'Hello, this is CJ Cregg, if it's anything important leave a message after the beep.' BEEP!!
'CJ, it's Abby, I know your there, pick up the phoen, that's an order, I'm first lady right now! Please CJ...'

'Hi Mrs Bartlet, I dont' mean to be rude, but I need some time to think at the moment.' CJ said quietly down the phone.

'I know, just wanted to know how you were feeling and...'

'I'm fine, please, I'll be in work tomorrow, we can talk then. Bye Mrs Bartlet.' CJ returned the phone on the sideboard.

She just couldn't believe she was in this situation, the words of Dr Richards kept running through her head and she couldn't think straight.

She was pregnant, She was pregnant with Simon's baby. Just thinking about him made fresh tears appear in her eyes and she let her mind wonder about how different this would be if Simon was still alive. Sure she hadn't known him for long, but spending so much time together every day made it feel that way.

Next day - The West Wing Senior Staff meeting

CJ? CJ? can you handle that, take it out with the trash? Leo said slightly annoyed that she hadn't been paying attention.

'Yeah, sure.' CJ said as the rest of the staff left Leo's office, CJ hung back knowing that she had to get this over with as soon as possible.

'Leo, I... I think ...there's, look I need to...'

'Spit it out would you CJ, I'm trying to run a country here!' Leo said with a small smile on his face, he didn't know why but her felt uneasy. He felt the same knot in his stomach he felt when CJ had told him she would resign after her press room gaffe.

'Leo, I...erm.. I'm pregnant.' CJ said, closing her eyes as she said it.

'What? You're ...Oh god tell me it isn't Concannon's? please' Leo sadi then instantly regretted it.

'I'm sorry CJ, how you doing kid?'

'I'm not too sure. I only found out yesterday and I dont' think it's really sunk in yet.' CJ said almost embarassed to be talking about this with the White House Chief of Staff.

'CJ, I don't wanna be the one to ask these questions, but someone's gotta, are you gonna keep the baby?'

CJ looked at her hands and quietly said 'yes' then looked at Leo and said it a little louder as if to show herself that she said it.

'Okay, one more then I assure you, I'm done.' Leo said as he held up his hands in surrender, he had saeen CJ Cregg tearing grown men into several pieces and he didn't want to be one of them.

'Who's the father of the baby? Are you in a relationship?'

Having told him this much, CJ found new confidence and explained about Simon.

'Oh CJ, I had no idea, I don't think anyone did.' Leo said appoligetically.

'Look Leo, I know this screws you up a bit, what with just getting over the censure, I understand if you need me to resign or whatever.'

Leo was surprised at how he wasn't shocked by what CJ had just said. She would put this administration before almost anything, and Leo couldn't help but think if she was half as good at being a mother as she was at her job, this was gonna be one lucky kid.

'We need to tell the president to see what he wants to do as well?' CJ said assertively, jumping back into press secretary mode.

'CJ, I just realised I never said congratulations, you're gonna do good kid,' he said with a big smile, pulling CJ into a big hug.

CJ held back the tears as much as she could, only one single tear escaped down her cheek.

'Leo, I need to see the brief... excuse me CJ, I didn't know you were in here. Is everything okay, Leo what did you say to her?' The president looked sternly at his chief of staff and then at his press secretary who was trying her hardest not to let the leader of the free world see her cry.

'Mr President, there's something you need to know, I'm pregnant and I'm keeping the baby.' CJ blurted out in one breath.

'CJ, congratulations, I'm so so happy for you, Abby's going to be made up, she loves babies.'

'She already knows, well I sort of fainted in my office yesterday and Carol called Mrs Bartlet.'

The president rushed over to CJ's side, guiding her into the sofa in Leo's office.

'CJ, why didn't you tell anyone , are you okay what about the baby?'

'Everything's fine, the doctors said I was just a little aneamic, but she gave me enough vitamins to feed a small eastern eurpoean country.' CJ said with a small smile.

'What else did the doctor say, I need to know all the details, right now Claudia Jean.'

'Well the doctor said I'm about three months pregnant and the doctor was very happy with the size of the baby, she said the baby is above average for it's weight. I'm going for a scan in two days so they can tell me more details.'

'Claudia Jean, you are like family to me and I know you know what's going to happen once the press gets a hold of this, so I've got to ask you now, who is the father?' The president looked almost embarassed to have to be asking the woman he considered his daughter this question.

He knew CJ's father's illness was getting worse and how much it hurt her that he sometimes didnt recognise her. The people in this building were her close family, they were the only people she had left.

'Sir, when Simon was head of my protection detail, we acted on some feelings we felt towards each other. I know it was wrong and was a conflict of interest but...'

'I swear to god CJ, I could care less about the conflict of interest, I had no idea you and Simon were close.'

At the back of the room, Jed could almost feel Abby roll her eyes, she had often told him that he was so out of touch with the social lives of his staffers.