7 hours 22 minutes. That was 447 minutes, that doesn't sound like a lot but it was 26820 seconds. That was how long Donna had been in the air and she knew this because she had worked it out over and over again. She was on her way back to Madison, Wisconsin to confront the man she had just spent the last year or so avoiding. The man who had used her, stolen from, cheated off her and then cast her aside like an old toy he had grown out of. This man had tainted her life and she knew she would never move on unless she did something about it. That didn't stop her being worried though.

She had left Ainsley and Sam's home far too early for her flight but she hadn't wanted to run into Josh and have to explain what she was doing there so she'd hung around the airport for a few hours until her flight was ready board. She thought for a moment she'd seen Charlie but when she looked again he'd vanished so she assumed she'd imagined it. Finally, at 41 minutes past 5 that afternoon, the plane took off and Donna was on her way. She landed at 03.03, Wisconsin time. Tired and nervous she took a cab to her mom's place where she let herself in with the spare key and went to bed.

She awoke later that morning to the smell of bacon cooking.

"Hey sweetie, I saw your bedroom door open this morning. You want some breakfast?" Her mum asked.

"I'll make it, you sit down." Donna said, taking the cooking utensils off her mother.

"How long are you staying?"

"Oh, I'm leaving today, I just have to do something while I'm in town then I'm going again. I'm supposed to be in California, remember? I'm going to a wedding on Sunday."

"Your wedding?" Her mother questioned with a mischievous glint in her eye.

Donna laughed. "No, mom. I'm not getting married, my friends Sam and Ainsley are."

"Oh…When are you getting married then?"

"Mom! I'm not even engaged!"

"Why not?"

"Because I don't have a boyfriend."

"Well you should have," her mother scolded lightly. "And then you could marry and give me grandchildren before it's too late."

"Mom, you're not going to die for a few years yet and hopefully I will be married by then. I do think you should think about selling the house though, it's too big for just you."

"What about when you come home, like last night. Where do you plan on staying?"

"Well I don't plan on coming without sorting out somewhere to stay first anyway."

"So why didn't you do that yesterday?"

"Because yesterday was a last minute thing."

"Why are you here Donnatella?"

"Because madre, I have something to sort out and if you ever want grandchildren off me you'll leave it at that."

"Alright," her mother laughed. "Hurry up with that breakfast, I'm hungry too you know."

- - - -

'Well, this is it,' Donna took a deep breath as she opened the door of the surgery.

"I'd like to see Doctor…" She resisted the urge to say 'Freeride' but a smile crossed her face as she did. "Vinson."

"Do you have an appointment?" The receptionist asked her.

"No."

"Then I'm afraid you can't see him but if you would like to make an appointment I'm sure we could fit you in some time next month."

Donna raised an eyebrow. "He's that popular?"

"Oh yes," the receptionist nodded emphatically. "His patients love him; they say he has healing hands."

"I'll bet they do," Donna muttered. "Well, I'm afraid I can't wait that long, I'm only in town for the day and I really must see him. Can you tell him Miss Moss is here to see him?"

The receptionist looked at her doubtfully. "I'll try but I doubt it'll help." She went into his office returning two minutes later. "He'll see you now."

Donna smiled at her. "Thank you."

She entered his office without knocking. "Kevin, me and you have some things to talk about."

"Donna, it is you."

"Well who else would it be, really? You messed about with a lot of Miss Moss'? Actually, don't answer that I'd lose all respect for my sister."

"Donna –"

"Oh, shut up," she said taking a seat on the edge of his desk.

She was wearing what could only be described as power dressing. She wore a short skirt, not too short, but short enough to reveal her long legs; she wore a shirt that was unbuttoned at the very top and a smart jacket. She wanted him to know she had got on with her life and done well without him.

"You and me have some things to talk about," she repeated to him.

"Like what? It's been ten years Donna."

"Nine, actually, well nine years, one month, two weeks and three days." Kevin gave her a smug look when he heard this. "Wipe that smile off your face," she ordered him. "I count to remind myself of the lucky escape I had the day I left."

Kevin's smile faltered. "What do you want to talk about then? If your escape was so 'lucky'."

"Well," Donna said. "First I want to know how you've been all this time. You've had a good life."

"Can't complain. I'm a successful doctor, I have a child and I'm getting married again in a few weeks."

"Again?"

"Yeah, my first wife left me."

"Because of your cheating?"

"Yes," he admitted but not at all ashamedly.

"And this new woman, I assume she's not the mother of your child, she knows what you're like?"

"No," Kevin answered. This he sounded happy about; as though it pleased him to know he was tricking these poor women. Donna realised with disgust that he probably did.

"Well I'm sure someone will warn her before the big day," she said with a superior smile. "But you've built a nice life for yourself? That's good; it's nice to know that you could move on without a second thought for me."

"Of course I thought about you."

"Yeah, and whether I'd come crawling back to you. It must have made you sick when I didn't. Want to know why, Kev?"

"Go on," he said with very little interest.

"Because I found a man who appreciated me for me, he never once asked me to do something for him that I didn't want to do. He loved me for being me and he never made me change or pretend to be someone I wasn't. He would have given up everything for me but I never once asked him to and most importantly he didn't stop for anything when I was in hospital."

"You're talking in the past tense there, Don," Kevin pointed out. "What happened, did he get bored of you and run off with someone else?"

"Actually, no, because we weren't together like that."

Kevin stared at her more than a little confused. "You just said…"

"That he loved me; I never once said we were together. He's my best friend but I can't get further than that with him."

Kevin smirked, "He won't let you?"

"Wrong again. I won't let him because I can't get past you."

"You still love me?"

"Far from it," Donna said. "I just can't trust guys enough."

Kevin stood up and stood in front of Donna, inches from her. "Admit it, you still want me," he said as he moved in.

His lips were millimetres from hers when Donna pushed him away, hopped off the desk and punched him square in the jaw. He staggered backwards, holding his jaw.

"That felt so good," Donna commented with a grin.

"You little –" He said, staggering towards her.

"Uh-uh," she said, kicking out at him, catching his groin. "Never again," she spat over his figure rolling on the floor. "Now, I think that's a little way into explaining how much pain you've put me through and because I'm such a nice girl that's all I'll be putting you through. I know, though, that you know that if I ever find out you've done anything like you did to me to anyone else I'll be back and you're going to be in a whole lot more pain than that, don't you?"

Kevin didn't answer; he glowered up at her though. She bent down and pulled on his hair. "Right, Kev?" She asked sweetly.

"Right," he muttered.

"Good man," she said, kissing his forehead and heading out of the room. She stopped just before the door. "Oh, and Kevin?"

"What?" He growled.

"You owe me a lot of money for all that I gave you and all that I lost. I want it all back. I'll have the first five thousand at my mom's house before four this afternoon and I'll get in touch with where you can send the rest. If you miss or are late with even one payment I'll have my lawyer on you so fast…"

"I get the picture. Four this afternoon, I'll be there."

"Good. See you later," feeling a whole lot more confident than she had when she set foot in there and feeling happier than she had in a long time, Donna left the surgery and headed back to her mom's place to phone Ainsley.

- - - -

"So Leo how's Mallory?" Charlie asked.

No one really knew what had happened when Mallory had visited Sam except Sam and Josh. Leo knew bits and Jed knew even less, Charlie and Toby were completely unaware of the events. They all knew something had happened. So as the six men, and a few of Sam's relatives and colleagues sat in a downtown bar for Sam's bachelor party, their attention turned to Sam to see his reaction to the question. He became oddly focussed on his bottle and went decidedly quieter than he had been originally.

"She's good, got a new boyfriend now. I like him, he's better than her last one."

"But you're still giving him hell, right?" Charlie guessed.

"Of course."

There were a few chuckles but Sam remained quiet, a fact which didn't go unnoticed by Leo.

"She won't be coming here for your wedding," he told Sam. "But she wants me to pass on her congratulations."

"Thanks," Sam said stoically.

Leo heaved a great sigh. "What the hell happened when she came here Sam?" He asked. He didn't raise his voice but everyone could tell there was impatience in his voice.

"She didn't tell you?" Sam asked surprised, Leo shook his head in answer. "Then nothing."

"Sam," Leo said warningly.

"It was nothing."

"I don't believe you."

"So don't," Sam said, his tone was light and uncaring.

"Josh," Leo turned to his ex-protégé.

"Yeah?" Josh asked, shifting, as he knew what was coming.

"I know you know."

"Aww, Leo, don't make me do this."

"Tell me, Joshua or I'll tell them what you told me just after my heart attack."

"Which one?" Josh challenged. "The first or the second?"

Leo thought about it. "The second," he said with a smug smile.

"Sorry Sam, I got to tell him," Josh gave in.

"Good boy," Leo chuckled.

Avoiding Sam's glare and seeing the eager looks he was getting from the other men around the table, Josh told the story.

"After Henry left Mallory she came to visit Sam for a couple of days just to clear her head. She didn't want to go and see you and have you say 'I told you so', she just needed to be around a friend. That meant Sam. This was just a few weeks after Ainsley moved in with Sam, about a year after you started going out, right?" He looked at Sam who was still glaring but nodded in answer.

"Yeah, so Sam and Ainsley had just moved in together when your distraught daughter turns up needing sympathy –"

"Please don't tell me this is how it sounds," Leo begged.

"You wanted to know," Josh smiled superiorly. "So there was quite a bit of tension, ex-girlfriend and current girlfriend in the house together, especially with Sam out campaigning a lot, it was bound to erupt eventually."

"So that's all that happened? It 'erupted'? So what, they fought?"

"Leo, telling you the story here," Josh commented before Sam interrupted.

"Actually, I will," he said. "I couldn't stand being at home, it was so quiet but the atmosphere…it was horrible, so one night I went out for a drink. I don't know how much I drink, it was a lot, I didn't really know what was I was doing…"

"Sam," Mallory spoke softly as she sat on the chair beside Sam's at the bar.

"Mal," he acknowledged, motioning for the bartender to get him another drink.

"Make that two," Mallory called to the man as he went to grab a glass.

They sat there, not talking, just drinking for a few hours. Eventually Sam's need to use the bathroom got to great and he went. While he was in there, Mallory followed after him, waiting outside the door for him to get out. Finally he did.

"Mal, what are you doing out here?" Sam asked in surprise.

"Shh," Mallory whispered, putting a finger up to his lips. "You're always talking and never doing. Don't you ever just want to do something?"

"Like what?" He asked trying to shift away from her.

"Like this," she leaned up and placed her lips on his.

He resisted at first but after a few moments he began kissing her back. When he eventually realised what he was doing he pulled back.

"Mallory, I can't do this."

"Why not? Because of your girlfriend? It's nothing serious. I've seen you with her, you know, you're not happy. Not as happy as you were with me."

"We were never serious enough to get to that point," Sam pointed out.

"Well we can change that," she said, leaning in to kiss him again.

"No," Sam said, trying to back away from her but struggling to do so for the wall behind him.

Her lips touched his again but he refused to let his own do anything in response. He pushed her off and stormed out of the corridor into the bar where he ordered another drink.

"I can't believe you turned me down," Mallory cried when she reached the bar.

"It's not a case of turning you down," Sam said, downing his drink in one. "I have a girlfriend and I am happy with her."

"Do you love her?" Mallory asked him desperately.

Sam had had enough by this point; he stood up and took his wallet out his pocket, put some bills on the counter and left the bar. Outside it was raining and Sam pulled his coat up over his head. Over the din of the pouring rain he could hear Mallory's voice.

"Do you love her?" She was asking him again.

He spun to face her and gave a sigh. This was a question he had been asking himself for sometime now. "I think I might."

"More than you loved me?"

"I don't know," he admitted. "Look its wet. Let's get a cab and go home, alright?"

She nodded and he hailed down a cab but her questioning didn't stop.

"Are you going to tell her?"

"I have to."

"You can't."

"I can't not."

"It'll break her."

"I can't lie to her."

Mallory let out a choked noise. "I'm sorry."

Sam shook his head. "It doesn't matter."

The cab pulled into the apartment complex Sam had been living in at the time and they got out, walking silently into his apartment.

"Let me talk to her," Mallory begged just outside the door.

"No."

"It's my fault, let me do it."

"Do what?" Ainsley was now stood in the doorway. There was silence. "Do what?" She repeated.

"We'll do it together," Sam said, taking Ainsley's shoulders and leading her into the apartment, sitting her on a couch.

"Do what? Will someone please tell me what's going on?"

Sam opened his mouth to say something but Mallory got in there first.

"I met Sam at the bar he was drinking at tonight and I had a little too much to drink and made a pass for Sam."

"You what?" Ainsley looked wildly between the two. "Did you kiss her back?"

"I…uh…"

"Did you kiss her back?" She asked, louder this time.

"…I didn't answer her, I guess that was answer enough."

"So what happened?" Toby was asking the question with great urgency that highly amused the others. This was a man who very rarely showed any emotion but at the moment desperately wanted to hear all about Sam's troubled love life.

"She didn't speak to me for days and Mallory was angry with me for getting into a situation were Ainsley had to be told then…I still don't know what happened. I woke up one morning, Mallory was gone and Ainsley was talking to me. She said she knew it was all a big mistake and she forgave me. Weirdest day of my life."

"I can't believe Mallory did that!" Leo declared angrily.

"Leo, it was a one off thing, we'd both had too much to drink. This is why she didn't tell you in the first place."

"I'm not a big bad ogre, I'd have listened."

Everyone who knew Leo shared a look of disbelief. A cheesy song came on the jukebox and Josh suddenly stood up.

"Come on guys! This is meant to be a party, no more talking about girls. Let's get drunk!" There was a chorus of cheers in agreement and the drinks came fast and furious.

- - - -

"So have you spoken to Donna yet? Because she's not here," CJ cornered Ainsley in the kitchen that same night.

"Yes, she said it all went well and she's on her way back right now. She should be here in a couple of hours."

Before CJ could say anything Danielle came into the kitchen. "There you are! Come on ladies…you're missing the fun."

"What fun?" Ainsley asked as they headed into the lounge where the gang of women were laughing loudly at a man who was being chatted up by Abbey.

"You got a stripper?"

"Of course," Danielle smiled.

"Hey, Abbey," CJ called. "You're married, give us singles a chance!"

There was more laughter as the man escaped Abbey's clutches and switched on his radio before beginning the dance that changed the laughter into hysterics and catcalls.

- - - -

"Where's Josh?" Toby asked looking around the emptying bar, realising that Josh wasn't around.

Sam looked around, too. "I don't know, I haven't seen him for a while actually."

"He left," Jed interrupted their conversation. "About half an hour ago."

"Where'd he go?"

"Haven't a clue."

- - - -

"What is that noise?" One of the women asked through the din of the room.

"What noise?" Another asked.

"Shh…I can hear it, too. Turn that music down."

The music was switched off and distant wailing could be heard.

"What is that?"

"Open a window," someone else said.

Opening the window made the noise clearer and more recognisable.

"Donna!" The voice was calling. "Donna, get out here! We need to talk and I'm not leaving until we do!"

A couple of the girls giggled. "There's no one called Donna here," they shouted to the man stood on the lawn.

"What's going on?" Ainsley asked coming from the kitchen with CJ, Zoey, Abbey and Danielle who were each carrying a bottle of wine.

"There's some drunk outside shouting for a Donna."

Ainsley gasped and ran forward to the window. "It's Josh," she told the others. "Josh, she's not here, go away before someone calls the police."

But it was too late; the sirens could already be heard.

"Josh, go away!"

But Josh didn't leave; he stood there, still shouting for Donna. The police car reached the house and stopped on the road just outside.

"Come along sir," one of the men said.

"I can't, I have to see Donna."

"You can see Donna in the morning, sir. You're coming with us first."

"Officer, please," Ainsley called from the window. "This is all a big misunderstanding."

"Get back inside ma'am, we'll handle him."

"But –"

"What's your name, sir?"

"Lyman, Josh Lyman, I'm –"

"Well, Josh Lyman, you're coming with us. A night in the cell should do you the world of good."

"But I need to speak to speak to Donna."

"In the morning, sir," the second officer said, pulling him towards the car.

"No," Josh said, wriggling from his grip, catching the officer's face with his fist as he did.

"Right, that's it," The officer, grabbing Josh's arms and twisting them behind his back, handcuffed Josh.

"You're being arrested for assaulting a police officer," the policeman informed him, reading him his rights as they went to the car.

The women in the house, who had been watching through the open window, gasped in shock. "Josh, you idiot!" Ainsley declared angrily to the others. "If he ruins tomorrow I'll kill him, I swear."

"I'm sure he won't," Danielle soothed, rubbing a hand up and down her friends back.

"He better not."

A/N: A long chapter, no? Well, there are only three chapters left. Two that will take place on Sunday, the wedding day, and an epilogue that will decide whether Josh and Donna do end up together, or not. Thanks for the reviews. I'll response and stuff in the next chapter. I haven't checked for errors so sorry. Oh, and no update tomorrow, I'm going to be busy. Bye!