Another weekend, another speech being written, and no national emergencies hovering on the horizon, CJ thought to herself as she chucked her overnight bag into the trunk of her car.
She and the rest of the senior staff had been instructed to make their way to Manchester as President Bartlet and Abbey had decided to spend the weekend there rather than in the city, and weren't prepared to give that up because Sam and Toby wanted to practice a speech.
Thus, as a compromise, they had invited the senior staff to join them. An unusual request, but it wasn't as though they couldn't all be flown back to Washington in a moment if anything went seriously wrong.
Slamming her trunk, CJ climbed into her car. She had volunteered to pick up Josh and Donna, which guaranteed several hours of bickering and a headache for her. She sighed. At least at the end of it she'd be on a farm in the country.
An eight-hour car ride later, a very grumpy CJ, with Josh and Donna in tow, wandered into the farmhouse.
"Hello?" Josh called.
"Hi, there." Abbey poked her head out of the kitchen. Seeing the look on CJ's face, she grinned. "Cider? I just finished making it." CJ basically ran into the kitchen, rewarded by a laugh from Abbey. Donna followed behind her, but Josh shook his head.
"I'm gonna go find the others."
"They're in the barn." Abbey informed him, dishing mugs of warm cider out to Donna and CJ. The three of them settled themselves onto the big couch in front of the fire comfortably. "How was the ride down? Abbey questioned, raising a knowing eyebrow at CJ.
"Just fine, except for the two children I had bickering in the back seat!" CJ exclaimed, only partially sarcastic. Abbey threw her head back and laughed.
"Hey!" Donna pouted, defending herself. "We weren't that bad."
"I choose to disagree." CJ returned, sipping her cider demurely and slipping off her shoes so she could tuck her feet up under her. "You were definitely that bad."
Donna glared at her and kept drinking the warm cider. Abbey just grinned. "How about a walk when we're done our cider?" she asked. "It's beautiful this time of year."
"I'll pass, thanks." Donna smiled, "I should join the guys in the barn before they all kill each other."
"I'd love to." CJ replied. "I think I need a break before facing that lot."
A while later, Abbey and CJ were making their way down a path along the river, kicking fallen leaves out of the way as they went. The two women chatted comfortably, enjoying their moment away from the men they were usually both surrounded with.
Abbey plonked herself down on a large boulder. "Sit." She patted the place beside her. CJ sat, pulling her legs up so she could rest her chin on her knees.
"Its so peaceful here." CJ murmured, watching the river rushing past, bulging from recent watershed.
"I know. Such a nice change from Washington." Abbey smiled at her.
"Yes." CJ looked over at Abbey. "You seem much more relaxed here." She smiled gently back.
"I am." Abbey responded. "This place is my retreat from….everything." she sighed wistfully. "I wish I could spend more time here."
"I can understand why." CJ turned her head on her knees so her check lay against them and she was looking sideways at Abbey. "Washington is hard for you." She commented.
"It is." Abbey sighed, looking out into the forest beyond the river. "I wish…" she trailed off into silence. CJ waited for her to continue, but she didn't. Instead she jumped down from the rock, offering a hand to CJ. "Shall we continue?"
CJ unfolded herself and clasped the pro-offered hand, jumping down from the rock after the first lady. Abbey kept hold of her hand as they kept walking. A few minutes later, CJ pointed out that she should probably head back. "We should come back tomorrow." She offered by way of apology for ending their time together. Abbey nodded.
"We most definitely will." They wandered back the way they'd come, still holding hands.
"Hey, CJ! Where have you been?" Several voices demanded as she walked into the barn.
"Out for a walk with the first lady." CJ plonked herself down on a seat.
"Okay." Leo acknowledged. "Now, Sir, let's run it through again so CJ can say what she thinks"
Three or so hours later, post dinner, CJ sat at in the kitchen looking through a variety of memos that had been faxed over for her, simultaneously sipping a mug of warm, spiced cider. Everyone else was arguing over the speech in the living room, and the president had just started on the history of something or other. CJ sighed. It was much harder to focus in here than in her office at the West Wing. She vaguely considered heading upstairs to the bedroom she had for the weekend, but concluded that it was much warmer in the kitchen.
Just then, Abbey wandered in, empty mug in hand, to observe CJ curled upon the sofa in leggings and a long sweater, chewing on her pen. She couldn't help but notice that the woman looked so much more at home there than she had ever seen her in Washington. "How are the briefing memos treating you?" she questioned, moving to refill her mug of cider.
"Not so well. Everyone being in the other room is a bit distracting." CJ admitted. "I thought of going upstairs, but it's so cosy in here."
Abbey came to sit on the couch beside her. "We could set up a fire in your room, you know." She pointed out.
CJ brushed off the offer. "Oh, no. I don't want to be a bother. I'll just work in here."
Abbey placed her hand on top of CJ's, gripping it gently. "It wouldn't be a bother, Claudia Jean." She spoke quietly, her voice suddenly throaty.
CJ paused, unsure how to respond. "Abbey, I…" she stumbled awkwardly, caught in the other woman's gaze. But she didn't pull her hand away. Finally she answered. "Well, if you're sure it's not a bother."
She was rewarded with Abbey's smile. "Not at all. Come on." She got to her feet, pulling CJ with her, and helping her to gather the papers spread across the coffee table.
"I'm getting CJ set up with a fire in her room so she can actually get her job done." Abbey announced as they walked through the gathering of people spread about the living room.
President Bartlett looked up briefly. "Sounds good." He responded absently. Everyone else was engaged in a debate over sentence 3 of paragraph one of some section or other, except Donna, who was off somewhere doing work of her own.
As they turned the corner of the stairs, CJ slipped her free hand back into Abbey's. Now it was clear what Abbey wanted from their relationship, CJ just needed to work out quite where she stood. She'd never been with a woman before, let alone one who was married to her boss. She vaguely wondered if the President knew Abbey liked women.
In CJ's bedroom, the two women set about making the fire in the grate. That task finished, and the room starting to warm to a more reasonable temperature, CJ started arranging her files on the bed. Suddenly, hands gripped her waist and turned her gently, pushing into a sitting position on the bed, and moving to comb through her hair. "Now you're an easier height." Abbey joked. Then she leaned down and kissed CJ gently. Tingles ran down CJ's spine. Suddenly it didn't matter that Abbey was married to her boss, or the first lady of the United States. CJ kissed her back, her hands moving to Abbey's neck, her hair, as Abbey pushed her back into a lying position on the bed, and climbed on beside her.
"We should lock the door." CJ murmured, slightly dazed. Abbey laughed.
"Ever practical, Claudia Jean!" But she climbed from the bed to do just that. She turned back, and looked at the other woman slyly. "Now, where were we?" she asked coyly, making her way make to the bed and climbing on.
CJ pulled herself up on an elbow. "We were here." She smiled, and kissed Abbey again, pushing her back against the pillows. Moving herself above the other woman, she stooped her head to kiss her neck, nibbling gently, and Abbey reached up, her hands under CJ's sweater, exploring, then wrapping her arms around her waist and pulling CJ down on top of her. "You're a beautiful woman, Claudia Jean." CJ lay her head on Abbey's shoulder and laughed, softly.
"It isn't something I've ever believed, Abbey, but thank you." They lay quietly for a moment, CJ's head on Abbey's shoulder, and Abbey's hands wrapped around her waist.
"You should." Abbey murmured, flipping CJ so she was on the bottom, and kissing her again, very gently. "You most definitely should."
They explored each other further, Abbey pulling CJ's sweater from her, amused by the lace bra that was underneath. She raised an eyebrow at her lover. "I never imagined you as a lace person."
"And just what have you been imagining about me, precisely?" CJ quipped.
Abbey just laughed and removed the bra, throwing it aside and kissing her way down CJ's chest and teasing her nipples gently with her tongue. CJ gasped, breathless, at the feeling that ran through her, and pulled Abbey's mouth to hers, roughly kissing her. Her hands moved deftly to remove the first lady's shirt, and she bit her neck, relocating so she could be on top, kissing and sucking the soft skin that ever smelled of rose soap. "Why haven't we done this before?" she asked wonderingly, brushing Abbey's long hair from her face.
"Because I've spent four long years trying not to think of you this way." Abbey replied gently. "I don't like the idea of cheating on my husband."
"Then why now?" CJ questioned, cuddling up to Abbey's side.
"He took another term without consulting me. If he can have what he wants without asking, why shouldn't I?" she smiled. "I've been through a lot for him."
CJ sighed. That much was true.
"Don't get me wrong, Claudia, I love my husband. I'd do anything for him. I just…." She trailed off.
"What?" CJ whispered.
"I just want my happiness too. You make me laugh, smile, feel loved."'
"I'm glad."
They lay in the silence and warmth, and Abbey could feel CJ slipping into sleep against her. She pulled the blankets of the bed up over her. "I should go, Claudia Jean" she murmured into her hair.
"I should finish reading." CJ mumbled back sleepily.
"You're half asleep." Abbey pointed out.
"I know."
"Want me to stay until you fall asleep?"
CJ nodded against her shoulder.
Once she was sure the other woman was asleep, Abbey extricated herself from the bed and sighed. She wished she could stay. She looked over at CJ. Her normally sharp face looked so peaceful in sleep. Abbey wondered if CJ was dreaming of her. Sighing again, she pulled her sweater back on, and neatened her hair in the mirror. Hopefully CJ's biting wouldn't leave marks, or they'd be in real trouble. They'd have to discuss that, for next time.
Abbey smiled. Next time. She liked the thought of that. Quietly, she unlocked the door and slipped out of the room, making for the one she shared with Jed. She'd light a fire there, now, and wait for him to come up at God knows what hour.
