The senior staff were gathered in Leo's office. A collection of different newspapers were spread across the table, all of them making mention of President Bartlet's Deputy Chief of Staff and his very pregnant former assistant. None of them were painting a very kind picture. The man in question was huddled in the corner, eyes fixed on the ground as the people around him tried to decide what to do.

"Maybe he does a sit down interview with someone and then we can move on," CJ suggested. Leo shook his head.

"No, we don't want to give more weight to this story than we need to. If we treat this like a scandal then so will everyone else."

"Leo," Toby said, scoffing slightly. "You don't think this is a scandal?"

Josh rubbed an agitated hand across his face. CJ glanced at him before cutting in.

"Listen, Leo. Right now, the story is that Josh Lyman knocked up his assistant. For all the public knows, he's up and left her. They don't know Josh and Donna. They don't know the history or their relationship. Right now Josh looks like some creep abusing his power when we all know that's not..." CJ took a breath and looked over at Josh again. His eyes remained on the floor.

"We all know this isn't what happened here. We need to tell people that."

Leo looked unmoved.

"You really think we can trust him with an interview?"

Josh winced.

"Leo, we can just tell them the truth. Which is that Josh and Donna decided to pursue a relationship and because of that, measures were taken to ensure the professionalism within the office remained intact. We moved Donna to a different department where her work and Josh's can no longer interfere with each other. We assure everyone that the relationship is mutual. Maybe make a joke about it being typical Josh Lyman to run too fast in a new relationship. Warm everyone up a little bit."

Josh bristled visibly at this.

"Can I go? I'm clearly not needed here."

"Sit," Leo commanded. So sharply, that Josh winced again. He complied.

"You know, Josh. You've been living in this bubble for the past few months and you know what? Maybe we were guilty in letting it slide too easily, but the fact of the matter is that we're now faced with a potential disaster to this administration. We pretended it wasn't going to happen and now it's happened. In any other scenario the easy answer here is to show you the door, but we know we can't do that after what happened in Rosslyn." Josh felt his face heat up. Never had he resented a meeting more than he had this one.

Leo wasn't done.

"It's time to come back to reality, Josh, and the reality is that you slept with your assistant, didn't use protection, and now this administration has to deal with the consequences of that. We've all tried to sweep it under the rug and pretend it's fine over the past few months because that was the easier option with you recovering."

Josh felt like there was a dangerous swirl of fire dancing in his belly. Leo was acting as if he got off scott free after the staff found out about the baby, but the reality was that Toby still kept Josh at arms length and Josh swore that Leo has never looked at him the same since he found out. Sam and CJ had been supportive and for that Josh was grateful, but otherwise he'd had a pretty constant reminder of what Toby and Leo had thought of this.

Josh also resented the hell out of the fact that his baby was being treated as some terrible disease that had been set upon the West Wing. While he had been as terrified and upset as anyone when he found out. He'd grown incredibly attached and excited about the idea of his new little family. He was having a baby with the woman he'd loved for two years. With each day that passed, the reality of impending fatherhood set in that much more.

Talking to Donna's belly had become a regular occurrence at home, he would take her up on any invitation to feel the baby kicking. Him and Donna would regularly stay up arguing over names. If he was being honest, Josh would admit to having enjoyed the last month or so of Donna's pregnancy. They were both scared as hell, but for the same reasons all other new parents were. Leo was right when he suggested Josh had fallen into a false sense of security. Now, the peace had been shattered.

Josh had to face the consequences that came with his and Donna's positions within the White House. People were going to take issue with it and logically he understood, but he wished he could make people understand that Donna was more than a cheap thrill. This wasn't some classic scenario of a boss taking advantage of his young and naive secretary. This was Donna.

"What do you want me to do?" Josh asked quietly.

"Keep your mouth shut."

CJ jumped in again. "Leo, I'm telling you. It's a human interest story. We have to feed them human interest."

"CJ, I really don't want to take our chances on trying to warm up the press with another Josh Lyman calamity press conference. Do you?"

Josh felt another sharp sting in his chest as the hits kept coming. He should have known Leo would be like this, but having the man he looked up to more than any other continually break him down like this was its own kind of hell. While Josh understood why Leo was as angry as he was, he'd never quite experienced scorn like this from the man.

After a period of silence filled the room, Leo spoke up.

"We keep this quiet. You don't give the press anything, CJ. It'll die down. Josh and Donna no longer work together so they are allowed to be engaged in a romantic involvement."

"We don't have much sympathy left from the shooting now Josh is back at work," he said quietly.

"No," Leo agreed.

"I agree with CJ," Sam said, speaking up from his spot at the table. He looked upset, the lines in his face pulled taught.

"I don't care," Leo said shortly.

The staff all felt the uncomfortable energy filling the room. It went to show just how deeply this situation was affecting Leo. Never was he this sharp and brusque with them. He often encouraged his staff to vocalize their thoughts, but because this situation was so radioactive and it involved a man who Leo cared about as though he were his own son, Leo didn't have his usual patience. He looked as tired as anyone in the room.

"That's all."

All but Josh filtered out of the room. He hung around, his arms leaning forward on one of the chairs.

"If it's easier to fire me or have me quit-" he started.

"Josh, we did not keep this place afloat for three months in your absence only to have you leave as soon as you got back."

Josh stared.

"You're needed in a professional capacity. Make sure you don't let that slip too, hm?"

Josh didn't know how to respond. He turned and made for the door, his finger drumming against that familiar spot on his chest.

-

Donna had never felt more self conscious in her life. Here she was, almost eight months pregnant, feeling like a small minivan, and everyone around her wouldn't stop staring. She was seated at her desk in the communications bullpen, desperately wishing she could disappear. She tugged at her shirt again, trying to make the buttons sit right against the swell of her belly and sighed.

She knew her co-workers all suspected this anyways, she didn't understand why they were all acting so scandalized now. Toby was walking brusquely towards his office and Donna couldn't help but stare as he went past. They made eye contact briefly, but Toby quickly looked away. Donna felt incredibly alone.

Donna did her best to continue with her day normally. She certainly had the workload to keep her occupied, but as the clock flicked to 6 p.m. and then 7 p.m. she began to worry. Josh hadn't made any effort to see her or talk to her.

She checked her watch again. 7:53. There were very few people left in the office. The chances of them making a scene were small. With a deep breath, she pushed herself up from her seat and started to make her way to Josh's office.

Unsurprisingly, she found him at his desk. His head was being propped up with his left hand as he scribbled furiously with his right. His hair was disheveled and he looked stressed. Donna knocked lightly on the open door. Josh jumped lightly and looked up at her.

"Hi," Donna said quietly, her hand lifting lightly to wave. The awkwardness between them was palpable.

"Hi," Josh said back, his eyes dropping quickly to his desk again.

"You ready to go?" Donna asked. Josh glanced at the clock and shot a guilty look at Donna.

"I have to stay and work on this a little more, you should go though." He started writing again. Donna's brow furrowed.

"Josh."

"It's fine, Donna. I'll meet you at home later." He wasn't looking at her. Deciding an argument wasn't worth it, Donna relented.

"Fine," she said in a small voice. She turned on a heel and left without saying goodbye.

-

At home, Donna immediately changed into a pair of Josh's boxers and one of his Harvard sweatshirts that still mostly fit her. She heated up some of the leftovers from dinner a few nights ago and picked at it feebly.

Donna jumped as the phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Donna." It was CJ.

"Hey," Donna replied, brightening considerably.

"I wanted to check in and see how you were doing."

Donna's face fell.

"Well, none of my clothes fit, everyone at work hates me, and the father of my child is avoiding me."

"Donna nobody at work hates you."

"You didn't see their faces."

"You've proven your worth to this administration 10 times over. Everybody knows that."

Donna sighed and shook her head. "Now I'm just the girl who got knocked up by her boss and put into a job I didn't earn."

"Donna," CJ replied, her voice aching with sympathy. "We're going to get past it."

"How did the meeting with Leo go?" Donna asked.

CJ hesitated before answering.

"We're trying to come to the right conclusion."

"I think I saw a photographer on my way home," Donna muttered.

"Press attention will be at an all time high for Josh, that's for sure," CJ sighed. "And now of course you."

"I'm worried about him, CJ," Donna admitted.

"Donna, don't worry about Josh. You're the one who is having to deal with carrying a bowling ball around all day. One that gets heavier by the week."

Donna let out a light laugh at that.

"Keep your chin up, okay? I'll keep an eye on Josh."

"He's still at the office."

"He'll be home soon."

Donna hesitated.

"And if he's not, I'll kick his ass tomorrow."

At hearing Donna's laugh, CJ relaxed marginally.

"I'll talk to you tomorrow, okay?"

"Kay," Donna replied.

"Good night, Donna."

"Good night, CJ."

Josh walked in around midnight. Donna had done her very best to wait up for him, but being as pregnant as she was, she didn't stand much of a chance. He walked into the bedroom and his eyes went to Donna's sleeping form on the bed. He immediately felt an onrush of guilt and anxiety at the sight of her. He felt awful for the position he had put her in and tremendous anxiety at what lies ahead for them. Not having the heart or energy to wake her, he crawled in next to her and turned off the lights.

The next morning when Donna woke up, Josh was already gone.

-

"Joshua," CJ said, walking into his office unannounced. It was late in the day and Josh had been buried in his office all day. Josh looked up with trepidation in his face. He didn't like the way CJ was looking at him.

"What," he asked testily.

He saw CJ's eyebrows shoot up.

"I haven't even said anything and you're giving me attitude?"

"You're going to say stuff."

"I wanted to see how Donna was."

"Oh." Josh deflated a bit. He then hesitated.

"She's worried about you."

"CJ-"

"Josh, I swear to god if you take any of this out on her, I will kick your ass into next week." Josh blinked a few times, the earliness of CJ's attack taking him by surprise.

"You know what, CJ!" Josh exclaimed, he shot to his feet. CJ knew already he'd been waiting to have this fight. It wasn't her that he was actually mad at. She was just the closest person.

"I've had to take it from just about everybody in this building. I have Leo riding my ass every damn day to the point where I don't know if he's ever going to be able to look me in the eye again, I have the threat of destroying a whole Presidential term hanging over my head, I have Toby in his office stabbing a voodoo doll of me with needles every five minutes, and maybe just MAYBE, I don't need to be lectured yet again about how I'm fucking up or have fucked up or what I'll fuck up tomorrow." Josh had to sit after he finished. CJ wasn't surprised to see he was out of breath. He was recovered at this point, but Josh still had his moments.

She calmly took a seat in front of him in the visitor's chair.

"You're overstating your importance if you think you alone can destroy a presidency."

Josh let out a short laugh and put his head in his hands.

"She's almost 8 months pregnant Josh," CJ said, almost pleading with Josh to understand.

"I know."

"She's having to deal with the scorn of everyone around her too."

"I know."

"The last thing she needs is for you to put more stress on her." Josh looked up and made eye contact with CJ.

"I know."

"So why didn't you go home last night?"

"I want to fix stuff here before I ruin more stuff there," he said in a small voice.

"Ruin more stuff?" CJ questioned. "What stuff?"

"Everything, CJ! Come on."

CJ still wore a confused look on her face.

"Josh," she started slowly. "You've been doing a great job at home. Don't you know that?"

By the wide eyed look on Josh's face, CJ guessed he didn't.

"You've been there for Donna every step of the way, I see the way your eyes light up when you get to feel the baby kick or you hear Donna talking about names."

Josh was hanging on her every word.

"Don't let what's happening in the office affect what's happening at home."

Josh nodded stiffly.

"Take your medicine with Leo and be thankful you still have a job."

"Yeah," Josh said quietly.

"And Josh..." CJ waited until Josh looked up at her again. "Donna is the last person who needs anything else piled on her plate."

"I know," Josh agreed, his voice still soft.

"At least all of your pants still fit," CJ commented lightly. Josh smirked.

"She won't believe me when I tell her she looks great."

"That's because her pants don't fit."

"But she's creating life! That's a pretty cool reason to have your pants not fit. Better than eating too much take out anyways."

CJ was giving him an odd look mixed with sympathy and affection.

"I wish Leo trusted me to do this your way."

CJ sighed. "Me too."

"Maybe they'll get bored."

"Not unless we give them something."

They fell into an uneasy silence. Josh rubbed a frustrated hand over his head.

"You should go home."

Josh glanced at the clock. It was already six. He nodded and stood up, grabbing his coat.

"Rub her feet," CJ called out after him as Josh left the office.

"Donna?" Josh yelled out into the apartment as soon as he stepped through the door. He didn't have to go far. Donna was perched on the couch, a bowl of ice cream balancing on her belly as she watched MSNBC. Josh couldn't help the small laugh that came out.

"You're really utilizing the extra real estate," he joked. Donna didn't smile. She was watching Josh warily from afar. She placed the bowl firmly on the coffee table and pulled her legs up crossed legged underneath her. The blanket draped over her shoulders was pulled taught. Josh felt the guilt in his stomach rear its ugly head again. He deserved the defensiveness Donna was showing.

"Hi," he said, sitting next to her on the big squishy chair Donna had pretty much claimed as her own since moving in.

"Hi," Donna replied back.

There was no use beating around the bush.

"Donna, I'm sorry about the way I've been acting the last day or so. I've been a complete ass. I'm so sorry."

Donna looked up at him, her eyes warmer this time. Josh continued before she could reply.

"I promise I wasn't mad at you or trying to make you feel bad or any of that. I was just scared and I didn't know what else to do and I know you're scared too and that was selfish of me-"

Donna cut him off by grabbing one of his hands. Josh looked down at it with reverence.

"I really am sorry."

"I know."

"I'm an idiot."

"I know that too."

Josh's eyebrows furrowed, amused.

"You're the one having a kid with me. What does that make you?"

Donna let out a snort of laughter. "I ask myself that every day."

"Are you mad at me?" Josh asked.

"Maybe a little," Donna admitted. Josh nodded. "I get mad at you every time I try to bend down and tie my shoes and can't now too though."

Josh snorted.

"You're getting good at the groveling thing," Donna said, mischief playing in her eyes.

"You know what," Josh said, a look of faux anger on his face. He didn't take it any further than that. He sank back into his chair and let an easy silence roll over the pair of them.

"The baby's kicking," Donna announced a moment later. Josh's attention immediately perked up and he looked into Donna's eyes, silently asking for permission. When she nodded, he practically jumped to the other side of her on the sofa and delicately put a hand where Donna was pointing.

"To make it up to you, I'll un-veto one of the girl names that you like," Josh said.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah, I'll let you turn our child into a grandmother from birth because you want to name her Mildred."

"I was KIDDING about Mildred!" Donna protested.

Josh laughed.

"Maybe if we name the baby after Leo, it'll soften him up a little bit," Josh said after a moment. He was kidding, but Donna didn't miss the way his features drooped.

"Leo's gonna love this kid and you know it," Donna declared boldly. "Whether we name it after him or not." Josh seemed taken aback by her frankness.

"You don't know that," he said quietly. Donna shook her head.

"Josh, he's known you his whole life. He's only this mad at you because of how much he cares."

Josh didn't look convinced.

"Well and he's mad because you got your assistant pregnant," Donna added, her eyes sparkling slightly. "Which is probably fair."

Josh looked up at her with an amused look.

"You were there too you know."

"Yeah," Donna said, stifling a yawn. She leaned over and rested her head on Josh's shoulder. "But I was young and naive by how attractive my boss was."

"Stop it," Josh warned.

"Fell for all your tricks of seduction as I am just a lone farm girl from Wisconsin."

Josh pulled his arm around her shoulder and pressed a kiss to her temple all the while rolling his eyes.

"We'll get through it."

"Yeah," Donna agreed again, her voice was softer this time. Josh could tell she was fading fast. He didn't have the heart to move her before she fell asleep snuggled up against him.

-

Walking towards Josh's office, CJ could hear his voice along with Donna's floating through the cracked door. They sounded happy, laughing. Seeing as no one was around, she quietly made her way to the cracked door and peeked inside.

What she saw was nauseating in the level of adorable it was portraying. Donna was sitting in Josh's chair by the computer. Josh was kneeling down in front of her with his ear pressed up to her belly, a hand on either side of her. Donna was giggling and squirming as Josh's hair tickled up against her. Josh had a boyish grin on his face, both dimples on display.

"Seriously, Josh," Donna said, physically pulling his head away from her stomach. "Where do you want to get lunch."

"Let's grab some take out and eat it at Georgetown. The kids are all on vacation so it'll be empty."

"Okay," Donna said, smiling at him.

Suddenly an idea struck CJ. She pulled her face from the door and shuffled quickly back into her office.

"Carol?"

Carol promptly poked her head in the office.

"Yeah?"

"I need you to find me the sleaziest reporter in the press pool."

"Malcolm," they said together.

Half an hour later, Malcolm from one the newspapers CJ lovingly referred to as DC's Gossip Gophers, was making his way into her office. He was looking extremely cagey, he had never been asked back before.

"Hello, Malcolm," CJ said in her most pleasant.

"Hi," he replied nervously.

"We have a tip for you."

"For me?" Malcolm looked over his shoulder to make sure there couldn't be someone behind him that CJ was referring to.

"Yes, you."

Malcolm blinked a few times before eagerly replying, "what is it?"

"I want you to grab your photographer and make your way to the Georgetown University courtyard."

"What? School's not in session, it'll be empty."

"I know that, Malcolm."

"I don't-"

"There will be a White House staffer there who is very in demand right now with the press who your paper might enjoy getting pictures of."

Malcolm's eyes flashed.

"Why would you tell me that?"

"I need people to see what the real story is," CJ muttered, sitting down behind her desk.

"And what is that?"

"That they are very real," CJ said simply.

"Why aren't you having Danny or one or the other reporters take this?"

"Because your paper is the only one I trust to actually print the photos."

"How do you know the photos will be good?"

"I'll take my chances."

-

The next morning, CJ was in before everybody else, eager to get her hands on the papers. She hurried into her office and quickly snapped up the multitude of papers laid out on her desk by Carol. She felt a strong feeling of satisfaction wash over her as she took in the articles.

Just as she had predicted, Josh and Donna were making waves. Except this time, the papers were much more complimentary. Photos of them had spread far and wide. They were pictured just as CJ had predicted, eating lunch in the courtyard at Georgetown, not a soul around but them. The two had been pictured on a bench together eating lunch. Donna's head had been in Josh lap as she finished off some potato chips. Josh's hand had been holding hers, laying loosely on top of her belly. They looked every inch of a couple in love.

It was about 20 minutes before CJ heard Josh come into the office. She quickly targeted him and pulled him into his office.

"What the hell?" he asked urgently at CJ tugging him by the arm.

Once CJ closed the door, she brought out a newspaper and handed it to Josh wordlessly. Josh's face fell as he saw the photos and his eyebrows bunched together.

"Damn it, I didn't see any photographers," he sighed, rubbing his forehead. CJ quirked an eyebrow.

"Josh-"

"Great, now Leo's got another reason to be pissed at me."

"No, Josh-"

"Toby's going to be in here any second."

"JOSH."

Josh looked up at her quickly.

"This is a good thing."

"It is?" Josh looked completely unconvinced.

"Yes."

"How is it-"

"This is the public finally getting to see who you two really are as a couple."

"Oh," Josh said softly, leaning against his desk.

"They get to see how grossly cute the two of you are together." Josh rolled his eyes.

"Whatever."

"It's quite sickening," CJ continued.

"I get it," Josh said dismissively, moving to walk around his desk to his chair.

"Josh," CJ said again. He looked at her. "This is a good thing."

"Well, good," Josh said, unsure of what to say. "I hope Leo agrees with you."

"I'll make him agree."

Josh looked unconvinced.

"Let's go."

-

"CJ?" Leo asked almost as soon as everyone was gathered.

"This is a great thing, Leo, trust me."

"Convince me.

"Almost every one of the papers has included these photos without the normal dosage of cynicism. They still think Josh fucked up, but there seems to be little doubt about the validity of their relationship."

"It's true," Sam agreed. "This reaction from these pictures has been overwhelmingly positive, considering."

"How do we proceed?" Leo asked. Josh felt very surprised at how eagerly Leo was accepting this news. It was as though Leo himself was wanting to believe everyone.

"You let me give just enough to the press to suppress their appetite," CJ said quickly. Leo sat on that for a moment before glancing at Toby, who looked unimpressed in the corner.

"Fine."

"Okay," CJ said, relieved.

"I don't want you anywhere near the press today," Leo said harshly, pointing a finger at Josh. "We let CJ and CJ alone deal with it." Josh simply nodded, not wanting to give Leo any reason to be upset.

"What else," Leo asked. The moving moved on quickly and CJ gave Josh a swift, supportive smile that he welcomed very much.

-

"CJ?"

"Yes, Leslie," Cj said calmly, pointing among a sea of hands.

"Do you care to comment on the photos of Josh Lyman and his former assistant that have been widespread across the news today?"

CJ smiled before looking down at her notes briefly.

"Well, I guess I would say that those photos are pretty accurate as to what friends of Josh and Donna are used to. They are sickeningly sweet like that all the time unfortunately."

"You don't think it's inappropriate-"

"While I understand the want and need for a scandal, I can promise you that there have been very few couples who are as blatantly obvious as Josh and Donna. The administration took the correct steps to ensure that there were no professional conflicts and well," CJ adjusted her glasses with a smirk. "As many of you know, Josh Lyman doesn't do anything by halves. So, here we are."

Laughter filled the press room at that and CJ finally felt her shoulders relax. The tide had turned. They were through the worst of it.