Despite early rumors.. I am not Martian Sheen's love child.. nor am I employed by anyone associated with West Wing.. I just have a really really thorough spoilers site and an uncanny ability to predict how the characters will react to stuff.. It's part of my TV OCD.. You can email me for the site.. but come on it's only three weeks...

Lori

"I'm trying not to be hurt." Sam muttered, his glasses slipping down his nose as he and Josh poured through the files. "I was, in fact. the one that saved your pathetic love life from ruin after all."

"I said I was sorry. You expected me to argue with the future First Lady and my pregnant wife?" Josh muttered shaking his head at the bottled water that Peter was holding up for him, instead of his usual Red Bull. "Water?"

"I have my orders." He mumbled.

"I told you to stop talking to my wife." He sighed, unscrewing the top of the bottle and taking a chug. "Caffeine is not going to be what kills me."

"She said you'd say that. I'm supposed to remind you that you're going to be sixty when the baby graduates High School." Peter said dryly walking back out of the office.

"Ouch." Sam moaned.

"How come you don't look like shit?" Josh asked his friend. "You look better than you did when we were campaigning for Bartlett."

"I took a four year vacation. You only got a week." Sam's usual as a matter of fact tone made him smile. "Thanks to me. Yet another reason I'm trying not to be hurt."

"Sam.. Helen knew before I did." He reminded his best friend.

"How'd that happen anyway?" Sam was shaking his head.

"I don't know. I barely understood it when she told me."

"Yeah?"

"I'm asking her to marry me, and she's crying and I'm begging and she says yes. I say something about how we could have gone skiing..you know.. because of the thing-." Sam nodded and Josh continued. "And she says she can't go skiing because pregnant women shouldn't ski." He stopped, letting a dimpling grin pull at his cheek. "Just like that... Pregnant women shouldn't ski."

"Sounds like Donna. Always keeping you on your toes." Sam joined him in the smile.

"Sam.. If you hadn't come.."

"She'd have come found you, and dusted you off and made you come home with her." Sam finished. "This is Donna. She may leave but she never goes far."

"Yeah." He suddenly flashed back to Iowa. Her opening his key carded door for him. "Yeah." He remembered how he'd found her halfway out the door in a blind panic to get to him. She would have ran red lights. "She's going to be my kid's mom."

"Lucky kid." Sam said softly before returning to his folder.

"Yeah." Josh starred into space a moment longer before dipping his head back towards his report. A slow grin still slipping across his cheeks. Charlie was standing in the doorway when Josh looked up again. "Hey What are you doing here?"

"CJ wanted me to tell you in person." His voice was unnervingly calm. Sam turned towards him.

"And?" Sam's breathy whisper made Charlie grin, Josh closed his eyes in relief

"He did it." The younger man "They're processing it now. Andie's on her way to get him. CJ's headed over to the house before the media gets set up there."

"She better hurry." Sam warned.

"She's almost there." He held up his cell phone.

"Sam you should go.." Josh looked down at the table. "I can't go. It would look like.."

"I probably shouldn't go either.."

"Guys?" Three sets of eyes turned towards the voice. Matt Santos chuckled at there expressions. "Go see your friend."

"Yeah?" Josh asked tentatively, pausing to think before issuing a warning. "It'll look like your administrations supporting-."

"Their friend? I think that's an okay message don't you?" Matt looked from Sam to Josh. His Chief had a far off look on his face.

"Yes Sir." Sam answered, smiling widely. He looked at Josh, frowning at his friends expression. "Josh?"

"Huh?"

"Do you wanna go?" Sam raised his eyebrow.

"Yeah.. Yeah sure." He clicked his eyes back to Sam before gathering up his things and rising to his feet.

CJ held her breath before she got out of the car and wandered up the walk. She managed to duck inside unseen. An hour later the place was crawling with reporters, she sat herself on the landing of the staircase and waited for Toby. Then the door opened and she slammed her eyes shut against the noise.

"No comment. No comment."

"Mr. Ziegler do you regret your actions?

"Toby! Toby! Tell us your side of the story!"

"Mr. Ziegler have you spoken to the President?"

"Have you apologized to him?"

"Mr. Ziegler have you spoken to CJ Cregg or Josh Lyman?"

"No comment. No comment."

The door shut and she opened her eyes. He stood in front of her for the first time in over a year.

"You came?" He whispered cocking his head slightly to the right and taking in the site of her. "You shouldn't have-."

"Shut up!" She whimpered sharply launching herself up from the step and wrapped her arms around him. He froze for a minute before gently bringing his hand up to her back and smoothing the other down her silky hair. "Shut up. Shut up."

"Okay. Okay." He took a staggered breath and tried to hold back his own tears.

"I missed you. I missed you so much, you big jerk." She cried.

"Yeah." He sighed into her neck. "Me too."

It was times like this that Toby wished he was as good at saying words as he was at writing them. He pulled his arms tighter around her as she started to sob. Knowing she didn't need his words now anyway.

"Donna?"

"I'm in the bedroom." He followed her voice until he found her sprawled across their bed. "So, so very tired."

"Helen wasn't kidding huh?" He asked pulling off his tie and working his feet out of his shoes.

"Helen was being nice." She moaned. "I feel like I just spent a week working for you again." He chuckled at that, pulling his belt off and settling down on his side next to her. He moved her hair over her shoulder, tracing the outline of her face. "I think your child is trying to kill me."

"Would it help to say that I love coming home to you?" He asked.

"Perhaps it softens the blow a little." She smiled.

"Would it help to say that I think that you are the most gorgeous pregnant woman ever?"

"A little more." She nodded.

"How are things in the First Lady's camp?"

"Done. How's.. everything..." She paused and truly regarded him for the first time since he'd walked through the door. Her eyes searching his for an update on his mental health.

"I tooka pill, Donna." He told her smiling. "The best defense is a good offense."

"You should sleep. We only have four hours."

"You don't have to get up with me. Ainsley offered to help Helen get ready in the morning so you could rest." Josh pulled the blanket up around her.

"No. I want to be there with her.. and you." She yawned, Josh smiled. "I'll be okay. How was Toby?"

"He looked dazed. CJ couldn't stop hugging him. It was almost funny." Josh smirked kissing her shoulder.

"Matt was right to send you. Annabeth put out a statement about being people first and politicians second. It was nice." She closed her eyes. "Different from Bartlet, you know?"

"Yeah." His face took on the same look it had in the conference room earlier. "Donna, I'm thinking I should go public with the PTSD." He watched her blue eyes snap back open. "No more secrets, be a person first. I need to talk to Santos. Tell the staff at least."

"Josh, are you sure you-?"

"No. I'm not sure of anything. I just want it to be different this time. You know?" His voice was low and he felt her move towards it.

"I don't know what to-."

"Don't. Don't say anything. We'll talk about it later." He ran his fingers in circles against her back. "It can wait until later. Sleep. Tomorrow'sour big day." He paused for a moment before moving his hand down to her abdomen and drawing his thumb across it. "Notour biggest day anymore. Just big." He heard her sniff out a laugh before watching her concerned expression soften into sleep. "I love you Donnatella."