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As CJ began to talk, Simon came over and sat on the other side of her, rubbing her back gently. He let CJ tell his mother about their wish for a child, and why they couldn't biologically have one. CJ talked of her own doubts and fears, and her bitterness at having reached a place in her life when everything – from her partner to her state of mind – was right, but the option was no longer easily available.

When CJ finished, Emma was quiet for a while. Throughout the talk, she was gently comforting, offering murmured encouragements when CJ faltered. Now the silence stretched so long that even Simon was starting to feel nervous.

"Ma?"

She smiled faintly. "A friend once told me that when the other shoe drops, you should look at it as an excuse to go get a new shoe. A friend's sixteen-year-old granddaughter is pregnant. They are looking for an adoptive family for this child – they want what's best for their daughter AND the baby. They feel placing the child with an adoptive family is the best solution. Have you two talked about adoption?"

CJ and Simon did talk about it – at length – throughout their honeymoon and afterwards. CJ also talked at length with Simon's friends Sandy and Bill, whose children were adopted. She and Simon were starting to explore the logistics and legalities of adopting a baby. Their high profiles made these explorations harder to conceal. They explained all this to Emma, who nodded.

"At Doris' funeral her daughter Kari started talking to me – she lives with her family in Arizona. It's Kari's sixteen-year-old daughter that's pregnant. They've been going back and forth about what is the fairest solution for Kari's daughter and the baby she's carrying…Then they decided their best option was to place the baby with an adoptive family. She's due in October."

CJ and Simon looked at Emma for a long moment before her words sunk in. Then they looked at each other, stunned.

"How well does Kari know you?" Simon asked tentatively. Doris Longman and Emma Donovan became best friends long after their children were grown, so Simon didn't know Kari or her daughter.

"Not well. Doris and I talked about you kids a lot, but you weren't our only topic of conversation, you know." She smiled gently to take the sting out of her words. Simon pretended to pout and CJ elbowed him in the ribs.

"Emma…we're not sure how open we want the adoption to be…probably not very open…would there be an expectation, because you were Doris' best friend…that there will be some contact between the birthmother and the baby?" CJ's mind was racing as she spoke. She wanted a confidential adoption, though that would be fairly impossible. If they adopted a child, the story would be in every newspaper in the country. What she and Simon definitely didn't want was a situation so open that the birthmother would have direct contact with the child. That much they were certain of.

Emma shook her head. "I have the number of the lawyer who works with them. You can call him and not even mention you found her through me. Just say a mutual acquaintance told you about the situation and you're interested in finding out more. If you think you're ready."

That was really the big question – were they ready to become parents in four months?

Over the next two weeks, CJ and Simon talked at length to each other and to Emma. They aired their fears and doubts, their hopes and dreams, and the logistics of possible parenthood on very short notice when their schedules were, to put it mildly, insane. Emma listened, offered advice when they asked for it, and informed them that if they could put up with her, she'd be happy to help with childcare if they had a baby while she was still in good health.

The day before his mother was scheduled to go back to Chicago, Simon got a phone call. When he hung up, his face wore a peculiar expression, and CJ became alarmed.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he said. "Remember the memo I wrote last month? They want me to head the taskforce."

CJ looked at Simon, speechless. When she found her voice, she asked tentatively, "A taskforce to look into the issues you raised in your memo?"

Simon nodded. Following the near-kidnapping of Zoey Bartlet on her graduation day he wrote a 10-page memo about the need for better information sharing between Federal law enforcement agencies. The memo was filled with constructive advice and recommendations for real actions to alleviate existing problems – problems that cost the life of a Secret Service agent and nearly cost them their protectee.

"So…" CJ tried to digest the information. "What does it mean?"

Simon sighed softly. "It means I have to choose between working protective details and doing this. If I take this offer…I have a chance to affect real change." He chuckled humorlessly. "Or become really disillusioned fast. I'm not sure which it will be…"

He looked at her intently. "I really want this chance, Ceej. And…it will have the unexpected consequence of giving me a 9 to 5 desk job."