Stone By Stone
Chapter 13 - Earth & Sky
Synopsis: Charlie decides that it's time he got a new apartment. The staff take a trip to New Mexico.
Characters: Ensemble
Episode/Spoilers: Set in an a/u that starts after season 5, Memorial Day.
Rating: PG
Monday Evening, April 18th
"You are joking?" Zoey asked her father angrily.
"No."
"Charlie can't go on the trip because I'm going? That's hardly fair on Charlie."
"I don't think he's going to mind missing one trip."
"But it's not just one trip is it? This is just the start. Next will be, he can't come whenever I'm at Manchester, he can't go to State Of The Union if I'm there. Pretty soon we won't be allowed in the same building as each other."
"Now you're just being ridiculous. You know the rules the Secret Service agreed with us."
"They're only thinking of your safety," Abbey added.
"The only time anything has happened to me, I wasn't dating Charlie," Zoey needlessly reminded them.
"And while you are dating him you'll both follow Secret Service rules," Jed snapped.
"Who are giving in to mindless morons," Zoey replied.
"The last time those 'mindless morons' threatened you and Charlie, your father and Josh ended up being shot," Abbey reminded her.
Her mother's words took the wind out of Zoey's argument."I'm not likely to forget," she said sadly. "Okay. Does Charlie know?"
"I'll tell him tomorrow."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tuesday
When Zoey entered the outer office from the portico, she found Charlie on his own. "Hey," she smiled.
"Hey, no college?"
"This afternoon. Have you spoken to my father?"
Charlie nodded. "He told me first thing."
"It sucks!"
"Yes, but it's not his fault, or Treasury's for that matter."
"It still sucks."
"They just don't want us leaving places together, especially not with your father. I have to say I kind of agree with them. I don't want to put anyone in that position again."
Zoey was suddenly sure this wasn't just the Secret Service being over protective. "Have you been getting threats?"
"Nothing out of the ordinary," Charlie replied.
"There shouldn't be an ordinary," Zoey told him. "I know you're right. You and my parents and Treasury. It just sucks."
"It does. Josh, Sam and Toby think it sucks as well, so you're not alone."
"Doesn't make me feel an better."
"It's only a day. We'll still have the night."
Zoey smiled, "You going to wait for me to get back?"
"Of course. And I expect a gift."
"It's a day trip."
"I want my gift," Charlie grinned.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wednesday Morning, Air Force One
Jed found he had a spare five minutes between briefings so he went in search of a member of his staff to torment. When he entered the staff cabin, he found the perfect candidate. "Josh," he smiled. "I hear you have a friend working at NASA."
"She's more of an acquaintance, Sir."
"Does that mean you know nothing about astronomy?"
"Is this going to involve a quiz?" Josh asked cautiously.
"You don't like quizzes?"
"This is going to be a long flight," Josh sighed.
"Not all," Jed smiled. "CJ, Sam, join us."
Josh grinned at CJ and Sam as they reluctantly sat down.
"As we're going to be opening an observatory, I've been honing up on my astronomy," Jed told them.
"That's good, Sir," CJ sighed. "You do know the Dow opened 2 points down."
"It'll rally," Jed assured her. "It's a shame this is a day flight, but it couldn't be helped, although we are returning at night. So, do any of you know anything about astronomy?"
"Josh knows a woman..." CJ began.
"We've done that," Josh told her. "She did tell me that Jupiter has 61 moons."
"Would that mean 122 equinoxes?" Sam wondered.
"That'd be plenty of opportunities to try that egg balancing thing, CJ," Josh grinned.
Jed smiled, "See, astronomy is fun. Why's the sky blue?" Jed asked.
"Gas molecules in the atmosphere scatter the different colors of the spectrum depending on their wavelength." Josh smiled at their surprised looks and carried on. "The effect is strongest on blue, which has the shortest wavelength, so blue is the color we see in the sky."
"I'm impressed," CJ replied.
"I can tell you why it's red at sunset if you're really interested," Josh offered with a grin.
"If you must," CJ told him.
"Actually, I'm not sure if I remember," he admitted. "I think it's that the sun's closer to the horizon so light passes along a longer path. More of the blue light is scattered and red is left as the more dominant."
"You learnt a lot from the NASA woman," CJ teased.
"Actually I read a lot of physics books, when I was in the hospital," Josh reminded her.
"We remember," Sam sighed.
"Yes, let's not go there again," CJ agreed.
"You read about physics?" Jed asked.
"Please don't," CJ pleaded.
Josh grinned at CJ and Sam, "It's your own faults. If you'd let me tune the TV into CNN or C-SPAN instead of Discovery," he told them. "Anyway, it was interesting."
"You were only doing it to annoy us," CJ said.
"You mean you weren't fascinated by the Super String Theory?" Josh tried to sound offended.
"Not nearly as much as by the Model For The Unified Theory," CJ told him.
Josh smiled at her, "Made you look it up though."
"Because your friend Danny kept quizzing me on it."
Jed smiled to himself as he listened to their banter. This was why he liked long plane rides, it gave the staff chance to relax for a while, to enjoy each others company.
"Why's the plane descending?" Sam asked as Colonel Myers came on the intercom.
"Mr President, Ladies and Gentlemen, we're passing through some bad weather and are descending to 27,000 feet. There may be some turbulence for the next few minutes."
"What causes turbulence?" Jed asked and smiled at their groans.
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White House - Four Hours Later
Margaret and Leo were watching the president's trip on television in Leo's office. It all appeared to be going as planned, or at least it had.
"What's he doing?" Leo sighed as he watched Jed start to answer a question from the crowd. They watched for a minute while Jed fielded questions on education and road building. Leo started to relax, until someone asked about The Minute Men. "Don't answer," Leo told the television.
"I don't think he can hear you," Margaret pointed out.
"Where the hell's CJ? Get me Josh," Leo told Margaret, but picked up the phone and dialled it himself. "Josh, what's he doing and where's CJ?"
"She's with the governor, he wanted to know about...."
"Yeah. Stop him before we end up spending the next week fighting about the Minute Men and border security."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Governor's Reception - Three Hours Later
"Enough," Josh sighed as CJ berated him about Jed's impromptu Q & A.
"No, Josh. What the hell where you thinking? I'm the one Leo's going to yell at."
"It went fine," Josh argued.
"Only because Leo phoned you. I should know better than leave you alone with the president and the press."
"Okay, I'm really sorry. Can I enjoy the reception now?" Josh asked. "We need to mingle."
"Don't think I'm done with this," CJ warned.
"Not for a minute," Josh sighed. As CJ walked away, he caught sight of Toby and Sam grinning at him. "Oh she's going to find a way to blame you two as well," he told them.
"We weren't there," Sam pointed out.
"Not going to matter."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
An Hour Later
"How was the governor?" Donna asked Josh.
"Happy."
"And Senator Ross?"
"Unhappy as ever."
"Congressman Fuller?"
Josh handed her a drink. "Haven't seen him."
"Ah well." Donna took Josh's drink from him and put it next to hers on a table. "Dance with me," she told him.
"We shouldn't, people'll notice."
"Don't be an idiot. People will notice if we suddenly start avoiding each other." Donna smiled mischievously, "I have a new dress and a tan. You've finished mingling with the invited guests. Now I want to dance. Course, if you're chicken, Mark looks a little lonely, I may ask him."
"Who the.... the intern, your admirer?" Josh asked. "In that case," he led her out onto the dance floor.
Across the room, Danny smiled to himself as he watched Josh and Donna dancing. There was something different about them, nothing he could put his finger on, just something.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
White House - 12.15am Thursday
"He'll have gone home," Jed told his daughter.
"I know, I just want to leave this on his desk for the morning."
"What is it?"
"A gift."
"You bought him back a gift?" Abbey asked.
"I've been away and it's traditional... yes I bought him a gift."
"When did you..."
"I won't be long," Zoey promised. She rode down in the elevator and walked to the West Wing. When she entered the Oval's outer office she was pleasantly surprised to find Charlie sitting at his desk. "It's past midnight."
"I know," he agreed. "I was waiting for my gift. And one of the advantages of dating the president's daughter is that I always know what time wheels down will be and when the motorcade is expected back here. So, where's my gift?" he asked.
"I don't even get a kiss?" Zoey teased.
"Do I get my gift then?" Charlie asked with grin and gave her welcome home kiss.
"Come on up, it's too late to go home now," Zoey said.
"Tempting as that is, I'm sure your father is still up. Do you really imagine he'd let us go to bed?"
"Charlie, we've had this discussion. We're both adults and if he won't let me go to your house then what can he expect?"
"Well, I don't think he expects anything, being your father and all. But that wasn't what I was thinking. I was thinking of the quiz I missed on Air Force One and how he'll have great fun doing that now, even though it is gone midnight. I'm going to get a ride with Sam and stay with him tonight. I just wanted to wait and see you. I also wanted my gift," he smiled and help out his hand.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Early Thursday Morning, Georgetown, Washington
"Is it all over?" Josh asked as he admired Donna fake tan.
"Almost," Donna grinned. "You like?" she asked as Josh removed her dress.
"I do," he agreed. "Will it come off on me?"
"Don't be an idiot. I think it makes me look healthier."
"I like you pale and pasty." Josh ducked as Donna flicked his undershirt at him. "Alabaster," he laughed. "The tan's nice, but I like the alabaster."
"It was just for tonight, it'll fade in a few days," she told him and then grinned mischievously, "I think Mark liked it."
"Then you are definitely not having it done again."
"Feeling threatened by a younger man."
"Yes," Josh agreed. "He's twenty years younger than me and I'm led to believe by some that's he's quite attractive."
"He is, in a college boy kind of way. I prefer my men to have at least started shaving," Donna smiled.
"That's just how Zoey described him, college boy kinda cute."
"Don't tell Charlie."
"Oh I think Zoey only has eyes for one man."
"Just like me," Donna smiled as she leant over and started kissing Josh.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sam's Apartment
"You think if I lived in a better neighborhood, they'd let Zoey stay over?" Charlie asked.
"I don't know," Sam replied. "The first daughter staying over in an unsecured apartment?"
"Yeah, I guess not," Charlie sighed. "They may let her visit though."
"You serious about this?" Sam asked.
"Yeah. I should move to a better place anyway, I can afford it now, just. I'd feel better when I'm working late and Deanna's home. I'd also feel better being able to get a cab after midnight."
"Not to mention they may let Zoey visit," Sam smiled.
"We get no privacy at all now. At least before she had her dorm room. But now she's either at The Residence or Manchester."
"Either tantalisingly close or hundreds of miles away," Sam mused.
"I don't know which is worse."
"Okay then. This weekend, we work out what rent you can afford and then see what that'll get you round here or Georgetown maybe. Then we can go apartment hunting."
"Let's not tell the president though," Charlie said.
"No," Sam agreed. "You, me, Donna, Josh, Toby and CJ."
"What about Zoey?"
"You want the president to find out?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thursday 7.20am
"Morning," Josh said as he caught up with Danny on his way into the White House. "You're in early."
"I'm keen," Danny replied. "How come Charlie wasn't with us yesterday?"
"He doesn't always come on trips," Josh tried to deflect the question.
Danny looked questioningly at Josh. "He's the president's bodyman, of course he always goes on trips. Was it because Zoey came?"
"You know I'm not the press secretary don't you?"
Danny laughed, "Under no illusions there, Josh. I wasn't asking as a reporter, I was just curious. Thought maybe the Secret Service weren't happy."
"Maybe," Josh shrugged.
"Well if that is the reason, it stinks," Danny told him.
"You're telling me. I'm not sure they're going to put up with it for another 20 months and I can't say I blame them."
"I guess after what happened last time..." Danny trailed off when he remembered who he was talking to and changed the subject. "You and Donna looked like you were enjoying yourselves though."
Josh glanced at Danny and knew by his grin that he at least suspected. "It was a good night," he agreed.
"How long we known each other?"
"Too long."
"Read you like a book my friend," Danny grinned. "I take it it's not public knowledge."
"Have you heard of CJ maiming anyone?" Josh asked.
"Does she know?"
"She does. You're not going to mention it though are you?"
"Tell CJ that you've told a reporter without clearing it with her first? Are you kidding. I don't want to be on the receiving end of that!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Do you have no work to do?" CJ asked Danny when he entered her office and sat down that lunch time. "Come to think of it, how do my staff just let you waltz in here?"
"They missed me while I was away," Danny replied. "I bought lunch." He held out the sandwich and coffee he'd bought for her. "And a gift, for Gail."
"You spoil that fish," CJ replied with a small smile. She would never admit it out loud, but she enjoyed Danny flirting with her. If they couldn't actually date, they could at least do this.
"You know I spent yesterday waiting for you to ask me to dance?"
"You came with us?" CJ asked. "I must have missed you."
"See, I bought lunch for you and a gift for our fish, and you can't even pretend to like me," Danny sighed. "I notice Charlie wasn't with us."
"Debbie came instead, Charlie stayed to take care of the office," CJ replied with the pre-agreed excuse.
Danny gamely played along. "That would explain it then." He finished his sandwich and turned the conversation. "Are there rules to prevent staffers dating?"
"Why?" CJ asked.
"I'm just curious."
CJ studied him for a second and wondered what he knew. "No. There's nothing to prevent Clive in the mailroom dating Margo in the mess."
"Margo's dating Clive?" Danny asked.
"You have no idea who Margo and Clive are," CJ laughed. "But yes they are and no there's no reason they shouldn't. Why?"
Danny grinned. "So if I quit the Post and got a job here there'd be nothing standing in our way?"
"Nothing," CJ agreed. "Except I may not want to date you," she smiled. "And you would never quit being a journalist."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thursday Evening
Toby wasn't comfortable getting involved in other people's personal lives, mainly because he didn't want anyone involving themselves in his. He did feel he needed to talk to Josh about Donna though. Not that he didn't approve, he did, but he was worried that Josh was ignoring what was going to happen when the relationship became public knowledge. He'd been putting the moment off all week, but on Thursday evening, once most people had gone home, he took two beers out of the mini fridge and went to find Josh.
"Donna gone?"
Josh nodded, "She's having a girly night with her roommate."
"How are you and her doing?" Toby asked.
Josh gave him a curious look, "We're fine, really good in fact. And my mom's happier than I've seen her," he smiled.
"And Donna's family?"
"I've only met them a couple of times on campaign stops. She says they're happy. To be honest I'm not sure how happy they can be about her dating her older boss."
"You know you can't keep it a secret forever though don't you? More people will find out and soon it will be public knowledge."
"What's your point?"
"My point is that some people are going to be unhappy."
"Toby, if you're here to tell me that some mindless idiots are going to be unhappy to see someone like me dating a nice protestant girl like Donna, then save your breath. We already know."
"I wasn't just thinking about them, although you are going to get stuff."
"I already do."
"I was thinking about all the people you've pissed off. I was thinking about your enemies, Josh. And you have a lot, you're very good at your job."
Josh raised his eyebrows, "Was that a complement?"
"Not an intentional one," Toby replied. "I'm just saying, your enemies are going to become hers."
"You don't think they already are?" Josh asked. "She's the one who fields their calls. Everyone of them associates her with me. She's been my assistant for over six years, and the campaign before that."
Toby nodded and took a drink of his beer before moving onto the thing that was going to make Josh angry, well aware that he was about to piss Josh off. "That's the other thing they're going start asking about. Why is she your assistant?"
"Why would they...?"
"Don't be naive, Josh," Toby sighed. "She had no qualifications and no experience. She literally walked in off the street and into your office and you hired her without asking anyone or taking any references. There are some people who are going think there was only one reason you did that."
"I seem to remember you were one of those people," Josh said.
"Seven years ago, yes," Toby agreed. "For about half a day. You're her boss, you're responsible for her performance reviews, for her salary reviews. I'm not saying anyone here is going to think that, I'm just...."
"I know what you're just saying. I've discussed this with Leo. I asked him whether he thought Donna should move now we're dating. He said no. He said that people could also say the same thing about him and the president, the president and surgeon general, hell they could even say it about me and him, in fact they do."
"Yeah," Toby nodded. "I'm really not saying I think that, or that anyone of us does."
"Good," Josh replied. "I know you like to think that you're the worldly wise one and I'm the naive, cosseted, just out of the Ivy League one. But I've worked in Washington for twenty years, I know how it works and I could give lessons in cynicism and jadedness."
"I'm not sure that's a word," Toby commented. "And I don't think that about you.
"Sure you do. It's okay. It's nice that you like to look out for me. It's like having an older brother," Josh smiled as Toby cringed at that thought. "You want to to Iota or someplace away from here?"
"As long as you're not going to talk about me being your brother again."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sunday Morning, Sam's Apartment
"First floor apartments are cheaper," CJ told Charlie.
"Because they're more noisy and less secure," Toby added.
"I've never had any trouble," Josh told them.
"How much do you pay?" Charlie asked Josh. When Josh told him, Charlie nodded, "I could afford that. Couldn't afford electricity, but you have to make sacrifices," he smiled. "What about you?" he asked Sam.
"If you lived where Sam lives you couldn't afford food never mind electricity," Donna told him. "My neighborhood's much cheaper and, regardless of what Josh says, it's fairly safe."
Josh walked into the hall and returned with a newspaper. "There you go, they'll be property to let in there."
Toby went to get more beer out of Sam's fridge, while the Charlie, Sam and CJ looked through the property section of the newspaper and Josh and Donna argued about what to put on the TV.
"Here's one," Sam said, "Two bedroomed south facing apartment. Living/dining room, kitchen, easy to maintain, convenient for local amenities."
Josh grinned. "Which translates as, 'Small, on a busy road, above a 24 hour convenience store. Being south facing, it would get the sun all day, if it wasn't for the neighboring building that almost touches it'."
"Okay, how about this," CJ tried. "'Delightful apartment, would suit professional person. Two bedrooms, bath, kitchen/dinner, living room, fully furnished with many original features'?"
Toby smiled, "Would suit professional person who works long hours, because you won't want to spend time here."
"Fully furnished with many original features. That would be the original couch, bed, kitchen, carpet and damp," Josh added.
"You two are complete cynics, you know that?" CJ told them.
"What, you've only just noticed?" Sam asked, as Toby scowled and Josh grinned.
"What do you actually want in an apartment?" Donna asked Charlie.
"A reasonably safe neighborhood, someplace Zoey might be allowed to visit," he smiled. "I'll need two bedrooms, one for Deanna when she's home. Besides that, I'm not bothered."
"Have you told Deanna?" Josh asked, remembering his feelings when his mother told him she was selling their family home.
"She's thinks it great idea. She's no intention of moving back to live with me once she finishes college anyway."
"What about Zoey?"
"She agrees with Deanna," Charlie said.
"She has no intention of living with you?" Josh asked.
"She thinks it's a great idea," Charlie told him.
"Ahh," Josh smiled.
Sam handed Charlie a piece of paper, "That's about how much you could afford."
"So I should forget these then," he crossed through the first two columns of lets. "What about this one?" he asked.
"That's the street behind mine," Donna told him.
"With the bars?" Josh asked.
"No, other side. It's quiet down there. We should go and look at some."
"I need to get the details of three or four and then show them to Harry Schofield."
"The head of Zoey's detail?"
"Yeah. Well there's no point in getting a new place and then finding she can't go there either."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
White House
When Leo entered the outer office that afternoon he was surprised to find Debbie at her desk. "Thought you had plans today?" he asked.
"Yes, this," she replied, indicating the work in front of her. "He's in the Residence if you need him."
"Okay." Leo made no attempt to leave though and Debbie watched him questioningly. "I have to tell him about Josh and Donna," he told her.
"Do you think we should tell some people about us?"
"Mallory knows," Leo replied. "And the president."
"What about the others?"
"Are people are getting suspicious?" Leo asked.
"They've been quizzing me for months about who I'm dating," Debbie smiled. "I very much doubt they suspect it's you."
Leo tried to look hurt, but ended up grinning.
Debbie looked suddenly serious. "Do you think it'd be too much of a problem?"
"I don't think it'll be a problem at all," Leo replied. "I just thought you were enjoying having a secret romance."
"That is fun. I've been able to invent a whole identity for you."
"I'm not sure I want to know."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jed handed Leo a mineral water and sat down across from him. "You've got that look."
"I don't have a look," Leo objected.
"It's the look you get when you're thinking of whether you should tell me something."
Leo took at drink and marveled again at how anyone could get away with actually selling something that had even less taste than tap water.
"Is it work or personal?" Jed asked. "Must be personal or you'd look more serious. Is it Debbie? She did come in to work today."
"No it's not Debbie." Leo studied Jed, he was obviously in a good mood, so this was probably as good a time as any. "It's Josh."
"Oh hell, what's he done?" Jed sighed.
"He's dating Donna."
"Yeah? So you were right last month then." Jed smiled, "Was he scared when he told you?"
"Almost trembling," Leo laughed. "You okay with this then?"
"Staffing's your problem," Jed shrugged. "Does CJ know?"
Leo nodded. "She doesn't think it'll be an issue. Still she says she can spin it if she needs to."
"You think there could be questions about him being her boss?"
"Yeah. I don't envisage anything that's going to affect the administration, but there's going to be gossip and some of it isn't going to be pleasant, especially for Donna."
"Yeah," Jed sighed. "Though Josh will probably get some pleasure from slapping down anyone who has anything to say."
~~End Of Chapter 13~~