I do not own these characters, this may not be my first story that has been published, but I wrote the first many chapters on paper a little over a year ago, so can I please get some reviews. 😉
A month goes by and Danny suggests for the two of them to go and meet his family in Michigan. When they get off the plan they hear "Daniel, Daniel."
"Danny, I think that might be your mom calling for you." Danny looks toward the voice.
"Yes, it is come on," Danny grabs CJ's hands and they walk to his mom.
"I take this is the famous CJ Cregg."
"Yes, Ma this is Claudia Jean Cregg, the woman that I love."
"CJ, the is my mom Lorretta Concannon."
"Isn't she a little tall," at this point CJ looks like she is about to flea if it wasn't for being her anchor. "I was just kidding, I've always known that you are tall. Danny made us watch C-SPANN to see the woman he loves."
"Mother!"
"Oh, come on, I'm pretty sure that she knew that you were already in love with her."
"Yes, I knew. I was told by two-thirds of my boss' that I couldn't be in a relationship with a reporter. The President wasn't one of them he only said to me that as long as we had those jobs it wouldn't have worked out between the two of us."
"What would have happened if The President said that you couldn't date me?"
"I think if Abbey found out she would go after him telling him that I am an adult and that he is not my father. I should be able to have a relationship with anyone I want even if it is a member of the Press. Remember that Danny is a good guy and that he only reports the truth."
"Abbey did want us together."
"She just wanted me in a relationship." Danny's mom interjects in the conversation.
"We should head up to the house before they start to worry, and so CJ can meet everyone."
CJ and Danny ride in the back seat of the car with Danny holding CJ's hand to keep her calm. When the car pulls up a little girl comes running up saying "Uncle Danny, Uncle Danny."
"Danny picks up his 5-year-old niece with curly red hair "how is my little monkey?"
During this whole interaction, CJ observes how good Danny is with his little niece. The girl looks up at CJ with curious eyes and says, "is this my auntie?"
"Not quite yet sweetie?"
"But why?"
"Well," CJ comes up, "your Uncle Danny has to ask me to be his wife first."
"Don't you want to be my Uncle's wife?" Before CJ can answer Danny's, sisters come up to them to hug their brother. Danny gives his sisters a glare so they know that they interrupted something.
"So, big brother how is California?"
"Great, it is refreshing not to be a reporter anymore, and I have a teaching job lined up starting in the fall."
"I still can't believe that you wanted to stop being a reporter."
"It's because I was tired of all the sex scandals mainly Doug Westin."
"Who is that?"
"He is President Jed Bartlet's son in-law." They all walk into the house to see an older man that looks almost exactly like Danny. "Hey, dad do you want to meet CJ?"
"You mean the 2nd girl that you ever brought home to meet the family," Danny's face turns a bright shade of red.
Danny's tall skinny brunette haired sister whispers in CJ's ear "you must feel lucky. It was his first girlfriend while in college."
"I have known for a while that I am lucky to have him."
"Guys let them breath, they just got off the plane."
"Mom, you were just like them on the way here."
"Daniel Steve Concannon."
"How about we all sit down while dinner finishes cooking, and we can get to know CJ better."
CJ looks nervous "are you sure that we have enough time?"
"Come on CJ tell us where you are from and about your family."
Danny rubs CJ's back while she says, "I'm from a small-town Dayton, Ohio; my mom passed away when I was a kid. I have two older brothers one niece named Hogan and my dad has Alzheimer's." Danny knew this was going to happen if his family bugged her enough about where she was from.
"Okay," everyone else in his family says in unison.
"Uncle Danny, Uncle Danny my ball got stuck in the tree, can you please help me?"
CJ looks down at the little girl "I can help you sweetie."
"Really Aunt CJ?"
"Of course, with our heights combined we should get the ball no problem."
"Yeahhhh!" As they leave the room Danny's family looks at him.
"She's good with kids and doesn't really talk about her family unless she has to."
"How did she get so good with kids?"
"Sometimes The Bartlets had their grandkids come visit and at times kids from the local elementary schools came to The White House." During the dinner, they all are sitting around the table enjoying their meal when Danny's niece Melody came up with a question.
"How come you haven't kisses Aunt CJ yet. Mommy and Daddy kiss all the time."
"Well," Danny leans over to kiss CJ when they break everyone starts to eat again and Danny puts his hand under the table to hold her hand.
"This is good, what is it?"
"It is Cheese Burger Salad," after they finish their meal they all settle in the living room for some homemade chocolate cake. A few hours later Maddie and Alice Danny's sisters leave with their husbands and kids to put them to bed.
"But I want to say goodbye to Uncle Danny and Aunt CJ again."
"Melody sweetie, you already said goodnight to them two times."
"But Momma."
"Come on we are going home." After they all leave the four adults left in the house relaxes, because the little 5-yeae-old has left. CJ understands the his 7-year-old niece was quite because she was shy from meeting a 6-foot tall woman.
"So, you met most of my family."
"Yes, I did," Danny's parents are watching the interaction.
"Thank you Ceej."
"Whatever for?"
"Liking my family."
"How can I not like your family when they are apart of you."
"So how is the couple," says Danny's parents to get their attention.
"Good," both CJ and Danny say in unison.
"How long have you two known each other?"
"About a decade, Mom."
"Was my son not good enough for you?"
"Yes, he was and is. I wasn't allowed to date journalists during my time as Press Secretary and most of my time as Chief of Staff."
"What changed?"
"I saw life was too short and my feelings beat out the rational side of my brain." His mom looks unimpressed.
"Mom, love is irrational." A little while later everyone gets ready for bed when CJ pulls out The Notre Dame shirt that Danny gave her while she was still in DC. "You know how beautiful you are CJ?"
"You're only saying that because I'm wearing his old sweatshirt."
"That is only part of it Ceej."
"We probably should get to bed." The crawl into bed.
"Yeah, I'm feeling a little jet legged myself." They fall asleep with Danny holding CJ. The next morning CJ wakes up to find herself alone in the bed. She goes downstairs, but stops at the bottom of the stairs.
"When are you going to ask CJ to marry you," asks Lorretta.
"I am waiting for a sign that tells me that she is ready to marry me mom."
At this point, CJ thinks to herself "I did give, you a sign when I told Melody that you had to ask me first."
"Daniel, she gave you sign yesterday, when Melody asked if CJ was her auntie. CJ then proceeded to say you had to ask first.
"I still need the perfect ring, still need to ask her dad and brothers. I asked The Bartlets before I left DC as they are surrogate parents to her."
"How did my son get so old fashioned?"
"I have always been like this. I know that CJ is her own woman and an adult, and she doesn't need permission to marry someone. I just know this is the best idea, since it shows respect to her family."
"That is wonderful," at this point CJ walks in forgetting that she is wearing Danny's Notre Dame sweatshirt. She realizes it when Danny's mom look up and smiles. "Ummm CJ, isn't that Danny's shirt."
"Yes, it is, he gave the day before the Inauguration."
"How did it happen?"
"Well, before I left for the plane I stopped by The White House to talk to The President and say goodbye to CJ, I gave her a key and told her that there was something for her sitting on my pillow.
"Don't forget along with the shirt was a really sweet letter."
"Oh, before I forget we have to pick up Melody and Charlotte from school today. They all visit throughout the day when Lorretta notices that CJ is distracted she motions for Danny to follow her. When they get to a room where the safe is at, she opens the safe to revile an engagement ring that has been in their family for generations. It was the one thing that was left to him (as the only grandson) in the will. "So, Daniel, did you ever wonder why you haven't received anything in the will?"
"No, I wasn't, I was the only grandson."
"Well, she left you her most precious piece of jewelry. Her engagement ring from your grandfather. She had one condition which you have met." She gets out the ring, "so do you think this the ring for her?"
Danny looks at the ring, "yes, it is, it's elegant not too big."
"So, when are you planning to propose to CJ?"
"Well, I'm thinking about the next time the whole Bartlet gang gets together."
"Why not something more romantic?"
"Those are some of the people that mean the world to her." Danny starts to hear CJ's voice.
"Danny, Danny, where are you?" He heads out of the room to see CJ going into his old bedroom, so he goes up behind her and pick her up from behind.
"I'm right here honey."
"Daniel, Danny put me down," she says while laughing.
"Ok Flamingo, why were you looking for me?"
"The former President called asking if we may be free on The Fourth of July."
"Let's see that is roughly 5 months away. Of course, Ceej, do you know who will all be there?"
"We were the first call, they said that they were going to call Josh and Donna, Toby, Will and Kate, Annabeth."
"So, he is trying to forgive Toby."
"Abbey said it would be a good idea everyone who worked for The White House in The Bartlet administration." Danny looks at CJ, "she was not a fan of Mandy, and besides she left right after Rosslyn.
"She probably doesn't like Mandy because of the whole memo, and she flirted with any guy who wasn't married."
"I don't like her because she flirted with you in my office that one day."
"Oh, CJ I love you, you have been the only girl for me since I heard you laugh."
"I almost forgot that Carol and Margaret are coming too, I will make sure that Carol is off on the holiday." Danny grabs CJ's face and kisses her. As they break apart a voice drifts upstairs.
"You two love birds come downstairs to say goodbye to Melody and Charlotte."
"We're coming," as the head downstairs Danny sees Lucy Kentridge his first girlfriend standing in the hallway with his family looking at her like she is the devil.
She looks up to see Danny holding hands with CJ "who is this woman Danny?"
"This is my fabulous girlfriend CJ, you Jed Bartlet's campaign and his presidency as both The Press Secretary and his second Chief of Staff." Danny kisses CJ at this point, "Ceej, this is Lucy she was in the AV club with me."
"Oh, ok, hi Lucy," CJ realizes that she is Danny's ex-girlfriend.
Danny's sister Elizabeth speaks up "I didn't she was going to show up."
"That's ok, I have been over her for years, and I have been in love with CJ, longer than I was even with her."
Lucy walks up with Danny, "come on Danny boy you know you want me."
"No Lucille I DO NOT want you, and just for your information I do not like being Danny boy! My favorite nick name is Fish boy, which I got from CJ after I gave her a Goldfish years ago. I only want CJ because I LOVE HER!"
Lorretta speaks up "I think it is time for you to leave Lucy."
"Fine Concannons see if you get any of the money I am entitled to."
CJ comes up "Danny is a two-time Pulitzer prize winner, and I am currently working in a foundation that is backed by a multibillionaire to get roads in Africa, and I have a pretty good pension from my time as a White House staffer, and he has one from the Post." Lucy leaves in a huff knowing that Danny won't budge and wonders if CJ is getting the ring that is in Danny's family that is worth millions now.
After Lucy is gone both Danny and his mom turn to CJ apologizing to her "it's fine I have exes too, some of which probably don't expect me to be in a committed relationship."
"Mom, CJ and I have to head out soon, because I was trying to surprise her with a visit to her home in Dayton. I don't think she needs any more surprises today am I right hun?"
"I don't mind surprises most of the time."
"Well, come on beautiful let's go meet your family."
"Ok," they go back upstairs to pack their bags and head out the door.