Title: Life in a Fishbowl
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Not my characters, alas.
Summary: If she was just a regular American girl no one would care who she dates. (Post ITSOTG)
A/N: For twwminis on LJ; for sweetest-potato, who asked for a discussion about eggs and Gail the fish.
Zoey sits on the couch in CJ's office, her legs tucked underneath her, and watches Gail circle the fishbowl.
"CJ'll be here in a minute," Carol says from the doorway.
"It's okay. I don't mind waiting." Zoey flashes a smile at Carol before turning her attention back to Gail. She can relate to the fish; sometimes she feels she's lived her whole life in a fishbowl. The past few weeks have been even worse, except now Charlie's been dragged into the spotlight as well.
Zoey doesn't really care about the media attention; she's used to it and, unlike Ellie, she doesn't crave anonymity.
Well, she didn't crave anonymity before. Things are different now. If she was just a regular American girl no one would care who she dates. Because she's the President's daughter, everyone has an opinion.
But if she was just a regular girl, she probably wouldn't have met Charlie, and she thinks Charlie is the best thing that's ever happened to her so far.
It's a Catch-22 situation.
"Hi, Zoey, sorry to keep you waiting." CJ enters the office and shuts the door behind her. "How are you doing?"
Zoey sees the fading red mark on CJ's neck and thinks, she was there too.
CJ was there, and Sam and Toby and Leo. Her father got shot and Josh almost died just because a few people didn't like Zoey's boyfriend.
Other people – people Zoey didn't even know – did end up dead.
Zoey blinks back her tears and manages to speak past the lump in her throat. "I'm okay."
"You sure?"
Zoey nods.
"Okay." CJ sits next to her. "Uh, have you eaten already?"
"Yeah." Zoey wrinkles her nose. "Eggs benedict."
"You don't like eggs benedict?"
"I don't like eggs."
CJ smiles. "Don't you get to choose your own breakfast in the Residence?"
"I ordered them for Charlie; he likes them." Zoey glances down at her folded hands. "He was supposed to come up for breakfast."
"And he didn't?"
Zoey shakes her head; she doesn't want to talk about this. If she talks about it, she has to accept the possibility that what happened at Rosslyn has affected their relationship, and if she thinks about that then she has to deal with the idea that she might lose Charlie.
"So," she says, "why did you want to meet with me?"
It's CJ's turn to watch Gail swim in circles. "I dated a black guy once, when I was at college. And one night we were walking home from a club and he got beaten up, badly."
Zoey looks at CJ. Tears burn her eyes but she blinks quickly to keep them from falling.
"For a long time I felt it was my fault," CJ continues. "But it wasn't, and it wasn't his fault either. You're not responsible for the actions of others."
Now CJ looks at Zoey, and there's compassion and understanding writ on her expression.
"What happened? With you and this guy? Afterwards?"
"He fell for his nurse."
Zoey laughs.
"Yeah, it's hilarious. Now get out, I've got work to do." CJ's smile betrays her amusement.
Zoey leans across the couch and hugs her. "Thanks."
"You're welcome."
Zoey feels slightly nervous as she makes her way to Charlie's desk.
"Hi, Mrs. Landingham," she says.
"Hello, Zoey. You here to see the president?"
"No." She stands in front of Charlie's desk. "Hey, Charlie."
"Hi, Zoey."
"I ate your eggs."
Charlie looks up. "You don't like eggs."
"Jacques doesn't like his food to got waste."
"Jacques?"
"The new chef."
"Ah. Okay."
"Anyway, I just wanted to tell you you're not off the hook. Breakfast tomorrow, or else I'll get my dad to send the Secret Service after you, or something."
Charlie's mouth quirks upward in a smile and Zoey thinks, mission accomplished.
"Okay."
"Okay." Zoey grins. "Bye, Mrs. Landingham."
As she walks back to the Residence, there's a bounce in her step and her heart feels lighter.
She thinks she and Charlie might just be okay after all.