CJ drove the familiar route back to The Bartlett Farm. The secret service agents waved her through the gate as they announced to the house she was on her way. She was nervous, felt foolish for her behaviour just two days previous but the break in New London and a message to say the others had gone, brought her back to the farm with renewed hope that she could do it.

She pulled the car to a stop and glanced in the baby mirror. Lily slept on peacefully, unaware or the torment her mother was going through. CJ glanced to the old farmhouse and smiled a little remembering day's gone by.

The front door opened and Abbey stepped out. She gave CJ a small smile before retreating back into the house. She had a feeling it was going to be tough on her younger counterpart, so just letting her know that they were there was good enough just now. CJ needed time to gather herself together before facing them all again.

After ten minutes CJ felt better. She had allowed a few tears to fall, but now with them wiped away she felt ready to face her friends. Stepping out of the car she felt the heat of the mid afternoon sun hit her. She reached into the back seat and retrieved Lily from her car seat. The baby snuggled into her mother's arms as if she had always been there. "Here goes nothing baby." CJ whispered as she walked up the steps and in the front door of the house.

The house was silent, save for a little noise coming from the kitchen. She had no idea where to head first. She had always loved the sunroom at the back so she headed there. She almost felt as if she were invading Jed and Abbey's privacy, no one was beside her to show her the way, or talk to her, but in a way she as glad of that. Could she just disappear again?

She wouldn't do that to them again. She had already ran from them at least twice in the last year, she wouldn't allow herself to do it again. The sunroom was bathed in yellow light. CJ felt at home again. She walked to the fireplace seeing the photos on the mantle piece. She held the baby up. "That's your daddy and your Uncle Jed." CJ told Lily as she pointed to one of her favourite photos of Leo. "Look how handsome they both are."

Jed stood in the doorway watching the woman he thought of as his fourth daughter. He cleared his throat, announcing his presence. CJ turned and immediately he could see the tears spring into her eyes. "Hi." He whispered, afraid he would scare her off.

"Hi." She replied. The baby in her arms whimpered and CJ lifted her higher so she could nuzzle into her neck. "I'm sorry." CJ whispered.

"You have no need to apologise." Jed told her. "No need at all." He took some tentative steps towards her, almost asking permission. She nodded that she needed him and within seconds he had his arms wrapped around her. The sob that had been stuck in her throat seemed to escape and the tears flooded down her face. "It's all right, you're here now." Jed rubbed her back, trying to soothe her. After a few minutes it seemed to work and she gathered herself together. She took a step back and smiled a watery smile. "It's not every day I have two beautiful young women in my arms." He smiled to the baby.

"Where's Abbey?" CJ croaked. Her voice was a little raspy from crying.

"Probably standing outside the door. Sweetknees it's all right you can come out now." Both Jed and CJ smiled as Abbey appeared round the doorframe. She swept into the room and took CJ into her arms, welcoming her home.

No one knew where to take the conversation now, so CJ started, feeling she should explain. She lowered herself into the chair closest to her. "I suppose you'd like to know what happened?"

"Only if you want to tell us." Jed spoke, knowing his wife want all the details. He respected CJ, knowing that if he gave her the time and space she needed she would tell them everything.

"I need to tell someone." She said as she shifted Lily in her arms. The baby snuggled down, laying across her mothers legs, as if she hadn't a care in the world. "I've kept it in for so long now that if I don't tell someone, I may breakdown and tell the wrong person."

The elder couple understood what CJ was talking about. They all knew the papers would find out eventually but if they could keep it a secret just a bit longer it gave them all hope.

"Leo and I fell in love, it's that simple. It happened one dark night after Gaza. I was feeling so low, Donna had been injured, Josh was flying round the world to see her, Toby had gone to be with the twins after speaking with Andi and I was sitting in the dark of my office brooding because I felt in some way it was my fault." She shook her head before continuing. "Anyway, Leo came along and we sat and chatted for what seemed like forever, before we eventually left and went to my apartment. It felt so nice, so simple, so good. For once in my life I felt like the woman I was supposed to be. He made me feel that way. So we decided to give it a go and see how it would work. Then his heart attack happened, you made me chief of staff and all the other crap that has happened in the last year happened. But through it all Leo was by my side. He was there for me on the nights when I felt beaten, he held me tightly and told me everything would be all right and I would get through it. He always knew exactly what to say." She paused on her speaking, gazed down at the baby and wiped a tear from her cheek before she started again. "When he told me he was going for Vice President we had a big argument. We were finally getting to a place where we could be ourselves, no more West Wing, no more office gossip. We could finally be the couple we had dreamt of, but no he wanted to be Vice president andI told him I wouldn't stand in his way. But he told me he couldn't do it without me beside him. We were going to announce it after the election, no matter what happened. That didn't happen though. I had spoken to him the night before and I wished him luck. He wanted me by his side, but we knew we couldn't do that, without giving the game away."

"Why didn't you tell us?" Jed asked. "You came through to tell me that he had died and you never said a thing."

"I didn't think it was the time to say anything. Too much was needing done and it wasn't the time to break down and tell my secret. We had managed to keep it a secret for long enough, now nobody had to know."

"But CJ, you had to have been grieving." Abbey spoke up, tears coursing down her own cheeks as she watched CJ deal with it all.

"I did it in my own time in my own way. But then when we left office and I found out about this little one, I didn't know what to do. But when she arrived I knew I had to tell you. She's part of this big complicated family we have and she deserves to be known."

"CJ she is gorgeous." Jed spoke first. It had been hard for him to listen to the story, knowing his friends had been in love and he hadn't been a part of it. He would have been happy for them.

"Would you like to hold her?" CJ stood walking to the couple before they had even answered. Lily was now awake but happy in her surroundings. "Lily, this is Aunt Abbey and Uncle Jed." She placed her daughter into the arms of her lover's best friend.

Tears of joy coursed down his cheeks as he watched, enraptured by the child in his arms. She looked so like her father, but with her mothers glint in her eyes. "Well hello little one. Know that you will always be loved." He bent down and kissed her tiny hand before smiling up to her mother.