Taking The Control - Chapter 9

Aug 11, 2007 03:48

Title: Taking The Controls
Author: Jayne Leigh
Summary: Danny's the one that’s meant to be in control but when he starts to lose it, Matt has to take over.
Rating: R
Characters or Pairing: Matt, Danny, Jordan, Harriet
Disclaimer: I don't own them!

Taking The Controls: Chapter One
Taking The Controls: Chapter Two
Taking The Controls: Chapter Three
  Taking The Controls: Chapter Four 
  Taking The Control- Chapter five

Taking The Control - Chapter 6

Taking The Control- Chapter 7
Taking The Control- Chapter 8

Hey guys! Here's the next chapter! Please review! Reviews make it so much easier to update when you know people are enjoying it! Thanks!

Enjoy!!!

Taking The Control

“This is a joke, right?” Matt asked, slowly sitting back down.

“No.”

“Seriously, who's behind this?” He looked at Jordan.

“Matt, I don't think he's joking.” She told him.

“Look, I know Danny and you are best friends, and it might be awkward being in charge at first but you'll get used to it.”

“Get used to it?” He repeated. “Are you freaking kidding me?!”

“Calm down...” Jack told him, noticing a few people glancing at them when Matt raised his voice.

“Jack, I don't think you understand! Danny does everything! I just write!”

“Yeah, but you've proven that you can do what Danny does, and still write the show.”

“No, because I took a back-seat to the writing.” Matt pointed out. “I might have put my differences with Ricky and Ron aside, but that doesn't change the fact that they are not good at writing for Studio 60... It's only a matter of time before they get fed up with Tom, Simon and myself over seeing what they're writing!”

“They're gone then.”

“What?”

“Fire them.”

Matt stared at him. “Wait, so you're saying if I take over the show... You'll fire Ricky and Ron?”

“Yeah, it'll be your show.” Jack shrugged, picking up the menu and looking at it.

“This is a crazy...” Matt muttered to himself with a small laugh of disbelief. “You think I'll dump Danny, just to get rid of Ricky and Ron?”

Jack sighed, and put the menu down again. “Matt, NBS is offering you the chance to run Studio 60. You can hand pick your staff. That includes cast members as well as writers and crew...”

“Cast members?” Matt questioned.

“Well, it's not secret that you and Harriet Hayes have had problems working together...”

Matt suddenly stood up. “Right, I'm done listening to this... Like I said earlier... I'll have mine and Danny's office cleared by the end of the day.”

“Matt, please wait...” Jordan stood up also.

“He wants me to fire Harriet now!” Matt looked at her. “If this is how NBS treats the people that work for them... Then I don't want to be a part of it.”

Jack rolled his eyes. “I don't want you to fire anyone. I'm just stating you'd have the power to.”

“Things are working fine how they are!” Matt stated.

“Not from what I've been hearing...”

“And what's that?” Matt cut in.

“Apparently, your staff doesn’t trust Danny any more.”

“Don't be crazy!” Matt replied. “Okay, there's a few people that still are unsure about him, but it'll blow over.”

“Get real, Matt... No one will ever really be able to trust him again.”

“I do!”

“So, why wouldn't you let him deal with his ex-girlfriend?” Jack asked. “Because you knew you couldn't trust him around her.”

Matt turned quickly and glared at Jordan.

“I'm sorry, but he found out there was an incident in the building involving us and another woman... He asked me about it and I had to tell him.” Jordan explained and then turned to glare at Jack slightly. “I didn't think he'd sink low enough to use it against you in an argument.”

“I'm choosing to take your faith in me as a compliment.” Jack remarked.

Jordan sighed, there was no way this could end good.

“Jack, would you excuse us for 2 minutes?” Jordan asked, leading Matt away from the table.

“Did you know about this?!” Matt asked.

“No, I had no idea.” Jordan told him.

“There's got to be something you can do.”

“I don't think there is, Matt... If Wilson White and the board have decided on something... Then that's that.” She sighed.

“I'm not going to accept, Jordan.” He told her. “I can't do that to him.”

“Maybe if you talk to him about it he'd understand and agree...”

“What am I meant to say? The bad news is, you're being demoted... The good news is, I'm your new boss. Somehow I don't think that is going to work.”

“It's not as if anything has to change... I mean, you can concentrate on the writing... And Danny can carry on with what's he's doing... The difference is the change in your job titles.”

“Exactly.” Matt replied. “We're a team, Jordan... It's always been Danny and me... I'm not going to change that.”

Jordan sighed in defeat. “There is no way I'm going to be able to change your mind, is there?”

“No.”

“Okay, fine...”

They walked back over to the table where Jack was still looking at the menu.

“So, what have you decided?” He asked, not looking up.

“It's either Danny and me running the show like normal... Or I walk.”

“Matt, I don't think you understand what an amazing chance this is for you.”

“No, I understand... I just don't want it... I didn't become a writer for the money or the awards, Jack... I did it because I like to make people laugh...” He told him. “I've already had a successful movie and I'm planning on more in the future... Studio 60 has been so great to me... It's made me...”

“Even more reason to do this...”

“No, because when I say Studio 60 made me... I don't mean, Studio 60 created by NBS... I mean the people inside Studio 60... Wes was the first one to give me a job and Danny was the first one to notice that I had talent even though I hadn't got a sketch on the air.”

“Matt...”

“Studio 60 is a family, Jack... And Danny is one of the ones that hold us all together... He may have had a few problems but there are people who are helping him get through it... And there are a few people that are still angry, upset, hurt, and scared about what happened with him, but they will come around, because that's what a family does!” Matt continued, not bothering to pause when Jack tried to cut in. “It's either both of us... Or neither of us.”

Jack stayed silent, letting the words sink in.

“I'll talk to the board one more time...” He finally said after a few seconds. “I don't think it will do any good...”

“But it won't hurt to try.” Jordan added.

“I’ve got to get back to work.” Matt turned to leave.

“Matt?”

“Hmm?”

“If it were up to me... Danny would stay.” Jack told him. “But the board... They don't see it like that.”

Matt gave a small nod. “Okay.”

“I'm going to try my best.”

“I know that.” He replied quietly before walking away.

XxXxX

Matt crashed through the doors of Studio 60, not bothering to talk or pause when people looked at him curiously.

“Matt?” Cal frowned, noticing how angry he looked. “Everything okay?”

“Where's Danny?”

“Gone to get some lunch.” Cal replied, following him as he continued to storm down the corridor. “Is everything okay?”

“I want the writer’s and the staff in the writers' room in 5 minutes.” Matt told him.

“Okay, but don't you want to wait for Danny to get back?”

“No, Danny doesn't need to know about this.”

Cal sighed; he just wished things would settle down. The show was at the best it had ever been yet there was so much happening behind the scenes. Danny had a made a mistake but he had dealt with it. Cal didn't see why people were having such a hard time letting it go and judging by Matt's mood, so was he.

XxXxX

“What's this about?” Harriet asked Cal as they were all in the writers' room waiting.

“I don't know.” He shrugged. “Matt will be here in a minute.”

“What about Danny?” Tom questioned.

“Lunch.”

“Yeah right.” Simon muttered and Cal just glared at him. “What?”

“That's probably what this is about...” Cal replied. “People making comments about Danny... Matt's sick of it.”

“I'm just saying what everyone is thinking.”

“No, Simon... Not everyone.” Cal shook his head. “As far as I'm concerned, Danny's still the same person he's always been... He's a friend who has had hard a time... We should be supporting him... Not treating him as some kind of criminal.”

“I couldn't have said it better myself.” Matt appeared in the doorway.

“Matthew, what's going on?” Harriet asked.

Matt pulled at the chair at the end of the table and sat down .“You tell me.”

“About what?” Tom frowned.

“People have a problem with Danny running the show... I want to know why, so I can sort it out and then everyone is happy.” Matt said calmly but no one spoke. “Come on, guys... I've just had a meeting with Jack Rudolph... He knows about these problems but I don't?”

There was still silence in the room, everyone looking at each other.

“Someone say something!” Matt yelled.

“We just don't know whether we can trust him.” Simon finally said. “What's going to happen in a couple of months when something else he doesn't like happens?”

“I can't answer that...” Matt replied. “I can't promise you that he'll stay clean for the rest of his life...”

“Exactly.”

“But then I can't promise you will either.”

Simon frowned. “What?”

“Come on, Simon... You're no angel.”

“I don't do anything nearly as serious as cocaine!”

“No, but you still managed to get Tom arrested.”

“That was over a joint!” Simon exclaimed. “This is not the same thing!”

“It's still drugs! Something that you shouldn't be doing! Did you get treated any differently? No! Danny got on a damn plane and flew to Nevada to help sort your mess out!”

“I know that but...”

“But what?” Matt asked. “And wasn't it Danny that helped you out when we first came back? Getting you to do the stuff you're good at?”

“Yes but...”

“But nothing Simon! Danny's good at his job! He's the best! That's why I can not work with anyone else!” Matt stated. “He's made some mistakes but you can not treat him like this! No one can.”

“Matt...”

“If you want to be mad at someone... Then be mad at me.”

“Why you?”

“He was struggling and I didn't notice.” Matt replied. “I should have seen this coming but I didn’t... So, blame me.”

“We're not going to blame anyone.” Cal claimed, as he glanced around the room. “Don't worry, Matty... We'll make sure everything is sorted out.”

Matt looked at Cal, knowing he would see to it that everyone backed off a little.

“Okay.” Matt nodded and stood up. “I'll be in my office... Everyone make sure you're ready for the read through this afternoon.”

As soon as Matt had left the room everyone started talking to each other about what just happened. Harriet got up and followed Matt.

“Harriet?” Cal went after her.

“Something has happened.” Harriet told him. “Something has pushed him over the edge.”

“I didn't even know he had a meeting with Jack.” Cal said, as they walked side by side up the stairs. “I wonder what it was about?”

“Lets go find out.”

They walked into Matt's office without knocking and he looked up quickly from his computer when he heard the door open.

“Hi?” He said questionably.

“We want to know what's going on.” Harriet told him.

“In general?” He asked.

“Matt, we know something has happened.” Cal replied. “Why did you have a meeting with Jack?”

He sighed. “That doesn't matter.”

“You're taking on too much.” Harriet claimed. “We're worried about you.”

“I'm fine.”

“Matthew.”

“Look, I can't really say...” He told them. “If it got out...”

“Who do you think you're talking to here, Matt?” Cal asked. “You know you can trust us.”

“I know but...” He started but decided it might be helpful to talk it over with someone. He would normally do it with Danny but he couldn't. “But... Danny can't know... This stays in this room.”

“We got it.” Harriet nodded.

“Okay... Jack...The board and Wilson White... They wanted to fire Danny.”

“What?!” Cal exclaimed. “They can't do that.”

“Jack tried to get them to change their minds and make a deal with them.” Matt said. “But it's still not good enough.”

“What's the deal?” Harriet frowned.

“That Danny is demoted from Executive Producer.”

Her eyes widened slightly. “They want to hire someone to take his place?”

“No, they want me to have complete control over the show.”

“You're kidding?” Cal asked.

“Nope, but I told Jack he can stuff his job.” Matt said. “I'm not going to be Danny's boss! That's the just crazy.”

“Maybe you should talk to Danny about this.”

“Not yet.”

“Matthew, the only other option they're giving you is firing Danny.” Harriet pointed out.

“Then I'll quit too.”

“What about the show?”

“Screw the show! NBS doesn't give a damn about Danny... And neither does anyone else judging by what's been going on the past few weeks.”

“No, that's not true... Simon has a chip on his shoulder about it and maybe a few other people too...” Harriet stated.

“Most of which are the writers... They're just bitter because now Danny is back you're doing the majority of the writing again.” Cal added.

Matt sighed. “Even so, I can't do it all... And I am not working with anyone other then Danny... Maybe it's the best thing.”

“Matt, you can't be serious.” Harriet looked at him. “You really want to leave?”

He rubbed his eyes. “I don't know what I want now... Lets just see what Jack can do.”

“Well, whatever you decided... You know we'll stick with both Danny and you.” Cal told him.

He smiled slightly. “I know, thanks.”

XxXxX

Matt typed, trying to get a sketch just right before they did the read through in an hour.

“Come in.” He called out when there was a knock on his door.

“Hi, are you busy?” Jordan asked.

“Uh, a little... But it doesn't matter.” He replied, turning his attention to her. “Have you heard from Jack?”

“No, not yet... It's still a little soon.”

“Oh, well I tried calling you earlier but you weren't there... I assumed you were with Jack.”

“No... I... uh... I was at the doctors.” She replied, stuttering slightly. “I... That's what I'm here to talk to you about actually...”

“The doctors?” Matt frowned. “Are you okay?”

She sighed quietly. “Matt, I'm pregnant.”

TBC

Please review!

jordan, matt, danny

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