A/N: Here's the next chapter, which covers two episodes, so it's a bit long! PLEASE READ: Please be forewarned: this chapter and the next are going to deal with some hefty, potentially triggering, topics. Please feel free to skip over them. Those of you who decide to stick it out, know that I don't intend to drag out this storyline longer than a couple of chapters. I hope you enjoy it anyway, please read and review!

Chapter 4: Strangers; Bartlet and Griffith

It had been one month since Abigail Jean Moss made her early (and dramatic) entrance into the world. Donna was adjusting well to the life of a single mother, even though young Abbie Jean already liked to be in the center of attention, crying at all hours of the night. Luckily for Donna, CJ was more than happy to help out at night, and the other townspeople often volunteered to hold and soothe the infant when Donna needed a break.

Elsewhere, Ellie and Charlie had also been seeing each other, though Ellie had yet to tell her father that she was seeing him. Things had taken on a "don't ask, don't tell" policy as far as her and Charlie's relationship went. In Ellie's mind, it was probably that her father didn't just how close the pair had gotten. Charlie had also gotten more comfortable in Liberty, and had stayed in touch with his sister after their reunion at Christmas.

One morning in early March, Ellie was walking (actually, skateboarding: a new pastime she had picked up from Charlie) to the bus stop. She had told her father she was leaving for school early, which was true. What she didn't say was that she was meeting Charlie first. Ellie didn't really feel like she had lied to her father: after all, wasn't she just seeing him on the way to school?

She looked over and saw Donna pushing Abbie Jean's stroller along the path of the town square. Grinning, she jumped off her skateboard and walked over to the stroller. She had only seen Abbie Jean a scarce few times since her birth, and she treasured every time she got to see her.

Donna looked up as Ellie approached and smiled. "Oh, hey, Ellie."

"Hey, Donna." Ellie greeted. She looked in the stroller, smiling as Abbie Jean quietly slept the morning away. "She seems bigger."

Donna chuckled. "Bigger than the last time you saw her yesterday?"

"Hey, she's a month old. Babies can grow all the time at that age." Suddenly, Abbie Jean woke up, and Donna held her breath. But she stayed silent, simply looking at her mother and Ellie with slightly confused eyes.

"Hey, sweetheart." Donna cooed, picking Abbie Jean up and holding her close. "You have a good nap?" She turned her toward Ellie. "Do you see Ellie? Do you remember who Ellie is?"

Abbie Jean stared at her, then gave a toothless grin.

Ellie grinned back. "Hey, peanut." She tickled her under the chin, eliciting a tiny laugh.

Donna gasped quietly. "I think that was the first time she laughed."

"Really?" Ellie said excitedly. She tickled the baby again and was rewarded with another giggle.

Suddenly, Donna looked at her peculiarly. "What in the world are you wearing?"

"Huh?" Ellie looked down and realized she was still wearing her elbow and knee pads. "Oh, Charlie taught me to skateboard."

"Really?" Donna replied. "How's that going, you and Charlie?"

"It's going great, thanks for asking." Ellie said. She looked at her watch. "Oh, I'm gonna be late for school. Gotta run. Bye, Donna!"

"Have a good day!" Donna called after her. She turned back to her daughter in her arms. "Let's go see what Aunt CJ's cooking for breakfast, huh?"

A few minutes later, Ellie pulled up at the bus stop, where Charlie was waiting for her.

"Hey, Ellie." He greeted.

"Hey, Charlie." Ellie said softly. They began to kiss, and the kiss quickly deepened. When they broke apart, they sat down with their backpacks and began to talk.

CJ was serving breakfast at the diner when the bell rang above the door. She looked up expectantly-to find the last person she expected to see: Danny Concannon, her blind date from a month earlier. He was carefully holding a square package.

"Hi." She said, surprise evident in her voice.

He smiled nervously. "Is, uh, this where I come to get the best coffee within thirty miles?"

"Is that your sly way of flirting with me?"

"Is it working?"

CJ laughed aloud. "Yeah, sure. Grab a seat."

Danny pulled out a chair at the counter and put the package on the counter. He hoped CJ would like it-when Zoey had set him up with the diner owner in her old hometown, she had provided him with one crucial clue to getting him to win over CJ: that she loved goldfish.

CJ scoffed. "I've seen you twice in the last month. You really don't have to buy me anything."

But Danny only nodded his head towards the gift, gently urging her to open it. CJ looked around, sure no one in the diner was looking, then lifted the lid off the box. She looked up at Danny, dumbfounded, then lifted out the present-a live goldfish.

She shot Danny a confused look, and Danny filled in the blanks: "Zoey said you liked goldfish."

CJ looked blank, then cracked up. Danny was the confused one now. What did he do?

She smiled, then explained. "The crackers, Danny! The cheese things you have at a party?"

"Oh." Danny chuckled, a little embarrassed. "I'm not exactly sure I was supposed to know that."

"It's-It's cute." CJ admitted. She held up the goldfish bowl, examining the fish swimming around inside. "Does it have a name?"

"The guy at the store named her Gail."

"Gail." CJ repeated to herself. "I kind of like that."

"You know, CJ, I've been thinking." Danny started.

"Oh boy, now we're in trouble."

"No, no, don't worry, it's good." He took a breath. "Would you...would you consider seeing me again?"

CJ was floored. The last time a man had shown this much interest in her was in high school, and since then, she had been too busy with college and getting her business off the ground to even consider dating again. Still...there was something about Danny that made her want to be swept off her feet.

"Yeah." She said, her small smile growing into a grin. "I would like that."

"So...does Saturday night work?"

"I don't know." CJ said immediately. "Saturday's my busiest night of the week here at the diner."

Danny shrugged. "Then I'll come here. We'll eat on your dinner break. Maybe the same place we went to last month in Hanover?"

CJ nodded slowly. "That works for me."

Danny stood up, left some money on the counter, and tipped his hat, saying, "I'll see you Saturday night, Claudia Jean."

CJ watched him leave, bewildered by his unexpected offer.

Meanwhile, Abbey's phone had been ringing off the hook all day. In the weeks since Abbie Jean's birth, she had received many different calls and referrals for new patients. While she had always been the only town doctor, now she was receiving calls for new patient requests from all over New Hampshire.

She decided to take a break from fielding phone calls to walk outside to the town square and to weigh her new dilemma. Could she handle all these new patients? She could still have a small, burgeoning practice without fully expanding, but chances were she would still be needing help.

She was interrupted in her thoughts by a voice from above. "Abbey?"

She looked up to see Sam Seaborn. She smiled wryly. She had always liked Sam-loved the PR work he did for the inn, the help he gave Mrs. Landingham. She also admired his friendship with Josh-the kind of friendship that she now saw developing with Donna Moss.

Suddenly, she shook her head. Now was not the time to get bogged down in those thoughts, not while Sam was standing right above her. She turned her attention to Sam. "Hi, Sam. What can I do for you?"

"Well, as long as I have you here, I should probably schedule my annual physical."

Abbey sighed. "You'll have to schedule with my office. I should be able to get you in by...April, May."

"April or May?" Sam was dumbfounded. "Things are that busy?"

At this, Abbey nodded. "I'm telling you, Sam, ever since I helped Donna give birth, people are coming out of the woodwork, materializing from the trees, saying that I'm the best doctor in this area. People are even coming in from Hanover looking for someone who specializes in family medicine." She put her head in her hands. "I can't turn down patients, Sam, but I can't do this all by myself. I need to-"

"Hire another doctor to help you out?" Sam finished.

Abbey looked up at him. As usual, Sam had managed to come up with the perfect solution in just a few words.

"Sam, you're a genius!" Abbey proclaimed. And suddenly, the perfect name for a partner came to her. She smiled, thinking of her old roommate from college who she knew was looking for a fresh start. "And I know just the person to ask."

Later that night, it was all settled. Dr. Millicent Griffith, surgeon and Abbey's fellow companion in family medicine training, would move into Liberty in the next few days and begin the formal (or informal) process of joining Abbey as a partner in her medical practice. Millie had initially expressed concern that there wouldn't be much for her to do, but Abbey reassured her that if necessary, they could work out a schedule where they were each working alternate days, so each would be working equal time.

Abbey couldn't have known it, but even as she was celebrating with her family, a new stranger arrived in town, a stranger that had the potential to wreck one of the townspeople's lives.

Pulling his car up to the diner, he walked in, hoping for a bite to eat before he commenced his search.

It had been nearly a year since his ex-girlfriend left him without a word. Finally, after many months of searching and a private investigator's help, he had tracked her down, and if his plan worked, he would 1) convince her to come back home with him, and 2) make her pay for ditching him. Before she left, they had had a huge fight when she got pregnant. He had ordered her to get rid of the baby, and if she had, then that would just make things even easier.

Suddenly, his thoughts were interrupted by CJ. "Can I get you some coffee?"

"Yeah, sure." He said, distracted. "Actually maybe, you can help me. I'm looking for a Donnatella Moss? Does she live around here?"

CJ looked confused. Then, she realized that she had never considered that Donna might be short for something. "Oh, you mean Donna?"

"Yeah. Does she?"

Before CJ could answer, there was a noise behind her-a quiet gasp. She turned around to see Donna with a stricken look on her face.

"Brian." She breathed out.

"Hey, Donna." Brian said. "You look good."

Donna took a breath, determined not to show how confused and scared she was. How had he found her? She had thought she had put Brian Harris long behind her when she left Madison.

"How did you find me?" She managed to get out.

He shrugged. "I hired a PI."

She turned to CJ. "CJ, could you excuse us for a few minutes?"

CJ gave her a questioning look, which Donna quickly returned with pleading eyes. Thankfully, she seemed to understand. "I'll just go upstairs for a bit before we close up." She disappeared up the stairs to the loft, leaving the pair alone.

"Brian, what do you want?" Donna asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" Brian said, a sly smile on his face. "I want you back, Donna."

Three days later, Bartlet and Griffith Associates officially opened for business. The whole town was in attendance for the groundbreaking ceremony, and Abbey and Millie were all smiles as they cut the ribbon to enormous cheers from the crowd. After the ceremony was over, there was cake for everyone, and Donna cut herself a piece while holding Abbie Jean with the other. She was growing bigger every day, was smiling and laughing more, and was also beginning to track objects with her eyes. She couldn't hold her head up yet, but she was getting there. Just then, the baby girl began to fuss.

CJ materialized at Donna's elbow. "I can take her, Donna, if you want to eat."

"Oh, thanks, CJ." Donna said with relief. She turned to attention to her whimpering daughter. "You hungry? You want to go to Aunt CJ?" Donna deftly handed the one-month-old to her friend and roommate. So far, that situation seemed to be going quite well: ever since the help CJ had given her during Abbie Jean's birth, the pair had gotten as close as sisters.

CJ gently rocked the infant, who began to calm down. "I'll just take her back to the diner, give her a bottle. That OK with you?"

Donna nodded quickly. "Yeah, that would be great, thank you." She gave Abbie Jean a kiss on the cheek, and CJ headed back to the diner. As the crowd dispersed, Donna sat on the steps of the clinic with her cake, when a shadow began to loom over her. She looked up to see Brian.

"Can we talk? Or are you going to avoid me like you have for the last three days?"

She stood up. "I don't know if there's anything to say. I left, remember?"

"Look, I apologized. What else do you want me to say? Let's just go back to Madison and work things out."

"I don't think that's a good idea."

Brian sighed. She was being harder to deal with than usual. It was time to switch tactics. "I know about the baby."

Donna froze. It wasn't that she had wanted-or expected-to keep Abbie Jean a secret from her ex-boyfriend. But she knew that hearing the news that he had a daughter from someone else-even accidentally-would set him off for sure. She immediately went on defense-her first instinct when dealing with his irate temper. "I was going to tell you."

"Oh, yeah? When?"

She was silent.

"That's never. You were never going to tell me, were you?"

"You and I both know that there's a reason I left when I did. Unless you want people to know about what happened two years ago-"

Suddenly, she felt it. A cold, hard slap across the face. For a moment, she felt like she was right back at their apartment in Madison. Only this time, it wasn't about unpaid bills or losing a tip. This was about a part of her past that she had never mentioned to anyone. Ever. Except maybe it was time that changed.

She was pulled back to the present by Brian saying, "You think I want people to know I hit my girlfriend?" He slapped his fingers into his other hand, trying to make a point. "I'll lose my job, everything. Just...come back to Madison. We can be a family."

But Donna felt stronger now than she ever had back home. "Stay away from me." She said, before walking past him towards the diner.

CJ looked up at her, the baby monitor clipped to her jeans. "Hey. Do you mind picking up an extra shift? Abbie Jean's napping and I think between the two of us, we can get through the lunch rush before she wakes up."

Donna nodded quickly, careful to avoid CJ's gaze. "Yeah, I'll just...go get changed." But before Donna could disappear up the stairs, she heard a gasp from CJ and a soft hand on her arm.

"What happened to your face?"

Donna's hand instinctively went up to the area below her eye, where a purple bruise had begun to form. "It's fine."

"It doesn't look fine. What, did you walk into a wall?" Just then, CJ looked stricken, as she remembered seeing Donna and Brian talking to one another. And she knew. She stepped closer to Donna.

"Donna...did Brian do this to you?"

Donna stayed quiet.

"Donna?" CJ drew out. She didn't even really need to hear an answer, Donna's eyes told her everything she needed to know. She drew her friend into a hug.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." She whispered. "I'm gonna make sure you're never near that guy again." She felt Donna nod against her shoulder, then felt her pull away and look into her eyes.

"CJ...there's a lot you don't know about me. Things I kept hidden, things I haven't told you." She took a breath. "But I'm ready to tell you now."

That night, Donna told CJ everything. How she had dropped out of school to work to support him, how he had hit her too many times to count. By the time Donna finished her story, both women were crying.

"So, now you see why I came here." Donna said, her voice trembling. "To make a new life for myself-and for Abbie Jean." And as if on cue, there was a wail from the other room.

"I'll get her." Donna said quickly. As she disappeared into her bedroom, needing an excuse to splash some water on her face and hold her baby close, CJ went to rinse the dishes. As the hot water ran over their dirty teacups, CJ found herself filled with rage. If she ever met this guy again, face to face...God help him.

The next night, Ellie had a date with Charlie. He was going to come over, and they were going to watch movies while Josh worked late at the inn. He was covering for Sam, who had asked for a night off to go out with Ainsley.

"Okay, I want Charlie back in his own house by 9, got it?" Josh told his daughter on the phone.

"Understood, Dad." Ellie said with a sigh. They weren't going to do anything, why couldn't her dad just trust that? "What time will you be home?"

"Um...Sam said he'd relieve me around 9:30, is that OK?"

"Yeah, it's fine, Dad."

"Alright, finish your homework."

"Don't I always?"

"Touche. I love you."

"Love you too, Dad."

But later that evening, Josh realized he had forgotten the IOUs he wanted to work on at home. He called Ellie, but she didn't answer, which confused and concerned Josh. Telling Margaret that he would be right back, he drove home, figuring Ellie and Charlie had just gotten wrapped up in whatever movie they were watching. He wasn't prepared, though, for what he found.

He walked into a scene: Charlie and Ellie were making out on the couch, the movie blaring in the background. Neither of them, he noticed very quickly, were wearing much clothing. He marched into the living room, fuming, snapped off the TV, and pulled Charlie forcibly off the couch.

"Dad!" Ellie said, obviously upset.

"Just what do you think you're doing to my daughter?"

"Nothing, we weren't doing anything." Charlie said weakly.

"Dad, nothing happened!" Ellie protested.

Josh rounded on his daughter. "And why should I believe you? You've been sneaking with this guy for a month! And I'm willing to bet all the money in my pockets against all the money in your pockets that this isn't the first time you've slept together!" He glared at them, waiting for an answer.

"Um…" Charlie said. "I think I better just go home." He grabbed his jacket, buttoned up his shirt, and headed to the door.

"Charlie, don't go." Ellie told him.

Charlie looked back. "I'll call you, OK?"

"Yeah, don't count on it." Josh shot back.

Charlie disappeared out the door, and Josh turned back to his daughter. "I can't believe you! I trusted that you would be safe. Obviously, I was wrong."

"Nothing happened! Why don't you believe me?"

"Really? Then where's your shirt?" Ellie looked guiltily past her father, where her T-shirt lay abandoned on the floor next to the sofa. "That's what I thought." Josh said shortly. "You're grounded. One month."

"A whole month?" Ellie said. "Dad, that's totally unfair!"

"Life isn't fair, Elizabeth!" Josh snapped.

Ellie's eyes widened. He rarely, if ever, called her by her full name. She took a breath, then pulled her shirt back on over her tank top and made a beeline for the door.

"And where do you think you're going?" Josh called.

"Out." And the door slammed.

Josh ran a hand through his hair. He knew that if he went after her now, things would just get worse. He only hoped she would find someplace to go where she would be looked after.

Meanwhile, CJ was getting ready for her second date with Danny Concannon. The fish he gave her, Gail, now had a prominent spot on her bookshelf in the loft, and had fascinated Abbie Jean since she learned how to track objects.

"Okay, I'm heading out." CJ said to Donna, who was going to look after the diner while CJ was out. Abbie Jean lay on her stomach, waiting for her bath and transfixed by Gail the goldfish. "You sure you've got the diner?"

"Yep." Donna assured her. "I'll just put her to bed, get the baby monitor, and close up." There was a knock on the door. "Who could that be?"

"I don't know." CJ said. She thought Danny was meeting her at the restaurant. Instead, she pulled open the door to reveal-

"Ellie! What are you doing here?"

"I-I hope it's okay that I'm here." She stammered. She broke into a sob and collapsed against CJ.

"Shh, shh, it's OK." CJ soothed the teenager. "Is everything OK with your dad?"

Ellie shook her head. "Dad and I had a fight."

"A bad one?" Donna asked as she came up alongside CJ. She could remember fights with her parents as a teenager that sent her fleeing to friends' houses.

Ellie nodded. "Can I stay here? Just for tonight? I promise I won't be any trouble."

"Well, I was actually on my way out. Donna's the one who'll be here, so I'll let her decide."

"Of course you can." Donna said. "On one condition."

Ellie nodded for her to continue.

"You call your dad and let him know where you are. I'm sure he's worried."

Ellie nodded slowly. She knew Donna was right. "Deal."

A couple of hours later, the necessary calls had been made, CJ had left for her date, Ellie and Abbie Jean were down for the count, and Donna was in the diner alone, closing up. The baby monitor was on the counter, easily accessible, and she knew Ellie would be woken up if Abbie Jean cried out at all.

Just then, the bell above the door rang. Without looking up, Donna said, "You're back early."

When she didn't hear anything, she looked up-into dark green eyes. Her head jerked up to see Brian looking at her.

"You get out of here." She said quietly. "You get out of here right now or I'll call the police."

He chuckled darkly. "And tell them what? That your boyfriend wanted to see you?"

Her eyes darted past to see that the lock had been broken. How had she not noticed?

"You broke the lock." She said. "That's breaking and entering."

"Look, Donna." He replied, with a quiet desperation in his voice. "I just wanna talk."

"There's nothing to talk about." She said firmly. Just then, Abbie Jean began to wail from the baby monitor. She began to start for the stairs, but Brian blocked her path.

"Look, I told you before." Donna started. "I have a life here now."

"Come home with me." He implored her.

Madison wasn't her home anymore, and she knew it.

"Why won't you leave me alone?" She said, not even trying to whisper anymore.

"Because." Brian said. "This is my baby, too."

"The one you didn't even want in the first place?"

"And if we don't raise her together, nobody will." He continued darkly, and then revealed what he had been holding in his hand.

A pocket knife. He switched open the blade, and Donna tried to run, but he caught up to her. Just then, footsteps were heard on the stairwell leading upstairs to the loft.

"Donna?" Ellie called out.

At this, Brian jerked back. "You didn't tell me anyone was here." He said. But this anger only strengthened his resolve. He raised the knife to her neck, but he had a surprise. Donna began to fight back.

At this point, Ellie came in. "Why is it so dark down here?" She flicked on the light, where she had a shock. Donna and the man she had seen in town earlier-her ex, she remembered-were struggling with what appeared to be a knife. Donna was trying to fight him off.

"Donna!" She shrieked, a hand flying to her mouth. Suddenly, the diner went dead silent as the pair fell over.

Donna sat up first, to Ellie's great relief. She ran over. "Donna, are you-"

But Donna was frozen in shock.

Ellie followed her eyes to see blood oozing from a knife wound to the man's chest.

"He's dead." She said quietly. "He's dead and they're gonna blame me."

A/N: I know, I know, I know! I may have gone too dark with this storyline, but just know everything's going to work out in the end! Please let me know what you thought!