100 Chapters of Greater Fools

by TheGingerGuineaPig

Summary:

100 chapters exploring the different relationships between the people who work at ACN.

Notes:

Well, let's see where this takes us.

Chapter 1: Don/ Jenna

Don doesn't mean to sleep with the intern, but mind you, he didn't mean to sleep with Maggie either and look where that got him. He feels dirty (for good reason) but even that is little constellation, and although he's always been one to play it fast and loose with ethics, he never intended to play it that 'fast' or that 'loose'.

They both end up breathless on his bed a second time and a third time and eventually a forth, because once you've done something twice it doesn't make sense to stop. There's no point trying to forge together redeemable qualities at his age. No. He's way past trying to shape his character. The extremely worrying thing is not that he doesn't feel guilty or that if that HR rep ever shows up he's out of his job, it's that he starts developing feelings for the petite blonde lying beside him (oh shit, is he's developing a type?)

By the fifth time he realizes that he's in deep with this one and God is he going to regret it. But that's the problem with these relationships: they always start out as so much fun.

"When does your contract start?" He asks leaning over his bedside table to school through his blackberry.

"I don't even know if I have one." She replies truthfully.

"You've been in the office, for what three months now?" He says suddenly skeptical.

"Yeah, as a summer intern." She retorts like it's the most obvious thing in the world.

"Wait, so you're still in school?" He says turning around to face her and her suddenly all-too-noticeable naked body.

"No, I graduated a year early." She says, hoping she doesn't have to explain herself further. The application cycle was only open to students over the age of 21 and besides last year she spent her summer teaching English in Thailand.

"Oh thank God." He replies and he really does mean it, not that that makes it any easier because she's still 21 and he's still 37 and Maggie's still works one non-soundproof glass sheet away. But at least she technically not a college student. Wow, is he really getting caught up on technicalities? And shit, is he rambling? It must be too much time with Sloan.

The next morning, six hours after Jenna went back to the dorm room she's staying in (or as he likes to call it, her apartment, ) he decides that he should send her flowers as after all he'd at least like to act as a good guy. Of course, sending her flowers involves him getting them delivered to his office after ordering them online, because after all he is only pretending to be a good guy. Which is made even more evident after Will picks them up instead of him.

He tells Will that there for a woman he's been on dates with, because that sounds slightly more respectable than just someone he's sleeping with and after all he works in an industry where appearance is everything. Recklessly, he even uses her real name, possibly because he likes to live on the edge but most probably because he's sure Will still thinks her name is sorority girl, as does everyone else in the newsroom (heck he may have almost called her that.)

That night after everyone who he knows the name of has gone home, and there's only the night crew left in the newsroom he asks her on a date, an actual proper pick-you-up-at-eight date. She agrees willingly, making sure to not look too eager, because this isn't he first date with an older man (there may have been a professor or two and at least three teaching assistants.)

Chapter 2: Jim and Neal

Summary:

Neal takes it upon himself to give Jim relationship.

Notes:

So, two days too late but here's the second chapter. Enjoy!

"Don gathered his rosebuds before you did." Neal says knocking back another gulp of whatever the hell he's drinking.

"You know I think technically Sloan did the gathering." Jim states, looking around at the other fools who find themselves in Hang Chews deep into a Friday night.

"Are you saying Don's a rosebud?"

"I don't think that the "rosebuds" are necessarily a direct metaphor for the actual people involved. I think they're more a symbol of the gathering of emotions and courage needed to take a step and commit to someone." Jim rambles trying to change the topic. "Besides I think I'd rather be caught calling Don a rosebud instead of Sloan."

"Point taken." Neal says watching the girls on the bar stools next to them leave.

"Anyway how do you know about that?"

"Well, it was office gossip so therefore happened in front of my desk."

"What an emotionally exhausted Mac giving relationship advice was office gossip I thought it was just an accepted part of our daily routine."

"No, an emotionally exhausted Mac giving relationship advice in the form of 17th century poetry was office gossip."

"Ah. You know technically neither of them, have gathered their rosebuds."

"Why not."

"Because they're not married and the poem goes 'and, while ye may, go marry.'

"Ok, but they still have stronger foundations on which to gather their rosebuds than you."

"And I accept that."

"That doesn't bother you at all?"

"No."

"Ok. So you don't mind the fact that relationship advice specific to you situation, which you tried to take, but then fucked up really badly. I really don't understand how you fucked up that badly, it was a monumental-

"Ok I get it, I'm a screw up. Please get to the point, if there is one, which I'm starting to doubt more and more as this conversation goes on."

"Sorry man. So, this deeply emotional advice given to you by the woman who is not just your professional mentor but also your emotional mentor, was then used by the guy that at the time was the main barrier between you and your Hollywood crush."

"You know I don't think Don knew about the advice."

"But either way there's kind of a tragic irony that Mac thought that you and Maggie would be the linchpin for the whole office, bar her and Will, to find romantic satisfaction when actually people just kind of sorted it out by themselves."

"You know I'm always wary of you out drinking me and now I see why."

"Come on, I'm doing a comprehensive evaluation of the situation which could eventually help you."

"Sure you are."

"I really am. So then after you and Don simultaneously fucked up and you brought Lisa back into the equation. Which was where the complications got even worse-"

Chapter 3: Don/ Sloan

Summary:

Sloan and Don in Hang Chews. Firstly I'll apologize for not posting one everyday and my second apology is that I've already posted this on tumblr. But anyway, I hope you enjoy!

"Can I tell you a secret?" Don asks turning his head towards Sloan, letting the dim lighting of Hang Chews draw shadows on his face. He proclaimed a few drinks ago that he was going to be "fun Don tonight," and to be honest he deserves to be, as after all covering the debt ceiling stops being fun and starts being frustrating after a few days.

"Sure." Sloan replies.

"Come closer." He says beckoning her closer by sloppily waving his hand. Pouting at him she complies scouting herself over and closing the few inches between them and nearly falling into his lap. "I think you’re a bit drunk." He laughs helping he sit up.

"I think ‘you’re’ a bit drunk." She says still with the sorry-for-herself expression on her face.

"I slept with Rebecca." Don spills out suddenly in a stage whisper.

"When?"

"After my first deposition."

"You can’t tell anyone that because then that’s… con, conflict of…"

"Interest." Don says looking triumphant that he could thing of the word and that the Ivy League professor sitting next to him couldn’t.

"Yeah. That could have lost us the case."

"I know that, that’s why we didn’t tell anyone."

"I can see why you did. I would have." She adds. This wasn't the first time they'd talked about previous lovers after dark in Hang Chews.

"But if you had, she wouldn’t have slept with me."

"Why not?"

"Because you’re Sloan and I’m Don." He says staring down into his drink as they let the statement hang in the air.

"That’s not true, she might have slept with both of us." Sloan declares, happily for not only coming up with a solution to the very real dilemma but also for cheering her boyfriend up.

"That definitely would have lost us the case." Don slurs as Sloan rests her head on his shoulder.

Chapter 4: Sloan and Don

Summary:

Sloan and Don pre-series.

"I have a job offer." Sloan says bluntly as she catches up with Don walking out of the control room.

"Don't do it." Don says continuing to walk to his office.

"What?" She asks matching his stride.

"Go to FOX."

"I never said the job offer was from FOX."

"Oh." Don says stopping and looking her for the first time since they started the conversation.

"Why did you assume it was from FOX?"

"Because you're too conservative for MSNBC; CNN has a hot-desk policy and you'd hate sharing your desk and we both know that CNBC is a mouth piece for the banks." He says desperately trying to not say the asshole things he was thinking.

"You know if you sold it better I would have believed you."

"Fine, FOX has the highest ratings and you like numbers to much for that not to matter and..."

"What?"

"That." He says looking her up and down.

"Oh come on."

"What we all know FOX only hirer women who are at least as hot as Megyn Kelly and you tick that box, so that immediately puts you on their to-hire list." He pauses. "Plus I think even they realize you're actually relatively smart." He adds trying to dig himself out of the 6ft deep grave he put himself in.

"It could be from Bloomberg or C-SPAN." Sloan says ignoring what Don had just said.

"Bloomberg wouldn't offer you a job because your dad's job would make it almost impossible for you to report on anything without some government suit getting pissed off about conflict of interest and you wouldn't even look twice at an offer from C-SPAN."

"I feel the need to tell you that as much as I love going down this hypothetical based off your quick and rather brash assumption. I think I should tell you that the jobs not actually in journalism." She says, ending that string of the conversation because you can only have so much fun watching Don verbally run around in circles.

"You want to go back to the seventh circle of hell?"

"It's not on Wall Street either."

"So, what is it? Goat farming in Eastern Europe? Washing Machine installation in Missouri? Becoming an airline pilot? You know I think you'd be good at that you've got the-"

"When was the last time you slept?"

"Yeah I know." He says taking a seat at his desk.

"Columbia have asked me to teach a class."

"Columbia?"

"Yeah." Sloan sighs relieved she finally managed to get her point out.

"What is it?"

"Economic Organization and Development of Japan." She says leaning back against his desk.

"When is it?"

"Tuesday and Thursday mornings."

"Do you think you'll do it?"

"I don't know."

"Professor Sloan Sabbith." He pauses letting the words hang in the air for full dramatic effect. "Sounds good. I think you should go for it."

"Not all people base their career decisions off how the title sounds."

"I did."

"Don Keefer senior producer." She says in a dramatic voice over voice, to which he replies with an ego full smile, which she finds slightly worrying. "I'm starting to doubt that you were the best person to come to for advice." She states as she begins to walk away from his desk.

"What gave you that impression professor?" He calls after her.

Notes:

Thanks for reading!

Chapter 5: Will/ Mac and Charlie

Summary:

Nina and Brian team up in a partnership of ACN hatred and do a story on Will and Mac.

"They're doing a story together? On us?" Mac yells, her voice echoing off the walls of Charlie's office.

"I'd really like it if you could settle down." Charlie says taking another sip of his bourbon.

"So would I." Will adds from his position in the corner of the office.

"My ex and my fiancés ex are doing a story about me and my fiancé, which will no doubt include incredibly personal and intimate details. I have the right to be a little worked up.

"I'm in the same situation as you." Will states.

"Yes, but you're used to being disliked by millions of people and the effect of Page 6 wore off on you years ago."

"I seem to remember it was about the same time that Page Six articles on me spiked, which could possibly have been due to someone in this room."

"Watch it buster."

"To be fair that comment could have been directed at either of us." Charlie chips in.

"It was directed at me." Mac replies looking back at Charlie.

"I'm too old for this." Will says spinning the direction of the conversation back to him.

"No, I'm too old for this. You have a good 10 years of caring left." Charlie declares.

"Well I'm forfeiting them for the good of others."

"I don't think it works like that."

"What if I want it to."

"Do you set out each morning to be obtuse or is it just a happy coincidence?"

"It's a mixture of both."

"Wonderful." Charlie smiles.

"I feel we need to get back to the matter in hand." Mac says looking at Charlie.

"There's really not much we can do."

"Reese can do something. You have leverage on him."

"Not anymore."

"What did you do?"

"There was a technical malfunction."

"It was a voice-recorder, what could possibly have gone wrong?"

"It was deleted."

"It was in a safe."

"Sometimes safes aren't as safe as their name suggest. Sometimes the owner of the safe is the most dangerous person to have around the safe. It's really some of the most tragic irony of our time."

"This is why we need Neal."

"I have to agree with Mac on that one." Will chimes in with a smug smile to which Charlie just shakes his head in reply.

"So what are we supposed to do?" Mac asks.

"Ignore it and desperately hope that no-one in the newsroom picks up a copy of TMI." Charlie declares.

"That's your solution?"

"I don't see you coming up with a better one."

"You could have just not told us."

"I agree with her." Will adds.

"I know you have both of your names of Google news alert, therefore I know that wouldn't have worked."

"Still?" Mac questions.

"Well, technically yes."

"You really still have our names on Google news alert after..." Mac trails off deciding against going down that line of questioning. "Fuck it. I'm going to meet with graphics." Mac says striding out of the office.

Notes:

Thanks for reading!

Chapter 6: Don, Sloan, Elliot and Charlie (part I)

Summary:

Charlie asks Elliot, Don and Sloan to do ACN morning.

"Don, Sloan." Charlie says addressing Sloan and Don as he walks into the control room mid way through Right Now.

"Charlie." Don replies, slightly concerned at his boss's tone.

"It's a good show tonight." Charlie says continuing to smile.

"Err... Whats going on in there?" Elliot asks as they cut to a pre-recorded segment.

"I'm not too sure." Don replies into the head piece.

"I've always been a big advocator of people getting their flu shots."

"That's a very noble position." Don nods.

"Especially when they're scheduled to appear on live TV everyday."

"What's this about?" Sloan asks putting a lid on the highlighter she'd been using.

"I remember one winter, maybe it was nine or ten years ago, almost all of our anchors were off sick. Including both of our ACN morning presenters and their EP."

"Oh no." Don says catching Charlie's drift.

"People really seem to enjoy doing ACN morning, it widens their horizons as journalists."

"There must be someone. What about Gary he used to work for TMI."

"Do you really think I'm going to put Gary in front of a camera or in a headset?"

"Jim?"

"He's going down to Washington tomorrow."

"Tess? Tamara? Kendra? Martin? Maggie? You should pick Maggie she would be a great EP."

"Maggie hasn't even been a senior producer yet." Charlie says ignoring Don's desperate attempt to get out of it. "And Mac wouldn't let that kid anywhere near ACN morning."

"What about Will and Mac?" Don asks really scrapping the barrel.

"That suggestion doesn't deserve a response." Charlie says, looking at him like he's lost it.

"Neal?"

"Neal's an IT guy." Charlie pauses. "It will broaden your horizons."

"His horizons are already pretty broad." Sloan says trying to rescue her boyfriend.

"What about your's?" Charlie asks.

"Me?"

"It's a two anchor show."

"I can't present mornings. I'm not the sort of person you want in your house at 7AM."

"I have to agree with her." Don chips in, to which Sloan replies with a glare.

"As much as I agree with you we really need two anchors."

"Fine." Sloan states after a last attempt of getting out of it by putting on her most sorry-for-herself expression. "But I'm not doing any cooking, or being around small children or small dogs, I'll do big dogs and cats but not small dogs, I am not making anything crafty or 'homely', I will not interview anybody who claims their house it possessed by ghosts, and I will certainly not-"

"Why don't you write this all out in a contract." Charlie interrupts leaving the control room.

"Don, what the fuck did you just do?" Elliot asks as the show hits commercials.

Notes:

Thanks for reading! Reviews always appreciated. Part II to follow shortly.

Chapter 7: Sloan/ Don and Elliot

Summary:

Part II of the ACN morning trilogy.

"I'm not moving." Sloan says as Don's alarm sounds at 5AM the next morning.

"I'm not either." Don replies working out that at most he's had 5 and a half hours of sleep.

"One of us has to move to get the other to move."

"Well, it's not me."

"Let's flip a coin."

"One of us would have to move to get the coin."

"Fine I'm thinking of a number between one and ten."

"Five."

"It was seven."

"So you're moving."

"You didn't guess the number."

"But I was close to the number and if the game is fair then I could guess two numbers on either side and I'd still win."

"I don't care the games not fair, you're moving."

"No I'm not."

"Do you think we've caught the flu?" She asks ending the conversation while turning over and shutting her eyelids tighter.

"My forehead does feel hot."

"Mine does to. Maybe we should phone in-" Sloan starts before being cut off by a ringing cell phone.

"Don't you even think about saying you have the flu." Elliot whispers loudly over the phone.

"Why are you whispering?"

"Because I don't want to be responsible for waking up two very energetic kids and a dog at 5AM."

"When did you get a dog?"

"We're dog sitting."

"What's its name?"

"Is this really important?"

"Is it something you'd be afraid to yell in a dog park?" Don asks smiling and putting the phone on to speaker at the request of Sloan.

"Beethoven."

"Like the movies?" Sloan asks.

"Yeah, like the movies, the owner's kids are fans."

"What sort of looks do you get when you yell Beethoven in parks?" Don laughs.

"Confusion, pity, sometimes amusement."

"What type of dog is it?" Sloan asks enjoying it way too much.

"A chihuahua."

"No." She exclaims.

"You walking a chihuahua." Don giggles.

"Don't we have a show to do in less than three hours?"

"You should bring him to the studio we could do a segment titled 'how many times bigger is Elliot Hirsch than this dog?"

"I'm hanging up now."

"No, don't go there's still so many jokes left to make." Don pleads as the phone starts to make a monotone beeping noise.

"We really need to get up now." Sloan says pulling herself out of bed.

"No, I'm expanding my horizons in my sleep." Don declares.

Notes:

Thanks for reading!

Chapter 8: Don Keefer

Summary:

Mac asks Don to go to the Middle East with her.

She's drunk when she asks him. Or at least she should be if her life choices hadn't lead to her alcohol tolerance being quite so high. "Don, do you want to go with me?" She asks tentatively, in a voice she wouldn't have used two weeks ago.

"What to Afghanistan?" He asks and suddenly his eyes widen to the way they were when she first brought him into the control room.

"Yeah, I mean you would have to quit your job, you'd probably need to sell your apartment and you'd need to get 12 different shots-" she pauses just about managing to stop herself from going overboard. "But if I want to take anyone out there it's you." She adds suddenly making the air ten times denser.

"I'm not sure Mac..."

"I'm not asking you to decide right away, but think about it." She's know she's asking him too much and if she was Don then she would have said no by now, but Don's Don and he's as loyal as a dog and yes, that might involve following her into gunfire.

"I'll think about it." Don replies taking a sip of his drink and leaving the conversation in comfortable silence.

When he gets home that night he comes full circle on his decision at least five times. It's not that he doesn't want to go, because he does. The news is in his blood and that is where it's happening and if he had that same naive optimism he had when he graduate J-school he would have said yes in a split second. But he's watched too much footage of dead soldiers and civilians and journalists to still be quite so naive. So he takes his time to make the decision. At first he promises to only give himself one day, but then one day runs into two days then three days then four. It's five days since she asked him when he gets an email from her telling him not to worry she's got some kid from CNN to go with her. He sends an email back telling her good luck and that he looks forward to seeing her coverage. She doesn't reply.

It's not until four months later that he sees her on his screen. He's sitting at his desk watching CNN when he should be writing something, but it's a slow news day and he'll make it up later when there's no one but him left in the office. She's in a refugee camp somewhere, her hair's tied back and her clothes are three sizes too big and the cameras shaky, but it's undoubtably her. All in all she looks healthier than she did when she left (only Mackenzie Mchale would look better in a war zone he thinks) her face is a worn from the sun and she looks smaller but still, healthier. He makes a note to call Elliot later that night and tell him, because he'd care.

Later that evening he's met with a gruff hello when he gets through to Elliot. "Are you alright?" He asks.

"Yeah I'm fine." Elliot replies in a flat voice.

"How's ACN?"

"Will's teetering on the edge of a breakdown and Charlie's, well, I don't know what Charlie's doing."

"How's everyone else?"

"Edgy, at the best of times. There's a new reporter for market wrap up that everyone's talking about."

"Sloan Sabbith?"

"Yeah, that's her."

"I've seen her do a few segments. She seems relatively competent."

"People are almost starting to believe that Reese didn't just hirer her for her legs."

"Well, she's doing well then." He adds trying to lighten the mood with an unsuccessful joke. "I saw Mac on CNN today."

"How's she doing?"

"She looks better, more alert. The kids filming was slightly sketchy."

"You should really stop calling him a kid."

"Until I know his name, there's not much else to call him."

"Jim Harper, his name's Jim Harper." Elliot says without any emotion to his voice. He's exhausted. He's got a two year old at home and the tension in the newsroom permanently drains any energy he might have. The jobs good though, he's doing well he filled in for someone at one O'clock yesterday and no one wrote in to complain, Will even managed to tell him it was a good show.

"Ok, well, Jim Harper needs to work on his filming."

"He'll learn." Elliot says as some crying starts in the background. "I better go. I'll speak to you soon."

"Yeah, see you." Don says as he hangs up the phone.

Two weeks later he applies for a job at ACN, it's less money than what he's on now and he has no doubt that the hours will be longer, but he needs to be back in a control room or he'll lose it.

He gets the job and nearly one and a half years later and he's the Executive Producer for News Night with Will McAvoy.

Notes:

Thanks for reading!

Chapter 9: Sloan and Don

Summary:

Sloan and Don post election night.

It's four AM by the time Sidney Falco and the wayward economist are making a quick dash out of the newsroom. Armed with post hurricane coats and a copy of Hyperinflation in the Weimar Republic: the economics of post World War I Germany they make it out into the harsh November night.

"Do you give every buyer of your book the same reward?" He asks her inching his hand closer to hers.

"Most of them." She says watching his expression change."I wouldn't want to think you were special Keefer."

"So you're saying that any one who buys your book could get the same treatment?"

"If they meet all criteria."

"What does the criteria consist of?" He asks with a teasing smile.

"Well, I couldn't tell you that secret." She smirks taking his hand. They walk a together a bit longer in the general direction of their apartments.

"Well, this is it." He says as she hails a cab.

"What?"

"It's your cab."

"So you'd rather be mugged than share a cab with me." She asks slightly offended.

"They'll be another cab."

"Yeah, possibly in another two hours. But what are you going to do till then?"

"I'll take the subway."

"Are you getting in or what" The cabby pipes up in a harsh Brooklyn accent.

"Yeah, alright hold on." Sloan replies into the cab, in her best don't-mess-with-me voice. "We both know that's a terrible idea." She says turning her attention back to Don, leaving a beat before adding "Don."

He complies, taking the seat next to her.

"One stop or two?" Ah, the dreaded question Don thinks. "Two." He says going for the safest option, there's too much at risk here to start acting like an idiot. They both give their addresses and the cab gets going.

"Rebecca has called a meeting at 10 tomorrow." Don says looking up from his Blackberry.

"All to attend?" She asks.

"Yeah. I'm guessing they might let Will and Mac off though."

"Well, they might be 'otherwise' occupied." She says and he looks back at her like they were 12 and she just told him that she saw their teachers kissing.

"Fuck." He breathes as they both burst into giggles. "Will and Mac are engaged." He says as the giggles subside.

"Yeah." She says still with a smile on her lips.

"I didn't see that coming."

"I don't think anyone did."

"Will and Mac." He says again still in disbelief, and it might just be because he hasn't slept for 24 hours but he's really struggling to process it. They sit in silence for a bit longer, not really wanting to try and work anything out.

"Well, tonight was..." She trails off not quite being able to find a word to describe it. "

"Yeah." He replies as he turns his head over to look at her. She's still got most of her make up on, it's smudged a little under eyes and dark bags under her eyes are starting to show but she looks better than she has in weeks. She looks content, happy almost.

"So." He starts pausing to take a breath big enough to fill his lungs.

"I don't know." She says hastily not wanting to leave an awkward silence.

"I don't either." He admits. "I guess we should talk. Tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow." She promises.

"Well, here it is." Don says as his apartment building comes into view.

"Here it is." She says as he gets out the cab.

"See you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow." She smiles as the cab door closes.

Notes:

Thanks for reading!

Chapter 10: Neal and Jim and Gary and Jim/ Hallie

Summary:

Jim has never watched Batman.

"You haven't seen batman?"

"I'm more of a marvel guy."

"Let me reiterate that. You, self proclaimed nerd, has "never" seen batman?"

"It's really not that shocking, and I have never called myself a nerd, you and Maggie seem to have created that out of thin air." Jim says trying to defend himself.

"I'm not sure it was created 'entirely' out of thin air."

"Do you have the statics on-" Gary asks walking over to Jim's desk cutting Neal off.

"Jim's never seen Batman." Neal suddenly juts in.

"What? Come on, you've never seen Batman? I thought you were in to all that comic book shit."

"Comic books aren't 'shit'." Jim says a little too loudly as people turn to look. "When I was 'a lot' younger I only read Marvel Comics." He adds lowering his voice a little.

"But you haven't even seen the movies?" Gary asks. "Even I've seen the movies and I'm the coolest person on this floor."

"That could be disputed." Neal adds to which Gary just raises his eyebrows in response.

"Gary don't you need those statistics?" Jim asks handing Gary a few sheets of paper.

"I guess but I'm more interested in-" he pauses looking at Jim's facial expression. "You know what I should probably ask Kendra something. Kendra!" He calls in the general direction of her desk.

"I'm getting you to watch the movies." Neal says a moment later after they've both got back to work.

"I will put that on my list of things that probably but almost definitely won't happen." Jim sasses not looking up from his screen.

--

Three years later he gives in. Not to Neal, no he'd never give him the satisfaction. But to Hallie because her hair the color of goodness and she makes him smile a lot more than he'd care to admit.

It's a lazy Sunday afternoon, and the August heat makes it hard to think despite the air conditioning being on full and blowing her hair into blonde tangles. "Do you want to watch a movie." She asks throwing herself down on the couch.

"Sure." He replies.

"What should we watch?"

"Something set someone where cold." He moans.

"Cool Runnings." She says after a pause.

"Isn't that set in Jamaica?"

"Only the majority if it."

"What about Mama Mia?" Hallie suggests after they search Netflix for way too long.

"No, the main character reminds me way too much of you and it freaks me out."

"I didn't think you'd have watched Mama Mia."

"It was a long plane journey." He says shaking his head at the memory. "What about Sophie's Choice?"

"I don't do sad films. What about one of those super hero movies you and Neal like?"

"Yeah, alright, which one?"

"I don't know I quite like Batman."

"Not D.C."

"What?"

"I only watch Marvel movies."

"Why?"

"Because."

"Snob." She says playfully hitting him with a cushion.

"Will you not even watch Batman for me?" She asks with a smile.

"Ok." He says typing it into Netflix, it really is unfair the power she has over him. "You have to promise not to tell Neal that I watched Batman though."

"Why- you know what I won't ask."

Notes:

Thanks for reading!

Chapter 11: Elliot and Don

Summary:

Elliot gives Don relationship advice. Set on the morning of Election Night.

"What are you reading?" Don asks striding into his office at 7AM, only faintly surprised by Elliot sitting in his chair with his feet on his desk.

"Hyperinflation in the Weimar Republic: the economics of post World War I Germany. It's an exhilarating read, the author really knows his stuff. Or..." He flicks to the front cover. "Her stuff. This is Sloan's book." He adds raising his eyebrows and pausing for a second giving Don a chance to explain himself. "Now, for what reason would you, a guy who's never been anywhere near an economics book in his life, have a copy of a book written by someone with two PhDs in the subject?" He questions, cornering Don in the same way he'd corner a senator live on air.

"I don't know she must have left it in here." Don says as he mentally rushes for an answer that doesn't make him sound crazy.

"Is that the answer you really want to go with?" Elliot sighs sounding slightly disappointed that his EP couldn't cook up a better story.

"Well, there are so many copies of this book and only so many places where a copy could be therefore there is a chance that a copy would have ended up in someone's office. It's the law of averages." Don rambles just enough to show how little sleep he's been getting post Genoa.

"You mean the law of large numbers."

"Whatever."

"So it's got nothing to do with Sloan donating a copy of the book to the Sandy Relief auction?"

"How do you know that's what she donated?" Don retorts.

"Friends in high places." Elliot smirks. "My mother in law's part of the comity that helped organized it, I was there." He adds after Don gives him a glare that signals he's not taking any crap today. "Sidney Falco-" Elliot starts.

"Fuck." Don interrupts throwing his head back and contemplating running out of his office and ignoring Elliot for the rest of the day.

"Was the highest bidder." Elliot finishes, letting the statement and it's ridiculousness hang in the air for a couple of seconds. He worries for his friends mental state from time to time. "You're so screwed when she finds out." He smirks.

"That's why I'm planing on her not."

"Ok, but what are you going to do when she does?"

"She's not going to."

"She will."

"How'd you figure that?"

"Law of large numbers, you spend too much time with her for her not to notice that you have a copy of her book."

"Not if I hide it."

"Where?"

"I don't know, in my apartment."

"She'll still find it."

"How?"

"I don't know, but she will, and it will be weird and it could just..." He takes a beat before. "I know you've become pretty good at this whole dancing around the point thing with Sloan and you enjoy it in a weird slightly creepy, almost frightening way. But you've got to stop doing it if you want to remain vaguely sane, which I know is a tall order for anyone who works here. But..." He pauses just long enough to take a deep breath. "It's not healthy. It's really not fucking healthy."

"What do you suggest I do then?" Don asks

"I don't know. Just do something."

*

By 4AM New York has wrapped up and the coverage has been throw completely over to Jane. No one's really quite sure what's happening and there's a strong chance that when everyone wakes up in the morning they'll be questioning their sanity and trying to work out if it was all a dream. But for now the champaign's flowing and a diamond hidden in a desk draw for way to long is seeing the light (and no, that's not just a crappy metaphor).

"How'd you..?" Elliot asks walking over to his EP.

"I don't know." Don replies with a stupid grin on his face that he hasn't been able to shake for the past four hours, not that he wants to.

"Why did she?"

"I don't know." He almost sing songs as Elliot notices that in any other circumstances that grin would be insufferable.

"What are you going to-"

"I really don't know." He repeats as Sloan walks round the corner and his smile brightens up just a little more. Idiots in love Elliot thinks to himself as he decides against saying that it took them long enough.

"Just try not to fuck it up." Elliot smiles, giving him a unnecessarily hard pat on the shoulder before walking off into the crowd surrounding ACN's latest HR nightmare.

Notes:

Thanks for reading! I am going to try and get my stuff together and start posting more regularly again.

Chapter 12: Elliot and Don

Summary:

Promtp from Zevi on tumblr. Elliot and Don discuss doing more stories about the economy.

"I just feel we should try and do more stories on the economy?" Elliot pitches as he paces up and down Don's office

"Yeah, that's not happening." Don replies looking away from his emails for a second and giving Elliot a cursory glance.

"Why?"

"News Night has at least five minute of economic news a night. You know what the key to audience retention is? Variety."

"Ok, so it hasn't got anything to do with Sloan being the senior financial reporter."

"Nope, not a thing." Don replies while continuing to type a quick email to graphics explaining why the latest hurricane doesn't need its own theme tune.

"You didn't pull that off at all." Elliot snarks back.

"Really? Cause I thought my acting lessons were really starting to pay off." Don snides because two can play at that game.

"Why don't you want her on the show?"

"Because when I'm her EP we're breaching eight HR codes of conduct, supposed to the usual four we break by working for the same company, so I figured that doubling that number probably isn't worth it." Don takes a beat before continuing. "Also, if she appears on our show a lot and some tabloid picks up that we're-"

"Oh fuck the tabloids."

"Dating, then that's going to create noise and send a shit storm our way and I'm not too keen on going through that."

"You're saying that you care more about what the tabloids are saying than doing a better show. And in case you haven't noticed Will and Mac violate about 11 HR codes of conduct and I'm pretty sure Charlie's been encouraging them to do so for the past three years."

"Yeah well we 'all' want relationships like theirs. They should have their own theme tune." Don adds after reading the reply from graphics saying that FOX and CNN are already airing their theme tune for the hurricane.

"It turned out alright for them in the end."

"After seven years of whatever that was." He says dropping his chin onto his hand and taking a beat " It isn't only that. She's worried that if people see me giving her more air time they're going to start to think I'm giving her an unfair advantage. And I get that and I kind of agree."

"Couldn't you also argue that you're discriminating against her?"

"Probably."

"Shouldn't you be being rational about this, and saying that the second highest ranked anchor at this network wants to do more economic stories and Sloan is head and shoulders above everyone else in that area at this network."

"I'd like to be, but when are onlookers ever rational."

"Well think about." Elliot says leaving the office.

Chapter 13: Will and Mac

Summary:

Will takes part in the Ice Bucket challenge.

"But why?" Will asks watching Jenna lugging a large red bucket of ice through newsroom.

"Because you've been nominated."

"What?"

"Wolf Blitzer nominated you." Mac says like it's the most obvious thing in the world.

"I don't know what that means."

"It means Wolf Blitzer from CNN-"

"I understand who Wolf Blitzer is."

"Nominated you to throw water over your head to raise a awareness of ALS."

"And how will me throwing water over my head do that."

"People will watch it and then they'll be aware of it. It's an Internet thing."

"Thing?"

"Neal said that."

"Last time I did something on TV for charity I ended up destroying a lighting tree, and while I'm sure the amount of people who have since viewed it on YouTube must have lead to increased awareness. I am still completely convinced that there's a better way of curing diseases than publicly embarrassing public figures."

"Well, if you think of a way to do that before 8PM then we'll dump the water over someone else."

"We really shouldn't waste water, half the county's in a drought. There's forest fires in Yosemite, some of the countries most breathtaking scenery is being destroyed right in front of our eyes-"

"Why don't you call up the fire department and offer to donate that bucket of water." Mac says walking away.

-

"Now Will, I know you're nervous about this next segment." Mac says through the headset as Will walks into the designated 'splashing area' Jenna had created in the newsroom. "But I want you to remember that I have total faith in you. Your years as an anchor have prepared you for this. You have got a fantastic team behind you and I'm sure that we will get through this together."

"Will we?" Will dead pans looking straight at her.

"Well, we should be since this doesn't depend on your sporting ability." Mac smirks causing a few giggles to escape her staff's mouths.

"It was the studio lights they were distorting things, making them seem closer than they are-"

"I'm sure they did." Mac responds in as Will hands over his headset.

"Let's try to keep the boom out of shot." Mac smiles as they come back from commercial break.

"Last night Wolf Blitzer nominated me as well as two other lucky prime time anchors to take part in the ice bucket challenge. This Internet phenomenon currently sweeping the nation involves people having water thrown over their heads in the hope of raising awareness for ALS. A disease which currently affects 30,000 Americans. So tonight, our financial reporter Sloan Sabbaith will be helping me complete this challenge."

"Ready Will?" Sloan asks from besides him. He's going to have to get her back for this later.

"Sure Sloan." He replies as ice water's already being tipped over him.

Chapter 14: Sloan/ Don

Summary:

Sloan and Don discuss Don's tattoo.

"What's the stupidest thing you did in college?" She asks him. Turning towards him and nuzzling herself into his chest. It had been one of those slow news days, which he both craved and hated. It gave the newsroom space to relax. But that's not always a good thing since keeping the focus of a room full of 20 somethings doped up on caffeine is only slightly less difficult than herding cats.

"This." He said, showing her the small tattoo on his left wrist.

"What is it of?" She asked as she softly ran her thumb over it.

"It's supposed to be a gothic star, I went through a bit of a goth phase in college." He admits, smiling softly.

She giggles into his chest in reply, before lifting her head up and looking straight into his eyes. "You were a goth?"

"I had my moments, I was even part of a band for a bit, we called ourselves The UFO Cult. And... Why am I telling you this? You're never going to let me forget it are you."

"No way buster, I'm going to use this as potential blackmail material for years to come." Sloan states with a serious look on her face. And he knows that she's only half joking.

"If you ever tell anyone at the office, or anyone at all for that matter, I will have you anchor every single embarrassing interview that Charlie makes us do."

"You know technically you don't have that power over me."

"Not now, but maybe some day and on that day I shall nerve let you forget it."

"Ok, Mr. Newsman, but if you ever put me in a position in which I feel the need to discredit you I won't hesitate in using that piece of information." She warns him in a typically Sloan way. "And I'm not fucking around." She adds in as a serious of a tone as she can pull off.

"Mr. Newsman?"

"What? It works." She states a little defensively. "Aren't pet names suppose to be a term of endearment?" She adds a little confused.

"If you say so, Ms. Senior Financial Reporter." He says winding her up a little. "What not as catchy?" He says in response to her rolling her eyes.

"Did you wear eyeliner and everything?" She asks with a bemused smile and sleepy eyes.

"Occasionally." He responds, as he suddenly feels the tiredness creep up on him.

"Are there pictures?" She asks.

"None that I'm ever letting you get your hands on."

"Well then, I guess you'll never see the ones of me with a perm." She says teasing him, before rolling over and turning off the lamp.

Notes:

This has already been posted on the newsroom prompts blog on tumblr. But currently I'm on chapter 13 and I'm not in a position to be taking any chances so I figured it was posted so long ago and not many people read it probably anyway so I might as well post it again. Anyway, I've changed it a bit. I hope you enjoyed it!

Chapter 15: Sloan and Will

Summary:

Sloan and Will discuss him and Mac.

"Will." Sloan says walking into his office.

"You know most people knock-"

"Yeah, I'm sure they do." She says taking a seat and putting her feet up on the table which is met with a disapproving look from him.

"Mac is my best friend." She starts, she decided on the walk over here not to waste time with hellos. "In fact I'm pretty sure I'm Mac's only female friend apart from maybe Maggie but I think that's more of a big sister, you're-my-adopted-journalism-mentee kind of relationship."

"Is this going anywhere?" Will asks putting resting his head on the heal of his hand.

"Yes." She takes a beat before continuing. "Now because Mac's my best friend and you apparently have the key to her heart I feel it is my responsibility to warn you that if you hurt Mac then you will have to face the wrath of not just me, but approximately 90% of the people who work in that newsroom. And if I was you then I'd be pretty afraid because I did a poll and Gary wrestled in high school and Tamara has a brown belt in karate."

"You did a poll before talking to me? Who are you Joey Lucas?"

"I don't know who that person is."

"She's a character from-"

"Never mind. So I think you should be warned that you really shouldn't screw up."

"Who else did you consult before talking to me?"

"No one." She says with as plain of a face as she can pull off. "Ok, Don. But in my defence he minored in English Lit in college so I thought he would be a good reference because I've read Pride and Prejudice and it strikes me that a lot of books are based on romantic story lines."

"Really?" Will dead pans.

"I think so."

"Sloan, I do not plan of hurting Mac ever again and if I do I promise you that I will never do it intentionally. I'm not quite enough of an idiot to let Mac get away again." Will explains slowing the pace of the conversation down.

"Good." Sloan smiles. "I'm happy for you bro." She adds after a bit of comfortable silence.

"Thanks sis." Will says as Sloan gets up to leave. "Don minored in English lit?" He asks registering what she had told him.

"He said it was because he saw the gender composition of the classes. But I think he genuinely enjoys writing and reading about people's feelings."

"He's a good guy." Will adds because he feels the need as a big brother to stamp his seal of approval on Sloan's new relationship. Plus, he can see the stupid look on her face when she says his name and a bad guy cannot be capable of that.

"Yeah, he is." Sloan smiles leaving Will's office.

Notes:

Thanks for reading!