Disclaimer

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The staff and crew has just wrapped up the show and they are exiting through the control room and into the corridor. Dan and Isaac exit the control room and stand outside of the conference room.

Isaac: We can still do our jobs.

Dan: It felt tense tonight.

Isaac: Listen, Natalie and Jeremy knew what they were getting into. They've broken up before and the show has survived. I wouldn't expect any less from my employees.

Dan: Still, you can't hide the fact-

Isaac: The fact is this: we need to do our jobs. Do I feel bad for the both of them? Yes, I do. Do I let it affect my responsibilities here as managing editor? No.

Dan: Speaking of responsibilities...

Isaac: If you don't mind walking, I would like to go back to my office.

Dan: I don't mind at all.

Isaac and Dan start walking through the newsroom and toward Isaac's office.

Isaac: Are you happy with your new responsibilities?

Dan: Oh, this isn't about me.

Isaac: All right, then.

Dan: I've noticed there seems to be stress between Dana and Sam.

Isaac: I am aware of that also.

Dan: Good, because the rest of the crew feels the stress also.

Isaac: What are you telling me, Danny?

The two stop outside of Dan and Casey's office.

Dan: What I'm trying to say is-

Casey: Hey, we're still on for Anthony's?

Dan: Uh, yeah, Case. You guys go ahead; I'll meet you as soon as I wrap up with Isaac.

Casey realizes his interruption.

Casey: Oh. You and Isaac. I'm sorry I interrupted you two. I'll see you later.

Dan: See ya'.

Isaac: Good night, Casey.

Dan and Isaac continue down the hallway toward Isaac's office.

Dan: Where were we?

Isaac: You were getting to the point.

Dan: The point. Right.

The two enter Isaac's office, and Dan closes the door behind him.

Dan: The point is: I don't think Sam should be working here.

Isaac: You're the second person today to come in here and tell me that.

Dan: I'm not saying he can't do the job. I just think he is disrupting the chemistry of 'Sports Night.'

Isaac: So you think he is causing problems.

Dan: I feel there is a good amount of stress.

Isaac: I thought you said that was caused by Natalie and Jeremy.

Dan: Well, yeah. But I think Sam is a greater disruption because his responsibilities spill over onto everyone's job.

Isaac: Do you think he is trying to do everything?

Dan: No, I think he is trying to force everybody to do the show in a certain way.

Isaac: His way.

Dan: And there wasn't anything wrong with the way we were doing the show before Sam was rehired.

Isaac: Some people felt there were problems with the show, and we needed something to get it straightened out.

Dan: I don't understand.

Isaac: Now, you're taking on my responsibilities, Dan.

Dan: Sorry. I'm just curious.

Isaac: I'll tell you the same thing I told this person who came to me earlier- please be patient. Everything is going to work themselves out in due time.

Dan: When is that time?

Isaac: It will be a few months.

Dan lets out a frustrated breath.

Dan: Okay. I'll try to be patient. (pause) I've got a beer waiting for me.

Isaac: Daniel, have a good night.

Dan: Good night, Isaac.

Dan leaves the office.

-----

Dana and Natalie enter an elevator together.

Dana: We're gonna' get cake dammit.

Natalie: There's a bakery on 2nd.

Dana: I thought I'd get store-bought.

Natalie: A bakery's not a store?

Dana: While acknowledging that a bakery is a store, Natalie, I meant a different type of store.

Natalie: What type of store did you mean?

Dana: The type that isn't a bakery.

Natalie: What's wrong with bakeries?

Dana: Is there a point to this conversation?

Natalie: No.

Dana: Then can we stop having it?

Natalie: No. What type of store?

Dana: The type that sells liquor.

Natalie: Gotcha.

Natalie nods her approval and tucks a strand of hair behind her ear.

Natalie: Are we going to cover that horse story tomorrow?

Dana: What horse story?

Natalie: Some horse in Virginia did something amazing.

Dana: What did he do?

Natalie: He won something.

Dana: What did he win?

Natalie: I'm assuming a ribbon.

The elevator comes to a stop and the two step out into the parking deck. Dana pulls out her keys and they start walking toward Dana's car.

Dana: What happened?

Natalie: With the horse?

Dana: Earlier today. I commend you for being strong enough to be professional in the control room with... you know.

Natalie: With Jeremy?

Dana: Yes. What happened with Jeremy?

Natalie: I threw away his bed and he called off the wedding.

Dana: The race car bed?

Natalie: Yes.

Dana: Really?

Natalie: No.

Dana: Then what?

Natalie: The bed wasn't why he called it off, it was just the reason he called the wedding off.

Dana pushes a remote button to turn off her car alarm and unlock the doors. They both step into Dana's car.

Dana: It wasn't why, but it was the reason?

Dana starts her car.

Natalie: Well, yeah.

Dana begins to back her car up.

Dana: Natalie?

Natalie: Hmm?

Dana turns the steering wheel, shifts, and drives the car forward.

Dana: I have no idea what you're saying.

Natalie: Neither do I.

Dana: Okay.

Natalie: It's a nice night.

Dana: Yes.

-----

Dan, Casey, and Jeremy are sitting at the bar in Anthony's. They are on their second or third- maybe fifth- round of drinks.

Jeremy: I mean I still love her, and so that shouldn't make me the bad guy.

Casey: Are we choosing sides here?

Dan: There's a good guy, a bad guy, and Cookie.

Jeremy: Cookie?

Dan: The cook.

Jeremy: Ah.

Dan: You know there are many, many, many things I don't understand about this whole big world we live in.

Casey: Soccer.

Dan: Yes, soccer is one of them, and it shall remain one of them. And you want to know why?

Casey: Why?

Dan: Because I could give a flying fig about soccer.

Jeremy: I see your point.

Dan: So, you agree with me, my friend.

Dan puts his arm around Jeremy's shoulders.

Jeremy: I don't necessarily agree with you- I just see your point.

Dan removes his arm.

Dan: Fool.

Casey: You know what I don't understand?

Dan: Whaz that?

Casey: Women.

Dan: Here, here.

The three toast each other.

Jeremy: But you have Dana.

Dan: I have Jo, or I thought I had Jo, but I didn't have Jo, so now somebody else is having Jo.

Casey: I've been married-

Dan: And divorced.

Casey: -and I still don't understand women.

Dan: You know what the secret to understanding women is?

Jeremy: What's that?

Dan: Just nod your head up-and-down and just say 'yes.'

Dan starts nodding his head up-and-down.

Jeremy: Like that?

Dan: Yes.

Casey starts nodding his head up-and-down.

Casey: I get it.

Jeremy looks at Casey, then back at Dan. He slowly starts nodding his head.

Jack, the bartender, comes over to the three.

Jack: You guys want another round?

-----

Dana and Natalie are in the grocery store. Dana is pushing an empty shopping cart, while Natalie is walking beside her.

Natalie: You know what I miss?

Dana: Jeremy?

Natalie: Before that.

Dana: Being twelve?

Natalie: What?

Dana: Well, I thought maybe you missed being twelve.

Natalie: Why would I miss being twelve?

Dana: Because I miss being twelve, and I thought maybe you did, too.

Natalie: Dana?

Dana: Yes?

Natalie: You know what I miss?

Dana: What?

Natalie: Orion.

Dana: You miss Orion?

Natalie: I miss the stars being so bright above my house as to almost light up the night.

Dana: Back in Ohio.

Natalie: Back in Granville.

Dana stops her cart in front of a rack with different style cakes.

Dana: You know what I miss?

Natalie: Being twelve?

Dana: After that.

Natalie: I don't know.

Dana: I miss being in control of my show. I miss me and Isaac. Sam's just a pain in the ass, but Isaac wants him.

Natalie: Have you spoken with Isaac?

Dana: I spoke with him earlier today. He told me to be patient. (pause) How about this one?

Dana points at a cake.

Natalie: Is it good cake?

Dana: Are you hungry?

Natalie: No.

Dana: Does it matter if the cake is good?

Natalie: No.

-----

Back at Anthony's, Dan is lunging toward the window while Casey and Jeremy are holding him back.

Dan: I'm telling you- that's her!

Casey: Take it easy, Danny.

Dan: It was her, and I think Sam!

Jeremy: How could you tell?

Dan: I saw them with my own eyes! They walked in here and turned around when they spotted us. It's them! Look!

Casey: I don't see them.

Jeremy: You spotted them on the other side of the room?

Dan: Only for a second, but that's all I needed. Jo is dating Sam!

-----

Dana and Natalie are back driving on the road again.

Natalie: So, where to now?

Dana: The office, I guess.

Natalie: I think Jeremy is staying at his place tonight.

Dana: Still, we're closer to the newsroom.

Natalie: We didn't get silverware.

Dana: I don't think this silly cake warrants buying silverware.

Natalie: Plasticware, then.

Dana: I think we'll be fine this way, since I doubt we'll ever get past the icing.

Natalie: We can use the Styrofoam cups from the breakroom for the wine.

Dana: Hell, we've got a few bottles. We can be just like men and not use cups.

Natalie and Dana laugh.

-----

Dan, Casey, and Jeremy are seated at a table at Anthony's.

Jeremy: You need to ask her, Dan.

Dan: No!

Casey: Just go to her office tomorrow and be subtle. Don't let on that you're jealous.

Dan: But I'm not jealous!

Jeremy: Just throw that logic out the window there, Dan.

Dan: I'm not.

Jeremy straightens up in his seat.

Jeremy: I just realized I no longer have a bed to sleep in at my place.

Dan and Casey start laughing.

-----

A blanket is being drug along a wood floor in a darkened apartment. A small light flicks on and you notice Jeremy standing in a t-shirt and shorts. He pulls his blanket and tosses his pillow on a recliner.

Jeremy climbs on the recliner and tries to make himself comfortable. He takes his glasses off and sets them on an endtable and turns off the light. He throws the blanket on top of his body. After a few seconds, Jeremy rolls over. A few more seconds pass and Jeremy rolls back over again. He grabs his pillow, fluffs it a little bit, and sets back on the chair. He shakes his head and lays back down.

A few more seconds pass and Jeremy sets up. He rips the blanket off, gets out of the recliner, and grabs his pillow. He puts his glasses back on. Jeremy walks off to find another sleeping spot in his apartment.

The morning sun is coming through a window. As you pull away, you realize you are inside Dana's office. You look on her desk and see the opened box containing the cake. No slice had been cut, but most of the icing had been removed. What remained was "ations." Two empty wine bottles lay on their side, next to the cake.

There is a knock on the door and you can hear the door slowly opening.

Isaac walks into the office and looks on the floor. He sees his executive producer and senior associate producer sleeping soundly on the floor.

Isaac walks over and looks at Dana's desk. He grabs an empty wine bottle and reads the label. He shakes his head, then looks at his two employees sleeping soundly on the office floor.

Isaac: At least it's a good vintage.

-----

Inside the conference room, most of the crew is seated. Dana comes walking into the room, and she looks a little groggy, but she's ready to work.

Dana: Okay, everybody. Let's get this run down going.

Dan: Everybody's not here.

Jeremy: Natalie and Sam are not here.

Sam walks into the conference room. Dan casts a look over Sam.

Dan: You know, the run down starts at 2. (looks at his watch) It's 2:01.

Sam: Hey. I apologize. It won't happen again.

Jeremy: Where's Natalie?

Dana: Natalie's not here. She's going to be away for a few days.

Jeremy: What happened?

Dana: Her father passed away unexpectedly last night.

Everybody is shocked.

Dana: We'll talk more about it later. Okay, were leading off with the Spurs and Lakers...