Author's Note: Takes place during season five's The Warfare of Genghis Khan. Reviews are always appreciated and encouraged.

"Chicken and Stars"

CJ sat at her desk reading notebooks and scribbling remarks in the columns. It was a little boring. She'd been in her office for most of the day, but she was busy. There weren't many visitors. There had been a guy a few weeks ago. He was quite dashing. He'd sent CJ a head of cabbage with a heart in it. I wasn't sure what that meant, but it was neat to look at. It had been weeks since anything exciting like that had happened though.

I swam around and then I saw Carol wander in. Yay! I was hoping she might have something interesting to say. Correction, I was hoping she'd have something more interesting to say other than, "Ben called."

Ben. He kept calling CJ and leaving messages and she didn't call him back. I never met Ben, but he seemed kind of persistent in a way that I didn't like. Danny was persistent, but in a cute way. And sure, I'm probably biased because Danny bought me, but this Ben guy didn't seem to be getting the hint. CJ wasn't interested in rekindling whatever thing they had years and years ago. At least, I didn't think she was.

Sure enough Carol came in to give CJ her messages, but I was pleasantly surprised when she said that CJ had a message from Danny.

"What did he say?" CJ asked.

"I'm not sure I can do it justice," Carol replied.

"Carol…" CJ prompted her a little impatiently.

I could tell that Carol was sighing internally and that amused me. What amused me more was when she said, "Bawk. Bawk, bawk, bawk. Bawk. Chicken noises."

Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! That was Danny's message? Chicken noises? I knew CJ was being taunted by some talk show host. She had been named Chicken of the Week. She probably wouldn't have paid much attention to it, but now that Danny had baited her, she told Carol to get her a copy of the tape of the show.

Carol dutifully walked out to find the tape, but CJ called after her. "And Carol, get Danny on the phone."

Yes! This day was shaping up. I hoped she was going to put Danny on speaker. She seemed busy so it seemed like there was a good chance she'd want her hands free while talking to him.

"Danny's on line three," Carol called.

"Daniel," CJ said as she hit the speakerphone button. Speakerphone, in my opinion, is the greatest invention in the world.

"Claudia Jean," he replied as formally as she was with him. "I assume you got my message."

"Yes, Carol was very enthusiastic while passing that on," CJ lied.

"I figured she would be," Danny replied. "I told her there might be some flowers in it for her."

"Danny," CJ said. "Where do you get off calling me a chicken?"

"A reputable news source told me that was true," Danny said. I could almost hear the smirk in his voice.

"Have you ever seen this guy's show?" CJ asked.

"A few times," Danny said. "He's something else. You've never seen it?"

"I've never heard of it until this afternoon," CJ replied.

"You should watch it."

"Carol is getting me the tape," CJ replied.

There was a brief silence. I wasn't sure if it was because neither knew what to say or because their silences were just companionable.

"You could take him," Danny said finally.

"I'm sure I could," CJ replied confidently.

"Mightier folks have failed, but I really think you'd have a good time," he said.

I saw the corner of CJ's lips curl. Leave it to Danny to know that a good fight would be the idea of a good time to CJ.

"I thought I was a chicken?" she said.

"Nah, I was just trying to get you on the phone," Danny said.

"Wasn't it easier to just show up in my office unannounced?" CJ asked.

"Yeah, it was."

At that moment Josh came into CJ's doorway. She looked up and saw him. Man, just as it was about to get good too! She gave Josh a small nod.

"I have to go," she said.

"Give him hell," Danny said.

"I didn't say I was going to do it."

"I think you will," Danny replied. "Bye."

I loved how he always seemed to cut off their conversations before she had a chance to get in the last word. CJ disconnected the call.

"Was that Danny?" Josh asked.

"Yeah," CJ said.

"I thought there was a new guy. Ranger Rick or something?" Josh asked as he took a seat.

"There's no new guy. Ben is very much of the past and he's not…I haven't even talked to him."

"Okay," Josh said. "Me thinks the lady doth protest too much."

"She doesn't," CJ said giving him a look that put a cap on the conversation. "What do you need?"

"You're in the loop on NASA stuff right?"

"Yeah. What do you need?"

"Have you heard of MOB?"

"Mars or Bust?" she asked.

"Yeah. When did you hear about it?"

"I don't know. It's been around. I think they need a new acronym, but what can you do?"

"Yeah," Josh said a little introspectively. He seemed to be thinking actively about something.

CJ suddenly chuckled. "Man they know how to get to you," CJ said.

"What do you mean?"

"Donna told me about the hot scientist NASA sent to you after you blew them off."

"What?"

"Tall, brunette, very interested in space travel," CJ clarified.

Now this was interesting. I had heard rumblings that Amy and Josh were off again, but now it seemed that CJ had hit the nail on the head by teasing him with information about an attractive woman.

"It's not…they didn't," Josh stammered.

"They have your number mi amour," CJ said. Hee-hee. I had to agree with CJ. They really did. If Josh's slightly blushing reaction to CJ's accusation were any indication, he was a little bit smitten with this NASA lady.

"Why are you blowing off NASA anyway?" CJ asked.

"What?"

"The president is a space geek. When did we decide to blow off the space administration?"

"Since they kept screwing up," Josh replied.

CJ was silent for a minute before Josh continued. "Look CJ, he had his teachable moment with Galileo, but that was a huge failure. We looked silly."

"I just can't believe he doesn't want to go to Mars," CJ said.

"I'm sure he wants to, but its cost prohibitive."

CJ didn't really say anything. I wondered if it was times like this when she really missed Sam. I wondered if Josh felt the same way.

"So where's Miss Out of This World taking you?" CJ asked in a teasing tone.

"I'm not sure," Josh replied. "I heard you might know of a good chicken place."

"Ha-ha," CJ said. "Have you ever seen The Taylor Reid Show?"

"Yes. It's definitely something to behold."

"How have I never seen it? Or heard of it?"

"He hasn't been on that long," Josh replied. "He's only starting to get any buzz because of the way he taunts people."

"Has anybody gone on?" CJ asked.

"I saw Jasper and Kline," Josh said.

"But they're conservative," CJ pointed out.

"Yeah. I heard that O'Reilly went on and it wasn't good."

"Well he's got no social or media skills," CJ replied. "It's a wonder he ever got elected in the first place."

"That's the downside of name recognition in his district," Josh said. "So, you gonna do it?"

"I haven't even seen the show," CJ said.

"Yeah, but between Reid's taunting, Danny's taunting and my unrelenting—"

"I need to see the tape first Josh," CJ interrupted him. "Besides, I'm sure Toby will have something to say about it."

"Eh," Josh waved his hand at her. "You can take this guy."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence."

"Anytime," Josh smiled. He stood up from the chair and started to walk out.

"If you need any facts to impress Miss Out of This World ask Carol. She's got all the NASA stats," CJ said.

"Thanks," Josh replied.

"Have fun!" CJ called.

"I will," Josh said confidently as he knocked twice on her doorframe on the way out.

CJ shook her head and smirked as she got back to her work. "What do you think Gail?" CJ asked me. "Should I do the show?"

"I think following your instinct of seeing it first would be the best way to go," I replied swishing my tail back and forth a few times.

"Yeah, you're probably right," CJ said. "Seeing it first would be good, but…"

She let the thought trail off and she turned back to her work. It was at that moment that I knew she was going to do it. The last few months hadn't been good. CJ seemed kind of sad and I knew the best way for her to get out of her funk was a fight. Danny knew as much as well. I, for one, couldn't wait to see the results of CJ getting her fight back.

TBC