Part One
The day had been filled with technicalities, little things that demanded completion: press briefings whose messages contained wishes for a Merry Christmas to all who celebrate, prepping each deputy or assistant to take over, calling in others from the temp pool, and of course, the Staff Christmas Party.
The others had filed into the Residence, arms laden with gifts, smiles hesitantly brought forth by the explosion of Christmas spirit that met their senses in the form of Christmas lights and gingerbread. Toby and CJ wandered in a few moments late, flush-faced and smiling, her laughing at his attempt to carry all of the presents himself, eliminating, in his mind, any undue stress for her. They'd been caught beneath the mistletoe, and smilingly complied to the superstition, lips crushing lips, tongues intertwined, eyes smiling whilst their lips could not.
Abbey and the President exchanged amused glances as CJ scolded Toby for dropping the bag of presents so thoughtlessly. "You're sure they're not married already?" Jed had whispered, warm breath against his wife's ear, and she laughed, patting his still strong hands with her own. Before either could greet the last arrivals properly, CJ deposited herself carefully on the floor after finding no available seats, and Toby dropped behind her, his legs sliding along hers as he pulled her back against him.
Sam and Josh chuckled, exchanging looks as Donna and Ginger 'aww-ed' at their bosses, then wrinkling their noses and gazing at them as if they'd caught their parents kissing. "Eww."
The atmosphere of quiet observance that had descended was shattered then, and the room fell to laughter.
Before Bartlet could begin by offering hors d'oeuvres or reciting verbatim The Christmas Story, Sam and Josh again exchanged little-boy grins and conspiratorial winks, moving quickly to the floor before CJ and Toby. Both looked at them warily as Sam handed her a gift bag, grinning expectantly.
"Open it!" his squeal reminded Abbey and Jed of the girls on Christmases long past, hand-made gifts in hand-made bags, given with reverence to mother and father, who would love anything regardless.
"Okay." CJ chuckled, eyebrows arched, her eyes sliding around the room for a clue as to what she was getting herself into, yet receiving none. Toby's hands slid to her hips as she lifted a small white ventilated box from the bag, popping the top loose and peeking inside. "Oh." she sighed, laughing softly to herself as Toby peeked over her shoulder with a barely concealed shriek.
"Uh. Josh, that. that's a rat!" Toby informed him, much to his and Sam's mutual amusement, all the while pointing at the furry brown and white creature, beady eyes focusing in on him. CJ curled her fingers before it, and after sniffing her, the small animal climbed into her hand and she lifted it to her eye level.
"It's a hamster, Toby!" Sam laughed, bouncing much like Josh always had.
"He's adorable," CJ smiled at them, her shoulders shaking with the effort required to contain her laughter.
Slowly, she placed the hamster back into the bar and slid the top shut, letting her laughter spill through, even as Toby shrank back, still muttering, "It's a rat. I hate rats!" which, in turn, caused the rest of the room to let their laughter through as well.
"We bought cages, here, you've got to see this!" Sam grinned, tugging over two large boxes and another small one. "We thought, me and Josh I mean, that you need a pet. Every kid deserves a pet!" he smiled, eyes dropping to CJ's stomach as Toby's hand moved over it, stroking his child even as she shifted within her mother.
"And we thought you might get bored at home when you're on leave," Josh shrugged, "We were going to buy you a kitten, but Doctor Bartlet said too many diseases were contracted from cat litter; toxi-something-or- other."
Toby's eyes found the First Lady, narrowing to glare at her, his hand moving in a circular motion as CJ relaxed against him, leaning her head backward against his shoulder. "Gee, thanks," he complained, before turning his attention back to his fiancée, who watched in quasi-morbid-fascination as Sam and Josh excitedly assembled the two cages, connecting them with tubes pulled from the smaller boxes.
Around the room, others exchanged tokens of friendship or affection, Leo smiling as he handed Margaret a box containing a silk scarf he'd seen her admire from a magazine, Donna grinning to herself as she lifted a two- toned necklace from a jewelry box Josh had handed her as she sat beside them, still pretended to assemble the hamster cages, fiddling with the water bottle as he waited for her reaction. She placed a kiss upon his cheek, and he, unsuccessfully, tried to hide his answering smile as he turned his attention to Donna, and Sam placed the hamster, still in the box, inside the larger of the two cages.
"You can let him loose when you're home, and there's a wheel here that you should stick on the side, he'll run on it. For, you know, exercise," he quickly explained, disappearing in search of Mallory, a wrapped box in hand.
CJ grinned back at Toby, his hands sliding to cross over her stomach as she leaned fully against him, his lips kissing the top of her head, not leaving when they should have departed. Smiling, Toby inhaled her shampoo, smelling rose hips and chamomile, and let out a breath as he removed one hand, fishing into his bag with the other. Taking her hand in his, he dropped a small velvet case in her grasp. His hand found its way back to her stomach and he waited as she turned to peer at him curiously, then looked back at the box, lifting the lid slowly.
Tears soon filled her eyes, spilling over onto her eyelashes as she blinked furiously, lifting a filigree chain from the box, an intricately designed locket at the center. Fingers sliding over the delicate necklace, she slid her fingernail into the locket, popping it open, and her face broke into a smile as she saw a tiny picture of herself and Toby just inside the locket, the other side blank.
"Read the inscription," he whispered gruffly into her ear, hoping beyond hope that she'd like his words, fearing they sounded far less elegant than any State speech he'd written.
Her words were soft, eyes clouded with tears, as she bit her lip then read, "To my love - for giving me family," then her eyes slid to the empty spot, and read the placeholder, "Rachel Ziegler." as her tears spilled over.
Toby twisted around to face her when he heard a soft sob escape, and he lifted his fingers wordlessly wipe the tears from her face, and a soft smile lit his face as she whispered, "I love it, Toby. It's. beautiful, so very beautiful." And he laid a soft kiss upon her brow, cuddling her closer into his arms as both ignored the activity around the room, other lovers and husbands and wives far too concerned with their own to look their way.
But, had they given them a second glance as the President and First Lady did, they would have seen Toby's hands again stroking her stomach as he cradled her against his chest. One of her hands rested against his chest, the other against the top of her stomach, a beautiful necklace draped over the neckline of her dress, as tears dried on her cheeks. His lips moved in what could only be described as a lull-a-bye not meant to cause sleep, and hers curled into a contented smile, her fingers winding into the fabric of his shirt.
The day had been filled with technicalities, little things that demanded completion: press briefings whose messages contained wishes for a Merry Christmas to all who celebrate, prepping each deputy or assistant to take over, calling in others from the temp pool, and of course, the Staff Christmas Party.
The others had filed into the Residence, arms laden with gifts, smiles hesitantly brought forth by the explosion of Christmas spirit that met their senses in the form of Christmas lights and gingerbread. Toby and CJ wandered in a few moments late, flush-faced and smiling, her laughing at his attempt to carry all of the presents himself, eliminating, in his mind, any undue stress for her. They'd been caught beneath the mistletoe, and smilingly complied to the superstition, lips crushing lips, tongues intertwined, eyes smiling whilst their lips could not.
Abbey and the President exchanged amused glances as CJ scolded Toby for dropping the bag of presents so thoughtlessly. "You're sure they're not married already?" Jed had whispered, warm breath against his wife's ear, and she laughed, patting his still strong hands with her own. Before either could greet the last arrivals properly, CJ deposited herself carefully on the floor after finding no available seats, and Toby dropped behind her, his legs sliding along hers as he pulled her back against him.
Sam and Josh chuckled, exchanging looks as Donna and Ginger 'aww-ed' at their bosses, then wrinkling their noses and gazing at them as if they'd caught their parents kissing. "Eww."
The atmosphere of quiet observance that had descended was shattered then, and the room fell to laughter.
Before Bartlet could begin by offering hors d'oeuvres or reciting verbatim The Christmas Story, Sam and Josh again exchanged little-boy grins and conspiratorial winks, moving quickly to the floor before CJ and Toby. Both looked at them warily as Sam handed her a gift bag, grinning expectantly.
"Open it!" his squeal reminded Abbey and Jed of the girls on Christmases long past, hand-made gifts in hand-made bags, given with reverence to mother and father, who would love anything regardless.
"Okay." CJ chuckled, eyebrows arched, her eyes sliding around the room for a clue as to what she was getting herself into, yet receiving none. Toby's hands slid to her hips as she lifted a small white ventilated box from the bag, popping the top loose and peeking inside. "Oh." she sighed, laughing softly to herself as Toby peeked over her shoulder with a barely concealed shriek.
"Uh. Josh, that. that's a rat!" Toby informed him, much to his and Sam's mutual amusement, all the while pointing at the furry brown and white creature, beady eyes focusing in on him. CJ curled her fingers before it, and after sniffing her, the small animal climbed into her hand and she lifted it to her eye level.
"It's a hamster, Toby!" Sam laughed, bouncing much like Josh always had.
"He's adorable," CJ smiled at them, her shoulders shaking with the effort required to contain her laughter.
Slowly, she placed the hamster back into the bar and slid the top shut, letting her laughter spill through, even as Toby shrank back, still muttering, "It's a rat. I hate rats!" which, in turn, caused the rest of the room to let their laughter through as well.
"We bought cages, here, you've got to see this!" Sam grinned, tugging over two large boxes and another small one. "We thought, me and Josh I mean, that you need a pet. Every kid deserves a pet!" he smiled, eyes dropping to CJ's stomach as Toby's hand moved over it, stroking his child even as she shifted within her mother.
"And we thought you might get bored at home when you're on leave," Josh shrugged, "We were going to buy you a kitten, but Doctor Bartlet said too many diseases were contracted from cat litter; toxi-something-or- other."
Toby's eyes found the First Lady, narrowing to glare at her, his hand moving in a circular motion as CJ relaxed against him, leaning her head backward against his shoulder. "Gee, thanks," he complained, before turning his attention back to his fiancée, who watched in quasi-morbid-fascination as Sam and Josh excitedly assembled the two cages, connecting them with tubes pulled from the smaller boxes.
Around the room, others exchanged tokens of friendship or affection, Leo smiling as he handed Margaret a box containing a silk scarf he'd seen her admire from a magazine, Donna grinning to herself as she lifted a two- toned necklace from a jewelry box Josh had handed her as she sat beside them, still pretended to assemble the hamster cages, fiddling with the water bottle as he waited for her reaction. She placed a kiss upon his cheek, and he, unsuccessfully, tried to hide his answering smile as he turned his attention to Donna, and Sam placed the hamster, still in the box, inside the larger of the two cages.
"You can let him loose when you're home, and there's a wheel here that you should stick on the side, he'll run on it. For, you know, exercise," he quickly explained, disappearing in search of Mallory, a wrapped box in hand.
CJ grinned back at Toby, his hands sliding to cross over her stomach as she leaned fully against him, his lips kissing the top of her head, not leaving when they should have departed. Smiling, Toby inhaled her shampoo, smelling rose hips and chamomile, and let out a breath as he removed one hand, fishing into his bag with the other. Taking her hand in his, he dropped a small velvet case in her grasp. His hand found its way back to her stomach and he waited as she turned to peer at him curiously, then looked back at the box, lifting the lid slowly.
Tears soon filled her eyes, spilling over onto her eyelashes as she blinked furiously, lifting a filigree chain from the box, an intricately designed locket at the center. Fingers sliding over the delicate necklace, she slid her fingernail into the locket, popping it open, and her face broke into a smile as she saw a tiny picture of herself and Toby just inside the locket, the other side blank.
"Read the inscription," he whispered gruffly into her ear, hoping beyond hope that she'd like his words, fearing they sounded far less elegant than any State speech he'd written.
Her words were soft, eyes clouded with tears, as she bit her lip then read, "To my love - for giving me family," then her eyes slid to the empty spot, and read the placeholder, "Rachel Ziegler." as her tears spilled over.
Toby twisted around to face her when he heard a soft sob escape, and he lifted his fingers wordlessly wipe the tears from her face, and a soft smile lit his face as she whispered, "I love it, Toby. It's. beautiful, so very beautiful." And he laid a soft kiss upon her brow, cuddling her closer into his arms as both ignored the activity around the room, other lovers and husbands and wives far too concerned with their own to look their way.
But, had they given them a second glance as the President and First Lady did, they would have seen Toby's hands again stroking her stomach as he cradled her against his chest. One of her hands rested against his chest, the other against the top of her stomach, a beautiful necklace draped over the neckline of her dress, as tears dried on her cheeks. His lips moved in what could only be described as a lull-a-bye not meant to cause sleep, and hers curled into a contented smile, her fingers winding into the fabric of his shirt.