Author's Note: This chapter takes place following season six's Third Day Story. It also includes a tiny callback to season five's Access. A version of this chapter was actually the second chapter of this story before I decided to make it a much longer series, so I hope you enjoy it.

"The Floppy Hat"

CJ sat in her office taking a breather after Toby left her office. He wanted answers. He wanted to know why she got the one-on-one ride back to the White House with the president. She didn't tell him things were going to change. She didn't say that something irreversible and scary and exciting happened in that ride back to the White House with the president. Something CJ never expected and something she never dreamed she could attain. She was Chief of Staff now. And now she had to deal with round two. Josh was coming down the hallway to her office even as she tried to process how things were going to change.

"So, what was that about?" Josh asked, peeking his head into her office. Toby had just been there and left without any answers. She wasn't sure she could take another grilling.

"What was what about?" she asked pretending as if she didn't know.

"The ride back here, just you and the president," Josh said walking in and taking a seat.

"It was nothing," she lied.

"Nothing?"

"He wants to make some remarks to the press tomorrow," CJ shrugged.

"And he didn't want Toby in on that meeting?"

"It wasn't like that," she said, still shell-shocked from not being asked to be the new Chief of Staff, but also of her own acceptance of the position. The president was going to tell Josh and Toby, and really the whole world, tomorrow morning. For now her ascension to Chief of Staff was unknown to everyone but the president, Leo and CJ.

"Hey, what are you doing tonight?" she asked him suddenly.

"Huh?"

"Tonight," she said. "I owe you dinner."

"You're conceding defeat?" Josh asked surprised. He was certain he was going to lose their little bet about staying away from junk food, so he was surprised that CJ not only wanted to move their dinner, but that she was conceding defeat. "It's only been like a day."

"I feel bad, taunting you with the pizzas," she replied.

"And the brownies."

"The brownies weren't me," CJ said.

Josh waited a beat in which she could see his mind reeling. He sensed that dinner had nothing to do with their bet and everything to do with what happened in the presidential limo. "What was that meeting about?" he asked again.

"Do you want dinner or not?"

"You wearing the floppy hat?"

"If I must."

"You must."

"Okay then."

Josh stood up to leave. "You're really cooking me dinner?"

"I really am."

"It's you and me this weekend baby. And you're wearing a floppy hat!"

It was a harmless wager she proposed. Josh had to stop eating junk food and CJ would cook him a nice meal. Wearing whatever he wanted. That was the part that had gotten them into trouble. She tried to qualify the offer, but she noted how his eyebrows had perked up at the thought. She noticed how Greg Brock looked at her funny when Josh called her baby and yet she initiated the dinner anyway.

The dinner was harmless, the outfit amusing, but it wasn't anything serious…until it was.

CJ thought about how they'd gotten to this point as she walked from his apartment to her car. Sure, she'd baited him. She'd sent him pizzas and donut trays by his office door, trying to break his resolve. But, that was what they did. That was how it always was. So what changed? She couldn't be sure, but she knew that there was an energy in the air when she went to Josh's apartment.

"Hey," she said into the buzzer. "It's me. Your own personal Julia Child."

"Come on up," he buzzed her in. "You better be wearing the floppy hat I was promised and I prefer Nigella."

"She does sick things with food," CJ replied. "I'm coming up."

CJ made her way up the stairs and to Josh's door with an armful of bags and, as requested, the floppy chef's hat. It didn't take Carol long to track one down. She went to the kitchen staff and they found her one fairly quickly. They all thought she was getting ready for Halloween a bit early, but they obliged.

CJ walked up to Josh's door and placed the hat on her head before knocking. She waited while he made his way to the door feeling conspicuous. It was bad enough she was already six-feet tall, now she had a large floppy chef's hat on her head.

"Well look at you," Josh grinned when he opened the door.

"Floppy hat as requested," she replied trying to push passed him.

"No wait," Josh said putting a hand on her arm to prevent her from entering. "I have to take this all in."

"You're such an ass," CJ smiled as she brushed passed him with a chuckle.

"So what are we having anyway?" Josh asked closing the door behind her.

"Rosemary chicken on a bed of rice pilaf, honey-glazed baby carrots and Caesar salad," CJ said confidently as she began to unpack the grocery bags.

"And for dessert?" Josh asked.

"You get no dessert," CJ replied. "That was the whole point of this exercise."

"Real chefs always serve dessert," Josh protested.

"You can have an apple," CJ smiled at him sweetly. "Or some raisins."

"You're not a real chef anyway," Josh sniffed. "Real chefs make ostrich and froe gras."

"Do you really want to eat ostrich and froe gras?"

"No," he admitted.

"Then be thankful for what you're getting."

CJ continued to unpack the grocery bags until she reached the bottom of the bag, pulling out a crisp white apron. She pulled it over her head and tied the strings around the back.

"Oh this is too good," Josh said taking in the sight of her in an apron and chef's hat.

"Do I look the part?"

"Definitely," Josh smirked. "You know, you left the door kind of open on your attire."

"Not entirely, I clarified," CJ reminded him.

"Right, but if I had my whole wish it would have been you in an apron and floppy hat, a dress and heels."

"Very 1948," CJ replied.

"Exactly. I like my women kept," Josh said.

CJ rolled her eyes with a laugh. "You are a piece of work mi amour," she said as she started to get ready to cook.

"So I've been told. By you more than once I think."

CJ rooted through his cupboards as she spoke. "Well at least the whole fantasy included a dress," she said. "I was worried the moment the offer left my mouth."

"As well you should have been," Josh replied. "My wheels were turning."

"I don't doubt it. Tell me you have a broiling pan," she said as she searched through his cupboards.

"Bottom drawer under the oven," Josh said.

"Thanks," CJ said removing the pan and getting to work. "Is there a reason we had to do this here? I'm sure I have much better cooking equipment at my place."

"I live closer to work," Josh said.

"I had to go home and get all this crap before I came over here," CJ countered.

"Your point?"

"Forget it," she sighed as she set to work prepping the chicken.

"Need I remind you that you set me up?"

"Excuse me, set you up?" CJ feigned shock.

"You baked brownies and left them in my meeting," Josh started to tick off his list. "You had the catering guy walk by my office with donuts and you had pizzas delivered to me."

"Okay the pizzas I'll give you," CJ admitted. "But you must think I spend a lot of time thinking about you if you thought I baked those brownies and sent catering to harass you."

"Please. Those brownies reeked of your handiwork."

CJ's lips curled into a light smile. He was wrong. She really had nothing to do with the brownies, but if it made him feel good to think she baked for him, so be it. "If that's what you choose to believe," she said.

"It is."

"Okay then."

"What are you doing?" Josh asked.

"Don't tell me you've never marinated chicken before," CJ said.

"I've marinated chicken," he replied defensively. "You're giving it a shiatsu massage."

"I like my chicken relaxed," CJ quipped.

Josh walked over to CJ's side and watched her as she worked.

"Can I help?" he asked.

"You want to help?"

"Sure, I can always learn a few new tricks."

"To woo the ladies?" she teased him.

"Naturally," he replied.

"Okay," she said wiping her hands on a rag. She reached up and plucked the hat off her head and placed it on Josh's.

"But you get the hat," she smiled.

"You're supposed to wear it."

"It's falling off my head. Besides, it looks better on you."

"Yeah?" he asked letting his vanity show.

"You look cute," she replied taking in the sight of him in the floppy hat he'd insisted upon. She grinned, shook her head and returned to the chicken. "Can you boil water?"

"Can I boil water? Please give me something a little more advanced than boiling water," Josh replied as he took out a pot.

Josh made himself busy getting a pot and filling it with water. He placed it on the stove and turned on the heat.

"Okay the water is on the stove," Josh said.

"Did you salt it?" CJ asked.

"Of course," Josh said as he shifted his weight toward the cupboard containing the salt. He reached in quickly and salted the water while CJ's back was turned.

"Nice move slick," CJ said without turning around. Josh smirked at her response.

"What's the salt for anyway?" Josh asked as he walked over to where CJ was chopping carrots.

"The rice won't stick to the pot as much," CJ informed him.

"I thought that's why you had to stir it?"

"You do, but if you're in charge of the rice," CJ said. "Every little bit helps."

She smiled at him and stopped chopping for a minute. Josh smiled back genuinely and stole a carrot from the cutting board. He chomped on the crunchy carrot and looked away, suddenly feeling self-conscious. He turned his back and leaned his elbows on the counter as CJ continued to prepare the meal. A comfortable silence fell over them as CJ worked and Josh stood there watching over her shoulder.

"How's Donna doing?" CJ asked finally.

"She's good," Josh replied. "I thought you talked to her?"

"I did," CJ said. "She probably tells you more than she tells me."

"I doubt that. You two are close," Josh said turning around and leaning forward on the counter. The floppy chef's hat fell over his eyes.

CJ reached over and gently pushed the hat back up on his forehead. Maybe that was the start of things? Josh couldn't be sure. All he knew was that he was suddenly slightly uncomfortable talking to CJ about Donna.

"Yeah, things just got a little weird before all this happened," CJ said.

"What happened?"

"We just had a strange night when we were locked down a few weeks ago," CJ replied. "I might have said, I know I said, too much and then she left and…"

"She's okay," Josh said putting a reassuring hand over CJ's. "What happened with you two?"

"Nothing," CJ dismissed him. She'd never tell him what she told Donna. She still wasn't even sure why she said it to Donna. "How are you holding up?"

"I'm fine," he lied.

"Josh," CJ said tilting her head at him.

"What?"

"It's me you're talking to."

"I know."

CJ walked the chicken over to the over and started to prepare the glazed carrots. "Then you can tell me the truth about Donna or Leo or whatever you want to talk about," CJ said.

"What do you want me to say?" Josh asked. "I was just getting over the shock of Donna and then Leo…At least Donna's back though I guess."

"You two have been through a lot together," CJ commented.

"We have," Josh nodded. "Why are we talking about this?"

"It's just conversation."

"Well, what about you?" Josh asked.

"What about me?"

"Do I get to make any pointed observations about you and Ranger Rick?"

"That's been over," CJ said rolling her eyes.

"He seemed nice," Josh said walking over to CJ again and stuck his finger into the glaze for the carrot and licked it. "Though he was bit more outdoorsy than I ever pegged you for."

CJ chuckled and continued to stir. "That might have been part of the problem," CJ said.

"What was the other part?"

"I think I was forcing it. I wanted it to be more than it actually was. It just took me a while to see it for what it really was."

"And what was it?"

"You know that they say about trying to shove a square peg in a round hole?" she asked rhetorically.

He nodded and moved to stick his finger in the glaze again, when CJ reached out and slapped the top of his hand.

"Hey," he whined.

"If you eat this now there will be none left for the carrots," she reminded him.

"Carrots are overrated," Josh said getting around her and sticking his finger in the glaze again.

"Stop and I'll let you lick the spoon when I'm done," she bargained with him. Sometimes he was worse than a child.

CJ's face was so serious that Josh had to laugh, albeit inwardly. She was a formidable woman when she wanted to be. He still took a moment to lick his finger clean in front of her while he thought.

"Fine," he agreed. "But, the hat is all yours. I believe that was my request."

He took the floppy chef's hat off his head and put it on CJ's. He set the hat down on her head with a little to much force and her hair covered her eyes from under the hat. He reached out his hand and used his fingers to gently brush the hair out of CJ's eyes and back behind her ears. It was an odd moment and he swallowed a little bit harder as his skin touched hers. It had been a while since he'd felt like this.

"I'll open a bottle of wine," Josh said nervously as he turned away from her.

"Sounds good," CJ agreed her voice slightly higher than usual.

Two courses and many glasses of wine later, CJ sensed that they were both tip-toeing around the idea of going to bed together again.

"Are you trying to get me drunk mi amour?" CJ asked as he topped off her third glass of wine.

"Not at all," he said. "I'll take you sober or drunk."

It didn't come out as he had intended, but CJ laughed at him and conversation moved on.

"So, are you keeping pace with me?" she asked.

"I'm one ahead I think," he replied. "We're about done with the bottle."

"Don't open another one," CJ said. "A hangover tomorrow would not be acceptable."

"Okay, last glass then," Josh agreed lifting his glass in the air. "What should we drink to? And don't get all serious and philosophical on me. Let's drink to something fun."

"To the floppy hat?" CJ suggested.

"To the floppy hat," Josh smiled.

"You know Greg Brock gave me a weird look all day after you stormed into my office screaming about that hat," CJ chuckled.

"Well yeah, because he wants you," Josh scoffed.

"He does not," CJ said astounded.

"He thought he had it in the bag," Josh said. "He was worried there was some serious competition."

"That's so not true."

"Right," Josh said. "And Danny didn't want you either."

"I didn't say Danny didn't," CJ said. "Greg Brock is not…I have no interest in Greg Brock."

"Doesn't mean he doesn't have an interest in you."

"He doesn't know what he has interest in," CJ replied.

Josh just shrugged at her response. It left CJ with an unsettling feeling. She never noticed anything from Greg that she would constitute as flirting.

"The dinner was really great. Of course dessert would have made it better," he added.

"I think four glasses of wine constitutes a very good dessert," CJ retorted.

"I abstained from pizza, brownies, cookies, meatball subs, everything for a whole-," Josh reminded her.

"Day," CJ interrupted him. "It was one whole day."

"What did I get for my trouble? Carrots and chicken."

"You liked the glaze on the carrots," CJ protested.

"It was good. It was no cheesecake though."

"You should learn to forgo dessert and exercise more."

"I'll have you know I played basketball up at Camp David," Josh informed her. "I walked to the OEOB yesterday."

"Oh wow, a whole half a block," she taunted him as she stood up to clear the plates. "There are much better ways to get exercise."

Josh seemed to pick that exact moment to stand up as and CJ was suddenly caught between the table and Josh's body, holding a dinner plate. "Oh yeah? Any suggestions?" he asked in almost a whisper.

"Josh."

"Claudia Jean."

Uh-oh, her full name. She didn't really stand chance with him being inches from her face and using her full name.

"Things have been really bad lately," she said.

"I know," he replied.

Suddenly CJ felt all the weeks of pressure and stress and sadness collapse in on her and she saw Josh staring at her. Familiar, comfortable Josh with his kissable lips. At the same moment they launched towards each other and their lips collided in a frenzy of need. CJ's grip on the plate slipped and the remains of chicken and rice fell all over the table.

"Sorry," CJ said, not letting her lips disengage from Josh's lips.

"Forget it," Josh mumbled as he continued to kiss her and back her away from the table.

She felt his hands wander down her body and rest on her hips, his favorite spot. They didn't break contact as they made their way to the bedroom. CJ's hands continued roving through Josh's hair as he guided her hips through the threshold. When they reached the foot of the bed Josh stopped and looked at her.

"It's been a while," he commented.

"Yeah," CJ agreed, suddenly feeling self-conscious all over again.

"Are you okay with us having…doing…this?"

CJ quickly saw how that Josh was equally as flummoxed by the turn of events and she chuckled. "I want to feel good. How about you?"

"I could not want this more right now," Josh said cupping her face in his hand.

CJ responded by grabbing his shirt and untucking it from his pants. She quickly worked the zipper while he unbuttoned her blouse. There was nothing graceful about the maneuvers, but finally they crashed together on the bed in a tangle of need. CJ felt his lips caress her breast and she sighed. The familiar touch of his hands on her was all she needed in that moment.

Josh kissed her deeply and frantically even though part of him felt a little guilty. He was beginning to put a word to the mix of emotions he felt for Donna and somehow sleeping with CJ felt like a small betrayal. But, he wasn't really ready to define the terror he felt when he thought he might lose Donna and so it was easier to be with CJ because it had always been easy to be with her. At one time, a very long time ago, he even thought he might be in love with her. They both needed comfort and this was the way they got it.

Josh felt CJ reach down and stroke him expertly. She knew just where he wanted to be touched. Her breath in his ear as she nibbled his earlobe was almost too much. He didn't realize how lonely he'd been and how he needed something life affirming to help him erase the last few weeks of Donna and Leo being so close to death.

He heard CJ moan his name and he knew it wouldn't be long before they were able to erase the horrible day they'd had with at least a few moment of exquisite pleasure.

Josh collapsed next to CJ and they both lay there panting, trying to catch their breath. It hadn't been like this in a while. The urgency and desire took over and neither could really say they had a rational thought for a few moments afterward.

CJ felt like her heart was leaping out of her chest and she tried to get her breathing under control. "I can't decide if I'm getting too old for this or if this time was just…" she let her thought trail off.

"We're not getting old," Josh protested while he tried to even out his breathing as well. "That was just…"

"Yeah," CJ said. She turned her head to look at him. She knew this was the last time this could happen. She was his boss now. Okay, technically he'd always been above her in the hierarchy, but she didn't report to him. She worked with him. But now he'd have to report to her and that was going to change everything.

She had the thought and she turned and ran her hand down his cheek. She kissed him on the lips slowly and gently before she deepened the kiss. She wanted to memorize the feeling of his lips on hers because she knew everything would change in eight short hours.

CJ pulled back and gave him a tiny smile. "What was that for?" he asked.

"Nothing," she lied.

Josh mulled that over a minute. "Claudia Jean," he said.

"Mmm?"

He looked her in the eyes and he saw it. He saw what this was. It was the last time. He didn't know how and he didn't know why, but he knew this was the last time she'd be in his bed. Suddenly he didn't feel like acknowledging it verbally. Instead he scooted close to her and rested his forehead against hers.

"We're not getting old," he reiterated.

"Okay," CJ chuckled.

"I meant what I said a few weeks ago," he said leaning back. He smacked her lightly on the behind through the sheet. "You look better now than you did five years ago."

She smiled at him. "So do you," she assured him.

"Even with my expanding waistline?"

"It's not expanding," she said. "I just worry about you."

"I appreciate that."

They laid there for a moment in the dark silence before CJ moved. "I think I should go," she said.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Okay," he said, resigned. He wasn't sure how this was supposed to go. He felt like there should be more to say, but there wasn't.

CJ scooted out of the bed reluctantly. She didn't want this moment to end. She knew that sleeping with Josh tonight might have been a mistake, especially since it had been so long since they had slept together. Why reopen the feelings that had been shelved for so long? But another part of her felt like this was the period that she needed on the end of the sentence that was her life for the last six years. Tomorrow a new chapter would begin, even if she wasn't really ready to say goodbye to this one.

She dressed while Josh got out of bed and pulled on his boxers and t-shirt. "Have you seen my-" she started to ask.

Josh was beside her with her bra hanging from his index finger. "Here," he said grinning.

"Thanks," she said.

"CJ?"

"Yeah?" She said as she continued to put herself to rights.

"Are you gonna be at the meeting tomorrow morning?"

"What meeting?"

"The one with the president first thing in the morning."

"I'll be there."

"Do you know what it's about?" he asked. He had a thought that was just beginning to form, though he wasn't ready to verbalize it.

"Yeah," she said, refusing to elaborate any further.

Josh bit the inside of his cheek. "Okay," he said.

CJ finished dressing and started walking to the kitchen. Josh followed. She scanned the kitchen and started to clean up.

"Don't worry about it," Josh dismissed her.

"I made the mess," CJ pointed out.

"I reaped the benefits," Josh grinned. "I can clean up."

"You're sure?"

"Go get some sleep. It's a big day tomorrow," Josh said knowingly.

CJ bit her lip. "Okay," she said.

They walked towards the door and CJ stopped herself short before pulling it open. She suddenly didn't want to leave. She wanted to delay this moment for as long as possible because their relationship was going to change and she wasn't quite ready to let it go yet.

"Goodnight Josh," CJ said.

He leaned forward and kissed her cheek gently. "Bye CJ," he said.

He closed the door behind her and busied himself with cleaning up the kitchen. He knew that tomorrow things were going to change. He had an inkling how they were going to change as well, but his thoughts weren't focused on that. His thoughts were focused on how sad he missed his unique relationship with CJ already and she had just left.

TBC