Fanfic Title: An act of bravery
Summary of chapter: As CJ learns the news of Simon's death her world falls apart. She wonders aimlessly around Time Square, until a familiar face comes to her rescue.
Disclaimer: All the characters from The West Wing and the story where this fanfic starts from belong to Aaron Sorkin, John Wells and NBC. I have never been to the Hilton Hotel in New York so I apologise if I have got any details about the hotel wrong.
The chapter begins where the episode Posse Comitatus in Season 3 ends.
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
x-x-x-
Tears streamed down from her eyes as CJ couldn't come to terms with the death of Simon. She had been talking to him only a few hours earlier, when everything seemed so perfect. She had no memory of walking down the streets of Time Square or even sitting down; everything since Ron had told her Simon had died was a shock, a blur that made no sense.
She sat down shaking, unable to deal with the shock. Passers-by stared at her yet she didn't notice them. All she could think able was he couldn't be dead, he was only going to the Field Office, how could he have been killed? The more she tried to make sense of it all the more the tears poured down her face.
A middle aged man passing by was concerned and made his way over to her. He said "Excuse me Mam, is everything ok?" as he put his hand on her cold sweaty shoulder.
CJ didn't hear the man yet his hand on her shoulder alarmed her. She moved her shoulder away as she looked up, yet the bright lights made it impossible for her to make the man out.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." The man said "I wanted to check you're alright, if you need help or anything?"
CJ could hardly speak, yet managed to say "No I'm fine"
"You don't look it, let me call a cop or something"
"NO! I – I just need to be left alone, please" As she tried to wipe the tears off her face.
"Has someone attacked you? Are you hurt? Do you want me to take you to the hospital or something?"
"NO! Please just leave me alone!" as CJ shouted these words she sank further into her seat and put her head into her hands as the tears came flooding back.
Then came a familiar voice and she felt a presence sit next to her. She lifted her head up and turned to the right to see Toby sat next to her.
"Excuse sir, everything is ok, you can go back to whatever you were doing." Toby said in a soft yet determined voice.
At first the man didn't want to leave yet the way Toby looked at CJ made him feel it was safe to leave her with him, and he slowly made his way along the street looking back a few times to check she was ok.
"I just heard, CJ I'm so sorry" Toby said sincerely.
CJ look at him unable to stop crying. Toby put his arms around her and she sank her head into his chest. He held her tight, he felt she needed someone to hold her. He had never seen her in such a vulnerable state and knew that there was much more than friendship between her and Simon Donovan.
"CJ let me get a cab and take you back to the hotel?"
CJ didn't answer, she didn't know what to do. Everything was so confusing she didn't really know where she was or what time it was.
"Please CJ, you need to get inside, your freezing." Toby said forcefully. He was worried about her. He could feel her shivering under his arms and she was in shock. He quickly took his jacket off and placed it around her shoulders.
"But I – I have to get back to the..." She had just remembered she'd walked straight out of the theatre after the news. What about the President? What about the Press?
CJ quickly stood up taking Toby my surprise. "I've got to get back to the theatre, the Press, the Press need me, the President needs me too. Oh my god, what is he going to say? I just walk out on my responsibilities!" CJ shouted out waving her hands in the air in despair and knocking Toby's jacket off her shoulders.
Toby stood up. "CJ don't worry Sam is taking care of it. I came to look for you and take you back to the hotel."
"But I...." She started to crying again. Toby picked his jacket up and put it around her again.
"I'm calling a cab and we're going back to the hotel."
CJ held the jacket around her tightly as the cold finally hit her. She realised she needed to get out of here and slowly nodded to Toby.
Toby made his way to the edge of the sidewalk, with CJ following. He stuck out his hand and a cab came straight away.
Toby helped CJ into the cab and then got in. "The Hilton hotel please on West 53rd Street." The cab quickly took off and Toby turned to CJ to check she was ok, yet she just starred out of the dirty window.
The journey seemed to last ages. Toby couldn't help but look at CJ with worry; she seemed almost in a trans. When they finally arrived at the hotel, Toby was relieved to see CJ was more alert and that she wasn't shaking as much. He paid the driver and they made their way inside.
CJ was startled by the bright lighting yet her eyes began to get used to it as they made their way to the elevator. Yet CJ abruptly stopped.
"My swipe card for my room, I don't have it. It's back at the theatre with my stuff. Oh no!" CJ put her hand to her head in disbelief. How had she forgotten it and not realised until now?
"Its ok, we'll go and get a spare one from reception and Sam can bring yours with the rest of your stuff over from the theatre. Don't worry it'll be ok." Toby was worried she'd start crying again so quickly directed CJ towards the receptionist. Toby explained she's forgotten the swipe card yet needed to get to her room. The receptionist, luckily for CJ, realised who they were and sought the situation out quickly and passed her a new swipe card.
They made their way back over to the elevator and CJ held Toby's jacket closely around her. As they made their way up to the seventh floor neither spoke. The elevator stopped and the doors opened. Toby was relieved that she seemed more relaxed as they made their way out of the elevator and towards her room.
"Do you want me to come in and sit with your for a while?"
CJ turned round to him and with a smile said "No, I think I'll be ok."
"Are you sure? I can if you want?" Toby said hoping she would say yes so he could make sure she was ok.
"No, I'm fine, honestly Toby. I just need to be by myself for a while. But thanks for everything tonight." She handed back his jacket and swiped the card into the door handle. She slowly walked through into the warm room and switched the lights on. All Toby could do was watch helplessly as the door slammed behind her.
CJ made her way to her bed and lied down. All of a sudden the tears came back and she couldn't stop them. She lay staring out of the window. How had this all happened? Only a couple of hours ago she had thought things would be back to normally. Her stalker had been caught and with Simon no longer her agent they could finally give into their feelings. Yet one robbery had spoilt the happiness. He was dead, the man she thought could make her happy, was gone and she felt so alone. How would she ever get over it?
Summary of chapter: As CJ learns the news of Simon's death her world falls apart. She wonders aimlessly around Time Square, until a familiar face comes to her rescue.
Disclaimer: All the characters from The West Wing and the story where this fanfic starts from belong to Aaron Sorkin, John Wells and NBC. I have never been to the Hilton Hotel in New York so I apologise if I have got any details about the hotel wrong.
The chapter begins where the episode Posse Comitatus in Season 3 ends.
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
x-x-x-
Tears streamed down from her eyes as CJ couldn't come to terms with the death of Simon. She had been talking to him only a few hours earlier, when everything seemed so perfect. She had no memory of walking down the streets of Time Square or even sitting down; everything since Ron had told her Simon had died was a shock, a blur that made no sense.
She sat down shaking, unable to deal with the shock. Passers-by stared at her yet she didn't notice them. All she could think able was he couldn't be dead, he was only going to the Field Office, how could he have been killed? The more she tried to make sense of it all the more the tears poured down her face.
A middle aged man passing by was concerned and made his way over to her. He said "Excuse me Mam, is everything ok?" as he put his hand on her cold sweaty shoulder.
CJ didn't hear the man yet his hand on her shoulder alarmed her. She moved her shoulder away as she looked up, yet the bright lights made it impossible for her to make the man out.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." The man said "I wanted to check you're alright, if you need help or anything?"
CJ could hardly speak, yet managed to say "No I'm fine"
"You don't look it, let me call a cop or something"
"NO! I – I just need to be left alone, please" As she tried to wipe the tears off her face.
"Has someone attacked you? Are you hurt? Do you want me to take you to the hospital or something?"
"NO! Please just leave me alone!" as CJ shouted these words she sank further into her seat and put her head into her hands as the tears came flooding back.
Then came a familiar voice and she felt a presence sit next to her. She lifted her head up and turned to the right to see Toby sat next to her.
"Excuse sir, everything is ok, you can go back to whatever you were doing." Toby said in a soft yet determined voice.
At first the man didn't want to leave yet the way Toby looked at CJ made him feel it was safe to leave her with him, and he slowly made his way along the street looking back a few times to check she was ok.
"I just heard, CJ I'm so sorry" Toby said sincerely.
CJ look at him unable to stop crying. Toby put his arms around her and she sank her head into his chest. He held her tight, he felt she needed someone to hold her. He had never seen her in such a vulnerable state and knew that there was much more than friendship between her and Simon Donovan.
"CJ let me get a cab and take you back to the hotel?"
CJ didn't answer, she didn't know what to do. Everything was so confusing she didn't really know where she was or what time it was.
"Please CJ, you need to get inside, your freezing." Toby said forcefully. He was worried about her. He could feel her shivering under his arms and she was in shock. He quickly took his jacket off and placed it around her shoulders.
"But I – I have to get back to the..." She had just remembered she'd walked straight out of the theatre after the news. What about the President? What about the Press?
CJ quickly stood up taking Toby my surprise. "I've got to get back to the theatre, the Press, the Press need me, the President needs me too. Oh my god, what is he going to say? I just walk out on my responsibilities!" CJ shouted out waving her hands in the air in despair and knocking Toby's jacket off her shoulders.
Toby stood up. "CJ don't worry Sam is taking care of it. I came to look for you and take you back to the hotel."
"But I...." She started to crying again. Toby picked his jacket up and put it around her again.
"I'm calling a cab and we're going back to the hotel."
CJ held the jacket around her tightly as the cold finally hit her. She realised she needed to get out of here and slowly nodded to Toby.
Toby made his way to the edge of the sidewalk, with CJ following. He stuck out his hand and a cab came straight away.
Toby helped CJ into the cab and then got in. "The Hilton hotel please on West 53rd Street." The cab quickly took off and Toby turned to CJ to check she was ok, yet she just starred out of the dirty window.
The journey seemed to last ages. Toby couldn't help but look at CJ with worry; she seemed almost in a trans. When they finally arrived at the hotel, Toby was relieved to see CJ was more alert and that she wasn't shaking as much. He paid the driver and they made their way inside.
CJ was startled by the bright lighting yet her eyes began to get used to it as they made their way to the elevator. Yet CJ abruptly stopped.
"My swipe card for my room, I don't have it. It's back at the theatre with my stuff. Oh no!" CJ put her hand to her head in disbelief. How had she forgotten it and not realised until now?
"Its ok, we'll go and get a spare one from reception and Sam can bring yours with the rest of your stuff over from the theatre. Don't worry it'll be ok." Toby was worried she'd start crying again so quickly directed CJ towards the receptionist. Toby explained she's forgotten the swipe card yet needed to get to her room. The receptionist, luckily for CJ, realised who they were and sought the situation out quickly and passed her a new swipe card.
They made their way back over to the elevator and CJ held Toby's jacket closely around her. As they made their way up to the seventh floor neither spoke. The elevator stopped and the doors opened. Toby was relieved that she seemed more relaxed as they made their way out of the elevator and towards her room.
"Do you want me to come in and sit with your for a while?"
CJ turned round to him and with a smile said "No, I think I'll be ok."
"Are you sure? I can if you want?" Toby said hoping she would say yes so he could make sure she was ok.
"No, I'm fine, honestly Toby. I just need to be by myself for a while. But thanks for everything tonight." She handed back his jacket and swiped the card into the door handle. She slowly walked through into the warm room and switched the lights on. All Toby could do was watch helplessly as the door slammed behind her.
CJ made her way to her bed and lied down. All of a sudden the tears came back and she couldn't stop them. She lay staring out of the window. How had this all happened? Only a couple of hours ago she had thought things would be back to normally. Her stalker had been caught and with Simon no longer her agent they could finally give into their feelings. Yet one robbery had spoilt the happiness. He was dead, the man she thought could make her happy, was gone and she felt so alone. How would she ever get over it?