Disclaimer: abcdefghijklmonpqrstuvwxyz... now i know my abc's... next time won't you sing with me...

Note: Once upon a time, soft lite wrote a story called Interminable. In that story, CJ wonders if she'd feel the same way about Danny if he walked in today... today meaning the end of the administration. In soft lite's story, she does. She still has feelings for Danny and is thrilled to see him.

Then I thought, but what if she doesn't?

Note #2: The above is NOT a summary, it's simply how I came up with this idea.

***

"CJ?"

She looked up into Carol's grinning face. She looked away, then back, before asking in disbelief, "What could you possibly be smiling about?"

"You have a visitor."

CJ sighed. "Who?"

"Danny."

CJ stared at Carol for a moment, then couldn't stop the smile that bubbled up. "Really?"

"I always knew he'd come back in the end." Carol whispered.

CJ blushed and ducked her head. She had hoped he would come back at the end of the administration. But for it to really happen was overwhelming.

She broke out of her musings. "Do I look okay?"

Carol gave her a once over. "You look good. I'll send him in."

CJ nodded. Time seemed to slow as she waited for him to walk back through her door. Each tick of her watch pounded louder and louder in her ears. She thought of their kisses, their flirtation, their doomed relationship, if that's what it could be called. She had waited for this moment for years. She had waited for him to come back, so they could start over. She fiddled with her necklace as she anticipated his arrival.

And then he was there. Walking towards her. She couldn't stop the smile that met his.

"Hi," she managed before he reached her. His hand snaked up in the familiar gesture and he gently pulled her head closer. She eagerly met his lips, thinking, "Finally."

***

"And then?"

"I told him I had to go, that I would see him later."

"Claudia Jean! What happened?"

CJ sighed and took a sip of tea. "I don't know, Mrs. Bartlet. It was just... bad."

"Bad?"

"The kiss. His hands on me. Everything. I felt nothing." She stood up and began wandering around Abbey's sitting room. "All those years of waiting for him, anticipating the moment he would walk through the door."

"It didn't meet your expectations?"

CJ sighed. "It didn't even meet our last kisses-"

Abbey perked up. "What kisses?"

CJ bit her lip. "I meant... I meant..."

"I won't tell anyone." Abbey soothed her. "Just tell me what you mean."

"Well... you know about that one around Christmas a few years ago."

Abbey waved that away. "When he dressed like Santa to get your attention. Yes yes. But you said kisses. Plural, CJ."

"In the beginning of our first term, we kissed a few times."

"A few?"

"Five. We kissed five times."

"You remember how many?" Abbey smiled.

CJ grimaced. "We're getting off topic. And you should be getting ready."

"Yes, yes. Jed's leaving office, I need to look nice. And you have to figure out how to dump a man you're not dating. Is that a new record for you?"

"I can't..." CJ imagined hurting Danny. "No, I can't hurt him like that. He thinks I'm in love with him."

"So you're going to do what?" Abbey's voice had turned harsh. "Date him for a little while, then dump him? Maybe marry a man you don't love?"

CJ flinched.

"You still like Danny." Abbey's voice softened. "Try to keep him as a friend."

CJ nodded. "I'll go talk to him if you'll please go get ready."

"Okay," Abbey agreed. "I always thought I'd be so happy the day we left office. And I am, mostly. But part of me..." She looked around the room before her eyes settled on CJ. "I'm going to miss some parts of this."

CJ gave Abbey a hug as they both tried to pretend they weren't crying.

"I'll be in my office if you need anything." CJ moved towards the door.

"Okay," Abbey whispered.

On her way through Carol's office, she asked Carol to find Danny for her. Grinning, Carol took off. The thought hit CJ that Carol would be disappointed too.

"CJ?"

"Danny." CJ glanced away nervously. "Come in."

He closed the door behind him and moved to sit on the couch.

CJ watched him, then sat at the other end. "I wanted to talk to you. I wanted to say... that is, I need to tell you something."

Danny stared at her, amused. "Do you need to work on this more? I could come back."

"No, I need to do this now." She pulled her eyes away from his and looked instead at her hands clasped on her lap. She watched as his hand eased over to hold her hand. His body followed as he moved closer to her. Her breath caught as she clamped down the tears that threatened. "I didn't realize this would be so hard."

"What?" Danny couldn't stop touching her, amazed that after all these years he was finally allowed. He tangled their fingers together and put his hand on her knee.

"I don't want to..." she swallowed roughly. "Hurt you in any way."

"CJ, honey? What's wrong?" He brought a hand up to stroke her cheek.

She shivered and closed her eyes to gather her thoughts. When she opened them, his eyes were only inches away. She stared into them, all thoughts leaving her mind.

"Danny," she whispered.

"Yes?"

She didn't stop to think. She didn't analyze or stress about it this time. She simply let her feelings take over.

"Kiss me."

He obliged happily, his lips teasing hers. He rested one hand on her waist, gently drawing her closer. The other hand strayed to her neck, where his fingers gently traced her necklace up and down her neck.

She deepened their kisses and moved closer. Her tiny whimper reverberated through the quiet room and he pushed her gently down onto the couch. She obliged, pulling him down with her.

As wonderful as the feeling was, she suddenly remembered why she could never sleep on her couch.

"Danny." She managed between kisses. "We can't. Not here."

He slowed his kisses to ask, "Why?"

She swallowed a laugh. "This couch is uncomfortable. And short. And there are too many people around."

Danny stopped his kisses. "Okay."

"I want our first time to be perfect. And comfortable."

Danny smiled. "You've thought about our first time?"

She stared up into his eyes. "Yes."

He kissed her again before asking, "What were you going to tell me before?"

CJ thought back with a rush of apprehension. Thank goodness she hadn't said anything, she realized. She could have blown this over one stupid kiss, ruined because she was stressed.

"CJ?"

"Yes," she told him.

"Yes?"

"To all those times you asked me out."

"Tonight?"

"Yes," she whispered.

"Tomorrow?"

"Yes."

"Tomorrow night?"

She smiled, delighted. "Yes."

"Every day and night for the next fifty or sixty years?"

"Only fifty or sixty?" CJ breathed before pulling Danny's lips back into contact with hers.

As his hands moved slowly over her body, she decided they would be useful in keeping stress away.

***