How we got here.

Lou was screaming at him about California, that's how it all started.

Somewhere there must have been music, or maybe even actual sirens, he wasn't sure. He rubbed his hands over his face, yanking at the tie around his throat. He didn't see Donna look up at him from across the room. He hadn't even known she was in the room.

"Josh?" He didn't hear her.

Lou shot an annoyed glance at herand went back to her rant.

"Stop." Donna told her sharply raising her palm. Her heels clicked across the floor. "Joshua?"

She wasn't fast enough. He was out of the room before she had walked the ten feet between them.

"Damn it!" Lou watched her arm fulls of folders crashed to the ground. sending papers streaming everywhere, as she ran out the door.

Edie stuck her head out of her office as Josh ran by with Donna on his heels. He busted out the door to the balcony, his hands gripping the rails, gasping for breath.

"Josh?" Donna grabbed him and turned his body around to hers.

"I can't breathe." He told her in a panicked whisper pulling at the buttons on his shirt.. Edie reached for the phone, thinking he was having a heart attack. "I can't-."

"Yes you can." Donna told him calmly laying each of her hands on the sides of his face and pressing his forehead to hers. Edie sat the phone back down and watched them as Ronna crept up behind her. "Yes you can. It's not real." He gripped at her biceps and whimpered. "It's not real. You can breathe. Take slow breaths." She pulled her hand off of his face and pressed it to his chest. "You're okay." His hands came to hers, pressing her palm harder against him. "I'm here."

"It hurts Donna." He whispered.

"It's not real." She told him again. "It's just a memory. It's over. I've got you, Joshua.""

He nodded his head against hers before slipping it down to her shoulder and wrapping his arms firmly around her.

Edie and Ronna exchanged glances.

"Come on." Donna whispered softly pulling him by the hand back into campaign headquarters. She looked at the women starring back at her. "Tell Lou we're taking a minute." She said softly. Josh kept his eyes on the floor and followed Donna out of the room.