Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews, though more would never hurt! ;)

"Curiosity and Disagreements"

Josh had a break in his Tuesday schedule and he decided make an unannounced visit to his old friend CJ.

"CJ," Josh shouted as he banged on the door and tried to peer through the windows of the front door. "Danny?"

Josh stepped back and looked at the house, which looked locked tightly. He was just turning to get back into his car when Danny and CJ pulled into the driveway. Josh approached the car and walked around to the passenger's side as Danny got out.

"Hey Danny," Josh said.

"Hi Josh," Danny said skeptically as Josh opened CJ's car door.

"Hey CJ," Josh smiled.

"Josh," CJ replied just as warily.

"So what are you two up too?" Josh asked.

"Just getting back from an appointment," CJ replied as Danny walked ahead to unlock the door to the house.

"Yeah?" Josh said falling into step next to her.

"What are you doing here?" CJ asked him.

"I just thought I'd check in," Josh said.

"On a Tuesday afternoon? Is there anything wrong?" CJ asked.

"Not with me," Josh replied. "How come you're not at work?"

"What does that mean?" CJ asked stopping on the porch and facing him.

"I just wonder what's going on with you," Josh said. "Donna spends the night, Danny is home early, you're not at work in the middle of the week. We don't talk anymore."

"Josh we had lunch last week and you called me yesterday," CJ reminded him as she climbed the steps slowly. "Also, it's the middle of the week and technically you're not at work."

"Be careful," Danny said turning away from the door and assisting CJ up the steps.

"Thanks," she said.

"Okay what's that about?" Josh asked.

"Danny helping me up the steps?" CJ asked.

"I didn't want her to trip," Danny explained.

"Interesting," Josh commented.

"Not really," CJ replied. "So why are you here again?"

"Amy said you asked about the job opening at the National Organization for Women."

"You haven't given this up yet? Amy has a big mouth," CJ said as they entered the house. CJ pulled off her gloves and Danny helped her with her coat.

"That's one of the things I always liked about her," Josh reminisced.

"You're a sick man Joshua," CJ said with a smirk.

"Don't lie, you find it endearing," Josh said taking off his coat. "And I meant she has a habit of always revealing too much information, not, you know, the other thing you might have been thinking."

"So you're staying then?" CJ asked him with a smirk.

"Just for a minute," Josh replied.

"Do you want something to drink?" Danny asked.

"Coffee would be great if you have it," Josh said.

"Sure," Danny said. "You two catch up."

CJ watched as Danny made his way down the hallway. He was clearly still deep in thought and she hoped that once Josh left they would have a chance to talk things through.

"So," CJ said.

"So," Josh replied. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm good," CJ replied. "Everything is good."

"You're over the whole flu thing then?"

"Yeah," CJ nodded.

A moment of silence hung between them. Josh stood trying to figure out what CJ was keeping from him and CJ silently prayed he'd leave well enough alone.

"Do you want to sit down?" CJ asked suddenly.

"Sure," Josh said making his way behind her into the living room. They took a seat on opposite couches and Josh got to the point.

"Donna's hiding something from me," Josh said.

"Really?" CJ asked a little nervously. "What do you think she's hiding?"

"What's really wrong with you," Josh replied confidently. "I don't believe the flu story."

"I'm sorry you feel that way," CJ replied. "It's the truth."

"You looked tired when I came over for lunch and the next thing I hear, you're fainting," Josh pressed.

"Sometimes the flu just hits you Josh. What do you want from me?"

"Why is Danny home early?"

"He was supposed to be home today."

"But not last week," Josh pointed out.

"He came back early."

"Because?"

"Because he missed me and I was sick," CJ grinned.

"I wasn't aware you could just cancel a speaking tour like that," Josh replied.

"I'm sure Toby would know more about the academic circuit, but I'm pretty sure you can," CJ retorted.

"CJ," Josh said.

"Josh," she replied with a resolved face.

"You're really not gonna tell me what's wrong?"

"There's nothing wrong," she forced a laugh.

Danny entered the room carrying two cups of coffee and a glass of juice for CJ. He handed Josh the mug and took a seat next to his wife.

"Danny, help me out here," Josh said.

"Sure," Danny agreed. "What are we talking about?"

"What's wrong with CJ?" Josh asked.

"Well how long have you got? That list could be quite extensive," Danny replied confidently.

"Hey," CJ said swatting him.

"Of course I'm kidding," Danny said. "She's fine. Nothing's wrong."

Josh looked at them sitting side-by-side and he knew in his gut that they were lying. Suddenly Josh began to get a very uneasy feeling and he wondered what he was missing. The feeling didn't subside; it only intensified with each of their denials.

"Look," Josh said leaning his elbows forward on his knees, "I get it if you don't want to tell me what's wrong, but everything will be okay right? You're not seriously ill, right?"

"I'm not seriously ill," CJ confirmed.

"So you're fine and everything is going to be okay," Josh replied.

"Probably," Danny said a little callously.

CJ's head snapped toward him and she looked like she wanted to say something but it was as if she remembered that Josh was still in the room and she turned back to him.

"Everything is going to be fine," CJ said through gritted teeth. CJ's hard look was enough to make Danny backtrack his initial gut response.

"Right," he agreed after a moment.

"But you just said probably," Josh pointed out.

"Josh, really, thanks for stopping by to check up on me," CJ said standing. "I wish we had more time to talk, but Danny and I really have a thing we need to get to."

"Sure," Josh said standing and setting his coffee mug on the table. He knew he'd stepped into something and even though he was now more worried and curious than ever, he thought it best to leave.

"I'll give you a call later in the week," Josh said quietly as CJ walked him to the door.

"Yeah," CJ said absently.

"Hey," Josh said grabbing her forearm. "You know if you need anything I'm in town until next week."

She saw the fear in his eyes and wished she could just tell him her news. It was happy news after all, but with the tests she had coming up she didn't want to spread the word about her pregnancy if there might be a problem.

"Thanks," CJ replied leaning forward and kissing his cheek lightly.

"Call me or Donna if you need to," Josh reminded her as he walked out of the house.

CJ took a deep breath after she closed the door and walked back into the living room.

"You mind telling me what the hell that response was?" CJ asked angrily.

"The truth?" Danny ventured.

"What are you talking about?"

"You heard the doctor today," Danny replied. "Apparently this pregnancy is dangerous for you and the baby."

"Were we at the same appointment? Because I didn't hear that. I heard her say that this was riskier than a normal pregnancy but I didn't hear her say anything about death or coma or anything that horrible. Are you not happy about this anymore?"

"You're scared to be a mother," Danny said calmly. "Your big fear right now is the baby's health. My big fear right now is losing you."

"Danny, you're not gonna lose me," CJ said not understanding his fear.

"I don't want to get into this right now," Danny said standing.

"I think we need to get into it," CJ shouted.

"Don't get upset, it's bad for you and the baby," Danny reminded her.

"Well I guess it doesn't matter much since you think I won't be around much longer anyway," CJ shot back.

Danny let out a guttural grunt that illustrated his frustration. "That's not what I think," Danny shouted.

"Then talk to me! I don't know what you're thinking and you're scaring the hell out of me."

CJ collapsed onto the couch and put her head in her hands. She massaged her temples lightly and fought the sickness she felt rising in her stomach. The juice and the shouting, on top of being pregnant wasn't a good combination.

Danny walked over to the couch and sat down next her. She reached out and lightly rubbed her neck trying to take away some of the tension.

"Are you okay?" he asked concerned.

"I feel a little queasy," CJ admitted.

"I'm sorry," Danny offered.

"Don't be sorry. Talk to me," CJ said glancing over at him.

"It's an uncomfortable conversation," he said.

"Since when has that ever stopped you?"

"Never," he admitted with a sly grin. "I just don't want to get you all worked up."

"Too late," CJ sighed sitting back. "What's this about?"

"I'm worried about the pregnancy," Danny admitted.

"You don't want the baby?" CJ asked quietly. It would figure that the moment CJ was getting used to the idea, Danny would change his mind.

"I do want the baby," Danny said resting his hand on her thigh. "I really do. I just worry about you. If this is something that is going to affect your health then I'm just not as sure."

"Dr. Wilson never said I was in mortal danger by having a baby," CJ pointed out. "Women my age have babies every day."

"Okay fine. If you're not worried about your health then what about the baby? What about the risk of birth defects?" Danny asked. "We need to talk about that. What if you have this test and the results come back and it's not good?"

"I don't know," CJ admitted.

"Shouldn't we know the answer to that question?"

"Yes."

"Well?"

"I don't know," CJ repeated.

"I don't either," Danny admitted. "The realities of this are starting to sink in. I'm ecstatic at the thought of having a baby with you and then the other part of me is terrified I might lose you or the baby. I'm not used to feeling like this."

"I'm not used to it either," CJ said. "You're supposed to be the one to stop me from having a mental freak out."

"I know," Danny agreed.

"It's kind of refreshing to know you're not as collected as you appear," CJ said.

"This makes you happy?" Danny asked incredulously.

"It's just good to know I'm not the only neurotic one," CJ shrugged.

Danny wrapped his arm around her shoulder and took her hand in his. "We need to make a deal," he said.

"Okay."

"You have to promise me you're going to take care of yourself," Danny said. "I mean low salt diet, getting home at a reasonable hour from work and getting enough sleep."

"Yes doctor," CJ smiled.

"I'm serious," Danny warned her.

"I know you are and I will, I promise. I don't want this pregnancy to be any more stressful than it should be."

"Good," he said. "In return I promise to think positively and pamper you for the next seven months so you don't have a care in the world."

"Sounds good."

"Now, this amniocentesis test," Danny said.

"How about if we don't think about it until we have to?" CJ suggested.

"Does avoidance work well for you?"

"It has in the past," CJ said happily.

"Shouldn't we be prepared just in case the results aren't what we're hoping?"

"Should we expend energy worrying about what ifs if it turns out everything is fine?"

"CJ," Danny said.

"Fine," she gulped. "I just feel like we're tempting fate talking about it. How about if we call the bad things bagels?"

"Bagels?"

"It was the word we used in place of recession at the White House."

"How'd that work out for you?"

"Not really so well," CJ remembered.

"Then how about if we just call it like it is?" Danny suggested.

"Okay," CJ said glumly.

"While I was waiting for the coffee to perk I skimmed through the pamphlet Dr. Wilson gave us," Danny began. "There are a few things we should probably talk about."

"Yeah."

"The baby could have any number of birth defects," Danny said.

"I know," CJ said.

"Downs Syndrome, cerebral palsy, underdeveloped lungs," Danny said.

"Gee you're making me feel really good," CJ commented.

"Sorry," he said. "But we need to discuss this."

"Not now," CJ said standing quickly.

"Then when?" Danny asked slightly exasperated until he noticed that CJ was off and running to the bathroom again. He followed her down the hall and nudged the door open with his shoulder. He held her hair back as she expelled the juice from her body.

"Ugh," she said after the moment passed.

She stood and walked over to the sink and filled up a glass of water to wash out her mouth. Danny walked over and leaned against the sink to talk to her.

"Feel better?" he asked.

"This kid apparently doesn't like apple juice," CJ said. "And after that I'm not sure I like it much anymore either."

"CJ," Danny started.

"I know Danny," she said preempting his attempt to discuss the situation. "I know we need to talk about this. I understand that. I'm just…I'm just getting used to the idea that we're having a baby and now you want to talk about taking that away."

"I don't want to take it away. That is the last thing I want," Danny offered. "But we need to be prepared."

"I get it," she replied a little testy. "Can we just not talk about it until after? I have to have this test, which sounds horrifying all on its own. Can we just wait until I have the test to talk about the results?"

Her eyes pleaded with him to agree with her. He hated denying her anything and she was silently begging him to just go along with the plan.

"Okay," he said sticking his hand in his pockets and looking at the bathroom floor.

"Is it?"

"We're okay," he said looking her in the eye.

"You're worried," she said.

"Yeah."

"So am I. We need to do this together."

"We are. We will. I'm with you. No matter what happens I'm with you."

"Okay," she said feeling a little better.

CJ summoned her courage to get ready for the next hurdle, which was the actual test. The thought of a large needled being plunged into her stomach was highly frightening, not to mention the results that might come afterwards. She ran the cold water while Danny reached out and emerged a washcloth. He rung out the washcloth and placed it gently on the back of her neck as she leaned her head back and closed her eyes. No matter how they disagreed Danny was only certain of one thing and that was that whatever they were about to face they were going to face it together.

Josh got behind the wheel of his rental car and tried to shake off the feeling that something was seriously wrong with CJ, let alone that there was something serious going on between CJ and Danny. He checked his watch and noted that he had a half hour before his next meeting and he put the car into drive. On impulse he reached down to his cell phone and dialed a familiar number.

"Hello?"

"Hi," Josh said.

"Hey, where are you?" Donna asked.

"I'm on my way back to the hotel," Josh explained. "I dropped by CJ's."

"You didn't," Donna said.

"You told me to ask her what was going on," Josh reasoned.

"I thought you were going to call her not barge in on her," Donna replied.

"Excuse me, I didn't barge in," Josh said. Although once he thought about the look that CJ and Danny exchange when he asked about her health he wondered if maybe he had barged in. CJ had ushered him out the door as fast as possible and then tension that hung in the air was palatable when he left.

"Maybe I barged in a little," Josh conceded. "But you wouldn't tell me what was wrong."

"Josh," Donna sighed.

"Seriously Donna, what's going on with her?" Josh asked somberly.

"She told you it was the flu," Donna replied feebly.

"Yeah and I don't believe her and I don't believe you," Josh said.

Donna's resolve was starting to fail and she thought that maybe she should tell him the truth.

"I'm worried about her," Josh continued more emotionally than usual. "I need to know. I need to be prepared for something. I feel like, with Leo, it was so sudden. There was no warning and it just hit me. I can't do that again."

"I know. I'm sorry. She's not dying," Donna said sympathetically. "She's going to be fine."

"But it's not the flu," Josh said knowingly.

"No," Donna said vaguely. "But I promise you she'll be fine."

"I think they were about to have a fight," Josh said.

"Who?" Donna asked.

"CJ and Danny. She kind of kicked me out."

"Well married couples fight."

"They shouldn't fight if she's sick," Josh pointed out.

"She's fine and I'm sure CJ can hold her own," Donna reminded him.

"Hey, are you still going back to D.C. on Sunday?" Josh asked suddenly changing the subject.

"The First Lady is headed back then," Donna said. "She wants to be there when the kids go back to school after their break."

"So she'll be busy doing kid stuff," Josh said.

"Probably," Donna said unsure of where he was going.

"Will you stay?" Josh asked.

"Stay? In California?" Donna asked puzzled.

"President Santos is here through next week," Josh reminded her.

"I know."

"I was thinking you could stay until we went back. We've got a whole airplane. No need to book a return flight or worry about lost luggage," Josh said trying to tempt her.

"What's this about?" Donna asked.

"It's not about anything. I can't want to spend time with my girlfriend?" he asked.

Suddenly Donna felt bad for thinking he had an ulterior motive. She wondered if she might be able to stay in California with Josh for another week. There were certainly things she could accomplish out there. In fact, Helen's abrupt decision to go back to D.C. had messed up Donna's schedule as well.

"I'll see," Donna said. "You're just not usually this…"

"I know," Josh cut her off. "Let's just say that I'm more concerned about personal stuff now."

"Because you think CJ is sick?" Donna asked.

"No," Josh lied. Part of him was concerned that CJ was sick and it started to make him realize that his priorities weren't in the right place.

"She's not sick," Donna reminded him.

"I know, you said that," Josh replied. "I'd just like to spend some time with you."

"In between meetings?" Donna asked.

"Yeah, but it'll be time well spent."

Donna could almost hear his eyebrows rise over the phone.

"I'll see what I can work out," Donna chuckled.

"Thank you," Josh said.

"Lou is looking for you by the way," Donna said.

"Yeah? She'll wait. She's real good with the patience thing."

"Right," Donna smiled. "Okay, well I gotta get back to the thing."

"Okay," Josh replied. "I'll see you later."

"Bye," Donna said and she hung up the phone.

Josh drove down the road feeling a mixture of happiness and anxiety. He was worried about CJ, for what reason he didn't know. But after talking to Donna he felt better. It was like a calm washed over him when he spoke to her. He couldn't quite understand it, but he knew it was right. He made a mental note to try to have that feeling more often.

TBC