18 Months Ago – CJ and Danny's wedding day
The cool sea air washed over them as they inhaled the salty sent. The sun shone down on them with the breeze giving the perfect temperature. Standing barefoot on the beach in a long white dress. It was so romantic. Her bridesmaids - Carol, Kate, Hogan, and Abbey were all wearing knee length red dresses to match the bouquet of red roses she carried. Jed Bartlet had been the one to walk her down the aisle her own father having died 1 month after the end of the Bartlet administration, each of her brothers had offered but it didn't seem right. Jed had always been like a father to her just as his wife, Kate and Carol have been like her sisters. Danny was standing just in front of her, and Jed planted a kiss on her cheek before placing her hand into Danny's. CJ was so at peace walking with Jed towards Danny, her old excuses about their conflict of interests seaming trivial. She looked lovingly into Danny's eyes and kissed him when told too.
"I love you so much, Fish Boy" CJ smiled at him as they danced.
"I love you too, Mrs Concannon-Gregg. You don't have to hyphenate you know? You can just keep Gregg." Canny said with pride.
"I love being a Gregg, but I am part of you now just like you are me Daniel Concannon-Gregg." CJ said smiling.
"Our new names sound good." Danny said leaning in, kissing her on the cheek.
Present Day – Same Beach
CJ was suddenly snapped out of the memory of her wedding day that all ways overtook her standing on this beach. The beach she got married on.
"CJ!" Carol shouted. "You zoned out there again."
"Oh sorry." CJ blushed as she's spoke.
"No need to apologise. We've all done it. Anyway, what's going on and why haven't you told Danny? I thought just before you left the White House you two promised not to lie to each other?" Abbey asked.
"Well, firstly, we promised to talk to each other about decisions and that's the issue. You remember how you found out I was pregnant?" CJ asked.
"How could we forget!" Carol smiled.
"You were throwing up in a coffee shop bathroom!" Abbey laughed at the memory.
"It was pretty memorable!" Kate said joining in the laughter.
"Exactly, that pregnancy wasn't what you'd call planed." CJ started as Kate snorted with laughter before receiving a glare from Abbey "It just kind of happened. We didn't have time to ask if we both wanted kids and so I just did it. I had her."
"We were there too then." Kate joked and received a laugh from everyone.
"Do you love her?" Abbey asked.
"Of course. I love little Kat, but I'm scared to shape my life around being a mother. It was never a plan of mine. I'm just so scared I'm going to screw it up." CJ said moving a little up the beach to sit down shortly followed to the floor by the others.
"CJ, no one thinks they will be good at being a mother. It's terrifying. I was anxious when I had Liz but by the time I had Ellie and Zoey it was easier." Abby said with a reassuring smile.
"Yeah, but now I don't know how I feel about children. I just don't…" CJ exaggerate wildly with her hands trying to find word and failing just settled on saying "…you know" hoping they understood, which they did.
"Have you done anything drastic yet?" Carol asked knowing CJ well, CJ nodded.
"I almost left" CJ sighed everyone collectively gasped.
"You almost left!" They all shouted.
"Keep your voices down!" CJ whispered. "Yes, I almost left. It was last week I had gone home early because I wasn't feeling well. Then the Nanny had to leave early, some sort of family emergency. I went through to my bedroom and sat on one of the armchairs when Kathryn started crying in the other room. It was so loud. I couldn't stand it. So, I packed a bag, then there was a knock on the front door. It was Danny he had forgotten his keys to get back in. I shoved my bag as far under the bed as I could and opened the front door. He pulled me close and kissed me and that's why I stayed. I had one foot out the door and he made me stay." CJ finished with a sob.
"My god." Abbey said sympathetically. Carol, as she was the closest, pulled CJ into a hug.
"I'm guessing Danny doesn't know." Kate said and CJ shook her head.
"It doesn't help that she cries permanently with me, but she loves Danny and almost anyone else. Did you notice that last night?" CJ asked looking Carol in the eye showing now was no time to sugarcoat the answer or lie.
"Yes, I did." Carol unblinking said. Kate who hadn't known CJ quite as long look shocked at Carol's response but quickly changed it when she felt Abbey's hand on her back telling her to settle her expression.
As they went back to the house CJ was running through what she was going to say to her husband. Danny was sat on the couch in the living room when they arrived. CJ stood at the door and met Abbey's encouraging look that edged her on.
"Danny, I need to speak to you." CJ said glancing back at the door towards Abbey and the girls.
"This looks ominous." Danny said seeing CJ's anxious look back and at the girls crowding the doorway.
'Stopping CJ from exiting or backing out' he thought he knew what the girls were like by now.
"It's not as bad as you think." Abbey said from the door.
"Actually, it is." CJ said with a sad smile and turned to face the girls "Can you give us a minute?" CJ asked and Abbey dutifully ushered the rest of them out shutting the door behind her.
After checking back to make sure the door was closed she turned to Danny pulled him up of the couch and kissed his on the lips. She withdrew the kiss and uttered the words "I'm pregnant." Danny looked shocked.
"You're pregnant. Are you sure?" Danny asked.
"Not 100% but maybe 75.9" CJ said.
"Are you… I mean do you want?" Danny stuttered. "How far?"
"About 6 weeks if I am but I've booked a doctor's appointment for tomorrow. Can you just get the girls off my back just after lunch?" CJ asked as Danny nodded. "Do you want to sit down?" CJ asked as she helped Danny back down onto the couch and sat next to him. Silence fell for a moment.
"Oh my god, you were drinking last night!" Danny exclaimed.
"Yes, I was drinking." CJ said.
"But you're pregnant you can't drink!" Danny said panic rising in his voice.
"Well, first of all I may not be. Secondly, it was non-alcoholic, don't worry. Everything will be fine." CJ said
"But I was drunk!" Danny exclaimed.
"Placebo." CJ said rolling her eyes before placing Danny's closest hand in-between her own. Danny and CJ locked eyes his blue eyes staring into her green.
"I love you so much Claudia-Jean." Danny said leaning in to kiss her.
"I love you too." CJ said looking over his shoulder.
"So, I just got back from the doctors…" CJ started sitting down in one of the armchairs in their bedroom.
"And, what did they say? Are you pregnant?" Danny asked. A sly smile broke over her face.
"Yes!" CJ said laughing. "Yes! Yes!" Danny walked over and kissed her.
"Where having another baby." Danny said smiling all the time. "Who else knows?" Danny asked.
"Apart from you. No one." CJ said.
"So, I'm actually the first. Well second after you or third after your OB/GYN but still I'll take it over the 5th" Danny said with a smile. "Hold on your working for Hollis with Carol and Margaret. What are you going to tell them?"
"Nothing. I'm not going to tell anyone anything till 3 months. It's bad luck. I know I slipped up last time but generally you wait." CJ said with look in her eyes that told Danny that her mind was made up and there was no argument in the world that would change her mind.
"Ok we'll wait until 3 months just for you my dearest Claudia." Danny said kissing her lips then progressed down her neck before a knock at the door brought them crashing down them back to reality.