Donna slowed the vehicle in the heavy Chicago traffic. Though it was late at night, the hustle and bustle of the city hadn't yet slowed. She double checked the address she'd jotted down against the numbers on the buildings, creeping along for another block.
They'd driven all day. Aside from Audrey's one meltdown, they'd done pretty well. Donna had pulled over as much as reasonably possible on their tight schedule and the small breaks seemed to do wonders for Audrey. They'd stopped at a big box store in Pennsylvania where Donna had grabbed an assortment of small books and puzzles while Audrey ate a soft pretzel in the cart. The treats help to pass the time as boredom rose on the interstate.
Eyeing a parking spot, Donna carefully pulled the car into the space, gathering a few of their most important belongings.
"Put the hood up on your jacket, Sweet Pea," Donna instructed her. She wasn't willing to take any risks on being spotted.
Audrey did as she was told and Donna opened the back door, pulling Audrey close and walking swiftly to her brother's building. Chris buzzed them up immediately, waiting for Donna with his front door open on the third floor.
"Hey there, Polliwog," Chris tried to humor the little girl. "Boy, am I glad to see you!"
Audrey tightened her arms around Donna, staring silently at Chris. He didn't take it personally. He couldn't even imagine how Donna and Audrey felt at this particular time. He'd been glued to the TV all day, monitoring the situation in DC, and he'd called to check on Donna several times during their drive.
"Hey, baby sister," he kissed Donna's cheek, taking her oversized purse and a heavy briefcase from her hand. He knew better than to ask her anything of substance in front of Audrey. Though he knew Donna probably needed to let it all out at this point, she certainly wouldn't do it in front of Audrey.
Chris grabbed Donna's keys and unloaded their bags from car before heading out to meet Edith at the airport. She'd booked a flight to Chicago after Donna's instructions, but had been delayed several hours due to weather in the southeast portion of the country.
Donna assumed that Audrey would be full of energy after a day in the car, but she was completely on the other end of the spectrum. After so many changes and new places, Audrey was irritable and exhausted.
Donna gave Audrey a quick bath and changed her into her pajamas, toting the little girl and Walter the Bunny into Chris' kitchen to try and find some dinner. Making do with what was on hand, Donna boiled a pot of water for macaroni and found an animated movie on tv for Audrey, who was fighting to keep her eyes open. When Donna was sure that Audrey was ready to fall asleep, she gathered her up and walked her in to settle her into bed. Donna lay down beside her for a moment, softly whispering to her before she fell asleep.
"You were such a brave girl today, Audrey. I'm so proud of you." Donna gently pushed Audrey's curls from her face. "Go to sleep, tomorrow morning we're going to have pancakes for breakfast."
Donna pulled Audrey a little closer and thanked her lucky stars that she went to sleep without a fight.
"Your Daddy loves you, Audrey Joan." Donna kissed the top of her head. "And so do I."
She tiptoed out of the room but left the door cracked, making sure there was enough light to illuminate the room in case Audrey woke up in unfamiliar surroundings.
Donna let out a deep sigh, realizing for the first time just how tired she really was. She quietly cleaned up Chris' kitchen, washing the macaroni pot and taking a few bites of the remaining noodles in Audrey's bowl before loading it into the dishwasher. She wasn't particularly hungry and she told herself that would suffice for dinner.
She glanced at the clock, knowing she had another hour before Chris and Edith returned from the airport, and she had a few things she needed to get done. She pulled the heavy briefcase that Josh had handed her that morning from their stack of things in the corner and sat on the couch.
Donna examined the weathered briefcase closely. Oddly enough, she hadn't seen it before. Josh carried his backpack everywhere he went, but as she ran her hands over the broken in leather, she could immediately tell this wasn't a graduation gift that had been stashed away. This case had seen storms, long commutes and late nights at the office. That's when she noticed the initials NL stamped into the corner near the well worn locks. Now it was all making sense.
She opened the case and carefully examined the contents. Folders of documents, a large, bulky manila envelope and on top, a carefully folded piece of paper with her name carefully written in bold ink. That , she supposed, was as good a place as any to begin.
She unfolded the letter and began to read, the emotions she'd suppressed all day beginning to overflow inside of her.
He'd vaguely outlined what he'd intended to happen, alluding to a 30 day jail sentence for crimes he didn't commit, but never spelling it out due to the potential legal ramifications if the letter ever fell into the wrong hands. He'd assured her that everything was going to be okay, though she wasn't sure how, and that there was no one else in the world that he'd entrust with Audrey.
The letter was placed gently on top of the photo she knew used to sit on the desk in his study. Josh, Donna and Audrey on the first day of school, smiling brightly at the camera, looking grateful at the thought that the worst had been over. She bit her lip as the tears welled in her eyes. It physically pained her to think of what was happening to him right now. Only once in her life had she felt so distraught, but this time there was something she could do for him. She could take care of Audrey. She could see too it that Edith was alright. And more than that, she could work the backchannels the way he had taught her, to make sure Josh saw the best outcome she could negotiate.
She flipped through the folders, scanning the documents filed purposefully inside. Of course, she'd seen the Power of Attorney before, and the existing forms granting her guardianship rights for Audrey. Thank god she hadn't needed them since Rosslyn, but she kept her own copy in her personal folder of important documents.
A business card for Josh's attorney at Debevoise & Plimpton was paperclipped to the top of the stack. She pulled it off and tucked it securely into her billfold. She hoped that she wouldn't need to contact him, or really need to use any of this any time soon. But obviously, Josh wanted her to be prepared, so she would do whatever she could to be ready for whatever came next.
Finally, she picked up the bulkiest envelope at the bottom of the case, opening the tack that held the flap shut. Her eyes widened when she peered inside, looking at the five stacks of hundred dollar bills banded together with a bank label identifying each as $1,000..
"What did you do, Joshua," she whispered to herself a little brokenly. "Why did you go?" She knew that there was a reason he gave her this briefcase. She knew that he must have had a plan. It wasn't obvious to her, but she would figure it out eventually.
Donna emotionally walled herself off once again. She couldn't break down right now. She would have time to find the answers to those questions after she'd had a bit of sleep, but she knew that her primary function tonight had to be staying strong for Audrey and acting as the voice of reason for Edith, who would be arriving shortly.
She carefully packed the briefcase once again, comforted by the knowledge even though he seemed to have gotten himself into a jam, he'd managed to take care of them.
Sitting back down on the couch, she checked her cell phone once again for missed calls from familiar numbers. There were a few that she knew she wouldn't return, but the White House hadn't called in hours. She'd been in close contact with Leo throughout the day, though they hadn't made much headway. But Donna had formulated a plan in the meantime.
Tomorrow morning they'd wake up and drive to her parent's house in Wisconsin. She knew they could stay there as long as they'd need to, and once she was sure of what would happen to Josh she'd decide on the next step. But they'd all be safe and they'd all be together. It was all that she could ask for right now.
It was only a few moments before Edith's arrival, barely enough time for Donna to catch her breath.
"We're here!" Chris announced, opening the door and carrying Edith's bag inside.
"Shhhh," Donna hushed him. "You'll wake Audrey."
"Sorry," Chris whispered, locking up behind him and making his way into the kitchen.
Donna wrapped Edie in a warm hug, and though they hadn't so much as exchanged greetings, they both jumped right in. "Is he going to be alright? What do we do?" Edie asked.
"We're working on it. All of us," Donna assured. "Leo and the President, CJ and Toby, Sam and I- everyone. But the best thing we dan do for him right now is to lay low and take care of Audrey and each other."
Edith had always found Donna to be wise beyond her years, and (today) hadn't taken exception to that. She'd admittedly been something of a mess all day, her heart breaking for her son and granddaughter as soon as she'd heard the news. She'd had so many questions and felt so many emotions, and she couldn't have been more grateful to have Donna to somewhat rein her in.
Donna led her to the couch, trying to keep the conversation light for the time being. She'd asked about her flight, and the last time she'd eaten, her responses prompting Donna to warm up a cup of tea.
"We need to talk about what's going to happen now, Edith," Donna began. "Tomorrow we're going to head to Wisconsin. My parents have enough room for all of us and they live in a condo with a guard gate, so even if the press tracked us down, we'd still be protected."
"Oh." It was the only response Edith could muster. She was teetering on the brink of a meltdown and Donna could sense it.
"Why don't you get some sleep?" Donna suggested. "It's been a long day. Audrey's already asleep. You can take the guest room. I think Chris already put your luggage in there," Donna gestured to the door to the left of the entryway. "I'll take Chris' room with Audrey and he's going to crash on the couch..."
"Do we need to get a lawyer? Does he need a lawyer?" Edith suddenly piped in, clearly tuning out Donna's effort to get them all to bed.
"Not at this point," Donna told her softly, placing her hand on Edie's to comfort him.
"Because we can call his father's old firm. Someone there can help him."
"Edith," Donna began gently. "It's done. Leo and Oliver Babbish are both doing everything they can."
"They were saying," Edith continued, "on the news. That it could be twenty four months."
"We can't think that way," Donna stopped that train of thought in its tracks. She knew that neither of them would be able to comprehend the reality of two years without Josh.
But Donna's positive reassurances simply weren't enough. Edith let out a terrible sob, that Donna could only assume she'd been holding in for the duration of the 4 hour flight. Donna did they only thing she could, and wrapped her arms around the older woman who had become a second mother to her
"It's gonna be okay, Edie." She offered as she rubbed her back in a vain attempt to quiet the older woman's crying.
"Donna?" Audrey's frightened little voice cried out from down the hall only a second later.
Donna glanced at Edith, who was clearly too upset herself to be of any comfort to Audrey.
"DONNA?" Audrey's voice became more frantic.
Donna practically bolted down the hallway to get to her. "I'm right here, Sweet Pea," she sat down on the side of the bed and Audrey crawled into her arms and held onto her for dear life as she cried.
"You're okay," Donna soothed, gently rubbing her back as she sobbed. "Shhhhh… It's okay."
Audrey's distraught wails were marred with hiccups as she clutched tightly to Donna, slowly calming with Donna's reassurances.
Once Audrey's breathing began to level out, Donna tried a different approach. "Guess what?" she pulled her face just barely away from Audrey's to look at her.
Audrey blinked twice, her big brown eyes staring at Donna as though she held the answers to the universe.
"Bubbe is here," Donna smiled as she wiped Audrey's tears, trying desperately to conjure a response from Audrey. "Should we go see her?"
Donna stood, Audrey still holding onto her. "Come on," she headed towards the living room. "It's all going to be okay, Sweet Pea. Somehow."