Jed knocked on the connecting door and without waiting pushed it open. He stepped back in surprise. This didn’t happen when Leo was his Chief of Staff.

CJ’s hands flew to the red fabric pooled at her waist, hugging it up to cover creamy exposed skin. “Mr. President?” she stuttered.

“I’m sorry,” he apologized profusely, moving as if to leave.

“Did you need something?” CJ asked, working her arms into the straps whilst still trying to keep a modicum of modesty.

He came to a halt in the doorway. “Need a hand?” he offered, watching her struggle to zip herself up.

CJ reluctantly nodded. It was a little uncomfortable she admitted having the President walk in on her in a state of undress. But she could rationalize that it was no different than Toby walking in on her. Except she stopped rationalizing the minute his cold hand brushed against bare skin, his fingers sliding up her back as he separated the zipper from her skin.

“There,” he said softly. “You look nice.” He inwardly cringed at the word. Nice didn’t say anywhere near what he felt. She looked elegant, stunning, beautiful but he couldn’t say any of that. Instead he hovered behind her, eyes appraising the sloping vee of the back of her dress.

There had been speculation when he’d promoted her that his motives were less than professional. The media had belittled her lack of experience, her previous mistakes and the affront she was to family values. Then what had followed had brought her to the residence, apprehension etched on her face. CJ had suggested maybe Josh or Toby should take the temporary secondment but he had argued her down. If Toby was his better angel, CJ was his conscience. Passionate, gifted and so able to be herself. Next to Leo she was his best friend, as surprising as that had come.

“Mr. President,” she said urgently, giving him the impression it wasn’t the first time she had said his name. “Was there something you needed?”

“I wanted to go over a couple of things with you before the dinner.” He watched as she slipped on the simple matching dress shoes.

“Of course, Sir,” she replied perfunctory. “Although I have it in hand.” The last few weeks had been a fast track learning experience for her, and with the help of Margaret and gentle prompting from Leo she was getting to grips with the job.

“Leo called again?” he grinned. It hadn’t slipped past him that although on medical leave, Leo wasn’t able to let go.

“Morning, noon and night,” she laughed.

Something flickered behind Jed’s eyes. He hated to admit it but he was a little jealous. He’d seen CJ with Leo in the hospital reading newspapers to him and plumping his pillow, her throaty laugh trailing down the corridor. It was during those early days he had begun to wonder if CJ and Leo were moving from the safety of friends and colleagues to something more. It was none of his business of course.

He didn’t begrudge them happiness if they could find it, it was just looking at CJ now his own motives were a little tainted.

“I’ll see you at the dinner,” he said trying to conceal his embarrassment, his reason for appearing in her office temporarily forgotten..

“Yes, Mr. President.”

CJ watched him leave her office, confusion etched across her face. Sometimes she could read him like a book, other times he left her guessing. The interaction that had just past was one of these times. Shrugging it off she reached into her make up bag and set about fixing her face.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The evening seemed to be a success. The British Prime Minister was taken by the willowy Chief of Staff, their laughter echoing around the state room.

“I think your Chief of Staff is trying to bankrupt me, Mr. President,” the Prime Minister laughed as Jed rejoined the table after taking a phone call.

Jed looked at CJ, bemused.

“His wife mentioned they were going to New York,” she offered with a smile. “I suggested they drop by Tiffanys.”

“My wife can shop for Great Britain,” the Prime Minister added.

“As can mine,” Jed joked. “In fact she may well be in Milan doing that as we speak.

“I’ll be sure to tell Mrs Bartlett you said that, Sir,” CJ said, her voice betraying her teasing.

“Women!”

“I’m not going to say a word,” Jed joked. “It’s more than my life’s worth.” He turned to CJ and smiled before turning back to his guest of honor. “Would you excuse us? CJ, would you like to dance?”

“Yes, Sir.” They had danced at a hundred dinners. The only thing different about this occasion would be that everyone would be watching them.

Jed took her hand and guided her onto the dance floor. “I’m going to have to come up with a suitable punishment for you.” His hand moved to her waist, holding her firmly as they moved.

All eyes in the room were on them as they cut quite a dash across the floor, his eyes fixed on her as he tried to count steps.

“Haven’t I been punished enough already?” she asked, her eyebrow arching in teasing, sidestepping gracefully as he stepped on her foot.

“Just for that I’m going to invite you to the residence for coffee,” he said smugly.

“Invite?“ she asked lightly, allowing herself to enjoy the gentle banter.

“Yes.“

“In that case, yes, Sir.”

“We can discuss a topic of your choice,” he offered, letting out a sigh of relief that she accepted.

That was the point she realized he was lonely and as his Chief of Staff if he had insomnia she would need to keep him company.

“My choice?” she teased lightly.

“Yeah. I don’t embarrass easily,” he said confidently.

“Really?”

There was something in her tone that suggested she was going to put him to the test.

“Do your worst,” Jed whispered, twirling her around.

It was going to be a fun evening, she concluded.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The dinner had ended a short while a go, the visiting dignitaries on their way back to their embassy.

Saying good night to the staff, Jed had headed up to the residence.

After stopping by her office and out of habit checking the wires, CJ followed him.

Jed handed her a mug of hot chocolate and grinned as she tucked her feet up under her and made herself comfortable.

“So what are we discussing?”

“Sex.”

“You’re a little old for me to give you the birds and the bees conversation,” he smiled, settling back in his favourite chair. “And you can probably teach me a few things.” It was meant to be a throw away comment but her cheeks flushed pink.

“I’m a good catholic girl.”

He raised an eyebrow. “I was on the verge of joining the priesthood when I met Abbey.”

“These days I might as well be in a nunnery,” she groaned.

“Having a little dry spell?”

So much for embarrassing him, she thought, playing with the hem of her dress. Clearing her throat she asked, “Did you and Leo talk like this?”

“More or less.”

CJ gave him a small smile. “I can’t imagine that.”

Jed took a sip of his drink. “Can I be honest with you?”

“That implies there are times you haven’t been,” she laughed.

“Claudia Jean!” He shook his head at the turn of events and in a moment of weakness leaned closer. “I like you. You make me laugh. And you’re probably one of the easiest people I’ve ever known to talk to. You don’t take any crap from anyone.”

“I like you too.” It was an admission on her part, half of one anyway.

“Now that we’ve got that sorted out, you should go home,” Jed said softly, taking her empty mug from her hand.

“Sir?”

“It’s been a long day. We’re both tired.”

CJ scrunched up her face in consternation. “And you’re letting me off that easily?”

“You can stay if you want and we’ll discuss electoral math,” he teased.

She rose to her feet, giving him a wide grin. “Suddenly I’m really tired.”

“Good night CJ.” he watched as she slipped on her shoes and walked across the room.

“Good night, Mr. President,” she said, pausing at the door. “Sleep well.”

“You too.” He waited until she was almost in the corridor. “Thank you.”

“Anytime.” She meant it. With Leo away the President had no one to talk to, if she could fill the gap she was more than willing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It shouldn’t really have surprised her but it did. The front page of the Washington Post had a photograph of the President leading CJ around the dance floor above the fold. She’d read the article twice now and the implication remained the same - that the President had hired her because she was a woman. The dance proved there was something more to it.

Danny’s by-line was lacking and she wasn’t sure if he was a chicken or she was grateful. Fleetingly she wondered how the Enquirer would have dealt with it.

“Are you ok?” Jed asked softly, appearing in the doorway.

She jumped to her feet, mumbling, “Mr. President.”

“It’s a good photo. I thought I might ask for a copy.”

CJ rolled her eyes. “With all due respect.”

“You know I can’t be bothered with all this crap.”

The problem was she could. Her reputation was on the line. They had always been very careful in their relationship, walking a fine line between colleagues and friends, an even finer one she suspected between friends and so much more. Her temporary position was blurring that line even further.

“CJ,” he said, moving towards her, pulling the door shut behind him. “You’re an enigma for them. No divorce, no children, no dependency problems. This is the best they can throw at you.”

“How can I be effective when they think we’re having a relationship?” she asked, her eyes looking everywhere but at him.

“We are having a relationship,” he stated simply. “Just not the one they’re implying.” He paused momentarily, wondering if he’d said the wrong thing. “You’re one of my closest friends.”

“Thank you, Sir.” She looked at him and managed a faint smile.

“You’re doing a good job.” It wasn’t just a throw away compliment. She really was a capable replacement for Leo in terms of dealing with staff and the fallout from Josh’s resignation. Not that it was a new thing. She had always been the glue that kept them together and he fully intended when Leo returned to ask her to take a position as Deputy.

“I’ll be glad when Leo returns,” she said with feeling. Despite her daily conversations she missed him.

There was a sharp rap at the door.

“Yeah.”

Margaret appeared in the space between the door and the frame. “I’m sorry Mr. President. They’re asking for you both in the Situation room.” She glanced fleetingly between them offering a faint but reassuring smile. Bobbing her head, she slipped back into the outer office.

CJ picked up her notepad and pen. “After you, Sir.”

They walked in silence through the corridors, agents fanning out around them as they headed into the deep recesses of the building.

CJ mentally ran though the possibilities - a war, a missing plane - thy were endless and nothing could prepare her for any of them. Normally she would be given the minimal facts and nothing more. Now she would hear it all, uncensored, and the man next to her would be expecting her advice.

Jed was deep in thought as he walked. It would be the first time he’d gone into one of these without Leo. Kate and Nancy would offer counsel but he wasn’t sure if CJ would side with them or give him both sides of the argument.

The room rose to their feet as they entered, Jed taking his regular seat at the head of the table, CJ sliding in between him.

“Mr. President, we have a credible threat,” Nancy began carefully. “Against a military target.”

“Where?”

“The Keys - the naval base at Key West.”

Jed glanced at CJ, catching a look of fear as she scribbled notes.

“Run through it for me,” he instructed, wanting for a second to squeeze her hand in reassurance. Instead he focused on the people before him.

CJ listened intently, to what everyone was saying. This wasn’t her forte - foreign policy, homeland security, which ever category it fell under, but what she was good at was dealing under pressure. She had a feeling today it was going to come in handy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CJ kicked off her shoes and lifted her feet up on to the coffee table. Her head was pounding rather like the rhythm of a ping pong game. It didn’t or rather couldn’t stop her working. She had a pile of papers to read, Margaret’s carefully indexed correspondence to sign and if she finished before midnight a few emails to write.

“You’d be much more comfortable in bed,” Jed announced his presence.

CJ turned to look at him, her eyebrows arching as she tried to stand. “Sir?”

“I wasn’t propositioning you,” he said a little too fast, a little flustered, waving her down. “I just meant you could read that at home in your pyjamas.

She cocked her head, a wry smile on her face, intent on having a little fun with him.

“Ok, I’m just going to shut up now,” Jed said, shaking his head, his cheeks turning red.

“That would be a first.”

Jed turned a visitor’s chair around and sat down. “My, my, we’re certainly feeling better tonight.”

CJ forgot all about her headache as she lost herself in the warmth of his eyes. “I’ve had a good day.” It seemed a little inappropriate to feel happy when there was a base on red alert, a possible terrorist threat imminent and God knows what else around the corner. If the last year had taught her anything it was that you had to enjoy the highs - they were too few and far between.

“You did well in the Sit room.” Jed had been proud of her as she voiced her opinions, pushing for evidence, for alternatives and coming across as competent and knowledgeable.

“Thank you.” She blushed like a school girl. It was silly but when he looked at her like that, his body leaning towards hers, his eyes practically reading her, she forgot their positions. Tossing the papers onto the couch, she closed her eyes.

“You should go home,” he said quietly, his eyes filled with concern. “I don’t want you getting sick.” When CJ didn’t answer he walked around behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders.

CJ’s eyes flew open at his touch. The gentle movement of his fingertips kneading her tense muscles led to her eyes flittering shut and a deep sigh from deep inside her.

“How about there?” Jed pressed his thumbs into her shoulder blades.

“Um, a little lower,” she mumbled, arching back towards him.

Jed’s hands slipped further down her back, easing away the strains of the day. If thirty five years of marriage had taught him anything it was how to give a good massage. “When this is over, you should take a mental health day, go to a spa.”

“Um. Did you recommend it to Leo?”

“No.” Though he wondered in that second if he had of suggested it whether Leo would have ended up in hospital. The chances were Leo had been a prime candidate for a heart attack for as long as Jed had known him and that made Jed feel guilty.

Slowly, she moved away from his touch. “You shouldn’t treat me any differently than him.”

“But you are different,” his voice trailed off, exposing feelings he knew he shouldn’t have.

“Sir.” Her voice caught in her throat. A simple act had taken them over the line from colleagues to friends.

It had been inevitable, he supposed that they would end up in this situation. Not from the moment they had first met but certainly since he announced he had MS and definitely since he had promoted her.

There was a tension palpable in the air.

“Maybe I should go home,” CJ said suddenly, flying out of her chair and moving behind her desk.

“I’m sorry,” he offered, wary that he had revealed too much in his simple act of friendship.

She waved her hands in the air, frustrated and confused by the turn of events. “It’s been a long day. We’re both tired.” CJ continued to throw random items into her briefcase, unaware of what she was packing, fully aware that she was breaking with protocol.

“I’ll see you tomorrow?” he asked, wondering how he could have been so stupid.

“Yes, Sir.”

Their positions restored, if slightly awkward, Jed made his way through to his office. “Good night.”

“Good night, Mr. President.”

Watching him go, CJ sank into her chair, head in hands. The reminder of the events of the day and the sudden intensity running through her body destroyed any hope she had of working or sleeping.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sometimes, often when he couldn’t sleep, Jed would visit Leo. It had begun during his first campaign when they had been in hotel rooms, their wives at home and there seemed a chance he would win the election. It had continued throughout the administration, on numerous visits and when they weren’t travelling together, Jed would phone him at home, the office, anywhere (including the rare occasion he had spent at Jordans) he could find him.

It had all stopped with Leo’s heart attack, with Jed’s guilt and with the knowledge that he’d let his friend down. It had not seemed appropriate to burden his friend with what was on his mind and he wouldn’t seek comfort from the one person who needed his comfort.

As he paced the residence, unable to sleep, alone, he wondered if it was time to begin the ritual again. Finally, after yet another strange glance from the agent on duty, he decided to take the ride across town.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“You really don’t need to bring me food,” Leo repeated. He had been saying it every night for the last week to no effect.

“Would you rather I cooked?” she asked with a smile.

In the knowledge that whatever he replied it would be wrong he kept his mouth shut.

“It’s nothing exciting, just some soup and some rye bread.”

“You didn’t say how your day went?” he called, shifting position on his couch. “You turn up here at nearly eleven. . .,” he trailed off as there was a knock at the door. “Well, it seems I’m popular tonight.”

“You’re always popular,” CJ said, walking to the door and taking a step back as an agent entered. “Oh dear, been up to no good again, Leo,” she asked turning to grin at him.

“Good evening Leo,” The President said, after the agent had done his sweep. His eyes finally fell on CJ. “Hey CJ.”

“Mr. President.” Inwardly she groaned. “Maybe I should go.”

“Nah, stay. I’m sure the President would like some of your soup.” Leo glanced between the two of them and decided in that instant that whatever had brought CJ to his door was connected with whatever had brought the President.

“Do I need to get a food taster?”

Leo grinned and waited for CJ to finally hit the President, the grin widening as she trailed her hand through the air. “You’re fine. She picked it up at the deli.”

When CJ had disappeared back into the kitchenette, Jed positioned himself on the couch. “Am I interrupting?” A tinge of jealousy shot through him as he waited for an answer.

“Nah. She’s just mothering me. I think they take it turns.”

CJ hovered in the kitchen, not sure what to do. She’d run away from him once that evening, the urge was strong to do it again, except it was going to be a little conspicuous. It had been unprofessional the way she had practically pushed him out of her office but there was something dangerous in the air. Her feelings, so carefully concealed most of the time, had been a little too close to the surface.

Jed, and she called him that in her mind because the President made it sound much worse than it was, was a good friend. She’d had friends like him before. Toby many years a go, a prime example. There was an attraction, a strong one but she hadn’t been willing to ruin everything to be one of those women. Of course this time the consequences were that much greater but if she was honest, to herself at least, her attraction was ten times stronger.

“CJ?” Leo called and she knew she would have to go back in there.

Placing the hot bowls and bread on the tray, she picked it up and walked back into the main living room.

“You weren’t planning to give me a bed bath, were you?” Leo asked, his eyes bright and crinkled in amusement.

CJ raised an eyebrow. “Why? Does the President want to go first?” Unconsciously she nibbled her bottom lip.

“You’re crazy,” the President confirmed. “Stark raving mad.” Although he had to admit he couldn’t suppress the image of CJ soaping off his back.

“It’s not like that hasn’t been said before,” CJ laughed. “Anyway the soup’s getting cold and it’s nearly time for LA Law reruns.”

It was at that point the President began to wonder what he had let himself in for. Even more so later as he sat back on the chair watching eighties TV and listening to Leo and CJ’s commentary. Mostly he found it comforting and relaxing spending the evening with his two best friends, more or less like old times except CJ was there for the ride.

A part of him also felt like an intruder. His two friends were totally relaxed with each other, in jokes that he really wasn’t a part of and he couldn’t help but notice how CJ fussed. Not for the first time he wondered if they were in a relationship.

“I should go before the agents get jumpy,” Jed announced, glancing at his watch and realising it was nearly three am.

“I should probably be getting off too,” CJ said, rising to her feet.

Leo reached for her hand, a movement that didn’t go unnoticed by Jed. “Stay a while,” he urged, reluctant to let her go without at least hearing what was bothering her.

CJ smiled back at him, “Ok, but I can’t stay all night.”

Jed raised an eyebrow and turned away. “I’ll see you tomorrow, today I guess, CJ. And I’ll speak to you later, Leo.”

They said their goodbyes to Jed and waited for him to leave before CJ once more settled herself on the couch.

“Are you going to tell me why you came tonight?” Leo asked softly. “Is he giving you a hard time? Is there something going on?”

“No,” she said quickly.

He looked at her as though he didn’t believe her. “I know you didn’t have a fight. I was in the room tonight and there definitely wasn‘t any evidence of that. But if there is something going on at work, you can come to me.”

“Everything is fine,” she offered, trying to reassure him and prevent him worrying. “I’m just adjusting to the job and the President and I are adapting to our changing status.”

“But I’m here. . .”

“I know. But you need to rest now and I should head home.” She leaned in and kissed him lightly on the cheek. “I’ll speak to you tomorrow.”

“Night Claudia Jean,” he said, watching as she gathered her belongings and left.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CJ removed her glasses and rubbed her forehead with her fingers. The report in front of her was making no sense, but then Hutchinson wasn’t her strongest supporter and she imagined he’d had a hand in the requisition proposal before her.

Margaret appeared in the doorway, a star bucks cup in one hand, a stack of messages in the other.

“You read my mind,” CJ smiled weakly. “So how behind am I?”

“Fifteen minutes.”

“Wow, that’s ten minutes better than this time yesterday,” CJ laughed.

“Not bad for seven thirty,” Margaret agreed. “But.” The visitor in the outer office was going to throw the schedule way off, she knew, but under the circumstances there was no choice. “Zoey is here to see you.”

“Really?” CJ couldn’t mask her surprise. “Show her in.”

Zoey bounded into the room, the over size sweater hanging around her knees. “Hey CJ.” She grinned widely and fell into the visitor’s chair.

CJ smiled. “This is a nice surprise. Interesting outfit.”

The younger woman blushed noticeably, as she unconsciously played with the cuffs of her sleeves. “It’s been a while, so I thought I would drop by.“

CJ raised an eyebrow.

“That, and I have a new boyfriend.

“Does your father know?” CJ asked, her brow furrowing as realization set in. “No, which is why you’re in my office at the crack of dawn. What did you do?”

“I spent the night in his apartment.” Which she hoped explained her slightly dishevelled state. “And I’m not entirely sure that we weren’t seen.” She avoided CJ’s gaze, hoping that there wasn’t about to be a scene.

“Margaret,” CJ bellowed, sipping her coffee.

“There’s more.” Zoey scrunched up her face hoping that she wasn’t going to be yelled at too.

Margaret opened the door and appeared in the frame. “Yes, ma’am.”

“I’m gonna need Toby at some point, but we probably need to get him coffee, first,” CJ said, glancing at Margaret then turning her attention back to the young girl. “Oh, and can you get me some advil?”

“Ok.” She bobbed her head and disappeared.

CJ hid behind her coffee cup, taking lengthy sips of the cooling coffee.

“My new boyfriend is older,” Zoey began.

“How much older?” Things were spiralling beyond her control rapidly.

“Twice my age,” she cringed, knowing that she had to tell CJ everything if she wanted help.

“Is he married?”

Zoey shook her head. “He’s Jewish.”

CJ’s eyes widened in horror as she realized where the conversation was going. “Zoey?”

“No, not Toby. Josh,” Zoey emphasised, her face contorting at the image of Toby and her.

CJ couldn’t see that he was any better, it was still going to be a nightmare situation.

“You’ll look into it?” Zoey practically pleaded.

CJ nodded mutely, draining the coffee and debating her next move. “Margaret, I’m going out,” she announced suddenly, dashing past her, with her coat in hand.

“But you have a meeting with. . .”

CJ waved her off. “I’ll be back in a hour or so.” She left her assistant staring after her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Leo was a little taken a back when she let herself into his apartment twenty minutes later and began to make coffee.

“Good morning.”

“Not so far,” CJ complained, turning to look at him and grinning at the pair of oversized pyjamas he was wearing. “Have you shrunk?”

“No. They’ve always been this big,” Leo replied, pouring himself a glass of tomato juice and grinning in the knowledge CJ had noticed he was wearing her gift. “So what do you need?”

Now that she was actually there she felt guilty about burdening him with her problems.

“Hutchinson? The President? The idiot boys?”

CJ sighed. “Zoey came to see me this morning.”

The tone of her voice was enough to tell Leo the news wasn’t good. “Is the kid ok?”

“See what I don’t understand is why she came to me. Avoiding the President is perfectly understandable, but why not go to her mother.”

“You’re there to deflect anything that might deter the President from his job, anything that might cause him health difficulties, or for that matter family difficulties,” Leo said, his emotions tightly in check. Zoey had always circumvented her father and talked to him when she thought she might get a less than receptive greeting. Now it seemed it was part of the Chief of Staff’s job. “You need to be there for him, even when it’s not the most usual of circumstances.”

“You’d better sit down,” CJ said softly, leading him into the living room. “I’m gonna need help with this one. It falls under the marriage, family and the President is gonna hit the roof categories.”

“What did she do?”

“Zoey has a new boyfriend, although boyfriend may not be the right word,” CJ offered calmly, wondering how many headaches she would have to wrestle with that day.

He really wanted to laugh, not because the idea of Zoey dating was funny, or because the last boy Zoey had dated had cause a national crisis, but because CJ had no idea how bad her day was going to get. “Really?”

“And the President’s not going to be happy. He’s going to up her detail, tell Abbey, me and probably the 82^nd airborne to deal with it. Not to mention kill the guy or lecture him.”

“You seem certain of that.”

CJ patted his hand. “You’re really feeling alright?”

“CJ?”

“Zoey is dating Josh.”

“Josh who?” Leo asked, his brain not really awake or not yet comprehending what CJ was saying.

“Josh Lyman.” She waited patiently. “The Josh you brought into the campaign, the Josh the President routinely wants to fire. And the Josh who’s love life is a battlefield best not revisited.”

Leo paled significantly and CJ suddenly felt guilty for bringing her problems to his door. “I’m sorry.”

“What for? It was inevitable that Josh would be dumb enough to go there,” Leo countered. “The question is who is going to tell the President.”

“That’s going to be me, isn’t it?” CJ stated quietly.

“He’d probably take it better from you.”

“Why do you all think that?”

Leo bit his tongue and debated whether to be honest or be at least subtle, he decided to go for subtlety. “You can handle him, CJ. He likes you, he respects you. He loves you.” Leo stopped suddenly.

“The same could be said for you.”

He gave her a weak smile. “Yes, it could. But I don’t think he loves me in quite the same way and I certainly can’t get away with as much as you.”

They were definitely pushing the boundaries of friendship, she decided, unspoken questions hanging in the air, a discussion she couldn’t even have with Leo, although he was obviously much more observant than the rest of the men around her. “Leo,” she warned.

He held his hands up in surrender. “You really are the best person, CJ. Just pick the right moment.”

Yeah, she thought as she put on her coat, like there were so many of them.

Leo padded to the door and held it open for her. “Have a good day,” he said softly, resisting the urge to grin.

“Stop it,” she grumbled. “You’re having way too much fun at my expense.”

“Nah, I wouldn’t do that. But you know, my door’s always open.” He smiled at her.

CJ waved her hands at him. “I’ll talk to you later. Behave.”

He waited until the door was shut firmly behind her before he allowed his grin to reach his eyes. “Chance to misbehave would be a fine thing.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“You’re kidding me?,” CJ asked again, her voice an octave higher than the last time.

“No.”

“You’re kidding me?”

Carol and Margaret cringed.

“He’s crazy. The President has lost his mind.” Not that it was the first time, CJ mused. She had been out of the building exactly two hours and the world as she had known it no longer existed.

“I cancelled your morning,” Margaret offered helpfully. “And I put a new bottle of Advil in your drawer.” She was trying to be cheerful but this was fast turning out to be one of those days she didn’t want to be the Chief of Staff’s Assistant.

“CJ?” Toby called, walking into her office.

CJ waved at him. “Yeah, I know.”

“I think the question’s gonna be, how long have you known.”

“No, the question’s how the hell did he find out,” CJ snapped, watching as Margaret and Carol slipped from the room.

“That was Annabeth,” he shrugged then began to frantically rub his temples as her eyes flashed.

“Damn it, Toby. She works for you, you’re supposed to have some control over her.”

“You mean like I had over the last woman I supervised?” he growled.

She’d had enough and the roar in the adjacent office was starting to drive her crazy. “Look, I’ll talk to you later.” She moved towards the connecting door and knocked.

“Yeah.”

CJ entered the office and waited until the President had dismissed the aide.

“Good morning, Claudia Jean,” Jed greeted her, glancing up from his papers, no indication that he had until that moment been yelling at anyone and everyone in the vicinity..

“Mr. President.”

There was something in her tone and made him inwardly tense. “Is there something wrong?”

Her eyes narrowed, as she folded and unfolded her hands.

“CJ?”

“With all due respect, Mr. President, and I do respect you. . .”

“Why don’t you just get it off your chest,” he suggested, placing his glasses carefully on the desk, his tone perfectly calm.

“You can’t have Josh detained by the Secret Service.”

“I think you’ll find I can,” he said firmly, his face expressionless.

“The Press are going to want to know why,” CJ sighed, her mind on how quickly it could become a story.

“He’s an idiot.”

CJ folded her arms across her chest. “Zoey is old enough to date who she wants, Sir.”

“And you didn’t tell me, CJ.” He wasn’t entirely sure who he more annoyed with - Zoey for her choice in men, Josh for dating his daughter, or Abbey and CJ for not telling him. “You don’t think I deserved to know.”

“I was looking into the situation.” Something in the atmosphere told her not to bring Leo into the conversation.

Jed grumbled something she couldn’t hear.

“Sir?”

“She had to date him?”

“It’s Josh, Mr. President. She’s known him, forever. He’ll respect her, he’ll love her. . .”

“I don’t want to know details,” Jed grumbled.

CJ circled the desk. “He’ll do everything he can not to hurt her, or disrespect you.” She couldn’t quite believe she was defending Josh or his romantic choices, but deep down she knew that if he was taking the risks, then Josh was serious about his relationship with the President’s daughter.

Jed rose to his feet and leaned in closer. “He’s old enough to be her father.”

“You’re old enough to be mine.” CJ bit her tongue as he stared at her. “I’m sorry.”

“So you’re trying to say age doesn’t matter?” Jed asked, his voice barely a whisper as CJ shivered.

“Age is irrelevant when it comes to feelings.

Jed took a determined step forward and stopped himself. Tenderly he cupped her face in his hands and brought his lips to hers..

The second his lips touched hers she lost the ability to speak. They were soft and gentle, invoking something inside her she had tried to repress for months. Her eyes met his for a moment then he was kissing her again.

Her hands slid to his back, rubbing lightly up and down his spine, emitting soft moans from his throat.

Jed’s hand grazing her breast jerked her back to reality and she moved away.

“CJ. . .” He didn’t know what to say. The kiss had been crazy but felt so right in that second. Now she was looking panicked and scared and all he could think of was holding her.

CJ back tracked to the connecting door, her hands eventually locating the handle. “So can I have the agents release Josh?”

Jed grinned at her. “Yeah, I guess.”

“Then I’m gonna bust his ass,” she grinned back, wondering when she had become a flustered teenager around the President.

“How come you’re allowed to do that, and I’m not?” he asked, sitting at his desk, his eyes never leaving her face.

“It’s one of the few pleasures I have in life.”

Jed raised an eyebrow.

“There are others. If you’ll excuse me.” She waited for him to nod his head before slipping back to her office and closing the door. In the safety of her own space she leaned back against the door and sighed. The line had been well and truly broken, twice in her life she had broken the unspoken rule. This time, at least for now, she had no regrets. Allowing herself a few more seconds to remember, she finally turned her attention back to the day. “Margaret, get me Ron Butter field, please.”

Margaret’s head appeared around the door frame. “Now?” Her lips curled up into a grin.

“He can wait a while,” she grinned, flopping onto her couch, and indicating Margaret should do the same. “Tell me what else has been happening while I’ve been gone. And maybe we can go through the correspondence.”

“And those files?” Margaret asked hopefully.

CJ grinned knowingly and nodded. Josh could stay on ice for a while, pay a little for all the things he’d done to annoy her in the past, and if Toby got questions, well that could be his punishment.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Travelling with the President had always been a nightmare. This time it was worse. Josh had been dragged along as, what CJ could only imagine was, punishment, and the opportunity to keep him away from Zoey. Rather than suffering in silence he was whining to everyone, so much so that even Toby wouldn’t hit the bar with him. CJ for her part didn’t have the energy for the bar. She worked long into the night, making notes on the trip and preparing for the next day. When she finally climbed into bed she fell asleep almost immediately.

The pounding on her door in the middle of the night and the voice calling her name did little to temper her mood at being disturbed. It was only as consciousness surfaced that she realized it was the President and she had no choice but to get up.

“Come in,” she mumbled groggily, flinging open the door and glaring at the agent preparing to enter.

He stepped back with a wry smile and allowed the President to enter.

“I’ll just grab some clothes.”

Jed’s eyes widened. “Don’t on my account.”

CJ shot him a look which he knew should shoot fear through him, except she was in her nightgown, a nightgown that despite her robe, wasn’t leave much to the imagination. She tried again and when there was no visible effect she threw her hands up in the air. “Wait there.”

She disappeared into the bathroom leaving his imagination in over drive. They hadn’t really discussed what had transpired in his office, but in quiet moments he could remember the taste of her on his lips. Now he had another image to enhance his dreams.

When she reappeared her outfit was barely more concealing.

“Are we going for a run?” he asked, at the sight of her tank top and shorts, his embarrassment only slightly in check.

“Will it make you sleep?” she retorted without thinking.

“There are many ways of making me sleep, that isn’t one of them,” he offered with a grin. “Do you have a coffee maker in this place?” Jed scanned the room and spotted the machine tucked away in a corner. “Great, I’ll make us some coffee and we can talk.”

CJ dropped back onto the bed. “Was there something in particular?” Her mind began to catch up with the rest of her body. “Did anyone see you coming here?”

Jed scooped another spoonful of coffee into the machine and turned around. “You mean are we gonna read about my visit to a sexy young blonde in the middle of the night?” He laughed. “Claudia Jean, you’re blushing.”

“Ok, is this another one of the boys club jokes, because seriously it’s not the time,” she grumbled, propping up pillows and making herself comfortable.

“When I couldn’t sleep Leo and I would sit up and talk,” Jed explained. “We’d pick a topic or whatever was going on and talk it out.”

“And tonight’s topic?” There wasn’t any way out of it, she decided, not that she wanted to. Leo had made her promise to take care of his friend, of course Leo always had a smile when he said it so she wasn’t sure that he wasn’t teasing. “And we’re not talking about sex,” CJ said firmly at the grin lighting up her boss’ face.

“Spoil sport.”

“So I’m told.”

Jed took a deep breath and leapt over the cliff. “Can we talk about us?”

She reacted as he anticipated, her mouth opening but no sound coming out and her hands moving through the air. “Sir?”

He settled himself in an armchair as far away from her as possible. “Forget I’m the President, forget everyone and everything else except that we’re friends and talk to me.”

“Mr. President. . .”

“Claudia Jean,” he began. “I’m not about to do anything to jeopardize our working relationship, I just want to get everything out in the open. Do you realize how hard it is working with you every day when there’s this thing?”

“Thing?”

He glared at her. “Please.” It came out in a plead. “I knew when I asked you to be Chief of Staff what the risks were.”

CJ couldn’t look at him. They were trapped in a room, alone with no chance of interruption and he was asking her to lay her feelings on the table.

“Ok. Seeing as for once in your life you have nothing to say I’ll start. You kissed me. . .”

“YOU KISSED ME,” she stated resolutely.

“So we both admit we kissed, that’s a start.”

CJ groaned and threw a hand over her eyes.

“Not to sound like a school boy with a crush, but I like you, I always have. You’re sexy, very funny and you have a compassion that amazes me. But when I’m with you there’s this thing.”

CJ rolled her eyes. “We have far too many things in this administration.”

Jed crossed the room and settled himself on the edge of the bed, close enough to see her face clearly, but far enough away to be comfortable. “I think about you. I find ways to talk to you. I like it when you chasticise me.” He didn’t mention that he fantasised about her. “I’m jealous when I see you and Leo together.”

“That’s stupid. Leo and I are good friends.”

He shrugged, ducking his head to avoid her gaze.

“I honestly have no feelings in that way for Leo.”

“And me?” he asked a little too eagerly.

“I like you. I respect you. . .”

“Cut the crap.” Jed wasn’t about to let her avoid the issue.

“You’re married. I made that mistake before and ended up regretting it for the rest of my life. I work for you. It would cause huge complications,” she waved her hands aimlessly. “And risking everything for love seems a little . . .,” she trailed off.

“And sometimes you have to take a chance,” he offered.

“Sir.”

“If you don’t deal with it, it festers.”

“Very romantic.”

“I can do romantic if it helps.” Despite the awkwardness of the situation his lips curled up into a smile.

“So, what you’re saying, is that if I kiss you, there won’t be this thing any longer,” CJ said sceptically.

“Yeah.”

She didn’t believe him. If they kissed again, she knew the feeling that had been haunting her waking hours was going to be about ten times worse. Besides she’d tried the whole “kissing and getting past it” with Danny and it hadn’t worked then. It seemed unlikely that second time would be the charm. What CJ hadn’t anticipated this time was that the President wasn’t going to take no for an answer.

“CJ?”

“It’s career suicide.”

“I distinctly heard the word love in there somewhere,” he countered, their respective positions furthest from his mind.

Damn, she thought, he had to choose a moment like this to cure his hearing problem. Still she couldn’t bring herself to say the one thing that would stop him in his tracks.

“Often times it’s better to just do as I say and see that I’m right.”

CJ wanted to slap him, to remind him how many times she had saved them all from his half brained ideas but when she moved towards him, he grabbed her and she ended up on her back.

Jed gazed down into her face, his fingers brushing the stray hair from her eyes. “May I?”

Her nod was barely inperceptible, the tenderness of his kiss sending shivers down her spine. Her eyelids flittered shut at the same moment he deepened the kiss, and her arms wrapped around his neck.

The minute Jed kissed her, he knew he didn’t want to stop but as his hands brushed bare skin, and her hand slipped beneath his sweater he knew he couldn’t take it any further. As much as he wanted to make love to the woman in his arms, he knew that his mind was too over loaded, too confused. Instead he propped himself up on one arm and gazed down at her. “I want to hold you, is that ok?”

CJ stared back at him confused, her fingertips lightly caressing his back through his sweater. There was something in his eyes that made her relax. He wasn’t rejecting her, but he was taking a step back, a move she knew would make things easier for both of them later. “Yes.” She waited as he made himself comfortable and his arms pulled her against him. There was tenderness in the way he held her, kissing her nose, and leaning his forehead against hers. She felt so comfortable in his arms that she drifted off to sleep.

Jed gazed down at her, smiling at the way her body rose and fell as she dreamed, his mind running through a dozen unrealistic scenarios on what was going to happen next. As the sun rose he gently removed himself from beneath her and kissed her lightly on the lips. With one final glance, he slipped out of the room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Part Nine

“Mr. President,” CJ said softly, hovering on the threshold of his office, on the brink of a conversation she really didn’t want to have.

“Claudia Jean. Come in.” His smile widened and the pile of files on his desk disappeared from his mind.

Since he had spent the night in her room Jed had barely seen her. In staff she had been quiet and thoughtful, not that he blamed her, in her office she was always surrounded by people.

Jed was confused too. In his thirty five years of marriage he had never once contemplated cheating on his wife, had never met anyone who he had respected more than Abbey. What had happened on that night was so completely out of character that he couldn’t explain it. “What’s on your mind?”

CJ took a step further into the room and closed the door behind her. Keeping a distance between them seemed the only sensible thing to do and she positioned herself between the two doors. From a professional point of view the Oval Office wasn’t the proper place to have the discussion, but neither was the residence or her apartment and they couldn’t exactly take a walk. “To be cliched, we need to talk,” she began hesitantly.

They had to be the two most dreaded words in the English vocabulary, he agreed, but they were also an easy way out. It meant he didn‘t have to try and explain his actions to CJ, instead he could brush the whole thing away and hope she was still talking to him at the end of it. “There’s nothing to talk about.”

Something remarkably like pain shot through her as he easily dismissed that night, and she had to catch her breath. It wasn’t nothing to her, just incredibly stupid.

He saw the unmistakeable hurt flicker across her face and he inwardly cringed. “Nothing happened, CJ, except two very dear friends were a long way from home and needed each other more than one wants to discuss. They shared a kiss,” Jed said, wondering how easy it had become to lie.

“It can’t happen again.” It wouldn’t because she wouldn’t let it. It couldn’t because if it did she wouldn’t be able to turn her back on him so easily.

“Ok.”

CJ blinked and turned away so he couldn‘t see how much hurt he was inflicting.

“It doesn’t mean I’m going to forget it happened, though,” he clarified. “Or say I regret it.” He couldn’t forget waking up after a few hours and seeing her asleep on the pillow beside him. His only regret was that he couldn’t have stayed until she woke up, instead of stealing away in the middle of the night.

She almost smiled. “I didn’t say I regretted it, either.”

Jed gave her a tentative smile. “But we both live in the real world.”

“Sometimes the real world isn’t such a great place to be,” CJ admitted thoughtfully, hoping as she said it that he could see the million things she really wanted to say in her eyes. “And sometimes other people have to come first.”

“I wish it was that easy,” he thought, the words leaving his mouth before he had chance to stop them.

CJ took a step in his direction but his raised hand stopped her.

“Are you heading to the residence soon, Sir?” CJ asked awkwardly, wanting to ease the tension in the room.

“Yes. Probably. But you should get off home.”

“Thank you, Mr President,” CJ said, giving him a small smile and heading back to her office. It was only as she gathered her belongings that she realized she didn’t want to go home.

“Good night, CJ,” he called, staring at the unread files and thinking about the empty residence. Sometimes, just sometimes he wished he really could have it all.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Leo opened the door and couldn’t help but grin. “Hey, CJ. Come in.” He glanced back into the apartment and indicated for her to enter. “Wouldn’t it be easier for you two to car share.“

CJ glanced over his shoulder and her stomach did a little flip. “Oh, sorry. Maybe I should go.”

“Stay. The more the merrier,” Leo offered. Before his heart attack he barely had a visitor, now he hardly ever had the apartment to himself.

“Good job I brought extra chips,” Jed said, opening the fridge and popping open another bottle of beer. “It’s the low alcohol stuff. Leo won’t let me drink anything else in his company.”

Leo started to remove her coat. He looked between the two of them and inwardly groaned. All he wanted was to spend a quiet night chilling out but at that moment he could cut the tension with a knife. “Do I have to sit in the middle or can you kids play nicely?” he asked, his grin widening as they both turned to glare at him, eyes wide. “Ok, I had a heart attack, not a lobotomy. You had another fight, get over it.”

“Leo!”

He wasn’t sure which one shouted the loudest but they were definitely protesting too much. “Lovers tiff, then. I don’t care. We’re gonna watch the game and do as men do,” Leo stated firmly, settling himself on one end of the couch and patting the cushion beside him. “So sit down and shut up.”

CJ flopped onto the couch, not able to argue with him, her thigh pressed against Leo as she tried to keep her distance from the President.

“Well, this is cozy.” Leo’s eyes danced as he watched them instantly glance at the space between them. He knew he should be mad at them for whatever it was that was going on but he loved them both and staying mad had never been that easy.

CJ shot Leo a glare.

“What could be better than spending an evening with my two best friends?”

“Have you been drinking?” she asked, one eyebrow raised.

“No, I’ve just learnt to appreciate what I have,” he replied with a small smile. “And sometimes what you have should be enough, and sometimes it’s more than enough.”

CJ felt chastised and turned away. Nearly losing him had scared her more than she could admit to anyone and now she felt guilty for teasing.

“Of course, being on meds helps loosen the tongue. . . . And you can learn a lot from a hospital bed when no one thinks you’re conscious.”

Jed turned pink and began to study his hands. During the long hours he had sat by Leo’s beside he had talked about everything and anything, only now did he realize how much of it Leo had heard.

“Now, can we get back to the game. Michigan are beating the Irish and I intend on enjoying it.”

A few minutes later they were engrossed in the game, old rivalries restored, the momentary awkwardness pushed aside.

Leo stole a glance at his two best friends, noting that they were slowly drifting towards each other on the couch. The pieces were starting to fit together and he was thankful that what ever had transpired, whatever the undercurrents, they seemed to still be friends and able to work together.

CJ glanced down at her lap and smiled. Despite what she had said in the Oval Office there was still a part of her that would forever want to know where the kisses could have lead, and however far they drifted she would always feel attached to him. Tonight she felt a part of both of them. If she couldn’t be with Jed as his lover, at least she would always be a friend and at that moment that was more than enough.

The End