See all the pertinent information in Part 1.
CJ didn't understand what Toby meant, at first. And then it dawned on
her. Toby put great stock in Tempting Fate, Destiny or Karma. My God!
When Sam and Josh were ready to try their hand at leading this Nation,
Toby was sure he would not be there to see it.
CJ couldn't help it. She began to cry. How was she ever going to
convince him that he was wrong. She had never imagined that there
would be a time when Toby Ziegler would not be on this Earth. Now he
had planted the thought in her head and she was terrified. How would
she cope without her friend? How would any of them cope. How could he
do this to them? Suddenly, she was angry, very angry, in fact. What
the hell is he thinking!?
Toby was still turned away from her when he felt her fingers and thumb
grab his chin and forcefully turn his face to her. His eyes widened at
the sight of CJ red, blotchy and puffy. Oh boy...she was pissed.
"Toby! You...you idiot!" If you want to wallow in all this doom and
gloom, fine, go ahead, it's your choice. I, for one, oh and there are
others, refuse to hold to your bizarre and moronic belief that your
nightmares have somehow tempted fate!
CJ lifted Toby out of the chair, changing her crushing grip of his
chin into a soft caress of his cheek. She placed both her hands on his
shoulders. Toby, for his part, stuffed his hands in his pockets and
looked at the ground.
"Toby, look at me," and as he did, she began softly, "I don't know how
long any of us will be here. No one knows. What I do know is that
you're here now and Sam still has to learn everything he can from you.
You'll teach him for as long as possible. 20 minutes...
20 years...whatever. And every tick of time that you spend with him,
will mean a great deal to Sam because of who he is and..." CJ moved
her hands to both sides of Toby's face, "President Seaborn will be a
great leader because of who you are. You may not be here to see it
then, but you KNOW it now."
Toby's eyes were red and burning. CJ let go, tilted her head, crossed
her arms and tapped her foot impatiently. "Well, don't you have
anything to say, Mr. Eloquent?"
Toby dropped his head. His hands began to fidgit in his pockets and he
shuffled his feet. Finally, he peered at her from under his eyebrows.
"How come you aren't the President's offical speechwriter?"
CJ threw her hands up. "That's it?! That' all you have to say to me?"
Toby stepped up to CJ and took both her hands in his. He raised his
head to look directly at her. This time he wanted her to read his eyes
and see what was there. CJ understood what he was allowing her to do
and silently searched his features. Finally she gave him a satisfied
nod. She saw that he was exhausted, barely able to stand, in fact
(taking care of that was next on her list). While she didn't exactly
see hope, she did catch a glimmer of his renewed committment to Sam,
to all of them.
"Um...CJ?" Shuffle Shuffle.
"Yes, Toby."
"Um...well...thanks...for everything, you know."
"Not good enough."
"Huh?"
"A thank you is not going to be enough, my friend."
He rubbed his forehead in exasperation, "CJ..."
"Toby, you just brought the Grim Reaper to the White House for a
little visit!"
"Okay, fine, what do you want?"
She hooked her arm into his and steered him out the opposite door of
the Roosevelt Room towards the Communications Bullpen.
"It's not what I want, but what your are going to do."
He gave her a leery glare.
"Uh, uh...nope...not going to work on me. You, Toby, are going to
cancel the rest of your morning meetings, close the blinds of your
office, lie down on your couch and nap."
"What am I a kindergartner? I can't just..."
"Hmmmm...I wonder how old Mrs. Barlett can make you feel. Two? One?
Like a baby?"
Time Ticking Away - 9
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