A/N: The Connecticut contingent of the extended Bartlet family makes an appearance in this chapter. Josh and Donna also continue to make progress in the relationship in this chapter.

Happy reading!

Stars Hollow, CT

Lorelei and Rory Gilmore were going about their ordinary evening when the news broke.

There was a town meeting going on, and the pair of them were in the dance studio, Miss Patty's, having their usual conversation on who was going to blow a gasket that night or what inane problem Taylor Doose was going to bring up before the town this time.

The meeting had just gotten underway when the barn door banged open, and Lorelei and Rory's Secret Service agents barged in.

"What in the name of-" Taylor started but froze when he saw the detail.

The whole town knew that Lorelei's uncle (by marriage) was the President of the United States, but usually, the agents kept their distance. Something was wrong.

Eric, the lead agent, spoke quickly. "Ms. Gilmore, Ms. Gilmore, we need you to come with us."

"Where?" Lorelei asked, as the agents on their detail quickly hustled them out into the black SUV parked at the curb in front of Miss Patty's.

"Mom," 15-year-old Rory said, clearly frightened.

"What's going on?"

Eric made sure the girls got into the back seat, and then he got into the front seat before turning to them.

"There was a shooting at the Newseum in Rosslyn, Virginia. The President, First Lady, and the staff were exiting the building after a town hall when the shooting began."

"Oh my god," Lorelei said, horrified. "Are they hurt?"

"We don't know, ma'am. The President, First Lady, and Zoey were put into their limos, and they're on their way back to the White House. Security protocol is to bring you home until the all-clear. Police from Woodbridge will be arriving shortly to help."

The SUV pulled away from the curb, and towards their house. As soon as the door clicked behind them, Eric radioed into his wrist.

"Leather and Library are secure."

"Are you OK?" Lorelei asked her daughter, wrapping her up in a hug.

"I just hope Uncle Jed and Aunt Abbey are OK," Rory answered.

Just then, her cellphone rang. Thankfully, the detail allowed her to answer. "Hello?"

"Hey, it's me," said Luke Danes, their friend, and the diner owner. "Have you seen the news?"

"No," Lorelei said, shakily. "I just got home. The Secret Service burst into the town meeting and brought us home. My Aunt and Uncle were leaving some kind of town hall event and someone started shooting at them. Why? What is the news saying?"

"The President was shot, Lorelei. They don't know how bad. But he's on the way to George Washington University Hospital. A member of the staff was also shot at the museum. The news is reporting the information as they get it."

"Oh, my God." Lorelei breathed. "I-I have to go. I have to call my sister. My mom, my dad, I don't think they know yet." She paused. "Which staff member was shot?"

"They're waiting to release the name until next of kin has been notified."

"Thanks for calling, Luke," Lorelei replied. She hung up the phone quickly and turned to Rory. "Hon, Uncle Jed was shot. It was on the news."

Rory paled. "Aunt Abbey, Zoey, Aunt Alex-" Her eyes widened. "Weren't Aunt Alex and Grandpa in DC? Would they have gone?"

"I don't know, kid," Lorelei answered honestly. She started dialing her sister.

After several attempts, Alex finally answered her phone half an hour later. "Lorelei?"

"Finally, you answer your phone!" Lorelei exclaimed. "Are you OK? Is Dad OK? Where are you?"

"We're fine, Lorelei," Alex replied, cradling the phone between her ear and shoulder as she pulled clothes from Abbey and Jed's dressers. "I'm in Aunt Abbey and Uncle Jed's bedroom."

"How did you—?"

"Dad and I went out to dinner, and we were in a bookstore when the Secret Service came in to get us. We weren't too far from the White House, so they brought us here. Our agents are still holding us in the Residence. But the minute we can leave, I'm going to the hospital with clothes for Aunt Abbey and Uncle Jed."

"How bad is Uncle Jed hurt?"

"He was hit in the shoulder, so Zoey tells me. He's in surgery, but he'll be out within the hour." Alex paused. "Lorelei, how much do you know?"

"Um…shots were fired at Uncle Jed and Aunt Abbey as they were leaving an event in Virginia. Luke said that the news was saying Uncle Jed was shot, and so was one of his staff. Who was it?"

"Josh. The Deputy Chief of Staff. You met him at the anniversary party. You liked that he was from Connecticut, like us."

"Oh, that's right," Lorelei said. "How is he?"

"He's in surgery, too. He was shot in the abdomen," Alex replied as she walked back into the bedroom to put clothes in the large duffle on the bed. Her breath caught when she spotted Felicity's baby nest sitting near the headboard with throw pillows on it. She walked over to retrieve it.

"Alex, what is it?"

"Lorelei, Felicity was at the town hall, too. She was shot. I'm not sure how it happened. But a bullet went through her arm and into her chest."

Lorelei gasped. Her heart went to her chest. She couldn't imagine what her poor aunt was going through. "No. Do Uncle Jed and Aunt Abbey know?"

"Aunt Abbey does. She's at Children's National. Felicity's in surgery now. We're going to tell Uncle Jed once he's out of surgery."

"Alex...how bad is it?" Lorelei asked.

Rory approached. "Mom?"

Lorelei reached for her daughter's hand.

"They're not sure if she's going to make it," Alex replied, fighting to keep herself from crying.

Lorelei took a deep breath. "Do I need to come to DC?"

"I don't know. I just talked to mom before you called. She's arranged to meet Lizzy, and they're going to pick up Nana. The surgery is supposed to take between 10 and 12 hours. So, I imagine all we're going to be doing once we get there is wait."

Alex walked into the room that was Felicity's nursery and started going through drawers. She picked up a bunch of nightgowns she made that tied at the bottom and made a mental note to cut them open. She could alter them to open in the front to keep Felicity warm without blocking access for the medical staff. Alex took other clothes, blankets, diapers, and related toiletries into the other room.

"Maybe in the next day or two, then," Lorelei said, quietly.

"Yeah, I'll let you know if anything happens. I haven't told Dad this. But I think I might stay there for a while, and you know—put my focus into something else like making other kids feel better."

"I think...that's a wonderful idea, Alex," Lorelei said. She ran a hand through her hair. "You'll call me as soon as she's out of surgery?"

"As soon as I know," Alex promised. "I need to get to the hospital."

"Okay. Talk to you later."

"Bye, Lorelei."

Lorelei hung up and urged Rory to sit down.

"Was it Zoey?" Rory asked.

"No. Felicity."

Rory blinked. "Felicity? But she's just a baby!"

I know, kid." Lorelei replied, wrapping her up in a hug. "I know."

As they went to sleep that night, both Gilmore girls were worried about the future of a baby that was just starting to live her life.

Donna was at Children's National, where Abbey had just arrived. The two women sat anxiously in chairs awaiting news.

Just then, Sam slipped through the door quietly. "Any news?" He asked.

Donna shook her head. "It could be up to 12 hours, they said. I guess no news is good news. It means they're busy working on her."

Sam nodded. "That sounds right."

"How about Josh? How is he?" Abbey wanted to know.

Donna's head shot up. "What happened to Josh?"

Sam took a breath and turned to his friend. "I'm sorry, I thought you knew. Josh was shot in the abdomen."

"Josh was shot?" Donna repeated.

"Yes. But his injuries aren't serious. The bullet was lodged in his small intestines and there were fragments in his thigh. He's not out yet, but the doctors think he'll make a full recovery." He paused. "Before he went in, Josh…asked me to tell you something."

Donna looked up expectantly.

"He said to tell you that he meant it when he kissed you."

Donna's eyes filled with tears, and she broke into a relieved grin. It was just what she needed to hear at that moment.

"Thank you, Sam." She said.

"Alexandra, slow down!" Richard Gilmore said, using her full name, as he tried to keep up with her quick, confident strides.

"I know where I'm going," Alex answered back as they made their way through the surgical floor, searching for the waiting room. She sounded exactly like her mother. Even their Secret Service agents were having trouble keeping pace.

They finally found the waiting room. When Abbey looked up, she found her niece walking toward her with her ever-present satchel in one hand and one of Abbey's larger Vuitton cabin bags in the other.

"Hi, Aunt Abbey, I brought provisions," she said, setting the bag by Abbey's chair. "There's a little of everything for you and Felicity and Uncle Jed when he's here."

Abbey stood up and hugged Alex tightly, tighter than Alex had ever been hugged before.

"Thank you, sweetheart," she said. "You were just the person I needed to see."

In this dark hour, Abbey was comforted by the presence of the little girl who had been close to death and survived more than once.

With Alex sitting down and putting food into Abbey's hand, and Richard offering his sympathies and assuring her that Emily and her mother were en route just as soon as the roads opened again, Donna took the opportunity to slip out of the room.

She pulled out her cell phone and dialed Toby's number. She wasn't sure where he was at the moment, but maybe he would know something about Josh.

Toby answered immediately. "Donna? How's Felicity?"

She swallowed. "No news yet. How's Josh?"

"He's out of surgery."

Donna breathed a huge sigh of relief. "Thank God. Is he all right?"

"He's a little groggy, and pumped full of pain meds, but he's alert." Toby hesitated. "I told him about the President. And...about Felicity."

Donna closed her eyes. "Can he...can he talk?"

"Sure." After a minute, Donna heard Josh's voice say groggily, "Hey."

Donna smiled despite herself. "Hi."

"So... I heard. About Felicity."

"I know."

"Toby said she's going to be in surgery for a while?"

"Yeah."

He was quiet for a minute. "It's not your fault."

"Josh-"

"It's not your fault." He reiterated. "And I'm going to say that as many times as you need to hear it."

"Felicity was in my arms, Josh. Mine. I was supposed to protect her, and I froze. I should have moved faster or had Felicity in her wrap. She was shot because of me," Donna said quietly.

"I didn't want to be shot, Donna. I wasn't asking to be shot. It just happened. The people who pulled the trigger are the ones responsible for shooting me and Felicity and the President. This is not your fault."

"I've just spent the last few hours watching my boss go through hell. How can I not feel responsible?"

"Because it was an act of madmen," Josh said simply. "These guys aimed at us from the highest window they could. We don't know why, and we don't know who. But I know that you and Felicity were just in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Donna sighed, tears finally beginning to unspool down her cheeks. "I know."

Josh took a deep breath. "Listen, Toby's telling me I should get some rest. My mom'll be here in a bit."

"That's good," Donna replied. "You'll have something happy to tell her."

Josh was exhausted, but he smiled. "Yeah. I will."

"Get some sleep, OK?"

"I will."

"I love you," Donna said. It had just slipped out, but she wasn't sorry it did.

"You've never said that before."

"I didn't want to wait any longer to say it."

Josh smiled. "I love you, too."

"Bye, Josh."

"Bye, Donna."

Donna hung up the phone. She turned to go back down the hall to the waiting room and came face to face with a large group of Secret Service agents coming toward her.

"Dad, slow down!" Zoey exclaimed from behind them.

"I need to find your mother," Jed said, like a father on a mission.

He came into view seconds later wearing a POTUS tracksuit, his arm in a sling. Ellie and Zoey were on either side of them.

"She's this way, Mr. President," Donna spoke up and led the Bartlets to the waiting room.

"Abbey," he said, walking into the room, his voice hoarse with emotion.

Abbey stood up, surprised to see that her husband was here so soon after surgery.

"What are you doing here?" She managed to say and walked over to him. "You shouldn't be up and walking around."

They embraced for a long moment. Tears threatened to come. But if they started, they would never stop.

"Our lovebug is in surgery, Jed," Abbey said quietly.

"I know," Jed replied. He pulled back and held her at arm's length. "But she's going to be fine."

"Jed, you don't know that. Gunshot wounds, especially to infants, can go from critical to fatal in an instant-"

"She will be fine." Jed insisted. "I can't allow myself to believe anything different. Besides, she's just like her mother, and her sisters, and all the women in her family. She may have the Bartlet name, but she's got Barrington blood."

Abbey looked at him with love and fear in her eyes. "I love you, Jed Bartlet."

"And I love you." He replied. They embraced again.

Abbey embraced her children once she made sure Jed was sitting down and safe. The doctor in her was worried that he was out of bed so soon.

An hour and a half later, Emily, Liz, and Sandra arrived. Sam left soon after to go help CJ and Toby at the White House to keep things going.

"Felicity is going to come through this, Abigail," Sandra said, embracing her youngest child. "I promise you."

"From your lips to God's ears, Mom," Abbey said, quietly.

"Has anyone heard anything?" Emily asked.

"Last I heard, they were still working on her. They might be taking her off bypass soon."

"I don't understand." Liz sat, wringing her hands. "I thought Donna was protecting her."

"I was, Liz," Donna said quietly.

"She did." Alex chimed in from where she sat, altering Felicity's nightgowns to open in the front. "A stray bullet hit her arm."

"Well, obviously, the Secret Service didn't move fast enough. They got her and Dad. What, is everybody who's supposed to be protecting our family completely incompetent?"

"Elizabeth!" Emily said, sternly.

"It was an accident," Abbey spoke up. She stood up and faced her eldest daughter. "A tragedy, but an accident nonetheless. We're all stressed, but don't blame Donna for this." She looked over at the young woman in question. "She's one of the best things to ever happen to this family."

"Your mother is right, Lizzy," Jed said. "No one is to blame for this, least of all my staff. I know you're upset about and for your sister. But it has no place here. Are we clear about that?"

"Yes, dad," Liz said. She wasn't happy. But she also knew she was being unreasonable, at least about this.

"Fizzy loves Donna," Zoey pointed out. "She spends more time with her than any of us do, and she's been a better sister than we have."

Tears welled up in Zoey's eyes, and Alex leaned over and hugged her.

"You're a good big sister, Zo. I'm positive Fizzy knows that."

"You are, Zoey," Donna added, coming over to the two teenagers. "Felicity thinks the world of you. And I know I've spent a lot of time with her this year, but I will never replace you guys. I want you to know that."

Zoey nodded, before letting go of Alex to embrace Donna. "God, no one's thought of you this whole night. You're closer to Fizzy than anyone."

Donna looked at Zoey, then at the concerned faces of Alex, Abbey, and Jed.

Zoey put a hand on her arm and that did it. The dam burst, and she began to sob.

Zoey wrapped her up in a hug. Nothing more needed to be said.

It was nearing the early morning hours. The Gilmores had gone to the hotel at Abbey's insistence, except for Sandra and Emily. Jed had gone back to bed. The three Bartlet daughters sat in a row underneath the window, while Abbey and Donna sat in the same chairs Abbey had been sitting in since the ordeal began.

Just then, the door opened, and the surgeon, Dr. Forrest, walked in. He removed his cap, revealing his exhausted features.

Abbey knew that exhaustion well. She stood up and walked over to the doctor.

"You must be Dr. Forrest."

"Yes, hello, Dr. Bartlet. Felicity did very well, all things considered. She's in recovery now and the nurses are attempting to bring her around. I expect her to be very sleepy for the next few days. Thanks to my team, we were able to inflate Felicity's lung and repair the tissue damage. No other organs were hit, and the bullet missed major arteries. It did break several ribs on the way in, though. So, I expect Felicity will be very sore for the next month or two as she heals.

Our head of orthopedic surgery repaired Felicity's arm. He put her in a soft cast for now. A hard cast may go on later if she needs to move around more.

Felicity will be on a ventilator for the immediate future because her lungs need to heal and breathing is very painful. Normally, we would sedate Felicity to help her heal and keep her comfortable. But I want to avoid overloading her body with too many drugs. So, she will be awake after the anesthesia wears off. The vent tube shouldn't bother her too much. We also put in an NG tube to allow her to start eating as soon as possible. The notes from her pediatrician indicate she feeds very well, so we want to keep that up. She'll be on pain medication and antibiotics for infection. The next 24 to 48 hours will be critical, but if she does as well as she did in surgery, there's no reason to think she won't recover over time."

Zoey shrieked quietly. Liz whispered, "Thank you, God." Ellie burst into joyful tears, along with Sandra. Emily embraced her youngest niece. And Donna, despite the professional boundaries between them, threw her arms around Abbey.

"Thank you, Doctor," Abbey said gratefully after she and Donna pulled apart. "Thank you so much."

"When can we see her?" Zoey wanted to know.

"She'll be in ICU in about thirty minutes. You can see her then, but just two at a time for now."

Everyone nodded, then began to scatter to share the good news. Emily went to call Richard at the hotel. Liz went to call Doug, Donna went to call Josh, and Abbey took her coat and rushed out the door. She needed to deliver this news in person.

Abbey headed up one floor above them to the VIP suite Jed was staying in. Even though this was National Children's Hospital, they were more than happy to accommodate POTUS. When she arrived at the unit he was in, she saw nurses setting up Felicity's ICU room just across the hall, with monitors and equipment aplenty.

Offices were being prepared just down the hall for staff, so they could work in the secure unit while the President was here.

Jed was asleep in a regular king-size bed. He had been hooked up to an IV again, and he was dozing fitfully. His eyes opened when Abbey came in.

"Abbey," he said, sitting up. "Is she…"

"Lovebug made it," she replied, and then she burst into tears, barely making it to the bed before collapsing into his arms. All the tears Abbey had kept at bay for the last 12 hours came forth now, unable to be stopped.

The relief on Jed's face was palpable as he held his wife and let her cry. "When can we see her?" He asked.

"Just as soon as they move her into the ICU," Abbey answered. "They're getting a room set up for her."

As if on cue, the doctor came in. "They're bringing her up now."

Abbey looked at Jed, then rushed into the hall. She could see a crib being rolled down the hall from the elevator. She held her breath until the crib was wheeled closer, and she could see her baby girl.

Felicity looked about as normal as one could expect for a baby who had just undergone life-saving surgery. She was connected to a ventilator and had bandages covering her tiny body from her chest to her torso. IVs hung from the railings, dripping blood and fluids into her veins.

Abbey's heart stopped at the sight of her baby girl bandaged and hooked up to tubes and wires. But she started to breathe again when Felicity's eyes opened, and she looked right at her mother. The hand that wasn't covered in IVs and a soft cast moved very slightly as if to reach for her mother. But then her eyes closed again. The heavy drugs she was on made staying awake difficult.

"It's okay, lovebug," Abbey said quietly. "I'm here."

Nurses wheeled Felicity's crib into the room and hooked her up to the main monitors. Abbey watched the proceedings with a critical eye as Felicity's IV bags were moved into place along with blood. She looked even more tiny surrounded by monitors and wrapped in bandages.

Abbey walked slowly into the room, following the staff as they made the last adjustments to the monitors, and tiptoed out to give the parents some privacy. Abbey turned to find Jed following her in.

She approached the crib, where Felicity was sound asleep. The heart monitor's steady beeping and whooshing of the ventilator nearly drowned it out, but Abbey could tell that for the first time since last night, Felicity's chest was moving unconstricted.

Abbey knew that with all the tubes and wires, she couldn't touch her the way she wanted, but she reached over the railing and gingerly touched her downy cap of brown hair anyway.

"We love you, Felicity," Abbey whispered.

"We're right here, lovebug, and we're not leaving," Jed added.

For the next few minutes, they stood listening to the machines, thanking God that she was still alive.