The next morning, Josh and Donna arrived at work earlier than usual. They were hoping to get some actual work done before the questions and the demands began. Unfortunately others wanted to ask these questions earlier than they anticipated.

"Oh my goodness," Margaret murmured as they passed her in the hallway. "Everyone is talking about you," she told them.

"Great," Josh muttered.

"So - you're really dating - him?" Margaret asked glancing briefly at Josh.

"Yeah," Donna smiled.

"And you're happy?" Margaret asked. "The both of you?"

Donna smiled at Josh and nodded for the both of them, "Yes."

"Well then everything else should be second to that," Margaret smiled. "You both should be happy."

"Thank you," Donna smiled as she hugged her longtime gossip friend.

"I hope you don't get fired," Margaret whispered.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Josh remarked and steered Donna down the hallway.

"Hey," Carol smiled as she walked passed them. "I guess congratulations are in order."

"Thanks," Donna smiled. "How's CJ this morning?"

"Pissed," Carol smirked. "But what are ya gonna do, right?"

"Um…recommend that we both lose our jobs?" Donna said.

"My political career and Donna's reputation could be completely ruined?" Josh added.

"Way to bring a girl down," Carol sighed and walked away.

"Hey," Will smiled as he saw them.

"Hi," Josh smiled. "How's it going?"

"Better than the both of you, it seems," Will smirked.

"We have to meet Leo," Donna sighed. "And then the President."

"Yeah," Will sighed. "I know. I just wanted to wish you both luck."

"You're a good guy, Will," Donna smiled and kissed his cheek. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it," Will shrugged off the compliment. "Fight like hell for yourselves."

"That's the plan," Josh smirked and as Will left, the hallway grew quiet.

"Leo's here already, you know," Donna told him. "We could get it over with now," she suggested.

"We should," Josh sighed. "Maybe we could grab food before the firings begin," he joked. "I'd rather not get bad news on an empty stomach."

Donna pinched him and then walked down the hall to Leo's office. Josh whined all the way behind her.

"Okay," Donna sighed as they reached Leo's door.

"He's expecting you," Margaret said from her desk. "Good luck."

"Yeah," Josh whispered and opened the door.

"Josh, Donna," Leo smiled when they came in. "Have a seat."

"Yes sir," they murmured and obliged.

"Okay," Leo said. "You guys messed up. The press is going to have a field day with this."

"Cut to the chase, Leo," Josh said.

"Josh," Donna hushed him. "Leo," she began. "We didn't mean for any of this to happen. You know that," she insisted.

"Donna," Leo sighed and sat back down behind his desk. "I know. I love Josh like a son and we all love you as well. It just puts this Administration on the defensive yet again. I just don't know if we can handle that. I just don't know."

"Good morning," President Bartlett boomed from the side entrance to Leo's office.

Everyone stood and murmured their good mornings and he insisted they reclaim their seats.

"So," Bartlett smiled. "I hear you two are an item," he pointed to Josh and Donna. "Congratulations, Josh. Donna is a wonderful girl. And my condolences to you, Donna. Josh is a selfish pain in the ass."

"Yes, Sir," she smiled.

"Thank you, Mr. President," Josh smirked.

"But you two are gonna cause the whole Administration to melt down," he sighed. "I don't know what the hell to do. Toby and CJ are furious. Will seems to have aided this deception plot. And Leo," Bartlett sighed. "Leo is torn between happy and livid."

"Mr. President," Donna sighed. "We're so sorry for all of this."

"I know," he smiled. "You can't choose who you love."

"So," Josh cleared his throat. "What are we going to do?"

"You're going to float it to the press," the President explained.

"Possibly to Danny first to gage his reaction," Leo continued.

"Then…we'll see," the President finished.

"You know we're behind you guys - but if it comes down to it, I won't sacrifice this Administration," Leo warned.

"Yes, Sir," Josh nodded and guided Donna out of the room before she cried.

----

"We're going to be fired," she whispered once they were safely behind the closed doors of his office. "He's going to fire us and you'll scorned by the entire political community."

"Slow down," Josh told her as he stroked her hair while holding her close. "It's going to be okay - just like I promised you."

"I don't want you to get hurt in all of this - it's not worth it," she sobbed.

"Who says?" Josh asked as he pulled back and smirked at her while he wiped her tears. "Who says this is not all worth it?"

"Josh this is your dream job," she told him.

"I know - I'm damn good at it," he smirked. "And it's allowed me to get to know you, Miss Moss - so that makes it all that much better."

"What happens if you can't do it anymore?" she asked seriously.

He smiled at her and kissed her cheek before pulling her in for a hug again. "Politics is in my blood - I'll always be doing this," he assured her.

"Unless they won't let you," Donna reasoned.

"I don't listen very well," he laughed lightly in her ear.

Donna smiled against his shoulder in spite of her tears. "Thank goodness," she murmured.

"We still have jobs," he told her quietly. "For the moment, at least," he laughed. "So, we should probably do them."

"Right," she sniffed and composed herself. "You have Staff in twenty minutes."

"Thanks," he smiled at her. "CJ'll probably tell Danny this morning."

"Great," Donna smiled sarcastically. "Then we'll know sooner rather than later if we're unemployed or not."

"I'm not dignifying that with a response."

"I'm going to my desk," she sighed and left the room.

----

Staff was short and not very sweet. CJ glared at Josh and Toby glared at Josh and Leo and Will glared at CJ and Toby and Josh just kinda stood there not doing all that much. It was announced that CJ would float the Josh/Donna Dating Scenario to Danny later that morning and based on Danny's reactions, decisions would be made.

"My life sucks," Josh muttered as everyone began to file out of the room.

"And you've made mine suck just as much - what a bonus!" Toby commented snidely as he left the room.

----

"What do you think?" Donna asked Margaret after telling her the plan.

"I don't know," Margaret sighed. "I mean…can you do that?"

Donna nodded affirmatively. "Of course I can."

"But Donna," Margaret protested.

"Decision has been made," Donna sighed. "It'll have to be in a little bit."

"If you're sure," Margaret asked.

"I have to meet Josh for lunch - then he's on the Hill for the rest of the afternoon," Donna explained. "I'll talk to you later," Donna smiled.

"I guess," Margaret shrugged.

----

Donna sat in Josh's office alone after lunch and sighed. "It is going to be okay," she smiled to herself and got up - remembering to close the door on her way out.

----

"Donna!" Josh yelled as he trudged into the office around 8 PM.

"She's not here," Carol said, walking through the hall. "She left a while ago."

"Huh," Josh slumped at his desk and grabbed the phone to call her. He got her voicemail and sighed as he left his message. "Where the hell are you?" he asked. "I thought we'd work for a bit and then go grab something to eat. The Hill was hell - I don't know why I bother to go up there anymore," he continued. "I hope your day went better than mine at least," he smirked. "Call me," he smiled and hung up.

The phone rang and he smiled, "Yes, ma'am," he answered.

"Josh?" Sam asked.

"Sam," Josh smiled. "I thought you were Donna," he laughed. "What's up?"

"You want to get a late dinner or something?" Sam asked, sounding serious.

"Why? What's up?" Josh asked, concerned.

"Nothing," Sam brushed off. "I'm hungry."

"Kay," Josh agreed. "I don't know where the hell Donna is anyway."

"The Diner in a half hour?" Sam asked.

"See you then," Josh said as he hung up and sorted through the mail on his desk.

----

"Sam?" Josh asked when he arrived at the eatery about forty minutes later. "Sorry I'm late - traffic," he explained with a shrug as he sank into the booth. "Everything okay?"

"Josh," Sam smiled. "You alright, man? How'd today go?"

"Eh," Josh sighed. "Leo and the President are worried about the political implications. CJ and Toby are still giving me the cold shoulder. The new plan is to leak it to Danny to gauge a reaction and then go from there," he explained. "I hadn't heard anything more. I wanted to ask Donna when I got back from the Hill, but she wasn't around. I guess her day sucked too and she went home early or something," he sighed.

"Or something," Sam muttered.

"What?" Josh asked. "What do you mean?"

"She left," Sam said quietly. "She just left."

"Left where?" Josh asked. "Why? What are you talking about?"

"She called me this afternoon," Sam explained. "She was worried about the fallout and she didn't want to be the reason you couldn't work anymore. She was scared and she was doing what she thought was best."

"What the hell?" Josh demanded. "Did you try to stop her? Did you tell her that it was a stupid idea? What the hell was she thinking?" he asked. "I've got to find her," he muttered and tried to get up.

"Josh," Sam said, pushing him back down. "Sit."

"Sam," Josh warned. "Where the hell is she?"

"I don't know," Sam admitted. "She told me to tell you she loved you and that she'd be in touch when everything had blown over."

"Why would she do this?" Josh asked. "I don't understand," Josh admitted. "I thought she was willing to take the risk - for us."

"She was willing to risk herself - just not you. She couldn't bare to be the cause of any problems for you," Sam sighed. "She said you'd been through too much already."

"Sam," Josh sighed. "I was willing to take the risk for her - for us. Why wasn't she?"

"Josh," Sam sighed. "I don't know what to tell you man."

"Was she okay?" Josh asked.

"She was crying - but otherwise she seemed fine," Sam admitted.

"Where'd she go?" Josh asked. "Did she give you any ideas?"

"No," Sam sighed. "I begged for information but she wouldn't give anything up. I checked flight manifests for flights from here to Wisconsin and I've found nothing so far. But her apartment is cleaned out and her landlord said she left no forwarding address." Sam smirked when he caught Josh staring with his mouth hanging open. "I knew you'd ask so I did a little digging before I called you."

"Thanks," Josh whispered, not trusting his voice. "What do I do?"

"Wait for her to call," Sam suggested. "Tell Leo there is no problem anymore and interview for another assistant. And come up with a reason for Donna's departure so there's no negative speculation."

"When is this going to end? This big game of public perception. When do I get to do what I want, when I want, and with whom I want?" he demanded.

"When you no longer desire a career in public service," Sam sighed. "It's the price we pay."

"It sucks," Josh said.

"Heh," Sam smirked. "You're preaching to the choir," he said.

"I know," Josh shrugged. "What if she doesn't call?"

"She will," Sam promised.

"I love her," Josh said sadly.

Sam smiled and patted Josh on the hand. "I know."

"I gotta go," Josh sighed.

"What about dinner?" Sam asked as Josh stood up.

"I'm not so hungry anymore. Rain check?" he asked with a lopsided grin that didn't reach his eyes.

"Yeah," Sam sighed. "Call me if I can do anything for ya, okay?"

"Yeah, sure buddy," Josh answered. "I'm just gonna go home and call Leo and wait for Donna to call I guess."

----

Josh explained to Leo that Donna had left and there was no longer a problem.
"How you doing?" Leo asked after Josh told him everything.

"I just found out," Josh sighed. "I don't know what I'm feeling really."

"You can talk to me, you know," Leo told him. "If you need to."

"Yeah," Josh sighed. "Thanks. I just can't believe she's gone, you know?" Josh said.

"She must really care about you," Leo predicted. "To leave like that so you'd still have a career."

"I don't care about all that," Josh told him. "I cared about her - about us."

"I know you did, Son," Leo reassured. "When you talk to her maybe you can talk some sense into her."

"Then it'd be a political problem all over again," Josh sighed.

"We'll think of something, Son," Leo sighed. "And we've only got two years left in office..."

"I know," Josh sighed. "I just..." he sighed. "When I realized it - I just - I don't know. I tried to keep a lid on it, but I love her. I love her."

"I know you do, kid. I know you do," Leo smiled to himself in spite of the situation. "You're a good boy, Josh. You and Donna - you don't deserve any of this."

"Thanks Leo," Josh smiled. "I'll see you in the morning."

"Try to get some rest," Leo offered.

"Night," Josh whispered before hanging up the phone.

Josh got a shower and had some left over food from the other night that Donna had packed in his refrigerator. He watched some CNN and fell asleep before 11 that night. Around 3 AM the phone rang.

"Yeah?" he mumbled into the receiver.

"Did I wake you?" Donna asked in a hushed voice.

"No," Josh lied, clearing his throat. "Come home," he demanded.

"No," she whispered. "I just called to let you know I'm okay and to tell you that I love you."

"Why are you doing this?" he asked. "It was going to be okay," he insisted.

"No it wasn't," she told him. "You were going to be reassigned to somewhere not so influential in State," she explained. "Margaret filled me in earlier today."

"Donna," he sighed. "It would have been okay. You would've been with me and everything would have been okay."

"This way is better," she insisted.

"For who?" he asked. "Are you happy?"

She was crying now and shaking her head no.

"Donna?" he asked again.

"No," she whispered.

"I'm not either," he told her. "So how is this better?"

"It will be," she told him. "And hey - it's only another two years, right?"

"Donna - I don't want to wait two freaking years," he yelled. "How can you think that that is a good idea?"

"Josh," she sighed. "I'm trying to be adult about this. I'm trying to think about your future here," she insisted.

He laughed at that. "Great," he said. "Silly me," he spat. "I was just thinking about our future."

"Joshua, that's not what I meant," she tried to explain.

"Donna," he sighed. "Come home," he pleaded.

"I can't," she sobbed.

"Can't or won't?" he asked.

"Both," she answered honestly.

"I love you," he told her.

"And I love you, Josh. You know I do," Donna pleaded.

"I gotta go to sleep. I need to hire a new assistant tomorrow and figure out how to live my life on my own now," he sighed.

"Josh," she whispered. "Can I call you?"

"If you feel the need," he tossed back

"Don't be like this, Josh," she warned.

"You left me Donna," he whispered.

"I did it for you," she insisted.

"You won't come back?" he asked.

"No," she cried softly.

"Then this is it," he told her. "Take care of yourself."

"Josh," she sighed. "I love you," she whispered and then she heard a dial tone.

She hung the phone up quickly and cried herself to sleep.

Josh scrubbed his face with his hands violently. "Damnit," he seethed and threw his pillows across the room.

----

The next morning Josh was at work early. He had a 7 AM meeting with Human Resources to pick a new assistant.

"Everything okay?" CJ asked as she poked her head in his office. "I heard about Donna."

"Yeah," he sniffed. "Everything's good."

"Yeah?" CJ smiled.

"It's for the best," he told her.

"Really? I mean just the other day you were proclaiming your undying love for her and she was spouting the same and now she's just gone," CJ said.

"No," Josh sighed. "It'll be fine. This way's better."

"You sure?" Toby asked popping his head in as well.

"I am," Josh smiled half heartedly.

"Josh?" Leo asked looking in. "Everyone else?"

"Yeah," they all responded.

"Come on," he said. "Staff."

"Okay," they mumbled and followed him down the hall.

----

After the meeting, Will followed Josh down the hall.

"You okay, man?" he asked his friend.

"No," Josh smiled sadly at him. "Not yet."

"You talk to her?" Will asked.

"Last night," Josh said. "I begged her to come back," Josh shook his head. "But...her mind's made up. She's so stubborn," he laughed a little sadly.

"Yeah," Will smiled. "Where is she?"

"I have no idea," Josh sighed. "She didn't say."

"It's going to be okay," Will told him.

"That's what I told her and look how well 'okay' turned out to be," he sighed. "I have to take a conference call, Will," Josh said. "We can talk later."

"Yeah," Will smiled. "Later."