A/N: Hi, everyone! The time has finally came around that I finally have a new chapter done. I want to firstly thank everyone for your patience. I am sure that you are all probably brassed off that it took me so long for eight and a half pages.

And I have have to thank Holly. For editing it and for giving me the ultimatum to get started. You are really the reason that I have written this cause God knows that I wouldn't have without you there pushing me along. The whole thing, not just the chapter.

Okay…sorry this is kinda a long author's note. I just want to tell something that every writer knows-the idea always looks better in your head. That is the case with this. This chapter is the original idea that I had for writing the story. And of course it isn't as good as I planned, but it works.

That being said, I have to warn young readers that the language in this chapter gets pretty explicit. I apologize since my stuff really hasn't been thus far. I guess it's what the R rating is all about. (Now you will read it and comment about how it really wasn't. I just know that I normally don't say all this at one time.)

Thank you again and again. Enjoy!

Chapter Twenty-one

Donna exhaled a poignant sigh as she walked through the doors of the White House.

"Thanks for coming with me on such short notice," Sam said giving the arm he currently had hold of a gentle squeeze.

"No problem."

And she was truly under the delusion that it was the case.

Twenty-four hours earlier

With a happy tummy, Donna sat on her roommate's bed as the brunette couple strolled around in formal attire.

"Well…?" Dawn prodded of her friend.

With a shrug, the blonde leaned back to rest her head upon the pillows. "It looks fine to me."

Cheerful grins came across Dawn and Sam's faces. "Really?"

"Uh huh," she nodded. Then a pause. "But so did the last one."

Sam sank down next to his friend in defeat. "All three of them looked amazing on you, Dawnie."

"But this is my first ball…I never even had a prom. I didn't even get there because the limo was interrupted by…It doesn't matter. I just want this to be perfect."

The lone man sighed but couldn't resist her sincerity. He stood up to kiss her and announced to the room, "Then we better give them another look over." And giddily his girlfriend bounced back to the bathroom. It wasn't until she left the room that the truth came out. "I could care less."

"I know. But she does, so you will."

"Exactly."

They were quiet a moment before Sam ventured to ask. "Did she tell you the prom story?"

"Not really. Something to do with flying--" The ringing phone interrupted her thoughts. "Hold on," she said reaching for the receiver.

"Flying what?" Sam muttered to himself before drawing conclusions. "I don't want to know."

"Hello."

"Yeah. This is Dawn's sister. Is she there?"

"Just a minute."

"Tada!" Dawn said leaping into the room and posing before them. "Be honest, but in my two minutes alone in the bathroom, I decided that I like this one best."

"Me too!" Sam said without hesitation.

"Dawnie," Donna said with a smirk. "Your sister's on the phone."

Present

"You want anything?"

"I'm fine," Donna smiled as she released hold of her date. "Go and fraternize. I think I might check out the hors d'oeuvres. Charlie mentioned crab puffs." Then she gave a small smile.

"Ohh." He grinned and kissed her on the cheek. "See you in a bit."

As he walked off, she caught a glimpse of Josh eyeing her from across the room. Though in the midst of conversation, she could tell that he wasn't happy.

And here we go again.

Previous day

Donna and Sam felt like hours had passed in the few minutes that Dawn spent on the phone in a panic-stricken state. When she finally put the phone on the hook, both immediately asked, "What's wrong?"

Dawn sighed and took a moment to sit on the edge of the bed. "Family. Apparently…duty calls. She insisted that she and Kelly were simply calling out of courtesy. They were calling to let me know what was up."

"And that's is?" Sam questioned as he made his way to her side.

She simply shook her head and continued. "But what they were really saying is 'things are going to be rough the next few days and there really isn't anyone who isn't going to be occupied that we trust with Rosie and William besides you so will you please come here and watch children.'"

Silence filled the room as all digested what was being said. Donna was the first to speak. "Well at least they're good at subliminal messaging."

"Yeah," the younger woman snorted. Then she looked at Sam. "I have to leave now." Then as if there was a need to further herself, "I can't be there tomorrow."

"That's fine. Don't even worry about it." He pressed his lips to her brow. After a second kiss he asked, "Do you want me to come with you?"

"No." She was adamant on that. "No. I want you to stay right here and away from…whatever the hell it is this time."

"Okay," he murmured into her hair as he kissed her once more.

"Is there anything we can do?" Donna asked.

Dawn smiled. "Please don't go walking down any downtown alleys in the middle of the night. That one always gets me."

"Deal."

Dawn pulled away and went to grab a bag to pack. She tossed a glance over her shoulder before digging into the bottom of her closet. "This was kinda what prom was like."

Twenty-four hours later

Josh had felt like he had taken a punch to the gut when he saw Donna walk in. It wasn't like he hadn't wanted her to come-hell, he had tried to convince her that she should earlier that week. It was the fact that she had came at someone else's urging.

Everyone had thought that Josh was content now with the knowledge that Sam and Donna weren't ever dating, but he wasn't as sated as expected.

In fact, he was far from it. Because he was still convinced of one thing: Sam Seaborn was the father of Donna's baby.

He assumed that he was still just being a bit judgmental, but as time passed and he remembered how Sam spoke of someone that they were close to as well as someone that had known Donna for quite some time, he realized that Sam had been trying to drop him hints while keeping Donna's precious confidence.

And he was angry about it. Not at Donna. Donna who was clung at the man's side. Not the woman who looked at him so fondly and kissed him on the cheek before he dashed off and went and talked with his congressional coworkers.

He was seeing red and it was all directed at one man.

The father of Donna's baby.


After a moment and several thoughts of leaving the room, Donna made her way over to her employer to say hello. "You look cranky."

"So it shows?" he said offering a weak smile.

"You know what?" Donna asked before continuing on without a response. "You are quite a confusing man. First you know…you're mad at me about the baby. Then you are for abstaining from telling you about being in a relationship with a man that there is absolutely no chance of me being in a relationship with. Now…now when I finally think that we might be good again, you're upset once more. Joshua, I believe you are more hormonal than the pregnant woman."

He took a breath. This was it. He had passed it off last week when he asked her the question. She hadn't answered him then, but it could easily be attributed to her nausea and consequential dash to the ladies room. Now there was nothing standing in his way.

Except for his fear of the truth.

"Is Sam the father of the baby?"

He didn't know her eyes could widen and then narrow so fast. "I really can't believe this."

"Huh?" he prodded.

"I really can't believe you."

"Is that a yes or a no?"

She fought the temptation to scream at him since they were still in the ballroom with hundreds of people milling about. Instead she leaned her weight up against the wall. With a sigh she leveled her temper to the point of speaking. "Josh," she lowly growled. "When I said that Sam and I hadn't ever been in a relationship, I thought I cleared this up."

"You two didn't have to be in a relationship to make a baby."

She almost slapped him. Then she realized he made the best point of his entire life.

"It could have just been a night of passion."

The nausea came back, but it had nothing to do with the baby. Everything was spinning around in her head and she had absolutely no idea what to do. What to say. All she knew was that just when she believed that her world was barely beginning to make any sense, Josh would swoop down and mess it up once again.

"Excuse me," she said stepping away from the wall and the man before her with inquiring eyes.

"Donna."

She put a hand on her forehead. "No. Please. I just want to step outside for a moment." When she saw that he intended to tag along, she flashed a warning gaze in his direction. "Don't follow. I want to be alone."

And she fled.

Several hours prior

"Well that was fast," Sam muttered to himself as he and Donna stood in the front room of her apartment just shy of two hours after Dawn had received the urgent phone call from her sister.

"Yeah." Donna then cast a glance to the clock. "Sam, it's past midnight. You should really get home. You have to be up early and you have the ball tomo--tonight."

He smirked. "You're right." He began to gather the things he hadn't when he drove his girlfriend to the airport. Then he spun around to face her. "You wanna go out with me?"

After a quick chuckle, she quirked her brows. "I am touched, but aren't you just a little too old for the middle school system? That and you seem to be going out with someone else."

The mention of Dawn brought a grin to his lips. "I meant to the ball. It's late notice and," he gestured to her stomach "I don't know how readily available dress are for…"

"We like the term 'pregnant women,' but we'll even take 'ladies in the family way.'"

"Yeah."

Donna shyly shrugged as she looked down at the floor. The were too many reminiscences of junior high now. "I dunno, Sam. I hadn't made any plans."

"I can check for a dress for you and have it sent to you...later today." He paused briefly to remind himself of the hour. "They have to have maternity dresses…right?"

"Since everyone came from a pregnant woman, you would think that the trend wouldn't be so taboo. But it is difficult sometimes."

"I will succeed." He then paused. "If you want to go."

"I would be honored."

Later that day

As Sam watched Donna across the room in her flowing lavender, he felt honored. She was radiant in a way that only a pregnant woman can. But then he saw her countenance change as she conversed with his best friend. And moments later, she was dashing from the party.

I can only imagine.

Though anger was already rising in him at whatever dumbass theory Josh was pushing now, he was able to walk over with a calm friendly look upon his face. "Hey, Josh. Is everything okay?"

"What do you mean?" The curly haired man asked with bitter resentment.

"I saw Donna flee and it wasn't exactly in the direction of the punchbowl."

He shrugged. "It's nice that since she was only good enough to warm your bed that you can spare the dignity to take her out in public with you." After seeing the blank stare upon the younger man's face, he went on. "I hope that it doesn't hurt your precious career any."

And Sam snapped.

Completely.

With a tug that was entirely more forceful than needed, Sam grabbed Josh by the arm and dragged him out of the first door he saw. From there he realized how close to the bullpen they were and decided that things would be best to move farther away from people.

"Hey!" Josh sputtered as he tripped along trying desperately to keep up in fear of being dragged.

Finally they reached an open office and Sam shoved him inside, taking a quick glance around and deciding the coast was clear. "What the fuck is wrong with you?!"

"Me?" Josh gestured wildly. "You do this, and then ask what's wrong with me?"

Sam walked over and kicked the desk that Josh was leaning up against. "You've been a fucking asshole for months now! And you know what's most annoying?"

Josh's eyes turned icy cold. "Oh please. Indulge me."

"You would think that it would be your annoying habit of not letting it drop." He paused though both could tell he knew exactly what he was about to say. "Or maybe the fact that you had to keep on pointing a finger at somebody."

"You know I-" As he began to pull away, Sam thrust him back against the desk.

"But no," Sam snarled. "What fucking pisses me off most is the fact that you…you get so unbearably jealous when Donna comes up pregnant."

"I am not jealous."

Sam growled once more. "No, you aren't jealous at Donna for having a baby. You are jealous that you aren't the father. You are pissed that you were too fucking chicken to admit that you loved her and when you finally realized it and may have finally been at a point to tell her, she comes up pregnant."

Josh was silent as both men stared each other down.

"You are so fucking pissed that you can't see straight. And you want to take it out on the father. Because you tried to take it out on her and you realized that you hated yourself too much for it. So you assumed someone to fill the place. And you had to fucking choose me. Me!"

He gave the briefest pause to gather his breath and allow Josh a chance to say a word. When all the man did was try and walk away, he pushed back and continued again. "Well guess what? If you want to be pissed someone, look in the goddamn mirror!"

"Wha..?"

Sam sighed in frustration. "You know I'm not just pissed at you. I'm pissed at her, too. She's been thinking that keeping it from you would be best for you. Best for you both, but especially best for you and your career. How the hell is that supposed to best? Huh? Huh?" He slammed a fist down. "Well time has proven that it isn't!"

"What the hell are you tal--"

"You know, I don't know why the fuck I kept hoping you would remember on your own. I hoped that one day you would wake up and call Donna or call me and say that you remembered what happened that night. Then again I don't know why the fuck I didn't just call you up and tell you two weeks after she found out. Two weeks was more than enough time for her to realize that her idea was bullshit!"

"I have no fu--"

And Sam knew he couldn't take it anymore. Really, he had known the moment he took hold of Josh's arm the first time in the ballroom that he wouldn't be able to keep quiet any longer. Though he knew that later it would simply be attributed to his inability to keep a secret. It was so much more than that. It was the fact that watching his two closest friends go on hurting themselves in such a way was killing him inside.

That and they were really pissing him off.

"Josh, you are the father."

Both were surprised at the calm clarity that Sam possessed with the admission of the statement.

"No I'm not," came the expected denial.

"Yeah you are," his friend said running a tense hand through his short dark hair. "Yeah you are."

"I can't be! We never--"

Sam threw up his grooming hand in a demand for silence. "The night before Dawn moved in. You were at Donna's place and you both were drunk. All you knew is that you ended up at home."

Josh stood there in a stupor. As the words that Sam spoke to him began to slowly register, he had the decency to not blurt out something declaring the impossibility. If this was the story that Donna had told Sam, he was certain that it was valid.

He knew that he should comment on the baby or the integrity of the woman carrying the child. Instead he muttered something to himself.

"What?" Sam demanded as his irritation came flowing back.

"I said that Donna always did go on about my delicate system."

He knew that it was the shock that had Josh numb at the moment. He knew that it was the instability of the situation that made Josh go to humor as a defense mechanism. But he also knew that he was sick and tired of dealing with a problem that should never had been handle so terribly.

"Holy fuck!" Josh spat as he picked himself up off the floor and from the fist that had just made contact with his jaw.

"Don't you get it? Don't you get it? Donna's pregnant with your baby!"

"Yes! I get it!" Josh sighed in frustration as he brought his hands up to cover his eyes. Then quietly he asked, "Can I just have a minute?"

"Yeah," Sam said almost shamefully.

When both men glanced up, they saw it.

Donna. Staring at them. Staring at them in horror.

Then she was gone. Lavender dashing down the hall.