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.

"What's wrong, C.J.?" asked Leo as she joined the staff in his office.

"Somebody let an idiot from U.S. News take a camera into the kitchen."

"Did they find crud under the burners?" asked Josh.

"He found me and Donna and the First Lady with Rene, sampling cake and frosting flavors."

"I thought we wanted the public in on the wedding. How bad can a couple of pictures be?" asked Toby.

"You don't want to know," said Leo. "Trust me, I've been through weddings with Abbey before. How bad *is* it, C.J.?"

"We were expressing high spirits," she told him.

"I can see that."

"Huh?"

"You've got crumbs in your hair. What's the picture?"

"Let's just say I don't look concerned with the fate of American hostages in Deburras."

"We'll have that wound up before U.S. News goes to press. Be glad it wasn't a daily."

"Really? I mean...."

"The funding for the Deburri clinics has been traced. It goes back to a number of terrorist organizations in the Persian Gulf area. Assets are being frozen, and in light of the expanded picture, certain other things are happening. Now, are there any other wedding-related events on the schedule that may have an effect on the president's agenda, or anything?"

"Talking to Colonel Oxell about music."

Josh's draw dropped.

"The Marine Band? Are you sure you wouldn't rather have a woman with a harp and hair down to the floor?"

"Certain members of the Marine band: a couple of trumpets and a trombone. Hey, when it's your wedding you can have Yanni if you want. I want brass."

"Yeah, well, Toby's going to beat us to it," said Josh. Toby's eyes widened, and his Adam's apple bobbed in a convulsive swallow. "Well?" continued Josh. "Didn't you tell us you were having a relationship?"

"I heard that, too," C.J. said.

"From whom?" asked Toby in a strangled voice.

"Your future mother-in-law," she said.

"Oh, God. Does...?"

"What are we talking about?" asked Leo.

"Not yet," C.J. told Toby, "and if you're very, very good...."

Leo frowned and caught Toby's eye. "What is going on?" he asked.

"Nothing that is ever going to become public until long after anyone ceases to care," he said. "And maybe not then. She told her mother...?"

"...that she wouldn't be around much because of this guy she's seeing. After that nobody talked about anything else, and eventually the name came out."

"And her mother...?"

"Quote: 'When did you develop good taste in men?'"

"She likes me?" he squeaked.

"Wait a minute," said Leo. "Zoey?"

"Ellie," said Toby.

"Oh, man!"

"Not so loud, Leo," said C.J. with a grin. "This information hasn't made its way into the office next door, yet."

"Hence the promising blackmail opportunity," said Josh.

"She likes me?" Toby repeated.

"Oh, get over it!" said Leo. "She always liked you. Me, I'm a different story. You expect me to keep this from him?"

"He knows," said Toby. "He does not approve."

"And you're doing this anyway?"

"She's twenty-nine, and she's worth it."

"And you're going to marry her?"

"We haven't haven't gotten that far, haven't talked about it, but if she'll have me, yeah."

"Somebody, please, just kill me now!"