Author's Note: This story takes place during season one's In Excelsis Deo. The characters are the property of Aaron Sorkin and NBC. Please feel free to review and have a wonderful holiday!
"CJ the Christmas Flamingo"
CJ surveyed her desk and tried to find her briefing book below the cards and candies and gifts that had amassed over the course of Christmas week in the White House. The day before Christmas Eve and she knew she was looking for a smaller briefing book than usual, but she couldn't seem to put her fingers on it. She shifted a stack of cards and papers and something fell off her desk with a light thud. She pushed the papers back onto her desk and bent over to drop what fell. CJ picked up the item and held it in her hand. Goldfish food.
She stared at the canister with its happy Christmas bow on top and smiled before setting it back down on her desk. CJ heard a light knock on her door and she turned.
"Hey," Josh said.
"Hey yourself," CJ said before returning to the other side of the desk. Josh entered her office and sat down in her guest chair.
"It looks like you're quite the popular girl this Christmas," Josh commented looking at the evidence that Christmas had attacked her office with the amount of gifts lying around.
"Well there are many reporters who want me to like them," CJ replied.
"One who wants you to like him a lot more," Josh commented as he picked up the can of fish food.
"I think of that as child support more than a Christmas gift," CJ joked. It was easier to banter with Josh about Danny than actually talk about it.
Josh smirked and gave a little snort. "Okay," he grinned.
"What are you and Sam up to tonight?" CJ asked.
"Huh?" Josh asked surprised.
"You and Sam," CJ said again. "It seemed like you had some big plans."
"Big plans?"
"I offered to cook you both dinner tonight and Sam was very evasive."
"He's going to Bermuda."
"Yeah, tomorrow," CJ said. "What about tonight? Do you two have a hot date or something?"
"Something," Josh said evasively.
"You're as bad as he is you know that?"
"Yeah," Josh smiled. "It's nothing to worry about. It's a guy thing."
"You'd rather do your guy thing than have dinner?"
"You're not going to your Dad's this year?"
"He and wife number three are off to Arizona to visit her kids this Christmas," CJ replied.
"Sorry," Josh said.
"Its fine," CJ shrugged. "I just have this overwhelming urge to be domestic and no one to cook for. You're not going home?"
"No, I went down for Thanksgiving so I'm here this year," Josh replied.
"You have plans for the 25th?"
"Why? Are you gonna cook me dinner?"
"Maybe."
"You remember I'm Jewish right?"
"All the more reason to get together. I feel bad thinking of you with your Chinese food."
"Okay," Josh shrugged after thinking about it a moment.
"Really?"
"Sure, why not."
"Okay," CJ said smiling. "Is Donna staying in town this year? She's more than welcome if she's not going home."
"I'll let her know," Josh replied.
CJ was very happy that she wouldn't be completely alone on Christmas. Although Christmas Eve still posed a problem, at least she wouldn't be spending two nights in a row utterly and completely alone. "So is this a social call or did you need something?"
"Well I was gonna give you your Christmas present in case I didn't see you tomorrow, but now that I'm coming over on Christmas…"
"I'll take it now," CJ said.
"A little over-eager are we?" Josh smiled.
"You know I'm naturally curious," she replied.
Josh handed over the hastily-wrapped package and CJ looked at it before tearing open the wrapping.
"Did you wrap this yourself?"
"I did," Josh said. "The store gave me free wrapping paper with purchase."
"Wait, you picked this out yourself too? I thought Donna was usually in charge of your holiday shopping?"
"She isn't getting the skis she wanted this year so I thought I'd give her a break," Josh replied.
CJ unwrapped the package and looked at the rare book quizzically. "The World of Exotic Wildlife by Chester R. Bunting," she read the title aloud.
"Flip to the index," Josh said.
CJ did as she was told and found that there was a chapter with a small Post It arrow pointing to it. "The Fabulous Flamingo," she read aloud again giving Josh a glare.
"Sam told me you were less than thrilled with your new Secret Service codename," Josh said smiling. "I thought you should know that in 1901 the flamingo was just as fabulous as it is today."
"You know," CJ sighed. "Only you can take a spiteful gift and make it somewhat touching."
"Thank you," Josh grinned. "I'll touch base with you tomorrow about dinner."
"Okay, have fun on your date with Sam tonight," CJ said as Josh stood to leave.
"It's not what you're thinking," Josh said.
"Oh and what am I thinking?"
"Shut up," Josh said with a smirk as he walked out on her.
"Thank you for the book," CJ called out the doorway.
CJ set the book next to her fish food and continued about her day.
Christmas Eve was hectic and busy around the White House. Although it was only half day for everyone who worked there, there was much to accomplish in that time. CJ had already tousled with Leo over hate crimes, exchanged gifts with Carol and prepared to brief the press one last time before the holiday officially started.
CJ picked up her notes and Sam's Christmas present and set off to his office to catch him before he left on his holiday trip. She hoped that he was back from Leo's office, but she wasn't sure if he would be. She sensed that whatever Josh and Sam were up to the previous evening, Leo wasn't happy.
CJ was happy to see that Sam was packing up his paper when she reached his office. She rapped on the door lightly.
"Hi," Sam said smiling.
"Merry Christmas," CJ said.
"Merry Christmas to you too," Sam said.
"So," CJ said taking a seat. "Are you regretting that you went out with Josh instead of letting me cook you dinner last night?"
Sam smiled sadly. "In a way yes, in another no. It's hard to explain."
"You could tell me about it," CJ pressed.
"You're just too curious for your own good, you know that?"
"So I've been told," CJ said. "Will I ever hear about what happened? I'm assuming Leo wasn't pleased."
"He wasn't. He might fill you and Toby in sometime."
"How bad is it?"
"Not so bad," Sam assured her.
"So I wanted to thank you for telling Josh about my new Secret Service codename," CJ said casually.
"He would've found out eventually," Sam said as he shoved a few more folders into a bag.
"Eventually," CJ said. "As in, he wouldn't have had time to go pick out a Flamingo-themed Christmas present for me."
"He didn't," Sam said.
"He really did."
"Well that's going to spoil this then," Sam said as he pulled out a long, oddly-shaped present from under his desk. "Merry Christmas."
His smile was bright and innocent, like a child, but CJ saw through it. She also had an inkling that she already knew what lay beneath the happy Christmas wrapping.
"If this is what I think it is, I may just beat you to death with it," CJ said eyeing Sam who suddenly looked genuinely concerned for his safety.
CJ tore lightly at the paper and saw a shock of pink plastic lay in the wrapping. She looked up and glared at Sam before she continued to unravel the rest of the paper to finally reveal a horribly tacky, bright pink, lawn flamingo.
"And to think that I got you something really nice," CJ replied standing the flamingo on the ground.
"Hey, it took Kathy a long time to track that down in the middle of winter," Sam said with a smile.
"Well thank you so much," CJ said.
"It looks nothing like you by the way," Sam added. "I mean, the legs are long and your legs are long, but that's about it. I suppose if you dyed your hair pink…"
"Sam?" CJ interrupted him as he gazed at the plastic bird.
"Yeah?"
"Quit while you're ahead," she replied.
"Yeah," Sam said. After a beat he added, "I was planning on picking you something up in Bermuda. Any suggestions?"
"Rum," CJ replied. "Lots of rum. Is Bermuda known for its rum?"
"I'm not sure," Sam said.
"Aw, well, then, get me a seashell or two," she smiled handing her present to Sam. "Here, Merry Christmas."
Sam tore at the paper and examined the gift CJ had given him.
"Wow, CJ, this is really nice. It'll look great on the sailboat. Thank you," Sam replied.
"See, I told you that you'd regret the flamingo dig," she said standing.
"The flamingo is a beautiful bird," Sam reminded her.
"Yeah," CJ said as she walked toward the door. "Have you seen Toby around?"
"He was going to a funeral," Sam replied.
"The one for the guy with his business card?"
"Yeah," Sam nodded. "He said he'd be back before he left for his sister's."
"Okay. Well, have a safe trip. I'll see you in a week."
"Thanks. Have a good Christmas."
"I will," CJ replied. She walked out of Sam's office, carrying her ridiculous pink, plastic flamingo and headed back to her office.
"Nice bird," Ed or Larry called from across the hall.
"Yeah, thanks," CJ said raising the bird slightly to acknowledge his comment.
CJ had finally made it to the threshold of her office, almost assured of safety from anyone else asking her about the flamingo when she ran into Carol.
"What's that about?" Carol asked pointing at the flamingo before CJ could hide it in her office.
"It's Sam's way of wishing me a Merry Christmas," CJ replied.
Carol chuckled.
"It's not funny Carol," CJ said. "How did this happen? Do you think that all the agents were at a staff meeting thinking up codenames and all of sudden they got to my name and someone shouted out, 'flamingo?' And all the other agents agreed because I so obviously resemble one?"
"Flamingos are really pretty birds CJ. It could be worse," Carol assured her.
"How?"
"I don't know," Carol shrugged. "They could have went with some other animal."
"Such as?" CJ pressed her assistant.
"I, um, please don't make me pick," Carol pleaded.
"It's the holidays," CJ grinned. "You're off the hook."
"Thank you," Carol smiled, relieved.
"It's just that flamingo isn't a very sexy bird."
"You wanted a sexy codename?"
"I don't know. I think having a Secret Service codename is kind of an interesting story. Now if I tell people I'll have to add, 'oh yeah, my codename is flamingo.' Not very alluring," CJ said.
"I'm sure men don't care what your codename is," Carol replied.
"Probably not, but you never know."
"Try it out on people other than Sam and Josh," Carol suggested. "What was your old codename anyway?"
"Buckeye."
"See, I think flamingo is an upgrade."
"Yeah, but I'm from Ohio, so Buckeye made sense. Oh well, I'm moving on. From this day forth until they change names, I will be known as flamingo."
"Sorry," Carol said sincerely. "You almost ready to brief?"
"Yeah. I'll be out in a few minutes," CJ replied.
CJ sat at her desk for a moment and contemplated the rest of the day. She would brief the press one last time, say Merry Christmas to a few more people and head home, alone, to her apartment. How would she spend the rest of Christmas Eve? She'd sit alone reading memos and reading the newspapers, looking for snippets about health care or hate crimes or whatever other hot-button issues she could find. It was not how someone should spend Christmas Eve, but what other choice did she have? She was just grateful that she was able to have Josh over for Christmas dinner. The possibility of having someone to cook for would have to be enough.
CJ sighed and gathered her few notes together before standing up stretching before leaving her office. She made her way down to the briefing room, gave the press the news and then suddenly she found herself staring at Danny writing intently in his notebook. There was something so natural about him taking notes that she didn't even think to question why he was so consumed with scribbling notes on the schedule for the day. It was like something clicked.
CJ honestly couldn't say what happened after the though passed through her mind. She walked back to her office, side-by-side with Danny, and she still couldn't figure out what possessed her when she was leaving the briefing room. She had asked Danny to dinner.
The thing was she really meant it to be a date. Of course he had gone and ruined it by suggesting that she had asked him out, which she had, but CJ couldn't let other people know that. So now, CJ had plans for dinner, finally! The trouble was that it was a business dinner. With Danny. On Christmas Eve. She wasn't sure how she felt about that. Moreover she wasn't sure how other people were going to feel about that.
CJ sat down at her desk and thought it over before she decided that she didn't care what anyone else thought about it. Sure, Leo had told her not to encourage him. Yes, Toby had always given her looks when the subject of Danny came up, but in that moment she didn't care. She wasn't going to be sitting alone in her small apartment on Christmas Eve and that was really all that mattered.
CJ glanced at her watch and remembered that she was due in the Blue Room to take in a performance by a local children's choir. She loved the music that filled the White House halls during Christmas and so she made her way down to listen before packing up her desk for the next few days.
CJ had taken in the children's choir and was in the midst of packing up her desk when she saw a shadow in her doorway. She looked up and saw Toby standing there with a shiny bag in his hand.
"Hi," CJ said.
"Hi," Toby replied shuffling his feet a little in the doorway.
"You missed the children's choir," CJ informed him.
"Yeah," Toby replied before entering her office and settling into a chair in the corner.
CJ set the papers she was reading on her desk and stood up. She walked over to the couch opposite Toby and took a seat. She knew he had gone to a funeral. He had arranged it himself, though he hadn't said much about it. CJ could tell that he probably wasn't going to give her very much information, but she thought she would try anyway.
"You've been busy the last few days," CJ commented.
"Yeah."
"Sam told me the funeral was this morning."
"Yeah."
"Are we not going to talk about this?"
"What do you want to know?" Toby snapped a little at her.
"Toby, just because he had your business card in his pocket--"
"I know," Toby cut her off. "I just felt like I had to do something."
"Do you feel better now?"
"Not really," Toby said.
"You should. You did a good thing," CJ assured him.
"Yeah, well," Toby shrugged.
CJ leaned over and took his hand, giving it a light squeeze. "You did more than you had to for a man you didn't know," she told him. "You did a really good thing."
"Thank you," Toby said after a moment. As if he didn't want the moment to last longer than he should he shook off CJ's hand lightly and pulled at the shiny bag he had set by his feet.
"Merry Christmas," he said handing CJ the bag.
"Is this my merlot?" CJ asked hopefully.
"It is our tradition," Toby confirmed.
"Thank you," she said smiling as she pulled out the fine bottle of wine that Toby had given her every Christmas since she knew him.
"You're welcome," he replied taking a quick glance at his watch and standing. "Did you finally sucker Leo into coming over for Christmas dinner?"
"No," CJ replied standing. "I've convinced Josh to come over tomorrow. Donna might stop by."
"Good," Toby said. "You can cook tomorrow and stay in and watch It's a Wonderful Life tonight."
"I have plans tonight," CJ said absently as she set the bottle of wine on her desk.
"Plans?" Toby inquired.
CJ, realizing her mistake, cringed. "I'm going to dinner."
"With?" Toby asked.
"With Danny," CJ said biting her lower lip and waiting for Toby to explode.
"It's a business dinner," she added quickly, hoping to diffuse his reaction.
"On Christmas Eve," he stated.
"Yeah," she said finally feeling she could turn to face his wrath.
"Okay."
"Okay?" CJ asked shocked.
"Have a nice Christmas," Toby said. CJ could clearly tell he was biting his tongue. There was no way he would normally react with such a non-reaction to news that she was going to Christmas Eve dinner with Danny.
"Seriously?"
"Yeah," he said with a slight smile. "Should I forbid you to go? Is that what you want?"
"No."
"Okay," he said. "Then I'll see you in a few days."
Toby heard footsteps approaching CJ's door and glanced quickly around the corner. He saw Danny approaching and felt uncomfortable again.
"Hi Toby," Danny said as he walked toward the door of CJ's office.
"Danny," Toby nodded giving CJ a look.
"Am I interrupting something?" Danny asked.
"No," Toby said. "Have a good Christmas Danny."
Toby started to walk out the door before CJ stopped him. "That's it?" CJ asked him while Danny gave her a curious look.
"Merry Christmas CJ," Toby said over his shoulder. "See ya Danny."
"Bye Toby," Danny said as he left the office. He turned to CJ who stood there looking slightly shell-shocked. "What was that about?"
"Toby was giving me a Christmas present," CJ replied.
Danny walked over to CJ's desk and plucked the bottle of wine from the spot next to Gail's bowl. "A bottle of wine?" Danny asked.
"You could say that," CJ said turning toward Danny.
"It's a good bottle."
"Yes, it is," she said taking it from him. "Don't get any ideas. You're not getting any."
"Any wine?" Danny asked with a grin.
"Any anything," CJ replied with the same grin. "This is a business dinner."
"Right," Danny replied. "What are we talking about again? Hate crimes?"
"I can't talk about that yet," CJ said.
"You guys are still trying to figure out where you stand?"
"Some of us already know where we stand," CJ retorted.
"No one else agrees with you?"
"We're not talking about hate crimes tonight," CJ said. "It's Christmas."
"Hmm, so I guess gun control is off the table too then," Danny replied.
"Yes," CJ nodded. It took her a moment to decipher whether her blood pressure was up because she was arguing politics with Danny or because he was standing so close to her. She realized the cause of her flushed cheeks and took a step back before walking to the other side of her desk. It seemed wise to put the desk between them.
"Can we talk about health care?"
"Millions of uninsured? How festive."
"Immigration?"
"Not very jolly."
"Peace in the Middle East?"
"Hypothetically, sure," CJ said with a smile.
"So, we can't talk about hate crimes, guns," Danny started list while walking slowly to the side of the desk where CJ stood, "health care or immigration, but we can speak, hypothetically, about peace in the Middle East."
He was standing very close to her now. She looked at him and tried to decided whether or not he could hear her heart beating faster the closer he got to her. She felt guilty thinking that Toby had given her a wonderful Christmas present by not saying a word about her business dinner with Danny on Christmas Eve and here she was, giddy as a schoolgirl. She even rested her palm on her desk just to make sure she was grounded in reality.
"CJ," Danny said in a half-whisper. "If we're not talking about any of those things, then why am I bringing my notebook?"
He moved his hand so that it lightly brushed the palm CJ had laid on her desk and she took a step back and grabbed a folder from her desk. She thought she pulled the move off gracefully enough to make it seem as though she wasn't trying to pull away. If she was honest, the only reason she did pull back was because she didn't quite trust herself today. Maybe it was the Christmas lights or the chill in the air. One thing was certain; she wasn't going to let Leo or Toby down by doing something she shouldn't.
"We're going to talk about education," CJ said waving the folder she picked up at him. "And national parks."
"National parks?" Danny asked taken aback.
"Sure," CJ said. "National parks are treasure troves of natural history." CJ pulled the line from a one-sided discussion that President Bartlet had once had with her about national parks.
"Education and national parks?" Danny said with a chuckle. "Well Merry Christmas."
"You'll learn something," CJ said. "It'll be the best dinner you've ever had."
"I don't doubt that," Danny said with all serious sincerity.
CJ picked up on his tone and meaning and tried to deflect it. "What are you doing in here anyway? It isn't dinner time yet."
"I know," Danny said adopting his more casual conversation tone again. "We didn't actually discuss plans. What time? Should I you pick up? How are we working this business dinner?"
"Seven. I'll meet you at the restaurant."
"I can't meet you there," Danny protested. "It's Christmas Eve."
"There's a law against women showing up at restaurants unescorted on Christmas Eve?"
"The president signed it into law this morning. You must have been busy with the thing and you didn't notice."
"Really?"
"It's all over the AP," Danny said spinning his lie.
"Fine," CJ backed down. "You can pick me up at 6:45pm and we'll split a cab."
"I can live with that," Danny nodded shoving his hands into his pockets.
"What if I got you a Christmas present?" Danny ventured.
"You already got me fish food," CJ sighed.
"I know, but see, I had this giant pink flamingo all ready to go," Danny explained running his hand along the plastic flamingo that CJ had set next to her desk. "It looks like someone already beat me to it."
"Danny," CJ started to protest.
"I was pretty excited because I found the perfect flamingo too. It was beautiful, graceful--"
"A plastic flamingo was graceful?" CJ interjected.
"I don't know I was just drawn to it the moment I saw it."
"Danny?" CJ said.
"Yeah?"
"Get out."
"Okay."
He chuckled as he set down the plastic flamingo and started to walk out of her office.
"I'll see you at 6:45pm?" CJ asked as he was leaving.
"Count on it," Danny replied without looking back. She could hear him whistling The Little Drummer Boy as he walked down the hallway.
CJ stood alone in her office and stared out the doorway. There weren't many people left in the building and so she was able to stand there and mull over her conversation with Danny. The only thing CJ was certain of was that this dinner was going to be something to be enjoyed and feared.
There was a light knock on the door that separated CJ's office from Josh's.
"CJ?" Josh said sticking his head in the office. "You're still here?"
"I'm just leaving," CJ said absently.
"Okay, I'll see ya tomorrow. Have a nice night."
"Hey Josh," CJ said.
"Yeah?"
"My Secret Service code name is flamingo."
"Yes it is," Josh smiled at her.
"It might not be as bad as I thought."
"No?"
"No."
"Merry Christmas CJ," Josh said.
"Merry Christmas Josh," CJ said.
CJ packed up a few more folders and clicked off the light in her office. The Christmas light from around the bullpen illuminated the room in a beautiful light. CJ walked out thinking how funny life could be. That morning she was begging people to spend Christmas with her and now she was on her way to get ready for dinner with Danny. Somehow CJ felt that this year was going to be a very merry Christmas.
The End.