Disclaimer

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Dan is seen on a television monitor inside the control room.

Dan: (on-air) ...and be sure to catch all of the college bowl action on CSC. We'll have in-depth analysis and live interviews from each of the games over the next two weeks, and there will also be a quiz on which sponsor is associated with each bowl game. I'm Dan Rydell sitting alongside Bobbi Bernstein. Have a good night.

Chris: Roll sound.

Will: Roll credits.

Dana: Good show, everybody.

Jeremy: I'm starving!

Jeremy pulls something out and unwraps it. He starts eating his share of the cheese.

Dave: We're out.

Everybody starts leaving as Natalie looks at Jeremy.

Natalie: What is that?

Jeremy: It's Bel Paese.

Natalie: I know that.

Natalie slaps Jeremy on the back of his head.

Jeremy: What's that for?

Natalie: I gave that cheese to Dana.

Jeremy: I got it from Isaac.

Natalie: How did Isaac get it?

Jeremy: I don't know, Nancy Drew.

Natalie leaves the control room and chases after Dana.

Dana is talking on a telephone.

Dana: (on-phone) We just got done, so I'll see you in a little bit.

Natalie: Dana?!

Dana hangs up the phone.

Dana: Yes, Natalie.

Natalie: How did Jeremy get the cheese I gave to you?

Dana: You'll have to ask Jeremy.

Natalie: He said he got it from Isaac.

Dana: And I gave it to Isaac.

Natalie: I gave that cheese to you as a gift.

Dana: I thought you gave it to me to make a point.

Natalie: It's a gift.

Dana: How so?

Natalie: Because I just changed the meaning of it. I now say it is a gift.

Dana: Well, Isaac really appreciated it.

Natalie: And so does Jeremy.

Dana: Natalie.

Jeremy walks by.

Jeremy: And I thought this was the season of sharing.

Natalie: It is.

Jeremy: And the season of peace and joy.

Natalie: It is.

Jeremy: Then why is my head ringing?

Natalie: It's the sound of Christmas bells.

Jeremy heads to his desk.

Dana: I've got to go, Natalie.

Natalie: Okay.

Natalie walks over to Jeremy's desk.

Jeremy: You know, as your secret Santa, I may just give you some coal.

Natalie: That's fine.

Jeremy: Really?

Natalie: Because I can turn it into a diamond.

Jeremy: You need something that can create enormous pressure-

Natalie: I know of one place which can create enormous amounts of pressure, and I would know exactly where to stick it.

Jeremy: Okay. Are you still mad at me?

Natalie: No. I'm over it now.

Jeremy: Good.

Jeremy opens his drawer and pulls out an envelope.

Natalie: What's that?

Jeremy: Your gift.

Jeremy hands Natalie the envelope.

Natalie: What's in it?

Jeremy: Just open it.

Natalie opens the envelope and pulls out a couple pieces of paper.

Natalie: It's print-outs of your e-mail.

Jeremy: Read on.

Natalie: What are you going to Ohio for?

Jeremy: Nat-

Natalie: Oh my god.

Jeremy: They're electronic tickets.

Natalie: I can't go.

Jeremy: I worked with Isaac, and we've made arrangements.

Natalie: You mean...

Jeremy: Yes.

Natalie: I get to go home for Christmas?

Jeremy: I thought you might like to be with the rest of your family over Christmas.

Natalie: I get to go home for Christmas?

Jeremy: You fly out there on the afternoon and you have to fly back the next-

Natalie jumps up and hugs Jeremy.

Natalie: Thank you. This means so much.

She kisses him on the cheek.

Jeremy: So, you like it?

Natalie smiles as she looks at the paper.

Jeremy: I can always return it for a fuzzy sweater.

Natalie gently swats Jeremy with the paper. She hugs him a second time.

Jeremy: Merry Christmas, Natalie.

Natalie: Thank you and Merry Christmas.

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Casey is sitting inside a car. The passenger door opens and Dana sits in the seat. Dana leans over and kisses Casey.

Dana: Thanks for picking me up.

Casey: Thank you for letting me borrow your car.

Casey begins driving.

Dana: I'm sorry the show ran late. Utah and Boise State went into overtime.

Casey: It's okay.

Dana: Okay.

Casey: Are you excited about going?

Dana: Where?

Casey: To see my parents.

Dana: Oh, of course.

Casey: Good. They'll be happy to see you again.

Dana: It's been a long time since I last saw them.

Casey: You saw them a couple of years ago.

Dana: I mean when I saw them at their house.

Casey: That was back in college, right?

Dana: Yeah, a lot has changed since then.

Casey: Of course.

Dana: We were just friends back then.

Casey: Yeah.

Dana: And now we're more than friends.

Casey: I'm glad to know.

Dana: Yeah.

The two sit quietly as Casey continues to drive.

Casey: You're fine with going to Indiana?

Dana: Yes, Casey.

Casey: There isn't anything going on with the show?

Dana: Isaac has it all planned out.

Casey: My parents don't have cable television.

Dana: Okay.

Casey: So I don't want you obsessing over the show while we're out there.

Dana: I don't obsess over the show.

Casey rolls his eyes.

Dana: Okay. Every once in a while, I do obsess- but it is good to be concerned over the production of my show.

Casey: That's quite alright.

Dana: Yes, it is.

Casey: My parents have an extra bedroom. You can sleep in there. I'll sleep in my old room.

Dana: Good. I don't have to wonder about that.

Casey: We'll be right next to each other, so I could tap messages to you through the wall.

Dana: Using Morse code?

Casey: Yeah.

Dana looks out the window.

Casey: You're okay about going?

Dana: I'm perfectly fine, Casey. Don't worry about me. We'll fly out to Indiana, spend a few days with your parents, and fly back.

Casey: Okay.

Dana: I heard you talked with Danny.

Casey: Yes. He wanted some advice about his situation with Jo.

Dana: What did you tell him?

Casey: To follow his heart.

Dana: That's good advice.

Casey: Thanks.

Dana: He should also give her some flowers.

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From the inside of an apartment, a knock is heard on the door. JoAnne, who is wearing a t-shirt and shorts, walks over and looks through the peep hole. She opens the door, but keeps the chain lock on.

Dan: Hi.

JoAnne: Hi.

Dan holds up a gift bag.

Dan: I've brought you gifts.

JoAnne: That's nice.

Dan: Are you going to let me in?

JoAnne: No.

Dan: I can't slide this through the opening.

JoAnne: Okay.

Dan: I could take them out and give them to you.

JoAnne: There's multiple gifts?

Dan: Yeah.

Dan pulls out a small, flat box and hands it through the door to JoAnne.

JoAnne: What is it?

Dan: Open it.

JoAnne opens the box and pulls out a mouse pad.

Dan: It's one of those mouse pads with the jelly stuff at the bottom to support your wrist while you're at the computer.

JoAnne: Thank you. I didn't get you anything.

Dan: That's okay.

Dan pulls out some flowers. The stems are wrapped in some wet paper and enclosed in cellophane.

Dan: These are for you.

Dan slides the flowers through the door. A couple of petals fall off as Jo takes them.

JoAnne: They're beautiful. Where did you get them at this time of night?

Dan: I convinced the flower shop owner she needed to sell them to me.

JoAnne: How?

Dan: By using my wit and charming personality.

JoAnne: Is that all?

Dan: And the fact I've completely accessorized your office with every flower imaginable.

JoAnne: Okay.

Dan: And lots of balloons.

JoAnne: Balloons and flowers.

Dan: And club level seats to the Knicks.

JoAnne: You got me club level seats?

Dan: No, I got them for the flower shop owner.

JoAnne: The tickets pushed it over the top.

Dan: No. Like I said, I convinced her by using my wit and charming personality.

JoAnne: Okay.

Dan: You'll need to put those in water.

JoAnne: Okay.

Dan: Okay, I can come in?

JoAnne: No.

Dan pulls out the final gift, a bottle of wine.

Dan: This won't fit through the door unless you open it.

JoAnne: All this is very sweet of you.

Dan: I would have given you these earlier, but you didn't come to fix the editing machine.

JoAnne: I had Paul fix it.

Dan: The tape would stick in some spots.

JoAnne: Is it working now?

Dan: Yeah. He did a good job on it.

JoAnne: Great.

Dan: Paul does good work.

JoAnne: I know.

Dan: Paul also said you had gone home for the evening.

JoAnne: Yeah.

Dan: I called a couple of times to see if you were home.

JoAnne: You called eight times.

Dan: You didn't pick up the phone?

JoAnne: I didn't want to talk to you.

Dan: But it's alright if we talk now?

JoAnne: Maybe.

Dan: I do want to apologize to you.

JoAnne: Okay.

Dan: Could I do it inside your apartment?

JoAnne: No.

Dan: Why not?

JoAnne: Because if I let you in, my feelings for you are going to come rushing back in with you. You hurt me and you used me, Dan. I'm not going to let myself be hurt that way again.

Dan: I was wrong... I should have taken you on the trip. We should have gone to Connecticut.

JoAnne: How was your trip?

Dan: It was alright- nothing spectacular.

JoAnne: What made you change your mind? Was it because you didn't have a great time?

Dan: I have some issues with my father, and the quality of the trip didn't factor into this.

JoAnne: Then why are you here? Why are you doing this?

Dan: I didn't want anything bad to be said about you.

JoAnne: So you'd rather have me disappear altogether.

Dan: No.

The door shuts. A deadbolt is heard locking it shut.

Dan: You locked the door. You're going to make me apologize through the door?

JoAnne: I'm not making you do anything, Dan. You can do anything of your own free will. You can apologize if you like. You can leave me out of important parts of your life. You do what you want.

Dan looks around the door.

Dan: I want you in my life!

JoAnne closes her eyes.

Dan: I was an ass! There, I said it! I, Dan Rydell, was an ass!

Dan stares at the door.

Dan: I love you and I can't stand the thought of being without you!

A neighbor opens a door, and his head pops up.

Neighbor: Shut the hell up, Romeo! Some of us are trying to sleep.

Dan: (to the neighbor) Sorry.

Dan leans up against the door.

Dan: There has always been structure and discipline in my life. It confines me. If it didn't follow the plan... if it didn't meet my dad's expectations, I wouldn't do it.

Dan listens for a moment.

Dan: If my dad didn't like you, it would hurt. Nothing is ever good enough for him. No matter how good, how nice, or how wonderful you are, he would find something with which to hate you. He would have said that you were either too smart or too Californian or something like that. He's always done that. And it just drives me crazy.

Dan lightly pounds his fist one time on the door.

Dan: He doesn't know the things I know. He doesn't know what makes me happy. You get this mischievous look in your eyes when we are going to do something crazy- like the time we raced the shopping carts down that hill, or the time we went sledding down that same hill with those dinner trays from the CSC cafeteria. You blush when I sing... er, try to sing to you. You walk with an air of confidence that is infectious. When we dance, I love it when you place your head on my shoulder. (taps his shoulder) You have a way you tilt your head when you are reading a book. You look so peaceful when you sleep. All the times I get to hold your hand when we are out in public. When we kiss, I lose my breath. Those are some of the things I love about you.

Neighbor: Hey, girl! You better let that boy in there 'cause I'm sick of hearin' his lips a flappin'!

Dan: The way you like curl up when we are watching a movie. When you offer me a sip of your drink when we are at a game. When you can carry a conversation whether we are at a club or the opera. When we can communicate by looking into each other's eyes. You are so beautiful, and no one- no one at all- could convince me you're not.

There is the sound of a deadbolt and a chain being unlocked. The door opens. JoAnne stands teary-eyed as she and Dan look at each other.

Dan: May I come in?

JoAnne: sniff Get in here, you jerk.

As Dan steps inside the apartment, he and JoAnne hug.

The apartment door closes shut.

"On the next Sports Night..."

Casey is sitting inside an office. A producer from his new show is waving a cigar and talking with him.

Producer: Big things! I see big things in your future, my friend. You and I are going to conquer the world of cable sports because we are going to combine- now get this- news with sports. We will have sports news stories for our show. What do you think?

Casey rolls his eyes as the producer looks out his window toward the city skyline.

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Jeremy, Natalie, and Dan are standing in the newsroom.

Dan: You're challenging Isaac to a game of chess?

Jeremy: He's been wanting to play.

Natalie: Jeremy's going to wipe the floor with Isaac.

Jeremy: I'm afraid I might.

Dan: Jeremy? Do you think it is a good idea to humiliate your boss in a game of chess?

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Dana looks distraught as she sits in her office. Casey stands in front of her desk.

Dana: Casey... I'm late.