The door to the Manchester farmhouse opened and CJ stepped in to be scanned by the Secret Service agents before being sent into the kitchen.

Abbey was bent over the cabinet, throwing cinnamon into some cider. "Hi, Abbey," CJ greeted quietly.

Abbey turned around and grinned. "CJ! We thought you weren't going to... make it," she said, her smile vanishing and her voice trailing off. "So, who's Mr. Right?" she finally said.

"Mr. Right?" CJ repeated, looking down. "Oh... well... he was an irresponsible jackass. He's out of the picture now, and I'm, obviously, keeping the baby."

"How far along are you?" Abbey asked.

"Far enough."

"You look like you're dropping some now," Abbey pointed out.

"What, you think I'm gonna miss this?" CJ laughed quietly. "I was going to do a home birth anyway."

“At your age? Your doctor let you travel?” Abbey exclaimed.

CJ shook her head. “Apparently it’s not uncommon to have babies in your late forties. As for travelling, Toby flew down and back with me, so . . .” She grinned, as Abbey’s mind went into overdrive.

“The others are in for a shock.”

“Who’s coming?” CJ asked quietly, holding her breath.

Abbey shrugged, “Josh, Donna, the brood. Sam’s coming up tomorrow. You, Toby and, of course, Leo.”

CJ swayed and gripped the back of a chair.

"Are you all right?" Abbey asked, reaching for her.

"I'm fine," CJ said quietly. "So... Leo's coming."

"It's Christmas, CJ."

"Hence all of us being together."

"Exactly -- you don't look very well. Do you want to lie down?"

"I'm fine."

"Where's Toby?"

"He dropped me off and went into town for a few things for me," CJ said, falling into the chair. "I feel like a beached whale..."

"You look like you could drop a baby on my kitchen floor," Abbey scolded. "How long till you're due?"

"Two weeks."

“CJ!”

“Could you not scold me, I’m pregnant, remember,” CJ laughed. “It’ll be fine. Toby’s taking me back to New York for the birth.”

“You’re staying here,” Abbey stated. “I think you’ve done enough travelling in your condition.”

CJ held her hands up in surrender. “So where’s the President?”

“If you mean Jed Bartlet, Jackass, he’s in the living room, watching cartoons with the Lyman boys. Josh and Donna went upstairs to unpack,” she offered, glancing at her watch. “An hour ago. “

"And I'm collapsed in your kitchen," CJ supplied with a grunt.

"Yeah -- and Leo should be here any time now."

"Great, just what I need, another lecture," CJ muttered, shifting a little. "You have any Tylenol?"

"Yes, why?"

"It's not a big deal."

"Okay -- two?"

CJ nodded, sitting back and closing her eyes.

"Hey, anyone home?" she heard Leo call.

“In the kitchen,” Abbey supplied, turning back to the cider and taking a deep breath.

Leo shuffled into the kitchen and shrugged out of his jacket. “It’s starting to snow, and I swear it’s minus twenty out. What is it with New Hampshire?” he asked. “I don’t think I’ve ever been here and it’s not been freezing.”

“It’s December,” CJ muttered.

“Well yeah. . .” He trailed off as he noticed her for the first time.

CJ ignored his appraising stare and glanced over at Abbey. "Tylenol, please -- my back is starting to kill me, Abbey..." she sighed before looking back at Leo.

"When did you get here?" he asked, trying to hide something in his voice.

"Just a few minutes ago."

“I didn’t realise you were coming.”

“As Abbey keeps reminding me, it’s Christmas,” CJ snorted. “You know, forget the Tylenol, it’s probably not a good idea, anyway. Direct me to a room and I’ll take a nap,” CJ said, struggling to her feet.

Leo glanced down and paled significantly.

"What's the matter?" CJ grumped, shuffling her feet as she waddled away from the table. "Never seen a pregnant woman before?"

"Here, let me help you," he said quickly.

"I'm fine," CJ sighed, but Leo took hold of her arm and wrapped one arm around her waist, guiding her into the den.

“Are you going to be comfortable enough on the couch?” he asked softly.

“Yeah. It was a long flight, is all.”

“You flew from California?” Leo cried, almost pulling her over.

“Not you too. I really can’t handle any more lectures today,” CJ groaned. “I got pregnant, we broke up, and I’m due in two weeks. And by all accounts I’m staying on here. There, the synopsis of my life.”

"I can't believe that you didn't call someone..."

"I did. Toby's been taking care of me." CJ adjusted her position on the couch until her feet were up on one of the armrests.

"You should have called me."

"Why?" she asked quietly, not intending to sound callous.

“No, you’re right, what could I have done?” he grumbled.

“Toby’s been very sweet.” CJ closed her eyes and covered her face with one hand.

“I’ll leave you to it,” Leo mumbled, heading for the door.

“Or you could stay. And talk to me,” CJ stammered. “It’s been nearly a year.”

"You didn't say goodbye," he accused.

"I didn't know how to say goodbye, Leo," she groaned, leaning back and closing her eyes. "So I left and went right to work."

He sighed and sat down in the recliner not far from her. "Tell me about the jerk that got you pregnant."

“He’s not important. I forgot the most important lesson. You can’t make yourself love someone to get over someone else.”

“Is that why you left DC in such a hurry? To get over someone?” he asked, staring out of the window.

"Yeah," she admitted, more than a little ashamed.

"Did it work?"

"No," she whispered. "He's still as much a part of me as he ever was. But enough about me... How are you?"

“Me? I’m fine.” He wanted to avoid the conversation that would inevitably follow if he told her the truth.

“Working? Courting?” she asked, peeking out from behind her hand.

Leo shook his head and grinned. “What is it with women asking about my love life?”

“It was just a question,” CJ grumbled. “I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s okay. Another time, another place and all that,” he said. “Working, yes. Tying up loose ends, helping Jed readjust, and sometimes writer. Courting, no.”

"Funny, I thought you and Margaret would surely be working on a ring by now," CJ muttered tiredly.

"Me... and Margaret?" he laughed. "What, are you kidding?"

"No, I'm not." CJ decided that being on her back was too uncomfortable and struggled to shift over onto her side, facing away from him. She grunted as she finally found a comfortable place.

"You okay?" he asked worriedly.

"Fine..." She yawned and closed her eyes. "Yeah, I thought you and Margaret were such a cute couple..."

“Good god no. Thanks for that image,” he shook his head. “There was someone, some body I liked for a long time.”

“Really?” CJ asked, calmly as her eyes flew open. “You never told me.”

“I was planning on telling you,” he admitted, “but you left before I got the chance.”

“And you never did anything? Leo!”

“If I had come to you, what would you have told me to do?” he asked, subconsciously rubbing his palms together.

She felt nauseated as she said, "I would have told you to tell her. Screw whatever qualms you had, you have to seize the moment. Carpe Diem. Because, if you don't, you'll live the rest of your life regretting it." She stared straight ahead at the pattern of the fibers of the couch, trying to ignore her heart being ripped in two.

“At the time I couldn’t think of any reason why she would be interested in me,” he acknowledged. “I’m not exactly what you would call a catch.” He sighed, and moved to stand by the window. “She was so far out of my league. So beautiful, so together, without all the insecurities, I seem to have.”

"I don't know anyone who isn't insecure," she said quietly. "And you'd make a wonderful catch."

"You're just saying that because you're my friend," he accused. "Or are you my friend anymore? I don't even know."

CJ rolled over onto her side and winced. “I don’t remember you keeping in touch either.”

She struggled to sit up. “I’m your friend, a continent doesn’t change that.”

“It feels like you left me behind,” he whispered, sadly. “When you ignored your own advice, and ran.”

"Just because you give advice doesn't mean you can take it in return," CJ said, her voice trembling. "I'm in love with someone who's in love with someone else. And... dammit..." She sniffled and curled up a little more.

"Oh, CJ, honey, don't cry," Leo said helplessly, reaching out to rub her back.

“It’s the hormones,” she cried.

“We’re a right pair,” Leo groaned. “Two of a kind.”

CJ lifted her head and gazed up at him. She didn’t know what to say. Having him so close, touching her, wasn’t helping the way she felt. And she felt guilty about her happiness at him being alone.

She suddenly couldn't take it anymore, and couldn't resist saying, "I love you, Leo. I can't keep it in anymore, not with you right here and... I don't care if you love someone else I just have to say it now, because I'm so unhappy except for the baby, and..." Her voice cracked and she began to sob wholeheartedly.

“Ssh,” he whispered, rubbing her back gently. “I love you too. I didn’t mean to upset you. I value your friendship.”

CJ hiccupped and continued to sob.

“CJ,” he started, then pulled away. “What did you say?”

“I’m sorry,” she cried, clutching for his arm. “That was unfair. It’s just . . .I’m an idiot.”

"You are not an idiot," he said softly. "Can you repeat what you said?"

"I love you," she said hesitantly.

"Am I the... the one you ran from?" he asked, his eyes darkening.

She nodded and closed her eyes, ashamed.

“But why?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” she asked, opening one eye, tentatively.

He shook his head.

“We were friends. If I had come to you and told you I was in love with you it would have made things awkward.” She sighed. “You would have let me down gently, because that’s the sort of person you are. And it would have been embarrassing. And our friendship would have been over.” She closed her eye again so she wouldn’t have to see his embarrassment.

“Aside from the fact you’re rambling,” Leo chuckled, “that’s all hypothetical, because you didn’t come to me.”

"All that's left is the hypothetical," CJ mumbled. "I'm miserable -- the baby is the only happy thing I have left."

"You shouldn't say things like that," Leo scolded gently.

"Why not? It's true."

“It’s not at all. You have your friends who, given the chance, are going to be with you every step of the way,” he said softly, moving to the floor and facing her. “And you have me.”

“Please don’t be nice to me,” CJ moaned.

Leo watched the tears stream down her cheeks and placed a hand on either side of her face. “You want hypotheticals? What if I came to you and said I had a problem? That there was this woman, who, after eight years of working beside every day, I had fallen in love with. That, I was so sure that she would let ME down gently that I didn’t have the guts to tell her. And when I finally worked up the courage she was gone.” He stopped to brush her tears away. “And that after eleven months I still thought about her every day.”

"You don't love me," she whispered, looking away.

"Yeah, CJ, I do -- you're in my thoughts every single day. I worry about you, especially now..."

She cut him off viscously. "Then why the hell didn't you come find me? Why didn't you come tell me you loved me? WHY?!"

"What on earth is going on in here?" Jed demanded, entering the room.

“Go away,” Leo snapped, his eyes never leaving CJ’s face.

“Excuse me?”

“I said go away,” Leo reiterated. “I’m trying to fix the biggest mistake I ever made.”

“CJ, you’re pregnant.”

“Yes sir, I am.”

“Are you going to go away, or not?” Leo groaned, looking up at his friend.

“No, I don’t think I am.”

“Fine,” Leo said, turning back to CJ. “I couldn’t come after you. I assumed you were still upset about Toby, that there were too many memories in DC. And . . .” he added, dropping his voice so only she could hear, “I didn’t think you would want me.”

"You didn't call to find out," she accused, tears beginning to form anew.

"I thought you needed your space -- hell, most women I know would've jumped down my throat for even contemplating following them." He reached for her for a hug. "I'm sorry."

"Me, too," CJ whispered into his ear. "Leo?"

"What?"

CJ glanced over his shoulder and gave her former boss a 'get the hell outta here' look. Jed left in a hurry, and CJ said softly, "I lied."

"About... what?" Leo said with more than a little trepidation.

"There was no boyfriend. I went out and was artificially inseminated -- my OBGYN said it would be better for me that way, easier, especially at my age..." She pulled back to look at him. "Are you angry with me?"

"Uh... it's a little bit of a shock," he managed to choke out.

“If truth be told, I thought I’d deliver early, and then I would have missed this thing,” CJ admitted, wringing her hands. “I wasn’t expecting to see you.”

“You didn’t want to see me?” he asked, a little dismayed, pulling back to stare at her face.

“Yes,” she breathed. “I wanted to see you. I just… just didn’t think I’d feel this way.”

"What way?" he asked quietly, hoping she wasn't saying something awful.

"I didn't think I'd be nervous, or still love you the way I used to, but I was obviously wrong," she said, looking away. "And now... it might just be too late, right?"

"Don't say that," he said.

“But I’m pregnant, I live the other side of the country, and well, I didn’t say goodbye,” CJ hissed, her eyes downcast.

Leo shrugged, “None of those things is permanent.”

"No, but soon I'll have a baby to tag along after, a job to go back to, a house to pay the mortgage on, and I wouldn't even be able to say hello, let alone good-bye," she said, miserable at the semantics.

"Would you chill out?" Leo said sharply.

"You've been spending time with Mallory," she commented dryly.

“Yeah, her and the latest boyfriend.”

“You make it sound like she’s had a few,” CJ commented.

“Gerald,” he muttered shaking his head. “Is the sixteenth this year. She hasn’t met her soul mate yet,” he chuckled.

“You believe in all that?” CJ asked, surprised. “That there is really someone out there for each of us.”

"I didn't use to." He shrugged. "Then you walked away and I knew I had lost my soul mate and couldn't get her back."

CJ blinked back tears. "Leo, right now, I would come back in a heartbeat. I teach high school freaking government, no one pays attention, I flunk them and they go whining to mommy and daddy. I'm about to go into a life of single motherhood, just because I wanted a baby to forget you, and..." her voice trailed off. "And I have to apologize."

"For what?"

"You... uh... had some sperm removed and stored when you had your testing done for prostate cancer the last time, right?"

"Yeah..."

"Well, between the doctor, Mallory, and Margaret..."

"CJ, I don't understand what you're saying," he said, confused.

"The baby is yours, genetically," CJ confessed, looking away and biting her lip.

"But I have to give permission for that to be done, don't I?" he exploded.

"You signed the paperwork," CJ said, covering her ears.

“Er? What? What the hell?” Leo yelled, pulling away from her. “You’re carrying my baby?”

“Do you think you could keep your voice down a little?” CJ cringed. “He’s yours. Mallory let it slip which hospital you used. Margaret slipped the forms in with some tax receipts and I came to DC to get impregnated.” She looked up at him hopefully.

“Wouldn’t it have been a damn sight easier to just ask me?” he grumbled.

"No, because until a few minutes ago, I wouldn't even confess to having been impregnated by artificial means," she snapped. "Goddamnit, I thought I wouldn't see you again and I wanted someone or something to remind me of you, you jackass!" She burst into tears, again, and Leo rolled his eyes.

“Is everything all right in here?” Abbey asked, poking her head around the doorframe.

“Just peachy,” CJ sniffled.

“Yeah, couldn’t be better,” Leo muttered.

“Good. I knew bringing you together for Christmas would get you talking,” Abbey grinned, leaving again.

“You told her?” CJ cried, spinning to look at Leo

Leo shrugged, “I had to talk to someone about my feelings.”

“Argh.”

"And like you didn't tell Toby," he accused.

"No, I didn't!" she snapped, turning away from him again with a muffled groan.

"You okay?" he asked.

"No, I'm not okay -- I've been having contractions for the last 36 hours," CJ hissed.

“The real thing?” Leo asked, stunned.

“No Braxton Hicks. But it doesn’t make it any less painful,” she muttered, shifting position again. “Maybe we should forget we ever had this conversation,” she groaned. “I’ll go back to California, and we can get on with our lives.”

“Really?”

“Just because we’re meant to be, doesn’t me meant to be right now,” she sighed, rubbing her lower back. “Put it down to hormones.”

He sighed. "Yeah, maybe you're right. But then again, maybe you're wrong."

"I need some time alone, please," CJ said quietly. "You're disturbing my aura at the moment."

"Huh?"

"You're in my goddamn space bubble, space cadet," she growled.

“I don’t understand, but okay, I’ll leave you alone,” he grumbled.

“And send Toby in,” she called after him.

CJ closed her eyes and settled back on the couch. She heard the sound of a door opening and the gentle shuffling, that was Toby.

“I want to go to New York tonight,” she announced, finally looking at him.

“Is it the baby?” he asked, crouching at her side.

“No,” she lied, “I’m just not up to all this,” she gestured with her hands. “Can we leave now?”

"CJ, Abbey would kill me if I left the house with you right now," Toby sighed, rubbing his head. "Are you sure it's not the baby?"

Any motion to the contrary that CJ would have made was drowned out by her cry of pain. She grabbed one of the cushions and bit down on it, HARD.

“Jesus, we need to get you to a hospital. I’ll get Abbey.”

“Toby,” CJ cried. “I don’t want this. I’m a long way off from delivering.” She gave him a pleading look. “Please, you’re my friend. The bags are in the car. Two hours from now I’ll be in New York.”

“What if something goes wrong?” he asked, rubbing his forehead.

“You can call Abbey on route.” She shakily rose to her feet. “Please. Leo, the Baby, everyone-questions,” she shook her head.

"You can't keep running away," Toby growled. "And I don't care what you want, I care more about saving my ass from Abbey's fire-breath. How long have you been having contractions? The bad kind, I mean."

"Since on the plane," CJ moaned.

"That's been almost 5 hours," Toby sighed. "Let me get Abbey."

“Go to hell,” she snapped. “I’m leaving and if you won’t take me I’ll find someone who will.” She strode past him and out the door.

“Claudia Jean,” he called after her. “CJ.”

CJ stopped with her hand on the doorknob. “What?”

“If I do this, promise me you’ll talk to him, and to Abbey. And soon,” Toby growled, covering her hand with his own. “He’s crazy about you and you’re running away is going to make matters worse.”

“Toby, the last thing I want is him at the birth with some misguided loyalty. If we’re meant to be, we will be. Now do you want me to drive?”

Toby’s eyes widened in horror.

"You -- drive?" he groaned, clutching at his heart. "You'll swerve every time you have a contraction..."

"So get me the hell outta here," she groaned. "Toby, they're coming too fast..."

“So we should…” he trailed off.

“I don’t care if I have the baby in a hospital in the middle of freaking nowhere,” she whispered. “As long as they don’t know where I am. And you’re there,” she added, waddling towards the car.

Toby patted down his pocket to check he had his cell and followed. “We’ll be back soon, just getting some air,” Toby called over his shoulder.

He put his foot down on the gas and headed towards the main highway. After half an hour, he finally asked what was on his mind. “So Leo wasn’t interested?”

CJ opened her eyes. “Do you really think this is the time?”

“What could be better, you’re trapped in the car, and between contractions?” he muttered, taking the turning for New York.

“He needs a little time to get used to everything,” CJ sighed. “The ball’s in his court now.” She wriggled in the seat. “They contractions are fifteen minutes apart, can you just slow down a little?”

Toby widened his eyes and sped up, the last thing he wanted was the baby being born in his car and fifteen minutes didn’t sound like a whole lot of time. Besides the further they were from Abbey, Leo and the mess, CJ had no doubt left behind, the better.

“One day, you two are going to have to face up to the fact you’re in love,” Toby growled, knowing that it was probably time he faced up to the fact he was in love with her too.

The End