Title: Girl Talk

Disclaimer: The characters belong to Mr. Sorkin, with whom I am displeased for killing off Simon.

Genre: CJ/Simon, some CJ/Toby

Summary: CJ and Hogan talk about Simon

Dedication: To Rachael, my roomie

Spoilers: Everything up to and including the finale

Author's Note: I've not written for quite some time. But I am back with this offering to the fanfic Gods. I aim to please. Feed-back would be appreciated.

"CJ Cregg," she answered her cell phone as she entered the theatre, just parting from her former secret service agent.

"Aunt CJ, I know you are in New York, but I wanted to call you before Ryan came to pick me up for the prom. My dress looks gorgeous, thanks again," it was her niece Hogan.

"I kissed him," CJ had to confess.

"What?" Hogan asked. "Who?"

"I kissed Simon, I mean, Agent Donavan, I mean, I don't know, I am sorry," CJ purged.

"Aunt CJ, that's wonderful!" Hogan gushed. "He was looking at you the entire time we were at Barney's. But you two shouldn't be together should you?"

"That's the best part," CJ said. "They caught the guy who was stalking me."

"That's terrific!" Hogan was glad that her beloved aunt was finally happy.

"Well, have a good evening, sweetie," CJ said. "Have fun, be brilliant."

"I will," Hogan promised. "Good luck with Simon, remember lavender is a pretty color for bridesmaid's dresses and I wear a size six."

CJ laughed. "I doubt things will move that quickly right now. I am happy with him, though. Hogan, he may be the one you get to wear a lavender bridesmaid's dress for. Good night, sweetie. I've got to go. Take care."

"You too, good night," Hogan hang up her phone and didn't look at it until she and Ryan were dancing to a slow song at the prom.

Ryan looked at Hogan's reaction to her ringing phone. He was disappointed that his date wouldn't let it ring.

"It's my Aunt CJ," Hogan explained. "I am going to answer it."

"All right," Ryan shrugged.

"Hello," Hogan answered cheerfully.

"Hey Sweetie," CJ said between sobs. "Are you having a good time?"

"Sure, Aunt CJ," Hogan said worried. She knew CJ would not have called in the middle of the play like this. Something was wrong. CJ was crying. "What's wrong?"

CJ's end of the line was silent, except for faint crying.

"Aunt CJ?" Hogan said louder and in panic. "Our connection mustn't be any good."

"Hogan," CJ put all of her energy together so not to cry while she told her niece. "I know you are at the prom, but I needed to talk to someone who understood."

"What's wrong?"

"Hogan," CJ cried again. "Agent Donavan was shot and killed this evening."

"What?" Hogan gasped in disbelief. "Was it your stalker?"

"No, it was an armed robbery he walked in on," CJ explained.

"No," Hogan said with force, "You kissed him tonight. He's not dead. You're supposed to be with him. You're happy remember? He makes you happy. He's the good guy. Good guys don't die."

"Honey," CJ cried. "The good guys die more than the bad guys do."

"But Josh didn't die! He is a good guy!" Hogan recalled getting a similar phone call from her aunt after Rosalyn.

"No, Aunt CJ," Hogan said letting tears drip down her beautifully made up face for a man, whom she had only met once. "No, he was going to be my Uncle Simon. I'm supposed to wear the lavender dress for you."

"I know, sweetie." CJ said tearfully. "I think I was falling in love with him."

Hogan took a deep breath. She knew that she had to be the adult. "Aunt CJ, is Toby around?" Hogan asked of her aunt's best friend.

"I don't know," CJ replied.

"Find him, Aunt CJ," Hogan told her. "Or let him find you, don't go running away. Toby can take care of you. He always has. After Rosalyn he took care of you. He took care of you when you missed Grandpa's birthday. He took care of you when the President's MS became public. He was taking care of you before Simon ever came on the scene. He'll take care of you now. He loves you Aunt CJ. I think you love him too."

Her words were wise beyond her sixteen years. She could never bring Simon Donavan back. He would never be her uncle. She could never make her aunt's pain go away. She was hundreds of miles away. However, she was observant. Hogan Cregg had seen something long before two middle age people had. Long before there was a Simon, there had been a Toby. Although, he was not as dapper or as charming as Simon Donavan was. He would never be taller than her aunt, nor could he say he had saved anyone's life before. However, Hogan had seen the same look in Toby's eyes as she had seen in Simon's eyes as they looked at her aunt.

"Thanks, sweetie," CJ said trying to regain composure. "I just needed to talk to someone."

"It's okay," Hogan said looking at the disgusted face of her date. "I love you, Aunt CJ. I promise you'll find happiness. It may be right in front of you."

CJ smiled through her tears. "I love you, Hogan. I am sorry if I ruined your evening. Try to have some fun for me, okay?"

"Yeah," Hogan said. "Good night."

"Good night," CJ said turning off her phone. She wiped her eyes and was about to stand up, when Toby Ziegler appeared in front of her.

He didn't need to say anything. He knew what she was feeling. Wordlessly he opened his arms and let her cry.