*****
The West Wing and its characters are the property of Aaron Sorkin, Warner
Brothers Television and NBC. No Copyright infringement is intended.
********
At first it wasn't noticeable. Just a missing face here or there. Mostly in the ranks of temps who handled mail in the White House. But this was January, so some temporaries were gone. No need for them since the rush of Christmas cards to and from the Bartlets was through.
C.J. Cregg didn't catch the talk about symptoms, sickness and staying home right away. She didn't notice the empty desks. The White House Press Secretary with the eye and mind for detail was too distracted because her most persistent distraction wasn't around.
Danny Concannon was in Europe to do a series of interviews about the upcoming Economic Summit. Danny tried to book her for a farewell dinner on his last night in town. She didn't have the time. Now she had regrets about it. C.J. couldn't admit to anyone that she missed the red headed terror.
The night before Danny left C.J. was working late in her office when Danny breezed in. Before she could object, he closed the door, strode over to the computer desk and pulled C.J. to her feet.
He gave her a quick, hard kiss and said, "Take care of my fish. I'll send a postcard." He saluted in the direction of the Goldfish he'd given her and was out the door before C.J. could stop her sputtering and form a sentence. She was angry at his temerity and thrilled by the way Danny's kiss made her feel.
In fact, she had relived it several times since. As it crossed her mind again, her cheeks grew hot. C.J. was pulling into the White House underground garage to start another day. Opening the window would cool her face and give her a chance to exchange pleasantries with Ralph. The morning duty guard always had something pleasant to say, C.J. was one of his favorites.
C.J. could see she wasn't the only one feeling warm despite the Winter chill. But the guard mopping his face with the handkerchief wasn't Ralph. The substitute told her Ralph was out with the flu. C.J. saw this guy would soon claim his own place on the sick list.
As she parked her car and headed into the White House, C.J. realized there were lots of empty parking spaces, unused desks and people missing. She just hadn't been paying attention. C.J. made a mental note to send Ralph a get well card.
Carol snagged C.J. just as she made it to her office door. Her assistant had bad news. "We're down two people, Suzanne and Linda are out with the flu."
C.J. felt bad, she hadn't noticed if they'd looked sick over the last few days. But she was on it now. "Okay, if you think we'll need a hand at the Briefings ask Toby if we can borrow Ginger." As Carol nodded, C.J. continued, "Let's get some numbers on the flu cases: local Health Department and CDC."
C.J. perused the papers noting that the President's budget numbers and surplus predictions got good placement. The Congressional objections for the most part were either below the fold or on an inside page. Before she turned to the summaries of the network morning shows, she noted the reporter filling in for Danny didn't even rate a byline for her story. C.J. grinned.
As she headed to Leo's office, Carol handed C.J. a sheaf of papers including CDC numbers. Nineteen states reported widespread or regional flu activity. It was especially heavy in the Eastern Corridor that included the Capital. That was worth mentioning to the rest of the Inner Circle.
Leo, Margaret, Josh and Donna were already in the Chief of Staff's office. Toby and Sam were at the door about the same time as C.J. She side stepped past them to make it to the table and grab the lemon poppyseed muffin before Josh. Josh tried to swoop when he realized it. But a slosh of hot coffee from his mug stopped him. "C.J., why do you do that? Those are my favorite."
"Mine too, Josh.", she replied, "I would think with your high up position in the Bartlet White House you'd arrange to have more lemon poppyseed muffins on the tray."
Josh looked stunned as the light dawned. He bellowed, "Donnatella Moss, why didn't you think of that?"
His assistant shrugged and looked at him with disdain. "I don't like that flavor so I don't care."
Leo looked up from his ever present pile of papers. "If we're done with our culinary reviews, can we move on to the people's business?"
The list of items was fairly routine. As the others spoke, C.J. started sifting through the papers Carol had given her. Underneath a few of them, C.J. found a picture postcard. It was of a fountain in Brussels and the water streamed from the mouths of fish. She smiled and flipped it over, recognizing Danny's scrawl from the address. But her smile faded when she realized there was no written message. She slipped it into her notepad just as Leo called out, "C.J. what do you have?"
C.J. offered up a review of newspapers and network morning shows. Then she mentioned flu numbers. Leo said it seemed like normal numbers for staff absences. He handed C.J. the attendance sheet.
Then Sam spoke up. "We're just seeing the start of this. It's really beginning to mushroom throughout the region."
Toby asked, "Been talking to your contact at CDC, Sam?"
"Nope.", Sam answered, "Mallory."
Leo's head jerked up, he still wasn't sure how he felt about Sam and his daughter becoming friends. "Is 'friends' the word for it?", he wondered to himself.
"Is Mallory an epidemiologist in her spare time?", Josh wisecracked.
"No, she teaches school and so she sees how many kids are out and how many substitute teachers are in.", Sam told them.
Leo veered from the political to the personal, "Is she feeling okay?"
Sam nodded, "Well enough to cook me dinner tonight."
"You? Dinner?", Leo asked. "She invited me to dinner. We'll talk about this later." The rest of the Staff suppressed smiles. About that time Mandy came into the meeting and grabbed a seat.
The sight of her jogged Toby's memory. He raised a concern. "Don't we have a group of school kids coming to meet with the President this week? How will it look to have them throwing up on the shoes of the Leader of the Free World?"
"It won't happen." Mandy spoke up to protect her photo opportunity. "We'll keep a close eye on the kids. The teachers will too. These are kids who wrote a play about the original Josiah Bartlet. We can't turn this down."
Sam put in, "Besides the President already had the flu, he's probably immune."
Josh smirked, "Thank you, Dr. Seaborn." Then he looked at Mandy. "I agree with our media consultant."
She gave him a shocked look, "You do?"
"Yeah, we want people to see the President in great health while others fall by the side of the toilet and bed pans."
Leo seemed about to say something but stopped. "Okay, we're done. Everyone out." As they rose, he continued, "Except you Sam."
Toby, Josh, Mandy, Donna, C.J. and Margaret beat a hasty retreat enjoying Sam's discomfort. They headed down a hall. "Think I should start interviews for a new Deputy Communications Director?" Toby wondered.
Mandy didn't think so. "Sam can handle Leo, Mallory can handle both of them. She probably just wants them to get to know each other on neutral turf. It'll be fine."
Josh and C.J. spoke at the same time. "Oh, to be a fly on the wall. C.J. said, "You mean now in Leo's office?"
"No.", Josh answered, "I meant tonight at Mallory's"
Everyone went their own way after that. C.J. settled at her desk and pulled out the post card from Danny. She showed it to Gail the Goldfish. "Looks like something you would appreciate." She propped it against the bowl so the fish could enjoy it.
Her phone buzzed and she found Mrs. Landingham on the other end. As usual the President's Secretary got right to the point. "The President wanted you to know, C.J. that Zoey is at the Student Health Center. Apparently, it's the flu."
C.J. started making notes. "Is she coming back here after she sees the Doctor?"
"That's what the President wants but Zoey is determined to be sick, miserable and independent in her dorm room."
"Can't imagine where that stubborn streak comes from, can you Mrs. Landingham?"
"No, C.J., not at all." Mrs. Landingham laughed. "Mr. McGarry knows about this, you'll be kept up to date. Her Secret Service Agent is feeling poorly too."
After she hung up, C.J. prepped for her Briefing. She reminded herself not to look at Danny's empty place. But it seemed her eyes were drawn there automatically.
The assembled Press Corps was minus a few regulars besides Danny. Bruce and Bobbie were missing. Bobbie came in during the briefing looking a bit green. When C.J. mentioned high flu numbers there were groans and comments of "No kidding." and "That's not news." from the room.
C.J. told them, "We know it's going to get worse before it's better. But the CDC is tracking cases. We are getting hourly updates." As she was taking a few final questions, Bobbie made a dash for the door.
By the next day, C.J. heard that two photographers and another reporter were gone. Bonnie in Sam's office was trying to last the day. The same was true throughout the White House. Their government clearance might be different but the symptoms were the same no matter what the rank, station or job. It was a debilitating combination of headache, queasiness, lethargy, vomiting and sometimes diarrhea.
C.J. felt helpless as she watched people creep out of the building. Nearly everyone confessed they weren't ready to be sick. They needed to stop at a store and crawl through the aisles to get supplies to take home.
That spurred C.J. to action. She hit a warehouse store and bought cases of tissues, toilet paper and oranges. She was teased for being Florence Nightingale. But the grateful sickies could head straight home after a stop at "Mother C.J.'s Cupboard".
Mandy stuck her head into C.J.'s office to find a smiling Press Secretary. She had another postcard in her hand. It was from The Hague and the photo featured a still life from an art museum there. It was a 16th Century painting of a banquet table. The food painted included a whole fish grinning from the canvas. No message again. C.J. couldn't share this one with the Goldfish. The subject matter was too upsetting.
"Why are you smiling?", Mandy asked as she helped herself to an orange.
"No reason, mail didn't bring any hate letters, no bills, we're a step closer to the weekend." C.J. was searching for a diversion. "I get lots of visitors for oranges too. Is that why you're here?"
"Margaret called and said Leo's on his way over to talk to us."
On cue, Leo walked in looking a bit more harried than normal. "The meeting between the President and the kids with the play is off."
"Why?", in chorus from the two women.
"On the record, we don't want these Ohio kids coming to D.C. and being exposed to the flu.", Leo told them.
"Okay.", C.J. said, "Now off the record."
Leo gave her a steady look, "The President has the flu again. I guess he never really shook it."
"So in my briefing, I avoid the subject.", C.J. finished.
"For the time being.", Leo told her.
Mandy had moved beyond her cancelled play. "Is Mrs. Bartlet taking care of him? She was supposed to do that campaign fund raiser out West."
Leo announced, "We'll put that off. Personally and professionally, she wants to be here for the President and Zoey."
C.J. reminded him, "The latest CDC numbers plus local numbers are rising at a faster pace. We might have to look at some options."
"Didn't the President have a flu shot, Leo?", Mandy inquired. "Maybe we shouldn't tout them if this is the best they work."
Leo put in, "Mandy, don't borrow trouble. He was due for one about the time Dr. Tolliver and the medical plane were shot down. Things got confused."
C.J. knew Leo well and was studying him intently, "Leo, it's just the flu?"
"Yep.", he assured her.
Mandy headed out and then turned to grab an extra orange. "Better to be safe than sorry. I'll call the school. We can reschedule."
Mandy headed out and then turned to grab an extra orange. "Better to be safe than sorry. I'll call the school. We can reschedule."
She told him, "It can't hurt and it helps me. Makes me feel like I'm doing something." In a mischievous tone C.J. asked, "How was dinner last night?"
He tried not to groan. "Mallory's a great cook. The conversation was good and so was the wine, so I'm told. Sam and I both brought her flowers. It's just weird."
C.J. promised, "You'll adjust to it."
Leo got up to leave. "That's what I'm afraid of.", he snorted.
He left and C.J. worked steadily until the next Briefing. She found herself facing a few more empty places. C.J. sighed, it meant more work for her. Editors would be placing extra phone calls to ask her to fill in the blanks to get stories filed from back at the papers.
By afternoon, Carol was begging for supplies and in need of going home. Sam stopped by to say Mallory was sick and so he was heading over to check on her. He took oranges and paper products.
Toby and C.J. ended up leaving at the same time. He was concentrating on an article in "Prevention" Magazine as they walked out. C.J. heard him muttering: "Vitamin C, check. Echinacea, check. Plenty of sleep, yeah right."
C.J. laughed at him as he told her. "I hate flu shots but maybe I should have had one. I don't deserve to be sick."
"Okay, Toby. I'm sure that will convince the germs to ignore you."
"Aren't you worried C.J.?"
"No, I don't get sick. I am worried though about the President's relapse."
They parted and another long day was over. C.J. suddenly perked up, Danny was due back tomorrow.
*********
C.J.'s day started earlier than normal. Josh called about 5:00 A.M. After telling her he hoped he wasn't interrupting any unbridled passion, Josh informed her that Leo and Sam were both ill.
The remaining Senior Staff needed to meet on an urgent matter. The D.C. Mayor was pushing for a partial shut down locally and looking for one at the Federal level to help alleviate the flu's spread.
They agreed to meet at 7:30. C.J. got in her work out, dressed, grabbed breakfast and was at her desk by 7:15. There was one bit of cheer. The garage guard, another unfamiliar face told her he expected Ralph back tomorrow. C.J. was glad to know she'd see his friendly face again. Her step quickened on the hope she would see Danny's friendly face even sooner.
Donna came to get C.J. for Staff. "We could probably hold it in a phone booth with so few of us standing."
C.J. understood, "But of course, Josh wants to use Leo's office."
"He's already behind the desk." Donna said as they maneuvered through the hall. "I think you'll be pleased C.J. As his first official act he ordered a tray of nothing but lemon poppyseed muffins."
Both women sighed. They'd seen him in macho mode before. Josh was rattling off instructions to Margaret. Mandy was already at the table and strangely quiet. She never once interrupted or countered Josh's orders.
C.J. grabbed a muffin, sat down and asked. "Where's Toby?"
A voice from the speakerphone, "I'm here."
"Okay, where's here?", a puzzled C.J. asked.
Before Toby could answer, Josh put in. "He is in his office and won't be joining us. Toby thinks we're all carriers."
Toby's voice replied. "It is not personal. I just won't take any chances."
Margaret told the room. "Toby ordered a moat, it should be installed by lunch time."
Everyone laughed except for Mandy. But things turned serious when Toby asked, "How's the President? How's Zoey?"
"I've got good news and bad news." Josh began, "Mrs. Bartlet told me Zoey is nearly well, but still weak. The President is having a harder time shaking it. We'll have to mention it as casually as possible. He won't be available for any public appearances or photo calls."
Mandy just nodded. Everyone else waited for objections, arguments or complaints from her, but nothing. C.J. couldn't believe it. "Mandy, this is okay with you? Are you okay?"
"I'm fine.", she said. "I understand..." And then she fainted. Josh got to her before she slid off the chair and to the floor.
As the staff scattered to help, Toby's voice rattled through the speaker. "What's going on?"
Donna offered play by play, yelling. "Mandy passed out and she looks really white." About that time, Mandy came to. Josh got her back on her feet and had Donna help her to his office.
"I feel like a character in that book, you know the one by Agatha Christie, 'And Then There Were None'." Josh had turned to C.J., Margaret and the speakerphone.
Toby's voice floated out at them. "C.J. let's take the high road. The President is bouncing back quickly, nearly recovered. But..."
"...we want to keep any crowd gatherings to a minimum." She finished for him. "We can release a few White House photos of him working if Mrs. Bartlet will allow it."
Josh chimed in. "One more thing C.J.--stress hand washing."
Just as Josh was finishing that sentence, Margaret handed C.J. a stack of mail. She saw a picture postcard corner peeking out. But C.J. put it out of her mind to ask, "What did you tell me to stress?"
"Stress hand washing," he repeated.
C.J. looked incredulous. "We have a major flu outbreak, we're being called on to shut down non-essential parts of the Government, the Mayor is cancelling school and I'm supposed to tell the White House Press Corps with national and international members--WASH YOUR HANDS!"
Josh looked her right in the eye. "Yes."
"I can't believe you're a half-bright scholar let alone a Fulbright Scholar, you moron." C.J.'s voice was stern.
Josh defended himself by holding up a pamphlet. "The CDC says hand washing. What do you suggest?"
"That suggestion is for the start of an outbreak.", she snapped. "I think we follow the Mayor's lead. Give as many people as possible in Federal Agencies a day off, a long weekend allows the area a chance to air out and get less germy."
Before Josh could say anything else, C.J. turned to the speaker. "Feel free, oh powerful Wizard of Oz to speak to us from behind your curtain."
Toby's voice came at them. "Suffice it to say, you're not in Kansas any more C.J. I'm with Josh, sort of. For now, we're monitoring things. I don't think a shut down is warranted. Gauge reaction at your briefing."
"That is if anyone's there." C.J. muttered and headed for the door. "One more thing, Josh. I'll need Donna's help after the briefing once she gets Mandy headed home. Carol is still out."
Josh offered, "What about Ginger?"
"Nope." Toby's voice was firm as he spoke from the beyond. "She is guarding my door."
C.J. sighed, "The lunatics have taken over the asylum. Are you sure I'm safer in here than out there?" She returned to her office to organize for the Briefing. The latest CDC flu numbers had jumped again for reported cases and deaths. The Mayor was getting lots of air time and print space as he called for a Federal shut down to mirror the local one. C.J. hated playing catch up with another branch of Government.
Her sick room supplies were dwindling and C.J. couldn't figure out a way to get out to restock. She was about to throw something against the wall in frustration when Donna stuck her head in the door. "Josh told me to give you a hand. I'll copy the briefing sheets. Anything else?"
"How's Mandy?"
"She's a shade of green that does nothing for her. Mandy kept arguing she was fine, but it was hard to believe her when she kept running out to the rest room as punctuation to the statements. Charlie will drive her home, then he's off to his house. He's a bit ill and his sister is already sick at home."
"Plus she gets a day off tomorrow.", C.J. put in. "Donna, thanks for the help. I was feeling overwhelmed."
"I'll be back with these.", Donna smiled. "Thanks for the kind words, always nice to have a little appreciation."
C.J. felt things were back on an even keel. She started to gather herself for the Briefing. Notes, check; schedule, check; glasses, check; pen, check. As she grabbed her notebook, she noticed the latest postcard sticking out.
Danny had chosen a combination shot of a busy London street near Big Ben showing a fish and chips stand. The other half was a shot of the Thames. Again no message and unsigned.
C.J. pulled out the fish food and fed the Goldfish. "Sorry, I can't show you the postcard, too scarey. Well, how about this? I'll bend it so you can see just the Thames, I'll bet there are happy fish living in there."
Donna coughed from the doorway. "Am I here at a bad time?"
C.J. reddened, "No, just preparing myself to face the Press Corps crazies by being a little crazy."
As she took the item sheets from Donna, C.J. noticed Donna had her hand shielding her mouth. "Donna, are you all right? Is something wrong?"
"You see it don't you? You noticed it right away. It's huge." Donna sounded upset.
"I noticed your hand by your mouth, what are you talking about?" C.J. was confused.
"This, this, THIS." and Donna pointed to her lip.
"Donna, there's nothing there. I don't see anything except you're not wearing lipstick."
"The Cold Sore, it's huge. You're just being kind. It's horrible, I look awful."
"Donna the only thing I can see is that you've worked with Josh so long, you're as crazy as he is."
Donna stopped looking in C.J.'s office mirror long enough to fix her with a stare. "I'm crazy? You were showing a Goldfish a postcard."
"Fair point."
Donna stepped away from the mirror to fix a critical eye on C.J. "Add some blush, C.J., you need to look healthy in the face of all this disease. I need to find some concealer for myself or one of those, you know half veil things the harem girls wear."
She was truly upset so C.J. didn't laugh. Well, not until Donna was out of sight. She declined C.J.'s invitation to attend the Briefing and hand out the sheets.
C.J.'s laughter faded as she hit the Press Room. About two thirds of the regulars were missing, Danny's empty chair among them. C.J. wondered if he'd been delayed, if he'd been in a plane crash, if he'd been swept off his feet by a member of European Royalty.
As she shook her head to clear her mind, C.J. realized Billy Kenworthy form the Wall Street Journal was next to her. He seemed to be waiting for her to say something. "What's up Billy?"
"Carol's still out?", he asked. C.J. nodded.
"I thought I saw someone else with you."
"That was Donna, she didn't have time to attend. It's just me."
Billy seemed concerned. "Oh, you seem distracted."
C.J. went for the joke. "I'm not used to this much quiet, this many seats or this many leftover doughnuts. Let's get to the numbers."
It was a quick session once she mentioned the President's illness and that he would be out of the public eye again. "Just a precaution. He's on the mend, working and afraid of exposing the rest of us to group situations."
She took lots of questions about a government shut down. The basic answer in several different forms. "It's still an option for us to use."
She finished by telling them Zoey was arguing to get back to her dorm room. "No matter who the kid is, lousy college foot beats being under your parents' roof even if it's the White House."
The briefing wrapped and C.J. resisted the temptation to ask if anyone knew of Danny's whereabouts. Her first stop was her office, she found a neat stack of messages. She began to check them and wondered who was taking them until she recognized Mrs. Landingham's distinctive handwriting. C.J. added a stop at the secretary's desk to her mental list.
First up, Josh's office next door. C.J. noticed Donna wasn't at her desk. But Josh was at his desk. He was sprawled out in the chair and staring at the ceiling. "Josh, where's Donna? I'll need her help for the next Briefing."
"I sent her home."
"Why?", C.J. suspected she knew the answer but couldn't believe it.
"She had a cold sore."
"No, she didn't."
"Donna said she did and they get really ugly C.J." Josh shuddered, "They're crusty, bloody and pussy, makes me...yuck. I couldn't look at that."
C.J. just stared at him. "Josh, we are in the middle of a flu epidemic. Most of the West Wing is empty because of that and Donna gets a free pass for a possible cold sore?"
"It seemed like a good idea at the time, a benevolent gesture. I'm a good guy."
She told him, "You're misguided. This is not the time for these expansive gestures. You'll have to help me copy Briefing sheets."
"Don't hound me Claudia Jean. I don't feel well."
C.J.'s heart softened as his voice trailed off. He was one of the few people still able to call her Claudia Jean. She didn't allow many people to be that close, that personal any more.
"Josh, are you really sick or just trying to avoid my work and my wrath?"
"Both.", he managed a grin. "Could you kiss me on the forehead?"
"Excuse me, what did you say?", a startled C.J. asked.
"Kiss my forehead, that's what my Mom would do. If it felt warm and tasted salty, I had a fever."
C.J. moved next to him. "I won't kiss your forehead, I'm not your Mother and I don't want to taste your germs." But she laid a hand on his forehead.
He sighed, "Your hands feel cool."
"And your head feels warm. You do have a fever" Her tone had changed to sympathetic, "Can you make it home? I can't leave here with you out."
"I'll be fine, thanks." Josh smiled weakly. "C.J. if you can get past Toby's guards, tell him we need to do the shut down. I'll sign off on it. You were right."
C.J. headed for the door, turned and paused. "Now, I know you have a fever, maybe even delirium. You just said that I was right about something." They exchanged smiles and she continued, "Get some supplies and feel better."
Her next stop was Toby's office. Ginger was moving between her own desk, Cathy's and Bonnie's. Ginger was dealing with Sam's calls and Toby's paranoia.
"What's the word from the injured list?", C.J. threw at her.
Ginger punched a hold button and ticked off the count. "Bonnie and Cathy are hoping to get in tomorrow or maybe this weekend. Sam wants to drag himself in tomorrow afternoon. Toby wants all of them to work from home so he's not contaminated."
C.J. moved to Toby's office door, "I need to see him."
"Good luck.", Ginger warned her.
C.J. nodded and then knocked on the door. Before she could cross the threshold, Toby yelled. "Stop, that's far enough." He was at his desk, surrounded not just by work but by vitamin bottles, a vaporizer and an air purifier.
C.J. halted in her tracks. "Toby, this is ridiculous. You can't barricade yourself from an infection."
"I can and I have."
"But we need you out and about, being seen, making decisions."
"That's why we have you and Josh."
"Well, we don't have any Josh any more. He's gone home sick. Before he left he agreed we need to go with the shut down."
"Okay, I'll start the calls to the Cabinet. You'll announce it at your next Briefing."
"Toby, aren't we exerting a little too much power, shouldn't we check with the President, it is his country we're running."
"I'll leave that to you. I am not sure I can get past his lions. You carry more influence with Mrs. Landingham and the First Lady than I do."
"You just don't want to leave this office." She paused, "Okay, I'll do it." C.J. had to know. "What are you doing about food and about going to the bathroom? Doesn't that expose you to the masses?"
"I'm bringing food and things to drink from home. I keep the bathroom breaks to a minimum and I'm keeping up with vitamins and herbal preventives."
C.J. teased him, "Well, the President was too."
Toby shook his head. "No, he was just carrying them in his pocket, remember?"
They both laughed a little and then C.J. turned serious. "Aren't you worried about him Toby? I never remember him getting sick during the campaign. He wore the rest of us out."
"I don't know C.J. Maybe the responsibilities and realities of being President are tougher than anyone imagined."
"Guess so. Let me get the President's okay on the shut down. If there is a problem, I'll call. After the Oval Office, I'm off to my Briefing."
C.J. strode into the Oval Office, to find Mrs. Landingham juggling phones, directing the few remaining aides and typing. The President's secretary gestured for C.J. to wait while she wrapping things up. As she hung up the phone, Mrs. Landingham was opening the cookie jar on her desk. "C.J. would you like a cookie?
"No thank you, maybe later. Mrs. Landingham I need to talk to the President for a few minutes before my next Briefing."
"I'm not sure that's possible. He's still in the Residence." Mrs. Landingham was on her guard, she waited for C.J. to continue.
"I know but I want him to be aware we're moving towards a shut down of non-essentials. The President should have the final word on it. He is still running the joint."
"Let's call up there. I appreciate you being so considerate and following the chain of command, dear."
C.J. smiled at Tommy, the Secret Service Agent assigned to Mrs. Landingham and said, "I'm not getting on your bad side." He smiled back in agreement.
"Mrs. Bartlet is on the line C.J. She will speak to you, why don't you take the call at Charlie's desk?" Mrs. Landingham pointed.
The Press Secretary moved to the empty desk. "Hello, Mrs. Bartlet. I'm sorry to be a bother."
The First Lady's brisk voice warmed, "C.J., you're never a bother. The President is in the shower, a sure sign he's feeling better. He's worried about how he looks."
"That's great Mrs. Bartlet. Ma'am I wanted to let him know that we are all in favor of giving non-essentials a long weekend. I'd like to make the announcement at my briefing, I wanted his okay."
"Give him a couple of minutes and he'll call you back."
"Mrs. Bartlet, one more thing," C.J. hesitated to ask but she knew Abigail Bartlet wasn't just the First Lady, she was a doctor taking part in the care of her husband.
"Yes, C.J.?"
"Ma'am we'd like to release some photos of the President working preferably in the Oval Office. We think it's a good idea to reassure people."
This time the hesitation was in Abigail Bartlet's voice, "Today?"
"Well, that would be ideal but it can wait until tomorrow morning. We'll make it White House Photographers and Video Crew only."
"C.J., I'll be honest with you. The President still looks pretty haggard. So if I can get him one more good night's rest, I'll feel better about this."
"Fine, Mrs. Bartlet. Thank you."
"C.J., we timed this well, here's my husband."
The usually vibrant voice of Jed Bartlet sounded a bit weak over the phone. But the President still had his sense of humor. "What's the casualty count from the West Wing, C.J.?"
"Sir, it's easier to tell you who is still standing. Toby, Ginger, Margaret and myself. Plus of course Mrs. Landingham."
"She's too mean to get sick. The germs wouldn't dare go after her. Josh went down?"
"Yes Mr. President, earlier this afternoon."
"C.J., we'll go with the shut down. Stress it's an act of cooperation with CDC and the Mayor's Office. We don't need to let people know not much gets done in Washington on a Friday anyway."
"Yes sir. And Mr. President, if you're up to it...C.J. began.
The President interrupted her, "UP to it, C.J?"
"I mean up FOR it, sir. We'd like to get some pictures of you at work in the Oval Office tomorrow morning."
"No problem. I'd do it now except, I've just washed my hair and I can't do a thing with it."
C.J. laughed dutifully, "Isn't that always the case, sir."
After they hung up, C.J. updated Mrs. Landingham while leaving out the President's comments that she was too mean to be felled by the flu. His secretary was glad to hear that he would be back in. "But just for a short time.", she assured C.J.
"Yes, Ma'am.", C.J. was glad to be offering good news for once this week. Now she'd see what kind of good and bad news awaited her in the next Press Corps Briefing.