Fandom:

The West Wing AU

Pairing:

C.J./Danny

Rating:

PG-13 for topic

Distribution:

How much do I owe you for hauling it off?

Spoilers:

Up to and including Full Disclosure, from which the series follows on

Email:

exfilia at livejournal dot com

Disclaimer:

if I owned them, they'd have a lot more fun

Warning:

mentions nonconsensual sex

Note:

Hoynes lovers should probably be hitting delete right about now.

"...touch down in Seattle at 8am," Will told the crowd of journalistic understudies in the briefing room, "and that will be the last point on this trip at which the itineraries in front of you will have any relationship to real life, so be prepared. That's a lid, boys and girls; have a good night." He strode out into the hall, straight into Josh and Danny.

"How do you do that?" asked Josh.

"Do what?"

"Survive!"

"I'm not in there," said Danny.

"And while I'm in there," said Will, "you're not going to be, so just turn around and walk away from any chance of contact...."

"Hey, Danny!"

"Steve! What about it? Hang on, Josh. I've got to talk to this guy."

"You know," said Josh, "you'd think it's just ego, but he may actually be...."

"Nah," said Will. "The lady in the hat at the front is much worse."

"Marlene? You should really learn their names."

"I know her name. I wasn't sure you did."

"Did you want something?"

"To know what you're doing standing in my hallway?"

"Waiting for Danny to finish playing the leak game..."

"Oh, god!"

"...so we can ask you what C.J. told you about Tracy."

"Who's Tracy?"

"That's what I needed to know. You called a full lid?"

"Yeah, but everybody's still here nosing around the leak in progress."

"Get rid of them."

"Something's up?"

"Did I say that?"

"Getting rid of them." Will strode down the hall, scattering interns and junior correspondents. "Hey, you with the beard! Nobody's allowed in here without press credentials!"

"Good evening, Margaret," said the First Lady. "Come and sit down, and let's have some tea."

"Thank you, ma'am." She perched on the very edge of her chair and held the china cup on her knee.

"Relax, Margaret."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Okay, then don't if it makes you feel better. You know why you're here?"

"Because Josh thinks I think Leo is gay?"

"How about 'because Josh is afraid you'll give someone the impression you think Leo is gay?'"

"I don't talk about Leo. It's just that Josh...."

"Josh what?"

"He asked me why I've stayed with Leo all this time. He asked me if it were because I'm in love with him, and I said Josh was in love with him, too, and so was Sam, but we'd never touch him because...."

"Because he belongs to someone else?"

"Yes, ma'am. Oh." Margaret gulped as she realized what her answer implied, and to whom she was speaking. "I mean, no ma'am, no one in particular. I mean...."

"For what it's worth, I don't think so, either. I think they'd be far more discreet if they were romantically involved, don't you?"

"Yes, ma'am. Of course they would."

"Put the cup down before you spill it, Margaret."

"Yes, ma'am." She set it on the coffee table with two separate clinks for saucer and cup, and clasped her hands on her knee.

"Don't tell Leo about this, all right? Or about your talk with Josh, either."

"Ma'am?"

"Leo's very concerned that the Hoynes thing is tarnishing the reputation of the White House. Let's not give him anything else to worry about, all right?"

"Yes, ma'am."