Title: Wondering
Author: IDreamOfAJ
Characters: Sam, CJ/Ron (But Josh, Toby, and Leo are there. Even Danny. Kinda.)
Spoilers: In Excelsis Deo
Rating: PG
Summary: He thinks he would have been a great detective.
Author's Note: Definitely a series now. I haven't actually been able to think of a cool name for the series. (My notes say CJ/Ron "W" series. And that's pretty lame. ; ) ) But, I'm working on it. I'm not sure when I'll be able to post the next part. 'Cause I'm real smart. Started this thing in the first season, and I haven't actually, ya know, seen most of the first season. So, I have to wait for Bravo to catch up to where I am. Then I'll be able to finish Leo's and Jed's parts. And yes, there will actually be a CJ/Ron part. :D
Thanks to everyone who's still following this!
Follows "Waiting".
For Kansas - whose encouragement is profoundly appreciated.
Disclaimers: I own everything. That's right I am Aaron Sorkin and now that I can't actually write the show I've turned to fanfic. Okay, not really. First off, I'm a girl, so... . And I don't own anything. So, please don't sue.
Feedback: Is really the true nectar of the Gods.
Wondering
It was Christmas. It was supposed to be warm. Sunny. He was supposed to be lying on the beach getting a tan, listening to the waves hitting the beach. Reading his briefing memos.
Instead he was sitting in his hotel room listening to the rain batter the windows. It had been pouring down rain since he'd gotten in last night. Things were not working out the way he had hoped.
Sam had insisted on keeping his holiday plans. He'd had to leave Washington later than he'd hoped. But, he was not to be deterred. Bermuda and its sandy beaches were waiting for him.
Except, they really weren't. He had thought the rain would have stopped by now. But, no. He knew he would have had a better time if he'd stayed in Washington. Josh was there. Probably getting take-out Chinese for dinner. Leo was probably going to be there. Maybe Toby. And CJ.
Then again, maybe not. CJ might be doing something else. She had invited him and Josh to dinner the night before last. The night when they had acted like back room politicos in a bad 1950's movie. The night he had hurt someone he really liked. Trying to help someone he admired. He had to stop thinking about that.
Better to wonder what exactly it was that CJ was up to. She had invited them to dinner. But, not on Christmas. Which suggested she had other plans. He had heard that she'd offered to cook for Leo. But he also knew that Leo had declined. He wondered whether the offer was sincerely what she wanted to be doing. Whether she had really wanted to spend Christmas cooking for Leo.
Sam thought it might be Danny. He might be the one getting a CJ-prepared Christmas dinner. But, hadn't Josh said that CJ had finally relented to dinner with him last night? So, why would she be seeing him both nights? Unless... .
He knew that Danny liked CJ. He knew that Danny wanted to pursue her. Date her. And, you know, other things too. Despite being alone, hundreds of miles away, Sam blushed. Everyone had a crush on CJ Cregg at one time or another. But, he was still embarrassed by his. He was sure it had been written all over his face. Way back then.
~*~
Sam closed the cell phone and threw it on the bed. They had sounded like they were having a good time. They were having fun. He wished again that he was there. He was a little disturbed to realize that he felt homesick. It was third grade camp all over again. He wanted to go home. He was stuck here, though. The storm had gained intensity. The airport was closed. He sighed and tried to read the memo on the agricultural bill. He was distracted.
He had been right. Toby and Leo were both at Josh's apartment. They had finished the Chinese food. They were playing poker. He had asked to say "hi" to CJ. Josh had said she wasn't there. When he was talking to Toby he had asked why Toby hadn't brought her. Toby had cut him off gruffly and changed the subject.
So, where was CJ? He found it much more productive to speculate on her whereabouts than to pretend to read the memo anyway. She must be at Danny's. He knew she wasn't at home. It had been perfectly normal to call his friend and wish her a "Merry Christmas". Except that he knew he didn't imagine the squeak in his voice when he left the message for her on her answering machine. Damn. He needs to get better at subterfuge.
Sam couldn't believe that she would actually be dating a reporter. Leo would have a fit. Toby would go ballistic. Hang on. Toby knew where CJ was. Sam was sure of it. The way Toby had not answered him spoke volumes. But, he hadn't sounded pissed. So, Toby had to, if not approve of where CJ was, at least accept it. Scratch Danny off the list.
So where did that leave him? He could do this. He could play the game. He could be the detective to figure it all out. He just needed a place to start. 'Come on, Princeton', he thought. Princeton. That really was a cool name. He was Princeton. Toby had seemed not the least bit interested when he had heard he was Hemingway. But CJ had not at all been pleased with Flamingo. She had gone on about it for two days. Flamingo. Flamingo.
Flamingo. That had really bothered her at first. She had discussed it with almost everyone. She had almost seemed hurt by it. But then... . He was onto something. He could feel it. She had said she would talk to someone about it. And then, she kept reminding everyone that her codename was Flamingo. But now when she said it, it sounded almost sexy. Who had she talked to?
Ron Butterfield. He had seen her downstairs yesterday morning. Sam had been leaving the mess. They really do have the best bran muffins. But, he had been heading for the stairs when he had seen CJ coming down the hall with Ron Butterfield. She had been laughing, her head tossed back. Ron had been... . Well, he'd been smiling. Sam had stopped. Backed up. It had seemed wrong to intrude. Even though he had felt ridiculous at the notion. It had just seemed like a private moment.
Aha. And there it was. It had been a private moment. He remembered that as CJ had started to head for the stairs, Ron had touched her arm. She had smiled. Almost shyly. She had said something, too quiet for Sam to hear, and Ron had nodded. Sam had waited for CJ to reach the top of the stairs before he had come out from behind the pillar where he had been waiting. Ron had already gone back to his office. And when he had seen CJ next upstairs in the bullpen, she had reminded him that her codename was Flamingo. In that sexy voice.
That's it. He's fairly certain that CJ must be with Ron. He knows that Ron didn't accompany the First Family back to Manchester. Which he thought was a little odd. Maybe Ron asked to have the holiday off. Maybe Ron had said he had plans. Maybe Ron just wanted to spend Christmas with CJ.
So now Sam is wondering when all this started. When did Toby find out? Or figure it out. What does CJ see in Ron? He knows what Ron must see in CJ. But, really Sam's crush on her is old history. Honest.
He thinks he has plenty of time to ponder this new development. At least until the rain stops and he can get a flight home. Yep. Plenty of time to wonder. And Sam has a lot of wondering to do.
The End
Author: IDreamOfAJ
Characters: Sam, CJ/Ron (But Josh, Toby, and Leo are there. Even Danny. Kinda.)
Spoilers: In Excelsis Deo
Rating: PG
Summary: He thinks he would have been a great detective.
Author's Note: Definitely a series now. I haven't actually been able to think of a cool name for the series. (My notes say CJ/Ron "W" series. And that's pretty lame. ; ) ) But, I'm working on it. I'm not sure when I'll be able to post the next part. 'Cause I'm real smart. Started this thing in the first season, and I haven't actually, ya know, seen most of the first season. So, I have to wait for Bravo to catch up to where I am. Then I'll be able to finish Leo's and Jed's parts. And yes, there will actually be a CJ/Ron part. :D
Thanks to everyone who's still following this!
Follows "Waiting".
For Kansas - whose encouragement is profoundly appreciated.
Disclaimers: I own everything. That's right I am Aaron Sorkin and now that I can't actually write the show I've turned to fanfic. Okay, not really. First off, I'm a girl, so... . And I don't own anything. So, please don't sue.
Feedback: Is really the true nectar of the Gods.
Wondering
It was Christmas. It was supposed to be warm. Sunny. He was supposed to be lying on the beach getting a tan, listening to the waves hitting the beach. Reading his briefing memos.
Instead he was sitting in his hotel room listening to the rain batter the windows. It had been pouring down rain since he'd gotten in last night. Things were not working out the way he had hoped.
Sam had insisted on keeping his holiday plans. He'd had to leave Washington later than he'd hoped. But, he was not to be deterred. Bermuda and its sandy beaches were waiting for him.
Except, they really weren't. He had thought the rain would have stopped by now. But, no. He knew he would have had a better time if he'd stayed in Washington. Josh was there. Probably getting take-out Chinese for dinner. Leo was probably going to be there. Maybe Toby. And CJ.
Then again, maybe not. CJ might be doing something else. She had invited him and Josh to dinner the night before last. The night when they had acted like back room politicos in a bad 1950's movie. The night he had hurt someone he really liked. Trying to help someone he admired. He had to stop thinking about that.
Better to wonder what exactly it was that CJ was up to. She had invited them to dinner. But, not on Christmas. Which suggested she had other plans. He had heard that she'd offered to cook for Leo. But he also knew that Leo had declined. He wondered whether the offer was sincerely what she wanted to be doing. Whether she had really wanted to spend Christmas cooking for Leo.
Sam thought it might be Danny. He might be the one getting a CJ-prepared Christmas dinner. But, hadn't Josh said that CJ had finally relented to dinner with him last night? So, why would she be seeing him both nights? Unless... .
He knew that Danny liked CJ. He knew that Danny wanted to pursue her. Date her. And, you know, other things too. Despite being alone, hundreds of miles away, Sam blushed. Everyone had a crush on CJ Cregg at one time or another. But, he was still embarrassed by his. He was sure it had been written all over his face. Way back then.
~*~
Sam closed the cell phone and threw it on the bed. They had sounded like they were having a good time. They were having fun. He wished again that he was there. He was a little disturbed to realize that he felt homesick. It was third grade camp all over again. He wanted to go home. He was stuck here, though. The storm had gained intensity. The airport was closed. He sighed and tried to read the memo on the agricultural bill. He was distracted.
He had been right. Toby and Leo were both at Josh's apartment. They had finished the Chinese food. They were playing poker. He had asked to say "hi" to CJ. Josh had said she wasn't there. When he was talking to Toby he had asked why Toby hadn't brought her. Toby had cut him off gruffly and changed the subject.
So, where was CJ? He found it much more productive to speculate on her whereabouts than to pretend to read the memo anyway. She must be at Danny's. He knew she wasn't at home. It had been perfectly normal to call his friend and wish her a "Merry Christmas". Except that he knew he didn't imagine the squeak in his voice when he left the message for her on her answering machine. Damn. He needs to get better at subterfuge.
Sam couldn't believe that she would actually be dating a reporter. Leo would have a fit. Toby would go ballistic. Hang on. Toby knew where CJ was. Sam was sure of it. The way Toby had not answered him spoke volumes. But, he hadn't sounded pissed. So, Toby had to, if not approve of where CJ was, at least accept it. Scratch Danny off the list.
So where did that leave him? He could do this. He could play the game. He could be the detective to figure it all out. He just needed a place to start. 'Come on, Princeton', he thought. Princeton. That really was a cool name. He was Princeton. Toby had seemed not the least bit interested when he had heard he was Hemingway. But CJ had not at all been pleased with Flamingo. She had gone on about it for two days. Flamingo. Flamingo.
Flamingo. That had really bothered her at first. She had discussed it with almost everyone. She had almost seemed hurt by it. But then... . He was onto something. He could feel it. She had said she would talk to someone about it. And then, she kept reminding everyone that her codename was Flamingo. But now when she said it, it sounded almost sexy. Who had she talked to?
Ron Butterfield. He had seen her downstairs yesterday morning. Sam had been leaving the mess. They really do have the best bran muffins. But, he had been heading for the stairs when he had seen CJ coming down the hall with Ron Butterfield. She had been laughing, her head tossed back. Ron had been... . Well, he'd been smiling. Sam had stopped. Backed up. It had seemed wrong to intrude. Even though he had felt ridiculous at the notion. It had just seemed like a private moment.
Aha. And there it was. It had been a private moment. He remembered that as CJ had started to head for the stairs, Ron had touched her arm. She had smiled. Almost shyly. She had said something, too quiet for Sam to hear, and Ron had nodded. Sam had waited for CJ to reach the top of the stairs before he had come out from behind the pillar where he had been waiting. Ron had already gone back to his office. And when he had seen CJ next upstairs in the bullpen, she had reminded him that her codename was Flamingo. In that sexy voice.
That's it. He's fairly certain that CJ must be with Ron. He knows that Ron didn't accompany the First Family back to Manchester. Which he thought was a little odd. Maybe Ron asked to have the holiday off. Maybe Ron had said he had plans. Maybe Ron just wanted to spend Christmas with CJ.
So now Sam is wondering when all this started. When did Toby find out? Or figure it out. What does CJ see in Ron? He knows what Ron must see in CJ. But, really Sam's crush on her is old history. Honest.
He thinks he has plenty of time to ponder this new development. At least until the rain stops and he can get a flight home. Yep. Plenty of time to wonder. And Sam has a lot of wondering to do.
The End