh..CJ!"

"Ok, it's 8:32am Saturday. My day off. And I'm currently have 13 phone messages and 32 emails..oh, wait, 33!" CJ exclaims as she watches another email appear on her laptop computer screen. "33 emails from an endless assortment of weekend-edition journalists whose workday has only just begun. And every subject line is about you two. If I'm going to have to stand in front of the fire for you two lovesick morons, I'd better at least get the juicy details."

Donna takes a look at Josh, who seemed pretty busy on the phone with Leo. She places a hand around her mouth and the receiver and says quietly, "Well, we got to third base on my office couch before the FBI field agent returned my call."

"Really? Well, I'll keep that in mind the next time I want to sit down in your office."

"CJ, I am really sorry about this."

"It's okay. I have to go in and give a press briefing about the bombings anyway, so it's only slightly horrifically annoying."

Donna watches Josh from the couch as he continues to pace nearby, talking to his boss on the cell.

"You've got your cellphone turned off," Leo chides.

"Yeah, I know I'm not supposed to do that."

"You know we could have a national emergency happen, and then how would I get in touch with my Deputy?"

Josh shrugs. "I figured we could use carrier pigeons or smoke signals or something."

"The press that bad, huh? Is it like when she got back from Germany?"

Josh stands against the wall in the living room, resting his weight. "Worse. I think the Channel 8 people are planning to set up a tent outside."

"Stay home. Don't come in the office."

"No way," Josh barks.

"Josh..given what this looks like.." Leo says gently.

"I'll tell you what this looks like. Two single senior staffers from different offices having a relationship. It's a non issue."

"Yeah, well, speaking from personal experience, the American public has a funny way of deciding what is and isn't an issue."

"Yeah." Josh sighs. "Leo, I'm sorry. I know how this could reflect on the President."

"Nah, don't worry about it."

"Leo.."

"Don't worry about it. You're right, this is nothing. You may think you're in a hole, but you're not."

"Yeah. What's going on with the clinic bombings?" Josh says, ready to get his mind off of the mess he created.

"FBI and law enforcement are still sifting through the damage. Death toll's now at fifteen for the first one."

Josh nods. "Okay."

"But do me a favor: stay out of the office. In fact, don't go out at all, at least not until Monday. That's an order. Maybe this National Enquirer crap will all blow over."

"Yeah, okay."

"Listen, Josh, there are worse things than being stuck in an apartment with Donna. I'm sure you two can find something to do."

Josh laughs at the suggestive tone in Leo's voice. "You are a dirty old man."

"Yes I am," Leo responds quickly.

"Get off my phone," Josh says, grinning.

"See ya."

Josh hangs up his cell and throws it on the coffee table, watching Donna as she talks to CJ on the phone on her couch. She's leaning back, resting her feet on the coffee table as she absentmindedly rests her head on her hand.

"Dr. Bartlet wants you to insert a sympathy statement into your briefing on behalf of the President and herself," Donna says into the phone. "Yeah," she says, listening to whatever CJ is saying. "Perfect. Yeah, we're going to have to push that legislation to the forefront. Education will have to wait until next month. This time it's going to be about increased security measures for abortion clinics, because you know Congress wouldn't kill a bill like that, not when there's so much media on it right now."

Josh walks over to her, squatting down on the carpet in front of her. Turning to the coffee table, he places a hand on her leg and begins to stroke it lightly. Donna looks at him and smiles, but her attention is still focused on the phone conversation with CJ.

"You want to introduce talking points this early?" Donna says into her phone.

Josh separates Donna's legs with his hand.

"I agree," Donna says.

Josh runs his hand up her leg to her thigh. He discovers with increased enjoyment that she isn't wearing panties under her silk robe.

Donna suddenly leans forward, reacting to Josh's touch. "CJ, I have to go.. I.." Donna says, struggling as Josh strokes her between her legs. He smiles at her defiantly.

"Donna are you okay?" CJ says to her, concerned. "Is it your leg?"

"Yeah, yeah," Donna blurts out. "It's my leg. I'm gonna go take some medicine.. Oh, yes."

Josh is leaning in closer to her as his hand explores further under her robe. With his other hand, he slowly begins to untie the sash at her waist.

Donna struggles to concentrate on the phone. "I mean, yes, yes, medicine, yes," she gasps.

"Okay then," CJ says, confused.

Donna hits the 'talk' button to shut off the phone and throws it across the room. She immediately straightens her back as her robe softly falls off of her. Josh is kneeling in front of her, laughing, until she takes both of her hands and presses against his large shoulders, pushing Josh backward and onto the living room floor. Donna falls on top of him, straddling him naked. She smiles at him as she feels him harden underneath his thin boxers. "You're going to pay for that," she growls.

CJ walks gingerly up to the podium at the front of the press room and opens her binder.

"Hi everybody," she says casually to the packed room of reporters and cameras. "I'm going to try and make this quick and painless, since it is a Saturday and we all should be asleep. First of all, the FBI is ready to confirm a link between the clinic bombing in Palo Alto and the clinic bombing in Ludingtonville…this has something to do with identical trigger mechanisms used, but Special Agent Mark Edgewater is going to give a briefing from the Pentagon at eleven, so he's the guy to direct the technical questions to. No word yet on the bombing suspect or suspects. The final death toll is now at fifteen dead in Palo Alto, three dead in Ludingtonville, bringing the total now to eighteen. There are also 5 wounded in Palo Alto who are being treated at area hospitals."

"The President and the First Lady which to express their deep dismay over these events, and extend their most heartfelt sympathies to the families of the victims of these bombings."

"Also, one small thing," CJ says, glancing at a small note in her binder. "After careful negotiation, the Students for Environmental Action have agreed to call off their protest on Pennsylvania Avenue on the agreement that the White House pledges to increase its recycling efforts by fifteen percent. And with that, I'll take some of your questions," CJ finishes, examining her audience for raised hands. "Mark," she calls.

"CJ, can you confirm that Josh Lyman is dating his former assistant, Donna Moss?"

CJ sighs. "Ah, yes. The reason why you're all here." The reporters chuckle. "Well, I hate to burst your bubble, Mark, but the White House doesn't comment on the personal lives of its staffers."

Another reporter begins to speak. "CJ, do you know if they were dating before Donna was transferred to the Office of the First Lady?"

"Absolutely not," CJ automatically blurts out.

"So you're saying you do know when they began dating," Mark retorts.

"No. Yes. No." CJ says, her face frozen.

"CJ," one of the reporters whines.

"I'm pretty sure it was the State Dinner," CJ admits, defeated.

"But the state dinner was last night," the second reporter says.

CJ shrugs. "Blame it on the bossa nova." As the press room giggles again, CJ notices Carol trying to get her attention. She waves her over as Carol, her face drawn, hands CJ a note. As CJ reads, her demeanor changes as well.

"Okay, there has been another clinic bombing," CJ says, still looking at the note. "Again, I'm sure you'll get a more detailed briefing from the FBI, but for now I'm going to give you all the information that I know. An abortion clinic in Lawrence, Kansas was bombed approximately forty five minutes ago. Initial reports say that the clinic was, in fact, open for business, and a preliminary death toll is at around ten to fifteen people."

Almost immediately, the reporters shout her name with questions regarding the third bombing.

Donna and Josh, who found their way back into Donna's bedroom, were attempting to sleep a bit more when all of their phones began to go off, ripping into the temporary silence the couple were enjoying.

Donna jerks her head up from Josh's chest, groaning. She reaches across him and grabs her phone. "Yeah," she says. After listening for a moment, she sits up, grabbing another robe and pulling it on with one hand. "Yeah," she says again. "How long ago?"

Josh, meanwhile, rolls off the bed and pulls his boxers back on. He jogs into the living room, where his cellphone is ringing angrily from the coffee table. He answers it while noticing the CNN headline scroll from the still-muted tv.

"It's me again," Leo says to Josh through the phone. "There's been another bombing."

"I can see that," Josh says, still watching the screen. "What's going on?"

"We're trying to get intel from all the agencies. Listen: forget what I said before. I'm gonna need you to come in."

Josh nods as he watches Donna approach from the hallway. She's still on the phone, too. "Where is the First Lady now?" Donna says into the receiver as she leans in the doorframe. "Yeah," she sighs. "I'm coming in right now." She looks up at Josh, and they stare at each other.

Josh's eyes twinkle as he says to Leo, "We serve at the pleasure of the President."

Fin.

"Duty! Sublime and mighty name, that embraces nothing charming or insinuating but requires submission." -Kant