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Dec. 18th, 2004 03:59 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
krazykitkatNot quite sure why I'm posting this, but oh well.
This was the first West Wing story I started back in early 2001 (IIRC we started seeing WW over Christmas 2000). It was originally supposed to be the first in a trilogy, but I got stuck (was avoiding writing CJ's parents) and then went onto other things.
It has some problems. A bit cliched, hackneyed, a bit too busy, probably too flowery, plus my problem with description. But overall I'm still rather proud of it, especially the dialogue and characterisation (since everyone and her goldfish are included).
It will never be finished, but I thought I'd put out the first bit, and if anyone's interested I'll post the rest of the bits written.![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
winema was betaing it at the time...but I can't recall if these are the edited sections. Any mistakes are totally on me.
Surfacing 1/?
By Katrina McDonnell
Another press briefing over...how many more to go today?
The normally imposing figure of White House Press Secretary CJ Cregg was slightly hunched as she dragged herself back to her office. Passing Carol's desk, she saw the question in her assistant's eyes and answered before it reached her lips.
"I'm fine, Carol."
She should have known that wouldn't be enough to throw Carol off. The woman might not be able to spell, but she knew her boss well enough to realise that CJ would probably still be working well after death.
It was a relatively cool day in Washington D.C., but CJ felt like she was back in the middle of a Californian heatwave. After stripping off her suit jacket, she lowered her long frame into her office chair and gazed longingly into Gail's fishbowl.
"Wish I could join you in there."
Carol let CJ know she was standing there by asking, "Is there anything you need? Aspirin?"
Looking up at her assistant's worried face, CJ decided to give in. "Some aspirin and iced water would be nice. Also put a 'Do Not Disturb' sign on my door till the next briefing. Thanks, Carol."
As Carol left on her mission, CJ gently placed her head on the cool wood of her desk and closed her eyes. She didn't need anyone telling her she didn't look well, she'd seen herself in the mirror this morning. The truth was she felt even worse. But after Josh's debacle, she was loath to let anyone else near her podium.
The door gently creaked open and without lifting her head, CJ spoke. "That was quick. Just leave it there, I'll have it in a minute. Thank you, Carol."
There was no answer, just the movement of someone next to her and then the feathery touch of fingers on her shoulders. A touch her body knew well. Still not moving a muscle, she queried, "What are you doing, Daniel? I thought there was a 'Do Not Disturb' sign on my door."
As the magic hands started massaging her shoulders and neck, he leant down and breathed in her ear, "I didn't think you meant me."
He gently placed a kiss and then a hand on her forehead, stroking her hair out of the way. Genuine concern was evident when he spoke again. "You're clammy and sweating. I told you this morning that you should have stayed in bed. You were really restless last night and you've looked terrible since you woke up."
CJ groaned, replying, "You do wonders for a girl's self-esteem, Danny."
He squatted down beside her till his head was level with the desk top. CJ opened her eyes to see an anxious face. She grazed the back of her hand across his rough cheek, trying to ease his frown. Capturing her hand, he clasped it tightly and brought it to his lips. His words vibrated through her fingers as he spoke. "I want you to call the doctor and then I'll drive you home."
She shook her head lightly. "It's just a touch of the flu. I'll be fine if Carol ever returns with the aspirin. She must be manufacturing it herself."
A knock at the door prevented Danny from arguing further. CJ slowly rose till she was able to place her elbows on the desk and rest her chin on her hands. "Come in, Carol."
The person who entered definitely wasn't Carol. CJ gave him a hard stare, well at least as hard a stare as she could summon whilst feeling like death warmed over. "As Deputy Chief of Staff, Joshua, could you please explain to me why no one in this building seems to understand the concept of 'Do Not Disturb'?"
She watched as his eyes flickered to Danny, now standing beside her, looking for guidance. Danny simply said, "She called me Daniel when I came in."
More than a little exasperated by the bodies in her office, when she just wanted to curl up on her couch and quietly die, CJ glared at both of them. "Yes, I call people by their full name when they're pissing me off because they can't read simple signs. What do you want, Joshua?"
Not quite sure how thin the ice he was skating on was, Josh decided to complete his mission as quickly as possible. "I'm looking for a file Toby said you had."
Raising an eyebrow, CJ replied, "I have lots of files, Josh. Could you possibly be a little more obtuse?"
"The position paper on the Health Care Bill."
CJ grinned slightly while Josh squirmed like an errant schoolboy. She pointed to a stack of papers near her couch. "Should be near the top of that pile."
After a few seconds of rummaging, he held it up and started to leave. Against his better judgment he turned back, looking directly at CJ.
"You know, Claudia Jean, you really don't look..."
CJ snapped. "Don't! The next person who says that is going to lose a vital part of their anatomy."
"Does that include me?"
The three occupants of the room looked towards the door to see the smiling face of Abbey Bartlet. Josh decided to beat a hasty retreat while the temporary cease-fire held. Thanking CJ for the file, he gave both greetings and farewells to the First Lady as he passed her.
Abbey entered, followed by Carol carrying a glass of water and an aspirin bottle. She quickly placed them on her boss's desk and left without meeting CJ's eyes, confirming for the weary press secretary that her assistant was responsible for the arrival of Doctor Bartlet. CJ watched as Abbey gave her a once-over, before addressing Danny.
"Hello, Danny. How is she?"
"Good afternoon, Mrs. Bartlet. She's not well. But being the stubborn--"
CJ interjected, "She is sitting right here. Why aren't you asking her?"
"Because I know I won't get a straight answer out of you. You've been dealing with the press for too long." Abbey leant over the desk and put her hand on CJ's forehead.
Wincing slightly from a sudden, sharp pain in her abdomen -- a flinch that did not go unnoticed by Abbey -- CJ struggled to keep her anger in check. "How did asking for some aspirin develop into an inquisition? I've got a touch of the flu. And could someone please check what the sign on my door says. I thought it was 'Do Not Disturb', but maybe Carol's ability to read has now joined her spelling and it's actually the 'Grand Central Station' sign instead. I'll be having words with her."
"No, you won't. I asked her to keep an eye on you and I called Abbey."
CJ groaned as Leo came in. She watched him frown as he saw Danny, still standing protectively beside her. This was the last thing she needed. She and Danny had worked hard to keep the real extent of their relationship off the radar screen. They'd decided it would be too suspicious if Danny suddenly stopped bugging her, so they had maintained the illusion of him pursuing and her rebuffing. She thought they'd been pretty effective, developing a relationship that appeared to the outside world to be just old habit. Raising red flags was something they tried to avoid at all cost.
Another sharp pain rippled through her, much worse than the last, causing her to gasp out loud and grab her right side. Tears welled up in her eyes and she bit her lip. Danny's arms immediately enclosed her as she buried her face in his shirt, her need for comfort overriding the fear of flag raising. He stroked her hair with one hand and her back with the other, soothing with a gentle "shhhhh" and his cheek resting on the top of her head.
She heard Abbey order, "Over on the couch now, Claudia Jean Cregg."
Danny shifted to help her stand, one hand holding hers, the other arm around her waist. He gently lifted her to her feet, a wave of nausea and dizziness breaking over her, causing her to stumble slightly. She tightened her grip on her anchor, as they slowly walked around the edge of her desk. Her vision blurred, the approach of Abbey and Leo morphing into a tiled harlequin mosaic, ebbing and flowing, swirling, in concert with the movement beneath her feet.
A submerged object slammed into her abdomen, ripping a scream from her throat, but she could barely make it out over the tide pounding in her ears. She frantically clutched her life preserver, but he wasn't enough to stop her from drowning as the floor pitched up to meet her, dragging her down into its suffocating depths.
This was the first West Wing story I started back in early 2001 (IIRC we started seeing WW over Christmas 2000). It was originally supposed to be the first in a trilogy, but I got stuck (was avoiding writing CJ's parents) and then went onto other things.
It has some problems. A bit cliched, hackneyed, a bit too busy, probably too flowery, plus my problem with description. But overall I'm still rather proud of it, especially the dialogue and characterisation (since everyone and her goldfish are included).
It will never be finished, but I thought I'd put out the first bit, and if anyone's interested I'll post the rest of the bits written.
winema was betaing it at the time...but I can't recall if these are the edited sections. Any mistakes are totally on me.Surfacing 1/?
By Katrina McDonnell
Another press briefing over...how many more to go today?
The normally imposing figure of White House Press Secretary CJ Cregg was slightly hunched as she dragged herself back to her office. Passing Carol's desk, she saw the question in her assistant's eyes and answered before it reached her lips.
"I'm fine, Carol."
She should have known that wouldn't be enough to throw Carol off. The woman might not be able to spell, but she knew her boss well enough to realise that CJ would probably still be working well after death.
It was a relatively cool day in Washington D.C., but CJ felt like she was back in the middle of a Californian heatwave. After stripping off her suit jacket, she lowered her long frame into her office chair and gazed longingly into Gail's fishbowl.
"Wish I could join you in there."
Carol let CJ know she was standing there by asking, "Is there anything you need? Aspirin?"
Looking up at her assistant's worried face, CJ decided to give in. "Some aspirin and iced water would be nice. Also put a 'Do Not Disturb' sign on my door till the next briefing. Thanks, Carol."
As Carol left on her mission, CJ gently placed her head on the cool wood of her desk and closed her eyes. She didn't need anyone telling her she didn't look well, she'd seen herself in the mirror this morning. The truth was she felt even worse. But after Josh's debacle, she was loath to let anyone else near her podium.
The door gently creaked open and without lifting her head, CJ spoke. "That was quick. Just leave it there, I'll have it in a minute. Thank you, Carol."
There was no answer, just the movement of someone next to her and then the feathery touch of fingers on her shoulders. A touch her body knew well. Still not moving a muscle, she queried, "What are you doing, Daniel? I thought there was a 'Do Not Disturb' sign on my door."
As the magic hands started massaging her shoulders and neck, he leant down and breathed in her ear, "I didn't think you meant me."
He gently placed a kiss and then a hand on her forehead, stroking her hair out of the way. Genuine concern was evident when he spoke again. "You're clammy and sweating. I told you this morning that you should have stayed in bed. You were really restless last night and you've looked terrible since you woke up."
CJ groaned, replying, "You do wonders for a girl's self-esteem, Danny."
He squatted down beside her till his head was level with the desk top. CJ opened her eyes to see an anxious face. She grazed the back of her hand across his rough cheek, trying to ease his frown. Capturing her hand, he clasped it tightly and brought it to his lips. His words vibrated through her fingers as he spoke. "I want you to call the doctor and then I'll drive you home."
She shook her head lightly. "It's just a touch of the flu. I'll be fine if Carol ever returns with the aspirin. She must be manufacturing it herself."
A knock at the door prevented Danny from arguing further. CJ slowly rose till she was able to place her elbows on the desk and rest her chin on her hands. "Come in, Carol."
The person who entered definitely wasn't Carol. CJ gave him a hard stare, well at least as hard a stare as she could summon whilst feeling like death warmed over. "As Deputy Chief of Staff, Joshua, could you please explain to me why no one in this building seems to understand the concept of 'Do Not Disturb'?"
She watched as his eyes flickered to Danny, now standing beside her, looking for guidance. Danny simply said, "She called me Daniel when I came in."
More than a little exasperated by the bodies in her office, when she just wanted to curl up on her couch and quietly die, CJ glared at both of them. "Yes, I call people by their full name when they're pissing me off because they can't read simple signs. What do you want, Joshua?"
Not quite sure how thin the ice he was skating on was, Josh decided to complete his mission as quickly as possible. "I'm looking for a file Toby said you had."
Raising an eyebrow, CJ replied, "I have lots of files, Josh. Could you possibly be a little more obtuse?"
"The position paper on the Health Care Bill."
CJ grinned slightly while Josh squirmed like an errant schoolboy. She pointed to a stack of papers near her couch. "Should be near the top of that pile."
After a few seconds of rummaging, he held it up and started to leave. Against his better judgment he turned back, looking directly at CJ.
"You know, Claudia Jean, you really don't look..."
CJ snapped. "Don't! The next person who says that is going to lose a vital part of their anatomy."
"Does that include me?"
The three occupants of the room looked towards the door to see the smiling face of Abbey Bartlet. Josh decided to beat a hasty retreat while the temporary cease-fire held. Thanking CJ for the file, he gave both greetings and farewells to the First Lady as he passed her.
Abbey entered, followed by Carol carrying a glass of water and an aspirin bottle. She quickly placed them on her boss's desk and left without meeting CJ's eyes, confirming for the weary press secretary that her assistant was responsible for the arrival of Doctor Bartlet. CJ watched as Abbey gave her a once-over, before addressing Danny.
"Hello, Danny. How is she?"
"Good afternoon, Mrs. Bartlet. She's not well. But being the stubborn--"
CJ interjected, "She is sitting right here. Why aren't you asking her?"
"Because I know I won't get a straight answer out of you. You've been dealing with the press for too long." Abbey leant over the desk and put her hand on CJ's forehead.
Wincing slightly from a sudden, sharp pain in her abdomen -- a flinch that did not go unnoticed by Abbey -- CJ struggled to keep her anger in check. "How did asking for some aspirin develop into an inquisition? I've got a touch of the flu. And could someone please check what the sign on my door says. I thought it was 'Do Not Disturb', but maybe Carol's ability to read has now joined her spelling and it's actually the 'Grand Central Station' sign instead. I'll be having words with her."
"No, you won't. I asked her to keep an eye on you and I called Abbey."
CJ groaned as Leo came in. She watched him frown as he saw Danny, still standing protectively beside her. This was the last thing she needed. She and Danny had worked hard to keep the real extent of their relationship off the radar screen. They'd decided it would be too suspicious if Danny suddenly stopped bugging her, so they had maintained the illusion of him pursuing and her rebuffing. She thought they'd been pretty effective, developing a relationship that appeared to the outside world to be just old habit. Raising red flags was something they tried to avoid at all cost.
Another sharp pain rippled through her, much worse than the last, causing her to gasp out loud and grab her right side. Tears welled up in her eyes and she bit her lip. Danny's arms immediately enclosed her as she buried her face in his shirt, her need for comfort overriding the fear of flag raising. He stroked her hair with one hand and her back with the other, soothing with a gentle "shhhhh" and his cheek resting on the top of her head.
She heard Abbey order, "Over on the couch now, Claudia Jean Cregg."
Danny shifted to help her stand, one hand holding hers, the other arm around her waist. He gently lifted her to her feet, a wave of nausea and dizziness breaking over her, causing her to stumble slightly. She tightened her grip on her anchor, as they slowly walked around the edge of her desk. Her vision blurred, the approach of Abbey and Leo morphing into a tiled harlequin mosaic, ebbing and flowing, swirling, in concert with the movement beneath her feet.
A submerged object slammed into her abdomen, ripping a scream from her throat, but she could barely make it out over the tide pounding in her ears. She frantically clutched her life preserver, but he wasn't enough to stop her from drowning as the floor pitched up to meet her, dragging her down into its suffocating depths.
