Title:    A Friend in Need

Series: Story Of Us

Rating: R

A Friend In Need

‘Okay I’m coming,’ he yelled, pulling his robe tight around him and unlocking the door. He opened the door forcefully and stopped.

‘Toby, you look awful.’

Toby shrugged and practically fell in the door. Leo grimaced at the stench of scotch that followed, just what an alcoholic needed a drunk friend on his doorstep. He closed the door behind him and followed Toby into the sitting room.

They sat opposite each other not actually talking until CJ appeared in the doorway a few minutes later. She stepped closer and sighed,

‘Leo, better make some coffee.’ Turning to Toby she asked, ‘What happened?’ preparing to hear another disaster.

He gave her a wry smile, ‘I’m drunk.’

She nodded.

‘I couldn’t find a hotel.’

‘Yeah, at three in the morning they’re a little choosy about taking in drunks,’ she sighed. ‘What did you do this time?’

Toby leaned forward in his chair and lowered his head to his hands.

‘I need to stay here tonight.’

‘That my friend is fairly obvious, Ainsley is a eight hours a night girl.’

Leo appeared with a pot of coffee and a bottle of advil, mouthing to her, should I go. She shook her head, the last thing she wanted to do was get Toby upstairs on her own and the idea of her two year old coming down to Uncle Toby like this wasn’t appealing either.

‘She’s left me,’ he slurred, ‘Or rather kicked me out.’

CJ flashed a look at Leo and he rolled his eyes, this had to be a record, in six months of marriage they had split up at least twelve times.

**********************************************************************************

After Leo’s hospitalisation and during his subsequent recuperation Toby had virtually taken over as Deputy Chief of Staff to Josh’s Chief of Staff. It was only thanks to Margaret, and a little long distance conferencing with Donna, that no one else ended up in hospital. Thankful to be relieved of the task and finally acknowledging the woman he loved was married to someone else Toby began to develop his relationship with Ainsley. If anyone could call dinner once, and sex three times a week a relationship. Still it worked for both of them, especially since she was still more than a little hung up on Sam. And so it continued until October when he walked in on CJ and Leo in a compromising position. He had assumed Leo was working when he knocked and walked straight in, not expecting CJ’s blouse to be wide open and Leo’s hands disappearing up her skirt. It had shocked him and he had turned and stormed straight out, heading automatically for the basement.

Ainsley had had her back to him when he entered and turned suddenly. She saw a spark of something in his eyes and mistaken it for passion. Kicking the door closed she pulled him into her arms and started to kiss him, her hands wandering over his body. His thoughts elsewhere he let himself go and breaking every rule they had they made love on the office floor. His eyes closed and basking in the afterglow he spoke automatically,

‘You wanna get married.’

She answered immediately, ‘Oh Toby, yes.’

He opened his eyes in surprise and swallowed, he had been imagining CJ beside him and now as he looked at Ainsley he saw the delight in her face, her hands already wandering again. Not wanting to hurt her he dragged her off to a Mall and bought a ring.

Later that day in staff when Leo asked if there was anything else Toby grinned, rubbed his beard and concentrated on Leo.

‘Actually yes,’ he waited a heartbeat and said, ‘Ainsley and I are getting married.’

That pretty much floored them all. Josh’s eyes went wide and he mumbled a congratulations. Leo shook his hand and glanced at his wife, who was silent, never a good sign and her eyes were flashing fire. Sam looked as though he was about to warn Toby and that wasn’t going to be good. Leo intervened,

‘Toby, why don’t you go and see the President. I’m sure he would like to know.’

He glanced quickly at his wife and noted the death stare aimed at him.

‘The rest of you go do a job, MARgaret,’ he yelled.

Toby had practically ran from the room, Sam and Josh had glanced between Toby and CJ, given Leo a sympathetic look and left. Margaret entered but before Leo could speak CJ spoke,

‘Give us a minute and close the door.’

Looking between her boss and his wife Margaret decided it was best to go, ‘I’ll be in my office.’

‘He’s gone mad. Stark raving. Marrying Ainsley of all people,’ she shouted. ‘And you, shaking his hand as if you’ve just won a Bill. It won’t last, it’ll be Andi all over again.’

Leo sighed, ‘CJ, it’s none of our business. He supported us when we decided to get married.’

‘That was different.’

He looked at her, ‘You’re sounding like a jealous ex wife…’ The words left his mouth before he had time to think.

‘You have got to be kidding. I AM NOT JEALOUS.’

Margaret knocked on the door and stuck her head around, ‘Leo, they can hear you down the hall.’ and left again.

‘I am not jealous Leo,’ she repeated quietly. ‘He’s my oldest friend and he’s going to get hurt.’

Leo moved over to her and took her hand in his, ‘But he was jealous when we got married. I don’t think he realised he loved you until we took our vows.’

CJ shook her head, ‘Don’t be silly, besides he knows how I feel about you.’

‘And how’s that exactly,’ he asked his fingers slipping to her waist, hoping to change the subject.

‘I think you know,’ she purred before she kissed him.

A minute later he pulled away, ‘Don’t be so hard on Toby. Try and understand why he’s doing it.’

She sighed, ‘I’ve got to brief. But if you ever understand Toby let me know.’ With that she was gone.

Toby appeared in her office doorway later that day, leaning against the frame as she finished up her call.

‘Can I come in or should I bring a headguard?’

She glared at him.

‘You don’t seem to enthused by my announcement.’ He rubbed his beard, ‘And here was I hoping you’d stand up with me.’

She was walking around the desk towards him, her hands wringing, her eyes dark and cloudy. She stood before him, raising herself to her full height, two inches above him,

‘You really want to know what I think?’ She took a deep breath, ‘I think you’re making a big mistake, marrying her when you don’t love her, because you can’t have me. And it won’t work, I give it a year.’

He waited for the tirade to stop, ‘That’s where you are wrong. I am going to marry her. And she’s not some replacement for you. So you can tell the press tomorrow. And if you feel so strongly about it you needn’t come to the wedding.’

He turned and walked out.

CJ watched him go, wondering when he stopped listening to her, and muttered, ‘But you didn’t say you loved her.’

Leo came into her office one Monday morning early in December and hovered in the doorway. He liked to just watch her, especially when she didn’t know he was there. She finished up with Carol and they turned to face him.

‘Hey Leo,’ Carol said walking past.

He grinned at her and she blushed slightly.

‘Stop flirting with my staff,’ CJ teased.

‘I can’t help it if they’re all so charmed by my stunning good looks, my intelligent wit and my devilish green eyes.’

Carol began giggling in the background, ‘You so need to quash his ego.’

CJ giggled in return, ‘So, Leopold what can I do for you?’

He looked at his hands and motioned to the corridor.

‘Oh no you don’t,’ she said. ‘Spill it.’

He took a deep breath, ‘We’re going to a wedding this afternoon. I’ll pick you up at three o’clock.’

He turned and made it as far as the door before she stopped him.

‘Whose wedding?’

‘Toby’s. And before you say no, think about how you will regret it if you don’t go. He’s your oldest friend. He was there for us this Summer. And he really wants us there.’

CJ put her hands on her hips and glared, ‘I’m not going. He’s mad.’

Leo pulled himself to his full height and glared back.

‘Claudia Jean MCGARRY you will be ready at three, you will come to the wedding and you will at least feign happiness,’ he instructed.

She continued to glare at him.

‘Oh CJ, if not for Toby for me,’ he added softly.

She relented.

The Wedding took less than twenty minutes in judge’s chambers with the two of them as the only witnesses. When it was over CJ kissed the bride, squeezed Toby and returned to work.

The first row occurred at Christmas when Toby refused to travel South for Christmas. Ainsley went anyway and Toby spent Christmas with the McGarrys. The newly married Zieglers made it up in bed over New Year.

They fought twice more in January about where to live and Toby’s drinking. Toby gave up his apartment and moved in with her, and for a week managed not to drink.

February they were like young lovers. CJ for the first time thought maybe they would make it work, Leo began to have his doubts., reading their overly romantic gestures as a replacement for something else.

In March Toby forgot her Birthday and went out with the guys. Ainsley turned up at CJ’s in tears, told CJ what a total pig he was and CJ commiserated over a bottle of wine. Too drunk to go home she stayed the night, the following morning Toby pulled a macho and accused her of having an affair, so they ended up in separate rooms for a week.

April was a nightmare for everyone, with a record for even them of about a confrontation a week. Leo, Josh and Sam took it in turns to take Toby out while CJ and Ginger arranged a girl’s night out for Ainsley. The President eventually took Toby to one side and chewed him out, that followed by CJ’s unexpected announcement she was pregnant again made him take stock. He whisked Ainsley away for a romantic weekend and they returned talking about starting a family.

When Ainsley came on two weeks later she cried and screamed while Toby took refuge in the bottle. Leo came home early from work one evening to find his wife at a dinner, a toddler to look after and associate counsel curled up on his sofa watching sappy movies. She refused to talk and he spent the rest of the night handing her tissues as she bawled like a baby. When CJ returned she took one look at the scene and went out in search of Toby. He came back with her, apologized, under duress, to his wife and took her home.

The next time they fought they made sure to keep it in private. Yet here he was again.

***********************************************************************************

‘What happened?’ CJ asked.

He took a sip of the coffee and grimaced, ’I may have told her I didn’t want her baby. I can’t be sure I was already pretty drunk. Then again I may have called her by someone else’s name. You know me, tact has never been my strong point.’

Leo got up and went into the study.

‘She’ll forgive you.’

He shook his head, ’It’s over, it was a mistake from the start.’ He closed his eyes. ’I’m just going to go to sleep now.’

Leo reappeared in the doorway, ’Margaret is going to pop round in the morning and check on her.’

‘Can you help me get him up? I don’t want Anna to see him like this.’

Leo moved to lift him up, between them they half carried, half dragged him upstairs, putting him in the spare room.

CJ awoke to the sound of Toby retching, pushing Leo off her she padded into the bathroom.

‘Headache?’

He grunted in response. CJ picked up the glass and filled it with water, hunting in the cabinet for pills.

Toby leaned back against the bath panel and took two of the pills, swallowing the water.

‘I need clothes for work.’

‘Leo can lend you a shirt and there’s toiletries in the cabinet.’ She stood to leave. ’If you need somewhere to stay for a while, you are more than welcome here.’

He growled as he tried to stand, ’I don’t deserve you.’

She smiled back at him, ’You’ve always been there for me.’

Out in the corridor Leo was waiting.

‘I’m sorry I should have checked with you first,’ she said walking towards him.

‘If you hadn’t offered I would. Does this mean you’ve forgiven him?’

CJ grinned, ‘I couldn’t very well not when he looks so pathetic.’

Leo traced her knuckles with his fingers, ‘we have another hour before Anna wakes, wanna go back to bed?’

She allowed him to take her hand and lead her back to the bedroom, making sure they locked the door behind them.

The End