Author's Note: So here's my new CJ and Danny epic. For those of you who enjoy other characters, have no worries, they will be a large part of this epic, including Josh and Donna, Toby, Sam and the Bartlets, as I expect it to have many chapters. I'm going to try to update this as often as possible, but please bear with me. As always, no infringement is intended and these characters don't belong to me. Reviews are also appreciated and encouraged!
Life Now
CJ rolled over in bed willing the alarm to stop beeping. She couldn't recall setting it for such an ungodly hour and then she remembered that it was Danny who set the alarm. They'd been married for just about two years and she still wasn't used to hearing the alarm ring for someone other than herself.
"Up," she grumbled as she poked Danny with an elbow. His arms and legs were intertwined with her own and when she moved to turn off the alarm on the bedside table he began to stir.
"Early," he mumbled back pulling her body toward him again. She had managed to silence the alarm and he snuggled close to her again.
"Yeah," she replied turning her body to face him. She wrapped her arm around his waist and sighed. "I don't want you to go."
"Really?" Danny asked. Her question caught his attention and he opened his eyes wide. Maybe it was because she was still half-asleep, but it was unusual for CJ to betray her true feelings.
"Yeah," she said burying her head into his shoulder.
"Why don't you want me to go?" he said sensing that she might actually tell him what she was feeling.
"Because you make such a good pillow," she said opening her eyes and smiling wickedly.
"Thanks," he said obviously let down.
"And I'll miss you," she added sensing his need for an honest response.
"I'll miss you too," he said sincerely.
"And you're leaving me all alone on our anniversary," she pointed out.
"I was here last year," Danny pointed out.
"So we get one anniversary and then forget about the rest?" she asked.
"I know. I feel terrible about not being home. I can still try to cancel this."
"No, don't," she said. "I was just looking forward to spending all day in bed arguing about politics and prose."
"Well hopefully you had more than arguing in mind for our day in bed," he said.
"I do now," CJ said.
"But I'm not gonna be home," he reminded her.
"Exactly," she grinned.
"Oh I see," Danny said reaching under CJ's shirt and poking her playfully in the side.
"Stop," she said through giggles. "Stop, I didn't mean it."
Danny tickled her playfully until they were both undeniably awake for the day. CJ tried to fight against him, but she was fighting a losing battle. He had her pinned underneath him and she couldn't manage to wriggle out from under him, not that she really wanted to anyway.
"Okay, I give," she choked out the words.
Danny stopped tickling her and rubbed her side gently with his palm. "I am gonna miss you," he said.
"Me too," she said seriously gazing up at him. "This is the last lecture right?"
"Right," he affirmed. "After this trip I'm concentrating on the book. No more trips, without you that is."
Danny had been traveling to universities and colleges across the country to talk about his experiences as a journalist and editor. Since giving up his job as a reporter he taught a few classes and wound up as a hit in the academic lecture circuit. The only downfall was that he had to spend time away from CJ. He looked at her and memorized her face before he pulled away and got out of bed. She sat up and watched him move about the bedroom.
"Are you feeling better today?" Danny asked.
"Hmm?" CJ asked.
"I heard you up last night. Were you sick?"
"The Chinese food didn't agree with me."
"Are you sure it's not the flu?" Danny asked. "This is the second time this week you've gotten sick."
"No, I'm fine," CJ waved him off.
"You're sure?"
"Yeah, I'm good."
"You have the TV thing tonight right?" he asked.
"Yeah," she replied pulling her knees up and resting her elbows on them. "I was thinking the blue suit with the white blouse."
"I'd go with the cream suit and the red blouse," Danny suggested. "It's more powerful."
"I don't have to be powerful, I'm just giving commentary," CJ reminded him.
"On the important work you do everyday," Danny insisted. "You should look powerful."
"You don't moonlight as a stylist do you?" she asked him playfully.
"Yes," Danny said seriously as he tossed on a pair of khaki pants. "All this time you thought I was giving lectures, but I've actually been dressing the celebrities."
"Tell me Paris Hilton was not your doing," CJ teased him.
"No, I think she has an exclusive deal with the anti-Christ," Danny played along. "It's all very Faustian."
"See? This is what I love about us," CJ said.
"Me too," he said pausing to smile at her. "You getting out of bed today?"
"Eventually," CJ said. "Josh is coming over for lunch while he's in town."
"How long is he town?" Danny asked.
"A week I think," CJ said. "I guess Santos is really stumping for the new nuclear bill and what better place to get the word out than California?"
"It'll be nice for you two to catch up," Danny asked.
"Yeah," CJ replied. "I think the wedding might have been the last time I saw him in person."
"Such is the glamorous life of White House Chief of Staff," Danny interjected.
He watched as she yawned and her head drooped on he shoulders a little.
"You've been tired lately," Danny commented.
"Yeah I know," CJ said. "I think it's the weather."
"Warmth and sun don't appeal to you anymore?"
"No, it does, but it's March. It's not quite as warm as I'd like it."
"You've become a weather wimp," Danny said recalling the day CJ told the Press Corp to get used to outdoor events. "But seriously, are you really okay?"
He had noticed that CJ was sleeping later and feeling lethargic more than usual. For a few weeks he simply attributed her sleeping habits to her life catching up with her. She put a lot of energy into her job with Franklin Hollis, many hours less than the time at the White House, but he was still worried.
"I'm great," CJ said.
"Okay," he said. "I gotta go or I'm gonna miss my flight."
CJ threw the covers off and got out of bed. She walked over to Danny in the dimly-lit room and wrapped her arms around his neck tightly.
"Bye," she said glumly.
"Bye," he said. "Take care of yourself and when I get back we're celebrating our anniversary."
"Three days late, but it's okay," she said pulling away from him.
Danny took her face in his hands and planted a gentle kiss on her lips. "I love you," he said.
"I love you too," she said. "Don't forget about me."
"I'll try not too," he said. "What was your name again? Cindy?"
"Stop," she said as she hit him playfully. "Have a safe trip."
"I'll call you when I get there," he said.
He leaned forward and kissed her more passionately than before. CJ ran her fingers gently down his chest and returned his kiss deeply.
"Okay," she said pulling away. "Enough of that. You have a plane to catch."
"You know I could always take a later flight," Danny said mischievously as he wrapped his arms around her waist and started walking her back to the bed.
"No," CJ laughed. "You have to go. You have to be in Chicago by two."
"Okay," he said disappointed. "I'll call you."
"You better," she said as he broke away from her and grabbed the suitcase by the bedroom door.
CJ watched Danny disappear down the hall and when she heard the door close downstairs she looked at the bed and sighed. She hated making the bed and she didn't feel like she had the energy to accomplish the task, which was highly unusual. She felt tired a lot lately. When President Bartlet's term was up CJ decided to take some time off to rest and do things she wanted to do. She and Danny traveled and got married and now was the time that she should have been full of energy, but she wasn't.
She worked hard, but not nearly as many hours as she had in D.C. and still she recently felt exhausted at the end of the day. Lately she and Danny would curl up on the couch and watch CNN. When they were feeling very adventurous they'd rent a movie. CJ could tell her life of sloth was beginning to catch up with her. Her muscle tone was almost gone and she felt as if she'd gained five pounds in the last three months.
CJ decided to wait until she had her morning coffee before she tackled the task of making the bed. She padded downstairs and found that Danny had started the coffee and scribbled a quick note of love and apology for missing their anniversary. She smiled and pulled a mug out of the cabinet. She really couldn't have asked for anything more at this time in her life. She had accomplished so much more than she ever thought possible by age 45. She had run successful campaigns for Emily's List and President Bartlet, she was Press Secretary and Chief of Staff under the same president and now she was married to Danny.
Even almost two years after saying "I do", it still seemed surreal. Of course her entire relationship with Danny was surreal. From the moment they met on the campaign trail the tension between them was palatable. He understood everything about her and she could feel his fondness for her immediately. Now they were married and they were ready to tackle the next phase of their lives together, whatever that may be. Danny had equated it to jumping off a cliff. He said he was jumping and she was being pushed and that's pretty much how it felt at the time. It still did some days, but boy, was the fall worth it just have Danny there holding her hand.
"So you're gonna us about infrastructure on national television?" Josh asked as he finished his sandwich. "What happened to friendship?"
"Josh, how long have we known each other?" CJ asked him from across the table.
"About ten, eleven years," Josh replied.
"And in those years what was my job?" CJ said.
"Press Secretary then Chief of Staff," Josh said.
"And in those years when I was Press Secretary, aside from maybe two or three times, did I ever back away from an issue that was really important to me?"
"See, this is you telling me to back off," Josh said leaning back in his chair.
"Bingo," she replied.
"I have to protect my guy," Josh said.
"I'm not going to say anything damaging Josh," she assured him. "I'm just trying to get the word out that Hollis is trying to change the world."
"One freeway at a time," Josh quipped.
"Come talk to me in six years," CJ said knowingly. "Infrastructure is a thing. It's not a glamorous thing, but it's the thing."
"Fine," Josh sighed. "I just have to make sure all my bases are covered lately."
"Consider them covered," CJ said. "Consider me the Yogi Berra of base coverage."
"Yogi Berra?" Josh asked quizzically.
"He's a baseball guy, right?" CJ asked.
"Yeah, but he was a coach," Josh replied feebly.
"I was going for a baseball name. We were talking about bases and it seemed right."
"Okay," Josh said suppressing a smile. "Hey I thought you had an actual job."
"I do," she said.
"A real job that allows you to lunch at your home in the middle of the week?"
"It's a perk," CJ said. "I work from home sometimes. Today happens to be one of those days."
"I can tell you're getting a lot of work done," Josh harassed her.
"What about you? I've seen you avoid two phone calls. Don't think the Secret Service don't know about that," she teased him.
"Yeah, that's a little weird," Josh agreed. "You never told me how crazy that was. They swoop in like storm troopers before I walk into a room."
"The novelty does wear off after the first few months," CJ said.
"How about the first few days? I guess I can see why Abbey was always so protective of the kids now."
"Yeah," CJ agreed. "It's definitely different."
"So how's Danny?" Josh asked changing the subject.
"He's fine," CJ replied. "He's in Chicago for the next week giving lectures."
"Didn't he just get back from Maine?" Josh asked.
"How do you know that?" CJ asked.
"Donna," Josh smiled. "We're a couple now remember? I'm privileged to 'couple' information."
"That poor woman," CJ chuckled.
"Things are okay though?"
"Yeah, why?"
"I don't know, you just look kind of tired," Josh said.
"Tired?" CJ tried to hide her offense. "Why thank you very much. I'm glad I look haggard to you."
"Technically tired and haggard don't mean the same thing," Josh defended himself.
"Trust me when I tell you, as a former member of the White House Communications staff, that tired and haggard mean the same thing, especially to a woman. Know your audience."
"You don't look haggard, just tired," Josh said. "Try to clean yourself up for TV tonight will ya?"
If the comment wasn't coming from Josh she would have leaned across the table and smacked him. But, just as she was thinking about leaning forward to give him a good punch, he smiled that mischievous grin of his. It made him look like he was five and had just gotten caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
"If I didn't know you," CJ said in a threatening tone.
"You'd fall hopelessly in love with my charismatic charm and boyish good looks," he finished for her.
"Something like that," CJ replied. "Although my answer involved sharp knives and a baseball bat."
Josh smirked at her response. It was days like these that made him wish for times passed.
"So when was the last time I saw you?" Josh said changing the subject.
"My wedding, two years ago," CJ said.
"No, it hasn't been that long," he denied it.
"You know I think you're right," CJ said recalling another meeting. "I think Danny and I stopped by to see Donna on a layover to Ireland. You briefly shouted hello as you rushed by her office."
"Oh yeah," Josh said recalling the interaction. "How was Ireland?"
"Great," CJ said.
"I don't think I remember what a vacation feels like," Josh said.
"You will again," CJ said. "So things with Donna are?"
"Good?" Josh asked as if it were a question.
"That sounds genuine," she teased him.
"No, it's good," he replied almost embarrassed. "I guess I feel like I wasted a lot of time or something."
"Tell me about it," CJ laughed. "Were we really always that clueless?"
"I guess so, although I think Danny probably had it the worst because he was in love with you for years."
"Oh and Donna wasn't in love with you for years?" CJ asked.
"We're just irresistible, me and you," Josh chuckled.
"That must be it," CJ laughed.
"So things with Donna are moving ahead?"
"Things are great the way they are Claudia Jean," Josh said.
"Okay," she said knowing not to push the topic any further.
She studied his face. He sat in the chair examining his shoes as if they were fascinating. It was like watching a baby discover its foot for the first time. She could tell that he was relieved that she was dropping the subject for now.
"Okay," Josh said standing with a smile. "I gotta get back. Sit, enjoy the quiet. I'll let myself out."
"Oh, you might see Donna tonight. The First Lady is doing some sort of TV segment for the morning shows tomorrow. They're taping it tonight," he added.
"I hope I see her," CJ said sincerely.
"Okay," Josh said. "Good luck tonight."
"I don't need luck when I have God-given talent mi amour," CJ called down the hall as Josh walked out.
She half-chuckled and half-sighed as she thought about her conversation with Josh. Here he was, Chief of Staff to the President and he was worried about her appearance talking about highways. She stood up to clear the lunch plates and was hit with a wave of dizziness. She put her hand firmly on the table to support her until the head rush ended. She steadied herself on the table and put her hand to her head.
"That was weird," she said. She stood still for a moment and then made a movement forward, feeling normal.
"Must have gotten up to fast CJ," she said to herself.
CJ went about cleaning up the lunch mess and then decided it was time to go over her notes before her interview. She didn't pay much attention to the dizziness she felt. As was usual for her, she pushed the thoughts of alarm aside and moved ahead with her day.
TBC