A/N: Well guys…this is it. The last chapter I had finished before my writer's block kicked in. I guess I have been delaying a bit in hopes that it would go away, but it hasn't. Besides that difficulty in wanting to word things just perfectly right, I have had a few other things to help keep me away from the computer.

This chapter is dedicated to all of you who have ever had a hallucinating aunt stay a week too long, those with demanding nieces, best friends who work their sanity away on websites, and all of you who have ever started a saltwater aquarium. (If any of you know good pointers for clownfish in 10 gallon tanks, give me an email.)

Thank you for your patience, everyone. I assure that I know where I'm going, but I am so panicked to word it right that it might take me a while. Characters just do that to you sometimes. Damn them and their crazy emotions.

Thanks Holly for trying to help me! That's what best friends are for.

As always feel free to email me with the bad- I can take it….maybe. giggle Hope you all enjoy!

Chapter Nineteen

"Well I have a feeling that something went wrong," Sam commented as he looked out the still-open front door.

"Ya think?" Donna snapped. She then went over and picked up the phone and dialed Josh's cell number. As predicted, he ignored her call.

"I have to say that I wasn't expecting that."

Donna folded her arms and sank down into the closest seat. "I have no idea what he's thinking about this."

Sam pondered for a moment before opening his mouth. "Well since I haven't really talked to him yet about my relationship with Dawn, he probably thinks that you and I are together."

The blonde's eyes turned to fiery ice as she narrowed her gaze. "Actually Sam, that was what I thought. I just didn't want to say it."

"Oh." After a short pause, he sensed that her mood wasn't about to improve. "I think I might go back to bed."

"Have fun banging my roommate," she mumbled as he made his way to the bedroom.

"I'm sorry!" He yelled, turning to face her. "I'm sorry for starting movie night! Sorry for getting in your way here! Sorry for loving you and Dawnie so much that I wanted to be protective and answer the door even though I whined about getting out of bed! I'm sorry!!"

Donna nodded. "Thank you."

The man was nearly growling and he made way back to his girlfriend's bed.

"You love me?" Dawn asked sweetly when he crawled under the covers again.

"God, help me," he whimpered.


Monday morning was horrible on everyone who had made a trip to that apartment between Friday night and early Saturday morning. Sunday had been pretty excruciating as well.

Josh had succeeded in avoiding Sam and Donna and everyone for the whole weekend. He slipped in Saturday morning at about three o'clock in the morning and corresponded with Leo by phone citing that he needed a two-day vacation.

Donna had made herself sick from worry. She'd been barely able to keep any food down and couldn't get to sleep until it was close to time to get back up again. More than facing the wrath of Joshua, she dreaded witnessing the pain that she had seen right before he ran off.

But a determined woman she was to make the most of a bad situation. She had to-they were all she got dealt lately. When she walked in the White House doors, she masked her emotions with a smile. "Hey CJ."

"Hey there, girlie." She whirled to face her. "I have a bone to pick with you."

Her smile dropped. "Did he talk to you?"

"Well, a he talked to me, but I don't know if it's the one that you're talking about."

Then she wasn't taking the bait. "Who did you talk to?"

"Sam. You guys have a movie night and you didn't invite me? C'mon, you guys make it sound like I have a life. Since we are never having poker games anymore, I would love to come over and join."

Donna's face perked up once more. "All right. Friday nights, my place. Movie starts at seven and the first-timer has to bring the dinner."

CJ smirked, but didn't protest. "What's good for everybody?"

"Oh," the younger woman wiggled her brows. "That has to be confirmed the day of with the pregnant hostess."

The Press Secretary was chuckling as she made her way toward her office. The deputy Deputy Chief of Staff was not.

Josh didn't say a single salutation as he walked over to her desk as she began to unload her stuff. "What time is my first meeting today?"

She looked over with wide eyes. "F-From the looks of things," she was buying herself time while searching in her notebook. "A-After Staff at nine."

His only response was a quick nod before turning and walking off. "Josh?"

"Yeah," he said without facing her.

She took a deep breath. "I think that we need to talk."

"I don't." And with that, he was gone.

And she was left to wallow in unhappiness.


Josh was good. Donna and Sam decided that by Thursday. They had absolutely no idea how he could get by without being forced to talk about it. Josh was in his cool and calm political machine mode so no one paid much attention.

Another Friday night came about in record fashion. Donna knew it to be the fastest week of agony that she had ever experienced. She had a feeling that the insomnia had a role in the situation.

No one bothered to ask Josh over for movie night.

But CJ came bearing pizza, so it was a good night for all. Even Sam enjoyed Dirty Dancing, though he made sure that he complained enough to hide it well.

As soon as he left to go to the bathroom while the credits were rolling, CJ commented, "Sam liked the movie."

Dawn giggled. "He did." She lowered her voice to a whisper. "Sam likes romantic movies, he just doesn't like it to get around."

The other women gave an obligatory "Awww." Then the redhead added, "You need to keep him, Dawnie. He's worth the effort."

"I know." She was beaming still when he made his way back in the room.

"What are you guys saying about me?"

Donna shrugged. "She was just telling about the sex."

"Dawnie!" His face was crimson.

"Leave him alone," his girlfriend commented with an eye roll. "CJ was just saying that you're a keeper."

Sam began to relax. "Well, okay. Chat away, ladies."

They laughed and chatted away for a minute before changing topics.

"Josh has been attacking this next vote."

The room went silent as the Press Secretary continued. "Though it's not that important. He's been attacking the Hill like his life depends on it. Leo decided that he just needed a go around the track. Can't wait to see what he has done by the time it all goes to a vote on Wednesday."

"Yeah," Donna said quietly.

The other woman wasn't dense, but she decided that it would be best not to pry. As most things do, this would probably land on her desk after it had exploded into something that she would have to work her ass off to spin.


A whole workweek had went by since the 'Night That Could Not be Mentioned,' as Donna had dubbed it in her mind. She hoped that the start of a new one would mean new opportunities to assure Josh that she and Sam never had and never will have any sort of romantic relationship.

"Josh?" She came into his office that morning determined to give him his schedule and a little piece of her mind all at the same time.

"What time's my meeting in the Oval?"

"You have fifteen. Look--"

"Staff after that?"

"Yeah."

"Great." He started gathering papers. "Do I have a lunch today?"

"Not yet."

"I am going to try and keep it free."

"All right…Josh."

"I need to get this together for briefing the President and Leo."

"Josh!"

He looked up at her and read her mind. "I don't need an explanation. I was hoping that after a week you and Sam would figure it out. Ginger told me that even your roommate tried to call last week. I don't need to have you guys explain."

"Yes you do."

"I have to go." He grabbed a stack of files and ran past her.

She stood there with her arms folded and waited until he came back in moments later. "Donna…?"

"Here," she snapped shoving the needed folder into his chest before dashing past him and straight to the bathroom.


Josh knew he was being impossible. He figured that a mature man would give his best friend and his…assistant a chance to explain things.

But Josh knew that he wasn't mature.

Not when it came to things like this.

Not when it came to Donna.

So he would hold off until after the vote on Wednesday. After that he would have to come up with another game plan that would make it hard for people to recognize what he was doing.


But as the two-week anniversary came about, people were starting to notice. The drift with Sam could be ignored in the workplace due to the Congressman's new position, but people could see that Josh was more curt with his senior aide than ever before. A darkness in his mood was also present no matter the proximity of the woman in question.

And Leo had had enough of it.

The staff was exiting the Oval Office Friday after the daily meeting and The Chief called to his Deputy. "Hey, Josh. Come with me to my office real quick."

The younger man thought nothing of the request as he made his way to Leo's office. "Yeah?"

"Shut the door, will ya?"

Josh arched a brow but followed the demand. "Is there a problem?"

"You tell me," he said motioning for him to sit.

Josh absently shrugged his shoulders as he sat down across from his elder. "The vote went fine."

"The vote went great," he amended. "But that isn't what I was talking about. Did something happen? More to the point, did something happen between you and Donna?"

Josh was silent for a moment before clearing his throat and shaking his head. "No. No." He cleared his throat once more. "Nope."

"Josh," he growled in his non-threatening voice.

"I-It's nothing. I was just taken aback a little when I found out about the father of Donna's baby."

"Who?" He was as curious as the rest of the office.

It physically hurt him to say it. He looked down at the floor. "Sam."

"What?" Leo was too shocked to be a comfort. That was one that he would never have suspected.

"Yeah," he said bitterly before meeting his mentor's eyes. "Caught me a little off guard when I went to Donna's Friday night."

A pause. "Why were you going to Donna's Friday night?"

"Movie night, but--"

"You know. I heard something about that. Apparently CJ went there last week and I think it was Charlie asked to leave early so he could go this time." He saw the young man's face. "Sorry. You were saying?"

"Well…I was late and it was a little after movie time. Sam was still there."

"Oh." That was all he needed. "Can you work with Donna?"

"Is this working?"

"Not really. It's putting everyone on edge. I can reassign her to the First Lady's office or the Vice President."

"No," he said, a little too quickly. "I can make this work."

"Josh." He came over and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I know how you feel about her, but you might need to let her go and move on."

Josh's gaze said it all. "I can make this work."

"Fine. See that you do."

And he was excused.


Even though it was movie night again, and the highlight on Donna's week, she was finding nothing to be cheerful as she watched Colin Firth and Hugh Grant battle for poor Bridget Jones. Only the faintest of smirks had come to her face when she realized that Sam and Charlie were going to be subjected to another chick-fest.

She was almost certain that she would either be fired or forced to quit before the baby was born. Josh was steadfast on not talking to her and she was certain that the feeling was not going to change. She was also certain that she could not tolerate standing there and watching both of them in misery.

Running away and being miserable in the corner where she couldn't see him, though, was becoming more and more acceptable.

She felt so absolutely horrible that she really couldn't stand to watch the film anymore, and she excused herself to go to her room. Donna could hear that they had paused the movie and were more than likely talking about her and Josh with their hushed whispers. Her depression had now reached the low that she did not care if Sam and Dawn told the entire world that Josh was the father at that moment.

But as she tossed herself on the bed, she knew that it would probably change. As much as Josh hated her now, that piece of knowledge would multiply things and she decided that she was too weak to handle that. Only he could tear her down so.

As she lay there staring at the ceiling, she gently rubbed her stomach. Four months pregnant was quite feat. She was amazed how so much could change in such a small amount of time while so much seemed the same. No…it all changed.

And she knew that there would be more to come.