The West Wing - Betrayal & Darkness
Title: Betrayal & Darkness
Fandom: The West Wing
Characters: CJ Cregg, Abbey/Jed Bartlet
Prompt: #001 Disease
Word Count: Rating: PG, a bit of swearing
Summary: CJ deals with the knowing the President has MS.
Author's Notes: Takes place after Episode 2x20 “The Fall’s Gonna Kill You". Very AU.
--
Sitting alone in the dark, her fingers playing with the glass of scotch in her hand, CJ stared at the photo on her bookcase. The Bartlet family had been taking photos after the election had been won, and somehow she’d been dragged into the mix. There had been a singular phot with each of their daughters, then an entire family shot. It was after the family shot that Liz convinced her parents CJ had to be thrown into the group. That was when the Bartlet family suddenly grown to six, and she became like an adopted daughter to the President of the United States.
As she stood up to reclaim the bottle of scotch she’d left in the kitchen, her fingers slid along the mahogany frame and gently tipped the photo face down. It was followed by a black and white print of her and Toby in the mess playing cards. Abbey had taken it when Zoey was signing up for college. She’d created a whole album for her youngest daughter. Again the frame was gently tipped face down, and she continued towards the kitchen.
The tears in her eyes remained dormant, but they were there all the same. As she poured herself another scotch there was a sharp knock at her door. She put down the bottle and wiped her eyes as she moved towards the sound.
“Miss Cregg, we need to secure the area.” Ron nodded from where he stood in the doorway.
“Whatever,” CJ muttered sarcastically, walking back into the kitchen. She wasn’t in the mood for entertaining, and couldn’t be bothered pretending to be. Her fingers clasped the neck of the bottle and she continued to pour her drink. “Please, have agents surround my home whenever you feel the need.” She muttered as Abbey and Jed appeared in the doorway.
“CJ,” Abbey glanced between the woman and the bottle. “How much have you had to drink?” Her eyes lingered on the level of scotch.
“Geez Mom, I don’t know.” Her sarcastic mood was becoming worse. Suddenly she felt as though she was being attacked, and by the very people who had driven her to the situation they found her in.
“Claudia Jean, that bottle is more than half empty.” Abbey insisted, looking for Jed to help but he seemed unwilling to get involved in the argument that was sure to happen.
“Or less than half full.” CJ noted, heading back into the lounge room and curling up in her favourite armchair.
“Abigail, tone down the ‘mother-knows-best’ routine for tonight.” Jed said quietly. “She doesn’t need it.” He followed CJ into the lounge room and began to look around. He noticed CJ’s eyes following him, but didn’t acknowledge it. Carefully he picked up the two photo frames lying face down.
“You didn’t tell me, until you had no choice.” Her voice was quiet, but so harsh. “Toby knew before I did…”
“Toby pieced it together…”
“So he knew first because he’s smarter than me?” CJ yelled, tears gently slipping from her stormy blue eyes.
“CJ, that’s not what Jed meant.” Abbey sighed, from where she stood in the doorway.
“I honestly don’t know what hurts more,” CJ muttered, sipping her scotch. “The fact that Toby knew and didn’t tell me, or that neither of you told me.” Her eyes fell on the photos again as Jed stood them up.
“Let it all out CJ.” Jed said softly. “Don’t hold anything back, that you feel needs to be said. It’s not in your character to do so.”
“We’ve been like family, and now I just feel like a stupid employee. A stupid employee that gets screwed over every time something bad happens.”
“You don’t mean that.” Abbey moved forward and sat on the edge of the lounge. “Because I know that’s not what everyone thinks.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” It seemed she wanted nothing to do with Abbey, her anger was directed at the President. To her, Abbey was just a pawn in a massive game of chess. Whereas Jed was the king, she needed to go for the king. “Why couldn’t you tell me you were sick?” She found herself staring at the photo again, glaring at the happy family it had captured. She was tempted to throw her glass at it, but risked losing her scotch.
“I didn’t want you to feel like you had to lie to protect me.”
“Are you kidding me?” She laughed sarcastically, watching that beautiful gold liquid swirl around in her glass. “It was because of my fucking job?” Standing and allowing her glass to drop to the floor, CJ’s emotions suddenly erupted as one.
“Claudia!” Abbey gasped, not expecting her husband to be sworn at by a woman that had been a part of their lives for so long.
“What Abbey?” She turned on the First Lady, tears streaming down her cheeks. “You have no clue how I feel, so don’t start fucking around with me. You knew all along, but I was screwed over. Neither of you even cared enough to tell me when Toby managed to work it out. Fuck this stupid job…”
“Claudia Jean, don’t say something you’ll regret in the morning.” Jed warned her.
“Fuck it all!” CJ growled walking over to the book case and grabbing the photo frame. “I quit!” She yelled at the top of her lungs and hurled the object across the room, where it shattered against the wall above her armchair. In an instant the room was filled with Secret Service Agents. CJ had dropped to her knees, and Jed nodded to Ron that everything was okay. He glanced at Abbey, who instantly moved to CJ’s side.
“CJ, sweetheart…” Abbey knelt down next to CJ and let her fall into her arms. “It’s all going to be okay. You know we love you, and it’s all because of who you are.” She gently rocked the younger woman as she cried.
“I didn’t mean it the way it came out.” Jed said softly, trying to rectify the situation but was silenced by a harsh shake of Abbey’s head. He dropped his head and walked around the coffee table to observe the damage. Carefully he bent down and shifted broken glass off the photo.
“Jed, leave it.” Abbey said softly, not wanting to disturb CJ as she began to calm down.
“Abbey, I’m just helping to clean up.” He muttered, picking up the photo and looking at it again. It occurred to him they really were a lot like a family, which made the announcement of his concealed disease much worse. There was always a reason that he was proud of his family. With CJ, it was every day he saw her in the briefing room playing her strengths and deflecting questions so easily. “CJ…” He muttered, moving to sit on the edge of the coffee table, closer to where Abbey sat still holding CJ close to her.
“Yes sir?” CJ raised her head, tear stains littering her cheeks. She shifted a little as Abbey moved to give her more room.
“I remember when we moved into the West Wing, and I watched you do your first briefing.” Jed glanced at Abbey who simply raised an eyebrow, unsure where he was headed. He turned his attention back to CJ, who frowned slightly. Still not sure whether she was angry, depressed, or both. “I watched that briefing and I was so proud of you. You got up there and you bounced from one question to another, without even flinching. With a simple bit of well-placed wit, you put an end to a sticky line of questioning. I was proud that you played to your strengths in an uncomfortable situation, and I was amazed by the intelligence that you showed in that room that you, so often, hide when we’re all in a room together.”
“Sir, I’m not sure I understand.” CJ shook her head slightly. Jed sighed and moved to the sofa, patting the space next to him for CJ to sit there. “Are you going to explain it to me now?” She asked patiently, curling her legs up underneath her and leaning against the President’s shoulder.
“There are times when you work yourself into a position where you see yourself as vulnerable.” He put his arm around her shoulders, noticing Abbey smiling as she moved to sit near them on the edge of the coffee table. “When you see yourself as vulnerable, you more or less become vulnerable and people may use that to their advantage at the worst of times. All we needed was for a reporter with a rumour to find you at a bad time and pull it out of you.”
“Or I could just get you drunk and take you shopping.” Abbey quipped, making CJ laugh whether she wanted to or not.
“My point is that I was more worried about you feeling the way you do now, when it came out. Because I know you Claudia Jean, whether it was your fault or not you’d believe it was your fault. You wouldn’t talk about it and you’d become a mess because of it.” He pressed a kiss against the top of her head, and smiled. “I like the Claudia Jean Cregg that is like a daughter to me, and I didn’t want to lose that. Not realising that when it all came to a head, I could lose you anyway.”
“You have a disease that cannot, at this time, be cured. I admire you for all you’ve been through without telling us, because I know in my heart that you were desperate to tell us.” Her eyes locked with Abbey’s. “There are problems we are going to face. But we’re a family, right?”
“Yeah, we’re a family.” Abbey smiled, leaning forward and rubbing her hand against CJ’s knee. “And we love you to bits, so we’re going to make sure you’re not hurt through all this. We promise you that.”
“And CJ,” Jed ensured her attention was returned to him. “I’m sorry.”
“I’m sorry too.” She smiled, her eyes darting to the photo he still held in his hand. “I’m going to need to re-frame that now.”
“We’ll buy you a new one.” Abbey assured her.
“Oh no…”
“We’re family CJ.” Jed chuckled. “We’re supposed to be doing tacky little things like that.”
“Then bring on wooden frames with macaroni.” CJ grinned, snuggling into Jed a little more as they continued to chat well into the morning.
Fandom: The West Wing
Characters: CJ Cregg, Abbey/Jed Bartlet
Prompt: #001 Disease
Word Count: Rating: PG, a bit of swearing
Summary: CJ deals with the knowing the President has MS.
Author's Notes: Takes place after Episode 2x20 “The Fall’s Gonna Kill You". Very AU.
--
Sitting alone in the dark, her fingers playing with the glass of scotch in her hand, CJ stared at the photo on her bookcase. The Bartlet family had been taking photos after the election had been won, and somehow she’d been dragged into the mix. There had been a singular phot with each of their daughters, then an entire family shot. It was after the family shot that Liz convinced her parents CJ had to be thrown into the group. That was when the Bartlet family suddenly grown to six, and she became like an adopted daughter to the President of the United States.
As she stood up to reclaim the bottle of scotch she’d left in the kitchen, her fingers slid along the mahogany frame and gently tipped the photo face down. It was followed by a black and white print of her and Toby in the mess playing cards. Abbey had taken it when Zoey was signing up for college. She’d created a whole album for her youngest daughter. Again the frame was gently tipped face down, and she continued towards the kitchen.
The tears in her eyes remained dormant, but they were there all the same. As she poured herself another scotch there was a sharp knock at her door. She put down the bottle and wiped her eyes as she moved towards the sound.
“Miss Cregg, we need to secure the area.” Ron nodded from where he stood in the doorway.
“Whatever,” CJ muttered sarcastically, walking back into the kitchen. She wasn’t in the mood for entertaining, and couldn’t be bothered pretending to be. Her fingers clasped the neck of the bottle and she continued to pour her drink. “Please, have agents surround my home whenever you feel the need.” She muttered as Abbey and Jed appeared in the doorway.
“CJ,” Abbey glanced between the woman and the bottle. “How much have you had to drink?” Her eyes lingered on the level of scotch.
“Geez Mom, I don’t know.” Her sarcastic mood was becoming worse. Suddenly she felt as though she was being attacked, and by the very people who had driven her to the situation they found her in.
“Claudia Jean, that bottle is more than half empty.” Abbey insisted, looking for Jed to help but he seemed unwilling to get involved in the argument that was sure to happen.
“Or less than half full.” CJ noted, heading back into the lounge room and curling up in her favourite armchair.
“Abigail, tone down the ‘mother-knows-best’ routine for tonight.” Jed said quietly. “She doesn’t need it.” He followed CJ into the lounge room and began to look around. He noticed CJ’s eyes following him, but didn’t acknowledge it. Carefully he picked up the two photo frames lying face down.
“You didn’t tell me, until you had no choice.” Her voice was quiet, but so harsh. “Toby knew before I did…”
“Toby pieced it together…”
“So he knew first because he’s smarter than me?” CJ yelled, tears gently slipping from her stormy blue eyes.
“CJ, that’s not what Jed meant.” Abbey sighed, from where she stood in the doorway.
“I honestly don’t know what hurts more,” CJ muttered, sipping her scotch. “The fact that Toby knew and didn’t tell me, or that neither of you told me.” Her eyes fell on the photos again as Jed stood them up.
“Let it all out CJ.” Jed said softly. “Don’t hold anything back, that you feel needs to be said. It’s not in your character to do so.”
“We’ve been like family, and now I just feel like a stupid employee. A stupid employee that gets screwed over every time something bad happens.”
“You don’t mean that.” Abbey moved forward and sat on the edge of the lounge. “Because I know that’s not what everyone thinks.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” It seemed she wanted nothing to do with Abbey, her anger was directed at the President. To her, Abbey was just a pawn in a massive game of chess. Whereas Jed was the king, she needed to go for the king. “Why couldn’t you tell me you were sick?” She found herself staring at the photo again, glaring at the happy family it had captured. She was tempted to throw her glass at it, but risked losing her scotch.
“I didn’t want you to feel like you had to lie to protect me.”
“Are you kidding me?” She laughed sarcastically, watching that beautiful gold liquid swirl around in her glass. “It was because of my fucking job?” Standing and allowing her glass to drop to the floor, CJ’s emotions suddenly erupted as one.
“Claudia!” Abbey gasped, not expecting her husband to be sworn at by a woman that had been a part of their lives for so long.
“What Abbey?” She turned on the First Lady, tears streaming down her cheeks. “You have no clue how I feel, so don’t start fucking around with me. You knew all along, but I was screwed over. Neither of you even cared enough to tell me when Toby managed to work it out. Fuck this stupid job…”
“Claudia Jean, don’t say something you’ll regret in the morning.” Jed warned her.
“Fuck it all!” CJ growled walking over to the book case and grabbing the photo frame. “I quit!” She yelled at the top of her lungs and hurled the object across the room, where it shattered against the wall above her armchair. In an instant the room was filled with Secret Service Agents. CJ had dropped to her knees, and Jed nodded to Ron that everything was okay. He glanced at Abbey, who instantly moved to CJ’s side.
“CJ, sweetheart…” Abbey knelt down next to CJ and let her fall into her arms. “It’s all going to be okay. You know we love you, and it’s all because of who you are.” She gently rocked the younger woman as she cried.
“I didn’t mean it the way it came out.” Jed said softly, trying to rectify the situation but was silenced by a harsh shake of Abbey’s head. He dropped his head and walked around the coffee table to observe the damage. Carefully he bent down and shifted broken glass off the photo.
“Jed, leave it.” Abbey said softly, not wanting to disturb CJ as she began to calm down.
“Abbey, I’m just helping to clean up.” He muttered, picking up the photo and looking at it again. It occurred to him they really were a lot like a family, which made the announcement of his concealed disease much worse. There was always a reason that he was proud of his family. With CJ, it was every day he saw her in the briefing room playing her strengths and deflecting questions so easily. “CJ…” He muttered, moving to sit on the edge of the coffee table, closer to where Abbey sat still holding CJ close to her.
“Yes sir?” CJ raised her head, tear stains littering her cheeks. She shifted a little as Abbey moved to give her more room.
“I remember when we moved into the West Wing, and I watched you do your first briefing.” Jed glanced at Abbey who simply raised an eyebrow, unsure where he was headed. He turned his attention back to CJ, who frowned slightly. Still not sure whether she was angry, depressed, or both. “I watched that briefing and I was so proud of you. You got up there and you bounced from one question to another, without even flinching. With a simple bit of well-placed wit, you put an end to a sticky line of questioning. I was proud that you played to your strengths in an uncomfortable situation, and I was amazed by the intelligence that you showed in that room that you, so often, hide when we’re all in a room together.”
“Sir, I’m not sure I understand.” CJ shook her head slightly. Jed sighed and moved to the sofa, patting the space next to him for CJ to sit there. “Are you going to explain it to me now?” She asked patiently, curling her legs up underneath her and leaning against the President’s shoulder.
“There are times when you work yourself into a position where you see yourself as vulnerable.” He put his arm around her shoulders, noticing Abbey smiling as she moved to sit near them on the edge of the coffee table. “When you see yourself as vulnerable, you more or less become vulnerable and people may use that to their advantage at the worst of times. All we needed was for a reporter with a rumour to find you at a bad time and pull it out of you.”
“Or I could just get you drunk and take you shopping.” Abbey quipped, making CJ laugh whether she wanted to or not.
“My point is that I was more worried about you feeling the way you do now, when it came out. Because I know you Claudia Jean, whether it was your fault or not you’d believe it was your fault. You wouldn’t talk about it and you’d become a mess because of it.” He pressed a kiss against the top of her head, and smiled. “I like the Claudia Jean Cregg that is like a daughter to me, and I didn’t want to lose that. Not realising that when it all came to a head, I could lose you anyway.”
“You have a disease that cannot, at this time, be cured. I admire you for all you’ve been through without telling us, because I know in my heart that you were desperate to tell us.” Her eyes locked with Abbey’s. “There are problems we are going to face. But we’re a family, right?”
“Yeah, we’re a family.” Abbey smiled, leaning forward and rubbing her hand against CJ’s knee. “And we love you to bits, so we’re going to make sure you’re not hurt through all this. We promise you that.”
“And CJ,” Jed ensured her attention was returned to him. “I’m sorry.”
“I’m sorry too.” She smiled, her eyes darting to the photo he still held in his hand. “I’m going to need to re-frame that now.”
“We’ll buy you a new one.” Abbey assured her.
“Oh no…”
“We’re family CJ.” Jed chuckled. “We’re supposed to be doing tacky little things like that.”
“Then bring on wooden frames with macaroni.” CJ grinned, snuggling into Jed a little more as they continued to chat well into the morning.