The bar wasn’t exactly the sort of place she liked to go, but it was quiet and out of the way, tucked down a back street, two doors away from a Chinese restaurant. Which, as she passed the window, she admitted reminded her of Josh, and Sam and Toby and the unorthodox diet they had shared for nearly eight years.

She hadn’t seen them in months and that was probably more their fault than hers. In the age of technology the boys were poor communicators - an occasional email was about the extent of their effort.

Toby was still living in Washington, writing his second book, and playing an active role in raising Huck and Molly. His children had removed the sadness and anger that had plagued the first forty years of his life, of course they had also turned his hair grey practically over night with worry but that didn’t seem to concern him in the least.

Sam was in California practicing law and dating a string of movie beauties. He seemed destined to never settle down. Which. CJ mused, wasn’t so far from her own destiny unless fate played an active role soon.

The only person still in the public eye was Senator Josh Lyman. The draw of politics it seemed had remained strong for him, his face a regular feature in the Washington Post that CJ scanned daily for Danny’s byline.

Only CJ had chosen to go into hiding, to try for a life that resembled normality. That was how she found herself in New York working for a PR firm. “It paid the bills,” was what she frequently told anyone who asked why. Her job just wasn’t very fulfilling at a time in her life when she certainly needed fulfillment.

Her time at The White House seemed so long ago that there were days she would forget, then her eyes would catch sight of the photographs that littered the walls of her apartment and it would all come rushing back. They were happy memories for the most part, but she couldn’t go back, it was the past, she could only go forward.

CJ made a mental note to call them all soon, maybe even organize a visit over the holidays.

Tonight she was on a date, yet another guy that Daisy from the office had insisted was perfect for her. So perfect that he had insisted on choosing where they would meet and then allowed her to find it by herself. So perfect that he had he had spent most of last year’s Christmas party trying to bed the blonde from accounts. CJ didn’t have high expectations.

With a sigh she opened the door and stepped inside. The interior seemed about as inviting as the shabby outside and it took her a few minutes to adjust to the darkness. CJ pondered turning around and leaving as her eyes scanned the room and the pre-dinner crowd that filled it.

A man at the bar caught her attention. Seeing him seemed so impossible that she did a double take. But her first instincts had been right, it was him. It had been six years since she had seen him last, at the infamous press conference where he had announced that he had made a mistake, that he was stepping down as Vice President. His was a face she would never forget.

“Hello, John,” she said quietly, approaching his seat at the bar. It was then that she noticed the full glass on the bar top before him. The amber liquid was all too familiar. Her heart leaped into her stomach in surprise.

He looked up and stared at her, realization dawning. “CJ.”

John Hoynes hadn’t changed in the slightest, CJ decided. The dark wavy hair was still neatly trimmed, only the temples speckled with grey and he was still working out if the tight fitting sweater was anything to go on.

“This is a surprise.” That was all he could really think of to say. He was in New York for a few days. The bar had been listed in the phone book at the hotel, the address obscure, therefore the ideal place to hide out. John certainly hadn’t expected to see anyone he knew.

CJ smiled as she considered what to say to the man with whom she had always had a somewhat adversarial relationship. He had always been somewhat of a mystery to her, more than frequently a challenge. Both were missing in her life. It had come as a surprise when he had resigned over an affair with a socialite but she respected him for having the courage to make such a difficult decision - one that had ended his dreams forever. She only wondered how someone in his position had managed to get away with it for so long.

“A date.“ Her eyes fell on the man she was supposed to be meeting and he waved. “I should. . .”

John nodded and returned to staring at the double scotch he had ordered in a moment of weakness. Life it seemed hadn’t quite finished throwing him curve-balls. His political career had ended abruptly six years ago, his own fault, and with the arrival of the brown envelope today his marriage was over, also according to Suzanne - his fault. All that he really had left was a daughter who blamed her father for everything wrong in her life and a corporate position he hated. A drink had seemed a way out of his problems if only for a brief moment.

CJ crossed the room with a slight feeling of dread. Alex, unfortunately, looked as exactly as he did at the Christmas party. He had the same stupid impression on his face and took charge immediately, pouring her a glass of wine without even asking what she’d like. That sort of thing never went down well. Her eyes drifted back to the bar and she noted with growing dread that John’s position hadn’t changed. If anything the glass had been moved closer to him.

Alex was talking to her, or rather at her, not really listening to her. In fact it seemed like he’d forgotten she was there. She hoped he was trying to cover his nervousness with noise and wasn’t just plain rude. First impressions weren’t good. He seemed so oblivious to her disinterest that going home to bed at nine o’ clock was becoming an attractive prospect.

The wine disappeared as she tried to feign interest, her nods half-hearted, the wine not dulling her boredom in the least.

“Look, this has been fun, but I need to go,” CJ finally announced as gently as possible. The guy was boring and for the last hour she hadn’t been able to take her eyes off of the former Vice President. He still hadn’t taken a sip of the drink, but his body language was sending out every sign that he wanted to.

“Can I see you again?” Alex asked almost desperately.

Yeah, when hell freezes over, she thought. “I have a pretty full schedule for the next few weeks,” she said, apologetically. There was no way she wanted a repeat performance. “But thanks for the drink.”

Draping her jacket over her arm, CJ made her way across the room and hovered beside the man who had commandeered her attention for most of the evening. “Is this seat taken?” Not that she cared one way or another. She fully intended to sit down if only to reassure herself he wasn‘t going to drink.

John glanced up from the bar and was once more taken by surprise. He shrugged non-committally. He’d come to New York looking for solitude but CJ’s raised eyebrow told him he wasn’t going to get any of that soon.

CJ sat down and reached over for his drink. Lazily, she downed it in one and motioned for the bartender.

He really couldn’t believe she had done that. Nor the fact she was licking the last few drops from her lips as she calmly ordered two ginger ales.

“CJ?”

“So what brings you to New York?” she asked, with a small smile. The drink had been impulsive, but there was no way she was going to let him ruin a lifetime of sobriety, at least she still thought he was sober. Besides she had needed a stiff drink.

“It seemed like a good idea this morning.” He had received the divorce papers in the mail. After two years of separation Suzanne had signed the papers and walked away with half of everything he had ever owned. Not wanting to stay in Texas, he had packed a bag and taken the first flight available - it just so happened to be New York. “Why are you here?”

“I live here,” she smiled. “I moved here when the administration ended. It seemed as good a city as any to lose myself in.”

“Doesn’t seem to be working for me,” he mumbled, sipping the ginger ale placed before him. He knew he was being rude, but fake pity or sympathy was the last thing he needed.

CJ leaned back on the stool and glanced around the room. “I won’t tell, promise.” Her eyes danced as she tried to draw him out. There was something in his posture that told her not to walk away, that he needed someone. “Do you really want to be in a bar?”

John closed his eyes and when he opened them again he shook his head. One drink or three wasn’t going to make things easier, more likely to make them worse.

“Come on, let’s get out of here?” She pulled her jacket on and nudged him to get up.

“Which hotel are you staying in?” CJ asked as they stepped out into the cold night air, John trailing in her wake.

“The Best Western.” It wasn’t the most luxurious but at least he could remain faceless.

They started to walk in silence, the first hint of snow in the air, the ground, icy.

“Do you want me to call you a cab?” John asked finally, watching as his breath swirled in the atmosphere. Now that he was out of the bar the urge to drink had subsided. The minibar in the hotel had been emptied at his request.

She shook her head. “I’ll get one at the hotel.” They walked the last few blocks in silence.

At the hotel they said tonight politely, John thanking her but not really sure what for. As CJ climbed into a cab and waved, John turned and went inside, mentally preparing himself for another sleepless night.

*~*~*~*

John stared up at the apartment building.

It wasn’t at all what he had anticipated. Barely three stories high, the brownstone looked quaint, not at all what he’d expected when he had scrawled down the address. The hustle of the village went on around him as he took the few steps and rang the buzzer for the third floor apartment.

It was probably crazy coming there, but in the middle of the night when he’d had the urge to drink, her face had drifted into his thoughts, the look of genuine concern when she had seen his drink, and he had stopped himself going to the nearest liquor store. This morning he had phoned an old friend and gotten her number. Now as he waited for her to answer, he felt like an idiot.

“Hello?”

“CJ, it’s John Hoynes,” he offered, rubbing his hands together.

“John? What are you doing here? How did you find me?” she asked, her voice betraying a little confusion. She hadn’t expected to hear from him again, although she had to admit he had crept into her dreams a little. CJ mentally chided herself. She wasn’t so desperate she was going to throw herself at the first decent guy she saw.

He stomped his feet as the first snow flakes hit his cheeks. “Any chance I could come in and answer your questions?” he mumbled, wondering not for the first time what he was doing there. “It’s freezing out here.”

“Sorry. Come on up, third floor.” CJ hit the button and glanced around the apartment, judging how much tidying she could do in the time she had. Deciding it was pointless, she gathered up the magazines and tossed them into the rack, and straightened the throws.

“Nice place,” John commented as she opened the apartment door for him.

“I like it. Can I get you a drink - coffee, tea, hot chocolate?” she asked, motioning for him to remove his coat.

“Anything is fine,” he replied, handing her his jacket and stepping further into the apartment. “You’re a hard woman to find.”

CJ busied herself in the kitchen, putting a kettle on to boil and searching for mugs, her fingers running absentmindedly through her hair. “How did you find me?”

John smiled and followed her voice. “I still have friends in DC, the Secret Service. . .”

“Leo!” It had to be, or Abbey of course, either would be relieved to discover someone else was checking in on her.

CJ, John concluded, ate out a lot. The stove looked unused, the microwave had center stage on the counter, and there was a distinct lack of feeling in the room that she could cook. He would have to take her out for dinner or they would both starve. The thought made him smile, his first genuine smile in days.

He rubbed the back of his neck. His source for now would remain a secret, on the off chance he needed another favor. John watched as she continued to make drinks, her back to him. The most obvious thing was that she’d lost weight, of course it had been six years, but he was certain she hadn’t looked so skinny, her clothes loose fitting. Not that she didn’t still have a good body.

“So have you heard from the guy in the bar?” John asked casually trying to ignore the lustful feelings he was suddenly having.

CJ turned abruptly. “No.”

“If I hadn’t been in the bar last night, would you have slept with him?” Tact wasn’t his strong point.

“Excuse me?” She glared at him, incredulous at his impertinence. “Would you have had that drink?”

He shrugged and sighed. “Probably.” He had to admit she was sexy as hell when she was riled, not that he hadn’t noticed before, their numerous altercations fresh in his mind.

“Why?”

“It’s nothing.”

“Sub-text for don’t go there?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

John gave her a self-satisfied smirk. “Is there any chance you won’t?”

She grinned back at him. “You came looking for me. I’m guessing maybe you wanted to talk. Of course I could be wrong.” The idea that he needed her, wanted to see her gave her a sudden rush.

John sighed and wandered back through the apartment, CJ following close behind. He wasn’t sure why he had come, whether it was the need to be with a friend, although she wasn’t a friend just a familiar face, or whether it was the need to talk. Now that she was putting him on the spot, he wasn’t sure he could go through with it.

“John?” she asked, her voice laced with concern. “Look, I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to pry.”

“I became single yesterday,” he offered, moving to stare out of her window. “Not that I’ve been exactly married the last few years, but now it seems final and I ‘ve realized my life is a mess.”

“Mine’s been a mess for years,” she offered flippantly.

He turned and gave her a throw away glance before turning back to the view.

CJ hovered briefly before perching herself on the arm of her couch, the one thing she had rescued from her office at the West Wing, or rather Will and Josh had sneaked out in the middle of the night. “I’m sorry.” It seemed she had been saying that a lot since he’d arrived at her apartment.

“It’s snowing,” John commented dryly, finally turning to look at her.

“A few more weeks and the ice rink will be open,” she replied, moving to stand beside him. “There isn’t anyone special in your life?”

He shook his head and sighed. The last girlfriend he’d had had cost him his political career and his marriage. The book of course had been a best seller. The only upside was that the woman in question had described his sexual prowess, making him sound like a stud. It had amused him for all of ten seconds. Since then he’d been practically celibate.

CJ glanced reluctantly at her watch.

“Am I keeping you?”

She grimaced. “I have a work thing.”

He moved up to leave. “I’m sorry.”

Something flipped in her stomach. “How about I come to your hotel tomorrow? We can spend the day together.” She felt guilty but her boss had demanded she attended the concert and she had been left with no choice. Now she wished she could stay.

He heard himself saying yes in a rush of excitement that sounded nothing like him.

Drink was the farthest thing from his mind as he walked back to his hotel.

*~*~*~*

“Where are we going?” John grumbled, pulling on his coat and tightening his scarf. “It’s nine am on a Sunday.”

“The Park,” CJ offered, picking up his paper and scanning the headlines. “And for coffee and bagels.” She had the whole day planned out - a nice walk in Central Park, maybe a carriage ride, hotdogs in Times Square and later, well, something a little different. Hopefully he would open up to her.

“What else have you got in store for me?” John asked hesitantly, sipping his coffee quickly as she handed him her spare pair of gloves.

CJ patted her nose and started to walk quicker. “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of you.”

That, he admitted filled him with trepidation and not a little exhilaration. There was something about her flirty nature that gave him the impression he could be in serious trouble. For once he didn’t mind.

*~*~*~*

“You realize that it’s winter, right?” John asked, trying to ignore the chattering of his teeth. They had spent the whole day outside. His feet ached from walking everywhere because she told him they’d miss the best bits if they took a cab and his ears had long since gone numb.

“Where’s your sense of adventure?” CJ retorted, walking up the plank and on to the ferry.

“It stops with white water rafting, skiing and bareback riding. . . in summer.”

She shook her head and tugged him after her. “This is the only way to see New York.”

John wanted to tell her there were better ways, like helicopters, but part of him feared she’d want to go up in one that evening. The Staten Island Ferry seemed like a crazy idea but she had spent all day trying to amuse him and he had found himself talking about anything and everything. The least he could do was go along with her now. “Fine, but I want coffee when we get back.”

He missed the mischievous grin she gave him.

As the ferry set off across the water on it’s one hour journey, John was forced to admit it did give an excellent view of the Statue of Liberty and the Manhattan skyline, that was if he ignored the chattering teeth and the constant shivering. The other upside was that CJ moved closer to him as they turned in the wind. Her body was warm and he inhaled the scent of her, marvelling that they had come so far in such a short time.

The conversation stayed at a bare minimum as CJ pointed out landmarks and they watched the lights in the distance. His arm draped itself protectively around her and she turned to smile at him. It was, John admitted, exactly what he needed, space to think and someone he didn‘t need to hide from. For the first time since leaving Texas he felt his spirits lifting, he only wished his temperature would do the same.

Arriving back on dry land, John hailed a cab and bundled them both into it, insisting the driver turn the heater on full. A few minutes of hot air and he felt more comfortable. A part of him missed her being pressed against him, the safeness he’d felt in her presence.

The cab dropped them at her door and CJ climbed out, sticking her head back through the door to say goodnight. She waited for him to say something, anything, even to mention the coffee. When he didn’t, she gave him a small smile. “Well, goodnight, John.”

“Night, CJ.” He wanted to ask if he could see her again, but the last thing he wanted was for her to feel obliged to spend time with him or to pity him. She had already given up a date and day for her. John watched as she disappeared in the apartment building before directing the cab back to the hotel and the coffee he so desperately needed.

*~*~*~*

John woke up and stared at the clock. It was already ten. For the first time in weeks he had had a good night’s sleep. Unfortunately it meant he’d missed breakfast. With a new spring in his step he jumped out of bed and ambled into the bathroom, fully intent of making the most of the day.

Twenty minutes later he stepped out of the elevator and wandered up to the reception desk.

“Mr. Hoynes,” the young woman called after him as he dropped his key on the desk.

He turned and smiled weakly.

“You have a message.”

At first his mind went blank. No one knew he was in New York, then he grinned inanely. She knew. “Thanks.”

The single sheet of white paper gave her office address and a time with a scrawled invitation to dinner.

His grin widened as he pondered what fate might have in store for him.

*~*~*~*

CJ pulled her lambskin coat tightly around her and stepped out of the temperature controlled building onto the snow-lined sidewalk. She wasn’t sure if he would show, she didn’t even know how long he was staying in the city. Her eyes lit up as she saw him waiting, stomping his feet.

“Hey.”

He turned and smiled, “Hello, CJ.”

“How hungry are you? I know this great place off Broadway. It’s cheap, lively and they have deserts to die for.” She wasn’t sure why she was suddenly so nervous or why she was babbling. “The Gramercy Tavern.”

John shrugged. He wasn’t particularly hungry but the idea of company, her company, seemed right. “Sounds fine.”

They walked, as had come to be customary, to the unpretentious restaurant, chatting about inconsequential things. Once inside they found a secluded table in the back and ordered drinks.

A moment of awkwardness followed as they both contemplated what they were doing there and scanned the room. It wasn’t that they didn’t know each other, it was more that they didn’t know each other well enough yet to sit in the companionable silence that came with time.

Finally, John spoke, his voice cutting into the silence. “So how was your day? Actually, what exactly is it you do?” He gave her a cheeky grin and leaned back in his seat expectantly.

CJ rolled her eyes. “I work in PR. I know nobody knows what PR executives do.” She laughed and waved her hands about. “I spent all day today trying to organize an event for the Port Authority.” She was about to stop talking when he waved a hand for her to continue. His interest sent an unexpected wave of shyness through her and she lowered her gaze.

John smiled to himself and reached for her hand, his fingers running over the back of it.

Her eyes were dancing when they lifted and locked with his. His touch had confirmed that he was feeling something too, she could only hope that fate wasn’t about to take a cruel twist.

The conversation fell into a pattern over dinner, sharing anecdotes about their day and news of their former colleagues. It was late, the tavern almost empty, when John finally glanced at his watch.

They had taken a cab back to her apartment and with new confidence he had kissed her cheek, ignoring the urge to invite himself in, and asked if he could see more of her.

Her agreement had been given with bright eyes and a mischievous grin.

It became a nightly ritual. His weekend in New York turning into a week.

John would meet her from work and they would go for dinner. Over dinner she would tell him about her day and he would describe the museums and sights he’d been to visit. Long into the night he would take her back to her apartment and kiss her lightly on the cheek.

With each night - and every multi-cultural feast - she would begin to plan for the next night.

Every time he saw her something stirred inside him. His life didn’t seem like such a mess, she gave him something to look forward to. CJ made him want to move on with his life, unfortunately he knew it wouldn’t be that easy. There were things he needed to address before he could take the next step.

*~*~*~*

“I’m leaving in the morning, CJ,” John said quietly, his hand taking hers in his. They were sitting on her couch, the remnants of the take-out on the coffee table, the movie credits rolling down the television screen.

She sat up abruptly, pulling away from his embrace. It had only been a few days, she knew, but he was starting to fit into her life, and the idea he was going to leave affected her more than she thought possible. “Where are you going? Back to Texas?”

John increased his grip on her hand. “I’m booked on a flight to Arizona.”

Her face scrunched in confusion. “What’s in Arizona?” Her mind whirled through the implications. “Rehab?” She thought of finding him that night nursing a drink.

“I’ve been ignoring the problem for far too long. Every time there’s a crisis I want a drink. Better I sort it out now then . . .” He didn’t need to finish the thought. He hadn‘t thought about a drink in days but he still had problems, issues that needed to be addressed. The AA meetings had long since lapsed and he knew that it was time for counselling. “Next time you might not be there.”

CJ sighed and turned her hand over in his. “How long are you going to be gone?”

He wasn’t sure, as long as it took. His eyes widened at the implicit question. “You want me to come back?” It had been a week, seven nights and he knew he would miss her, knew that a week away would be awful. What he hadn’t contemplated was that she might feel the same way.

“Yes,” she replied in a voice barely audible, that sounded nothing like the confident CJ he had come to know.

“Oh.” It wasn’t the most inspired thing he had ever said, he knew, but he was genuinely surprised, not so much that she wanted him back, but by how far they had come in a week. “Really?”

If it had been one of the spin boys she would have slapped them hard across the back of the head for being so stupid. He wasn’t, but she did it anyway. How could he not know how she felt, hell everyone at work had been teasing her for days about her doe-eyed expression.

John jumped and grabbed her free hand in his. His fingers walked the length of her arm, goose-bumps breaking out over her skin in anticipation of what was about to happen. The first kiss was tentative, with all the passion of the goodnight kisses they had shared all week. His hand in her hair pulling her in for a second kiss was full of promise, his lips gently caressing hers as his tongue demanded more. The kisses that followed were hard and demanding until finally he pulled away and rose to his feet.

“I should head back to the hotel,” he announced, his hand moving through his hair. “I need to pack.” The fact was all he had was the small bag full of clothes he had arrived with for his weekend away. He’d stayed a week and the hotel laundry had worked miracles. He wanted to stay, he wanted to make love to her, but he wasn’t about to take the next step and screw it up.

CJ nodded, not at all sure if she had scared him by the intensity of her feelings. In the time they had spent together she had been surprised by what she had discovered. He wasn’t brash or arrogant, merely as insecure as everyone she knew. His laugh was loud and his eyes danced when she amused him. Their new friendship was based on conversations and openness, more than she had had with the array of hopeless exs.

“CJ?” he asked in a tone that suggested he’d been calling her for minutes.

She looked up and noticed him by the door, his coat on and the gloves she had bought him in his hands.

“Can I call you? It will be a few days while I do the thing, but . . . “ The idea that she would say no suddenly filled him with dread.

Her nod was almost imperceptible.

“I’d like to stay now, CJ, but I don’t want this to be . . . I want to do this right.” He faltered, not sure that he wanted to tell her how much he wanted to sleep with her. “I need to sort my life out.”

“John,” she said softly, moving towards him with a confidence she didn’t feel. “I’ll be here.” His problem she had decided during one of their nightly chats was trust, as much as it was hers. In his case he felt everyone he trusted abandoned him. His lover sold him out for a book deal, his party threw him over for a liberal governor and his wife walked away when he wasn’t what she wanted to be. CJ wasn’t going to walk away.

He took a tentative step towards her and brushed his fingers over her arm. “I’ll call as soon as I can.” He allowed his eyes to study her face for a few minutes before he opened the door and left.

CJ watched him from the window, as he crossed the street towards a cab, his hand brushing falling snowflakes from his face. He looked as though he had the weight of the world on his shoulders and she wished she could go after him, to assure him it would be okay, except she couldn‘t. John had his demons to deal with and she had hers.

A week ago fate had brought them both to the same bar, something told her it was going to bring him back to her and she was going to wait, however long it took.

The End