TITLE: "Don't Argue With Daddy" (1/
AUTHOR: Cindy ()
RATING: AA
CHARACTERS: Toby and the gang
SUMMARY: The Boys take a trip to Sunny Florida
POV: Toby
TIMEFRAME: Continues from "Pass the Piper"
***One***
I had just finished my fourth meeting of the day when Leo had called me into his office. When I arrived I was joined by Josh and Sam. We did the 'hey how are ya' routine and then Leo got down to business.
"The President needs representation down in Orlando. A few members of congress seem to be getting cold feet regarding the Oil Bill and I don't need to tell you how much we need this."
"Why is Florida dragging their heels. You'd think it would be Texas?"
"I don't know Sam. Sometimes I hate politics. But regardless we need to get this fixed and that's why I am sending you three."
"Cool," was Sam's answer.
"Can I bring Donna?"
"Josh for all I care you can bring your mother. I want this to look natural."
"And you think having Josh and his mother would do that?" I joked.
"We don't want it to look as though we are bombarding them. It's to be a casual visit."
"Since when do three members of the White House take a trip together in Florida?"
"You could be visiting your sick grandmother Toby. I don't really care what you come up with."
"Despite everyone's belief not all grandmothers are on the Golden Girls Leo. Besides my Nana passed away years ago."
"I'm sorry to hear that Toby."
"You had a nana?" Josh looked at me funny.
Defensively I answered, "Yes."
"Me too." Great, now I actually have something in common with Josh Lyman. Can this day get any better?
"Leo," Sam began and then hesitated. "You don't want us to bombard them, but that's exactly what we are doing though right?"
Leo nodded his head. "Okay, just making sure."
"I suggest you guys go home and get packing. You will be leaving tomorrow and you will be going down on Air Force One. The President has ordered this."
"We can't take that plane for personal reasons Leo."
"This isn't personal. This is strategic. We're just making it look personal on the inside. Besides the President will be joining you as well."
"Well I guess I should go and tell CJ. She will be so excited."
"CJ can't go with you Toby."
"Why not?"
"She's pregnant. She can't be flying around."
I looked at Josh and Sam and we all smiled. "This is the best news I've had all week. I get to go away and CJ can't blame me for it."
"Married life must be great," Josh teased before he left Leo's office.
***CJ's office***
When I came to CJ's office she wasn't alone. Abbey was there giving her a minor exam. "Is everything alright?"
"Yes Toby. I'm just checking her over. I tend to do that here and now when CJ lets me."
CJ stood up and I went over and gave her a kiss. "Why are you looking all happy?"
I guess it was that noticeable. "I am? Hmm, I didn't realize I was."
"Well?" CJ placed her hands on her hips waiting for my response.
"The President is sending a few of us down to Orlando for some business."
CJ looked at me with a slight glare. "And?"
"And what?"
"Since when do you get excited about being sent away Toby? You hate Orlando."
"Because he's not going alone. Dumb and Dumber are going with him," Abbey chimed in.
Now CJ understood. She smiled. "I see. So you're excited because you and the other Stooges get to have a mini vacation while the rest of us are freezing our fat asses back here."
Abbey took a quick glance at her behind. "CJ, don't say the rest of us okay sweetie. I've already got a complex because I've got too much junk in my trunk."
They laughed and I pretended to be somewhat interested. I didn't care. I was going to sunny Orlando. "You know Jed did mention how he wanted it to look as if you guys were actually on vacation rather than business." What was Abbey getting at?
I cleared my throat. "Yes, Leo mentioned something like that."
"Well I mean I'm not CJ," no you're not and God if you're listening, Thank you! Abbey continued, "But if I were, I would send Piper down to keep you boys in line."
CJ turned to look at Abbey and then back to me. "That's not a bad idea."
Is she kidding me? "CJ, that's a bad idea. We're gong to be busy."
"With what? Babe watching?"
"CJ. You know that I only have eyes for you and-"
"Then taking Piper shouldn't be a problem then right?" Say no, Say no.
"Right," I answered. My God where has my spine crawled off to this time?
"Good. It
's settled then. Piper will go with you to Orlando," CJ turned to Abbey. "Do you feel like shopping, because I feel like shopping."
"Oh I feel like shopping," Abbey agreed.
"Fine! Then let's go shopping," CJ gave me a kiss on the cheek and as Abbey walked past she too gave me a kiss on the same cheek. They left me standing alone in CJ's office. What just happened?
***Sam's office***
"What the hell happened?" Josh screamed.
"I lost that's what happened."
"How?" Josh rubbed his hands against his face. "Toby how did you let this happen?"
"It wasn't like I didn't try to stop it Josh. But she had Abbey." I left it like that hoping they would accept that as a reasonable explanation. They didn't.
"You have to fix this Toby. The three of us can't go down to Florida with a kid. Especially, especially not yours. With our luck she'll have us arrested and only God knows what else."
"She can't get us arrested Josh," Sam finally spoke up.
"Sam. I don't put anything past that (pause) adorable little girl." Josh was looking at me when he finished his statement.
"Now, you go back to your office, pick up your spine and find CJ and tell her who the boss is. Don't take no for an answer buddy," Josh turned me around and gave me a shove out the door. "Good luck."
Looking back I said, "You're right. Who the hell does she think she is telling me what to do? I'm a grown man. I can make my own decisions. And if she doesn't like it that's just too bad."
"That's the spirit Toby," Sam cheered me on.
Josh mumbled, "We're so screwed."
I left to get my spine. If only I could recall where CJ placed it the day we got married.
***Two***
My luggage was safely tucked away and I took my seat beside Sam. "Bartlet said we'll be leaving shortly. I hear Donna chose the movie for us too. That should be interesting. I bet it's some musical that even the Director is embarrassed of."
Sam didn't respond he just made a few different facial expressions and listened. "Boy I can't wait to sit out on the beach that's for sure. This weather is ridiculous. It's so bloody cold."
"You know what I never did congratulate you on your standing up to CJ. That must have been some show," Sam finally said.
I shrugged my shoulders. "No big deal really. I just went in firm."
"Daddy look." I tried to ignore the voice calling out for me. I glanced at Sam who was grinning.
"You went in firm but you came out weaker," he teased.
"Maybe if I close my eyes she'll go away."
"Daddy! Look."
Finally against my better judgment I looked over at Piper. She was waving her own set of headphones for the movie. "That's nice sweetie. Now practice your quiet time."
"Nana Abbey said there's no such thing as quiet time."
"Nana Abbey lied."
"No she didn't."
"Piper! Don't argue with Daddy."
"You keep on arguing with your grumpy old man princess," I looked up and there was the President giving my daughter permission to bug me.
"Ah Sir. If you don't mind I was kind of hoping for some quiet time on this trip."
"If Nana Abbey says there's no such thing. Then there's no such thing. Now, what kind of crap movie has Donna chosen for us this beautiful morning?" The President took a seat among us. Something he does when there isn't too many people traveling together.
"Where's Josh?" Sam inquired looking around.
"Josh had a bad experience with a bran muffin," Bartlet answered not looking up from the booklet he was reading.
"There's muffins?" Sam asked excited.
I closed my eyes. This was going to be a bad nightmare I could already feel it.
After we landed, taxied to the hotel and organized our luggage's the President handed us an itinerary. "This is where they hang around.. Go unpack, eat, do whatever it is you do and then I want you to roam around the area getting a feel for the place."
"Are you going to be with us Sir?" Sam asked.
"Heaven's no. I'm going golfing with the Ambassador to Spain."
"Sure you get the fun jobs. Meanwhile we have to hang around building sandcastles waiting for some old fogies to come around," Josh stated covering his eyes from the sun.
"These old fogies you mentioned Josh, they are younger than me. So if I were you I'd start with maybe burying my big mouth in the sand. That will keep you atleast occupied for the duration of this trip while Sam and Toby bring the job home." Bartlet waved his booklet in front of us and walked away towards Piper.
Piper was standing by herself looking like a huge eyesore if you ask me. CJ dressed her in a glowing yellow short outfit and running shoes that had red lights flashing. To cover her eyes she wore sunglasses decorated with plastic Winnie the Pooh characters on either side. They stuck out and the glasses were far too large for her small face.
Recently she celebrated her fourth birthday on Christmas. Now talk about a day from hell. I made the mistake of mentioning how she wanted a puppy and both Sam and Josh arrive Christmas morning with puppies under their arms. Now I have a black Labrador retriever named Crikey and a black and white Sheltie named Barbie.
Piper's latest obsession has become the guy from Crocodile Hunter. For weeks she has been walking around saying crikey, a word that he apparently uses often. If I ever get my hands on that guy I'd give him something new to wrestle with. My foot up his ass.
"Shall we go up to our rooms?" Sam suggested knocking me out of trip down memory lane.
"Yeah I guess. Piper, let's go."
"My bag is too heavy."
"I told you not to bring so much garbage," I replied waiting for her to come to me.
"I didn't bring garbage."
"You didn't need to bring so many toys Piper. We're going to spend a lot of time outside," I grabbed her bag and threw it over my shoulder.
"I need that stuff."
"You don't need 9 different Barbie's Piper. Nobody needs that many."
"But what if Barbie number one was sleeping. I can't just wake her. That's rude Daddy. So this way I gets to bring Barbie number 2."
"Whatever. Take Uncle Josh's hand."
"I don't need to hold anybody's hands. I'm four now."
"Don't argue with Daddy Piper please? We're in a new city and I don't want you wandering around on your own. Now take his hand."
Josh was waiting with his hand out for Piper to take. Reluctantly she took it. We began our trek through the lobby of the hotel and went to the front desk to check in. "I have to pee Daddy," Piper whimpered.
"Just hold on sweetie. Daddy's got to check us in first."
"But I's got to go now." I glanced down at Piper who was holding herself and dancing about on her feet.
"Piper don't do that," I whispered.
"But I's got to hold it in. I've got to go Daddy."
The girl behind the desk smiled. "The washrooms are on the second floor Mr. Ziegler."
Sam finished checking in and offered to take Piper. "I can't go with you. You're a boy."
"Go with Uncle Sam Piper. It's okay."
"But he's a boy."
"Actually I prefer the term man," Sam said to himself if not anyone else in particular.
"There's no difference than if you went with me Piper." She considered this and then finally left with Sam.
I turned back to the woman behind the desk. Her nametag read Gloria. "Kids," I said.
Gloria smiled and completed the finalization of my registration. She handed me the card to my room. "Doesn't anyone use keys anymore?" I asked as I accepted the card from her.
"I guess not Mr. Ziegler. Enjoy your stay."
I smiled back and walked further into the lobby to wait for Sam and Piper to return. Josh came over a few seconds later. "Are you settled?"
"As settled as I'm going to be. I'm in room 606 how about you?"
"Sam and I are in 605. Figures Leo puts us together. Anything to save a buck."
"It's not our buck Josh."
"Okay, can you like not be Tobyish while we're here. I intend to have some fun."
"Tobyish?"
"Yeah you know. Grumpy and sarcastic. Would it kill you to smile once in awhile?"
I pictured my hands grabbing Josh's throat and a huge smile sprung across my face. Josh smiled a bit and then grew worried. "Okay maybe it would," he replied.