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Hey everyone! This is the LAST part of this story. But I won't be gone for long, I'll be back with a romantic comedy very soon, involving Josh/Donna, Sam/Mallory, CJ/Danny, Toby/New character, and, of course, a little Jed/Abbey thrown in. Well, I hope you enjoy the end of this and please let me know what you thought. Thanks so much for reading! ~Steph Disclaimer: "The West Wing" and its characters do not belong to me. They belong to Aaron Sorkin, NBC, et al. This is just for fun out of a love for the show. No profit is made and no infringement is intended. Rating: PG 13, for some violence. * * * Eye for an Eye Part: 9/9* * * One week later, Sam stood outside of Josh's apartment, banging on the door. "Josh, open the damn door." Silence. "Josh, you can't hide forever." Silence. "Joshua Lyman, open this door right now or I'll break it down!" Silence. Sam sighed, as he took a step back and then rammed his shoulder forcefully into the door. Josh smiled as he heard a thud and then an "Ow!...Dammit!" Josh walked to the door and flung it open, just as Sam was about to perform another act of strength. "Just get in here before you hurt yourself." Sam scowled at him, as he rubbed at his shoulder, "Too late for that." He walked past him and into the apartment. Josh closed the door behind him. Sam shook his head, as he looked at the messy appearance of his apartment, "Whoever you got to redecorate this place should be fired." Josh smirked, as he took his place on a couch littered with clothes, "What are you here for, Sam?" "I'm here to take you back to work." "Well, then you're wasting your time, my friend." "I don't understand you, Josh. You've never backed down from anything before. Why are you letting this change you?" Josh lowered his eyes, "It did change me, Sam. I can't help that." "Fine, then deal with it. Look, Donna is back home. She was transferred to Washington D.C General Hospital two days ago and released this morning." "How is she doing?" Josh asked, trying to make his voice seem only mildly concerned. "Physically, she's on the mend. But emotionally...Josh, you didn't even go to see her." "I was there. She was asleep," he said in a whisper. Sam sighed and sank down into a chair across from him, "Tell me what you're trying to accomplish, Josh. You've shut Donna out of your life. You've pretty much shut the rest of us out, too. And now you're quitting your job...Why?" Josh leaned forward and dropped his head into his hands, as he spoke in a low voice. "Look, there are things you know about yourself. You think you're a good, decent person. But then things happen...Something happens and you realize that there's more to you then you ever thought possible...Parts that you don't like, parts that others wouldn't like in you, parts that shouldn't be in the Deputy Chief of Staff of the United States." "You're not making any sense, Josh," Sam said with a shake of his head. "I know, it doesn't make much sense to me either. All I know is that I can't be a part of Donna's life anymore and I can't work for this nation either." "So that's it?" "Yeah, it is," Josh nodded. Sam shook his head and ran a hand through his hair. Then he spoke softly, his eyes never meeting Josh's, "I know this is only going to make matters worse for you, but you're going to find out anyway and I'd rather it be from me." "What?" Josh asked worriedly. "The lead hijacker, Abdul Salhaji, was released on bail while he awaits trial." "What?! Sam, how is that possible?" Josh asked in shocked anger. "I don't know. It was Judge Horner. You know him. He thinks everyone deserves bail, no matter what they've been charged with or what danger they pose to society. He set it as high as possible, probably thinking Salhaji's people wouldn't be able to meet it, but it turns out he's got some following and they were able to post it. He was released yesterday and his court date is set for the end of the month." Josh spoke softly, almost as if Sam wasn't in the room, "I can't believe this. Knowing he was in jail was the only thing that was keeping me under control." "What are you talking about, Josh?" Sam asked with apparent concern. Josh shook his head free of his thoughts, "Nothing." Sam didn't believe him, but he knew it would be fruitless to try and get him to open up. Slowly, he stood and walked to the door. He said one last thing before leaving, "We all need you, Josh. I hope you eventually realize that." * * * * * Two days later, Josh was ushered into President Bartlet's office by Mrs. Landingham. Jed smiled at him as he waved him over to the couch. Josh slowly walked over to where the President sat and took his place next to him. "Sir, I am here-..." "Save it, Josh. I am not accepting your resignation," the President said with a decisive shake of his head. "I assure you, sir, that you'll change your mind once you hear what I have to say," Josh said in a throaty whisper. The President looked at him curiously, "I doubt it, but say what you must." Josh swallowed against the lump in his throat and began in a soft voice, "A lot of things have changed for me because of what happened on the plane, sir. I thought I knew who I was. But the more I think about it, the more I realize that I've never really known. Maybe none of us know, until we are confronted with something like this...All I know is that I'm not who I thought I was and I don't like the person I've discovered." The President looked at him in confusion, "Josh, this is a hard thing to come to terms with. You have to give yourself some time to adapt." "It's not that easy, sir." "I'm afraid I don't understand then." Josh lowered his eyes from the President's and said in a whisper, "I have his address. I know where he lives." "What? Who?" the President asked, clearly confused. Josh spoke now, a faraway look in his eyes and his tone detached, "Him. The hijacker. Abdul Salhaji. Did you know that he's actually lived here in D.C for five years? It's true. Moved here from Saudi Arabia." "Josh, how do you know all this?" the President asked, in a voice clearly laced with concern. He smiled bitterly, "I haven't resigned yet, sir. People still tell the Deputy Chief of Staff things when asked to." "And what is this information supposed to mean to you?" the President inquired, his eyes studying Josh closely. Josh looked at his hands, as he wrung them together, "I wanted him to pay for what he'd done to, Donna...So I got his address." The President spoke in a worried voice, "Josh, he will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Justice will be done, you just have to let the law take care of it." "The law? You mean the same law that allowed this man to be released on bail?" he replied angrily. "Josh," the President said placidly. He shook his head and continued in an eerily calm tone now, "I lie awake every night and I see his face as I drift off to sleep. And when I wake up, the first thing I see is Donna's face, twisting with fear. At first, I was consumed with guilt...I couldn't get past it...But then it just happened...My guilt turned into rage aimed at him. He was all I could think about...I wanted someone he loved to watch as he hurt, just like I watched when he hurt Donna." Josh said, as his voice trailed off. The President placed a hand to his mouth, as he got the drift of what Josh was saying. He wanted revenge, justice in his mind, and he wanted to perform it himself. "Josh, you don't really mean any of this." Josh nodded sadly, "But that's the worst of it, sir...I do. And that's why I have to leave." He paused and then continued, "Sometimes I think it's right, justified, what I've thought about doing. I'm not religious. I'm Jewish, but I've never been practicing. I know you are though, sir. I know you're a man of the Bible. It says it right there, I've heard it: 'Eye for an eye, tooth for tooth-..." "...Hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe," the President concluded grimly. "Yes, I know it well...Exodus 21:27." "It's the Word of God," Josh stated. "It is words that were inspired by God for people of a different time," he replied. "But it's survived this long, sir. There are people who believe in and follow everything they read in the Bible." He shook his head, "They shouldn't, Josh. I believe in what the Bible stands for, the hope that it gives, not for the words it says. It speaks of many things that have no bearing now. It speaks of slaves, Josh." The President paused and then continued, "A wise man once said this: "That old law about 'an eye for an eye' leaves everybody blind." The President stopped and allowed Josh to absorb this, "Do you know who that man was? "No, sir," Josh said softly. "Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr," the President said crisply. He then continued, "Dr. King was a man who loved God, he believed in him fiercely. But he also knew the power of hate, he knew of its destruction and he could not accept the Bible's word unquestioningly." He stopped and then added, "This was a man who had suffered every kind of injustice you can think of. He was hated by many his entire life because of the color of his skin, he was imprisoned because of his beliefs of equality, and he was killed because he stood by those beliefs unwaveringly. He endured more than we could ever imagine, Josh, yet he always preached of justice won without violence. After all he'd been through, he knew that justice won with violence was a hollow victory at best...And those who seek it that way are left no better than the perpetrators." The President stopped and looked into his eyes, "If everyone exacted vengeance against those who have wronged them, then we'd be a society plunged into darkness." Josh lowered his eyes and nodded, "You're right, sir. I always knew that and I never would have acted on my thoughts. But the problem lies in the thoughts. I can't believe I ever had them...I thought I was better than that." The President nodded, "You've been through a lot, Josh. You felt helpless and this was the only way you could feel like you were doing something to help Donna...It was never who you are." "Do you really think so?" Josh asked in a voice filled with the innocence of a child. The President smiled, "Yes, I do." Josh allowed a weak breath to escape from his lips. The President then added, "And I think that if this situation did anything to you it should make you realize what a gift every day is, Josh. Don't take anything for granted, embrace everything and everyone around you. Don't waste a moment either. You don't have forever, if there's something you need to tell someone, say it now...You might not get another chance." Josh smiled at him with an understanding smile, "Yes, sir." Josh then stood and began to walk away, when the President's voice called him back, "Oh, Josh, why don't you leave that resignation with me. I think I'll keep it handy for the next time you do something stupid, like invent a secret plan to fight inflation." Josh laughed lightly and shook his head. Then he responded seriously, "No, sir, I think I'll keep this one as reminder of all I would have been giving up." The President nodded with a proud smile and then watched as he left. * * * * * A week and a half later, Donna returned to work. Everyone told her it was too soon, but she insisted that she would only drive herself crazy at home. However, the truth was that she just wanted to see Josh and she thought this would be the only way. She hadn't seen him at all since the shooting, and she'd only been told by Sam that he'd visited her. Sam said Josh just needed time and Donna understood that. Still, a part of her hoped that their relationship hadn't been ruined by what happened. Donna had just sat down at her desk, smiling at how good it felt to be back, when Josh suddenly appeared in front of her. He spoke to her as if nothing had happened, "Donna, what's my 10 o'clock?" "Excuse me?" Donna asked with surprise. "What do I have scheduled for 10 o'clock?" "That's all you have to say?" He seemed to be searching his thoughts, "What do I have scheduled for 10 o'clock...Please?" Donna sighed and then picked up the schedule the temp had left, "You have a meeting with Senator Ryser to discuss finance reform." "Okay, thanks." He disappeared into his office and then returned fifteen minutes later. "Could you come with me for a second, please?" She shook her head, "No, I cannot. I just got back and I have a million things to do, Josh. The temp made a mess of things." "I told her you like things messy," he replied with a grin. "Well, thank you very much," she grumbled. "It'll only take a sec, it's really important," he tried again. Donna sighed and then relented, as she stood slowly, "Fine, but this better be good." Josh nodded, with a slight smile, "Trust me, it is." With that, he placed a hand to her back and guided her down the halls. They finally stopped in front of the women's bathroom. Donna stopped him as he was about to push the door open. "Okay, I know you have trouble with this, but this is the WOMEN'S bathroom. You are a MAN." Josh nodded and said softly, "I know, just trust me." He smiled to himself, as he said those words to her with a conviction he thought he'd never get back. Donna shrugged, as Josh gently pushed her into the bathroom. Josh entered behind her and then closed the door. Donna looked at him in confusion, "Am I supposed to be impressed by the women's bathroom? I have been in here before, you know. I'm sure this isn't your first time either." Donna concluded with a slight smirk. Josh came closer to her and looked into her eyes seriously, "I have something I need to tell you." "And you had to do it in the women's bathroom?" she asked in confusion. "Yes," he said, his tone remaining serious, even though she wasn't making this easy. Donna looked into his eyes and saw that he was sincere. "Okay." Josh took a step closer to her and brushed some hair out of her face. Donna could feel her heart begin to speed up at his touch and she whispered with wide eyes, "Josh." He smiled softly at her, "Just let me say this, okay? For once, let me complete a sentence without interrupting me." Donna nodded at him. Josh spoke in a voice that was constricted with emotion, "I am saying this to you here because this is the place, well not the exact place but close enough, where my life changed forever. I met you in a bathroom, Donna. It sounds ridiculous to say my life changed in a bathroom, but it did...It changed with you." He took a deep breath, as he noticed Donna's eyes becoming glassy with tears, "I denied a lot for a long time. I never wanted to see it. And after this happened, I thought you were better off without me...I didn't know who I was anymore, Donna. Until I realized something: I only know who I am, I mean truly am, when I'm with you. You make me see things differently. You make me smile, you make me laugh, you make me think, you make me see the good in me when I refuse to...and now you've made me cry. I've cried for you many times since that night. I've cried for myself." Donna still looked at Josh wide-eyed and then spoke softly, "Josh, what are you trying to say?" He replied in a whisper that sent chills down Donna's spine, "I'm trying to say that the prospect of losing you made my blood turn cold and my world stop turning. I'm trying to say that I never want to know what even one day feels like without you...I'm trying to say that I'd be lost without you." Josh paused and then said with a smile, "I'm trying to say that I want to spend the rest of my life hearing every useless fact you have in that amazing mind of yours. I'm trying to say that I want to listen to you tell everyone on God's green earth that I have a 'sensitive system' as we grow old and gray together. I'm trying to say that the best moment of my life was when I heard your voice for the first time as my head hung over a toilet. I'm trying to say that from now on I always want you to walk beside me, never behind me again...I'm trying to say I love you, Donna." Donna's mouth hung open in shock, as a seemingly endless stream of tears cascaded down her cheeks. Josh smiled at her, as he lifted his fingers to wipe at her face. When she finally spoke, her sentence was slow and barely coherent, "What? Oh my...Is this...Real...I mean...Is this...Did this...Did this just happen...or...am I dreaming?" Josh grinned, as he shook his head, "If you're dreaming, then so am I." He paused and then added, "Of course, my dreams don't usually occur in the women's bathroom, so I'm betting this is as real as it gets." Donna laughed through her tears, as she shook her head in disbelief. She finally spoke softly, with barely controlled emotion, "I can't believe this...I can't believe you. I was sitting at my desk today and I was thinking that you were being so inconsiderate. I didn't really understand why you had been keeping your distance from me, why you didn't even welcome me back today. And then you go and do this...You blow me away." Donna's voice trailed off, as she gazed into his eyes, "I guess I've always known that my feelings go deeper than friendship for you, Josh. No one can drive me crazy and make me laugh in all the same moment like you can. I just never thought you returned my feelings, I guess I was too scared to even consider it. I certainly never thought that our first meeting in that hotel bathroom would lead to this one...But I am so glad that it has. I wouldn't trade one moment with you for anything is this world. Not even the bad, because they've all brought us here to this moment...I guess I'm trying to say I love you, too, Josh." Donna concluded, with a smile that seemed to brighten her entire countenance. Josh smiled with delight, as he cupped her face in his hands. Then he brought his lips closer to hers and they met in a soul-stirring, soft kiss. As the moments passed, Donna pulled Josh deeper into the kiss. They were finally forced to separate when they heard a toilet flush behind them. Josh and Donna looked at each other with wide eyes, as they tried to control the sudden laughter that was about to erupt from them. The stall door behind them suddenly flew open revealing a teary-eyed CJ, blotting at her eyes with a long, flowing piece of toilet paper. She looked at them and smiled through her tears, as she spoke in a ramble, "Oh you guys...That was so beautiful...Josh, you are so sweet...Who knew?...The whole thing about the useless facts and the walking beside me thing...I always knew there was something more between you two...Oh, look what you've done to me. I'm a grown woman, who's crying in a bathroom at the White House and using toilet paper to blot my eyes!" Josh and Donna laughed at CJ, who shook her head at them. Their attention then gravitated to the doorway, where a loud round of applause was coming from. Leo, Toby, Sam and the President were standing in the doorway with smiles upon their lips, for they knew that they had all played a part in making this moment happen in some way or another. CJ nodded, as she continued to dab at her eyes, "Oh yeah, I didn't want to interrupt you guys when you came in, so I just stayed in the stall. But I wanted everyone else to know what was going on, so I called them on my cell." Josh and Donna shook their heads at CJ, as they chuckled. The President stepped toward them. "Well, Josh, this is certainly different. When I told Abbey I loved her it was on the beach during a moonlit walk...But this is definitely another way to go." Josh nodded with a smile, as he placed a hand around Donna's waist, "Thank you, sir...I'm nothing if not different." The President waved his hand at the rest of the staff, "Okay, let's get back to work. I'm sure Josh and Donna would like to spend some more quality time here in the women's bathroom...God knows why, but to each his own." A few laughs flew out of their mouths, before they all nodded and followed the President out the door. Donna turned back to Josh, "Well, I guess this is our special place now." Josh nodded with a tender smile, "Something to tell the grandkids." Donna allowed another smile to spread across her face, as she brought her lips to his again. It seems fate works in mysterious ways...Through a series of unlikely, eye-opening events, the two had come full circle and found love where they'd first found each other. *********************************************THE END****************************************** Thanks so much for reading and for all of your great comments! This has been a really great story to write, so I hope you all enjoyed it a lot. Please let me know what you thought one more time, I'd really appreciate it! Feedback link---> FEEDBACK ~Steph
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