***

"What about this, Miss Cregg?" The woman showed her another suit.

"No." CJ sighed. "Carol!"

Carol hurried over. "Yeah?"

"I need something to wear tomorrow."

"Really?" Carol threw over her shoulder as she began looking through outfits. She pulled out a dress. "Here."

"But..." CJ trailed off as she looked at the simple dress in front of her. Floor length, ivory silk, strapless. "I was going to wear a suit."

"You wear a dress for every function you go to at the White House, why not your wedding?"

CJ glanced at Carol, then back at the dress. "Is that my size?"

Carol held it out to her and smiled as CJ walked slowly to the dressing room.

A few minutes later, they were all gathered in the dressing room, waiting to admire each other's dresses.

"C'mon, CJ!" Donna called. "We want to see."

CJ stepped out and the room grew silent.

"What's wrong?" She looked at herself in the mirror.

Abbey grabbed a tissue from her purse and dabbed her eyes. "It's perfect."

CJ stared at herself, not meeting anyone's eyes in the mirror as she thought. Finally, she asked quietly, "Will Danny like it?"

Carol smiled softly. "Danny would like it if it was a sack cloth and twine. This, he'll love. I think he's going to forget to breathe."

CJ gave her a quick hug. "Thank you."

Abbey sniffed, then turned to Hogan. "Couldn't find a dress?"

"There's nothing out there in red that Aunt CJ would let me wear out of the house." Hogan sighed.

The others laughed at her. "We'll find something." Abbey told her.

"But look at Margie." Hogan cheered up.

"You look so grown up." CJ told her. "I don't think Danny will like it."

Donna piled Mary Margaret's hair on top of her head. "Are you sure you're only fifteen?"

Mary Margaret grinned. "Does it look good?"

"It looks perfect." Carol told her. "Two for two!"

"Two for three." Hogan reminded her glumly.

"Bridget?" CJ turned to her. "Didn't you try on a dress?"

"I took it off. It wasn't me."

Zoey shook her head. "Did you like it?"

"I guess." Bridget hedged.

"Sometimes revealing less is sexier."

The room fell silent as Bridget considered Zoey's words. Finally, she turned back to the dressing room.

"Thank you." CJ mouthed to Zoey, her eyes filling with tears. They quickly decided Donna's dress was perfect, but they needed to keep looking for Theresa, Eileen and Hogan. They milled around, waiting for Bridget to come back out. When she finally did, CJ gasped.

"What's wrong?"

"You look amazing."

Bridget shook her head. "The collar is too high, I just don't know."

"Did your parents ever show you pictures of your grandmother when she was young?" CJ asked slowly, thinking of the pictures on Danny's mantle.

"Yes." Bridget answered. "She was so pretty, especially on her wedding day."

"You look just like her."

Bridget beamed. "Really?"

"With your hair up like that... you look like a model." Zoey told her quietly.

Bridget looked at herself in the mirror. "It's not what I normally wear. It doesn't show any skin or anything."

"I bet they'll take pictures." Zoey mused. "You'll probably be in a newspaper."

Abbey laughed. "Or all of them."

Bridget considered that. If she was going to be in a newspaper, she knew she wanted to look like a princess, not a pop star. Thoughts of a low-cut, skin-baring dress left her. "Okay. I'll get this one."

"Should we try a different store for the rest of the dresses?" Abbey asked. "If we hurry we might even have time for lunch." She turned to CJ. "That might be your bachelorette party, we're having trouble scheduling time."

The manager broke in then. "We should check for any alterations that need to be made before you go, and make arrangements to send the dresses over, clean and pressed."

"And we need shoes." Abbey told them. Shoes were quickly picked out from the limited selection in the store. The assistant took notes as her manager decided what alterations would be needed for CJ, Donna, Mary Margaret and Bridget. Luckily, there weren't many and the manager assured them she would take care of everything. CJ and Donna signed credit card receipts and they were on their way to the next store.

As they pulled up, Eileen found her dress. The pale purple dress in the window, she decided, was perfect.

Theresa quickly found a green dress that Zoey declared would be perfect with her hair. They rushed off to try the dresses on while Hogan wandered. CJ came up behind her and took her arm. "No luck?" she asked quietly.

"No." Hogan sighed.

"Maybe you should try a different color." CJ mused. "You know, I always thought my wedding would be black and silver."

"You in silver?" Hogan asked.

CJ smiled. "Me in white. My groom in black. And my bridesmaids in silver." They stopped walking and stared at each other for a moment, then CJ asked quietly, "How do you feel about silver?"

Hogan stared at her a moment longer before throwing her arms around CJ. "Thank you." she whispered.

They gathered three silver dresses and Hogan took off for the dressing room. She tried each on before deciding. They took care of the details and soon found themselves back in the limo.

Abbey looked at her watch. "We have time for a late lunch."

"We ate at the Residence." Mary Margaret protested.

"That was almost four hours ago." Bridget pointed out. "We ate lunch early."

They decided on a restaurant and drove there slowly, giving the Secret Service time to do their job. By the time they pulled up, the room was cleared for them. The former patrons, now outside, gasped as the First Lady made her way to the front door. She waved and smiled and they forgot the inconvenience of being rushed through their meals. Luckily, it was almost four, a strange time of the day for eating. There hadn't been many people in the restaurant.

They laughed and joked through the meal, which Abbey dubbed CJ's bachelorette party.

They stretched lunch out until Zoey's cell phone rang.

She looked at the caller ID and rolled her eyes. "Hey, Charlie, put him on."

Abbey glanced at her watch. "Bet he wants to know when we're bringing back half his staff."

"Well, we know Josh can't function without Donna." CJ smiled.

"When do we get our dresses?" Theresa asked.

"Tomorrow. You girls will come to the Residence and get dressed. Your dresses will be there waiting."

"What about Uncle Danny?"

"What about him?" Abbey asked.

"When will he get his outfit?"

CJ smiled. "Uncle Danny owns a tuxedo. He's going to wear that."

Theresa nodded. "Okay."

"Mom." Zoey handed her the phone.

Abbey smiled. "Hey, sweetie. Of course, we're coming back now. Oh."

CJ looked up at the flat tone of Abbey's voice. Their eyes met. Abbey hung up and handed the phone back to Zoey, still looking at CJ. "Someone talked," she said quietly. "The Press knows."

CJ stood. "Danny?"

"In the Residence with the boys, avoiding the Press Room."

"Let's go."

Abbey gestured to an agent to bring her credit cards over. She paid, over the protests of CJ and Donna. "I can get you fired, now shut your mouths."

Zoey hid a smile as the women obeyed.

Abbey smiled and waved to the crowd gathered outside the restaurant as they made their way to the limo. Zoey turned shy but managed a small wave.

"This is so cool!" Bridget burst out as soon as they were settled in the car. "I feel like a movie star."

Zoey smiled widely. "It can be a pain sometimes, being in the spotlight all the time." She looked at Abbey. "But the good stuff outweighs the bad."

Abbey bit her tongue and smiled while Bridget considered Zoey's words.

They quickly made it back to the White House and hurried inside.

"Donna!"

Donna rolled her eyes and veered off to Josh's office. "Have you been yelling the whole time I've been gone?"

CJ laughed as she gave each girl a quick hug. "I need to get to work."

"Can I come with you?" Hogan asked. "Just for a little while? I want to come and see the briefing."

"You can watch from the Residence." CJ told her.

"Please."

CJ sighed. "Okay, just for a little while. Abbey, Hogan's going to come with me. I'll be up after the briefing."

Abbey nodded and the girls didn't protest, eager to see Danny and tell him about their day. "I'll remind Danny he needs to come down for the briefing."

"Thank you, ma'am." CJ looked at her watch, back in professional mode as she hurried off, Carol and Hogan chatting as they trailed behind her.

She burst into her office and got to work as Hogan visited Gail, then looked through CJ's books. Finally she straightened. "I'm going to go see Toby, get me for the briefing."

CJ nodded, then called her back.

"Yeah?"

"Visitors pass." CJ reminded her.

Hogan grinned and pulled the piece of plastic out of her pocket, where she'd shoved it when Carol handed it to her. "Right."

CJ dove back into her work until Carol called, "Five minutes." Then she jumped up and hurried to Toby's office.

"Hogan?" CJ stood at his door, letting them know she was there.

Hogan looked up. "Toby's got a tux for tomorrow."

CJ laughed. "Toby owns a tux, all the guys around here do."

"I was just telling Toby that he looks good in a tux."

CJ nodded. "He does. Toby, you bringing Andy tomorrow?"

"I don't know yet." Toby sighed. "I'll let you know. This wedding thing isn't going to disrupt the running of the government, is it?"

"I think Abbey wants to declare a national holiday."

"CJ."

"Toby." They glared at each other until Hogan laughed.

"Aunt CJ, briefing?"

"Yeah, let's go." She turned to leave.

"CJ." Toby called her back. "Have you seen Danny lately?"

"Yeah, this morning. We're having dinner tonight. I'll catch you later." She waved and left, Hogan trailing.

"Hogan." She turned. "Keep her calm, she gets klutzy when she's distracted. Tell Danny too, she might need it after this briefing."

Hogan smiled and gave him a thumbs-up sign before hurrying after CJ, catching up to her at the Press Room door.

"Here." Carol handed Hogan a file.

"I'm pretending to be an intern?"

Carol smiled. "Yeah. I'll tell you when to give it to CJ, if she needs it."

Hogan's eyes widened. "I might be on camera?"

Carol was already halfway in the room, quieting them down. Hogan followed her in and watched CJ sweep in after them. She stared at her aunt as she worked the room, cracking jokes and keeping control.

CJ opened the floor for questions and called, "Katie." She knew it seemed random, but she also suspected Katie knew, and approved, of her and Danny.

"Any comment on you buying a wedding dress?"

"First store." Carol muttered to Hogan. "Probably the assistant."

"Does that fall into my private life?" CJ asked Katie.

"I just want to know if I'm invited." Katie protested and the reporters laughed.

"If you stop asking questions I don't want to answer, I'll think about it." CJ rolled her eyes. "Chris?"

"Is it Danny?"

"Danny who?"

"Danny Concannon."

CJ pointed. "Danny's right there. What about him?"

"Are you going to get married?" Chris persisted.

"Eventually, I hope to get married. I don't know about Danny, you'd have to ask him."

"Marriage might be fun." Danny told Chris. "Are you offering?"

The reporters laughed again, but Chris stopped herself quickly. "Seriously, come on. Isn't this a conflict? Don't you guys see something wrong with that?"

"No comment." CJ glanced at Danny, then shifted her papers. "Any questions on the trade agreement with-"

The door to the Press Room opened and the reporters quickly stood as the President walked in. CJ's eyes grew wide. She glanced at Danny. As soon as she was sure he was looking at her, she twirled her goldfish pin completely around. He smiled slightly and stood up straighter.

"Having a party here, CJ?"

"No, sir." She smiled. "Parties involve fun."

Jed smiled back, then waved her aside. She moved back from the podium as he stepped towards it, gesturing for the reporters to sit. Standing next to Hogan, CJ gripped the girl's hand nervously as she waited for the President to speak.

He looked over the room. "How many of you have kids?" The reporters glanced around as many raised their hands. "More than one? More than two? Three? How many have six?" He glanced at Danny, the only one with his hand still raised. "Anyone in here who's raising a child alone, think of what Danny's going through."

Glancing around again, he changed tracks. "Now, how many people here know CJ and Danny?" The reporters chuckled. "How many thought they would get together after I left office?"

He stopped and looked at CJ for a long moment. "Things change. We can't know what life might throw our way. We have to adapt and do the best we can. CJ and Danny would have waited for me to leave office, I'm sure of it. But they've put their plans aside for the sake of six people who are, quite frankly, more important that anyone in this room. Children are our future, as the saying goes. These two have realized that six kids are hard to raise on your own. They're banding together to raise these wonderful kids. I think they deserve to be applauded for putting the kids needs above their own plans, not attacked."

He stopped again and looked at Danny this time. He glanced at CJ and noticed both looked somewhat dazed.

"You know these two as well as I do. There has never been inappropriate... let's call them leaks... between these two. I can guarantee they won't put their integrity aside when they become husband and wife. Frankly, with six kids they'll have better things to talk about than me." His eyes twinkled as he added, "And if they manage to find some free time, I'm sure there are other, more pleasant things they'll want to do than worry about work."

CJ's hand flew to her mouth as the press chuckled. Jed noticed. "We're all adults here, CJ. Oh, hi Hogan."

The people in the room who had met Hogan- CJ's staff and a few of the reporters- laughed as Hogan grinned and waved at him.

"Now," Jed continued. "Anyone here who thinks they can support our friends tomorrow as they become husband and wife, let me extend an invitation for the Rose Garden at three pm. Let Carol know if you're coming." He smiled at Carol, then left the podium. He laid his hand on CJ's shoulder as he passed her on his way out.

"Aunt CJ?" Hogan whispered.

"Yeah?" CJ asked, still dazed.

"Go do your job."

CJ glanced up and realized her podium was empty. She walked slowly up, then glanced at her reporters. "Any questions?"

The reporters glanced at each other until Katie managed, "Is tomorrow formal?"

"Yes," CJ smiled. "I'll see you all later."

"Thank you, CJ," Most of the reporters said as she walked out the door. As soon as it closed behind her, she closed her eyes and slumped against the wall.

"That was..."

"Awesome!" Hogan finished.

CJ smiled weakly. "Not the word I was looking for."

"CJ." Toby walked up. "Some briefing."

She opened her eyes. "Did you write that speech?"

"No." Toby cleared his throat. "But I wish I had."

She smiled, remembering Toby's past insinuations that she had leaked Danny stories. "Thank you Toby."

"Why don't you go sit down? Carol, see if you can get Danny." Toby took CJ's arm and walked with her to her office while Hogan trailed Carol back into the Press Room to find Danny.

"Sit, sit." Toby led CJ to her couch. "Do you want a drink? You look a bit shell shocked."

"A drink would be nice." CJ smiled slyly at him.

"Water." He told her and she sighed noisily.

He grabbed a water bottle from her small fridge and handed it to her. Before she could open it, Danny came barreling in. Her face lit up as he wrapped his arms around her.

"CJ," he managed before he captured her mouth. She dropped the bottle to touch his cheek, encouraging him to get closer.

"Get a room."

CJ smiled and softened the kiss before pulling away. "Go away, Hogan."

Toby broke in. "Why don't you two go see your kids, then go out to eat? You should at least have one date before you get married."

"We've had a date." Danny protested.

"That was a -" CJ began.

"Business dinner." Hogan cut in. "Aunt CJ, you're the only one who still believes that."

"Go upstairs. You two aren't going to get any more work done anyway."

"Isn't it cute, Toby?" Hogan tried to sweet-talk him. "They're in love."

Toby growled before leaving, muttering about work.

"He's right." Carol told them. "You two aren't going to be able to think about work, might as well go."

They looked at each other, then shrugged.

"Let's go." CJ grabbed the water bottle off the floor, then took Danny's hand and pulled him out the door.

*** Part 3