DISCLAIMER: See chapter 1
A/N: Wow, it has taken me a really REALLY long time to write this. Sorry about that. I had writer's block and then I was really busy but yeah... Anyway, I'm back in action. Just as a warning, there's some major character bashing in this chapter. But it's Toby, what do you expect? Sorry to fans of those characters (I'm one too, I love Josh). Please review. That will keep me encouraged on this story.
Who calls someone's house at 12:30 in the morning? I mean, I can understand them doing it on nights that I'm awake, but on nights when I'm sleeping?... People need to have a little more consideration for other people. Now the hall floor is creaking. We need to get that fixed. CJ says we don't but I really think we do. What does she know about squeaky floors? They don't seem to be keeping her awake at 12:30 in the morning.
Where's my girlfriend? She was here a second ago. I don't think I was dreaming then. So she was the one that squeaked the floors. I knew it. But why didn't she just go back to sleep? Since I've known her, CJ can sleep whenever she chose. Unless something is bothering her or something devastating has happened. Maybe something devastating has happened. I should probably go and check on her. That would be my job as boyfriend and all. But it's 12:30 in the morning!
Get up Toby, get up.
"Damn you conscience," I say out loud. With a sigh, I get up. I hate my inner voice.
I travel down the hall and find CJ in her office. She's crying. "What's wrong?" Apparently I've startled her because she jumps and starts wiping away her tears.
"Nothing!"
"CJ..."
"What makes you think something is wrong?"
Well, you're furiously wiping away tears for one thing. "You're... you know... crying. And... other stuff."
She huffs and looks kind of mad at me. Nothing new. After a few seconds and a few sighs, she whispers, "President Bartlet is dead."
Really? I stare at her in wonder. Part of me had seen this coming, but still... "Wow."
Toby paced the office outside of the Oval impatiently. "I wish you would stop doing that," came the annoyed voice of Debbie Fidderer.
"I'm not causing you any physical pain, am I?"
"No."
"Then why should I stop?"
"Because you're annoying me, that's why."
"Fine," he replied shortly and sat on the new personal aide's desk. What was that guy's name? Toby didn't know and was completely apathetic to the situation.
Everything seemed to make Toby's temper flare in the past month or so: the candidates, the ability of his friends to move forward while he was stuck in the same place as he was three years ago, random new people that were suddenly more trusted than he was, even the neighbor's cat. He had some suspicion that the summon for him from the president had something to do with that. Not like he cared. He had blown up at the President before and was more than willing to again.
"Would you stop that," Debbie snapped.
"What! What am I doing now!"
"You're breathing heavily and tapping your foot quite loudly. It's disrupting my workplace."
Toby began to yell. "Well excuse me for disturbing the queen of—"
"The President will see you now."
"Isn't he in a meeting?"
"No."
"You said he was."
"I lied."
His temper started to flare again. "Then why on earth did you make me wait out here!"
She shrugged. "I wanted to torture you."
Toby shook his head in disbelief, lost for words. Finally, he just went into the Oval Office, too annoyed to fight with Debbie. He'd wait and do that later. He needed to save his energy for the fight that would inevitably ensue between him and Jed Bartlet.
Upon entering the Oval, the President looked up from his paperwork. "Toby," he smiled. "Sit down. I'll be with you in a minute." Toby did as he was told and waited patiently. It was his last little bit of patience but he knew he shouldn't start to yell immediately. At last, Jed Bartlet limped over, with the assistance of his cane, and sat across from Toby. "What's up?"
"What's up? Really? That's all you can say to start a conversation," Toby muttered sarcastically.
"I thought it would be good to start off with a little small talk before we got into business."
"Fire away," he laughed. Not a happy laugh, an insane one. He thought this stupid.
"How are Huck and Molly?" Toby couldn't truthfully answer this. He hadn't seen them for quite some time, though he had gotten a lot of grief from Andy about it. He just looked away from the president. "You should be a part of their lives Toby. Fatherhood requires some work."
"Don't lecture me on my personal life, Mr. President! I already get enough of that from everyone else!" Toby had already started to yell. He was hoping to save his loud voice for a little bit later in the fight, but that choice had gone out the window.
The President, for once, wasn't taking the bait. "Temper, temper," he scolded. Before Toby could devise a comeback, Jed continued, "Now, I know you Toby, and I know that you do not have the calmest temper around. But recently it's been getting worse, and that's why I called you in... to make sure everything is all right."
Toby retreated back to his indoor voice. "What makes you think anything is wrong? I've been perfectly content." He didn't want to talk about his temper, he wanted to talk about the things that bothered him. They were two different things.
He didn't fool President Bartlet for a second. "You and Josh got into a fistfight," he asked in shock.
"How did you know that?"
"It was easy enough to figure out."
"We had a disagreement."
"You always have disagreements. They've never escalated into anything like that before."
"Yeah well... he did something I can never forgive him for."
"Such as?"
"I don't think it's any of your business sir!"
"But I think it is, Mr. Ziegler. For you see, I hate seeing my friends in arguments amongst themselves and I try to do anything in my power to get them to reconcile. You wouldn't happen to be angry over the Santos campaign, would you?"
"Josh told you to talk to me, didn't he?"
"No. Like I said Toby, I know you."
"Josh doesn't understand! If we had worked together we could have found a candidate that was strong enough to lead this country! We would have been unstoppable! Now, because of him and his antics, the Democratic party is split and weak and Republicans are going to be running the country for the next four years!"
"Why didn't you two work together?" The President used a calm, concerned tone.
"I don't know! Probably because Josh Lyman is a self-centered, egotistical jerk who doesn't care enough to consult me about decisions concerning the future. He left me to rot here!"
"Ah. I think we're getting somewhere. I don't think you can really blame Josh. If you're so concerned about moving on, you could have gone to Josh yourself. But I can understand your not wanting to leave. Maybe you were a little bit more anxious about how I would feel your loyalty was if you left. Believe me, Josh felt the same way."
Toby suddenly felt the urge to change subjects. President Bartlet was remaining calm and cool this whole time, which was so utterly unlike him. Something had been on Toby's mind for a while now and it was time to ask. Plus, this could very well get Jed's engines flowing. "You don't trust me anymore, Mr. President."
"Excuse me?"
"You don't trust me... you don't use my advice as much as you used to. What has Kate Harper got that I don't!"
Finally, the President's face was beginning to turn red. "I am offended by that absurd assumption! I go to Kate for military and intelligence advice, you're my domestic man!"
Toby wasn't listening. "And CJ! How on earth did she get to be Chief of Staff over me and Josh! At least he and I have some actual experience—"
"This is uncalled for! You know very well that she is perfectly qualified—"
"She was Press Secretary! She worked with the press! She was the last one that we told everything to, we gave her as little input as possible! Whereas myself, and even Josh, had more say! We were closer to you, closer to Leo! We both deserved the job more!"
"I won't take these attacks on CJ! She is smart and wonderful at her new job! You seemed fine with the decision when it was made!"
"Leo had just had a heart attack! My mind wasn't in the right place!"
President Bartlet's voice abruptly got very quiet and vehement. "You have just insulted my closest friends and advisors and therefore myself. You honestly think that you have the right to do that in this office! In this building!"
Toby paused. "No sir I don't. So I will be handing in my letter of resignation the next time I see you." He stood and walked to the door.
Rising, President Bartlet cried, "You've tried resigning before Toby! It's not going to work! Where else do you have to go! Josh won't let you onto the Santos campaign now, and I can't see you happily working with Russell or in the private sector!" But Toby didn't listen. He stormed out of the Oval Office, slamming the door behind him and leaving the President to fume.
CJ's sobbing now. I hate seeing women cry. It makes me uncomfortable. It's a good thing I don't cry. That would be weird. "How do you have no expression at a time like this!" She's hysterical.
I just shrug. "It must not have hit me yet."
"Or it could just be the fact that you're Toby Ziegler."
"Could be." She's crying even more now. I meant that as a joke. Oh well. I really do love her, and I guess I should fulfill my job as boyfriend now. I walk over and wrap my arms around her. She sobs even harder into my shoulder. It is truly something devastating.
