Past Tense Rising - 9

All disclaimers and notes are in the previous eight parts.

**

"Hey." Josh knocked on Leo's door. "Donna said you wanted to see me?"

"Yeah." Leo replied, waving him in. "Come in and close the door. I
wanted to warn you."

Josh came in, shut the door, and sat down. "Doesn't sound good.
What's going on, Leo?"

"The President wants to put up the Shepards and the Marshalls in the
residence with him and the First Lady." Leo informed him.

"Sounds like a game plan to me." Josh replied.

"The President would also like to hold a special 'get-acquainted'
party at the White House a few days before the state dinner, to break
the ice between administrations before the state dinner comes along,
I guess. Apparently, it was Zoey's idea." Leo continued.

"I don't see a problem with it." Josh remarked.

"She wants the staff, including Charlie and herself, to put on a
talent show for the night, after which there will be open-mike
karaoke." Leo finished.

Josh felt his stomach drop somewhere below the floor and he visibly
paled. "Leo, please tell me you're kidding."

"The President sent a memo out about ten or fifteen minutes ago. I
already talked to CJ on the phone. She and Danny decided to leave
this afternoon. She thinks it's a good idea."

"Waiting till she gets back to yell at you." Josh deadpanned.

"I expect to hear from about fifteen or twenty people in the next
fifteen to twenty minutes." Leo put his reading glasses back on and
picked up a file. "Make sure you're not caught in the stampede. I'd
hate to lose you."

"LEO!"

Leo's head snapped up. "How did Tribbey get here so damn fast?"

Both Leo and Josh jumped to their feet as an irate Lionel Tribbey
stormed into the room, followed by a protesting Margaret.

"Well." Josh took one look at the bulging vein in Lionel's forehead
and decided to take the cowards' route. "I've got work to do." he
beat a hasty retreat, dragging Margaret out with him.

"Leo." The White House Counsel stood glaring menacingly at the White
House Chief of Staff. "Has the President taken a brief leave of his
senses? Or has he finally lost what's left of his mind?" In his
clenched fist was the freshly faxed memo that the President had sent
just a few hours ago.

"What's the problem, Lionel?" Leo sat back down. "And how many land-
speed records did you break getting to my office?"

"What's the problem?" Lionel threw his hands up in disbelief. "You're
as bad as he is! Leo, the President has gone insane, that's the
problem!"

"Keep your voice down!" Leo snapped. "MARGARET! Close the door to my
office!"

Margaret scurried in and out, closing the door to the office behind
her.

"Tell me, Lionel," Leo pointed at a chair. Lionel sat down. "How has
the President gone insane? All he and Zoey want is a nice little show
to entertain the former administrations and First Families while
they're here."

"I am NOT performing in a talent show!" Lionel shouted. "He can't pay
me enough to do it!"

"Oh yes you are." Leo slammed his hand on the desk. "If I have to do
it, and if Toby, God help me, has to do it, then you're going to do
it too."

"But what the hell am I supposed to do?" Lionel asked
belligerently. "I'm too busy keeping this administration out of
trouble to foster any hidden talents!"

"I'm sure you'll think of something." Leo remarked.

**

"WHAT?!"

CJ jumped up at the fury in Danny's voice. They had just gotten to
the motel where they were spending the next week. Danny had decided
to call his niece to let her know he was coming.

"Marilyn, you can't do this!" he shouted as she approached his
doorway. "You're Trish's cousin! I'm Matt's *brother*! I have a more
legitimate claim to Megan than you do!"

He then frowned. "Married? What the hell are you talking about,
married? You know I'm not married! But that doesn't mean I can't
raise Megan just as well as you and Bob can!"

CJ laid her hands on Danny's shoulders as he listened on the
telephone. "Look, Marilyn... Marilyn! Matt and I discussed this. If
anything happened to him and Trish, then I would raise Megan. No, he
never signed anything! Marilyn.. Marilyn! Over my dead body!" he
slammed down the telephone and rubbed his eyes. "What a perfect way
to end the day." he remarked.

"Who was it?" CJ handed him a cup of tea.

"My sister-in-law's cousin. She and her husband want Megan." Danny
swiped his hand over his eyes.

"So?" CJ said. "You're the closer relative. Danny, it's gonna be all
right." she laid her head on his shoulder and kissed his cheek. "I
promise."

"CJ, I don't-- don't make any promises, okay?" Danny asked. "I'm not
sure I can believe them."

"Does this cousin of hers really believe she can get Megan just
because she has a husband?" CJ asked thoughtfully.

"They have a couple of kids, too." Danny informed her.

"What can I do to help?" CJ asked.

Danny went to the refrigerator and pulled out a beer. "You can get a
good night's sleep. I'm going to need all the support I can get
tomorrow."

She grabbed the beer out of his hand. "You can't be hungover
tomorrow, are you crazy?"

"I'm hungover every day." he remarked. "Why should tomorrow be any
different?"

"No you're not." CJ admonished. "I see you every day. You're never
hung over."

"I've had a lot of practice hiding it." he replied.

CJ looked down. "Danny..."

"I'm not an alcoholic, if that's what you're wondering, CJ." Danny
replied. "It's not like I get rip-roaring drunk all the time, but I
do get hungover after only two or three beers."

"Then you're not drinking anything." CJ said. "You can't afford to be
drunk tomorrow."

"I can't afford to be single tomorrow." Danny said sardonically. "But
I will be."

"I'll stay with you tonight." CJ said. "I can crash on the couch."

"Oh, CJ, I don't want you to do that." Danny kissed her cheek, then
both of her eyelids. "You're a great friend, and I love you for it.
But I can behave. If you want to stay, we can share the bed."

CJ looked away for a minute.

"Sorry." Danny apologized. "That wasn't appropriate, was it?"

"No, it's not that." CJ said. "I don't mind if you don't mind."

"We can sleep head to toe." he suggested.

"What's the point of comforting you if I can't hold you?" she asked.

He took a shaky breath. "CJ.."

TBC

Past Tense Rising - 10

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