So this is set pre-Christmas, so a few weeks before Institutional Memory I guess. I realise there were '15 pen recipients' in 'Take out the trash day' that got the pens, but I just thought this would be a nice story.

I also meant to write a chapter pre-requiem, but was having trouble putting fingers to keys….

Chapter 4

"Hey." CJ finished up sorting papers as Danny entered the room.

"Hey."

"What are you doing here?"

"Just playing a little poker in the press room. Thought I'd stop by as I'm off home for Christmas tomorrow."

"Oh, yeah. Christmas seems to have jumped out on me this time round." She paused and looked up at Danny. "Actually I'm glad you came by, I have something for you."

"Really? Cos I didn't….. I didn't think…."

"Relax, it's something I've had sitting in my drawer for years, never got around to giving it to you." CJ bent down and retrieved a small rectangular box from the bottom draw of her desk. "Here." She handed it to him.

Danny opened it. Then looked confused. "CJ, it's a pen with the presidential seal?"

"Yea."

"Erm…okay, thanks."

"But it's not just any pen. You remember the beginning of our second year, the president signed a bill with fifteen pens and you asked what he was gonna do with fifteen pens because his name only has thirteen letters?"

"Yea, how could I forget the fifteen pens. And if I remember correctly that was around the time of the kissing."

"I believe it was. Anyway that pen there just so happened to dot the 'i' in Josiah Bartlet."

Danny looked down at the pen in his hand. "This pen? Hang on, you got this for me and you kept it for the last seven years?"

"Yes." CJ replied, stretching out the 's' while she pretended to look at something on her desk.

"Wow, okay. Thank you."

"You're welcome." CJ said, still not looking at him.

"CJ?"

"Yea?" She finally looked back up at him.

"Come here." Danny put down the pen and reached his hand out for hers. He gently pulled her towards him as if trying not to scare her away. "Thank you, that means a lot." He gently kissed her, which was the point Margaret decided to walk in the slightly open door.

"Oh, god, sorry." They quickly pulled apart as Margaret's voice registered. "I didn't realise.."

"What did you need Margaret?"

"I was going to go home unless you needed anything?"

"Nope, go on home, see you tomorrow."

"Yea, bye." Margaret exited as swiftly as possible, shutting the door behind her.

As the door clicked shut Danny burst out laughing.

"What is so funny?"

"Well the look on Margaret's face was pretty funny."

"No, it wasn't, that whole thing was embarrassing."

"Was it? It's not like she caught us having sex on your desk."

"Yea, I guess not. And that's never going to happen you understand."

"Well, sure, not this desk, but there are perfectly good desks other places I wouldn't want to rule out."

"Danny."

"I was kidding. Well, not really, but you know what I mean. So are you done here? Cos I'm not leaving 'til tomorrow morning, you could have one last night with me?" He raised is eyebrows emphasising the question.

"Erm." She paused looking him in the eye. "I'll just get my coat."