Disclaimer: They would be having much more fun if they were mine

Summary: CJ and Danny have a much-needed talk. Takes place right before the elections of season... 4. But no spoilers, and Danny is still around then.

***

"Give it to four or five reporters. No leaks before tomorrow afternoon, though, or else."

CJ smiled. "They know that threat by now, Leo."

Leo grunted. "Yeah, alright. And don't do it here."

CJ sighed. "Fine, but that means I'm leaving early today."

"Done." Leo looked back down at his papers, signaling the end of their meeting.

CJ left, rolling her eyes. It would be nice to get home before tomorrow.

"Carol." CJ gestured her assistant to follow her into the office. "Good news, we're leaving early."

She grinned. "Finally. What's the catch?"

"I need a few reporters. How about Billy, Chris, Katie, and Danny? Get them in my office, one at a time."

Carol's eyes widened. "Must be big, those four?"

CJ nodded. "You'll read about it tomorrow night, but let's just say that election night is turning into an interesting fiasco."

Shaking her head Carol asked. "I shouldn't hear about this in this building, right?"

"Yep. I'll call you later if you really want to know."

"Yeah sounds good. I'm surprised Leo even gave you the information here, someone could overhear."

"Me too." CJ looked pensive for a moment. "He never said anything, though, just gave me a file to read. Anyway, get those four in here sometime in the next hour."

Carol left to find the first of the reporters as CJ sat at her desk to get some other work done.

---

"Have a nice night." CJ waved Danny out of her office, the last of the reporters she had picked. She sighed, now she had to get ready to go walk along the water to meet with each of the reporters, separately to give them a chance to ask their own questions. Muttering to herself, she bundled up. Despite the time of year, it had been cold that morning on her way in. The fact that the sun hadn't been up yet probably had something to do with that, she thought to herself as she glanced out the window and noticed the sun was already down.

"Might be nice to see how the world looks in the light." Carol gave voice to CJ's thoughts.

Laughing, CJ told her. "No kidding. And we'll find out in just five years. Now run before they find more for us to do!"

"Oh yeah, the agents would love that. Me, running toward the door to the White House. I'd spend my precious hours off in a jail cell."

"Oh, alright. I was just trying to get the cute one by the door to notice you. What better way to draw attention to yourself?"

Carol blushed. "I could just drop some papers near him, then he'd help me pick them up."

"Make sure it's nothing top secret." CJ lectured her in a sing-song voice.

"Oh, go jump in a lake."

"Hopefully not today." CJ looked a bit worried. "Maybe I should have picked a different spot to meet with the reporters."

Carol laughed, then realized CJ was serious. "Don't worry. You won't get wet tonight, just keep the reporters between you and the water."

"Good plan. Now, go get arrested."

"Have fun with Danny. You're meeting with him last, aren't you? Maybe you should grab a bite to eat after all that work."

"Get out of my office." CJ growled.

Carol grinned and left, mentally giving herself one point.

CJ grumbled, but her heart wasn't in it. 'Well,' she muttered to herself. 'Better get a move on so I can *accidentally* bump into four reporters on my *walk* home.' She sighed, it was too much like a bad movie in this place sometimes.

----

Sighing, CJ finished with her last reporter. "Any other questions, Danny?"

Danny scribbled furiously. "When can I release this?"

"Tomorrow at noon. There are three other reporters, I've told you all the same thing. Any leaks-"

Danny interrupted her. "I know the drill."

CJ nodded. "I know, I just..." she trailed off.

Reaching out, Danny took her chin in his hand. He turned her head to look into her eyes. "It's okay, I understand. This is big. But relax, it'll be okay."

CJ tried to ignore the chills that went through her body at the light touch. He still had no idea how he affected her. She smiled slightly. "I know, deep breaths, right. Greatest way to relax."

"Well, not the greatest way." Danny grinned at her, unconsciously sliding closer to her on the bench. "Are you okay? You're shivering."

"Fine, I'm fine. Maybe I should walk around a bit, get warm. Actually, I guess I should be getting home."

"Let's walk." Danny stood up and offered his arm. He smiled when she rolled her eyes at him and stood on her own. "Spoilsport."

"Don't start." CJ began walking, Danny keeping stride next to her. "What are you doing?"

"Walking you home."

"Danny." CJ stopped herself. She shrugged and smiled. "Whatever, I don't care anymore."

"Well, this is nice. A beautiful woman, a beautiful park, a beautiful-"

"Was that a rain drop?"

"-day. Uh, oh."

The rain began to come down, faster the faster the two walked. They were almost at a run when they reached CJ's building and rushed inside. Trying to catch their breath, they stared at each other for a moment and burst out laughing.

CJ held up a finger as she pulled out her phone. "Carol? Yeah, it's me. You were wrong. It's raining out, Carol. Stop laughing, it's not funny!"

Danny stared at her, realizing he rarely saw her laughing like she was now.

"No, I made it to my apartment, I have to go dry off. I'll talk to you later." She hung up and stared at Danny. "Carol said I wouldn't get wet."

"If it rains, you usually get wet."

"No, I mean. I was worried about meeting people by the lake, figured I'd fall in. And Carol assured me I would be fine, that I wouldn't get wet." Danny began to grin as he understood the conversation that had just taken place with Carol.

"Of course, your fascination with water."

"Shut up." CJ grinned back at him. "Wait, what are you doing here?"

Danny looked around at the foyer to her building. "I don't know. I decided I would walk you home, then when it started to rain I didn't really think about it."

CJ looked out the front door. "I guess it'd be mean to send you back out in this. C'mon upstairs, I'll loan you an umbrella for your trek home."

"Thanks, lead the way."

After a slight pause to think how wrong it was for her to be inviting him up to her apartment, she shrugged and headed for the stairs.

***

"Nice place, can I see the rest of it?" Danny stood right inside her door.

"An umbrella and a tour? Demanding, aren't we?"

"Yep."

CJ shook her head. "Alright, but let's make it quick. This is my night off, I have a few hours now to relax." She started towards the living room, calling back. "And take those wet shoes off."

"Of course, dear." Danny called, then leaned down to remove them, missing the glare thrown at him.

Walking down the short hallway, Danny looked at the pictures on the walls. "That's a great one of you and the guys."

CJ's voice floated out. "Yeah, it's my favorite. There's something about being all dressed up with your friends."

Danny smiled as he looked at the rest of the photos. CJ came back to him, carrying towels. "Here, dry off a bit."

He took them and thanked her. "You changed already?" he noticed, taking in her long robe. "You look good."

CJ blushed and looked down. "I was soaked, I had to change. I need to dry my hair too."

"You could bring the wet look back."

"You couldn't. Dry off. I wish I had some clothes you could change into, maybe throw those in the dryer."

"I'd just go naked, but you wouldn't be able to control yourself. Have to protect my innocence, you know."

CJ stared at him for a moment, then laughed. "Nah, too easy. I'll let that one go."

Danny grinned at her, then vigorously toweled off his hair. She laughed harder. "Oh, my goodness. Your hair."

"What?"

"I know it's normally disheveled, but this is ridiculous."

"Disheveled?"

"C'mon, want that tour? Living room."

"Nice."

"Kitchen. Dining area."

"Very fast tour."

"Yep. Bedroom."

"Organized."

"I know you're disappointed, no clothes flung around."

"I could help you with that." Danny smirked at her, knowing it would only take her a moment to get the double entendre. As soon as he realized she did, he moved on. "Bathroom through here?"

She glared at him a moment, then sighed. "Fine, moving on. Yes, it's a bathroom. You really are an investigative reporter."

"It smells like you in here."

"What?" CJ was taken aback at the wistful tone in his voice.

"Must be your shampoo or perfume." Danny began opening bottles and sniffing them.

"What are you doing?"

Danny smiled at her. "You always smell good. I'm trying to discover your secret."

She stared at him for a moment. "You're crazy."

Before he could reply, a loud noise startled them both. "Was that your stomach?"

"Sorry." Danny patted it. "No lunch, I'm starved."

"No lunch? It's almost ten!"

"Guess I should go eat. Unless you want to share your dinner." He grinned at her.

"I was going to order pizza." CJ thought for a moment. "Let me see if I can find anything for you to change into. Then, you can stay and eat pizza with me until your clothes are dry."

Danny's stomach growled again. "We both agree."

"Stay out of sight when the deliveryman gets here." With that, she left to find something for him to wear.

***

"Thanks Ron."

"Sure thing. Have a good night, Ms. Cregg."

CJ closed the door on the delivery boy and brought the pizza into the kitchen.

"You know the deliveryman's first name?"

CJ nodded, grabbing plates and napkins.

"You just had a conversation with him, wanted to know how his girlfriend was doing."

"Yeah?" CJ buried her head in the fridge, finally reappearing with sodas and beers. "Which?"

"Soda's good." She grabbed a soda for him and a beer for herself as he continued. "I think you eat takeout too often."

"No kidding."

His voice followed her as she took her food out to the living room. "I could help you with that boring life you lead. You know, take you out for dinner a couple times. Just to help you get out of this rut you're in."

As he stepped into her view, he could see her laughing at him. "Boring? You think I'm boring?" She glared at him mockingly.

"Oh." he quickly backtracked. "I didn't say boring. And not you, I said your life was... oh, forget it."

"Sit down."

He grinned and dropped his food on her coffee table. "Just for the record, you're anything but boring."

"Well, yes, I know that."

Danny took a bite of pizza before asking, "So this is what you do on your nights off?"

CJ smiled. "And a nice long shower, and a book that has nothing to do with... well, anything."

"Sounds relaxing."

"What do you do to relax on your days off?"

"Chase down leads."

CJ stared at him for a moment, but he didn't crack a smile. "Really?"

"Oh, alright, I guess I grab some time to play some ball every once in awhile. And kayaking. I like movies, maybe we should go to the movies."

Choosing to ignore the last comment, CJ asked, "Baseball?"

"Basketball."

"Oh."

"What's the matter?"

"I don't know, I just see you more as a baseball player." CJ shrugged.

"It's the pants, isn't it?"

She narrowed her eyes at him and bit back a smile. "How's your pizza?"

"Mmmm, no comment I see. Alright, we can play it your way. You get it? Play? Ball?" CJ rolled her eyes at him as he continued to ramble. "My pizza is good, how's yours?"

She finally smiled at him. "You're insane, you know that right?"

"I'm glad the pizza is good. They probably make is special for you since you're having an affair with the pizza guy, right?"

"Danny!"

"Poor Lily, his girlfriend doesn't stand a chance against you."

CJ sighed and shook her head. She took another bite before bursting out laughing. "Alright, fine. My pizza is good, I'm having fun. I'm having flashbacks of the campaign."

"Those were fun times, weren't they?"

CJ smiled wistfully. "Sometimes I wish we were back on the trail. It was much simpler then, much easier to hold onto our ideals."

Danny nodded sadly. "There's so many tough decisions to make in the West Wing. I only see some of what happens, but I can imagine. People think it's easy, but the White House is a tough place to balance what's right and what's allowed."

"We get shot down so often, our hands are tied on so many things. Thank you, Danny."

"For what?"

"Being here, just being a friend. I need one sometimes, so desperately."

Danny took her hand. "CJ, I'm always here for you. In any capacity you want."

CJ stared at him for a moment before she realized his lips were twitching slightly. She laughed softly. "I'm sorry, Danny. You know I am. Friends is all for now."

"For now?" He smiled at her.

CJ clamped her mouth shut. She grabbed her hand back from his and began to clean up. He watched her leave the room and waited a moment, then followed her to the kitchen.

"CJ?"

She didn't turn from the sink.

"I wasn't teasing you." He sighed as he spoke to her back. "You're so hard to read, CJ. I can't read your mind, I don't know what you're thinking. You know how I feel about you, I've made it very clear. And professionally, you can't mess with me. But with us, with whatever this is between us, you hold all the power. I'll just be your friend, if that's what you want. You know I'll wait for you until the end of the administration, don't you?"

CJ dropped her head as she abandoned the dishes.

"CJ? Please, talk to me."

She drew in a breath and began to speak, so softly he stepped closer to hear her. "You're a great friend, thank you. I'm just so confused right now. Maybe you should go."

"No."

CJ spun around. "What?"

"I'm not leaving." He stepped closer. "What's the matter, please talk to me?"

"It's horrible."

"Tell me anyway."

"I'm not supposed to want you. I have to keep my distance, I have to pretend you don't affect me. Don't you understand that?"

"Why?"

"Conflict of interest." she recited softly.

"You've been warned to stay away from me." Danny stated, knowing without confirmation.

She nodded without meeting his eyes. "I don't even think friends is such a good idea."

"Well, me either. But NBC continues to make episodes, and it's a very popular show."

"Danny."

"Alright, not funny. Had to try."

She eased herself onto the counter, avoiding the cabinets above expertly. "This may shock you, and you can't tell anyone."

"Scout's honor." Danny held up his hand.

"You were never a Scout."

"Why do you say that?"

CJ rolled her eyes. "That's not the Scout signal."

Danny glared at his hand. "Fine, you got me on that. But you have my word."

"That's all I need." She cleared her throat and looked down at her hands. "Sometimes I wish we'd lose this election."

"What?"

"At nights, after work. When I'm all alone. Sometimes I wish it was all over and I could tell you what I really feel."

Danny stared at her, speechless for once. He walked over to her as if in a trance. As his fingers brushed through her hair, she closed her eyes. She gathered strength from the touch to continue. "But I know I'll be so pissed if we lose. We deserve to be there, we're the best ones for the job. And we still have a job to do, we still have fights that need to be won. We will win the election, and I will cheer the hardest. But then..."

"Then?"

"Then one day, a few weeks later. I'll come home after a horrible day. I'll rant and rave and maybe even cry. And I'll wish that we'd never taken the White House. I'll wish we were still campaigning, still the no-names that we were then."

"You're amazing."

CJ slowly opened her eyes to find him a few inches away, staring into her eyes.

"All of you, you're amazing. You've all put your lives on hold for a great man, for a great cause. Leo lost his wife. Josh and Donna dance around each other, and will until after this administration is over. Charlie... that boy never sees his house. Toby has put everything on the line, he has immersed himself in this White House. And you..."

CJ leaned forward and pressed her lips softly to his for just a moment. "Yeah, I've given up a lot. But I've gained a lot too, we all have."

"You haven't given up me. I'll be waiting. Whether it's a few months or a few years, I'll be here. But now I should go, you need your sleep." Danny moved away to go change as CJ gathered her thoughts. She took a deep breath and jumped down from the counter, moving to the living room to find an umbrella.

As she handed it to Danny, now enveloped in his warm clothes from the dryer, he grabbed her to hug her. She relaxed in his arms, lowering her head to his shoulder. His hands roamed her back for a moment, then he pulled away.

"I think I should leave now." Danny told her, slightly wide-eyed.

"Alright." CJ stared at him. "What's wrong?"

"You're..." He took a deep breath and prayed she wouldn't slap him. "You're not wearing anything under that robe, are you?"

She glanced down as if she could see through the robe. "No, why?"

He groaned. "I don't think I would have made it through tonight if I had known that."

"Really?" CJ smiled mischievously.

"Don't start with me, you siren."

"Siren, huh? I like the sound of that."

Danny held out his hand. "Friends." She grasped it and held back a laugh as he shook it. "Oh, and let me know the day of the election who I should vote for."

"A man who takes orders, I like that." CJ brushed past him into the hallway, where she unlocked the door. "Goodnight Danny. Thank you."

"Goodnight CJ." One of his hands reached to touch her, but the other slapped it away. Her laughter followed him down the hall to the elevator.

***

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