Josh drove back into Georgetown, keeping one eye on the road and the other on Zoey. She had remained silent since leaving the White House. The only sounds she made were that of her sniffling, indicating that she was still very emotional. Josh sighed quietly to himself, he felt so useless, he didn't know what to do or how to make her believe that everything would be okay.

Once they got back to Josh's apartment building, the agents quickly searched the premises and gave them the go-ahead to go in. As they went in, Josh allowed Zoey to go in first, watching as she made her way over to his couch and laid down and curled up into a ball. The lead agent gently touched Josh's arm, his voice quiet, "All night?"

Josh smiled wryly at the agent's discretion, especially considering what he had witnessed, "Yes, and we'll be heading out of town tomorrow, I'll let you know where in the morning."

Agent Bauer nodded, his voice soft, "Yes, sir. Goodnight, Mr. Lyman."

Josh entered the apartment and made his way to the kitchen, taking the time to drag his hand along Zoey's spine en route. Once he reached there, he washed his hands and set out to make them something to drink.

A few minutes later, Josh had walked back out into the living room, still wearing his coat, carrying two mugs of peppermint tea. He wasn't particularly fond of tea, however, he knew how much Zoey liked it so he kept it on hand for her. As he set his mug down, he was grateful to have it.

Walking around the coffee table, Josh pushed some magazines onto the floor and sat down, reaching out to run his fingertips down her spine again, speaking softly, "Zoey, honey, I brought you some tea, it might help you feel better."

Slowly turning, Zoey sat up and reached for the tea, murmuring her thanks.

Sitting down next to her, Josh sighed heavily as he stripped off his jacket and tie and toed off his shoes. He took a sip of his drink as he looked at her, what was there to say? Then he realized what the only thing he could say was. . . He lifted her chin, forcing her sad eyes to look into his.

"I love you."

Zoey closed her eyes. . . Those three little words were the only things needed to make her cry again, she averted her eyes, whispering, "Josh, your entire career may be over because of me."

He snorted, "No, my career isn't over, just entering a new phase. This isn't a problem, I view this as a challenge, an opportunity."

Zoey shook her head, softly, "Josh, your professional life could be over if my father fires you for this."

Josh refused to accept that he'd be fired over something like this. Engaging in another verbal spar with Mary Marsh might warrant termination, but loving the President's daughter?

"No, I'll resign, conflict of interest, I think we've got a nepotism policy. Don't worry about it tonight." He cupped her chin and looked into her eyes. "You okay?"

Zoey nodded, "Yeah," she paused as she sighed softly, looking at him, "Josh... my father won't disown me. He may talk the talk, but when it comes to walking the walk, he'd rather die than to say or do anything to hurt the family."

Josh nodded as he pulled her into a loving embrace, "See just a little bump in the road, isn't that what families are all about? Fighting and loving? Here drink some of this."

He handed Zoey her tea and watched her take a sip. He was worried about her, she was pale and her eyes were swollen from crying. He just wanted to calm her down and get her to bed, They'd worry about their future tomorrow. She sipped the drink, the peppermint sliding down her throat soothingly. She didn't realize that she had gotten a sore throat from all her crying until she drank the tea. It was then that her headache was making another appearance. She set her cup down on the coffee table and put a hand to her head, softly, "Do you have some aspirin or something?"

Josh nodded as he rose to get her some Tylenol, his forehead creased with worry. He knew that Zoey never took any medication if she could avoid it. Even something as simple as ibuprofen, Zoey tried to avoid. Walking into the bathroom, Josh made sure that he had enough soap and shampoo to get them both through the night and morning. Checking the linen closet, he was relieved as he remembered staying up almost all night just this week doing laundry. He reached for a fresh clean towel and a washcloth and set them on the counter for Zoey so she'd be able to have a bath or shower if she chose. Opening the medicine cabinet, he found the familiar white bottle with a red cap and reached for it and headed out to the kitchen.

Grabbing a clean glass, Josh went to the refrigerator and took out a cold bottle of water and headed into the living room, opening it and pouring some into the glass. "Are you sure you're okay?" He asked as he handed her the pills and some water.

She nodded as she took the aspirin, softly, "Yeah. I just need to shower and get to bed."

"Okay, I went ahead and put some fresh towels and a washcloth in the bathroom for you, and there's also a bottle of shampoo and some soap in there. Why don't you go in and undress and start and I'll go through your bag and bring you some pajamas."

Zoey nodded gratefully as she despondently headed into the bathroom. Josh watched her go and sighed softly, his heart breaking for her, as he walked over to her bag and unzipped it. He had to admit he felt a little guilty going through her bag, but he knew that his feelings of awkwardness didn't matter now.

Carefully picking through jeans, some t-shirts and socks, Josh spotted a clean pair of underwear and set them aside and found her nightgown. Josh brought the grey cotton nightshirt out and regarded it thoughtfully. His fingers ran over the fibers slowly and then his eyes caught something in the bag. Reaching in, Josh picked up the tube of lotion and brought it to his nose, inhaling the aroma deeply. He placed Zoey's underwear on top of her nightgown and wrapped the tube of lotion in it and headed into the bathroom, already hearing the sounds of the shower running.

Upon entering, he saw his mirror was steamed up and heard her washing herself. He wasn't sure what to do. He didn't know if he should just leave her nightgown and go into the other room, announce that he was there or step into the shower with her. Not wanting her to think that all he wanted was sex, Josh opted for option two.

"Zoey, I brought your pajamas, a pair of underwear and some lotion in here for you, they are on the vanity."

He waited as she just stood there for a moment. Suddenly, Josh was worried that Zoey was upset at him for going through her bag. Zoey popped her head out, her wet hair slicked back, and gave him a small smile,

"Thanks, Josh. I'll be out in a minute."

He nodded and leaned in to quickly kiss her and stepped out to give her privacy so she could finish her shower.

A few minutes later, Zoey stepped out of the bathroom wearing her nightgown. Josh was a little surprised to see that the hem stopped at mid thigh. He smiled at her as she went over and sat down next to him, putting her head on his shoulder. Josh leaned in and kissed the top of her head and breathed in the feminine fragrance of gardenia, he couldn't help but smile. "You smell so beautiful."

Zoey's lips tugged into a smile as she kissed his cheek, her eyes closing. Josh held her closely for a bit, as he watched some tv. After Leno had signed off for the night, Josh looked down at Zoey and saw she was sound asleep. Carefully he laid her down on the couch and went into his bedroom and quickly changed into something more comfortable to sleep in. Quickly pulling down the bed, Josh got everything ready and walked back out and picked Zoey up and carried her into the bedroom and gently laid her in his bed.

Bringing the blankets up, he kissed her lightly and got in on the other side. Soon he drifted to sleep and his body unconsciously pulled Zoey toward him, wrapping an arm around her waist as they both, surprisingly, slept peacefully.

The following morning Josh awoke and glanced over at Zoey. Her eyes were still red and puffy, suggesting that she had cried some more during the night. He sighed as he shook his head, if the President hadn't had a detail with him, Josh knew he would have hit him for what he called Zoey. Leaning in, Josh carefully brushed some hair out of Zoey's face, and kissed her gently and got out of bed.

Closing the door as he left the room, Josh went into the kitchen and grabbed his phone and dialed some familiar digits and waited. He smiled softly as he heard the voice on the other end, "Mom? Its me."

"Joshua - Is something wrong?"

"No, no. Say, listen, I'm taking a few days off of work. I want you to meet someone, someone special to me."

Barbara Lyman smiled softly, her son was finally appearing to settle down. "Oh, honey, I'd love to have you and your friend for a few days. Ever since dad died, it's been so lonely around the house."

"Mom, as much as I want to see you in Florida, I'd like you to meet her in Connecticut. I want to show her the house, you know, where I grew up. Do you think you could fly up there today? We'll meet you there."

Mrs. Lyman bit her bottom lip, she didn't know how to tell her son that she didn't have the money to fly to Connecticut. Hesitantly, "Sure, honey. I'll have to look in your father's old stashes for some money, but I can try."

Josh sighed softly in exasperation at his mother's money miserliness. She could buy the airline if she was so inclined, yet she pinched her pennies. "Mom, I'll buy you the ticket, I'll have Donna arrange the flight and call you with the information. This is really important to me."

"No, no, no, no, you save your money, Joshua. I'll manage. So what is your little friend's name?"

"Zoey, Zoey Bartlet." He could hear his mother gasp as he continued, "She'll be bringing her security detail, so there will be seven of us. Don't worry Mom, they stay at a hotel."

Waking up to an empty bed, Zoey climbed out and made it up for him. She walked out into the kitchen and stopped out of sight as she heard him on the phone, wondering who he would be talking to. Hearing him say the word "Mom", she couldn't help but smile softly, and then was reminded to call her own mother.

She stepped in and walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist, putting her face in his back.

Josh smiled softly as he used his shoulder to hold the phone to his ear, his hands running up and down Zoey's arms slowly. He closed his eyes and sighed softly as he heard his mother's exasperation. "The President's daughter? You are dating the President's daughter?! Joshua Lyman, don't you know she's young enough to be YOUR daughter?!"

"Mom, calm down, remember your blood pressure." He felt Zoey squeeze him in sympathy. "Yes, she is the President's daughter, and our relative ages are irrelevant."

Barbara sighed deeply. Ever the old-fashioned mother, she said, "Okay... Well, I'll fix your old room up and she can stay in the guest room, I suppose."

Zoey kissed the back of his neck softly and padded over to the refrigerator. Spying some fruit, she took it out and then saw a small tub of Philadelphia cream cheese and took that out as well. Walking around the kitchen, Zoey quietly opened Josh's cabinets and drawers and took out two small plates, some silverware, a coffee mug and two small glasses. Josh just watched her, an amused smile on his face, as he dealt with his mother. He saw Zoey look around in confusion and arched his brows at her, asking what she was looking for silently. When she mouthed the word "bagels", Josh pointed to the freezer and then showed her where the toaster was. She gave him a thankful smile and fetched them and then slid them down into the toaster and waited for them to heat up.

Josh's ears perked up as he heard his mother mention something about two separate rooms for him and Zoey. Deciding it wasn't worth the battle, Josh simply said, "Okay, Mom, we'll be there late tonight, probably after ten, so don't wait up for us. And Mom, thanks."

Mrs. Lyman just laughed softly, "Not wait up for you? Joshua, of course I'll wait up for you. It's been years since I've seen you and now that you are bringing a small army with you, you guys will be hungry after that long drive. Five agents you said? Am I allowed to feed them?"

Josh laughed softly. "Mom, don't worry about feeding us, we'll grab a bite once we get in town and get them settled into a hotel."

Zoey suddenly realized what Josh had said about her agents, she quickly ran over to him, speaking softly, "Josh, my agents have to be with me. They won't let me stay at your mom's and them at a hotel. Maybe we should all just get a hotel."

Mrs. Lyman's ears perked at the sound of another voice. "Joshua, is that Zoey I hear? What is she doing at your apartment at 6 in the morning?"

Josh looked at Zoey and nodded, hearing his mother's question, he quickly decided to put that Fullbright Scholarship to use and craft a believable response, "Uhhh... we try to have breakfast every morning together." He gave Zoey an "I'm in deep shit look".

Mrs. Lyman refused to believe this. Ever since he was a little boy, Josh had been an awful liar. "Joshua, don't lie to me. This is your mother, I KNOW when you are lying. Did she stay with you? Joshua, what kind of a girl is she?"

Josh's eyes grew wide as did his voice, "Mom! She's a wonderful girl, an amazing girl, brilliant, beautiful, funny, compassionate, kind, and I love her. THAT's what kind of a girl she is!"

Josh could hear his mother clucking her tongue. "You love her? So you're really serious?"

His voice softened, "Yes, mom. She's the one."

Barbara was speechless, she never thought she'd hear Josh utter those words. Josh looked at his beloved as he described her to his mother. He was rewarded with a dazzling smile from her. Reaching out, he grabbed her hand as he finished the call. "I gotta go pack, we'll see you tonight, Love ya, bye."

Hanging up the phone, he pulled her closer, murmuring "We'll worry about the agents tonight." Kissing her softly, he added, "It will all work out.". Zoey kissed him back and then broke the kiss, giving him her sweetest of smiles, "Joshua... if I have to have separate bedrooms at your mother's place tonight, I won't be happy."

He couldn't help but laugh softly, "It's not her place, it's mine. I own the house, we'll be staying at my place, in our own room."

Zoey smiled softly. "Good. And there's room for the agents without them stepping on our toes?"

He gave her an amused smile, "More than enough room, we won't have to see them at all. And Mom loves to cook, she'll be in seventh heaven cooking for your little army."

Zoey laughed softly and grinned at him, kissing him softly, "Why don't you take me to seventh heaven in the shower, Mr. Lyman."

Josh matched her grin, grateful to see the Zoey he loved again. Realizing that everything will work out fine in the end, he reached out and kissed her inner wrist. "Love to"

Slipping her hand in his, she allowed him to lead her to the shower.

"Where is she, Leo? Where is that bastard taking her?"

Leo sighed softly. He had spent the day as the direct target of the President's fire. As Jed had repeatedly pointed out, Leo was responsible for bringing Josh on board. Leo sighed softly, "Sir, I don't know. But you should have known this would happen when you called your daughter a whore."

Jed spun around to look at his chief of staff and oldest friend. Both men were fully aware that there were only two people on the planet who could get away with saying something like that to him... his best friend and his wife. "Don't you dare say that."

Leo stepped towards him, speaking calmly in hopes to calm the very angry and irritable President. "Well, Sir, I believe that's where this all started. I think you need to apologize to her and accept the situation."

The President stood there in shock. Was this the same man who flipped out over Sam dating his daughter?

"Accept the situation?! Accept a situation, Leo, where a man whom I regarded as a son is now sleeping with my youngest daughter?!"

"Well think about it this way, Jackass, if you regarded him as a son before, it won't be that difficult of a transition, if and when they get married."

Leo stood up quickly as Abbey walked in the room. Abbey gave him a small smile, "Leo, would you excuse us please?"

Leo nodded, grateful for the way out, and quickly left as Abbey approached her husband. "I know where Zoey is, Jed. She called and told me."

"She called you? Is she okay?"

"She's fine. Considering everything that she's been through the past 24 hours." Abbey sighed softly. "Jed, why can't you just open your eyes and see how happy she is with Josh? Josh is a good man, Jed. We both know that. He would rather die than hurt Zoey."

"Married, Abigail? She wants to marry him?" Jed was astounded, he hadn't thought of that during the past two days. He had been concentrating on how best to destroy Josh Lyman.

Abbey nodded, softly, "That's what I gathered. Jed, you are faced with some choices... one, you can accept this and embrace it and not lose your daughter or any potential grandchildren, or you can continue to act like a jackass and lose any chance of reconciliation with Zoey and any chance at ever knowing any grandchildren that may come out of this. The choice is yours." That said, the First Lady walked out of the oval office.

Jed watched as his wife walked out of the office with the poise and grace only Abigail Bartlet can pull off. He sighed deeply, his mind was reeling at this new development. His youngest daughter wanted to marry this man. He was now faced with a whole new set of problems.

The President sighed softly as he sat down on one of the couches in his office. His mind replaying the conversation he had with Josh just the other day. He could see and hear everything vividly... "You are a young man, Josh. Someday, you will fall in love with a woman, marry her, and have children. What kind of legacy will your children have from you?"

The President struggled to wrap his brain around this. He realized that this was what Josh had been trying to tell him before he ordered him out of the White House, that Josh wanted children, children with his daughter. He sighed again as his eyes drifted over to a picture of Zoey on his credenza, a pang of guilt stabbing at him... His eyes bore into the photo, whispering softly, "My god... What have I done to her?"

Zoey sat curled up in a plush leather chair in Josh's living room as he made the arrangements. She was looking forward to getting out of DC for a few days and to learning more about Josh as a child. She gazed at him as he worked the phones, cell phone in hand talking to Donna, landline in hand on a mysterious call to someone in Connecticut. At one point he held the two phones together so Donna could talk with whomever. Really, the man was hopeless with technology, she wondered how he earned to drive a car.

Suddenly he hung both phones up and smiled at her. "All set, do you need to get any clothes from the Residence?"

Zoey sighed softly as she stood up. "Yeah, but I'm dreading going back there."

Josh nodded, understanding, "We'll just sneak in through the kitchen's loading docks, Donna is setting it right now. You can go upstairs and pack, I'm going to meet with Leo in the kitchen, then we're on our way."

She nodded and gave him a small smile, "Is there anything you don't think of?"

"Well, I'd like to create a minor disaster that would keep your father in the situation room, but I couldn't think of anything. I'm going to pack, we should be there in half an hour."

Less than half an hour later, Josh had parked his car strategically behind a semi. Sitting in the front seat, his passenger fidgeted her hands in her lap. Josh remained silent, giving her the time she needed to work her nerve up. Once she nodded at him, he reached for her hand and kissed it and got out. Walking around the car, Josh opened the door for her and Zoey stepped out, a small smile of gratitude on her pretty face.

Walking hand in hand, they entered the White House and stopped abruptly, surprised to find Leo standing there waiting for them, Abbey by his side.

Zoey smiled softly at her mother and at the man she regarded as a second father. Her smile faltered as she looked at Leo... Did he think of her the same way her father thought of her? Did he think she was nothing more than a whore? As "Lyman's Latest?" Zoey shook those thoughts out of her head and rationalized that if Leo had felt that way, than he wouldn't be standing beside her mother. She went over and hugged him, kissing his cheek softly, whispering, "Leo, I love you. Thank you for your support in this, it means so much to Josh and I."

Leo stiffly endured Zoey's embrace. He felt like he was betraying his best friend by sneaking to the kitchen to help spirit Zoey away. But it was the only action he could take at this moment. He nodded at Abbey, "You'd better hurry."

Abbey nodded quietly, knowing that this was a painful act for Leo. She not only understood, but respected his conflicting feelings and she only hoped that Zoey would as well. Moving towards her daughter, her eyes drifted over to Josh, giving him a small smile and a little nod.

Josh smiled back at the First Lady, grateful for her acceptance and followed Leo as they moved toward the service elevator. Reaching their destination, Leo turned to his Deputy, "So, what did you want to see me about?"

"Leo, I've been giving this whole situation a lot of thought, I think you should start looking for my replacement."

Leo looked at him in shock. "Josh, this thing with the President, it will blow over. After all, Abbey is on your side. She is all for this. As long as you keep Zoey happy and safe from harm, than she's 100 supportive of this. And the President will see your love for her in time."

They paused as a janitor passed, trying hard not to look at the Chief of Staff and his Deputy hiding by the trash bins. Josh wished he could have reasoned with Leo over the phone, but he knew he needed to do it in person, to see Leo's reaction.

"Leo, Jed has 3 years left in office. I've got to look towards my future. I'm taking Zoey to Connecticut, show her the house, the state. I want to talk to her about our future. You know that the DNC has approached me about the Senate seat, if I'm going to run, I've got to start now. But I want her to be behind it."

Leo looked in shock at the younger man. He was very surprised by Josh's brazen attitude to refer to the President on a first name basis, something that Leo had only done less than a handful of times. Sticking a post-it note on that, he quickly moved to the situation at hand. "The Senate, Josh? Josh, I applaud your ambition, and your wanting to talk with Zoey about this, but..." he sighed as he tried to pick his words carefully, "She will always be the daughter of a President. For her entire life, Zoey will always have to have a security detail, the two of you will always have to call restaurants and stores in advanced to have them cleared out so you can go. It is going to be a massive undertaking. Putting the senate aside for a moment, do you always want to live with the chance that the woman you are with will forever, until the day she dies, face the possibility of a kidnaping? Or of a hit?"

Josh realized that Leo was only trying to be realistic, however he couldn't help getting the feeling that he was trying to dissuade him from being with Zoey. "Leo, of course she will, but she'll live that life regardless if we're together or not. And I'm planning on bringing her back here as First Lady."

Leo sighed softly, "Josh, don't think I'm trying to talk you out of this, I'm not. It sounds like you have put a lot of thought into this and you know what you want. It just surprised me when you mentioned the Senate. I never thought you wanted this. Toby and Sam, sure, Sam's got that congress thing he's thinking about at the end of the term anyway, but you..." his voice trailed off... he looked at him, softly, "Senator Lyman,"

Leo gave him his famous crooked grin, "It has a nice ring to it." His grin faded a little as he got back to being serious, "I've always seen so much more of Abbey in Zoey than I have in Ellie or Elizabeth. Don't get me wrong, Ellie and Liz are great women, I love both of them as if they were my own daughters, but they've always seemed to shy away from the political arena. I'm grateful to see another Bartlet wanting to participate in politics, even if it's to help the man she loves go to the Senate. Give me six more months to figure out who I want as your replacement and then I will help you with the first stepping stones, I'll get you the names and numbers of everybody you need in order to start. And if you and Zoey want to start this on your own time during those six months that's fine, just keep it under your hats while you are working for the President, deal?"

"Deal" Josh held out his hand to shake on it, and Leo grasped it. Leo smiled as he realized he just ruined his plans for a graceful exit from the White House to retirement, oh well, politics was in his blood, and it would be nice to be a footnote to history as the man who put Father-in-Law and Son-in-Law in the White House. "So, you're going to Connecticut? What about Zoey's plans for med school?"

As if on cue, Zoey walked into the hallway, a bag in her hand, and went up to the men. Placing her hand on Josh's back, Zoey smiled at him. "Zoey has decided to forego med school."

She looked at Josh's stunned face. "I wasn't sure how to tell you. I know we talked about California, and we can still do that, but... I don't want to spend 6 years in school and then be a resident at a hospital. We would never see each other. I want to be with you, I want to do what you are doing." She gave him a small smile, "I'm a Bartlet, what can I say?"

Leo stifled a grin. "I'm going to go back to my office. Have a good time in Hartford. Josh, give your mother my love and a kiss." He walked back to his office thinking that Josh is going to have his hands full with Zoey.

Josh just merely grinned at her and kissed her lovingly. "Zoey Patricia Bartlet, I do love you."

The two love birds collected her bags and stepped out of the White House and went back to Josh's car. Buckling up, they put some tunes on and started for the six hour drive to Hartford.

It was almost eleven when the convoy finally pulled into the driveway. Zoey couldn't really see much of the house as it was dark. She waited in the car while Josh and agents went to clear the house. It had been a long drive and although she slept, she felt tired and cranky. Josh had spent the entire trip trying to persuade her to stay in Med school, but she was exhausted by the past day's events.

Suddenly the door opened, and Josh was reaching in to help her out. He was beaming from ear to ear and gathered into his arms for a quick kiss. He whispered into her ear, "I want to you to meet my Mother."

Zoey mumbled softly, it was clear that the past few days have taken a toll on her, "Will she hate me for corrupting her darling baby boy?"

Josh laughed heartily, "No, I think you've got that backwards - I'm the corrupt or, you're the corrupted."

He gave her another kiss to reassure her, and placed his hand on the small of her back, guiding her towards the house.

A tall, dignified woman was standing on the front porch. The light behind her created a halo around her auburn hair. Zoey hesitated slightly, but Josh patted her back and pushed her forward. The woman's face was expressionless, and Zoey's heart sank.

Barbara Lyman glared at her son. "Do you deny this poor woman sleep, Joshua?" She smiled fondly at Zoey and extended her hand. "Come on in, dear, I have a fresh apple pie right out of the oven."

Zoey sighed softly, she wasn't sure if she should feel welcomed by her hospitality, or a tad offended at being treated like a child. Her grip on Josh's hand tightened. "Thank you, Mrs. Lyman, but I think right now I'd rather just have a nice long hot bubble bath."

"Yes, dear, of course. Let me show you to your room." Barbara gently grasped Zoey's elbow and guided her to the door, whilst glaring at her son.

"Joshua, would you bring in the bags? I'll get Zoey settled and then we will meet in your father's office."

Zoey quickly shot Josh a "please help me now" look as the older woman nudged her inside. She prayed that Josh would have a talk with his mother and explain the nature of their relationship. Zoey's eyes trailed around the house and she stopped when she saw a picture of a young boy looking to be about 4. She walked over to the picture on the wall. His hair was bright blonde, but she'd recognize those dimples anywhere. She smiled softly as she took a glimpse into his childhood, she looked at her hostess with a smile. "Your home is very beautiful, Mrs. Lyman."

"Why, thank you, dear. But you know, this is Joshua's now. I wish he would have given me more notice, it's been closed up for awhile, and you just can't get good help these days." Barbara moved Zoey quickly up the stairs and down the hallway, Zoey didn't have much of a chance to look around.

Barbara opened a door and ushered Zoey in. "I've put you in the peach bedroom, it has a lovely view. The bathroom is through that door, here is the closet. Josh can light the fire when he brings your bag in."

Barbara bustled about the room, straightening a picture, running her finger along a dresser top, shaking her head.

"I have to apologize, this place is a mess, I'll have it cleaned up first thing tomorrow. Honestly, Joshua needs to let me know his plans before he has me running around the country." But her grin showed that she was amused rather than exasperated at her son. "I'll leave you be, if you need anything, let me know. You will be coming downstairs once you've refreshed yourself? That pie is delicious."

Zoey blinked rapidly at the woman's quickness. She nodded, softly, "Yes, ma'am, thank you." Once Barbara had left Zoey walked around the bedroom and breathed in deeply, making a face. The bedroom, while pretty, was terribly out of date and it smelled of dust and old, stale air.

Walking over to the window, she opened it up and took a deep breath of the fresh air and decided to air the room out while she waited for Josh. She looked around, trying to decide if this was the master bedroom. The room was huge, with a queen- sized bed and a fireplace set between two windows. She opened the closet and saw it was a walk-in. The bathroom was small though, with old fashioned fixtures and a huge tub.

She heard Josh curse as he unceremoniously dumped both their bags on the floor, "Zoey, this weighs a ton, what did you bring?"

Zoey grinned as she closed the door. "Oh you know... sex toys."

Josh squeaked as Zoey moved towards him. Zoey gave him an evil grin, "I'm going to bathe, will you scrub my back?"

Josh groaned, whispering, "Zoey, I will not have sex with you in my mother's house."

Zoey grinned at him, "But, Josh, I thought it was your house."

"Well, it is technically, but it's still Mom and Dad's."

Zoey laughed at his uneasiness. "Relax, Josh, the door is locked. Now..."

She slowly started to unbutton her blouse and walk backwards towards the bathroom, loving the look of shock on his face when it became clear to him that she has been bra-less all day, "Are you going to scrub my back?"

Josh was torn, there was nothing more he wanted to do but that, but his Mother was waiting for him. He hesitated, then made his decision. He toed off his shoes and unbuttoned his top button as he followed his seductress.

Zoey grinned as she turned on the hot water and stripped her clothes off. Allowing him to get in the tub first, she followed him and sat down in his lap and kissed him softly as she hugged him, murmuring softly, "I love you."

"Mmm, me too" he replied as he pulled her towards him.

Barbara hesitated in the hallway, where had he gone to? She had seen him carry the bags upstairs, and followed him to direct him to the appropriate rooms, but he had disappeared. She checked his old room first, pausing to ensure that the bed had been made with fresh sheets, but his bags weren't there.. She opened the door to the Master Bedroom, her room, but he wasn't there either.

She walked towards the Peach room when she heard them. Her hand rose to her chest involuntarily as she listened to the lusty noises.

Zoey grinned at him as her body soon engulfed his manhood. "Now, see, isn't this much more fun?" She lazily ran her finger down his chest.

Barbara frowned. What has Joshua gotten himself into this time? She shook her head in disapproval as she made her way downstairs to see if any of the agents wanted some pie.

Zoey climbed out of the bathtub sexually satisfied. She gave her lover a small grin as she toweled her body off. "You never cease to amaze me."

The following morning, Zoey woke up and looked around the unfamiliar room, she remembered where she was and turned to find Josh next to her, still asleep. She silently crawled out of bed and looked through her bag. She set aside the cotton pj's and tank top, instead reaching for the new Victoria's Secret teddy, which Josh had yet to see. She checked to ensure her hair was mussed, and that the bruises he had left on her neck and shoulders were visible, she quietly left the room to find the kitchen and make Josh some coffee.

Creeping down the stairs, she was delighted to see no sight of Barbara or the off-duty agents. Peeking around the kitchen, she started to make coffee for the man she loved, relishing the simple, domestic act.

She glanced around the kitchen, waiting for coffee to brew, and took in the dated decor. She silently walked through the dark rooms, checking out Josh's childhood home. It was not at all what she envisioned, stiff, traditional, just like Josh's mother

She could not foresee spending her life here. She went back to the kitchen, poured the coffee into a carafe and headed back to Josh.

Walking upstairs, Zoey nearly collided with Barbara. The older woman took in Zoey's appearance with a disgusted glare, softly, "You shouldn't be scampering around half naked...there are men in this house."

Zoey gave the older woman a polite smile. "Yes... and I love one. Good morning, Mrs. Lyman." She gave her a serene look and headed to the bedroom, not at all surprised to see Josh awake. She shut the door and handed Josh the carafe, sighing softly, "Your mother hates me."

He took the carafe and set it on the side table. "Mom hates every woman I date. But, it doesn't matter."

He took in her nightie and made a twirling motion with his hands. She giggled loudly and complied with his request, adding a bit of a wiggle for good measure. She saw his immediate physical reaction and twirled yet again.

Josh shook his head. "I can't believe you saw my mother looking like that."

Zoey grinned as she dipped her finger into his coffee. "Yes, she was most amused."

She gave him a flirty little pout, and drew her finger across her lips. She then leaned towards him for a kiss. Kissing him serenely, Zoey snuggled down and put her head on his chest, smiling in satisfaction. "Do you have any plans for today?"

"Stay in bed all day with you." Josh said contentedly, as he drew her tight. Zoey smiled as she murmured happily, moving closer to him and closing her eyes, as he hungrily kissed her.

A few hours later, the door opened and Mrs. Lyman walked in with fresh towels. Zoey let out a scream as she quickly tried to cover herself up. Blithely ignoring Zoey, Barbara announced to her son, "Joshua, Representative Walter's secretary called to confirm your meeting this morning, you've got to get moving. And I need to have that talk with you, I waited for you last night, but I can see you were preoccupied."

Zoey glared at the old woman, her dislike for her growing by the moment, her voice indicating her testiness, "Um, Barbara, can't you see that we are still in bed and not ready to face the house yet?"

Barbara spoke as she walked to the bathroom to deposit the towels, "Miss Bartlet, I am trying to ignore the fact that you are naked and in bed with my son; who should know better."

Josh shrunk lower under the covers at his mother's words, "Apparently you won't allow me to do so with the tact this situation requires. I am sorry if your evening activities preclude your early rising, but I have moved heaven and earth to make this house presentable and ready for my son's meeting with the Representative and his contingent, which is scheduled to be here in one hour. Joshua, get ready now."

She turned to glare at Zoey.

"Okay, hold up..." Zoey sat up and wrapped the sheet around her breasts as she glared at her, "I have been kind to you because you are the mother of the man that I love. I have put up with my parents bull shit about this, and I'll be damned if I put up with your crap about us when you don't even know a damn thing about me except what you and your bitty old friends discuss at your sewing circles!"

Zoey grabbed the quilt and wrapped it around her body and stormed out of the room in anger, headed to the bathroom and slammed the door, locking it.

Barbara turned to Josh, "Joshua, really, what on earth are you thinking? You've got to get ready now. I will discuss this with you after your meeting with the Representative. And will see that she puts some clothing on?"

"Mom," Josh sighed as he got out of bed, grateful he was wearing boxer shorts. "You've got to cut her some slack. The President has not quite accepted us yet and he said some awful things to her that have gotten her very upset. I brought her out here thinking that she could find a safe refuge here and could be welcomed by you."

Josh took in his mother's look of disbelief. "This is the woman I'm going to marry, Mom. I love her. I want to have children with her. And I'm going to. Now, I'll tell you the same thing that the First Lady told the President on this matter. You can either accept us and be happy for us and have the chance at knowing any grandchildren that may come from this, or you can continue down the road you are going and forgo any and all chances."

He saw her take in his tirade, and spoke quickly before she cut him off. "I'm your last surviving child, Mom. You can't count on Joanie to give you a grandchild because Joanie's been dead for almost 40 years. Either way, it's up to you. I'm sick of the bull shit and I'm sick of the fighting. I'm going to call the Representative and reschedule the meeting and have it moved elsewhere."

He paused as he looked at his mother, "I'm sorry that our visit caused so many problems and stress for you. I'll have Donna reimburse you for your troubles." He turned and walked out of the room to make some phone calls.

Barbara started after her son as he strode out of the room. She sat on the bed and turned towards the locked bathroom, she could hear muffled sobs coming through the door.

Grandchildren? He really was serious about this one. But she is so young, and so, so headstrong. She got up and went to find her son.

"Joshua? I'm sorry. I thought" Barbara paused when she saw the look in her son's eyes, this really is the one. "I thought she was just another one of your women. I apologize, and I'll apologize to her, but I think she needs you now. I heard her crying."

He cringed at his mother's words "just another one of your women". He knew it was by his mistakes that he had gotten his reputation as a womanizer, he just hated that Zoey had to pay for it. He nodded quietly and went to find Zoey.

Zoey sat on the tub and dabbed her eyes with toilet paper. She didn't bother to tear the paper off the roll, there was just a long strand of it crossing them. She heard a soft knock on the locked door and ignored it.

"Zoey, its me, are you okay? Please, open the door."

She sighed and opened the door to find Josh, holding two cups of coffee. He handed her one, "A peace offering, from my mother." She sighed as she sat back down on the tub.

"Your mother hates me, Josh. She might as well call me a whore like my father did." She sighed again as she looked up at him, "Why does loving a man make me a whore?"

Josh sat down on the edge of the tub and gently rubbed her leg, "Its just their generation, and who we are. We're just too much in the public eye and it reflects on them. They are the scions of the old order, they have to set an example to the world, and we just don't fit." He sighed and took a drag of rapidly cooling coffee.

"I'm too old, I've played the field too long, you're too young. You're the fairy tale princess, who marries the prince and lives happily ever after. That's why the press was so enamored with you and Jean-Paul."

"Jean-Paul turned out to be a drug abusing jerk." She looked at him, softly, "I guess I should apologize to your mother, huh?"

"Yeah, but she needs to apologize to you too." He raised her to her feet and drew her into his arms. "Let's finish what Mom interrupted" and led her back to the bed.

Zoey shuffled to the bed, her eyes caught a glance of the clock and she looked at him, knowing he only had half an hour left, softly, "Josh, we don't have the time."

Josh sighed and nodded, knowing she was right. He reached out and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, figuring that he best tell her now what his future plans are. "Zoey, honey, I have a choice, and I realize that I won't be up for any awards in timing or tact, but I need to decide now... Peter Pan or Senator Lyman; a lost boy or a future leader - you choose."

She blinked at him in surprise and quickly turned her head, not wanting him to see the tears pooling in her eyes again. She hated herself for being so emotional lately but some things couldn't be helped. She padded over to the window and looked out it, softly, "I feel like I'm holding you back, Josh."

"Holding me back? No, I want us to move forwards Zoey, but we need to make a decision about our future. And I have the possibility of running for Senator here in Connecticut, with Leo's help. But I need to know if that's what you want. I'm sorry to dump this on you today, but I have to take this meeting. I need to know what you want."

She looked at him and walked over to him, running her hand down his face softly, her voice quiet, yet speaking volumes, "Beautiful man... I want to live my life with you. I want to give you children and I want us to sit on the porch of our home watching our grandchildren play. I want you to be happy, Josh. I want to make you happy. Ever since I've known you... way back to when I was a 16 year old annoyance working on my father's first campaign, I've heard you speak of wanting a seat yourself some day. This is your dream, Josh. You should grab it with both hands and know that I'm right there beside you all the way."

"Are you sure? You, better then any woman, knows the toll it takes on a family. Don't take this wrong, but we've seen what its done to your parents. I was really worried about Abbie's drinking during the second campaign. And, if I go that route, I want to go all the way, I want to make you the First Lady."

"Josh," She gave him a smile, she wanted to put all his fears and concerns at rest, but she didn't have the words for that. She leaned in and kissed him softly and then pulled back and smiled, softly, "Go for it."

Jaws dropped when they strode into the West Wing hand in hand a week later. The sight of them entering together seemed to confirm the rumors which had spread throughout the building after the Deputy Chief of Staff's sudden leave of absence and the thunderous visage of the President as he went about his daily tasks.

Whispers traveled faster then wildfire and eyes followed them as they made their way to the Oval Office. Charlie looked at the two of them as they entered his office.

Zoey leaned over and kissed the corner of Josh's mouth, softly, "Go talk to Leo. I'll deal with my father."

Josh nodded as waited to see her safely inside the oval office before he headed to Leo's. Zoey made her way over to Charlie's desk and gave him a small smile, "Charlie, I have an appointment with my father. Is he ready?"

Charlie nodded, it hurt him to see her with someone else, but he knew that it was he who broke up with her, not the other way around. And she seemed happy, so as long as Zoey was happy, than Charlie was happy. He sighed softly internally and gave his ex-girlfriend a small smile, nodding, "Yeah, Zo, he's ready for you."

Josh watched Charlie for a moment, he knew that the younger man was having a hard time dealing with this and he felt badly for that. Josh has always had a soft spot for Charlie, after all, it was Josh who brought Charlie aboard in the first place. And it was Charlie who engaged in screaming matches with the nurses and doctors to see Josh after he had been shot.

Watching Zoey go into the Oval Office, Charlie turned and looked at Josh. "You love her?"

Josh blinked in surprise, he wasn't quite sure how to answer that. Of course he loved her, but how does a guy tell the ex-boyfriend of the woman that he loves that? He sighed softly and nodded, softly, "Yeah, I do."

Charlie nodded as he shuffled some papers around on his desk, softly, "I know you do... And I know she loves you too, Josh."

Josh watched him carefully, curious where this was going, but remaining quiet. The last thing he wanted to do was push Charlie on something as delicate at this. Charlie's head rose up to look at his friend. "Treat her good, Josh. Jean-Paul hurt her deeply and I know that I couldn't have been the world's greatest boyfriend to her as well."

Josh nodded quietly, softly, "You are a damn good man, Charlie. Despite everything, I know that Zoey still has a soft spot for you. She always has and she always will. And any woman, Charlie... any woman... would be damn lucky to have you love her. And I mean that from the bottom of my heart."

Charlie smiled softly at him and nodded, mumbling a thanks. Josh patted his shoulder gently as he left and made his way to Leo's office.

Zoey entered the Oval Office and was immediately overwhelmed. How does she do this? What does she say to her father? To the man who called her a whore? Taking in a deep breath, Zoey quietly cleared her throat.

The President peered over his glasses at his youngest daughter, standing before him. He took in her rigid stance, waiting for his greeting with trepidation and defiance. He sighed to himself, and closed the folder, carefully placing it before him, then removed his reading glasses.

Zoey followed his every move, as though in a trance. He rose slowly from his chair, as though his back ached, and walked around his desk to stand in front of her. "Zoey, honey, I'm sorry for everything I said. Will you forgive a foolish old father who worries about his baby?"

She sighed quietly, relieved at his soft, kind tone. Looking at her father through a mantle of wet lashes, Zoey said simply, "I love him, Dad. That will never change."

The President nodded quietly, "Zoey, honey, love is a mysterious and a complicated force. It is a mysterious visitation, which comes out of nowhere into the here and now and takes hold of you... it is recognized intuitively... if it's the real thing, you won't have to be told..."

Zoey sighed softly as she rolled her eyes and settled into a stance, not really wanting to be lectured on the trivia and poetry of love through the ages, and the different types of love a person can encounter. Seeing her agitation, the President decided to keep his speech short and sweet and quickly came to his point.

"Zoey, I understand that you think you love him. And sweetheart, I just want what's best for you. And this relationship, at this point in your life, is not what's best for you."

Zoey looked at her father for a moment, her face creased from worry and sleep deprivation, her voice quiet, "How do you know what's best for me, Dad? I'm a grown woman. I have had a life of my own since I was 16 years old when you and mom were working finger to the bone to get in here. What's best for me, Dad, is to be with a man who loves me as much as I love him, and Josh is that man. And dad, you can either accept this and reap the benefits from it, or you can continue to object to it and I'll gracefully bow out of your life."

The President sighed softly, his youngest was, by far, the most stubborn of his children. "Zoey, you've just finished school, you're going to med school in California. Josh is going to be in Washington. I went through that with your mother. Its very, very difficult to maintain a relationship when neither of you have the time to, to say nothing of the fact that you and he will be three time zones apart."

Zoey chewed her bottom lip as she averted her eyes, her voice soft, "Dad, I' ve decided not to go to medical school. Josh was approached by the DNC to run for the senate seat in Connecticut. He wants to do this and I want to help him. And, dad, if all goes well and Josh is perceived as a really strong Senator, then he will run for Governor and after four years of that, Dad, he's going to try to get back here, only this time he'll be the one occupying this office and I'll have mom's office in the East Wing."

The President watched his daughter's face light up as she explained the future she had with Josh. Finally realizing that this was serious, he nodded, his voice soft, "You do know that... I will have to kill him if he ever hurts you, right?"

She nodded and smiled softly, her voice barely a whisper, "I know, daddy."

The President walked over to his daughter and pulled her in for a hug. Zoey put her head on his shoulder, crying, happy that they've finally made up. A few minutes later, he smoothed her hair and kissed her cheek, smiling at her, softly, "Let's go find your mother and tell her that we've reconciled... I'm sick of sleeping in the rose garden."

Laughing softly, Zoey nodded and they walked to the East Wing.

Josh stopped by his office for a minute to check his messages and collect his mail. As he stood at his desk, Donna walked in with the daily mail. She stopped abruptly when she saw her boss. She hadn't talked to him since it came out that he was in Connecticut with Zoey Bartlet. Now that she was in the same room with the man, she didn't know what to say, or even how to feel. Dropping his mail on his desk, Donna turned to go.

Josh glanced up at his assistant, softly, "Donna?"

The blonde turned around and looked at him, "Yes?"

He looked at her and walked over and closed the door and gestured for her to take a seat, softly, "You okay?"

Donna shrugged nonchalantly. "Why wouldn't I be? You are fucking the President's younger daughter. I'm just hunky dory, Josh."

Josh blinked in surprise, he wasn't expecting her to be so bitter or angry about it. He spoke to her softly, his voice taking on a shade of authority, "You will not speak about her in that manner, Donnatella. She is, as you pointed out, the youngest daughter of the President of the United States; therefore you will talk to and about her with a manner of respect and dignity. Do I make myself clear?"

Donna nodded, admonished, as she looked down, softly, "I'm sorry."

Her boss sighed softly as he ran a hand through his hair, softly, "Donna, I don't exactly have a pure past when it comes to women. Look at my track record... Mandy, Sarah, Amy, not to mention several nameless faces. I never thought that my past would be an issue until Zoey and I got together. Donna, Zoey has had to pay for my past. There have been some horrible, horrible things said about her and to her and she has taken it all with grace and dignity. My own mother first referred to her as 'just another one of my girls'. I love her, Donna. And I'm sorry if that hurts you, Donna. I've never set out to intentionally hurt you, or anybody for that matter."

Donna nodded again as she sighed softly, "It's just... It's going to take a little bit of time seeing you with her before it doesn't look weird, Josh. A lot of people feel that way."

Josh nodded again in understanding, "I know. Just cut her a little slack... for me."

She smiled softly, "I will. I am happy for you guys, Josh. I hope for the best."

Josh gave her a little smile, "Thanks, Donna. I gotta go talk to Leo now."

Josh grabbed his pager and headed out of his office, giving Donna a pat on her back as he walked towards Leo's office.

Leo was hard at work in his office. Sighing softly, he bellowed for his over-worked secretary.

Margaret walked in to the office and looked at him, "Leo, you have an intercom that goes out to my desk, why not just use it?"

Leo shrugged as he looked at her, "Too much work."

Margaret rolled her eyes at him, her voice hinting at just a smidgen of annoyance, "What do you need, Leo?"

Ignoring her tone in voice, Leo glanced down at his desk, mumbling, "The Appropriations Bill, Article 108, Section 3."

Nodding, Margaret exited his office and went back out to her desk to make some calls to get the requested item. Going back to her work, she heard the sound of a man clearing his throat softly, without looking up, she said, "Go on in, Josh."

Josh couldn't help but grin at her, "How'd you know it was me?"

Glancing up at him briefly and then going back to her paperwork, she said casually, "I guess I'm just smart."

Chuckling, the deputy chief of staff made his way into Leo's office and flopped down in his couch unceremoniously.

Glancing up at his deputy, Leo removed his glasses, "Where is she?"

"Talking to the President."

Leo nodded as he sighed softly, "You both owe CJ an apology."

Josh looked at him a little confused, "For what?"

Arching his brows at him, Leo's voice rose an octave, "For lying to her? For having her lie to the press? For allowing her to stand up at her briefings and categorically deny any romantic relationship going on between the youngest daughter of the President and the White House Deputy Chief of Staff. Need I go on, Josh?"

Josh shook his head, "No need. I'll grab Zoey and we'll swing by CJ's office before the end of the day."

"Good," Margaret came in and dropped the portion of the Appropriations Bill on Leo's desk and headed out. Josh watched her and then looked at Leo. "What's that?"

"Article 108, Section 3."

Josh stood up and headed towards his boss' desk. "Of the Appropriations Bill?"

Leo dropped his pen and sighed in annoyance. "No, Josh, the White House is sending a memo to Tommy Hilfiger to ask him if he could start making those gawdy plaid bell-bottoms that golfers used to wear before Tiger Woods came onto the scene." Pausing, he glared at him, "Yes, it's the Appropriations Bill."

Josh blinked, "Okay, I'm going to ignore the fact that you even know who Tommy Hilfiger and Tiger Woods are."

"How did the meeting with Walters go? Are you going to run? Zoey okay with it?" Leo asked, as he waived at the chair, indicated that Josh should sit and fill him in on the details.

Josh couldn't help but beam, "She's totally okay with it."

Leo grinned back at his Deputy, "She's going to be great, she's already got a Governor's campaign and two Presidential races under her belt. You okay with her not going to med school?"

Josh nodded. "Yeah, I think I am. I was nervous at first, but then the idea has settled with me. As long as she's happy, Leo, than I'm happy." Josh bit his lower lip and looked at Leo, softly, "I want to ask her to marry me, Leo."

Leo nodded thoughtfully. He could tell just by looking into Josh's eyes how much he loved her. And if Zoey's eyes showed a fraction of what Josh's does, than he knew that they were one of the couples who could be filed under the 'soulmates' category. "What's stopping you, Josh?"

He sighed softly, "Nervousness... fear."

Leo looked at him, pointedly, "You love her, Josh, then just ask her."

The younger man sighed as he stood up and began to pace the office. "I'm scared, Leo. I've never done it, I don't even know how to do it. What if she says no?"

Leo grinned at him, "Are you kidding me? Say no, I'm sure all of Washington will hear her scream yes. You're the master strategist, strategize. Think of something romantic."

Josh laughed softly and nodded. "Yeah, you are right. I'll have Donna look into rings."

The older man looked at Josh incredulously, "Josh, you are an idiot."

He grinned, "Leo. It was a joke."

Leo rolled his eyes, "Oh, well Josh, you're still an idiot. Just get a nice ring, and ask her, but be romantic, you know candles, music, down on one knee. Women like that kind of stuff, so they can tell all their friends."

Josh paled at the thought of coming up with something so romantic that Zoey could boast to her friends.

"So, you get engaged, and then she can plan the wedding, and we'll plan your Senate race."

Josh nodded and took a deep breath. "Okay... I'm gonna go to my bank right now. I have a safety deposit box that has my grandmother's engagement ring on it. I need to hunt Abbey down and ask her for Zoey's graduation ring. The stone is loose, so I'll just tell her I'm going to get it fixed for her and then I'll take my ring to the jeweler's and have them size it down to fit Zoey's finger and get the stone fixed in one trip."

Leo grinned, he normally didn't resort to puns, but he couldn't resist this, "Killing two birds with one stone?"

Rolling his eyes, Josh headed out, "Yeah, yeah,"

"Oh hey Josh," Leo quickly walked over to the younger man, speaking softly, "Talk to the President before you pop the question. I think he's scared that you are going to just whisk his daughter away. Be old fashioned and ask him for his daughter's hand. Trust me, it will mean the world to him."

Josh nodded at the sage advice, "I will, thanks, Leo."

Leo gave him a crooked grin and patted him on the shoulder, "Good luck."

That said, Josh darted out of Leo's office and headed to his briefly. Making a quick call to the First Lady, she told him that she had the ring in her desk drawer and was going to send it out soon anyway, but she'd be glad to let Josh do it for her. Telling Donna that he was going to be out the rest of the afternoon, Josh left the White House after retrieving the ring and went straight to his bank, a bounce in his step.