I am so sorry about the wait. Let me tell you, the last few months I have died about three times under the weight of my school work. And honestly after i finished my course I hated writing anything. So I just relaxed (Watched the WW again) and refreshed for a bit there. I hope ya'll are still willing to read, and you don't hate me too much for my absence...again died three times.

Time was passing so slowly for Donna, yet also going warp speed. Every day that she didn't tell Josh the truth sent shooting pains to her stomach. She knew she had to do it. And the sooner the better. But she just didn't know how to put the words together.

Of course, she wanted to do it in private, but they very rarely had a moment alone since the incident. Josh was either always at Rachel's, or vice versa. And she also thought it better to do it without Tilly in the room.

What was she meant to say though? Just blurt out the truth? Or should she choose her words carefully. She'd had five years to think of what to say, and yet still had no idea. There were very few things in the past that she couldn't tell Josh. Except for hiding her true feelings for years, words usually come easily. They came out with such velocity when they were working in the west wing that you'd never know either of them were keeping something to themselves.

Donna was sitting at the breakfast bar looking at her photo album. It was a ritual for her. At midnight on Tilly's birthday she would look over the memories of her daughter's life. She couldn't believe how fast her little girl had grown up. It seemed like only yesterday when Donna was in the hospital. But now Tilly was five years old. Or would be in a couple of hours if she was being precise.

Donna's fingers glided over the pictures from Tilly's first birthday. Donna was never one to keep a photo album, but that changed quite soon after Tilly was born. It seemed important to keep evidence of everything that happened. To chronicle Tilly's life for those not able to see it in person. Really, she started because of Josh. Just in case one day he was back in there lives and wanted to know his daughter. She didn't think they'd ever be here though.

This year, unlike others, something was different. When she looked at the pictures she didn't feel like she normally did. There was something missing. Or really someone.

Josh should have been in every photo. He should have been holding Tilly up as she blew out her candles. He should have been holding her hands as she learnt to walk. He should have had her on his chest as they both succumbed to exhaustion. He should have been there, and it was Donna's fault he wasn't.

"What'cha looking at?" Josh asked startling Donna. She had been so enthralled, that she hadn't even heard him come in. She thought he was staying at Rachel's tonight. Mostly because that's what he said he was doing.

"Oh, hey," Donna said quickly wiping the tears from her eyes, so he didn't see, though she was sure if he asked she could come up with a quick cover for why she had been crying. "What are you doing here?"

"I live here," Josh replied.

"I mean…you know what I mean," Donna said.

"Tilly asked me to be here, and I can't say no to the pout," he explained, though getting that across to Rachel was a lot harder. It was why he was only arriving at midnight and not earlier like he had originally planned. However, maybe it was for the better, this way he was able to surprise Tilly in the morning with his presence.

"What can I say, I taught her well," Donna beamed. Because Josh was never able to say no to her pout either.

"Yes, you did," he grinned, knowing exactly what she was referring too. He never really cared that he was all that susceptible to Donna, and really didn't mind that he was even more so to her daughter. "So, what are you looking at," he asked as he came over.

Donna didn't reply but showed him instead. Realising what it was, Josh took the seat next to her, and began scanning each photo on the page. He looked at each intently and loved seeing the little girl grow with each new picture.

Josh was so focussed on the photos, he didn't even notice Donna's hand shaking as she turned the pages. "Josh-" Donna began. But no words followed.

Josh looked up at her, waiting for her to continue. It was the first time he registered the look on her face. "What's the matter?"

"Nothing, uh don't worry," she said turning her attention back to the book and flipping the page. Josh knew that wasn't the truth but didn't think he should push it. Not talking since the incident had been working for them. If they didn't mention it, it was easier to pretend nothing happened.

When they reached the last page, Donna got up to get a glass of water. Being in such proximity was not helping. Her gut felt twisted, and her chest was tight. She needed air. She needed to be away from Josh.

Donna turned her back to him as she drank from the glass. She needed to compose herself. She needed to take a few breaths. She needed to ground herself.

"Donna?" Josh's voice waivered. She was probably worrying him. He could probably hear the change in her breathing, or even the pace of her heartbeat. Taking just one more deep breath, she turned back.

That's when her stomach really dropped.

While Donna wasn't looking, Josh had flipped to the front of the album. This wouldn't have been a problem, however the first half dozen photos needed to be explained.

"She's so small," he said looking grief stricken over the photos of Tilly on the day she was born.

"Josh-" Donna tried to begin.

"I mean, I know babies are small, but they're not meant to be this small, right?" Josh said gazing back up to Donna.

"No. No, they're not," Donna replied. "She was a premmie," she explained while adverting her eyes. This wasn't how she was meant to tell Josh. But she knew that it was only a matter of time before he worked it out.

"God, Donna," he said sympathetically, and she believed he hadn't put two and two together yet. "I'm sorry you had to go through that," he added.

"It was a scary few weeks. Touch and go at times," Donna replied, her arms folded across her chest. In all honesty she hated thinking of the first month of Tilly's life. "But we made it through."

"How much?" He asked, again looking down at the photos of the tiny baby.

"What?" Donna questioning, not sure what Josh was asking.

"How premature was she?" He asked.

This was it. She had to tell him the truth. "10 weeks," she answered. If she had a stopwatch she would time how long it took him to piece it together. "Josh-"

The look on Donna's face told Josh all he needed to know. "She's mine?"

"Yeah," she said, though it came out in a near inaudible whisper.

"Well…I'm going to need a minute," Josh said. He was about to cradle his heads in his hands, when he decided a drink seemed much more appealing.

"Josh-"

"No. Don't speak," he said as he opened a bottle of thirty-year-old scotch.

"Ca-"

"I feel I deserve that much, don't you think?" He said, as he put the glass to his lips, and Donna went silent. He did deserve that. He deserved so much more than that, but that was all she could give him right now.

Donna watched Josh intently, watched as every possible emotion ran across his face. The hurt, the confusion, the joy, the anger. All warranted being felt, she just wished he wouldn't settle on the last one.

Knowing he was being watched, he turned away. He wanted to work through this without the intent stare of Donna on him constantly.

He was a father? That was not what he was expecting to hear tonight. Hell, he wasn't ever expecting to hear that. Usually there was a nine-month waiting period before those words would be true. He wasn't meant to find out one night that he had a five-year-old.

Josh placed the glass on the counter after downing the liquor, and then turned back around. "What the hell, Donna?"

"I was always going to tell you," she began.

"Yeah? When? When she was graduating college, or maybe when some other schmuck was walking her down the aisle? When were you going to tell me?"

"I was trying to find the right time."

"The right time would have been when you were standing in my office asking for a friend," he shot back. "No actually, the right time would have been five years ago," he added.

"What? When you kicked me out of your house and said you never wanted to see me again?" Donna countered. There was a reason she hadn't told him. He had to understand that. She didn't do it maliciously. She would never do that. Not to anyone, but especially not to Josh.

"You're blaming me?"

"No. I just- I made a mistake," she stammered.

"A mistake? A mistake is putting an extra zero on the federal budget, or spilling wine on the head of a head of state, or even falling asleep in a cheese day meeting-"

"Hey, only one of those was me," Donna countered. She had done a lot of stupid stuff at the White House, but Josh had always done considerably more.

"Your point?" Josh questioned.

"I don't know, you brought it up," Donna replied.

Josh went silent again, not knowing what to say, an uncommon occurrence for him. He honestly didn't know how he was meant to react. "I have a daughter?"

Josh's question seemed more like a statement, so Donna didn't answer. But she did notice the corners of his mouth turn up. No matter how he was taking it, she knew it was something he was glad he was hearing and able to factually say.

"We have a daughter?" Josh said as if it only just registered. This made Donna smile. It was the first time she had ever heard 'we' in relation to Tilly, and by God did she like the way it sounded.

"We do," she said as she came to rest on the counter next to Josh. He was taking it better than she thought he was going to, thankfully.

Josh's hand crept out to reach Donna's, resting his fingers on hers. He wanted her to understand that although he was angry, he didn't hate her. He wouldn't make judgement until he knew the whole truth behind why it had taken her five years to tell him about Tilly. He was guessing she had her reasons.

"Well, you've got a hell of a lot of explaining to do, don't you," Josh said.

It's a short one, I know, I just wanted to get back into it. And writing this convo was actually pretty hard. What do you think is going to happen now? Does Donna have a good reason? Will Josh ever forgive her? And what will Tilly think?

Please Review :D