From: Katie McNamara WENNfreak@y...
Date: Wed Jan 10, 2001 9:16pm
Subject: FANFIC: WORKING MOM
DISCLAIMER: These characters (except Christina Concannon) arent mine
they are the property of Aaron Sorkin and NBC.
WARNING: If you don't want CJ and Danny together TURN BACK NOW
NOTICE: This is part of my Christina series...it follows Daddy's Girl
and comes before A New Life
and remember I love comments!
Working Mom
By Katie McNamara
CJ opened her eyes and rolled slightly to look at the clock.
Five AM. She didn't have to be up for another two hours.
Then she remembered, it was Saturday.
CJ rolled to her back and smiled as she caught a glimpse of her
husband still asleep beside her. Danny awoke and stretched as CJ took
his hand in hers.
"Morning," he whispered in a slightly husky voice.
"Good morning."
"How long have you been up?" Danny asked as he leaned in to
give her a light kiss.
"Not long."
"I'm surprised you're not still asleep. Its Saturday, you
know."
CJ smiled at Danny and moved closer to him.
"Yeah I know."
"I was thinking maybe we should take Christina to the zoo
today. Just the three of us."
CJ smiled. "I think I like that idea."
"Good," Danny whispered as he leaned over her to kiss her.
"But I don't think I want to get up just yet.
"I think I like that idea even better," CJ said as they
started kissing.
Within a few moments the couple was interrupted by both the
phone and the sound of their two month old daughter Christina fussing
in the next room.
Danny groaned and rolled back to his own pillow.
"I'll go. You take care of that," he said gesturing toward the
ringing phone before stealing one more kiss.
CJ smiled as she watched Danny walk out of the room before
answering the phone on its third ring.
"Hello," she said in a slightly dreamy tone.
"Yeah, CJ. Its Leo. I need to you here in an hour."
"But Leo I've…," she started.
"No buts CJ, we need you down here as soon as possible."
CJ sighed in defeat. "OK what's going on?"
"I'll fill you in when you get here. I'll see you in an hour."
Quickly hanging up the phone with a loud thud CJ climbed out
of bed and began to dress as Danny re-entered the room carrying his
infant daughter in his arms.
"Hey what's going on?" Danny asked as he watched her rush
around the room.
"Leo called. He needs me to go in to work."
"What for? This is your day—"
"I know. But he says they need me there."
"Why? What's going on?"
"I don't know."
"Come on CJ, you can tell me. I'm not going to write anything,
I swear."
"No you idiot. I mean I don't know. Leo said he'd fill me in
when I got there."
"OK," Danny said understandingly. "You want me to get you
something to eat?"
"No. I'll eat something there."
"OK."
Adjusting the baby against his chest, Danny followed CJ into
the living room and watched as she pulled on her coat. Danny quieted
his daughter as she fussed quietly in his arms as CJ started to rush
past him.
"Hey," he whispered as he gently grabbed her arm with his free
hand before planting a light kiss on her lips.
After they parted CJ turned her gaze to her sleeping daughter
and brushed a gentle finger over the baby's cheek.
"I'm sorry sweetheart," she whispered.
Danny grasped his wife's finger and brought it to his lips.
"It's okay. She understands. And we love you very much."
CJ smiled. "Thank you. I love you both too."
Danny smiled and drew her close for a deep kiss before
watching her leave.
Two hours later found CJ busy at work on the phone.
"Okay. Thank you." CJ said with a hint of irritation in her
voice.
"How's it going?" Toby asked from the door.
CJ lifted her head from her hands and sat back in her chair.
"Well considering I could be at the zoo with my husband and
daughter instead of tracking down some moron with pictures of White
House staff…."
"I know," Toby interrupted. "If I had any say in it you
wouldn't be here."
CJ smiled weakly with a slight laugh. "Leo didn't seem to care
too much. And I know, he was just doing his job."
"Yeah," Toby said, his voice barely above a whisper. The two
sat in silence before Toby reached over to the desk and picked up a
photo CJ kept on her desk.
"She really is beautiful, CJ."
CJ smiled and glanced at the picture.
"So I've heard. It's all Danny ever talks about anymore."
"Well its not surprising he's a new dad with a new baby."
"I know. Its just I feel like I'm missing so much because of
this job. When I'm here I feel like I'm letting my daughter down, and
when I'm there sometimes I feel like I'm letting down the President
and Leo and—"
"CJ. Don't do this to yourself. You're a working mom now.
Just remind yourself in four months you're going to be able to be
there for her all the time, but in the meantime your doing the best
you can and she's happy and healthy, and on top of that, she's got the
most attentive father anyone could ask for."
CJ smiled. "Thanks Toby."
Toby nodded slightly and placed the picture back on the desk
before walking out of the spacious office.
CJ reached for the phone to call home when she caught a
glimpse of her watch and realized she needed to be at a meeting in
five minutes.
With a quiet sigh, CJ picked up her notebook and headed out of
her office.
Six hours and 3 press briefings later, CJ was walking back to
her office with Sam while in the process of dropping files on various
desks throughout the West Wing.
"Oh, and Sam don't forget to remind Josh about the—"
"The thing?"
"Yeah."
"I'm on it," Sam replied as he branched off towards his own
office.
CJ continued quickly through the halls before being stopped by
Carol outside of her office.
"CJ, Danny's on line one," she called out as she quickly
disappeared into the bustling hallway.
CJ took a deep breath as she sat in her chair and picked up
the phone.
"Hello."
"Hey, how are things going?"
CJ sighed deeply as she searched for yet another file on her
desk.
"I can't remember the last time things were this crazy around
here. How are things at home?"
"Well, I can't get your daughter to take her nap. I've tried
everything." Danny explained with slight desperation in his voice."
CJ looked up and smiled for perhaps the first time since that
morning.
"Danny, relax. You know her pink elephant that plays music
from my parents?"
"Yeah. The one on the shelf right?"
"Lay her down, set it in the crib with her and I assure you
she'll be asleep in a couple minutes."
"Okay," Danny said quickly before setting down the phone.
As she continued to work, CJ could hear Christina's
whimpering, then the music of the stuffed animal, and finally Danny's
comforting words to his daughter as he left the nursery.
"You were right." Danny said after coming back to the phone.
CJ smiled. "I wish I could be there with you, put her down for
her nap. You know do those mom things…"
"I know," Danny responded quietly. "You want us to come down
there and bring you dinner later?"
"You know what. Don't worry about it. I'm not sure when we'll
be through here and I think we're going to get Chinese or something."
"Okay. I love you."
"Love you too. Bye." CJ said quickly as she hung up the phone
before rushing down the hall towards Toby's office.
Later on, CJ and Josh were taking a little down time before a
press briefing in her office when there was a knock at the door.
"Hey can we come in?" Danny asked from the door, carrying his
daughter.
"Hi," CJ said as she walked over to them and gave Danny a
light kiss on the lips.
"How are things going?" Danny asked, placing a gentle hand on
her back.
CJ nodded slightly. "I think its just about over. Which
reminds me, I have a press briefing to get to. Why don't you two stay
here and keep Josh company."
"You got it. Knock `em dead," Danny said as she walked out of
the office.
"Hey Danny, how's it going?" Josh asked.
"Good. Kind of a strange day. You know CJ and I were supposed
to take Christina to the zoo, but instead—"
"Yeah I heard. Can I?" Josh asked motioning in the direction
of the baby.
"Yeah sure," Danny said as he handed his daughter over to
Josh.
After a few moments of silence, Josh finally spoke again.
"You know why don't you go talk to Toby, see if you can get
him to let CJ go home after this press briefing."
"Okay. It's worth a shot. You'll watch her?"
"Yeah. You bet," Josh said as Christina wrapped her tiny hand
around the fingers of the Deputy Chief of Staff.
Danny knocked lightly on the door of the Communication
Director's office.
"Yeah." Toby said without looking up.
"Hey Toby. Can I talk to you for a minute?"
Toby finally looked up. "Danny. Hey. Yeah, sure. Come on in."
Danny sat on the couch and watch Toby settle into his chair
before he spoke.
"Listen, I wanted to talk to you about CJ. Do you have any
idea what time she might be getting out of here tonight?"
"Actually I think after this press briefing she can go on
home. She's had a tough day and I don't think there'd be any problem
with it."
Danny smiled and stood. "Thanks Toby. I'm sure CJ will be
happy to hear that."
"Sure Danny. By the way, where's Christina?"
"Josh is keeping an eye on her for us in CJ's office. In fact
I'm just on my way to rescue her now," Danny said pointing down the
hall in the direction of CJ's office. "Thanks again."
Toby watched Danny walk out of his office before returning
back to his work.
Ten minutes later Danny wandered into the press room and
waited behind the curtain as he watched CJ finish the latest press
briefing.
"And that's all the information I have for you at this moment.
We'll let you know as soon as we find out anything else. Thank you."
CJ said before stepping off the podium. With a smile the press
secretary walked towards Josh, Danny and the baby.
"Hey what are you doing here. I thought you guys would have
gone home."
"Actually Toby said…." Danny started before he noticed Leo
walking towards them.
"Hey CJ. Very nice job handling listen the situation up there.
Listen you've had a long day. Why don't you go home with Danny. We
can handle the rest of the briefings."
"Are you sure?" CJ asked.
"Yeah. Get out of here. You deserve it." Leo said before
walking away with Josh.
"Ready to go?" Danny asked once they were alone.
CJ smiled a little then took the baby from Danny.
"Unbelievably ready."
"Great how about we get some dinner and then head home?"
CJ leaned over and kissed him lightly. "Sounds good to me."
"Great, lets get out of here," Danny said as he wrapped an arm
around his wife's shoulders and led her out of the room.
Late the next morning Danny lay in bed watching his wife sleep
peacefully in his arms. She had been so tired the night before that
she went practically right to sleep after putting her daughter to bed.
Hearing his daughter begin to stir, Danny slipped quietly out of the
bed and crept down the hall towards the nursery.
"Sshhhh. Were going to be quiet so mommy can sleep." Danny whispered
as he carried his daughter to the kitchen.
Soon after Christina was settled into her high chair the phone
rang. Danny answered it and carried on a conversation while fixing
breakfast for his daughter.
CJ awoke and went into the kitchen just as Danny was hanging
up the phone.
"Hey," she said walking towards her family.
Danny turned and smiled. "Good morning," he said reaching out
to kiss her.
"Who was that on the phone?"
"It was Leo. He wants you to take the day off. He thinks you
should spend some time with your daughter."
"Well I think that's a very good idea. And what do you have
planned?" she asked wrapping her arms around his neck
"How does a picnic in the park sound to you?"
"That sounds wonderful," she said with a smile.
"Good go dressed. I'll take care of our little angel here."
"Okay," CJ whispered before giving her husband a soft
lingering kiss.
Later that afternoon Danny was sitting on a blanket gently
rocking Christina in her car seat while simultaniously stroking CJ's
hair as she rested her head in his lap.
"Happy?" Danny whispered.
CJ smiled and nodded. "I couldn't be more happy. I really
needed this thank you," she said rolling then pulling herself up to
kiss her husband. She then moved to her side to look at her daughter.
"Danny look at her," CJ said watching Christina as she slept in her
seat.
Danny rolled to his side and smiled at the view. "She's beautiful,"
he said wrapping an arm around her side. "Just like her mother," he
whispered before he started kissing her neck.
"Danny. Be serious." she said with a smile.
"I am being serious. Our daughter is very beautiful and so are you."
CJ laughed and rolled to her back. "What am I going to with you?"
"Love me." Danny said with puppy dog eyes.
"Always." whispered as they began to kiss.
THE END
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