Sisters In Arms~ A New Chapter

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=200 BGCOLOR="#003399" TEXT="#080000" background="03fc8c00erkjxk.jpg"> <div> <B>Post-episodic for "Manchester" 1& 2</B></div> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#0066CC" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#99CCFF" FACE="Arial" ><B>Smiles, Tears, & Happy Endings</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFFF99" FACE="Arial" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#CC0000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT>  |     <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Smiles, Tears, Happy Endings"><U>home</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id20.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sisters Series"><U>Sisters Series</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id40.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sisters in Arms"><U>Sisters in Arms</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id42.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sisters in Arms: First Impressions/New B"><U>Sisters in Arms: First Impressions/New Beginnings</U></A>   |   <B>Sisters In Arms~ A New Chapter</B>   |   <A HREF="id224.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sisters In ArmsVigilance Solace"><U>Sisters In Arms~Vigilance &Solace</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id228.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sisters In Arms Courage Compassion"><U>Sisters In Arms- Courage& Compassion</U></A></div> <div> Sisters In Arms~ A New Chapter</div> <bR> <bR> <div>   CJ stood, listening to the President’s speech, with a renewed heart and sense of purpose. He  said they were going to write a new book, and this was the first chapter. Mistakes had been made, and trust had been damaged, but it was okay. The mistakes could be fixed and the trust could be regained. They were all together, standing strong. It wouldn’t be easy, but then it hadn’t been easy the first time. Maybe that was the point- if they were doing it right, it wasn’t supposed to be easy. </div> <bR> <div>   CJ thought back over the last month as she listened. It had been a horrid month- one of the worst months she had ever lived though. From the time they all stood together at Delores Landingham’s funeral the only bright point had been the Presidents‘ decision to run for reelection. The rest was one low point after another. There was the mess in Haiti, Josh’s desire to call big tobacco out and make something positive happen in the administration, to her horrendous screw-up at the Haiti briefing. She still couldn’t believe she had surrendered to the impulse to say the first thing that came into her mind-  "…relieved to be focusing on something that matters." The power those eight words had when coming from her, in that room, at that moment. When every nuance of every word coming from her mattered more than it ever had, she had given in to impulse.</div> <bR> <div>  That was the moment that her hard won confidence had all but evaporated. She had done her job every day- but it was like being on auto-pilot. When they had come up with a resolution to Haiti, it was Nancy McNally who had briefed the press. Not her- because if she had gone in the press room to brief, it would no longer have been about a peaceful resolution to a coup attempt. It would have been about the President’s MS and what a bunch of liars and conspirators they were. She would have been asked exactly how hindered the President was by his condition when he resolved the matter- because she had already shown them that she could give a good sound bite when it came to questions like that. So, Leo told Nancy to give the press briefing on that issue, and she had done very well.</div> <bR> <div>  The problem was, it had been very effective at confirming what the press already suspected- she had screwed up-big. Following that, of course, had been the announcement from Leo that he was bringing in the great Bruno Gianelli. Yes, hear the trumpets herald, the rose petals falling in his path as the seas part before him. She had never before, in all the days of her life, met a man with such an elevated sense of self-worth. The self-appointed deities of Hollywood certainly had nothing on Bruno Gianelli. Talk about making a bad situation worse. </div> <div>   </div> <div>   For the last several weeks, CJ had been in a state of mind that was totally unfamiliar to her. She was unable to find a positive side. Unable to get past the ‘great mistake’, and the overwhelming feeling that this was beyond her power to fix. So, after days and weeks of putting on a brave front, masking her wounds and insecurities, she had come to the only avenue left to her. She was going to cut and run. Walk away. Resign. She didn’t like it. She did, in fact, detest the idea- but it was all she had left.</div> <bR> <div>    Word had gotten around about her decision. </div> <bR> <div>  CJ watched and listened from her place behind President Bartlet. She could see the life coming back into him, and an inner light that she hadn’t seen since the facts about his health had started to come out. Certainly not since the night that Delores Landingham took that fateful drive on 18th and Potomac. She knew that light came from a feeling of purpose, and a sense of righteousness that he hadn’t felt in a while. They had a job to do and they were going to do it as well as they were able. They had beat the odds before- taking a virtually unknown Governor from a tiny state, who had started his campaign polling in the single digits and taken him all the way to the White House. Now, the people knew he was a man of purpose, a man who wanted to do the right things for the right reasons. They knew that along with whatever mistakes he had made, he was a man of honor. </div> <bR> <div>   CJ knew that when he had railed at her about the injustices that still needed to be fixed, after she had suggested resigning, that it was more about reminding himself than her. She really didn’t recognize that fact then. It was only when he had come into the schoolroom, right before his speech, and ended that ridiculous debate over a word, that she had understood. He had stood there and in his own straight-forward, yet eloquent way driven home the point that the expedient way wasn’t always the right way. That now was not the time to lower the bar, but to raise it. In other words- "break’s over". </div> <bR> <div>   CJ looked away from the President and noticed Donna standing in the doorway. If the expression on her face was any indication , she had picked up on the President’s mood as well. Their eyes met and Donna smiled encouragingly and nodded. After a moment CJ walked back to where Donna stood, just out of sight, and whispered, " What do you think?"</div> <bR> <div>   " I think he’s going off the speech," Donna observed, although the smile she wore indicated that this was not necessarily a bad thing.</div> <bR> <div>   " I didn’t know you’d seen the final copy?" CJ asked quietly, her hand a little in front of her face, so as not to be caught talking while the President gave a particularly rousing and important speech.</div> <bR> <div>   " There was such a thing?" Donna replied sarcastically, her question almost drowned out by the thunderous applause from the crowd. CJ couldn’t help but laugh a little at that. Josh really was starting to rub off on Donna- dueling smart-asses. </div> <bR> <div>   The President delivered the last words of the speech, bringing the crowd to their feet in a heartfelt display of enthusiasm. The first chapter was in the book, and it was a hit. After handshakes and hugs from everyone, President Bartlet went off with the First Lady. Hopefully, they would be mending their own fences. She didn’t relish the thought of having to arrange any more ‘happy family’ photo-ops. CJ caught up with Donna once again, and they picked up the thread of their conversation.</div> <bR> <div>   " So, how did you know about the speech?" </div> <bR> <div>   " Huh? Oh, well… Bruno looked a little irritated. Doug was trying very hard not to look injured. Sam was doing that thing where he looks like he’s trying to remember having written that particular passage, then realizes he didn’t but it’s okay. Toby was trying not to look happy, because he liked the message, if not the words." </div> <bR> <div>  CJ gave Donna a look that clearly said she was proud of her.</div> <bR> <div>   " You’re getting pretty good at this."</div> <bR> <div>   " I try", Donna replied, with an quick appreciative smile.</div> <bR> <div>   " How’s Josh?" CJ asked.</div> <bR> <div>   " He’s okay. He’s pissed at himself for blowing the tobacco thing. He wanted to make the most out of that." </div> <bR> <div>   " It’ll work out."</div> <bR> <div>   " That’s what I told him. I reminded him that even a pro drops the ball once in awhile, but if you win the game that nobody remembers the mistake- just the end result. I also reminded him the tobacco suit was about more than the campaign." </div> <bR> <div>   CJ realized that when Donna was telling her this, that it wasn’t just Donna relaying a conversation between her and Josh, she was giving her the same advice. </div> <bR> <div>   " You’re giving me sports analogies here. You realize that, right?" she remarked, and Donna was relieved and happy to see the old CJ smiling at her.</div> <bR> <div>   " Hey, I’m just saying…" Donna shrugged, laughing for no other reason than that it felt good.</div> <bR> <div>   " Okay. Well…this is one game we’re going to win." </div> <bR> <div> Donna nodded when CJ said this , loving the conviction she heard in her voice. It was wonderful to hear her getting back in fighting form.</div> <bR> <div>   " I never doubted it, CJ. Not once." </div> <bR> <div>   With that, they joined the others, enjoying the celebration- knowing that tomorrow the serious work of winning the game would begin.   </div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>