A/N: Thank you so much for all the positive feedback :)

"Alright everyone, we're finished here," the President called out over the room. He placed the microphone he was holding onto the stool and made his way out of the room swiftly, Charlie close on his heels.

Josh eyed up Toby and CJ across the room for a moment before trying to casually bolt for the door. Did CJ know about his night with Donna a few months ago? Is that why she was giving him death glares? He ran a frustrated hand through his hair as he rushed down the hallway back to his office. Was Donna still sick? His shoulders sagged when he got back to her desk and found it empty. A bright yellow sticky note was stuck on her black computer screen.

"Josh - went home sick, remember your 3 o'clock with Klein."

Josh stared blankly at the note for a few seconds before carefully pulling it down from the computer and continuing to look at it. It wasn't like Donna to leave a note instead of talking to him in person. Did CJ being mad at him have anything to Donna going home early?

Without warning, he suddenly felt himself being pushed roughly towards his office. Before he could gather his bearings, he was regaining his balance against his own desk. He looked up to see it was Toby who pushed him. He was closing the door and then locking it.

"Toby, what the hell-"

"What did you do?" Toby growled. Josh's eyebrows knit together.

"What is this? Why is everyone pissed at me?"

"I donno, Josh, why don't you tell me? CJ is pretty damn pissed at you," Toby said, his voice rising slightly.

"I donno either, Toby! Why don't you ask CJ? She hasn't told me why she's mad."

"You can't think of any reason why she'd be this pissed at you?"

Josh hesitated for only a split second. "Well-"

But it was enough to make Toby pounce. "Josh," Toby said warningly.

"It's nothing," Josh said dismissively, trying to recover. He started looking at papers on his desk to distract himself, hoping Toby would take the hint. He didn't.

"What do you two know that I don't?" Toby had his hands in his pockets and was standing right in front of the door, subtlety letting Josh know that he wasn't leaving the room until Toby decided it was okay.

"Nothing," Josh said with a dismissive shrug.

"Josh!" Toby practically shouted and Josh jumped slightly, but didn't look up. Toby continued. "I will not have another one of your screw ups blindside this administration and throw us off message. Tell me now so we can get in front of it and get control on the situation."

Josh's expression soured at Toby's accusation and he felt immediately hot under the collar.

"You know, Toby, if I'm such a problem all the time with my screw ups, why don't you guys just fire me," Josh said dismissively.

"Is that what you want?" Toby asked him, his hands falling behind his back.

Josh hesitated before answering. "No,".

"Then tell me what CJ knows."

"I told you," Josh said, frustration leaking out of his words now, he started pacing. "I don't know what she knows."

"But you have an idea?"

Josh paused before answering with a quiet, "maybe".

"Well?" Toby pushed. Josh closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his eyes.

"Toby," he said slowly.

"For the love of god, Josh. Just tell me!" Toby said, his voice going up an octave.

"I-I," Josh stuttered. He looked up at Toby who was frowning deeply with his arms crossed.

"I slept with Donna a couple months ago," Josh said in a voice just above a whisper. Toby immediately turned around with his eyes closed and let out a short groan of frustration before pounding a fist against the closed door.

"Who knows?"

"I donno, Toby! It was just us. There was no one else in the building."

Toby froze.

"In the building?" he said slowly, putting emphasis on every syllable. Josh froze now too, realizing the implication of his words. "Are you honestly telling me that not only were you stupid enough to sleep with your assistant, you decided to sleep with her in the White House!?"

"I-. It was like midnight and we were the only ones still here," Josh gulped.

"You know that for sure?" Toby demanded. He was inching closer and closer to the desk.

"I think so," Josh answered meekly. He felt incredibly small in light of his transgression.

"You think so? Then how the hell does CJ know about it? Were you gossiping with her afterwards?"

"Toby-"

"Was Donna!?"

"No, Toby! I know Donna wouldn't do that," Josh said defensively.

"That would mean someone else was here then!" Toby said. He let out a laugh of disbelief after he finished speaking.

"This is unbelievable. After how many times all of us warned you about this. You go and do it anyways."

Josh stared at a single spot on his desk furiously, not having the words to fight back. How could he explain to Toby how much that night meant? It wasn't a night of something frivolous; it was filled with a longing that both of them felt so closely it hurt.

"What, you have nothing to say for yourself?" Toby asked harshly. If anybody knew how to employ their words as sharp knives, it was Toby. His words collectively cutting into Josh until Josh finally collapsed into his chair and shook his head before leaning back and placing his hands over his eyes. He wished he had been able to talk to Donna before she went home.

"Josh!"

Josh pulled his hands away and looked at Toby, who looked about as furious as Josh had ever seen him.

"What do you want from me, Toby? We've already put an end to it. We-" Josh paused for a moment as though speaking the next words would cause him pain. "We know it can't happen between us." As he finished speaking, Josh's face fell into the picture of misery. Being reminded of the life he couldn't share with Donna was agonizing. Their night together had felt so right. For one night he had allowed himself to imagine a life with Donna and it had been everything he could have hoped for.

"I want you to stop testing this administration's patience with you," Toby said darkly. "Sleeping with your assistant in the White House, Josh? I don't know how you expect us to defend that one if it gets out." Josh lifted his eyes, but didn't respond. It's not like anything he said would make a difference now anyways.

"You gonna tell Leo?" Josh asked miserably. Toby stared back at him and finally seemed to register just how upset Josh seemed over the whole matter. Though not at being got caught. It went deeper than that.

Toby hesitated before answering quietly. "Not unless I have to." Josh's head picked up. "But Josh, if CJ already has this."

"Yeah," Josh replied in a small voice. "Listen, I've got a meeting before we all head down to the thing."

Toby looked like he had more to rant about, but instead he simply nodded. "Fine."

After he was gone, Josh immediately tried to call Donna at home, but again was met with no response.

Was Donna avoiding him? He chose to leave a message.

"Hey, Donna, it's me. I just had a... weird conversation with Toby that we should probably talk about. Are you feeling any better? I hope it's nothing too serious. Or contagious. Okay... Bye."

Josh hung up the phone with a sigh and then let his chin drop to his chest.

Donna was sitting in her apartment already dressed down into her wooly socks and oversized sweater. Her roommate was gone for the night, which she was grateful for. She had listened to Josh's message a few hours ago, but couldn't bring herself to call him back. The phone had actually been in her hand a few times, but every time she got close to dialing, her fear would cause her to snap the phone shut. She had not idea how to break the news to him. Or when. In all honesty, she had no idea how Josh was going to react to this news. If CJ was anything to go by, he would react badly. Donna couldn't help but imagine a world where this news wasn't cause for a scandal, but for celebration. A world where she'd been giddy with excitement to tell Josh. Tears filled her eyes.

Suddenly, a breaking news bulletin in a bright yellow banner flashed across the screen and grabbed Donna's attention. Donna felt her whole world shift from underneath her as the newscasters began filling in details of how the President had been shot at moments ago and was being rushed to GW. Without waiting to hear the rest of the report, Donna grabbed for a jacket and sprinted out the door.