Pairing: CJ/Toby (Friendship)

Spoilers: Nope

Rating: G

Archive: Sure, let me know where and keep my name (JenF) attached.

Author's Note: It's got nothing to do with anything else.

Another Author's Note: Stacy's home again, and this time she says she's not going anywhere for a month. Meanwhile, it was a long weekend, but Marty says that if I wander into the dark tunnel, he'll come in with a lantern to look for me--all I have to do is yell loud enough and remember to walk towards the light. My hero.


Summary: "Is there someone I need to, you know, beat up for you?"



A Few Words (1/1)
By JenF


CJ walked through the corridors, trying to get to her office door without stomping. Once through, she closed it, dropped her briefcase onto the couch and slumped into her chair. Tossing her glasses aside, she closed her eyes, leaned back and moaned.

The knock on the door startled her slightly. She sat up and put her glasses back on before saying, "Come in."

Josh entered and stood across her desk from her. "How're you today?" he asked.

"Fine," she answered shortly, opening one of the many files on her desk.

Josh studied her. "What's wrong?"

"What makes you think something's wrong?" she asked.

"You won't look at me."

She removed her glasses again and looked Josh in the eye. "Happy now?" she asked.

Josh dropped into the guest chair. "No. I can tell something's wrong." His brow furrowed with concern.

She shook her head. "It doesn't matter, Josh. Don't worry about it. I have a briefing in a few minutes."

He nodded. "Okay. I'll leave."



"What's wrong?" Josh asked again, joining her at the pressroom door as she exited the briefing.

"Josh, nothing's wrong!" She headed back to her office, hoping to lose him along the way.

No such luck. Josh followed her in and closed the door. "CJ, I saw you stomp back from lunch. I know something's wrong."

"Fine. Something *is* wrong," she admitted.

"Who did what? Is there someone I need to, you know, beat up for you? Tell me who put that look on your face, and I'll take care of everything," he offered.

"Whoa," she said with a slight chuckle. "Hang on there Lancelot. There's no one for you to smack around. Although, I do appreciate the offer." She paused a moment. "I can't talk to you about it. It's just something I have to work out for myself."

They stared at each other for a moment. Finally Josh sighed. "You're sure?"

She nodded.

"Okay," he said and ran his hands through his hair. "The offer stands. Just so you know."

CJ's expression hardened. "I'll keep it in mind. You'd better go. I'm sure you have something to do."

He stared at her for another moment as she returned to work. Finally he began to back away. "I'll talk to you later," he said before closing the door.



CJ felt like crying. And since she wasn't the type to cry, it really pissed her off.

A few minutes after Josh left there was another knock at the door. It was different from Josh's knock and she recognized it immediately. "What do you want Toby?" she called through the door.

"When I knock it means I want to come in," he responded.

She sighed as she realized it was now destined to be one of *those* days. "Come in," she said.

Toby entered and closed the door behind him. "You okay?" he asked.

"What did Josh do?" she asked. "Fly to your office?"

"He says there's something wrong and you won't tell him who he should beat up," Toby said. CJ looked up at him and tried to smile, but he saw the tears glistening in her eyes. "God, CJ, tell me who it is and *I'll* beat him up."

"It's nothing. I'm over-reacting," she said, waving her hand.

"Okay, I'll admit you may over-react on occasion, but why don't you tell me what it is anyway?" He sat in the guest chair and leaned on her desk. "It'll make you feel better."

"I can't."

"You can tell me anything. It won't change our friendship," he assured her.

She smiled slightly. "We've been friends a long time," she said finally.

"April 1, 1984," he responded immediately.

She looked at him. "I never realized you knew the exact date we met. You don't usually remember things like that."

"I remember the important things," he said.

"And when was your wedding?" she asked because she couldn't help herself.

He paused a moment and closed his eyes to think. "June 5, 1989," he finally replied.

"It took you longer to come up with that one."

He shrugged. "It's not as important any more, is it? The divorce, for the record, was final in August of 1996. CJ, what's going on?"

She sighed deeply and leaned back. "I ran into Andi when I was at lunch."

"How is she?" he asked flatly.

CJ shrugged. "Seems healthy enough."

He squinted at her. "What happened?"

She paused a moment to weigh her options. "She had some choice words for me," CJ nearly whispered.

"Meaning?" he urged.

"She pretty much holds me responsible for your divorce," CJ said quickly.

Toby was on his feet before the sentence was finished. "That's absurd!" He began to pace. "That's just insane. CJ? You know that isn't true. You had nothing to do with our divorce."

She shrugged. "I don't know that."

"You didn't," he told her. "CJ?"

She wouldn't look at him. "What if you and I hadn't been friends? Maybe you and Andi could have worked things through?"

Toby leaned back against her closed door. "No. It wouldn't have made a difference," he assured her.

CJ continued to study her desk. "Andi seems to think it would have."

"CJ…"

"She made me feel like the 'other woman,' Toby. I have never been--nor will I ever be--the 'other woman.'"

Toby hesitated a moment. "Oh, she and I are going to have words about this."

Finally CJ looked up. "Don’t! Toby, just leave it. It's fine."

"It's *not* fine! Look at you! I can't believe that a few words from my ex-wife can do this." He rubbed his hand over his face. "I'm sorry."

"I just…" she trailed off, then tried again. "I mean, if our friendship is standing in the way of a potential reconciliation with Andi…"

Toby cut her off. "We've been divorced for five years! There's *no* potential for reconciliation. At least not on my side."

"I don't want to be the cause of your unhappiness," CJ said quietly.

Toby sat back down in his chair so he could more easily hold CJ's gaze. "I'm not unhappy. CJ, you are my best friend. And you have been since before I ever met Andi."

"I'm just saying…"

"I heard you the first couple of times," he growled. Placing his clasped hands on her desk, he stared at them instead of looking at her. "The only thing that could make me unhappy right now is to stop calling you my friend."

CJ sighed, reached across her desk for one of his hands and squeezed it briefly. "Good. I just want you happy," she said. "But I prefer that not be at the expense of our friendship."

"We've been through too much," he said. "But my ex-wife *is* going to get a call from me."

"Toby, it doesn't even matter," CJ told him. "All that matters is what you and I think."

He considered it a moment. "I think we're fine."

She smiled. "Good. Me too. Now, I have to prepare for my next dip in the shark-infested waters, okay?"

"Sure." He stood and crossed to the door. Turning back, he said, "Hey, how about Italian for dinner tonight? On me. I think I owe you that much."

"This was no more your fault than it was mine," she said. "But I'll never turn down free food."

"I'll see you later."

"You know where to find me," she called after him, then returned to her reading.



~END~