The night ended when Toby decided he needed sleep and informed everyone else that did as well. The exhausted and optimistic group gathered the night's reading materials and trudged to their cars with plans of returning in approximately four hours time. Donna dutifully followed Josh to his car and got in after smiling at the others.

"Lynne's?" he asked when he closed the door.

"Yes," she said with a nod and she rested her head on the cold glass of the passenger's window.

"You look good," Josh commented after they had driven in silence for a few moments.

"Thanks," she smiled. "You do, too."

"I've been working out," Josh smirked.

"I'll bet," she giggled.

"I miss your laugh," Josh said suddenly, causing Donna to turn around in shock. "You know...when I say something stupid – which is hardly ever – I just miss your infectious giggle is all I'm saying," he tried to clarify.

"Okay," she answered.

"That's not all," he continued. "I miss you. I miss your voice and your face and your senseless knowledge and the way you steal dresses from the store..."

"Borrow!" she interrupted.

"Whatever," he continued. "I miss your attention to detail and your ability to read people and I miss your smile and your alabaster skin and your passion," he rambled as he pulled up in front of Lynne's place. "Stay here with me. In Washington. Move back here. Let's be a family – for real," he said in a desperate voice.

Donna leaned forward and kissed him lightly on the mouth and then pulled back and smiled at him. "I miss your dimples and your sarcastic wit and the way your hair gets all crazy and your complete brilliance and your forgetfulness and your sucky watch," she told him. "But I also miss how cute Livvie looks when she's playing with her friends at park in Hawaii and how much fun we have on the beach together and my class that I'm taking and the hint of tan that my skin had before I flew to Wisconsin," she explained. "And Josh," she said smiling at him. "I love you, too."

"We could vacation in Hawaii all the time," he offered.

"When? In December? That seems to be your only off month," she said observantly.

"I can make it work," he insisted.

"Go home and get some sleep," she told him as her hand glided gently across his cheek. "You have an election to win shortly," she said with a small, sad smile as she climbed out of the car. "Don't forget to pick me up," she said and shut the door.

Josh waited until Donna had let herself into Lynne's condo and he saw the familiar shadow of Lynne coming forward and hugging Donna. He waited until Lynne raised her eyes to the window and made contact with his. Then he saw Lynne walk Donna up the stairs and the living room light go out. Then he left. He drove home thinking about how much easier his life would be if he could just pack up and follow Donna wherever her heart led her. He smiled thinking about how happy he could be with Donna and Olivia. But then he wondered what he would do with his time there. Sure, he could find work in Congressman or Senator's office – locally of course where nothing happens. He could work local campaigns and volunteer for elections. But then he'd watch C-Span and see Sam or Toby and be envious and what kind of life would that be? He was doing the right thing. For him. For them. For everyone involved. He needed to live his life and make himself happy before he could ever expect to participate in the happiness of someone else.

-----

"What happened?" Lynne asked as she led a crying Donna into her spare bedroom.

"Nothing," Donna sniffed, trying to steady herself. "Nothing," she shook her head, trying to smile. "The place looks good," she offered.

"Thanks," Lynne said quickly. "So – why are we crying?"

Donna shook her head and sat down on the bed, "Josh," she sighed. "He knows that I don't really want to move back here and I know he really wants to stay. Reality sucks."

"He loves you and you love him," Lynne said matter-of-factly. "Why do you two constantly muck it all up with commonsense?"

"We're analytical like that," Donna smirked in response. "Love was never our problem, Lynne. Timing and circumstance seems to always get in our way."

"That's because you let it," Lynne said stubbornly.

"Maybe," Donna shrugged. "But Lynne – he's so happy now," she said with a genuine smile. "Have you really looked at him lately? He's kicking ass and loving it! He's Josh Lyman: Political Guru. He's in his element and in four years, he's going to be Chief of Staff in the White House," Donna said sounding exceptionally excited. "This is what he's wanted for his whole life. He needs to let it all play out."

"He does seem to get a kick outta this stuff," Lynne agreed with a smirk. "It's never been my cup of tea," she shrugged. "But what about you? You love it too."

"I did," Donna smiled. "Who knows – maybe I still do," she said. "But now I have Olivia. Her needs come first."

"She's a baby," Lynne argued. "How can she know what she needs?"

"She's happy in Hawaii," Donna protested.

"She was happy here, too," Lynne argued.

"If I were to stay here I would be in Josh's shadow again. I'd do it voluntarily. I loved being his Assistant. I was good at it. It made me happy," Donna sighed.

"And then it got to be too much?" Lynne asked.

"Then the risk was too great for both of us. My reputation and his career would be shot to hell. If I came back – what would I do?" she asked.

"Go back to school? Get a job? Raise your daughter?" Lynne asked. "You have plenty of options."

"Being in Washington," she sighed. "It makes me want to work with Josh again. To do what I did before," Donna said.

"So?" Lynne asked. "Do it then."

"I can't," Donna said exasperated.

"Why the hell not?" Lynne asked.

"It's too tempting. It's too easy to want to fall right back into old patterns," Donna explained.

"Do you want to be involved with Josh again?" Lynne asked.

"I don't know," Donna answered honestly. "I know I love him. I know I love being with him. But I get so consumed," she sighed. "It's so difficult, ya know? It's so hard to know what's good and what's bad for me." Donna lay down on the bed and huffed loudly. "We had a rather unhealthy relationship for so long," she laughed. "And then it was good and then it wasn't and then it was gone and then it was rocky and now it's confusing."

"Wow! You two certainly can ramble!" Lynne laughed. "What were the top five best moments of your life?" Lynne asked Donna suddenly.

"What?" Donna asked confused as she sat up and looked at her new friend.

"Top five best moments...don't think too hard. Just let 'em rip!" Lynne encouraged.

"Josh giving me his credentials during the first campaign," Donna smiled remembering how happy she'd been. "My sister having my niece," she smiled remembering how much she'd pestered Josh into letting her leave work early to shop for something for the baby shower. "Um....Olivia's birth," Donna teared up. "When Josh gave me the Alpine Skiing book," she laughed a little. "And realizing that I could live my life on my own when I went to Hawaii," Donna finished up and looked a Lynne wiping the tears from her face.

"Okay," Lynne smiled. "Most of those involved Josh," Lynne observed with a shrug. "I think that should tell you something."

"What?" Donna asked. "That I need a more expansive life?"

"No, silly," Lynne laughed. "That you and Josh have been through a lot together. Since the day you two met there's been a connection that everyone around you has noticed – trust me," Lynne laughed. "They've shared way too much."

"Maybe we need to survive on our own for a while. You know," Donna sighed. "To see if we can still function separately or whatever. My problem is that I'm scared that I don't know how to be me anymore. And I know that's what Josh is concerned about. He needs this place to be himself. I used to. I don't think I do anymore. I need to figure that out first," Donna shrugged. "Am I making sense?" she asked.

"Not really by it's really late. When's the husband coming in the morning?" Lynne asked.

"Two and a half hours," Donna groaned.

"Go to bed," Lynne insisted. "I'll get you up in time for you to shower in the morning."

"Thanks for listening," Donna said as she hugged Lynne tightly.

"I'm glad you came," Lynne smiled. "Now sleep."

"Yes, ma'am," Donna smiled and began to get ready for her brief nap before the chaos of Election Day in DC began.

-----

Lynne went downstairs and put on a pot of strong coffee and called Josh.

"Yeah?" he asked when he picked up the phone as he was staring at a rerun of some speech on C-Span. "What?"

"Josh?" Lynne asked, confused because he sounded so out of it.

"Lynne?" Josh asked. "Is everything okay? You? Donna?" he said worried.

"We're good," Lynne smiled at his concern. "Donna's napping for the moment. We just talked. How are you doing?"

"I'm fine," Josh sighed. "Gearing up for tomorrow," he told her.

"Shouldn't you be sleeping?" she asked.

"So?" he asked.

"Just checking," she smiled. "So, you like DC and she prefers Hawaii."

"I don't have the time to go into this right now," he started.

"Make the time, damnit. I'm only going to say this once. Be a man, Josh. Think about the pros and cons of all possible situations and outcomes and make it work for the both of you in a way that will be okay. I don't want whiny Josh or whiny Donna for the rest of my life. Understood?" she asked.

"I can't got to Hawaii," he said.

"I get that," she smiled.

"She might not want to move here," he said quietly.

"I get that, too."

"I have to get through it all one day at a time," Josh sighed.

"I know," she smiled.

"I'm going to win a Presidential Election later today," Josh smirked.

"So you are," Lynne smiled. "I hear you're looking to win another in four years," she told him.

"Yeah," he shook his head. "I'll get to be Leo," he smiled mentioning his mentor and one of his closest confidants.

"You'll be a brilliant Leo," Lynne smiled. "I'm so proud of you."

"I'm grateful for your support," Josh answered her back. "You're a gem."

"Thanks," Lynne blushed. "Now stop being so nice or I'll tear up my divorce papers and keep you all to myself," she laughed.

"Thanks," he whispered.

"Now go to bed. I'll call you in an hour or so. You'll come over for food before you go to work," she told him.

"Lynne," he sighed. "You don't have to do that."

"I want to," she smiled happily. "Now sleep. And I'll see you soon."

"You're a great person," he smiled.

"Don't I know it!" she laughed as she hung up.

While Donna and Josh slept, Lynne prepared breakfast and had it hot and waiting.

Donna was in the shower when Josh had arrived. He let himself in and followed the smells of pancakes and bacon back to the kitchen. Lynne was at the sink washing a bowl. The table was covered with eggs, pancakes, bacon, sausage, toast, fruit, muffins, juice and crafts of coffee. "You've outdone yourself, darling," he smiled coming up behind her and kissing her cheek.

"I have," Lynne smiled and turned around and hugged him. "Haven't I?"

"Why are you being so nice?" he asked, taking off his backpack and coat and sitting down at the table.

"Because I don't get to cook so much because I'm alone and you don't pay attention to your poor ex-wife," she pouted.

"Bull," he snorted. "You just left the damn house and I see you every day."

"Whatever," she tossed. "I was just trying to be a good person."

"You said with pancakes," he smirked.

"Yep," she beamed. "I said it was pancakes."

"This is excellent," he said, helping himself to a heaping plate full of food.

"If you don't eat now, you'll forget," she told him. "I know how you are. And Donna looked like she could use a good meal."

"Yeah," he agreed. "You joining us?" he asked.

"Of course," she smiled and grabbed herself a plate.

A little while later, Donna found her way to the kitchen and smiled at the mounds of food. "Hey," she smiled. "Somebody didn't sleep at all."

"Nah," Lynne shrugged. I'll eat with you and clean up and sleep."

"You'll eat, clean up, vote and sleep," Josh corrected her.

"Right. Cause if I don't vote now I just might sleep all day and night!" she huffed and tossed her hair.

"Shut up," he told her.

"Bite me," she laughed as she speared a sausage link.

"Later possibly. Only if I'm very intoxicated," he smirked.

"I'll look forward to it," she laughed and rolled her eyes.

"Are you coming to the party tonight?" Donna asked Lynne.

"Am I invited?" Lynne asked as she and Donna both looked in Josh's line of vision.

"Of course you are coming," Josh answered for her instead.

"Yes Donna," Lynne smirked. "I will be in attendance this evening. How lovely of you to ask," she said laughingly.

"Good," Donna smiled.

"I'll be there!" Josh said. "Who cares who else will be? I'm going to be da man!"

"Yes," Lynne nodded.

"You keep mentioning that," Donna shrugged. "I'm bored with it already."

"Donna," Lynne smiled. "I'll call you later this afternoon okay? I'll remind you to call Olivia."

"Please do," Donna beamed. "That way I can let her Daddy talk to her, too."

"Great," Josh smiled.

"Yeah," Lynne echoed as she noticed Josh and Donna finishing up their breakfasts. "You two taking these muffins and danish to go?"

"We could," Donna smiled her thanks. "You're the best!"

"I know," Lynne laughed. "Take the coffee, too," she ordered as she filled up a couple thermoses."

"You're an angel, Lynnie," Josh beamed at her and hugged her tightly and kissed her on the cheek.

"Be good kiddies," Lynne shoed them out the door. "I'll stop by this afternoon with some sandwiches."

"Thanks, Mom," Josh joked on his way out.

Donna smiled at Lynne and followed Josh to his car. She sat in the passenger seat and the two of them didn't utter a single word until they reached Headquarters.