The First Lady's Remarks
I know I know I know, it took me forever to get this up. Thanks for your patience, you can all complain to my anthropology professor for making me write a term paper in the middle of a fanfic. By the way, if anyone needs information on Italian Americans, I'm your girl.
Anywho...on with the show...
CJ stepped out of the briefing room for the 3rd time in an hour. As each time before, Toby was there to meet her. "You know, this isn't your job anymore. I know I'm not good at those things, but I can read the files."
"No you can't, Pokey." She smiled at him knowing he was more relieved than offended. "Besides I need to be doing something besides sitting in my office and you need to be doing something besides spoon feeding the press. Although, I must admit, I missed the vultures and the way they fear me." She handed him a folder as she smiled coyly. They walked back towards her office. Margaret was waiting by the door.
"The First Lady called...wait is she still the first lady...she is still in the residence after all...I mean she is the first lady, but now that Russell is the President...well the intermin President...Santos is the President elect...isn't his wife the official first lady?...or is it Mrs. Russell...Of course, I wouldn't know what else to call her but First Lady...Abby is just to informal, there's always Mrs. Bartlett..or I guess it would be Dr. Bartlett...after all she—"
"Margaret!" CJ couldn't take it anymore. The woman hadn't taken a breath in 5 minutes yet it was CJ who thought she was going to pass out. "What did she want?" Margaret looked as if she had no idea what CJ was talking about. "The First Lady, Abby, Dr. And Mrs. Bartlett! What did she want!" She was resisting the urge to shake her, but Toby's hand on her elbow reminded her that assaulting a pregnant woman didn't look good on a resume.
"She wanted to see you and Toby about her address this evening," she said flatly, not the least bit unnerved by CJ's sudden outburst. For the millionth time, CJ wondered where in the world Leo had found this insane woman.
"Okay," she said taking a calming breath. "Throw this on my desk and let her know were on the way." She handed her assistant the folder with one hand and grabbed the back of Toby's collar with the other. "I don't think so Tobias. I'll do your briefings, but I'm not talking to Abby alone."
Margaret stared at her, phone in hand, looking confused. "Call her Mrs. Bartlett," CJ said simply as she headed down the hall, Toby in tow. "Where on earth did Leo find her?" They shared a laugh. It sounded strange for the atmosphere that they were heading into. As they approached the office of the first lady, they heard yelling and the sound of glass breaking. Toby stopped dead in his tracks causing CJ to walk into him. They both almost fell to the floor. At that moment Abby opened the door, her hair out of place, makeup never put on. They could see Leo on the couch behind her nodding for them to enter. Abby didn't say a word as she returned to pacing around her office. The room was silent; the calm before the storm.
Josh and Donna walked out of the airport terminal, his arm still around her shoulders as it had been for most of the flight. "You should call someone and tell them were coming. I'd hate for you to be locked out again." Josh smiled at the memory, and Donna was just glad she could still make him smile.
He released her and grabbed his phone. Punched 2, no answer from Leo. Punched 3, no answer from Toby. Punched 4, no answer from CJ. "Nobody's answering their phones. I guess we'll just have to look sad and hope someone signs us in." He grimaced remembering how that hadn't worked last time.
"Who's 1?" Donna said, breaking the silence of the cab ride.
"What?" Josh hadn't been there. She could tell, he had that glazed over look in his eyes. So she repeated herself, this time without complaint. He didn't need that right now.
"You dialed 2,3, and 4 on your phone. I was wondering who number one was. Or do you keep that open for the flavor of the week?"
He half smiled half frowned and Donna wondered what nerve she had hit. Josh pulled out his phone and punched 1. Her eyes opened wide, then smiled the smile she knew he loved as her purse started playing the theme to Inspector Gadget. "Do you always have cartoons on your phone?"
"You betcha," she laughed exaggerating her Minnesota accent. Josh laughed with her and they both realized how much they missed the laughter.
"Am I keeping you all from something?" Abby yelled as CJ turned her phone off. "Its not like you have a country to run anymore! Your all out of a job. Over, just like that, valuable, promising careers down the toilet!" She was waving her hands in the air, CJ stepped back for fear of being hit.
"I asked Josh to call when his plane landed," CJ said as calmly as she could.
"Josh? Josh Lyman? Why the hell is he coming here? None of you even work here, he certainly doesn't!"
"That's enough, Abby!" Leo got up from the couch and stood directly between Abby and CJ. Although she could see right over his head, she was grateful for the shield. "You know why Josh is here, you know why CJ and Toby are here, and by the way they do still have a country to run! I know your upset, Abby, but"--
She cut him off mid-sentence. There was a look in here eyes that none of them had seem before. "Dr. Bartlett." Toby swore she just hissed, and he knew he saw CJ flinch.
"And exactly when did it become Dr. Bartlett?" He stared at her, not moving, not backing down.
"When you killed my husband."
probably one more chapter, maybe two. please review and I promise to write faster.
