---- Two Weeks Later ----

"So," Lynne asked. "You're still coming, right? He'll be crushed if you don't come."

"I'm planning on it," Donna sighed. "I'm leaving Hawaii in a few days and going to see my family in Wisconsin and dropping Livvie off with them and then I am flying down to DC, I guess. I'll stick around a couple of days and then, after everything calms down, Josh and I will talk and I'll decide where I'm going to go."

"You haven't decided to come home?" Lynne asked, shocked.

"Home is in Wisconsin, I guess and for the moment, home is in Hawaii," Donna reasoned.

"Home is where your heart is," Lynne said. "Somebody said that."

"Yeah," Donna shook her head. "For the moment my heart is with Olivia and she's in Hawaii."

"Unless you bring her to DC," Lynne smirked.

"I don't know if I can deal with it all again," Donna told Lynne.

"Josh does love you," Lynne told her. "Trust me – it's been the one constant in our relationship, sadly."

"I am sorry about that," Donna told her honestly.

"It's not your fault. I was a big girl," Lynne smiled.

"So," Donna shrugged. "When do you leave the house?"

"I just checked out a condo yesterday," Lynne told her. "It's not too far from here and Josh seemed to like it okay when he saw it last night with me."

"He's buying, right?" Donna asked.

"Of course! It's gonna be my alimony. I just want a place to live and him to be happy. He swears he'll provide both – we'll see, I guess," Lynne smiled.

"He's selling the house?" Donna asked.

"Actually no," Lynne smiled. "It's too good of a location to sell," Lynne explained. "And with Sammy on tap to live in the big house in about four years, Josh likes its proximity."

"He got the guy to agree to one term?" Donna squealed.

"Yeah," Lynne laughed. "He's been dancing around calling himself 'da man' for weeks!"

"Oh that's great," Donna beamed. "I wonder why he didn't tell me," Donna said, suddenly puzzled.

"He's trying to be a man, Donna," Lynne sighed. "He's trying to be Josh again. He's trying to be the best politician he can be right now," Lynne explained. "You understand," she implored.

"I do," Donna smiled. "Hey, Lynne," Donna sighed. "I'll call you in a few days. Olivia's up from her nap and I need to start packing if I'm heading out of here for a little bit. Tell Josh I said hi and congrats on the term thing. I'll see you both in a couple of weeks."

"Bye Donna," Lynne smiled and hung up.

It was amazing to both of them that they were getting along so well. They talked on the phone weekly, at the least. Once the jealousy was gone from both of them it was easy to see how much they'd like each other and why Josh had chosen each of them. Josh was bothered by their friendship at first, but he decided to embrace it rather than fight it. He'd always had objection with both ladies speaking to his mother and that didn't get him anything more than a headache, so he went with this. He'd get his Donna and Livvie updates from Lynne and she'd keep Donna in the loop of his life. It worked out well. This pattern allowed Josh to be more dependent and concerned on his own tattered life. He really was fixing himself and everyone around him could see an improvement.

Early one morning about a week and a half before the Election Leo happened upon Josh in his office around four in the morning.

"Josh?" Leo asked, knocking quietly before entering. "You okay, Son?"

"Hey Leo," Josh smiled at his old friend as he looked up from the overnight poll numbers that were scattered on his desk. "What's up?"

"I could ask you the same thing," Leo smirked and sat down in a visitor's chair in front of Josh. "Why are you here so early?"

"I needed to get a head start on these numbers and I have a meeting on the Hill at 7," Josh explained. "I was antsy and couldn't sleep so here I am," Josh smiled. "You?"

"I was up," he shrugged. "I came in."

"Okay," Josh smiled.

"How are you doing?" Leo asked. "With the divorce and Donna being away with Livvie and all?"

"I actually just got Lynne a great condo near the house, so that's good," Josh smiled. "I'm happy with everything and she's still at our place right now – keeping me company and all," Josh winked. "She's right," he smiled. "She deserves the best in the world and I can't give her that. She needs to be free to find herself someone who can," he said simply. "This is a positive thing for both of us. And Olivia is great," he smiled. "She's getting so big and she's so smart and she looks just like her mother," he beamed. "Donna emails pictures daily so I don't miss so much," he sighed. "Donna's great too. She's coming out for Election Night," he said proudly. "Lynne said she was dropping Livvie off at her Mom's first and then catching a flight down here. So that should be good," Josh shrugged.

"Lynne and Donna talk?" Leo asked, surprised.

"Yeah," Josh laughed. "Can you believe it?" he asked. "They talk all the damn time. At first it was a little unnerving," Josh admitted. "But now it's just natural. We're just a blended mess like that," he laughed.

"You think you two have a shot?" Leo asked.

"Donna and I?" Josh asked and shrugged. "I guess anything's possible. But we need to get back to a good place for us. We need to find our centers separately. And then maybe we'll be able to figure out a way back to what we had," he shrugged again. "I hope we can," Josh admitted. "I can't imagine my life without her in it," he laughed in spite of his sadness. "She's been a fixture for so damn long."

"I know," Leo smiled.

"She's like my other half, ya know?" Josh asked. "I mean, even before we got together," he went on. "Even before that, I knew I needed her near me to be happy. She's just…she's just…I don't know anymore," Josh shook his head. "I just know that in spite of everything that we've both been through and put each other through, when push comes to shove, I know I'd want her in my corner, ya know?"

Leo shook his head in agreement, "I know, Son. You've really started to pull yourself back together, haven't you?"

"I'm trying," Josh smiled and nodded. "I need to be okay before I can expect Donna and I to be okay."

"Have you been seeing Stanley?" Leo asked.

"Yeah, it shows, huh," Josh shook his head and smirked. "I started a few weeks back," Josh smiled. "It's been kept real quiet. He comes to the house late at night. No one sees him except Lynne and I," Josh assured his boss.

"I'm glad," Leo smiled and stood up.

Josh joined him and they smiled at each other by the door.

"You're a good boy, Josh," Leo told him and patted him on the arm. "Your father would be very proud of you."

Josh smiled with a gleam of tears in his eyes. "Thanks Leo. That means a lot to me."

"Go to work, Son," Leo smiled and pointed to Josh's cluttered desk.

"Yes, Sir," Josh smiled and turned back to his reading materials.

---- One week out ----

"So, Donna's coming next week?" CJ asked while grabbing a piece of pizza at Josh's house Monday, the 25th of October.

"Yeah," Lynne nodded. "When's she coming in, Josh?"

"Nine or something on the 1st I think," he shrugged. "We're sending an intern to fetch her," he joked.

"I'm picking her up," Lynne said with a snort and whacked him upside the head. "We can catch up."

"Yay," Josh rolled his eyes and laughed.

"Wow," CJ smiled. "You all are handling everything so well," CJ said impressed. "I mean," she shook her head. "I'm just really happy for you both."

"I have a great condo and I have a great new person in my life who will never leave it," she said smiling at Josh. "I wouldn't change it for the world."

"And," Josh smiled at Lynne and then at the rest of the group. "We had some great sex," he wiggled his eyebrows. "I am, in fact, da man in every way!"

"Oh shut up," Lynne laughed and threw a wadded up napkin at him. "I was being polite that night."

CJ and Toby damn near doubled over with laughter and Sam and Will spit out the beer that they were attempting to swallow. "More than I ever needed to know," Will announced. "Way more."

"Ditto," Sam laughed.

Lynne winked at Josh and kissed his cheek. "You and your friends better finish up," she told him. "I need a ride home before you all go and work all night," she reminded him.

"Right," Josh sighed. "CJ?" he asked. "Take my woman home," he crowed.

"Soon to be ex-woman," Lynne reminded him with a sweet grin.

"Yes," he smiled. "And the papers are finalized when, my pet?" he asked.

"December 3rd," she smiled.

"Then I'll be free at last!" he bellowed.

"He's really gonna be broken up without me," Lynne protested to the group.

"Therapy's really agreeing with ya," Toby smirked. "Shame it took this long."

"You could benefit from some," Josh smiled. "You're as screwed up as me," he told him.

"No I'm not," Toby said.

"Yes," Josh stated, "you are. You bedded your ex-wife and got her pregnant; I was sleeping with my assistant and she didn't know she was pregnant when we broke up," Josh began.

"Yes," Toby smiled. "But now, you're married to one woman and in love with the mother of your child and yet still occasionally sleep with the woman you're divorcing and also bought her a house. And now both women in your life are great friends who chat about your downfalls daily and your daughter adores them both. And somehow your Mother talks to them more than you so who knows what they share," he continued. "I, my friend, just forgot the condom one night and ended up with two adorable children with the only woman I'll ever love. You are involved in a crazy soap opera."

Everyone stared at Toby. It was the most he'd ever really said in one sitting before.

"Wow," Josh sighed.

"We do sound odd," Lynne agreed and sat on Josh's lap.

"Huh," Sam and Will said at the same time.

"Good thing we stick to the no comment line on staffers' personal lives, huh?" CJ asked with a wicked grin.

Everyone laughed and Lynne grabbed her coat and Josh huffed and agreed to take her home as everyone else prepared to go back to their Headquarters to pull another in a long line of all-nighters.

The week went by in a flurry of activity. Before Josh knew it was November 1st and Donna would be arriving and Election Day would be arriving that night.

"Nervous?" Toby asked Josh just after noon before a campaign meeting.

"It's in the bag," Josh said with a cocky, confident smirk.

"I meant about Donna's impending arrival," Toby said in monotone voice.

"Oh," Josh hedged. "No?"

"Is that a question?" Toby asked.

"I've got a lot to concentrate on," Josh said as he got up and walked away.

"Be yourself Josh," Toby told him. "If you do that it will all turn out as it is supposed to."

"You sound like the teacher guy in the Karate Kid movies," Josh gave him a strange look.

"Huh," Toby said, shaking his head. Then he walked away.

Then Josh's cell phone rang. The number was blocked so he tried to sound important when he answered. "Josh Lyman, how can I help you?" he asked.

Donna laughed loudly. "You okay there, buddy?" she asked.

"Donna," he smiled and relaxed. "How are you?"

"Good," she giggled. "You sound official," she told him.

"I try," he laughed. "How's Olivia? How was Halloween?"

"Great. I have tons of pictures. She was just the most adorable little Betsy Ross there ever was," Donna gushed.

"That's my girl," he beamed. "You still coming in this evening?" he asked.

"Would you miss me if I wasn't?" she asked.

"If I say no, I'd be lying," he admitted.

"I'll be in around 9 or so," Donna smiled. "Lynne called last night and said she'd pick me up. She sounds happy with the condo," Donna told him.

"She loves it," Josh agreed. "It's a nice place."

"I'll let you know what I think," she smiled.

"Why?" Josh asked, confused.

"I'm staying with her while I'm here," she explained.

"I thought you were here to see me!" he said shocked and confused.

"I am," she sighed. "But staying with you doesn't seem right," Donna continued. "It's too soon."

"Donna," he sighed. "We have a child together for goodness sakes. I think we can cohabitate for a couple of days."

"I'm sure we could," Donna agreed. "And you know what? We'd probably end up in bed tomorrow evening to celebrate your greatness," she sighed. "But that is not what we need. I need to see that we can be us again, you know? It's been too long and so much has happened," she explained. "And besides, Lynne's place is like right around the corner or whatever. I'll spend every possible moment with you," she promised.

"I have to work," he told. "Call me when you touch down?"

"The minute we hit the ground," she smiled.

"Have a safe flight," he told her.

"Have a good day," she returned.

"See ya," he smiled and hung up the phone.

"Bye," she whispered to the dial tone.