Author's Note: This chapter takes place after season five's Talking Points. Josh and CJ had a few little exchanges that turned into this chapter. Reviews are always encouraged and appreciated!

"The Plane to Brussels"

The plane had been in the air for about an hour. Normally CJ would be on Air Force One, but, given everything that was going on, Toby thought it was better if she rode on the press plane just in case reporters needed her to clarify anything.

CJ had taken the press plane before. It definitely wasn't as nice as Air Force One. But, there were a few smaller conference rooms and a lot of phones. At least the seats had plenty of room. CJ scanned the cabin and noted that Josh had moved from his seat. He had ended up having to give his seat on Air Force One to McKenna. CJ felt a little sorry for him. He was already beating himself up about the free trade deal and now he was forced to travel to Brussels in a plane full of reporters who were after him on behalf of the CWA and other unions.

CJ unbuckled her belt and stood up. Traveling over the ocean wasn't her favorite trip and she decided to make herself useful by finding Josh. She answered a few questions as she walked through the cabin of the plane to one of the smaller conference rooms. She knocked on the door and opened it and sure enough she found Josh, sitting alone, at the conference table. She noticed he had a drink in his hand.

"Josh?" she asked as she entered behind him.

He turned and smiled. "Hey," he replied.

CJ walked over to the table and leaned against it. "What's going on?" she asked.

"Nothing," Josh replied absently. "I just didn't feel like sitting out there right now."

"Have you been getting a lot of questions?"

"A few," Josh said. He sipped his drink. "You want something to drink?"

"No," CJ replied. "It messes with my Dramamine."

"You still take that?" he asked with a smile.

"Only when we're flying over the ocean," she admitted. CJ didn't really like flying. She downplayed it and tried not to think about it most of the time, but Josh knew.

"I think you're underestimating getting drunk instead of pharmaceuticals," Josh said.

"Getting drunk surrounded y the White House Press Corp isn't the best idea you've ever had," CJ replied.

"True," Josh shrugged. "I'm only having one."

"I'm not judging you. It's been a hard day."

"I just don't want to talk to them right now. You're probably the only person I really want to talk to right now."

"I'm flattered."

A comfortable silence descended upon them for a moment before Josh broke it by saying, "Will asked me when I became a free trader this afternoon."

"What did you tell him?"

"I told him I became a free trader when I started working for one," Josh said. He stood up and drained his glass. He set it on the counter. "Are you?"

"Am I what?" CJ asked.

"Do you believe in what we're selling out there? Do you think free trade is right?"

"I honestly don't know," CJ replied.

"You don't have an opinion?" Josh asked.

CJ sighed. "I'm sure I do. I'm just not sure what it is."

"If that wasn't a patented Press Secretary answer I'm not sure what is," Josh replied.

"It's not an easy question," CJ said as she shifted her feet. "On the surface I don't like it. The president, Leo, a lot of people, look at the numbers. The numbers make sense to them. We lose 17,000 jobs, but in the long run we pick up 30,000. It sounds good."

"But?"

"But I live in the world of people. I see 17,000 people without jobs on the unemployment line, some too old to be retrained or hired for one of the 30,000 new jobs."

"Sounds like you're where I'm at," Josh replied.

"Yeah, but then I think about it and I realize that the president is a Nobel Prize-winning economist and I'm not. He's one of the smartest men I know so I just hope he knows what's right."

"And if he doesn't?"

"Well you see, that's where I have a problem because you're also one of the smartest men I know and if you're not sold, then how can I be?"

Josh took in that statement. It was a high compliment. He stepped closer to her, closing the space between them, but not so close that he created an uncomfortable distance.

"I just have to have faith that it'll all work out," CJ said.

"It also helps that you weren't the person who broke a promise to a lot of people today. I feel naïve. I asked to be put at the table. I never thought…"

"How could you?" CJ asked. "We've become very good about only giving out information on a need-to-know basis."

"You think they kept it from me on purpose?"

"Come on Josh, you know they did," CJ replied. "I'm sorry they did and I know how much it hurts, but, as someone who has been on the end of not knowing all the information, I can tell you that feeling will pass."

"When?"

"Eventually?"

"That's comforting," Josh replied sarcastically.

CJ smirked. "Isn't it?" she asked.

"On top of all this, Donna was pissed at me today," Josh told her. He didn't really realize how much it bothered him that Donna had been mad until he mentioned it to CJ. He had a lot of conflicted feelings lately; about Donna; about CJ; about his job.

"What did you do?" CJ asked knowingly.

"Nothing!"

"Josh?"

"She wanted to come to Brussels," Josh said. "I couldn't get her on the trip."

"She wanted to come to Brussels for 36 hours? Most of this trip is going to be in the air and in busses."

"I told her that."

"And?"

"I think she felt like I didn't try hard enough or something. She was giving me the silent treatment."

"You hate that."

"I really do."

"You won't be ignored," she teased him.

"You're mocking me."

"A little."

"I'm pouring my soul out to you and you're mocking me," Josh replied with mock indignation.

CJ chuckled. "I am. I'm sorry."

"Today sucked," Josh said turning serious.

"I know," CJ commiserated with him. She reached out and took his hand. She gave it a squeeze to let him know that she understood.

Josh took a step forward and pressed his forehead against hers. He closed his eyes and took a breath. He had come into the conference room to be alone, but found that what he was actually looking for, he found here, with CJ.

CJ took her free hand and placed it on Josh's cheek. She knew Josh was reaching out to her right now. He needed her and she wanted to be there for him. She was walking a fine line between appropriate and not, but right now she knew Josh needed a friend.

"You've had worse days," she reminded him. "You got through them and you'll get through his."

Josh opened his eyes. "Yeah," he replied leaning back even though he wanted nothing more than to stay there and have CJ comfort him. He knew Ben was still in the picture, though he sensed maybe not for long. He dropped her hand and put a little space between them.

"Do you think…" CJ started to say something, but then thought better of it. "Never mind."

"Do I think?" Josh prodded her.

"Is there a reason you didn't want Donna to come on the trip?" she asked.

"A reason?"

"Forget it," CJ said. She saw the way he sometimes looked at Donna. He hadn't looked at her that way in a while, but she'd seen it before. CJ secretly wondered if Josh kept her behind because he didn't want to be tempted.

"Why would I have a reason to keep Donna back in Washington?" Josh asked.

"I didn't say you had one."

"But you asked."

"I just wondered because Donna is like your right hand. I would have assumed if she wanted to come on the trip that you would have made it happen."

"I can do my job without Donna," Josh informed her.

"I know you can," CJ replied. "Look, it was a dumb question. I didn't mean anything."

"Okay," Josh said. He shoved his hands in his pockets and glanced around the room. He wasn't sure what CJ was getting at, but he knew he wasn't comfortable with whatever she was implying. So, in true Josh fashion, he decided to change the subject.

"When was the last time we were on the press plane together?" he asked.

CJ thought about it. "I don't know. The first term probably."

"I have fond memories of this conference room though," Josh said. "The couch especially."

CJ saw his cheeks flush a little and CJ's did as well. "Yeah, well, that probably wasn't the best idea."

"We were on our way to Iceland?" Josh asked.

"We were on our way home from Denmark," CJ corrected him

"We were so jetlagged," Josh recalled.

"Which is probably why things got a little out of hand," CJ replied. "Anyone could have walked in."

"We locked the door."

"Thank God my pager went off," CJ said.

"I recall that being kind of annoying actually," Josh said with a smirk.

CJ grinned at him. They looked at each for a moment and then the moment for reminiscing had passed.

"I don't know how I'm going to be able to keep on a happy face at this thing," Josh said.

CJ approached him. "I think you can do it," CJ said. She gave him a tiny peck on the cheek.

"Just think of something happy and you'll get through it okay," she reminded him.

"Yeah," he replied.

CJ walked towards the door and put her hand on the handle. "You coming?" she asked.

"I'll be out in a minute," he said.

"Okay."

CJ left the room and Josh took a deep breath. Josh thought about what he'd think about during the photo ops to keep a smile on his face. The next day when the flashes were popping Josh glanced over at CJ and made eye contact. She smiled at him and he smiled back. Wouldn't you know that was the picture that showed up in the papers later that day?

TBC