A/N1: I'm not sure if New Hampshire even has an airport but I took a shot.
If NH doesn't, please don't let it bother you too much.
A/N2: Thanks for the feedback and I hope you'll like this part as well. Sorry, it's been a bit delayed but life's hectic right now.
A/N3: I've forgotten to apologize/warn you for this fic not being beta- read.
*
New Hampshire Airport
"Sam, why don't you get our luggage and I'll stay here and look for CJ."
Sam glared at Josh who sighed loudly before following his friend.
"Wasn't her flight supposed to arrive like 45 minutes after ours anyway?" Sam asked and gave Josh his bag, then grabbed his own.
"Yeah," Josh muttered. "Coffee?"
Sam nodded and followed Josh to a small café not far away. They just sat quietly without saying a word to each other for a moment. Sam's thoughts were somewhere else and Josh was trying to come up with what was eating his friend.
"Are you okay?" Josh asked when he couldn't keep quiet anymore.
Sam snapped back to reality and looked almost a bit startled at Josh. "Yeah. What about you?"
Josh shrugged and looked away. "I just. It seems like everyone are dying, Sam. My mom two years ago, now Leo. And who knows how long the President has left?"
Sam smiled slightly. "If you call him that he's going to kill you."
Josh grinned. "He'll always be the President to me."
"Me too," Sam said and almost got a bit moody. "When was the last time you saw them?"
Josh thought for a while because he had to count years and months. "I haven't seen CJ since we left the White House, nor the first couple. I went to Leo's six months ago. And Toby. I haven't seen nor talked to him since he left."
"Me neither," Sam said sadly. "A lot has happened since."
"It has," Josh said slowly not really understanding what his friend was referring too.
Josh was thinking of something to say when his cell phone rang. "Josh Lyman. CJ?" Sam looked expectantly at Josh with a huge grin. "You're already here? Where? We're already on our way."
Josh quickly rose and put on his jacket.
"She's already here?" Sam asked as he gathered his things.
"Caught an earlier flight," Josh said with a huge smile.
Josh started to run and Sam quickly followed because he wasn't sure where they were going. When they came to her gate they caught her immediately. They stopped and looked at each other. She was looking out the window and her back was facing them. Josh began to walk over to her and after a second of hesitation Sam followed. Then she turned around and they both stopped walking towards her. She smiled softly and took the few steps it took her to place her hand on Josh's shoulder.
"Hey," she said quietly as Josh put his arms around her.
"You look good," he whispered in her hair, for the first time realizing how much he had missed her.
She smiled and touched his hair. "You have gray strands of hair."
She had tears in her eyes and Josh pulled her in for a hug again. Then she turned to Sam who also had tears in his eyes.
"Sam, don't start," she said before gently hugging him. "If you do it won't take long until I start to." She sobbed and smiled slightly through her tears, ".cry."
"It's so good to see you. It's been too long, CJ."
"It has."
"Oh, come on now!" Josh cut in with a huge grin. "Where are your bags?"
"I'm not sure," CJ said softly.
"Okay, you stand here and be sentimental and I'll go in search for your bags," Josh said and walked away.
When he thought they couldn't see him he wiped away a tear.
*
Bartlet Farm
Jed ran to the living room and looked out the window.
Abbey smiled softly. "Where's the fire?"
Her voice startled him and he quickly turned around. He smiled, almost a bit embarrassed at his wife.
"I thought I heard a car."
Abbey walked over to him and put a hand on his arm and smiled softly. "They'll be here soon."
Jed shrugged and looked away, then back at Abbey. "It's just been so long since I last saw them. Before I was used to have them in my life every day. Now I haven't seen Josh and CJ in one and a half year. Toby and Sam, even longer."
He kissed Abbey on the cheek and smiled. "Where's Leo?"
Abbey stopped smiling for a short moment. "He's upstairs resting. He wants to look the best he can when they arrive."
Jed sighed and walked over to the couch. He took Abbey's hand and gently traced patters on her palm as he was thinking. He looked beat and she gently brushed his cheek.
"I just. I always thought I'd be the first one to go," he whispered.
"I know," Abbey said, hating herself for thanking God every night that he wasn't. There was a knock on the door and their housekeeper Angela entered.
"I'm sorry but Al called and said a car is on its way."
Jed's sad expression disappeared and he grinned. He took Abbey's hand and hurried out on the porch. As the car came closer to the house he put his arm around Abbey.
"They're here," he whispered. "Finally."
The car stopped and they walked towards it.
"Sam!" Abbey screamed and ran over to hug him.
"Hey, what about me?" Josh asked holding out his arms.
Jed grinned walked over to him. "Oh, come here you fool."
When he let go of Josh he turned to CJ. "Claudia Jean, you look amazing."
"So do you, Mr. President," she said before leaning down to kiss him on the cheek.
"Okay, I might as well take this now," Jed said, doing his best to sound angry but no one missed the twinkle in his eyes. "No one may call me Mr. President anymore."
"Can I call you sir, then?" CJ asked, smiling mischievously.
"I'd prefer if you all called me Jed."
"That's fine with me," Josh said and added, "Sir."
Jed glared at Josh but then grinned just as huge as Josh.
"Where's Leo?" Sam suddenly asked and everyone turned serious.
"He's resting," Abbey said after a while.
"How is he?" CJ asked worriedly.
Jed sighed and put one hand on Sam's shoulder, his other arm around CJ's waist. "He's tired. Very tired, but he's looking forward to see you."
They began to walk towards the house and Abbey put her arm around Josh's waist. Then she smiled.
"You must be hungry!"
"Why, ma'am, you've managed to read my mind," Josh said and grinned.
Abbey smiled softly but couldn't help worrying if Toby in the last minute got cold feet.
*
New Hampshire Airport
Toby lit his cigar and then waved at the bartender.
"What can I get you, sir?"
"A Jack Daniels," Toby said quietly. "Make it a double."
"Of course, sir."
The bartender walked away to come back in a few seconds with his drink.
"Thanks."
The bartender left him alone and went to talk to other guests around the counter that seemed happier than the gruff man in the corner.
Toby nervously rubbed his temples. He didn't understand what he was doing here anyway. He couldn't understand why they wanted him to come. CJ, Josh, Sam, of course, but him? It made no sense. He briefly thought of checking if there was a flight back to New York tonight. He missed Sammy and Eliza. He missed his computer in his apartment in Brooklyn. Sure, he had brought his laptop but he could never concentrate as much as he did when he wrote on his other computer. Writing on a laptop meant that anyone could walk up on you, any moment and see what you were writing.
His cell phone rung and when he saw who it was on the caller ID he hurried to answer.
"Yeah?"
"Hey, daddy!"
Toby smiled softly at the sound of his son's voice. "Sammy, aren't you in bed yet?" When Sammy didn't answer Toby chuckled. "You know, I can't see you shake your head over the phone."
"When are you coming home?" Sammy asked, suddenly sounding very anxious. "I miss you."
"I miss you too, Sammy." He sighed and sipped his drink. "It's just, it's something I have to take care of here. I'll be home in a week."
"Promise?"
"I promise. Now, can you promise me to be a good boy and take care of your mother and sister when I'm gone?" No answer and Toby laughed again. "Yeah, I can't see you nod over the phone either."
"Bye, daddy."
"Tell mommy I'll call you tomorrow."
He wasn't sure if Sammy had caught that. After his conversation with Sammy he felt a little better. He looked at the time, it was a bit over six. He knew the others had arrived at the Bartlet Farm early this afternoon. He also knew they were probably going to have dinner in an hour and he was expected. Or maybe he wasn't even though he had said he would come.
As he thought he'd better get going the bartender walked towards him. He took Toby's empty glass and put it on the tray.
"Can I get you another one, sir?"
Toby sighed, then smiled slightly. "Yeah, I'll be needing it."
TBC.
A/N2: Thanks for the feedback and I hope you'll like this part as well. Sorry, it's been a bit delayed but life's hectic right now.
A/N3: I've forgotten to apologize/warn you for this fic not being beta- read.
*
New Hampshire Airport
"Sam, why don't you get our luggage and I'll stay here and look for CJ."
Sam glared at Josh who sighed loudly before following his friend.
"Wasn't her flight supposed to arrive like 45 minutes after ours anyway?" Sam asked and gave Josh his bag, then grabbed his own.
"Yeah," Josh muttered. "Coffee?"
Sam nodded and followed Josh to a small café not far away. They just sat quietly without saying a word to each other for a moment. Sam's thoughts were somewhere else and Josh was trying to come up with what was eating his friend.
"Are you okay?" Josh asked when he couldn't keep quiet anymore.
Sam snapped back to reality and looked almost a bit startled at Josh. "Yeah. What about you?"
Josh shrugged and looked away. "I just. It seems like everyone are dying, Sam. My mom two years ago, now Leo. And who knows how long the President has left?"
Sam smiled slightly. "If you call him that he's going to kill you."
Josh grinned. "He'll always be the President to me."
"Me too," Sam said and almost got a bit moody. "When was the last time you saw them?"
Josh thought for a while because he had to count years and months. "I haven't seen CJ since we left the White House, nor the first couple. I went to Leo's six months ago. And Toby. I haven't seen nor talked to him since he left."
"Me neither," Sam said sadly. "A lot has happened since."
"It has," Josh said slowly not really understanding what his friend was referring too.
Josh was thinking of something to say when his cell phone rang. "Josh Lyman. CJ?" Sam looked expectantly at Josh with a huge grin. "You're already here? Where? We're already on our way."
Josh quickly rose and put on his jacket.
"She's already here?" Sam asked as he gathered his things.
"Caught an earlier flight," Josh said with a huge smile.
Josh started to run and Sam quickly followed because he wasn't sure where they were going. When they came to her gate they caught her immediately. They stopped and looked at each other. She was looking out the window and her back was facing them. Josh began to walk over to her and after a second of hesitation Sam followed. Then she turned around and they both stopped walking towards her. She smiled softly and took the few steps it took her to place her hand on Josh's shoulder.
"Hey," she said quietly as Josh put his arms around her.
"You look good," he whispered in her hair, for the first time realizing how much he had missed her.
She smiled and touched his hair. "You have gray strands of hair."
She had tears in her eyes and Josh pulled her in for a hug again. Then she turned to Sam who also had tears in his eyes.
"Sam, don't start," she said before gently hugging him. "If you do it won't take long until I start to." She sobbed and smiled slightly through her tears, ".cry."
"It's so good to see you. It's been too long, CJ."
"It has."
"Oh, come on now!" Josh cut in with a huge grin. "Where are your bags?"
"I'm not sure," CJ said softly.
"Okay, you stand here and be sentimental and I'll go in search for your bags," Josh said and walked away.
When he thought they couldn't see him he wiped away a tear.
*
Bartlet Farm
Jed ran to the living room and looked out the window.
Abbey smiled softly. "Where's the fire?"
Her voice startled him and he quickly turned around. He smiled, almost a bit embarrassed at his wife.
"I thought I heard a car."
Abbey walked over to him and put a hand on his arm and smiled softly. "They'll be here soon."
Jed shrugged and looked away, then back at Abbey. "It's just been so long since I last saw them. Before I was used to have them in my life every day. Now I haven't seen Josh and CJ in one and a half year. Toby and Sam, even longer."
He kissed Abbey on the cheek and smiled. "Where's Leo?"
Abbey stopped smiling for a short moment. "He's upstairs resting. He wants to look the best he can when they arrive."
Jed sighed and walked over to the couch. He took Abbey's hand and gently traced patters on her palm as he was thinking. He looked beat and she gently brushed his cheek.
"I just. I always thought I'd be the first one to go," he whispered.
"I know," Abbey said, hating herself for thanking God every night that he wasn't. There was a knock on the door and their housekeeper Angela entered.
"I'm sorry but Al called and said a car is on its way."
Jed's sad expression disappeared and he grinned. He took Abbey's hand and hurried out on the porch. As the car came closer to the house he put his arm around Abbey.
"They're here," he whispered. "Finally."
The car stopped and they walked towards it.
"Sam!" Abbey screamed and ran over to hug him.
"Hey, what about me?" Josh asked holding out his arms.
Jed grinned walked over to him. "Oh, come here you fool."
When he let go of Josh he turned to CJ. "Claudia Jean, you look amazing."
"So do you, Mr. President," she said before leaning down to kiss him on the cheek.
"Okay, I might as well take this now," Jed said, doing his best to sound angry but no one missed the twinkle in his eyes. "No one may call me Mr. President anymore."
"Can I call you sir, then?" CJ asked, smiling mischievously.
"I'd prefer if you all called me Jed."
"That's fine with me," Josh said and added, "Sir."
Jed glared at Josh but then grinned just as huge as Josh.
"Where's Leo?" Sam suddenly asked and everyone turned serious.
"He's resting," Abbey said after a while.
"How is he?" CJ asked worriedly.
Jed sighed and put one hand on Sam's shoulder, his other arm around CJ's waist. "He's tired. Very tired, but he's looking forward to see you."
They began to walk towards the house and Abbey put her arm around Josh's waist. Then she smiled.
"You must be hungry!"
"Why, ma'am, you've managed to read my mind," Josh said and grinned.
Abbey smiled softly but couldn't help worrying if Toby in the last minute got cold feet.
*
New Hampshire Airport
Toby lit his cigar and then waved at the bartender.
"What can I get you, sir?"
"A Jack Daniels," Toby said quietly. "Make it a double."
"Of course, sir."
The bartender walked away to come back in a few seconds with his drink.
"Thanks."
The bartender left him alone and went to talk to other guests around the counter that seemed happier than the gruff man in the corner.
Toby nervously rubbed his temples. He didn't understand what he was doing here anyway. He couldn't understand why they wanted him to come. CJ, Josh, Sam, of course, but him? It made no sense. He briefly thought of checking if there was a flight back to New York tonight. He missed Sammy and Eliza. He missed his computer in his apartment in Brooklyn. Sure, he had brought his laptop but he could never concentrate as much as he did when he wrote on his other computer. Writing on a laptop meant that anyone could walk up on you, any moment and see what you were writing.
His cell phone rung and when he saw who it was on the caller ID he hurried to answer.
"Yeah?"
"Hey, daddy!"
Toby smiled softly at the sound of his son's voice. "Sammy, aren't you in bed yet?" When Sammy didn't answer Toby chuckled. "You know, I can't see you shake your head over the phone."
"When are you coming home?" Sammy asked, suddenly sounding very anxious. "I miss you."
"I miss you too, Sammy." He sighed and sipped his drink. "It's just, it's something I have to take care of here. I'll be home in a week."
"Promise?"
"I promise. Now, can you promise me to be a good boy and take care of your mother and sister when I'm gone?" No answer and Toby laughed again. "Yeah, I can't see you nod over the phone either."
"Bye, daddy."
"Tell mommy I'll call you tomorrow."
He wasn't sure if Sammy had caught that. After his conversation with Sammy he felt a little better. He looked at the time, it was a bit over six. He knew the others had arrived at the Bartlet Farm early this afternoon. He also knew they were probably going to have dinner in an hour and he was expected. Or maybe he wasn't even though he had said he would come.
As he thought he'd better get going the bartender walked towards him. He took Toby's empty glass and put it on the tray.
"Can I get you another one, sir?"
Toby sighed, then smiled slightly. "Yeah, I'll be needing it."
TBC.