On The Road With Danny Concannon: Land of Politics
The Last Nine Yards
Episode: 2132 Votes
"A little patience, and we shall see the reign of witches pass over, their spells dissolve, and the people, recovering their true sight, restore their government to its true principles."
Thomas Jefferson
LATER: LAST DAY OF THE CONVENTION: JULY
Music was the only thing in the dark room
So, so you think you can tell. Heaven from Hell, Blue skies from pain. Can you tell a green field from a cold steel rail? A smile from a veil? Do you think you can tell?
Danny sat in a large armchair looking at the screen in front of him with nothing, but the picture going, no sound. The radio played Pink Floyd as his eyes glassed over.
And did they get you to trade your heroes for ghosts? Hot ashes for trees? Hot air for a cool breeze? Cold comfort for change? And did you exchange. A walk on part in the war
For a lead role in a cage.
Maisy sauntered into the dark room and stood next to the radio and the doorway. Danny didn't notice a thing.
How I wish, how I wish you were here. We're just two lost souls, Swimming in a fish bowl, Year after year, Running over the same old grou—."
Suddenly the music stopped.
"What's it called when you can't get Pink Floyd out of your head?" Danny spoke not even looking at her. He knew who had turned the music off.
"I think it's called hitting the wall." Maisy took a pause "Are you even watching this?" She waited for an answer, but got none. Maisy walked over to the television and saw the screen. "I guess Russell sounds better with the sound off anyway."
Danny grumbled and slowly raised himself from the chair. He gave Maisy his back as he faced the side of his desk, almost touching it. Maisy still stared at the silent scene.
"What is this like the three hundredth time they've rerun this-like we didn't just see it yesterday and the day before that-" She looked over at Danny. "I guess when you're waitin' for something to happen, there's nothing really else to do…." Danny slowly put his jacket on. Maisy eyed Danny's usual carry-on packed and in the corner.
"Except maybe show a bunch a people standing around between speeches, just waitin-You leavin' somewhere?"
"Maybe," he said without giving much away.
"Danny…" she said in a soft voice.
"What's the use stayin' here. This story has its end." Danny turned around. "Russell's got the nomination." Maisy didn't look happy about the comment. "Sorry, did I spoil the ending?"
"You don't know that." She said optimistically.
"Oh, I know that." Danny crossed to his bag.
"I don't agree." She paused. "Without the underdog what's worth rooting for?" She walked toward him. "If it happened once—it can happen again—life and politics have a way of repeating themselves. You said that yourself, Danny."
"More like History-I said something like that—which is why I stand by my statement."
"That's not what you meant-"
"That was a long time ago."
"How long?"
"Before I'd seen it all."
"I don't believe you."
"Believe it."
"You of all people I never thought would get jaded."
"You'll understand when you're older," he said sweetly. "It's not jaded, Maisy, I've just lived long enough to know how it goes." He half-smiled as if to say. "Trust me here." Danny turned back to his things.
"Well, I guess at some point we'll know the answer." She waited for an answer from Danny. She walked closer and he still didn't give her notice. "We'll have to just wait and see."
"Yeah, waiting, I know all about that." Danny zipped closed his travel bag.
There was a long pause as Danny got the rest of his things together.
"Listen…." Maisy dragged out the word. "Sooo…." Danny turned to look at her. There was a small pause. "….Am I still fired?" There was a big sound and then silence as the lights started to fade in and out. "No, not the air-conditioner, again."
Danny saw the strips of paper attached to the air-conditioned go up and down and the light start to brown out. It reminded him of something.
"Danny?" Maisy called, but her voice just trailed off in Danny's ear.
ABOUT A WEEK BEFORE
The blade of the fan spun so fast it looked like a blur. Carole King's Sweet Season played on the radio as the three fans in Danny's office went full blast. It was one of those terrible Washington, DC summers. Hot, sticky, and dead as it could be during a convention season. The biggest news in town was all over the TV about the leak and the biggest news around the Washington Post office was that they had been scooped, that is it would have been if the air-conditioner hadn't been broke for two days. The sweat dripped off everyone like the water melting off the water glasses, dewy and wet. The only solitude was that moment and a half under the fan as it danced by on its tour around the office. Maisy sat at Danny's desk to be near the fan as she sorted through small index cards, helping Danny find something as he looked through his own stack.
"What am I looking for again?" Maisy asked.
"We'll know when we find it."
"No, you'll know when you find it—I won't—"
"Just keep looking."
"Why do I feel like this is just tedious work to take me away from what you're really working on."
"Ahh humm." Danny wasn't listening.
There was a small pause.
"So, what story is this one for again?"
"I didn't say."
"Oh."
Maisy looked up at the TV.
"So, what's so wrong with this leak? I mean they saved lives right?
"It was classified information."
"Kinda like Watergate?" She got excited.
"Something like that." He took a breath. "Only different—and much worse." Danny made a note on a piece of paper and went back to the cards.
"This could be interesting." She was still looking at the television.
"We'll see."
"Who do you think it is?" She looked back at Danny.
"I have no idea, Maisy—it's not my story."
"I know, I know—but I mean speculation—"
"Not my story, Maisy."
"But you're working on it, right?"
"I'm working on this, Maisy."
"And you'll still not gonna tell me what you said to CJ in her office."
"Stop it, Maisy." He finally looked up from his work.
"I just—"
"What did I tell you—I don't want to discuss it."
"You can at least tell me what happens in the book."
"Maisy."
"I know you finished it—I saw—"
"No, Maisy."
There was a pause and Maisy stood up.
"I'm getting a cold drink, you want one?"
"No, I'm fine." He didn't look up.
"Can I just ask you one question?"
"About?"
"Just the pages I read already—"
"Maisy."
"One question—" Danny looked at her and didn't protest. "I'll take that as a yes."
"Whatever you want?" He went back to his work.
"The girl, her last name in the story, Isis—is that from the Dylan song?"
"What Dylan song?" Danny stood up and walked to a filing cabinet trying to distract himself from Maisy.
"Isis—" She began to speak a few bars. "Isis, oh, Isis, you mystical child. What drives me to you is what drives me insane…ahhhh. I still can remember the way that you smiled. On the fifth day of May in the drizzlin' rain."
"I don't know the song."
"Really?" She didn't seem to believe him, stretching out the word. "I'd think you'd be the Dylan type?"
"Yeah, well I'm not." He wasn't very believable as he tried to find ways to busy himself. He slammed closed the fling cabinet.
"Cause the song's about a guy who leaves the country to get over a girl, well the girl's his ex-wife, but-"
Danny's cell phone rang. Maisy looked at it. Danny ignored it. Maisy reached for it.
"Don't answer it." It finally stopped ringing only to be followed by the ringing of Danny's office phone.
Maisy looked very confused. Danny's eyes said no, but before he could speak Maisy had reached her hand out and answered the phone.
"Danny Concannon's office." She listened at the other end. "I'll see if he's available." She put her hand on the receiver and leaned toward Danny.
"It's Isis." Danny looked at Maisy, confused. She rolled her eyes. "It's CJ," she said with enthusiasm. Danny looked up from her desk with a disapproving look.
"I'm not here."
Maisy took an unhappy breath and got back on the phone begrudgingly. "Oh, yes, he seems to not be here—no, I don't believe he's covering the convention in San Diego…yes, I'm very sure about that….I'm sorry?…..You can leave your name if-." The person hung up and Maisy hung up the phone
"How many times-ahhh, Maisy!" Danny stood up and walked toward the TV. "No, calls from CJ." Maisy didn't know what to make of it. Danny looked over at the TV report on the space shuttle leak. "Hey, Maisy." He stopped her. "Anyone asks- last week, CJ wasn't here to see me."
"You're asking me to lie?"
"She was never here." He lowered his head.
"Okay." She understood and she left Danny alone watching the report. "No more calls," he said under his breath. "Clean slate."
The TV report was like background muzac in the halls of the White House. Margaret could hear it, but she wasn't much paying attention. She quickly took the end of her pencil and rubbed it over Danny's name in CJ's appointment book—where she had penciled him in. She blew the shards left by the action with her lips and brushed it away from the page with the action of her hand. She could hear Toby asking CJ about getting a lawyer and two agents in the foreground in front of her. She closed the book.
TWO DAYS LATER
"Its gonna be another hot July day here in the big DC." Maisy watched the television report while sitting at Danny's desk and letting the fan slowly hit her.
"I feel bad for anyone who doesn't have air-conditioning, Todd."
"Who doesn't have air-conditioning?" The male anchor responded. Maisy threw her shoe at the television. The anchors both laughed.
"Maisy." A young man, Richard was his name, spoke to Maisy from the hallway. "Why don't you go home—it's like a sauna in here?"
"I can't leave 'til the boss man tells me to."
"I thought your boss was on the road."
"Not right now."
"I'm doin' a coffee run for the floor, you wanna iced coffee frap?"
"Yeah, with—"
"Extra whip-cream."
"How'd you know?"
"I remember." He smiled and walked off. Maisy smiled. It was sweet and he was kinda cute. She put her feet up on the desk and hit a note pad on the way. Maisy took the note pad and just as she was about to discard it she noticed writing on the pad that had worn through. She looked at the door for a moment and then found herself a pencil and began rubbing it over the notepad. When she was done she had a cryptic writing she didn't know what to make of: 1723 G14
Maisy heard a noise and quickly crumpled the paper into her pocket. Danny entered the office and threw his bag on a chair.
"Maisy?" He had just noticed her.
"I was just using some of your fan power." She stood.
"Ahh… yeah… sure."
"Danny?
"Yeah." He looked up.
"You've been gone all day—what gives?"
"Ah…yeah….Sorry-"
"Danny?"
"Yeah—"
"Can I go home?"
"Yeah, sure."
"You seem distracted?"
"Just figuring out something in my mind."
"A story?"
"What?"
"A story?"
"Of course." Danny walked over to his desk and looked over the paperwork on it. "Everything's always a story," he said under his breath.
"Where were you?"
"Out."
"You wouldn't be out somewhere writing-"
"Maisy stop it—I told you to stop askin' me." His voice was very harsh. Danny took off his jacket to reveal a white taped bandage on his hand.
"Danny, what happed to your hand?" Maisy ran over to him.
"This, nothing—I burned my hand on the stove last night."
"Whatta ya do-toss your hand in the flame?" Maisy said sarcastic observing how large the bandage was.
The phone began to ring.
"Phone." Danny walked away and outside into the office. Maisy ran after him and over to her desk. As Maisy picked up the phone, Danny put out his hand for messages.
"Messages?" Maisy handed Danny a few pink messages.
"Yes, please hold." Danny was halfway to his office door when Maisy stood looking a little pale holding the receiver in her left hand.
"Danny, wait?"
"No calls." Danny turned his head.
"I think this one's important, Danny."
"I'm not here." People were starting to look at them.
Maisy looked around at the packed office out of the corner of her eyes. Danny walked away.
"Danny!" she yelled as much in a whisper as she could.
"Take a message."
"Danny, please?" She motioned for him to come over, away from people's ears.
"I don't feel like talking right, now." He went for the door.
"Danny…"
"I'll call them back."
"Danny!"
"What?"
" I have CJ. Cregg-" She said in her most professional voice.
"Oh, no. No, especially not this call." Danny really had had it with this and the office began to notice.
"Danny?
"We've been through this, Maisy….."
"Danny?" Danny stopped speaking finally. "I have the office of the Chief of Staff. On the phone for you." She motioned with her eyes and spoke through her teeth for the whole world was now watching them. "For the President of the United States."
Danny took a breath through his noise and saw everyone watching him.
"Give it." He took the phone from Maisy and she hit the hold button. She stood and listened next to the phone.
"Ohh yeah—hey Margaret." He paused. "Today? I don't…." He paused and listened. "What kinda a story?" He paused. "I see, I still don't-" Danny took a breath. "Yeah—no, I can be there." He sighed. "What time?…Ahh yeah—thanks." Danny handed Maisy back the phone.
"Danny?"
"Looks like I have a meeting with the Chief of Staff." Danny looked tortured.
"Danny…." Maisy stood, concerned.
"I have a meeting with the Chief of Staff—that's all, Maisy." He paused. "I'm just doing my job." And he walked into his office. Maisy followed. There was a long silence as Danny tried to collect his thoughts and get his head around the idea of having to see CJ again.
"So, I guess now is a bad time to ask if your done with your story."
"What is with you and this damn story!"
"I was kidding."
"No, you're not." He turned to pace. "When people joke that way—there's always truth behind it."
"Okay-" She felt ashamed. "I'm just so fascinated with what's gonna happen - what's so wrong with that? I can't control myself, I'm sorry-"
"It's not anything, Maisy—it's not even good—its just some drivel I put down to paper—it doesn't matter what happens, because it's not real—so why does it matter. None of it is real-" He took her attention. "Don't you see it's not real."
Maisy looked scared for a moment, but she fought back. "It's real to me—that's all that matters. It's real to me and sometimes we all need something to grab our attention—keep us going-you should be flattered I can't control myself. It's that good-"
"You gottta stop it, Maisy." He started to pace.
"Just a taste—I won't show it to anyone, I promise…"
"Stop it, Maisy," he murmured.
"Come on, you've hooked me—what do you want from me?"
"A little patience would be in order, here…. considering the circumstances!" He exploded. "Oh hell, never mind."
"So, the book is about CJ, isn't it?" Her whole face lit up with a smile.
"I've asked you a million times…you ask me about the book…. about CJ—you give me a call from her when I explicitly told you-"
"Hey, whoa….that's not fair—that was the Chief of Staff's office on the phone-it could have been work related-just because you've just finally come to terms with some closure with the Chief of Staff to the un—"
"I….I….don't think this is gonna work out—Maisy." He gave her his back and paced for a moment, looking down at the floor.
"Okay—okay—I didn't know this took precedence over your job—it never did before."
"No, no, Maisy, I don't think this is going to work out." Maisy caught her breath on the slight realization of what Danny was saying. "This, you and me—I don't need this in my life right now-"
"Danny, what are you saying?"
"I don't think I need an assistant anymore." He looked at her and walked toward his desk. "At least one who doesn't listen to what I have to say—" He reached his desk and looked her in the eye. "And who can't stay out of my business when I ask."
"What are you saying, Danny?" She didn't want to believe it.
"Pack up your desk, Maisy—you're fired." Danny took his bag and stormed out of the office. Maisy stood there frozen. She felt hurt and she felt like an idiot at the same time. She leaned her hand into her forehead. The lights flicked on and off, then on and off, and finally the air-conditioner turned on. Maisy took a breath.
Danny drove up to the White House and had familiar feelings. He showed his ID to the guard and was let in. He saw the largeness of the building and the darkness of the night; it all made him feel ominous. Especially when he was escorted down to the basement of the building and into the dark mess hall.
The chairs were all set on top of the tables and a few shards of light, from above, shown on to them. Danny took a chair off one of the tables and sat himself down, and waited. He waited about ten minutes and then he got restless and stood up, pacing between the wall behind him and the chair. It was the waiting he was getting tired of. With his back now to the door he heard a voice. Danny turned around and ran his hand over his beard.
"Hi." His body was filled with tension he tried not to show.
"Hey." CJ spoke. "I have a plane to catch—I have a car coming…..Margaret may come in here and….ahh… let me know when it gets here—it's a commercial flight so I can't-."
"Sure." Danny tried to be professional. As did CJ. It was awkward.
"Thanks for coming."
"Well, when you're summoned by the Chief of Staff's office…."
"You wouldn't answer my phone calls."
"There was a reason for that."
"Danny….."
"Why am I here, CJ?"
"You just walked out—"
"I said what I need to say."
"Well, I haven't."
"I'm sorry, CJ…. but that really isn't the point."
"I'm sorry?"
"I didn't come to your office for you- I came for me and I think you need to respect my wishes and just let me be. I said what I had to say, now if you'll excuse me." Danny walked toward the door and CJ stood in front of him. "Let me go, CJ."
"You don't just walk away from a person like that. I have a side to this story, ya know?"
"You don't need to do that-"
"Well, I want to."
"You don't."
"I do."
"I say you don't!"
"And I say I do!"
"CJ, I said what I needed to say." Danny felt like a broken record. "Last week, wasn't about you—it was about me—I had something I needed to say-something I needed to do - to get on with the next stage of my life." CJ turned around and made a circle with her body. "I can't be coming back here and rehashing things—!"
"I'm not asking you to rehash anything."
"Oh, come on…."
"Hey, the least you could do was answer my phone calls..."
"And what? Listen to you tell my how sorry you are- How it's not me—it's you. I don't need that. I don't need you to make me feel better—or better yet I don't need you to use me to make yourself feel better." He paused and finally looked her in the eye with great passion. "Right, now the worst thing I need is you going on and on about how "We can just be friends."
"You said that, not me." She folded her arms.
"Hey, you know what I mean!"
"Excuse me." Margaret peaked her head in, feeling awkward. Danny turned his back and faced the wall. "CJ, the car is here."
"Ohh, yeah." She turned toward Margaret. "Give us five minutes."
"Okay." Margaret stepped out.
"I think that's my cue to go." Danny walked toward the door.
"You always have to have the last word, don't you?"
"Senator Hugh Scott once said never get into an argument with a priest or a newspaper." He paused. "One gets the last word with God, the other with its readers." Danny ran his hand over his beard and turned around. He looked at the walls and there was a large amount of silence. He took a breath and looked at CJ. CJ looked as worn and drawn as he felt.
"It's nice to know you opened…" Danny gestured toward where Margaret had exited. "…a large amount of space for me."
"It was the only time I had to fit this in."
"So, what is this?" He gestured about. "This." He took a short pause. "Why do they think I'm here?" He pointed skyward.
"They think it's about the leak." She felt guilty about her lie.
"The leak, huh?" Danny took a small laugh. "Do I know anything?"
"No."
"Am I saying anything?"
"No."
"Well, good, I'd hate to think my imaginary self didn't have integrity."
"That'd be hard."
Danny was taken aback by the compliment, but not surprised. He quickly went back to his agenda in the room.
"You gonna have her lie about our meeting last week—"
"No one is going to lie about anything—"
"It looks bad, CJ."
"I don't need to lie." She looked at him sideways. "I know a lot of people in the press—"
"You have a lawyer?"
"I don't need a lawyer."
"You should just be sure."
"I don't need a lawyer, Danny." She paused "What is this? You, Toby-do you think I'm the leak?"
"Do I think you're the leak?" He paused. "Do I think it's something you'd think about doing? Yes. Do I think you did it?" He paused and CJ waited for his response. "No." She took a breath. "No, I don't." He paused as he saw the look of thank you on her face. "Why am I here, CJ?"
"I told you, I wanted to set the record straight…"
"And this couldn't be accomplished in an e-email or a text message."
"Don't be curt."
"I think I can be anyway I damn well please-I'm going through a cathartic thing here-I'm having a life change-I'm getting on with my life and takin' a moment to taste the strawberries before I fall off that branch so either we get down to brass tacks—or I got things to do.." CJ said nothing, but she looked like she was struggling with what to say. He took a breath. "CJ, I don't need you to apologize to me. You're off the hook. And if you make me stand here one more minute, I may just say something to you I'll regret. Again, I've said what I need to say—"
"Well, I haven't!" she screamed. It was an outburst CJ seemed to be surprised she had.
"I put myself in this mess." He paused. "And I've dealt with the consequences a hundred times over. This is my deal. I don't know how many more ways I can say this. This is something I need to deal with, not you." He jammed his two middle fingers into his chest. "Like I said -I said what I came to say—I'm done—I'm said my piece. Let me go, CJ. I don't blame you. It's okay. Please respect what I have to say." He saw how his temper was getting the better of him and he lowered his voice and spoke sincerely. "I gotta go."
"Don't go."
"What is it, CJ!" He took two steps in her direction. "Cause unless there is something new you need to tell me—something else you haven't said or gone over…" CJ said nothing. Danny saw something in her eyes, he thought. "Is there anything else you want to tell me, CJ?" She turned away from him and Danny persisted. "CJ!"
"You really need to leave, right now, CJ." Margaret looked pretty freaked to be in the middle of it all.
"No, no." Danny put his hand out to Margaret, but looked at CJ straight. "We're not done here, yet" He growled at her. "Are we, CJ? Do you have anything else to say to me?" She didn't respond. "Is there something else you have to say to me! CJ?"
CJ took a deep breath and lifted her head. She looked Danny in the eye and in her smallest, yet deepest voice she spoke to him straight in the face the way she always had.
"No."
"Okay. Fine." Danny was upset. "Then I guess we're done." He walked toward the door. "I have a plane to catch."
"So do I." CJ lowered her head and exited the mess.
"Margaret can show you out." CJ yelled as they both reached the stairs.
"If you hurry you can still get there on time." Margaret hurried in front of them.
"I think I can find my own way out of here by now." Danny scoffed as they reached the hallway of the White House. They walked arm to arm for a time. CJ looked over at Danny.
"Stop following me."
"I'm not following you—this is how I go out." Danny didn't even look at her. Margaret looked back at them.
"Go out another way."
"This is how I exit." They turned a corner, still in step with each other.
"Stop following me!" CJ stopped.
"I'm not following you." Danny screamed and CJ started walking again.
"You're following me!"
"I am not. I think I'd know—"
"Stop it-go out another way, Daniel." They turned a corner.
"I can go out any way I please."
"This is getting ridiculous!" She stopped in front of the mural room.
"What is?"
"Get in here." CJ opened the door to the mural room.
"No."
"Just get in there."
"Noooo—"
"Why won't people listen to me when I say, "get in there."
"What are you—" CJ ushered Danny into the room. Margaret turned to see what was going on.
"CJ, you don't have—" but the door was slammed just about in her face. There was the sound of yelling and then nothing. Total silence. After a the silence Margaret heard the door open and she jumped out of the way just in time to find a beaten looking CJ walking face down, as she hurried down the hall way. Margaret took one look at the door and then at CJ and followed CJ out. The sound of women's shoes could be heard through out the place.
After another moment the door opened slowly again. Danny Concannon slowly walked out, looking as if he had just been hit in the head with a frying pan. Danny had finally gotten his answer, but was he sorry he did. He held the large door with one hand and let it go. He took a step and then found the back of his head resting against the door behind him. Danny took a breath.
Come away with me in the night
Come away with me
And I will write you a song
Danny never felt so small in that hallway and for some reason never so alone.
Come away with me on a bus
CJ looked at herself in the mirror before being pulled away by Margaret. Her bags were placed in the trunk of the car.
Come away where they can't tempt us
With their lies.
Danny took a step and walked out of the White House. Behind him Kate talked with a few agents and parted. She saw Annabeth and asked where Toby was. Danny never turned around; his back was always to them. He left it all behind him.
I want to walk with you
On a cloudy day
In fields where the yellow grass grows knee-high
So won't you try to come.
Come away with me and we'll kiss
On a mountaintop
Come away with me
And I'll never stop loving you
Across town, Danny finished packing his bags and zipped the last of his belongings. Two bags and a laptop-he was pretty much set to go. He took a cab and found himself waiting, in his office, watching the convention and waiting out his departure.
And I want to wake up with the rain
Falling on a tin roof
While I'm safe there in your arms
So all I ask is for you
To come away with me in the night
Come away with me.
Kate walked into Toby's office to tell him something he didn't want to hear. Across town Danny set his fingers across a row of dominos he had set next to each other. Kate closed Toby's door with a silent slam and Danny let the dominos fall to the ground.
"Are you even watching this?" She waited for an answer, but got none. Maisy walked over to the television and saw the screen. "I guess Russell sounds better with the sound off anyway."
Danny grumbled and slowly raised himself from the chair. He gave Maisy his back as he faced the side of his desk, almost touching it. Maisy still stared at the silent scene.
"What is this like the three hundredth time they've rerun this-like we didn't just see it yesterday and the day before that-" She looked over at Danny. "I guess when you're waitin' for something to happen, there's nothing really else to do…." Danny slowly put his jacket on. Maisy eyed Danny's usual carry-on packed and in the corner.
"Except maybe show a bunch a people standing around between speeches, just waitin-You leavin' somewhere?"
"Maybe." He said without giving much away.
"Danny…" She said in a soft voice.
"What'sthe use stayin' here. This story has its end." Danny turned around. "Russell's got the nomination." Maisy didn't look happy about the comment. "Sorry, did I spoil the ending?"
"You don't know that." She said optimistically.
"Oh, I know that." Danny crossed to his bag.
"I don't agree." She paused. "Without the underdog what's worth rooting for?" She walked toward him. "If it happened once—it can happen again—life and politics have a way of repeating themselves. You said that yourself Danny."
"More like History-I said something like that—which is why I stand by my statement."
"That's not what you meant-"
"That was a long time ago."
"How long?"
"Before I'd seen it all."
"I don't believe you."
"Believe it."
"You of all people I never thought would get jaded."
"You'll understand when you're older." He said sweetly. "It's not jaded, Maisy, I've just lived long enough to know how it goes." He half smiled as if to say, "Trust me here." Danny turned back to his things.
"Well, I guess at some point we'll know the answer." She waited for an answer from Danny. She walked closer and he still didn't give her notice. "We'll have to just wait and see."
"Yeah, waiting, I know all about that." Danny zipped closed his travel bag.
There was a long pause as Danny got the rest of his things together.
"Listen…." Maisy dragged out the word. "Sooo…." Danny turned to look at her. There was a small pause. "….Am I still fired?" There was a big sound and then silence as the lights started to fade in and out. "No, not the air-conditioner, again."
Danny saw the strips of paper attached to the air-conditioned go up and down and the light start to brown out. It reminded him of something.
"Danny?" Maisy called, but her voice just trained off into Danny's ear.
"It's just leveling off." He waited a moment and the air returned. Maisy gave a sigh of relief. Danny returned to his papers behind him. He needed to finish his last bits of packing.
"So…." Maisy didn't know how to say it.
"No, Maisy." He turned to her. "You're not fired."
"Oh…thank god." She took a sigh of relief. Danny turned to face her.
"I'm sorry about that."
"I understand."
"You should take it as a compliment I wanted to read it so badly."
"It wasn't that." He said sweetly.
"I know." She said softly. They smiled.
"Thank you." It meant a lot to Danny.
"You really going?"
"It's an election season." Danny looked at his watch.
"Danny-"
"Hey, Maisy—how 'bout I make it up to you and I let you read some of my…..story." He smiled.
"You're kidding!" She got so excited.
"No, go out get us some cool caffeine drink across the street—come back and I'll have it for you."
"Oh, my god, thank you so much-you won't regret it!" She turned for the door. "Let me get my purse." She could be heard outside the door. "I'm so excited! I'll be right back!" Danny heard the elevator ding and close. Danny walked over to his bag and finished setting the papers into his carry on. He lifted his carry on over one shoulder and his lap top bag over the other. Danny took a breath and walked out of his office. He leaned over Maisy's desk and wrote something on a Post-It and set it on her computer screen. Danny adjusted his strap on his shoulder and walked out. The note said. "Maisy I'm sorry."
Maisy returned, excited about the future, but knew she had been duped when she found the Post-It on computer screen. She already had the inkling, when she returned to an empty office. She's been had. Maisy's shoulders dropped and she threw herself into her desk chair. She spun around and looked up at the television just in time to see Santos and Leo McGarry on the podium. "Oh, my god." She smiled. "See, you can be wrong sometimes, Danny—I wish you'd see that." She wished she knew where he was. The phone rang.
"Hello, Danny Concannon's office. Yes yes….I'm watching this-this is amazing-what did I miss when I was out getting-" Her other line flashed. "No, no. Looks like I'm stuck here alone for a few years—" It kept blinking. "Hold on, Mac, I got another call." She pushed the button. "Hello, Danny Concannon's office."
"Yes, hello, may I speak with Mr. Concannon please," said the male voice.
"I'm sorry he's not here—may I take a message." Maisy looked around for the remote to make the TV louder.
"Yes, this is American Airlines." Maisy perked up in her chair. She dropped the remote.
"American Airlines. Ahhh-" She scrambled for a Post-It and tried to remember all of Danny's advice on getting information out of a person. "This is Mr. Conconnan's assistant—is this about his flight out tonight?" She squished her eyes and raised her hands hoping it was the right question.
"Yes, it is." The voice said.
Maisy did a silent "yes!" "Ahhh-yes, is there a problem?"
"Mr. Conconnon purchased his ticket online and I'm afraid there was a mistake in departure time and we just wanted to inform our customers—I'm afraid this was the only number we could find in our files for him."
"Ohh—yes, I do all of Mr. Concannon's flight arrangements—I can relay him the message."
"The flight will actually be leaving an hour later at two a.m. and not one a.m."
"Yes, great I'll let him know-" She looked at the clock, it said midnight. "You're cutting it close, aren't you?" She really wasn't talking to him.
"Umm—yes, we are sorry we just wanted to inform our customers personally and apologize for the mistake. It's our new customer service-"
"Yeah, yes, of course-And that was his flight to Munich?"
"No, Chicago?"
"Yes, yes, of course Chicago …" It all hit her. "Of course, Chicago…" She trailed off and then back to the call. "I make so may plans for him I forget when he's coming or going." She wrote Chicago on her note pad. "National?"
"Dulles?"
"Yeah, of course." Maisy finished her writing and pulled the sheet off the notepad with a tear.
"We would again like to apologize-"
"Yeah, yeah." Maisy stood.
"And we are sorry for—" And Maisy hung up on him. She had already grabbed her coat and bag and was out the door.
Maisy ran down the terminal. It would almost be time for boarding and she could catch him before he left. She got to a fork in the path and saw a large board. She looked up at and to her horror found two flights to Chicago. Maisy began to almost freak out. She put her hands in her pocket and found a piece of paper. She pulled it from her pocket to discover it was the same piece of paper she had gotten from Danny's office; with the rubbed off numbers. Maisy looked at the numbers and something seemed to click. She looked at the board, and looked at the numbers, she looked at the board and at the numbers.
"It's the gate number!" She yelled and pushed her way past people. It was just a couple of steps to the terminal, she looked around and around, and around, and around, and then….
"Danny!" She saw him.
Danny turned around.
"Danny! Danny!" She ran over to him.
"Maisy!" He set down one of his bags. "What are you doing here?"
"Your flight was changed…" She said, out of breath.
"I know—I figured that out when I was here-you didn't have to come all the way down here, to tell me."
"Danny." She took a breath.
"I know. I know. I lied…I—I'm sorry—but-"
"No, Danny, I understand."
"You do?"
"It's private. What you wrote was private?"
"Thank you."
"Is that why you came down?"
"Did you see the TV?" She smiled.
"Yes." He smirked.
"I told you." She smiled.
"You did."
"You have hope, Danny Concanonn." She leaned in.
"I do." He smiled sheepishly. "I gotta go." He took his bag up.
"Danny!"
"Yeah." He turned. "Come on, I don't have to read it, but at least tell me what's gonna happen at the end of the story."
"At the end of the story?"
"Yeah, please—what's gonna happen at the end of the story?"
Danny looked down at the bandage on his hand. He remembered back to two days before:
He stood in front of a large out door garbage bin; it was dark, fire shot out of the bin like a campfire. Danny held his novel in his hands. He looked at the cover and with one toss threw it into the fire. He watched it burn and cinder.
In the airport, Danny looked up, past Maisy, holding onto his bandaged hand, and for a moment, he thought he saw CJ. Was it really her or was he just seeing her? He thought back to a few hours before, in the White House.
"Get in here." CJ opened the door to the mural room.
"No."
"Just get in there."
"I don't have to go—"
"Why won't people listen to me when I say 'get in there.'"
"What are you—" CJ ushered Danny into the room. Margaret turned to see what was going on.
Danny was pushed into the room first giving CJ his back.
"What is going on here, CJ?" He turned to find CJ's back against the door holding it closed.
"Wait for me." She said softly. Danny opened his mouth and nothing came out. They locked eyes. "Wait for me." Danny opened his mouth and CJ was gone. He took a step and stopped, knowing he couldn't walk after her.
"Danny?" Maisy asked back at the airport.
"What happens at the end of the story?" Danny asked.
"Yeah?" she smiled.
"I don't know." Danny smiled. "I haven't written it yet." And Danny smiled, for he was at peace.
Danny turned his back to Maisy. She didn't know what to make of it as Danny walked away. In his mind he saw himself do one last thing to the fire, he threw in the disk he had been holding onto for a year. He watched as the plastic burned and melted into nothing. For many reasons at different times, Danny was at peace.
Carry on my wayward son
There'll be peace when you are done
Lay your weary head to rest
Don't you cry no more.
-Kansas
END OF SEASON SIX
Please review. I like to know what u think of each chapter (if you can) and the whole series. Thank you for all your support
MS.M
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