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On The Road With Danny Concannon: O5'-06: The Final Year

A travelogue:

Present:

July- January

Future:

The next three years

Season Seven

My oh my I'm a restless guy
Got a home everywhere I go

Well I ain't good lookin'
And I ain't so smart
But baby I'm a sensitive guy
I ain't done everything there is to do
But I'll damn sure give it a try

-John Fogerty

Chapter One: "The Sure Thing"

Companion Episode: The Ticket

"…6 reporters in the White House press corp say you play favorites. It used to be Danny Concannon - now it's Greg Brock. So, it's….. a crush or an affair, or a mutually acknowledged but unrequited…. What we talkin' about here?"

-Oliver Babish "The Ticket"

Sure Thing: noun. 1. Something that is certain: "His victory is a sure thing."

In the darkness, Danny felt the slow glow of sleepiness, on the edge of completely taking him in. He took in a breath, feeling the cool touch of his own sheets against his body. He was comfortable in the darkness. He was comfortable in his bed. Soon he would be deep in sleep, that's how close to falling he thought he was. He was wrong. The silence of the dark room, so dark you couldn't see his own hand, nor did he want to, was broken; a baby cried.

CJ groaned next to him. The sound from her mouth was so inaudible only Danny knew what she meant. CJ moaned, again, and hit her hand on the bed next to her. The muffled sound made it seem like she had taken the pillow and put it over her head. Danny had obligations, promises he had made, and he was happy to oblige.

"I got it." Danny moaned back to her in his half-sleepiness. He was never good when he was just woken up or about to fall asleep. He was always groggy without sleep, or early in the morning, and his voice matched his state, with a soft grain, something C.J. once remarked she found "cute." But this was part of his promise, the "pact" of sorts, he made to C.J. as partners, lovers, and now parents. Something Danny had no problem with. And it was his turn. C.J. needed her sleep.

Danny flicked the light on in his child's bedroom.

"What's wrong, kiddo?" Danny walked into the room yawning. He leaned into the crib and gently lifted their child from the cradle. He rested the blue eyed baby on his hip, and nestled the baby's head between his hand and his Notre Dame sweatshirt. It felt so right having the infant resting against his chest.

Danny walked into the living room rocking the baby up and down to ensue a sense of calm. It was halfway working. He found a small light and walked into the California den-like room with walls and walls of books. It looked lived-in and yet modern at the same time. He took a step and found himself in their sunken living room. A large picture window showed the lights of the city below. It was a nice house.

"Hey, you doin' good…?" He bounced the child again. "Maybe we won't have to stay up all night, this time." The baby cried. "Yeah…didn't think so…" Danny laughed and smiled.

Danny warmed a bottle and came back into the living room.

"So, what do we watch tonight, huh?" Danny took the remote with one hand and the large light of the TV illuminated the room like a spotlight. He had to adjust his eyes. "CNN, MSNBC?" He tried to play with the remote and find a station. He paced for a while and found himself too tired to really walk. Danny let out a sigh, and decided to sit on the couch. "See, I'm supposed to be too old for this." He said to the baby resting on his chest. He laughed and held onto the end of the bottle in the baby's mouth. "Yeah….I never saw this one coming." He leaned in and kissed the baby's head. "I never saw this one coming." He leaned into the back of the couch and watched the President on TV. His eyes felt heavy as he tried to stay away. Danny was always sure about a lot of things, which sometimes scared C.J., but this curve in history he could have never guessed.

THE PRESENT

Washington Post Offices

105 days to Election Day:

Late July 2005

The sound of phones, and people's voices, beeps and yells, and the rustling of printers and paper made the Washington Post office seem to bustle with excitement. "Washington Post News Desk, please hold. Washington Post News Desk, please hold. Yes, hello…"

"Okay!" yelled a young man in the corner of the room. He stood next to a large map of the United States. The young man stepped on top of the desk next to him. "Come and get it. Pick a state, any state." He gestured with the large blue and red markers in his hand. Someone walked over to him and he handed him a small map to enter his contest. "Blue means Democrat. Red means Republican. The sooner you place your bets, the more money you can make. Pick your states, ladies and gentleman. Voting isn't fun unless there's some money involved." He was young, he was cocky, and he was having fun.

Danny walked off the elevator and entered the festivities just as the man, well really a kid, jumped off his desk and someone else replaced him. Danny Concannon looked more like a rugged man of his early forties, and not a man in his last stretches of them. His eyes gleamed above the baggage a life in Washington, in any business, brought a man. He may have looked younger, and he may have been thinner, but somehow his life showed in the marks on his face.

The kid, with the markers, caught Danny walking in. It was hard not to notice the most famous reporter at the Post since Woodward and Bernstein combined. Danny didn't seem to notice the young man, or the activity. He was reading his paper as he traveled to his office, being used to now being in his own world. He didn't even notice when the kid fell into line with Danny as they both cleared the bay of elevators and made a left.

"Hey there, Danny. Ya wanna place your bets on the states?"

"The states?" Danny looked up, from his paper, at the kid.

"The states. We got a pool goin'. Quicker you set in your bets – more money you make."

"We're not placing bets on the winners, anymore?"

"Nawwww….no fun. Vinick's a sure thing."

"There's no such thing as a sure thing-and you know there are gonna be other races, other than the presidential."

"Ahh… who cares," he said with fun. Danny gave him a look.

"I don't know? …. The men and woman running?"

"See, Danny…most of America doesn't even vote in any other election other than the presidential one."

"Ya don't say…" Danny said in his sarcastic tones.

"You ask your average person who their representative is-they have no idea. Half of most districts don't even vote for the governor of their own state-let alone—who's gonna have a voice for them in their own congressional district."

"Yeah, but this office is not the rest of America."

"They don't care, Danny."

"Yeah, that's where we come in."

"I'm sorry?"

"You know what - I'm in such a good mood I'm not gonna tell you how we're the ones who gotta make them care—I'm not gonna tell you how we're the ones who got their back and show them the facts so they can make those decisions. So they can start caring about their own issues. It's not about givin' people what they want, it's about givin' them the facts so they aren't pigeonholed into one idea. So, and I can't believe I'm sayin' this, they can make their own choices. People gotta know their freedom, and we're not here to help them forget it." Danny paused, actually feeling the effects of his own stirring speech. "You don't know your full potential if you don't know what that potential is. I mean come on. You're a journalist for crying out loud. Start acting like one."

"So, I'm guessing you don't wanna put in your money…"

Danny took a deep breath and tried not to be rattled. He seemed so rattled by things lately. "How, about this…..Give me Santos in Texas and Vinick in California."

"You really like to take the air out of the balloon, don't you, there Danny?"

"Yeah, I got my own pin." Danny raised one eyebrow in his dry humor.

"So, the Times' really is clobbering us on the leak thing?" The kid motioned to Danny's copy of the New York Times in his hands.

"Huh…yeah…" He looked back at the kid. "It is their story."

"Yeah.." The kid seemed awkward and started to walk away.

"Hey, Chris?" Danny called after him.

"Yeah?" The kid turned around.

"We could all be better teachers."

"Yeah…sorry, Danny."

"No problem." Danny took a moment watching the boy leave. He took a breath. Part of him wasn't sure he meant that speech anymore. He wanted to, and he did, but if kids like Chris didn't believe it, what kind of future did journalism have? Danny tried to shake it off, he was in a good mood, finally, and he wanted it to stay that way. He needed to stay in a good mood, the alternative just couldn't be an option anymore.

Danny looked back at his paper and used his back to enter his office.

He put his bag down, and turned around looking up from his paper. Danny could only smirk at what he found. He tried not to laugh at Maisy, who seemed to have found a friend, kissing that friend right in front of his desk. Danny put his paper down and still wasn't noticed. He put his hands in his pocket and coughed. They noticed.

"Ahh." Maisy pulled away and the gentleman looked like he might have a heart attack.

"I was just…" The young man jumped back.

"Yes, yes, you were." Danny smiled.

"I ..." The boy looked at Danny.

"Going, he was just going." Maisy gritted her teeth at him. The kid walked past Danny with his head down. Danny looked down again and tried not to laugh.

"See ya later, Kevin."Danny's eyes gleamed.

"Ahh yeah..." was heard as Kevin left the room.

"You're back!" Maisy tried to act all casual.

"Yeah!" Danny feigned excitement to get her goat. "I'm back!" He smiled from ear to ear.

"It's not what it looked like."

"Really, it's been awhile…but I think that's what it looks like."

"Ah…I…"

"Messages?" He bobbed on the balls of his feet. His eyebrows raised with glee.

"What?"

"Messages?" He couldn't help but smile from ear to ear

"I lost my head, Danny." She was flustered.

"And your sense of hearing?"

"What?"

"The messages? The phone. Picking it up and writing down messages." He laughed and spoke under his breath. "Unless your hands were busy…"

"Ohhhh…yes, yes…I have messages." She sped over to the side of Danny's desk and handed him his messages. There was a short pause while Danny looked them over.

"Thank you," she said.

"Isn't that what I'm supposed to say to you?"

"For not making a scene and you know…I'm sorry."

"It's okay." He laughed. "Just don't let it happen again." He read through his messages.

"Yes, sir."

"And I'm not being funny and as cliche as that sounds, I'm fine with it, but you never know who's gonna be around here, okay. Not at the office."

"So, you're not mad?"

"Mad at you for making out in an office." He smiled. "No, I don't think I'm mad at you for that."

"Okay?" She didn't get what Danny was alluding to, of course

"One day, you'll understand that." He walked over to his desk. "Never mind. Scratch that. I hope there is never a day when you understand that." He looked through his messages.

"Okay?" She was very confused. "You're in a good mood."

"'Cause I won't fire you for making out in my office, yeah you could say that." He smiled. "I'm gonna go see Ted." Danny exited his office and Maisy followed.

"You're in a good mood?"

"What?" Danny turned the corner.

"Something's going on?"

"What?"

"Something's up with you."

"What?"

"She said something to you, didn't she?"

"Who?"

"CJ? She's always the reason your in a good mood."

"I…"

"She said something to make you happy."

"Nothing, nothing was said."

"CJ always puts you in a good thing."

"Stop it… And this is my normal mood."

"Not since the early part of this century."

"You know a couple of years ago that sentence had a lot more weight to it."

"You know what I mean."

"No, I really don't."

"Come on, what did she say to you?"

"Remember back when you wondered how far over the line you'd have to go again to really get fired."

"Yeah."

"Look behind you." And Danny walked into another office.

"You're only happy because of her, Danny." Maisy yelled to the closed door. People looked at her. "It's always the reason," she said to the confused crowd. "And you'll never fire me Danny. I've already been fired once; I'm like infireable."

"That's not a word!" Danny was heard yelling to her.

"Yeah- welll…." She looked to see she was being watched. "It could be a word." She huffed off.

ALMOST THREE YEARS LATER

CJ walked into the living room to find Danny, and the baby asleep, on the couch. She smiled and her eyes glittered. She took the remote out of Danny's hand and turned the TV off. She picked up her child, careful not to wake her, and brought the baby back to her room

The next thing Danny knew, he felt CJ sliding in next to him on the couch. She rested her head on his chest where the baby had been. Danny, in his sleepy stupor, kissed the top of CJ's head, and found himself falling back to sleep with his arm around her. Thoughts of the past ran through his head. He couldn't help but softly express how happy he was. He sighed. They were both too tired to move. Things were so different, but some things remained the same.

PRESENT

The Office Of Danny Concannon: The Washington Post

"I know why you're in a good mood!" Maisy shot into the office.

"Ahhh!" Danny was not ready for her appearance. "Please don't do that." He took a breath. He ran his hand over his tired face. He took a gulp of coffee.

"You're counting down."

"What?"

"I did the math - 105 days to election."

"Now do long division." Danny said in a deadpan and kept on typing. "And chew gum at the same time." He continued his typing.

"And then just over two months after that…."

"I really haven't thought about it." He smirked and went back to his work.

"Oh, yes you have." Maisy set her hands behind her and semi-skipped into the room. "You've been thinkin' about it for the last four years- all the time—backwards and forwards, only now it's getting closer, so you got that extra spring in your step…"

"Maisy-"

"That extra jolt in your cola."

"Please stop."

"I get, I get it. You don't wanna jinx a sure thing, right?"

"Nothin's a sure thing, Maisy." He laughed it off.

"Sure there is. You can always bet on a sure thing. The sun's gonna rise and fall. Everyday- sure bet. I'll never learn how to play chess, sure bet. The fact that Nancy Vincenti in my high school would go home with the entire football team—sure bet. There are plenty of sure things." She made her way to Danny's desk. "You just gotta open your eyes to it…" She leaned in. "And be patient." She paused and picked up an apple on Danny's desk. "And a little confidence couldn't hurt, not that you've ever had a problem in that area—" Danny walked from around his desk.

"There's no such thing as a sure thing." He repeated, looking pretty preoccupied. He took the apple from Maisy before she could take a bite.

"Yeah, yeah." She flopped back intoa chair.

"Or, we wouldn't have a job." Danny ejected his memory disk and put it in his front pocket.

"Ohh… well….there's that…." She put her feet up on Danny's desk.

He looked at her and she took her feet down. Danny stood and walked toward the door.

"Ya know, I really hate this." Danny seemed agitated. " This time of year comes around and it's just a big shining light on how it's become less and less about the issues anymore. Oh, we all try and try, but it's never really about the issues. The real issues. Things people care about. Instead it's all about staying on message and getting the best sound bite. What's gonna get us to put them ten column inches above the damn fold. I really don't care who's screwing whom, or who's nanny isn't a citizen, I just care if they can do a good job and make this country a better place. Is there something wrong with that, anymore?" Danny stopped one thought and went right into another. "Everyone around here's got their decisions made already. What ever happened to votin' with your heart- and not voting for whomever you think is gonna win. No one gives the candidates a chance to let the public listen to both sides and choose -not just vote for what ever damn side the -whatever happened to the issues in this damn country?" Maisy looked at him and Danny saw he had gotten away from himself. "That's all I'm sayin." He ran his hand over his mouth and beard. He took a breath.

"Yeah… okay..." Maisy saw Danny needed his alone time. She went for the door.

Danny took a breath and went back toward his desk for a moment. Nothing was said for long time.

Maisy turned her head to try and see what was on Danny's face, but she couldn't, "Well…" She tried to get his attention. "I still believe in the sure thing," Maisy said with glee. "But, that little tirade, I have no idea what that was all about."

Danny muttered something and walked back toward the doorway of his office

"I'm sorry?" she said as he exited the office, just inches from her.

"It's like I said." He raised his eyebrows and exited the office. "If it's all a sure thing…where lies the fun?" He took his jacket off the chair next to the door and exited.

Maisy took a breath and watched Danny walk away.

Five Months Later:

The Apartment of Danny Concannon

Late Weds Night November 9

The Day after The Election

It wasn't quiet and yet it wasn't fast. It wasn't filled with fits of passion and ripping of clothes, but it wasn't uniform and unfeeling. Soft and tender, it was more than feeling, if that's even possible. They slowly pealed off each other's clothes; leaving them where they were. He took his time with her and she with him. They looked each other in the eye at close range.

They weren't crazy and overwhelmed with passion, that was for later. They weren't newlyweds and best friends caught up in the excitement of a future far ahead, that was for later. And they weren't two people accidentally conceiving a child that would make their lives even more worth the living, that was for later.

On that day, eight years in the making, they were just two lonely people seeking comfort in each other, seeking in each other what they each couldn't find within themselves. Putting the mirror up to see themselves reflected back in each other's eyes.

After a long hard winter, after the sweetness, and the reality, and the romance, there was something neither of them could have imagined. Love at its purest. CJ was right, they couldn't wait and she didn't regret it, not one bit. Shells of their former selves, each longing to find their true identity in the mist of uncertainty, they needed each other to remind themselves who they once were, what they once wanted, and where they were going. Going toward what had been set out before them, a destiny neither of them could get away from, an ending toward each other and an unknown future. It wasn't that she needed a man and he needed a woman, they just needed someone to believe in them so they could again believe in themselves.

And afterward she laid her head on his chest, feeling content with comfort in the warmth of his skin. She never felt so connected to another person, and yet, as he stroked the hair away from her face, they both could feel that nothing was different. Nothing had changed. They were always so connected. Always encased with in the fibers of each other's souls.

As cliche as it sounded, unreal or unrealistic as it seemed, straight out of a romance novel, it was the truth. For within the passion, and the affection, and the lust was a clear intelligence. The white elephant in the room. For there laying in bed together were two people who's love had been forged in their brains over eight years of courtship. Known within from the moment they laid eyes on each other, him maybe more than her, she unable to voice or admit it, because of duty, they had been connected in their minds for almost a decade. For the first time in a long time, C.J. had done what she wanted. Her own agenda, her own message, her own will.

The present was at hand, Santos was the President elect and Danny never thought he'd have her in his bed so soon, but there she was. The rain came down onto the window causing the shadows to hit them.

Danny had been her shoulder, and her confidante, her co-worker and her rival, her friend, her therapist, and now he was her lover.

END OF CHAPTER ONE