While President Santos's Senior Staff was settling into the White House, former White House Chief of Staff C.J. Cregg went back to her apartment to finish packing for her flight to California. As she was packing, she started to cry. Sure, she was heading to California to start her new life with Danny, the reporter she fell in love with over the last few years. At the same time, though, she was leaving most of her friends behind in Washington to start off the new administration.
About an hour later, she had finished packing and was just about to head to the airport when Josh and Donna appeared on the porch in front of her building.
"Hi, guys," said C.J., who was still a little teary-eyed.
"We couldn't let you leave without saying good-bye," said Josh, handing her a box.
"You guys, you shouldn't have," said C.J., who was now crying.
"We wanted to," said Donna, who was also crying. "You've meant so much to us over the last eight years, we wanted to give you a proper send-off."
"Thank you so much," said C.J. She looked at the box, she said, "I'll open this on the plane." She paused for a moment and said, "I have something for you, Josh."
"Really?" was Josh's reply.
After going back into the building for a moment, she came back out with a fishbowl which contained a very familiar goldfish.
"You're giving me Gail?" asked Josh.
"Think of it as a gift from one Chief of Staff to another," said C.J., with a smile, "I really can't take her on the plane with me, so I decided that she belongs with the new Chief of Staff."
"Thank you so much," said Josh, who now looked like he was going to start crying. "I don't know what to say."
"Then don't say anything," said Donna, who looked at Josh with a smile.
"I have something for you too," said C.J., looking at Donna. C.J. then handed Donna a package. Donna opened it up to find a blank journal with this inscription on the inside cover:
Donna,
You have done so many amazing things in the White House during these past eight years. You will be a wonderful COS to the new First Lady. Use this to help you remember how amazing you truly are, and how memorable your second White House journey will be.
With love,
C.J.
Donna started crying and said, "Thank you so much."
Just then, C.J.'s taxi came up, and all three of them shared one last hug before saying goodbye. Before she got into the cab, C.J. gave them her new contact information, so he would not miss out on the latest with all of her friends in the White House. C.J. then got into the taxi and would soon start her new life in California.
It was on her way to the airport that C.J. decided to open the gift from Josh and Donna.
She opened it to find a journal and a photo album. She first flipped through the album to find pictures of all of her friends that she had made and gotten to know so well during the Bartlet administration.
As for the journal, it was a book of letters from everyone in the administration. However, there was one envelope that had fallen out of the journal. C.J. had opened it to find a letter in Leo's handwriting. C.J. started to cry, since she knew Leo had written it before he died, otherwise it would have been in the journal with everyone else's notes. She started reading the letter:
Claudia Jean,
If you're reading this, it must be because I have died, the only thing that would have made you get out of the White House once Jed's administration ended. You are an amazing lady with many special things about you—never forget that. You have done a wonderful job during Jed's administration, so now go out and enjoy the next part of your life, whatever it may bring for you.
Love,
Leo
Next thing she knew, C.J. was at the airport. As she got out of the cab and entered the airport, she knew that she would miss everyone she had met at the White House, but at the same time was ready to move on and start her life with Danny in California.
