A/N: Here's the next chapter, with a little bit of drama at the end! I hope you enjoy, please read and review!

Chapter 12: Ch-Ch-Changes

It was the middle of May, a beautiful spring day in New Hampshire. Ellie was driving home under much less stressful circumstances than she had the previous Christmas. For one, she wasn't in the middle of a blizzard, and she didn't have the added pressure of trying to calm down an expectant father whose wife was in labor only 10 minutes away.

She shook her head, thinking of that night. At least Sam had arrived at the hospital in plenty of time for the delivery. Ellie had been stunned when Ainsley told her they wanted to give the baby her name as a middle name, but she had been honored. Holly was now a happy, healthy five-month-old, and her parents were soaking up every minute with her.

It was crazy how much the next generation of the town had grown since the last time she was in Liberty. Justin had turned one the previous December and was now running around as an active toddler. At least Amy was staying in town, she thought. They still weren't as close as, say, Donna and Abbie Jean, but they had gotten to the point in their relationship where not every encounter between the pair of them ended in a splintering fight.

Speaking of Donna and Abbie Jean, Ellie couldn't believe that Donna was almost finished with her junior year of college and that she and her dad were still dating steadily. Ellie wouldn't be surprised if her father and Donna were engaged by the end of the summer. At least now that Donna was out of school for the summer, she would have more time to spend with Abbie Jean, who had celebrated her third birthday just a few months prior.

She decided to show up at the inn this time around. She never surprised her father at work and thought this would be a good opportunity to do so. Carefully parking her car around the corner, she jogged up the stone steps of the Presidential Inn, only to be surprised by-

"Donna!" The older blonde was sitting at the front desk, typing on the computer with a pencil in her mouth. Ellie suspected she was writing a paper: various books were scattered around her on the desk, and once in a while, she would mark a place in a book and type something.

Donna looked up from her work-induced trance. Her face brightened considerably. "Ellie! When did you get back?"

Embracing Donna in a warm hug, Ellie replied, "Just a few minutes ago. I wanted to surprise Dad. So, um, what's with the desk work?"

"Oh," Donna said, waving her arm distractedly at the busy workstation. "Margaret's out of town today for a wedding, and Josh asked me to answer the phones in her absence. I didn't have a shift at the diner, so it worked out."

"You have a paper due?" Ellie asked, referring to the scattered books and papers.

Donna nodded. "My final paper for my Government and Business class. I just have to turn in this one last paper, and then I will be done with my junior year. Then next year, I just have some more upper-level classes and a couple of seminars, and that's it."

"I'm really happy for you," Ellie said.

Donna smiled gratefully. "Thanks, Ellie. That means a lot."

"So, where's Abbie Jean?"

"At the diner with CJ," Donna replied. "Why?"

"Just wondering. I've missed the little peanut."

Donna chuckled. "Not half as much as she's missed you. So, how did your finals go?"

"I think they went really well."

Just then, Josh came out from the back. "Hey! I thought I heard your voice out here." He pressed a kiss to Ellie's forehead before pulling her in for a hug. "How long have you been here?"

"Not long," Ellie replied. "Just talking to Donna."

"Ah. How's that paper coming along?" Josh asked Donna, coming around the desk to kiss her cheek and using the opportunity to peer over her shoulder.

"Almost done. Just have to wrap up my conclusion." Donna said, silently nudging him away from her shoulder.

"You want me to read it?"

"You wouldn't know half of what it was saying."

"Come on, Donna. I was a business major!"

"Exactly why I don't want you to look at it. You're gonna tell me all the ways I'm screwing up the paper."

"When have I ever done that?"

Donna smiled softly. "You have a point."

Ellie chuckled at the light, easy banter between the two of them. Yep, they were definitely in this for the long haul.

Twenty minutes later, Ellie had arrived at the diner, reunited with CJ and Abbie Jean, and was sitting on a stool at the counter with Abbie Jean on her lap, listening to the latest gossip around town.

"Oh, Abbey and Millie are about to expand into the building next door to the doctor's office."

"Do they have that many patients?" Ellie wanted to know.

"Yes, and Millie wants to add an after-hours teen clinic to the practice. You know, pregnancy tests, HIV screenings, other pediatric ailments."

"Wow. HIV and pediatric ailments all in the same sentence." Ellie said in wonder. "It's a miracle the town council's agreed to it."

"Well, Toby had a few things to say about it, and Abbey had to work on Jed a little to convince him that Millie's idea had some merit, but eventually he caved. So, the opening for that is Saturday afternoon, and there's a party that evening-both for the practice and for the Bartlets' anniversary."

"Oh, that's right! That is coming up. How many years will it be?"

"Thirty-five, believe it or not."

"Oh, I believe it." Ellie chuckled.

Just then, Abbie Jean said, "Excuse me."

"Yes?" Ellie replied. She had to admit that Abbie Jean had better manners than most kids her age-that was mainly Donna's doing.

"Do you want to see what I drew?"

"Sure, peanut." Elle took the picture-it was a drawing of Elmo (her favorite Muppet) and of a little girl that Ellie could only assume was Abbie Jean-a wild self-portrait. "Wow, this is really cool!"

"Thank you." Abbie Jean chirped.

Ellie just cuddled her close as she ate her lunch-she was starving after her morning of driving. "This is really good, CJ."

"Thanks," CJ replied. "I know the open-faced sandwich is your favorite. Oh, and guess who's back in town for the summer?"

"Who?"

"Charlie."

Ellie froze. Since their junior year of high school, when they had made the agreement to remain friends, they had slowly grown apart from one another. In fact, if he was attending his foster parents' anniversary party, which she assumed he would be, that would be their first time seeing each other since they had gone off to college. She could only hope it wouldn't be too awkward.

"That'll be nice." she said, putting on a game smile. "It's been a while since I've seen him."

CJ flashed a knowing smile in Ellie's direction as Abbie Jean jumped down. "What?" Ellie said defensively.

"Come on, just admit it." CJ gently chided her. "You still like him, don't you? I see the way you look at him."

Ellie's face went red. "I do not!"

"Yes, you do," CJ replied.

"So, what if I do? That doesn't mean he feels the same way."

"You never know."

"Maybe," Ellie said. Her mind drifted. Maybe he did…

In the next few days, preparations were made for the anniversary/expansion party. Ellie, wanting to jump headfirst into the party planning she had missed in hopes that it would help her forget about seeing Charlie again, was helping Abbey and Millie decorate the town hall. Abbie Jean also helped by tagging along with Ellie to hang streamers on Saturday morning, just hours before the party.

"Here, peanut, let me hang onto you while you climb up there," Ellie told Abbie Jean as she climbed to the top of the table. "I don't want you to fall."

"Ah...Ah...Yay!" Abbie Jean said as hung the streamers on the highest point in the room.

"Nice job, baby." Donna praised as she walked into the room. Abbie Jean ran up to her mother and jumped into her arms. "This is gonna be some party, Abbey."

"Yes, it certainly is." Abbey replied. "Oh, did you hear about that internship yet?"

"What internship?" Ellie wanted to know.

Donna's face flushed pink. "Um...I got it." She turned to Ellie. "It's an opportunity for a business internship that I heard about through school, with the Goldman-Sachs Group. It's a finance group in New York City."

"Wait...New York? You're moving to New York?" Ellie asked. This was news to her. She could only hope that it wasn't news to her father.

"I'm not moving to New York. At least not...permanently. Temporarily." Donna looked conflicted. "I mean, this is such a huge opportunity for me. This could get me all kinds of opportunities."

"But what about Dad?"

"I mean, I'll miss your father like crazy, but…"

"You haven't told him yet, have you?"

"I've been waiting for the right time," Donna said defensively. "I hadn't even said I would take it yet."

"You haven't?" Abbey asked.

"And what about Abbie Jean?" Ellie pointed out, still trying to think of logistics. "You can't just uproot her life, even for only three months! Especially if it's only three months! You'll confuse her."

"You think I don't know that?" Donna snapped. Sighing, she calmed down. "I'm sorry. The truth is, you're right about everything. I just...I'm not ready to just give up on this."

"When do you have to let them know?" Ellie wanted to know.

"By Monday," Donna replied. "I guess I'll tell them I can't take it."

"At least think about it some more," Abbey said gently, a hand on her arm.

"Thanks, guys," Donna said. "You've always been such good friends."

But as they stood chatting about Donna's future, unbeknownst to them, Josh was standing outside the town hall, mouth agape at what he had just heard.

Later that afternoon, Abbey and Millie stood in front of the clinic with a red ribbon around the door.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Abbey read out from a piece of paper where they had written their speech, "we here at Bartlet and Griffith Associates have learned so much from you in the three years that we have been in business together. We also learned a lot from the woman whom we honor with the name of this clinic. And now, we hope to educate you by offering expanded services for children, adolescents, and adults. We only hope now that we can continue to serve the wonderful people in this town for many years to come. And so now, within the new and expanded practice of Bartlet and Griffith, I give you: the Delores Landingham Memorial Clinic for Children and Adolescents!"

Everyone applauded graciously as Millie and Abbey cut the ribbon together, the tarp falling to reveal the name of the clinic embossed in granite. It had been Abbey's idea to dedicate the clinic to Mrs. Landingham, given how nurturing she had been to the children of the town. She could only hope they were doing right by her.

Meanwhile, as everyone chatted with Abbey and Millie, Josh found himself stealing glances at Donna, who was chatting with Ainsley while both were bouncing their children. How could she not tell him about the internship? If she had only come to him, he could've explained to her that he would miss her, but that she was crazy to pass up an opportunity like this. But now, she wasn't even talking to him.

Was this the relationship he wanted with her?

Abbey was chatting with Toby when suddenly she heard a familiar voice. "Mom!" She whirled around to see Zoey, their younger daughter, walking up with a young man who looked to be from a foreign country. Maybe France, Abbey decided. Zoey had been studying abroad there.

But for now, a genuine smile broke across her face. "Zoey!" She exclaimed, running down the square to meet her with an embrace in her middle. "Oh, sweetheart, I've missed you!" Jed quickly joined her in a three-way hug.

"I've missed you too, Mom and Dad," Zoey replied. She had been attending college at Georgetown University and had seldom come home on vacation due to the plane costs. "But you just saw me last week at graduation."

"I know. But you haven't been home to Liberty in...God, who knows how long?"

"Well, you didn't think I was going to miss your anniversary party, did you?"

"It's a wonderful surprise," Abbey reassured her. Suddenly, she noticed the dark-haired young man standing behind her daughter. "So, are you going to introduce me to your friend?"

"Oh!" Zoey exclaimed. She turned and pulled the man forward. "Mom, this is Jean-Paul, my boyfriend. We met overseas in France when I was studying abroad, and he decided to come back to America with me. Jean-Paul, these are my parents."

"Mr. Bartlet, Dr. Bartlet," Jean-Paul said politely. "It is so nice to meet you."

"You as well," Abbey replied. "How long have you two known each other?"

"Six weeks," Zoey said.

"Well!" Abbey said a little too cheerily. She was already starting to question the logic of her daughter's decision. Six weeks and she was already bringing him home to meet her parents? To America?

"Oh," Jean-Paul said quietly. "Tell your mother the good news."

"What good news?" Abbey asked, genuinely curious.

Zoey held out her hand. An unmistakable sapphire ring adorned her finger.

"We're engaged."

Abbey's mouth had dropped open in shock. She locked eyes with Jed, who had heard more or less every word his daughter had said. Engaged? After only six weeks?

A few hours later, the party at the town hall was in full swing. Everyone was sitting at the tables in the town hall, eating and dancing. Jed was holding court with Toby and his old friend Leo, Abbey and Millie were lightly chatting, and Donna and CJ were talking while Abbie Jean played with toys on the floor at her feet.

Ellie went to get more food, and suddenly she was aware of a hand on her shoulder. She whirled around to find herself face to face with Charlie.

"Hey, Ellie," Charlie said.

"Hey, Charlie," Ellie replied awkwardly. She hadn't really given much thought to her and CJ's conversation in the diner, and now here he was standing in front of him. "It's been a while."

"Yeah, it has."

"So, how's school been?"

"School's been good," Ellie said. "How about UNH? Have you seen Donna around?"

"UNH is great. I'm really having a good time there. And I haven't really seen Donna, but it's been a big school, so…"

"Yeah, of course." Ellie laughed. "Have you decided what you're majoring in?"

"Um...I'm thinking maybe social work."

"Social work? Really?"

"Yeah, I've had a lot of experience in the foster care system, and I think this could be my way to give back."

"Charlie...that's amazing. It really is." Suddenly, Ellie felt like she had an opening. "I've...I've really missed you."

"I've missed you, too, Ellie," Charlie said softly.

And for a moment-just a brief moment-there looked like there could be something between them. But Ellie pulled away slightly, to her surprise.

"Charlie...you know I like you. But, maybe we shouldn't rush back into a relationship."

"Why not?" Charlie asked.

"I just...don't know why we should ruin what we have."

He sighed. "You're right. So...we're still friends?"

"Yeah," Ellie said, giving him a cordial kiss on the cheek. "We're still friends."

Meanwhile, Josh decided to ask Donna about what he had heard earlier in the day. He didn't want to disrupt the Bartlets' party, but things had slowed down, and he hoped they could have a simple conversation.

He went up to where she was seeing a sound-asleep Abbie Jean off with CJ. "Hi."

"Hi." She said, smiling brightly. "I haven't seen you much all night. Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, everything's fine." He said. "Zoey Bartlet's engaged, and I'm pretty sure that Jed's going to go ballistic as soon as he leaves here."

She laughed. "Yeah, you're probably right about that."

Josh sighed. It was time to bite the bullet. "Why didn't you tell me you'd been offered an internship with Goldman-Sachs?"

Donna turned to look at him. The look of shock on her face said it all. "How did you know about that?"

"I heard you talking to Abbey and Ellie earlier when you were in here."

To her credit, Donna did look guilty. She looked around furtively. "We're not doing this here. Let's step outside." She took his arm and led him outside.

As soon as they were out of earshot of the other guests, Donna said, "I was going to tell you."

"When?" Josh snapped. "When exactly were you going to tell me you were leaving?"

"I hadn't decided yet. I didn't want to say anything until I was sure."

"What do you mean, you hadn't decided yet?"

"I'm not sure I'm going to take it."

"You're not sure?! What are you, crazy? This is Goldman-Sachs! You don't turn down an opportunity like this."

"And if you'd heard my conversation with Abbey, which I'm guessing you did, you would know that I'm not planning on taking the job. At least not without talking it over with you first."

"Oh, now you want to talk to me about it?"

"Josh, maybe I took for granted that you would be okay with this."

"I would be okay with it if you had just come to me from the beginning! What else have you not told me about?"

"Nothing. That's it." Donna's voice was terse. "You know, I didn't peg you to be the jealous type."

"Jealous?" Josh was incredulous. "Jealous over a career move?"

"A career opportunity that would take me away from you, yes! And maybe, just maybe, I thought that you would be supportive of me choosing an incredible opportunity over you. Which I wasn't doing, by the way."

"You know what, fine!" Josh snapped. "Go to New York! Just don't think I'll be waiting for you when you get back."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means that I'm hurt. I'm hurt that you didn't come to me. And for what it's worth, I think you should take it-it's a great opportunity. I just don't want your professional life to drive a wedge between us."

Donna was silent. Then she said quietly, "Looks like it already did."

"Yeah." Josh agreed quietly. But as soon as the words left his mouth, and he saw the look on Donna's face, he wished he could take it back.

Hurt, confused, and frustrated by Josh's reaction, Donna turned on her heel and started to walk back toward the diner. Josh watched her leave, then hit the wall in frustration. Well, at least it had lasted a year.

Ellie came up to Josh. "Dad? What was that between you and Donna?"

Josh looked to be in a daze. "I think we just broke up."

A/N: Uh-oh! A little bit of angst! I have to admit, the fight came out a little clumsier than I intended, so I apologize. Please let me know what you thought!