TITLE: 'In the Hands of a Stranger' (1/8)
AUTHOR: Cindy ()

RATING: R
CHARACTERS: Toby and the gang
SUMMARY: The West Wing's past comes back to haunt them.
POV: Toby Ziegler and then the rest of the characters in 3rd view.
DISCLAIMER: The characters used from the West Wing do not belong to me; they are the property of Aaron Sorkin.
TIMEFRAME: After "I Used to Know Everything, Now I Know Nothing."

"HEY! No fair, you cheated," Piper said. Her mouth was forming her famous pout as she began to fold her small arms across her chest.

"I didn't cheat," he laughed trying to sound surprised. He looked around to make sure that if Amy was close by she would hear his plead of innocence.

"You did so. I seened you," she argued knowing full well what she was up against.

"Oh Piper honey, what's wrong?" Amy said to Piper bending down beside her so she was more at the little girls level. Using her fingers she pushed back the loose strands of Piper's hair that had come loose from her French braid.

"He cheated me again," Piper explained uncrossing her arms so that she could point at her accuser.

"Josh, How could you?" Amy confronted Josh. Josh looked up in bewilderment that he would be accused of such a crime.

"You tell him Amy," Piper cheered on as she started putting the pieces of her checkers game away. Josh's eyes moved from Amy's to Piper's and then back to Amy's.

"You're not going to take her word over mine are you? She's just a small Toby in diapers," Josh pleaded.

"I told you, I don't wear diapers goofyhead," Piper said to Josh. Her hands were now on her hips and she didn't look very impressed.

"Piper, why do you think Uncle Josh cheated you?" Amy asked Piper. Piper rolled her eyes and said, "Because he always does." She released a deep sigh and softly mumbled, "It's all my fault. My daddy says I can't get no sympnaphy if I continue to play with people who cheat like HIM!." Her voice rose into a mild yell on the word him, and Amy couldn't help but laugh at the pronunciation of sympathy.

"Your father did not say that about me?" Josh said trying to believe his own words.

"Did so," began Piper.

"Did not," followed Josh and so they continued for a good ten minutes. That didn't shock Amy as much as Josh following Piper around the house when she grew bored of sitting down. Amy watched as her fiancée and this little girl he adored squabbled over what they both knew was Josh truly cheating. It was a bad habit she had yet to break him of.

The did so's and did not's were now getting on Amy nerves and she was so grateful when Toby and CJ came in the door.

"I am so so glad to see you two. You will never believe how much relief I feel right now," Amy said patting her heart.

CJ looked at me and all I could do was shrug. We both knew what the problem was before we even took our shoes off, and we knew who the problem was as well. "Trust me we will take care of this, how about you come and sit down with me," my beautiful wife said to Amy leading her into the den.

We had finally decided to purchase a home together and we got lucky with the second house we viewed. Four bedroom, two and a half bath, dining room, eat in kitchen, living room, den, an office and a basement that was large enough for the three of us to share comfortably and it came refurbished. The pool in the backyard is what attracted the female population of the Ziegler household on the spot. Yep, I sure had a lot of clout in this family.

I removed my overcoat and hung it up in the hall closet and walked a bit further into my house before I yelled out the punished to be's name. From the antique table that held one of the cordless phones we owned I picked up and began to skin through the phone messages. At the same time I called out, "JoshUA," sometimes I had to give a bit of an enhancement on his name.

I didn't see Josh but I couldn't help but notice my baby Piper as she came running into the room calling out daddy, daddy. She jumped into my arms and I picked her up and we twirled as I lay a bunch of kisses on her soft rosy cheeks. With our noses pressed together I said to her, "You are not Uncle Josh."

Piper stared right back at me and said, "I know because if I was Uncle Josh I would be a cheater." Well that was that problem solved. "How much does he owe you?"

"Ten whole dollars."

"Ten whole dollars," I gasped making it sound like more than what it was. Which I guess would be hard to do for a kid who has never had ten dollars before. "I'll make him pay. Don't you fret little one, I will get you your money." I planted a kiss on her forehead before I placed her down.

"Will there be lots pain?" Piper asked me. I was totally taken back with her question, where did she come up with this stuff.

"Why do you want to know that?" I asked dying myself to know her reasons.

"Uncle Josh always says you are a big pain in his ass. Will that pain make him cry? Cuz I want to see Uncle Josh cry." She said it as if that was a statement that most three-year olds make when talking to their fathers. And did she just say ass?

I didn't take my eyes off of my daughter as I yelled out for Josh again. Piper told me that he was in the basement hiding, he apparently heard that I had come home. "How many did so's did you get in before you had him confused and saying the same thing?"

Piper flashed both her hands twice indicating either 20 or that she was in the midst of directing traffic. "Good girl," I told her as I patted her on the head. "Now go and say good night to mommy and Amy." I was always proud that she did as she was told. Now it was time to go show Josh what a real pain in the ass felt like.

I found Josh exactly where Piper said I would. He was trying to pretend he was reading. "Hey there," I said as I got closer to him.

Josh tried to look surprised that I was home. "Oh hey, I didn't hear you come in."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah, I guess I got too involved with this book. It's very good," Josh said showing me the cover of one of CJ's Shakespeare novels.

"Hmmm, is that why the book is upside down?" I asked him. A huge smile shined upon Josh's face and he put the book back.

"I guess I am busted eh?"

"Yeah," I sighed out.

"What did the little runt say I did this time?" Josh asked heading over to our bar and pouring himself a drink. He held out a glass for me and I accepted it knowing that CJ would have my head if she knew that I did.

"She's not a puppy Josh," I started to say.

"I know, but she keeps ratting me out. How do you and CJ manage to keep any secrets around here?"

I gave Josh one of my puzzled looks and explained, "CJ and I don't keep secrets that's how. And we don't go around cheating from little girls either."

"Yeah right. I forgot your Mr. Perfect now you're married. Does CJ know you're down here about to have a nice refreshing drink with me? I bet if she did you'd be in the doghouse." Josh gave out a laugh that I found irritating. It was his, I have one of your secrets laugh.

"You tend to forget that CJ is my wife, not my guardian."

"Keep telling yourself that Toby, sooner or later you might believe it." Josh picked up his tumbler and downed his drink and soon was replacing it with some more rye.

"You owe my kid ten bucks," I stated not looking at him but at the ice in my glass as it popped.

"Ten bucks? Are you kidding me? Since when did one game of checkers amount to ten bucks?"

"Since this was your fifth game and you haven't paid her yet for the all of your other losses and she charges you a fin each time you cheat her." A smile came out of nowhere and crept over my face. I was so proud of my money scheming child. She was brilliant.

"Yeah but ten bucks. Do you know what I can get for ten bucks?"

"Are you sure you want to leave yourself that wide open Josh. How about for ten bucks I don't show you just how much of a pain in the ass I really can be. Now fork it over." I held out my hand and waited for Josh to dig deep into his pockets for the money. He finally gave it over, and it was like taking candy from a baby.

"You do realize that when Piper grows up and finishes university or whatever school she blackmails, she isn't going to become a lawyer or a doctor, she's gonna be a damn loan shark." I got off of the stool and headed up to where my wife would be waiting for me. Josh wasn't too far behind me as he described the duties Piper would have to carry out in her future job as a loan shark.

***2***

"Speak of the devils here they are," CJ said as Josh and I entered the living room where she was sitting with Piper and Amy.

"I thought I told you to kiss mommy and get to bed?" I directed at Piper.

"I told her she could wait up with me," CJ moved her eyes from me over to Josh. "I hear you cheated again. They have help for that you know."

Josh gave CJ a smirk and said he didn't cheat. CJ turned to Piper and asked, "How many pieces did you have on the board before he told you that he just saw Santa Claus at the window?"

"8," Piper said without hesitation.

"How many were there after you tried to find Santa Claus?" CJ asked Piper but continued eyeing Josh who was shifting his body around. Amy held her hand over her mouth trying to prevent her laugh from coming out.

Looking at Josh Piper said, "Two. He stoled all the others." CJ narrowed her eyes which was not only scaring Josh but myself as well. An upset CJ is never pleasant.

"Look I paid you alright, let's just drop this." Josh pleaded.

"Did he give you any money Piper?" CJ asked. This was my time to speak up. "No, he gave it to me."

Piper jumped off of the couch and came to me to collect her winnings. Once she had the money in her hand she turned to Josh and said, "It was a pleasure playing with you Uncle Josh." She took off upstairs to her room where I assume she will go and hide her money.

Amy blurted out laughing and the rest of us excluding Josh joined in. Josh gave Amy a "what" look to which Amy replied, "You have got to be the only man I know who would be desperate enough to win that he would have to rip off a kid."

"I didn't rip her off," Josh defended.

"Ugh yeah you did Josh. Not only did you rip her off but you also lied to her and told her Santa Claus was out her damn window. Do you know the damage that can do to a child Josh?"

The only comment Josh made was, "Oops."

CJ got up and cuffed him off the side of his head. "You know what Josh? You're a bigger idiot than I ever could have imagined." She left and went to use the washroom.

"Toby man, you have got to learn how to control your wife. Her slaps hurt."

"No shit Josh. Why do you think I don't lie to her and I don't go out of my way to do things that will piss her off?"

"Is this a usual CJ thing or is it projected because of her being- you know?"

I looked at Josh with a disturbed expression, "Yeah I know, do you know?"

"Of course I know."

"Well, what d'ya know!" I said back. "Before I forget Josh I wanted to talk to you about Donna I-"

"Okay but maybe another time," Josh had this anxious look about him that caught my attention. "I've got a lot of things I need to do."

Amy jumped in with, "Like what Josh? Do you have some more children lined up to play checkers with and steal their milk money?" I half twisted so I could see Amy. It took a long time for me to get used to the fact that he really liked her. I originally had put my money on Donna and Josh instead.

But when Amy proposed Josh didn't think about anything else let alone Donna when he said yes to her. He says he was so overwhelmed by being asked by a woman that he just blurted out yes. CJ was not impressed with the idea when he told us the news.

She was on the Josh and Donna campaign and had no intentions of swinging her vote to another candidate. CJ did warm up to Amy though after awhile, and oddly enough it was Donna who helped her. Donna herself was still wrapped up in this Cliff guy despite all the warnings she had received.

"I understand that's fine you guys. Thanks for coming and sitting with Piper, CJ and I really appreciate it," I got the feeling there was more to Josh and Donna that either of them were letting on, and now in front of Amy it wasn't the best time to approach the subject.

"Anytime," they both said in unison. I locked up after they left and went upstairs to the bedroom where I found my wife lying horizontal on our king sized bed.

"There you are, why didn't you come and say good-night to Josh and Amy?" I asked sitting on the edge of the bed close to CJ.

CJ started to sob softly, "I look like a beached whale."

"No you don't, you look beautiful," I told her trying to be reassuring.

Without warning CJ popped up making her legs fly up a bit into midair. "You're full of shit Ziegler. Don't try and lie to me," and then she was up and waddling into the bathroom.

I leaned forward onto the bed and prayed for this to be over quickly. CJ's usual moods were bad enough, but add a pregnancy to the formula and you have yourself a recipe for a bloody disaster. She was not the easiest person to be around since her second trimester.

A few minutes later she came out of the bathroom and came back onto the bed. "Toby?" she said softly not sure if I was asleep or not. I didn't answer her because I was half asleep and I figured she would just go to sleep herself.

It wasn't going to happen like that. "TOBY!" she screamed. My body jerked to the sound of her voice and when I sat up she was watching me with a big smile on her face. That could only mean one thing, and it doesn't mean that Toby will be getting sleep anytime soon.

"What will it be this time?" I asked her not caring if she could detect the tone of dread in my voice.

"I want vanilla ice-cream with chopped liver and anchovies and I want-my mind was allowing her voice to fade as I sat there thinking of how much my life had changed in the course of the year. I became a father, a husband and a new father-to-be. Life was just grand. So why did I feel like something bad was going to happen?"