Title: Theses things I'm sure of...

Paring: CJ/Danny and the whole west wing gang (Even Sam!)

Disclaimer: Not ours

Authors: Fightingspirit77 & and sdsublondie9

Rating- PG-13

Fightingspirit77@hotmail.com (Lauren M)

Sdsublondie9@aol.com (Rachelle)

Notes: Although some of us have been disappointed with the recent events on West Wing, Lauren and I ask that you give this story a chance. We wrote it together and we have put a lot of hard work and long nights into it. Thank you for reading and please enjoy!!

Feedback: Welcome and appreciated!!!

Summary: One man's journey for love!

West Coast East Coast Entertainment Presents:

A Figurative Cat Production

In Association with REEL Banter Limited

And brought to you by The Sorkin Fund and readers like you! ________________________________________________________________________

Donna walked into Josh's office and saw him sitting with his head in his hands. He wasn't at his desk anymore but in a small chair against the wall.

"Josh."

Josh was startled when she saw him. So was Josh has he pretend he hadn't been crying. Donna smiled sweetly.

"I got you something to eat?" Donna asked

"No, thanks I already ate.

"That was a bag of popcorn and a can of coke." She took the plastic contained out of the bag and placed it on Josh's desk. Josh stood up and shook his state off not making eye contact with her.

"I had them burn the hamburger. I actually went there myself and watched them do it."

"I'll have it later."

Donna pause before she spoke. "You know, it's ok to cry."

"I'm not crying Donna."

"I won't judge you."

"Donna, I'm not—"

"Ok." She began to walk out.

'Hey, you didn't try to—"

"Interrupt you with my reasons why. I know." Josh smiled. So did Donna. She went for the door, but stopped in the doorway. "Any news from Danny?"

"No. no. Nothing."

"Is Danny in love with CJ?" Josh looked at Donna not sure what to say pausing for the right words

"Yeah, I think so." He said sweetly.

"Does she? Love him I mean.

"I can't speak for CJ but......." Josh took a moment. "Yeah." Josh thought of CJ and his eyes started to mist. He held it back, but Donna saw it. "Why is it men only become the real men we want them to be when things get dire—"

"Because real men step up to the plate?" Donna smiled.

"And real men get some sleep. Or read at least some memos. We have a country to run."

"No news from Leo."

"No, come on. "

"I'm getting really worried about Danny. He checked in every two hours. Now nothing. And the phone call before when he cut out."

"Bad reception—." Donna was comforting him. "He hasn't called back yet?"

"No—." Josh was deep in thought. "And he hasn't checked in with me for four hours." Josh thought for a moment. He was scared for two friends now. "Toby and I need to talk to Leo."

CJ popped her head up. She felt that it was later, but she was unsure what had happened.

"Hey." Danny said softly had CJ lifted her head from his shoulder.

"I?"

"You feel asleep."

"Pete?"

"Hours ago. I didn't want to wake you."

"We really should—"CJ stopped cold her breath was off.

""It's best we waited in case he came back."

"Oh." CJ looked distracted and Danny hadn't seen her like that since Josh was shot.

"CJ?"

"I—I' can't breath." CJ leaned on her knees.

"Ok. CJ. Calm down."

"I can't—I—I.." She began to hyperventilate. "I'm—"

"Yeah."

"I'm—"

"If only I had a paper bag-"he looked around. CJ continued her heavy breathing. She bent over and fell to her knees.

"Just relax, you'll get over it." Danny fell to his knees

"I just—I just—"

"Don't talk." CJ sat himself next to her and ran his hand over her back.

'It's just all hitting you. Your body was in denial." He rubbed her back making her breath smooth and subside. 'There ya go." CJ lifted her head and took a large breath.

"You ok?" Danny looked at her lovingly with his puppy dog concerned face. She took a breath. "Yeah."

"Good." He left his hand on her back for a moment while their eyes met. Danny soon removed his hand from CJ's back. CJ took another breath as her eyes, almost filled with tears, began to try. "You ready to keep going?" CJ took a breath.

"In a minute."

"Ok." He rubbed her back again. "Anytime your ready." CJ took her hand to her month and sustained her tears. She leaned forward and Danny continued rubbing her back. 'Anytime your ready."

CJ lifted her back and put her hand to her mouth. She took Danny's eyes and he hers. Danny smirked pretty sure they were sharing a moment. CJ took her hand to her mouth. "I'm gonna be sick." CJ ran off.

"Yeah." Danny lowered her head. After a moment CJ staggered back.

"You ok?"

"Yeah." Danny stood as he followed an unbalanced CJ to be ready if she needed to be caught.

"You ok to travel?"

"Yeah?" She tried to pretend and as much as he could Danny would humor her.

"We can't travel long. Once it's dark we should stay still."

"Sure." She took a breath and staggered to her left. 'How 'bout this way."

"That would be back toward the kidnappers."

"Yeah." He walked to her right. "This way right?"

"Yeah." He followed CJ. ________________________________________________________________________

After an hour of walking CJ collapsed onto her knees. The day had finally gotten to her.

"We can stop here." He fell to her level. "It's ok."

"No, no we still have some light. I can walk. We could find a house—a car—."

"CJ. Stop pushing yourself. I just saved you from kidnappers."

"I saved you!"

"Ok, you just escaped from kidnappers. You don't have be wonder women here."

"Really? I was hoping I could be Cat Women."

"CJ."

"Ok. Ok."

"They didn't do anything---?" Danny asked somewhat afraid to bring up the subject.

"No, no. They just tied me to the chair—"Danny had her sit down and he took her wrists.

"What are you doing?" She asked as Danny ripped the sleeve off his shirt.

"I'm bandaging your wrists CJ, there really bad here."

'Oww—."

"Sorry, sorry." Danny took hold in a different place and ripped his sleeve in half.

'I can do that." She said feeling strange about being waited on. Danny handed her one of the strips and let her tie one wrist while he did the other.

"We can start a small fire, but not for long. It's could get us caught." CJ looked into Danny's eyes and smiled slyly.

"What? Where you in the boy scouts—."

"As a matter a fact I was---"CJ crackled with delight at Danny's remark.

"Ok, not funny."

"Sorry, sorry—"

"I mean I'm bandaging your wounds here. I found us a dry place for us to sleep—"

'Oh my Captain, my Captain." CJ mocked Danny and laughed. Danny had a cross look on his face. "I'll find wood for the fire."

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry." CJ took a breath. "Wow, I needed that."

"I'm glad I could help." He looked CJ in the eye and she drowned in the deep blue pools. They shared a moment.

"So, do you know where we are?" CJ pressed her fingers on her wrist flattening the fabric down.

"Truthfully?"

"Yeah?"

"I don't know."

"Great. So it's dark, were lost, and there may be a man with a gun out here looking for us—"

'Did I mention bears—"

"Danny stop. Don't scare me."

"I didn't think anyone could do that." Danny had started a fire and sat next to CJ. CJ leaned forward into the warmth. She raised her hands and noticed how she was caked in mud.

"Your covered in mud there."

"Yeah." CJ took her shirt off to reveal her camisole underneath.

"Thanks."

"You cold."

"Better than being wet." Danny noticed blood trickle down from her neck.

"CJ?" He let his two of his fingers check the back of her neck.

'Oww."

'What did they do to you?"

"It's fine now." She lowered her head and looked up again. "They hit me in the back of the head with a tire iron." She said with brazen hatred. "I'm lucky I have a strong head." She laughed. "I tried to get to my door, I think I opened it?---I don't know.—."CJ's emotions breathed forth.

"That's why the door was open?" Danny was acting like a coaxing, making sure not to rile her, but give her the support she needed. It was almost as if he wasn't there the information followed out naturally stopping and starting with out any kind of edit. He didn't have to be there, but she still needed him there.

"And then I couldn't get up. I don't remember how I got there? I don't remember falling, I just remember being on the ground. I thought—I was sure I was dead. I was sure I was. I remember hearing noise in the apartment? I remember praying they would take what they wanted and leave." CJ remembered trying to raise her head and not being able to." I could feel the blood running down my back." She brought her hand to her shoulder like she was reliving it."

"Do you know why they took you CJ?"

"The young one, Pete, said he liked how I looked. They watched me on TV." She laughed at it. "They wanted me so they just took me." CJ started to well up with soft emotion. "They took me like I was an item in a store. Just something to put on their shelf. Next thing I remember I woke up here. I don't think I want to talk about it for a while."

"Ok." Danny said sweetly, nodding his head. Always when CJ didn't want to continue with anything Danny would stop the action. Tell her it was ok, and end the topic.

"How did you find me?

"One of your fans sold your gold fish pin. He must have thought it was real gold."

"And the police found it."

'I found it."

'You found it? Where?"

"I know some guys."

'You know some guys."

"Yeah, Josh came along—"

"Josh?"

"You know that guy is obsessed with playing Good cop bad cop—" CJ laughed in recognition. "Yeah." Her hair fell in front of he face and with out thinking Danny pushed it out of the way and over ear. CJ smiled to show him she liked it.

"We should blow the fire out and go to sleep."

"Ok." Danny looked awkward.

"I'm sorry to ask this CJ, but it's going to get pretty cold—"

"No, its ok."

"You can use me as a pillow." He joked. CJ leaned forward and Danny leaned forward to blow out the light and in the darkness their heads hit each other. There lips brushed and CJ liked the brief feeling. He ran his hand through her hair and to the back of the head.

"Oww." CJ lifted ahead.

"Sorry, Sorry." Danny lifted his hand and placed his hands o her face wanting to make it better. Their foreheads touch. "Let's get some sleep."

"Ok." CJ said in a rasp of a voice. Danny could hardily see her face now. He took her hand and helped her find his shoulder and they wrapped themselves in each other. Danny kissed the top of her head and laid his head next to hers. ________________________________________________________________________

TBC