Title: You're with…
Author: Loz
E-Mail: loz06@yahoo.com
Rating: PG
Category: CJ/Leo and the rest
Series: Quartet: 1. If you can't be… 2. with the one you love…3. then love the one… 4. you're with.
Spoilers: This was written a long time ago, it's basically bits from the campaign - Season 2. Due to this some things may now be incorrect which is part of the reason I'm finally posting it before it becomes totally obsolete.
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 and Leo from campaign to AU really.
Author's Notes: Written many moons ago, maybe something's I've assumed which now may be incorrect.
Disclaimers: If I can't be the owner of The West Wing, I'll just have to love the fanfic I write.
*
"Can I just say that all I meant before was that if I was married and got divorced and my divorce papers came and I was an alcoholic, I would want to be..."
"Who's on the phone?" Leo McGarry interrupts, right now he doesn't need this.
This morning when he saw the papers on his desk his heart skipped a beat and then he cursed the inappropriate timing, CJ was flying out for Portland tonight and he wanted to do this properly, however that was. It wasn't like he'd done this before.
So he'd been 'sitting' on the signed papers all day.
Truth told if he was inclined to have a drink tonight it would be celebratory rather than any other reason, Margaret didn't know that though she probably would soon he thought as he put down the phone from the President who also took a concerned tone. Leo just wanted to tell everyone why this was such a good thing.
Instead he buries himself in illegal oil carriers.
|~*~|
"Welcome back Mr President." Leo tries not to shiver as the President takes the last few steps from the plane to the tarmac. He's followed closely by Toby and Sam, then CJ who has extracted herself from the less than flattering green cap.
"Welcome back." He nods politely to his senior staff.
"What's up Leo?"
"Sir, Josh is waiting to talk to you about the Marriage Recognition Act in further detail back at the White House, why don't you go in the car with Sam and Toby and get their thoughts, I want to get CJ up to speed with what's been happening in the last 24 hours."
CJ points to the second car as the others climb into the front one and Leo gestures for her to go first. She hopes for an ulterior motive as the door is closed and they're alone in the dark vehicle.
"How was your trip." He asks plainly, the safe question.
"I hate Notre Dame." She growls.
"We have a mutual loathing." He takes one of her cold hands in his and she instantly turns to face him.
"What is it Leo?" She says softly, anticipating news.
"I just wanted 15 minutes alone with you..." He says innocently.
"Romantic with the sirens outside." She teases.
"It's the best I could do." He sighs but is cut off when she captures her lips with his.
"It's like kissing frosty the snow man." He caresses the side of her face.
"I've never had that said to me before." She smiles pressing light kisses across his forehead.
"What's your day like tomorrow?" He asks cupping her face in his hands.
"I'll be in a bit later...and the lid will hopefully be on early being take-out-the-trash-day."
"Can you come over around to my place?"
"Is it important?"
"Crucial." He sighs.
"Are you Ok?" She frowns at him.
"Excellent." He sinks back into the seat wrapping an arm around her.
"Fine, don't tell me then." She says placing a chaste kiss on his forehead and sinking into his comfortable embrace.
~*~
Before ten the next morning Leo yells to Margaret he'll be gone for an hour and he grabs the divorce papers from his desk.
In the fancy offices of his reasonably priced lawyer Leo waits, keen to know how long it will take for everything to be processed and finalized.
He doesn't think he smiles when his attorney tells him within the week but he gives something away when she asks..."Is there someone else Leo, someone new?"
"Yes, there is." He answers behind the shield of attorney-client privilege.
"She makes you happy..."
"She does." He smiles despite experiencing nervousness like never before.
~*~
"Ok spill." CJ says unceremoniously falling into his couch around ten that night.
"Your sitting, that's good." Leo paces in front of her wondering at what point this became difficult, for quite a few years now this conversation has been what has kept their flame burning and what they have both clung to and now he can't roll the words off his tongue like a ceremonial red carpet.
He sits opposite her taking her hands in his, the last time they sat like this was in his office when he told her Jenny was asking him for a divorce, and now they were about to shut that door and open another. CJ recognizes the significance of the position, shifting to sit straighter.
"CJ, yesterday I signed my divorce papers." He says each word carefully so not as to be mis-construed.
She draws a sharp breath on 'my' knowing what the end of the sentence is. "You what?" She squeaks needing to hear it again just so she knows she's not dreaming.
"Everything should be finalized by the end of the week." He adds.
She says nothing for a few moments, staring back at him, letting silent tears flush from her eyes.
"Say something CJ please." Her silence is making him uneasy.
"I never thought this day would come...this was beginning to look like a journey with no ending. I...I...I'm not quite sure I have the vocabulary to express myself right now." The tears roll thicker and faster in complete contrast to the brilliant smile on her face.
"I know I love you and right now I'm indescribably happy." Leo finds his words no matter how general.
CJ dashes in to kiss him passionately all the time holding him firmly in her arms as if he may run back to Jenny, she cries even more with the realization they can do this now without worrying about lawyers, pre-nups, other people and sneaking around.
"Why didn't you tell me yesterday?" She playfully scolds him, brushing happy tears from her eyes.
"Cause I wouldn't have been able to do this in the middle of our offices." He says pulling her into him again and dancing their tongues together again. "I couldn't put you on a plane to Portland knowing what I did."
"I've got to go." She says like something just struck her.
"You're leaving...now?" He questions a little hurt in his voice.
"I've got to go break up with Toby." She says with her own little twinge of sadness.
"Now?"
"I just want everything smooth so I can move forward with you as soon as possible." She searches for understanding in his eyes.
"Can't it wait an hour?"
"What are you going to do in that hour?" She asks suggestively.
"Kiss you, without an unnecessary feeling of guilt." He states simply.
"I guess I could hang around for that." She smiles gently lowering her lips to his.
~*~
"CJ I got take-out, I know I was supposed to cook, but I didn't feel like it." Toby calls without asking if it's her, as she hangs up her coat and scarf.
"I'm not hungry." She says finding him in front of the TV. "We need to talk."
"We're breaking up aren't we?" He says reading her serious expression.
"Things haven't been right between us for a long time Toby." CJ says sitting next to him and refilling his scotch glass.
"I know." He quietly admits.
"You deserve better than me Toby." CJ hangs her head shamefully.
"Is there someone else?" He searches her face for indication.
"It's not really relevant, the downfall of this relationship had nothing to do with anyone else." She avoids answering.
"I never loved you CJ and I suspect you never loved me, so it's Ok."
"I'm sorry......there is." And CJ feels bad about Leo all over again.
"Do I know him?" He grins.
"Maybe..." CJ returns the smile. "It's been an honor being with you Toby Ziegler."
"The honor is all mine Ms. Cregg."
"You're still my best friend." CJ envelops him into a friendship hug.
"We work best that way." He says over her shoulder. "I should go." He pulls out of her embrace.
"No rush." She adds hastily. "You bought me dinner after all, and I've kinda got used to having you around."
"So all this time you've just tolerated me." He jokes.
"I do love you Toby, I always have...as a friend." She looks across seriously at him. "I'm so sorry it came to this." She whispers.
~*~
"You got a spare minute?" Leo comes into her office Thursday, shutting the door behind him not giving her the option of having a spare minute.
"I am listening." She waves a hand but maintains her focus on the TV that is screening someone's press conference.
"I just got off the phone to my lawyer..." Immediately he has her undivided attention. "It's all finalized." She looks at him in amazement as if he just walked through the door not the doorway.
"You're divorced." She chokes not wanting to cry in her office.
"I'm free to be with you."
"You could have told me tonight." She says in a mock of anger, gesturing to their surrounds.
"Do it anyway." He says softly.
"Are you sure?" She inches out of her chair closer to him.
"Before I change my mind." He gladly accepts her into his arms.
"I love you Leo McGarry." She says before accepting sweet, tender kisses.
"Come over tonight, doesn't matter what time it is." He says throatily as she places kisses along his jaw line.
There's barely a need to ask her.
~*~
"I have something for you." He remembers as she lays in his arms after eating the meal she cooked for them. When he comes out of his room he's swinging a copper key on a thin leather string.
"Key to the house and I'm not even twenty one." She jokes leaning in to kiss him after he places it around her neck.
"Promise me you won't freak out..." He looks seriously at her.
"I won't freak out."
"I want you...CJ, to stay here overnight, to move in with me, to marry me, to have a family with me, to grow old with me and always love me." He cringes slightly, waiting for the reaction.
"They all sound nice, just not as quickly as you just said them." She smiles honestly.
"I want you in my bed CJ, I don't want to have to ask, I just want to know you'll be there."
"I will be." She confirms croakily.
"This isn't too fast?" He asks hastily.
"No, this is good, women love it when men say how they feel." She laughs.
"Good because there's more." He says getting up again. When he comes back there's a little jewelers box clutched in his right hand.
"No Leo, you just got divorced..." She sighs looking at the box in his hand, the thought of saying yes to his proposal doesn't faze her in the slightest, a pleasant warm feeling slowly engulfs her, but it's still too soon for both of them. He thrusts it towards her ignoring her protest and she hesitantly opens it. Inside a delicate gold heart outline is looped through an interlocking gold chain by its right top curve.
"It's beautiful Leo." She sighs contentedly.
"Turn it over." He encourages. On the back one side of the heart has been engraved in the tiniest letters CJ, the other side Leo.
"You didn't have to do this." She thanks him with a tender kiss.
"But I wanted too." He says securing the heart around her neck. "I also want to make love to you." He adds transfixing his eyes with hers.
"It's about time." She mocks.
"And I want to tell someone about us..." In any other tone this would resemble a list of demands.
"Who?" She cocks her head to one side thinking of all the possibilities.
"Jed." She nods her approval to telling his oldest and closest friend. "Anyone you want to tell?"
"Not at the moment, I kinda like having you all to myself." She grins mischievously. "Can we not tell anyone else..." She pauses drinking him in. "...we're new and I want to give us the best chance possible to make this work." CJ finishes softly.
"So we tell only The President tomorrow and then you stay here tomorrow night." As if it's a daily schedule.
"Yes Boss." She teases, running a hand down his shirt.
"I'm never going to get tired of saying I love you CJ." He feathers light kisses across her features.
"I'll never tire of loving you." She returns.
~*~
"I was just going to leave this." CJ says hastily the next day, once she realizes Toby is actually at his desk.
"Hallmark." He says taking the envelope from her. "I'm sorry." He reads from the front of the card.
"They didn't have ' I've been a bitch' or ' I've royally fucked up'." She adds in a apologetic tone.
"Do you think they realize what a niche market they're missing out on." He banters.
"Toby...I'm trying here." She says in her warning tone.
"You don't have to try for anything CJ, you don't have to be sorry for anything, part of us both knew this would happen at some stage when we came together."
"I guess."
"It was good while it lasted." He reflects. "I'm over it."
"Oh!" She says in mock shock, following it up with a musical laugh.
"If you're like this with all your old boyfriends I'm surprised you haven't been married yet." He says seriously.
"I'm so embarrassed." CJ changes quickly, putting her head in her hands.
"Which is why I'm keeping this one for future reference." He tucks it in his top drawer.
"Toby!" She protests a little too loudly.
"Go, get out of my office." He yells gruffly with the biggest smile for Toby on his face. They're friends again.
~*~
It's not till after ten that night when Leo gets to see the President alone and he requests they move to the portico despite the chilly weather. CJ is lingering alone in Leo's office waiting for him to come and get her, or tell her to run to South America, he'll get the next flight out, if it goes very bad. Leo doesn't expect it to go bad.
"Sir, can I call you Jed out here?" It's the best indicator for Bartlet that this has nothing to do with the country.
"What is it Leo?" There's a smidgen of alarm in his voice.
"I've met someone Jed, I met this person long before I was divorced, we're..."
"Leo you stood in the Oval Office and told me..."
"We never did anything Jed, she wasn't the reason for my divorce, Jenny and I had moved apart years ago Jed, before I met this person." Leo assures.
"Go on."
"We've decided to explore our feelings further for each other now I'm divorced." Leo can't hide the smile.
"She makes you happy." Bartlet doesn't miss the smile.
"Like I can't describe." Leo can't wipe the smile. "I wanted to tell someone, I wanted to tell you."
"Do I get to meet this mystery woman?" Bartlet smiles for Leo.
"She's here, waiting to meet you now. I'll go get her." Leo leaves The President alone on the portico.
~*~
"Am I taking the next flight to Buenos Aires and disappearing from there?" CJ gets up from his visitors chairs when he enters the office.
"That won't be necessary. I'm right behind you."
~*~
"Hey Claudia Jean." The President greets her in his usual cheery tone, which CJ finds slightly odd.
"Good evening Sir."
"You should sit down, I'm about to meet Leo's new girlfriend, I could use a woman's opinion on whether I should let Leo out after curfew with her." The President apparently plays parent even to his best friend and CJ isn't sure to focus on her gymnastic stomach because he obviously doesn't know it's her or her anger at Leo for sending her into the lion's pit, unarmed and alone.
"Where is she Leo, not shy at meeting me is she?" The President jokes as Leo arrives back on the portico stag.
"Actually she's right in front of you Sir." Leo slips back into formality, hoping there won't be fireworks.
CJ wants to sprint across the lawn and out the gates to get on the first plane out of here, she wants to melt Wicked Witch of the West style to the ground, she wants to run trembling through the building, gather her things and re-train in a new field. Ironically her legs have frozen to the spot and it has nothing to do with the chilly weather.
"Well I owe Abbey fifty dollars." Bartlet leans back in the seat surveying CJ's shocked expression and Leo's neutral one.
"I'm sorry Sir?"
"Abbey told me she thought something was going on, but I didn't believe her."
"When was this Sir?" Leo urges him to continue.
"A few weeks into the campaign." At this CJ draws the shortest sharpest breath in history before doubling over coughing. When she recovers the three just stand and look at each other.
"Leo go start a war someplace, I want to talk to CJ alone for a while."
"Is that an order Sir?"
"Yeah, someplace no one will notice."
"One war in Josh's office between him and Donna coming up, I serve at the pleasure of the President." Leo adds before disappearing inside the building ignoring CJ's facial pleas to stay or take her with him and get her out of this.
"Sit CJ." Bartlet pats the spot on the seat next to him. "Mind if I smoke?" At this point CJ dares not refuse him.
"Does he make you happy?" Bartlet asks after taking a quick drag. "I know you make him happier than I've seen him in a long time."
"Without question Sir."
"Right here, right now, just this once you can call me Jed CJ, we're talking about my best friend and both your personal lives. You can hit me if this gets to personal, but you'll have to contend with the Secret Service." He takes another quick drag before stubbing out the half smoked cigarette.
"Ok...Jed." She stumbles with the uncomfortability of using his first name.
"Are you in love?" It's about now she should hit him right.
"It's love." She lets the smallest smile creep in.
"Are you going to go all the way?"
"Eventually, we're taking things slow right now, it's new, we both really want this to work."
"I'm glad you found each other." He says with the softness of friend, father and mentor all rolled into one. "You were expecting a lecture on don't hurt him or there'll be trouble weren't you." Bartlet grins.
"The thought crossed my mind Sir." It slips before she realizes.
"You're both old enough to know what to do and what not to do, just don't come to me if things go wrong." The President says light-heartedly. "Thanks CJ." She takes this as an indication she can go.
"He's a wonderful man CJ, and you're an extraordinary woman, you'll be good for each other and you'll make it work no matter what." He stops her before she can get inside and then CJ remembers.
"Sir, we weren't going to tell anyone but you for a little while..." She's not sure how to approach this situation.
"I understand you want to focus on each other for a little while, not any circus hysteria that might be going on around you." The President pats his pockets, presumably looking for another cigarette despite only half smoking the last.
"Thank you Sir."
"Just don't wait to long to share the good news CJ."
~*~
From the window facing the street she sees him get out of the car and it's a minute or two later when the key is heard in the lock.
"You're here." He says softly, dropping the items that occupy his arms.
"You gave me a key." She gently reminds.
"How was The President?" He moves stealthily through the dim light to her side.
"His wallets a little lighter." She jokes. "He was really great about it though."
"He thought we jumped the divorce by a few years." Leo tells her.
"We did kind of put our collective big toes across the line sometimes."
"It was worth it." An inviting arm wraps around her waist.
"Are you going in tomorrow?" CJ continues to stare trance like out the window.
"I was planning to spend the day with you."
It's a wonder her smile doesn't light up the room.
They stand for ages, wrapped up in each other, staring out the window till the loud shrill of Leo's phone, attached at the hip draws them from their trance.
He answers somberly and ends the short conversation in just the same way.
"It's the situation room." He informs her slotting the phone back on his belt.
"You need me?" CJ asks absently.
"No point everyone is asleep." He sighs realizing his weekend with her is shot. "I've got to go."
"I'll go home." CJ turns to face him for the first time smiling sadly.
"I'll call you." He promises moving around picking up the things he not long put down.
"Love you." CJ calls as he smiles pulling the door closed behind him.
~*~
CJ doesn't leave that night.
She pulls drapes closed blocking out the street light and the cold, she turns off the overhead lights and leaves one dull lamp on for Leo's return. She slides into the cool material of his Bartlet for America clothes, which are now hers, and then in between the covers that are equally as crisp.
As her body heat warms his side of the bed, she waits for the key in the lock, signaling his return. Sleep has a stronger pull on her however as she rolls onto her side of the bed leaving one arm crossing his pillow.
The sun is barely making its presence felt when Leo turns his key in the lock. He smiles looking around the room at the drawn drapes and the careful homely touch he never bothers with.
He turns off the lamp that CJ left burning, once again plunging the room into pre-dawn darkness.
Not so dark that he can't make her out asleep in his bed. Smiling he pulls hastily at his clothes before throwing back the covers and climbing into his bed.
The careful movements as he curls up in front of her, wake CJ from the gentle tide of sleep.
"Mmm your home." She murmurs tiredly not opening her eyes.
"I love you." He says quietly, pulling the covers over them again.
"Love you too." She mumbles tangling her legs with his.
"You're in my bed, I didn't have to ask." He whispers running the pad of his thumb over her facial features.
"I'll be here...always." CJ pulls herself in closer and wraps her arms around him.
~*~