AUTHOR'S NOTE: There are some characters that just get into your head and refuse to leave. This chapter contains one that I absolutely love and she wouldn't leave me alone from her conception to the point where I wrote this chapter (completely out of order) and another that will follow. If you didn't read Photographs, you may want to check it out... this would make more sense.

Special, megawattage shout-outs to slimwhistler who read, re-read and helped out on this chapter over and over and over again. This and several other chapters in this and Photographs (and the tying in of the two pieces) would never have been done without her incredibly gracious assistance. I cannot express my gratitude enough.

ALSO... I was supposed to have a couple of other chapters in here, but I haven't been writing much in terms of the longer stories and I thought I would update anyway.

Josh and Donna were sitting in his office at headquarters in Washington going over the press statements for the next day when Maddie stuck her head in and announced a visitor.

"Josh?"

Josh looked up from the papers on his desk, "Yeah?"

"There's a woman here to see you."

"Maddie, I know you have excellent investigative skills. You worked with Donna for how long? What's this woman's name and what does she want?"

Donna, not looking up from the press reports, said, "Maddie, you can tell him to shove the funny."

"Josh, shove the funny," Maddie said with a smile. "She said her name is Natalie Elliott and she didn't say what she was here for... just that she was here to see you."

At the name, Josh and Donna locked eyes. He had told her about Natalie and that night on the Santos campaign and she had not held it against him. But that was before the woman showed up here, in person.

His eyes never leaving Donna's, Josh said quietly, "Show her into the conference room, Maddie."

After Maddie had shut the office door, Josh and Donna continued to study one another. Once he had told her about Natalie, they had never discussed her again. Believing the past should stay in the past, they had worked on keeping to their vow of living in the present and planning for the future.

The tension between them grew until Josh stood up and walked to the door.

"I'm going to go talk with her," he said quietly and then slipped out of the room.

Just before he reached the conference room, Josh felt a hand on his elbow. Turning, he found Donna standing slightly behind him.

"I'm going with you."

Breaking into a relieved smile, Josh put his arm around her waist and the two walked into the lion's den.

XXX

Natalie was sitting at the table coloring in a book, a small brown-haired girl at her side. The two were giggling and digging through a pile of crayons spilled across the far end of the table. When Natalie heard the door open, she looked up nervously. Seeing Josh enter the room, she broke into a wide grin.

Josh remembered that smile. It was infectious and its sheer wattage alone could power all of D.C. for days. The green eyes were still startling and the brown hair was in two braids, one over each shoulder. She looked not a day older than he had seen her last and he couldn't help but smile at her elfish demeanor.

Turning his attention to the little girl with her, he saw something familiar in her face, but he couldn't place it. She had brown eyes and soft brown curls and a firm chin that looked like it could be demanding. She was looking at him and at Donna without an ounce of fear.

"Natalie," Josh said, not knowing if he should walk around the table and shake her hand or give her a hug.

"Josh," Natalie replied smiling, noting his discomfort and staying on her side of the table. "And you must be Donna."

Donna nodded and studied the woman in front of her. There was an openness about her, a freedom that made her seem young and old at the same time. Her smile was genuine and beautiful and against her own will, Donna found herself liking the young woman immediately.

"Who's your friend?" Josh said softly, nodding to the little girl.

"This is Jo," Natalie replied, putting a protective arm around the girl who was now standing on the chair, "my daughter."

Josh gulped audibly, "Your daughter?"

Natalie laughed, a musical, easy sound, "Yes. My daughter."

Indicating that Natalie should sit, Josh sat down in a chair and said softly, "Your daughter."

"Don't see me as the mothering type, Josh?" Natalie smiled slightly and handed a crayon over to Jo.

"It's not that..." God, she doesn't look old enough to have a daughter.

"I know. My friends who haven't seen me in a while often have that same expression." Natalie looked surreptitiously over at Donna, studying the older woman from underneath of her lashes.

"What are you doing in town?" Donna said, watching the little girl with a puzzled look on her face.

"We did a little sightseeing..."

"We saw Linkum's Mommyment," Jo piped up, "and Washington's too!"

The three adults laughed. "And what else?" Josh asked, lowering his head to his hands on the table so he would be on eye level with the girl.

"The Whitest House where Mommy's old boss lives and the Capitol," Jo said somberly, looking directly at Josh.

"Did you like those places?" Josh asked.

"I liked Linkum's Mommyment the most. Mommy read all the words out to me." Jo was nodding to herself.

"Jo, can you say hello to Mr. Lyman and Ms. Moss?" Natalie said softly to her daughter.

Jo looked up at Josh and Donna with her big brown eyes and said seriously, "It's very nice to meet you."

Josh smiled widely and replied, "It's nice to meet you too, Jo." The little girl turned her attention back to her crayons and coloring book.

"How old is she?" Josh asked, looking at Natalie.

From beside him, Donna's voice said softly, "She's three."

Looking at Natalie, she said quietly, "She's three, isn't she?"

Natalie studied Donna quietly. She didn't want to make a scene. Far from it. But somehow, she knew the blonde in front of her was stronger than she looked. Swallowing nervously and looking from Josh to Donna, she nodded.

"Yes," Natalie replied softly, "She's three."

Josh turned and looked at Donna and then back at Natalie. He swallowed several times and continued to look from one woman to the other. He knew there was something he should be "getting" that the two women understood, but he couldn't figure it out.

Three years. Three years. Three years...

Suddenly, a look of realization washed over his face. He quietly got up and walked over to Jo, who was deeply engrossed in her coloring. Squatting down beside her chair, he studied her face as if he was looking for answers.

At her end of the table, Donna had tears in her eyes and one hand was covering her mouth.

"Jo?" Josh asked, looking up at Natalie.

"It's short for Josephine."

Josh looked at her quizzically, "Josephine?"

Donna's strangled voice came from the other end of the room, "Little Women. Jo was the heroine in Little Women."

Natalie looked up at Donna and smiled slightly, reaching out, in a way, to the woman she knew she must be hurting right now.

"Yes. She was always my favorite."

Josh looked from Jo to Natalie and then back to Jo. "She's...

At that point, Donna jumped up from her chair and ran from the room.

Josh started to stand but Natalie put her hand on his arm, "I'll go."

"Nat..."

"No. Stay here. I'll go. I have to go." Natalie and Josh stood, facing one another, knowing that this moment would echo over the rest of their lives. Natalie quickly walked across the room and exited through the door.

XXX

Outside, on the sidewalk, Donna was walking, but the tears in her eyes were clouding her vision and she had no idea where she was going. At first, she had been unable to put her finger on what seemed so familiar about the little girl, but as she watched Josh talk to Jo, she realized that they were mirror images of one another.

That's Josh's daughter.

Natalie had brought Jo to Washington because the little girl was Josh Lyman's daughter.

Not now. Please, God, not now.

"Donna!"

She heard the voice behind her but didn't stop.

"Donna! Stop!"

Suddenly, there was a hand on her arm and when she jerked herself away, she turned to find Natalie standing in front of her.

"Donna, don't."

Sobbing now, Donna could barely breathe. This woman had given Josh the one thing she couldn't give him. Not now, not yet. There was too much to do before that could happen.

"Why?" Donna sobbed, studying the brunette and wishing she wasn't so genuine, so likable. If she wasn't so kind, she could hate her.

"Because he needs to know. She needs to know. And you need to know." Natalie said the words softly, shifting her weight from side to side and sending Donna imploring glances.

"Why now? Why not three years ago when she was born?" The tears were running down her face and Donna could do nothing to stop them.

"Because I wasn't ready then. I'm not sure he was ready then," Natalie looked at the blonde and wished she could wipe the tears away and, at the same time, feeling the tears rise in her own eyes, "I was alone and pregnant and I didn't want to screw up his life."

Donna snickered, "And now is a good time?"

"I don't know. I just wanted him to know about her. To give him the chance, if he wanted it," Natalie looked at her hands and then back up into Donna's eyes. She was nervous and shaking and wanted desperately to run back into that room, snatch up her daughter and fly back to Philadelphia. "I don't want anything from you. Either of you. I'm not asking for money, I'm not threatening to go to the press, I'm not asking you to take her. And I'm certainly not here to take him."

Donna's eyes got wide. She hadn't even considered that... not until now.

"You don't know what he was like on the campaign trail, Donna," Natalie said urgently, "He was robotic. It was all politics and politics only. He didn't eat, he rarely slept and if he laughed, I never saw it."

Donna shook her head and turned her back to the other woman. She knew what Natalie was saying was true because she had seen it those times she had seen him on the campaign. She wanted to hate this woman, but she couldn't because this woman had been kind to Josh when he needed kindness and for that, Donna was eternally grateful.

"The night we were together, he told me about you. He told me all of it. And when he was done, he cried. He cried, Donna." Natalie's voice was soft and Donna had to strain to hear it, "I told him to go to you. I told him that without you he was half a man."

Turning around to face the other woman, Donna smiled, "You told him that?"

"Yes," Natalie nodded reassuringly. "The other thing I told him was that there were no strings between us. No strings and no regrets. It stands still. No strings, Donna. If you both don't want to get involved with Jo, I'll understand. We'll go back to our lives as they were before. But I had to give him the chance. I had to give you the chance."

Studying Natalie, Donna knew that the other woman was being truthful. There was no duplicity, just an honesty that was rare and heartwarming.

"Donna, please," Natalie said imploringly, "Come back inside. Come talk to Jo. I think you'll like her once you get to know her."

Donna hesitated and then started walking back toward headquarters.

I want to hate her so badly, but I can't.

"She's beautiful," Donna said quietly, falling into step beside Natalie.

"She's a handful," Natalie said laughing softly.

"Then she's definitely a Lyman," Donna remarked as blue eyes and green eyes met in mutual understanding. They might not yet be friends, but they weren't enemies.

XXX

While Donna and Natalie were gone, Josh had taken the seat next to Jo and colored with her while he asked her about her school, her daily life and other things that were burning in his mind.

After a few moments, he saw her begin to yawn and a moment later, she was curled up in his lap and he was reading a story book he found in Natalie's napsack. The soft hair under his chin and the quiet breathing gave him a feeling inside he had never experienced before.

Once he realized that Jo had fallen asleep, he closed the book and sat quietly with her on his lap.

The conference room door opened and Sam walked in, stopping short when he saw Josh and Jo in the chair.

"I'm sorry," Sam sputtered.

"Shhhhhh," Josh said quietly, "she's sleeping."

"I can see that," Sam whispered. "Who is she?"

Josh broke into a wide grin and looked at his best friend, "Her name is Josephine. She's my daughter."

XXX

Donna and Natalie walked into the conference room to find Josh and Sam in quiet conversation and Jo asleep on Josh's lap.

"Oh, Josh! I'm sorry!" Natalie said, walking over to collect her daughter.

"It's ok," Josh said, waving her away. "Let her be for a little while."

Looking up at Donna, Josh raised his eyebrow in that secret code they had developed. Donna smiled and shrugged slightly, mouthing "It's okay." Josh signed deeply and settled further back in his chair.

"I'm sorry, I should introduce myself," Sam said standing and offering his hand to Natalie, "I'm Sam Seaborn."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Senator," Natalie said smiling, "I'm sorry we have disrupted your headquarters."

Sam smiled and looked down at the sleeping Jo, "Absolutely not a problem. Now, I need to get back to my office." Nodding to everyone, he disappeared out of the room and closed the door behind him.

Natalie stood and studied her daughter and Josh for a moment.

"I know she has your eyes, but I have spent whole days trying to figure out what else, aside from her temper and stubbornness, is yours."

Josh raised both eyebrows, "Stubborn?"

"Don't even try it, Joshua," Donna said laughing softly.

Josh shifted in his seat and looked down at his daughter. Softly tracing her jawline with his hand, he said, "This is from my father. He had a jaw like this."

Reaching up to touch a curl, he said, "And her hair..."

"It's your mother's," Donna said quietly, moving over to kneel next to the chair. Josh down at her and smiled.

"Yes, it is. Joanie had the same hair."

Natalie was smiling as she watched Josh and Donna with her daughter. She knew that Jo would be spending a great deal of time with this family and would be treated as one of their own.

Josh looked up at Natalie, "Have you stopped running?"

Laughing softly, Natalie perched on the edge of the conference room table. "Kind of... I'm based out of Philadelphia, but still do a lot of traveling. I work with an education consortium and go around the country trying to get inner city kids interested in colleges and public service. Jo goes with me when she can."

"So my daughter is well traveled?" Josh asked looking down at the brown ringlets.

"Very. We just got back from San Francisco last week and head out to Chicago next week."

Josh nodded and looked over at Donna who was intently watching the little girl sleep.

"Natalie..."

"Josh, I told Donna already, I don't want anything. I just wanted you to know her and for her to know you. That's all. Nothing more."

Brown eyes met green eyes and the two knew that there were no regrets from that night in Philadelphia. Not now. Not when the product of that night was sleeping on her father's lap.

"Can we..." Donna started.

"Anytime," Natalie answered, her smile lighting up the room, the relief was palpable. "Absolutely anytime, Donna."

Donna smiled, "When this campaign is over..."

"We're going to have a houseguest," Josh continued.

"A houseguest who is going to be exceptionally cranky if I don't get her on the train and back home soon," Natalie said apologetically.

"We could get you a room in the city," Donna said quickly.

"I think we've all had a lot of excitement and you guys need some time," Natalie said softly, looking at both of them. "We'll be there when you call, so don't worry. I'll give your secretary all of my information on my way out."

Josh looked down at the sleeping girl in his lap and felt a wave of warmth crawl up from his feet.

My daughter.

Kissing the top of Jo's head, he collected her in his arms, stood up, and handed her over to Natalie who had grabbed her napsack and loaded it with the crayons and books.

"Are you sure you don't..." Josh began.

"No." Natalie said firmly. "We're fine. We just want your time, both of you, when you have it. Nothing more."

Donna slid her arm around Josh's waist and leaned her head on his shoulder.

"You'll have it," she said quietly.

Natalie smiled and turned to walk out of the door. With her hand on the knob, she turned to them and said softly.

"Remember, no regrets."

XXX

Once Natalie had left, Josh and Donna faced one another in the conference room.

"I need to go for a walk," Donna said quietly.

"Donna..."

"No, Josh. I just need some fresh air. I won't be long, but I need to be alone for a little bit." Donna looked up at him, her eyes veiled.

"Are you okay?" Josh reached out and touched her arm.

"I think so. I just want to go somewhere to think for a few minutes."

Turning away, Donna walked out of the conference room and Josh heard her steps disappear down the hallway.

Josh sat with his head in his hands at the table. The thoughts going through his head jumbled against one another until he couldn't see where one began and the other ended. The questions piled up until he was afraid he would never live to see the answers to all of them.

His reverie was interrupted when CJ and Toby entered the conference room and shut the door. He could tell CJ was angry by the way she held her body and clenched her jaw. Toby wouldn't meet his eye and stood, a few steps away from CJ, rocking back and forth on his heels and studying his shoes.

"Josh?" CJ said quietly.

Looking at her, Josh knew he was in no mood for whatever it was she wanted to discuss, "CJ, now is really not..."

"Is there something you want to tell us, Josh?" Toby said quietly, not looking up from his loafers.

"What?"

"Don't be stupid, Josh," CJ replied, the anger slowly creeping into her voice. "This is your one shot. Do you want to tell us?"

Sighing heavily, Josh studied his hands spread out on the table in front of him. He would not give in on this.

"CJ, stop talking in riddles and tell me..."

Reaching over and whipping his chair around, CJ let loose.

"What the fuck were you thinking, Joshua!" she blasted. "Oh, wait. That's right, you weren't thinking, were you? Or if you were, it wasn't with your head!"

Josh's mouth dropped open as CJ worked herself into a rage.

"I can't believe you. I.Cannot.Believe.You. Are you singlehandedly trying to ruin this entire fucking campaign? Are you? Do you hate us? Is there something we did?"

Josh looked at Toby, trying to force him to say something, "Is there a reason why she's screaming at me?"

"A reason? A fucking reason? How about the headline of the Washington Fucking Post which will read, I'm sure, Seaborn Campaign Manager Has Illegitimate Child? Or better yet, Baby in the Closet: Seaborn's Aides Show Campaign Morals?"

"Hold on, CJ..."

"No, you hold on! I'm still your first fucking call, Josh. And I don't remember getting a call about this one!"

"I just found out about her!" Josh was now standing and he felt his temper surging out of control. "How the fuck did you find out?"

"Sam told us," Toby said quietly.

"He had no right," Josh said through his teeth.

"No right? Josh! Do you have any idea what this is going to do to us once this gets into the papers? No right!" CJ was pacing back and forth waving her arms. "We will be handing Childerson a fucking clean sweep with this!"

"It won't be in the papers, CJ," Josh said looking down at his shoes.

"No? Can you promise us that, Josh? Your one night stand, who just so happened to be a part of a political campaign and ISN'T JUST OFF THE FUCKING FARM, won't realize she's sitting on a pot of political gold! Tell me another funny one." CJ snorted, challenging Josh across the conference room table.

Looking at Toby, Josh said quietly, "And what do you have to say?"

"I think we have a problem," Toby said, rubbing his beard. "It doesn't look good."

Josh threw his head back and laughed, "Oh, that's just rich. You, father of two children out of wedlock with a GODDAMNED CONGRESSWOMAN think this is a problem?"

Violently shoving one of the chairs into the table, Josh leaned forward, put his hands on the back and looked back and forth between CJ and Toby.

"Let me tell you something. First of all, Natalie is not going to the press. And second, my daughter is off-limits. Period."

"Josh..." CJ's tone was softer now, "You can't be sure. How well do you know her?"

"He can be sure," Donna said firmly from the doorway.

All three heads whipped around.

"Donna..." C.J. began.

"No, CJ. Natalie will not go to the press. And if Josh wants to go to the press, it's his decision. His and Natalie's. Not ours and not the campaign's. If the press gets ahold of it, we'll deal with it, but otherwise, it is a non-issue."

Toby opened his mouth to speak, but Donna turned to him and pointed, "A non-issue, Toby."

C.J. looked from Josh to Donna and then over to Toby. Sighing heavily, she walked out of the conference room. Toby studied Josh for a moment and then followed her out.

"You ok?" Donna said quietly from the doorway.

Leaning his head on his hands, Josh studied his feet. "Yeah. You?"

"Yeah."

Josh looked up at her. "Interesting day, isn't it?"

Donna rolled her eyes and cracked a small smile, "You always were Captain Obvious, weren't you, Joshua?"

XXX

A week later, Josh and Donna received a package in the mail. When they opened it, they found a note from Natalie, explaining that she and Jo would be in Chicago for a few days, but would call to check in, and a photo album.

That night, over a bottle of wine, Josh and Donna went through the album to find pictures of Jo, from birth to her very latest trip to San Francisco, labeled in Natalie's flowery script. Birthday parties, holidays, trips to the zoo... everything was included. They laughed over two-year old Jo with icing in her hair and a three year old Jo petting a pony at the zoo.

"Josh, she's beautiful," Donna said softly, studying a page of photographs.

"She is, isn't she?" he said proudly.

"Natalie said something that day in the office. She said 'no regrets'. Do you have any?"

Josh looked up at Donna and studied her face. There were regrets, but not here.

"I regret that it hurt you. I regret that it caused you pain. But I don't regret that it happened. How could I when I see the result?" He pointed to a picture of Natalie on the grass in a park, sitting in the sunshine.

"You can't," Donna said softly, "And if you did, you wouldn't be the man I love."