Howdy, Justtwo maybe threechapters left. Lots of loose ends to tie up. So here it is, The Fall. I think all the phone calls with Helen are funny, but most of the chapter is sad and heavy hearted. Donna's POV Josh's POV Sam's POV and Donna's POV. Thanks for reading.

Faith, it's a funny thing. It's believing in something but not seeing it. It's something that can't be rationalized. I know Josh is behind me, even though I can't see him.

His arms wrap around me and starts to kiss my neck, his breath on my skin, a quite moan escapes my lips. It doesn't go unnoticed. His fingers touch the elastic on his boxer that I am wearing. His lips are the only things I can focus on. His hands are just too much right now.

"What was that for?" I ask when he pulls away.

"You are standing in my kitchen, wearing a ratty t-shirt and my boxers, your hair is still damp from your shower and it's all stringy." I am not flattered.

"Your point?"

"You've never looked more beautiful."

"I find that very hard to believe."

"If that's what you want to believe." He shrugs. "But I think it's the location that it getting to me."

"Your kitchen?"

"Yeah, you look so natural here. Um...not in the kitchen but my home, it seems like you belong here." Now my stomach does little flips and fire explodes in my back and moves to my face.

I can't say anything, afraid my voice might betray me, instead I bury my head on his shoulder. He keeps touching my hips and kissing my neck.

"How does your ribs feel? Did you take your meds yet?"

I love that he worries. "They're fine and yes. And you? I know we just changed your bandages but you need to take the little red pills with food in twenty minutes." He nods and goes back to kissing.

I know why he is doing this; there is no doubt in my mind. He wants me to know I am still desirable, but he does not expect sex. He won't push the issue, not just because of injuries but because he thinks I haven't forgiven him yet. Since he does not know when that is going to happen, he kisses me and holds me and tells me how beautiful I am. But he won't do this at night, when expectations are high, only when he knows we will be interrupted, so when we stop, I don't have to feel guilty.

It's the sweetest thing he has ever done.

"I love you." I whisper in his ear.

"I know, I am pretty great." Dimples flash on his face, damn he is so cute.

"Do you like the new sheets?" It was the first thing I changed; I mean no one should sleep on 200 thread count sheet.

"I like them because you are in them." It's cute when he thinks he is smooth.

We kiss some more, tongues explore, breathes moaned, hands very light touch.

BUZZZZ BUZZZZ BUZZZZ

"I hate Sam." His face filled with venom.

"No, you don't."

"Right now I hate anything that takes me away from you."

"Where are you guys going today?"

"Blockbuster, we are going to pick up the complete Extended Editions of the Lord of The Rings and we are going to watch it here. That's cool, right."

"It's your place, I am just here as a visitor. Toby and Will coming over too?"

"Yeah. Matt too. What are you doing while we are out?"

"I have to get a packet together for Cindy and I wanted to read." His face falls.

Sam and Matt knock on the door. "You know you need to take the Secret Service with you."

"Yes," He smiles and touch his forehead to mine, he opens the door.

Matt looks frustrated and rubs his temples. Sam greets us with a wave. "You ready?"

"Do we need anything Donna?"

"If you could pick up some movies I would like and some more bananas and yogurt."

"Why not get banana yogurt?"

"Yuck that's just gross." I stick up my nose. Josh leans in and kisses me goodbye.

"I love you too Donna."

This morning's "activities" weigh heavy on my mind. I miss her, everything about her, but I don't want to push any of the issues. As we leave the building I give her a quick call., "Hey Donna, don't go into the top left draw of the desk in the office ok?"

"Why not?" Clearly this wasn't a place she was even thinking about until I brought up the idea.

"Because there might be something in there for you."

"REALLY?" She sounds so happy and alive.

"Yep. So don't go in there ok?"

"Ok, Josh." Click. She is so going in there.

"Awe you love her." Sam teases me and pokes my arm.

"Shut up." I turn my attentions to my candidate. "Everything ok?"

"No I think my wife is trying to kill me with stupidity." He sighs and rubs his neck. "We haven't stopped fighting over stupid shit since I got released from the hospital. We fight over everything. Do you know the wrath of crap I got for stealing the couch; you would think I stole the guy's kidney or something."

Sam looks down at his bruised knuckles. "That's sucked. Does this look infected to you?" Sam slammed his fist in the elevator door trying to move the couch. I shake my head at Sam.

"No, its not infected, you wuss. Matt, listen what you are going through is slightly normal. It's hard to explain, but it's like you are so grateful to be living and that it's the stupid shit that is all the matters. Life and death are just too big but little things like out dated milk is easier to handle. I don't think I am explaining it right, but it's normal. Donna and I got in our first knock down drag out fight after I got shot."

"But she was just your assistant then, right?" See here is when he makes huge error. I know when he meant to say, but Sam doesn't.

"Donna Moss was never JUST an assistant." Sam starts out. "She was a friend and a confidant, she is smart and funny and NO one in that White House considered her "just an assistant."" Each word gets louder and filled with more anger.

"I mean you weren't sleeping with her." Matt looks down at the ground.

"No at the time I was not sleeping with her."

"Seriously?" Sam questions.

"Yeah."

"But she practically lived at your apartment, you're saying nothing happened?" Sam is clearly finding this very hard to believed. "I mean I always assumed…"

"I got SHOT!"

"But you could have scored a blow job or something," calls out Franklin my Secret Service Agent. Jackson smacks him in the back of the head. Poor Jackson is leader of the Moss-Lyman Detail. Sucks to be him.

"You shouldn't be eavesdropping into our conversations." I warn Franklin. Matt sensing my discomfort with this conversation changes the topic.

"Are you guys fighting now?"

"No, this time is different. This time she blames herself for my injuries and I blame myself for hurting her. There is too much shame for stupid shit this time."

"How is she doing?" Sam asks.

"I can't tell, I think she is barely holding it together. I hate leaving her, even now." I pause and hope that Sam will understand the next sentence. "She started reading my law books."

"Shit! She's that bad?" Yeah he gets it. Poor Matt doesn't but isn't willing to ask either.

When we enter Blockbuster Matt gets a call in his cell. "Hey, Honey. The boys want Spykids? But don't we already own it? No, I don't want to fly down to Texas to pick up our copy. Fine, I will get it." He hangs up the phone. "See." Looking at me.

"Yes, truly a horrible demand from your wife, picking up a movie for your kids."

"No, you don't see Josh, in a couple of minutes she is going to call and ask for one for herself, and then she will want me to watch it with her. Next thing you know she will be sobbing on the couch because some 95 year old woman has cancer or something."

I am so glad Donna has good taste in movies. I guess I can pick some up for her, for while we are watching The Lord of the Rings.

Sam goes around and picks up the movies. I am picking up Sixteen Candles for her as Helen calls again. "What? "Sprited Away?" It looks Japanese. Its not like that Pokemon crap is it? I don't want our children watching that crap. No it's just dumb. Fine will get it. The Notebook? Huh? That sounds like a chick flick. It is? You aren't going to make me watch it, are you? No, Helen I am watching Lord of the Rings. No, All the movies. No, I just saw the first one. Yes there is more then one. Well did The Fellowship of the Ring even have a resolution? Merry and Pipin got kidnapped and Sam and Frodo were walking to Mount Doom. My God woman where have you been the last few years."

I lean in. "She hung up a while go. Didn't she?"

"Yeah. After she asked to get the Notebook." He sighs and his holds the three movies in his hand. "Do you think Donna's going to be ok?"

"We've gotten through worse then this. I think."

Matt starts to ring up his movies, I can tell the kid behind the register is trying to figure out where he has seen us from, but he can't place it. "That will be $65.00"

"WHAT?"

"You have a late fee sir."

"On what movie?"

"The Hours." Then his phone rings again.

"Helen, what is The Hours? Why yes there is a late fee. Oh really how is it my fault? Yes. I did play football in the house with the boys. I might have bumped the TV. It fell. Huh. Ok fine that one was my fault. But I am NOT watching the Notebook with you. Lines must be drawn Helen."

"She hung up again didn't she?"

"Yes." Sam and I both start to crack up.

We leave Blockbuster and head over to a supermarket to pick up much needed food for the Epic movie watching. Something has been bothering me for a while and I really feel the need to say it and while I am picking up about three pounds of bananas for Donna I blurt it out.

"I need to make it work, Sir." He nods, thank God he understands. "But I am not sure I can. I know I don't want to lose her, not ever again. I had a plan sir."

"I helped him write the plan." Sam pipes in holding a bag of chips.

"I take it; I wasn't a part of the plan."

"No, but she was. Its just if you win in November." Pause, this thought has kept me up every night since Donna first asked me to stay. "It's the White House. I don't know a single relationship that lasted it, that survived it." Then Matt smiles, like he has been waiting for me to say this for a while.

"You know, it's just a job right. Sure it's important, but it's just a job. Put her first, Josh. Helen, even if I want to kill her right now, she comes first. The White House is just four years but Helen is for life."

The words take a while to sink in. Could everything really be that simple?

"You know, it's just a job right. Sure it's important, but it's just a job. Put her first, Josh. Helen, even if I want to kill her right now, she comes first. The White House is just four years but Helen is for life."

That's when I decided I wanted in. He's a good man. He's the real deal.

Josh and Matt continue to talk, politics, media, sports, whatever but I wanted in. It wasn't until we were half way to Josh's apartment things started to change.

Matt's cell phone rings. "What Helen?" He yells with the mounting frustration. "What?" then his tone changed. "Slow down, I don't understand. What do you mean Will quit?" Josh and I freeze. I guess we should have figured something like this was going too happened, but we were both so focused on Donna that Will was pushed to the sidelines.

"Ok Helen I am coming home. Love you." He hangs up the phone. "Josh, I think he stopped by to talk to Donna first. You need to get home." Before Matt even finished the sentence Josh was running down the sidewalk with his cell phone out.

"I'll call Toby and get someone down to Will's place." I tell Matt. He nods and I start to dial.

"Toby."

"Sam, I know, CJ just came into my office, Bob Russell just called her. I am sending Charlie down there now, to keep an eye on him ok."

"I think the movie is called off for now." I love this family, it doesn't matter what we are doing or who it's happening to, we form one net, to make sure no one falls too far.

I catch up with Josh as he fumbles with the door.

He's starting to panic. One time after Gaza, he told me his biggest fear with Donna wasn't her throwing her fist through a window, but pills. A far more dangerous situation.

"DONNA!" He yells and drops the food and the movies in the doorway. He follows her sobs and heaves onto the bedroom. Donna face is wrenched, body twisted and tight. Her knees are pulled to her chest, I don't know how she looks so pale and so blushed at the same time. Josh curls up behind her and holds her. I don't know what he is saying, but the tenderness and agony of the moment makes me feel like I should be watching.

Instead I put away the food. He bought her Ben and Jerry's and I don't want it to get all melty. I call Stanley's people and let them know of the situation. She has an appointment at 10 am tomorrow. I call Cindy as well, she doesn't seem to surprised but she makes an appointment for Donna at 8 am to get more x-rays, in case the sobs caused more breaking.

I write all of this down for Josh and pop my head into the bedroom. She's slowed down, but she is still crying.

"Donna, can you here me?" They both look at me like I am an idiot.

"Sam, she's sad, not deaf."

"I am going over to Will's." No one hurts Donna and gets away with it. Not Will, not Toby not even Josh. A few days ago when we were alone in the hospital I turned to him and said. "She's going to forgive you long before I will. But that's ok, because I will forgive you long before you forgive yourself."

"Sam. Don't." Donna's voice quivering, it's the only thing in her arsenal more powerful then her pout.

"He's been though enough." Josh nods.

He's grown up so much over the years. Both of them have. Donna's evolved into something strong and wonderful, and Josh has softened.

Josh's thoughts aren't about the campaign, or about politics. He put Donna first. I close the bedroom door and walk out of their home. I think they are going to make it.

Don't go into the desk drawer, who is he fooling? Godiva! YAY! I love this man.

I get settled on the couch. I can't believe they stole the couch. Some how I don't think a career as art thief is in his future.

As I start to get working on the binder for Cindy, a knock at the door interrupts me. Will is standing in the door way elbow resting on the door frame, bloodshot eyes won't even make contact with my own. His arm is in a cast.

"Are you feeling alright Will?"

"I wanted to see you first." He's drunk the alcohol lingers in the air. "Here." He hands me an envelope. I take it but I don't want to open it.

"What's going on?" Fear fills my voice.

"I am leaving the Santos/ McGarry Campaign. I don't belong there."

"What are you talking about? Of course you belong with us."

"No, I would only be there because of you. You got me the job in the first place. You are my teacher of morals and values, but I think I need to work on my basic skills for a while."

"Will don't do this! I owe you everything. Without you I would never have had any of the opportunities, I did. You helped build my career."

"And you have out grown me. Your future is bright and one. When you become the first female president I'll come work for you, but until then, I am afraid I can't. There's a letter in there and a check, I sold my half of the ski house. You really should have money put away for your retirement."

He turned and started down the hallway.

"What if I need you?" I call after him.

"Then I will be there. But Donna, I don't think you ever will need me."

I start to shake as I close the door. Tears start to shower and rain on the carpet. Somehow I make it to the bed. Each sob, each heave send pain through my body, each breath is agony. It hurts so much it makes me cry and the cycle starts all over again.

I cry over what I have lost, one of my closest friends, innocence, beliefs, and a basic understanding of the world around me.

I cry over what I have gained, fear, anguish and a sense I can not trust anyone any more.

I hear him come in. But I don't respond. He's here, but I am too wrapped up in my sorrow and thought to respond.

Faith. Believing in the unseen.

He wraps his arms around me, behind me, but I can not see him.

He whispers in my ear, he loves me and that he is here for me. He tells me to cry and let it all out.

He doesn't tell me to stop. Even though it kills him to see me cry.

He doesn't tell me everything is going to be ok. Because he doesn't want to lie.

He just rubs my back and kisses my skull.

Sam comes in and says he is going over to Will's. If Josh is Lancelot, Sam is Galahad.

I tell him not too and Josh agrees.

Poor Sam thinks these tears are all over Will.

Josh lets me cry until my body can't handle any more and I fall sleep. When I wake up, he is still there, still rubbing my back and kissing my skull.

"Hi."

"Hi, yourself. Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really."

"Are you going to talk to me about it?"

"One day, not today, its still to raw."

"I understand, but you aren't going to wait a year like you did with Gaza are you?"

"That was your fault too, you know."

"I know." I roll into his chest.

"Did you read Will's letter?"

"Yeah, it was well written."

"Did you see what he gave me?"

"Two hundred thousand dollars, it's a nice going away present."

"He gave me an audit."

"Well, that is the gift that keeps on giving." He makes me laugh.

"Thanks for the candy."

"You weren't supposed to go in there."

"Do you want some?"

"Yes."

But he doesn't move. Neither do I. We lie there in our bed listening to each other breath. Hoping and praying the storm is passing. And if this storm does pass, praying that another one does come on its tail.

"Josh, thanks for catching me."

"Any time, Donna. You're going to catch me when I fall, right?"

"I always do."

Faith, believing in the unseen, knowing that he will always be there to catch me before I hit the ground.