Once CJ and Zoey left, Jed and Abbey sat in the living room awkwardly, avoiding each other's gazes. After a minute Abbey jumped up and started gathering up empty dishes. Jed rose to help her.
"Its okay" She said softly. He paused for a minute, and then sat back down, sighing. Abbey went into the kitchen with the pile of dishes. He could hear her knocking around in the kitchen, putting things in the dishwasher.
He followed her in. "So…what do we do now?" he asked her.
Abbey stopped and looked at him for a minute. "That's up to you" She replied. "Do you want me in your bed? Would you rather I slept in one of the other rooms?" she turned back to the dishes. "I understand if you do."
"I'd still like to wake up beside you" Jed went over, putting a hand softly on her back.
Abbey jerked up to look him in the eye incredulously. "You would?" He nodded.
"I've accepted CJ. But I don't want to lose what I still have of you. And part of that is lying in bed discussing things. Waking up beside you. Knowing I can depend on you. That sort of thing." Abbey smiled a little, then nodded slowly.
"I'd like to keep that, too, when we can" She told him quietly. He kissed her cheek gently.
"Come in when you're done." Abbey was smiling to herself as she finished with the dishwasher.
CJ slept over for the first time the next night. It was strange to get to wake up beside Abbey, to have her open her eyes and smile happily to find CJ looking back at her. They both worked out in the mornings, with different routines. Abbey had breakfast with Jed, while CJ, politely declining the President's invitation to join them, watched the morning news in the room she shared with Abbey, drinking coffee.
Abbey wandered in half an hour later, still in work out clothes, and coyly suggested a shower. CJ smiled and followed her to the ensuite. How could she resist that offer?
"I'm going out of town on Thursday" Abbey informed her as they dressed.
CJ stuck her head out of the washroom. "For how long?"
"Just the night" Abbey smiled. CJ smiled back.
"Good. So we can have dinner on Friday night?"
"We can."
CJ emerged from the bathroom, ready for the day. "I've got to run." She kissed Abbey sweetly. "I'll call you later?"
"Okay." Abbey pulled her back in for another kiss. "Mmm…I could get used to this." CJ laughed softly.
"Abbey…I have to go to work." Abbey sighed, looking at her watch.
"Me too."
"I'll call you later." CJ ran out the door.
"You had better, Miss Cregg!" Abbey called after her, smiling as she turned back to the mirror in front of her. She definitely had some good ideas of what she and Claudia Jean could do that evening.
"What time do you think you'll be making it to the Residence?" CJ questioned, twirling her phone cord around her finger.
"I think the real question is when you'll be getting to the Residence." Abbey quipped. "I'm not the one dealing with the Press, after all."
"They were pretty grumpy about last night. It isn't my fault nothing was going on." CJ sighed. "I think we can safely say ten. Okay?"
"See you there." A click informed CJ Abbey had hung up.
In the end, she managed to get away early. It was only 9:30 pm as CJ opened the door to the guest bedroom which was apparently now her and Abbey's. Abbey was waiting for her.
CJ smiled as she walked in. "Hey Ab."
"Hey Claudia" A pyjama-clad Abbey beckoned her to the bed.
"I'm just gonna change" CJ made to grab something more comfy out of the drawers which now contained many of her clothes.
"Oh, no you aren't" Abbey informed her. "Lingerie. Now." CJ raised an eyebrow.
"That sounds a little too easy to me" she teased, grinning.
"If I have to tear your clothes off you I will" Abbey informed her. "But that is a very nice blouse you're wearing, so it really would be easier if you helped me out a bit."
CJ moved to the end of the bed and undressed herself slowly, enjoying the look on Abbey's face as she stripped down to only her undone blouse and pale blue lace lingerie. Then she crawled onto the bed and on top of Abbey. "Hey" she smiled down. Abbey grabbed her around the hips, pulling forward so she could have CJ on her back. CJ grinned and lay back on the bed, her blouse falling around her to display her fit body. Abbey smiled, reaching down beside the bed and pulled up whipped cream. "You're dessert." She informed CJ. CJ grinned.
"Is there chocolate?" she asked impishly.
"Oh, yes." Abbey pulled out a bag "and cherries on top." She raised an eyebrow at CJ. "You may want to take off the rest of your clothes."
"I'd recommend the same for you, Dr. Bartlet." CJ grinned, throwing her blouse aside and slipping out of her underwear. Abbey laughed.
"You want dessert too?" she questioned jokingly.
"Dessert is my favourite type of dinner." CJ smiled.
"Lie down." CJ did as she was told, and smiled as she felt whipped cream entering her belly button.
"This is hilarious." CJ informed Abbey, smiling as Abbey dipped her tongue to her stomach, scooping up whipped cream.
"It's delicious, too." Abbey informed her, mouth full of whipped cream. She licked her way up CJ's body until she found her lips, kissing her deeply. CJ reached down to grab one of the chocolates, unwrapping it and pulling away slightly so she could put it between her lips, then wrapped her legs around Abbey, pulling her back down to kiss her again.
"So it is." She murmured.
Half an hour later they were both sticky with sugar and chocolate when the phone rang.
"CJ?" Abbey asked. "She may need some time."
"Just get her down here." Leo informed her. CJ got, still covered in goo under her expensive suit.
She didn't get back until after midnight. She found Abbey asleep in the bed, still sticky with chocolate. CJ smiled and curled herself around Abbey, kissing her hair gently before falling asleep herself.