I've lost count of how often I've thought about the White House in the last four years. It's been nearly four years exactly since I left this place. I hoped more than thought I'd walk back through these gates as Sam Seaborne, freshman congressman from the California 47th. I can still remember the edge in Toby's voice when I told him I was staying in California, I remember Leo's resigned "People move on Sam", I remember Josh just being quiet. Yeah, Josh has always had this pathological avoidance thing going on… I've done bits of speech writing over the years when I've been asked. My assistant walked into my office just over a week ago:

"Sam, I've got a Mr Pontas's secretary on the line"

"Is it the Johnson deposition?"

"No, she said it to tell you it was an old friend from home"

"Say that again?"

"She said to tell you it was an old friend from home"

"Pontas?"

"Pontas, Popis?"

"POTUS?"

"Yeah, know him?"

"Louise, we need to talk about you and names again"

"Fine, I'll put him through"

"Please"

"Line three, and tell your friend he has a funny name"

"I would but it's not his name it's his job title?"

"POTUS?"

"President of the United States"

"What the?"

"Could you maybe connect that call Louise?"

"You're serious the President, the PRESIDENT, is calling you?"

"Louise!"

"I didn't know, I mean PO…"

"You're not the first person with whom I've had this conversation…"

So at the request of the president, I spent the next two days with a phone to my ear writing a tribute to a man who led us here eight years ago, on the phone with a man who is still my favourite writer and yesterday the man who brought me into all of this sat in front of me and pitched to bring me back in. I'm sitting in a small, really small office in the OEOB, I had forgotten just how much paper this place involved! I have briefing books, forms to renew my security clearance, call lists, despite Josh's announcement I'm not definitely back in but sitting her, feeling the buzz around this place I'm struggling to remember why I left.

"Well, well, well, well, well… Someone obviously thought fast"

"Donna!"

"Hey Sam"

"It's so good to see you…you look…"

"Sam I can't breathe, you're squishing me…"

"Sorry… Donna let me look at you…. I can't believe, you're just… oh you…"

"Sam, are you going to cry?"

"No!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure… It's just Donna…"

"It's good to see you too Sam"

"Are you alright, well, fine, good?"

"I'm great Sam"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure, we missed you, you know"

"I didn't miss it…"

"Til you walked in the door"

"Til I walked in the door, how did you know that?"

"I'm intuitive like that, DCOS uh?"

"Josh to Josh's Leo"

"Yeah"

"So what corner of the west wing has Josh craved out for you?"

"Don't"

"What? Why?"

"One the last person to ask me that was Amy Gardner…"

"Now's there's a reason I forgot about to stay outside the Beltway"

"Sam!"

"What? Like you're her biggest fan"

"The president-elect offered her Leg Director"

"Donna, will you please just take him to bed or something I can't do Amy Gardner round three"

"You think he's…, you think he actually would… has he said…?"

"Donna, what's wrong?"

"Nothing Sam, it's nothing"

"What did I say?"

"Nothing Sam"

"Hi pleased to meet you, my name's Sam Seaborne, I came down the Potomac in a bubble yesterday and I believe you"

"Sam!"

"Something's happened hasn't it?, Between you and Josh?"

"What did he say?"

"Sorry, the botherhood"

"You do realise that C.J. only ever mentioned the sisterhood once you know"

"And Jefferson only declared a few truths to be self evident once, the good ones stick in the memory…"

"You're comparing C.J. and the sisterhood to the declaration of independence?"

"It would be stretch for a lesser mortal…"

"It's good to see the ego comes with the job title"

"Seriously Donna, something has happened between you and Josh?"

"What did he say?"

"Donna!"

"Sam, don't you think I made enough of an idiot out of myself for years…"

"Whooh there hold on…Donna, when were you ever an idiot? What is this about?"

"I thought, I thought I could be friends again, then we… and now I can't go back, I walked away once and when he walks or runs this time… to Amy Gar… Sam I don't know if I can"

"Geez Donna, if a woman were ever in need of a vacation!"

"God, Sam I'm sorry, two hours back in the district and I'm unravelling all over you.. this was…"

"You're not unravelling, you're becoming deliriously deluded not you're not unravelling"

"You weren't here, he left with her for a little tete-a-tete at the reception…?"

"You think Josh wanted to have Amy Gardner throw that fact in his face that the man who was like a father to him wasn't available for the V.P. slot?"

"He has spoken to you"

"This would be the point I say nothing"

"Sam!"

"Donna, have you two actually sat down and talked?"

"There's never time"

"And he doesn't know that what you're thinking?"

"Sort of, he keeps telling me he's not going anywhere"

"I can well believe that, do you know how long he'd wanted to be where he is… you are…"

"If this doesn't work Sam…"

"What do you want from him Donna, a cast iron guarantee, life doesn't work like that…"

"I've given him four weeks"

"Four weeks?"

"To figure out what we want from each other"

"OK, I really did come down the Potomac in a bubble and I think I ended up in an alternative universe…"

"What are you talking about Sam?"

"You actually think that's what Josh, needs at right now another deadline?, more pressure?"

"What about what I need?"

"O.K. we need to check Fort Knox and probably an area in the Pentagon because the Donna Moss I knew has been kidnapped by aliens"

"Sam I..."

"Donna! You starting talking again, talking properly. Then something happens, you freak out and he tells you it's all going to be alright, something else happens and you turn Ms Professional Political Operative 1974 and go get him coffee of all things, Leo dies you're the only thing he wants and exactly what he needs, he goes Mr Professional Political operative 1974 on you because he thinks it's what you want and then you throw an ultimatum in his face. It's no wonder he's heading for a nutty!"

"Josh is heading for a nutty?"

"Oh thank God the aliens landed and brought a bit of her back!"

"Seriously Sam, is he alright? Where is he? I should…?"

"He's ok Donna, he needs a break more than any man I've ever seen but he's ok, it's not…you know…"

"I don't know how to do this, C.J. said just to love him"

"Always a sensible woman our Claudia Jean"

"Sam, I'm lost in this…"

"It's the accumulation of years of misdirection and nearly almosts you didn't think this was going to be easy did you?"

"Yes, actually"

"Well that was a bit of a pipe dream now wasn't it"

"Sam!"

"Donna, talk to him, properly, he's told you he's not going anywhere what more can he do?"

"I'm being an idiot"

"Yes"

"Don't hold back or anything Sam"

"O.K., I won't"

"We really really missed you, you took the fun with you…"

"You need a great big dose of it"

"Yeah, thanks, I really didn't mean to spill out all over you"

"Yeah and it's a new suit, will never be the same again"

"Josh, is really alright, I know the President-elect has noticed something and now you…"

"Yeah, he'll be fine, as long as he doesn't get anymore news today to push him over the edge."

"O.K."

"So where has Josh craved out a corner for you? Are you following in the illustrious footsteps of Ms C.J. Cregg?"

"Helen Santos offered me Chief of Staff"

"Whoooh! Congratulations! Have you told Josh?"

"Just before I came here… oh god!"

"What?"

"Sam I think I just pushed him over the edge"

"Holy hell!"

"I'm going…"

"No, I have a little suggestion for Mr Lyman, let me take this one you can take the rest for the next fifty or so years"

"Are you sure?... You are sure… Thanks Sam…for everything"