Jed's POV

Josh entered the room, carefully locking the door behind him. I waved at the liquor cabinet, indicating he should help himself. He poured himself a scotch, straight up, and walked to the window, looking out into the darkness.

I watched him, he was agitated. My alarm increased when he gulped his drink, and wondered what the hell Amy had done to him. Don't get me wrong, I like Amy in some ways she reminds me of Abbey. She's fiery and wouldn't take shit from anyone; I had always thought that once Josh and Amy had broken down their defenses against each other, they would make a good couple. I decided to wait till Josh was ready to talk, so I sipped my drink and watched him pace.

He finally began speaking, so softly I could barely hear him, telling me that he had always wanted what others have, what I have.

I didn't understand what he meant, so I prodded gently.

He replied, with a grin, that he wanted a wife, kids, a home, a dog: a family of his own.

So, I asked what was holding him back and he replied, with a grin coupled with a 'come hither look', that I was.

I smiled, as much as I'd like to go hither, I decided to let the invitation fly by. Well at least for the moment, as I wanted to hear Josh out. So I asked if he was speaking literally or figuratively.

Josh was cryptic in his response, stating both, disappointed by my response to his attempt to misdirect me. I could tell that even though we had finally started this conversation, Josh wasn't eager to continue it. So I pushed the issue, asking him what he meant.

Josh sighed as he realized I wasn't going to let this go. He began by explaining to me that he has been too busy these last couple of years, first with the campaign, then working here, that he didn't have the time to look around or commit.

I tried to decide if now was the appropriate time to bring up Amy, but I decided to just let him continue at his own pace.

He went on, noting he had struggled for years with different issues; his career, his health, his psychoses, his quirks, his bi-sexuality. He hesitated and mumbled, something about his other needs. He then paused and sighed as he ran a hand through his unruly hair and shot me a look. A look which conveyed an entire unspoken dialogue on a subject neither of us wished to touch upon.

I nodded as I knew exactly what Josh meant.

He went on to explain that he had Sam, and that I knew why that ended.

I nodded again, we had discussed that late one night in bed.

Josh stopped talking and went to stare out the window again, composing himself.

I just watched, I could see that Josh was clearly carrying on an internal debate with himself.

I wondered why it was so easy for him to talk about Sam, yet not about Amy.

He came and sat down next to me, I could tell he was finally ready to confess to me whatever it was that happened with Amy. He started with the statement that they had a thing, I believe he put it this thing. Yet another lull and I thought to myself, come on Josh, spit it out.

He declared that he thought she was the one.

I tried to encourage him, by stating that we all saw that.

He hesitantly continued, telling me that he had proposed to her, on one knee, ring and all.

I have to admit I was surprised, I didn't know that. I gently probed further, saying what he didn't, that she hadn't accepted. I phrased it as a statement, not a question.

Josh stared off into space; I could see the devastation which he felt about that day. He finally whispered that she couldn't.

I waited for him to continue, but he didn't. I did not understand and we sat in silence for a while.

I realized I would have to pull it out of him, so I carefully crafted a question which would get him to talk, asking if she couldn't or if she wouldn't.

He painfully whispered that he didn't think she could accept and that he didn't know if he still wanted her to.

Josh then stunned me for the second time that evening. He told me that she had been pregnant, that she hadn't told him about his baby. That by the time he had figured it out, it was too late. She had an abortion.

Then he broke down, and I pulled him into an embrace. I held him while he sobbed onto my shoulder. As much as I didn't want to probe further, I knew Josh needed to come to some sort of closure, so I carefully framed my next statement while comforting him.

When his tears subsided, and he regained his composure, I pushed further, asking if they had talked since that night.

He laughed cynically and responded that of course they have talked, that they talk all of the time, the White House Deputy Chief of Staff to First Lady's Chief of Staff

You know, there are times, I am convinced Josh is truly dense, so I clarified my question, asking if they had talked about their personal lives, not public lives.

Josh painfully replied that he didn't ask her to marry him only because she was pregnant, that he had planned to for awhile before that, but he just couldn't screw up enough courage to ask.

He then got that hazy look in eyes, and finally continued on his own, saying that he loved her, and that he thinks he still does.

I raised my eyebrows at that statement, and he continued on stating that he hazed her when she came here, that he helped her all he could because he was proud of her, and wanted her to succeed as Abbey's Chief of Staff. Then his voice got an edge to it as he went on saying that whenever they are together, all he wants to do is grab her and strangle her. His voice trailed off, before he continued, softly, that he wants to ask her why; why didn't she tell him, why she did it.

I cursed under my breath; I knew why she didn't think she could. But she had to be the one to tell him about what Abbey calls "the Incident."

I stated that is what he needed to do.

Of course, his smart ass comment was asking if I thought he should strangle her.

I sighed and stated that I thought the two of them needed to sit down and just talk. Ask her why, listen to her rationale. That they both needed to bring closure to this, so that they could both move on with their lives.