CJ cuddled Jeanie and kissed her forehead. "Hey, sweetie," she cooed softly. "You wanna go see Uncle Toby for a minute so I can get some clean clothes on?"

The baby with the hazel eyes and fluffy white-blonde downy hair proceeded to open her mouth, stick out her tongue, and yawn.

Toby held out his arms for his favorite honorary niece and lifted her in the air.

“You may wanna rethink that idea?” CJ chuckled as her daughter promptly decorated Toby’s shirt with her breakfast.

"Oh disgusting!" Toby groaned, holding her as far away from him as possible. Jeanie opened her mouth and let out a huge scream -- she loved being held and cuddled, and hated being held away from a warm body.

"Oh, give her here," CJ sighed, taking Jeanie back into her arms and heading for the stairs. "What should I wear?"

"Anything you want," Toby groaned, trying to sop up the mess with a paper towel. "We're only going to the airport and lunch."

“I can’t believe you invited him here, and without even consulting me first,” she moaned, skimming through her wardrobe. “All this way for, what, six hours, it’s just crazy.”

Toby grinned beneath his beard and shook his head. She was going to kill him when she found out it was slightly more than six hours.

"Try to wear something not overly maternal..." Toby suggested. She turned and glared daggers at him. "What?"

"I'm nursing, Toby -- I have to wear something maternal."

"Want me to get her blanket?"

"Why?"

"Because she looks hungry again."

“No, that’s just the look she reserves for you --it’s her I’m really a fluffy duck disguised as a big bad wolf --and when she grows up she wants to be a political operative.”

“And I thought it was her ‘don’t fu…”

“Finish that sentence, Toby,” CJ warned.

“How about that red sundress with the tie straps? It brings out the red streaks in your hair,” he offered, pulling a face at Jeanie.

"Toby..."

"What?"

"You're annoying me."

"I know -- give her here," he ordered. He took Jeanie out of CJ's arms and headed out of the room with her.

CJ sighed and dug through her closet until she found a lightweight button-down sweater and a skirt that hid what was left of her baby belly.

****

Leo glanced around the airport and shook his head. He suddenly felt overdressed in the three-piece suit and suspenders. Most of the other passengers on the flight seemed to have changed in to outlandish Hawaiian shirts and shorts.

Toby’s call had come out of the blue. The first since their disappearing act at Christmas. Which of course Abbey was still blaming him for. Injured party -- seemed to have little effect on Abbey. She practically accused him of deliberately causing the fight. Her anger had only dissipated slightly when Toby had rang to say mother and daughter were doing fine.

Now Leo was in the middle of LAX, waiting to meet his baby girl for the first time.

The plane had landed early and he decided to make the most of the time. His carry on was already full of guidebooks and maps and now he was waiting on a car.

The girl at the car rental agency aroused him from his thoughts. “Mr. McGarry, you can pick the car up from our main terminal downtown. Are you sure you wouldn’t like to drive from the airport?”

He’d really like to drive from the airport, but CJ would kill him, again.

“No, I have a lift.” He smiled at the receptionist and coughed when she leaned across the desk and handed him a business card.

“My cell number’s on the back. Call me,” she purred, blowing him a kiss.

Leo backed away from the desk and shot another glance around the airport. Okay so was everyone in LA weird?

He heard a loud shout of, "LEO!" from behind him, and he turned to see Toby, lugging a diaper bag. CJ followed him, cuddling Jeanie.

His palms suddenly felt sweaty, and his heart was pounding in his ears. His first instinct was to run but his feet were firmly stuck to the ground. It reminded him briefly of the day CJ Cregg had walked into the campaign office for the first time.

He raised a hand in greeting and opened his mouth to speak only to find his throat was dry.

CJ shifted Jeanie's head onto her shoulder and hung back shyly behind Toby. Toby pulled her forward and said, "Leo, it's good to see you -- let's go get some lunch."

"Hi," CJ said, not looking at Leo at all.

Leo nodded as his gaze found it’s way onto the baby. His hand moved involuntarily to touch her before he pulled back. Once again the group found itself in silence.

“Okay, don’t want to put a dampener on all this scintillating conversation but I’m in a no waiting zone, so can we, y’know, get a move on.” Toby rolled his eyes as both parents looked anywhere but at each other. He felt a sudden urge to tap one of them on the shoulder and whisper, “My friend fancies you,” before hi-tailing it away.

"Lead on, Ziegler," Leo deadpanned, allowing CJ to go in front of him. His daughter looked over her mother's shoulder with a slobbery smile in Leo's direction.

He felt a little absurd waving to her, but he did anyway, and was awarded with a giggle.

The whole scene was reminiscent of the pied piper as Toby led his merry, well not so merry, band towards the parking lot.

CJ held onto Jeanie, glancing nervously over her shoulder at Leo every few seconds, as if he might disappear.

He looked good, she had to admit, suave and sexy all rolled into one. And the butterflies were back. For the first time since Jeanie’s birth she could quite easily contemplate sex, with contraception of course, another labour wasn’t quite as appealing.

Leo kept a steady lumbering pace behind her, just watching his daughter nibble on her mom's sweater, drooling a lot as she grinned.

He was wondering if CJ still had the same feelings for him that she had professed at Christmastime. Surely not, because she had run away again.

Toby glanced over his shoulder as they reached the car. They were both smiling, which probably meant they were remembering what it was they saw in each other. The second thought that struck him was that it would never be him she wanted, always Leo. The meteorite was heading to earth and if Toby didn’t want to be caught in the tsunami he had better get the hell out of the way.

"Where do you want to sit?" Toby asked Leo, opening the back door so CJ could get Jeanie back into her car seat.

"Does it really matter?" Leo asked.

"You're short -- sit in back," Toby smarted off. "And besides, Jeanie'll love you more. She loves everybody. You can tell when she barfs on you."

“Toby.”

“What?” he groaned. “I’ve bought twenty new shirts since I moved out here.”

“Came to visit, Toby. A vacation,” CJ corrected.

“Yeah, a four month vacation,” he grumbled, climbing in the driver’s seat.

Leo watched the scene play out and wondered if maybe the two of them were more than friends. But Toby wasn’t her soul mate, he was.

"Jackass," CJ snapped, climbing into the front passenger seat. "I asked you to come because you weren't doing anything better... and how do you repay me?"

"I've let Jeanie puke on way too many of my shirts," Toby muttered.

Leo fastened his seatbelt, and Jeanie gurgled in his direction.

“Jeanie, eh? That’s a pretty name for a pretty girl,” Leo whispered softly. “I dream of Jeanie was one of my favorite shows.” And a major source of my fantasies about your mommy, he didn’t add. He rolled his eyes as the debate continued in the front seat.

“And I let you snore half the night without complaint.”

“Without complaint, you?” He laughed and turned to stare at her.

“Toby, keep your damned eyes on the road,” CJ yelled.

Jeanie scrunched up her face and looked up at Leo in horror.

"Guys, you're scaring the baby," Leo protested from the backseat as Jeanie squeezed her face up. Her eyes closed, her mouth opened, and she began to scream. "Oh cripes, what'd I do now?" Leo wondered aloud as CJ's hand came reaching around her bucket seat to try to find her daughter's head.

"Dammit, I can barely reach -- Leo, will you..." CJ grunted as they hit a pothole. "SHIT! Leo, will you please... She likes being touched. She hates car rides because no one can touch her while we're driving. Can you... I've got her pacifier if you need it, but..."

"Okay," Leo replied, rolling his eyes and reaching over to stroke Jeanie's cheek gently with his fingertips.

Jeanie continue to cry for a few seconds later until Leo brought his lips to her forehead and kissed her softly. “Ssh honey. Daddy’s got you.” The crying stopped immediately and two tiny hands grabbed his hair. “Hey.”

“You’d better pull over Toby,” CJ sighed, turning in her seat.

“Nah, father daughter bonding, they’re be fine,” he mumbled, indicating and pulling out into the adjoining lane.

CJ shot him a glare and continued to bite her bottom lip as she watched Leo play with their daughter.

"I don't think we should try for lunch in the Valley," CJ commented. "You know Jeanie doesn't like going over the Hill because it hurts her ears."

"You're spoiling her," Toby grumbled. "We're going to the Poquito Mas on Magnolia, and that's that."

CJ sighed and watched as Jeanie took Leo's finger and gnawed on it. "I think she's teething," she said quietly.

"Not yet," Leo replied, voice confident. "She's just hungry."

“It’s not time yet. I’m still expressing a little,” CJ said, grinning as Toby rolled his eyes and groaned. “Breast feeding is natural Toby.”

“She’s four months old. There are bottles and she’ll soon be on solids, do you need to get them out at every opportunity?” he groaned.

CJ raised an eyebrow. “Yes, because it bothers you and it’s my right.”

"It doesn't bother me," Leo interjected, blushing when he caught CJ's look and Toby's glare. "I meant, it doesn't bother me that CJ wants to nurse -- it's a natural mother thing. Just use a blanket please."

"In public, I do," CJ said defensively.

"CJ, would you tell me where I need to get off for Beverly Hills, so I can go up Beverly Glen?" Toby prompted. "It's not so steep as the climb up Mulholland -- it'll give Jeanie's ears a chance to adjust."

CJ bit her lip. "I really don't think this is a good idea, Toby..."

"Oh for... CJ, you live on the damn side of the stupid Hill -- you're halfway up."

"Which is why I don't go out much!" CJ exclaimed loudly.

Jeanie spit Leo's finger out and began to cry from the bad vibes in the car.

Toby rubbed his forehead with one hand as he tried to read the signs.

CJ twisted in her seat to check on Jeanie.

Leo merely unfastened his daughter and lifted her onto his knee. Bouncing her lightly he began, in his softest voice, to sing five little duckies.

The front passengers both chuckled, as Jeanie nestled against Leo’s chest oblivious to the car moving its way up the hill.

"You know, I could get arrested for what he's doing," Toby grumbled.

CJ glared at him. "Shut up and drive carefully and we should be fine, okay? It's better than 'I scream with Jeanie'." She turned around again. "Once we're over the Hill, she goes back in the car seat -- got it?"

"Loud and clear," Leo murmured quietly, kissing Jeanie's head as she played with his buttons and kissed/slobbered on his shirt.

“So what time’s your flight?” CJ asked, politely. “You will have time to see the house, right?”

Leo glanced at Toby in the mirror and shook his head. “You didn’t tell her? TOBY.”

Jeanie stopped slobbering and her eyes filled up.

“Ssh, daddy didn’t mean to shout. Uncle Toby’s been naughty.” He grinned as Jeanie gurgled. “CJ, I’m going to be here to a couple of weeks.”

"What?" CJ said, her voice thinning to a squeak. She quelled the urge to hit Toby, and instead just sighed and shook her head. "Well, welcome to Southern California. Where are you staying?"

"With a friend," Leo said, hoping to make her slightly jealous. "A lady friend."

Toby in the driver’s seat rolled his eyes and began searching for a parking space. It was times like this he could cheerfully kill both of them, but that would leave him with a baby to take care of and that was something he didn’t take too kindly too.

“Well maybe Toby can drop you off after lunch and we can catch up later,” CJ offered, sadly. “Jeanie seems to have taken a liking to you.”

“She has good taste,” Leo grinned, “Like her father.”

CJ snorted and waited until the car was at a complete stop before violently jerking her car door open and stepping around to take Jeanie out of Leo's arms. The little girl opened her mouth and started screaming.

"CJ," Toby started, but she was already inside the little taco restaurant. "Damn it. Leo, you pissed her off."

"I didn't do anything," Leo protested. "I was telling the truth -- by the way, thank you for offering her couch."

“What else am I suppose to do. This whole mess needs resolving,” He growled rubbing the back of his head frantically. “Before it’s too late for either of you to move on.”

“I didn’t know you cared,” Leo chuckled then catching the brooding look on Toby’s face stopped suddenly. “You’re still in love with her.”

"I'm trying to help you both," Toby growled. "Get inside old man -- I'm sure the baby's already driving the workers insane."

Leo went inside first, seeing CJ finish giving her order, then juggling the tray on her way over to the salsa and fixings bar, then juggling Jeanie and the tray on her way into the little dining area. She collapsed into a chair and tickled her daughter for a moment before scooping some Pico de Gallo up with a chip.

"Toby, can you snag my burrito when it comes up?" she called, pulling the nursing blanket out of the diaper bag and setting Jeanie up for her lunch.

“Well?”

“What?” Leo grumbled.

“Now’s your chance. I’m going to find a bar. Don’t screw this up,” Toby mumbled, opening the door and disappearing into the distance.

Leo glanced back at CJ and then back at the menu board. He scrunched his face up as he debated what the hell he could have that wouldn’t upset his ulcer. Finally he ordered a coffee and a salad, grabbing the burrito as he went.

“Where’s Toby?” CJ asked, picking at her food, as Leo sat down.

"He said he had something he had to do, and he'd be back. If he's not back by the time we're done, he'll grab a taxi." He set down the burrito. "And one black bean and cheese burrito for the lady."

"Thanks," she mumbled, checking on Jeanie beneath the blanket. "I'd forgotten how much I missed it down in this part of California," she said quietly as she dipped one corner of her burrito in the green sauce she'd gotten. "I just moved back a couple of weeks after Jeanie was born. I'm doing out-field marketing and PR for Warner Bros."

“I’m definitely overdressed,” Leo commented glibly, stabbing his salad with his fork. “I forgot how laid back California is.”

“You never were a casual dresser.” CJ stroked Jeanie’s forehead gently. “Maybe we can get you into shorts while you’re here.”

Leo shook his head. “Not with my knees.”

“I’m sure they’re just fine. So what have you been doing?”

"Well, I've spent the last four months wondering if you hated me completely," he said honestly. "Or if it was just me that sent you running away again. And of course, Abbey blames me. Jed, too. But it's okay, because Mallory was glad to take me in when I showed up on her doorstep, crying." He shrugged. "And I've done some fundraising for the Bartlet library."

CJ lifted Jeanie from her breast, covered herself up and placed the baby over her shoulder.

“Christmas was, well you know, . . . Abbey and you, . . . and contractions. It was just too much. And I’ve never been big on doing things out of obligation, so I left.”

“You ran away,” he muttered quietly.

“Deep discussions about love and destiny aren’t easy when it feels like someone is cutting you open with a butter knife.”

“You told me you loved me,” Leo commented, pushing his plastic container of salad away.

"And you think I didn't mean it? Leo, does that sound like me at all?" CJ patted Jeanie's back until the little girl burped and yawned sleepily. CJ adjusted her position back into the crook of her arm, and let Jeanie go to sleep, snuggled up by mommy.

"I don't know what you're like anymore, CJ," Leo said in exasperation. "You've changed."

"You haven't."

"Is that said as a good thing or a bad thing?" he snapped.

"A good thing." She refused to meet his eyes, rather focusing on her burrito as she took

slow and deliberate bites, avoiding getting any hot food on Jeanie.

Leo took a deep breath and stared out of the window. “I’m too old for all this.”

“For what?” she asked, pushing her own plate away.

His hands moved through the air as he prepared his closing argument. “To waste time with silly arguments and half truths.” He picked at the Styrofoam coffee cup. “I told you I loved you. You walked out the door. So now, what do I do? I take my first vacation in twelve years and fly down here. To meet my daughter, sleep on your couch and hopefully finally let you go.”

"*I'm* the lady friend?" she said very quietly.

"Yeah," Leo growled. "So, y'know, if this isn't going anywhere, don't lead me on."

"Don't lead me on, either," CJ replied, voice very quiet. "Let's go -- I'm not hungry anymore, and I could use a nap before I have to make my evening check-in with work."

"How nice that I rank below a nap and work," Leo muttered.

"I get about three hours of sleep a night right now," CJ sighed. "And I work all day around Jeanie -- don't pretend I have my priorities off. I need a nap, and I need it bad."

“Okay. I’ll drive,” he muttered. “You direct.”

CJ shifted Jeanie to her hip and picked up her diaper bag. As she followed Leo out of the restaurant she suddenly stopped. “What did you mean let me go?”

Leo carried on walking.

“Leo,” she called and he turned sharply.

“What?”

“What did you mean about letting me go?” she asked again, not moving.

His sigh was audible. “If you don’t love me, then there’s no reason to stick around. If it’s not all been about timing and denial then I’ll provide for our child but I’ll never get in touch again.”

She stood stock still, all blood draining from her face until she was deathly pale. But she shook herself and continued to follow him to her car, still pale and suddenly very cold, even though it was nearly 70 degrees. "Okay," she said as nonchalantly as she could as she buckled Jeanie into her car seat and slid a pacifier into her mouth. She climbed into the front passenger seat and struggled with the seatbelt for a moment before bursting into tears and slamming her fist onto the dashboard.

“CJ?” Leo said softly, trying to resist the urge to comfort her. “Damn, I didn’t mean to make you cry.”

The sobbing became louder as CJ covered her face with her hands and let it all go.

“Five little duckies went swimming one day, over the hill and far away.”

“What are you doing?” CJ asked, peeking out from behind her hand.

“I didn’t want Jeanie to start crying,” he offered, receiving a grin from his daughter. “I don’t like it when my girls cry.”

“Mallory still jumping from man to man?”

He nodded, “but she wasn’t one of the girls I was referring to. I’m sorry if I said the wrong thing. When we get to the house I’ll call a cab and check into a hotel.”

"No, don't do that," CJ said, sniffing miserably. "You didn't make me cry," she said, wiping her nose with some Kleenex she had retrieved from the glove compartment. "I'm suffering post partnum depression," she explained. "It wasn't too bad at first, but now it's.... it's impairing my ability to function, and even Toby's getting worried. That's probably why he called you." She shrugged and began to cry again.

“I called him,” Leo lied softly. “He just offered the couch. Have you been to a doctor? Are you taking pills? Should I plan on staying longer to help with Jeanie?”

Okay, so everything he’d decided in his brain, his confused little brain, was going out the window. Stay two weeks, spend time with Jeanie, and if she wasn’t interested, leave. That had been the plan. Now he was offering to stay indefinitely. If only she’d stop crying maybe he’d think rationally again.

If anything, his unconditional support made her feel worse. Her tears came harder and faster, and soon she was sobbing and hiccupping just like Jeanie did when she threw a middle-of-the-night tantrum about going back to the crib. She finally managed to splutter, "My doctor says I'll be okay soon... and I can't take pills until Jeanie's on a bottle, but she doesn't want to take a bottle, and..." She threw her hands up in despair. "I'm not a good mother."

“You’re a great mother. Think of all the times in the West Wing when you’ve taken care of all of us. And Jeanie’s happy, thriving even.” Leo started to rub her back in small circles. “These things take time.”

CJ stiffened at his touch and stopped sobbing abruptly. “Leo?”

“CJ?”

“That isn’t helping.”

Leo’s hand continued in its circular motion. “Oh, I don’t know, if it wasn’t for the brake, you’d be in my lap right now.”

"That's not funny," she mumbled, pulling away and fumbling with the seatbelt again until she got it fastened correctly. "I really do need a nap..."

"You really do," Leo agreed softly, reaching over to rub her thigh gently.

Jeanie shrieked and spit the pacifier into the back window. She watched it sitting up on the ledge, staring back at her, at once awed by the fact that she had spat something THAT FAR, and also upset that she had spat it THAT FAR because now she couldn't have it. Her face crumpled and she opened her mouth the let out an angry screech like a banshee with PMS.

Leo extracted his hand from CJ’s thigh and looked at her dazed. “What’d I do?”

CJ glanced over her shoulder and groaned. “It’s not you. It’s the pacifier. I need to go get it.”

“Let me.” Leo climbed out the car and crawled into the backseat. “Well Ms. Cregg. That was silly. Daddy get it for you.” pushing it back into Jeanie’s mouth he kissed her lightly on the forehead. “Now I’m going to take you and mommy home so you can take a nap.”

He got the most disgusted look out of his daughter at the very mention of the "n" word. "Oh, cheer up," Leo said, brushing at her wispy hair with his fingertips, "I'll still be here when you wake up."

"You'd better be," CJ said threateningly as he climbed back into the driver's seat.

The drive back to CJ's was quiet and uneventful, and he found out why when he parked. Both CJ and Jeanie had fallen asleep.

At least he hoped it was CJ’s house. The directions had been a little vague and it was only the Bartlet for America sticker in the window that made him park up.

Climbing out of the car, he walked around to the passenger side and opened the door. Gently he shook CJ’s shoulder. When that had no effect, he lightly kissed her forehead.

As CJ continued to sleep Leo watched her carefully, his hand straying to her face as he moved a strand of hair from her eyes. Without thinking he leaned down and covered her lips with her own.

Her hand came up to rest on the back of his neck, and her lips moved in time with his as she woke up. Eventually, they had to break for breath, and she stared at him sleepily, as if she couldn't believe that he was really there.

"You need to lie down," Leo said, blushing at what he had been ready to do.

“Yeah. What was that?”

Leo shrugged, not knowing how to explain it. Their first kiss, and she had been an unknowing, unwilling even, participant.

“LEO!”

He pressed two fingers to her mouth to silence her and motioned with his head that they should go inside.

"I have to get..."

"I've got her," Leo said very softly, ducking into the backseat to get Jeanie out of her car seat. Jeanie's little hand came up to swipe at her eyes and ended up knocking the pacifier out of her mouth and into Leo's jacket pocket. "Shh..." he said soothingly, following CJ into the house.

"She doesn't like her crib," CJ said softly, taking Jeanie out of his arms and walking over to the couch. She lay down and made herself comfortable, then lay Jeanie over her stomach, her head resting on her mother's breasts. CJ sighed softly and looked up at Leo. "She's very high maintenance -- loves to be touched, hates to be left alone," she explained. "Which is probably why I'm so tired."

“She’ll grow out of it. Mallory did. I slept on my own until Mal was six months old,” he smiled at the memory. “I can take her if you want to sleep.”

“It’s fine, really.” CJ stroked Jeanie’s hair and kissed her crown. “Go and orientate yourself with the house. Freshen up. Make the calls you need to make,” she added, grinning. “Margaret will be waiting.”

"Margaret knows I won't be calling until tomorrow," he said with a lop-sided grin. "She made that decision -- she seems to think we should have a thing and get over our initial reluctance."

"I think Margaret should take a few pills," CJ mumbled sleepily, closing her eyes. "But make yourself....at....home....." She yawned and slid her head a little further down the couch cushion to get comfortable.

Leo watched them -- his girls. Now he had to come up with some way to keep them.

An hour later CJ was still sound asleep and Toby had yet to return. Leo headed out onto the deck and stared at the view. Not that he took in much, his thoughts drifted to CJ. He loved her and, as of four months ago, she loved him. Simple. Yet they didn’t seem any closer to trying this thing. He couldn’t believe that she was the wrong person, this was the wrong time anymore. If it was ever going to happen it had to be now.

A little mewling noise came out the door from Jeanie, who had lifted herself up a little on her small arms and was looking around for someone who could possibly change her diaper, since mommy was still sleeping. She opened her mouth and made one loud cry that had Leo racing inside. He snagged her and took her to the back of the house to change her diaper in the master bedroom.

"You're gonna have to work with me, kiddo..." he said very quietly as he undid her wet diaper. "Things have changed since I played daddy last." He smiled down at Jeanie, who grinned up at him, waving her arms in the air.

CJ came into the doorway silently, her eyes misting over as she watched them love each other. She was happy that they got along so well, but it made her feel left out.

Leo lifted Jeanie in the air and groaned as the clean diaper fell to the floor. “Think mommy’ll mind if you go knickerless?”

Jeanie promptly peed all over the floor.

“Okay, so now I’m going to get into trouble.”

“You’re lucky it wasn’t worse,” CJ chuckled from the doorway. “Are you giving daddy . . .” She stopped at the sound for the first time and swallowed. “a hard time?”

“We’re fine. It’s my fault, I’m outta practice,” he explained, moving out of the way as CJ cleaned up the mess and got Jeanie into a fresh diaper.

“We need to talk,” CJ admitted, lifting Jeanie to her hip. “She likes to lay on her rug with her mobile.”

Leo nodded and followed her into the living room. CJ had a flannel blanket on the floor and she laid Jeanie onto it. "Just a second, sweetie," she said softly when Jeanie began to protest, and put the mobile out. "There you go, sweetness," CJ whispered, making sure Jeanie was settled before she moved to the couch.

"You want to talk," Leo said softly. "About us."

"Yes."

“Okay,” he said hesitantly.

“Well…” CJ’s hands began moving through the air at a frightening speed as she tried to find the words. Folding them in her lap only managed to still them for a matter of seconds.

“Let me try. You loved me, but you don’t anymore,” he offered, his voice barely above a whisper. “So can we go back to being just friends.”

“Is that what you want?”

"NO, it's NOT what I want, but if you want it, I have to bow to your wishes..." he said, his hands waving wildly. "You're the one with the baby, you know..."

"Don't take that tone with me," CJ said, injured. "All I asked was if that was what you wanted. Because I won't do anything without you."

Leo sighed and lowered his voice. “I love you. What I need to know is do you feel the same way?”

She nodded.

“CJ?” he asked, softly tilting her chin up with his fingertip. “I want to hear you say it.”

“I love you,” she smiled.

“That’s a start. Now at Christmas you gave me a long list of commitments and reasons to stay in LA. Do they still stand?”

"I was living in Bakersfield at the time," she said quietly. "I just came back here a few weeks ago..."

"You know what I meant," Leo said softly.

"Some of them still stand, but I think I could break a few of them..."

“I have a few of my own commitments, “ he mumbled. “The apartment I can sell. And I can always fly to Concord when needed. That leaves Mallory and Margaret.”

“Oh?” CJ asked, a bit bewildered by how businesslike it was becoming.

“I want all the cards on the table before we discuss trying this. Mallory is pretty settled in DC. I’ll need to buy a place here for when she comes to visit, but that’s for later. Margaret, on the other hand, comes with me.”

Jeanie stared up at them, worry lines forming around her eyes as her face crunched up.

"Leo, this is... it's like you're saying... We have to do this, this and this, to even start a relationship -- well, sorry. The baby came first and the relationship comes later. Margaret is welcome here, you know that -- hell, she and Jeanie can share a room. But it's putting the bathwater before the baby, don't you think?"

“I’m not saying this very well.” He took a deep breath. “I’m willing to move my life here if you want to give us a go. What I’m trying to say is that I’m serious, committed, and I think we can make this work.” He lapsed into silence as he watched his daughter’s face.

"It's going to take more than a kiss in a car to convince me that it's going to work," she said, not meaning to sound snappish.

"I know," Leo said, covering her hand with his. "So should I unpack to sleep on the couch, or what?"

"Whatever you want."

“Your bedroom’s at the top of the stairs?” he asked, stifling his grin. “I’ll just drop my stuff in there.”

“LEO!”

He grinned down at her and shrugged. “I thought if a kiss wouldn’t do it maybe one of my other talents might.”

She shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Sex isn't everything." She glanced down at Jeanie, who was now on her belly instead of her back. "Holy... did... wasn't she just..."

"What?" Leo asked, looking down.

"She was just on her back -- I put her down on her back," CJ spluttered. Jeanie looked up at her and blew spit bubbles.

“We’re gonna have trouble with that one,” Leo smirked, watching as Jeanie tried to roll over on to her back.

“She’s never done that before.”

“It’s the independent streak she inherits from you.” He turned back to look at CJ. “Am I allowed to take you to a proper restaurant? With cutlery and napkins?”

"I can't leave her alone," CJ protested. "And Toby's not..."

"It'll be fine," Leo assured her.

"Toby went off to drink, didn't he?" she sighed, looking down at Jeanie, suddenly terrified at the idea of leaving her with anyone.

"Something like that," Leo confirmed.

"I'll go to a proper restaurant as long as we can take Jeanie, and as long as I can wear something that's not dressy. I'm still a bit paunchy," she sighed.

"Let me look," Leo said suggestively, waggling his eyebrows.

“Have you been taking dating advice from Josh?” she teased.

“It worked for him.” Leo shook his head. “We could order in. You have candles and crockery right? You don’t live on TV dinners completely.”

“Hey,” she protested.

"I was kidding..."

"We use paper plates," CJ said. "Saves on dishwashing detergent -- every penny counts around here right now."

"I'll buy you anything you need," Leo promised.

"How about a high chair that doesn't collapse?" CJ lamented with a sigh. "I can't put Jeanie in the one I have, because the legs go right out from under it and... What are you looking at me like that for?"

"I think you're a wonderful mother," he said softly, leaning in for a gentle kiss. "You always try to keep her happy..." Another kiss. "And safe..." A deeper kiss. "And you love her very much."

Jeanie spluttered and when she couldn't roll back over onto her back began to cry.

Leo crouched down and scooped her up in his arms. Stepping back to CJ he gave each of his girls a light kiss.

“And I can’t imagine spending my life without either of you,” he added, spinning around with Jeanie gurgling.

“If this doesn’t work out . . .” she started to say but he interrupted her.

“Ye of little faith. We’re Soul Mates, meant to be and all.”

"Just because we're meant to be doesn't mean this will be easy," she said.

"Well, no kidding -- but what do you say we have a fling first and just test the waters...?"

CJ pursed her lips. "Leo, the baby..."

"Yeah, what about her?"

"No one is here to watch her -- isn't it a bad time for a fling thing?"

"No -- we let her have her own little space on the mattress and join in," Leo teased with a grin.

"LEO!"

“Seriously, anything I have with you, will never be just a fling. A wild ride maybe.” Leo moved Jeanie to his hip. “Now, why don’t you take my wallet and go shopping. Jeanie and I are going to get better acquainted.”

"Go shopping for what?" she asked, her brow creasing.

"Anything you want -- the platinum cards have about a $300,000 limit each, and the gold have about $50,000..."

"My God, Leo, what do you think I'm buying -- the Franklin Mint?"

"Whatever you want," he assured her.

"Can you change her diapers?"

"Yeah."

"Can you play with her?"

"Yeah..."

"Can you get her to take a bottle?"

"Uh..."

"Didn't think so -- c'mere, Munchkin, it's snack time," CJ said, unbuttoning her sweater.

“I’ll be in the other room writing you a list. Crockery, glasses, candles, flowers and whatever you need for Jeanie. If you go to the grocery store I’ll cook,” he added, grinning.

“You don’t have to stock my house Leo,” CJ sighed, raising Jeanie to her breast.

“Think of it as maintenance. Besides I’m not suggesting you go to Rodeo Drive. I want to do something nice for you.”

CJ gazed up at him, in surprise. “You’re really serious about this?”

"Yes, CJ, I am serious about this -- you've given me a child... the least I can do is give you things to ease yourself into the comfort of raising the... oh, whatever. I love you, I want you to be happy -- go max a card, will ya?"

"You never were good at the emotional things, were you?" she joked, leaning down to kiss her daughter's forehead.

“No.” His answer sounded so sad that CJ turned to look up at him.

As she turned Leo cupped her face in his hands and kissed her gently on the lips. “But then I didn’t have you,” he whispered, kissing her again. “And now the words I love you seem so natural. How’s that for corny?”

"And yet you want me to max one of your credit cards," she joked, kissing him back. It was natural, no awkwardness and she was thankful that he wasn't pushing too hard.

"You're looking down my sweater," she joked lamely when they broke for air.

"It's open," Leo said with a grin.

"So's my heart," she whispered.

“I like the sound of that,” he whispered back. “Want me to come shopping with you?”

“The ultimate sacrifice?” she grinned.

“No, I just don’t want to let you out of my sight.”

"What, you're afraid I will max your cards?" CJ asked with a grin.

"No -- I just don't want to let you out of my sight," Leo said softly. "I don't want to lose you again."

“I don’t think you ever did. Somewhere out there is a force that keeps bringing us back together.” CJ grinned, “Of course there’s also the saying the family that shops together stays together.”

"Shopping is good..." Leo glanced down at her cleavage again and grinned as he reached down to rub Jeanie's forehead. "CJ, I hate to sound... rude... but is there another reason you're so close to Jeanie? I mean, this seems to be deeper than just..."

"I almost died," CJ sighed. She hadn't told anyone except Toby, who already knew. To everyone else, it was a healthy happy delivery. "She was breech and the labor had progressed too quickly... She was stuck and they had to put me completely under to do the c-section... I almost died. I've got to make her life count for something," CJ said. "Which also, y'know, explains the..."

"The depression," Leo supplied quietly. "Claudia, why didn't you tell me? Or someone -- anyone?"

"Because I didn't want to seem weak."

“I’ve never seen you as weak. You scare the crap outta me most of the time,” he admitted. “From now on you have to tell me these things.”

“So you can get all overprotective?”

“No. So I can share your life,” he said quietly.

"Right now, I just want someone to hold me," CJ confessed softly. "I don't need a shiny new credit card or an overly-protective best friend... I just need someone to hold me," CJ whispered. "And Jeanie doesn't count, because she can't do much else."

“Come on,” he whispered reaching for her hand. “I might not be able to give you a romantic dinner but I can hold you.”

“And Jeanie?” she asked, rising to her feet.

“Both of you.”

Gently CJ entwined her fingers with his and allowed him to lead her upstairs to the bedroom.

Softly Leo took their daughter from CJ’s arms and placed her on one side of the bed, before crawling up next to her. Rolling onto his back Leo held out an arm for CJ and tapped the pillow.

CJ kicked off her pumps and nestled up against Leo’s chest. Closing her eyes CJ smiled as she felt him pull her closer.

"Leo McGarry, family man," CJ murmured.

"I have two good reasons to become a family man," Leo replied, using his other arm to catch Jeanie before she rolled off the bed. "She's getting good at this rolling thing..."

"Wow, look at the charming scene of domesticity," Toby quipped from the doorway. "You guys figure this out?"

"Maybe..." CJ said, never opening her eyes.

"You need me to stay and mediate?"

"Probably," Leo said.

"I'll take this little turkey so you two can... ahem..." Toby said.

“No,” Leo said, before CJ could. “She’s fine here with us. You go watch CNN or something.”

“You sure?” Toby growled, thrusting his hands in his pockets, and feeling suddenly left out.

“Yeah. I’m not sure I want to let her go yet.”

"Which her?" CJ asked with a content smile.

"Either her -- now, Jeanie, you stay right here... no rolling off the... CJ, can you move so I can... thanks." Leo grabbed Jeanie and hauled her back onto the bed. "Okay, CJ, this bed needs bungee cords now."

“We’ve got it all to come yet. Loud music, climbing down drainpipes, slamming doors and first boyfriends. It’s gonna take more than bungee cords to keep us together,” she laughed, sitting up and moving Jeanie to lay between them.

Leo shrugged and rolled on to his side. Wrapping his arm around both of them and pressing his forehead to CJ’s he whispered, “I’ve done it once I can do it again.”

Toby slipped out of the room, silently. As he closed the door on them he wondered briefly when it was that fate had intervened and decided it wasn’t him CJ should be with.

The End

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