"We should talk, the three of us, before Zoey comes over" Jed informed Abbey, still looking out his window as she closed the door to the Oval Office. "I've asked CJ to come. I want to know how this is going to play out before seeing our daughter, so we can tell her something concrete."

"Very sensible." Abbey ran a hand through her hair, taking a seat on the couch. A knock at the door announced CJ's arrival.

"Come in." Jed called. CJ entered tentatively, closing the door behind her and staying standing beside it, despite Abbey patting the seat next to her. "Sit down, CJ" Jed turned to her and gestured to the seats in the middle of the room.

"Thank you, Mr. President." CJ sat down beside Abbey and Jed took the seat across from them, running a hand over his face. CJ belatedly considered that she should have sat in a more neutral position.

"So what did you tell Zoey?" Jed asked Abbey. He had accepted that he was never getting his wife back.

"The truth - exactly what I told you." Abbey replied in a straightforward manner. "I told her I still loved you, and wouldn't leave you. I told her that Claudia makes me feel happy, and loved, and that I wouldn't leave her either. She said she wanted to have dinner with us. She took it very well."

"Okay. So how do we make this work?" Jed asked. "You two have been very discreet thus far, I assume you can continue to be so?"

CJ nodded firmly "Of course, Sir."

Jed looked at her. "I'm going to be seeing much more of you, it seems. You might as well call me Jed in private." CJ nodded again.

"Alright, Jed" She answered carefully. "I have several things I'd like to say to you" she continued "but somehow I don't feel that now is the right time."

Jed nodded to her "I expect you're right. But I would like to hear them, in time."

They discussed many things that afternoon, many of which CJ had great difficulty with, and had certainly never expected to talk about over tea with her boss. Nonetheless, she was surprised by how well the President seemed to be coping, at least on the outside. He didn't appear to harbour ill will towards her at all; in fact, he said he would like to maintain a good relationship, and get to know the woman who his wife had fallen in love with. CJ relaxed as the conversation continued. It seemed that Abbey and her husband had come to terms with the situation, so she didn't see why she shouldn't try too. She felt she stood in the position of least difficulty.

"So you'll all come over to the residence after dinner?" Jed asked.

"We will." Abbey smiled at him and stood. CJ followed suit.

"I'll see you both later then." Jed stood as well and walked them to the door. Abbey leaned over and kissed his cheek before walking out. CJ shook his hand.

"Thank you" she spoke wholeheartedly. Jed smiled sadly.

"She's happy" he said simply. CJ's heart broke, and she turned and walked out of the office behind Abbey, who was waiting for her. She caught the look on CJ's face.

"You okay?" she asked as they headed back towards CJ's office.

"Yeah" CJ replied quietly. Abbey reached down and squeezed her hand gently.

"We'll work it out, Claudia" She said quietly. "My office at eight thirty?" CJ nodded, silent. "I'll see you later." Abbey headed to her own office, as CJ made her way back to hers, wondering how on earth this was all going to play out.

At eight-thirty that night, she wandered into the East Wing. Amy was gone, and Zoey and Abbey were sitting on the couch drinking tea.

"Claudia!" Abbey smiled. "We were just deciding what to order."

"I'm playing up sushi." Zoey announced, standing to hug CJ. "Are you with me?"

CJ grinned. "Sure" she shrugged. "As long as it's edible, I'm in. I'm starving."

"I was angling for Thai" Abbey pouted as CJ sat next to her.

"We could get both" CJ pointed out diplomatically. Zoey laughed.

"I like your thinking." She grabbed the phone and the pamphlets on the table, dialling one of the numbers.

"How was your day?" Abbey asked CJ quietly.

"Busy" CJ replied. "But I'm looking forward to tonight."

"Me too" Abbey smiled at her, laying a hand on CJ's leg.

Half an hour later they were all seated on the floor with Pad Thai, spring rolls, and a variety of sushi spread in front of them.

"This is so the best way to eat." CJ announced with her mouth full of a sushi roll.

"Agreed" Zoey stuck her chopsticks into the Pad Thai.

"Don't get used to it" Abbey shook her chopsticks in her daughter's direction. Zoey laughed.

"How do you think I eat at University?" she teased.

"I usually ate in bed" CJ informed her.

"That's what I do too." Zoey smiled at her. Abbey rolled her eyes.

"Tables were made for a reason" she pointed out. CJ shrugged.

"And beds are comfy" she returned.

"We should go find Dad soon" Zoey looked at her watch. "I can't stay too late."

"Want to call him and tell him to head over to the Residence?" Abbey asked her. Zoey nodded and went to do so. "This should be interesting" Abbey raised her eyes at CJ.

"Yeah" CJ put down her chopsticks. "And incredibly awkward" Abbey wrapped an arm around her.

"It'll be weird, at first" she admitted. "But Jed understands."

"I know" CJ smiled at her sadly. "Somehow that makes it harder for me."

Zoey came back in at that point, saying Jed was on his way to the Residence as soon as he finished up with Leo. They gathered up the remains of the meal and headed out.

Arriving in the kitchen, they found Jed making tea. "I ordered cake." He announced. "Chocolate cake" he wiggled his eyebrows at his daughter, who wrapped her arms around him.

"Yum." She smiled. "My favourite."

Seated in the living room of the Residence with a cup of tea and a piece of cake in front of her, CJ found it surprisingly easy to joke with the President as she always had, and was happy to see he seemed to be in good spirits too. He was telling jokes to make them all laugh, and didn't seem uncomfortable with the fact that his wife's attentions were focussed on CJ instead of him. Zoey's presence helped a lot, CJ suspected.

Eventually Zoey stood "I should head out, I have early class." She said sadly.

"That's my cue to go as well, I think" CJ announced.

"You won't stay?" Abbey asked her quietly. CJ shook her head.

"I don't have clothes." She smiled at Abbey "another day." Abbey smiled back. "C'mon Zoey" CJ turned to the First Daughter "We can head out together."

Zoey smiled "Okay." She hugged her parents and then the two of them headed down the stairs "Well, that was better than I thought it was going to be."

"Me too" CJ admitted. Zoey smiled at her.

"I'm just glad they aren't getting divorced" Zoey started. "That's what I was afraid was going to happen. Really, this is better. Mum is happy, and I don't think their relationship will change that much. They haven't been in love for a long time now. It'll be better for everyone." She looked up at CJ. "Sorry. You're kind of the only person I can talk about any of this with."

CJ smiled at her. "That's okay. I'd like to know how you feel. I care about both of your parents a lot. I care about you a lot."

They made their way over to the parking lot. "How are you holding up?" Zoey asked.

"I'm okay." CJ told her. "It's going to take some adjustment for everyone, but it could have been much worse." Zoey nodded.

"Well, here's me." Zoey stopped in front of the black sedan which was waiting to take her back to school.

"I'll see you soon, Zoey" CJ hugged the younger woman. "Thanks for being so great."

Zoey hugged her back hard "Thanks for making Mom happy again." CJ laughed. Zoey climbed into the car, and CJ shut the door behind her, waving through the window before heading off towards her own car.

The youngest Bartlet was truly an amazing person, she thought to herself as she headed home.