"Joshua. Lyman."

Josh looked up to see Donna standing in the doorway to his bedroom with her hands on her hips. He glanced around, trying to figure out what he did wrong.. or more accurately how much she knew. "Uhh, yes?"

She narrowed her gaze at him. "Did you make a promise regarding hot fudge sundaes?"

"Oh," he relaxed and began to smile a bit. If Audrey was just asking about dessert he was probably in the clear.

Donna made her way over to stand next to his bed and she shot him an inquisitive look, tilting her head as she spoke. "And did you make that promise after you swore a two year old to secrecy about Ed and Larry smuggling you work all week?"

Josh's eyes went wide and he gulped. "I refuse to incriminate myself," he stated pretending to be engrossed in the book he was reading.

"There are rules, Joshua," she continued without missing a beat. "And they're in place to be followed."

Josh grumbled something under his breath.

"And if you break the rules, and bribe the accomplice, then you'll have to be punished."

A smile quirked up on the side of his mouth. "Yeah? Did you grab your equipment the last time you were at your apartment?"

Two could play this game.

"Oh, Joshua," she batted back, keeping her voice low and sultry. "I'd need you to be in peak physical shape to keep up with me if we went that route," she quipped.

Josh's jaw dropped. He thought he'd had the upper hand but his mind was spinning.

"I have something much worse in mind..." she turned and sauntered out of his room but Josh's mind was still racing. Had she just implied what he thought she had? He shifted nervously in bed trying to regain the ability to speak before she returned.

And only a second later Donna appeared once again with a tray of ice cream sundaes and Audrey in tow.

Audrey ran to Josh, clutching a movie close to her chest and grinning wildly.

"Oh no," Josh groaned, knowing what was coming before he even looked.

"Muppets!" Audrey practically squeaked in delight as Donna started the movie and the girls climbed into bed next to Josh.

But thirty minutes later Josh wasn't paying any attention to singing frog on tv, but to Donna who was dozing beside him with her hand resting on his arm and Audrey, fast asleep between them.

His whole world was at peace.

OoOoOoO

Donna stepped out of her hot bath and wrapped up in one of Josh's oversized towels. The house was completely quiet, Audrey napping in her room and Josh asleep in his bed after a particularly strenuous PT session. She pad carefully out of the bathroom past his sleeping form in the bed and quietly pulled out the drawer that housed a few of her clothing articles.

Donna pulled the pin out of the bun that sat high atop her head and let her hair fall around her shoulders before quickly dropping her towel and stepping into a a pair of panties.

"Donna?!" Josh croaked out. He hadn't been asleep. Eyes wide and unable to look away from her form her was propped up on his elbows, staring at her from his bed.

Donna startled at the sound of her name, whipping around to face him. "Josh? OhMyGod!" She was panicked but had nothing to cover herself with. Unable to think quickly, she just stood there for a moment.

"Oh my God..." Josh echoed her words with a very different connotation. His eyes ran up and down her as he swallowed hard.

"OhMyGod," she stated again, "Josh!"

The frantic tone in her voice when she said his name pulled him from his daydream. "Huh?"

"Don't... LOOK!"

"Oh," Josh slammed his eyes closed. "I, uh... sorry."

"No, I'm sorry," she rambled as she hurried to throw on an old tshirt of his and a pair of pajama pants.

"Oh, Donna, you've got nothing to be sorry about," he told her with a smirk, eyes still closed on the bed. Josh almost immediately felt a pillow hit him. "Alright," he admitted, "I probably deserved that."

Josh heard the drawers close and Donna walk to the hamper and drop the towel in.

"Can I open my eyes now?"

"Yeah," she muttered, her arms crossed in front of her as she looked away. This wasn't the way he'd imagined this particular scenario playing out but he wasn't going to let it come between them.

"I don't want this to be weird," he told her with a serious voice. "So I'm willing to make you an offer."

"Huh?" She was completely caught off guard.

"You showed me yours. I'll show you mine." He was grinning.

Donna let out a giggle, which turned into a chuckle which became contagious. She shoved him a bit and they both broke into laugher.

"I guess we're even then," she told him. "Because I've already seen yours."

"Donna!" He was exasperated.

"Well I have," she smirked.

"Call it even," he offered.

"Deal," she smirked.

They may have been in unfamiliar territory, but Donna was absolutely sure of one thing. No matter what life threw at them or what they labeled each other, this man was her person.

OoOoOoO

Josh slowly opened his eyes to a dimly lit room. The streetlights were barely streaming through the curtains and he was cocooned next to Donna under the warm covers on his bed. She'd started sleeping next to him when he'd first come home from the hospital and neither of them ever questioned the fact that she was still there, in his bed, even though he was long past the point of being unable to sleep through the night.

Donna was sleeping soundly, her breathing deep and steady, tucked in to the crook of his arm, her head resting on his chest and her arm draped across him.

No matter how they fell asleep, Josh noticed they'd gravitated to the same position in their sleep every night. He'd wake up, sometimes in pain, sometimes in a mild panic, but he'd find Donna in his arms and he'd be comforted immediately. He'd pull her close and close his eyes, breathing in her scent and absorbing her comforting presence and soon, he'd be asleep again too.

That particular night, however, he awoke with a bit of a startle, breathing heavy and feeling a cold sweat barely begin to break out. It took him just a split second to regain his bearings, Donna stirring slightly the process.

"Josh?" She didn't even open her eyes, shifting her weight as she barely woke up.

"It's okay, go back to sleep," he whispered, softly stroking her arm. But his heart was still beating faster than normal.

"Mmmm," she mumbled. Donna rolled slightly, her leg snaking between his as her hand found its way under his shirt and moved up his chest to rest on his sternum.

Josh froze. The lines between them were blurred to begin with but lately he couldn't read any of the signals she was or wasn't sending him. He wanted so badly for this platonic orbit they were locked into to become something more. But this was Donna- the woman that meant more to him than any other in the world. He wasn't going to mess this up.

OoOoOoO

Donna stepped out of the shower and toweled off, changing into a casual outfit. She was glad to have had a fleeting few moments to herself. Josh was getting cabin fever after nearly two and a half months indoors. He also wasn't sleeping so well lately, she'd noticed, and he was becoming easily irritable.

She pad down the hallway towards the kitchen and when she rounded the corner she saw him on his hands and knees on the floor, the kitchen littered in spilled cereal.

"Josh, what are you doing?" She was a mixture of curiosity and concern. Though he'd improved quite a bit he still wasn't back to 100% and shouldn't be doing anything that could hurt him.

"Picking up. What's it look like," he halfway barked. Audrey had asked for a hand full of cereal as snack and he'd fumbled the box getting it open, spilling the contents.

Donna dropped to her knees beside him and began to help him pick up. "I've got this," she told him. "You can go watch TV with Audrey."

"I can take care of myself."

"I know you can but-"

"I don't need you to hover, Donna. God, you're driving me crazy! Just leave me alone."

Donna felt, and looked, like she'd just been slapped.

"Donna, I didn't mean that." He scrubbed his hands over his face. But the damage was done for the moment.

Josh sat down on the floor leaning back against the cabinets and sighed. Donna continued to clean up, somewhat frantically, not meeting his gaze.

"Donnatella." Her motions stilled and she risked a glance in his direction.

He extended his hand towards her. "Come here," he almost whispered.

She moved towards him and sat down, looking at the floor.

They sat in silence for a moment, Josh unsure of how to begin. "I'm sorry," he finally stated.

She could tell by the timber of his voice that he was full of emotion. It had been a rough few weeks for everyone and it was especially no exception for Josh. He just felt somewhat... useless.

"You have nothing to be sorry for," she told him timidly.

"Donna-" he closed his eyes and leaned his head back. "You know I didn't mean that. You know I couldn't do this without you. Any of it. Recovering, raising Audrey, hell, getting President Bartlet elected. And please, Donna, tell me you know that."

She was quiet for a moment and Josh reached out, placing his hand on her leg, palm up. "Youre the most valuable person in the world to me, Donna."

She intertwined her fingers with his, leaning her head on his shoulder. She felt Josh kiss the top of her hair and then lean his head back again.

"I should have let you do it yourself. Froot Loops are definitely your department," she teased.

"Hey, don't be jealous of my fan club," he smirked, tossing a bite of cereal into his mouth.

Donna snickered. "Those we're on the floor."

"Awww," Josh whined, somewhat disgusted. "Gross."

"Come on," Donna stood up and extended him a hand. "I'll clean this up and get dinner started."

OoOoOoO

"Eat your breakfast and then you can get dressed for school."

"Okay," Audrey didn't complain one bit about the banana pancakes Donna had made in the shape of little A's in celebration of her first day.

"Are mine shaped like J's?" Josh piped up once he saw Audrey's plate, giving Donna a little tease as he cut Audrey's food into reasonable sized pieces.

Donna rolled her eyes but a little smirk graced her face as she grabbed his plate of J's and her cup of yogurt and sat down.

Josh couldn't help but to grin too. "What's on your agenda today?" He glanced over at Donna.

"Same as yours," she quipped. "Take her to school," she emphasized the last word for Audrey's sake, "your PT appointment and then head back here. And I thought maybe we'd get carry out for lunch. It's a special day, isn't it?" She reached over and tickled Audrey, the table immediately filling with smiles and laughter.

"I thought I wasn't supposed to go out," Josh grumbled.

"It's her first day of school, Josh. I know you wouldn't miss that for the world."

Josh looked like a kid loose in a candy store. Donna shook her head. She knew that the doctor said but she also knew that it would crush Josh not to take Audrey to her first day himself- and watching her start preschool was hard enough for him as it was. Besides, he had a PT appointment afterwards. It was on the way.

After all three were dressed and ready, Donna pulled Audrey's lunchbox from the fridge and grabbed the tiny pink backpack they'd picked up earlier in the week. They made the short drive to the preschool and Donna pulled into a parking space, unloading onto the side walk as Donna slipped Audrey's backpack on. Josh beamed with pride as he took Audrey's hand and walked slowly towards the little school. Donna grabbed the camera from the car and fell into step beside them, pausing briefly just inside the gate.

She stood Audrey by a flower pot and snapped a few photos of her with a big smile on her face, and one of Josh crouching next to her with a full dimpled grin.

"Excuse me," Josh flagged down another parent as she walked by. "It's her first day. Would you mind taking a picture of all of us?"

Before she could say anything, Josh pulled Donna close and wrapped an arm around her waist, as Donna held Audrey for the perfect family photo.

Setting Audrey back on the ground, Donna bent down beside her. "Okay, Sweet Pea. Remember what we talked about?" Donna smoothed Audrey's curls. "You're going to go to school today. And Daddy and I will be back to pick you up at lunch, okay?"

Audrey looked around a bit as Donna spoke.

"You're going to have a lot of fun and meet lots of friends. And I packed you all of your favorites in your lunchbox, okay?"

Audrey was growing visibly nervous. "I wanna go with you and Daddy," she whispered to Donna, her bottom lip beginning to quiver.

"Okay," Josh practically shouted before Audrey could even finish the request.

Donna shot him a warning glance from the side her of her eyes and he immediately looked sheepish. Donna reached out and softly touched the back of his calf as she remained at eye level with Audrey, giving Josh a bit of unspoken support.

"Audrey, we talked about this, Sweet Pea. You're going to start going to school like a big girl. But you don't have to stay all day this week, okay? Daddy and I will be back right after lunch."

Audrey threw her arms around Donna's neck and held on tight. "Please Donna? I want to go with you and Daddy. I'll be good. I promise."

Donna wrapped Audrey in a hug. "You're always good, Audrey. You're not being punished, okay? I just think you'll have lots of fun. Can Daddy and I go in and look around with you?"

Audrey nodded slowly and Donna stood, taking one of her hands as Josh held they other and they wandered inside to a flurry of activity. Finding Audrey's room they met each of the teachers and took a short tour before Donna placed Audrey's belongings into a cubby with her name on it and sat the three of them down to color so Audrey could acclimate.

"Donna? Audrey?"

Donna turned at the unfamiliar voice, relieved to be met by a smiling familiar face. "Audrey, look who's here! It's Paige!" Donna pulled Audrey away from her coloring and was pleased with Audrey's reaction to running into a familiar face from her Toddler Art class. Donna stood up and offered Paige her little chair, the two girls quickly becoming consumed in their art as Josh watched on and Donna chat with Paige's mother Ellen.

Not long after the teacher gathered all of the kids to sit in a circle and start the day, Audrey trailing happily along after Paige and waiving goodbye to Josh and Donna without any further ado. Josh grabbed his coat and followed Donna quietly out the door with his hand on the small of her back, growing a little more bold as they excited towards the street and pulling her close to him.

"You did a great job in there," he told her. "I don't know what we'd do without you, Donna."

Donna beamed with pride and moved a little closer to Josh. "I love you guys."

He gave her arm a gentle squeeze and walked in step with her back to the car.

OoOoOoO

"So what exactly are you mailing in?"

"It's a revised copy of my will," he handed her an envelope and Donna dropped it in the drive through mail box. "I realized that I hadn't exactly crossed all of my t's and dotted my i's in that particular arena and after this summer I couldn't escape it any more. So I updated a few things. You were already Audrey's guardian but I needed to make sure you wouldn't have any trouble accessing anything the two of you needed financially. And I had medical power of attorney drawn up for Audrey and I as well so you can make any necessary decisions for either of us."

Donna couldn't help but to notice how matter of fact he was about the whole topic.

"Between my thrift savings account, social security and life insurance, she should be taken care of. I've got an untimely death policy on the condo that will pay off the loan, and I've got a small house, an investment property out in Colorado, that I inherited from my Dad. I'm sorry, there isn't really anything more- I'm just a government employee."

"Well there goes my big plan to convince you to marry me, then slowly poison you for your money."

"Har, Har. What were you planning on doing with Audrey in this little scenario of yours?"

"I thought she and I would get a flat in Paris and just be two well dressed women with nothing to do all day. Live a life of leisure." She shoved him in the shoulder but then took a more serious tone. "Josh. You know I'd protect her with my life if something happened to you."

"I know. You already do." He reached over and gave her leg a gentle squeeze before getting back on track. "Anyway. The safe with my will and other documents is in my office at home. The combination is 270."

She chuckled a bit.

"What?"

"You," she grinned. "270. You really do have a one track mind sometimes."

He shrugged. "Hey, it beats picking something I can't remember," he thumbed through the rest of the stack of mail. "Make a right here."

"Why?" She made the turn.

"I want to stop for coffee."

"You don't need coffee."

"Donna..." he whined as they drove by Starbucks.

"You don't. We're not stopping.

"Since when did this become a hostage situation? Last time I checked I was the boss."

She shot him a death glare.

"You know... I heard myself say that and I didn't like how it came out either." He had the decency to look ashamed.

She smirked at his embarrassment, putting on her blinker and pulling into the back parking lot and parking the car in front of a second Starbucks.

"Let me get this straight," she began as they took their places in the back of the line, slowly moving forward towards the barista. "You have a place in Colorado and you've never taken me there? AND you refused to buy me skis? I'm wounded, Joshua." She gave him a pout.

"It's a small cabin, not a sprawling ski chalet, Zsa Zsa."

"Still..."

"Still what?" He laughed.

"You've still never taken me there."

"I've never even been there. I inherited it from my dad," he pulled out his wallet as they approached the counter. "It was some kind of a bonus from his firm. Supposed to be a hunting cabin. But the taxes and maintenance are cheap so I hold onto it."

"Because you're an outdoorsman," she batted back with sarcasm.

"Precisely," he told her, not acknowledging the joke. "Venti Dark Roast with 10 pumps of syrup," Josh spouted off to the barista.

"He'll have a tall decaf with nonfat milk," Donna piped in.

Josh glanced at Donna before looking back to the barista. "She's trying to kill me," he announced with a straight face.

Donna smacked his arm. "Don't tell people that! They'll think you're serious!"

Josh continued to speak the barista, a wide grin on his face. "See how she treats me?" He laughed softly. "Anyway. I guess I'll take a tall decaf, she'll have a chai latte and we'll take a cookie and a box of milk to go"

"You don't need a cookie!"

"It's for Audrey."

"She doesn't really need a cookie either." Josh could easily see that she was wavering, Donna had a hard time denying the child anything, too.

"But look how cute it is. A flower. She'll be so happy."

"Okay. We'll take the cookie too. The yellow one, please," Donna added.

OoOoOoO

With her belongings gathered and packed neatly into a suitcase, Donna leaned down by the front door to speak to Audrey. "I'm leaving now, Sweet Pea," she pulled her close. "Thank you for letting me stay with you for a few months. I love you so much."

"Why do you have to leave," Audrey asked Donna, giving her a pout.

"Because I have to go back to my house now."

"But you can just live here," she tried again. "In Daddy's room."

Donna kissed the top of Audrey's head. "Were still going to spend time together, Sweet Pea," Donna offered. "I'll pick you up from school one day this week, okay?"

Audrey was defeated but didn't continue to argue. Josh had warned her about Donna's departure. "Go pick out a book, shortcake," he told her. "I'll be in to tuck you in in just a minute."

Audrey made her way back to her room, leaving Josh and Donna in a heavy silence.

"Okay, so Ill see you tomorrow at the office?" She wasn't sure why this all of the sudden felt so unnatural.

"Um, Yeah. You've got your toothbrush?" He fumbled a bit, unsure of what to say.

Josh wrapped her in a right hug, pulling her close and speaking softly into her ear. "I'll never be able to find the right words," he told her. "Thank you isn't even close to enough. I just- you're incredible. I guess that's what I'm trying to say. I don't know why you put up with us but I'm so grateful that you do. We would never have made it through this without you."

She opened her mouth to tell him they would have been just fine but found herself choked up by his words and instead simply squeezed him back.

Josh kissed her forehead and stepped away. "You're sure you don't need help?"

He eyed her duffel bag.

"I'm fine," she waived him off knowing she was just going to take the metro. She still hadn't admitted to him that she'd had to sell her car to make ends meet.

He nodded his head in understanding and picked up a small box and card from the entry table. "This is for you," he told her. "From Audrey and me. It's uh- well it's not much but we'd like you to have it. You can open it when you get home."

She gave him a soft smile and tucked it safely inside of her purse, stepping outside into the cold and closing the door on the feeling of family she'd come home to for months.

Josh sighed and leaned against the door, watching her until she was out of sight through the peep hole before returning to Audrey to read a story and tuck her in.

"Daddy?"

"Yeah, Shortcake?"

She looked up at him with big, sad eyes. "I miss Donna," she told him ever so softly.

Josh sighed. "Me too, baby girl. Me too."