Title: An Unexpected Turn of Events

Pairing: Leo/CJ

Rating: PG

Spoilers: Anything up top and including Faith Based Initiative

~~~~~~~

It wasn’t unusual to have a late night meeting although the fact it was in the basement had CJ worried. They’d used the room during the MS scandal but since it had returned to being a storage area. She hoped that as Chief of Staff if there was a problem she would have been the first to hear about it but here she was wandering the hallways, about to enter a meeting she was unprepared for.

The absence of a secret service agent on the door made her feel slightly less on edge and she knocked lightly before entering.

“The world is going to hell in a hand basket,” CJ announced, coming to a sudden halt. “Oh.”

She couldn’t quiet believe her eyes at the sight before her.

Instead of Toby and Leo sitting around the table, the table was laid for dinner, silver candelabras holding simple white candles as rose petals scattered the table cloth.

Leo shrugged nonchalantly. “You said you wanted a little romance.”

“This is. . .”

“We can leak it to the press,” Leo began lightly. “Although when they realize it’s me it won’t help disperse the rumours about your sexual orientation.”

“You did all this because of the insinuations?” She couldn’t quite believe it.

“I realize I’m not the guy you wanted, and I admit I think he’s an idiot for standing you up but you were right you deserve a little romance.”

“Leo.” CJ was for once in her life stumped for words.

“I’m sorry about the menu,“ he said, pulling the chair out and waiting for her to sit. “But I’m still on a restricted diet.“

“It looks good.” In truth she didn’t mind what she ate. Meals seemed so few and far between these days and if she saw another salad she was going to grow rabbit ears.

“I’d love to say it’s home cooked but I had the hotel put it together for me. Toasted ravioli in fresh tomato sauce, herbed fillet of beef and fudge brownie sundaes. All allowed on my diet.”

“You really didn’t have to go to so much trouble,” CJ protested, her eyes catching his across the table.

“I wish we could have eaten out but I’m not sure I’m up to that yet.”

“You don’t have to keep apologizing.” Although he really was cute when he was apologizing, almost as cute as going to such much trouble for her.

“But I so wanted to be like the other guys.” Leo hoped she would never find out how much he wanted to be like the other guys. He had always wanted to be able to take her out in public, holding her hand and telling her how much she meant to him. The last few months of stolen lunches hadn’t lessened his feelings.

“Lately, there haven’t been many other guys.” Being Chief of Staff to the President wasn’t exactly a turn on for most guys and it didn’t allow her time for dating really. Her only date of late had disappeared into thin air with the first wave of bad press.

Leo placed a dish before her and took his seat.

“I don’t think I’ve ever had friends like you guys before,” CJ said quietly.

“It’s not as if you don’t cover our asses wherever or whenever necessary,” he replied, wistfully wishing she could see him as more than a friend.

“If you could need that a little less, I’d appreciate it.”

“Ah, you’ll miss us all when you’re living in Manhattan in some swanky loft earning five hundred k a year,” Leo teased. “Of course then you’ll only have to put up with Josh’s weak stomach at holidays.”

“Don’t see that happening. Thought I’d follow your example and move into a hotel.”

It was comfortable for both of them she realized, the relaxed banter that came with years of friendship and the lack of awkwardness in the air when the conversation died for brief moments.

The knock at the door broke into their conversation and Leo inwardly groaned. He didn’t ask for much but a few hours of interrupted time would have been more than enough.

“Come,” CJ called wearily, unhappy at the intrusion.

Annabeth appeared in the doorway, practically bouncing on her heels. “Hey.”

“Hey.” CJ hoped her lack of enthusiasm would encourage it to be a short interruption.

“Mr McGarry.”

He waved his fork in her direction.

“Sorry, but Toby said I should run this by you.”

She could bet her life he did, knowing Toby he knew where she was and who she was with and he wouldn’t like it. “Let’s take a look.” She browsed the sheets of paper in the media director’s hands before handing them back. “It’s fine. Tell Toby he can read it in the morning.”

The Media Director continued to hover.

“Was there something else?” CJ asked, wearily.

“No. Are you having a nice evening?” In her mind the young woman was running through the media possibilities.

CJ groaned. “Yes.”

After Annabeth had given them a disarming smile and left, Leo allowed himself a small satisfied grin. “Well isn’t she just perky as all get out.”

“Yeah, she and Toby make the perfect couple.”

The fact CJ said it with a straight face had him worried. “You wouldn’t.”

She shrugged knowingly and took a spoonful of her sundae.

Dinner was over all too quickly and they sat in silence, neither really sure what would happen next.

“We could take a walk over to the movie theatre and see what the President has stashed away,” Leo suggested, not really wanting the night to end, whatever the circumstances.

She was about to claim the pressures of work when something stopped her. “I’d like that.”

He grinned. “Can’t promise he has anything that isn’t tedious and boring.”

“You never know we might come across Abbey’s porn collection,” she offered flippantly.

Leo couldn’t help but blush. The idea of watching one of Abbey’s movies with a woman like CJ was too much to handle and his heart was racing. “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks,” he quipped as they rounded the corner into yet another empty corridor.

“I wouldn’t mind seeing a few of the old ones.” CJ didn’t know what made her say it or why the look in his eyes convinced her to do what she did, but it didn’t matter because the second her lips touched his he was kissing her back.

Leo couldn’t believe what was happening, even as he pushed her against the wall, his hand tangling in her hair as the other brushed against her breast.

Here she was getting hot and heavy in the corridor with Leo and suddenly it seemed wrong.

“I’m sorry,” she said between pants, his face still inches from hers.

“Anytime.” He gave her his most disarming grin, all to aware of what had just happened and the fact that for the first time since the heart attack he felt like he was living, until she stopped him.

She swiped his arm. “I meant you probably shouldn’t be doing this and I shouldn’t be doing it here.”

“Do you want to take it somewhere else?” False confidence had got him everywhere. He hoped it would work just as well with CJ.

CJ nodded mutely. She really did want to take it further. It hadn’t occurred to her before that night that Leo could be anything more than a friend, not that she was worrying about the future, right now having him in her arms was enough.

His hand made it’s way to her arm and he gently guided her through the building to his make shift office.

Leo closed the office door behind them and turned to look at her. “You sure about this?” Suddenly he was aware that this, whatever it was, could become a thing, and a thing he wouldn’t want to walk away from.

“Leo McGarry, are you frightened?” She smiled.

“Should I be?” he asked hesitantly. “I meant are you sure you want to do this with me?”

“Yes. What about your heart?” As much as she wanted to continue kissing him she wouldn’t risk his health.

“I wasn’t planning on jumping you. Not on the first date anyway.”

CJ opened her mouth to speak and he kissed her again. She wanted to ask so many questions or hit him she wasn’t sure which but when he was kissing her everything else disappeared. Of course at some point she would have to let reality rear it’s ugly head but as they were tumbling back onto the couch it didn’t seem the moment.

The End