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TITLE: I Never Promised You a Rose Garden
AUTHOR: Kathleen (tweetybird5@prodigy.net)
CATEGORY: CJ/Josh
DISCLAIMER: The characters of the TWW belong to Sorkin, et al.
'Rose Garden' was sung by Lynn Anderson, words and music by Joe
South. 'You Sang To Me' is sung by Marc Anthony. No copyright
infringement is intended with anything in this story.
NOTES: Some of you might not have even heard of the title
song, it's very old. ;-) Early 1970's.
SUMMARY: Sequel to "Talk to Me".
FEEDBACK: is always greatly appreciated.

~~~
I beg your pardon.
I never promised you a rose garden
along with the sunshine.
There's gotta be a little rain sometime.

When you take you gotta give
so live and let live
and let go
oh oh oh oh
I beg your pardon,
I never promised you a rose garden.

Josh and CJ were slowly walking around the Rose Garden of the White
House. The song came to her as they stopped briefly and he grabbed
onto her hand. She started to mention it, then hesitated, remembering
that music was what set him off at times.

"What were you going to say?"

"Nothing."

"Don't lie to me, CJ. I don't break that easily." Lightly kissing her
hand, "At least not anymore."

"I thought of the song 'Rose Garden'. It's playing in my head right
now. I know that it's just because we're out here. Anyway, I changed
my mind because it has to do with music and I didn't want to upset
you."

"Sing the part that's stuck in your head."

"No."

"Sing it. That's the only way you'll ever get rid of it."

I beg your pardon.
I never promised you a rose garden
along with the sunshine. 
There's gotta be a little rain sometime.

When you take you gotta give
so live and let live
and let go 
oh oh oh oh
I beg your pardon,
I never promised you a rose garden.

"That's it."

"You've got a great voice. You should sing more often." He held up
his hands in mock defense. "I mean, I like 'The Jackal' and all but
you're just lip-synching in that. Today," he bowed majestically, "you
sang for me."

"Okay, so you be Marc Anthony for me."

You sang to me.
Oh, you sang to me.

"That's it?"

"I don't really know the song."

"I could get you a copy of it. I like it. You can sing for me the next
time we're hanging out. Yes?"

"Yes. CJ?" His eyes looking into hers, he attempted to peer into her
soul.

"Yeah?"

"What's going on?" He took her hand again and started walking. "It's
not like you to want to do this. You the one who needs to talk this
time?"

I could promise you things like big diamond rings
but you don't find roses growing on stalks of clover.
So you better think it over.

"Yes and no. I do need to talk but I also need you to talk to me. I
want to know how you've really been since the last time we spoke. You
know, by the Potomac."

"I'm fine, CJ. Really." She gave a look of disbelief. "Don't look at
me like that. The therapy is working wonders. And Donna's always there
for me. Unless she's trying to get me to ask Joey Lucas out. Then 
she's just a pain."

Smiling, "She doesn't want people to know she likes you." 

"She does?"

"She's too late. Everyone already figured it out."

"They did?"

"You're so naive, my friend."

"I am?"

Smacking him on the arm with her free hand, "Stop that! It's like
talking to a two year old."

"That's been said before. Okay, I'm serious. See? My serious, grown-up
face is safely in place."

"Good." 

"So Donna's made the rumor mill?"

"Yep. Don't worry about it. Everyone has also figured out that you
like her too. They're putting odds on you being her boss as the only
thing holding you back."

"Holding me back from what?"

"From asking her out."

"Why would I do that?"

"Because you both like each other, that's why. You know, I think I
made a big mistake here. We should go back to work."

"No, sing to me."

"Uh-uh."

"Not like that, CJ. Sing to me. There's something wrong. Who didn't
you promise a rose garden to?"

"I just thought of that because we're, you know, here in the rose
garden."

Well, if sweet talking you could make it come true
I would give you the world right now 
on a silver platter. 
But what would it matter?

"Who didn't you promise one to? Me? Danny? Somebody I don't know about
yet?"

With downcast eyes, "Danny."

"I thought so. What's wrong with the flowers in the garden?"

"They're dying? Oh, I don't know."

"Yes, you do. Sing."

"He's so grounded it's scary. He doesn't seem to get fazed by
anything." 

"He puts up a good front. You the one who's getting bothered by
things?" He stood still.

"I go beyond fazed, Josh. I go straight to downright terrified. What
do you mean he puts up a good front? What do you know about him that I
don't?"

"Nothing. Danny and I talk. He gets nervous sometimes. No big deal. So
what's he done to make you feel that way?"

"I think he wants me to live with him. What's no big deal?"

"He gets the feeling sometimes that you really don't want to be in his
life. He thinks maybe you feel guilty about the decisions he's made in
order for you guys to date so you won't back out because of some sense
of duty or honor." He pointed her in the direction of the nearest
bench. "CJ, living together is not a bad thing. You believe you should
be married or something?"

"God, no! I'm afraid to make that leap. I never mentioned the long
run, Josh. I never made any promises. Honestly, I don't know where he
comes up with these things." She brushed an errant strand of hair off
her face.

"He loves you."

"I know."

"You love him?"

"Yes."

"You answered that without thinking, without hesitating."

"That's because I'm sure. He's the one, Josh."

"So don't let doubts cloud that. You want to live with him?"

"I think we could do that. Slowly."

"So let him ask. Think about it. Then say 'yes'."

So smile for a while 
and let's be jolly.
Love shouldn't be so melancholy.
Come along and share the good times
while we can.

"Thanks. Josh? How are you really feeling?"

"Like I'm getting back into the swing of things."

"Really? Let's walk. I'm getting antsy."

"Professionally. I'm not yelling at people anymore. They don't jump
when I disagree with them like they did before I had the talk with
Stanley. They seem a lot more relaxed around me."

"Leo has a lot to do with that?"

"Yeah. He feels responsible for me. Being my dad's friend and all." 

"Asking you to come to Nashua."

"Because that's what sons do for friends of their father." 

"Great line. Personally?"

"I don't have a personal life."

"Want one?"

"Yeah. Did you know that Milicent, the Surgeon General, told me I have
a great looking scar?" 

"Do you?" She stopped walking and her hand instictively went to his
chest.

Holding it there, he softly answered, "I don't think so. I think it's
scary." He turned away.

Putting her head on his shoulder from behind, she asked, "Think it
would scare away someone you were trying to be intimate with?"

"Yeah. Who's gonna be turned on after that?"

She turned him around to face her before responding. "You're not
looking to date anyone because you don't want them to see your scar?"

"I guess. Look, CJ, we really should go back to talking about you. It
was a lot more fun."

"No. Keep your T-shirt on." 

"What?"

"When you're about to make love. Tell her you'd like to keep your
shirt on. Then she won't see the scar. After making love with someone,
if the relationship means anything, looking at scars isn't that bad."

"What if it is?" He was gettting that puppy dog look on his face.

"And she leaves?"

"Uh-hmm."

"Then she shouldn't have taken the time to make love with you. And,
honestly? It was just sex."

Restarting the walk, "Josh, it's not gonna scare Donna. She's probably
seen it already."

"What makes you say that?"

"She did stalk the corridors while you were in the hospital AND
she did spend all that time with you after you were released."

"I didn't let her look. She wanted to but I didn't let her."

She stood still and caressed his face. "Let her. When the time is
right."

"You think she likes me?"

"I know she does. Let her know you like her back. Then she won't feel
so self-conscious. Won't think she's doing anything wrong by feeling
the way she does."

I could sing you a tune 
and promise you the moon.
But if that's what it takes to hold you,
I'd just as soon let you go.

But there's one thing I want you to know.
You'd better look before you leap,
still waters run deep,
and there won't always be someone there to pull you out.
And you know what I'm talking about.

"Okay. CJ?"

"I'll think about living with Danny." 

"Good." He smiled at her while putting his hands on her shoulders.
"He's a good guy. You can't go through life giving up the good ones
just because they make you feel." She raised her eyebrow. "I know,
that advice applies to both of us."

"Exactly what I was going to say."

"How'd I know? Let's go back to work. We're going to be the next ones
on the rumor mill."

"CJ and Josh. How cute! Donna wouldn't like it though."

"She knows we're friends."

"I'm kidding, Joshua. Lighten up. Learn to take a joke."

"People are watching us."

"Okay, okay, back to work. No rest for the wicked.

"And wicked you are."

"Pleasantly so, don't you think?"

"Absolutely."

~~~
It was well past the end of the business day. CJ was trying to
finish up the last memo before she left for the evening. Her door
was half-closed. She thought she heard singing in the hallway.
'Carol must have the radio on. Why is she still here?'

I just wanted you to comfort me
when I called you late last night, you see
I was falling into love 
Yes, I was crashing into love.

"Yada, yada. Etcetera, ecetera."

The door was being pushed open as CJ rose and began walking towards it.

Girl, I live for how you make me feel,
so I question all this being real.
'Cause I'm not afraid to love.
For the first time I'm not afraid to love.
This day seems made for you and me
and you showed me what life needs to be.
Yeah, you sang to me.
Oh, you sang to me.

She was clapping her hands as he bowed deeply for her. Her long legs
taking no time to cut the distance between them, she wrapped her arms
around him and held him tightly.

"I love you, you crazy fool. That was fantastic. How did you learn the
words already?"

"Internet. You like?"

"I like. Very much." She had tears in her eyes when she moved to
look at him. 

When one threatened to fall, he gently smoothed it away with his
thumb. "It seems apropos for you and Danny. Maybe that's why you like
the song?" He kissed her cheek. "He loves you so much, CJ."

"I love him. And I love you, mi amor. Differently, of course." She put 
her head on his shoulder again, taking joy in feeling his heart beat.
The beat of life. So strong. So insistent. So willing.

So smile for the while 
and let's be jolly.
Love shouldn't be so melancholy.
Come along and share the good times while we can.

I beg your pardon, 
I never promised you a rose garden.

The End.