Josh and Toby plotting, this could be fun!

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"What are we doing here, Toby? I thought you sold it." CJ looked up at the house.

"No, I haven't decided what to do with it. Come inside." He beckoned her away from the car.

She followed him into the house, surprised to see the lights already on and hear the murmur of voices. "Toby?"

"If you hate it, this was Josh's idea." He dropped his voice. "Danny is here. Josh and I are going to leave so you two can have a date, sort of."

"Really?"

"Make it a good one; it's the only one you two will have during this administration."

CJ grinned.

"And CJ, don't have sex in my house."

She laughed, a huge smile on her face at his grim expression. "Is Danny really here?"

"Yes."

She stopped in the hallway and threw her arms around him. He struggled loose from her grasp before giving her a hard look. "Geez, it's just Danny."

"Shut up." She glanced down his hallway, suddenly nervous. "Do I look okay?"

"Do I look like Carol to you?"

"Well..."

"You look horrible, he'll take off running when he sees you."

"Smooth talker. I can't imagine why Andy turned you down."

Toby glared at her. "Go in. Stalling out here annoying me won't make you any less nervous."

"I... yeah, okay." CJ took a deep breath and walked through the door to the dining room. The only things in the room, besides Danny and Josh, were two chairs, a folding table, and a box of pizza.

"Hey, CJ." Josh greeted her.

"Bye, Josh."

He grinned. Walking out the door, he gave her a kiss on the cheek. She could hear low voices as Josh and Toby left the house.

Then there was silence as CJ and Danny stared at each other.

"So." CJ finally broke the silence before it drove her insane.

"Want to eat? Josh brought pizza."

She laughed. "Isn't he cute?"

They sat at the folding table, smiling at each other as they began to eat their pizza.

Danny sighed. "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"That Josh dragged you into this."

She stared at him. "What do you mean?"

"This set-up is because I said something to Josh."

"No," CJ told him slowly. "I'm the one who said something stupid to Josh."

"I never said that what I told Josh was stupid," Danny protested.

"Oh, what'd you tell him?"

"Nothing."

"C'mon," CJ smiled, hoping he'd say it. "I want to know."

"What'd you tell Josh?"

She stared at him for a moment. In a near whisper, she told him. "I'm in love with you."

"Really?" He whispered back, his eyes wide.

She nodded shyly, breaking their eye contact. She was suddenly sure that Josh was wrong, that Danny didn't feel the same way about her. It didn't matter, she decided in an instant, it was time she told him. Tears threatened as the seconds ticked slowly by.

"CJ, look at me." When she didn't, he gently took her chin and tilted her head up. "I love you."

"Josh told me," she managed between giggles.

His face fell; suddenly he was sure she was messing with him. "So you're laughing because..."

"We're two mature adults who needed Josh Lyman, of all people, to get us to admit what we feel."

Danny laughed with her now. "True, true."

"I love you."

He leaned over and kissed her.

"But I need to get home."

"Early day tomorrow?"

She smiled. "Yeah, as opposed to those days I sleep until noon."

"C'mon, I'll drive you home. My car's out front. Leave the garbage for Josh?"

She smiled and shook her head. "Meannie."

They quickly cleaned up the table, throwing all their garbage out. CJ locked the door on their way out with the spare key, then replaced it under the rock.

"Don't tell anyone where the key is," she smiled at Danny. He grabbed her hand to lead her to his car.

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