Fic: Get Some Walking In (West Wing)

[beer_good_foamy]

Here's the other zombie fic! A bit more light-hearted this time. I felt sorry for giving CJ so little to do in my first West Wing fic, so this was a really fun prompt.

Title: Get Some Walking In
Author: Beer Good
Fandom: West Wing
Rating: PG13
Pairing: CJ/Danny
Word Count: ~1000
Warnings: None.
Beta: brutti_ma_buoni
Summary: Written for zombi_fic_ation and the prompt "The West Wing -- CJ +/ any (bonus points for Danny Concannon) -- Giving a Press Release on the Zombie Apocalypse was probably a bad idea."
Normally, anyone who claims that the US government might have a detailed contingency plan for how to deal with the zombie apocalypse would, of course, get No Comment. Which makes things a bit awkward when CJ has to give a briefing on it.

Get Some Walking In

"So... was it all you expected a press briefing to be?"

"Shut up, Danny."

Leo had told her to sneak it in at the end ("SNEAK IT IN AT THE END!?") So when she made the announcement, after spending twenty minutes on foreign policy and education while avoiding questions about the riots in Baltimore, she wasn't sure what to expect. Probably raised hands and frantic chants of "CJ!" "CJ!" "CJ!", or panicking reporters running for the door, which to be honest was a sight she'd been looking forward to for years. Instead, she looked out onto a sea of blank faces. Eventually one lone reporter raised her hand.

"Yes, Cathy."

"I'm sorry, CJ... are you saying the dead are coming back to life?"

And now, half an hour later, she had Danny following her like a cocker spaniel begging for treats as she walked back into the inner maze of the White House. "So what do I need to do to get an exclusive on this?"

"Gee, I don't know, Danny. Go stand on a corner in Baltimore, wait for someone to take a bite out of you and ask them for their side of the story. Are we done here?"

He skillfully ducked under a secretary running the other way with an armful of binders and followed her. "Oh no. You're not getting away this easily."

What a surprise.

"Look, I know it sounds dramatic, but there's really no need for panic. The proper authorities are handling this, and as long as people in affected areas stay inside and lock their doors, there shouldn't be a problem. Yes, Graham."

"CJ - can I just clarify, are you saying the US Government has a contingency plan to combat the living dead?" The representative from the Times clearly didn't know whether he should find this ridiculous or reassuring.

"No comment. But we do have a plan for what to do if the Girl Scouts of America try to overthrow the government, so draw your own conclusions. Nicola?"

CJ buzzed herself past a heavy-looking door and briefly nodded to the guard as Danny followed her through. "Look, it's not the end of the world, Danny. The army is dealing with it. And no, they are not going to ship them off to a private funeral home, or set up a roadblock where they can be easily overrun, or set up a breeding farm in a big villa upstate. They're just going to make sure the dead people stay dead."

"And what about the ethical aspects?"

"The ethical aspects of burying dead people?"

"You know what I mean. And then there's the issue of the legal status of the undead, and just who is in charge of..."

CJ's response was drowned out by the sound of several armed guards running in the other direction, but she knew Danny would have figured it out from her facial expression anyway. Once you've groaned with frustration at a persistent reporter enough times, they start to pick up on it. So she just kept walking down the corridor at her usual pace, and he followed without batting an eye.

One reporter looked up from her cell phone. "CJ, Al-Jazeera are reporting that several members of congress are about to leave town. Is the US government collapsing?"

"I don't have any reports of congressmen leaving Washington, but I'm told zombies eat brains, so the house majority should be safe. Meredith?"

Danny was still following her. "So what about the reports that the government is collapsing?"

"What reports, Danny?" CJ opened another door, nodded at the guard, and didn't flinch as it shut with a heavy THOOM behind them. "You were in the same room as everyone else. You've been talking to me since then. Unless someone has been passing you notes along the way, you're just making it up at this point." She finally stopped and turned around to look at him. "Look, I'm not even sure I believe this myself, but this is one of those situations where you're really going to have to trust me. I've told you all I can up until now, people who know what they're doing really are handling this, and the government isn't going to fall apart because of a few zombies. OK?"

He looked at her and nodded. "OK."

"You believe me?"

CJ checked her watch. "I'm afraid that's all the questions I can answer at this point. There will be a communique at fifteenhu... 3PM this afternoon. For those of you who want to stay at the White House until then, there are refreshments in the press lobby, but please note that due to a security drill, there'll be a guard at every door. Thanks everyone, and... uh... take care." She left the room somewhat quicker than usual, glancing behind her to make sure Danny was already following her.

"I believe you," Danny confirmed. He looked around. "This... isn't your office."

"Yes it is."

"I've been in your office. This isn't it."

"It is now."

"It's a bunker."

"It's not a bunker."

"So it's an ordinary subterranean, windowless office with armed guards outside and canned food lining the walls?"

She looked around the subterranean, windowless office with canned food lining the walls. "It may have some... bunkerish qualities."

He did a quick mental rewind to count the number of armoured doors they'd passed. "How did we get here anyway?"

"I walked here. You were just too busy talking to watch where you were going."

He nodded. "And the world isn't ending."

"It's a standard security protocol. There are some situations where high-ranking government officials and their families are supposed to take shelter until we get the all clear signal."

"And I'm here because...?" He looked around the office again and noted the goldfish bowl on her desk next to the picture of her parents, and also that the bed was a double. "Oh. You mean..."

"Yes."

"Uh-huh. So when does the German guy in a wheelchair show up?"

"You wanna go play outside with the zombies?"

"No, but..." He gave her one of those Serious looks (see, she could pick up on body language too). "CJ, I'm a reporter. With something like this, I should be out there reporting on what's happening."

As if on cue, the President popped his head through the door. "CJ - meeting in five. Oh hey Danny, welcome aboard. Hope you're ready for the scoop of a lifetime." He left again.

CJ kissed Danny's cheek. "I'll be right back. Consider yourself embedded."