Author's Note: Sorry this one took me so long.! I had it written, I just forgot to post it! looks ashames So, anyway, there are two more chapters after this one (they're almost done, just give me some time). Enjoy!

For anything else, see first chapter…

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If The Whole World Would Stop Looking…

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/-/-/ Idaho: Hotel, One Month After Second Kiss /-/-/

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He yawned. He didn't mean to; he had been trying to hide it for hours. Covering his mouth, Danny tried to conceal the fact that he had indeed just yawned. He glanced up sheepishly, still trying to ignore the fact that his eyelids were dropping, nearly closed, and that he had lost his train of thought sometime in the past ten minutes.

CJ just smiled at him. Danny rubbed his eyes and looked at her, wishing that she wouldn't say anything.

"Go to bed, Danny, you're gonna fall asleep on me."

Danny shook his head. "Nah. No, I'm fine… What was I saying?"

CJ laughed and forced herself out of the sofa they had invaded earlier. Extending her hand, she offered it to him. Danny looked up at her, a devilish smirk on his face. If he wasn't so tired, he thought he might have fun messing with her. But, as it was, he could barely keep his eyes opened. Taking her hand, CJ shot him a suspicious glance before tugging on his arm and helping him to stand.

Catching his balance and then straightening, Danny took in his surroundings for the first time since they sat down. The lobby was empty and the clerk at the front desk appeared to be half-asleep himself. He scratched the back of his head as he looked around, realizing that no one else was there.

"Guess we're the last one's up."

"Yeah," CJ agreed through a yawn. "But that's about to change."

Danny nodded. "Sounds like a plan." Stuffing his hands in his pockets, Danny blinked, trying to focus his mind on something. He tilted his head to the side, gesturing towards the elevators. CJ took the first steps towards it, Danny letting his hand rest on the small of her back as he lead her away from the lobby.

As they walked past the clerk, he glanced up at the clock above the man. He blinked- the only reaction to his shock he could express- and looked back to CJ. "I can't believe we've been sitting down here for five and a half hours."

"It's three in the morning?" She asked, looking over her shoulder just as they stepped into the elevator.

"Three forty, but who's counting?" CJ laughed, the sound being interrupted by her yawning. "I think we might have stayed up a little too late."

"Just a little."

"It was fun though."

CJ just nodded, looking up to watch the floors go by. It didn't take long before her floor lit up and the elevator stopped. She glanced at Danny, "Well I guess this is goodnight."

He feigned shock and dismay, smiling as he proclaimed, "Oh, now my dear CJ, what kind of gentleman would I be if I didn't walk a lady to her door? I've got until the end of the hallway to say goodnight." CJ let out a soft chuckle, shaking her head as she stepped out of the elevator, Danny's hand finding its way back to rest on her back. They walked slowly, an amicable silence settling over them as they made their way to the end of the hall. All Danny noticed was that she didn't bat his hand away.

"This is it," she said reluctantly. Danny stopped before the door she had gestured to, his hand unwillingly leaving the warmth of her back as CJ stepped forward, unlocking her door. Leaning against the doorway, she turned to look at him. Her head cocked to the side, now resting against the wood, as she looked at him. Danny caught her eye. He felt something in him shiver, knowing the thought running through her mind.

He cleared his throat, prying his eyes away from hers. "I should…"

"Yeah."

"So…"

"See you in the morning?"

"Yeah." He nodded, wetting his lips as he did. "See you then." CJ nodded as well. Danny looked back up at her eyes. He wasn't moving and she was just standing there, staring at him.

"Danny?"

"Hmm?"

"At some point you're going to have to move in some direction."

"Yeah… much better view right here than in my own room." A smile tugged at her lips as she looked up at him. "Okay," he said suddenly, tearing his eyes from her once again. He cleared his throat again, trying to hide his grin. "Um… I'm going."

"I don't get a goodnight kiss?" He looked up sharply, his smile gone and some color fading from his cheeks. CJ just smiled broadly at him. Danny ran a hand over his beard, glancing down the hall.

What was he thinking? No one was awake at that hour- well except them, of course. It was the exhaustion talking. Thinking. Whatever. Danny looked back up at her, his eyes finding hers once again. They hadn't kissed since that one night in the parking lot. It surprised Danny to think a month had passed and they had managed to keep their hands off each other. That's what surprised him so much. CJ hadn't physically stopped anything between them- mostly because nothing physical had happened- but he got them impression that she would if he tried something.

"Well?" Danny cleared his throat, his cheeks reddening as he looked to the floor. "You're not embarrassed, are you?" Danny's eyes remained on the floor, continuing to watch even as her feet came into view. He looked up only when he could feel how close her body was to his, when he could feel the heat radiating from her body. Her breath tickled his skin, sending fire through his nerves. "I'd ask you in, but…" Danny shook his head, leaving CJ to trail off.

"It's okay."

"No… I really want to."

"Yeah." His tongue rolled over his bottom lip. "I know."

Then she cracked a smile, surprising him with the abruptness of it. "Besides, you wouldn't want to see me in the morning before I've had my coffee."

"Been there before," he smiled, "Besides," he sucked in a deep breath for the effect, "I don't think it's possible for you to look anything but cute or adorable or hot or sexy or any other flattering adjective." His lips pulled back farther into a smile as he watched her looked down, cheeks blushing. A stray lock of hair fell into her eyes and he brushed it behind her ear without realizing. "I'm serious about that," he said as he caught her eyes again. "But then, I've never seen you early in the morning when you're hungry and caffeine deprived and your hair is sticking up. But even then, I'd imagine that I'd find something endearingabout you."

CJ let out something somewhere between a snort and a chuckle, swatting his arm. "Shut up."

"Do I still get to kiss you goodnight?"

"Not after that comment."

Danny smirked, hands falling to her hips before she could move back into the doorway. "You sure?"

CJ smiled, arching an eyebrow at him. "Bedtime, Daniel."

"Sounds good… you don't mind bunking with me, then?"

"Danny."

"I know, just teasing." He smiled at her, leaning forward and gently kissing her flushed cheek. "Goodnight, CJ."

"Goodnight, Daniel."

For a moment, he let his hands linger on her hips, sliding them off as slowly as he could. He didn't drop her eyes even as he backed away. She just smiled at him. Danny turned, strolling casually down the hall as he tossed sporadic glances back at her. CJ laughed after the fifth time. He smiled, looking back to see her wave and walk into her room.

Danny sighed. Then he paused, staring back at her closed door. The thought of knocking on her door and hoping she'd let him in crossed his mind. He sighed, shaking his head. No… No, he would let her sleep.

He turned and continued to the elevator, a smile forming on his lips. He had a great night, no matter how little sleep he was going to get that night. He didn't even know when they had started talking, but he didn't remember leaving her side since dinner. They'd talked endlessly. Even Josh and Toby and Sam had sat with them for a while. Who knew what they had all talked about, but, at some point, everyone had left and there the two were, talking in the middle of the lobby without regard for the time. It might have been the best night of his life… so far…

He yawned and stepped onto the elevator.

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/-/-/ Two Months Into Office: The White House /-/-/

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Her feet were stung, the pain shooting up her calfs. She was searching out a chair, or a lone place to stretch out on the floor. But, for eight minutes, her search had been futile.

CJ was utterly positive that it was the longest day in her entire existence.

It was only ten o'clock.

CJ sighed, sinking into the molding of the chair. She slid her eyes closed, shifting her weight in an attempt to find a comfortable position. Opening her eyes, she found herself staring up at the pressroom ceiling. No one would be in there for a while- at least not for another half an hour when she would brief again- and so she thought it was safe, for just a while.

She was sitting in the fourth row, legs stretched under the chair in front of her. She hadn't intentional sat in the chair on purpose-

CJ shook her head, then rubbed her eyes. She glanced up at the podium, wondering briefly what she looked like up there. Wondering what her reporters saw everyday. It was different.

Her hand strayed up to her neck, tracing the silver chain. She paid no attention to her actions, staring forward at the podium. At some point she pulled the necklace out of her shirt, her thumb caressing the soft metal as she often did in private. Her head had fallen to rest in her hand, elbow resting on the armrest. She was so tired and focused on nothing that she never heard Josh enter the pressroom.

"What are you doing, CJ? CJ?"

"Hmm?" She started, head whipping around to see Josh strolling down the steps, approaching her slowly.

"Just saw the lights on… what's that?"

"Sorry?"

CJ stared at him a moment, cocking her head to the side, eyebrows bushed together. He was gazing steadily at her neck. She looked down, surprising herself with the sight of the ring. "That looks suspiciously like an engagement ring on that necklace, CJ."

"Yeah," she whispered. Suddenly her eyes grew wide as she realized what she had said, the blood draining from her face. She looked up at him. Josh stared, gapping at her.

"You don't mean-"

"Hey, CJ! Oh, sorry, Josh. Um," Carol looked between the two of them, gesturing behind herself, "The Press Corps is about to come in. Don't you want to?"

"Yeah." CJ looked back to Josh, his mouth was flapping opened, giving himself the appearance of a fish as he tried to search for words. Hiding the ring back in her shirt, she stood up. Stepping around Josh, she whispered into his ear, "We'll talk about this later." He made no movement to indicate that he heard or understood her, but she continued out of the room, following Carol into the hall.

The assistant handed her several folders, quickly briefing her on the content. CJ smiled her thanks to Carol, looking down at the files as she headed back to her office.

"CJ? You- wait, you don't mean- CJ?"

His first words had CJ spinning around in the hallway to respond. By the fourth word out of his mouth, she was mere steps away from him, by the second time he had said her name, she was tugging on his arm, trying to silence him.

"Josh?"

"CJ, he's- who- wait-?"

As he babbled on, CJ looked frantically around herself, finally spotting a door. She grabbed Josh's arm and pulled him with her, pulling the door opened and shoving him inside.

"What the hell was that out there, Josh? Do you even know the meaning of discreet?"

"CJ… are you engaged? To whom? When? Where? Why- what's going on?"

CJ shook her head. "Slow down, slow down, Josh… God," she turned her head, looking away from him. She rubbed her temple with her one hand, the other wrapping around her waist.

"CJ-?"

"Yes."

"Yes?"

"Yes, I'm engaged. The night of the election."

"You got engaged… that night? Wait, I didn't even know you had a boyfriend? I mean, you yourself said you had no time for anything. I mean… who the hell is it? Why haven't you told anyone?"

"Josh… Josh, promise me you won't freak out on me when I tell you." He gave her a half shrug, shaking his head. "Josh."

"I won't." He watched her, waiting for her to answer, to say something… to change her mind. She looked down, finding something particularly interesting about the barely visible floor. Josh could have sworn that she said something, he could barely hear her mutter something, but he couldn't quite make out the words. "CJ?"

She looked up. Her shoulders squared themselves, almost on instinct. She found his eyes. Her face was impassive, but her eyes slowly cracking, showing her fear. "It's Danny."

"Concannon? Danny Concannon?"

She nodded slowly. "Yeah… we've been dating for a while."

"How long's a while?"

"I'm not entirely sure." Josh rose a brow at that, but he didn't comment. "I think it's pretty obvious why we didn't tell anyone."

"Yeah. Carol know?"

"I think so. At least I've never told her and she's never said anything but… you know assistants- they know everything."

"Yeah." Josh nodded, glancing away.

"Josh?"

"I'm not going to tell anyone."

"I wasn't going to ask that."

He looked up and found her eyes. "CJ, I don't think it's a good idea- not for your reputation or your job- but… I've seen you two together. You look good together- now that a few things are pieced together- and… I don't know but… if you ever need something- a distraction, or some help, or… or a shoulder or whatever- you know where to find me, okay?"

"Josh?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank-you."

He smirked, flashing his dimples. She smiled. "No problem. Hey, one last question?"

"Yeah?"

"Why are we standing in a closet?"

"Because you were the idiot discussing this horrendously in the middle of the hallway."

"Right… think we should go out at different times or-"

"Get out of here!" He laughed as she pushed him, the door opening for him as he staggered forward. CJ laughed, shaking her head at the situation.

"Josh?" she called after him a moment later. "Thank-you."

"No problem. And congratulations."