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The scene opens with the following evening and Casey and Lisa are in the living room of Lisa's house.
Casey: I don't want to start anything right now, Lisa. I'm not in the mood.
Lisa: When are you gonna be in the mood, Casey? Something has to be done.
Casey: And what do you want me to do about that?
Lisa: Talk to me, Casey.
Casey: I can't talk to you. Everything I say gets twisted around to fit your own little purpose.
Lisa: Oh, and you think none of this is your fault?
Casey: All I know is that for the last two months and in the ten previous years, nothing I've done has been enough for you, Lisa. Ten whole years.
Lisa: Casey, you turned down Late Night--
Casey: Excuse me for wanting to stay with my friends. You always said you'd be happier if I was comfortable, but I guess all you cared about was the fame and fortune that Late Night would bring us.
Lisa: That's not fair, Casey! Of course I wanted you to be comfortable--
Casey: You have a hell of a way of showing it.
Lisa glares at Casey.
Lisa: But, I also wanted you to consider your family in making a decision that involved all of us. We have an eleven-year-old son to provide for--
Casey: Does Charlie go hungry? Does he? He is more than provided for, Lisa. He has more things than I ever had at his age.
Lisa: I never meant it to seem like I was saying that. I just--
Casey: You just what, Lisa? What's this really all about?
Lisa thinks about it for a moment.
Lisa: ESPN, Casey. ESPN is courting you.
Casey waves his hand in the air to discourage Lisa from pushing the subject further.
Casey: I don't want to hear it.
You see Lisa throw her hands down and plead her argument to Casey. Casey turns away and starts to walk away. As you pull away, Lisa reaches over and grabs Casey's arm. You see Casey looking shocked and intimidated as Lisa yells at him. You make your way out of the house and through their yard. You come upon the sidewalk in front of their house and you see carolers walking through the snow. They are holding lit candles and song books as they sing their way through the neighborhood.
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You transition to the next day, and you see Dan walking down a hallway. A secretary notifies him he can go inside the office. Dan opens the door, looks inside, and notices nobody inside. He walks in and takes a seat in front of the occupant's desk.
The door to the office opens and a gentleman steps inside. He walks over to Dan, as Dan stands up to shake his hand. You discover the gentleman is Calvin Trager.
Calvin: Good to finally meet you, Dan. Calvin Trager.
Dan: Good to meet you, also. I thought I was meeting with--
Calvin: Don't worry about that. I've eliminated the middle management in this discussion. Have a seat.
Dan sits back down, while Calvin pulls a chair up and sits right next to him.
Calvin: Your contract is up this summer, and you would like to sign an extension fairly soon.
Dan: Yes.
Calvin: You have concerns about your role with CSC.
Dan: Well, yes.
Calvin: Let me set the table here. I want you to do commentary for baseball and college basketball. Not every week, just about once a month.
Dan looks hesitant.
Dan: Oh-kay.
Calvin: On top of your duties as anchor of 'Sports Night.'
A look of relief comes across Dan's face.
Dan: All right.
Calvin: So, with the extra responsibilities, and with the continued success of 'Sports Night,' you deserve a significant raise.
Dan is speechless. Calvin pulls out a sheet of paper, writes a couple of figures on it, and hands it to Dan.
Calvin: Three years at those yearly salaries.
Dan is shocked.
Dan: Wow.
Calvin: You do great work, Dan. I want you to be a major player in the success of CSC.
Dan sets the paper on his lap. He seems hesitant to ask for anything else, especially after the generous offer presented to him.
Calvin: You want something else. What is it?
Dan: Casey. What about Casey?
Calvin: You've worked with him for a little over twelve years, right?
Dan: Yes.
Calvin: Let me ask you this. How did you feel when CSC was for sale?
Dan: Uneasy.
Calvin: And when it was purchased? And when you found out you still had a job?
Dan: Relieved and thankful.
Calvin: Be relieved you still have a job. Be thankful.
Dan: Okay.
Calvin: Also, this conversation does not leave this room. I will have an announcement of your extension after the final paperwork has been written and signed. It will probably happen in the next few weeks.
Dan: Okay.
Calvin stands up and Dan follows suit. The two shake hands.
Calvin: It's been good doing business with you. Have a good day.
Dan: Have a good day. And thank you.
Calvin turns and leaves the office.
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Casey walks into his office and Jeremy follows behind.
Jeremy: What did you want to talk about, Casey?
Casey: I need to ask you something personal, Jeremy. And if you feel uncomfortable answering-
Jeremy: What is it?
Casey fiddles with a pencil.
Casey: If the opportunity arose that your parents could get back together again, how would you feel?
Jeremy sits down on the couch.
Jeremy: That's a thought-provoking and intricate question?
Casey: If you don't want to answer it-
Jeremy: I'll answer it.
Jeremy pushes up his glasses.
Jeremy: My parents getting back together?
Casey: Right.
Jeremy: Dating or remarriage?
Casey: Uh, dating with the outside possibility of remarriage. Actually, no possibility. Just dating.
Jeremy: Living in the same house?
Casey: No.
Jeremy: Did they change?
Casey: How so?
Jeremy: Did they change their perspectives?
Casey: Um, they did love each other once.
Jeremy: Agreed. And something happened to change it. How did it change back?
Casey: I don't know. They loved each other once. They could give it another shot.
Jeremy: Is that the only reason?
Casey: Yeah, I guess so.
Jeremy: No.
Casey: What do you mean?
Jeremy: I mean 'no.' I would not want them to get back together again.
Casey: Why?
Jeremy: Because nothing has changed. There has to be a willingness on both parties to change.
Casey: They loved each other.
Jeremy: Agreed. But my father was having an affair. He would have to change his ways. He would have to prove he had changed his ways.
Casey: How would he do that?
Jeremy: Only my mother would be able to determine that. You know what they say about actions, Casey?
Casey: They speak louder than words.
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You find yourself inside of an auditorium. The audience is clapping as one person stands behind a podium at the side of the stage.
Announcer: Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. And now for our next bachelor.
The announcer looks down at a note card as the curtain partially opens. Dan steps out.
Announcer: He is Dan Rydell, from CSC's Sports Night. Dan is six feet tall with brown hair and brown eyes.
Dan walks down the small runway, letting everyone get a good look at him.
Announcer: He enjoys water sports and baseball. He is a graduate of Dartmouth and has worked at CSC for the last three plus years.
Dan makes it back to the stage and stands there being admired by the potential bidders.
Announcer: Okay, everybody. Let's remember your bid will be donated to charity and we're going to start the bidding once again at five-hundred dollars.
The announcer looks through the crowd. He sees a hand go up.
Announcer: 500 dollars to the lady in the red dress. Do I hear 525? 525 to the woman in black. 550. Do I hear 550? 550? 550 to the blonde in the red dress.
"600."
Announcer: 600 dollars to the first woman, the brunette in the red dress.
"625."
"650."
"660."
"675."
Announcer: 675 to the the brunette in the red dress. Do I hear seven? Do I hear seven?
"700."
Everyone turns to look and notice a gentleman has just placed the seven-hundred dollar bid.
Announcer: Uh... Seven hundred dollars to the gentleman in the back.
Dan: 725.
Announcer: I'm sorry, sir. You can't bid on yourself.
Dan: 750.
Announcer: Sir.
Dan: 775.
"800."
Dan: Thank you! Sold!
The crowd starts to giggle.
Announcer: I'm sorry. Do I hear 825? 825?
"820."
Announcer: Okay. 820.
"825."
"835."
"845."
"860."
Nine-hundred and fifty dollars.
Dan recognizes the voice. He looks into the crowd to see the bidder, but he cannot see clearly because of the shining lights.
Announcer: Nine-hundred and fifty dollars to the blonde in the back. Do I hear 975? 975? Do I hear 975?
Dan starts to pray.
Announcer: Going once.
Dan prays harder.
Announcer: Going twice.
Dan prays there is a kind god.
The announcer slams down the auction hammer.
Announcer: Sold! To the blonde in the back for nine-hundred fifty dollars.
Dan jumps up, relieved he has been 'bought' by a woman.
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Dan is back stage and he is preparing to meet the winning bidder.
"Hello, Dan."
Dan turns around and a huge smile comes across his face. The winning bid has been placed by JoAnne.
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Dana is sitting on top of Natalie's desk, while Natalie is finishing up her phone call. She hangs up.
Natalie: We lost.
Dana: Somebody bid more than eight-hundred and sixty dollars?
Natalie: The winning bid was nine-fifty.
Dana: Dang. I thought we had him.
A wrapped gift suddenly appears on Natalie's desk, and a rose sits on top of it. She turns around and notices Jeremy is standing behind her. Natalie jumps up and hugs him.
Natalie holds the rose and takes in its scent. She carefully opens the gift up and reveals it is a book of poetry. Tears starts to well up in Natalie's eyes as she holds the book and the rose next to her chest. Dana places a hand on her own chest because she is moved by Jeremy's gesture.
Jeremy leans over and kisses Natalie on the forehead. Then Natalie sets the book and the rose down.
They walk out to the middle of the newsroom and they begin to slow dance and hold each other closely. Dana watches the two dance, as Natalie and Jeremy are taken off into another world.
