TITLE: "There Was Some Action"

AUTHOR: Cindy ()
RATING: PG-13

CHARACTERS: Toby /CJ

SUMMARY: Sunny's January Challenge

DISCLAIMER: The characters used from the West Wing do not belong to me; they are the property of Aaron Sorkin.

SPOILERS ***Quotes from the movie Runaway Bride as well as scenes are discussed.***

I was patiently waiting in the lobby of the old theatre house on Young Street where I had agreed to meet CJ. She had enticed me with promises of popcorn and a good action flick if I would come out for the evening with her.

A cab pulled up and out stepped CJ looking as beautiful as she always does. I watched as her long legs slowly walked with graceful stride as she came towards me.

How this woman was single was beyond me. If only I could get the courage to actually tell her how I feel about her. But there was no time left for me. I had made my choices with Andi and even though we are not together, I'm not what CJ is looking for in a man right now.

"Hey you," she said as stepped beside me. "I hope you haven't been waiting long?"

"Nope, just got here myself, "I lied. I had been here for almost a half hour. The action film was a bonus but being with CJ out here was a gift. I wasn't about to show up late for fear she'd leave without waiting for me.

"Oh good. Traffic was a bit jammed and I was terrified that you'd get tired of waiting for me and leave," she giggled as she pulled me along with her. "Let's go get our tickets."

My eyes roamed around at the various movie posters that were hanging behind glass on the walls. The only one I spotted with Richard Gere didn't seem like an action film to me. Albeit, the female was wearing a pair of sneakers.

"Which one of these are we seeing again?"

CJ took a less than a second to scan the posters and looked disappointed as she said, "It's not here." She turned her attention to the back of some guys head and then after clearing her throat asked, "Hey Toby, can you go and get me one of those book things that are over there?" She pointed to the other end of the lobby.

I followed her direction, "Way down there?"

"Oh it's not that far. I'll buy the tickets while you go down there."

I hesitated. It seemed so far away just to get some book thing that she wanted, "Do you really need it now?"

"I like to read them before the movie starts."

"But what about my popcorn? You promised," I whined. I mean that was even bigger than the gift of being here with CJ. If there wasn't going to be any popcorn then my ass was out of here.

"You'll still get your popcorn you big baby. Now hurry up," she gave me a shove and I gave her funny look back. Did she need this damn thing so bad that she had to push me?

I pretended to be offended as I sulked off down towards the opposite end of the lobby. It might has well have been in California for it seemed that far away.

***5 Minutes Later***

I slapped the book lightly against CJ's chest, "Here's your stupid program."

"Thanks sweetie," CJ smiled back at me as she shoved the program into her bag.

I watched as she did it, "You best read that damn thing," I warned her as I jabbed my finger in the direction of her program squeezed into her undersized and yet overstuffed purse.

"I will," she said waving me off. "Now let's get you some popcorn."

"After all that walking I want a large bag now with a large pop."

I put all of my weight on the back of my heels and placed my arms behind my back. I was standing firm on this. CJ laughed, "Whatever you'd like Toby."

"With lots of butter too."

"Yes with lots of butter," CJ confirmed.

***10 Minutes Later***

CJ walked ahead of me and into the small theatre holding the movie we were here to see. Right away my eyes caught the attention of the same movie poster with the girl in a white dress wearing running shoes.

"Hold it," I said loudly.

CJ stopped with hesitation and sighed. She turned back to face me, "What?"

"Oh I think you already know what!"

"Okay listen. I've wanted to see this like forever and I knew I wouldn't be able to get you to come if you knew what it was."

"So you lied to me?"

"I didn't lie."

"You said we were going to see an action movie."

"We are."

"She's wearing a wedding dress," I pointed out to the poster.

CJ shrugged, "Yeah but she's also got running shoes on….see," CJ smacked her hand against the shoes.

I shifted my weight to my left leg. This was not amusing. I was brought here on false pretenses.

CJ tried to convince me some more that this was an action film, "Look it even has action in the title."

I looked back at the poster, "It says 'Runaway Bride' CJ."

"Exactly! Running, now what more action do you need?"

"The one where there are guns and massive destructive violence with blood and guts. The kind of action movie where even Bruce Willis stands up and says, "Damn! Now that was some action!"

"Oh Toby, you're so dramatic," CJ said pulling on me. I didn't want to go in. The voices in my head told me to run and as fast as I could, but my heart, which pretty much rules all where CJ was concerned, smacked the voices down and made me follow her into the theatre.

I followed her into the dimly lit theatre and wasn't at all surprised that to find that we were the only ones in it. All those lucky bastards that had been able to avoid this night….I wish I was with them right now.

CJ turned back to me, "Wow! I wonder if we'll get a good seat together."

Oh sure, go ahead and use my sarcastic line. I was going to say that myself. This sucks! "I want to sit down near the front," I told CJ.

I walked down a few aisles and sat myself down. I allowed CJ to continue on walking down further. When she discovered I was not beside her she turned back and with her arms akimbo said, "I thought you said you wanted to sit down at the front?"

"I'm sorry," I said already beginning to shove popcorn into my mouth. "Did I tell a lie?"

"Very funny Ziegler," she said walking back to me. She brushed past me and sat down in the joining seat.

The lights went down and the curtains began to rise. This was going to be the worst two hours of my life. I already knew this in advance.

**1 Hr & 42 Minutes Later**

"I heard you laughing."

"No, what you heard was my choking on some of the corniest lines I've ever heard."

I was the first one out of my seat and we were just about to step outside into the brisk winds that were bound to hit his both and leave its mark on our exposed flesh.

"You liked it Toby. I know you did."

"I wouldn't put too much faith into your knowledge right now Claudia Jean," I said trying to piss her off. I tightened my coat around me for warmth.

Rather than take offense like I was hoping, CJ only laughed. "You're pathetic."

"Excuse me?"

"Pathetic," she sang.

"Why am I pathetic? Am I the one who deceived a friend into seeing something against their wishes? Am I the one who lied convincing them they were going to see an action movie? I think not?"

"Okay first of all you were not held at gunpoint Toby. You could have left anytime after you found out that this wasn't the action movie I so horribly lied about. Second of all, you're just pissed off because you liked it."

"It was stupid. He should have left her long before he let her play with his heart and then shatter it to the ground like some kind of toy."

"Ah ha!," CJ danced around. "You've got an opinion."

I looked at her like she was an inmate that had escaped from the insane asylum, "Are you mad?"

CJ stopped dancing and rubbed her arms quickly for heat, "Every time you watch a movie you enjoy you rip it to shreds. You point out all the scenes that disturbed you and then you over dramatize each and every one of them until we beg and plead with you for mercy."

"Can you hear what you are saying?"

"You know I'm right. Whenever you don't like a movie you just shrug it off. But when you like one, ohhh when you like one you've got to go on and on about it."

"I do not."

"Yes you do. It's the weirdest thing I've ever seen I'll confess, but it's a quirk. It's one of many of yours."

I shook my head at CJ. I couldn't believe we were having this argument. On the up and up though she was 100% correct. I do have a tendency to do that with movies I like. But I was extremely taken back that she was calling me on it.

"I'm going home. I think you should do the same."

CJ laughed, "Admit you liked it or I'll tell everyone including the press how you and I went to see this movie and you blubbered like the big baby we all know you are."

I stared at CJ for any traces of her just fooling around with me but there was none. Her eyes gave nothing away of a joke. Only a deep serious tone….oh shit. She was actually blackmailing me.

"I'm curious, how do you live yourself with Claudia Jean?"

She shrugged, "Well I try to eat right, get plenty of sleep and piss off the people who mean the most to me." She smiled as she elbowed me.

"Well, you must love me then."

"Maybe one day I'll let you know."

I looked into her dancing eyes…I'd see any movie she told me too if she'd only answer that one for me right here and now.

"Alright," I sighed. "I liked it."

"I told you."

"Yeah, yeah, you're a genius."

"It was pretty funny wasn't it?"

"Yeah. There were some good lines in it. Julia Roberts wasn't too hard on the eyes either."

"And wasn't Richard Gere hot?"

"Ah gee CJ, I didn't notice," I said trying to act upset that I had missed noticing.

"What was your favourite scene?"

I hesitated and finally responded, "I liked the comment he made about not knocking drunks in bars because they're not out driving."

"Yeah that was a good one. I liked when his ex-wife asked where she was going when she took jumped into the Fed EX truck…and that Hector guy said, "I don't know but, she'll be there by 10:30 tomorrow morning."

I laughed as I recalled that scene. It was pretty funny….oh I hate this.

"I'm going home now CJ. Goodnight."

"Goodnight hon," she pulled me close to her and pressed her cold lips against mine.

When she released me I stuttered, "Th…thanks for the movie."

"My pleasure."

"Maybe next time there will be another action movie playing that just happens to have some wealthy guy fall in love with a hooker," I winked at her.

CJ's cab pulled up to the curb and before she stepped inside she said, "He ran down the street, she jumped into a truck, they climbed a fence, he drove fast, she climbed out onto a ledge, people ran at baseball, right?"

"Right," I admitted not at all knowing where she was going with this.

"then there was some ACTION!" CJ yelled back to me as she closed the door of her cab.

I laughed as I waved to her as her cab drove off leaving me on the sidewalk dreaming…..that I might be as lucky as Richard Gere's character Ike Graham. And that CJ, well, she'd be my Pretty Woman.