Disclaimer: Not mine, except Danny when he's tied up at my place-- *slap, ouch* fine not mine ever.

Summary: CJ has decided to take action on the romance side of her life. And this story was supposed to end very differently than the way it does, I'm sorry I don't know what took over.

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"CJ!"

"Mike?"

"Are you willing to make a comment about your new boyfriend?"

Danny snapped to attention and stared at her.

"No comments on private lives, you know that."

"You two were seen at a popular restaurant last night, your picture is in the afternoon edition of the paper."

"No comment."

Katie glanced at the shocked expression on Danny's face. Obviously, he hadn't known anything about this. She felt bad for him. She knew he had a bit of a crush on their Press Secretary, but it was now obvious that the rumors of them having a secret affair were just that- rumors. A few of the other reporters noticed Danny's face as well, but CJ didn't seem to.

"Any questions about anything besides my love life?" CJ waited a beat. "Nothing about the foreign arms deal?" Shaking her head, she muttered, "Didn't think so."

She glanced around one more time, her gaze skimming over Danny but not landing there. "Full lid, go home."

"Goodnight CJ."

She grabbed Carol. "Get me Danny."

Carol stared at her for a moment, when she spoke her tone was icy. "What if he doesn't want to see you?"

"Carol." CJ warned her. "Don't start with me."

Carol shrugged and walked over to Danny as CJ left the room.

"CJ!"

She rolled her eyes. "Oh goody." She turned around. "Hey Toby."

"Your love life?" He sounded incredulous.

"What?"

"You used that phrase, that's the only thing they're going to focus on. You couldn't have said 'any more questions about my friends' or something else."

CJ shook her head. "Too late now. I didn't realize I'd get the question."

"You didn't realize?" Toby nearly yelled at her. "Are you kidding me? Have you seen the picture of your intimate dinner with..."

"Scott." CJ supplied for him.

"With Scott? You two looked pretty cozy."

CJ shook her head. "Don't you want me to have fun? Go out on dates with interesting men? Stop mourning over my non-relationship with a certain reporter?"

Toby knew better than to keep digging when her look told him he was already in too deep. "Fine." he muttered. "Just please don't use that term." Before she could react, he cut her off. "And no, 'sex life' is not an acceptable term either."

Her eyes lit up. "Alright Toby, I’ll remember that phrase."

Toby gave her a look that would have melted a more fragile woman and left her. She headed for her office.

"CJ?"

"Yeah, Carol?"

"Danny." Carol showed Danny into the room, although he looked like he wished he was anywhere else.

"Thanks Carol. Can you close the door?"

As she did, Danny bit off a comment. "The shades are closed too, won't we get in trouble from your co-workers?"

"Not anymore." CJ stared at him, then smiled. "Why don't you sit down?"

"Thanks, I'll stand by the door here. That way I can leave when I want."

"Suit yourself." CJ took a deep breath. "I'm sorry."

"Is that what you called me back here for?" Danny's voice was sad, instead of the yelling CJ had been prepared for. "To tell me about your new boyfriend, to let me down easy, no hard feelings?"

"No." CJ walked closer to him as he tried to back away from her. She placed her hands on his shoulders. "I'm sorry I had to do that in the briefing. It had to be convincing. If you knew, you might not have had the reaction you did. As it is, no one knows."

"You're babbling. What are you talking about?" Part of Danny wanted to push her hands off, but the bigger part wanted her as close as possible.

"The guy in the photograph, his name is Scott."

"I don't need to hear about him." Danny interrupted her.

"Danny." CJ nearly growled at him. "You're so hard-headed."

"CJ. Just..." Danny bowed his head. "I don't want to hear about him."

"Tough. Scott is a friend of mine, we go way back. He owed me a big favor. He paid up last night." Danny winced and started to interrupt.

"Stop talking." CJ grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him closer. Their lips met and Danny jumped. His astonishment lasted after her lips finally left his. "Well, there's one way to shut you up. Listen to me. Everyone now thinks I have a new boyfriend, that I'm over you. Only Scott, you, and I know the truth. Not even Carol knows, and believe me she's making me pay for it. If we keep it quiet, I think we could pull off a relationship. Scott and I are friends, he helped me set up the restaurant last night to look like we were dating."

Danny stared at her, unable to speak.

"Danny?" CJ began to look worried. "I'm sorry about the briefing, but I needed it to look real. I even used the phrase 'love life' to throw all those reporters off the track, although it made me look like an amateur."

"I think I need to sit." CJ let him go as he fell onto the couch.

"Danny?" She sat gingerly next to him. "Say something, please."

"Thank you."

"What?"

"CJ, that was a crazy thing you did. Thank you for doing it for us." Danny dragged her to him and captured her mouth. She moaned as his arms tightened around her, drawing her as close as possible. When he released her, he kept one arm loosely around her waist. She laid her head on his shoulder as he stroked her hair. "We can't do this."

CJ sighed. "You want to date me, don't you? I set it up, I tossed the vultures- meaning both your colleagues and mine- off the scent with Scott's help. I don't understand."

"You know we can't. There's still a conflict of interest, CJ. You're smart enough to know this."

"But I want you." Her whispered confession nearly did Danny in, but he held strong.

"I know." He kissed her forehead. "I know."

He brushed the tears from her face. "I love you for doing this for us."

She took her head from his shoulder and looked him full in the face. "What?"

He laughed lightly. "CJ? You didn't know? I'm in love with you."

CJ began to cry harder. "This isn't fair. I love you and we can't be together and-"

Danny's eyes grew wide. "You what?"

As her words sunk into her head, CJ stopped crying. "Oh my goodness. I'm in love with you. I didn't realize it before."

"Wait for me."

"What?"

"At the end of the administration." Danny kissed her hands. "We'll be together then."

CJ nodded and he left her on the couch looking bereft yet calm. "I love you." he whispered before opening the door and disappearing.

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