Chapter Text
CJ stepped outside the theatre, bringing the mobile phone to her ear, walking past the bored journalists and Secret Service agents assigned to the street, not appearing to be so discreet.
Toby followed, trailing a few steps behind CJ.
“Ritchie’s planning another attack ad on the President.” CJ said, turning to him with the bottom half of the cell phone covered. Toby slightly shook his head as the two staffers walked around the corner from the theatre so that they were out of sight from the journalists.
They didn’t need to have advance information on Ritchie’s petty advert. Toby stuffed his hands into his pockets, watching CJ as she spoke on the phone.
“Yeah. When’s it going to be released?” she asked. Toby glanced around. The street was quiet; unusual for New York, though it was now late.
“Okay. Thanks, Greg.” She hung up, pulling the phone away from her ear and turning to face Toby. “Ritchie and the other Republicans are attacking the President on his record with crime. He’s supposedly too soft on crime.”
Toby scoffed, “That’s every Republican’s favourite phrase in an election year.” He examined her, head-to-toe in the black Vera Wang, something that CJ didn’t miss. She watched him carefully.
“Toby?”
“Hmm?”
“I could’ve told you what the phone call was after the show.” CJ stated. “Why did you come out with me?”
Toby stared back at her, trying not to give anything away while her light eyes watched him, awaiting a response.
“I got fed up with the show.” He lied, a shrug going along with his statement. CJ shook her head with a gentle smile present on her face.
“Don’t let the President hear you say that.” CJ remarked. Toby was the first to head back to the theatre, walking slowly while CJ stood in the same place for a few moments to switch off her phone. Still, she managed to catch up with him, just trailing a few steps behind.
“Are you enjoying the show?” asked Toby.
“More than I thought I would.” CJ responded. Toby glanced up, seeing a hooded white man walking in front of them. In the days after that night, he would agonise over every detail of that man and curse himself for not realising earlier on that something was wrong.
But for a native New Yorker, a young guy in a hoodie wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. CJ didn’t see anything unusual. Neither did the Secret Service agents just around the corner. At least, until it happened.
The young guy looked up at CJ, his cold eyes burning into her as he got closer. CJ barely noticed his presence, looking forward until his body collided with hers. Toby stopped when he heard his colleague yell out, turning to the direction when he saw the young man pull something shiny out of his pocket.
It all happened so fast. Toby regretted being a few steps ahead of CJ, unable to reach her perpetrator in time. He saw the reflection of the streetlight in the knife just before CJ yelled out.
And then he was gone, taking the knife with him and Toby lunged forward to take CJ into his arms, her body crashing into his chest. She groaned in pain as Toby eased her to the ground.
“Oh God. CJ.” Toby murmured, a hand resting on the back of CJ’s head as his other hand reached for the stab wound, where blood was spilling out. His heart sank at the sight of the injury.
“Toby.” She breathed out, her chest rising and falling. Toby glanced back at his hand, coated in blood before he realised CJ saw his hand too. Her eyes widened in fear.
“I need some help over here!” Toby bellowed, reaching for his tie, hurriedly undoing it and yanking it off his shirt collar.
“Toby.” She repeated breathlessly, watching as he pressed the tie against her wound, making her hiss in pain. Toby’s dark eyes looked back at her, frantic with panic.
“It’s gonna be alright.” Toby attempted to reassure her, as loud and fast footsteps pounded against the pavement. He glanced at the three agents present, all bewildered at what happened. “Young white man in a hoodie; he went that way!” Toby yelled at them, using his blood-free hand to point in the direction of CJ’s attacker. Two agents sprinted down that street while the solitary one screamed into his wrist mic, staying by Toby. The only word Toby could make out was “ambulance”.
Toby glanced back at CJ, still keeping pressure on her wound with his tie, though the blood continued to stain his hand and the concrete. He leaned forward, ignoring the soreness in his knees, placing his other hand on her cheek, brushing a tear away with his thumb.
“You’re going to be okay, Claudia Jean.” Toby told her. “I got you.” CJ nodded. She didn’t know she had been crying until he wiped a tear away. She cleared her throat.
“Is the President okay?” she breathed out, her voice wavering as she spoke.
“He’s inside the theatre.” Toby added. She was shaking in his arms.
“The ambulance is a few minutes away.” The agent informed Toby. He nodded, his free hand reaching for her shoulder and squeezing it.
“It’s going to be okay, CJ.” He told her, unsure if that was true.
***
“Now what was so important that you had to pull me out?” the President murmured. “A crazed fan broke through the barrier?” He huffed out an exhale in annoyance. The serious cases got rarer through the years. At the beginning of his presidency, his heart leapt whenever an agent needed to speak to him. Now he grew frustrated with how often people became silly and would risk being shot at by agents just to catch a glimpse of the President or his family.
“Mr President.” Ron Butterfield stopped him. President Bartlet sighed and prepared himself for the most underwhelming reason. “One of your staffers was violently attacked outside. An agent and another staffer is with them but the perpetrator is still at large.”
Jed’s face fell, all traces of annoyance vanishing.
“What?” he gasped. Leo drew his eyebrows together, stepping forward to be alongside his boss.
“Do you know who?” asked Leo, trying to recall which staffers he recalled leaving the show for a phone call or a bathroom break. The only one he could remember was Sam, and that was only because he got in his view of the show and he had returned.
“We’re not entirely sure sir.”
“What does that mean?”
“We know which two staffers went outside but the agent down there is alone and he’s trying to help the ambulance through the city, with the security from your visit.”
“Which two?”
“CJ Cregg and Toby Ziegler.” Ron responded. Jed’s blood ran cold, with Leo turning in his direction, his mouth dropping open.
“How bad is the attack?” questioned Jed, his voice laced with concern. Ron paused, listening carefully to the other agent over the mic. His face didn’t falter, but his eyes were dark with dread.
“Mr President…” Ron began, thinking carefully on how to break the news to the leader. “CJ Cregg has been stabbed. There’s an ambulance a few minutes away, the agent down there is helping the driver find his way through security. Toby’s with her. We’re sending more agents down.”
“Good lord.” Jed breathed out, his heart pounding as he pictured CJ being attacked in such a vicious manner. He glanced at Leo, who had gone pale.
“Ron, how bad is she?” asked Leo, dreading the response.
“I’m still getting more details… but from what it sounds like, it… it could be life-threatening.”
“I want to see her.” Jed muttered.
“Mr President-”
“No!” he raised his voice. “She is like a daughter to me.” He breathed in heavily.
“Is the suspect in the area?” asked Leo, turning back to Ron.
“Not as far as we’re aware, but with all due respect, sir, this is not recommended.” Ron suggested.
“Then send a team of agents with me because I couldn’t give a damn.” Jed turned on his heel and walked out, to his detail’s dismay.
***
“CJ. CJ, I need you to stay awake.” Toby pleaded with CJ. His hand was practically soaked, but he pushed through, keeping pressure on the wound. CJ blinked slowly, staring up at the streetlights.
“I feel cold.” She mumbled. Toby shook her when her eyelids fell closed.
“I know. The ambulance is just around the corner.” Toby reassured her, the sound of sirens getting closer.
“Mr Ziegler-” An agent called him but he ignored him, leaning in closer to CJ, whose eyes had closed.
“CJ! Don’t you dare.” Toby shook her awake again.
“I’m sorry.” CJ’s hand reached for his arm. “Toby…”
“I’m here.”
“I love you.” She confessed, her deep blues piercing into him. Toby paused, unsure of how to respond. She couldn’t think clearly when she was bleeding out onto the sidewalk. And then he shoved that worry aside, opening his mouth to speak.
“I love you too, CJ. I’m here.” He replied, reaching for her hand as the paramedics came through. He had no doubt that he meant those words. He just wasn’t sure if it was right to say it now, with the state she was in.
“Sir, you can let go now.” A paramedic said, referring to the stab wound. Toby stepped back, but CJ gripped onto his hand tightly.
“Don’t go.” CJ begged. Toby glanced at the paramedics, one who was already taking care of the wound and the other searching through his bag.
“Just make sure you stay out of our way.” One of them warned him. Toby held onto CJ’s hand tightly, including when the paramedic took care of the stab wound, making her groan and squeeze his hand tightly.
“Oh my God.” Toby glanced over at the voice, realising the President and Leo were standing at the side with agents surrounding them. Jed was absolutely distraught at the sight. He stepped forward.
“CJ.” He breathed out. CJ glanced up at him.
“You shouldn’t be here.” She muttered, followed by a groan she failed to silence.
“We need to take her now.” The female paramedic stated, glancing at Toby, who didn’t register anything. His gaze was stuck on CJ.
“Toby.” Leo called him, putting a hand on his shoulder. Toby glanced at him and then back at CJ.
Her grip on his hand had loosened and her focus appeared to fade away with it. She lay on the pavement, staring up at the streetlight shining over her, blinking slowly as she appeared to accept what had happened. Toby wanted to shake her out of it, but before he knew it, she was lifted onto a stretcher and he was pulled away by Leo and even Jed himself.
It was all a blur for him. At some point, Sam showed up, shock and disbelief washing over him but Toby barely acknowledged his presence.
“Toby. You gotta stay back.” Leo told him sternly.
“You don’t understand.” Toby shook his head, stepping forward. The President put a hand on his shoulder, making him turn towards him.
“She’ll be okay.” Leo said softly.
“You don’t know that!” Toby raised his voice, looking past his boss and seeing CJ get pulled into the ambulance. “I’m going with her.”
“Toby.” Sam called.
“Let him.” Jed interrupted. Sam and Leo glanced at the President, a solemn look on his face. “He won’t get in the way.”
The three men looked back at the ambulance where they saw Toby speaking to one of the paramedics who reluctantly allowed him in before slamming the doors closed.