Title: The Chicago Fundraiser
Author: Loz
E-Mail: loz06@yahoo.com
Rating: PG
Category: CJ/Danny…minor Josh/Donna
Series: Stand-alone
Spoilers: Minor season one.
Archive (if applicable): The National Library http://westwingstories.com/library
Feedback: The good, the bad and the very ugly it's all appreciated.
Summary: CJ/Danny banter, Josh/Donna banter and a glamorous fundraiser.
Author's Notes:
Disclaimers: I need to hold my own fundraiser to own the following people you recognize here, Aaron & co still reign supreme.
~**~
"DONNA!" Josh yells, his voice echoing around the bullpen.
"You rang." She replies appearing as if from nowhere.
"What is this in my doorway?" Josh fumes.
"It's my dress for tonight's fundraiser."
"What's it doing hanging and blocking my doorway."
"It's very delicate material Josh, I can't have it crushing."
"My office looks like a Chinese laundry, get it out of here."
"I've been thinking Josh." Donna says as she grabs the delicate dress and hangs it inside Josh's office this time.
"Here comes trouble." Josh replies looking down at the messages on his desk.
"You should get me a beeper, you know so you can page me when I'm away from the office."
"I was actually thinking about a collar and lead so you don't leave your desk."
"See Josh, I know you don't mean that."
"You're right, I don't mean that, but you should remember that my office is not your personal closet."
"Yes Josh, tell me do you think I should get dressed on the plane tonight or before?"
"Donna you should also remember that I'm currently negotiating with the baggage handlers, pilots and air hosts who are threatening an enormous strike which would cripple domestic air travel, just in time for Thanksgiving, when I give you my answer of, I don't care."
"Josh, Thanksgiving is 6 weeks away."
"That's right Donna we're negotiating now, so that in 12 weeks time when we experience the second largest number of domestic passengers behind Christmas we actually have people to fly planes, load your suitcases full of delicate dresses and serve you little bags of peanuts."
"Josh that sounds important to me, why are you standing here telling me about it."
Exasperated Josh throws his hands up in the air. "Thank you Donna."
~**~
Not far down the corridor CJ is experiencing a frustration of her own also.
"No it's C period J period, yes that's right CJ. My surname is Cregg, that's C-R-E-G-G."
"Mail ordering me my present are you CJ." Danny says standing in front of her desk inspecting Gail.
CJ hadn't heard him come in, swiveled in her chair looking out the window. His booming voice causes her to jump in surprise.
"Thank you." She finishes on the phone.
"How did you get in here, did you warp in or something?"
"I came through the door like every other humanoid."
"I have to go to LA to sign some papers over the sale of my house. I was trying to book a flight for next week."
"CJ, you've been in Washington for over 12 months and you haven't sold your house yet?"
"There's some last bit of paper I never signed, I don't know."
"Can I come with you?"
"It just took me a half hour to book 1 return ticket and now you want to come along - No."
"I'm a great flying companion."
"Was there something you wanted Danny?"
"What are you wearing tonight?"
"You want to know what I'm wearing tonight?"
"No my paper does, we're doing a 5 part special. 'Behind the public face of the White House Press Secretary C period J period Cregg."
"Sounds riveting, hope you're not disappointed when you find no skeletons in my closet."
"You under estimate my journalistic skills."
"What was it you wanted again?"
"I wanted to know what you're wearing tonight."
"Clothes."
"CJ."
"Why don't you put your skills to use and find out?"
"It's no fun that way."
"What is it that you want Danny?"
"So do the press get a look in at the good stuff tonight."
"No."
"You know CJ I've been really nice to you, I thought you might bump my status up so I could at least get through the door."
"What so you can write about all the things we don't want you to."
"I was more thinking about the fact that I could dance with you."
"Danny I've got 6 hours work to do in the 4 left before I have to be on the plane, so I'll say it again, what is it that you want?"
"Nothing, I'll be off now."
~**~
"Donna!" Josh yells again.
"Yes Josh." She replies in a normal voice being just around the corner.
"You're not ready." He observes
"It's OK Josh I'm getting changed on the plane, I didn't want to walk across the tarmac and up the stairs in my dress."
"Whatever, we're late, let's go."
~**~
"CJ you're not ready." Danny says back again.
"No I'm not and your tie is crooked."
"CJ the plane leaves in 30 minutes."
"We'll if I miss it, I miss it Danny."
"You're not missing the plane CJ, you can't have Josh doing the press briefings again."
"OK I'm coming, honestly Danny lately I feel like you're taking over my office and taking over Carol's duties."
~**~
"My esteemed colleagues you're not ready." The President observes in dismay as he surveys his senior staff that are still wearing their clothes from today, except Josh.
"In Sam's and my defense Mr President we only finished polishing your speech 5 minutes ago in the car." Toby defends.
"CJ."
"Sir, I spent the last 3 hours on the phone clearing up that you do not in fact intend to say some fairly controversial things in tonight's speech, things that the rest of the Democratic Party may not agree with."
"Ok then, but you all need to hurry up and look beautiful."
"Yes Sir."
~**~
From the front of the plane as the flight nears Chicago, CJ walks towards the central toilet on Air Force One. She carries her dress in her hand with the intention of getting changed. From the back of the plane Donna does the same thing, with the same intentions.
They greet each other when they came within earshot and both grab for the same door handle. Stepping back both blush.
"You go."
"No you go."
"No you go."
"Ok I'll go, no you go."
"Its Ok Donna, I'll use the men's." CJ suggests.
"You sure."
"It's no different to the females I guess, so why not."
"Ok thanks CJ."
Inside the female toilet Donna slips on her new dress, brushing on some powder from her compact, lipstick and eye makeup.
Next door CJ isn't having much luck. Her lipstick snaps when the plane lurches, drawing a line down her chin. The powder in her compact is crumbling and she can't get the zipper in her dress up.
"Donna, Donna get in here." She bangs on the wall that joins the two restrooms, but Donna was long gone, off flaunting her new dress.
CJ opens the door a fraction ensuring there is no one else around. She slips into the ladies to discover for herself that Donna was gone. Cursing she heads back to the males trying to get her zipper up.
The door to the men's room starts to open and CJ panics, dashing to jump behind it and hide. She prays it isn't the President. Danny Concannon enters and goes directly to the basin where he splashes water on his face and immediately spies CJ's broken make-up.
Looking up he catches CJ reflected back in the bathroom mirror.
"CJ." He says turning to look at her.
"Hi Danny."
"Can I ask what you're doing?"
"I think it might be better if you just try and decide yourself what I'm doing for your article."
"We're not writing about you CJ."
"I know."
"This is the men's room isn't it CJ."
"Yes Danny."
"Should I leave and pretend this never happened."
"That would be preferable, but I can't seem to be able to get the zipper in my dress unstuck and as Donna took the ladies to get changed in and then left I'm stuck."
"You didn't think about locking the door?"
"Well then you wouldn't come in here and be able to help me."
Danny starts to move across the room. "Where are you going?" CJ asks almost in horror.
"I'm locking the door CJ, before we have a freak show in here."
"Turn around." Danny requests and starts to zip up CJ's dress.
"I'm not going to read about this in your paper anytime soon am I."
"Not unless we get REALLY desperate. I'm done turn around."
"Thank you Danny, you're a lifesaver."
"CJ you've got lipstick on your chin."
"Oh God it broke while I was applying it..." She searches frantically for a Kleenex to remove the red line.
"Here." Danny produces a handkerchief and puts his spare hand on CJ's cheek while gently wiping the line away with the other. Once the red is gone Danny doesn't move his hands, stuck in a moment that didn't seem to pass in time, they gaze into each other's eyes. Danny moves slowly towards CJ meeting her lips in a kiss.
"Danny." CJ pulls away shaking her head.
"What CJ."
"It's just anyone could walk in."
"I locked the door CJ."
"It took me a hour to get the zip done up and now you want to undo it again."
"I was the one who did it up." Danny says between kisses on her neck.
Outside the familiar ding sounds to warn everyone to put their seat belts on as they're coming into land. Breaking away from Danny, CJ unlocks the door, taking a moment to look back.
"I'll come and get you and we can dance." CJ promises planting one last kiss on Danny before disappearing around the corner. Danny picks up her makeup and puts it in his jacket pocket.