Author: Angie
Email: AngieSuth@aol.com or angiesuth@hotmail.com
Title: Just Good Friends
Characters: CJ and Carol
Rating: G
Summary: Carol gives CJ the benefit of her advice.
Disclaimer: Not mine at all.
Spoilers:. Post ep to Eppur Si Muove.
Feedback: Always appreciated.
A/N: It's CJ and Carol - mainly because I loved the way Carol checked that CJ looked her best before sending her in to see Ben.
Thank you, yet again, Rhonda.
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Just Good Friends
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"We don't do this often enough."
"We've never done this before, CJ." The voice from the gloom held enough of a smile to temper the accusation.
"Well, we should have done. " A hint of wry apology. "We're doing it now and we'll do it again . . . soon." CJ turned her head slightly so she could see the woman lying prone on her couch, shoes dangling and diet coke in her hand. CJ licked her lips and sipped at her beer, then waved the bottle haphazardly. "You don't like the taste of it?"
Carol sighed. "I don't like the taste of it." She smiled broadly, "It's one of the reasons we have such a smooth working relationship, CJ - I don't drink your beer. Nor do I drink your tequila . . . and I never laugh when you are hung-over."
"And you bring me coffee. That's seriously underrated, you know." CJ tipped the bottle in salute and smiled back. "We do have a smooth working relationship, Carol, and I appreciate you looking out for me more than I can say."
Carol crushed her empty can. "You can be pretty slow on the uptake sometimes, CJ."
CJ choked on her beer and stared open mouthed across the room.
"You are!" Carol pushed herself up to sitting. "I've been trying to kick-start your love life for weeks now, and you have been anything but cooperative." She looked appraisingly at CJ lounging in the guest chair. "You practically drooled on the cabbage guy, and even though you just meant to stamp on Gordon about the adoption thing, as far as I could see, you were mentally wearing black leather and waving your whip."
"Carol!"
"Seriously, CJ. You need a man."
CJ sighed and crossed her ankles, flexing her toes against the soft leather of her shoes before kicking them off. "I know. But it's not just about sex."
Carol sat forward, almost quivering with enthusiasm. "I'm not saying it's just about sex. I'm saying it's about being with someone who makes you feel good about yourself; who notices how you look and how you smell; whether you're a little off with your day and then, if you are, wants to make that right for you. Someone who likes your jokes and makes you smile too. You need someone who can tell you when it's not quite working."
CJ raised an eyebrow. "And this is supposed to be helping?"
"I haven't finished yet!" Carol waved her hand to prevent CJ from interrupting. "You need someone who trusts you. Someone to trust. He can't be scared of you, CJ, and believe me, that's not that easy to find." She saw the other woman's shoulders lift. "You've got to be able to feel comfortable with him, comfortable enough to say that you're too tired or you're too busy, and comfortable knowing he's not going to walk away because of it. That he values what you do." Carol paused, making sure that CJ was listening. "You need someone you can be crazy with, someone who can cope when you're vulnerable. Someone you couldn't bear to be without. A friend."
CJ laughed. "Aren't you telling me what * you * want in a relationship?"
"To be honest," Carol shrugged, "I think most of us would like to have it all. We're just not usually lucky enough to find it in just one man." She stood and reached out for CJ's empty bottle, squeezing her hand gently as she did so. "Of course, it helps if he looks like Robert Redford . . ."
CJ looked up, startled. "Like Robert Redford?"
"Yeah - I thought we agreed on that already!" Carol walked to the door. "I'm sorry he couldn't hang around tonight, CJ." She frowned. "CJ? Did you hear what I said?"
CJ took a deep breath and put on her shoes. "Yes, I'm listening . . . what did you say?"
Carol laughed. "It doesn't matter. Are you going to call him?"
"Who?"
"CJ!" Carol's exasperation couldn't be contained. "Ben, of course!"
CJ offered her a sad smile. "Yes. Ben . . . of course."
The End