Disclaimer

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The show has just wrapped up and everybody is leaving the set and control room.

Dana: Not our best show, everybody. I hate it when there's blood on the moon.

Natalie: Dana, what are you talking about?

Dana: It's an omen, Natalie.

Jeremy: It's an atmospheric condition, Dana.

Dana: It's an omen!

Jeremy: I assure you that it's not.

Natalie: Just ignore him, Dana.

Jeremy: Natalie, we need to talk.

Natalie and Jeremy follow Dana exiting the control room. Dan and Casey leave the set and walk into the control room.

Casey: I could have sworn it was Silver Spurs.

Dan: It was Silver Screen.

Casey: Are you sure?

Dan: No, I'm not sure, but that's what it said on your script and on the teleprompter.

Casey: Silver Screen?

Dan: Right.

Dan and Casey leave the control room.

-----

Isaac is sitting at his desk, and Dana walks in.

Dana: Isaac-

Isaac: What happened tonight?

Dana: What happened today?

Isaac: What do you mean?

Dana: The meetings. You didn't come and get me.

Isaac: The meetings are tomorrow.

Dana: Wh... But...

Isaac: What's going on, Dana?

Dana: There's blood on the moon.

Isaac: So?

Dana: It's a bad omen.

Isaac: That clarifies everything.

Dana: The meetings are tomorrow?

Isaac: Right.

Dana: I had it down for today.

Dana pulls out her planner and opens it. Her bagel is stuck on the inside.

Dana: What the hell?

Dana pulls the bagel out and throws it in Isaac's trash can.

Dana flips a few pages in her planner.

Isaac: Take your time, Dana.

Dana: No, wait. (flips another page) There it is!

Dana looks confused.

Dana: Tomorrow. It's listed for tomorrow. But it was listed under today earlier.

Dana looks up and realizes she is in Isaac's office by herself.

Dana: Isaac. Isaac?

-----

Dan and Jeremy are talking in the newsroom. Dan is holding a small package in his hand.

Dan: Do you know when Jesus was born?

Jeremy: 1 A.D.

Dan: That's right. 1 AD. You know. I know. Plenty of educated people know. Why doesn't the whole world know?

Jeremy: I don't know.

Dan: You don't know.

Jeremy: I don't know.

Dan: Scully knows.

Jeremy: Scully?

Dan: From the X-Files.

Jeremy: The X-Files?

Dan: Hey, Jeremy. (leans toward Jeremy) I want to believe.

Jeremy: What?

Dan: It's from Tug McGraw.

Jeremy: Excuse me?

Dan: The '69 Mets. Tug McGraw. I want to believe.

Jeremy: No, actually, Tug McGraw's famous line was, 'I Still Believe'.

Dan: That makes more sense.

Jeremy: Yes, it does.

Dan spots Isaac walking through the newsroom.

Dan: Catch ya' later, Jeremy.

Jeremy: See ya' Dan.

Dan hurries over to Isaac.

Isaac: Good evening, Daniel. Does this have anything to do with work?

Dan pulls a packaged clock from behind his back.

Dan: It's a millennium clock.

Isaac: God forbid if it has anything to do with work.

Dan: It's for the year 2000.

Isaac: I can see that on the box. Why do you have a millennium clock?

Dan: Pixley had given it to Casey as a gag gift. Casey gave it to me when they broke up.

Isaac: It was a gag gift?

Dan: From an uneducated woman. I'm glad he broke up with her.

Isaac: What's your point?

Dan: My mission.

Isaac: Your mission?

Dan: To educate the world.

Isaac: Daniel.

Dan: You already know the facts.

Isaac: Yes, I do.

Dan: Then I must go off and educate everyone else.

Isaac: You do that.

Dan turns around to head off in another direction. He remembers something else, and turns to tell Isaac.

Dan: Oh, and one more thing. Isaac? Isaac? Where'd he go?

-----

Dana is sitting at her desk, when Natalie walks in.

Natalie: Hey, what's up?

Dana: Not too much.

Natalie: Dana-

Dana: Natalie, if this is about you and Jeremy-

Natalie: It is.

Dana: Make it quick.

Natalie: Well, as you know, Jeremy and I have been dating for a long time.

Dana gets up from her desk and holds a folder in her hand.

Dana: Come on. Let's walk and talk.

Natalie tags along with Dana as they leave her office.

Dana: You've been dating for a long time now.

Natalie: Right.

Dana: A really long time.

Natalie: Almost three years.

Dana: What? Really?

Natalie: Actually two years, but it feels like three.

Dana: Tell me about it.

Natalie: Well, to tell you the truth, I want to know where this is going.

Dana: Understandable.

Dana and Natalie round a corner and continue down the hall.

Natalie: So, I said that it's time we take a real step.

Dana: You suggested moving in together.

Natalie: Exactly.

Dana: And he got all defensive.

Natalie: Naturally.

Dana: And gave you about ten reasons why you should not move in together.

Natalie: Yes!

Dana: Well, there's only one thing you can do in this type of situation.

Natalie: You betcha'.

Dana: So are you going to do it?

Natalie: Threaten to break it off?

Dana: Yeah.

Dana and Natalie enter a room, and the door closes behind them.

Natalie: Possibly.

Dana sets her folder in a basket at an unoccupied desk.

Dana: Good choice. Let him know who's boss.

Natalie: Of course.

Dana continues to pay attention to Natalie as the two try to leave the room. Just as Dana reaches for the door handle, the door flies open. Dana doesn't react fast enough and the door hits her right in the face.

Natalie: Dana!

Dana stumbles around and Natalie gives her a hand in getting her to a seat. Dana looks dazed and confused.

Dana: Wha... what happened?

Natalie: You were hit by the door. Are you all right?

Dana: Sure, I'll be fine. Jack, I'll take that drink now.

Natalie: We're not at Anthony's.

Dana: No wonder these appetizers stink.

Natalie: Just relax, Dana. Just relax.

-----

Isaac is working while sitting at his desk when Jeremy walks in.

Jeremy: Hey, Isaac.

Isaac: Go away.

Jeremy: You got a minute?

Isaac: No.

Jeremy: Good. Mind if I sit down?

Isaac: Yes.

Jeremy: Thanks.

Jeremy sits down in a chair.

Isaac: Jeremy, make it quick, but please take to mind that I may not be paying attention.

Jeremy: Sir-

Isaac: No, wait. I definitely won't be paying attention.

Jeremy: Natalie wants us to move in together.

Isaac: You and me?

Jeremy: Natalie and I.

Isaac: That makes more sense.

Jeremy: And I don't think we're ready.

Isaac: Okay.

Jeremy: I mean, we see each other all day, everyday, anyway. We work, then we go to her place....or my place, depends if we're going to-

Isaac: No details.

Jeremy: Watch a movie, and then have sex, or just have sex. Because her movie library is far more accomplished than mine.

Isaac: Please, shut up.

Jeremy: Anyway, we see each other all the time, and we fight constantly as it is. I really don't want to put that kind of strain on our relationship right now. And while she may not see it now, I know that once she can see this from a different perspective, she will understand it in a more rational way.

Isaac: Jeremy.

Jeremy: Yes?

Isaac: May I talk now?

Jeremy: Absolutely.

Isaac: Good. Jeremy?

Jeremy: Yes?

Isaac: You're a jackass.

Jeremy: Thanks for those words of encouragement, sir.

Isaac: How long have you and Natalie been going out? Three years?

Jeremy: Two.

Isaac: It seems like three years.

Jeremy: You're preaching to the choir.

Isaac: Do you love her?

Jeremy: Natalie?

Isaac: No, Rosemary Clooney, -of course Natalie!

Jeremy: Of course, I love Natalie.

Isaac: Listen to me. You have a beautiful, smart, talented woman, whom you love and who loves you back. She's telling you she wants to live with you, which you're practically doing anyway. It's not like she's asking you for a kidney. Seriously, tell me how sharing one apartment, instead of two, would so jeopardize your relationship?

Jeremy answers with silence.

Isaac: Exactly. I'm not going to make your decision for you. If you can convince yourself of a good reason to not do it, then so be it, but until then, you're a jackass.

Jeremy: Thank you, sir.

Jeremy gets up to leave.

-----

The restaurant, Anthony's, is about half full at this time of the evening. Mostly couples are occupying the tables, and they all seem to be having a good time eating and sharing stories and laughter. We go right by a waiter serving a table and come upon the bar. Most of the people are drinking their beverages alone while watching the television behind the bar, except for one pair. A gentleman is having an animated conversation with a beautiful woman. The man is slightly inebriated, and the woman doesn't seem to be enjoying his conversation completely. She is annoyed, bored, or both. The gentleman "entertaining" her turns out to be Dan.

Dan: Do you know what this is?

Dan holds up his millennium clock.

Woman: No.

Dan: It's a 2000 countdown clock.

Woman: Oh.

Dan: You might say it's a little outdated.

Woman: Whatever.

Dan: Exactly.

There is a moment of silence.

Dan: So, eventually, the media is going to want to market the idea that the real new millennium isn't here yet. So I'm saying, we market the real, 2001 millennium clocks.

Woman: Yeah.

Dan: With a booklet of facts.

Woman: Yeah.

Dan: And a calendar.

Woman: No.

Dan: Why not?

Woman: Because it's a stupid idea and so are you.

The woman gets up and walks away. Dan takes another swig from his glass.

Dan: You just wait, Gina, Jean, Janine, or whatever your name was... is!

Someone approaches Dan from behind.

"Drinking alone, stranger?"

Dan turns his head around.

Dan: Dana, my friend. Come, sit, and partake with me.

Dana: Day didn't turn out well, huh?

Dan: But I'm making up for it tonight.

Jack, the bartender, comes over to Dana.

Dana: I'll just have a water with a lemon twist. Thanks, Jack.

Dan: What? No martini?

Dana: No, not now.

Dan: What's up?

Dana: How are things going with Rebecca?

Dan: You should ask her.

Dana: I'm not asking you as the executive producer. I'm asking you as a friend.

Dan: Okay, I guess.

Dana: What's bothering you?

Dan: She's canceled dinner with me three times this week.

Dana: Let me give you some advice.

Jack places Dana's drink on a coaster.

Dana: Thanks, Jack.

Dan: I'll have another drink, please.

Dana: Don't screw it up, like me.

Dan: Don't play games.

Dana: Right. Talk to her. Make sure this is the Rebecca she wants you to accept.

Dan: Like you and Casey?

Dana looks confused.

Dana: What?

Dan: Ooops.

Dana: Like Gordon and I.

Dan: You two didn't get married.

Dana: We couldn't accept each other for the people we were.

Dan: Okay.

Dana: Just make sure you communicate.

Dan sits quietly as Jack places another drink next to his empty glass.

Dan: I'm sorry for messing up, lately.

Dana: It's all right.

Dan: I'll try and do a better job on the show.

Dana: Thank you.

Dan throws a wad of cash on the bar.

Dana: You need a ride home?

Dan: Sure. Thanks.

Dana escorts Dan from the bar.