I wasn't going to continue this but then I thought, why not? This just picks up where I left off.
They pulled away breathlessly after several minutes of kissing; the mixed intoxication of alcohol and passion becoming too much as they realised where they were.
"It's been far too long since I've done that." Toby murmured against her lips.
"I'll say. I've missed you." She cupped his face in her hands and gave him another kiss. "We better get back out there."
"Do we have to?" he whined and she smirked.
"Yes, come on." She pulled him upwards before heading back to the reception room with his arm snaked around her waist.
On the other side of the room, Sam spotted their entrance and grinned broadly to himself.
"What's up, buddy?" Josh slapped an arm on his back, noticing his expression.
"Look." Sam nodded towards the bar where CJ and Toby were standing, his arm still around her waist.
"Are they, you know?" Josh almost gasped.
"I think. I talked to Toby before to move things along and they've been outside ever since." he smiled back.
"Oh my god. What about Danny?" Josh stared at Sam intently.
"We're fine, I thought he wasn't staying for the reception." he replied.
"He wasn't because he couldn't get a sitter but then Abbey said she'd watch Hannah so he came back."
"Oh, is he going to be pissed?" Sam's face grew troubled.
"I don't know. I mean he never told me what happened with the divorce. I don't know how things are with them." he told him.
"They stayed well away during the ceremony." Sam realised.
"She's been with Toby all day, do you think he's noticed?" Josh mused.
"I hope not," they noticed Toby kiss CJ. "Oh my god I hope not."
Meanwhile...
"I'll have a white wine please." CJ asked the bartender when they reached the bar.
"Scotch for me." Toby added and the bartender placed their drinks before them.
"What do you want to do then?" she faced him, taking a sip of wine.
"About what?" he replied.
"You want us to be together don't you?" she wondered hopefully.
"Well I don't know." He teased, but then he noted the change in her expression and pulled her slightly closer. "Of course."
"Well I'm in California, you're in New York. You can't exactly move, I don't know if I could pack up and move Hannah across the country away from Danny."
"I guess I hadn't thought about that." Toby took a gulp of scotch.
"I nearly came to New York. When it happened." She admitted, referring to her divorce.
"Really?" he was intrigued.
"Yeah, but I chickened out." She blushed slightly.
"Well, Claudia Jean, you're not chickening out this time." He leaned in and kissed her.
"Hey guys." Danny joined Josh and Sam.
"Hey," they responded in unison.
"You guys seen CJ? I figured she'd want to see Hannah before we leave." he asked them.
"Erm, no." Josh quickly piped up, thankful for Danny's position as he noticed CJ was still looking intimate with Toby across at the bar. "She not with Donna?"
"She might be talking with Ainsley." Sam suggested, "where is she anyway?" he wondered where his wife had got to.
"I don't know, I'll find her somewhere. Let me know if you see her before me." Danny smiled and headed behind them.
"That was close." Josh sighed, "Come on." he dragged Sam over to Toby and CJ before he had a chance to protest.
"Hey, you two." Sam smiled as they approached.
"Oh, hey." CJ responded, Toby's arm still around her waist.
"So... Danny's looking for you, CJ." Josh told her.
"He's here? I thought he was going back to Hannah after the ceremony?" she asked, startled.
"No, Abbey's got her." Sam jumped in.
"My daughter's here and nobody told me? Hell, I saw Abbey!" CJ grew agitated.
"He's leaving now though, thought you'd want to say goodbye." Josh replied.
She calmed down slightly, "Of course I do. I'll be back." she kissed Toby on the cheek and walked off to find Danny, leaving the three men.
"Well, well, well!" Josh started, turning to face Toby.
"Yes?" he simply replied.
"You and CJ, way to go man! I mean I know it's my big day and all, but I'm so happy for you guys!" he beamed.
"Sam..." Toby groaned.
"Don't look at me, you're the one kissing her in the middle of a crowded room." Sam said to him.
He didn't respond, simply waving his hand as he took a drink.
"So are you together now?" Josh queried.
"I'm not talking about this." Toby told him.
"Aw come on! It can be my wedding present!" he protested.
"I got you one of those already, Josh."
"Just tell us, Toby." Sam spoke up.
"It's complicated. I can't leave New York, she can't exactly leave California."
"Why not?" Josh wondered.
"Yes because Danny is going to be completely on board letting her move Hannah to the other side of the country." the sarcasm dripped from his voice.
"CJ has her now though, it's her life." he said to Toby.
"It's still his daughter. Look, I don't know. We haven't really talked about it yet, okay?" Toby responded.
"Fine, fine." Josh backed down.
"Danny?" CJ found her ex-husband among a small group.
"CJ, hey." he left the group, "Coming to see Hannah?"
"Yeah, where is she?" she followed him as they exited the vast room.
"In my room, we have an early flight out of Dulles though so I figured I'd get an early night." he turned when he spoke.
"Sure." she nodded as they reached the elevator.
"I'm only on the third floor." Danny smiled as they stepped into the elevator. "You look good." he said once inside.
"Thanks, so do you." CJ replied plainly, playing with her hands.
They stepped off in silence and Danny led her to his room, where they found Jed sitting with Hannah in his arms.
"Claudia Jean, Daniel." he spoke softly as they walked in. "Abbey went back downstairs, I thought I'd spend sometime with her. She's close to nodding off though."
He cooed towards Hannah, "I don't see enough of you sweetheart, do I? No I don't."
"That makes two of us." Danny muttered under his breath and CJ shot him a deathly glare.
"Thanks for watching her, it means a lot." CJ kissed Jed on the cheek as he stood and passed Hannah over to her.
"Hey baby girl." she smiled, planting a big kiss on her daughter's forehead. "Mommy's missed you so much."
"I'll see you downstairs later, Claudia Jean? Take care of yourself, Danny. Bye Hannah." Jed waved slightly and headed out.
"So you going to your mom's?" CJ asked Danny as she rocked Hannah in her arms.
"Yeah, she's dying to see Hannah again." he smiled and turned towards the bathroom. "I'm gonna shower."
"Okay, gives us some time alone doesn't it sweetie?" CJ said sweetly before hearing the shower switch on.
"You know Hannah, your daddy's a good man. He loves you very much and I know he doesn't like not seeing you all the time." she paused and noticed her daughter's eyes were shut. "You want to go to bed, baby?" she stood up and placed Hannah in the small travel crib and tucked her in. She leaned and placed a kiss on her forehead before crouching over the crib's side, watching her.
"I've been talking with your Uncle Toby today. He makes me very happy, just like you do. You two have a lot in common you know? You both hold very special places in my heart, you're both adorable, you're both lacking in the hair department. Actually I think you're a bit better off than him. He's secretly jealous I imagine." she giggled softly. "I'd love to live with him in New York, take you with me, but I don't think Daddy would let me take you away from him like that. What do you think? He's very protective isn't he? Uncle Toby would be very protective too but it would be hard on your dad to lose you. Well he wouldn't lose you completely, but he doesn't like Uncle Toby and he'd be a bit annoyed. Annoyed might be an understatement."
CJ sat back as she realised how much she was relying on her daughter to be her confidante. It wasn't unusual, she got through the end of the marriage by talking to Hannah, even if responses were limited to random sounds and the occasional outburst of "mama". Now it was about something a lot closer to her heart, and it made her tear up slightly.
Danny stepped out of the bathroom in his towel and walked towards them, "She misses you, I can tell."
"Yeah." CJ smiled weakly at him and stood up. "I'm gonna go."
She turned back to Hannah and lifted her up out of the crib. "Mommy's going now, but you'll see me in a few days and your daddy's going to take very good care of you so be good for him, okay sweetie? I love you so much, I'm gonna miss you. Yes I am." she kissed her and whispered as she placed her back in the crib. "Think about what I said okay? Sleep tight, honey."
CJ turned back to Danny and headed for the door, "Call me if anything happens." he nodded and she kissed him on the cheek.
"Bye, Claudia Jean." he said in response and she closed the door behind her, leaning against it as a surge of emotion hit her.