TITLE: "Keegan" (1/3)

RATING: AA
CHARACTERS: Toby and the gang

SUMMARY: Piper meets Keegan

POV: Toby

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

TIMEFRAME: Continues on from "I'd Like You to Meet…"

*1*

I was holding my son in my arms while CJ slept. I couldn't get enough of him. He was so beautiful and he was mine. I think that's the part that scared me.

A year ago I was a miserable soul and here I am now, a husband and a father of two. Who would have guessed? I only wish my parents could be here to see me now. I know they would be so proud.

I watched Keegan's eyes flicker during his sleep. I've never held a baby this young before. Even with my sisters kids I never held them until they were a bit older. I was always afraid that their head would snap back while in my care.

I wasn't afraid of that at this particular moment. The only feelings I had were of love and happiness. And even I'm not stupid enough to argue with them.

The door opened and Josh peeked his head in. "I've got Piper," he informed me.

"Considering she was in your care I'll take that as a good sign," I said smiling.

Piper pushed the door open further and ran into the room. She stopped abruptly when she noticed me with the baby. "Who's that?" She asked pointing at Keegan.

CJ woke up at the sound of Piper. "Hi baby," she said stretching her arms out for Piper.

"Mommy! There you is," Piper ran over to the bed.

"Can I hold him Toby?" Josh asked softly as he came closer. I handed Josh my son who took no notice of being placed into another's arms.

"He's beautiful Toby," Josh spoke as he watched Keegan sleep. "Hi Keegan."

"Mommy I can't climb up on this bed. Can youse lower it please?" Piper was hanging off the side bar of the bed.

I walked over to help her up. Piper slapped my hand away. "No! I doesn't want you. I wants mommy."

CJ's eyes met up with mine. "Sweetie let daddy help you up. Mommy can't do it."

"How cuz?"

"Mommy is still sore from having Keegan."

"Who's Kagen?"

"Keegan. He's your new baby brother," CJ replied.

"That's a yucky name," Piper scrunched her face at the sound of his name.

"Piper," I said in a warning tone. CJ brushed me off.

"You don't like that name?" She asked Piper.

"I doesn't like him," Piper stated without any consideration.

CJ didn't react. Instead she remained calm and continued with her questions. "But you haven't even seen him. So how can you say you don't like him?"

"Because I'm smart."

"I know you're smart Piper. But being smart isn't an excuse for not liking someone you haven't yet met," CJ said turning onto her side but still keeping her eyes on Piper.

Piper walked from the bed towards Josh. "Okay lets me see it."

Josh looked at me for permission and I nodded my head. I would have preferred a better introduction. Josh squatted down and went to hold Keegan out so that Piper could get a better view of her new baby brother when she held her hand up.

"That's enough," she turned back to me. "Okay I saws him and I still doesn't like him."

I moved closer to her and crossed my arms, "Why?"

"He's ugly and he has no hair."

Josh and CJ chuckled. I wasn't amused. "He is not ugly," I defended my son.

"Well he's all wrinkly. And mommy said wrinkles makes you all ugly," she crossed her arms the same way I had.

I didn't know what to say. My fatherly instincts wanted to reach out and just hold her but the other side of me, the natural Toby wanted to send her packing to her bedroom for a good week or so.

"You know Piper, it's okay to be mad at me."

"I'm not mad at you," she argued.

"Well I think you are," I knelt down before her. "And I think it's because you feel like you're not going to be important to me anymore because you'll be sharing me with Keegan."

Piper looked down at her feet as she shuffled them. "Don't you remember that talk we had in the park?"

"Maybe," she whispered.

"Well that's okay because I remember it up here," I tapped my head and then Josh's cell phone rang. "And I remember-"

"How about I return this little guy back to you CJ," Josh said.

I stood up and said, "No I'll take him."

"You see!" Piper shouted. "All you care about is that stupid baby. You doesn't even wants to talk to me," she bolted for the door at the same time as it opened and a big life-sized bear came through bouncing off the wall twice with short legs.

"Helloooooo," the President said in his Mrs. Doubtfire imitation. Piper ran past him almost shoving the President against the same wall he bounced off of while using the bear as his eyes.

"Piper get back here," I shouted. Bartlet lowered the bear and looked past him and then back at me.

"Did I miss something?" he asked me with a quizzical look.

*2*

I ran out the door after Piper. Sam was standing outside the room with Piper in his arms and she was crying. Sam stopped me from coming any closer. "Let me handle this," he said before walking away.

I went back into the room and banged my fist off of the door as it closed behind me. The President made his way to CJ. "Let me have him. I want to see him," he sang as he got closer.

CJ allowed him to take the baby from her and then the President cooed. This was a first for the three of us. We watched him as if we were frozen on him and him only. The President glanced up and caught us all staring at him.

"What's the matter? You've never seen a man holding a baby before?"

Josh stuttered first shaking his head. "Not one that's you." A slight pause and then, "Is that cooing Sir?"

"I am a father of three girls Josh," was the President's response. He glanced down at Josh's waist. "By the way your ass is still ringing."

Josh dug into his jeans and removed his cell phone. "Josh Lyman….yep it's a boy…Keegan…..what do you mean Keegan what?…..how the hell should I know?…okay hold on."

Josh covered the cell phone with hand and said, "It's Donna. She wants to know the baby's full name."

"Uh," I stammered looking at CJ. We hadn't decided on the order of which his name would be.

"Uh what?" Josh asked.

"Uh," I repeated.

"You don't know your own kids name?"

"Of course I know his name Josh. It's just.."

"Just what Toby?"

"It's just that we wanted to wait for Sam to be here when we revealed his name." I looked at CJ and shrugged and she laughed.

Josh went back to his phone. "Yeah Donna….Toby's not sure….I don't know he-"

I cut him off. "Keegan Sam Joshua Ziegler," I announced.

Josh stared at me. After a few uncomfortable seconds he went back to his phone and said, "I've got to go," and closed his cell.

"Are you serious?" he looked from me to CJ who just smiled at him and nodded. Josh ran his hand through his hair. "Wow! This is like, huge."

"Is that okay with you?" CJ asked him.

"God yes! Yes it's okay," he answered with excitement. "Oh man I am so honoured guys."

"Good," I responded. "You and Sam have been so good to CJ and me and we felt it was the least we could do. After all I wouldn't have what I have now if it wasn't for you both."

The President cleared his throat. "I'm in the room too you know," he informed us. He was still holding Keegan who continued on sleeping.

I didn't think that my decision would make me feel guilty but it suddenly did. "I'm sorry Sir. You've done a lot for us as well and-"

"Toby I'm kidding. I'm not looking for you to rename your child after me."

I sighed. "Although you do have two dogs…." He left me with his thought and I laughed.

"Can I have my son please?" I asked the President with my arms stretched out waiting for Keegan.

"No. I'm not done with him," Bartlet replied. He swiveled around and cooed in his baby talk voice, "Who's the most handsomest baby? Who is? Is it you? Is it you Keegan Sam Joshua? I think it is…yes I do."

A cell phone rang again. "That'll be my ass," Josh announced as he removed his phone again. "Donna…..because I knew it was you….don't worry about how…..Donna….Donna!"

"I'm sorry…..yes I am….yes I am…."

"Why they're not married yet is still a mystery to me," Bartlet spoke from the corner where he was now sitting with Keegan.

We laughed as Josh still argued with Donna on the phone. "CJ, do you need anything?"

"No why are you leaving Toby?"

"Just for a few minutes. I'm going to find Piper."

"Be nice Toby. She's only four."

"I know hold she is and I'm always nice," I told my wife.

She glared back at me. "I am," I defended.

"I could use a ginger ale," she answered.

"One four year old daughter and a ginger ale coming up," I winked at my lovely wife who looked so exhausted. "Make sure he gives the baby back before he leaves," I directed at Bartlet who wasn't paying me any attention. He was now singing to our son.

I bumped into Charlie as I roamed the hallway. He was carrying enough balloons to carry a smile child off into the sky. "Hey Toby. Congratulations man."

"Thanks Charlie."

"Was it a girl or a boy?"

"A boy."

"Right on," Charlie replied smiling. "The President was with me when he got the call from Abbey but he didn't know if it was a girl or a boy."

"Is that why the balloons are pink and blue?" I smiled at Charlie.

He seemed somewhat embarrassed that he didn't already know before coming in. I patted him on the shoulder. "If it makes you feel any better I didn't know when I got here either."

That seemed to raise his spirits. "Thanks Toby."

"His name is Keegan and if you can wrestle him away from Bartlet he's all yours to manhandle," I started to walk by him.

"Are you leaving?"

"Just for a few minutes or so. I've got a four year old who's mad at me."

"Ahh," he replied understanding. "That's rough. I remember when Deanna was born."

That made me stop walking forwards and move closer to Charlie. "And?" I asked.

"And she was a pain," was his honest response.

"Charlie help me here. What do I do?"

"What did you do when your brother was born?"

"Yeah see that's what I am hoping to avoid," Charlie gave me a look letting me know he understood where I was coming from.

He shifted the balloons around and answered, "Honestly Toby I hated her."

"You did," I said with disappointment.

"Yeah but not forever. I mean I tried to make it last but my parents wouldn't go for it."

"They didn't?" I was genuinely curious.

"They realized that I was jealous of her. I knew that my mom wanted a little girl to dress up and do girly things with and I thought that with a new baby around my mom's love for me would be replaced for Deanna."

This is good stuff. "How did they reassure you then? How did they get you to come around?"

Charlie shrugged his shoulders, "I don't know. I can't remember. I do remember that I wound up finding a good use for her?"

"Yeah? Such as?"

"Well I had her clean my room, get me things, give me her candy and-"

"Thanks Charlie. But I'd rather not turn my son into Piper's slave."

Charlie shrugged his shoulders again. "Okay."

I said goodbye to Charlie and went in search of my daughter.