Part 3

CJ woke up hours later. She noticed that it was dark outside. She sat up and looked around her office. Her body felt so weak. She could feel her heart beating fast, and she felt wetness on her face from the tears. She had hoped all of it was just a bad dream, but she knew it wasn't. She sat there for a while and took everything in. He was sick. She knew that. But it still hurt. She just talked to him last night. He seemed to be getting better. He remembered their conversation from last week and everything. And now, he's gone. Just like that.

CJ grabbed her coat and her bag and walked out of her office.

"CJ, do you need anything?" Carol jumped up when she saw her boss.

"I just have to go home," CJ whispered. "I need you to get me a plane ticket to Dayton."

"Toby did it already," Carol went to her desk and grabbed it. "It's for tomorrow at seven in the morning." Carol explained while handing the information over to CJ.

"Toby did this?" CJ asked, her voice too strained to hold any emotion.

"Yeah, he also has Sam doing your briefings until Simon gets here tomorrow. And Josh finished with the Congressmen." Carol explained, hoping some of it would help CJ right now.

"Okay, listen, why don't you head home." CJ offered.

"I'm okay, I have some things to finish up," Carol smiled.

"Just don't stay too late," CJ replied calmly.

"I won't," Carol said. "Stay in Dayton as long as you need to CJ."

"Thanks," CJ smile was faint. "I'll call so you can keep me informed."

"Don't worry about it. We'll be fine," Carol smiled. "And I'm sorry."

"Thank you," CJ nodded her thanks and walked out. She could tell everyone was looking at her. She just walked past them like they weren't even there. All she wanted to do was get home.

"Have you seen her?" Leo asked as Toby finished telling him what happened with CJ.

"I left her in her office. She fell asleep." Toby explained.

"How is she?" The President voice boomed out of the phone on Leo's desk. Since he wasn't there, they had to do a phone conference.

"She's taking it pretty badly, but that's to be expected, I guess." Toby shrugged, leaving out detailed information on her reaction to the news.

"When is she going to Dayton?" Jed asked.

"She leaves tomorrow morning at seven. I tried to get one tonight, but I didn't know when she would wake up." Toby sounded almost apologetic.

"Did someone call Simon?" Leo asked.

"I got a hold of him and he'll be here tomorrow," Toby answered. "I…" Just then, Margaret came in unannounced.

"Do you not know how to knock?" Leo snapped.

"I'm not here to talk to you," Margaret snapped back. She turned and faced Toby. "Toby, Carol said CJ left. She said something about needing to go home."

"Okay, thanks," Toby said. "I should go make sure she gets home okay." Toby looked over at Leo.

"Yeah, tell her to stay as long as she needs to," Jed offered. "I have to get going. We land soon."

"Thank you Mr. President."

"Take care of her Toby." Jed ordered.

"Yes sir," Toby promised before Jed hung up.

"She doesn't handle pain very well," Leo mentioned.

"I know," Toby looked down. "I called her mother. She's expecting her tomorrow."

"You seem to know CJ's family pretty well." Leo said without much shock.

"I've known CJ for more than twenty years. During which, she has made me go to her family reunions at least five times." Toby mentioned with a hint of amusement in his voice.

"So, you knew her father?" Leo asked.

"Yeah. I remember one night we were staying over there. More family members came than usual, so CJ and I had to share a room. The bed was a single and couldn't fit both of us on it without resorting to groping, basically. So she got me some blankets and I slept on the floor. Well, I didn't really sleep. That was the night their heater broke in the house and I was freezing my butt off, so I went downstairs to make some coffee. Her dad was up reading the newspaper and we talked for a while. Then he beat me at chess." He described the memory to Leo with a smile.

"He beat you at chess?" Leo smiled, trying hard not to bring up the bed and groping statement.

"At least twenty times," Toby smirked. "He was one hell of a player."

"Sounds like a great guy."

"He was," Toby nodded. "I should go check on CJ."

"Okay," Leo smiled weakly. "She trusts you Toby," Leo said before Toby walked out. "Take care of her."

"I will," Toby said over his shoulder as he left.

TBC