Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press

A/N: This chapter is a little shorter than the others, but it was so fun! Witness the uber-cuteness of our favorite couple (okay, MY favorite couple) as well as their typical banter and cuteness. Yay fun! I'm really happy right now because we're finally getting DSL (starting July 1) and then I can do a lot more online than I can right now. Haha.

GoddessAnjanee - You spoil me! Thanks so much for all of your support!

Therese - I still love the name Colleen. I picked it pretty randomly. Hiding it is fun because it makes them getting found out even more fun. Hehe.

Scififreakmi - I love your penname, btw. Thank heavens for little girls!

Kursk - You have to wait and see how they find out, it should be entertaining! Til then, enjoy this…

Thanks to Casey for the email! If you're reading this, I was trying to find you on ffn, b/c my email account is all messed up and i can't send you a reply (which the dsl will fix...c'mon July 1st!) Anyways, it wasn't corny, it was really sweet!

Thanks to everyone for the reviews! Sorry if I missed anyone! (don't think I did, but I worry!)

"A Man Who Knows His Beanie Babies"

"OW!" CJ shouted, a little louder than intended during a staff meeting. Everyone in the room looked at her. "Sorry….the little bugger is kicking me."

"That's your daughter you're talking about, CJ," the President warned her with a smile.

"Yeah, well she should learn to respect her mother and stop kicking me in the gut." CJ filled Senior Staff in on what had been going on in the pressroom. She was now eight months along, with that final day drawing near.

"CJ, are you having any problems with…" Toby looked a little uncomfortable. "Are they still attacking your pregnancy?"

"For the most part, no," CJ replied happily. She'd been so relieved to give her briefings in peace, despite the internal beatings she'd been taking of late. "The press seems to have moved on, proof that they can evolve if given the chance…"

At the end of the day CJ's back was killing her. She swore that her feet had grown in size, which they had, due to swelling, and she was craving pasta. Aside from saltines CJ could not get enough pasta.

"You're killing me, kid," she spoke to her stomach. She hadn't heard Danny walk into her office.

"Aw, cheer up," Danny said, announcing his presence. "I brought you a present."

CJ smiled, then laughed when she saw what Danny was holding. It was a pink flamingo stuffed toy.

"This is an original Beanie Baby," Danny told her proudly, "Pinky."

"You know," CJ said, just to torment him. "That code name didn't last very long, I've had a dozen since then."

"Ah, but to me, you will always be…Flamingo!" Danny fully expected the punch in the arm that CJ delivered.

"Wouldn't a goldfish have been more appropriate? More sentimental?"

Danny sighed. "Do you have any idea how rare the Beanie Baby goldfish is?"

"I find it disturbing that you do."

"I have to be well versed in a number of topics, Beanie Babies included."

"Because your readers expect a little more?" She teased him. Looking down at the little flamingo she softened. "Well, it was very thoughtful." She thanked him with a kiss on the cheek.

"So, what's your codename now?" Danny asked curiously.

"Mother Goose…" CJ grumbled. What was it about the secret service codenames for her? Out of all the important White House staffers, she was the only one who ever winded up hating her name.

Danny burst out laughing, but toned it down before CJ hit him again. "Well, Mother Goose, would you like me to cook you some dinner tonight?"

CJ's eyes lit up at the thought. She was starving, and she and Danny had barely had any alone time during her pregnancy. "Depends…what're you cooking?"

"Rigatoni in an alfredo sauce, garlic bread, and salad," Danny told her. He'd been planning to surprise her with dinner but her schedule was never conducive to a surprise. He thought it was better to ask.

CJ practically drooled. "That sounds really, really good right now," she told him, her voice thick with emotion. Damn hormones.

Danny was pleased with the effect the names of the foods had on her, and couldn't wait to see her actually eat them. "Lead the way, Goosey," he laughed, gesturing her out the door.

When they reached CJ's apartment Danny made her comfortable with a hot pack and some saltines to nibble on while she waited.

"Don't go anywhere for the next hour," he warned her, "just let me do the cooking."

"And the talking?" CJ chided.

"Yeah, that too," he shot back. "Just relax. It'll be good for you and for the baby."

"Colleen," she said softly, "I'm trying to use her name so that I get used to saying it."

Danny's face reflected nothing but love for the woman on the couch. "It'll be good for Colleen if her Mommy gets some rest."

CJ bit her lip and looked at Danny, realizing seriously that he was going to be a father, and she was going to be a mother. "Danny…"

"Yeah?"

CJ wavered. "Nothing. I'm just really hungry."

"One amazing meal coming up," he announced. "Just rest."

She fell asleep on the couch for a few minutes, then woke to the delicious smells coming from her kitchen.

"Danny?" She called into the kitchen.

"You're supposed to be resting," he scolded.

"What are those smells coming from my kitchen?" She asked, forcing herself up to venture after the aroma.

"That's the smell of love," he teased her. "And dinner…maybe you're smelling the dinner, which will be ready in a few minutes."

CJ entered the kitchen. "Ah, but see I was confused because there has never been anything edible prepared in this kitchen, to my knowledge."

Danny laughed. "You're that bad a cook?"

"When am I ever even here for a meal?"

"Touché, but I can't see you as a cook anyway."

"That's what I have you for," she flirted.

"Kiss the cook…" he mumbled, finding her lips. They locked in a deep kiss. It had been awhile since their last.

"Damn, that tastes good," CJ smirked.

"Speaking of which, dinner's ready." Danny served two heaping helpings of pasta and CJ practically inhaled it.

"Where did you learn to cook like that?" She asked, amazed by what she'd just tasted.

"I have to be well versed in culinary arts as well…" Danny began, laughing.

CJ giggled. "You need culinary skills for your readers?"

"No," he told her grinning. "I need them for you."

CJ was pretty exhausted, so while Danny cleaned up, she crept into bed. She forced herself to stay awake until he came to her.

"CJ?" He called softly, not wanting to wake her.

"I'm not asleep…yet," she told him dreamily.

"I just wanted to say 'good night' before I left."

Her heart panged. "Danny…"

"Yeah?"

"We're going to be parents in a month or so."

"Yeah…"

"Doesn't that scare you, just a little bit?" she asked.

"Yeah," he said honestly, moving to the bed. "It scares me a lot."

"Well, what do you do? you know…to get rid of that fear. You never seem afraid."
Danny put his arms around her and comforted her by rubbing her aching back. "I just think about you, and it isn't as bad."

They lay together until both were feeling sleeps warm embrace.

"I should go," Danny told her, kissing the nape of her neck.

CJ swallowed. "No…"

"CJ, I have to, the press…."

She cut him off. "I don't care about the press anymore, Danny. I care about us, and right now, I need you here," she looked at him, as if afraid he might leave anyway. She should have known by now that he did whatever she requested. "Stay?"

Danny nodded, pulling off his shoes and climbing into bed with her. With his arms around her and his breath soft on the back of her neck, they fell asleep.

To be continued…

Aw, now wasn't that cute? Get over the press thing already you two! (I should talk, I wrote it. Haha. Further proof that I'm nuts)