Okay so this started off because of an idea I rustled up as a one-shot a while back but I'm going to make it a story. I have this chapter and a later chapter (aforementioned one-shot) so far but I don't know yet how I'll progress to that so be patient with me. As usual, enjoy!
Edit: I discovered that You and I by Lady Gaga is the perfect song for this fic; it actually creeped me out because I came across the lyrics looking for another song. Anyway, the lyrics in italics now at the beginning of each chapter are from that song, which of course I do not own.
Part 1: Back in Town
It's been a long time since I came around
Been a long time but I'm back in town
Toby unlocked the door to his apartment and walked in, throwing his keys in their reserved dish and slamming his briefcase down on the couch. The sudden ringing of the phone caused him to jump slightly, he hated the shrill beeping. He made his way to the table where it sat and picked up the phone.
"Hello?" he answered monotonously.
"I almost hung up on you y'know, waiting about forever here." the irritated voice of CJ Cregg spilled into his ear.
"I just got home." he told her.
"Okay, Tobus." her voice was sarcastic but softer.
"How are you CJ?" he asked, his tone just slightly perkier.
"I got fired!" she complained, "apparently I'm too much of a smart-ass for Hollywood."
"Well you are." he told her.
"Yeah, whatever." she paused. "I'm in New York."
"Really?" he tried to hide his excitement.
"Yeah, my Emily's List contact told me of this guy running for mayor and I said I'd help out."
"Simpson?"
She sighed. "Nah, Geller."
"My money's on Simpson." he said casually.
"You've never won an election, plus Simpson's great on women's issues, so I'll take my chances." she teased.
He ignored her dig. "So you're in New York?"
"I am, Pokey. Can I see you?"
He tried to think of somewhere she hadn't been before. "Sure. You know Barry's on 28th?"
She hummed for a bit before replying. "No. I can find it."
"Can you meet me there in 40 minutes?"
"Yeah okay, you bringing Andi?" he winced at her name.
"Uhm, no. She's still at the office."
"Oh okay, see ya soon Pokey!" she hung up the phone before he could say bye.
Toby showered and changed into something more casual. He looked at his watch and realised he still had 20 minutes to spare before he left. Not wanting to hang about in his apartment much longer, he wrote a quick note for Andi - "Gone out", and headed out to the bar to meet CJ.
Walking along in the warm September air, he was grateful he hadn't brought a jacket. He didn't really know why he was nervous to see her, she was the one person around whom he wasn't nervous. He'd started frequenting Barry's more and more recently, especially since Andi would come home at stupid hours now that her campaign was at full-speed. It was a quiet, comfortable bar where the barstaff knew when to leave you alone, so it was good enough for Toby.
He reached Barry's and walked in to find CJ already perched on a bar stool, a nearly empty Grasshopper in her hands.
"You're early." he pointed out as he sat beside her.
"So are you." she countered before pulling him into her arms. "I've missed you, Toby." He shivered at her breath on his neck.
"I've missed you too." he pulled away and attracted the attention of a bartender. "Jack Daniels, rocks. Please."
Toby turned to face CJ. "So what did you really do to get fired? Were you stealing?"
She took a sip before starting, "One of our clients dropped 10 places on a most influential list and apparently it was my fault." she waved her hand about airily, completely detached from the topic at hand.
"You belong in politics, Ceej. I don't know what you were doing there anyway." he took a sip of his scotch and savoured the warmth as it trickled down his throat.
"It paid well, I was going to buy a pool." she told him over the rim of her glass, other finger pointed.
"You'd only fall into it anyway." he sniggered, earning a shove in the arm.
"That was one time, Tobus." she snapped and he chuckled softly.
"You're clumsy as hell though."
"I can hold myself with the best of them." she said defensively before ordering another drink, martini this time.
"Should you mix your drinks?" he wondered.
"I had one grasshopper, I really don't think it'll kill me." she replied, taking a sip of the new drink.
"Okay, okay. I'm not carrying your too-drunk-to-walk-straight ass home though." he told her.
"Oh how I can always rely on you." she deadpanned before sitting up slightly, "How's Andi?"
He didn't really want to talk about Andi. "She's good. We're not." he said simply.
"What?" he didn't know why CJ seemed so shocked.
"We're going through a bit of a rough patch." Toby explained and CJ gestured at him to continue. "We're always arguing, nothing new. It's just worse."
"Oh I'm sorry Toby, I didn't realise." she patted his arm. "How's her campaign?"
"She doesn't want me involved, I mean why the hell wouldn't you want your husband involved? Especially when the Maryland 5th wouldn't elect a single female Democrat, she knows that. She's practically using me for the picture of domesticity."
She looked at him sadly, he hated her pity. "Wow, is she sleeping with her campaign manager or something?" CJ joked but then realised she'd hit a nerve. "Don't tell me she's sleeping with her campaign manager."
"I wouldn't put it past her." he said into his drink.
"Are things that bad?" CJ tried to meet his gaze but he just nodded at her before downing the rest of his drink.
"Come on, let's move to a booth." he ordered another drink and allowed her to drag him by the hand to a quiet booth in the back corner of the bar.