Title: Unfinished Business
Author: JeeSun
Rating: PG-13 for some words.
Feedback: Yes, please. E-mail at jee__sun@hotmail.com (double underscores)
Archive: Sure, just send me a note where so I can visit
Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine
A/N: So, some background information so you should understand this better. Sam left spring - 03 and Toby left in January - 05. Why? Read and see. I've chose not to let Will be a part of this fanfic. I haven't seen fourth season so I'm pretty sure I wouldn't make the character justice. This takes place summer - 08.
*
Los Angeles
Someone knocked lightly on the door and Marie stuck in her head. When everyone in the room turned to look at her she blushed and looked at the floor.
"Marie, can I help you with anything?" CJ asked and smiled softly.
"I'm so sorry to disturb but you have a phone call. He said it was important."
CJ rose and threw her pencil at the table. Before she followed Marie out in the hallway she turned and smiled at the others in the room.
"I'm sorry. You'll manage without me for a while, won't you guys?"
Without waiting for an answer she walked out in the hallway, smirking because she knew every man in that room looked after her in admiration.
Marie looked like she was on the verge of tears. "I am so sorry," she said again.
"It's okay, Marie. Really." CJ put a hand on Marie's arm to reassure her no harm was done.
After she closed the door to her office she silently cursed the guy who made Carol pregnant. She picked up the phone and sat down behind her desk.
"I'm in a meeting."
"Are the people you're having a meeting with in your office?" A voice she knew well asked slowly.
Unconsciously, she put a hand over her heart and smiled. "Josh."
"Hey, Claudia Jean," he said and she could almost see him smile in his office on the other end of the country. "So, are they?"
"What?" She asked a bit confused.
Josh sighed, then laughed softly. "The meeting. Is it in your office?"
At first she just shook her head but when she realized he couldn't see her she smiled and said, "No," quietly.
"Are you busy because I can call back later."
She smirked and put up her feet on the desk. "Nah, just some boring budget- meeting I didn't understand anyway. It's fun to see the guys argue with each other to get me to think like them, though."
She smirked and Josh chuckled.
"I can imagine," he said.
"So, what can I do for you, mi amour?"
He sighed and CJ realized this wasn't just a call to chitchat about their latest events in their lives.
"Josh?" She asked anxiously when he didn't say anything. "Are Amy and the kids okay?"
"They're fine," he hurried to say when he heard her worried voice. "It's. Have you talked to Leo lately?"
A wrinkle appeared between CJ's eyebrows and she leaned back in the chair. "No, why?"
There was a short pause and then she heard Josh sigh again.
"CJ, he's not doing well." He sounded beat.
"What, what are you talking about, Josh?" She said, anxiously again. "He's having a cold or something? I mean, how bad can it be?"
If the situation hadn't been so serious Josh had probably laughed but he knew CJ really was thinking all Leo had was a cold, nothing worse.
"He has cancer," he said almost inaudible. "Apparently, he only has a month left."
CJ jumped up from the chair and nervously rubbed her forehead. "A month? Like four weeks?"
On the other end of the line Josh sighed and rubbed his temple. "I know. Abbey called me yesterday and told me. Leo has known for eight months. He didn't want to say anything. Didn't want us to worry about him."
"Damn him," CJ whispered.
"What?"
"Nothing," she hurried to say and then changed from emotionally to practically CJ in a second. "Listen, should I fly to Boston or.?"
"That's why I'm calling," Josh interrupted. "Leo's on the Bartlet farm now. Abbey wants us all to come there next week. Leo's going to stay there the coming two weeks. After that he'll go home to Boston to be with Jordan and Mallory. He doesn't want us to see him." Josh swallowed and covered his eyes, ".die."
"Oh, Josh," CJ whispered, wishing Josh wasn't so far away so she could hold him in his arms.
"How long are we staying?"
"Just the week. Do you think you can get out of work?"
CJ smiled, not believing he could ask a question like that at a time like now. "What do you think?"
When she heard Josh sigh again she wasn't sure but she thought it was a sigh of relief.
"Abbey's going to invite everyone else there as well, everyone who was important to Leo during the time in the White House."
"Okay," she hurried to say. "When should I be there? Monday?"
"CJ, did you hear me? Everyone else will be there."
She sighed and closed her eyes briefly. "I heard you, Josh." She swallowed the lump in her throat and closed her eyes again. "But at a time like this I have to push that away. Leo's is more important than some old." She trailed off because she was going to say 'fling' but it was so much more.
"Yeah, okay." He didn't say anything for a few seconds. Then, "Are you okay?"
"Josh!" She said warningly.
"Okay, I'll see you next week."
"Yeah," she whispered and hung up the phone.
She took a moment to calm down and then checked in the mirror if she looked okay. When she passed Marie's desk on her way back to the budget-meeting she stopped.
"Marie, I need you to make arrangements for me so I can be in New Hampshire on Monday."
*
Washington D.C.
"How did she take it?" Sam asked the second after Josh hung up the phone, his concern obvious in his voice.
Josh rubbed his forehead and then looked at him. "She's coming. Before she hung up. She was almost crying, Sam. And I don't know if it was because of Leo or because of."
Sam put his hand on Josh's shoulder and smiled softly.
"I should probably call him."
Josh could see how nervous Sam was. "If you don't want to I can call him," he offered.
Sam shook his head. "No, I want to call him. It's just been so long. I haven't talked to him in years."
"I know," Josh said quietly. "Do you want me to leave?"
Sam smiled thankfully at Josh. "Do you mind?"
"Of course not."
After Josh had left, Sam nervously took the phone and dialed a number he still has on speed dial even though he hadn't used it in three years.
"Ziegler," a gruff voice said after the fourth signal.
"Toby, it's Sam," Sam said anxiously.
For a while Toby didn't say anything and Sam was worried he might have hung up.
"Hi, Sam," Toby said the second right before Sam was about to ask for him.
This time it was Sam turn to sit quiet for a few seconds. He couldn't believe how Toby could sound so casual, almost as if they had talked the last week.
"How are you?" Toby continued.
"I'm fine," Sam almost whispered. "And you?"
"I have nothing to complain about."
"And the kids?" Sam groaned silently because he was making small talk and he knew Toby hated small talk.
He was surprised when Toby answered politely how his children were and Sam realized they had drifted so far apart.
Sam sighed, then said, "Listen, something has happened."
*
Manchester
Jed handed Leo a glass of orange juice before sitting down in the other chair in front of the fireplace.
"Where's Abbey?" Leo asked and it frightened Jed how weak he sounded.
"She went to bed," Jed said.
"I don't want her to feel left out."
Jed sighed and looked away. "She doesn't Leo. She understands that my best friend is." He stopped talking, didn't want to say the word.
"It's okay, you know. It's okay to say I'm dying."
Jed continued to look away. He bit his lower lip to not scream out of frustration. His friend was dying right in front of his eyes and there was nothing he could do about it.
He decided to change topic. "So, Josh called earlier tonight."
"Yeah?"
"They're coming."
Leo sat up in the chair and turned to Jed.
"Oh, don't be so stubborn!" Jed groaned.
"I'm not!" Leo protested. "It's just. would you like that the people you've practically adopted as your own children saw you die?"
Jed sighed, they had had this discussion before. Eventually, Abbey had taken the decision but it was obvious Leo wasn't happy about it.
"I thought you of all people would understand, sir. I don't want everyone to fuss over me."
Jed looked at Leo, his eyes sad and tired. "I do understand, Leo. But I also understand that you'd regret it if you didn't say goodbye to them. Or let them have the chance of say goodbye to you. You said it yourself. They're like your own kids!" Then he laughed a little. "By the way, I don't think anyone will fuss over you. You won't let them."
Leo closed his eyes and leaned back in the chair. Jed just sat there watching his friend drift away to sleep. When he thought Leo was sleeping his voice suddenly startled him.
"Even Toby is coming?"
He tried to hide his small and a bit relieved smile in the dark but Jed knew he smiled and he did as well.
"Even Toby is coming," he confirmed.
TBC.
Author: JeeSun
Rating: PG-13 for some words.
Feedback: Yes, please. E-mail at jee__sun@hotmail.com (double underscores)
Archive: Sure, just send me a note where so I can visit
Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine
A/N: So, some background information so you should understand this better. Sam left spring - 03 and Toby left in January - 05. Why? Read and see. I've chose not to let Will be a part of this fanfic. I haven't seen fourth season so I'm pretty sure I wouldn't make the character justice. This takes place summer - 08.
*
Los Angeles
Someone knocked lightly on the door and Marie stuck in her head. When everyone in the room turned to look at her she blushed and looked at the floor.
"Marie, can I help you with anything?" CJ asked and smiled softly.
"I'm so sorry to disturb but you have a phone call. He said it was important."
CJ rose and threw her pencil at the table. Before she followed Marie out in the hallway she turned and smiled at the others in the room.
"I'm sorry. You'll manage without me for a while, won't you guys?"
Without waiting for an answer she walked out in the hallway, smirking because she knew every man in that room looked after her in admiration.
Marie looked like she was on the verge of tears. "I am so sorry," she said again.
"It's okay, Marie. Really." CJ put a hand on Marie's arm to reassure her no harm was done.
After she closed the door to her office she silently cursed the guy who made Carol pregnant. She picked up the phone and sat down behind her desk.
"I'm in a meeting."
"Are the people you're having a meeting with in your office?" A voice she knew well asked slowly.
Unconsciously, she put a hand over her heart and smiled. "Josh."
"Hey, Claudia Jean," he said and she could almost see him smile in his office on the other end of the country. "So, are they?"
"What?" She asked a bit confused.
Josh sighed, then laughed softly. "The meeting. Is it in your office?"
At first she just shook her head but when she realized he couldn't see her she smiled and said, "No," quietly.
"Are you busy because I can call back later."
She smirked and put up her feet on the desk. "Nah, just some boring budget- meeting I didn't understand anyway. It's fun to see the guys argue with each other to get me to think like them, though."
She smirked and Josh chuckled.
"I can imagine," he said.
"So, what can I do for you, mi amour?"
He sighed and CJ realized this wasn't just a call to chitchat about their latest events in their lives.
"Josh?" She asked anxiously when he didn't say anything. "Are Amy and the kids okay?"
"They're fine," he hurried to say when he heard her worried voice. "It's. Have you talked to Leo lately?"
A wrinkle appeared between CJ's eyebrows and she leaned back in the chair. "No, why?"
There was a short pause and then she heard Josh sigh again.
"CJ, he's not doing well." He sounded beat.
"What, what are you talking about, Josh?" She said, anxiously again. "He's having a cold or something? I mean, how bad can it be?"
If the situation hadn't been so serious Josh had probably laughed but he knew CJ really was thinking all Leo had was a cold, nothing worse.
"He has cancer," he said almost inaudible. "Apparently, he only has a month left."
CJ jumped up from the chair and nervously rubbed her forehead. "A month? Like four weeks?"
On the other end of the line Josh sighed and rubbed his temple. "I know. Abbey called me yesterday and told me. Leo has known for eight months. He didn't want to say anything. Didn't want us to worry about him."
"Damn him," CJ whispered.
"What?"
"Nothing," she hurried to say and then changed from emotionally to practically CJ in a second. "Listen, should I fly to Boston or.?"
"That's why I'm calling," Josh interrupted. "Leo's on the Bartlet farm now. Abbey wants us all to come there next week. Leo's going to stay there the coming two weeks. After that he'll go home to Boston to be with Jordan and Mallory. He doesn't want us to see him." Josh swallowed and covered his eyes, ".die."
"Oh, Josh," CJ whispered, wishing Josh wasn't so far away so she could hold him in his arms.
"How long are we staying?"
"Just the week. Do you think you can get out of work?"
CJ smiled, not believing he could ask a question like that at a time like now. "What do you think?"
When she heard Josh sigh again she wasn't sure but she thought it was a sigh of relief.
"Abbey's going to invite everyone else there as well, everyone who was important to Leo during the time in the White House."
"Okay," she hurried to say. "When should I be there? Monday?"
"CJ, did you hear me? Everyone else will be there."
She sighed and closed her eyes briefly. "I heard you, Josh." She swallowed the lump in her throat and closed her eyes again. "But at a time like this I have to push that away. Leo's is more important than some old." She trailed off because she was going to say 'fling' but it was so much more.
"Yeah, okay." He didn't say anything for a few seconds. Then, "Are you okay?"
"Josh!" She said warningly.
"Okay, I'll see you next week."
"Yeah," she whispered and hung up the phone.
She took a moment to calm down and then checked in the mirror if she looked okay. When she passed Marie's desk on her way back to the budget-meeting she stopped.
"Marie, I need you to make arrangements for me so I can be in New Hampshire on Monday."
*
Washington D.C.
"How did she take it?" Sam asked the second after Josh hung up the phone, his concern obvious in his voice.
Josh rubbed his forehead and then looked at him. "She's coming. Before she hung up. She was almost crying, Sam. And I don't know if it was because of Leo or because of."
Sam put his hand on Josh's shoulder and smiled softly.
"I should probably call him."
Josh could see how nervous Sam was. "If you don't want to I can call him," he offered.
Sam shook his head. "No, I want to call him. It's just been so long. I haven't talked to him in years."
"I know," Josh said quietly. "Do you want me to leave?"
Sam smiled thankfully at Josh. "Do you mind?"
"Of course not."
After Josh had left, Sam nervously took the phone and dialed a number he still has on speed dial even though he hadn't used it in three years.
"Ziegler," a gruff voice said after the fourth signal.
"Toby, it's Sam," Sam said anxiously.
For a while Toby didn't say anything and Sam was worried he might have hung up.
"Hi, Sam," Toby said the second right before Sam was about to ask for him.
This time it was Sam turn to sit quiet for a few seconds. He couldn't believe how Toby could sound so casual, almost as if they had talked the last week.
"How are you?" Toby continued.
"I'm fine," Sam almost whispered. "And you?"
"I have nothing to complain about."
"And the kids?" Sam groaned silently because he was making small talk and he knew Toby hated small talk.
He was surprised when Toby answered politely how his children were and Sam realized they had drifted so far apart.
Sam sighed, then said, "Listen, something has happened."
*
Manchester
Jed handed Leo a glass of orange juice before sitting down in the other chair in front of the fireplace.
"Where's Abbey?" Leo asked and it frightened Jed how weak he sounded.
"She went to bed," Jed said.
"I don't want her to feel left out."
Jed sighed and looked away. "She doesn't Leo. She understands that my best friend is." He stopped talking, didn't want to say the word.
"It's okay, you know. It's okay to say I'm dying."
Jed continued to look away. He bit his lower lip to not scream out of frustration. His friend was dying right in front of his eyes and there was nothing he could do about it.
He decided to change topic. "So, Josh called earlier tonight."
"Yeah?"
"They're coming."
Leo sat up in the chair and turned to Jed.
"Oh, don't be so stubborn!" Jed groaned.
"I'm not!" Leo protested. "It's just. would you like that the people you've practically adopted as your own children saw you die?"
Jed sighed, they had had this discussion before. Eventually, Abbey had taken the decision but it was obvious Leo wasn't happy about it.
"I thought you of all people would understand, sir. I don't want everyone to fuss over me."
Jed looked at Leo, his eyes sad and tired. "I do understand, Leo. But I also understand that you'd regret it if you didn't say goodbye to them. Or let them have the chance of say goodbye to you. You said it yourself. They're like your own kids!" Then he laughed a little. "By the way, I don't think anyone will fuss over you. You won't let them."
Leo closed his eyes and leaned back in the chair. Jed just sat there watching his friend drift away to sleep. When he thought Leo was sleeping his voice suddenly startled him.
"Even Toby is coming?"
He tried to hide his small and a bit relieved smile in the dark but Jed knew he smiled and he did as well.
"Even Toby is coming," he confirmed.
TBC.