Disclaimer: They're mine! *checks* No wait, they're still not.
Dedicated to all the sick people on this newsgroup... and all those who have a cold too. ;-)
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He eased her into her doorway. She leaned against it and stared at him. "Aren't you coming in?"
"It wouldn't look right, CJ. You know that, at least you normally know that."
She smiled softly. "Are you coming in?"
He sighed. "Of course I am."
She turned and held onto the wall as she made her way to the living room. He shut the door, locked it, and followed her. She sat on the couch and struggled with her shoes. He kneeled in front of her and stilled her hands. Gently, he eased the shoes off and massaged her feet for a moment. She lay her head back on the couch and closed her eyes.
"No, CJ." Danny stood. "You need to be in pajamas, in bed."
"What if I like to sleep naked?" Her drowsy voice asked him.
"How many drugs did you take?"
She opened one eye and grinned at him. "Not enough yet."
"You don't sleep naked." He told her.
"How do you know?"
"I would have heard about it on the campaign trail."
She shrugged. "That's true, no secrets there. Well , actually, there were a few." She frowned, remembering incidents from the campaign.
"No more thinking, time for bed." Danny dragged her up and led her to the bedroom with her feeble directions. "Now, sit here on the bed and tell me where to find pajamas."
She directed him to her dresser, but couldn't resist teasing him. "Don't look in the top drawer while I'm sleeping. I know you really want to."
He met her eyes. "Your lingerie doesn't hold much appeal if you're not in it. Now, pajamas."
CJ smiled. "Bottom left drawer. Flannel, please, I'm cold."
Finding a pair, he pulled out a set of matching pajamas. "Cute, CJ." He placed them next to her on the bed. "Why don't you get changed and I'll make you some tea?"
She nodded, then held her head. "And some more medicine?"
"Maybe." He left her, laughing silently at the difference a little cold could make in such a strong woman. He was in the middle of making the tea when he heard a crash. He ran back to find her flopped on the bed. "What happened?"
"I threw my jacket. It hit the lamp."
Danny began to laugh, mostly with relief. "Why aren't you in your pajamas?"
She stared at the buttons on her blouse. "I can't see the buttons, they keep running away when I try to catch them."
He crossed the room and sat beside her. "Do you trust me?" he asked her softly.
"Yes." she answered without hesitation.
He smiled and undid her buttons, never taking his eyes off hers. "Do you have a button on your skirt too?"
"No, it's a zipper."
He brushed her hair back from her face. "Why don't I go get the tea and a hair tie while you get into your pajamas?"
She smiled her acceptance and he rose from the bed to head for the kitchen. He waited what he thought was a long enough time before heading back into her room with the tea. He found her propped up in bed with the covers haphazardly flung on top of her. He put the mug on her nightstand and straightened the covers, carefully tucking her in.
"Thanks." She said softly as he handed her the tea.
He grabbed a comb and a hair tie from her dresser. "Want your hair back?"
"Yeah." she considered a moment. "Can you do it?"
"Sure." He gently brushed her hair as her eyes closed. He grabbed the mug out of her hand before it fell. By the time he had finished her hair, she was nearly asleep. He helped her lay down and tucked her in again. He kissed her forehead, glad it felt a little cooler, hoping that meant the medicine she had taken at the office was finally kicking in. Then he kissed her cheek and whispered, "Good-night."
"Are you leaving?" she asked groggily.
"I'll be in the living room if you need anything."
"Okay." CJ drifted off and he silently took her mug back to the kitchen. He browsed her bookshelves and picked one, deciding not to turn on the TV for fear of waking her. He settled down, his eyes on the book but his mind on the woman sleeping in the next room.
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