Title: A Reason to Give Thanks.

Authors: Yana, Sharon, Julia, Christine and Cath

Spoilers: Anything up to now, just to be safe

Disclaimers: We all love these guys, but unfortunately, not a one of us owns them. That honor belongs to AS and Co.

Archive: Yes to the JDFF Challenge Archive.

Feedback: Greatly appreciated by all of us! I'll forward along anything that gets sent to us to the other authors :)

Authors Notes: This was our response to the November challenge set by JDFF.  The basic premise of which can be found on their site for anyone interested, but the main point, was to get together with some friends and do a Round Robin, and of course, you know, have it set around Thanksgiving.  So, the five of us got together, had some great conversations, which tended to wonder off the point many times, but eventually, this is what we came up. 

Enjoy!

A Reason to Give Thanks.

Chapter 1 by Christine.

~*~

"Hey, Donna, can I see you for a minute?" CJ asked as she cast a furtive look around the bullpen. No one seemed to be paying any attention to her, so she took the younger woman's arm and started to steer her across the bullpen.

Donna stumbled as she rushed to keep up with her long strides. As she was pushed unceremoniously into the Press Secretary's office, she looked at CJ curiously and asked, "What's going on?"

CJ closed the door and leaned back against it, breathing a sigh of relief. "I need your help."
"I gathered that much," she said dryly.

It was a slow week in the White House – no major bills were being voted on and most of the staff had already left for the holidays.  Just this morning Toby had said his goodbyes and headed for Brooklyn with Andy, to spend the long Thanksgiving weekend with his family. He'd been ordered to go by the President himself, after Bartlet had heard of his impending fatherhood. It was rumored that Leo had breathed a huge sigh of relief as soon as he had signed out at the gate. 

As far as Donna knew, Josh and Sam were still behaving, so CJ wouldn't require her help planning retaliation for any of their schemes. Besides, CJ rarely needed help in that area, especially when it came to dealing with those whom she affectionately called her "Idiot Boys."

"Well… you know it's time for the President to pardon a turkey again, correct? So I have to pick either Ethelbert or Bob." She waved her hand about, assuming that Donna would already be familiar with the yearly set-up.

"Yes."

"I forgot the song," CJ admitted sheepishly.

"The song?"

"The pilgrim song. You know the one – something about gathering, blessing. Oh, I don't know – that damn children's song! I need to know it so I can pretend to sing it with Mrs. Murphy's third grade class."

"Pretend? Shame on you CJ." Donna clucked her tongue at her.

"Donna! Forget the pretending. I need the words," CJ begged her.
"To 'We Gather Together'?"

"Yes! That's the one," she exclaimed.

"And you need to learn the words again so you can pretend to sing with Mrs. Murphy's class."

"Yes."

Donna smiled indulgently at her. "I'd be happy to teach you, CJ. Five-thirty at the usual place?" she asked as she started to leave.

"Perfect!"

"You're buying."

*

When she got to the coffee shop, CJ was already there, two steaming cups in front of her. Donna slid into the seat opposite her and took a grateful sip.

"Did Josh give you a hard time about leaving?"

"Not really. I just set the report about livestock subsidies in front of him and told him it needed to be done tonight. His eyes glazed over and I made my escape," she confessed. She eyed the rich confection sitting in front of CJ. "Raspberry chocolate cheesecake?"

"A woman after my own heart. I got two forks. Have some." She pushed the plate across and Donna took a bite.

"Mmm."

"So. The words?"
"Right here." Donna took a neat stack of colored index cards from her purse and set them in front of CJ.

CJ glanced at them briefly, and then stashed them in her coat pocket. "Thank you! I owe you big time."

"I'll remind you of that the next time I need to get Josh for something."

"Payback's a bitch," CJ laughed.

Donna responded with a classic 'Josh' smirk. "It certainly is."

"Are we still having our lost souls Thanksgiving dinner at his place?"

"Yes, it's all set."

"Remind me again why we're having it there?"

"Have you seen his kitchen? Seriously, CJ, for a man who can't cook, his kitchen is a piece of art. It may be a hassle to drag everything over there, but the chance to cook in that kitchen was too good to pass up." Donna paused to take another bite of cheesecake and added, "Plus, his mom's still in Europe, and I think he misses not spending the holidays with her."

"Yeah." CJ stabbed her own fork into the cheesecake. "I remember the first time I couldn't be with my family for a major holiday. It was tough."

"How is your dad doing?"

"He's got his good days and bad days. My brothers and their wives and all the kids are converging at his house for dinner," she sighed wistfully.

"And you're going to miss not being there with all of them."

"Yeah. It's the price we pay for serving at the pleasure of the President." She sighed again and then changed the subject. "What about you? What's the Moss clan doing for Thanksgiving?"

"They're spreading out this year – my sister and her family are going to her in-laws and my folks are going to my Aunt Gertrude's. So I'm not really missing anything." She waved her fork over the last bite of cake. "May I?"
"Go ahead." CJ took another long sip of coffee. "What do I need to bring for dinner?"

"Dessert."

"Mrs. Smith's finest, ok?"

"Perfect." They stood up and gathered their things, preparing to go back to the White House.

"What's everyone else bringing?" CJ asked as they walked down the street, holding their coats closed tight against the cold November breeze.

"Sam told me he's bringing an opening course, but won't tell me what it is. Just that it's an old New England recipe."

CJ groaned. "Oh, God! I'm almost afraid to ask. I'm not sure I trust Sam to cook any more than I trust Josh."

"Well, you don't have to worry about Josh," Donna chuckled. "He made it clear that his sole contribution to the dinner was the location. And beer. I think he has visions of women waiting on him hand and foot while he enjoys the football game."
"Well, he's got a tough lesson to learn if he thinks that," she snorted.

"Other than that, I think everything is covered," Donna continued. "Ainsley volunteered to bring side dishes. And I've got the turkey and stuffing and cranberries."

They had just crossed the threshold into the warm foyer when a bellow from Operations assaulted their ears.

"Donna!"

She rolled her eyes at the sound of her name. "No rest for the weary," she complained. "I'll see you tomorrow morning?"

"Nine a.m.," CJ confirmed, turning away to head for her office.

Donna squared her shoulders and then went to find out what her mean boss-who-makes-her-work-holidays wanted.

*

To be continued in part two.