Feedback: Makes me very, very happy.
Disclaimers: Not mine, song�s not mine either. Don�t sue, I have no money.
Spoilers: Post-ep for The Portland Trip, so everything up to there is game.
Author�s Notes: The fifth story in my CJ/Toby post-ep series.
An old man turned ninety-eight
He won the lottery and died the next day
It's a black fly in your Chardonnay
It's a death row pardon two minutes too late
Isn't it ironic... don't you think
Toby started towards the door. He was finally leaving the White House. After the flight to Portland and back, they had all gotten immediately to work. It was finally time to go home. On his way out, he noticed the light on in CJ�s office. He poked his head in the door. �Go home CJ�.
She didn�t even look up, �I�m busy.�
�It�s nothing that can�t wait. Go home. Forget about work for awhile.�
This did get her attention. She looked up, smiling wryly, �You�re telling me to forget about work? Has the world ended?�
He fought the urge to smile, �Not yet. Come on, let�s go.�
It's like rain on your wedding day
It's a free ride when you've already paid
It's the good advice that you just didn't take
Who would've thought... it figures
She shook her head and went back to what she was doing, �not yet�.
He gave up and entered her office, settling on her couch. �What are you doing?�
She looked up at him sheepishly, �Trying to find a way to make Charlie�s plan for new teachers work.�
�Why�s that so important to you?�
�My dad was a teacher. He would always say that there weren�t enough of them. There�s finally a good idea to get some, and we can�t do it.�
Mr. Play It Safe was afraid to fly
He packed his suitcase and kissed his kids good-bye
He waited his whole damn life to take that flight
And as the plane crashed down he thought
"Well, isn't this nice."
She got back to work, hoping he would take the hint and leave. When it became obvious he wasn�t going to, she looked up again. �I don�t think I told you earlier, but thanks for your help with Danny and Sam�s speech.�
�No problem. Who�d ever thought I�d ever be the one helping you with Danny, though.�
She chuckled, �yeah�.
He wasn�t really sure this was territory he wanted to get into, but he decided to take the leap anyways. �I�m guessing the two of you haven�t talked since he stopped by your apartment, then.�
And isn't it ironic ... don't you think
She decided to ignore what he�d said and changed the subject, �What are you still doing here?�
�Talking to you, since you refuse to leave.�
She sighed, �You know what I mean.�
He returned her sigh, �I was listening to Josh rant about Matt Skinner and the bill. He just can�t believe that a gay Senator would support it, no matter, what his party.�
�Well, the guy�s staying loyal to his party despite his personal feelings, you have to admire him for that.�
�Yeah, and I think Josh does, he just wishes it wasn�t the Republican party he was loyal to.�
�Don�t we all?�
�Yeah�
Well, life has a funny way of sneaking up on you
When you think everything's okay and everything's going right
�Do you think Josh is doing okay?�
He looked at her, �I guess, why?�
�I was talking to Donna earlier and she was upset about something he said to her about her taste in men.�
Toby shrugged, �He always makes fun of her taste in men.�
�Yeah, and usually she doesn�t care, but this time whatever he said really hurt her.�
�They�ll get past it. They always do. Besides, I still don�t understand why he makes fun of her about that. Has no one mentioned Mandy to him?�
CJ chuckled, �I think we�re all trying to avoid seeing his face turn that purple color it gets whenever someone mentions her name.�
And life has a funny way of helping you out when
You think everything's gone wrong and everthing blows up
In your face
Toby looked at his watch. They�d been talking for an hour. Time to try again. �Come on, let�s go.�
�But��
He was desperate. �If you leave now, I�ll help you with it tomorrow.�
She looked at him, considering his offer, �Promise? You won�t try and back out of it?�
He sighed, knowing he�d just given up all of tomorrow to this, �yeah�.
She grinned, �Okay�.
A traffic jam when you're already late
A no-smoking sign on your cigarette break
It's like 10,000 spoons when all you need is a knife
It's meeting the man of my dreams
And then meeting his beautiful wife
And isn't it ironic... don't you think
As they left, they passed by Leo on his way back to his office. He was so engrossed in his papers that he didn�t even notice them.
CJ began to turn back, �Maybe we should stay after all.�
Toby shook his head, knowing what she was worried about, �He�ll be fine.�
�But, didn�t you hear��
�About his divorce papers? Yeah. But he�ll be fine.�
She allowed him to continue to drag her out, but she glanced at him sideways. �I seem to remember you getting as drunk as hell the day your divorce papers came.�
A little too ironic.. and yeah I really do think...
He shrugged, �Yeah, well Leo�s stronger than I am. He�ll be fine.�
As they finally got to their cars, CJ realized she really was looking forward to going home and decided to accept what he was telling her, �Yeah�.
Well, life has a funny way of sneaking up on you
And life has a funny way of helping you out
Helping you out.
Finis
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