Lisa's TWW Fan Fic Archive Home
Post Ep | Romance | General | Drama
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The Addition ~ 21
CJ smiled and gently handed Maddie over to Toby who held her and her ice.
"Why did she call me 'dada'?"
"Why do you think," CJ asked. "You've been like a father to her for a while now."
"Only for 24 hours, CJ."
"24 Hours is a lot to a little kid." She smiled as she watched Toby brush Maddie's hair out of her face.
"I guess," he said as he looked down at Maddie. "Does your throat feel better," he asked her.
She nodded a little and snuggled into Toby's arms.
"She really looks up to you, Toby. She loves you, just like me." It took a moment for CJ to take in what she just said.
"What was that," he asked, looking up at her.
She took a deep breath. "I love you," she said, looking into his eyes.
He smiled. "That's what I thought you said." He paused. "I love you too."
"Mama love dada?" Maddie asked, looking from CJ to Toby.
He chuckled, "Yes, mama loves dada."
She smiled and put her arms around him. "Dada love."
"Did she just say...that she loves me?" He stuttered.
"Yes, she did," CJ said, smiling.
"Mama love," Maddie then said, looking at CJ.
"Well, we now know we are loved," he said, kissing Maddie's forehead.
"Yeah, the only thing is, what are we going to do about it?"
"Well...I..." Toby tried to say.
"You what?" CJ asked.
"Will you take her for a minute," he asked. "I have to go find something."
"Uh, sure." CJ picked Maddie up.
"Dada no go!" Maddie said.
"Dada will be right back," CJ said, kissing Maddie on the head. Maddie smiled and put her arms around CJ.
Toby fumbled through his jacket. He knew it was there, but where did he put it? He finally found it and took it out of his jacket. He took a deep breath before going back into Maddie's room. Was he ready to do this? As he walked back into the room, he saw CJ playing with Maddie, making her laugh. Yes. He was ready. He smiled at the sight.
CJ looked up from playing with Maddie's feet. "Why are you in the doorway?"
"I'm observing you," he said as he slowly walked back into the room.
"Okay..." She smiled and started playing with Maddie again.
"CJ."
"Yeah?"
"I need to...um...I need to ask you a question." He said as steadily as he could.
"What's that," she asked, looking at him. She could tell he was up to something, but what?
He sat beside her. "CJ, we have known each other for nearly twenty years. Throughout those years, I have grown to love and respect you. You were there for me after my divorce with Andi. You were there when we buried Rebecca. You were there after the shooting. All those things made me a better person. Just having you there by my side has made me realize just how much I truly, deeply respect and love you. So what I'm saying is, will you do me the honor of being my wife?" He took the small box out of his pocket and opened it.
She didn't know what to say. She wiped the tears from her eyes and looked at him. "Yes, Toby. Yes, I will do you the honor of being your wife, but the honor is mine. I love you. If it weren't for you, I'd still be in California, miserable, probably working at some PR firm or something. If it weren't for you, I would probably not be working here anymore. Toby, you've done so much for me. You are helping me raise my daughter...our daughter. So the honor is all mine." She smiled as he slipped the ring on her finger.
He leaned in and kissed her gently on the lips.
"I love you," he said when the kiss ended.
"I love you too."
Maddie took CJ's hand in one hand and Toby's in the other and put them together.
"It looks like we don't have to ask for her approval," Toby said with a little chuckle.
"Yeah." She smiled.
He looked at Maddie and saw she was beginning to close her eyes and yawn. "I think we can put her back into bed now," he said quietly.
CJ looked down at Maddie who had indeed fallen asleep with her head on CJ and Toby's hands. CJ slowly got up and placed Maddie in her bed and kissed her forehead. "When should we give her the medicine?"
He thought for a moment. "I think we should wait another half hour or so and see where we are from there."
"Okay." She covered Maddie up and backed away so that Toby could tuck her in as well. The two then walked out of the room and into the living room.
"So, what should we do now," CJ asked, sitting down on the sofa.
"Maybe we should think of a strategy of how to tell our co-workers and the President about our engagement." He looked over at her and took her hand.
"Knowing Sam and Josh, they'll be happy. It's Leo that I think won't approve," she said.
"Well, we'll convince him that we can work and raise a child at the same time. Why are you worried about what the President will think?"
"Toby. He'll want to plan the whole thing...Or at least Abbey will, he'll want to have it done his way and--"
"CJ."
"Yeah?"
"Stop worrying about that. It'll be fine."
"What about the press? They are going to keep bugging us about the whole thing, asking us questions, demanding answers--"
"CJ," he said softly.
"Yes?"
He leaned forward and kissed her passionately. "How do you feel now?"
"Much better." She smiled and kissed him back.
TBC.......