Lot's of thanks to my beta Trish!

Please send feedback; let me know if I should continue!

Chapter 8

Early February

JOSH'S POV

On my way back from the hill, I can't help thinking I will never grow tired of smacking down congressmen. I know I have only been in this job for a couple of weeks now, but there is nothing like the adrenaline rush that comes with getting your way when in a room of Republicans. I'm rushing back to the bullpen; I can't wait to tell Donna all about my success tonight. I round the corner to find her at her desk with her head down. I move closer and notice that she's asleep. It's only then that I also notice it's after midnight.

This needs to stop. She has a new baby at home. The most beautiful baby I have ever seen, which isn't that extraordinary, considering her mother is the most beautiful women I have ever seen. The nicest, sweetest women, who is currently sleeping at her desk, because her asshole of a boss kept her here late. She's been here late every night this week. I need to be more considerate of the fact that she is just starting to be able to sleep throughout the night.

I move closer to her, laying a hand on her back and lightly rubbing it until she wakes.

"Josh," she says groggily. She then realizes that she fell asleep and bolts upright causing me to lose contact with her.

"I'm so sorry Josh. I was just going to rest my eyes, and I must have fallen asleep."

"Donna, stop. I'm the one that should be apologizing. I shouldn't have kept you late. I need to remember that you have Kat now and shouldn't be working so late."

"No, Josh. It's okay. It's just that Kat had a rough night last night and I didn't get much sleep. It's okay, really. I like working with you at night." She's trying to placate me. I know it. I'm sure she would rather be at home with her new daughter than working with me.

"Well, nevertheless, I am going to make sure you get to go home early every night, by 7 at the latest. No more staying until 10 or 11 for you," I say moving to my office not wanting her to see how hard it is for me to know she won't be here every night.

I'm surprised when I hear her yell out "No." I turn around slowly and move back towards her, a little confused by her reaction.

"I though you would jump at the chance to go home early every night, pick Kat up from your neighbors and have more time to spend with her. Don't you want to spend more time with her?"

"Of course I do Josh, but I don't want to lose time with you." She blurts out. Her eyes widen as she realizes what she's said. For my part, I can only stand there in shock. Could it be possible that she feels the same way? That she loves me as much as I love her?

DONNA'S POV

Oh crap. Please tell me I did not just say that. I wish I could pretend that I hadn't said it, but looking at Josh he took it just the way I meant it. I've been so careful about showing my feelings, or rather not showing my feelings. It's just that tonight I am so tired and unable to really think. I haven't gotten much sleep this past week; really these past three months. Kat is most definitely a night person. Up almost all throughout the night. But maybe I can backtrack this. I can't let Josh know how I feel. He can't know.

"I just mean, there is so much to do. I can't lose time here with all the work that needs to be done. Being in the first hundred days, you've said so yourself, there is a lot to do and I just want to be sure there is time to…get it done." I trail off at the end. Yes, I know I was babbling. It doesn't look like Josh was convinced either.

"Donna, lets go into my office." I hesitantly follow. He has me enter first and I watch as he shuts and locks the door, which confuses me a little. The look in Josh's eyes doesn't help. He almost looks happy and hopeful. Is it possible that he could feel...

I'm not able to finish my thought because the next thing I know, Josh's lips are on mine and he's kissing me with a passion I've never felt before. I melt into the kiss opening my mouth to his insistent tongue. He has one arm around my waist and a hand on the back of my head pulling me close. I moan as my body gets pulled into his.

I move both of my arms around his neck pulling him closer until my sleep-deprived brain remembers who I am. I'm a mother. I have a baby at home. A baby that is not Josh's. This isn't right; I shouldn't be placing him into this position. It's not fair. I push him away, backing up.

He looks very confused. And I don't know what to say.

"Donna?"

"Josh, we can't do this. I'm your assistant."

"Donna, sweetheart, we'll work it out. It'll all be okay."

"No, Josh-" I try to stop this, but he cuts me off.

"Donna, I love you. I love you and I won't pretend anymore. I don't want to pretend anymore."

Oh my God. He loves me. My heart is soaring right now, but my brain is protesting. I have to do what is right. I don't want to hurt him, but I can't rope him into this responsibility.

"No you don't, Josh." He tries to protest but I cut him off. "You only think you love me because of everything we have gone through this past year together. But Josh, you can't love me. I have a baby and I can't have anymore and that isn't fair to you. You're just confused. But don't worry. I will forget this ever happened and we can just go back to how things were before. Now, if you don't mind I'm going to go home. I will see you in the morning. Be sure to get some sleep." With that, I do one of the hardest things I have ever done and walk out of his office, grab my stuff and move through the bullpen before he can even respond.

JOSH POV

She's gone before I can say anything else. How could she leave? How could she say that? I do love her, and I know she feels something. It was there in that kiss. The amazing kiss that felt more electric than I ever could have imagined.

I don't understand what just happened. I've never been good with women. I've never been able to figure out what you do after you figure out you like someone. But I thought I read this right. Why is she pushing me away? Why won't she let me in? I find myself moving towards Sam's office. I know he is still here and maybe he can help me make sense of all this.

I knock on his door. "Sam, do you have a minute?"

"Sure, buddy, what's going on?"

"I kissed Donna." I might as well go straight to the point.

"Wow."

"Yeah, it was pretty wow, but then she pushed me away and said that we couldn't do this and when I told her I loved her-"

"Whoa! You love her?"

"Yes, I do. Anyways-"

"How could you not tell me Josh? This is huge. I didn't even know that you liked her. I thought it was like Kathy and me. That she was like your little sister."

"Sam please, can we concentrate on the point of my story. Yes, I love her and I am sorry that I didn't tell you, but I need to figure out what happened. After I told her I loved her, she just pushed me away and told me that I couldn't love her because she had a baby and that I was confused and she would forget all about it. I don't understand what happened."

We sit in silence for a few minutes and I can see Sam thinking through what I just told him.

"Do you think she feels the same way?"

"I do. It was there in our kiss. Sam, she feels something for me, I know it. Why would she deny it?"

"Maybe she is afraid of getting hurt."

Why would she think that I would hurt her? "What do you mean?"

"Well, her last relationship was with Michael and he hurt her, twice. And now she has Kat and she is probably worried that if it doesn't work out with you two, not only will she get hurt, but Kat will suffer too."

"But Sam, I know this would work. I've never felt this way before. She's the one Sam."

"Wow that was girly."

"Sam!"

"Sorry." He pauses for a moment, and I'm beginning to regret coming to him. "You need to show her that you are here for the long run."

"How?"

"You need to woo her. You need to-"

"'Woo?' And you say I sound girly?" I smirk.

"Josh! You need to show her that you will always be there. She needs to learn that it is okay to depend on you; that you won't run if things get tough. Josh, take this slow. Let her learn to trust; let her set the pace. Don't push a romantic relationship on her. Just continue to be her friend."

I think about it for a minute before deciding that Sam is right. If this is going to last like I think it is, there is no reason to rush things. I'll 'woo' her. I'll make her understand how much I love her. I'll let her decide when we are ready.

"Thanks, Sam."

TBC