Title: Another Blooming Christmas

Pairing: Leo/Kate, CJ/Jed, minor others

Rating: PG

Summary: “If it was anyone else, I’d say it was a mid-life crisis,”

Spoilers: Nothing specific, but up to the end of season six to be safe

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

Leo glanced at the calendar on his desk. He found it hard to believe it was already December, eleven months since he had left office and he hadn’t really done anything.

In January he had moved out of the Observatory, wishfully thinking he could enjoy retirement, thankful that he would no longer have to argue politics except in the privacy of his own home, a one term Vice President with no interest in running for another office ever. He was wrong about retirement.

The house had been an impulsive buy, available and liveable. Which was how it had stayed. Packing cases still resided in the bedrooms, furniture haphazardly placed around the house, the only room properly unpacked the kitchen. He hadn’t planned to neglect it, it was just the way things went.

Margaret was still mad at him, of course it had been going on for years. The latest argument was his total neglect of his future, his extravagance, which of course she would reiterate when she saw the gift he’d bought for her five year old, and the fact he seemed unable to settle down.

Instead of staying home and settling in, Leo had spent two weeks in February in Santa Monica with CJ and Martha. Living with a two year old and a workaholic was anything but restful. When he’d returned he’d embarked on a media round to rival the latest pop sensation.

April, he’d spent in New Hampshire, complaining about the weather and taking care of Jed. Abbey’s murder the previous year had shaken him, in fact all of them, to the core and the anniversary wasn‘t easy for him. They‘d fought like an old married couple and in truth Leo had been glad to return home to DC.

Most of the summer he’d spent with his grandson, taking him to museums, and trying to be a better father than he had been to Mallory.

Winter had suddenly appeared and he’d taken stock of his life, realizing not for the first time that his life was intricately tied to people he’d barely seen in months, who’s lives were as much a mess as his was, who seemed destined to make the same mistakes he had.

And Margaret was mad at him, again. This time for things he couldn’t prevent but maybe could advert. “A man fell in a hole…” he’d once told Josh and now it was time to get in there. It wouldn’t be easy, he knew to get the most stubborn, some egotistical, some selfless people together again but he had to try.

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

Leo had been in politics long enough to know that there were ways to get what you wanted, you just needed to know a person’s weakness and how to manipulate it. Sitting at his desk, he picked up the phone.

“Bartlet residence.”

“Hey, Jed.”

“Leo? How are you? Hold on a second. No, how about a nice piece of steak?”

Leo heard his friend groan then come back on the phone.

“Damn housekeeper. She won’t let me have anything I like. I blame you,” Jed whined.

“Well, I knew I’d get the blame. So, anyways, I’m thinking of having the family down for the weekend,” Leo explained, ignoring Jed’s latest rant of his housekeeper from hell, who Leo had to constantly remind him, had been hired by his daughters not Leo.

“Whose family?”

“Our family. CJ, Josh, Toby….” Leo suppress a sigh.

“Why?”

“Because it’s been a while.” Leo inwardly groaned.

“So?” Jed knew there was more to it and more than anything he hated not knowing the whole story.

“Jed.”

“You think they can be in the same house and not kill each other?”

“I don’t know but I’d like to try.” Actually he thought, he didn’t want to try but Margaret was making his life more and more difficult and sometimes it was easier to placate her.

“You want me to come?”

“That was the point of phoning, yes,” he replied, exasperated.

“To referee?”

“This is like talking to my daughter.”

“Well, everyone said we’d end up like an old married couple,” Jed teased. “How’s Margaret?”

Leo inwardly groaned. “I’m not going there.”

“So, when are you planning on this little tete-a-tete?”

“Weekend after next.”

“You know the girls are going away for Christmas?”

“And I know you’re refusing to go.”

“It’s half way around the world, long flights…”

“You want to spend Christmas with me?” Leo offered, knowing that they were going to end up as the odd couple, and mildly amused by it.

“Sure, love to. I can fly up next week and stay till New Years.” Which Leo knew, meant he’d still be there come February.

“Great. Well I…”

“Yeah, me too,” Jed replied just before he put the phone down.

~~~~~~~

Will, Leo knew would be in town, as would Kate. Both of which accepted a dinner invitation with happiness. Of course he’d neglected to tell each that the other would be present.

Toby, he could lure. Every other weekend he came to DC to visit his twins. A free meal and free alcohol would be enough for him to come.

Josh wouldn’t be so easy. As in office, Josh was stuck in his ways, making the same mistakes over and over again. Leo could only hope he would learn from Leo eventually.

“Josh, keep next Saturday free,” Leo started by way of greeting.

“Why?” he whined, searching through the piles of paperwork on his desk, cursing his latest secretary.

“CJ is going to be in town and I’m cooking dinner.” He hoped it would be enough of a reason because he had long since run out of favors where Josh was concerned and when he dug his heels in it was impossible to change his mind.

“Just the three of us?” Even though they argued whenever they were together, it was easy to forget that and Josh missed her.

Leo considered lying, after all, it would be less painful than telling the truth. “And a few others.”

“I’m going out of town.” He was perfectly aware who the few others would be and he had no inclination to be in the same room as them let alone suffer through some Oprah intervention.

“Ok. But you can be the one to tell CJ.” Not that he’d actually invited her yet. She was the last call Leo would make once everyone else was playing the game. She would say yes, he knew, seeing them as little as she did.

Josh pondered his options. “You think she’ll be pissed?” Stupid question, he knew. If he upset CJ chances were he’d face a punishment like no other. “I’ll be there,” he said reluctantly.

Margaret stuck her head around the doorframe as Leo was replacing the receiver. “How’d it go?”

Leo removed his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Well that was the easy part. Protecting the china and glassware is another thing.”

“We’d better start unpacking,” she grinned, knowing that he was going to regret his sudden decision to listen to her and have the family to visit.

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

Christmas was a week away and the temperature was already plummeting, the first hint of snow in the air. It seemed slightly strange to CJ to have left DC in the middle of winter only to return again in the snow. Strange because she had always loved springtime in Washington and yet in the four years since she had left, even with her closest friends living there, she had not returned. Then as with so many things she loved she lacked the time to pursue them.

Pulling the baby, her baby, although she was already two, close to her chest, she waited to claim her luggage, her mind already preparing to find a cab.

“Would you like some assistance, Ma’am?” a voice asked from behind.

CJ was about to decline but as she turned she realized who it was. “Leo.” Flinging her arms around his neck she kissed his cheek.

“We thought you might need a hand,” he offered, pulling away and his grin widening at the sight of the child in her arms. “Margaret sent these,” he added, pulling a small coat, hat and gloves out of a bag. “It’s pretty cold out there.”

CJ thanked God for Margaret. Lowering Martha to the ground, she began to dress her. “It was just starting to get chilly back there. Our bags are the blue ones with pom-poms.” She still didn’t refer to California as home, she wouldn’t when everything she considered to be part of home lived on the other side of the country.

Leo scanned the conveyor belt, desperate to ask the most obvious question but not sure if it was the moment.

“You sure you don’t mind us staying with you?”

“No. CJ?”

She glanced up at him from her place on the floor. “He’s staying in San Diego.”

It was the point in the conversation, Josh would say something stupid or Jed would ask endless questions. Leo chose to return to searching for blue cases. They appeared minutes later as CJ went in search of her stroller. He removed two large cases from the conveyor belt and placed them on the trolley, two more appeared followed by a large bag. He waited a minute more fully expecting a further deluge of baggage.

“So is everyone coming?” CJ asked, taking the trolley and offering him the stroller.

Leo nodded, genuine affection in his voice. “Although I’m sure I’m going to regret it later. Josh is fighting with Toby again, Donna has a new boyfriend. Kate and Will, well who knows after what happened, and Jed…”

They began to walk through the baggage hall, Martha now secured and studying the vast airport building.

“How is he?”

It had been two years since the Bartlet Library dedication and Jed hadn’t made his visit and CJ hadn’t been to the farm except to bury Abbey. They had all made the journey, united in grief, shocked that doing what she loved had brought Abbey’s untimely death. Thinking about it, it was the one and only time they had all been in the same place since leaving office.

“Looking forward to seeing you all.” Not strictly true, Leo knew. There were some Jed wanted to see more than others. ”Let’s get you home.”

She didn’t need asking twice. Ever since she had stepped off the plane she had felt like she was returning home and staying with Leo would make her feel even more relaxed. When he had first phoned and invited her she had said yes, fully expecting her long term lover to be just as happy. Danny’s excuse for not coming was the book. His reason that the interviews and publishing deal would provide for them in the years to come. The argument that followed had brought back age old discord - that his job was more important and maybe their love wasn’t enough to make their relationship work. He had told her to go, enjoy herself and she had, not that she wouldn’t have even without his permission. Now he was in California, waiting for the call from Palestine, and she was with her family, pondering what lay ahead.

“So is Margaret running a sweepstake?” CJ asked as they trundled their way through the airport. “The first to throw a punch, the most likely to do something stupid…”

“It’s a suckers bet.”

She had to agree. After all, it had been a long time since they had all been under one roof together, and if past experiences were anything to go on they were prone to a little cabin fever.

~~~~~~~

“How did you manage to get Ebenezer to do all this?” Jed asked watching Margaret arrange gifts beneath a seven foot tree. He had been slightly suspicious about Leo’s desire to have them all together and upon arrival his suspicion had proliferated. Leo had practically turned his house into a home over night and now was part way to making it look like one of the houses from a catalogue Christmas.

“It was his idea. He’s ornery but not completely a bah humbug,” she added at his complete look of surprise. Cocking her head she studied the lower branches of the tree and moved a few parcels.

“What’s he up to?”

“I couldn’t rightly say,” Margaret replied easily, all too aware that Leo kept most things close to his chest, only sharing that what he thought necessary.

“But he is up to something!!” Jed concluded, his voice belittling his frustration.

She shrugged, returning her attention to the tree.

“Well aren’t you just a wealth of information,” Jed grumbled, glancing at the door as it opened.

“You’d be surprised,” Leo announced catching the tail end of the conversation and grinning. “Look who’s here.”

Jed’s frown turned into a smile as he caught sight of his former chief of staff and the apple of her eye. “Well, well.”

“Hello, Sir.” CJ tentatively hovered in the doorway, her eyes scrutinising his face, checking that he was alright. Assured that he was fine she allowed herself a small smile.

He raised an eyebrow. “Get over here, Claudia Jean.”

She fell into his arms, kissing him tenderly on the cheek before turning to the tiny figure behind her. “Come say hello.”

Martha padded across the floor and came to an abrupt halt, gazing up at him. “Hello.”

“She’s adorable.” His eyes moved between the strawberry blonde child and her mother then to the closed door.

Leo shot him a pleading look, wishing for at least a few more hours for a happy house.

CJ inwardly groaned, not wanting to have the same conversation over and over again but knowing it was inevitable. “Danny is in San Diego. He has to work,” she lied, well white lied.

Something in her eyes told him she was lying but he didn’t much mind having her to himself. In fact she was the reason he had agreed to come. Realising suddenly his hand was still on her back, he moved it, slipping it into his pocket.

“How about I make coffee?” Margaret suggested, sensing that CJ needed saving.

“That would be wonderful,” CJ accepted. “Maybe a little juice for Martha.”

As Margaret disappeared, Leo picked up the bags, moving towards the stairs.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m going to put these in your room,” he stated matter-of-factly. “Then we can relax and have lunch before you unpack.”

“He’s become an old woman,” Jed chuckled, placing an arm around CJ’s shoulders and leading her towards the sitting room.

“What does that make you?” she asked, cheekily, slipping an arm around his waist.

“Right this second a very dirty old man.”

Her laughter sent a flutter of butterflies through his stomach and he knew then that he‘d made the right decision in coming for the weekend, even if it would bring him a whole lot of heartache in the end.

The house was still eerily quiet as CJ closed the bedroom door and headed downstairs.

Jed, she knew, had commandeered the bathroom. She never could understand why men always took so much longer than women to get ready, but they did. And Leo was downstairs, cooking, if the pleasant aromas were anything to go by. It was almost like old times when they had visited the farm, but it would never be quite the same.

“Is there anything I can do to help?” CJ asked, appearing in the kitchen doorway.

“I wouldn’t count on it,” Margaret deadpanned, moving towards her. “He’s a little retentive about his kitchen.” She picked up her purse. “Have a good night.”

“You’re not staying?”

“Nah, but I’ll see you before you go.” Leo had invited her but she didn’t want everyone to get the wrong impression and she had a five year old she wanted to spend the evening with.

“Have you upset her again?” CJ asked once Margaret had left.

Leo shook his head as he lifted the Lamb from the oven. “She’s just being Margaret. Martha asleep?”

“Out like a light. Are you sure I can’t help?”

“You’re on vacation.” Although he wondered how long she was planning to stay. “Help yourself to wine, get Jed out of the bath and relax.”

“You mean physically get him out?” she laughed, the anticipated look on Jed‘s face almost enough to make her go for it .

“He’d like that way too much,” Leo replied, stabbing the joint with a skewer.

Fleetingly ‘if only’ sprung to mind and she involuntarily smiled. It dissipated immediately as she tried to remember the last time Danny had shown any interest in her as a woman.

“I mean it,” Leo said, turning to look at her. “Go, help yourself to wine and relax. The others will be here shortly.”

She nodded in acquiesce and left him draining potatoes, whistling contently.

~~~~~~

An hour later, CJ stood in the doorway, starring at the two people glaring at each other.

Toby and Josh had arrived separately half an hour ago and from all appearances had no intention of even trying to get along. Each had greeted CJ with a hug and a kiss then gravitated to opposite corners of the great room. They were like brothers, which was probably why they fought so much. She wasn’t sure what the problem was this time, only that the latest feud had apparently been going on for months.

Kate slipped up behind her. ”Anyone thrown a punch yet?”

“No, but the night is young. Any idea what’s going on?”

“You don’t know?” Kate asked incredulous.

CJ stared down at her.

“Toby and Donna have been seeing each other.”

“You’re not serious?”

“It started because she was broody and he offered his services.” She scrunched up her face in distain. As much as she had come to love these people she still couldn’t handle how much they shared information. A lesson learned from past mistakes, she supposed. “Anyways, they started spending weekends together.”

“That really is enough information,” CJ offered dryly. Why it should surprise her that they arguing over a woman, she didn’t know, after all they argued about everything else - politics, religion, beer. The fact it involved Donna made it ten times more likely to end in a fist fight. “Who’s referee?”

“Isn’t that why you’re here?”

CJ shot her an indecipherable look and glanced across at the other two guests.

Will’s arrival had sent Kate scurrying to the kitchen. The sound of loud voices had drifted from the kitchen then Kate had appeared somewhat quiet moments later. Leo, CJ concluded, had either apologized for not telling Kate Will was coming or had played peacemaker

Donna for her part had walked in, looking every iota the Media executive she was, oblivious to or ignoring the tension, CJ wasn‘t sure which, and drifted towards Will, effectively engaging him in conversation.

The atmosphere for the evening had been firmly set in stone and CJ longed for the peace of the afternoon.

Leo appeared from the direction of the dining room and rolled his eyes dramatically. ”Dinner is served.” He waited or someone to move when they didn’t he waved in CJ’s direction as if to say ‘sort it’ and disappeared through the door which he had just entered through.

The two men stopped glaring long enough to follow Leo, as wide a distance between them as possible.

“I didn’t realise Leo was laying on entertainment,” Jed laughed, appearing between Kate and CJ and offering each of them an arm. “And I thought it was going to be boring.”

A statement which CJ later devised was an understatement.

~~~~~~

“Does it matter where I sit?” Donna asked circling the table. “It looks wonderful by the way.”

“Thank you,” Leo replied, pulling out a chair. “Why don’t you sit here between Jed and I?” Once she was seated he pulled out another chair. “Kate, between Josh and Toby, CJ, you can sit between Toby and Will.” He waited patiently for them all to sit down before he disappeared to the kitchen and returning with the soup turin.

“I can’t remember the last time we were all together,” Jed said, scanning the group of people. “The Library dedication?”

The silence was unnerving.

“Yes,” CJ replied, giving him a forced smile.

Leo began to move around the table serving soup.

“Couldn’t Danny make it?” Josh asked, spilling soup down his white shirt.

CJ inwardly groaned, debating whether to make the evening even more awkward by telling the truth or to continue with the lie.

“Maybe I wanted her all to myself,” Leo offered, grinning, hoping no-one would press the issue. He leaned in and kissed CJ’s cheek.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

The table lapsed back into an uncomfortable silence as they settled down to eat.

Josh continued to study CJ, wondering whether there was yet another secret he was not privy to. As the plates were cleared he returned to glaring at Toby. He still couldn’t believe that his best friend was dating his Donna. After nearly twelve years he was finally getting around to making a move but it was all in vane. She was already hooked up with Toby. His stomach had been in knots ever since.

After clearing the bowls away, Leo carried the lamb to the table and placed it in front of his oldest friend. After several more trips a virtual feast covered the table.

“I’ll carve,” Jed announced, picking up the knife. “Probably safest.”

Leo rolled his eyes and passed the potatoes to Josh. He’d fully expected it to be difficult, the underlying tensions making things strained. What he hadn’t anticipated was that the disagreements would prevent them from remembering how much they liked each other.

Still he’d managed to get them all in the same room which was part of the battle, hopefully with CJ’s help he could improve things if only a little.

“So what is Martha getting for Christmas?” Donna asked, barely touching the food on her plate.

The smile lit up CJ’s face. “Everything she could ever want. I need to go the store. I couldn’t manage to get everything I wanted before I flew out.”

“I’d check under the tree first,” Jed suggested, sarcastically.

“You didn’t?” CJ groaned, tipping her head to look at Leo. She had seen the presents under the tree and could only imagine what he had spent on them all. Martha and James would, she suspected, be thoroughly spoilt by their favourite Uncle.

“What can I say? I’m a sucker for my girls.”

“She’s pretty fond of you too,” CJ admitted fondly. “She named her teddy bear after you.”

“He’s always been a giant teddy bear,” Donna admitted, lifting the tension for the briefest of minutes.

The conversation soon returned to it’s former laboured self, CJ, Leo and Jed discussing everything from the youngest members of the family to the latest additions to the farm as the others ate in silence, their contributions hardly a monologue.

Josh, usually highly strung and the life and soul of the party was reeling too much from Donna’s latest betrayal, to be engaging.

Will, to his credit, was too tired to be witty and charming.

Toby’s anger festered beneath the surface, CJ’s hand gently touching his leg intermittently, the only thing stopping him from exploding.

All in all the reunion wasn’t going well.

“Are we gonna see another book?” Jed asked his former NSA.

“I’m not sure I can top the last one,” she offered, slightly embarrassed to be the centre of attention.

“I don’t believe that.” Jed had relished the prose with delight. His fatherly pride kicking in as he recommended her work to everyone who would listen.

Kate turned a deep shade of pink and concentrated on her cheesecake.

“And Toby’s still lecturing,” Jed stated with pride.

“Well he always did….” Josh began.

“Why don’t we take coffee in the living room,” CJ interrupted, collecting the plates.

“I’ll do that,” Kate announced, rising to her feet, waving Leo off. “You go sit with the others, after all, you were the one to organise this.” She smiled smugly as Leo led his guests into the other room.

“He does have a dish washer, right?”

Kate nodded, “Of course, but it may take us a while to stack it.”

“A long while,” CJ agreed, lacking any inclination to watch the boys continue their games.

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

“Well, you know, we’re just one big happy family,” CJ mused. “What did you expect?”

“A little more love, a little less hostility,” Kate replied dryly.

“We never said we were the Brady Bunch.” CJ steadied the cups and saucers on her tray and stepped over the threshold into the living room. She came to an abrupt halt at the sight before her.

Donna sat rigid in her chair, her eyes widening while Leo and Jed were rising to their feet. Everyone was staring at Josh and Toby, who circled each other on the Egyptian rug throwing barbed insults at each other.

Without warning Josh swung his arm, his fist coinciding squarely with Toby’s jaw. He looked almost as surprised as Toby that his aim was so accurate.

As Toby toppled back there was a gasp and CJ felt Kate‘s hand lightly grabbing her arm. He grabbed Josh’s leg on his way down and they both landed on the carpet with a thud.

Josh started to move and Jed carefully poked him with his cane. “Enough.” Of course Jed knew his two boys had fought in the past but having never witnessed it himself, he’d managed to pretend it hadn’t happened. Faced with the reality he could no longer deny it but he wasn’t willing to let it spiral any further out of control.

All eyes turned to stare at him.

Jed stood rigid, cane poised, shaking his head firmly.

“Josh. A word!” Leo said, his voice cutting through the silence, his impassionate expression giving little away. “In the kitchen.”

Josh stared at him, his body still sprawled on the floor at an awkward angle.

“Now.” He wasn’t going to give up. Replaying the last few moments in his mind, he knew he had brought them to this point and now he had to diffuse the animosity, fast.

Getting to his feet with a sigh, Josh stepped over Toby and trailed in Leo’s wake, certain that he was in the right, belligerent as ever.

The others watched them leave, no-one sure what to do next.

~~~~~~

The kitchen was eerily quiet as Leo positioned himself against the drainer and carefully considered his words.

“He asked for it,” Josh started.

Leo barely moved.

“He practically dared me to do it.”

“Josh!” Leo countered, exasperated. “You’re both as bad as one another. Most of the time you act like two schoolboys. How much longer are you going to do this?”

“He’s dating Donna.”

“Yes, he is. They’ve been together for four months.” Leo knew exactly what day they had started dating, he was more than aware of how difficult the decision was for them and he had pretty much predicted Josh’s reaction even then.

“It’s just not right.”

Leo sighed. Despite his age, Josh was still a teenager at heart. Everything was black and white, which Leo had realized was not the case in reality. Of course it was also a trait of Josh’s he wished he had sometimes. “Don’t you want her to be happy?”

“Of course. Just with me.”

“But it is never gonna happen.” Leo rubbed his forehead with his fingertips trying to starve of the headache. “She’s in love with him.”

Josh scoffed. He didn’t believe it for a minute. Toby was just another of her gomers and in time it would fade and she would be single again. Except Leo was here talking to him so for once Donna was serious about someone and their family was trying to smooth the way.

“And I can’t believe you’d begrudge him a little happiness either.”

“It’ll end in unhappiness. He’ll hurt her and she’ll end up crying on my shoulder.”

“I doubt that very much,” Leo countered. “ And if it doesn’t work out, it doesn’t work out. They’re both old enough to deal with it.”

“She’s my Donna.”

“Face it, Josh. You had a dozen chances and blew it. Time’s passed, and she’s moved on. It’s time you did the same.” It came out a little more harsh than he had planned but for everyone’s sake Josh needed to deal with the situation.

“What if I can’t?” He loved Donna, had done for far longer than he knew.

“You will,” Leo assured him. “And we’re here.” Although if Josh planned to do any crying on shoulders he rather hoped CJ was going to be the one providing the shoulder.

Josh’s body slumped and he refused to look at the man he considered a surrogate father.

“Let’s go back inside.”

Josh shook his head. “I’m gonna go home.” He briefly lifted his eyes as he stomped away. “I’m not going to do anything stupid, Leo, I just need to think.”

“But you’ll talk to Toby?” Leo prompted, not wanting to leave things hanging when they had come so far but knowing in his heart he should have pushed further and harder.

~~~~~

CJ came to a standstill on the decking and turned to look at him. Leo’s eyes had pleaded with her as he walked Josh out of the room. The message was clear - he would tackle Josh and she would deal with Toby. Not exactly the end to the evening she had envisioned.

“Don’t go there,” he growled.

“I wouldn’t normally, except for sport,” she added trying to lighten the mood. “But what I just witnessed…”

Toby cast his gaze downwards, his shoes suddenly becoming fascinating.

“I love you, you know that. And I love Josh, and Donna.”

“He can’t accept that we’re together.”

She really didn’t want to get involved. The last time they had resorted to violence it had been after his brother’s death and it had taken weeks to put the pieces together. “You gave him a chance?”

He glanced up at her, instantly regretting it when she ducked her head to look at him and he was caught in her gaze.

“You forget how well I know you both. He was almost killed and she single-handedly nursed him back to us. She was blown up and he flew across the world to be with her, they have a history. Just lousy timing.”

“We have history,” he muttered, not wanting anger to get the better of him.

“Not that sort of history.” She loved him like a brother, would probably sacrifice everything to save him but she wasn’t in love with him.

“It wasn’t as if we meant it to happen.”

“Have you told him that?”

“It’s none of his business.”

“Toby.” Her eyes reflected sadness. “You were angry at him when he left the White House, you had no right to be but you were. But he explained and you listened. Don’t you think it’s time to tell him your side of the story?”

“’Cause hearing how happy we are, how much we want a baby, is going to make things easier.”

CJ hadn’t expected such an admission and it showed on her face. “No, but at least you’ll have tried. Tell him how it happened, tell him it’s what you want and let Donna tell him there can never be a them.”

“So easy for you.”

“If only you knew,” she sighed, wanting suddenly to pour her heart out to someone, except Toby was probably the last person who would want to listen.

“What’s wrong? CJ?”

“Danny wouldn’t come because he’s waiting for a call to Palestine. It might not come but he didn’t want to miss it. He‘d rather wait for a call than be with my family”

Toby didn’t know what to say. “What are you going to do?”

“Stay here a while. Make Christmas happy for Martha. Then I might be able to sort this out. After ten years we owe each other that much.”

“Subtle.”

“Sorry?” She was so busy trying to figure out Danny, she wasn’t sure what Toby was talking about.

“Josh and Donna have ten years of history.“

“So do you and Donna, you and Josh for that matter. Don’t you owe it to each other to try and talk this through, make it right?“

“I’m not walking away from Donna.”

“Not even for Josh?”

“He and I REALLY don’t have that sort of relationship.”

CJ allowed herself a small smile. “That much I know. It’s been two years since we were all together, I don’t want this thing,” she waved her hands in the air between them. “To become a reason we don’t get together again. Time is so short and precious.”

“It won’t.”

“You’re fighting in Leo’s living room. I want Martha to be able to see all of you so fix it.”

Her no nonsense tone had always worked on him but it was more the wistful look on her face that convinced him. He didn’t want to fight with Josh, least of all because it made Donna unhappy. And they were serious about each other. “I’ll try but he has to too.”

“Leo’s taking care of it.”

“So can we get the hell indoors and get warm again?”

She smiled and motioned for him to lead the way.

~~~~~

With the others gone, the chill in the air lessened somewhat. Jed dropped back into his arm chair and lifted his feet up onto the stool.

Donna, anxious as ever, busied herself pouring each of them a coffee.

“So, how have you been?” Will finally asked, shifting awkwardly on the couch.

Three pairs of eyes turned to look at him.

“Kate?”

“Good. Lecturing. You?”

“Still on Ways and Means.” Still missing you he didn’t add.

“Chairman one day then?” She squirmed in her seat at how forced the conversation was.

“Unless of course I screw this up too.”

Jed inwardly cringed.

Donna listened to her better angels and kept her mouth shut.

“You didn’t screw it up.” Kate acknowledged somewhat exasperatedly. “It was the whole commitment thing.”

“I wasn’t committed enough?”

“I wasn’t ready for commitment,” she corrected, her eyes finally catching Donna’s, pleading for salvation.

“Maybe we should leave you both,” Donna announced, rising to her feet.

Jed shook his head. He wanted to stay.

“No, stay,” Will said, as if reading his mind. “There are no secrets in this family and besides this is the first time we’ve actually acknowledged we broke up.”

Donna sat back down.

“And saying you weren’t ready wasn’t an option?”

She didn’t want to hurt him a second time but she couldn’t lie either. Realising she couldn’t commit had made her realise they weren’t ever going to go anywhere. “I tried.”

“Not very hard.” Will had been on the verge of proposing to her, he’d even picked out a ring, although he hadn’t quite managed to buy it. Then he’d been elected to congress and started talking about the future. Within weeks Kate had moved her spare toothbrush and pyjamas out of his apartment.

“Maybe I just wasn’t cut out to be a congressman’s wife.”

His eyes revealed his incredulity. “What?”

Jed sipped his coffee, finding no amusement in the situation but unable to look away.

Donna continued to glance at the door, her imagination getting the better of her as she pondered what was going on beyond the living room walls.

“I loved you, Will, but marriage . . . I’d never even thought about it and faced with the possibility I realised it wasn’t for me. I was a coward. I should have told you.”

“We could have gone on as we were,” he offered sadly.

Kate gave him a sad smile. “No, we couldn’t. You know we’d reached the point of all or nothing.” In truth she’d fallen out of love with him. It happened. Of course she’d also fallen in love with someone else.

Will stared back at her, his heart in his stomach as he realized she was telling the truth. He wanted it all - a wife, kids, congress. Nothing else would do. And Kate was no more selfish than him for not wanting it all. “Yeah.”

“I’m sorry,” Kate whispered.

“Yeah.” There wasn’t anything else for him to say. They’d survived a break up, they didn’t hate each other, it was more than most couples could say. “Maybe we can grab a drink soon?”

She nodded. “Yeah, why not.”

Jed let out a sigh of relief. He hated seeing them fight. At least two of them were ok, he could only hope the other two would be too.

~~~~~~

“Not tonight, Leo,” Josh stated emphatically. “I’ll talk to Toby, really.“ And he would, because Leo was like a father to him and however much Josh disagreed, Leo was genuinely right. “I just need to get out of here.”

“Are you going to say goodnight?”

He shook his head. “I’ll phone CJ tomorrow.”

Leo watched as Josh lifted his coat from the rack and extended his hand. “Thank you for dinner, Leo. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.” He watched him leave and turned to return to the living room when Toby and CJ appeared. “You off, too?”

“Yeah,” Toby mumbled, the first hint of a smile appearing as Donna wandered in from the living room. They shared an intimate look before Toby removed Donna’s coat from the stand in the hallway and waited as Donna hugged CJ.

“Call me,“ she insisted. “We’ll have lunch.“

“Sure.“ CJ watched as Toby helped her friend into her coat and placed a protective hand on her back.

“I’m off too,“ Will said, squeezing her arm. “All the parties are catching up with me.“

He nodded to Leo and the three of them left.

“I’m off to bed, I think,” Leo announced, lightly brushing CJ’s arm. “It’s been an interesting evening.”

“It certainly has.“ Alone in the hallway, CJ debated her next move. It was still early for bed, and she was thirsty, the coffee having gone cold while she was trying to help her friends. Instead she found herself heading towards the kitchen.

“Coffee?“ Jed asked, smiling at the sight of her. He had been hoping all night for a few moments alone with her, but circumstances had gotten in the way. Now they were alone.

“Thanks.”

He poured two mugs and added cream before placing them on the table.

CJ sat down and held the mug between her hands.

“Are you going to tell me what’s going on with Danny?“ Jed asked after waiting for what seemed the longest moment.

“No.” She waited.

“You’re family.”

CJ shrugged. “And?”

“I care.”

“I know,” she admitted, softly.

“Did he do something?”

“Mr. President. Jed.”

Jed settled himself in the wooden chair. “Claudia, I’m not trying to pry. I just worry. Especially when you arrive without Danny, and bring enough luggage to last you a month.”

“Most of that is Martha’s.”

He raised an eyebrow.

“I thought we might stay in the District through Christmas,” she offered tentatively. “Danny needs to travel overseas.” Which, she didn’t add was the reason they were fighting in the first place.

“With Leo?”

CJ had yet to ask him but she hoped he would stay yes. “Maybe.”

“He’d like that. I think he gets lonely.”

“Are you planning on staying long?” she asked, not sure if the idea of his presence was a positive or negative thing.

He smiled and sipped his drink. “Probably.” And if she was staying, he had every intention of hanging around.

“Does that mean you’ll help convince him?” Leo was closer than her brother and yet she still found herself unsure around him.

“I don’t think he’ll mind too much.”

“Ok. So, tell me what the girls are up to.”

Jed began to talk happily about his children and grandchildren, in turn pressing CJ about her own family. He allowed the subject of Danny to slide for the time being, knowing that they would revisit it when she was ready, and not wanting to spoil the quality time he had with her.

Before they realized the clock in the hallway was chiming 1am.

The sound of footsteps drifted from the stairs, creaky floorboards giving away the presence of another individual.

“You can come in,” CJ called, her mouth forming the smallest of smiles.

A head appeared around the door frame, followed by a body. “I heard voices and I didn’t want to disturb you.”

“Hey, Kate,” Jed grinned, fully aware that she hadn‘t left.

“It isn’t what you think. Well, yeah, I guess it is.”

“It’s none of our business.”

Kate dropped onto a vacant chair. “Really?”

“If you wanna talk about it….” Jed said with a smile, leaning forward.

“Not particularly.” She really didn’t want them judging her inept failure. Two years of dating Will had ended when he’d become Congressman and he’d pushed for a commitment. Six months later she’d had dinner with Leo and started a fling, which was still going on, except it was more than a fling.

“I guess I should go to bed,” CJ announced, yawning. “Martha will be up at the crack of dawn.”

“I’m just getting a glass of water,” Kate explained.

“Goodnight Kate,” Jed sighed, clearing up the coffee things and following CJ upstairs.

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

CJ had never stayed with Leo before, but so far Sunday was exactly as she had imagined. The five of them, two of them slightly quieter than usual, had gathered around the kitchen table eating breakfast.

Leo and Jed had disappeared behind the newspapers, randomly discussing articles. It was slightly amusing to watch as they talked from behind papers, never once lowering them to look at each other.

Kate sipped strong black coffee, looking slightly dishevelled and lightly green around the gills. Somehow over night she had managed to go down with a bug.

Slipping out to take a call from her partner, CJ wasn’t surprised to return and find them exactly as she had left them. It was mildly comforting when the rest of her life was in a mess.

Finally they had moved into the living room to watch Meet The Press, leaving Leo to clean up and Kate to hide in the bathroom.

“You’re always welcome at the farm,” Jed said ignoring the television, bouncing Martha up and down on his knee and earning himself a squeal of delight. “I know you have work but when Danny’s working you could both come and visit.”

“It might be easier than you think,” she said, her thoughts still on her conversation with Danny. Sometimes he could be so stubborn, refusing to even consider other possibilities. Today his Irish streak had been worse than normal and she was feeling even more pissed at him than when she’d left California.

He looked at her, confusion etched on his face.

“Danny’s spending Christmas in Jakarta. Apparently it’s the only time he can get The interview.”

“Oh.”

“And he wants to meet with Farad in January so I guess Martha and I aren’t a priority right now.” Danny had told her that he would be back mid January and they could celebrate Christmas then. Her response had involved words she would never use in front of Martha and the phone impacting with it’s cradle.

“He loves you.” Jed was trying to be impartial although even to his own ears it didn’t sound sincere.

“I know but there are only so many times I can let him put work before me.” She sighed. “And the novelty’s worn off. There are only so many days you can sit in the sun or go shopping.”

Jed raised an eyebrow in amazement.

“And it’s isolating.”

“What about work? Martha?”

CJ sighed. “When it comes down to it, it’s just a job and she will be with me anywhere.” The more she thought about Danny’s dismissal of what she wanted the more emotional she was becoming, or the more rational she was thinking, she wasn’t sure which. Talking to Jed was helping, if only to voice her feelings.

“What would you do?”

“Move back here and freeze my arse off.”

“The farm is perfect for a little girl to grow up on.” He inwardly cringed at how that sounded. He’d meant to offer her a safe haven, somewhere she could figure out what she wanted. What he really wanted was to have her to himself for as long as possible.

“Not a good idea.” She could just imagine her partners’ reaction to her moving to New Hampshire.

“You think Danny will stop you taking Martha?”

“There will be a fight.”

“You know she’s like a grand daughter to me. And you don’t mess with grand fathers. We’re mad men.”

“You told me that a long time a go.”

“You’re family too.” Although fatherly feelings weren’t what he was harbouring.

“What are you guys talking about?” Leo asked, entering the room and rolling down his sleeves.

“CJ moving to the farm.”

“Not so much,” CJ challenged.

Leo shot Jed an indecipherable gaze. He wasn’t sure where the hell a vacation at the farm had come from, but it didn’t fit in with his idea of fixing everyone’s problems. “You can stay here.”

“And Kate?” CJ asked, her lips quirking upwards.

“It will make our little trysts less clandestine,” Leo said with a straight face, his eyes twinkling. When Kate had returned to bed and announced that their secret was out he’d been a little wary but after he’d slept on it he’d realized these were his closest friends and they were never going to judge him. Especially when he was doing nothing wrong.

“Yeah, like anyone that matters cares or would notice,” CJ grinned.

“Did you just use the word trysts?” Jed asked trying to suppress a smile. “What ya do? Smuggle her in the back door and out the window?”

“I’m a little too old for that,” Kate commented dryly, hovering in the doorway, not wanting to be the interloper.

“How you feeling, sweetheart?” Leo asked, rising to his feet and offering her his chair. ”Do you need anything?”

She hovered in the doorway.

“Come and sit down.”

“I didn’t want to interrupt,” she coughed, crossing to join Leo on the couch.

“You wouldn’t be,” Leo assured her. “Jed is just trying to lure CJ to the farm and have his wicked way with her.”

Jed glared at Leo.

“Really?” CJ asked, her lips quirking up into a smile. “See, all these years and I thought you were only after my mind.” She rose to her feet. “I need to put Martha down.”

When she had left the room, Jed shot Leo a pointed look.

Kate smiled to herself. “Hit the nail on the head!”

“No,” Jed offered immediately and emphatically.

Leo stared at his best friend as realization hit. It had been staring him in the face for years and he’d been too preoccupied to notice. “What happened to she’s like a daughter to me? It’s time we let her be happy.”

Jed didn’t answer. Of course he wanted her to be happy but she wasn’t, not that he thought he could make her happy. And he supported her marriage, would help her save it if it was worth it. But she had long since been like a daughter. Day in and day out he had worked along side her, discovered an equal, a friend and a stunningly beautiful woman. Then she had moved away and he missed her. Abbey had passed away leaving a gap he didn’t think could be filled. Seeing CJ again had changed his mind. She could never replace Abbey but his heart had flipped at the sight of her.

“Jed?”

“Leo, I can’t talk about this right now.”

“I can go.”

“It’s not you, Kate. I’m going for a walk,” Jed said, his eyes never leaving Leo’s face.

“And if CJ asks where you are? Starts worrying?”

“I’ve gone for a walk.” He rose to his feet and strode purposefully from the room.

“If it was anyone else, I’d say it was a mid-life crisis,” Leo commented. “But not with Jed. He loved Abbey too much to entertain a fling.”

Kate tucked her feet under her. “She’s practically married, Leo. He’s probably just lonely.”

“I was lonely.”

“And now you have me.” She leaned into him and smiled. “Christmas is going to be interesting.”

Leo groaned as yet another family situation rose it‘s ugly head.

~~~~~~

“Sorry, I didn’t tell you about Leo and I,” Kate said, dropping onto the bed at CJ’s feet.

“Did you think I wouldn’t approve?” CJ asked. Martha had finally fallen asleep and CJ had ensconced herself in her room to write a Christmas list. Kate’s appearance in the doorway had ended that.

“I kinda put you through it with the Will thing.”

CJ smiled and repositioned one of the eight pillows that adorned the queen sized bed.

“What?” Kate asked, rolling onto her side.

“I’ve missed this.”

“What? Dredging through the mess that is my love life?”

“I meant it’s really not the same talking on the phone.” She threw a pillow across the bed. “So why the big secret?”

Kate turned to face her. “It wasn’t supposed to be a thing. Two failed marriages. Will. It was going to be a few dinners, conversation, sex . . .”

“Whoa.”

“I wasn’t going to go into detail. Hell, I never planned to sleep with him.”

CJ covered her ears with her hands. “KATE!” When Kate was NSA and she was Chief they had often shared take out and discussed dates, cancelled dates, wishful dates but this was in a whole other league. Leo was like her brother.

“Now he’s like a comfy old slipper.”

It was positively surreal, sitting on a bed, chatting to Kate like they were in college. More concerning was that she felt more comfortable with her friend than she had with her partner for a long time. “Does this mean it’s getting serious?”

“I’m practically living here.”

She nodded, not really sure if there was an appropriate comment. “Is Jed back yet?” CJ asked, casually.

“Not when I came upstairs.” Jed had been gone for over an hour and Leo was downstairs worrying. Kate had taken it upon herself to check in on her friend. “He probably just needed some air.”

“He was ok when he left?”

“Yeah.” Kate couldn’t tell her how upset he’d been, if only because she promised Leo she wouldn’t. “So you and he are close?”

CJ glanced up at her, confusion etched across her features. “Close?”

“Well you obviously confide in each other.”

“What has he said?”

“Nothing,” Kate shrugged. “I just got the impression . . .”

“We worked closely together.” As she said it CJ realized there was more to it than that. Of everyone, Jed was the person she could most be herself with. When CJ had first found out about the book Danny had planned to write she had been angry at Jed, for being the subject, for making Danny travel the world documenting his achievements.

“CJ?”

She closed her eyes and sighed. Jed had tried to talk Danny out of the book, his intervention had had the opposite effect. Now she was only mad at Danny. In truth she could never really stay mad at Jed for long. He had a quality about him that made her want to help him, protect him, love him.

“Leo’s on the phone with Toby,” Kate said, trying to break into CJ’s reverie.

“Sorry?”

“Toby’s on the phone. He and Donna had lunch with Josh.” Lunch was overstating the situation. They’d met in a bar and exchange pleasantries. Which was as much as Kate got before Leo hustled her out.

“Halleluiah.”

“You ok?” Kate prompted.

“I should be asking you that,” CJ replied, thoughts of her closest friends swarming through her head.

“It’s nothing. Just a little nausea, fatigue. Probably something I ate.”

CJ nodded. She was only too aware that the slightest indication of illness in the family was not to be taken lightly, it generally meant something more serious was on the way, not exactly the consideration she wanted to install in her friend. Instead she would have to keep her eye on Kate. “You should go lie down, anyway.”

Kate yawned. “I was planning to when I saw your door open. I’ll see you for dinner.”

CJ waited a few more minutes before she packed up her notebook and headed downstairs to wait for the former President. Just because she always forgave him didn’t mean she wouldn’t get mad at him first.

~~~~~~

Jed unlocked the front door and came to an abrupt halt. He hadn’t expected a welcoming party and by the look on CJ’s face he wasn’t going to get one. “Hey.”

“Mr. President.”

He was in trouble. “CJ?”

“Where have you been?”

“What are you, my mother?”

She rose to her feet silently, moving to walk away.

“CJ.”

“I was worried.”

“You don’t need to be.”

She sighed and folded her arms across her chest. “It’s snowing, it’s freezing and you decide to go for a walk.” The unspoken truth was that she was worried he’d get a cold, or the flu and have an episode. A million worse possibilities ran through her mind.

Jed wanted to hold her, to make her realize that he wouldn’t break easily but the fear in her eyes told him she wouldn’t believe him. “I wrapped up warm, even wore my thermals.”

Her lips almost made a smile.

“But I could do with a coffee.”

Her eyes revealed something different, something inexplicable.

“Which of course I’m going to make.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.” He moved towards the kitchen and she followed.

“Where did you go?”

“Just for a walk. Leo lives in a nice neighbourhood.” He’d wandered aimlessly for a while, finally coming across a coffee shop.

“But you’re ok?” she asked quietly, hoping for a positive answer but fearing the worst.

“I’m good. I just needed to do some thinking.” All he had actually thought about was the woman sitting opposite him.

“Want to share?”

“What is this? An afternoon with Oprah?” he snapped a little too sharply.

“You’re family. I worry.” Throwing his words back at him sent Jed into silence.

Her annoying ring tone broke through the silence of the room and CJ snatched it from her pocket, glancing at the screen. “I need to take this.” She walked out of the room, opening the phone as she went.

~~~~~~

CJ slammed her cell shut and threw it on the sofa. Her hands moved through the air as she mumbled to herself.

Jed watched from the doorway, arms folded across his chest, unsure whether to speak or hold his tongue. He chose the latter, instead choosing to continue watching and waiting. He was repaid a few minutes later when she turned and gave him the smallest of smiles.

“Did you want me?”

“Always,” Jed said, his voice barely containing the depth of sentiment behind his words. “Are you alright?”

She shrugged, her shoulders slumping as she recalled her latest row with Danny. “Why couldn’t I have met someone more like you?”

“You did. Me,” he offered casually.

“Ok, maybe not so like you.” Her smile lifted as she moved towards him. “I can’t imagine you leaving me.”

“Never.”

Her fingers lightly squeezed his arm as she brushed past him. “They broke the mould when they made you, Josiah Bartlet.”

His hand covered hers lightly caressing her knuckles. “You okay?”

CJ nodded, her eyes avoiding his, succinctly answering his question. He was too close to her and Danny had left her feeling emotionally wrecked.

“Again. With feeling.” He longed to hold her but he wasn’t sure if he could stay within the boundaries he had carefully contemplated and set himself only a few hours ago.

Her eyes lifted, finding and locking with his.

Continue to Part Two