Post 'In Excelsis Deo'

"You're thinking about Lowell Lydel?" Danny indicated the direction of the restaurant and fell instep beside her.

"Yeah." CJ said.

"You want me to talk you into it or change the subject?

She smiled.

"I wasn't thinking about that."

He waited.

"These things happen all the time. Maybe not to the same degree, but I was just thinking that so few get any kind of acknowledgement or media coverage and I'm disgusted, and relieved, at the same time."

"Disgusted because?"

"He has to very nearly die."

"And relieved cause you'd rather not know."

She didn't answer.

"That's natural CJ."

"It's selfish. I wish I didn't know because it won't get out of my head. Surely this is important enough to have space in my head."

"CJ…"

"I know." She marched on.

He jogged to catch up. "Listen to me. You're not selfish or you'd never even ask this. There's only so much room in your head and you know I think pretty highly of you. I'm not saying your limited in that department."

She smiled. "Don't flatter me Danny."

"Okay."

She shook her head. "What I think about doesn't only affect me. I have influence. If I don't think about something because I don't like the way it makes me feel then…"

"Then you can sleep at night and be on your game like you have to be the next day."

She sighed. "Don't you know a million things you wish you didn't?"

"Yeah, and I know what you're talking about. I do." He stopped walking, nodding at the warm-lit window of a Thai restaurant. "You're being too hard on yourself. I'm changing the subject now. Do you like seafood?" He pushed the door open and she went inside, invited by warmth and spices.

"Sure. Though I'm not an eye balls and tentacles girl."

He grinned, "You're a flamingo."

"I am."

They sat in a corner table at the back, near the kitchen.

"Do you ever just want to get a job that doesn't take over your whole life?" She watched a waiter balance five plates on one arm, shaking her head.

"I love my job." Danny followed her gaze, "And I don't have that particular talent."

"I'm sure it can be learned. No one's born balancing flatware."

"Are you recommending I switch careers?"

"Well," She raised her eyebrows at him.

"It would answer most of your ridiculous list."

"It would."

"You want to see the wine list?" He handed her the menu and she looked down the line.

"Let me ask you something."

"Fire." She didn't look up from the wine selection.

"If I say 'off the record', you trust me right?"

"Sure."

"So what's the problem?"

"I think I'll try the viogner."

He waited.

"What if you don't say off the record?" She put the list down on the table between them. "What if I let something slip just telling you about my day, or-"

"You think I'd take advantage of that?"

The waiter arrived and took their orders. When he left again CJ found her attention arrested by him staring at her, demanding an answer.

"It's your job to take advantage of that. You have to have access. You have to use your sources, find the news, print the story."

"Thanks for the job description."

"Danny…"

"CJ, there's a line. We both know where it is. We won't cross it on accident."

"What about on purpose?"

"It won't happen."

"Yes it will."

"It won't."

"I will have to lie to you. That's only going to get harder to do."

"So don't call on me when you know you've got to lie."

"I'll be counting how many times I call on you, wary not to play favourites. Or the opposite."

"You already do that." He shrugged.

"What?"

"No," he smiled, "I'm kidding. CJ, I'm just flirting with you."

She shook her head.

"We have writers. We need good writers. You could get a job at the Whitehouse."

"I don't think you can offer me that job but – I'm a reporter. It's what I do. It's what I'm good at and…" he sighed and ran his hand through his hair, "I'm touched you want to find a way for this to work but I think you'll just have to wing it."

"Are you referring to my secret service name?"

Their drinks arrived. CJ lifted her glass, "To… whatever the hell this is."

He smiled, drank, rested his glass on the table, "So, what are you doing for Christmas?"

"Going to my Dad's."

He nodded. "You two close?"

She shrugged, nodding without great conviction. "My step mother doesn't like me."

"Step mothers do have a tough rep."

"She's okay, she just doesn't like me."

"Okay."

"She was my high school English teacher."

"At least she can brag about your successes."

"I doubt it, but it's fine. I haven't seen Dad in too long. I'll only be there two days so we can hardly get sick of each other."

"I can go about forty five minutes before my sisters start to get on my nerves."

"I'll be you get on their nerves faster than that."

"I've had years to perfect the art."

"Explains some things."

He smiled cheekily.

"Are you spending Christmas with family?"

He nodded. "I have one sister in town. She has a whole brood, plus a brooding husband."

"You don't like him?"

"Let's just say he has nothing like your excuse to get down about the world."

"Sure he does – read a newspaper."

"I should do that sometime I guess."

Dinner arrived: a steaming bowl of rice between them and individual curries.

"So, the seafood is the thing to have here?" CJ scooped rice onto her plate and handed him the spoon.

He shrugged. "Not particularly. It's all good so far as I've got down the menu yet."

"Why'd you ask if I liked seafood?"

"I was changing the subject, with great tact and subtlety, turns out."

"Away from the subject of our business dinner?"

"Okay."

"You really oppose hate crime legislation?"

"Crime's a crime."

"Okay, but discrimination isn't always criminal. Fuelled by hate and surely worth opposing nonetheless."

"I'm not endorsing discrimination."

"So you agree there should be a penalty for the motivation behind a crime?"

"I might agree we need to look at laws against discrimination but you don't go far before butting heads with the constitution."

"The beginning of the end."

"I usually don't win these arguments that easily."

"Long day."

"Half day."

She smiled and took another bite of curry.

"Is it good?" he pointed his fork her way.

"Yeah, you want to try?"

"You don't mind?"

"Course not." She nudged her plate his way and he offered his plate in response.

"What is that?" She asked, mouth full of his dinner.

"Just satay."

"No 'just' about it. That's good satay."

"Not bad for a business dinner then?"

"Almost good enough for a date." She bit her tongue too late.

"Shame I brought my notebook."

"Shame you've been off the record this whole time."

"I'll get past it."

"Okay."

They ate for a while, commenting on flavours and recommending other restaurants, till their plates were empty and hungers sated.

"I have an early flight tomorrow." CJ lifted her jacket from the back of her seat and shrugged it on.

"Want me to walk you back to your car?"

She looked at him a moment before answering, relieved to see no hint of expectation in his eyes. For that second she could believe he didn't want anything more out of the evening than she did. "Sure."

When they stopped at her car she looked again. There was no denying he wanted more. "Danny…" she warned.

"Don't worry. I'll leave it be."

She stopped, not sure she was happy to hear it. "Okay."

"Don't get me wrong. I'm not giving up. But I'll take my foot off the gas. You want time? I can do that."

She smiled.

"I'm patient guy. I hope you're not laughing at me. I took you to a very nice restaurant, one I'm hoping doesn't get too popular, one I wouldn't share around with just anyone."

"I'll try to keep the secret."

"Good."

"Okay then."

"Thanks for dinner."

"Not a problem."

"Sorry I didn't give you a quote."

"I'm not."

She smiled, turned, and walked away.