"Call Linda in Matt Skinner's office and set up lunch with Matt for me one day next week," Josh said as they climbed the stairs to Air Force One. Donna was ahead of him and taking notes while still climbing, and Josh unconsciously placed a hand on her back to keep her balanced.

"He's gonna help you wrangle Senate votes for Charlie's Teachers?"

"We're gonna talk about it anyway," Josh said. "Move everything that's scheduled for this morning or early afternoon to next week, if it's anybody we can't afford to piss off, tell me and I'll let you know whether to try and get them in with Leo."

They reached the top of the stairs and bumped into a blank-faced Sam being guided out the door by an attentive Toby.

"What's going on?" Josh asked.

"We need a little air," Toby said patronizingly as he put his hands on Sam's shoulders and gently tried to push him down the stairs.

"He's wigging out?"

"Oh, no, I think he's already…wigged," Toby said. "But it's alright, we're just gonna go down here, take a couple laps around the tarmac," he said, trying to nudge Sam forward without toppling him.

"Why?" Donna asked.

"The D-section is crap," Sam mumbled, eyes the size of golf balls. He looked at Josh for the first time, took one big step and closed the distance between them, pushing Josh up against the railing. "The D-section is complete and utter crap, Josh. The President's gotta deliver this thing in less than four hours, and it's—"

"It's great, Sam, I told you yesterday. Everybody loves it," Josh tried to reassure him.

"Yeah, well apparently you're all either stupid or trying really hard not to hurt my feelings," Sam said loudly, leaning a few inches closer, thereby bending Josh a few inches further back over the railing.

"OK, man, whatever you need, but I just…" he glanced down at the tarmac for a fraction of a second. "I just want to remind you that fall from this height would probably kill me."

Toby pulled Sam back by his arms. "He's OK. We just need a little air, that's all. Come on, Sam, we'll walk around, breathe some fumes from the jet fuel, and hey, if you still can't come to terms with it, I'll let you stick your head in one of the engines."

"I don't understand. It wasn't crap last night," Sam said. "What happened between last night and now?"

"You lost your mind, that's all, Sam. Let's go. Walkie time," Toby managed to drag him down a couple of steps.

"And you said yesterday it was pretty good," Sam said, turning and looking up at Josh with an accusatory point. "You said it was a slam dunk. And I listened to you. Why? Why would I do that, it takes a translator from the State Department to understand your interoffice memos!"

"OK, I'm thinking now that engine thing might not be such a bad idea," Toby said, tugging on both his arms from behind. "C'mon. Let's go. There ya go. One foot in front of the other."

The two of them made their way down the stairs toward the tarmac, Sam still babbling about the speech.

"Poor thing," Donna said.

"Freak," Josh corrected.

Donna swatted him lightly on the arm before ducking inside the plane.

"Haffley's gonna have to be moved, there's no way we can keep the 3:30," Josh said as they wound their way through the plane. But see if you can move him to later in the day. I don't want him to sit with Leo, his head's big enough as it is."

"Got it," Donna said, adding things to her list as she walked.

Josh was silent for a second. "But not too late," he said.

"It's OK," she said. "He's the Speaker of the House, Josh, that takes precedence."

"Not. Too. Late," he insisted. "I have very important plans." He nudged her with his shoulder and gave her a little grin before he broke off to talk to Ed and Larry.

Donna stared after him for a moment, letting the memory of the smile warm her heart a little.

*****************

Donna secured two seats on the plane and had already rescheduled most of Josh's appointments for the morning due to being put on the flight at the last minute by the time he found her again.

"Anybody have a nutty over the cancellations?" Josh asked as he stepped over Donna to get to the window seat.

"It was more along the lines of 'Thank God, I don't have to deal with him today,'" Donna said, not looking up from her Palm.

"I feel the love," he said, settling into his seat.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is your First Lady speaking," Abbey said as she turned the corner and headed down the aisle. "The temperature is a brisk 39 degrees, the skies are clear, and Sam's having a panic attack by the landing gear, so our pre-flight experience seems to be proceeding normally."

She was met with a smattering of laughter and a chorus of good mornings.

"I didn't know she was coming," Josh said.

"Neither did I," Donna said. "Then again, we didn't know we were coming until late."

"Good point," Josh said in a near whisper as he nudged Donna's elbow and stood as the First Lady approached them. "Good Morning, ma'am."

"Good morning, Josh," Abbey said. "Leo get caught up?"

"Yes ma'am," Josh nodded. "A few meetings he had to take today."

"I see," she said. "Hello, Donna."

"Hello, Mrs. Bartlet," Donna responded sweetly.

"I see you got to come on this one," she teased lightly.

Donna felt her cheeks flush just a little. "Yes, ma'am."

"How's the shoulder healing?"

"Very well, thank you ma'am," Donna said. "I didn't realize you'd be on the flight today."

"I accepted a last-minute invitation to speak at a Democratic Women's luncheon in Manhattan when I realized I could hitch a ride," Abbey winked at her. "Will you come and find me once we're airborne?"

"Yes, ma'am," Donna nodded, trying to hide her confusion.

"Thank you," Abbey said. "I'm off to spread a little joy. See you later."

"Somebody just got called to the principal's office," Josh whispered.

"Shut up."

******************

Donna worked her way toward the President and First Lady's cabin once the pilot announced they were free to move about the plane. She passed Sam and Toby in the corridor.

"I don't want to walk anymore, Toby, I want to try to salvage the D- section," Sam moaned as Toby pushed him along.

"It's done, Sam. We'll tweak, we'll make the President's changes, but we're not doing any rewrites at this point," Toby said. "I knew you were gonna get like this when you were so confident during the writing process. I do my thing in advance of the speech being delivered so when the time comes, I can still focus. You were so smug all the way through and now, here we are, two steps from the finish line and you've gone to the zoo. Keep walking. I am going to get you back to some semblance of normalcy before we have to go in with the President, I don't care if I have to get you drunk to do it!"

"Couldn't hurt," Donna whispered to Toby as they passed. He nodded.

"Seriously, Sam, you need to learn to compartmentalize your breakdowns a little better, is all I'm saying. Faster. Get the blood pumping."

They turned the corner and were out of sight. Donna stared after them for a moment, Toby's words echoing in her head. Compartmentalize your breakdowns. She finally jerked herself from her reverie when one of the stewards brushed by.

Moments later, she was knocking on the door to the President's cabin, which Abbey promptly opened. "Come in, Donna."

"Thank you, ma'am," Donna said as she stepped through the door. "Was there something I could do for you?"

Abbey leaned against the door and smiled, a sense of mock sheepishness about her. "Yes," she said.

Donna nodded. "Anything I can do."

"Well, Donna, I'm a mother. I'm a mother and a doctor. And," she leaned forward conspiratorially, "if you ever tell my husband I said this, I'll deny it, but both the mother and the doctor in me have a slight tendency to…hover."

Donna smiled.

"Very slight." Abbey added.

"You want to see it," Donna nodded understandingly.

"Just a little," Abbey pretended to be embarrassed.

"Oh, all right," Donna said with mock exasperation.

Moments later Abbey was bent over Donna's shoulder with her glasses on. "It looks good," she said, concentrating on the wound. "Actually, it looks very good. You've kept it dry and you've stayed on top of the Neosporin, that's for sure."

Donna nodded. "It really doesn't even hurt anymore unless I roll on it at night or pick up something heavy with that arm," she said. "I've been avoiding reaching over my head with my left arm, though."

"Mmm," Abbey nodded. "When are you having the sutures out?"

"Monday, I guess."

"You guess?"

"My appointment was this morning, but that was before I found out about the trip," she said, trying her best to look a little pitiful so Abbey wouldn't chide her too harshly. "I didn't think it was worth missing the trip."

"Oh, God, no, because it's only your health, but if you haven't got your  job, what have you got?" Abbey said, throwing her hands up.

"I wanted to come," Donna said earnestly. "I really wanted to come. And they said 7 to 10 days, so technically Monday would still be within—"

"Oh, for God's sake, girl!" Abbey turned and started rummaging through one of the built-in drawers. "Get over there, under the light."

"What are you gonna…"

"Board certified in thoracic surgery, Donna," Abbey warned her. "Don't you dare act skittish about my ability to take out a few sutures."

*********************

"4:00's no good, wheels down isn't scheduled until 4:10," Donna said into her cell. "5:30…" she scrolled through the evening on her Palm. "5:30 could work. Does he still want to come to the White House? Josh will go there if that's more convenient for the Speaker." She listened for a moment. "That's perfect. Beth, he really does apologize for the inconvenience. This was total last-minute. You'll tell the Speaker? Thank you."

Josh approached as she flipped the phone closed. "You're on with Haffley at 5:30," she said.

"Good," he nodded as he flopped back down in the window seat. "You got everyone else rescheduled?"

"Yeah, they're all moved to next week," she said, glancing at her watch. Her cell rang, almost on cue. "I need to take…I've got my appointment," she said softly, sliding out of her seat.

Josh glanced up from the report he was reading and nodded, giving her a little grin. "Sam and Toby are in with the President, so I think the conference room's available."

****************

"Any place in particular you want to start?" Stanley asked.

Donna shrugged automatically, and smiled at the lack of tension she felt in her shoulder. "I got my stitches out this morning."

"Ah," Stanley said. "A bright spot."

"In an otherwise very dark week," she said.

"That's right, today's a week, isn't it?"

"Noticed that, did you?" Donna deadpanned.

"Sometimes people find anniversaries of the event to be emotional. Even disturbing," he said.

"To be honest, I haven't really had time to think about it," she said. "I'm on Air Force One right now. We're going to New York. The President's giving an address to the UN. Josh got put on the trip at the last minute."

Stanley paused momentarily. "Your job's pretty ho-hum, isn't it?"

Donna laughed, which Stanley secretly found encouraging. "Not today."

"Right," Stanley said. "How are you sleeping?"

"If I had any nightmares, last night, I don't remember them," Donna said. "I did have one the night before, but it wasn't quite as bad as the others have been. And it wasn't about Josh."

"What was it about?"

"The bank. Bernard."

"What about him?"

"Just some of the things he said during the thing," Donna said.

"Which things?"

Donna sighed. She hated this. "The stuff you heard when I gave my statement. When he threatened me. When he said he was going to use me as a bargaining chip once he realized I worked at the White House."

"And that's it?"

"That's not enough?" Donna said, a trace of anger in her voice. "It was just about some of the things he said."

"And how did you feel about what he said?"

"It scared me," she said quietly.

"In the dream, or when it really happened?"

"Both."

"What else?"

"Nothing else. It just scared me."

"It didn't maybe make you a little angry or a little —"

"No," Donna said firmly but not defensively. "Just scared. Just mind- numbingly, bone-chillingly scared."

Stanley was quiet for a beat. "Okay."

"I'd like it if I didn't feel that way," she said, the same way you say you'd like it if it didn't rain today.

"Well...we'll work on it," Stanley said.

"When?"

"A little bit at a time," Stanley said.

"Which means not today, right?"

"Right," he ignored Donna's aggravated sigh. "What happened in the dream after he threatened you?"

"Nothing, as far as I remember," she said. "Josh woke me up."

"And when you woke up? How did you feel then?"

Donna could feel her cheeks flush. "I guess I was a little weepy," she said softly. "But it wasn't as bad as with some of the others."

"And last night, you slept OK?"

"Yeah."

"No nightmares, no insomnia, nothing?"

"No."

"I mention it…because you sound a little tired," Stanley said.

Donna laughed ruefully. "It's been a long week."

"I can imagine."

"Can you?" she challenged.

"I've dealt with high-profile patients before, Donna."

"Yeah," Donna said, thinking of Josh again. "Yeah, I guess you have."

"And you're still not comfortable going back to your own place?" Stanley pressed.

"I almost did it last night," Donna practically whispered. "I really thought I'd be OK. But some reporter from The Wisconsin State Journal got my mother to give an interview, and he wouldn't stop calling. Finally, I just couldn't stand the ringing phone anymore."

"That's understandable," Stanley said.

"But not acceptable," Donna countered. "Stanley, you know as well as I do, if people knew where I'd been staying for the last week…I mean not that there's anything going on, but just the appearance of…it would be a disaster."

"It's possible," Stanley said.

"Possible? Stanley…never mind. Anyway, I'm going back tonight. It's time. It's about time I got hold of myself," Donna said.

Stanley pretended to ignore the comment. "You remember what we talked about Wednesday? Your residual feelings about Rosslyn?"

"Yeah," she said quietly.

"Have you thought any more about talking with...anyone about those feelings? Trying to gain a little closure?"

"I have thought about it," Donna said. "In fact, I started to. I started to talk to him about it, but…I don't know, I chickened out, I guess."

"Why don't you want to tell him?"

"Because it'll be awkward," Donna said. "We don't…we've never really been comfortable talking about it. And now for me to tell him I've been…I don't even know what you'd call what I've been for the last three years. He'd just end up feeling guilty, and I just…I haven't done it yet. I know I should, and I will. Probably. But…I don't know when."

"I think you ought to consider it," Stanley said. "You're getting to the point that I think you're ready to tackle a few of these other issues. But you need to make peace with this thing you've been carrying around with you for so long, Donna. If telling him will help you do that, then in the long run it's worth some momentary awkwardness."

The pilot's voice announcing their imminent arrival in New York cut off Donna's reply.

"You're landing," Stanley said.

"Yeah."

"Okay. We'll call it a day," he said. "If you think you can handle your apartment, go for it, but don't put yourself under too much pressure, Donna. That has the potential to undo some of the good you've already done."

"Okay," Donna said.

"And think about the other thing," Stanley said.

"I will. Again. I'll talk to you Monday," Donna said.

"Earlier if you need to," Stanley said. "Say hi to the Secretary General for me."

****************

After wheels down in New York, everything was a flurry of activity. The First Lady and staff took a small motorcade to her luncheon, while the President's entourage headed to the UN.

Josh was relatively frantic, since he was staffing the President in Leo's absence. The plane had been a bit of a lull because the President had been working with Toby and Sam, but on the ground, Josh was the man running interference for the President of the United States.

He rode with the President in his limo and Donna followed in one of the staff cars with Ed, Larry, and Carol, who'd come along to wrangle the  press for CJ.

There really wasn't that much for Donna to do, she realized, once they arrived at the UN. Everyone they were dealing with was relatively high-ranking, and Josh had to step up and introduce himself in several circumstances — Leo was a more familiar face. She helped Carol with the press and picked up a few odds and ends for Josh, taking random things that were put in his hands before he even had time to register what they were. He was trying to appease the higher-ranking delegates who wanted a minute with the President, minutes, that, in most cases, he wasn't going to have time to give. Josh was doing…well, what he did, and Donna loved it when he was like this.

Occasionally, Josh would turn and say a name to her, a delegate with enough clout to get a minute with the President after the speech, and she'd add the name to a running mental list and remind him later.

The President was scheduled for a private lunch with the Secretary General before the address. Toby and Sam sequestered themselves for one final round of last-minute changes. CJ was briefing the press with Carol's assistance, and Josh was about to call Leo and check in.

"How long before he's due to start?" Josh asked as he fished a piece of hard candy out of his coat pocket.

"About 40 minutes…we need to head over there in about 20," Donna said.

"Okay," Josh said. "I gotta call Leo. You should take a break. Go see what you can see. Grab some lunch."

"In 20 minutes?"

"I didn't say you wouldn't be rushed," Josh grinned at her. "But you love New York. Go…you know, experience a little of it. Very little of it, but still."

"Josh, it's not a vacation," she said, as Charlie jogged by.

"Hey," Josh called. "Are you going to the place?"

Charlie came back and lowered his voice to a whisper. "I've got 20 minutes to get to Angelo's, eat a calzone, and get back. It's a little crazy, I'll admit, and I'll probably have to eat it while I'm walking back, but by God, I'm not going to be two blocks from this place, Josh, and not have the best Italian food in the world."

"Take Donna with you," Josh said.

"What?" Charlie and Donna asked in unison.

"Take Donna with you, she loves New York," Josh said. "Or she would if she ever got to see any of it, anyway."

"We've gotta hurry," Charlie said. "Can you run in those shoes?"

"Of course I can ru—"

"Then let's go," Charlie said, taking off again.

"You're gonna love this place, Donna, it's the best Italian food you've ever had in your life, swear to God. Go," he nodded toward Charlie as he pulled out his phone.

"What about you?" she said as Charlie returned and tugged on her elbow.

"I'm gonna call Leo," he said.

"I mean, what about lunch?"

"I'll eat on the plane," he waved dismissively. "Go, Donna, you don't have much time."

"Thanks," she whispered, flashing him the most brilliant smile she could muster before turning and practically sprinting after Charlie.

******************

"Sam showed me this place the first time I ever came to New York with the President," Charlie said. "And ever since then, I set foot in New York and I'm like a man possessed."

"I wish we had time to see more," Donna said as they wove their way through the crowded sidewalks as fast as they could. She kept craning her neck, trying to take it all in. "I've never been to Columbia or Central Park or…"

"You can tell people you saw the United Nations," Charlie pointed out.

"Yeah, I suppose. If you're into that kind of thing," she teased.

"Dammit," Charlie said as they reached a street corner.

"What?"

"Light," he said.

Donna looked at her watch. "You are really into this place, aren't you?"

Charlie turned and looked at her full on. "I know what it looks like. But you can't say that, Donna. You don't know. You haven't tried it yet. Trust me, by the end of the day, you'll be one of us." He glanced back at the intersection. "How long is this light?" He turned back around to find a grumpy looking old man where Donna had been moments earlier.

"Donna?" he called, stepping around the man. "Donna?"

He found her over by a shop window, staring through the glass. "What are you doing?"

"Hmm? Oh, nothing. I just…that's a beautiful dress," she said wistfully.

Charlie looked through the glass. "Yeah, it's nice," he said, trying his best to sound appropriately interested.

There wasn't anything inordinately special about the way it was made, really. A silk, halter-neck knee-length cocktail dress. But the color…it was the exact blue, the exact blue of her eyes. She smiled to herself. The color would look great on her, and the halter neck would probably cover the scar perfectly, since it was so high on her shoulder.

The crowd at the corner started moving again. "Donna," Charlie said. "The light's changed."

She looked at him. "Charlie…"

He glanced at his watch, then at her face again. "This had better be the fastest shopping trip of your life, Donna. I'm not kidding."

*******************

"OK, fellas, I think we've done about everything to it we can do," President Bartlet said as they approached the assembly hall.

"Final changes are on their way to the prompter now," Sam said.

"OK," Bartlet said. "Charlie, where's the script?"

When there was no answer, Bartlet stopped in his tracks and turned around. "Char—"

Charlie came tearing around the corner at that moment, Donna hot on his heels. The President watched, bemused, as Charlie stopped in front of him and tried to catch his breath. "We were— there was— sorry, sir. What do you need?"

Bartlet suppressed a smile. "The script."

Charlie's eyes went wide and he looked at Sam, who handed him the latest copy. Charlie passed it off embarrassedly.

The President took it and leaned forward. "Angelo's?"

"Yes, sir. Speaking of which, I've got a little something for you later," Charlie said.

"Excellent," Bartlet said with a gleam in his eye.

The President entered the hall and the staff stopped at the door. "I thought we were gonna have to send a search party out after the two of you," Josh said into Donna's ear as she came to stand next to him.

"It was my fault," Donna said. "I was…waylaid."

"Waylaid by wh—what is that smell?"

"What smell?"

"That…don't you smell it?"

"I don't smell anything," Donna said, keeping her eyes glued to the President as he made his way to the podium.

"It smells like it's coming from…"

"Oh, alright, if you must know, at the moment there are three calzones in my bag," she said dismissively.

Josh was dumbstruck. "Seriously?"

"No, Josh, I'm making it up," Donna said.

"So Charlie was…"

"Serious when he said he wasn't missing out on it. And I made an unexpected stop which threw us behind schedule," she said. "This was the deal we struck. I'll carry the calzones until we get back on the plane."

"What was your unexpected stop?"

"Nothing, I had to pick something up," she said.

"What?" He asked, curiosity getting the better of him.

"I'll tell you later," she said as the applause died down and the President began his speech.

"No, seriously, what could have been so impor—"

"The President's speaking now," she whispered, turning him so he faced forward, and trying to keep the smile off her face as she thought about what else was in her bag.