"Donna, are you okay?" Abbey asked as she came and sat in the seat next to her.

"I'm fine Mrs Bartlett." Donna replied.

"Are you sure?" Abbey inquired not really believing her.

"Yes ma'am. I'm just tired, I didn't get much sleep last night, it was almost one by the time I got home and then I had to pack and I was up again at five. I'll be fine I promise."

"Jed told me what happened with Josh."

"Ma'am, you're too busy to sit here and listen to me complain about my former boss." Donna said not wanting to burden her with her problems.

"I have plenty of time, it goes with being married to the President, people have a tendency to be more respectful. You know why Josh interferes in all your dates don't you?" Abbey asked.

"Yes ma'am. Last night was the final straw; I can't work for him anymore."

"If you can't work things out there is always a job for you on my staff." Abbey said putting her hand on her arm.

"Thank you Mrs Bartlett."

"Now come on tell me everything." Abbey encouraged.

~ ~ ~

"Now Josh, take a seat." The President instructed.

"Mr President, can you tell me why Donna wants to resign?"

"She doesn't want to resign she wants to be reassigned away from you. Loaning her to my wife seemed the best option."

"But what did I do exactly?"

"Josh what hours do normal non-government people work?" Jed asked.

"Nine to five."

"Most other White House employees?"

"Maybe seven to eight."

"What hours do you usually work?"

"Six to ten maybe midnight sometimes later."

"Donna works the same hours as you right?" Jed asked.

"Yes usually."

"Does she complain about it?" He asked.

"Sometimes." Josh had to admit.

"But she's always here right?"

"Yes. She's my assistant, it's her job."

"But you let her have the night off occasionally or at least go early?" Jed continued his questioning.

"Only if we have had a crisis, or a bill that needs working on or some other thing that usually comes up during the day."

"But last night for example you let her go at around nine thirty correct?"

"Yes sir." Josh fidgeted uncomfortable as to where the questioning was going.

"And she had a date with…" He picked up his glasses and looked at the name on the piece of paper he held. "A James Lewis, an aide to a Congressman, correct?"

"Yes as far as I know sir."

"So if she left for the evening, giving you all the information you needed specifically telling you where the file you needed to take home so urgently was, and after repeating the information over the phone to you, was the reason you demanded she come back here?"

"Mr President…" Josh started but Jed interrupted him.

"And when did it become your responsibility to sic the IRS on anyone let alone one of Donna's dates."

"Mr President, I needed the file because it concerned a meeting I'm supposed to have at some point."

"And you thought Donna hadn't given you the file, which was still on the middle of your desk, where she left and repeatedly told you it was, when she got back here last night? Josh, you're a lot smarter than that."

"Mr President?" He asked unsure of what he was getting at.

"Josh, why do you continually interrupt Donna's dates, she works hard, she doesn't get paid as much as she deserves, she deserves some of her life back and when she tries to you interrupt it."

"Sir, I only interrupt when I need something essential to helping you run the country."

"And that just happens to be when she has a date?" Jed pushed.

"Unfortunately for her, yes sir."

"Well that's a load of crap Josh. You interrupt her dates because you don't like the fact that she actually is on a date."

"Mr President, I can assure you…"

"Josh, we know you, we know Donna. You need cut through all these facades you keep putting up." A knock on the door interrupted. "Yes." Jed called.

"Sorry to interrupt sir, but Admiral Fitzwallace is on the telephone for you." Charlie stated.

"Thank you put him through." Charlie nodded. "Josh get back to work we'll pick this up later."

"Yes sir."

"Fitz, what's happening?"