Disclaimer

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Dan, Natalie, Jeremy, Kim, Elliott, Chris, Will, and Dave are waiting inside the conference room.

Kim: Where's Dana?

Elliott: Probably still in a meeting with Sam.

Natalie: Did you guys know that in two million years, Los Angeles and San Francisco will meet? It's how much the fault line and the plates move.

Jeremy: Do you really want to go out to Los Angeles? Actually work and live out in Los Angeles?

Dan: It's not a bad place to live. They've got the arts, the philharmonic, fabulous cultural exhibits, and, not to mention, the Laker girls.

Jeremy: I know a thing or two about L.A. I went to school there.

Dan: And see? Jeremy survived going to school out there, so it can't all be bad.

Natalie: Today's high is predicted to be 74 degrees.

Dan: And we've got - what - upper-fifties and cloudy skies.

Jeremy: I finished that program for you. The one about Las Vegas.

Dan: Oh yeah?

Jeremy: Your success rate is predicted to be zero.

Dan: Hmm... there must be a missing calculation.

Jeremy: Maybe some missing common sense.

The conference room door swings open and Dana enters.

Dana: Sorry I'm late, people. Let's get started. Jeremy?

Jeremy: Portland is looking to trade for a point guard, but with their salary cap considerations, it looks like a two-team deal is out of the question. They will have to make a multi-team deal with the favorites being Orlando, Boston, and Milwaukee. That looks good, but Utah is trying to free up some cap room by dealing some power forwards, so you might be able to throw them and Phoenix into the mix.

Dana: So, you've got rumors?

Jeremy: Very much so.

Dana: Natalie?

Natalie: Florida State is going to make some major changes in their starting lineup. Dan's got an interview-

Dan: I'll be taping from the studio in about 20 minutes.

Natalie: -and Bobbi has had to reschedule her interview with Cindy Parlow.

Dana: Why?

Natalie: We had some technical difficulties.

Dana: It was a telephone interview. We couldn't connect two tin cans with some wire?

Natalie: We lost the phone number, but we're getting hold of her agent to get back the number.

Dana: Okay.

Kim: I've been able to gather up some baseball news with some contract and free agency talks.

Dana: Great. We're going to get through the NFL previews tonight, so I'm going to need to have the updated injury report. Elliott?

Elliott: I'll get the league info off the wire.

Dana: Graphics are looking good?

Chris: It depends.

Dana: On what?

Will: If the monitors are working properly.

Natalie: It's not that big of a problem.

Chris: But the problem could escalate.

Dana: Let's get somebody to take a look at it. I'll see you at the next rundown.

Everybody gets up and starts to leave. Dana is walking through the newsroom as Natalie catches up to her.

Natalie: How did the meeting go?

Dana: There were some issues brought up. Nothing too terribly to worry about.

Natalie: Good. You're sounding better.

Dana: I am feeling better.

Natalie: Pixley.

Dana: Natalie!

Natalie: It didn't take much to take down the facade.

Dana: I've been through enough without having you constantly remind me... remind me of something I just don't like very much.

Natalie: You can always change your mind and get back together with Casey.

Dana: I'll be so happy when you move to L.A.

Natalie: You don't mean that.

Dana: Oh, yes I do.

Natalie: I'm much like a sister to you and you can't stand the thought of me moving away to be with Michael.

Dana: And what about you? If I'm so much like a sister to you, why aren't you agonizing over the very thought of moving to L.A. and losing me as your understanding... very understanding boss?

Natalie: Why should I worry? I'm taking my time and making a careful decision. It's not like I'm making a rash decision, which sounds very much like-

Dana: I put much thought into this with Casey. This is just a time when we need to be apart.

Natalie: Pixley.

Dana: If you say Pixley one more time, I swear I'm going to do something very horrible to you.

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Jeremy is reading a newspaper article at his desk when Dan approaches.

Dan: Okay, I'm ready to ask her.

Jeremy: Who and what?

Dan: I'm ready to ask Jo to head off on a trip to Vegas.

Jeremy: Isaac gave you the time off?

Dan: I haven't run it by him, but I'm sure it's a mere formality.

Jeremy: Sure.

"What's this I hear about you going to Las Vegas?"

Dan and Jeremy turn around to see Isaac joining them.

Isaac: What's the story?

Dan: There's really not much of a story, and you see... I can't tell it as good as Jeremy.

Jeremy: Uh... yeah. Isaac, there is the TPC-

Dan: The golf tournament.

Jeremy: -and there is also the Craftsman Truck Series being run there also this weekend.

Dan: That's a glutton of sporting events in one town.

Jeremy: And to provide thorough and accurate coverage-

Dan: I should personally oversee each event as an extra source to accurately depict the happenings occurring this weekend.

Isaac: And I'm sure you're going to need extra resources to go out there: for instance, plane tickets, hotel room, rental car, and a stipend for food.

Dan: I've already taken care of that, but I wouldn't mind seeing an increase in my stipend.

Isaac looks at Dan, then at Jeremy. He looks back at Dan, and once again at Jeremy. Jeremy begins to panic.

Jeremy: There's a family emergency!

Dan drops his head.

Jeremy: And it's urgent because... there's a family emergency!

Isaac laughs.

Isaac: Nice effort.

Isaac continues to laugh as he walks away.

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Chris, Will, Dave, and JoAnne are inside the control room. They are looking at the monitors on the color test. Several small black boxes appear randomly on each screen.

JoAnne: This is starting to look like chicken pox. What is that? Four, five monitors are having glitches in them?

Chris: It's spreading.

Will: Like a virus.

JoAnne: I need to check the network and the connections to see if something outside is causing these problems.

Dave: How long will that take?

JoAnne: If I examine all the wiring, probably two or three days. But it could also be something else.

Dave: What?

JoAnne: You guys just have really old monitors which need to be replaced.

Natalie and Dan enter the room.

Natalie: Guys? What are you doing?

Chris: We're losing the monitors.

Natalie: Great. Can we still do the show tonight?

Will: At this rate, who knows?

JoAnne: They should be fine for this evening. You may need to prepare an alternate set, just in case.

Natalie: I'll notify Isaac.

Natalie leaves the control room.

JoAnne: I've got to get some more tools and, probably, some more people to work on this.

JoAnne leaves the control room, and Dan follows her down a corridor.

Dan: Is it serious, doctor?

JoAnne: It depends on different factors: the age of the monitors, the power supply, the network, the wiring.

Dan: Is it fatal?

JoAnne: You're being cute.

Dan: I'm trying.

JoAnne stops, looks at Dan, and gives him a quick peck on the lips. Dan relishes the moment before realizing JoAnne has continued walking through the studio, smiling and laughing along the way. Dan catches up to her. The two walk toward the elevators.

Dan: Let me ask you something.

JoAnne: No.

Dan: Would you like to- no?

JoAnne: No.

Dan: It would be fun.

JoAnne: No.

Dan: I'm just going to have to ask you, anyway.

JoAnne: Then why ask for my permission to ask me something?

Dan: It's the polite and gentlemanly thing to do.

JoAnne: Is it polite to ignore my wishes when I say "no"?

Dan: This conversation isn't going right.

JoAnne: You have a certain knack for that.

Dan: This is all cute and everything, but let's be serious for a moment.

JoAnne: Just for a moment.

The two stop in front of the elevators.

Dan: How would you like to go on a trip to Vegas?

JoAnne: I'd love to go. We could plan that for our vacation.

Dan: How about this weekend?

JoAnne: This weekend? Two days from now?

Dan: I'll foot the bills, just come with me and we'll have a good time.

JoAnne: You were able to get time off for this on short notice?

Dan: I'm working on it. It's just a formality.

JoAnne: You must have your way with Isaac and Dana.

Dan: I think they have a genuine understanding of me.

JoAnne: And I have a genuine understanding of you, Danny.

Dan: Yes, you do.

JoAnne: We could instead go to Atlantic City.

Dan: Well... I haven't made any kind of reservations in Atlantic City.

JoAnne: But you'll still foot the bill?

Dan: I have to think about this for a moment.

JoAnne: Oh come on. You're the one being spontaneous, and now you're hesitant.

Dan: I need to check on something first.

JoAnne: I know you do.

Dan: Thanks.

JoAnne: I have a genuine understanding of you.

Dan: Yes, you do.

JoAnne: Just like I understand you probably have something planned for the weekend in Vegas.

Dan: Well, nothing much. Just a thing or two.

JoAnne: There's a message on the answering machine at my place. The hotel called to confirm your reservation for the honeymoon suite.

Dan: Ah.

JoAnne: Yes.

Dan: The honeymoon suite. They might have been short on rooms, and the honeymoon suite was available.

JoAnne wraps her arms around Dan.

JoAnne: Don't ruin this by pushing too hard, Danny.

Dan: I'm not pushing too hard.

JoAnne: We've talked about this.

Dan: Yes, yes we have.

JoAnne goes up and gives Dan a long kiss.

JoAnne: Do you understand?

Dan: Yeah.

JoAnne: I've got to go.

The elevator doors open.

JoAnne: I'll see you in a bit.

JoAnne steps inside and selects her floor.

Dan: Yeah.

JoAnne: Love you.

The elevator doors close. Dan stands alone in the hallway.

Dan: Love you, too. Yeah.

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Isaac is doing paperwork on his desk when Dana enters the room.

Dana: Are you still mad at me?

Isaac: What did you do now?

Dana: Nothing.

Isaac: Are you certain?

Dana: I'm positive.

Isaac: Come in.

Dana walks over and sits on the edge of Isaac's desk.

Dana: Now you know that I wouldn't do anything to purposely hurt you?

Isaac: I'd like to think that.

Dana: You can, Isaac.

Isaac: What's on your mind?

Dana: Isaac... You have to realize with the meetings and everything... I don't want to be the one to replace you. I don't want to be the one person to force you to lose your job. I don't want the network to fire you because I'm the convenient, logical choice to take the next step, the next job, the next promotion. This is your job, Isaac, and you should be allowed to stay here as long as you want.

Isaac reaches out and places his hand on top of hers.

Isaac: Thank you.

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Inside the restaurant, Anthony's, the bar is packed with patrons. On one of the televisions, Casey's show is airing on HBO- a sure sign the network supports Casey. Most of the people inside Anthony's are ignoring the television as several groups of people carry on conversations among themselves. Everybody is eating, drinking, enjoying conversation, or all of the above.

"How's Natalie?"

Dan and Casey sit at the bar, drink, and talk.

Dan: She's still considering going out to L.A.

Casey: Has she found a job?

Dan: I don't think she's started looking.

Casey: Is she serious about moving out there?

Dan: Her boyfriend seems pretty serious about having her move out there.

Casey: She's thinking it through.

Dan: Yeah.

Casey: Unlike you-

Dan: Hey, it was a great plan.

Casey: I could have helped you out on this one.

Dan: You know, I thought I could handle it. Take this one and see it through solo.

Casey: You could have bounced off some ideas with me.

Dan: Yeah, but Jeremy was there to help out. Well, he didn't really help out... Let's just say he was there.

Casey: He blew your cover.

Dan: Well, he did freak out in front of Isaac.

Casey: Couldn't stand the pressure.

Dan: And he did tell Dana.

Casey: Who told Natalie.

Dan: Who told Natalie only to find out Jeremy had already told Natalie. Plus, there was the hotel thing.

Casey: You had to give them your temporary billing address.

Dan: Along with the temporary phone number.

Casey: Not realizing the hotel might call back to confirm the reservations.

Dan: I thought they usually sent those out via e-mail. In this day and age, they have no right using the telephone and leaving messages.

Casey: It was a great plan.

Dan: Nah... it still wouldn't have worked anyway.

Casey: Because Jo didn't want to get married?

Dan: She probably would have come around.

Casey: You really think so?

Dan: Yeah. The problem was with Isaac. There's no way he would have given me the time off.

Casey: Yeah... and I'm sure you had checked to see if somebody could fill-in for you over the weekend.

Dan sits in shock, realizing the one thing he failed to check on.