Author's Note: Thank you for the reviews. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

C.J. didn't even see the person she collided with. She pulled back, surprised to see a pair of familiar blue eyes staring back at her.

"Danny? What are you doing here?" she asked, regaining her balance.

Danny Concannon stuttered, "I…uh…well I'm here to see you. I heard about Leo."

She felt her breath catch in her throat. It had been a whole minute and thirty seconds since she had thought about Leo. She couldn't stop the tears from welling in her eyes. "I don't mean to be…I have to go down to the situation room, because on top of everything, I have to…go to the situation room."

Danny nodded. "Can I buy you dinner tonight?"

"I would love to go to dinner with you, but the president invited me to the residence tonight. Everyone is back in town of course. Even Sam."

Danny smiled. "Good. Good. Tomorrow then?"

C.J. glanced at her watch. "Tell you what. Meet me in my office at seven and you can come to dinner with us. As long as everything is off…"

"C.J., please. Leo was…I would never…"

She shook her head. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't even…"

Danny reached over and caressed her cheek gently. "You look good," he replied.

She smirked, her eyes still teary. "I know."

"Get out of here." He gave her a mock glare.

"I'll see you at seven." C.J. headed down to the situation room, feeling slightly better than she had all day.

Toby took a long drink from his glass of whiskey. He sat quietly in the dark, staring into the darkness. Josh had called him nearly twenty-four hours ago, and he was still filled with unfathomable grief. Josh and Donna had stopped by when they arrived in Washington D.C. before they went to the White House to see C.J. He hadn't realized how much he had missed Donna. She had fallen apart in his arms, and he was grateful to have her there. He felt useful being a comfort to her.

Josh was unusually quiet, but he seemed unconscious how close he kept to Donna. Toby was sure that he was worried about her but Toby knew that Donna was a comfort to Josh as well. Josh couldn't even see how much he loved Donna. Unfortunately, neither could Donna.

Once they had gone, Andy had called him for the hundredth time that day. All her phone calls had gone unanswered. He knew that she was worried, but he couldn't bring himself to talk to her, because then she might know that he needed her. That he loved her more than he had ever admitted to anyone…including himself for a time.

Toby had called Mallory and sent his condolences and told her that Leo had been one of the best men he had ever known. She had tried to stay strong, but she cried anyhow and he tried to sooth her. Although anyone would tell you that Toby was the most curmudgeon man they had ever met, he was good at being a comfort. He remembered holding Ginger after the President had been shot in Rosslyn. Toby remembered telling Donna about the President having MS. He could be comforting for others, but never for himself.

The last thing Leo would know of him, was the fact that he had betrayed the President's confidence and let down the Bartlett administration. Leo would never know how proud Toby was that he was going to be Vice President. No matter how unsure Toby had been about Santos, Leo was a dream candidate as far as Toby was concerned. He had never met anyone more capable and true…except maybe President Josiah Bartlett.

Toby took another long drink. He let out a long sigh; his fingers lightly went over his beard, as they often did when he was thinking.

The phone rang again and even before he looked at the caller ID, he knew it would be Andy. His thumb lingered over the Talk button of his cordless phone. It rang seven times. He knew one more ring and it would go to his voicemail. His living room filled with silence once more. He held the phone for a long time afterwards.

"Thank you, Congressman." Josh hung up the phone and glanced over at Donna who was writing furiously. "We've got about three hours before we have to be back to the White House."

"Went faster than expected, huh?" She didn't look up.

"Yeah." He examined her soft profile, her blonde hair secured with a pen at her nape, the loose tendrils caressing her cheek. Her alabaster skin was glowing with a slight pink from the warmth of his apartment. Her sweater hung loosely over her slender figure, the sleeves too long covering her hands. He looked over her delicate fingers as she wrote ferociously trying to get down everything the Congressman had said.

Donna's cell phone rang. Without looking up she reached into her purse on the floor and pulled the phone out. She flipped it open and tucked it between her ear and her shoulder…which was considerably harder to do with cell phones than regular ones. "Donna Moss."

Josh stood up and went into the kitchen to grab another cup of coffee. Her voice carried through his apartment, the familiarity of their closeness once upon a time filled the air. There had been a time when they had been friends and they could talk; now things always seemed strained between them.

He knew that it was his fault. He had done everything wrong with Donna from the very beginning. He had been so angry at her for leaving and yet he couldn't believe that she hadn't left him sooner. Of course Josh had yet to make the distinction between leaving him and leaving her job. To him, it felt like she had walked out on him, but he knew better.

"Josh?"

He turned around to find Donna staring at him. "Yeah?"

"Where were you? I've been calling your name," she replied.

"Uh, sorry. I was just thinking."

She smiled. "Okay." She went to his refrigerator and grabbed two beers. "We're off duty now, right?"

He nodded and watched as she twisted off the cap and handed it to him. "Thanks."

She took a slug off her bottle. Josh couldn't help but watch her pink lips seal around the head of the bottle. They drank together many times. In a bar. In his office. At his apartment. Now for some reason, it felt strange.

"You're staring."

He shook his head. "Sorry, lost in thought."

"What is it that has your attention?" she questioned, tilting her head.

"You."

Sam opened his hotel room door and stared blankly at Mallory. "Hi."

"Hi," she replied, her lips curling into a smile.

"What are you doing here? Is Hank here? Did we have plans? I had thought about calling you but I thought you would have…"

Mallory covered his mouth with her hand. "Sam, you're rambling." She dropped her hand.

"You always did bring out my best rambles." Sam stepped back. "Do you want to come in?"

"No, I want you to come out. I thought we could take a walk."

"Just let me grab my coat. I'm not used to this weather."

"California has turned you into a wuss. It's forty degrees out there." She held the door open while he retreated inside to grab his coat.

Sam pulled his jacket on and grabbed his wallet. "Let's go, O'Brian."

Mallory broke the silence as they walked down the sidewalk. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you about Hank."

Sam shook his head. "Please. Like you should've been worrying about that. I'm sorry I…I just wasn't expecting a Hank and of course there would be."

Mallory asked, "What about you?"

"Do I have a Hank? Sadly, no. I've been too busy with politics and stuff."

Mallory chortled. "How come you're not out with Josh and Donna?"

"They're working. Didn't think they have time to do anything before dinner at the White House."

"Working, huh?"

Sam gave her a look. "They're working. In order for anything to happen between the two of them, Josh would have to pull his head out of his…"

"Hey, now. No, need to get graphic," she teased.

He chuckled.

Silence drifted around them again. Even the streets seemed unusually quiet.

"My dad wasn't thrilled about the engagement."

"Why not?"

"He said that Hank is a dolt and a fascist."

"You always did like those fascist."

She playfully slapped him across the arm.

"Ow." Sam mocked rubbed his abused arm. "Do you think he was just being overprotective? I've heard there are a lot of fathers that never want to see their daughters married. I mean look what he and the President conspired between us. And we barely even had a date."

"I suppose."

Sam looked over at her. He was sure that she wanted to say something else, but she didn't.

"He thought Hank and I rushed into things."

"Rushed?"

"Well we've only been together for six months. We got engaged the night before he died."

"That is fast, but hey if you're in love…"

"It's more because I'm pregnant and my father was running for the Vice Presidency."

Sam choked and stopped walking. He felt his eyes dropping to her stomach. "I…I um…"

"Don't get me wrong. I love Hank. But now…I don't know if I feel compelled to marry him."

"What about the baby?"

Mallory put her hands over her abdomen. "I want her."

"Her?"

"It's a guess."

He nodded. "You're not sure you want to marry Hank."

"If it hadn't been for the baby there would be no marriage right now. There would be dating and sex."

Sam choked. He recovered quickly, clearing his throat. "Are you happy?"

"I am."

Sam shrugged and started walking again. "Then that's all you have to know. Leo would've come around when he saw that you were happy. I've been on one of those campaigns. Leo didn't have time to look in the mirror, let alone see if his daughter was happy. Do what's best for you, Mal."

"I miss talking to you," she sighed. They started walking down the street again. She linked her arm with his.

Sam smiled. "Me too."

"Jed?" Abigail Bartlett stood in the doorway of her husband's study. He was staring blankly into a file that C.J. had given him to read. "Jed?" she said again.

He peered up at his wife. "How long have you been standing there?"

She entered the room and approached his side. "Long enough to know you're not reading what you're supposed to be reading."

He gave her a faint smile. "Yeah."

"Can I get you anything?" She ran her fingers through his graying hair.

Jed reached around her waist and pulled her to him. She pulled his head to her breast and gently stroked his back. "Just you," he sighed, content to be in her arms.

"The girls will be here for dinner tonight. And Charlie." She kissed him on top of his head.

"It'll be good to have the family together again." Jed patted her hip. "I should try and read some of this. The briefing for Iraq is in twenty minutes."

"I'll tell you, I know you love this job but I will be so glad when we're at home in New Hampshire and your biggest concern is which piece of trivia you're going to drive me crazy with."

She leaned down and gave her husband a long, satisfying kiss.

He gently swatted her behind. "I'll see you in a while." He watched his wife amble out of the room. His smile faded when he thought of moving home to New Hampshire and leaving the White House. New Hampshire was certainly home but he would miss Washington D.C. He would miss the White House. He would miss Leo.

Leo. Jed thought of the six in a half years that he had been by his side in the White House and the twenty-four years before that. The man had been his crutch, his friend and his mentor. His brother.

Jed shook himself mentally, he wouldn't get anything done at this rate. He let out a long sigh and returned to his reading.

"Josh, you're acting very strange." Donna set down her bottle of beer on the counter and approached him. He stared into her eyes and she advanced on him. She put her hand on his forehead and his cheeks. "You're warm. Do you feel okay?"

He grabbed her hand. "Donna, you don't have to take care of me all of the time."

"I wasn't trying...if I don't, then who will," she retorted.

"I managed just fine when you left," Josh snapped.

She started at his abrupt tone. "You're right, I'm sorry." She attempted to move, but he was still gripping her hand.

"Don't apologize. Donna, this whole thing has been messed up and it's my fault not yours." Josh readjusted his grip on her hand, threading her delicate fingers through his. "I keep losing the people that are important to me…"

"Josh, you never lost…"

"Donna, I lost you so many times. You were the only one to come back."

She looked taken aback. "What are you…"

He cut her off again. "You left me for Dr. Freeride. Cliff and the diary. Amy. Then I sent you to Gaza. You quit. I should've hired you."

"Josh," she whispered.

"It was never about the job, Donna; I just didn't want to lose you. I always knew you could do the job. It's just that…I knew what my life was like before you and after you and I didn't want to…"

"I didn't leave you, Josh. It was never about you."

"Wasn't it?"

She peered up into his dark, penetrating eyes. "I…" she trailed off.

"You don't think I see…I know that there are times I'm clueless and completely inept, blind and stupid. But I knew. And if I didn't, the people around me always seemed to like to tell me."

"Tell you?" She was half dazed. "Who?"

"Joey Lucas. Amy Gardner. Toby. Colin."

"Colin?"

"He told me this whole story about this girl that he had taken for granted and I'm sure there was some lesson in there to be learned…I just remember the words 'American Past dalliance gone bad Or tragically unconsummated love, kept at arm's length by puritanical American work place ethics?'" He smirked at the memory. "Leo too."

"Leo?"

"That night on Christmas Eve when you were supposed to meet Commander Wonderful…Leo told me that you left and he knew I was…then when Gaza happened, I lost it outside the Oval office with Kate and he told me to go to you. He said everyone would understand if there was some where else I would rather be."

"Josh, what are you saying?"

"I'm telling you that I'm tired of losing the people I..."

The cell phone in Donna's pocket started to ring. She pulled out of his reach and answered the phone. Josh stared after her and wondered if he had just made a mistake. He wondered if she knew what he was going to say.

He let out a long sigh. Two hours and twenty-seven minutes until they had to be at the White House, maybe now wasn't the time. It didn't ever seem to be the right time.

To Be Continued...