Disclaimer: They aren't mine:

Author's note: For the past few Author's Notes I have been saying a big change happens. It does in this chapter. I know people miss the funny, I miss it too. I know people feel like everything came out of left field, but understand that when something bad happens, it will take something worse to bring people together. The funny will return, the light hearted romance will come back. I want to thank everyone for their feedback, really it is the best part of my day!

This chapter is from Annbeth's POV and Josh's POV.

Neither CJ or Donna are doing much talking, and I am getting antsy.

I have not known Donna Moss a long time, but each time I see her its like looking at a new person. She will be a constant mystery to me. At first glance, she is weak willed and feeble constantly subservient to Josh Lyman. Well to be fair the first time I met her she was still recovery from a terrorist attack. But the more you look the more you see. There is a strength hidden behind uncertainty and fear. She walked away from a half a million dollars to continue to work at the White House, only to leave it a few months later and join the Russell Campaign. To me that never made sense, Bob Russell was not her kind of guy. When I questioned Toby about it, he mentioned something about her wanting more from her life and he wished others would do the same. But still, I think something more was going on there, something about Will Bailey.

I got a phone call early this morning from CJ, we need a new press Secretary and Donna Moss has paid her dues long enough. There was more to the story, there always is when it story is about Donna, but at 5:30 in the morning I am glad CJ didn't elaborate.

They start to talk about the President and Toby. CJ declares that Toby wouldn't be stupid enough to tell anyone the real reason why Donna left. But I beg to differ. If something happened and it was a bad and I think it was and Josh or Will was responsible some how. I think he would tell, just to hurt them as much as they hurt her. But that is only my opinion.

Kate enters the room, she shifts her weight from foot to foot and stares at the floor.

"What did he do?" Her voice filled with anger.

"Who?"

"Will. What did he do? Is it bad? Should I still keep my date with him?" Ah the sisterhood. The code of women, can I still date the guy who screwed you over? Kate is just as unsure about her role here in the White House as I am. Sure, we know our job descriptions but when it comes to helping our co-workers, when do we cross the line and make them our friends.

"Do you want to go out with him?"

"I am not sure."

"When was your last date?"

"Too long ago." Poor thing.

"Do you want a free meal?"

"It is always nice. But if he hurt you, I want nothing to do with him." I guess Kate just made the cross over. Donna smiles weakly in attempts to make Kate feel better.

"He didn't hurt me, just disappointed me." Then her voiced changed, sweeter softer and dear I say it hopeful? "Kates he really likes you. I've known him for a while and I have never seen him this excited. I don't want to ruin it for him. Deep down, he's a good guy, he just makes bad choices sometimes. Its not my place to say what happened last night. You should ask him, and if you still have questions then come to me."

See she is a mystery.

Here I am alone. Again. I feel like I was hit in the face with ten sledgehammers, and when they were done with my face they moved on to other parts of my body.

There was a lot of information to absorb in the last few seconds.

The President asked Donna to work for Russell to help Will. For the past two weeks she's wanted to tell me something, but I didn't want to here it. A part of me thought it was easier to think she betrayed me and wanted more out of her life, this way I could seem like the all forgiving good guy. Is that why she didn't tell me? Does she understand me that well?

That's why she was so pissed at Leo. He asked her to go leave even though she cost me Chief of Staff. She didn't want that level of betrayal on her head. She remained faithful to me, she would have come on the Santos campaign if not for this. That's why she was so angry with Will this morning.

This morning the events of the flight over replay in my head, then last night.

OH MY GOD. Was she nearly raped last night? His hands where were his hands? One was her breast. Oh God where was the other, where was it? Her thigh? Up her dress? I called her a whore; I accused her of sleeping with other people for money. I am the most despicable thing in the universe. I don't deserve her. She needed me and I pushed her away. I can't stop sweating.

Fluid rushes to my mouth. I vomit stale beer on next to the stage. My body is shaking and I have very little control of anything.

My god what if I Bram didn't tell me? What if he waited five minutes? Would she have screamed? Cried for help? Could she have fought him off? What did he say to her, what else could he have done?

These thought punch me again and again. "Mr. Lyman, are you ok?"

Jackson is standing next to me. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at the White House?"

"She asked me to stay here."

"Why?"

"I think to keep an eye on you." My God Donna, what have I done?

Donna Moss you international woman of mystery, you want to watch the press conference? Why? Someone else vocalizes it before me.

She smiles again, pride fills her face. Her own feelings toward the rest of the men hold no barring towards Congressman Santos. "I wrote three paragraphs in the speech he is giving today."

"Really, that's great."

"I think Will was prepping me for Deputy Communications Director in the Santos Administration." Her pride lingers in the air. I wonder if she thinks Press Secretary is a step down.

Toby takes the stage. He looks rough, we will have to fix that before this mornings briefing.

Wow the rest of them look just as bad. How much sleep did any of them get in the last few days? When was the last time any of them ate? Come to think about it, when was the last time Donna ate or slept?

"They all look like someone ate their dog." Three sets of eyes gaze towards me. What they do! If someone had found out that their dog was eaten, that is how their faces would look.

Toby's deliver is weak and halfhearted and I know we are going to get questions about why the President didn't introduce Congressman Santos. It's going to be a rough day.

Santos takes the stage, "Thank you ladies and gentleman, it is an honor to be here today."

Then everything changed. That's when the stage blew up.