Title: The Way You Look Tonight
Author: Incatevolle
Synopsis: Danny gives CJ a gift before he went away. Spoilers: Season 5.
Author's Note: This is my first West Wing fanfiction and it's the first time I wrote a story in english. Please forgive my mistakes, but I had to start with something. I love this couple very much and I think is time to be brave and post it. :) Please, review!
It's supposed to be an one-shot, but things can change.
It was past midnight and there were a few people working on the White House. The buzz of the bullpen was mostly gone and, as he walked through the corridors, his hand clutched the strap of his computer bag, holding it nervously against his skin.
When he finally reached his destiny, he smiled to himself. She was there, just as he imagined she would be, going through papers completely unaware of the world around her.
"CJ." His voice was small, almost a whisper.
She raised her head and smiled. She didn't expect to see him at this late hour. In fact, after the Shareef story, she didn't saw him anymore. She thought he had left the press room again.
"Danny."
He stood there just looking at her. In the darkness of her office she couldn't see straight but he seemed… sad?
"Danny?" CJ called.
He blinked like he was awakening from a dream.
"Are you okay?" CJ asked.
"Yes". His voice was again very quiet.
CJ waited but Danny didn't move. She sighed.
"Danny, can I help you?"
"Can I come in?"
"Danny, it's a little late…" But she didn't have the chance to finish because Danny entered her office and closed the door behind him.
Danny went straight to her desk, let his bag fall off of his shoulder to the chair in front on her, opened one of the pockets and grabbed what seemed to be a cd case. Without looking at her, he went to the cd player, near the tv set and bookcase, and put the cd on.
The first piano chords of the song hit the air and Danny held out his hand to her.
"Dance with me."
CJ laughed.
"Danny, you-"
"Dance with me, CJ." His voice was firm now.
CJ looked at him. Something was happening and CJ didn't know what it was, but was serious. She looked at the closed screens and door and again to him. He smiled and now she could see that his eyes were glistening. She rose from the chair and her hand came in contact with his in a firm grip. He drew her towards him, one hand circling her waist while he held CJ's hand, over his heart. They gently began to sway to the song and CJ thought she would start to cry when his lips came close to her ear and he began to whisper the song lyrics to her.
"Some day, when I'm awfully low, when the world is cold, I will feel a glow just thinking of you, and the way you look tonight."
CJ closed her eyes. If his hold on her waist were not this strong, she was positively sure she would've fainted. Staying this close to him again was awakening parts of her she didn't want to. CJ could smell the mixture of Danny's perfume and aftershave, the same, all these years, and she sighed, relaxing against him.
Danny's hold on her tightened and he hoped that she didn't felt his heart racing through his shirt. He buried his nose on CJ's hair, smelling the strawberry shampoo she sometimes used and he loved so much.
The song continued to play, but this time, Danny didn't whispered along. Instead, he backed away from her, just enough to let his lips cover hers in a tender kiss. CJ's hand immediately went to the back of his head, entangled her fingers in his hair, pressing him against her, starving for contact. When they separated, Danny rested his forehead against hers, breathing heavily.
"Danny, what is this?" CJ asked with her eyes still closed.
Her words seemed to wake him from his reverie. Danny opened his eyes to look at her and again she saw the sadness in them. He stepped away from her, breaking the contact with her body, regretting every minute of it.
"The song didn't end yet." CJ managed to say while Danny took his bag from the chair.
"Just like us."
He looked intensely at her again, and CJ didn't want to think that he was memorizing her. And just like he came, he opened the door and left.
The door framed him while he walked away from her office, the song that was still playing followed him until he disappeared at the end of the corridor.
CJ was stunned and didn't move. When the song ended, though, and she acknowledged that another one started to play, she came closer to her cd player finding the cd case Danny has brought.
She turned the cd in her hands, looked at the cover and read, in Danny's handwriting: "This is for you to listen, while I'm away. I will wait for you. It's only a matter of time."
CJ smiled and raised her head to look at the empty corridor Danny had just walked. She sat back in her chair and closed her eyes, smelling his perfume on her clothes, while the song continued to play.
"No tears, no fears, remember there's always tomorrow
So what if we have to part, we'll be together again"