Author's Note: This takes place after Somebody's Going to Emergency, Somebody's Going to Jail. The idea came out of the fact that I always thought it was kind of weird that Josh attended CJ's meeting with the cartographers when he didn't have to. I thought there was some good interaction in those scenes. Additionally, thanks so much for the reviews! I was little nervous when I first uploaded it since it is an unusual pairing.

"Everybody's Free to Feel Good"

"Come on," Josh said poking his head into her office. "We're leaving to get Sam drunk."

"Yeah," CJ said taking one last glance at the TVs in her office before shutting them off. Josh hovered by the door. Once she turned her attention away from the televisions to ensure that nothing of merit was going on she asked, "How come you came to my map meeting today?"

"Hmm?" Josh asked.

"The cartographers thing? I didn't pull the shortest straw, but it wasn't like we could sell tickets to it or anything."

"I thought it would be fun," Josh replied hoping she'd leave it at that.

"You thought you'd have a laugh?"

"Sure why not?"

"Okay," she said, but she gave him a look that made him realize he was suspect.

"Josh, CJ," Toby called from outside the office.

"Where's Sam?" CJ asked.

"We're gonna meet him there," Josh explained.

"Aren't we supposed to be getting him drunk?" she asked grabbing her purse from the hook on the door.

"Well he'll be one behind by the time he shows up, thus he'll have to drink faster, helping him achieve a state of total inebriation faster," Josh said.

"Do you think using words like thus and inebriation make you sound smarter than you actually are?"

"Sometimes?"

"Just checking."

"Are you coming?" Toby said impatiently. Donna was beside him organizing her coat and purse.

"I think someone needs a drink more than Sam," CJ commented as they walked out of the building.

An hour later Sam had shown up to the bar and CJ, Josh, Toby, Sam and Donna were all happily drinking at a table near the bar. It seemed oddly busy, they hadn't seen their waitress in a while and round two was going down fast. Sam seemed to be in a better mood than he had been all day, although no one was yet brave enough, or drunk enough, to ask him how the conversation with his father had gone and he didn't seem too eager to talk about it. So, instead, they talked about their Big Block of Cheese meetings. Toby seemed particularly excited about his.

"You should have seen it," Toby told them. "They had no clue. Full access to someone from the White House and they were the most disorganized, disoriented group of people I've seen since the last session of Congress. And the no cameras thing? God CJ, I really could make out with you for that."

"Consider it an early birthday present," CJ smiled at him.

"The sheer lunacy of giving away the cameras!" Toby said and he took a sip of his scotch.

"I know," CJ shrugged. "I thought it was a long-shot."

"How was your thing?" Toby asked CJ.

"Oh yeah you had the cartographers?" Donna asked.

"It was hysterical," Josh piped up.

"You went?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, I told you to come," Josh replied stealing a glance in CJ's direction. She'd been pestering him all day about why he'd shown up at the meeting. He thought that acknowledging that he'd invited Sam to come with him might get him off her back.

"My meeting was high on entertainment value," CJ said. "Although I gotta say, after meeting with them, I'm honestly not sure I know where the hell we are right now."

"They always sway you," Toby commented.

"CJ is a sucker for the crackpots," Josh ribbed her.

"Toby, seriously, if you'd have seen these maps," CJ protested. "Josh, back me up."

"He did mention the maps," Donna piped up.

"You mentioned the maps?" CJ asked him.

"I might have," Josh said finishing off his beer.

"Even though you were trying to make me laugh at the meeting?"

"It wasn't hard. Come on, the beginning of that meeting? You have to admit they sounded a little crazy."

CJ just gave him a look and talk turned to Sam's meeting though both he and Donna were kind of quiet on the details. CJ noted her empty glass and figured she'd never see the waitress again so she decided to go to the bar.

"What does everyone want?" she asked. "I'm taking orders."

"Scotch," Toby said.

"Beer," Sam replied flashing his bottle in her direction.

"Donna?" CJ asked.

"I'm okay," Donna said. "I'm actually meeting Stephanie for a late dinner. I should get going soon."

"Okay," CJ replied. "Josh?"

"I'm okay," he said.

CJ walked over to the bar and waited. It was busy but she was able to carve out a small nook between two bar stools. She flagged down the bartender and gave him the order when she felt a familiar hand on her lower back. Normally she'd be irritated that a random stranger had taken the liberty, but for some reason she knew who was behind her.

"Change your mind?" CJ asked.

"Yeah, I'll have a seven and seven," Josh told the bartender. The bartender nodded and went to make their drinks and CJ noticed that Josh didn't move his hand. In fact, she noticed that he inched a bit closer to her.

"You know what they say about beer before liquor," CJ told him quoting the first half of the popular drinking axiom.

"That's an old wives' tale," Josh shrugged.

"So why did you come to my meeting today?" CJ asked him again, for the fourth time that day.

"Entertainment," Josh replied quickly.

CJ gave him a look. "You don't think I'm telling the truth?" he asked.

"I think it's partially true," CJ said.

"Why do you think I came your meeting then?"

CJ was unprepared to be called out on her question. Luckily the bartender came back with their drinks and CJ grabbed hers first and took a long sip hoping that Josh would forget he asked a question. She'd been drinking grasshoppers all night and she was starting to feel pleasantly buzzed.

"Well?" Josh asked. "Why do you think I came to your meeting?"

"I think you came because you wanted to be there," CJ said.

"Really."

"Really."

"Why do you think I wanted to be there?"

"I think it was the equivalent of walking me to my car," CJ said pointedly.

Josh took a sip of his drink and weighed CJ's comment. She was right, but he wasn't sure if he should be so bold in telling her that. In the end he said, "What if it was?"

CJ grinned as she picked up Sam's drink and handed it to Josh. She grabbed Toby's drink with the other hand and scooted away from the bar. She leaned over and in Josh's ear she whispered, "I'd say it was good because I've been thinking about all the naughty things I've wanted to do to you since that meeting."

CJ walked back to the table and it took Josh a moment to close his mouth and comprehend what CJ had just said to him. He turned and followed her, shocked that she'd say something like that and just walk away.

"Are you kidding?" Josh asked almost incredulously. Unfortunately they had already arrived at the table and everyone heard his question.

"What?" Donna asked.

"What did she say?" Sam asked.

"You look shocked Josh," Toby commented as he took his drink from CJ as she smiled at him.

"It was nothing," Josh said, playing it off. "CJ was just giving me a hard time."

"I'll drink to that," Sam said with a smile. He was clearly enjoying himself now.

The conversation that CJ and Josh had returned to was more serious than the one they'd left. It seemed that after they'd left Sam had decided to open up about his father's infidelity, though he didn't seem quite as upset about it as before.

"Anyway," Sam said. "I suppose I should be happy that he was at least with the same woman for all those years. At least it showed he had commitment to something, if not my mom."

"Commitment?" Donna asked. "You're happy he had a mistress now?"

"Not happy, but the alternative is that he could have been shacking up with someone new every week. At least I know there was real feeling involved on some level."

"You think because he had the mistress stashed away for years it shows real commitment?" Josh asked.

"Well," Sam shrugged, "I figure if two people keep up a regular relationship like that, there must be something real there. I don't really believe people can have casual sex for years. There must be some sort of love behind it if it goes on for years right?"

"I guess," Toby said a little leery.

CJ glanced over at Josh and noted that he was suddenly very focused on his glass. She took what Sam said with a grain of salt. He was looking for meaning in a terrible situation. In honesty, if she really thought about her arrangement with Josh, she could say that it was based on love. She loved Josh she just wasn't in love with him. She knew that he felt the same way about things and so she allowed herself to continue to drink without much more thought.

Luckily, Sam turned to the topic of conversation back to Toby's meeting with the protesters and everything was back to normal. Although CJ felt that maybe she was just taking Sam's topic of conversation was too personally.

"Well, I hate to break up the party, but I have to meet Stephanie," Donna said standing up.

"No, Donna, stay," Sam said. It was clear that their plan to get Sam drunk was working.

"I would, but Stephanie is only in town for a few days," Donna said.

"She's a nice person," Sam commented. "Tell her I said hello."

Sam stood up and nearly fell over his feet to approach Donna. He threw his arms around her in a tight hug. "Thanks Donna," Sam said. "You and Steph have a really great dinner."

"I will do that," Donna said stifling a laugh as Sam finally let her go. "Are you all okay to get home?"

"I'm driving," Toby said.

Donna knew that Toby was perfectly sober. His tolerance seemed to be much higher than the rest of the group and he'd only had two drinks over the course of the evening. She felt okay about leaving them, though she was surprised by how much Josh and CJ had decided to drink. They weren't drunk yet, but one more drink would put them well on their way to being there.

"Okay. Have a good night," Donna said.

"Bye Donna," CJ called.

"See you Monday," Josh said to her.

The remaining group sat there for a moment and Josh suddenly wondered how CJ would be able to come back to his place if Toby was driving them all home. Josh only lived two blocks from the bar, but CJ lived much farther and Toby would think it was odd that she didn't want a ride home. He finished his drink and decided to worry about a plan once they decided to leave.

"Hey, where are the restrooms here?" CJ asked as she pushed her empty glass forward on the table.

"Downstairs," Josh said. "Come one, I'll show you."

"We'll be back," CJ said.

"We'll be here," Toby said as he watching Sam sip a new beer.

CJ followed Josh to the front of the bar and then down a flight of stairs. He stepped aside and put out his hand to show CJ the ladies' room.

"Thanks," CJ said as she slipped past him and entered the room.

Josh walked into the men's room and noted that he was alone. He looked at himself in the mirror and straightened his shirt collar. He pulled his tie down a little for a more casual look and laughed silently to himself as he primped before seeing CJ again. In truth he hadn't really absorbed any of the conversation since CJ had whispered in his ear, though he'd been a part of it. The only thing he could manage to concentrate on was the memory of how soft her lips were.

Josh pulled himself together and walked out of the men's room to wait for CJ. The restrooms in the bar they were at were fairly secluded. They were down a flight of stairs and there was even a small alcove area that shielded anyone in it from people coming up and down the stairs. CJ exited the ladies' room and looked surprised to find him there.

"Were you worried I wouldn't be able to find my way back?" she asked.

"No," Josh said walking toward her. "Was it busy in there?"

"In the ladies' room?"

"Yeah."

"As a matter of fact, no. I was pretty much the only one in there, which is odd because it--"

CJ didn't have a chance to finish her thought aloud because Josh had moved toward her, placed his hands on her waist and slowly backed her into the hidden alcove area. His lips crashed into hers hungrily and CJ wasn't one to fight it. She had been thinking about this moment for most of the day herself. She wrapped her arms lightly around Josh's neck and leaned back against the wall. She felt his hips press against hers and even though she knew it was dangerous territory that they were treading in a public place she let her tongue linger with his for a moment longer before pulling back.

Their faces were centimeters apart and their bodies were still pressed together. "We're in public," CJ said a little breathlessly, removing her hands from his neck and running them down his chest before dropping them at her sides.

"Yeah," Josh said biting his lower lip. It seemed to take him a moment to summon his strength to let her go. He finally took a step back and took a deep breath, rubbing his hand along his face.

"How much longer do you think we have to stick around?" Josh asked.

"Sam seems sufficiently drunk," CJ said.

"How are we gonna get back to my place? Toby thinks he's giving us all rides home."

"We'll figure it out," CJ said reaching out and running her hand along his arm.

"Yeah," Josh sighed. "We should probably…"

"Yeah," CJ said with a hint of regret.

Josh and CJ arrived back at the table to see Toby helping Sam stand up. They'd only been gone for a few minutes, or so it seemed, but Sam had already finished his beer. Maybe they had spent a little too long in the alcove downstairs.

"Hey, what's up?" Josh asked.

"Josh!" Sam yelled. "CJ! See, they weren't lost."

"I was about to send out the search party for you two," Toby said.

"There was a line," CJ lied quickly. Josh tried to overlook the glance that Toby exchanged with CJ. He wondered if he knew she was lying.

"Well Sam is about ready," Toby said.

"I am pretty drunk," Sam freely admitted.

"You okay there Spanky?" CJ asked. "He was so not this drunk when we left the table. What did you give him?"

"Nothing," Toby said.

"I'm embracing the buzz CJ," Sam told her.

"Embracing the buzz?"

"Exactly," Sam nodded.

"Okay," Josh chuckled. "Are you feeling any better?"

"At the moment yes. Tomorrow morning, I'm gonna guess not so much," Sam said with a smile.

"Mission accomplished," Josh said raising his arms in triumph.

"Will you help me get him to the car?" Toby asked Josh.

"Sure," Josh said taking Sam's other arm.

"I don't need help," Sam insisted, but not fighting their assistance.

"I'll drop you two off first," Toby told CJ and Josh as they walked out of the bar.

"It's fine," Josh said. "Take Sam home. We can walk."

"We can walk?" CJ asked.

"It's fine," Toby said. "It'll take fifteen minutes."

"Sam looks bad," Josh said. "Just take him and I'll walk CJ home."

"Sam is standing next to you and he resents the fact that you think he looks bad," Sam said a little too loudly.

"CJ lives twelve blocks from here," Toby said as they helped Sam walk toward the car, which was, regrettably, parked down the street. Sam tripped over the curb, even as Toby and Josh helped him.

"You know, maybe Josh has a point," CJ said seeing them struggle to help Sam. "Sam should get home. We're out of the way."

"You want to walk twelve blocks?" Toby asked.

"It isn't quite that far," CJ hedged. "You should get him home."

"I'm fine," Sam said. "A good night's sleep and I'll be right as rain. But why is rain right? Most people hate rain. Toby why is right as rain an expression?"

"You two are gonna leave me to pour him into bed?" Toby asked as they reached the car.

"It looks that way," Josh said.

"I should have had another drink," Toby sighed. Josh and Toby heaved Sam into the passenger seat. "You seriously want to walk?"

"I want to walk," CJ said. "Besides, Josh needs the exercise."

"Hey," Josh said.

"You live a very sedentary life mi amour," CJ said. Hearing her use her special nickname for him made Josh even more eager to dispatch Toby and Sam and get back to his place.

"Seriously, it's late," Toby said again.

"It's barely midnight," Josh said. "We'll be fine."

"Okay, I'm leaving then," Toby said a bit unconvinced.

"Goodnight," CJ said. "Thanks for taking Sam home."

"Yeah, thanks Toby," Josh said. He had the distinct impression that if Toby really knew he was making it possible for him to get lucky that he probably wouldn't have taken no for an answer to the ride home.

"Night Sam," Josh said. "Remember, a glass of water and two aspirin and you'll feel right as rain tomorrow."

"Toby, serrsly," he said slurring his words. "Why do they say right as rain?"

Toby shook his head as he started his car and pulled away leaving CJ and Josh standing on the curb. They waited until Toby's car had turned the corner before they started walking the two blocks back to Josh's apartment.

"Why didn't you jump on the walking bandwagon?" Josh asked her as they walked.

"Toby would have been suspicious," CJ said.

"No he wouldn't," Josh said.

CJ just gave him a look and he said, "Yeah, he would have."

"I know how to play to my audience," CJ said.

"Oh yeah? What's your audience now?" Josh asked tucking his arm under CJ's coat and running his hand along her backside.

"I'd say captivated," CJ said turning her body to face his a little more. She reached out and gave his tie a playful tug.

"Hey, what was that crack about me leading live a very sedentary life?" Josh asked.

"You're behind a desk all day," CJ said. "Don't worry though. I plan to give you a good cardio workout tonight. How long is two blocks?"

"Too long," Josh said as they picked up their pace.

It took a lot of willpower for CJ and Josh to avoid a very public display of affection on the streets. By the time they reached Josh's steps they practically ran to his apartment door. Josh fumbled with the key while CJ ran her hands down his back waiting to be completely alone. When he finally got the door open CJ was right behind him as they shuttled into the apartment. CJ kicked the door shut with her foot even as Josh was peeling off her coat and tossing it to the floor.

They had a well-choreographed dance of kissing and touching and making their way toward the bedroom, but tonight, in their zeal to be together they took a detour and CJ felt her butt bump into something, which turned out to be the kitchen table.

"Wrong turn," CJ said as Josh kissed her more forcefully on the mouth.

Josh peeled his lips off of hers for a moment to survey the fact that they were in his kitchen. He ran his hands down CJ's hips and cupped her backside as he lifted her onto the table. "Or not," he said with a mischievous gleam in his eye.

Josh expertly unbuttoned CJ's blouse as she wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him closer to her. CJ, on the other hand, was having a problem with the buttons on Josh's shirt. She finally gave up trying to master getting the buttons through the holes and she took either side of the shirt and pulled sending all the buttons scattering on the kitchen floor.

"Seriously, again?" Josh asked pulling back for moment. That was the second shirt that CJ had pulled the buttons off of in the last year.

CJ tossed his shirt on the floor after removing it from his arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him close saying, "I will sew each and every button back on myself."

"Promise?" Josh asked resuming the trail of kisses he was planting on her neck and collarbone.

"Oh yeah," CJ said with a light sigh in her voice.

She could feel his body pressed against hers and she knew that it would only be a moment before things would be more urgent and yet they were in the middle of Josh's kitchen. It wasn't that she didn't think it would add an interesting dimension to their coupling, but she worried about the strength of Josh's table.

"Josh," she said as she helped liberate him from his pants.

"Yeah?"

"Are we staying here?"

"Hmm?" he said not really paying attention to her words, but instead focusing on her bra.

"Your table isn't the strongest I've seen," she said.

Josh also took a moment to survey the table and he saw the legs sway just a little when he purposefully nudged his hips into CJ's. "Point taken," he said.

CJ was readying herself to hop off the table when she felt Josh's hands cup her backside and lift her off the table. His strength was impressive as CJ was not a petite woman. She held onto him as he walked them into the living room because it was closer than the bedroom. He set her down on the couch and kissed her as he lay on top of her.

"That was sexy," CJ breathed into his ear.

"Yeah?"

"Very."

There was no time for talking and CJ and Josh finally gave into the passion that had somehow crept up because of cartographers. CJ thought she'd have to send a thank you note to the group that visited that morning. But then she wondered how you thanked someone for helping to inspire incredible sex.

A while later CJ and Josh lay on the living room floor breathless and exhausted. Josh had grabbed an afghan from the couch and they snuggled together until either of them could create a coherent sentence.

"Do you think Sam was right?" CJ asked Josh.

"What?"

"At the bar he said that his dad had a commitment to his mistress, which was better than a casual relationship," CJ explained.

"When did Sam say that?" Josh asked.

"At the table when we got back from the bar," CJ reminded him.

"He said that?"

"You weren't listening?"

"Not really," Josh said. "Someone whispered something very distracting in my ear and I couldn't really concentrate."

"Did I make good on my statement?"

"Oh yeah," Josh said pulling her closer. "In fact a few of the things we did might have broken some old Puritanical laws."

"That was the plan," CJ said running her hand down Josh's chest.

"Said the good Catholic girl," Josh smirked.

"But, seriously, do you think Sam was right?" CJ asked turning the conversation back to Sam's statement.

"About having a commitment?"

"Yeah," CJ said.

"Are you taking about us?" Josh asked, suddenly a little nervous.

"Not exactly," CJ said.

"Look," Josh said turning on his side to face her. "This is…I think our arrangement is a really good one. We've got some ground rules and it isn't like we do this a lot. Are you not okay with it anymore?"

"No, I am," CJ said quickly to dismiss his comment. "I agree with you. Sam was just talking about commitment and everything. I think you can care about someone and have an arrangement like what we have that's a little more…casual than some kind of all-encompassing affair."

"Are you saying you care about me?" Josh said adopting the vocal tone of a third-grader.

"Josh," CJ dismissed him.

"What? I care about you. I love you Claudia Jean. I'm just not in love with you."

"Well I feel the same way," CJ said.

"Good," Josh said. "Can we not get so philosophical now?"

CJ chuckled and ran her hand over her face. "Please! Sorry, it must be the alcohol."

"So let's talk about your penchant for ripping all the buttons off my shirts," Josh said.

"I just can't help myself," CJ replied with a little chuckle.

They stayed up chatting for a little while longer before they both fell asleep, happily exhausted and blissfully aware of the fact that they were both still happy with their little arrangement.

Josh awoke the next morning to find that CJ had started the coffee and taken his shirt with her from the kitchen floor. He didn't see it again until he went to work. She had left it on his desk wrapped in a bag. Josh took it out of the bag and noted that she had done pretty masterful work with the buttons.

"Did you have your cleaning delivered here?" Donna asked as she entered the office and saw Josh holding his shirt.

"Something like that," Josh said.

He glanced at the bottom of the bag to find a note that said, 'Double-enforced thread for next time.' He folded up the shirt and thought that he should send those cartographers a thank you note. But then he wondered how you thanked someone for a night like that.

TBC