Going back was not what CJ expected it to be. She thought it would feel like going home; the building itself after all hadn't really changed save for the odd renovation and paint job. But four years was a long time, and while the building may have been the same, the dynamics were different now, even if there were a few familiar faces around the place.
And in fact, the familiar faces themselves only served to highlight the fact that nothing – well almost nothing – was as it used to be. They were not who they used to be. Oh, as people yes, they were still the ones she'd known for the last eight years, but as far as positions went, things had changed.
People's stars were in ascent.
Josh's appointment had come first of course; no one had expected anything less. In winning the campaign for Matt he'd sealed his promotion to Chief of Staff and slipped easily into Leo's old office. Likewise Sam, who was enjoying flexing his muscles as the new Director of Communications, torturing his Deputy with the rubber ball that Toby left behind. Even Donna had taken a step up the ladder.
In fact, of all the old faces, CJ was the only one who hadn't been promoted, but then she hadn't wanted to be. When she'd spoken to Josh the morning after the election, after she and Donna decided that she needed something to put her back up against, she'd been clear from the word go that there was only one job she'd consider coming back to do.
Her old one.
Putting her back on the podium could have been considered a move tantamount to political suicide, but for whatever reason Josh and Matt had gone for it, and now here she was.
Ready to step back into the fray.
She got up from her desk, checked her make up one last time, and then made her way into the office next to hers.
"You ready?"
Donna looked up at her, biting her lip nervously as only Donna could, "You seriously want me to come out there with you?"
CJ grinned, "You think I'm going in there without back up when their first question is going to be whether I prefer boys or girls these days?"
"Yeah but why me?"
CJ reached for Donna's jacket, which was hanging on the back of the door, and threw it across the desk at her, "Because if I can't use my Deputy as a shield, who can I use?"
X X X
Bringing Donna on board as Deputy Press Secretary had been the clincher of her deal with Josh. Had it not been for him agreeing to that, CJ might not have come back at all. It wasn't that she felt the talented former assistant needed her help in finding a job – in fact, when she'd gone to her and offered her the post the other woman had been on the verge of agreeing a salary package with Leo's office. But, she liked the idea of having a Wing Woman and couldn't think of anyone better suited to the job.
Plus, she thought it more than a little stupid that Donna and Josh should let their unique 'thing' slip away over their combined stubbornness and bruised egos; not that it would ever be easy with those two, but at least if they were still in the same building cupid would have a slightly easier shot.
And she assumed they agreed, because neither had put up much resistance to the suggestion, and the deal was done. CJ was back where she belonged.
Not that she wasn't apprehensive, but she wasn't about to let the press see that.
She paused at the door to the briefing room, turning to face Donna, "Are we ready for this?"
Donna shrugged, "I don't know if you are, but I'm shaking I'm so nervous."
CJ smiled, holding out a trembling hand as a response. "Rule number 1," she said, "never let the bastards see your fear." She pushed her arms firmly down against her sides, "Let's do it."
She pushed open the door, making her way up onto the podium and surveying the sea of faces. A few remained from the last time she'd been there, but there were new ones too. Not that it mattered, she'd done her homework, knew who they all were.
"I'm CJ Cregg." She began, smiling genially, "I'll be your Press Secretary for this administration but in my absence please refer to," she indicated Donna at her side, "Donnatella Moss who'll be my co pilot, or Deputy Press Secretary as President Santos is insisting I call her." She settled her gaze on Danny who was sat in the third row, grinning at her and then continued, "It's nice to be back with you, and in anticipation of your first question I would like to confirm that I consider the First Lady to be an," She pretended to think about it for a moment, although actually the very issue had been debated in the Senior Staff Meeting that morning, "eight on a good day. Maybe a nine at a push. Now, lets gets started," she turned her attention to one of the new faces, "Patricia, your question please…"
X X X
"Does it feel strange?" Abbey asked Jed that evening as they sat in front of the television in their New Hampshire house, their only house as it happened, watching a news report about Matthew Santos' first day in office..
"No longer being the most powerful man in the world?" He replied, looking thoughtful, "Do you know something Abbey? It does."
She smiled, cuddling closer to him, "You're the most powerful man in my world."
He winked at her and was about to comment when he was distracted by the sight of CJ on the TV, in footage from her press conference earlier that day. Seeing what was happening and noting his reaction, she reached for the remote and went to change the channel but to her surprise he reached out and touched her arm to stop her.
"Don't." He murmured, "I always enjoyed her work. I'd like to see how she does. Wouldn't you?"
Hesitantly, Abbey nodded, putting the remote control back down on the coffee table, before sitting back to watch, although she was aware of Jed keeping half an eye on her as they did so.
There was no denying, she thought, that whoever had made the decision to appoint CJ had made the right one. Her performance on the podium was undeniably brilliant, and any credibility that she might have lost four years before, had obviously been regained. As Jed would later comment, the press conference was "quite a homecoming".
Not that Abbey was just casting a professional eye over it. She wanted to stay impartial and focus on the politics, CJ's showmanship, the way the press were eating out of her hands, and yet, other things kept getting in the way.
The cut of her suit, defining her figure so perfectly. The twinkle in her eye as she fielded a particularly probing question. Her graceful neckline which Abbey remembered planting little rows of kisses down all too well.
It was that final thought which was in her head as the report came to an end, and Jed muted the TV to ask what she thought.
He didn't want to know what she thought. He really didn't. She got to her feet, and moved to the drinks cabinet to pour them each a drink, mumbling something non-committal about one of CJ's answers to a question about peace in the Middle East. To her relief, that was when Jed made the homecoming comment and then let the subject drop. She was glad – if she'd said any more she might just have given her feelings away, and that wasn't a risk she could take. It just wasn't an option.
X X X
"Well I want to propose a toast."
They were in Josh's office, all four of them, Josh, Donna, CJ and Sam. The Four Musketeers back together again. Josh, on his feet, a warm bottle of beer held aloft, "To an awesome first day in office. You," he looked at Sam, "just keep getting better, and you," he smiled fondly at CJ, "were on fire out there today. Although," he glanced down at his notepad, "Helen's been on. She was a little pissed at the 8 maybe 9, thought you might like to issue an apology and make it an 11."
Laughing, CJ threw a piece of pizza crust at him, "She can dream on. There's only one First Lady for me." She'd meant the comment as a joke but at her words the room fell silent and she found herself on the receiving end of three sets of concerned looks. She sighed, "Come on, you know what I mean."
Sam, who was sat at her side nodded, "Sure, we know what you're saying, and we also know what you mean. We know how you feel about her. Its obvious your feelings have never changed."
"Well that's as maybe." CJ replied, knowing that there was no point in lying to her friends, "But nunquam vultus tergum, or," she translated, seeing their puzzled looks, "never look back."
"You speak latin now?"
She nodded in response to Josh's question, "I dabble. Its handy for the press." She turned to Donna, "Remember that Deputy Dawg, its always useful to have some stock phrases to toss out. It confuses them into forgetting that you haven't actually answered their questions."
Donna made a mental note, but unlike the press she wasn't about to let CJ off the hook that easily, "What are you going to do? About Abbey?"
CJ sighed, miserably tossing what was left of her pizza back in the box, her appetite officially deadned by their conversation, "Same thing I've done for the last four years. Try my god damn best to forget she ever existed."
X X X
