Chapter Text
Late Fall 1997
Danny stood on the edge of the small local press pool gathered all around the spokeswoman for the Bartlet campaign. Primary season was well underway and this week it seemed all the candidates were in New Hampshire; Governor Josiah Bartlet’s home state. He wasn’t really supposed to be here at their event, but he was curious. Two people had asked him to make some time to see the campaign and Senator John Hoynes, who he was supposed to be covering, was just down the road in Manchester so he had thought what the hell. It was more polite to turn them down in person when they inevitably asked for him to do some piece on the Governor.
It turned out to be a great decision. Sure, he wouldn’t get any work done. But that was not the reason he was here anyway. He watched the women in front of him handle the press with skill; she had them eating out of her hand. Granted it was just local reporters, but still it was poetry in motion. That wasn’t the reason he had first stopped to watch her though. She had to be the most beautiful human being Danny had ever laid eyes on. He was admiring her when the informal gaggle ended and she walked towards him.
“You were pretty good back there.” Danny said to her following into step with her as she passed him. “Name’s Danny by the way.”
“Thanks, but compliments won’t get you a quote anymore than those guys did back there.” CJ told him, barely sparing him a look as they walked away from the gaggle.
“Wasn’t looking for a quote, just to compliment you.” Danny shrugged, continuing walking with her.
“Really?” CJ asked, giving him a suspicious side eye.
“Really. Was going to ask if you wanted to get a drink after.”
“Can’t buy a quote with a bottle of beer either.” CJ huffed, rolled her eyes and walked faster.
“Wasn’t trying to do that either, just wanted to get a drink.” He shrugged, picking up his own pace to keep up.
CJ stopped and rounded on him. “Why?” She asked, still suspicious.
They came face to face and he enjoyed the chance to study her from close up for a minute. “Cause you were dynamite back there. And you’re pretty hot.” He told her easily yet his palms had started to sweat and he stuck them in his pockets.
That caught her off guard and she just stared at him for a long moment. “It's a conflict of interest.” CJ told him, snapping out of it, turning him down and walking away.
“He’s 32 points back and I’m not even covering him!” Danny called after her. Hard to get, he thought, he could work through that.
-
“So Hollywood huh?” Danny asked, materializing out of thin air next to her.
“How’d you find that out?” She asked a little amused it had taken him three days to try again and wheedle a quote out of her. She didn’t even know why he bothered. He was supposed to be covering John Hoyes she had learned. While they were chasing Hoyes across the country like an annoying fly. Yet here he was chasing her for a stupid quote up in New Hampshire while Hoynes was at a fundraiser in Boston. Part of her was also glad and relieved because god only knows what Toby or worse Josh would say to him. Sam definitely would buy into his whole ‘I’m-trying-to-be-your-friend’ card he’s playing.
“I asked around about ya.” She couldn’t fault him; she had looked him up too.
Still he had won a Pulitzer prize that was nothing to sneeze at so, “Why?”
He shrugs so nonchalantly it almost annoys her. “I’m curious about you, that's why you should let me buy you a drink.”
“I’m not playing favorites with the press. Especially press that’s not even covering my guy.” She said her voice was dripping with fake sweetness. He had to have some kind of angle; there was no other reason he would be sniffing around her and the Bartlet campaign. She need to figure it out and fast.
“It wouldn’t be with the press. Strictly off record, come on.” He almost whines.
“See ya later Danny!” She threw out as she jogged the short distance to catch up to Josh and Toby boarding their bus back to Concord.
-
It took until they were both back in Iowa for him to corner her again.
“So what does CJ stand for?”
She gives him an unimpressed look. “You know I used to work in Hollywood, I think you know what my name is.”
He held his hands up in surrender. “Guilty. But why Claudia Jean? Family name?”
“You know I almost rather you ask me about corn like everyone else in this state.” CJ sighed at him. “That’s off the record.” She said sternly.
“Of course, I’m not covering the Governor.” Danny waved her off. “I’m just interested in you.”
“Well that makes exactly one of us.” She sent him a fake smile.
“I don’t believe you.” She rolls her eyes. “You want to know why?”
“Why?” She humors him.
“Because you enjoy this, that I’m talking to you about you . You like it, you even smile or at least you would if you didn’t stop yourself when you remember I’m a reporter.” He flashes a smile at her.
They were standing way too close for her liking, again, and the intensity he’s looking at her... “Go away Danny.”
Time froze for a moment, “Ah-kay.” and he walked away.
She stares after him for a second before getting a grip on herself and walking away. This guy, she shook her head, so annoying.
-
The fourth time he comes up to her, she wants answers. She’s sitting in a chair of a hotel lobby in Iowa. He’s persistent and true to his words, he’s not covering Bartlet but he seems to stop by the campaign every chance he gets.
“You can’t just be here to flirt with me and you’re not covering Bartlet.” CJ says by way of greeting when he sits down across from her.
“Well I’m friends with Josh too.” He shrugs.
She scrunches up her nose. “Really?” She can’t see the two of them being friends. Josh is… Josh, and Danny is actually a very good journalist and seem to have his life together.
“Yeah, I met him when he was in college.”
“I’m so sorry.” She means every word of it, god bless Donna for having him be a functional human being now she couldn’t imagine the trainwreck that was 21 year old Joshua Lyman.
“Thank you. It's okay, it wasn’t that bad, he can be pretty entertaining.”
“That’s–”
“It's okay off the record I promise.” Danny assured her.
“Well Josh isn’t here.”
“Yeah but he will be. He told me to meet him for a drink at the bar.”
The way he said it made it seem like he wanted her to ask more. “Why?”
“Probably going to try to get me to write something about the governor again. Don’t worry I’m going to say no. Then he’ll get pissy so he’ll go in on my Detroit Lions again. And we’ll say goodbye.” Danny summed up.
“If you already know how it's going to go, why meet him.”
“Cause he’s a friend.” He shrugged as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
“Still there’s nothing in it for you. Josh is an idiot but not a give major information away to a reporter kind of idiot.” CJ crossed her arms studying him.
Danny laughed. “Yeah yeah you’re right. And I don’t plan on talking shop with him. I plan on giving him crap about the Jets.”
“So you’re just here to what be a nice guy?” She said it as if it was a foreign idea to her.
“I’m a nice guy.” He shrugged. “You’re welcome to join us. You know to babysit Josh. Or to have a drink with me.”
“I’ll pass this time. I have a blockbuster movie that has my name on it tonight.”
“Hope it's a good movie.” Danny offered as he saw Josh come off the elevator.
-
“Hey CJ.”
“Hello Daniel.” He had been flirting with her for over two months now.
He goes to speak but she cuts him off. “‘You look nice today, CJ’. ‘Thank you Danny. I’m still not dating you.’ So now that we got through all of that, can you leave without annoying me?”
“Well who said anything about date-ING? I just want to buy you a drink.” He said, smirking.
“You know what, if I answer one of your questions will you let me get back to my job?” She sighed in irritation.
“Sure.”
“Then ask away.”
“What's your favorite color?”
“What’s my favorite color?” She laughed dryly. “That’s what you want to use your question on?”
“Well it's kinda awkward if we’re going to date and I don’t know your favorite color.” He is not smirking anymore, he’s smiling and it’s worse.
“We’re not going to date!”
“Well clearly you’ve been thinking about it.”
“I haven’t been–. You know what, shut up.” she snapped the folder she had been reading in his face and turned to go.
He stopped her, “Hey, what about my question?”
She looks at him. “It's lilac.”
“Got it. Thanks.” They stare for a long moment.
He walks away. “Danny?”
“Yeah?”
“My polling shows us only 25 points back, I’d post that before the dinner tonight.”
“Thanks CJ!” She would later tell herself it was the kicked puppy dog face he had pulled when she hadn’t answered his question which was why she gave him that tip.
-
“What do you mean it's not ready? We paid extra for these rooms to be ready early!” CJ argued with the front desk man.
“I’m sorry ma’am. The rooms were but when we checked your room earlier we noticed water damage. We’re switching you to a different room but it's going to take another 30 minutes or so.”
“Fine. Let me know when it's ready I’ll be over there.” She told him pointing to some chairs in the corner of the lobby.
She sees Danny sitting over there doing a crossword and joins him.
“Whatcha doin down here slumming it with me?” He asks, not looking up as she drops her bags and herself into a chair across from him.
“My room’s not ready. Apparently, there was some damage to the original room and now my new room isn’t ready yet.” She told him tiredly.
“Ah well I’m happy to keep you company.” He looks up and catches her eye for a second but she looks away, busying herself pulling out her notebook.
She clears her throat. “What about you?”
“I’ve been in small places too much today.” He offers
“Catastrophic?”
“No, I just wanna not stare at four walls or backs of heads. And I like people watching.” He tells her.
“Is this how you get all of your scoops?” She asks him lightly.
He laughs, “No, I'm not working right now. Time to decompress and forget about politics for a little while.”
She lets the conversation die but studies him discreetly from behind her notebook. She had finally figured out the other reason Danny was interested in the Bartlets.
She breaks the silence, “I read your book.”
He looks up, genuinely surprised. “You did?”
“Yep nothing better to do on the redeye.” She shrugs and looks back at her notes, giving him a taste of his own medicine.
“You should have slept some.” He said concerned.
When she looks up again he’s looking at her real concern shining through his eyes and some pride that she read his book. “I don’t like planes.”
He nods. “I hope the book helped then.” They stare at each other for a long moment.
“How’d you meet Abbey? Why did you think to write a book about her?” CJ had been curious about this for a while ever since Josh told her about it.
“Well it wasn’t supposed to be about her, it was supposed to be just a paper about the surgical technique.”
“So how…?”
“I was writing for the Boston Globe. It was my first real job as a journalist and I was doing science and medicine coverage. I was supposed to write about a new procedure called a coronary artery bypass graft and Abbey was one of the surgeons that worked on it. Her boss was a sexist asshole as was much of the medical community, well sexist that is, can’t confirm about the asshole part. They ignored her and the other woman Rene were ignored completely in most of the coverage about it. I wrote about them instead of just the procedure, one article led to the book a few years later, it worked out.” He explained to her.
CJ nodded “You’re a good guy Danny.” She said gently.
He flashes a smile. “That might be the first nice thing you’ve said to me.”
“Miss Cregg? Your room’s ready.”
CJ gets up to go. “Well you’re pretty good at writing too.” She leans in and whispers to him as she passes him to go upstairs to her room.
-
“Whatcha think of Bartlet?” CJ asked him over a beer. It had taken him another month to get her to stay for a beer with him after they had talked in the hotel lobby. She had come into a bar he happened to already be at and he had convinced her to sit with him.
“He’s a nerd. I’ve always thought that even when I met him when I was writing about Abby, both of us joked that he made us look like the jocks in all the highschool stereotypes.”
“Is that a bad thing?”
“It is when you gotta convince people to trust you with the nuclear launch codes.”
“That's the reason you haven’t started covering him?”
He shook his head. “You guys are still 12 points back from Hoynes. But I’m impressed with Iowa. You guys got a close 3rd.”
“We’ll win New Hampshire.” She retorted but cast a look over at him cautiously. “You aren’t going to start covering him are you?”
“Not tonight,” He laughed. “Don’t worry this is off the record like I told you. Maybe if you can get it to signal digit lead in more than just his home state.”
CJ stomach did a little summersalt at the idea of seeing Danny whole lot more. “We will. So tell me why did you want to get a drink again?”
“To convince you to go on another date with you.”
He smiled and she almost, almost, smiled back but his words physically burned her as if she had gotten too close to a flame. “This isn’t a date. It's a business meeting.” She pushed back all the feelings and all the unspoken things between them.
He patted down his pockets. “Oh well darn I should have brought a notebook.” He snapped his finger in insincere regret. “Too bad, well I guess we can just turn it into a date.”
“No, it's a business meeting. I'm a spokesperson and you’re a reporter, nothing else.”
“Come on CJ, Bartlets is a good dude, but he’s lost the Iowa Caucuses to a guy who opposes the ethanol subsidies and Senator Wiley. ” Danny argued.
“We’re within the margin of error on Wiley now.” CJ pushed back.
“And still way back from Hoynes.” Danny pointed out.
“We’re going to win this thing Danny, mark my words. Maybe you’re right and we didn’t win Iowa, but it's a long primary season and he’s gone from a nobody to second to the most popular democrat in years.” CJ argued back.
“We’ll see. For what it's worth CJ, personally, off the record, I hope you’re right. I look at the Democrat and Republican field, Bartlet seems like he might be the best guy out of all of them. But this is politics and the best guy rarely wins” he warned her.
-
“Hey” Danny says follow her through the backstage of a convention hall in South Carolina.
“Hey,” CJ said, suppressing a smile at him. “Isn’t your candidate speaking in like 10 minutes?”
“Yeah I’ll be there in time besides he’s not going to say anything new.”
“He has been recycling the same lines for a month.” She agreed.
“Mmh but I’m not here to talk to you about that, actually I’ve got something for you.”
“You’ve got something for me?”
“Yeah,” he pulled a little gift bag out of his backpack and handed it to her. She pushed the tissue paper aside to see what he had gotten her. “I know it's not the real thing but I hope you still like it. Josh told me you liked them and it be a little hard to have a live fish on the road and all so I thought this would do.” Danny rambled a little.
CJ held the little orange beanie baby goldfish in her hands. This time the smile was clear on her face. “Wait, you wanted to get me a real goldfish?” She asked, trying not to laugh and holding up the stuffed toy for him to see.
“Josh said you liked goldfish.” Danny answered, slightly confused by her reaction.
This time she did laugh. “The crackers Danny. The cheese things that you have at parties.”
“Oh,” Danny said as she continued to laugh. “You know I’m not sure I was supposed to know that.”
CJ continued to laugh. “Her name’s Gail by the way.” Danny added.
This guy, she smiled, “You name the fish Gail?”
“So what if I did?” Danny said a little defensively.
“Come here.” CJ beckoned him forward with her finger. She leaned in and kissed his cheek. “Thanks for the fish.”
-
“Danny, it's been a while.” Josh calls out as he sees Danny walk into the hotel bar towards Josh, Mandy, Toby, Sam and CJ. CJ spies the bags in his hands and gets suspicion. He doesn’t grin like that even when he flirts with her.
“Howdy,” Danny says cheerily at them.
“Shut up.” Josh and CJ said at the same time. Bartlet had recently said that he ‘didn’t look good in big hats’ when asked why he hadn’t been in Texas campaigning like Hoynes. That had not gone over well, as any of them could have told the governor.
“Aw come on,” Danny implored them, still grinning at them. “I got you guys presents.” He held up the bags.
“Presents?” Sam perked up reminding CJ of a puppy.
Danny's grin widened and CJ groaned, this guy. “I figured since I missed you on the trail. I need to get you something from my time in Texas...” He pulled out a stack of the cheese american flag cowboy hats out of his bag.
Sam started laughing uncontrollably as Danny plopped a hat on Josh’s head and then CJ’s.
“Yes, big hats..” Toby grumbled. “A true symbol of America.” Take his hat from Danny and put it on Mandy’s head.
“You gotta admit Toby, it's pretty good.” Josh laughed along with Sam. “You deserve credit for this one, Danny.”
“Ah, give it all to the Governor.” Danny waved off. “I’ll buy you guys another round in congratulations on your first major road bump.”
Half way through the next round of beers Sam was refereeing an argument between Josh, Mandy and Toby on political strategy that CJ idly thought they shouldn’t be having with Danny around. Still Danny’s not the type to write drama filled crap just to fill space especially not on a candidate he insists he isn’t covering.
She picked up her hat next to her and put it on Danny's head. “Got a thing for cowboys?” he asked, wiggling his eyebrows.
She rolled her eyes. “Unfortunately for you, no.” She leaned in conspiratorially. “Wanna hear a secret. I prefer to see your curls.”
He grins like an idiot at her and she fights desperately not to smile back.
-
When CJ enters the bar Danny’s already there playing pool with Leo Toby and Josh with Mandy making fun of Josh’s shot more than playing. Sam and Donna are chatting away at the hightop table in the corner.
“Why don’t we let the girls.” Josh suggests as Toby and Leo bail on the next game to go smoke around back. “Me and Danny will play winners.”
“But there are only three of us.” Donna points out.
“You can have Sam too, he’s pretty enough to be a girl.”
“Hey!”
“Come on Sam, you and me vs Mandy and Donna.” CJ says taking the stick from Danny.
They play predictably worse than the guys had. Sam’s the only one of them that really knows what he’s doing. CJ and Mandy are just bad but surprisingly Donna’s having good luck tonight and sinks 3 balls.
“We should turn this into a drinking game, take a shot every time they sink a ball” Josh teases.
“You know Joshua, maybe that’s a good idea.” Mandy said coming around the table to line up her shot swaying flirtatiously close to him and leaning over giving him a good view. She pulls the stick back, hitting him in the gut and sinking the ball into the corner pocket. “Drink up.” She leans over him as he’s still doubled over in pain.
Danny nearly spits his drinking out laughing and Donna gives a sharp whistle as they all laugh.
After the third game Mandy finally drags Josh away, the pair arguing over something that CJ had lost track of. Donna had disappeared to the bar to get drinks but some guy had started talking her up and she hadn’t come back. Leaving Danny and CJ alone.
“You want another?” Danny asked, nodding towards her beer.
“Sure.” She said it was her four but she didn’t care. She was enjoying the night so far and there weren’t any plans until the afternoon tomorrow.
He came back with 2 more beers for them. “I want to hear about hollywood.” He says. “I can’t imagine you working there.”
“Why not?" she asked.
He shrugs. “You don’t seem to like all the pettiness, all the drama that Hollywood has.”
She’s surprised that he had hit the nail on the head. “I didn’t but I got paid 10 times more than I do now.”
“Really? I thought they gave you the keys to the New Hampshire vaults to get you on the campaign.” He jokes.
“I worked at Emily’s list and on a house race before Hollywood. I liked it better.” She told him. “There were some perks of Hollywood though, besides the pay I got the best stories.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah, you know Brad Pitt right?...” She begins telling him some of her stories about the various celebrities and movies she had worked for. Danny’s got a few good stories of his own. CJ had been right, he doesn’t write about drama for the sack of drama. He’s got several stories that she can’t remember ever reading about and he had never written about various politicians from all over the political spectrum including Leo.
“I swear to God!” Danny laughed holding up his hand as if he was swearing on a bible. “Ken told me, when they were in bootcamp. The drill instructor woke them up in the middle of the night.” They both descend into laughter for a moment. “And Leo shouted ‘yes mother’ instead of ‘yes Drill instructor’.”
CJ leans over into his shoulder from laughing so hard.
“Man, I swear that’s the reason Leo likes me.” Danny says, wiping his eyes. “I never told a soul that story.”
“But you told me.”
“Well what can I say, you’re pretty special.” Their heads are way too close.
“Danny…” She can’t make herself move away. It's a conflict of interest regardless of if he ever covered Bartlet, it would look bad for both of them.
“He’s not going to win.” Danny’s husky voice is way too close to her, he knows what she was thinking. “He’s 7 points and 106 delegates back”
But she could only edge closer. “One more debate to go,” she reminds him, licking her lips subconsciously. His hands twitched wanting to touch her but didn’t yet. “He might.” She whispered.
“But he might not.” Danny replied. She kissed him then and blamed the beer.
-
“That was amazing.”
“Mind blowingly good. I’m good at this, you’re good at this, we're good at this.” CJ said, rolled to face him.
“Yeah.”
“But we can’t date.” She told him.
“No?”
“No, it's a conflict of interests.”
“We can’t date.” He repeated.
“Nope.”
“But we can just sleep together like normal mature adults.” Danny offered
“It can just be that.” CJ nodded. “It wouldn’t be dating.”
“It's just for fun.” Danny said.
“And stress relief.” CJ agreed.
“No strings attached and no expectation” Danny said.
“Or feelings.” CJ added.
“Because it's hard to find relationships on the campaign trail.” Danny continued
“Impossible.” CJ added.
“It's just for convenience and a good time.”
“It's not going to go anywhere.” CJ finished as Danny moved into her space and ended the conversation with a searing kiss.
-
She’s kissing him as soon as he opens his hotel room door to her. It's late, actually, it's so late it's early, 2:30 in the morning. The debate hadn’t finished until nearly 11 and then two hours of post debate coverage had taken up his time and hers.
“Mmh, you’re in a good mood.” He says grinning at her.
“We’re going to win, Danny, I can feel it.” She tells him kissing him again pushing him against the door he just closed as he lost all ability to think.
“You wanna know something?” She asks as they lay in bed next to each other after. “Off the record.”
“What?” He asked rolling over to face her.
“Abbey cut his tie.”
“What?”
“Abbey took a pair of scissors and cut his tie minutes before the debate started.”CJ turned her head to grin at him. “It got his head into the game and he hit a grandslam.”
“Yeah yeah he did.” Danny agreed. He leans over to kiss her. “He might have a chance after all.”
“Yeah, show what you know.”
“Oh, what I know? I know plenty.” Danny retorts.
“Uh huh like what?”
“Like this is your favorite spot.” He says sucking on her neck where he can feel her pulse start racing.
“Don’t give me a hickey.” her breath hitches.
“What about on spot other people can’t see…?” But CJ can no longer think straight enough to respond.
-
“Were you talking to the governor?” CJ asked as she followed him through the hotel.
“Yeah.”
“Who let you do that?”
Danny turns to her. “Leo, why you jealous?”
“Ha, you wish.”
“I do wish, wish a lot of stuff havin’ to do with you.” They’re standing practically chest to chest at this point. A smirk played on his face to match the small grin on her own.
There are voices at the other end of the hallway and CJ talks a large and quick step back and brushes by him quickly.
“Hey!” Danny nearly has to jog to catch up to her. “Where ya going?”
“We need to be careful.” She hissed at him. “I don’t want–”
“To be seen with me?” Danny said, raising his eyebrows at her. “Little late for that one. Them to think we’re dating? Cause good thing we’re not.”
“Danny you know as well as I do it will be bad for your career if people think we’re together as much as it will be for mine.” CJ reminded him.
“So you want me to sit by the fire and wait for my booty call.” He hissed at her.
“That’s not what I mean!” She said, raising her voice a little.
“Then what do you mean CJ.” Danny snapped. “You know what when you know what you mean you can come find me.”
The hurt in his eyes gnawed at her.
She has Meg tell him to hang back after they were done with their press event for the day. “Hey,” She said, feeling awkward and not sure how to start.
“You wanted me?” He prompted her.
“Yes. I um am sorry about earlier. I didn't want to think this is something that it's not but I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
“I know what this is CJ, but you don’t need to seem embarrassed by me is all.”
“Good I’m glad we’re on the same page.” They’re staring at each other again once again standing nose to nose, way too close to draw any other conclusion than the fact they were attracted to each other.
“So I’ll see you later?” He asked after a long moment.
“Room 307.”
-
CJ is molding the political narrative like clay in her hand. Even going into the last month of the primary campaign to the convention most of the talk, foolishly, around one Governor Jed Bartlet was only to compare him to Hoynes and not actually about him or his policies. The democrats were going first with their convention and CJ and Leo were taking full advantage to shape the narrative of the general election campaign before Senator Robinson was officially announced as his opponent.
But there was one area that they were interestingly vulnerable to. “CJ?” He raised his hand.
“Yes?”
“Given the way the primary unfolded with you behind for most of it, Is there a concern that the Vice President nominee John Hoyne will overshadow the Governor given his national popularity?” He asked.
She doesn’t flinch but he can see her chagrin in her eyes. “No Danny, that is not a concern because he is not the Democratic nominee for President of the United States and that does wonders for your popularity.” The press core all lapped up her levity. “Next question?”
Yes, the next few months were going to be fun.
-
“DANIEL!” CJ stormed her way over to him.
“Hehe, good luck my friend.” Kate snickered and slinked out of the line of fire.
“Beautiful weather we’re having.” Danny said conversationally as CJ stopped in front of him.
“It will be beautiful when I shove this up your ass.” She spat at him.
“What do you want to shove up my ass? Because depend–”
“Don’t. You. Dare . Finish that sentence if you want to live.” She warned him. “You know damn well what I’m talking about!” She waves his article in front of his face.
“Oh that.” He flicked his fingers off his forehead in a duh gesture. “How could I forget, you see it's a funny story actually…”
“I don’t care. It's bullshit because everyone does opposition research about your opponent.” CJ told him, crossing her arms.
“Yeah but most of the time that opposition doesn’t go on to be your Vice President.” Danny shrugged. “Besides, people like to read about this stuff.”
“Well I hope your readers enjoy reading nothing from you in the near future.” CJ threw the paper in his face and stormed off.
Danny’s only thought was she was hot when she was mad. Really hot.
-
CJ walked through their campaign ‘headquarters’, they had taken over half of a Best Western in North Carolina. It was quiet. Strangely quiet. She sighed no one was here. Leo’s and Toby’s wives, Jenny and Andi, had come down from DC to visit them for the weekend. Both couples had left as quickly as they arrived, not that CJ blamed them, funnily enough so had Josh and Mandy after months of will-they-won’t-they. They had plagued the rest of the campaign with their unrequited sexual banter that underlying all of their arguments. She was happy that was over with. No, the kicker for her was that Governor Jed Bartlet had stolen her… Danny after his oldest daughter abandoned him to go out on the town tonight.
CJ sighed and walked toward the Governor’s room, knocking as she entered. “Yes CJ?” Jed asked. He was in a simple Concord high sweatshirt and jeans. Danny was also dressed casually in a light pull over and jeans. He smiled at her when she entered.
“Just making sure everythings alright and you haven’t bored Danny to death with all that sprizle and lemons.” She waves her hand to encompass everything she can’t put into words.
“Ah you mean Stiglitz Market for Lemons !” He said excitedly.
Danny gave her a look of irritation, making it clear whatever they had been talking about hadn’t been the economic theory the rest of them had been burdened with listening to all week.
“Ah yes.. That.” CJ said now regretting bringing it up. “Anyway we should let Danny get out of here. No need to talk about Lemons. I’m sure he’s got deadlines for the Sunday paper and all.” She pivoted quickly, waving for him to get up. “I’ll walk you out.” She offers him.
“Uh sure, thanks.” Danny agreed easily, for once not spitting her by encouraging the Nobel laureate on this. “Thanks for the chat sir.”
“Anytime Danny, make sure you ask me about Market Lemons and insurance premiums at the next press event!”
CJ practically shoved him out of the room before the former economics professor could get on a roll.
“Not interested to hear about lemons?” Danny asked once they were in the hallway.
“Not at all. Now come on, I want to get out of these shoes.” She grabbed him and pulled him into the elevator towards his room. “And maybe some other stuff.” She tossed him a look that made him be the one that pulled her towards their destination.
After she showered he had come back with 2 ice creams. “Thanks.” She says kissing him lightly as she takes the ice cream out of his hand.
She could feel his eyes following her as she put her toiletry bag on the desk. “Made yourself comfortable?” He asks.
She smiles at the wall, his voice is just a little bit hose at the end. “You don’t approve?” She asks turning towards him, taking another lick of her ice cream.
He shook his head. “I very much do.” He says still staring at her. “Just think maybe the shower was counterproductive.”
She raises an eyebrow at him. Then grabs a tissue seeing his own ice cream beginning to drip down his hand. She stepped over to him to wipe it up. He doesn’t look away from her. “You’re wasting it.” She reprimands him lightly.
“Mmh.” He hums not caring one bit.
“I’m finishing my ice cream before you undress me anymore with your eyes.” She warns him sitting down on the edge of the bed.
He nods. “But once you’re down?” He asks hopefully.
CJ smiles and shakes her head a little in amusement. “Honestly Danny you’ve seen me in far less than this and way better.” She gestures at his sweatpants and oversized t-shirt she was currently wearing.
“No I haven’t.” He tells her simply, sending a shiver down her back.
-
“Ugh I swear I never thought I’d spend so much time in Ohio after I left.” CJ groaned as Danny came back after his shower.
“Oh yeah, not my favorite state but it has its qualities.” He offered sliding back into bed next to her.
“What are they? Cold and snowy winters?”
“Well if you ask the Governor…” CJ rolled her eyes. “No, but you are from here. So it can’t be a totally hopeless place.”
“You’re a sap.” She smacks his chest lightly as she settles into what’s quickly becoming her usual spot on his shoulder. They had been doing this alot more lately. Sex then making fun of whatever panelists were on CNN that evening together. It felt almost domestic to Danny. Hell, he’s keeping his beard trimmed more regularly now because she made one comment about it looking nice. This was domestic.
“With the way you guys are polling here you won’t have to spend much more time here. I imagine Pennsylvania, Michigan, Minnesota will all be much higher on the priority list than Ohio.” Danny told her as his arm settled around her.
“Don’t try to get a scoop while we’re in bed.” She smacked him again a little hard this time.
“Hey!” He laughed. “Like I can print that, ‘a source close to the campaign said ‘Bartlet is giving up on Ohio’ while in bed with me.’”
“Are you excited for the debate in Michigan? Going to run one of them polling voter pieces?” She asked, looking up at him.
“I certainly know enough people to, but no, I was going to try to do that in Nebraska next week. So I won’t be with you when you go to the west coast until the weekend.” Danny told her.
“What? Why Nebraska?” CJ asked, confused.
“Because who campaigns in Nebraska.” Danny said rhetorically.
“No one I guess. So this is a forgotten American voter angle?”
“Something like that.”
CJ sighed. “Well I guess that's a good piece then.”
“You gonna miss me?” He asked, teasing.
“You wish.” She snips back at him. “Not having to answer all the ridiculous questions that come out of your mouth.”
“You’re lying, you love my mouth.” He growls playfully, swallowing any response she might have had with a kiss.
“CJ? CJ,” He whispered into the now dark room. “what if I’m in too deep?” His voice cracked at the end.
There was no response. He turned his head to look over at her face sleeping a few inches away from his own. He sighed. Maybe it was a good thing, he didn’t get an answer yet. He rolled onto his side and wrapped his arm loosely around her waist. She instinctively snuggled closer to him and he thought they both might be in trouble here but pushed that thought out of his head and went to sleep holding the woman he was obsessed with.
-
“Sir, I’m just saying you talk to Danny alot one on one. It’s going to come off as favoritism soon.” CJ warned Governor Bartlet he was preparing for this interview.
“Well maybe it is favoritism.” He said nonchalantly. “You know he wrote a book about my wife, forgive me for being partial to the guy.” He reminded her.
“I understand that sir. But–”
“It's done CJ, relax it will be fine.” He waved off her concern and walked out into the main room.
“Governor.” Danny stood when he entered.
“Hey Danny.” The men shook hands as CJ went to the kitchenette to get herself a soda.
“Forgive her Danny, she thinks I’m playing favorites.” Jed was telling Danny.
She turned around in time to see his answer.
“You sir? Never.” Danny said, glancing at CJ with amusement.
“So you don’t want me to talk to him anymore.” He said without preamble as they left the hotel room.
“It's not about us, this, Danny. This is purely professional.” CJ told him strictly.
“Okay.”
“It is. People will notice and the other press will get jealous.” She continued.
“Okay.”
“And you’re The Post. ” She wrinkled her nose
“Hey come on now, no need to be mean.” Danny protested.
“No, I'm just saying there’s a certain type of person who reads The Post. One that a Nobel laureate in economics is already speaking to. Not the farmers in Nebraska, who you by the way, were just writing about being ignored.”
“So you want him to speak to agriculture monthly?” He raised an eyebrow.
“I’m saying Local News or hell Fox would probably put him in front of a different audience than you would no matter what you write.” CJ argued.
“Don’t think the Republicans can make inroads with the Coastal social elites?”
“No, I'm saying we aren't competing enough with rural middle America voters as you wrote last week, Mr. New England Coastal Elite.” She told him.
“Hey! I went to Notre Dame.”
“Yeah sure Masters from Harvard but your bachelors from Notre Dame was really second class…” She rolled her eyes.
“Says the woman who went to Berkeley!” They got in the elevator and the doors closed.
He moves and wraps his arms around her. “Okay you have a point.”
“Told ya.” She says hugging him back.
“It was my point after all that made you realize you were forgetting rural farmers in middle America. So really you should be thanking– Hey!”
She elbowed him and he tickled her back. They both laughed. The elevator slowed and he kissed her temple as she gave him one more squeeze before stepping away.
-
CJ did not like the cold or most of the northern half of the country in general, there was a reason she lived in California, but even she had to admire the beauty of a sunny New England fall day. She was back at the Bartlet farm for the next 2 days with the First Lady as she came up to settle her youngest daughter Zoey into her senior year of high school. She was very happy to be here instead on the campaign trail because Danny had also made the trip. He still had a great relationship with Abbey from when he wrote a book on her. Him doing a big focus piece on her was the obvious choice.
It was just the two of them here. The governor, Leo and Josh were doing fundraising in Florida. Toby was smoothing over some ruffled feathers in New York and Sam and Mandy were with Hoynes on the trail in the midwest.
She headed in from the kitchen to the living room where Danny had set up. Abbey had yet to make an appearance. She leaned in the door frame idle watching some aid flirt with Danny who wasn’t paying much attention as he fiddled with his tape recorder. She found it entertaining to watch because she knew what Danny looked like when he was interested in a woman and this was so far from it. After a minute he looked over and saw her watching and gave her a half grin and came over to her.
“She seemed to hit it off with you.” CJ said when he stopped in front of her.
He shrugged and glanced over his shoulder carefully. He leaned in a little. “I couldn't tell you her name, CJ.” He admitted, somewhat embarrassed.
She stifled a laugh. “Why’d ya come over here?”
“To flirt with you.”
“How many times have I told you I don’t appreciate that?” She said half heartedly.
He shrugged again. “You’ll tell me at least another thousand before I think about listening.”
“You’re kinda masochistic aren’t you.”
“Maybe but we both know how tonight will end.” He said lowly.
She bit back a smile. He was right, with so little press up here Danny had bothered to get his own room. He would sleep next to her tonight and she was happy about it.
Danny was enjoying New Hampshire yeah the foliage was nice and Abbey had been amazing but he had CJ almost completely to himself all weekend. They had spent nearly the entire time together. But in a town of just under 5,000 it wasn’t a concern, Abbey would have heard if there was errant press around. She was not thrilled about the spotlight her children were under, especially Zoey who was only 17. They got breakfast together at a small dinner that looked like it hadn’t been updated since the 70s before they headed to the airport.
“How can you say that?” CJ argued lightly. “Of course it does. Frosting is the part that makes a cupcake and cupcake.”
Why they were arguing about if you put frosting on a muffin does it make it a cupcake was beyond him at this point. How? Well it all started with the classification of cinnamon rolls. But it had gotten them all the way through breakfast without a winner.
“Sure honey.” He said in a sing-songy voice and that made her glare at him.
“Whatever, I’m going to the bathroom, do you mind paying?” She threw a wad of cash on the table which he picked up and pocketed to give back to her later. The waitress came over with the check.
“Your wife looks so familiar, you guys from here originally?” She asked.
It caught him so off guard it took a minute for him to respond. “Oh, uh, no we’re not and just passing through.” Danny answered not bothering to argue the point of CJ not actually being his wife.
CJ came back over as she pocketed the cash Danny had given her and began to pick up the dishes. “Well you two are cute together.”
It threw both of them off there had been nothing overtly romantic about their breakfast in fact they had spent most of it squabbling. CJ seemed really thrown by how easily she had decided they were a couple. “She was just making small talk.” Danny said to her in the car when he could tell she was still chewing on it. “It's not that obvious, just a small town, a man and woman having breakfast together, must be together kinda thing.”
“Yeah sure.” She said distractedly as they drove to the airport.
-
“CJ!”
“CJ!”
“CJ!”
The press clamored for her attention as she walked by. “I don't have anything for you right now, you got to wait like all the rest of us.” she told them, waving them off with an air of cool control that she didn't feel. There is nothing to do but wait now. She had voted, the pressed voted, the governor had voted, all that was left was for everybody else to vote. and then it would be over. Finally, one way or the other.
“Go away Danny.” She groaned seeing him standing in front of the door she needed to go through. Of course, she should have known better when he hadn’t been among the press gaggle.
He opened the door for her “CJ,” he greeted her.
“No, you heard what I said to them. There’s no special answer for you.” She waved her finger in his face while she passed him.
“Oh come on, you’ve got to hear a rumor from DNC at least!” He pouted.
“Goodbye Danny.” She told him walking through the door. Only 16 more hours to go until the 1998 Presidential election was finally over.
“That wasn’t what Sam told me!” He called after her.
She froze and pivoted back towards him. “What did you just say?” She asked him, making sure to enunciate each syllable.
“Sam,” Danny said slowly, with a smirk that made her want to rip his head off. “Said he heard a rumor that you were worried about Texas and Wisconsin.”
“From who?” She nearly growled at him
“The Democratic National Committee headquarters.”
“I'm going to kill him.”
“So you are worried about…”
“No, we are not worried, Danny. You know why? We trust the American people to make the right decision on who the President of the United States of America should be. You can print that. If I see anything on the wires about Texas or Wisconsin. I swear to god you’ll never have another feature with the Governor again.” She threatened him, cutting him to ribbons with a glare.
“Okay.” He shrugged as if she had just told it might rain later. “But off the record…”
“No you don’t get off the record.” She snapped at him. “There is no ‘off the record, just off the record, CJ.’ like with Sam today right?”
“Oh come on, he didn’t say–”
“I’m sure it was implied!”
“How can you know! You didn’t even know until 5 seconds ago!” Danny argued back. “Go yell at him, I just did my job!”
“Oh I plan on it buster!”
“Hey, I need to talk to you.” Danny said his voice was a little cold like he was still frustrated with her from earlier. He grabbed her by the elbow and pulled her into a supply closet.
“Danny, what are you doing? It's almost over. I need to–” she’s cut off by him kissing her hard.
“I’m so fucking proud of you.” He rested his forehead against hers for a moment before pulling back so he could see her face. “Congratulations you won Illinois.”
“We–” She didn’t finish and just kissed him again just as hard. “We won!” She threw her arms around his neck and he lifted her up slightly in excitement.
“Go tell them.” He told her when she finally drew back.
She kissed him once more. “Thank you Danny.”
-
The last 2 weeks had been a whirlwind since the election. Danny hadn’t seen much of CJ since. He was still covering Bartlet but CJ and everyone else on the transition team were so busy trying to get ready and up to speed to run the country in 10 short weeks. He saw her nearly everyday at least during gaggles and pressers. But he still missed her desperately. They hadn’t spent any real time together. Only managing to find one time to see each other outside of their jobs. He was surprised to find, that wasn’t enough for him.
It was a terrifying realization. He knew he was getting attached to her but the realization he wanted more, way more with her than the causal hooking up they had agreed upon. He wanted a real relationship with her. He knew they could make this work if they actually gave it the shot it deserved. It wasn’t a gut feeling, it was something he knew in his bones. He thought CJ might know it, or at least, want it too. But there was the small matter of their jobs that loomed over them which even at this point threatened to end their current jobs if not careers. Taking their relationship to the next level would mean that at least one of them would need to get a new job.
The problem was Danny didn’t want to quit the Post. He liked his job. His editor Carl was hilarious. His ‘coworkers’ in the gaggle were among some of his closest friends. He had experiences that were once-in-a-lifetime once a month. And most importantly, he genuinely enjoyed it. He was a reporter, it was a huge part of who he was, maybe the most important part of his life too.
CJ thrived as campaign spokeswoman. She truly had a gift of handling the notoriously fickle national press. More than that she deserved to be the White House Press Secretary. He had meant what he had said to her on election night. He was so proud of the job she had done on the campaign. She was no small part of the reason Jed Bartlet would be the next President of the United States. He could never do anything to jeopardize that, nevermind take it away from her.
He realized then that whatever he wanted, whatever they had been doing, whatever was between them could never continue now that she would be the White House Press Secretary. And that felt like he had been run over by a cement mixer.
“Hey.” She said, greeting him with a kiss as she opened her hotel room door and pulled him inside.
“Hey.”
“I feel like I thought, I don’t know, that it would slow down– no that we'd know what we’re doing now that ya know, we won. But honestly it is worse than at anypoint in the campaign.” CJ told him as they walked past the bathroom and into the room. “We haven’t seen each other in what a week?” She turned around to where he was a few feet behind her. She caught the tight and worried expression on his face. “What is it? What’s the matter?” She asked, concerned.
“CJ, I’m in too deep.”
It took a second for her to register what he meant. It felt like a slap in the face when she did. “
What?
”
“I’m in this too deep. This isn’t just fun for me anymore. I’m falling in love with you Ceej.” He held up a hand to stop her from interrupting. “And I have to love you enough to let you go.”
“Danny, what are you talking about where is this coming from?”
“You’re right it is a conflict of interest and we can’t do this anymore.”
“No it's fine we can–”
“No it's not, you see if you are protesting it just means we’re in this way too deep. I can’t cover you, not objectively, not professionally, not ethically.”
“Danny, we can figure it out. It’ll work out.”
“No it won’t, CJ because I can’t do it. I can’t–” he shook his head. “I look at you and I’m amazed and I’m not thinking about what you’re saying, not really. I’m thinking you’re brilliant and talented and deserve the world and I want to give you the world not have fun rolling around in the sheets behind everyones back.”
“I think you’re overreacting.”
“Over re– You are too! When was the last time you filtered with someone else cause I haven’t seen it in months!”
“That doesn’t matter!”
“Yeah it does cause the guy from the democratic headquarters was filtering you very hard for like 3 days but I’m not sure you even noticed!”
“He was not!”
“Yeah he was. You wanna know why I know, because I was jealous. I want to date you to take you out to show you off in public, to be able to kiss and not worry about who sees. CJ, I want you to be mine and to be yours. But that’s not something that can work right?”
There are tears in her eyes. “Danny…”
“I’m sorry CJ.”
-
“CJ!”
“CJ!”
“CJ!”
The choirs of voices she could hear called her name and yet there was only one voice she could hear, or should she say the one voice she didn’t hear in the choirs. Danny sat in the back of the pack of press staring at her and she stared back before shaking herself out of it. No time for that. There was nothing left anymore anyway. Yet all she could see was the reflection of the sadness she felt swimming in his eyes.