FF: A Twist of Fate 9/?
Chapter 9/?
Rating: PG?
Alternate Universe: What if, at the end of the first season in Roslyn, instead of the President and Josh being shot, CJ was hit? How would it effect the people around her? How would those relationships change?
Notes: Apologies for the delay. I was fighting with my muse. But, I’ve figured it out! The next chapter should be fun! Feedback is love.
After three hours of surgery, Toby is taken to recovery; his part of the surgery was a success. When the nurse comes in to tell Andi that Toby’s awake, she looks at the first lady, obviously torn between staying and keeping the older woman company and running to Toby’s bedside. Sensing the congresswoman’s hesitation, Abbey motions for her to follow the nurse. “Go, Andrea, it’s fine. Tell Toby… just tell him I’m here, okay?” Andi nods, rushing to catch up to the nurse and leaving Abbey alone to wait for news about CJ.
After twenty minutes of pacing the small waiting room, Abbey is seriously contemplating scrubbing in on CJ’s surgery. She is sure she wouldn’t be much help, being a thoracic surgeon and not an expert on transplants, but at least she would know what was going on. Just before she gets up the nerve to leave the room and head to the operating room, Abbey’s youngest daughter walks through the door. “Mom?” Zoey walks up to Abbey and the first lady’s heart drops at the sight of her. Her normally vibrant daughter is pale, the dark circles under her eyes an obvious indication of just how little sleep her baby has gotten since the surgery. Abbey mentally kicks herself for not being there for her youngest after the shooting. She should have known that it would have hit her hard; she was the intended target, after all. Well, Zoey and Charlie were.
Holding out her arms, the first lady wraps them around the tiny girl. “Hey, baby. What are you doing here?” Zoey clings to Abbey, clearly not wanting to let go anytime soon. Abbey leads them to the couch and sits, rubbing Zoey’s back. “Daddy said they took CJ in to surgery. He said you were here, and I didn’t want you to be alone.” Pulling her daughter closer, Abbey kisses the top of her head. “Thank you, Zoey.”
CJ opens her eyes, looking around the too bright recovery room. “He….Hello?” She’s shocked at the gravely sound of her voice, but doesn’t have the energy to look around for water. A nurse walks over, leaning over CJ. “Miss Cregg, how are you feeling?” The young woman holds a cup of water in front of CJ, and the press secretary drinks like it’s the fountain of youth. Clearing her throat, CJ finally manages an answer. “I feel like shit.” The young nurse chuckles. “Well, I’m sure the doctor will give you something to take care of that. Now, since you’re awake, we can take you to a private room and get you settled. I’ll be right back.” The nurse walks off and CJ slips gratefully back into a dreamless slumber.
She opens her eyes later to the sound of snoring. Looking around, she’s glad to find that she’s been moved into a private room. Well, semi-private room anyway. She takes a moment to listen to the snoring coming from the other side of the room, and chuckles when she finally figures out who’s making the god-awful noise. “Toby!” The snoring stops. Moments later, a groggy voice replies, “CJ?” She laughs. “Your snoring woke me up, there, Tobus. You sound like you swallowed a chainsaw. How are you doing?” She turns a little in the direction of her friends voice, wincing when she moves too much. “I’ve, uh, felt better. How about you?” CJ thinks for a moment. Her entire body hurts, from the top of her head to her pinky toe. “Well, I’m alive, thanks to you. Everything else will keep. Why are we in the same room? I was told I’d be getting a private room.” Toby chuckles. “What, sick of me already? The Secret Service made the call. I guess they figured if the first lady was going to make a habit of staying at the hospital, they could keep an eye on her better if we were in the same room.” CJ can feel her hear beat faster at the mention of her friend. “Abbey’s here?” CJ can feel her eyelids start to droop, but she tries to stay away for Toby’s answer. “She’s been here since right after we were taken into surgery. Andi said that Mrs. Bartlet was upset that she wasn’t called before we were taken into surgery, and she’s been sitting in the waiting room ever since.” When CJ doesn’t respond, Toby knows she fallen back asleep. Sighing, Toby closes his eyes and sends up a prayer, thanking God for helping his best friend through this surgery, before falling asleep himself.
CJ dreams of Abbey; she always does. She dreams that the older woman is sitting by her side, caressing her face and whispering words of love. She can smell the perfume Abbey always wears, sweet and light. She feels the warmth of her body next to her. CJ fights to stay awake, tries to stay lost in the dream of the woman she can never have. She knows once she wakes up she knows she’ll be alone. Finally giving up, CJ opens her eyes to find a dream come true. “Abbey?”
Rating: PG?
Alternate Universe: What if, at the end of the first season in Roslyn, instead of the President and Josh being shot, CJ was hit? How would it effect the people around her? How would those relationships change?
Notes: Apologies for the delay. I was fighting with my muse. But, I’ve figured it out! The next chapter should be fun! Feedback is love.
After three hours of surgery, Toby is taken to recovery; his part of the surgery was a success. When the nurse comes in to tell Andi that Toby’s awake, she looks at the first lady, obviously torn between staying and keeping the older woman company and running to Toby’s bedside. Sensing the congresswoman’s hesitation, Abbey motions for her to follow the nurse. “Go, Andrea, it’s fine. Tell Toby… just tell him I’m here, okay?” Andi nods, rushing to catch up to the nurse and leaving Abbey alone to wait for news about CJ.
After twenty minutes of pacing the small waiting room, Abbey is seriously contemplating scrubbing in on CJ’s surgery. She is sure she wouldn’t be much help, being a thoracic surgeon and not an expert on transplants, but at least she would know what was going on. Just before she gets up the nerve to leave the room and head to the operating room, Abbey’s youngest daughter walks through the door. “Mom?” Zoey walks up to Abbey and the first lady’s heart drops at the sight of her. Her normally vibrant daughter is pale, the dark circles under her eyes an obvious indication of just how little sleep her baby has gotten since the surgery. Abbey mentally kicks herself for not being there for her youngest after the shooting. She should have known that it would have hit her hard; she was the intended target, after all. Well, Zoey and Charlie were.
Holding out her arms, the first lady wraps them around the tiny girl. “Hey, baby. What are you doing here?” Zoey clings to Abbey, clearly not wanting to let go anytime soon. Abbey leads them to the couch and sits, rubbing Zoey’s back. “Daddy said they took CJ in to surgery. He said you were here, and I didn’t want you to be alone.” Pulling her daughter closer, Abbey kisses the top of her head. “Thank you, Zoey.”
CJ opens her eyes, looking around the too bright recovery room. “He….Hello?” She’s shocked at the gravely sound of her voice, but doesn’t have the energy to look around for water. A nurse walks over, leaning over CJ. “Miss Cregg, how are you feeling?” The young woman holds a cup of water in front of CJ, and the press secretary drinks like it’s the fountain of youth. Clearing her throat, CJ finally manages an answer. “I feel like shit.” The young nurse chuckles. “Well, I’m sure the doctor will give you something to take care of that. Now, since you’re awake, we can take you to a private room and get you settled. I’ll be right back.” The nurse walks off and CJ slips gratefully back into a dreamless slumber.
She opens her eyes later to the sound of snoring. Looking around, she’s glad to find that she’s been moved into a private room. Well, semi-private room anyway. She takes a moment to listen to the snoring coming from the other side of the room, and chuckles when she finally figures out who’s making the god-awful noise. “Toby!” The snoring stops. Moments later, a groggy voice replies, “CJ?” She laughs. “Your snoring woke me up, there, Tobus. You sound like you swallowed a chainsaw. How are you doing?” She turns a little in the direction of her friends voice, wincing when she moves too much. “I’ve, uh, felt better. How about you?” CJ thinks for a moment. Her entire body hurts, from the top of her head to her pinky toe. “Well, I’m alive, thanks to you. Everything else will keep. Why are we in the same room? I was told I’d be getting a private room.” Toby chuckles. “What, sick of me already? The Secret Service made the call. I guess they figured if the first lady was going to make a habit of staying at the hospital, they could keep an eye on her better if we were in the same room.” CJ can feel her hear beat faster at the mention of her friend. “Abbey’s here?” CJ can feel her eyelids start to droop, but she tries to stay away for Toby’s answer. “She’s been here since right after we were taken into surgery. Andi said that Mrs. Bartlet was upset that she wasn’t called before we were taken into surgery, and she’s been sitting in the waiting room ever since.” When CJ doesn’t respond, Toby knows she fallen back asleep. Sighing, Toby closes his eyes and sends up a prayer, thanking God for helping his best friend through this surgery, before falling asleep himself.
CJ dreams of Abbey; she always does. She dreams that the older woman is sitting by her side, caressing her face and whispering words of love. She can smell the perfume Abbey always wears, sweet and light. She feels the warmth of her body next to her. CJ fights to stay awake, tries to stay lost in the dream of the woman she can never have. She knows once she wakes up she knows she’ll be alone. Finally giving up, CJ opens her eyes to find a dream come true. “Abbey?”