Author's notes: I was going to make this the last chapter but I changed my mind. I decided to switch the order of the last few chapters. A couple of references to Wicked in here, if you catch them. Mostly Josh does a lot of very sweet stuff for Donna. Enjoy! Donna's POV and Josh's POV.

Finally I leave the doctor's office; Josh is reading a two week old Time magazine. He stands up when he sees me and starts to rub my arms.

"How are you feeling?"

"Better, I guess. Were you waiting long?"

"Nah, they got me in for a 45 minute session."

"Stanley's guys are the best."

"Yeah I guess." He leads me out of the office and down to the car. I am exhausted from this morning's x-rays and a three hour therapy session. "You have a choice to make."

I grumble, my brain is too filled with emotions for any major selections.

"We can either go home, lay around on the couch all day and watch comedies from the 80's then order take out…"

"Sounds perfect." I rest my head on his shoulder as he rubs my back.

"Or, you can take my car to that place you like to get your nails done, meet Helen and CJ there, get a manicure and a pedicure and a facial, go back to your apartment and change into that red dress I told you to buy years ago and meet me for dinner. I made the reservation myself. This place has the best desserts in the district and Georgetown together. Of course the choice is all up to you."

"Well, hanging out and being a slacker all day does sound very temping but I am going to for the fancy option." Mostly because clearly he worked hard in planning it, I could never refuse.

So next thing I know, Dominique is helping me pick out which color best suits my eyes or something like that. Helen's bitching that she and Matt are fighting of ridiculous stuff, I assure her it's normal and that Josh and I got in our first real fight after he got shot. She makes no follow up questions about how we are doing this time around. I mean after an emotional breakdown, one tends not to want to talk about such things.

Helen confesses a similar concern of my own, "The White House scares the hell out of me." She's afraid about the eyes of America watching her marriage.

"They only see what we let them see." CJ assures her. Helen is not a stupid woman by many means, she knows, perhaps better then Matt, the strains and pressures that are insure if we win in November. Stories will be leaked; public embarrassment is destined one way or another.

"Is it worth it?" She asks, her eyes focused on the paint being applied to her ring finger.

"There is no job better in the world. There are days when you know you have changed the world."

"For the better?"

"Only history will know, but still, it is incredible." CJ assures her.

"What about you, Donna, do you think it is worth it?"

"I guess it depends on your priorities. For seven maybe eight years, Josh was my number one priority, for six months my job was. I've had most obsessive extremes."

"What do you like the best?"

"What it currently is, a healthy blend of both. Aside from the emotional rollercoaster I've been on in the last week, I don't think I have ever been more satisfied and at peace."

Much to my surprise Annabeth comes storming into the serine day spa and starts commenting on everyone's color choices.

"Donna, I am going to loan you Annabeth for the first week of campaigning, your image is fragile right now and you need someone to look out for you."

"Sorry, Donna but you are going to have to grin and bear it your new found popularity." Annabeth smiles.

"We still don't have a speech writer." Helen whispers.

"Annabeth, can you pull out my cell phone and press 5 and hold it to my ear." She does as instructed, "Sam, it's Donna, I have an offer for you."

The next few hours seem like a life time. Am I really this much of an addict that I can't bear to be away from her for more then two to three hours? You know what I have learned, pacing back and forth in my, um, our home doesn't make the time go any faster.

Its little things laying around here, which remind me I don't live alone any more. There aren't any dishes in the sink and my books are in alphabetical order. Her toothbrush, next to mine, her toothpaste because mine isn't good enough, its like she belongs here, like she was always here, but invisible and now I can suddenly see.

Everything, for the first time, feels right.

5:45, she pulls up with my car, we have plenty of time for our 6:30 reservations.

"Miss me?" She smiles.

"Terribly." I lean in. "I got you a present, a couple accurately. You can get them when we go home."

"Then why did you tell me now?"

"So you have something to look forward to. Do you want to stop at the bar before we get our table?"

"When was the last painkiller you had?"

"This morning, I reached for the Lucky Charms and firey pain shot up my body, I thought I was going to pass out. But it was only half of a pill." Listen to me I am justifying myself to her. I swear to God if she brings up my sensitive system… I am calling off the whole thing. She gives me a weary look.

"You can have a half a glass of wine with dinner and only after you've eaten something." Donna loves rules.

Once we are seating, Jackson and Jefferson are two tables away keeping a watchful eye, our waitress recognizes Donna and starts to ask her questions about the election process. Donna's not used to this and at first starts to answer them shyly, she even points me out to the waitress as a Genius Political Mastermind, but since I wasn't on TV recently and the waitress doesn't really care. She also lost some of her tip.

When she finally leaves, Donna and I start the serious talk I had planned.

"I think you should take the BAR."

"What?"

"Look, I don't care that you are reading the law books to avoid the many issues you could be avoiding…"

"Gee thanks."

"But I want you to do something with it, take the BAR."

"But I didn't even finish college."

"So. Take the test. If you want, I'll take it with you."

"I'll think about it." She says rolling her water in her glass. Good I win!

Dinner comes and so does the waitress filled with questions about the Electoral College, which Donna explains with patience and care.

She asks me about dessert, if I have picked out what I was going to get. I told her was going to order something she would hate so I could eat it all myself. This was a bad move because her fork was armed with a baby carrot; fortunately my dimples disarmed the situation.

Most of the dinner conversation is about work, some is spent reliving old and happy memories. But it is those rare moments when either of us speaks, and we share that thought filled silence, that's my favorite.

She starts talking about some story from her childhood, something about a rabbit and an otter or something. The music has caught my attention. Music. Yo Yo Ma. Shit. Damn it! My heart starts to race, my breathing becomes shallow, and hopeful I am hiding it so she doesn't notice.

Donna reaches for her purse and grabs the waitress, "Can we have the check, now?" She hands over a credit card.

"Sure thing, Ms. Moss."

"What are you doing?" I hiss.

"We are leaving."

"You shouldn't be paying and you didn't get dessert."

"You have a very long time to buy me dessert, besides rumor has it that you have some form of present for me back home."

"Donna!" I yelp, like that is going to make any difference.

"Josh," she entwines my fingers with hers, "I am catching you before you fall."

The ride home my stomach feels like it is filled with ADHD butterflies on crack. We walk hand in hand up the stairs and into the condo. I lead her into the bed room where an box is on the bed.

"Nice wrap job," she smiles and teases, "Can I open it?"

"It's just a box, what's inside, I didn't get at OK." She nod and sit on the bed. I sit next to her, stroking her hair. I need to keep my hands busy so they don't start to shake.

She opens the box and takes out the first item, a folder. "Gee, Josh I don't know what to say." She smiles sarcastically.

"Open it." I start to kiss her neck, only so I don't have to watch her face. I know what the folder contains, and the funny thing is, this is the smallest leap I am taking tonight. If this doesn't go over well, I can stop and distract her with…um.. Shit, think of something to distract her with… Godiva, she didn't eat all of it yesterday. Done!

"It's a picture of a house." Her voice shows her surprise and the smile on her face. "What this about, Josh?"

"It's my house in Connecticut. I bought it ten years ago and I've been renting it out to pay the mortgage."

"I didn't know you had this."

"I never told you. You said in the hospital that you wanted shrubbery, and I want you to know you have an option in Connecticut." With ever ounce of strength I tell her to turn the page. I keep kissing her shoulder and neck; I simply can't deal with her eyes. My hands are shaking and I think she can tell. She grabs a hold of my right hand and kisses it, before turning the page.

"Josh!"

"Um, they are listing of houses in DC and Georgetown, some are in Maryland and others are in Virginia. I don't know what style of house you like, so there is a huge range in there. I don't know what will happen in November but I wanted you to have some choices." My voice is quivering. She strokes my hand with her fingers. I close my eyes and tell her to keep turning the pages.

"What's this?"

"Um, they are closet inserts I was thinking about getting. You could put your suits and shoes and girly stuff on them."

"Josh." Her voice softens, her warm lips pressed firmly to my forehead.

"Turn the page." There is a key taped to the back of the folder.

"I already have a key."

"This one is different. It's engraved." I watch her fingers trace the key behind the tape.

"Home." She reads the engraving, her voices shakes.

"Donna, I am asking you to move in with me." I figured I would just say it, incase she didn't get all the hints. Still I can't bear to look at her face, I can't handle if it's disappointed. When she lifts my chin, my eyes are still closed. Her soft wet lips press sweetly against mine.

"I love you," she whispers. "Can we move some of my stuff in tomorrow?"

My eyes flash open, the brightness of the room blinds me for a minute and I have to blink before I see her glowing smile.

Peace. Those crack addict Butterflies start to die away.

"Yeah, whatever you want." Then I revise my statement, "No pink. No pink walls or flowers or crap like that."

"I don't have anything like that."

"Good."

We kiss and grope for a while before I remember the rest of the contents of the box. I gasp a little between steamy kisses. "There's more."

She returns her attention to the box. She pulls out a marble notebook, like the ones from high school. In blue sharpie is written "Josh's Future Plans." Why the hell do I label shit like that?

She looks at me, eyes asking permission if she can look in it. I nod.

Year one June: Bartlet for America

If we win. Work in the White House: Hire Donna. Dump Mandy.

If we lose: Move to Canada, clearly the country has lost its collective mind.

Dump Mandy

Take Donna with me, she needs to keep away from losers like Dr. Freeride.

Year two:

Four years in the White House!

Avoid Mandy

Keep Donna, she needs to get a raise if she is to live in DC.

Year three: Post Shooting

Improve healthcare, doctors shouldn't get sued for dumb reasons. Expect Dr. Freeride, he can get sued for being a dick.

Can't live without Donna- I know it for a fact. Give her a raise, keep her happy. Sabotage all of dates.

"JOSH!"

"Oh, like you didn't know that's what I was doing."

"Of course I knew, but I didn't know you wrote it down as a plan."

"It's a good thing I got rid of the other notebook filled with all my ways to destroy your social life. Keep reading."

Year four:

Donna is dating some other guy- short and Republican. It won't last.

"JOSH!"

"Well it didn't!"

Start to see other people.

Start to Date Amy

DUMP AMY NOW!

Seriously DUMP HER. SHE'S EVIL and will try to kill you to get your job.

"Sorry, Sam wrote that."

"Well I agree with Sam."

Amy's no Donna.

Year five.

FOUR MORE YEARS! FOUR MORE YEAR! I have a job for four more years. Four more years with Donna.

Shit, I have to wait four more years to be with Donna.

UGH!

I need a plan.

"Sam helped me write this. He drew pictures too, but I crossed them out. Let's just say, unsavory."

How I will win Donna's Heart.

Keep her working for me, seeing her every day and not having her is better then not seeing her at all. (Although very sexually frustrating) (DUMP AMY) ( I WILL!)

DO NOT GET BACK TOGETHER WITH AMY OR MANDY.

"Sorry about that."

"Grumble."

Do NOT find another candidate and run him for election- it will only postpone this plan.

Tell her I love her. Make it perfect.

"Sorry about that, too, Donna."

"You're forgiven."

Tell her two weeks before we leave the White House, but start dropping hints over the years.

Start to date Donna.She can't be your assistant anymore, have her help you find a new one.

Move to Connecticut, take her with me.

Marry her. Make Sam your best man; I'll start to write the speech now.

Run for Governor

Win

Have kids one maybe two. NAME ONE SAM, it's perfect for a boy or a girl.

Wait a few years.

Run for President. Donna would make a wonderful First Lady. MAKE SAM CHIEF OF STAFF BECAUSE HE IS SOOOOO COOOOOOOOL.

Retire and live happily ever after.

"Um, Sam was a little drunk at the time."

"Duh." I start to run my finger tips up and down her arm, she shutters a little bit.

"Josh, did you mean every word of that?"

"Yes." I bite a little at her ear lobe.

"You want to marry me?" Damn you, butterflies.

The words get suck in my throat, but I manage to say, "One day." No pressure, but laying out my plans. No big deal. Just look at her, I need some form of feedback. Her eyes are wide, and a little watery. But it's her smile that takes my breath away. Ok, keep talking.

"I am not proposing now. I want to wait until after November, see this plan doesn't really work if we win. And if we win it leads into a whole bunch of new issues that I want to work out. But no matter what, come, December, January and the rest of my life I want you there. If we win, you come first. I won't do what Leo and Toby did. I will not make the same mistakes."

She nods; these issues haunted her thought as well. She blinks and it causes the small tears that had been forming in her eyes to fall. She starts to kiss me again, pulling off my tie and unbuttoning my shirt. Her hands explore my chest, her mouth on my scar, sending waves of mind numbing pleasure through my body.

"Donna's there's more."

"More?" She looks up eyes wide. "Do you want me to stop?" Her hands moving down to my pants.

"Not really, but if you want everything..." She reluctantly pulls away and turns her attention to the box.

She pulls out one last item, a shirt box covered in snowmen wrapping paper. I hate Christmas wrapping paper, I bought one roll six years ago and all of her gifts are wrapped in the same paper.

"Sorry, it's late."

She opens it, God I hate watching her opening presents, (this is the reason the other stuff wasn't wrapped.) She is so careful and pulls off every piece of tape and folds the paper in a perfect square, I think she does it because she knows how much I hate it.

She opens the shirt box to find thirteen envelops and another rectangle box.

"Um, I wrote all the letters on the flight back from Germany and a bought the real present back in October, but you left before I got a chance to give it to you. " Sorrow pains her face. I gently kiss her forehead, "you have nothing to be sorry about Donnatella."

She nods, but doesn't really believe.

The first envelope says, "Read me first!"

So she does.

My dearest Donnatella,

I had a plan. I really did. I wrote it down and everything, Sam helped. My plan was not to tell you this until two weeks before we left the White House. I figured on some level you already knew.

Donna Moss, I love you. I've been in love with you for a long time. I can't place the exact moment, believe me I've tried. I think one day I fell asleep not knowing and I woke up knowing I loved you.

For you and only you I am a man of occasion. So I picked today to tell you, Christmas.

My confession was hastened only because of the events that have taken place in the last few days. You almost die and because of that I felt like I almost died too. To loss you would be the greatest loss I would have even known.

You are probably mad at me; most likely I've been a jerk to you. I might have been avoiding you or dismissing you. But please understand, handing you this letter is the single hardest thing I have ever had to do. This paragraph might be irrelevant or truth, I don't know since I am writing this, months before I am going to give it to you. Please don't give up on me if I am being a jerk.

I don't know how you are feeling right now, I don't know if you feel the same way. But I have an inkling that you do. It's just thirteen more months, hell nearly 84 months; this should be easy, right? I wanted you to know my intentions, to know my watchful eye is near by.

In thirteen months I am going to take you in my arms and kiss you like you have never been kissed before, if it is at all possible I will make the earth stop moving. I can't live without you, and I don't want to.

Every month you will get a new letter, just as reinsurance that my feelings haven't changed. I will only ask one thing in exchange: Don't fall in love with any Irish reporters along the way.

Your love now and forever,

Joshua.

Perfect circles land on the letter. She looks up at me, bambi eyed and sweet.

I dig under all the other letters, "Here. Forget it; you will take to long to open it." She laughs through her tears making one of the most beautiful sounds I have ever heard.

The snowmen shed their skin to show a black velvet box. I open it for her. She gasps.

Diamonds, thirteen of them, to form a V on a platinum necklace, I search for months for this before I found it. I was about to ask if she likes it when she stands up and walks into the bathroom.

"Donna? Are you ok?"

"Fine." She calls out. "I am fine, just stay there."

I do as I am ordered. The knot and butterflies tighten in my stomach. She's been just barely holding on, did I give her too much? Too much too soon? I just wanted her to know what page I was on.

She opens the door. She is wearing the necklace. And nothing else.

She stands in the doorway, bruised and beautiful, willowy perfection. Oh shit!

"Donna, I didn't do all this so you would forgive me! Look I am going to be sorry for a very long time, please understand that…."

She puts her finger to her lips. "Shhh." The sound rushes my blood everywhere on my body. "Joshua, you were forgiven for all you misdeeds by the time I was in the police cruiser and on my way to the hospital. No red lights." She walks very slowly to me, the bed and all the letters and papers I've given her tonight. She crawls onto the bed and kisses my neck, her skin cool to the touch, her lips warm and inviting.

"But why now?" I've been dying over here for six days. She rolls her eyes at me.

"We had to wait until we got the all clear from Cindy. You're healing nicely and we can resume all physical activities. But if I hurt you, let me know and I will stop." She smirks.

"That would have been nice to know." That's why she didn't tell me.

I don't know how or when my pants came off. I don't know when we started making love. I do know she makes me wear a condom, (which she bought today, clearly she had plans of her own) because with all the meds, she doesn't know if it will negate the pill and she doesn't want our child to have a tail. I don't blame her for that.

I looked up at her, watching her hair fall in front of her face, her back arched, her mouth parted and I knew, I knew she was the only one, and I should have told her a lot sooner.

Afterwards she lies with her head on my chest; I finger the necklace with one hand and stroke her back with the other. Her blond hair tickles my skin and everything about me feels alive and yet very relaxed.

"I have a gift for you too." She whispers.

"Really? Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"Because I didn't want all your thoughts to be about your gift."

"I think you severely underestimate yourself."

She rolls over and leaves the room. She comes back with a book. The History of Baseball. I smile down at her. "Open it."

"OH MY GOD!"

"Do you like it?"

"OH MY GOD!"

"Josh?"

"HOLY SHIT! Donna do you know what this is?"

"Yes, I bought it."

"It's a pass to seven days at spring training with the METS. THE METS!"

"You are even staying at the same place the players stay."

"THE METS! SEVEN DAYS WITH THE METS!"

"I figured even if you get caught up in another filibuster again, someone will still call you, "dude". You can bring Toby, Sam, Charlie, and Will, if you want."

"Donna, this is the single greatest gift of all time!"

"I think you are over selling it." SEVEN DAYS WITH THE METS! WOW, I can't even afford…

"The five thousand dollars!"

"Um, yeah, you really shouldn't be looking at my bank statements. That was the final payment."

"Donna, how long did it take you to save for this?"

She doesn't answer. The way she is avoiding my eyes tells me more. "Two years?" She shakes her head. "Four years." The Amy years, the dark ages. She shakes her head.

She sighs, "When you gave me the skiing book. I started saving then." My eyes widen, and I run my fingers through my hair, she has a mysterious smile on her face. "You didn't think you were the only one with a plan, did you Joshua?"