"Dinner Date"

Written by Melissa (Doc)

Updated June 2005: This was written back near the end of Season Two, which explains the different father CJ has in this story.

Part 1

"Hi Toby," CJ walked into his office, shutting the door behind her. She walked up to the front of his desk and looked down at him. Toby didn't even acknowledge her at first.

"What?" Toby asked as he continued working.

"Have I ever told you how sexy you are when you're working?" CJ smiled. Toby still didn't look up. She must have tried this method once before, she thought.

"What is it you want?" Toby asked when he recognized her tone. The tone that conveyed her need for a favour.

"Why do you think I want anything?" CJ answered back. Was she really that obvious? "I just remembered never telling you that before," She smiled again. Toby finally looked up at her, taking his reading glasses off and placing them on his desk.

"CJ?" Toby asked after a minute of silence.

"Yes?" She smiled flirtatiously.

"What is it you want?" He ignored her advances.

"Well, now that you mention it, I was wondering if you had plans for dinner tonight?" CJ asked in a hushed voice.

"Why?" Toby questioned as he leaned back into his chair, a small grin tugging on the corner of his mouth. This is going to be good, he thought.

"Well, we've known each other for what, 20 years now? I thought it was time we had dinner together." God, this wasn't how she prepared to ask him when she was practicing in her office ten minutes ago.

"CJ," Toby smiled at her rare nervousness. "We always have dinner together." He reminded her.

"Yeah, well, I thought if someone were to maybe join us…" She mumbled quietly.

"Like who?" Toby asked as he sat up in his chair. He had a bad feeling now.

"My dad." CJ answered, yet was wiping her mouth with her hand at the same time.

"I'm sorry. I didn't hear you."

"My dad." CJ spoke loud and clear. Just get it over with, Claudia.

"Oh, your dad," Toby got up from his chair and walked from behind his desk to stand in front of CJ. "Well, why didn't you say so?" Toby walked even closer. "No." Toby answered, smiled, and sat down on his couch.

"Oh, come on Toby, I don't ask for much." CJ kneeled down in front of Toby. "Please…"

"Why are you bugging me? Your father hates me. He always has. Why would you want to bring me?"

"He doesn't hate you Toby." She lied.

"CJ, the last time I saw him, he tried to run me over with his car," Toby reminded her. "I don't feel like being run over tonight, sorry," Toby got up and went to the door. Before opening it, he was stopped by a furious CJ who pushed against the door so he couldn't get out. "You know, this could be considered kidnaping."He said bluntly.

"Toby, if you don't do this one thing for me, I will never forgive you," CJ threatened.

"I think I could live with that," Toby smiled. He knew she would never stay mad at him. His thoughts faded when CJ slammed him against his office door.

"CJ…" He choked out her name as her arm dug into his throat.

"Look, for the last 20 years, I have put up with you. Sometimes you're a good guy, most of the time, you're an ass. But I don't hold that against you." She explained, her voice gaining volume as she continued.

"CJ…"

"I screwed up. Okay, I screwed up. I told my father something that maybe I shouldn't have." She mentioned.

"Like what?" Toby asked after CJ moved her arm and allowed him to breathe again. Her hand still clenched his shirt so he wouldn't move.

"Well, remember when I got pregnant?"

"CJ, what the hell…" Toby eyed her now with suspicion. She wouldn't have told her father that he...

"I told him that you were the father. And then two years ago, I said we got married." CJ grabbed more of his shirt with frustration. More frustrated with herself then with Toby.

"Okay, okay. Let me go," Toby found it hard to breathe again.

"Oh, sorry." CJ smiled weakly and released her hold on him

"CJ, why did you tell him that? You know he hates me." He was practically shouting now.

"Because when I told him I was pregnant, he demanded to know who the father was. The first person that popped in my head was you. Then he got mad that we weren't married, so I told him that we were waiting. He brought it up again two years ago, and I said we got married in a small ceremony a few weeks' prior." She explained in a regretful voice. "I'm so sorry."

"CJ, you got pregnant 10 years ago. What the hell has he been thinking for ten years?" He asked reluctantly. He really didn't want to know.

"That we have been living together. That you are taking care of me and Anna."

"Then why was it that five years ago, he tried to run me over?" He flinched at the memory.

"Because he thought you didn't want to marry me." She answered dumbly.

"CJ, this is sounding more and more like a soap opera," Toby hit his head back against the door.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you this ten years ago, but think about it. What was I supposed to tell my father? That I had a one night stand with some guy and found out later I was pregnant. Yeah, 'cause that would have gone over really well."

"CJ…" Toby rubbed his face in frustration.

"I didn't want him to hate me." She said in a small voice that gathered Toby's attention.

CJ moved to the couch and sat down. She looked up at Toby who was still in shock.

"Do you know how bad this may look CJ? The Press is all over DC. What if we go to dinner and someone in the press overhears your father calling me the father of your kid, what the hell are we going to do CJ? The Press never found out who the father of Anna was, if they think it's me, it could cause more problems then if you were to just tell your father the truth." He tried to explain rationally.

"The truth, you want me to tell him I got drunk, got knocked up, and had to rely on you to take care of me and Anna. Jesus Toby, he would kill me. You might win his friendship, because, after all, you were the one who has been there every day. You took care of Anna when I was working. You were the one who stopped working for a short time when Anna got sick. Who knows, maybe my father will learn to love you as he throws me out of his life," CJ said all in one breath.

"CJ…"

"One night Toby. I'm asking for one lousy night. Anna will be there, so we don't have to deal with my father going off on you. He will stay behaved for Anna."

"CJ…"

"Toby, Anna already calls you dad. She loves you more than she loves anyone. I'm just asking that you play along for one night. Just one." She pleaded.

"CJ…"

"Toby, please…"

"CJ, shut up! Look. I'll go. But the first time your dad starts bothering me…"

"Thank you." CJ ignored Toby's threat, and wrapped her arms around him for a hug. "I owe you." She finally took a breath.

"You owe me big." He corrected her.

TBC