Disclaimer and notes in part 1

***

CJ punched the down button and the doors slid closed.

"So..." Danny turned to her, not sure whether to go to small talk or try to kiss her. "Good movie."

"I'm going to take flying lessons," she told him.

"When did you decide this?"

"When Howard Hughes gave Katharine Hepburn the wheel."

He laughed. "Sounds reasonable." He trailed her as they left the elevator, falling silent as they got closer to her office.

She opened the door a crack, then walked into the darkened office. She gestured for him to wait outside.

"Margaret?" she whispered.

"Did you need something?" The voice came from the couch.

"No." CJ sat on the chair. "How're you feeling?"

"Better." Margaret began to sit up, feeling that she needed to be professional in front of her boss.

"No, no." CJ pushed her gently back down. "Don't get up. I don't need anything."

Margaret relaxed.

"Do you need anything? Did you want to go to bed, Mrs. Bartlet has got rooms ready for us all."

"I'd rather sleep here," Margaret told her. "I'm comfortable."

"Haven't the phones been ringing?"

"I asked the switchboard to send any calls to voice mail, since you weren't here anyway." Margaret told her.

CJ smiled. "Good. Then go back to sleep, but call me if you need anything. I have my cell." She spotted Margaret's cell phone on the table and moved it closer.

"Okay." Margaret's voice was already fading.

CJ stared at her for another moment, not wanting to think about the emotions she felt. The small twinge of jealousy seemed horrible to her, especially since she hadn't felt it before and was sure it was due to the man waiting for her in the hallway. She stood quickly, wishing she could silence the voice in her head telling her she wasn't getting any younger. She tiptoed out of her office and quietly shut the door.

"How is she?" He sounded concerned.

She cringed, then put a smile on her face and turned around. "Better. She's going to sleep some more and then she'll be even better in the morning." She hated lying to Danny, even for something like this.

"Good." He glanced around, then skimmed his fingers over her cheek. He brought his lips to hers and gave her a gentle kiss. "I wanted to do that through the whole movie."

"Why didn't you?" She smiled and relaxed against the wall.

"That guy sitting in the front row."

"Ah." CJ nodded. "Although he was probably busy with his wife."

"An image which will stay with me for quite awhile, I assure you."

CJ clamped down her laugh. "You're welcome."

"You're not nice. You should help me drive those images out."

"By?"

He stepped closer and whispered in her ear. "Putting new images in."

"Can't think how I-" She broke of as he began to kiss the side of her neck. His hands rested at her waist and she wrapped her arms around his neck to draw him closer. His kisses slowly worked their way closer to her mouth and she bit back a moan. "Danny," she whispered.

He took it as encouragement and captured her mouth. She was glad for the support of the wall as her legs turned to water. Her fingers curled though his hair.

They broke apart, out of breath. He moved to kiss her again, but she shook her head.

"Look where we are," she whispered. "There are agents all over these hallways. And we're expected in the Roosevelt Room. We can finish this later."

He pouted for only a moment before brightening. "Later?"

"Come to my room later. We'll..." She dropped her eyes to his lips. "Talk."

He smiled, his eyes lighting up. "Okay." Backing away, he let his hands fall from her waist. She grabbed one hand and held it tightly. His smile deepened. "Let's go, Kate. I want to see you take Josh and Sam for all they're worth."

She smiled. "And you. Flying lessons are expensive. And I could use a new pair of shoes."

As they approached the door, Danny squeezed her hand, then dropped it. He held the door open for her.

Josh was shuffling the deck while Leo was telling Carrie she didn't have to play if she didn't want to.

"Oh, come on Leo. I was just telling Danny I need new shoes. Let her play, maybe she's worth some money." CJ smiled widely.

Leo rolled his eyes as CJ and Danny took their seats. "CJ is our resident card shark," he explained to Carrie. "Watch out for her."

Mallory smiled at Carrie. "I might just watch. Us teachers don't make nearly enough money to be buying CJ a new wardrobe."

"Did you want to go to bed then?" Sam asked her, concerned. "Will this be too boring for you?"

"The conversation alone will be worth it," she assured him. Then she turned back to Carrie. "Although you might start to wonder why you reelected these people to be in charge."

"I didn't vote for..." Carrie trailed off at the aghast looks on the faces around the table.

"Whatever you do," Josh whispered. "Don't tell Toby you're a Republican."

She rushed to reassure him. "Oh, no. I'm registered Independent. I would have voted for President Bartlet, but I didn't vote."

"Don't tell Josh that," CJ grinned.

"You didn't need my vote for reelection. I voted for him the first time."

"Why didn't you vote for the reelection?" Leo asked her, genuinely puzzled.

"I was in Honduras, volunteering with the Peace Corp."

"Wow." Josh stared at her in wonder. "That's amazing."

"What was that like?" Donna asked, wide-eyed.

Carrie smiled faintly. "Amazing. And heartbreaking. I didn't stop going, working, for days at a time. An absentee ballot took too much time to deal with. I needed that time for more important thing."

CJ and Leo's eyes met. "We should do something about that."

Leo nodded. "First thing tomorrow, we'll at least look into it."

CJ agreed.

"What just happened?" Carrie asked.

Sam smiled gently at her. "They'll study the situation and possibly make a recommendation about changing the current system."

"Just because I mentioned a problem I had three years ago?"

Sam nodded.

"I better watch what I say around you guys."

Josh grinned. "Who's in?" He began to deal to those with raised hands. "While we play, why don't you tell us more about your time with the Peace Corp?"

Donna nodded enthusiastically. "Please?"

Carrie began to tell them about the poverty she had encountered but quickly veered to the generosity and pride of the people. The hand started, but cards were forgotten as Carrie's voice grew stronger. Her eyes said that she was far away as she described the children playing in the streets, happy but hungry. She stopped abruptly in the middle of her description of a poor mother with a tiny baby.

"Carrie?" Leo touched her arm.

"I'm sorry." She said. "I'm depressing everyone."

"Why don't we finish this story tomorrow." CJ suggested, then turned to Leo. "I think the President should be in on this conversation."

Leo sighed. "Yeah."

"The President?" Carrie put her hand to her head. "Oh, my."

CJ smiled. "Don't think about it, it'll be fine."

Carrie laughed shortly. "You guys don't mess around, do you?"

"Not when it comes to important things like the Peace Corp and poverty."

"And voting," Josh added.

CJ nodded. "That too."

Leo smiled. "CJ, bet."

She glanced at him, confused for a moment. Then she glanced at her hand, still holding her cards. "Oh, right." She threw some money in the pool and turned to Danny, sitting next to her. Play went around the table in silence for a few moments.

"Anyone know three words in the English language that begin with 'dw'?" Sam asked quietly.

CJ, Leo and Josh chuckled. Zoey rolled her eyes. "This is one of dad's questions, isn't it?"

"Of course." Sam assured her.

"Dwell." Danny offered.

Zoey glared at him. "Don't give into it."

"Dwa... Dwi..." Donna tried random sounds to jar her brain.

"Dwarf." Charlie grinned. "That's one, right?"

Sam nodded. "Dwell and dwarf. Anyone know the third?" He waited a beat. "Come on, anyone?"

Will, Carol, Mallory, Danny, Donna and Charlie all ran though letters and words in their heads as Zoey rolled her eyes. "Can we play?"

"Not until someone gets this." Sam said with a grin.

"Dwindle." Zoey told him impatiently. "Now bet or fold."

He gaped at her for a moment, then put his cards down. "Fold. But there is a fruit with seeds on the outside. Name it."

"It's not the kumquat." CJ told them. Danny chuckled at the serious expression on CJ's face.

"Sam." Zoey glared at him. "Stop it or I'm not voting for you for President."

He grinned at her. "Why don't you try to stump me?"

She considered. "Okay."

"Great." Sam waved away the cards CJ was dealing. "Deal me out." He and Zoey moved to the other end of the table to fire questions at each other. The poker game grew quiet as they all listened to Sam and Zoey begin.

"Twenty on Zoey." Josh whispered to CJ.

"I'm not betting against her." CJ whispered back.

He made a face and turned to Donna instead, who nodded to bet on Sam.

"Name the fourteen punctuation marks in the English language." Zoey challenged.

Sam smirked. "Period, comma, colon, semi-colon, exclamation point, question mark, parenthesis, quotation marks, braces, brackets..." He tapped his head, then finished. "Ellipses, dash, hyphen, apostrophe."

Zoey nodded. "Do I just keep asking or do you get to ask too?"

"Contest!" Josh answered. "You both ask."

"Okay." Sam agreed, then thought for a moment. "In what country is the worlds tallest waterfall?"

"Venezuela, Angel Falls." Zoey answered quickly. "'Thus conscience does make cowards of us all.'?"

Sam answered just as quickly and the battle was on. Questions came faster and faster and the poker game was forgotten as the card players chose their sides and cheered for right answers.

"'All sects are different, because they come from men; morality is everywhere the same, because it comes from God.'"

Zoey hesitated.

"Uh oh." Charlie whispered to Carol.

"John Locke?" Zoey guessed. At Sam's headshake, she sighed. "You win."

Josh grumbled as he and a few others handed money to Donna, Will, Leo, and Carol.

"Hey, thanks for betting against me." Sam shook his head at Josh.

"Hey, she grew up in his house, I thought she was a sure thing!"

"I think I'm going to head up, find a bed." Carol yawned.

"Sleep. Huh." Josh considered this.

"Quite a concept." CJ smiled. "Let's go."

The yawns around the table showed that everyone was in agreement with Carol and CJ. Zoey stood to lead everyone to the rooms Mrs. Bartlet had picked out for them. CJ took a detour to her office to check on Margaret and the weather report. Margaret, she was glad to see, was sleeping soundly. She left a note for her, letting her know she would be in a bedroom upstairs and an agent could show her to an empty room if she needed it. CJ was sure, however, that Margaret would sleep there for the night.

The weather was not as positive. Snow continued to fall and was expected to continue until the early morning. She sighed, then shrugged. There was nothing she could do about it. Except pick on Sam, of course.

CJ caught up with Zoey as she was showing Sam his room. Mallory and Danny were the only ones still with her. "Ah, CJ." She caught sight of her. "Your room is here."

The agent opened the door for them. "Thanks," CJ murmured as she walked into the room. She turned back to wish the others a goodnight. They left to show Danny his room, Mallory having decided she would stay with Zoey.

CJ was pleased to see her bag on the bed and made a mental note to thank Mrs. Bartlet for making everything run so smoothly. She took out all she needed to get ready for bed, glad to get her make-up off and her hair brushed out. Though the outfit she had worn was very comfortable, she decided to change into her pajamas anyway. Then she snuggled into bed and closed her eyes.

A knock came on the door and she opened one eye. "Come in."

The agent from the hallway opened the door and Danny poked his head in. "Hey, CJ."

"Danny?"

He glanced at the agent. "You told me to come by to finish that conversation from earlier."

"I did?" CJ sat up, thinking it might clear her head.

"Yes."

She shrugged, then the confusion cleared from her face as she realized his ruse. "Ah, right. Yes, I did."

The agent nodded and moved to let Danny inside, closing the door behind him.

CJ laughed as she looked at him. "Cute."

He glanced down, then up with a grin. "You like?"

She shook her head at the reporter, sleepy-eyed and wrapped in a blanket. She could see glimpses of his pajamas under the blanket. "Get over here."

He didn't waste a moment, crossing the room to throw himself down next to her on the bed and catching her lips with his. She smiled against them and pulled him closer. Their kisses grew longer and more frantic as they moved as close as possible through all the blankets and clothing. His hand moved slowly up and down her back, finally moving under her top to touch bare skin. She shivered against him as he slowly began moving his hand again, this time higher up her shirt.

"Danny." She whispered between kisses. "I'm sorry. I know before, I said... but we can't."

He groaned but smiled at her. "It's too soon? You want to go out on dates, get to know me better and-"

"No!" She cut him off, laughing softly. "Definitely not too soon, I can't even believe it's been almost ten years since we met."

"Well..." he thought about that. "Seven years here, a year on the campaign."

"Feels like longer," she whispered in his ear as she ran her fingers through his hair.

"Really?" He shifted slightly. "Because it feels like something else to me."

She stilled her hand. "I'm sorry. Here I tell you no and yet my hands... seem to have a mind of their own."

"Why no?" He moved slightly backward so he could look in her eyes.

"It feels wrong, here. The President a few doors down, Leo too. Feels like I'm-"

"Doing something wrong?"

"Having sex in my parents house." She finished.

He grinned. "Ah. That's cute. So you never-"

"No! How could someone, parents right down the hall." She shuddered, then trailed a finger down his cheek. "Maybe you can come to my apartment tomorrow night. No parents down the hall."

He grimaced. "Sam and I leave tomorrow about noon. I won't be back for months."

Her hand stilled on his cheek and she moved closer again. "Maybe we can do this."

"CJ?"

We've waited so long to have sex."

"Then we'll wait a little longer." He reached up to hold her hand to his cheek. "I don't want you to be uncomfortable with it, I want it to be perfect."

"Okay," she whispered with a smile, then kissed him again.

"I should go back to my room."

"Yeah." She sighed. "In a little while. Stay for a few minutes, talk to me."

"What about?"

She shrugged. "Anything." She settled on her side, facing him. He mirrored her, playing with her hair.

He smiled softly after a moment and began to talk. "I've been thinking about what our kids will look like. Red hair is my guess. A bundle of trouble, just like their mother. And our dog. What kind should we get? Golden retrievers are good with kids. Although I heard at one time that you wanted a cat. That's fine, as long as we keep it away from Gail."

CJ was laughing by now. "You've got it all planned out. Why don't you tell me more about our kids?"

Danny smiled as she closed her eyes to focus on his voice. He began describing the red-haired darlings who would look just like CJ. After a few moments, however, he realized CJ had slipped into sleep. He smiled and whispered, "And one day their mom will get enough sleep."

He kissed her forehead and settled down to watch her. He told himself he would leave in just a minute. As the minutes passed, he kept telling himself he would leave. Finally, he fell asleep also.

***

Sunday morning

The phone rang quietly. Danny was surprised how quiet the ringer was. Somehow seemed more high class, his sleepy brain told him. He reached for it and answered with a hoarse greeting. His second greeting was a bit louder but still no one answered. He shrugged and replaced it. The he snuggled back next to CJ.

"Who was it?" she whispered, not fully awake.

"Shh." He told her. "Sleep."

She obeyed and they both fell asleep immediately.

***

Abbey sat with the phone held out, a pleased but surprised expression on her face.

"Abbey?" Jed came into the room. "Did you get CJ?"

"I got Danny." She told him.

"Call CJ's room. Get her up here for our family breakfast."

She smiled. "I did call CJ's room."

"But you-" His eyes widened. "Oh."

"That's it?" She stood when he silently moved to the door. "Jed? Where are you going?"

"CJ's room." He disappeared out the door and she quickly followed.

"Jed, get back here."

He paid no attention to her as he swept down the corridors. He nodded to the agent in the hallway outside of CJ's room, a different one from the night before. "How many people are in that room?"

"Two, sir." The agent answered.

Jed reached out and knocked softly on the door, then waited a moment.

"Jed." Abbey began, but stopped when he opened the door. The agent moved quickly, realizing too late he was supposed to have opened it.

"Aren't they cute?" Abbey whispered.

Jed glared at her. "He's in her bed."

She sighed. "Grow up, darling."

"What?" His eyes widened.

"He's wrapped in a blanket, she's under the sheet and blanket. Nothing happened last night. Although I'll remind you that you gave them permission during the movie for him to seduce her." She put her hands on her hips. "And if something had happened, how is it your business?"

"She's my Chief of Staff, Abigail." He told her in a low, controlled voice. "How would this look, her sleeping with a reporter? I was kidding last night, they can't have a relationship."

"Jed."

He sighed. "And she's like a daughter. If he hurts her-"

"He won't." Abbey turned to smile at the two, still sleeping and unaware of the whispering.

Jed looked at his wife. He trusted her judgment, and she had spent time with Danny during the campaign. "Fine. But I'm going to have a talk with him about his intentions."

She rolled her eyes but had to smile. "Fine."

"CJ!" Jed called as he walked closer to the bed. She stirred. "Time to get up, breakfast in forty minutes in the dining room."

She sat up quickly and nodded, trying to focus on him. "Yes, sir."

Jed headed for the door. "Oh," he called over his shoulder. "Your scruffy friend should come too, he and I are going to have a chat."

With that, Jed pulled Abbey out of the room and closed the door on CJ's horrified explanations.

"I couldn't see her face," Jed told Abbey as they strolled hand-in-hand back to their rooms.

"She looked at Danny, then at me. Then her face turned to shock as she started her explaining."

Jed laughed.

"And Danny's mouth moved, but nothing came out."

Now Jed roared with laughter. "I woke Danny up too? Good, breakfast should be fun."

***

"Breakfast will be a nightmare." CJ covered her eyes with her hands and flopped back onto the bed. "This is a nightmare."

"Waking up next to me is a nightmare?"

She turned her head towards his voice. "Shut up, you know what I mean."

"CJ, look at me." When she didn't move her hand, he gently pried it off her face. "We could just make a run for it."

She glared at him. "This isn't funny."

"Yeah." He considered. "You're right, he'd probably get the Secret Service after us."

"Danny." She groaned.

"Think he'll take us out back and shoot us?"

"You're not funny," she told him, struggling not to smile.

"But I am cute. Is that why you keep my around?"

"You haven't been around for quite awhile." CJ told him softly.

"Yeah." He sighed. "And the first thing I do is get you in bed. Well, at least I'm smart in addition to cute."

"Think he'll fire me?" She whispered.

"No," he answered quickly and firmly.

"How can you be so sure?"

He shrugged. "Trust me."

She put her hands over her eyes again. "If I had a nickel for every time a guy said that to a woman while in bed..."

He laughed. "CJ, get up." She didn't move. "We have to get to breakfast."

"Not hungry."

He looked at her. Her hair was disheveled from sleeping, her blanket has slipped down to reveal her neck. Her mouth was turned down in a pout he couldn't resist. He fingers slowly traced her lips. She lifted her hands to look into his eyes.

"Danny," she whispered. She pulled his head down and his lips covered hers gently, then hungrily. She roughly pushed the blankets away that separated them. His lips slipped down to her neck and she groaned, her eyes slamming shut.

"We can't," Danny whispered between kisses. "We can't do this."

She wrapped one of her legs around his and agreed with him. "No," she gasped. "Bad. This is a bad idea." She arched up against him.

"Stop touching me," he told her.

"You first." She whispered in his ear as her hands moved up his chest and her fingers trailed slowly down, again and again.

He moved quickly, sliding his body off and away from hers. His face in the pillow, he groaned. "We need to get this timing right."

She curled her fingers through his hair and he turned his head to look at her. "What did you say?"

He repeated what he had told the pillow and she smiled.

"Soon. When are you back in DC for good?"

"I don't know." He growled. "Are our jobs really that big a deal? We could both quit, move someplace private, be alone for as long as we wanted."

"Danny-"

He waved his hand. "I know, I know. Chief of Staff, once in a lifetime, blah blah." He stared at her for a moment. "First female Chief of Staff. Have I told you how proud I am of you?"

She smiled, touched.

"And awed. Now my family teases me about being Mr. Chief of Staff."

"Your family?"

"They used to call me Mr. Press Secretary. And Mr. CJ Cregg. Well, they still do that."

"Danny." She held his face in place and stared into his eyes. "Your family?"

His expression grew sheepish. "You were on TV once when I was at my parents. I didn't hear the conversation for your entire briefing. They've teased me ever since."

She smiled. "I'm guessing they're not going to a tabloid anytime soon."

He laughed. "No." He pushed a stray hair off her face and studied her for a moment. "They're going to love you."

"Really?"

"I have good taste." He assured her.

"Well, you taste good," she told him with a sly smile. "Good taste... well, you do have nice suspenders."

He grinned. "Wait til you see my boxers."

She sat up quickly. "Well, before our minds-"

"And hands."

She paused, then started over. "Yes, before our minds and hands wander to places they shouldn't be, I'm going to take a shower. It's almost time for breakfast."

She stood up and he watched her move toward the bathroom. "Think the President will tell your coworkers?"

She groaned and slammed the door. He laughed, then grabbed his blanket to go get ready for breakfast. He pretended not to notice the amused look on the agents face when he left CJ's room.

***

"Toast, CJ?"

"Thank you, sir." She carefully buttered it and took a tiny bite.

"How'd you sleep, CJ?"

She swallowed quickly and forced herself not to look at Danny, who had somehow ended up across from her when Abbey had directed everyone where to sit. "Fine, thank you, sir. It's a very nice room."

"Bed's not lumpy, no bed bugs or anything lurking?" His eyes twinkled at her discomfort.

"No, sir. It was perfect." She touched Danny's leg lightly with her foot and her eyes met his for a split second as she took a sip of her coffee.

Jed glanced around at the rest of the table's occupants. Zoey, Mallory, Josh, Sam, Donna, Charlie, Leo. The only one not paired up in this family was Leo, he mused. Abby had mentioned something about Leo and the instructor, but he hadn't paid attention. He had to admit, though, that Abbey was very good at matchmaking.

"Did it stop snowing, Sam?" Zoey asked him.

"I don't know, I haven't called Emily yet."

Mallory groaned. "Sam, you're an idiot." She jumped up and grabbed his hand, pulling him towards the window. "Well?" She asked him after a moment.

"Well, what?"

She turned to him, exasperated before realizing his eyes were fixed on her face. "Look out the window," she whispered.

He did, then quickly turned his attention back to her. "Why?"

"It stopped snowing." She told him, realizing with a shy smile that he apparently would rather look at her.

"Want to go play in the snow?"

She considered, then nodded. "Yeah." She turned back to the table. "Zoey, I need to borrow some clothes for a snowball fight."

Zoey's eyes lit up and Charlie groaned. "No."

She turned to him with a pout. "Yes."

He sighed. "Fine. Let's go, I'm done."

Jed stood. "Who's going out in the snow?"

Donna decided to join the snow group, then stared at Josh until he agreed. "But just for a half hour. Sam and I have work to do."

"Fine. Danny and I are going to have a chat."

Josh interrupted. "I'm sorry, sir. With Toby not here, I have to say it. An interview with Danny?"

"Off the record," Jed assured him. "And where is Toby?"

"Having breakfast with Andy." Abbey told him.

"He missed family breakfast. Why aren't they both here?"

"They're having a romantic breakfast, just the two of them."

"Oh." Jed nodded. "Okay. Everyone, get out." Then he pointed at CJ and Danny. "Except you."

Leo cleared his throat. "Sir?"

"You stay too." Jed told him.

"Oh. Okay."

Jed waited until the snow group left. "So, Leo. Abbey and I found Danny in CJ's bed this morning."

Leo nearly laughed but stopped himself. "Oh?"

"What do you think about that?"

"I lost the bet."

CJ stared at him. "Bet?"

"Not any money involved." Leo glanced at Abbey. "Which is too bad for you."

"Someone explain." CJ looked at Abbey.

Abbey waved it away. "On the campaign, Leo and I had an argument. He said short-term, I said long-term."

"For?" Danny prompted.

Abbey's eyes softened as she turned to him. "For your infatuation with our CJ. It's been seven years, I won."

"Eight," CJ and Danny told her in unison.

"Danny and I were going to have a discussion of his intentions." Jed reminded everyone.

"I can answer that right here." Danny told him quietly, his eyes focused on CJ. "I'm going to marry CJ as soon as she'll have me. I'm going to be away from her as little as possible for the next fifty or sixty years. We haven't settled on how many kids, but I think we are getting a golden retriever." He looked at Jed. "They're good with kids, I've heard."

Jed stared at him for a long moment as Danny gazed steadily back. Finally, Jed nodded. "Welcome to the family. I don't think you need the warning, but if you hurt her-"

"If I cause her any pain, I will deliver myself to your door and you can do whatever you want to me." Danny glanced at CJ. "Or I'll run far, far away, where the agents can't find me."

She laughed and Jed shook her head, deciding not to ask.

"Why don't you two go talk." Jed told CJ and Danny. "And I do mean talk, please."

"Thank you, sir." They left the room quickly.

Jed turned to Leo. "Well?"

"She'll be fine." Leo stared at the door CJ and Danny had closed behind them. "They'll be fine."

"Good." Jed glanced at Abbey. "Now, Leo, what's this I hear about you and Carrie?"

"Abbey. You're playing matchmaker again, aren't you?" Leo shook his head at her.

"I'm good at it," she told him.

"Oh?"

"Your daughter and Sam. CJ and Danny. Maybe Toby and Andy if you two keep your noses out of it." Abbey ran through the other couples in her head and realized, sadly, that she couldn't take credit for them.

Leo held up a hand. "Stop. Fine. I'll keep my nose out of Toby's life if you keep yours out of mine."

"Will you ask Carrie out?" Abbey persisted.

"I'm going to go do some work now." Leo tried to be upset at Abbey's interfering, but knew she was acting out of concern and love for him.

Jed nodded to his friend, giving him permission to leave.

"Leo." Abbey called to him halfway to the door.

He turned. "I'll think about it, Abbey." Then he left.

Abbey turned to Jed. "He's going to be much tougher than any of the others."

"Abbey."

She sighed, hearing the warning in his tone. "You think I'm pushing him too much? Fine, I'll back off."

"Thank you. Just let him be." He looked around. "And we're alone. How did that happen?"

"Do you have to go to work?"

"Not with half my staff outside." He frowned. "What should we do with all this time we've been handed?"

"All this time?"

"Oh, a good fifteen minutes, I'd say." Jed assured her.

"Come sit on the couch, Jed." She got up and headed for the sitting room. "It's more comfortable."

He followed her and they sat down, her head on his lap. Jed stroked Abbey's hair, content and glad that all the years together had made it comfortable to sit in silence.

Downstairs, a slightly different scene on a couch was taking place, although there was no way Jed could have known that.

*** CJ peeked into her office, then pushed the door open. "Margaret's gone," she told Danny. He followed her into the room and she gestured for him to take a seat. She left him there to find Margaret, who was just returning to her desk. Danny could faintly hear their conversation and was able to get that Margaret wasn't feeling well before he began humming to himself so he wouldn't overhear anything he wasn't supposed to.

"Danny?"

He looked up.

"La Cucaracha?" She raised an eyebrow at him

He grinned. "Only song I could think of. Needed something to drown out your conversation."

She smiled. "We were just talking about how Margaret isn't feeling well this morning and was going to go get some crackers and maybe soup."

"Wasn't she feeling sick yesterday too?"

"Last night, a bit tired."

Danny frowned. "She should go to the doctor, get that checked out."

CJ forced a smile. She knew Margaret had already been to the doctor and she also knew Margaret would feel better for the whole afternoon. It was becoming a pattern for her to be sick in the mornings and slightly nauseous at night. Actually, CJ had been surprised that Margaret had gone out with them Friday night. "I'll let her know you're concerned." She told Danny then quickly changed the subject. "How long before you leave?"

"Trying to get rid of me already?" He teased.

"Yep. Haven't gotten any work done since you've been here."

"You're blaming me for the President's forced vacation?"

"Ummm..." She considered for a moment. "Yep."

"I leave in about two hours, Sam and I have a train to catch."

"Is your train still running on time?"

"I called before breakfast and it was then."

She sighed. "Oh. I mean, great. I guess."

"Why don't you come sit next to me? It's a big couch."

"No it's not."

"Then we'll have to squeeze."

She smiled and weighed the chances of anyone coming in. Slim to none for anyone who didn't already know about them, she decided before settling next to him. Immediately, his hand came to stroke her cheek.

"Danny." She whispered before gently touching her lips to his. He turned the kiss passionate quickly, plundering her mouth, tasting every inch of it.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and slowly pulled him down. He shifted slowly until his body covered hers. He trailed kisses over her neck and she moaned softly.

"Not good," he whispered.

"What?"

"Us, horizontal. This is bad."

"Feels good to me," she answered. Then she sighed. "But you're right."

"Can I get a recording of that?"

"Not a chance." She smiled up at him.

He stared at her. Swollen lips, mussed hair and starry eyes burned themselves into his brain. He told himself that taking her on this couch was an even worse idea than in the bedroom the night before. His body didn't believe him.

"I don't think I've ever wanted you more," he murmured.

Something she didn't want to identify clutched at her throat, making it hard to breath. When she spoke, it was a forced whisper. "Don't go."

"I'm not moving," he assured her.

"I mean later. Don't leave, stay in Washington."

His expression saddened. "Nothing has changed, CJ. There's still a conflict. I can't be here and not touch you. And I'm not allowed to touch you usually. It's only another year."

She took a deep breath, forcing air into her lungs. "We've made it this long."

"I love you."

"You're not allowed to." She closed her eyes. "Neither am I."

He stroked her cheek until she opened her eyes again. "I'll say it again on Inauguration Day."

"I'll scream it from the rooftops." She told him with such a serious expression that he thought she really would.

"I'll be content if you just tell me." He assured her.

She stared into his eyes. It was on the tip of her tongue to say it. But something stopped her. Her past relationships flitted through her mind and she realized what it was. She had to come clean with Danny about the men she had dated since they had met. And she had to tell him about John Hoynes. Until she knew he could look past those, she knew she couldn't tell him she loved him. If he rejected her, she wasn't sure how she'd survive it.

"CJ?"

"My leg's starting to fall asleep. I should get up."

He moved so she could slip out from under him but caught her hand before she could go anywhere.

"Okay, but someday you'll tell me what that was? Those emotions going across your face?"

She looked away, then back at him. "Yes," she told him. "When you come back for good, we should talk."

He released her and she slid away from him to sit in a chair and massage her foot.

"Let me do that." He sat up and reached for her leg but she pulled it away.

"Probably a bad idea," she told him with a small smile. "I'm sure your massages don't stop with the leg."

He grinned. "One day you'll find out."

A delicious shiver ran through her. "I'll hold you to that." Then she glanced up. "That sounds like the snow crew, bickering in the hallway."

"What're they doing over here?"

"Looking for us?"

At that, the door from the hallway opened and Josh poked his head in. "Hey, we were looking for you guys."

"And did you find us?" Danny asked as they piled into the office. CJ gave him a smirk but Josh ignored him.

"It's great out there." Josh told them enthusiastically, sitting on a chair.

"It's cold out there." CJ countered. "Oh, please sit."

"I already did."

Donna smacked Josh on the head as she perched on the edge of the chair. Sam and Mallory crammed onto the couch with Danny while Zoey and Charlie eased themselves onto the floor. Mallory threw them some pillows from the couch.

"We have to leave soon," Sam told everyone.

"It seems like you guys just got here." Donna frowned. "When are you coming back?"

CJ met Danny's eyes for just a moment.

Sam was focused on Mallory. "Soon, I hope."

Mallory blushed lightly and looked down with a small smile.

"We should go pack." Danny suggested.

"Yeah," Sam agreed but no one moved.

"You know we got nothing done this weekend." CJ told Josh.

"Toby going to have a heart attack?" Josh smirked.

"Where is Toby?" Charlie asked.

"He and Andy are in his office talking." Donna told him.

"Think they're getting back together?" Zoey asked.

Everyone turned to CJ.

"What?" She asked. "We're not psychically connected."

"You know him the best." Sam pointed out.

"Yeah, okay." She thought about it, choosing her words carefully. "I think it's pretty safe to say they'll patch things up."

Zoey clapped, as much of a romantic as her mother. "Great!"

"I'll let them know you're cheering for them," CJ told her dryly.

Zoey smiled at CJ with a twinkle in her eyes. "You know-"

CJ cut her off, knowing Zoey well enough to be worried about what she was about to say. "We having lunch before you guys go?"

"It's only ten o'clock." Josh told her.

"Then that's a no." CJ nodded and sat back, relaxing in the chair. She looked around her office and realized with a shock that this was the first time the office felt like hers.

"Next time you guys will stay longer, right?" Donna persisted with her line of questioning to get them there for longer and more often.

"At some point Sam'll be here for eight years," CJ said with a small smile.

"And Danny?" Zoey asked him.

He couldn't stop himself from glancing at CJ. "I guess it all depends."

Zoey and Mallory exchanged glances and CJ realized she and Danny had been a topic of conversation the night before. Part of her wished she had been part of the sleepover, but she wouldn't have traded her night with Danny for anything.

Well, except maybe an empty office right now, so they could say good-bye. Never mind that there was still over an hour before he left. She was sure they could just talk for that time and she'd be relatively happy.

A single knock came on the door, then Toby opened it and walked in.

"Toby!" Sam called. "I was wondering if I'd see you before I left."

"How was your night?" CJ asked him with a sly smile.

He glared at her. "About as good as yours, I'll bet."

She gaped at him, her eyes wide. "What?"

"News travels fast in the White House, you should know that."

"Who told you?" She thought fast. "An agent? You bribed an agent?"

"I prefer the term 'trading favors'. All I did was ask if anything interesting had happened after I went to bed last night or this morning."

"What is he talking about?" Josh turned to CJ.

"Nothing."

Toby laughed shortly. "The President knows and yet you expect it to be kept a secret?"

"Nothing happened." She told Toby.

Josh stood. "I need to go talk to someone."

"Josh," CJ ordered. "Sit down." She glared at Toby. "Thanks."

He now looked genuinely sorry. "I was sure everyone knew, CJ."

She waved it away, his slip already forgiven.

"What happened?" Sam burst out.

"Go ahead, Toby." CJ nodded to him.

He tried desperately to think of any other secret that he could say instead, but nothing came to mind. "Danny was found in CJ's room this morning."

"What?" Various expressions of surprise and pleasure appeared on everyone's faces.

"By your parents," Toby added, nodding to Zoey.

Her eyes widened and she laughed. "Good going, CJ."

"Nothing happened." CJ insisted again.

"Danny?" Josh turned to the blushing reporter.

"She's telling the truth."

Zoey make a disappointed noise and CJ turned to her. "Oh, right, like anything was going to happen with your parents down the hall."

"Good point," Charlie chimed in, understanding CJ completely.

"Danny, you two and Sam should stick together." Josh told them. "Charlie's got it the worst but you're all going after Bartlet girls. Honorary or not, our President doesn't care."

"Speaking of our President." Toby took back control of the discussion. "We should do some work for him."

Right on cue, Margaret knocked on the door between her area and CJ's office and poked her head in.

"Yeah, Margaret?" CJ asked, ready to jump up.

"You have a conference call in ten minutes." She held up a fat binder. "And you need to be familiar with this before then."

Josh stood. "That's our cue." Everyone stood with him and started to file out.

"Someone come get me before you two leave," CJ told them, already flipping through the pile of pages.

They agreed and took their leave. As soon as the door closed behind them, Danny stopped and checked his pocket. "Oops, my phone." He turned back. "I'll catch up."

"Come to my office," Josh told him and Danny nodded.

After knocking lightly, he opened the door. CJ looked up from her papers. She hadn't even sat down yet and was still standing next to her desk.

"Hey Danny."

He shut the door and crossed the room quickly. He pulled the binder from her hands and tossed it onto her desk. Before she could react, he grabbed her and pulled her body into contact with his. His mouth quickly fond hers and he deepened the kiss almost before it had even started. She gasped and clutched his shirt as he took control of her mouth and her emotions. Her fingers wound through his hair and held him in place.

He finally stepped back, his hands falling to her waist. "I would have wanted to do that later," he told her. "And I thought that would be a bad idea in front of everyone."

"So that was good-bye." She smiled softly but sadly.

"That was I'll see you as soon as possible." He clarified.

Her smile turned hopeful. "Okay."

He moved closer again. She bridged the gap eagerly, attaching herself to him again. She was ready this time and took control. She tangled her fingers tightly in his hair. Their mouths fused and he was blown away by the passion she poured into the kiss. Then they finally parted for air, his eyes met hers in shock.

She smiled. "I'll see you soon."

He took a deep breath to steady himself. "Yeah. Okay." He let her go and turned to the door. "See you soon. You too, Margaret."

CJ spun around as Danny slipped out. Margaret stood at the door, a half smile on her face.

"Wow."

CJ blushed. "Yeah."

"You ready for your conference call? Or do you need a minute?"

CJ glanced at the thick, unread file on her desk. "They're on the phone now, aren't they?"

"Line two."

CJ lunged for the phone and dropped into her chair, all while frantically flipping pages and pushing Danny and his talented mouth out of her mind.

"Mr. Prime Minister, Mrs. Vice President." To those on the other end of the phone, her voice came across the ocean radiating calmness and concern for them. "This is CJ Cregg, White House Chief of Staff. What can I do to help you?"

***

"This is sad." Donna frowned at CJ as they watched Sam and Danny say their good-byes. "I almost wish I was going with them."

"Another campaign trail?" CJ asked her with a grimace. "Wasn't the first one bad enough?"

Donna smiled, remembering the first campaign. The idealism, the camaraderie, the high of winning. "I don't know, it was actually pretty-"

"CJ!" Sam moved to her side. "I'm really going to miss you."

"Maybe when you're President, she can be your Chief of Staff too." Donna suggested.

"Great idea!" Sam grinned.

"Why don't we put that idea in the maybe pile?" CJ smiled at him but shook her head.

He wrapped his arms around her and she gripped him tightly for a hug.

"We all miss you, Sam," she whispered. "Don't be a stranger."

He held her at arm's length and nodded, then gave her a kiss on the cheek. "See you soon, CJ." And then he was gone, moving around the room to say his good-byes.

Danny appeared in front of CJ. He took her hand and gently tangled their fingers. She looked around out of habit.

"No one cares," Danny murmured.

She relaxed. "Sorry."

"I'll see you soon."

"It was much nicer last time you told me that."

Danny's eyes dropped to her mouth and she felt her pulse pick up. She licked her suddenly dry lips and watched his eyes darken and meet hers.

And then she pulled him close for a hug. "Next time," she whispered in his ear. He nodded against her cheek, his hands tangling in her hair.

He pulled away, then took her hand and brought it to his mouth. His eyes were fixed on hers, making her aware of his message- he'd rather be kissing other parts of her.

"See you soon, I hope." He smiled and dropped her hand.

"I hope," she echoed, then watched as he left, his good-byes finished.

***

Go Home