Title: Cat in a Box (1/1)
Author: Jenn
Rating: G
Spoilers: First Season and Dead Irish Writers
Series: Alphabet Soup - Part One
Disclaimer: They aren't mine. Well, the kitten is, but Danny and C.J. belong to Warner Brothers, Sorkin and Wells, NBC, and a host of other people. I'm just playing with them.
Author's Note: It was suppose to be a drabble but I can't sleep, so it's longer. I wasn't going to write this as I'm punishing myself for neglecting other things I should be doing, but the damned cat wanted to be written about.

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"What's in the box Danny?" C.J. asked; standing from behind her desk as the reporter moved into her office.

"Nothing" he answered, setting the box down on one of the empty chairs.

"You just like carrying a box around with you?"

"Well yeah, it has its practical uses."

"Name one."

Danny just smiled, reaching into the box and pulling out the bundle of orange fur. Cradling the kitten against his chest, his smile got bigger as it meowed at him and tucked its little paw into his hand.

As the kitten purred itself to sleep, Danny met C.J.'s eyes.

"It hides kittens."

C.J. starred at the red headed reporter smiling at her, a kitten tucked against his heart. "I see that. What are you doing with a kitten?"

"It's for you."

"You already gave me a goldfish Danny."

"I know. Donna said you wanted a cat, so I got you a kitten. It'll grow into a cat one day, so it's almost the same as a cat."

C.J. started to laugh, starring at the cute sight in front of her.

"I didn't want a cat."

"But Donna said…"

"Donna misunderstood."

Danny sighed, looking down at the kitten. He'd done it again; gotten her something someone said she wanted, but she really didn't. Someone somewhere was having a laugh at his expense.

"Great, so now I have a kitten."

"Let me have it."

"No, its okay, I'll take her home with me; and I won't kill it."

Moving from behind her desk, C.J. reached out for the little fur ball.

"Just let me hold her."

Hiding his smile, Danny carefully handed the kitten to her. He watched as C.J. carefully held it in her arms, looking hesitantly at the little thing.

The kitten was warm and soft; and she swore it was smiling at her as it purred against her heart. She had to admit, it was cute; and she did wish she had something to come home to at night. Running her finger under the kittens chin, she watched it close its tiny blue eyes.

"Guess I have a kitten now." She said softly, looking up to meet his eyes.

"Her name's Mia."

"The pet store owner named her Mia?"

"No, I did."

"Okay, I'm not going to ask." Looking back down at the sleeping kitten, she stopped petting it. "I don't have anything at home for it. No food, no litter box; nothing."

Danny shrugged as he picked up the box. "I have everything you need in my car."

Tearing her gaze away from the kitten, she looked at him. "You do?"

"Yeah. I figured you wouldn't have anything and it's too late for you to be stopping anywhere."

Laying the kitten back in the box, she stepped back, shaking her head as she did so. "You can't keep buying me animals just because someone says I like them."

Crossing the room, she grabbed her coat off the hook, sliding it onto her shoulders as she turned to him.

"Why not?" he asked, crossing the room to hand her the briefcase he had picked up off the desk.

"Because." She answered, turning out the lights as she exited her office.

"'cause why?" he countered, following her outside and towards the White House staffs parking garage.

Stopping at her car, she quickly unlocked the door and opened it. Tossing her briefcase on the backseat, she reached for the box he held in his arms. "Just because."

"You speak for a living and that's all you can say?"

"Yeah, well, there's not other reason other then that."

He watched as she carefully put the box on the floor behind the driver seat, and then straightened up to stare at him.

"You know where I live?"

"Yeah why?"

"Because you." She said, pointing at him, "have the things my kitten needs for the night."

"Our kitten."

"What?"

"Never mind." Sliding his hands in his pockets, he smiled at her. "So you want me to come to your place tonight?"

"To drop off the kitten's things nimrod."

"I know."

"Okay."

"Akay."

Shaking her head, C.J. got in her car and started it, waiting long enough to watch him walk off towards the press's parking lot.

The drive home was short with little traffic on the roads at eleven at night. Pulling into her garage, C.J. wasn't that surprised to see Danny pulling into a park spot near her. Climbing from the car, she grabbed her bag before carefully picking up the box. Smiling at the little orange kitten that was still sound asleep, she turned towards Danny. He had another box in his hands as he moved towards her.

Shaking her head, she led him up to her apartment, quickly getting the door open. Walking in, she nudged the light switch with her elbow before crossing her living room to the couch. Sitting down, she set the box on the floor and watched as Danny came in, kicking the door shut behind him. Carrying the box with him, he crossed the room and sat down next to her.

Looking around the room for the first time, he realized it fit her; neat, organized and feminine. Leaning down, he picked up the kitten before leaning back against the couch.

Taking the kitten from him, C.J. smiled to herself before leaning back next to him, allowing herself a few minutes to relax.

"So you like the kitten?" Danny asked softly.

"Yeah, I do. Thank you." She answered, leaning over and kissing him softly on the cheek. Smiling, she kissed his lips softly, content in the fact that no one would see them. Pulling back, she leaned into him, letting her head fall onto his shoulder before closing her eyes.

Danny carefully slid his arm around her shoulder, smiling to himself as he pulled her closer. "So why can't I buy you animals when people say you like them and want them?"

"Because," she answered quietly, "I was a panda bear and a wolf and a kid; and my apartment isn't zoned as a farm."

"Bear, wolf and goat, along with a farm, got it." He mentally added them to a list of things to get her in the future, though a goat, he didn't understand. Stroking her hair, he looked down at the top of her head.

"Not a goat, a baby." She said softly, almost asleep.

Holding her closer, he carefully stroked the kitten, making sure he didn't wake it up. "I can give you that too."

"I know, just not right now. Leo, Toby and the president would flip and it'd just be a mess…" she said, starting to wake herself up.

"C.J. stop thinking and go to sleep."

"M-kay." She said, lying her head back against his shoulder.

"Danny?"

"Hmmm?"

"Why Mia?"

"Because it's Latin for mine."

"Oh."