Josh blinked a few times, his eyelids feeling like lead. It took a while for the room to come into focus, but when it did, he groaned. The familiarity of the white walled room immediately put him on edge. He raised his right arm and let his forearm fall across his face, obscuring the bright lights invading his eyes.

"Josh?"

Recognizing Donna's voice, Josh removed his arm to look at her clearly.

"Donna. Why am I back here?" Donna immediately felt relief flood through her at the familiar whine in Josh's tone. He looked miserable and sounded awful, but at least the childish petulance let Donna know he was still Josh.

"You overdid it," she said simply and grabbed his hand. Josh's head fell to the side as he looked at her.

"What?"

"You passed out because of dehydration and exhaustion," Donna said simply. Josh didn't look moved.

"You brought me to the hospital for that?"

"We took you to the hospital when you we couldn't get you to open your eyes? Yes."

"Whatever."

"Josh!"

"Donna!"

"Mrs. Bartlet even looked worried about you." Josh's eyes went wide.

"She saw?"

"She called the ambulance."

"There was an ambulance!?" Josh looked mortified. "Donna..."

"What did you expect us to do? Leave you unconscious and go home?"

Josh scowled but said nothing. He started fiddling with a loose thread on his blanket.

"You had us all scared half to death," Donna muttered.

"The meeting," Josh said, his head lifting suddenly, anxiety trickling through with his words.

"I didn't get a chance to hear what happened."

"Donna-"

He was cut off by the sound of the door opening. CJ and Sam walked in, smiles on their faces as they saw Josh sitting up and talking.

"You're awake!"

"I'm fine," Josh told them as he turned to look, preemptively defensively.

"It's good to see you too, mi amour," CJ said cheerily, ignoring Josh's grumpy tone.

"When can I go home?" Josh asked Donna, ignoring Sam and CJ for the moment.

"Soon," Donna said elusively.

"Are you going to tell me about the meeting?" Josh said turning back to CJ and Sam. His voice was rough.

"Josh-"

"I just want to know."

CJ and Sam exchanged looks before CJ took a seat besides the bed.

"Leo wants to talk to you still."

"Is he here?"

"No."

At Josh's expression, which was painfully close to a pout, CJ sighed

"I don't think you're going to be fired. Either of you." Josh and Donna both visibly melted with relief. "But there are going to be some changes."

"What kind of changes?"

"I think Leo should be the one to-"

"CJ, come on, Leo's not here!" Josh coughed a few times after raising his voice too much.

CJ looked over her shoulder, as if hoping Leo would walk in at any moment.

"Well." She took a deep breath. "Donna will have to move departments."

Josh knew this was coming. He understood fully why it had to happen. And yet, the panic that gripped his chest at those words upset him nonetheless. He looked down at his knuckles and began playing with the string again.

"Kay," he muttered, his voice hardly above a whisper. He couldn't bear to look at Donna.

"Josh, it'll be-" Donna reached over a hand.

"I know," Josh answered gruffly.

"It's better than-"

"I know!" Josh snapped. Donna, looking taken aback, sat back in her chair with her arms crossed.

"In all honestly, Josh, you should feel pretty grateful Donna doesn't have to leave the building entirely," CJ said sharply, her patience with him was fading fast. Josh glared at her, but nodded.

"What else?"

"We don't comment until we're asked and if we're asked we can say we don't comment on the personal lives of our staffers and when that doesn't work we can honestly Donna no longer works for Josh and their relationship isn't breaking any rules."

"They won't like that either."

"That's the best we got."

Josh nodded and rubbed his hands across his face, letting out a long sigh.

"You're not going to pass out on us again, are ya?" CJ asked him, a small grin returning to her face.

"Dunno. I'm spontaneous."

A knock from the door made everyone jump as Leo let himself into the room.

Upon seeing Josh awake, he smiled involuntarily.

"Hey, kid," Leo called gently across the room as he shuffled over. Josh sat up a little straighter, but didn't smile back. For the first time since he was a child, he felt intimidated by Leo, anxious at his presence.

"Hi."

"How're you feeling?"

"I'm okay," Josh answered quietly.

Reading the tension in the room, CJ gave quick glances to Donna and Sam before jerking her head towards the door. The other two nodded.

"We'll give you two some space," CJ announced, as she and the others made their way to the door. Josh watched them go, just for something to do that didn't involve looking at Leo.

"Really, how are you feeling?"

"I'm alright, Leo," Josh answered, no emotion or inflection of any kind in his voice.

"Damn it, Josh, you're sitting in a hospital bed," Leo snapped, his patience thin. "You're not fine."

Josh winced at the tone and Leo took a deep breath.

"You scared us pretty bad there."

On another day, in another situation, Josh might have made a joke. Today though, the stakes were too high.

"I'm sorry."

Considering him for a moment, Leo took his time before replying.

"I'm uh. I'm sorry about how I reacted before," Leo said in a strangely defiant voice. Josh shrugged.

"I understood."

"It's a hell of a situation you've put us in."

"Yeah," Josh agreed. The severity of his relationship with Donna looked like it was newly placed on his shoulders as he visibly deflated back into his pillows.

"You gonna fire me, Leo?"

Leo stared at him for a long moment before taking a deep breath.

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm not."

"Leo-"

"Josh, we only just got you back. We're hardly about to send you away again after coming so close to losing you."

Josh blinked. The frankness of Leo's words was surprising. A small smirk started to show itself.

"Guess I'm pretty lucky I got shot, huh."

Leo let out a small laugh at that.

"Don't mess this up, kid."

Josh nodded, all traces of a smile gone.

"It's not some," Josh paused and rubbed a hand through his hair. "I donno what I'm saying. It means something."

"I know."

"You do?"

"Course I do, Josh," Leo said, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. "The two of you can hardly hide whatever the hell kind of feelings you have for each other in the first place."

"I'm not gonna mess it up."

"Good. You're gonna be there for her and for your kid."

Hearing the words "your kid" still sent a flurry of butterflies through Josh's stomach. The phrase being directed at him was still so new, so strange. It was honestly a phrase he wasn't sure he would ever hear directed at him.

Noticing Leo's expectant look, Josh nodded.

"I will be."

Leo nodded. "CJ has a whole plan on how to deal with this. We're following her lead, but Donna can't work for you anymore." Josh's shoulders sagged at Leo's words. Being reminded of that detail was agonizing.

"Josh," Leo began warningly.

"I know," Josh answered quickly. Leo eyed him up for a few more moments before standing up.

"I'll let you get some rest. We'll meet with you on this in a few days when you're feeling up to it." Josh wanted to argue that he was feeling up to it today, but Leo didn't seem interested. The man was already halfway to the door.

"Josh?" Leo asked, one hand on the doorknob.

Josh turned to look at him, eyebrows raised.

"Congratulations."

Josh tried to hide the wide smile overtaking his lips and mostly failed.

"Thanks, Leo."