Title: Theses things I'm sure of...
Paring: CJ/Danny and the whole west wing gang (Even Sam!)
Disclaimer:
Story conceived by Ms.M and Sdsublondie9
Written by Ms. M
With special material Contributed by Sdsublondie9
Notes: Although some of us have been disappointed with the recent events on West Wing, MsM and Sdsublonie9 ask that you give this story a chance. We wrote it together and we have put a lot of hard work and long nights into it. Thank you for reading and please enjoy! This idea came from the discussion of an episode of Sports Night where Jeremy, in love with Natalie, can not sleep when she was being threatened What would make Danny not sleep?
Summery: One man's journey for love!
Repost—First Posted Winter 2004
West Coast East Coast Entertainment Presents:
A Figurative Cat Production
In Association with REEL Banter Limited
And brought to you by The Sorkin Fund and readers like you!
TUESDAY 3:56
"Henry! Henry!" The reporters yelled looking like they would be swallowed whole by the lights of the television Cameras. The room had not been that full of people since Zoey Bartlet had disappeared. Danny noticed how the lights made the room look foggy as if it was misting over, almost like a war zone, or perhaps that was just what he saw.
"Gail." Henry, The Deputy Press Secretary, called on a reporter being extremely under experienced at the job.
"Have the authorities ruled out foul play?"
"Nothing has been determined yet?" He pointed to a woman in the front row. "Chris"
"Does the FBI think terrorism is involved or domestic sources? Has anyone been contacted?"
"Nothing has been determined yet and no The FBI or the White House have not been contacted yet. Right now they are focusing on a safe return."
"Henry!" Danny again shot is hand up.
"Danny." Henry called on the disheveled Danny. His eyes where set into the bags under his lids making them look ominous and angry. Danny looked tired, upset, and determined.
"It's been forty hours since the disappearance. Why is it we are still getting the same answers as yesterday?"
"I'm sorry Danny, are you asking what's being done?"
"Yes I think I'm being pretty clear here. WHAT IS BEING DONE!"" Danny had never been so aggressive in the press room.
"Things are still being taken into consideration—"
"Terrorism vs domestic, meaning anyone who just took her vs a foreign Government. Your telling me no ones looking at the fact that she has been stalked before."
"Danny!"
"I want to know why it is forty hours later and nothing is getting done." Henry looked over at Toby who ran his hand under his neck to signal cut it. "No don't pull this crap. I'm not finished here. Hey, come on!"
"All we can do is being done and we will update you as soon as we know anything. Thank you."
Danny shot up from his seat and pushed passed the other reporters to get to the exit.
Henry walked off followed by Toby and Leo. Josh saw Danny storming toward the door and he made sure to stay behind and intersect his friend.
"He didn't answer my question. What is this?" Danny tried to shove his way past Josh, but Josh wouldn't let him.
"Danny you look terrible. Go get some sleep?"
"No. I can't sleep Josh. I can't ...! What's going on Josh? What the hell kind of investigation is this? She's missing Josh! CJ 's gone!
"We're all worried Danny?"
"Not for nothin' Josh, but worry...ain't do nothin'."
Josh looked around and ushered his friend back. "Come, on. Come to my office".
Will caught Toby walking back form the briefing, a stack of papers under Toby's arm, Toby handed them to a girl who took them away for him.
"How are you doing?" Will asked as the two men walked back to Toby's office.
"I'm sorry?
"How ya holding up?"
"What?"
"I'm inquiring in a brotherly way as to the nature of your well-being."
"Well, don't."
"If you need to talk—."
"I don't need to talk—."
"Toby, I'm just saying—."
"Don't say anything-nothing is to be said."
"I'm just sayin'—."
"And yet you're sayin'—."
"I've known CJ for a little over a year and I'm upset. You've known her a lot longer than anyone else here."
"Yeah"
"So...?"
"I have these things—I have work to do."
Will watched Toby say something to his assistant Rina and walk into his brought Danny into his office. Danny sunk down into Josh's chair and held his head in his hands.
"Donna, get Danny a cup of coffee." Josh yelled behind him as he stood in his doorway.
"Okay." Was heard from looked at Danny as he entered his office. "And a sleeping pill."
"I'm fine."
"Man, you look terrible."
"Here." Donna ran into the office and presented Danny with the coffee.
"Take the coffee Danny." Josh told him. Danny shook his head and let out a groan of air.
"I'll take it." Josh took the coffee and Donna and Josh shared looks. 'Leave us alone, will ya?"
"Yeah." Donna took one more look at them before she left and closed the door.
"You have to get it together. You can't do what you just did in that pressroom. They're gonna kick you out."
"I know—"
"And then you won't know anything—"
"You have to go home and get some sleep-"
"I can't. I just walk around my apartment, or here. I can't sleep. I just write—."
"That was an amazing piece you wrote yesterday—"
"What are they doing Josh, what do they know?"
"They don't know. She just disappeared. Her door was open and nothing. No forced entrance. Nothing—"
"She didn't just walk away Josh—"
"I know that, you know that. They don't know that. There's no note. No evidence. Nothing. She's just gone-"
"That doesn't freak you out!"
"Yes, Yes it freaks me out. My friend just disappeared off the face of the earth, a friend of mine who just happens to be the second most visible person in this place, after the President, but if I make myself crazy I can't help. I can't do anything. You got to get yourself together Danny."
"It's been forty hours, five minutes and fifteen seconds since she was last seen, who knows how long before that she was taken. And she was taken Josh. We all know that. This is CJ were talkin' about here."
"I know."
"I have to go find her."
"Danny you can't"
"What do you know Josh? Tell me what you know!"
"I don't know anything!"
"There are only two things I'm sure of in this world and that's five column inches above the fold and CJ Cregg. I can't live in a world with out those two things!"
There was a knock at the door.
"Wait here." Josh put his hands out and they exchanged eyes.
Josh walked to the door and walked out closing the door tightly behind him.
"Yeah." Josh spoke to Donna.
"Leo wants you in senior staff."
"Where having senior staff?"
"Yeah"
"Ok. Tell him I'll be right there." Josh walked back into the office. "Danny, I—"Josh looked around and no Danny. Josh noticed the door that linked CJ's office to his was open. He walked in and found Danny standing in the middle of the room. Josh just looked at Danny as he saw his friend crumbling in front of his eyes. Danny held it in, but he was crazed with his mission, tired and drained. Danny was staring at CJ's fish.
"Danny, come on—"
"Someone has to feed her fish."
"I'll feed it."
"You don't feed a fish and it dies. One day, you neglect to-and that's it. The fish can't survive. The store said the fish would last for only a few months—"
"And look at it. CJ kept it alive for five years."
"With in two hours after Zoey Bartlet's kidnapping they had her in a five by six hole in the ground." He paused. "I should know I filed the story."
"They'll find her."
"Can I quote you on that?" He looked at Josh.
Danny's phone rang.
'Yeah." He paused to listen.
"Danny—"
"Shh—"Danny put his hand out to quite Josh.
"Yeah, Maisy. I'm still here." Danny took his notebook out of his pocket and leaned it on CJ's desk.
"Yeah. Okay." He wrote a few notes down. Josh tried to see what he was doing. "Thanks." Danny closed his phone. "I got to go."
"Danny what was that? Was that about CJ?"
"I have a lead." Danny walked through Josh's office.
"I'm coming with you!" Josh grabbed his coat and followed Danny out of his office.
"Josh, Senior Staff." Donna watched Danny and Josh speed past her. Danny was so determined it was hard for Josh to keep up. "Josh!" She yelled as she realized he was leaving.
"I'll be right back." Josh yelled putting his coat on as he ran. Donna gave Josh a look. "Tell him its important. I'll tell him when I get back."Danny pulled up to the seedy bar where he usually talked to sources.
"This is the place? This is your source?" Josh asked.
"If you complain your not—"
"Ok, ok." Josh paused. "And why are we here?"
"Maisy got a hold of the police report—"
"Yeah, her CD player was taken."
"You knew."
I couldn't say. It's strange they'd just take a CD player."
"I agree. My guess is someone else took it."
"And this guy could have seen something?"
"Yeah." Danny got out of the car and Josh followed.
"So who's the good cop—"
"Josh, not this again. We're not playing that."
"But, were partners, someone has to be the bad cop." Danny gave him a look. "Ok, fine you can be the bad cop.
Danny walked into the bar and made his way to the back booth. Josh followed as he noticed Danny wasn't standing in the parking lot anymore.
"Concannon. Nice to see ya?" Said the small man. "What you looking for now? A new scanner, perhaps a DVD player."
"No. I'm good. Thanks."
"Who's the new guy?"
"He's good, he's with me?"
"Looks familiar. Like I'd seen ya somewhere."
"I just have that kind a face." Josh smirked.
"What ya want Danny?"
"CD player. Georgetown. Upscale."
"Double player and record."
"Single."
"Let me confer with my friends." He fingered a guy over and he whispered to him.
"I think we have a match for ya Danny."
After a moment the same man brought a silver CD player over to the table.
"It looks familiar Danny." Josh said as he felt something in his stomach. Danny took his notebook out of packet and flipped the player over. Danny stood and slapped the notebook on the player comparing the serial numbers to the one's on his paper.
"Damn!" Danny slammed the notebook on the player. "Its not it!"
"Hey Dan. Don't hurt the merchandise. It's not what you want. I can find what you want."
"This is the only thing you got from Georgetown?"
"Sorry, Danny that's it."
"Come on Josh, let's go."
"Wait, Danny." The man stood and walked over to Danny. "I'm sure I can find something you need. You got a lady friend? I bet you do. You're a classy kind of guy. Arnold?" he called over a guy.
"Really, we're fine—"
"Here, I may not have Georgetown Compact disk player, but for you- jewelry. From the best houses. Show the man what you got. I'm sure there's something you're looking for."
"Really—"
"Just take a look."
The boy, the little man had called over, opened his palm to reveal a box which the boy opened and displayed what was inside: A gold fish pin. Josh and Danny's heart skipped a beat.
"That's—"But before Josh would even speak. Danny was on seventeen year old kid.
"Where did you get this?!" Danny said threw greeted teeth.
"I got it off some guy!" He yelled in a panic. Danny slammed him against the wall with his adrenaline-filled anger.
"Where is she?" Danny took the boy by the lapel of his Laker's jacket.
"Danny!" Josh yelled
"Hey!" The little man yelled.
"You bastard! What did you do to her? Where is she!? I'll kill you if you did anything to her."
"I swear to god. I just got it from some guy! That's all!"
Danny pulled all his force into the boy as he suddenly felt pulling and tugging from both directions. Josh grumbled. Danny could only see the boy as he tried to get the answer out.
"Call the cops." Yelled someone from the back."Well, if it isn't Starsky and Hutch!" Toby yelled as Josh and Danny sat down in font of him in the communications office, looking more battered than bruised.
"He's Starsky? Now what does that make me Hutch?" Josh didn't like that at all. "I'm Starsky?"
"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!"
"Hey, I technically out rank you. The only person who should be yelling at me at this moment is Leo!" Josh yelled back.
"Well, since Leo's busy right now and I'm the only one in this room that out ranks you because of your level's of stupidly—I can yell at you. You can't do this Josh!"
"Toby?" Danny tried to intercede.
"I'm not talking to you." Toby yelled at Danny. 'You can do what ever you want!" He looked at Josh. "Your not the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President to the United States. I don't care what you do!"
"As long as he's not exposing our secrets." Josh said under his breath.
"Just because you make jokes under your breath does not mean I don't hear you Josh!" Toby took a breath. "You're a government official Josh. You can't go around investigating this like you're on an episode of Hawaii five O!"
"Do your cop references extend to any television shows actually in this century?"
"Your being funny?" He paused. "CJ's missing and your making jokes!"
"That's all I know how to do. Tell me what to... just give me something to do and I'll do it!" Josh yelled. "Danny seems to be the only person around this place doing anything-Tell me something I haven't done—that I can do!"
"Ok, ok!" Danny finally spoke up. "I told him not to come and he came along anyway. If this is anyone's fault. It's mine. I'm going by myself this time. I won't give you guys any more trouble—"
"You're going back out there?" Josh asked him concerned.
"In my office." Toby said with a soft voice. The voice he saved for when he had something to say. Danny and Josh followed Toby, and his secret like tones into his office. It was dark as Josh closed the door behind them.
"How much would you need?" Toby said tapping his fingers on his desk before looking up at Danny. "Funding. Travel expenses. How much would you need?"
"Toby?" Josh wasn't sure what was going on.
Toby wrote something on a piece of paper and handed it to Danny. "This is my private account number. When you need money have it wired from this account."
"I need to know the information their holding back from the press."
"I'll get it for you—"
"And what those guys at the bar said—"
"They took a sketch of the men they bought the pin from."
"I'll need the sketches—"
"Yeah, yeah. I'll have Josh keep in touch with you. Give us a moment we'll bring it to you."
"Okay."
"Go back to the pressroom. I'll call you back after the briefing for a follow-up I'll have the sketches then." Toby looked down.
Danny walked toward the door.
"You call Josh if you find her." Toby's voice welled, but he held it in. "Don't do anything. You call Josh."
"I will." He paused. "Why are you doing this Toby?"
"'Cause you're right they're not doing enough."
Danny nodded his head in thanks and he was gone. Josh looked at Toby with udder devastation. He didn't know how much more loss either man could take.