Chapter 7: What Are Friends For?

Ainsley held Donna as she cried (sobbed, really) against her shoulder. It had been about twenty minutes since Donna had sat down to attempt to write her eulogy for President Bartlet.

Sam was midway through his conversation with the former Presidents when he realized he hadn't seen Ainsley in a while. Usually, by now, she would've pulled him out of the conversation, one in which he wasn't getting a word in edgewise, either by asking him to help her with a problem or inventing some excuse as to why he needed to step away. It worked at state dinners, so why wasn't it working here?

"Excuse me for a moment." Sam said politely.

The other three nodded their consent. Sam stood up and began to walk towards the back of the plane to find Ainsley. He stopped for a minute when he noticed that Ava had fallen asleep with whatever LeapFrog game Ainsley had given her to keep her occupied. Connor had his head buried in his Nintendo DS.

Ava woke up to see Sam standing next to her. "Daddy?"

Sam couldn't help but smile. "Yes, princess?"

"Are we almost there?"

"Soon." Sam promised. "Don't you have the coloring book in your bag?"

"Yeah!" Ava said, pulling out the Flintstones coloring book and crayons that Ainsley had packed. She began busily coloring a picture of Dino.

With Ava occupied, Sam continued to the back, quickening his pace when he heard crying.

He arrived to see Donna crying into his wife's now-soaked sweater, although he was sure Ainsley didn't mind one bit.

"Everything all right?" he said, nonchalantly but with a concerned tone.

Donna looked up. "I'm sorry, Mr. President. This is horribly unprofessional."

"No, Donna, hey, it's okay." Sam said, walking over to his Chief of Staff and close friend of 21 years. He pulled Donna into a tight hug, being mindful of his wife. "Ainsley, what happened?"

"I don't know. I heard crying, and I came back here to find her breaking down."

"Did the eulogy have anything to do with it?" Sam asked carefully. He saw the tear-stained pad of paper next to Donna and knew that that was what started it.

Donna nodded against his shoulder. She pulled back. "I'm sorry."

"Donna, don't you dare be sorry." Sam said firmly. "President Bartlet was just as much a part of your life as he was in mine, probably even more so. In fact, I'm surprised you didn't break down sooner."

"Maybe I should let you all talk for a few minutes. I'm gonna go check on the kids." Ainsley said. She got up and headed back to where the kids were sitting.

Sam took Ainsley's spot next to Donna. "I guess you've been trying to keep your emotions in check for a few days."

Donna nodded. "I cried a little bit here and there, but nothing like what just happened." she admitted. Her voice was hoarse from crying so much, and her face was splotchy and red.

"Why did you hold everything in? You know I, of all people, would've understood if you had burst into tears?" Sam asked gently.

"Because I was trying so hard to be professional. I felt like I had to be everything to everyone. I had to make sure your statement was good, I had to coordinate media for the funeral, I had to still be second-in-command to the leader of the free world, and I had to do all of that without having a full breakdown in front of my kids! And I knew that if I started crying, really crying, that I wouldn't be able to stop!"

She stopped suddenly, remembering who she was talking to.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to go into all that."

Sam gave her a small smile. "Sounds like you've needed to share your emotions with someone."

"Honestly, I think this is the first time I've really cried since Wednesday night." Donna admitted quietly, less forcefully.

"Remember, I'm your friend first, boss second. Especially today." Sam said, putting a hand over hers. "I know it's hard not having Josh around right now, but Ainsley and I are here for you. You and the Bartlets." He paused. "Now, what was it you were doing when this breakdown started?"

"Trying to write the eulogy I'm supposed to give today. I'm supposed to stand up there in two hours and tell not just 250 people in the cathedral, but the rest of America, what he means to me, and I can't put two sentences down on paper without crying."

"How about if I help you?"

"What?"

"I used to do this for a living, remember? I wrote my own Inaugural Address, for crying out loud."

"But you still have your own eulogy to write!"

"So? We'll do them together. I'll help you and you help me."

Sam looked at her and Donna knew it was a lost cause trying to fight it. Besides, she thought it was incredibly sweet. Throughout the Bartlet years, and even more so during the Santos years, she knew that Sam saw her as a sister. Ainsley, too. But Sam- Sam had known her longer. They had been through so much in the Bartlet administration together. And now they were on their way to bury the man that had brought them together all those years ago.

"I guess I could use your help." Donna said finally.

"That's the spirit." Sam said. "Can I get you anything?"

Donna shook her head. Pulling the pad of paper from where it had been discarded a half hour earlier, she said, "So, this is what I'm thinking about writing about.."

For the next hour, Donna and Sam helped each other write their eulogies. They shared laughter, like when Sam regaled Donna with the story of how President Bartlet had once walked into the Oval Office while high on painkillers ("I wasn't supposed to take them both?"), and Donna told him the story of how he had shown up at the airport after Josh's father died to comfort him.

"I think Josh might actually talk about that one." Donna told Sam now. "President Bartlet always saw him as a son, especially after his dad died, you know?"

"Yeah, I know what you mean." Sam said. "I always felt like he loved me like one of his kids, too. Do you remember how he showed up at my Congressional election to congratulate me and my staff in person?"

"As a matter of fact, no." Donna's mind drifted. "Actually, I was a little busy that night…"

Election Night-November 4, 2014:

Donna's entire body relaxed into Josh's after the final push as she heard their youngest son's first cry.

"You two want to meet your son?" The doctor asked, grinning, as she gingerly placed the tiny, squirming infant on Donna's chest.

"Oh, my God, he's perfect!" Donna cried.

"You did it, baby. Again." Josh said, still in a little bit of shock about how fast the whole thing had taken.

It had only been about four hours since Donna's water had broken five weeks before her due date at the hotel where Sam's campaign team was awaiting the results of the Maryland 8th. After that, Josh still expected that they wouldn't meet the baby until the morning, or at least the middle of the night. After all, the twins had taken 10 hours before they made their arrival, and Matty almost 9.

Instead, their youngest child had barreled his way out, making his debut at 10:15 pm. It had shocked Donna, even, when they had arrived at the hospital and found her to be dilated almost to a 5. After that, things had moved in a blur, and now he was here.

After a few minutes of first bonding, the baby had been taken to the other side of the room to get cleaned up, and the delivery was completed.

"Do we have a name?" The nurse asked softly, not wanting to interrupt them.

"Do we?" Donna asked Josh, a question in her eyes, making sure the name they had picked months earlier after they learned they were having another boy was still the name they wanted to use.

"We do." Josh said, pressing a kiss to Donna's forehead, then doing the same to their baby. "Leo. Leo Josiah Lyman."

"Good, strong name." The nurse said, writing it down on the chart.

About an hour later, Josh was sitting in the visitor's chair next to Donna's bed, his permanent spot since they had been admitted nearly five hours earlier. They had taken the baby to the nursery to run some preliminary tests-apparently, heart disease and hearing problems were complications most associated with Down syndrome. Donna was sound asleep in her hospital bed, the quick labor and delivery taking a physical toll on her body. Josh was watching the muted TV in the hospital room when it happened. CNN officially declared that Samuel Seaborn, former Deputy Chief of Staff to President Santos, would win the House of Representatives seat in the Maryland 8th District.

Josh let out a soft whoop, trying not to wake his wife. He pulled out his cell phone, hoping to catch Sam before he ran off to make his victory speech, and to also share his own big news.

Sam answered, surprisingly, on the first ring. "You been watching the returns?"

"I just saw. Congrats!"

"Thanks. I didn't think it would really happen, you know?"

"I knew it, Sam. You had the best qualifications, the best speeches, the best everything."

"That means a lot, Josh. Thanks." There was a pause. "So, are you still waiting? In between contractions or something?"

"No, actually." Josh said, grinning. "Leo Josiah Lyman was born at 10:15 this evening. 6 pounds, 4 ounces, 19 inches long."

Sam let out a small yell of his own. "Wow, that was fast! Donna's all right?"

"Yeah, she's asleep now, but everything went great."

"That's awesome, man. Congrats." There was a scuffle on the other end. "Josh, I gotta go give my speech. Here's Ainsley."

"Josh?" Ainsley said excitedly. "I take it the baby's here?"

"Yep, he's here." Josh filled Ainsley in on all the details. "How are you? You're the wife of a Congressman now!"

"Yeah, I know. It's crazy up here. Did you know President and Dr. Bartlet are here?"

"No kidding. They actually came?" Josh asked.

"Yeah". Ainsley said. "Josh, he never could've done it without you guys behind him. So..thank you."

"The pleasure was all ours, Ainsley." Josh said sincerely. There was a knock on the door, and a nurse entered, carrying baby Leo.

"Ainsley, hold on a sec." Josh said. He immediately held out his arms for the baby.

At Josh's questioning glance, the nurse said, "Don't worry, Dad. You have a perfectly healthy little boy."

Josh breathed a sigh of relief.

"Josh?" Ainsley asked anxiously.

"Don't worry, everything's fine, they just brought the baby back from the nursery." Josh said. "I should probably let you go so you can go bask in your glory."

Ainsley laughed. "I will do that. You give that baby a kiss from Uncle Sam and Aunt Ainsley, and give Donna our love, okay?"

"I'll do both." Josh assured her. "Congratulations, again."

"You, too, Josh. Sounds like the two of you have nothing to worry about."

"Yeah." Josh agreed, looking down at his son. "Bye."

"Bye." Ainsley said before the phone line went dead.

Josh looked over at Donna, who was still asleep. Josh decided to let her rest, as he stared down lovingly at his son. And then he realized what the nurse had told him. He had a perfectly healthy son. Right now, at this moment, it didn't matter what lay ahead. It didn't matter what kind of future their little boy had, because Josh knew that Donna and him would make sure it was a bright one.

Donna's mind floated back to reality as Sam said, "Yeah, I guess that was quite a night for you guys."

"Quite." Donna smiled despite herself. Their eulogies were written, and they had shared their memories. Suddenly, there was a beep from overhead.

"This is your pilot speaking." the PA intoned. "We are now beginning our descent into Manchester."

"Well, this is it." Sam said soberly. He looked at the speech in his hand, then over at Donna.

Air Force One began the touchdown into Pease Air National Guard Base. Donna looked out the window as the wheels touched down.

Sam patted her knee, then said, "See you in the limo."

Donna smiled. "I'll be there in a minute."

She pulled out her purse from where it was stored under her seat, then took a moment to collect herself. It would be a long, stressful afternoon, and she wanted to make sure that she was ready to handle not only being there for Josh, but for her family, professional and otherwise, as well.

After Sam and his family deboarded the plane, Donna followed them out, and together the five of them walked toward the limo.

The former Presidents would follow in separate cars, so they had a limo to themselves. The limo pulled away from the airfield and got on the main highway that would take them to Manchester.

Ainsley looked at Donna, concerned. Her red-rimmed eyes made it painfully obvious she had been crying.

"Donna, are you gonna be OK up there?" Ainsley asked gently. If she had just broken down not two hours earlier, there was no telling how she would be when she finally got up to address the congregation.

Donna swallowed. "I think I'll be OK. I got most of my tears out on the plane." She smiled at Ainsley reassuringly.

Sam leaned over and whispered something to Ainsley. She nodded, then Sam turned to face Donna.

"I've been doing some thinking." Sam told her. "You and the President were really close, and you've been running around a lot the last few days and haven't had anybody to really support you."

Donna nodded, wondering he was getting at.

"Ainsley and I have thought about it, and we've decided you're under no obligation to sit with us."

That surprised Donna, although it shouldn't have. "Really?"

"Yes. Right now, today, you're not here as my Chief of Staff, you're here as a former member of the Bartlet staff. A former member of the Bartlet staff who was pretty close to him in the last few years. You should be comforting your own kids, not comforting me." There was a catch in Sam's voice that alarmed him. If he couldn't even hold it together now, for his staff, what did that say about later on in the service?

Donna reached out and touched Sam's knee. "Thank you, Sam. You don't know what that means to me."

Sam smiled softly at her and said, "Hey, what are friends for?"

Just then, they pulled up to the curb in the church. Per security policy, they were the last to arrive at the church.

Just as the door opened, Sam reached for Ainsley and Connor's hands. He smiled at Donna.

"Let's go give a great tribute." he said

Organ music filtered through the doors of the limo as Donna stepped into the bright sunshine, following the First Family of the United States up the stone steps of St. Joseph's Cathedral.

A/N: Yes, it just occurred to me that Donna would not have firsthand recollection of an event she was asleep for, but just go with it.