"You did real good,"

"You did real good,"

CJ reluctantly looked up from the infant sleeping soundly in her
arms. She smiled when she saw John standing in the doorway.

"Hey," she whispered, motioning with her head for him to come into
the room.

He walked over slowly and hesitantly sat down in the chair by her
bedside. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine," she replied, but when John cocked his head questioningly she
sighed. "Tired and sore, if you want the truth but look, John.
Look what we did,"

"What YOU did," he countered, his voice full of admiration for the
mother of his child. He reached out with both hands. "May I?"

"Sure," CJ carefully handed the sleeping bundle to John, wincing
slightly at the discomfort the action caused.

"Are you ok?" he asked, accepting the baby and holding it close.

"John, think about where the baby came from and accept that I'm
going to be in pain for a few days. It was worth it though, more
than worth it."

"He's beautiful isn't he?" John murmured, entranced as he watched
his son breathing.

"He really is," CJ smiled. "No wonder you think so though, he's
your spitting image."

"You really think so?" John squinted, examining his son's features
carefully.

"You can't see it?"

"He's got my hair color, and lots of it," John pointed out, pushing
back the tiny cotton hat to reveal dark locks of soft hair.

"Not just his hair. His nose, his chin, even his eyebrows are just
like yours. And believe me, I've already experienced his temper,"

"I think both of us can take responsibility for that trait," John
laughed, stiffening as the baby stirred in his arms. He looked down
and found himself staring into his son's eyes. "Can he see me?"

"I don't think so, he won't be able to focus for weeks yet,"

"He's only focused on one thing at the moment," John said, as the
baby made sucking motions with his mouth. "You definitely need your
mom for this, baby boy," John leaned down and gently kissed his
son's forehead. Standing up he placed the baby in CJ's arms. "Do
you want me to go?" he asked, as CJ began to unbutton her nightdress.

"If it makes you feel uncomfortable,"

"No. No, I'm fine with it if you are,"

CJ didn't answer but instead gently rubbed her nipple against the
baby's lips until he latched on and began to feed hungrily. The
three of them sat quietly for a few minutes, John mesmerized by the
scene before him. Less than 24 hours previously, both he and CJ had
been at his ranch awaiting the baby's arrival and now here he was.

CJ spoke quietly. "I know this is only the second time I've fed
him, but I can't tell you how natural it feels,"

John smiled. They sat in silence again, the only sound in the room
coming from the feeding baby. After several minutes, John sighed
and spoke. "About what happened…at the ranch…between us…I never
meant…"

"John, not now," CJ pleaded quietly, "Let today be a good day,"

He nodded. "Ok. I think maybe I should…"

"Yeah, maybe you should," CJ agreed.

"I'll come back later?" he asked, walking towards the door.

"I think I might try to get some sleep if that's ok? I'm pretty
tired,"

"Sure," he managed a smile. "CJ?"

"Uhuh?" she asked, distracted slightly as she eased the baby from
her breast and sat him up, placing a hand under his chin as she
rubbed circles on his back to wind him.

"Has he got a name?"

"Yeah. Yeah, he does. His name is Joel Patrick."

"Joel. I like it," he said. "Sleep well, both of you,"

"Here,"

CJ accepted the powder from John and sprinkled it liberally onto
Joel's bare bottom. Taking his ankles between her fingers, she
raised his legs and placed a diaper beneath him, quickly making
short work of fastening it.

"You're getting pretty good at that," John commented, as she pressed
shut the studs on the baby's one-piece.

"After the first couple of times, I think it was imperative for your
carpet that I get it right," CJ laughed.

John cringed, remembering the day Joel and CJ came home from the
hospital. Both his and CJ's attempt at changing the baby's diaper
had ended with the diaper falling off and Joel showing his
displeasure all over the floor.

"And it only took a week," CJ continued, kissing her son's feet
before slipping on a pair of cotton socks. "Don't you just love the
way he smells. Mmmmmmm, I could eat him all up,"

"I don't think that would be a good idea," John scooped the baby
into his arms and cuddled him close. Walking out of the make-shift
nursery, he made his way down the hall and into the living area, all
the while whispering to his son who was quickly dozing off. John
laid him in his Moses basket and covered him with a blanket.

"Is he sleeping?" CJ asked, coming into the room and sitting down on
the sofa behind John.

"Like a baby," John answered, straightening up from his crouched
position on the floor and moving over to sit beside CJ. "So, what
did Abbey say when you spoke to her?"

Both he and CJ had decided it would be best if they kept the birth a
secret for a few days, just until they both got used to the idea of
having a newborn to look after. Luckily for them, the hospital had
kept to the hospital/patient confidentiality clause and so the press
was none the wiser. It also meant that no-one back in D.C. knew
that CJ had given birth and CJ hadn't been relishing her inevitable
conversation with Abigail Bartlet.

"She was pissed," CJ yawned, leaning back into the sofa and rubbing
her eyes with the back of her hand. "She agreed, though, that it
was probably best that we keep it quiet for another week or so, just
until he's a little bit older for traveling. Then it's going to be
interesting. The questions from the press are going to be non-
stop. Why were you in Texas?' Why did you keep you son's birth a
secret?' Oh my God, your son looks exactly like the Vice-
President!'"

"Technically, CJ, that last one's a statement, not a question.
Also, he doesn't look exactly like me. I've been studying him
and he definitely has your lips."

"Oh well then, we definitely won't have a problem then," CJ mocked.

"It'll be fine, seriously. We'll think of something. It's not
going to be a problem, CJ, I promise,"

CJ plumped the cushion and rested her head against it, closing her
eyes. "I won't take any bets on that," she murmured.