Synopsis: CJ wonders what she's agreed to take on when the president asks her to be acting CoS.
Spoilers: Season 6 spoilers, from TWoP & the season 6 trailers.
Characters: CJ, Josh and Jed
Rating: G
Disclaimer: I would never do this to them, so they can't be mine.
Carol stood in the doorway and surveyed the papers strewn across the floor of her boss's office. "Are you okay?" she asked.
"Am I okay?" CJ replied. "Yeah, Carol, I'm just great."
"The president's looking for you."
"Wonderful."
"CJ?
"No, of course I'm not okay," CJ sighed. "Leo's in the hospital undergoing major heart surgery, a hospital that Josh refuses to leave. Donna is in another hospital, Toby resigned and the president is hell bent on providing himself a legacy, regardless of what anyone else says."
Carol closed the door. "Sit down and, I dunno, take a minute."
"Sorry, it's not your fault."
"Donna's going to be fine. Josh would never have left her if she wasn't."
"Josh came back because he was worried about Leo. He thought he sounded like he was on the edge of whatever, it seems he was right." CJ saw the worry in Carol's face. "Donna's going to be fine," she assured her assistant. "I'm not sure about Leo though."
"How long before we know?"
CJ glanced at her watch. "Another hour of surgery and then, I don't know, a few days I guess."
"He's tough," Carol sounded unsure though.
"I know," CJ wanted to believe. It wasn't just Leo and Donna she was worried about though. "But what about Josh?" she asked. "If anything happens to Leo," she shook her head.
"Leo will be fine," CJ assured her, "and so will Josh, we'll all make sure of that."
"Yeah," CJ agreed. "So the president wants me?"
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"Mr President," CJ said as she entered the Oval Office.
Jed looked up. "CJ, I need you to be acting chief of staff while Leo's out of action."
CJ stared at him. "I'm sorry, sir, what about Josh and Toby?"
"Toby resigned."
"He took it back."
"It doesn't matter."
CJ still looked confused. "And Josh?"
"I think we both know that Josh is no fit state to be deputy chief of staff at the moment, CJ."
"He'll be fine once he knows Leo is."
"CJ," Jed sighed. "Why the hell is it so hard to get one of you to be my chief of staff."
CJ could think of many reasons, not least of them being that his last chief of staff was currently in a critical condition in the hospital.
"CJ?"
"Yes, Sir, I'd be honored," CJ replied, hoping that her tone sounded more convincing to the president than it did to her.
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"So the doctors say he'll be alright?" CJ asked.
"They don't know yet," Josh replied. "You know the drill, the next 24 hours are crucial, the doctor said."
"How's Mallory?"
"Upset, I'm going to take her home."
"Have you seen him?"
"Yeah," Josh replied. "He looks like hell, CJ. Tubes and wires and stuff."
"He's tough, Josh," CJ repeated what Carol had said to her.
"Yeah."
"Josh, the president's asked me to be acting CoS."
"I know, he told me."
"You're okay with that?"
"I don't want it."
"I'll be your boss," CJ smiled.
"Yeah." Josh sounded like he really couldn't care and CJ was worried.
"Take a few days off," she told him.
"Was that you being my boss?" Josh asked.
"It was me being your friend. You're exhausted, you've had a week from hell."
"Not in a fit state to do my job?" Josh asked.
CJ was momentarily thrown by Josh using almost the same words as the president, but she quickly recovered. "I didn't say that."
"The president did."
"When?"
"When I refused to return to The White House."
"He's just concerned about Leo, we all say things....."
"He has a strange way of showing his concern," Josh interrupted.
CJ suddenly had a worrying thought. "Josh, you are coming back aren't you?"
"You don't get rid of me that easily, CJ. I just don't want Leo's job."
"But you're okay with me having it?"
"Someone has to, better you than an outsider," Josh replied. "How's Toby doing?"
"He isn't happy, but Leo talked him into coming back. I just hope he'll stay now."
"He will," Josh assured her. "Look, CJ, I'm going to take Mal home. I'll see you later."
"Don't come in today. Look after Mal, I'll see you tomorrow, unless you want that time off?"
"Nah, I'll see you tomorrow."
When CJ hung up the phone, she couldn't help but worry how things were going to work. Toby was angry with everyone, Josh was angry with the president, and Leo wasn't here to keep them in line, suddenly that was her job. 'What the hell have I agreed to?' she wondered.
END