Part Eight:
They hadn't really paused before entering Leo's office, Toby had just guided her forward with a "Hope he's not too busy, keep the riff-raff away, will you Margaret?" over his shoulder. Margaret had stood then, ready to protest and inform the pair that Leo was in with the President and First Lady, but she looked at CJ and figured they already knew, that this was bigger than she thought. And then she saw CJ's ripped jacket and wide eyes and sat heavily, suddenly feeling as old and tired and angry as CJ ever had - pain by association. Margaret nodded to their backs as they passed through the door, all the rumors falling to dust as she saw the almost mechanical movements of the Press Secretary, who was essentially being held up by Toby's strategically placed hands. And then, they were out of her line of vision, hidden behind the door to Leo's office, leaving only a mist of worry in their wake.
Upon entering the office unannounced, Toby nodded toward the President, "Sir," his expression was hard as his eyes flitted to Abbey, who stood without a word, almost understanding that it was she they had really come for. "I'm sorry, Leo, there's been a . situation." With a hand at her back and another grasping her hand, he deposited CJ in a chair, then turned to Abbey, not seeing CJ lean forward and place her head in shaking hands.
"I'm in trouble," she spoke, her voice muffled, and Leo and President Bartlet turned to take in her hunched frame. Sighing, CJ sat up, straightening her spine as if heading for battle, "It began over a year ago," her words were quiet, but the silence in the room was deafening as they all realized the importance of the tale she'd begun, and her words cut through it as silent music began to play toward crescendo. "After Rosslyn, the blood," she swallowed, "there was so much blood, and I." CJ's hand worked up to her throat, eyes glassy. "I've never been good with blood." Several minutes after shed begun, the story reached its end as she could see it, and she stopped, looking to her side where Toby stood, hand on the back of the chair, and she slid her smaller hand in his, her eyes asking for something he could only call approval. Toby smiled down at her, though the rest could not see, and his eyes conveyed things his words dared not.
Leo's eyes were thoughtful, worried, and the tiniest bit angry, and the President had one recurring irrational thought passing through his mind, "I'll kill him. I'll make the FBI find him and I'll kill him myself," but he composed himself as he saw Abbey shake her head at his enraged expression, and he forced away the anger but could not suppress the paternal attitude. Briefly, he thought of taking her into his arms as he had done Zoey so many times, and comforting her to the best of his ability, but, he decided, he'd leave that for Toby.
"Right now, Toby needs to talk to the Chief of Staff and the President, not Leo McGarry and Jed Bartlet," she paused, "and I," her voice cracked as she looked to Abbey, who nodded toward the Oval Office. "Yeah." And she was gone with Abbey after Toby released her hand, smoothing her hair for reassurance and closed his eyes.
"She blames herself, but it's not her fault!" Toby finally sighed, running a hand over his face, "But Goddammit, which one of us has NEVER made a mistake?"
Inside the Oval Office, CJ removed her jacket and stood in dress pants and a silk camisole, revealing the nearly-gone bruises that the hem fell against, and fresh marks on her upper arms. Abbey shook her head but didn't change her expression. "Nothing broken," she joked, then sobering, "I'm doing this for Toby. He worries." CJ averted her eyes from Abbey's.
"Don't you?" Abbey asked, pulling on CJ's hand to get her to sit on the couch.
"Yes, I suppose I do," her words were thoughtful. "He doesn't seem to understand that I mean it when I say no, that I made a very big mistake, I did, though." She switched her train of thought.
"Yes." Abbey nodded slowly, "but who hasn't? No one has any right to judge you, CJ, people in glasses houses." she quoted the old adage, "God I'm beginning to sound like Jed, too much time with him, I guess." Her words elicited a grin from CJ, "But regardless of what mistakes you've made, however big or small it is, was, or could have been," she reaffirmed, "you did not deserve this."
"I know that," she snapped, then looked stricken by her own tone, "I know," CJ's voice was softer. "I'm six feet tall, Abbey, I could kick Josh and Sam's asses any day of the week, but for the love of God, Abbey!" her voice had steadily risen to a level she was sure then men in the Oval could hear, and she stood again, pacing, "In my office, I froze!"
"Well, who the hell wouldn't have CJ? You're not superwoman, no matter how hard you may try or how many phonebooths you see on a daily basis. There's no telling what could have happened, but when you UNfroze, you got to the door and would've made it out even if Toby hadn't arrived when he did. CJ, you're stronger than you think! You'd have saved yourself anyway! Now sit, you're making me feel either incredibly lazy for all your pacing o dizzy." She smiled as CJ sat, looking calmer and slightly drained, "It's going to be fine, CJ, they're, as we speak, running this guy through the FBI, CIA, Justice Department and who knows what else, in addition to setting you up with a Secret Service detail. flamingo."
Despite her resolve not to, she grinned even as she attempted to argue against the detail.
"Don't look at me, CJ, I'm not the one you need to discuss that with, but I think it's probably a good idea, at least until you know what you're up against. I'm not a board certified psychiatrist, but this guy doesn't sound very sane to me, stopping and starting and seemingly forgetting his purpose, changing his attitude so easily."
CJ chuckled, "I should hope he's not sane. Normal people." she sighed, clasping her hands together, and looked back up at the First Lady with tired eyes. "I want to go back in there and find out what they're doing," she began, but the door opened and stopped her tirade, Toby, Leo and the President entering with downcast eyes and stricken expressions.
"Neil Bowman," Toby began, "is dead, CJ. The man we met in there. was his son, Tommy. He's not. he's not someone anyone wants around." He emphasised his words, then came to sit beside her and Abbey on the couch, as Leo looked down at the paper the President held in his hands.
"We got the FBI to run him through, though, this Tommy Bowman. He's got a record a mile long, but they can never keep him because he's clinically unable to stand trial. Been out of a nuthouse all of two years, got a job as a photographer somewhere, not exactly a respectable position, if you follow me."
"What he's saying, CJ, is that this guy is more dangerous than even you thought," Leo sighed, "he's diagnosed with disorganized schizophrenia, a split mind so to speak - he has two personalities at the least - which explains why he so easily went from threatening you to walking peacefully from the office - it would have happened whether Toby walked in or not." Abbey sent CJ an 'I told you so' look, but CJ didn't catch it as she turned to look at Toby, who continue where Leo left off.
"And he's borderline sociopathic, which means he could do any goddamn thing he wants and he's not gonna think it's wrong, he's going to think it's all fine and dandy and that he's helping humanity. He's medicated but apparently doesn't take this so called cure-all drug his doctors have him on." Under his breath, he muttered, "Jesus Christ!" and then took CJ's hand in his, more for his comfort than hers, then.
"We're setting you up a detail, or rather, Ron is," the President spoke, "They'll be with you at all times, outside your apartment when you're in there, with one woman on the inside all the time. You'll be followed home, to restaurants, to the parking lot. I know it's a bother," he sighed, "believe me, I know better than anyone, and I know you've probably argued with Toby and Abbey and will do so with everyone else including the Agents that are with you, about this, but it's really the only thing. we want you safe, CJ."
"Of course," she sighed, "You wouldn't want to train a new Press Secretary."
"CJ!" the President began, but she interrupted.
"Relax, sir, injecting a little humor into the conversation," she paused, squeezed Toby's hand, and looked up. "So, when do I meet my bodyguards?" and she couldn't help but grin at them all.
Back in Apartment 4B on Walsh Street, Neil Bowman regained consciousness on his kitchen floor, his first words peeling from his lips as a car would a parking lot, "Claudia! Where. are you?" Looking around, he groaned, slammed his head back against the linoleum floor, and spoke, "Dammit, Thomas! Why do you keep bringing me back here? My place is with Claudia! With Claudia!" He yelled, "I'm going to teach you a lesson, Thomas! Come out here, boy! Thomas!" When he received no response, he stood to his feet, pulling his belt from the pant loops, "Dammit, Tommy. All of that work for nothing. Claudia will not be lost because of you, do you understand me? Do you?! I'll get her back, you'll see, I'll get my Claudia back. She would've been mine today, she would've been ready to love me if it hadn't been for you!" His voice had risen to a full yell, "I'll get you back, Claudia!"
They hadn't really paused before entering Leo's office, Toby had just guided her forward with a "Hope he's not too busy, keep the riff-raff away, will you Margaret?" over his shoulder. Margaret had stood then, ready to protest and inform the pair that Leo was in with the President and First Lady, but she looked at CJ and figured they already knew, that this was bigger than she thought. And then she saw CJ's ripped jacket and wide eyes and sat heavily, suddenly feeling as old and tired and angry as CJ ever had - pain by association. Margaret nodded to their backs as they passed through the door, all the rumors falling to dust as she saw the almost mechanical movements of the Press Secretary, who was essentially being held up by Toby's strategically placed hands. And then, they were out of her line of vision, hidden behind the door to Leo's office, leaving only a mist of worry in their wake.
Upon entering the office unannounced, Toby nodded toward the President, "Sir," his expression was hard as his eyes flitted to Abbey, who stood without a word, almost understanding that it was she they had really come for. "I'm sorry, Leo, there's been a . situation." With a hand at her back and another grasping her hand, he deposited CJ in a chair, then turned to Abbey, not seeing CJ lean forward and place her head in shaking hands.
"I'm in trouble," she spoke, her voice muffled, and Leo and President Bartlet turned to take in her hunched frame. Sighing, CJ sat up, straightening her spine as if heading for battle, "It began over a year ago," her words were quiet, but the silence in the room was deafening as they all realized the importance of the tale she'd begun, and her words cut through it as silent music began to play toward crescendo. "After Rosslyn, the blood," she swallowed, "there was so much blood, and I." CJ's hand worked up to her throat, eyes glassy. "I've never been good with blood." Several minutes after shed begun, the story reached its end as she could see it, and she stopped, looking to her side where Toby stood, hand on the back of the chair, and she slid her smaller hand in his, her eyes asking for something he could only call approval. Toby smiled down at her, though the rest could not see, and his eyes conveyed things his words dared not.
Leo's eyes were thoughtful, worried, and the tiniest bit angry, and the President had one recurring irrational thought passing through his mind, "I'll kill him. I'll make the FBI find him and I'll kill him myself," but he composed himself as he saw Abbey shake her head at his enraged expression, and he forced away the anger but could not suppress the paternal attitude. Briefly, he thought of taking her into his arms as he had done Zoey so many times, and comforting her to the best of his ability, but, he decided, he'd leave that for Toby.
"Right now, Toby needs to talk to the Chief of Staff and the President, not Leo McGarry and Jed Bartlet," she paused, "and I," her voice cracked as she looked to Abbey, who nodded toward the Oval Office. "Yeah." And she was gone with Abbey after Toby released her hand, smoothing her hair for reassurance and closed his eyes.
"She blames herself, but it's not her fault!" Toby finally sighed, running a hand over his face, "But Goddammit, which one of us has NEVER made a mistake?"
Inside the Oval Office, CJ removed her jacket and stood in dress pants and a silk camisole, revealing the nearly-gone bruises that the hem fell against, and fresh marks on her upper arms. Abbey shook her head but didn't change her expression. "Nothing broken," she joked, then sobering, "I'm doing this for Toby. He worries." CJ averted her eyes from Abbey's.
"Don't you?" Abbey asked, pulling on CJ's hand to get her to sit on the couch.
"Yes, I suppose I do," her words were thoughtful. "He doesn't seem to understand that I mean it when I say no, that I made a very big mistake, I did, though." She switched her train of thought.
"Yes." Abbey nodded slowly, "but who hasn't? No one has any right to judge you, CJ, people in glasses houses." she quoted the old adage, "God I'm beginning to sound like Jed, too much time with him, I guess." Her words elicited a grin from CJ, "But regardless of what mistakes you've made, however big or small it is, was, or could have been," she reaffirmed, "you did not deserve this."
"I know that," she snapped, then looked stricken by her own tone, "I know," CJ's voice was softer. "I'm six feet tall, Abbey, I could kick Josh and Sam's asses any day of the week, but for the love of God, Abbey!" her voice had steadily risen to a level she was sure then men in the Oval could hear, and she stood again, pacing, "In my office, I froze!"
"Well, who the hell wouldn't have CJ? You're not superwoman, no matter how hard you may try or how many phonebooths you see on a daily basis. There's no telling what could have happened, but when you UNfroze, you got to the door and would've made it out even if Toby hadn't arrived when he did. CJ, you're stronger than you think! You'd have saved yourself anyway! Now sit, you're making me feel either incredibly lazy for all your pacing o dizzy." She smiled as CJ sat, looking calmer and slightly drained, "It's going to be fine, CJ, they're, as we speak, running this guy through the FBI, CIA, Justice Department and who knows what else, in addition to setting you up with a Secret Service detail. flamingo."
Despite her resolve not to, she grinned even as she attempted to argue against the detail.
"Don't look at me, CJ, I'm not the one you need to discuss that with, but I think it's probably a good idea, at least until you know what you're up against. I'm not a board certified psychiatrist, but this guy doesn't sound very sane to me, stopping and starting and seemingly forgetting his purpose, changing his attitude so easily."
CJ chuckled, "I should hope he's not sane. Normal people." she sighed, clasping her hands together, and looked back up at the First Lady with tired eyes. "I want to go back in there and find out what they're doing," she began, but the door opened and stopped her tirade, Toby, Leo and the President entering with downcast eyes and stricken expressions.
"Neil Bowman," Toby began, "is dead, CJ. The man we met in there. was his son, Tommy. He's not. he's not someone anyone wants around." He emphasised his words, then came to sit beside her and Abbey on the couch, as Leo looked down at the paper the President held in his hands.
"We got the FBI to run him through, though, this Tommy Bowman. He's got a record a mile long, but they can never keep him because he's clinically unable to stand trial. Been out of a nuthouse all of two years, got a job as a photographer somewhere, not exactly a respectable position, if you follow me."
"What he's saying, CJ, is that this guy is more dangerous than even you thought," Leo sighed, "he's diagnosed with disorganized schizophrenia, a split mind so to speak - he has two personalities at the least - which explains why he so easily went from threatening you to walking peacefully from the office - it would have happened whether Toby walked in or not." Abbey sent CJ an 'I told you so' look, but CJ didn't catch it as she turned to look at Toby, who continue where Leo left off.
"And he's borderline sociopathic, which means he could do any goddamn thing he wants and he's not gonna think it's wrong, he's going to think it's all fine and dandy and that he's helping humanity. He's medicated but apparently doesn't take this so called cure-all drug his doctors have him on." Under his breath, he muttered, "Jesus Christ!" and then took CJ's hand in his, more for his comfort than hers, then.
"We're setting you up a detail, or rather, Ron is," the President spoke, "They'll be with you at all times, outside your apartment when you're in there, with one woman on the inside all the time. You'll be followed home, to restaurants, to the parking lot. I know it's a bother," he sighed, "believe me, I know better than anyone, and I know you've probably argued with Toby and Abbey and will do so with everyone else including the Agents that are with you, about this, but it's really the only thing. we want you safe, CJ."
"Of course," she sighed, "You wouldn't want to train a new Press Secretary."
"CJ!" the President began, but she interrupted.
"Relax, sir, injecting a little humor into the conversation," she paused, squeezed Toby's hand, and looked up. "So, when do I meet my bodyguards?" and she couldn't help but grin at them all.
Back in Apartment 4B on Walsh Street, Neil Bowman regained consciousness on his kitchen floor, his first words peeling from his lips as a car would a parking lot, "Claudia! Where. are you?" Looking around, he groaned, slammed his head back against the linoleum floor, and spoke, "Dammit, Thomas! Why do you keep bringing me back here? My place is with Claudia! With Claudia!" He yelled, "I'm going to teach you a lesson, Thomas! Come out here, boy! Thomas!" When he received no response, he stood to his feet, pulling his belt from the pant loops, "Dammit, Tommy. All of that work for nothing. Claudia will not be lost because of you, do you understand me? Do you?! I'll get her back, you'll see, I'll get my Claudia back. She would've been mine today, she would've been ready to love me if it hadn't been for you!" His voice had risen to a full yell, "I'll get you back, Claudia!"
