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

“Good morning, sweetheart,” Jed said, turning from the window and giving her a wide grin.

“What time is it?” CJ mumbled.

“A little after five.”

Her reply came in the form of a grumble. She really wasn’t a morning person, and after a year in the desert she had trained her body to sleep till at least seven. Since Jed had arrived three days ago they had been barely sleeping.

“I brought you coffee, or I assume it’s coffee.” He took another sip of the murky brown liquid and made a face.

CJ sat up and ran her fingers through her dishevelled hair. As she broke another knot she decided she needed a haircut. “What have you got planned for today?”

“I thought I’d come to class with you. We can have a picnic, maybe take a walk.” His agents were really loving his vacation so far. “And I won’t try to convince you to return to the Farm once.”

She rose an eyebrow and shook her head. “Yeah, like that’s gonna happen.”

He shrugged. “Well nothing else is working. I thought I’d try reverse psychology.”

CJ patted the mattress beside her. “There are other tactics that might work,” she teased, gazing up at him coyly.

His first attempt at trying to convince her to return home with him had been after the first time they made love, as they watched the stars from the balcony. She had given him a list of reasons why she couldn’t. It hadn’t stopped him trying again or them making love every chance they got. Placing the coffee on the side board he climbed back onto the bed.

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

“Miss Cregg, may I have a moment?” Ted asked, watching as his charge disappeared into the building leaving CJ alone for the first time all day.

“Sure.”

He took a deep breath and broke protocol. “I wouldn’t normally do this, go behind a protectee’s back, but the situation is becoming unworkable. When President Bartlet first announced he wanted to come over here and his reasons why we were happy to accommodate him. He is now talking about staying indefinitely and we can’t guarantee his safety under these circumstances.” Which, Ted told himself, was the truth, if only a partial truth. He couldn’t really be held responsible for the little lie he was telling. He was a romantic at heart and when the President told him of his plan to get CJ to return home, he had to help.

“What’s going on?” The lead agent’s words were starting to frighten her.

“There are too many vagrants coming through here. I feel he might be compromised.”

“You’re taking him back to the US?” A pang of loneliness shot through her as she thought about saying goodbye to him for a third time.

“We can’t order him, but it is my recommendation, CJ.”

She smiled weakly. “Then I guess I’m the one who has to convince him.”

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

They had spent the day together as Jed had planned. Now they were back in the room and CJ had raised the subject of Jed returning to New Hampshire. She wasn’t getting the reception she had hoped.

“ . . . It’s for your own safety.”

“I go when you go,” Jed offered smugly.

CJ waved her hands in the air in consternation. “Now you’re sounding like Margaret.”

Jed folded his arms across his chest. “I mean it. I’m staying in Qumar until you change your mind.”

“That’s blackmail,” she said flatly.

“No, it’s love.” He hadn’t been aware of how much he loved her the first time she’d left for Qumar, otherwise he might have tried harder to stop her going. The second time he’d tried to convince her to stay without actually saying the words. Now he knew that he didn’t want to spend his life without her, and he wasn’t above playing any card he had to get her to fly home.

“Jed.” Her heart skipped a beat at the look in his eyes.

“Come home, please.”

It was over, Jed knew. In a matter of days they would be on a plane back to DC, and then he was taking her home. He closed his eyes and mentally thanked Ted for conspiring.

“Ok,” CJ said finally as she stepped into his open arms and waited for him to kiss her. “But I’m not always going to be this much of a pushover.”

For once in his life, Jed kept his opinions to himself.

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

Jed placed the dish cloth on the draining board and turned around.

Sometimes CJ could be the most obstinate woman he had ever met, often times she was beautiful, funny and delightful, most of the time he could live with her predisposition.

Today she was driving him crazy, so crazy that he had even vacuumed the house and washed the dishes to stay on her good side. It hadn’t worked.

They had been back in the country a little over two months and bar a short stopover in DC they had been residing at the farm.

Jed wasn’t enjoying the experience all that much. In fact he felt like a seventeen year old, climbing down the trellis to meet his girlfriend. Not that he had ever done that having gone to an all boys school and by the time he met Abbey he was old enough to walk through the front door.

In this case it was making the nightly walk from the house to the converted barn to visit CJ, past the agents he was sure were snickering at him.

CJ had made it clear from the start that she didn’t feel comfortable sleeping in the bed he had shared with Abbey. It was understandable, so Jed had suggested they purchased a new bed. When that didn’t work he had suggested they share one of the guest rooms for the interim period until they could remodel the main room. CJ had thought maybe his daughters would feel uncomfortable.

The compromise, and it was a term Jed used loosely, was that CJ would live in the barn. It had been remodelled in the final year of the administration when it had become clear the staff and agents were going to be a permanent fixture. She had her own bedroom and ensuite bathroom and was enjoying having hot water and electricity again.

Jed was the only one feeling uncomfortable. At least he had her back in the same continent.

“I just thought it might be fun to have the whole family here for the weekend,” CJ said, breaking into his thoughts. She also thought the family might accept their relationship that much quicker if they saw them “playing house.”

“But it never is just for the weekend.” Last time Leo had dropped in, he’d stayed a fortnight. “And you haven’t exactly been yourself recently.” He realized his mistake as soon as the words had left his mouth and her eyes narrowed.

“You make it sound like I’m a crazed serial killer. I’ve just been a little under the weather,” she snapped. “Though I guess hearing you talk to Leo I may be anything from menopausal to being pregnant.”

Jed inwardly groaned. The first time he had witnessed CJ’s displeasure she had thrown a cup of water over Toby and over the years he had heard her threatened Josh, physically abuse Toby and yell at Leo. So far their own disagreements had been mild. He hoped to keep it that way.

“I have the flu, honey. I am not pregnant, although I may be on the verge of the worst PMT of my life.”

“Is there any thing I can do to be of service to you?” he asked, forcing a smile.

CJ gave him her first genuine smile in days. “You can call the boys and invite them over.” Picking up her mug of soup, she headed back to the family room.

He should have known he was going to lose the argument the minute it began, he just didn’t realize the time out was going to come so quickly. There was no point delaying the inevitable he concluded as he headed to the study to make the call.

It was going to be fun, he had to admit, when he returned the phone to it’s cradle after talking to Josh, having the whole family in one place at the same time. He had even decided to invite the girls. Of course that wouldn’t make it quite as much fun, but he needed his girls and CJ to spend time together.

“All done, they’ll be here on Friday,” Jed announced, settling himself on the edge of the couch and running his fingers over CJ’s forehead. “Feeling any better?”

CJ pulled the blankets around her and leaned into his touch. In truth she felt awful. Her body ached, her head hurt, and she hated that her nose wouldn’t stop running but in two days she’d be back to her normal self. “I’m just going to have a nap.”

Gently he leaned in and kissed her cheek, feeling helpless, which over the next few weeks was going to become a regular state.

It had been snowing again, which CJ hoped wasn’t a sign of things to come. After months of living in eighty degree heat she couldn’t get used to the freezing conditions of New Hampshire. Hence the fact the heating was turned up high and she was walking around in a thick cable knit sweater.

Jed wandered around the house in his T-shirt and jeans, drinking gallons of water to counter-effect the constant perspiring.

For the last hour he had been pacing the house, concern etched on his face as he waited for everyone to arrive.

Josh and Donna had phoned from the airport to say they’d landed but that the roads were bad and they didn’t know how long it would take.

Toby was driving up from DC, his SUV fully equipped for the trip. Living in DC and being a constant pessimist he had snow chains and blankets.

The only person missing was Leo. He had phoned a few days earlier to say he would be coming up but he hadn’t said exactly how. His cell had been off since early morning leaving Jed to believe he was on a plane somewhere.

The smell of chilli drifted from the kitchen. Zoey had arrived earlier in the day, insisting that there was only one direction the evening could take - the infamous Bartlet chilli night. Jed had duly been banished from the kitchen, to leave the women in his household alone.

So far there hadn’t been the faintest hint of screaming or the slightest sound of things being thrown. Jed took it as a good sign. Of course Liz and CJ had always been friends, Liz spending most of their time in office trying to match make the older woman. The change in circumstances was still adding a frost to the situation. But deep down she knew CJ had a good heart and cared for her father. Ellie on the other hand was suspicious and angry but at least trying to make the best of the situation. In some respects she was more like him than either cared to admit. The infinite calm before the storm was worse than the blow up.

Zoey was perhaps the least fazed of them all, welcoming CJ to the house, and trying to make friends with the woman who had always been like an older sister. Jed didn’t even want to contemplate the implications of that sentence.

His reverie was broken by the sound of a car on the drive. Beyond the window he saw Josh climbed out of the vehicle, slipping and almost ending up on his ass. “Josh is here,” he called, making his way to the door.

Despite his reservations about having the family come to visit he was glad to see them and know they were all okay. He greeted Josh in their usual way and engulfed Donna in a hug. Leading them back in side the house, he smiled as Donna disappeared towards the sound of female voices.

Toby and Leo arrived shortly after, Leo having hitched a ride with his former assistant and her husband. It was the journey from hell he decided with Margaret and Toby drifting between arguing and the silent treatment as they drove up the East coast. The only upside was spending time with little Zack.

Everyone settled and the luggage unloaded they were soon engaged in eating, drinking and causing havoc. It was familiar yet strange. The dynamic of the friendship had changed. It had been noticeable in DC when they had made their short stopover.

At first they had been surprised that Jed and CJ were dating. It had been quickly accompanied by slight anger directed at Jed and concern for CJ that she would end up getting hurt.

Leo had been the only one to voice what everyone else was thinking - Had they been dating before Abbey died, was Jed on the rebound. Questions answered to the family’s satisfaction they had enjoyed their visit to DC.

Now they were all gathered again, new questions hanging in the air. This time they were more friendly, more positive and for once the evening went without argument.

The rest of the weekend seemed to fly by. The weather preventing them from venturing far from the farm, they entertained themselves playing games, eating and indulging in the occasional snowball fight. It was for the children’s benefit, Josh claimed, that he had Toby began too throw handfuls of snow at each other, it soon became competitive, getting out of hand until Zoey drenched them both in snow from the porch roof.

CJ loved the family dearly but when the cars disappeared down the driveway on Sunday night she let out a sigh of relief. The house was empty, they had weathered their first family weekend as a couple and the boys hadn’t gotten her drunk.

“Cocoa?” Jed asked, hoping his subtle hint at an early night would be warmly received.

She shook her head. “I’m not thirsty.” CJ flicked her tongue over her bottom lip and gazed up at him adoringly.

Bingo.

Extending his hand he helped her off of the couch and headed towards the kitchen.

CJ came to a halt in the middle of the hallway and waited for him to turn. When she had his full attention she tugged him gently in the direction of the stairs.

He was confused. “CJ?”

“You have a perfectly comfortable bed upstairs,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

He wanted to dance, or shout from the rooftops. “Are you sure?”

“You don’t want me too?” She was confused. He had been bemoaning their separate rooms for weeks and now he seemed hesitant about moving on.

“Claudia Jean, I want you more than anything to share my bed. To share my life.. .” he trailed off as the phone rang. “Damn.”

“Hello.”

“Jed Bartlet?” the voice on the phone asked.

“Yes.”

“My name is Doctor Bright. I’m calling from the hospital. . .”

Within minutes of Jed returning the phone to the cradle they had jumped in the car. They rode in silence, CJ’s hand firmly gripped in Jed’s - it wasn’t the safest way to drive in the conditions but each had the need to keep the other close.

After much sliding and slipping on the county roads they found themselves in Manchester then on the highway as they headed for Concord.

It was the longest ride of his life, Jed decided as he struggled to concentrate on the road, process the news and check on CJ. She had always been the strong one, but since he had repeated the doctor’s words she had been struggling to hold back the tears.

“Honey,” he started softly.

“Are we there yet?” CJ asked, finally turning to look at him.

“Another ten minutes.”

They lapsed back Into silence until finally the hospital entrance appeared before them.

Before the car door was even open, CJ was running into the reception. Jed had followed quickly on her heels, a trail of agents in his wake. His hand reached blindly for hers and held tightly as she badgered the staff for information.

Even the Bartlet name couldn’t get them anywhere. The admitting nurse told them politely that they weren’t family and she couldn’t tell them anything. CJ protested that the hospital had phoned them.

Finally the nurse told them she would get the doctor to talk to them, she showed them to a quiet waiting room and left them alone.

The wait had been almost unbearable as the hospital carried on around them. In the first hour they had seen no one. It was all too familiar for CJ. The night of the newseum shooting she had been ignored, placated and generally been told nothing until the First Lady had intervened and they had all been included. Not for the first time she wished Abbey was there.

“Should we call Ellie?” CJ asked, between silent prayers.

Jed gave her a weak smile, one that he hoped offered more reassurance than he felt. “If we don’t get answers then I’ll call her.” He didn’t want her to be driving this night. Three of his family were already in hospital. What he hadn’t told CJ, what he hoped she had been too lost in thought to see, was that the rental car had been totalled on the side of the road, the child’s booster cushion a shocking pink against the snow. How anyone could survive it would be a miracle.

Finally the doctor appeared, his face inscrutable.

CJ moved to stand up then thought better of it. Instead she pulled Jed’s hand further into her lap.

“I’m sorry,” the doctor began and CJ felt the first tear fall onto her cheek. “There was nothing we could do for them.”

Jed sank onto a chair, covering his face with his free hand. “Dear God.”

“Mr Lyman sustained internal injuries on impact. Mrs Lyman died on the operating table,” he explained calmly.

CJ continued to let the tears fall onto her cheeks. He didn’t need to explain further. In truth she had known what was coming from the minute she had seen the wreck, the snow tinted a lucid color red.

He continued to talk, aware that neither party was taking anything in and knowing that they would ask questions later but he needed to finish. The hardest part was yet to come. “I know this is a bad time but. . . I need some decisions made about the child.” He didn’t even know her name.

Jed’s face shot up. “Charlotte is alive?”

“Yes, Mr President. Charlotte needs to be kept in over night and there are bruises but she’s ok.” He paused to let the news set in. The infant had been lucky, her body tossed on impact into the ploughed mound of snow on the road side. She had been cold and crying when they had found her but alive. “Do I need to contact Children and Family Services?”

Jed looked at CJ for some sort of reassurance. The family despite how close they were had never openly discussed what would happen to the children if the worst happened. Now there was a small child down the hallway without parents.

“We’ll take care of her until we can find out who her guardians are,” CJ heard herself say with no idea what that meant or how she was going to accomplish it, only that Jed would support her one hundred percent.

“Legally I can’t.” Doctor Bright ran his fingers over his tie. Red tape was the bane of his life but it was also the only thing that stopped him getting sued. It didn’t matter that this couple were probably two of the most famous people in the country, they had to be treated like everyone else.

“Bite me.”

Jed groaned, knowing there was a storm brewing. “If you show me to a phone I’ll phone the family attorney.” There was no doubt in his mind that the family would take care of Josh’s child, nor that they would fight for her if they had to. It was what they did. He hoped in her wisdom Donna had made the necessary arrangements to raise her child and that Toby knew what to do. It was only as he picked up the phone to dial that he realized he would have to tell them the sad news.

“Can I see her?” CJ asked in a voice so quiet Jed wasn’t sure if he was imagining things.

“Sure.” The doctor indicated with his hand the private room he had placed the child in.

When Jed returned a few minutes later, CJ had climbed into the bed and Charlotte was curled up in her arms.

“How’s she doing?” he asked tenderly.

“We can’t leave her here,” CJ said with conviction. “I don’t care what they say.”

He had no intention of leaving her behind. “Toby is turning the car around and Ginger is on the way to his house to pick up the power of attorney.”

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

Jed propped himself up against the door frame and settled himself for the duration. It was going to be a long night, or rather long morning, and there was nothing left for him to do.

After much discussion and Toby dragging a circuit judge out of his bed they had brought Charlotte Lyman home.

Due to the weather and the lateness of the hour Jed had insisted that Toby and his passengers stay the night. It was as much to give him and CJ support as it was to prevent further accidents. He didn’t think the family could cope with anymore tragedy.

Now CJ and Margaret were trying to settle the two small children while Jed looked on.

Downstairs Toby and Leo were discussing funeral arrangements. It had gotten complicated and Jed’d had to walk out. Josh was Jewish, Donna was Methodist. As yet they hadn’t been able to come up with a way to have a joint service but he knew somehow they would.

Jed felt helpless. Josh’s death had brought back too many memories and he was struggling to keep his emotions in check. He really couldn’t bear the thought of burying two people he thought of as children and as much as he knew it would pain CJ he knew it should have been him.

He watched as CJ smoothed down the girl’s hair and tried to soothe her. With a heavy heart he headed downstairs and out onto the veranda.

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

“You’ll get a cold,” CJ stated flatly, coming up behind him. She was drained and tears threatened once more to spill forth. This time she fought to hold them back.

Jed kept his back to her, his hands gripping the rail. “I thought I would watch the sun come up.”

“Jed?” her hand lightly brushed his arm. “Talk to me.”

Slowly he turned to look up at her, the fresh tear tracks evident on his face.

“Oh, honey.” Her arms were around him in seconds holding him close until the tears finally subsided. Slowly she pulled back and pressed her forehead to his. There was nothing she could say to make it easier. Yet again he had lost someone he loved, so had she for that matter but her grief would have to stay checked for a while.

“I should have made them stay an extra night,” he offered softly. “Or lent them our 4 by 4.”

“It isn’t your fault, Jed.”

“There is a child upstairs with out a father, or a mother. She’s all alone in the world.”

“She’s never going to be alone. She has us. And we’re going to make sure she has everything they would have wanted for her.”

“How are we going to raise a child?” It was a fair question in light of the circumstances. He wasn’t getting any younger and with the best intentions in the world and a heart of gold CJ wasn’t the most maternal person he knew. “Maybe Toby, or Sam or one of the girls could take care of her.”

The image of Sam or Toby raising what would a stubborn, defiant girl brought a hint of a smile to her lips. The Bartlet girls on the other hand weren’t such a stupid idea.

“What if the MS gets worse or you and I don‘t work out?”

CJ raised an eyebrow.

“I’m sure we could find her a more suitable family.”

“No.” She was emphatic. However hard it got, they were going to do this. “It’s not going to be easy, I realize that. And we’re going to need help but that’s something we’re never going to be short of. But Honey, she’s Josh’s daughter, she’s family and what she’s going to need most are people that love her, safety, security and to know where she’s from. We can give her that and so much more. This is what Josh would have wanted.”

“You’re really sure about this?” In truth he was petrified - about what he wasn’t sure - but he loved CJ and if this was what she wanted, then he would try. A small smile crept over his face. As tragic as the circumstances were they had been given a gift - a child together.

“What?” CJ asked, her eyes betraying her confusion. “What’s so funny?”

“The idea of you trying to toilet train a toddler, you in the principal’s office when Lottie gets into trouble - and you know that’s gonna happen, and you discussing sex with Josh’s daughter.”

She let herself smile. They were going to do this, his teasing had been her confirmation but then she had known last night in the hospital that they wouldn’t turn their back on a member of the family in need. “I’m going to take a shower and freshen up before she wakes up.”

Jed nodded, squeezing her hand gently.

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

CJ walked towards the kitchen door and stopped suddenly at the sound of Jed’s voice.

“So you don’t want toast. How about yogurt? Or banana?”

Carefully she peered around the doorframe and grinned. “Having problems?”

“Thank god,” he groaned. “She won’t eat anything. Do you think we ought to call the doctor?”

Reality was suddenly settling in. For all her reassurances to Jed earlier it wasn’t going to be easy. Jed’s children were grown up and she had always been Aunt CJ, never mom CJ. “Maybe you haven’t found anything she likes.”

“Other than a bagel and coffee there’s nothing left.” He lifted his plate to show her the solitary bagel left from the weekend.

Charlotte reached out and grabbed at it.

“Guess she’s having bagel,” CJ laughed. She stopped almost immediately as she remembered why Charlotte was staying with them. “I’ll make coffee.”

“The others are leaving after breakfast,” Jed announced as he watched the toddler stuff food into her mouth. “Toby is going to file papers for custody. . . That’s if you’re still sure.”

CJ spun around from the coffee pot and gave him a strange look. “You’ve changed your mind?”

“No.” His carefully laid plans for retirement were disappearing out the window but then CJ’s presence in his life had already thrown those for a loop. He glanced at Lottie and turned back to CJ. “I’ll have Toby put a rush on it.”

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

It had taken some adjustment. The relationship was new and they suddenly had an infant to take care of.

CJ moved into the house and took to sleeping in Charlotte’s room for the first month, frightened the child wouldn’t sleep without her parents. They needn’t had worried, she was Donna’s daughter after all, and as resilient, stubborn and unique as her mother.

While Jed read up on the latest parenting techniques, CJ tried to cook meals that were balanced and suitable for a two year old. Lottie had other ideas, refusing anything that was mashed, processed or green. Finally they treated her like a grown up and she ate with them.

The first year was the hardest for Jed. They practically lived as friends, Charlotte taking up every second of their time. Although they shared a bed, they fell asleep almost as soon as their heads hit the pillow. It was enough that he had her to hold each night but deep down he knew that his illness would eventually take away even that. He wanted more but it seemed selfish.

As the days passed CJ watched the two people she loved most in the world become inseparable and began to see more of Jed’s influence in Charlotte. She knew then they had done the right thing. Despite her loss Charlotte was a happy child but needy, which Jed often commented came from her father. CJ didn’t have the heart to tell him that it came from him.

At four they enrolled her into kindergarten where she managed to get herself into every scrape possible. On her first day she came home in tears, her curly blonde hair tangled in twigs. CJ painstakingly combed it and from then on tied it in pigtails. It wasn’t the last time her hair had CJ screaming.

Things became easier at home. With Charlotte at school they had the house to themselves during the day. They would take long walks over the property and watch old movies together, taking pleasure in just being together. Many an afternoon they spent in bed, making love and strengthening their relationship.

Every Summer Toby and Margaret would bring Zack to visit and the two children would roam the farm with one of the farm hands in tow. It gave Charlotte someone she could confide in and someone her own age to play with. What’s more it gave Jed and CJ people to share their concerns with.

By the time she turned six Jed was accustomed to being a father again. He stopped worrying about what he was doing wrong and began to worry about what could happen to his little girl.

CJ worried about how she would manage if anything happened to Jed. Charlotte and Jed were the only family she had and she knew she would be lost without them. The last few years had been tragedy free and she hoped it would stay like it.

“So I was thinking we could go out for dinner, maybe come back here, watch a movie or have an early night,” CJ said, picking up the last of Charlotte’s toys.

“Um,” Jed mumbled in response. He wondered if maybe he could call Ron and see if he could pull a few strings. One or two men would do it, he thought, in the house that was, another three outside.

“Jed?”

Of course they shouldn’t have let her go. She was only six, or they could have invited her friends over. Maybe they still could.

“She’ll be fine,” CJ said as if reading his thoughts. “You need to let her have a life.”

“But what if something happens. It’s not as if there are agents there.”

CJ swallowed hard and tried to repress images of Zoey that day on the lawn, 72 hours after the kidnapping. She had been taken with agents everywhere. Her agent had died. It was too horrible an image to bear. The child’s mother had been on a diplomatic visit and almost died. Josh had been shot. Protection didn’t always work but she couldn’t tell Jed that. “No one knows she’s there. It’s six six year olds eating ice cream and watching the magic that is Disney. If there is the slightest problem Amanda will call.”

Maybe it was selfish of her to want to spend a night alone with the man she loved. It wasn’t as if they got the opportunity all that often, except when Lottie went to stay with Toby. She loved Lottie and if anyone tried to take her away she’d fight them all the way. But it was hard raising a child. She wasn’t young, Jed certainly wasn’t. They needed time to themselves. Right then she’d be happy enough for them to curl up in bed and drink hot chocolate.

“I couldn’t bear it if something happened to her.”

This was what she loved about him. His strong heart and the fact he wasn’t afraid to show his emotions.

“Neither could I. Why don‘t we just go to bed. The phone will be there. We can watch TV, read a book or something.”

“I love you.”

“You’d better.”

CJ pulled on his pyjama top which was at least twice as big as she was and climbed into bed.

Jed patted down the duvet and waited for her to get settled.

It wasn’t quite the evening she had expected but it seemed perfect to them. They watched his beloved Irish beat Michigan, he made a brief call to Leo to rub his nose in it and then they made love, slowly and gently that night, drifting off to sleep before ten o’clock.

~~~~~

Charlotte bounded down the steps and opened the door.

“How was it?” CJ asked softly.

“Cool. We played games and watched movies and her mum made pizza and ice cream. Janie’s mom said we could all stay at her house next weekend. . . And. . . I thought they could all come to ours the weekend after.”

CJ grinned at her daughter. “That sounds great.” Inwardly she cringed. She barely managed to raise one girl, let alone look after six. Her cooking was pretty awful, and she couldn’t imagine Jed playing twister. As she put the car into drive she wondered if Zoey was free that weekend.

“We have to have cake, “ Charlotte announced, running into the kitchen and breaking into her parents conversation. “Chocolate. Mom could make it.”

Jed smiled for the first time since CJ had suggested a Birthday party for his seventieth. “Yeah, Claudia Jean, you could bake me a cake.” There was about as much chance of that happening he knew as him being elected President again.

“I could help.”

CJ groaned. They indulged the child far too much or rather Jed did. Thanks to him and Leo Charlotte didn’t want for anything, except her birth parents that was. Now that Jed had got her all fired up they would have to bake, unless of course she could convince Margaret to come a few days earlier than planned.

They could never have managed without the help of the rest of the family. Toby had taken care of all the legal work to ensure they could keep Charlotte and make sure her trust fund would see her through college. Margaret and Debbie had taught her the finer things like baking and sewing. Jed of course was the fountain of all knowledge. CJ for her part had taught her nothing really, except maybe that she really wasn’t that maternal. All she seemed able to do was play the enforcer.

Charlotte loved CJ. She was to her everything she wanted to be, except when she was on the receiving end of her wrath. CJ told her endless stories about her parents, ensuring that the child at least had some history of who she was. It was her step mother that taught her how to play cards, how to shop and that sass was sometimes the only way to get what you wanted. Her friends all thought it was cool that she had a celebrity for a mother but it was for the things CJ had done since that Charlotte loved her.

“We could make cookies,” CJ offered.

Jed scrunched his face. Her cakes were like rocks. “How about you and I work on a guest list,” he suggested, hoping to dispel her urge to bake.

CJ shook her head. “Anyone would think you have something against my cooking.”

“You have other talents, sweetheart,” he whispered, squeezing her hand. “So I guess we invite the girls, and Leo, and Toby and the brood. . .”

“Are they going to stay?” Charlotte asked hopefully. The idea of having Huck, Molly and Zack there for a slumber party was almost too much to hope for. It was ages since they were all together. They’d sit in the tree house, the one Jed hated but Sam had built for her, and sit up all night watching movies and drinking soda. It was almost like having brothers and sisters, not that she didn‘t have surrogate sisters, but they were grown up and all they ever wanted to do was take her shopping.

“I think they’ll all stay. We can make a weekend of it,” CJ suggested. It would give them a chance for a few minutes alone she hoped and maybe finally this would be the weekend Jed made a commitment. She glanced across and smiled. Not that it mattered. Neither of them was going anywhere.

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

In the end they had settled for a small family gathering at the farm, small being forty people. They ordered in cake from the local bakery, designed to look like the state flag of New Hampshire while Zoey took charge of the barbeque.

The family had descended in the afternoon, flying in from all over the states. Those that couldn’t stay at the house were staying with other family members. With so many people around all the time it meant once again CJ and Jed were prevented from having a moment alone.

Everyone seemed to be enjoying the afternoon as Charlotte gave an impromptu recital and Zoey piled up plates with food.

“You are raising a remarkable child,” Ellie said softly, watching her adopted sister play the flute. It had been difficult accepting CJ in her father’s life but then Charlotte had been brought into their lives and it was like Zoey all over again. All three sisters doted on her, forever taking her shopping and including her in their girls nights.

“It’s all CJ. Believe me, that woman is amazing.” He still marvelled at the way CJ had put her life on hold for him and for Josh’s child. “For someone who claimed not to have a maternal bone in her body she’s done a fantastic job.”

“And yet you still haven’t married her.”

Jed groaned. It was open season on him. First Leo and now his daughters were nagging him to get married.

“You wait until Allie is eight. You won’t have time for pizza and the game on Sunday let alone elaborate social plans.”

“So elope.”

“Lottie would never forgive us.”

Ellie shook her head. “We could do it here at the farm.”

It wasn’t that he hadn’t thought about marriage, it was more that he had never gotten around to doing anything about it. He watched as Charlotte disappeared into the garden with her friends. She wasn’t a baby anymore and nowhere near as needy, maybe it was time they made time for themselves.

His eyes drifted to CJ, holding court with her former colleagues. She was beautiful and he loved her more than he ever felt possible but something kept holding him back.

CJ smiled back at him, her eyes shining at him.

“Dad!!!!” came a cry from the garden.

Before Jed could move, Toby went rushing outside and appeared seconds later, Lottie in his arms.

“Honey?” CJ gasped, moving towards her daughter. “Ellie?” Her voice sounded frantic as it became obvious that the child was injured.

Ellie began her careful examination of her little sister as Toby laid her gently on the couch. “We need to get her to a hospital. She’s broken her ankle.”

Silently CJ began to cry. She turned and moved away from where the others were gathered. It was as though the grief for Donna that she had been hiding for years, and her constant worries, suddenly came to the forefront and she couldn’t stop.

Jed was torn between soothing his child and going after the woman he loved. The decision was taken out of his hands.

“Go,” Ellie said softly. “We’ll get her ready to go.”

He found her where he expected to, standing on the veranda, staring out into the distance. Without words he wrapped his arms around her waist and held her against him. “I’d ask if you were ok, but I know you’re not.”

“Just give me a moment,” she managed to say between sobs.

“She’s going to be ok.” A broken ankle, he knew would heal, and then she would be back causing them headaches again. The tree house would have to go though. He didn’t want to think what could have happened.

CJ swivelled to look at him. “We could have lost her.”

“But we didn’t.” He’d never see her like this. In the years they had been together CJ had been the strong one. It was her who had gotten everyone through Josh’s funeral, her who had sat in hospital waiting rooms while both he and Leo had endured health scares, and her who had nursed Charlotte when she had nightmares. Turning her until she was facing him and his fingers were splayed against her hips, he said her name lightly.

“We should get to the hospital,” she said in response.

“Not until we’ve talked. Not until I know what’s going on.” Jed’s tone was firm but his eyes betrayed his concern. His Birthday was forgotten as he stood waiting for CJ to admit her feelings, something he realized she had been good at hiding for years. “Sweetheart.”

“Oh, Jed. I can’t do this anymore. Every day I worry about Charlotte, what will happen to her if anything happens to you. I worry about you, that each time we go to the hospital they’ll tell us that the MS is secondary progressive.“ She stopped and looked at him. “I’m sorry.“

“Why? Because you’re not infallible? Because you’re as scared as the rest of us?“ he pulled her closer to him. “I love you.”

“I don’t know what I would do without you.”

“It’s going to be a long time before you have to.” He hoped he sounded more reassuring than he felt. He knew he wasn’t going to live forever and that one day CJ would be left to raise the child alone. Of course she would do a fantastic job but he had put plans in motion in case she couldn’t manage. “Right now Lottie needs us.”

CJ nodded mutely.

“But later, when she’s asleep we can talk properly,” he suggested softly. CJ was on the verge of admitting everything to him. He wasn’t going to let her get away so easily.

“When she’s asleep,” CJ confirmed.

Jed moved away and she grabbed his hand. “Happy Birthday.”

He took her hand and guided her back into the house. Maybe later when things were calmer he would ask her to marry him and finally get her to accept his financial support.

~~~~~~

“I hate you,” Charlotte shouted, slamming the door behind her.

“That went well,” CJ said sarcastically.

“What do you expect, she idolises you.”

“So it’s my fault. You’re the one who let her run wild. She’s just letting off steam with the exams coming.”

“I don’t think I can handle another two years of this.” The music started upstairs as it had every night that week. “What the hell is she listening to?”

“Zack’s in a band. It’s his demo tape,” she laughed lightly. “He plays the drums.”

“Now I feel better. Toby must be going through hell.”

“I’ll talk to her,” CJ said, wondering why she had spent her life as peacemaker.

“Still say we ground her.”

~~~~~~

“He actually tried to ground me. Can you believe it? I mean we live in the middle of nowhere, it’s not as if I have the greatest social life.” Charlotte flopped down on the bed. “The tape’s great by the way.” She grinned as he went into a long explanation on cords and bass. “So has Uncle Toby soundproofed the basement yet?”

CJ knocked on the door and waited for her daughter to invite her in.

“Gotta go, mom’s here to read me the riot act. I know five weeks to go. I miss you.” She put the phone down on her boyfriend and sighed. “Yeah?”

“Can we talk?” CJ asked, entering quietly and gingerly sitting on the edge of the bed.

Charlotte shrugged.

“Jed and I love you very much.”

Charlotte rolled her eyes.

“You just need to think before you act, “ CJ said gingerly. “Jed, well he’s . . .”

“Stubborn.”

“Charlotte.”

“You lied to us. You went to a rave.” Which she had to admit was something she had done when she was Charlotte’s age. “Anything could have happened.”

Jed appeared in the doorway. “It's a big party with lots of noise, and lots of people coming and going. And it's a half hour before someone says, 'Hey, where's Lottie?' Another fifteen minutes before the first phone call. Another hour and a half before anyone even thinks to call me. And then I’m getting ransom demands or even worse they want me to get the government to release prisoners. Do you get it?"

“Did you have that practised?” Charlotte asked, her face unreadable, her eyes defiant.

“Zoey was kidnapped when she was twenty-two,” Jed said quietly.

“Oh my God. How?”

Although they talked frequently about her parents and their days in the administration Jed had tried to shield her from the bad things. She knew about her parents death but not about what happened before. “She was in a nightclub celebrating her graduation. They drugged her and took her.”

She was in his arms in seconds, clinging to him like he might disappear. “I’m so sorry. I won’t do it again.”

“It’s not that we don’t trust you. And we want you to have a life, a normal, party filled life but you just need to be careful,” CJ explained calmly. “Which means telling us where you’re going and letting us decide if you need protection. . . Of the agent kind,” she offered with a sigh at the expression on Charlotte’s face.

“And to prove that we trust you we’re going out for dinner and leaving you here,” Jed said, lightly kissing her head.

“We are?” CJ asked, taken aback.

“Yes.”

“Well you guys have fun, and be back by ten,” Charlotte giggled.

Jed glared at her.

“Or not. I’m just going to do my homework and email a few people.”

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

“This is a surprise,” CJ commented dryly as they climbed into the car.

“You don’t want to have dinner with me?” He sounded confused.

CJ stole a glance at him. He wasn’t young but her love for him took her by surprise.

Jed put the car into drive and they headed down the long driveway.

~~~~~~

Charlotte wasn’t biologically their daughter. In name she had remained a Lyman, which over the years had given them more than a few interesting moments. There was however something amazing about walking her down the aisle, and handing her over to the man she loved. Of course she was also Donna’s daughter hence the fact they were gathered in a hotel not in the cathedral or a Temple.

Her long blonde hair tumbled down her shoulders beneath the veil and she had chosen to wear the same dress her mother had worn on her own wedding day, the simple empire line gown fitting perfectly. She was beautiful and Jed was proud to have raised her.

Jed’s only regret was that her parents couldn’t be there to witness it. He knew in his heart that Josh would have been jumping for joy and fretting uncontrollably all at the same time.

Taking a step back he grinned as Zack’s eyes filled up with tears, and the young man fumbled for his bride’s hand.

“She’s beautiful,” CJ whispered as he took his place beside her.

“It’s Donna’s genes,” he whispered back, wondering if CJ realized just how stunning she looked. At almost seventy her hair was silver, elegantly styled and for the ceremony she had chosen a outfit which matched her hair perfectly.

CJ reached over and took his hand, squeezing it tightly while her free hand dabbed at her eyes.

The service was simple and non denominational, the couple choosing to write their own vows. They kissed passionately before separating.

Zack nodded, his eyes dancing as he watched his wife, and he would never tire of saying that, turn around to the gathered guests.

“I’m probably going to get shot for this but . . . As many of you know my parents died a long time a go and I was fortunate enough to be taken in and raised by two people who will always be my parents. They put their life and plans on hold and I think it’s time for them to take the next step. Dad, Mom, you have the family here, you have a justice of the peace, don’t you think it’s about time you made it legal?” Josh’s dimpled grin appeared on her face.

Jed had always loved it when CJ’s face took on the rosy tints it did when she was embarrassed. And in that second she was turning scarlet, her eyes glaring back at the child they had raised. He wondered why he hadn’t come up with the idea himself. He’d wanted to marry CJ since the night a lifetime ago in Qumar.

“Did you put her up to that?” CJ hissed.

“No, but it’s not a bad idea.”

“You do realize you’ve never asked, not once in twenty years?”

That was true, he had to admit. Every time he had come close to the question, something had happened - Josh and Donna had died, Leo had gotten sick, Lottie’d had exams, Lottie had broken her ankle. Finally he had given her the ring as a Christmas gift. “I’m asking now.” At the look on her face, he backtracked. “CJ, I love you. Marry me?”

“Yes.”

“I’m da man,” Zack piped up rather loudly in the silence of the room.

“Excuse me,” Lottie asked, calmly.

“Your da woman.”

“And don’t you forget it.”

She was actually going to do it. CJ was slightly in awe as Zack took her arm and led her gently to the Justice. In a few minutes she would be married to the man she had been in love with for almost half her life.

“I didn’t even have to blackmail you,” Jed whispered as he took her left hand in his right.

CJ gave him a grin which he knew meant trouble. “Yeah, but you might have to try one of your other tactics later.”

He was too old for this, he knew, but he couldn’t refuse her anything.

The End