Title: Joshua
Category: Romance/Humor/Drama
Rating: PG-13
Summary: What happens when Josh finds out that he shares the same first name with Dr. Freeride?

Disclaimer: Not one inch of the West Wing belongs to me, not even a molecule of the air they breathe
Author's Notes: Feedback the best stuff on earth

Chapter 5

A gloved hand quietly turned the knob and the person entered the house. An old lady lived here. She was expecting a visitor, but one who would ring the doorbell, not break into her home. Silent footsteps slowly came upon the lady washing the dishes. She knew someone was behind her, but ignored the feeling. She didn't want to deal with the trouble that awaited her, at least not yet. The footsteps stopped.

"Mom, we're home!" Josh grabbed his mother around her waist and kissed her cheek. Rachel Lyman remembers a little brown curly haired boy who enjoyed scaring his mother by walking quietly up behind her when he came home every day after school. Apparently that little boy didn't change; he just grew up to be a big boy who liked to scare his mother after coming home from the campaign trail. It had been six months since her husband had passed, and she was more than happy to have her son home.

"Joshua! I didn't see you there!" He smirked at his mother. Josh knew for damn sure that she had eyes in the back of her head. They'd always been there; especially during his drinking out of the milk carton stage.

Rachel threw her arms around her son, hugging him tightly. Uninvited tears broke into her eyes, something that had been happening since Noah passed. She pulled away and sniffed, wiping at her nose. "How have you been?"

"Good, good." He pulled her mother into another tight hug and then whispered into her ear. "I brought Donna with me, is that okay? I didn't want her to waste her money."

"You brought a girl home?" Rachel took a step back looking at her son and putting her hand against his forehead to check his temperature. "Are you sure you're fine?"

"Mom," he nervously laughed. "I'm doing great." He looked around the kitchen. Where was she? "Donna," he called out, stepping around his mother to look into the doorway that led to the dining room. "Donna." He spotted her covered in the shadows in the dining room. As dark as the room was she couldn't hide the nervousness that was written on her face. Josh could read it clearly. He walked closer to her and lowered his voice so that his mom couldn't here. "Donna, it's ok, she won't bite, and if she tries I'll protect you."

Donna let out a light chuckle. She hadn't been this nervous when meeting the Governor for the first time. She probably shouldn't have come. This was the first time Josh had been home since his father died, it wasn't right of Donna to invade on this visit. All she could hear was the pounding in her ears as she glanced at the doorway that led to Mrs. Lyman.

She didn't know what to expect. Sure, she's talked to Josh's mom a few times on the phone, she even talked to his dad a few times before…well, before…but they were always short, pleasant conversation. Donna knew from experience that people could be nice when making small talk and then turn on you after you really got to know them.

"Where is that girl, Joshua?" His mother's voice sounded from the kitchen and Donna's eyes moved to Josh's, searching for the reassurance she needed. This shouldn't be that big of a deal, she mentally berated herself. "Please tell me you didn't leave her in the car, I raised you better than that."

"Come on," he said giving her a smile that quieted her screaming nerves, at least for the time being, as he tilted his head towards the kitchen. "Of course I didn't leave her in the car, Mom." He looked behind him to make sure she'd followed. "She's right here." He turned on his heel when he reached the middle of the room and waved a hand while he introduced them to each other. "Donna Moss, this is my mother. Mom, this is Donna."

"It's great to finally meet you, Mrs. Lyman," Donna said, a grin plastered on her face as she reached out her hand to shake the older lady's.

"Likewise. I've heard about the wonderful way that you keep my son in check. Nice job." She was taking the young women in. Josh had talked about and to Donna a lot while he was on the phone with his mom. She was significantly younger than her son which was no big deal in Rachel's book because Noah had been about a decade older than her. Rachel turned towards Josh who seemed to be a little tense but yet a glow was about him. He was studying his mother in a way that made her think he was hoping she would approve of his assistant. "Would you two like something to drink or eat? You must be hungry, it was a long drive."

"Three and a half hours isn't that long compared to what we've been through on the campaign trail."

"I wasn't talking about you, Josh, I was talking about Donna. I've been alone in a car with you and I can't imagine being in there for three and a half hours."

- - - - - - - - -

Donna couldn't sleep. She had been staring at the ceiling now for two hours and it hasn't become any more interesting. What she really wanted to do was make herself this warm milk concoction her mother used to put together when she was little but Donna was hesitant to use the kitchen. She was a guest in Josh's mother's house, that didn't allow her to use everything at her free will. But it was late and everyone was asleep except her, so maybe she'd chance it.

One of her feet hesitantly slid out of the sheets and pressed lightly on the floor, then the other followed and Donna sat up. The floor slightly creaked as she put her full weight down. Slowly, trying to not make a lot of noise, she padded to the door and opened it, slipping into the cold hallway.

Now it was time to tiptoe as she passed Josh's door, almost sure that she could hear his snores. After spending months with him she realized that he only snored when he was extremely tired. Finally making it past his door she allowed her the balls of her feet to his the floor as well. She felt like she was that crazy dressing seventeen year old again who was trying to sneak out of her parent's house, except this time all she wanted was a little warm milk.

Donna kept all the lights off as she carefully made her way to the fridge, using only the light it emitted to find the milk and butter. Then she closed the door and let her eyes adjust. It was dark in the room but the moonlight streaming in lit up the kitchen enough that she could find the sugar. She combined the ingredients, put the mug in the microwave and pressed start. That's when she heard the creek. She stopped what she was doing, going completely still.

"Donna, dear, what are you doing in the dark? You can turn on the lights, I can afford the electricity bill," Rachel chuckled as she flipped the switch, brightening the room. Donna cringed as the illumination invaded her senses.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Lyman. I didn't mean to wake you. I just…" Donna looked helplessly around her. "Couldn't sleep," she finished her sentence and then nervously bit her lip. "I hope you don't mind, I borrowed some milk, butter, and sugar."

"Oh, absolutely, it's fine. I was actually just coming down here to have some decaf tea. I haven't been able to sleep well recently." Donna smiled and pulled her concoction out of the microwave. She shuffled over to the table and sat down, blowing lightly on the hot liquid as Rachel prepared her tea. A comfortable silence fell over the two women until Rachel broke it as she sat at the table with her tea. "So, Donna, how's my son really doing?" Donna hesitated a moment, trying to figure out how much she should tell Josh's mother.

"He's doing…well, to tell you the truth Mrs. Lyman I think he's stressed. He doesn't sleep much, and when he does it's usually on my shoulder while we're trying to make notes for the next day on the bus to god knows where." A grin formed on Rachel's face. "I have to remind him to eat and all he wants are burgers that are burnt so badly they look like hockey pucks so I try to get him to eat a salad at times or something healthy but when I do it's always like trying to get a screaming and kicking kid into the doctors office, but…" Rachel cut Donna off.

"He seems happy."

"He is. I mean, at least I think he is, I've never had reason to think otherwise. He really…believes in the Governor and what he's doing. There's also everyone else who works there: Sam, CJ, Toby, Leo…everybody. They all lean on each other and, Mrs. Lyman, it's amazing. I've never seen such a tight knit group working together trying to literally make the word better. It's uplifting. And your son, don't let him know I'm telling you this, he's just…brilliant. They all are. Everyday I'm just in complete awe." Rachel looked at Donna with a smug grin that Donna misinterpreted and immediately jumped in with more to say. "I'm not trying to get you to like me by saying all this it's just…what I believe."

"I don't think that. I know my son's not perfect and I'm sure you've figured it out by now as well."

"He does holler for me at least 100 times a day, but I've got it under control." Rachel laughed.

"Good, you're a sweet girl, don't let him overwork you."

"You should tell him that." Rachel took a sip of her tea before asking a simple question that she didn't know would cause an uproar in Donna's emotions.

"So, why did you join the campaign Donna?" Donna's head snapped up from where her gaze had landed on her mug.

"Umm…well…I needed…I…I wanted" she stammered. "To prove myself. I had just gotten out of a relationship that really wasn't good for me." Rachel's eyes clouded and she reached out her hand and grasped Donna's. She squeezed her hand and that gave Donna encouragement to keep speaking. "He was a med student and…god, this is embarrassing…he…I was in love with him, at least I thought I was and when he said…he told me that when he finished school he would pay for my school, the only thing I had to do was quit college now and get a full time job to help him pay first. At the time it sounded reasonable…but now…I'm such an idiot. I knew Josh; I knew he wasn't going to pay me back…" Rachel cut her off.

"Josh?"

Donna's mouth opened and closed like a fish before answering. "Yeah…actually, um…Josh Morrison…I guess he's an MD now…" Rachel's mind connected the dots; obviously that's how she ended up working for her son. Josh had told her a little about his assistant hiring herself. "If you could not, uh, mention this to your son that would be great. He doesn't know and I don't think he'd let me live it down."

"No, no, of course not. You're secrets safe with me." The women shared a smile. Donna finished up the last of her drink.

"I think I might be able to fall asleep now. Thanks for the talk Mrs. Lyman."

"Anytime dear, sweet dreams."

TBC…

A/N: Sorry this took so long to post, I'm having a little writer's block. I'm trying not to drag this out to long, but I swear it's going somewhere. Hopefully you still like it, enjoy reading it, and will leave feedback. Thanks for reading!