Title: News Knight
By JustAnnW
Disclaimer: I am not now, nor have I ever been, a member of HBO Productions.
Time: Right after Season One
Rating: T
Chapter 1
Maggie closed her eyes as the hot water sprayed on her shoulders. She closed her eyes and there was his face, again! Jim. She wished he was there with her. A passionate scene of them bathing each other, fierce kisses as they caress each other's wet naked bodies, played in her mind as she showered. By the time she turned off the water and reached for her towel, she was embarrassed by her active imagination, especially since she was in Don's bathroom!
"Babe, are you done yet? I gotta get ready for work, too, you know! Hey! Since when do you lock the bathroom door?"
Don. Her boyfriend. Her man. The love of her life. Yep. That's who he is. And this is what real, adult, 21st century love feels like, right?
Jim is just a co-worker. She thought about him way too often, but she couldn't help it. Maggie goes about her day, and he just suddenly popped into her mind. Of course she was aware of him at work. They worked together. But sometimes, during staff meetings, she would catch herself fantasizing about him. Will was expounding once again on his mission to civilize the American populous, and Maggie was staring at Jim's perfect lips, his 'I have no idea how sexy I am' good looks, and began mentally undoing the buttons on his shirt. Mac put a hand on her shoulder and whispered, "You've got a little drool on your chin!"
Suddenly horrified, Maggie wiped her face (which was, in fact, dry; very funny, Mac) and she forced herself to focus on what Will was saying. She stared solemnly at the news anchor and nodded her head, as if she understood every word.
It was when Maggie thought of Jim outside of work that surprised her. She could be on the subway, or at the grocery store, or watching a movie with Don, and suddenly, Jim just appeared in her thoughts. He could be smiling or saying something from work, and still she was unexpectedly diverted. She felt herself blush and a sense of happiness and peace came over her.
His voice. Jim has the most amazing voice: soft, confident and articulate, and somehow never scary, even though he could be discussing a very real, scary event. Maggie felt save and warm listening to him. She could listen to him forever. It didn't matter what he was saying. He could be reading the phone book and she would listen, hanging on his every word. Maggie wanted to be lulled to sleep every night by Jim's voice.
But where are these feelings coming from? She is with Don. And Don is great. Right?
News Night News Night News Night
Chapter 2
Maggie is perfect. She's so sweet in her simple dresses and straight blond hair pulled back, but often out of place. She's smart and clever, and what she lacks in knowledge, she more than makes up for in sheer drive. The only other woman he'd ever known with such determination is Mac. And Mac's heart has never been available to him.
When Jim thinks of Maggie, which is pretty much every free moment he has, he wants to hold her, protect her, take care of her, caress her straight blond hair, and breathe in her scent. He wants to blend his fingers with hers and stroll through Central Park. Slip a flower in her hair. Make her grin so she crinkles up her nose. Gently kiss that button nose and her eyelids before capturing her soft pink lips for a passionate kiss. He imagines walks on the beach, taking her home to meet his parents, and house hunting; quiet evenings by a fireplace playing his guitar and singing with her; and he imagines gazing into her big blue eyes and seeing forever.
Jim loves working for News Night. He loves the thrill as history is made, as relevant facts are uncovered and released to the world, and the delicate balance between reporting the story and doing it ethically.
But every time he sees her, which is usually at work, there is a glow about her. She is always the brightest, most vivid person in the room. He can instantly spot her in a crowd of hundreds. It's like everyone else is in black and white, and she's in color. There is everybody else in the world, and then there is Maggie, with a big gold circle drawn around her. If fate exists, she is his. And all he can do is bask in the loveliness that is Maggie, but not have her for his own.
After he had laid his heart before her, tasted her sweet lips, and she moved in with Don anyway, there was nothing he could do but be glad that she was happy. And have some fun with Lisa, so he wouldn't be alone.
Jim was dating Lisa, Maggie's best friend and roommate.
Chapter 3
Just the other day, in the break room, Jim was enjoying some tea and a homemade cookie from the basket on the counter. He saw Maggie come in, he bit into the treat, and suddenly imagined unzipping Maggie's wholesome dress, skimming her creamy smooth skin, and nibbling on her neck as his hands explored her perfectly pert …
"You like the cookies?" asked a soft voice.
"Mmmm…" responded Jim. Then his eyes shot open to see the still very much clothed Maggie. (Clear throat. Cough because you had cookie bits in throat as you cleared it. Cough more. Look like an idiot. Try to gain composure.) "Oh, yes, their quite good. Who brought them in?"
Maggie smiled proudly. "I did! Couldn't sleep last night. Felt like baking. Don't know why. Have another one!" Jim could tell as she sat next to him that she was in a particularly good mood.
He jumped up immediately, feeling the sudden need to put distance between them and help circulate his blood. Too much of it had pooled into one area. His back to her, he adjusted his $30 pants before grabbing another cookie. "How's everything with you and Don?" he inquired, not really looking forward to the answer.
Maggie's mood went from chipper to solemn. "Fine. How is everything with Lisa?"
He glanced around the room, anywhere but Maggie's eyes. "Oh, fine. Great. You know Lisa! She's nice and funny and so sexy."
"She's NOT THAT sexy." Maggie insisted.
It was not difficult for Jim to detect the jealousy in her voice. "Look. I'm a young, single guy in a new city. I don't know that many people and most of them are men. If a nice, relatively sane, attractive single young woman wants to have sex with me, I'm going to agree. Why shouldn't I?" Jim shrugged.
Maggie looked sadly to the floor. She fingered with her rather plain dress, bit her lip, and griped, "I think Lisa's expecting more than that from you by now!"
"That's between her and I. Leave it alone!" snapped Jim.
Maggie felt frustrated and hurt. "Well, what about a single young woman who isn't attractive or sexy? Would you sleep with her, too?"
"Well, I suppose, if …" he began. Then he realized what she was saying. She thought he didn't find her attractive. "Maggie, listen. You're beautiful! I would love to …" He didn't want to say that he'd have sex with her. With her it would mean so much more. "… I would love to go out with you, to be close to you. I thought I made that pretty clear when I kissed you. But you decided to move in with Don anyway. What am I supposed to think? What am I supposed to do? Lisa's a nice girl and we have a lot of fun together. I'm not going to stay single in the hope you and Don break up. Again." And he stormed out of the break room.
Maggie knew he was right. She is with Don. Jim is with Lisa.
Chapter 4
It was a Sunday evening in August and Maggie checked on the chicken she was baking for dinner. She loved Sunday evenings. No going out. She was making a big dinner, just like her mom did. Even though it was just the two of them, a large meal would mean plenty of leftovers for dinner on the busy weeknights of the coming week. After dinner, Maggie and Don would watch a movie together and snuggle on the couch. It was their time to relax and re-energize for the hectic week ahead. This would only be the second Sunday that they had lived together, but Maggie wanted to make it a tradition, just like growing up back home.
There was a knock at the door, and then Lisa let herself in. "Hey girl!"
Maggie checked out her friend's outfit. A Mets tee shirt and ball cap, and short shorts. "That's a new look for you!"
"Well, you know. It's for tonight," Lisa explained. Just then Don immerged from the bedroom, freshly showered and dressed in his jeans and favorite Mets tee.
"Hey, Lis! Where's Jim? He's not bowing out is he? These tickets weren't cheap!" said Don, while sporting his catcher's mitt.
"He said he'd meet us here in a few minutes. We have time, right?" answered Lisa
Don walked over to the kitchen and grabbed the four tickets from a magnet on the fridge. "Yeah, we need to leave in about a half an hour."
Maggie just stood there, watching the exchange between her best friend and her boyfriend. "What are you talking about leaving in a half hour? It's Sunday night! We don't go anywhere on Sunday nights! I got a chicken in the oven!" She felt her blood pressure rise. She looked around nervously. Her anxiety was rising.
"Mags, I told you about this two weeks ago! I got 4 tickets to the Mets game! I thought you were looking forward to this!" Don explained.
"When two weeks ago? When Will was in the hospital threatening never to come back to the show? When the station was in chaos?" Maggie spurted out quickly, feeling her ears get hot.
"Yeah, and then I reminded you last week after I asked you to move in." Don reminded her.
Maggie knew that since that fateful night, she had tuned out anything Don said regarding Jim, and vice versa. It was the only way for her to keep her sanity. "You said it was on a Saturday, so I thought it was next Saturday. Let me see those tickets?" He handed them to her. "No, guys! These are for the 17th! It's not the 17th! That's not for another week!"
"Maggie, it's the 17th!" informed Lisa. Don nodded in agreement.
"It can't be the 17th!" Maggie insisted.
"Babe, so you forgot. Don't worry about it! Turn off the oven! Forget the chicken! We'll grab some hot dogs at the game. Just go get ready. How about that cute little sun dress you just got? Lisa, help her get ready, huh?" and he put a hand on each of their backs and gave them a little shove toward to bedroom.
"IT CAN'T BE THE 17th!" Maggie yelled as Lisa guided her into the bedroom.
"Don't worry about it. Come on, show me this dress Don's talking about?" Lisa tried to refocus her friend, who was getting extremely agitated.
Once in the bedroom Maggie slammed the bedroom door, to see the calendar that was hanging on the back of the door. "It can't be the 17th!" She said again, furiously.
Lisa began looking through Maggie's closet. "What's so bad about it being the 17th anyway?"
"Because that means I've missed the 7th! And the 8th! And the 9th! And the 10th! BY A WHOLE WEEK!" Maggie hostilely explained while holding Lisa's shoulders and staring into her eyes.
"Oh. Oh my God, you're late!" Lisa exclaimed. Maggie nodded, practically shaking with fear! "By how long?"
"A WHOLE WEEK!" Maggie repeated, loudly.
"Have you been getting sick? Do you feel any different?" Lisa asked as she guided Maggie to sit on the bed.
Maggie sighed. She tried to think. "I've had these major mood swings." Lisa nodded. "And I can't sleep very well." Lisa nodded again. "Oh, and I've been cooking and baking a lot."
"You're nesting!" explained Lisa.
"Oh My God, I'm PREGNANT!" Maggie yelled again.
"Relax! It's not the end of the world! You and Don can handle this! He LOVES you!" explained Lisa as she rubbed her friend's back.
Maggie started to think about it. She and Don could have a baby! Everything would be alright. She put her hand over her stomach and wondered about this child. Boy or girl? Don's dark hair and eyes or her blond hair and blue eyes? Don's study would make a beautiful nursery. Maggie thought about holding a little bundle of love, Don gazing adoringly at her and their new baby. It wasn't the worst thing that could happen, it was the best! They'd get married and have a family!
Lisa recognized that look on Maggie's face. "Don't go picking baby names until you know for sure. I'm going to the mini mart and get you a test. I'll be right back, okay?"
"Thanks, Lisa!" smiled Maggie
Don, who had been waiting impatiently for them to be ready for the ball game, was pretty annoyed that Lisa immerged without his girlfriend.
"She's still not ready? How long does it take to put on a dress?" he asked Lisa. He turned and yelled toward the bedroom. "Or shorts, I don't care! Just let's go already!"
Lisa smiled at him and grabbed her purse from the kitchen counter. "Relax, we still have to wait for Jim! And besides, I think you and Maggie need to talk about something! I'll be back in ten minutes!" and she was out the door.
"Don! Come here!" his girlfriend called from the bedroom.
"What's this all about? You're not getting ready to go?" he said, rather annoyed.
Maggie threw her arms around his neck and squeezed him tight! "Oh, Don! I think I'm pregnant!" she announced gleefully.
"WHAT!" screamed her boyfriend, pulling away from her and staggering to the bed! "How'd this happen? I thought you were on the pill?"
Maggie sat next to him, taking his hand. "I am, but sometimes things happen. I think the pill isn't as effective when the woman is also taking anxiety meds. I don't know. All I know is, I'm a week late and have been feeling different, cooking and baking more. Lisa's getting me a test, and I'll go to a doctor tomorrow. And …"
Don interrupted her. "But you can get rid of it, right?"
"Get rid of it? No! Don, think about this! We're not a couple of 16 year olds! We're mature adults in a committed relationship! We're college educated, we have great careers, we've been together for over a year, and we have this beautiful apartment. And we LOVE EACH OTHER. We can get married and raise a family together! Just think of it, Don! A little baby! A perfect blend of you and me!" Maggie explained joyfully.
"NO! No, no, NO! I am not ready for marriage and I don't want kids! Kids ruin your life!"
"Don, how can you say that?!"
"You haven't been at the network as long as I have. I remember Elliot and the other guys before they had kids. We'd hang out, party, go to the game or get drunk whenever we wanted. Then Elliot married Joanie and had kids!"
"What are you talking about? Elliot adores his kids!" defended Maggie.
"Yeah, they're cute. But now Elliot can't go out after work. Can't hang out on the weekends. It's all ballet lessons and pony rides! Joanie doesn't want him to travel overseas anymore!"
"Well, yeah, he almost got killed!"
"But he used to live for the story! Now he says Joanie doesn't want the kids to lose their father!"
"Well, of course not! I wouldn't want this baby to lose his father either!"
"But that's what I mean! I don't want to be tied down to a family. I don't want kids!" Don was emphatic.
"Well, I DO!" stated Maggie, just as passionately. Her blood pressure was going up. She could feel an anxiety attack coming on. She started shaking.
"You're getting all worked up over nothing! You might not even be pregnant!"
"You said you wanted THIS TO WORK! I thought you LOVED ME!" Maggie cried! She was finding it hard to breathe. Her eyes were blurry with anger and fear. She couldn't remember ever being this upset in her life.
"Mags! I'm back! I've got the test!" announced Lisa as she entered the apartment and headed toward the bedroom.
"You know what? Call me when you know for sure! I'm going to the ball game!" informed a very angry Don as he stormed out of the bedroom and toward the front door, leaving Maggie is a full blown anxiety attack.
"But Don, it will only be a few minutes!" explained Lisa as he brushed by her.
"She's having one of her episodes! The best thing for me to do is get outta here!" Don declared on his way out the door.
He ran smack into Jim. "Is Maggie all right? I mean, where are the ladies?" He had heard Don's last remarks.
"Maggie's all worked up and Lisa's with her. Let's just go to the game!" Don suggested.
"No, I'll catch the next one, thanks!" and Jim darted into the apartment and followed the noise.
"Calm down, Mags!" Jim heard Lisa exclaim from the bedroom.
"I can't! Don wants me to get rid of it! He doesn't love me! I'm all alone! I can't do this alone! " Maggie sputtered in between shallow breaths. She was perched on the edge of the bed, rocking briskly back and forth.
Jim was shocked at what he saw. This anxiety attack was much worse than the last one he'd witnessed. How could Don leave her like this? Jim ran to her side and helped her lie down on the bed. He took her pulse: it was like a rabbit's. Her skin was clammy. "Lisa, can you get her Xanax and some water?" he asked. When Lisa left the room, he took hold of Maggie's forearms and tried to minimize her shaking. He looked her straight in her huge blue eyes and calmly asked her three standard questions: "Are you having trouble breathing? Where are you? Can you hear me?"
Maggie pushed his hands off her quickly answered, "Yes! I'm in Don's apartment, and obviously I can hear you." Then she started rambled on about what had happened.
"Shhh," Jim stopped her. "You're safe. You're wonderful. You're loved." He spoke to her in a steady, soothing tone. He recalled a memory she'd shared with him a few months ago. "Relax. Think about your safe place, the tree house you built with your brothers. Think about how the world looks so different from up there. About how you would sit up there for hours and watch the birds and the butterflies." Maggie closes her eyes.
"One time a bird caught a butterfly and ate it! That's a great thing to think about! Thanks, Jim!" She replied sarcastically.
Jim smiled at her and brushed some damp tendrils behind her ear before checking her pulse again. It had slowed a little. "Tell me about the clouds,"
"They're white," she snapped. She closed her eyes again. "They sort of dance like a ballet. One looks like Snoopy!" She chuckled, surprised that she remembered that.
Jim smiled again, maintaining eye contact. "How's your breathing?"
"Better," Maggie replied a little embarrassed by the episode. Jim could hear it was steadier. He checked her pulse again.
Lisa had returned with the medication and water, but stood in the doorway for a minute and just watched. Jim was so good with her, for her. From her viewpoint in the doorway, it was as if Jim and Maggie where the only two people in the world. She was drowning, and he alone could pull her to safety. And when she was calm, she not only looked better, but she was smiling, her eyes twinkling at him. And Jim smiled back. He had never smiled at Lisa like that.
"I just got some goddamn mad and scared, and Don … ugh!" Maggie began as she diverted her eyes from him. She was uncomfortable talking about Don in front of Jim, especially in the last two weeks.
"Here's your pill, Mags. You look better. Do you still want to take it?" inquired Lisa as she entered the room.
Maggie reached for the water but not the medication. "I don't know if I should." She gave Lisa a knowing look, who nodded her head.
"You want to tell me what happened?" Jim asked.
Maggie sat up in bed, sighed, and explained how she got upset over forgetting the game, then realizing that she was late and possibly pregnant, and then telling Don only to have him tell her he didn't want kids.
"Pregnant! Maggie, that's great! You'll be a wonderful mom! And don't worry, you're not alone! I'll help you! I'll be the best Uncle Jim," and realizing he was ignoring his actual girlfriend. "I mean Lisa and I will help you!" he took Lisa's hand as she gave Maggie a warm smile, then Jim a cold stare.
"And Don will probably come around, you know, after he's had time to really think about it," Jim added.
"Thanks, guys!"
"Are you ready to find out?" asked Lisa, handing her the pregnancy test kit. Maggie nodded and stood up. She held her head high as she took the box and went to the bathroom.
The moment they heard her lock the door, Lisa backhanded Jim in the chest. "I can't believe you! You practically jumped at the chance to help her raise her baby!"
Jim looked confused. "What?! As a friend! I was being supportive!" To himself he thought, I try to be a good guy and this is what I get?
His girlfriend was not impressed. "You're in love with her, aren't you? Don't lie to me anymore, James Harper!"
He sighed. "Lisa, I … I, uh, can we talk about this later?"
And there it was. The Death Stare. The same look he got from his mother when she busted him for skipping school in tenth grade. Shit! Don's the prick who knocked up his girlfriend and then said he didn't want the kid! Why am I in trouble?!
News Night News Night News Night
Chapter 5
Maggie emerged from the bathroom.
"Well?" asked Lisa.
"I have to wait 3 minutes," she replied. Desperately needing something to do, she started straightening the bedroom.
"Maggie, relax!" requested Jim.
"I can't relax!" she snapped again.
"Did you set a timer?" he asked.
"What do I look like? The Royal Observatory?" so much for her calming down.
"No, I meant," and he sighed. He pulled out his phone, but Lisa was way ahead of him. She showed them both the countdown on her cell.
"Well, what should we do while we wait? Should we turn on the tv and check the Mets game? It should have started a few minutes ago. We could catch the first pitch."
"NO!" yelled the women in tandem.
"I could make some coffee," suggested Jim.
"NO!" they yelled again.
"What's wrong with coffee?"
"Because if the test is positive, I can't drink coffee and if it's negative, I going to drink something A LOT STRONGER!" griped Maggie.
"Hey, you know that new intern Jennifer? She was the one Will yelled at from Northwestern!," tried Will.
"Why do you always have to talk about work?" sneered Lisa.
"Sorry. What do you want to talk about?"
"Do either of you want to see Dolphin Tale?" Lisa asked.
"NO!" This time it was Jim's chance to chime in with Maggie.
"I give up!"
"This is supposed to be about me!" snapped Maggie.
"Of course, Maggie! We were just trying to take you mind off…" but Jim was interrupted by the alarm on Lisa's phone.
"It's time," stated Lisa. Maggie nodded. She gave each of her friends a long glance and slowly returned to the bathroom.
A long minute later, she appeared in the doorway, the test stick in her hand. "Negative! I'm not pregnant!" She cried and desperately tried to look happy.
Lisa and Jim both hugged her at once.
"Come on, let's go get that drink!" Lisa directed, with her arm still around Maggie.
Jim followed them into the kitchen. "What smells so good?"
"Oh my God, the chicken!" yelled Maggie.
The three of them had a wonderful evening: a delicious dinner of roast chicken and vegetables, several glasses of wine, and a game of Monopoly. As they left Maggie and Don's apartment, Jim asked if he could walk Lisa home.
"I don't think so, Jim." She hadn't forgotten about their earlier conversation. Never the less, he wanted to make sure she got home alright. Jim paid for her cab ride home.
News Night News Night News Night
Chapter 6
Monday, Maggie called in sick. She went to her doctor, who confirmed she was not pregnant. She also told her that her irregular cycle was most likely due to stress.
Maggie returned to the apartment, packed her things, and moved back to her place with Lisa.