Dangit. I had hoped to have this finished before bedtime, but stuff came up.

Here's what I have:

Charlie and Chloe stepped through the doors and into insanity. There were three people in a corner arguing over a videotape, a blonde woman on her knees looking under a desk, and Mr. Rydell was standing on a chair, shouting "Casey!" at the top of his lungs.

"Whoa. It's like press time," she said.

"Yeah. *All* the time." Charlie guided them both through the chaos with practiced ease. "Kim, what're you doing?" he called into the videotape argument.

"Trying to convince these mental midgets to see the light," said a woman who reminded Chloe strongly of an older, bustier Lana. She waggled the videotape. "Greatest Hits of Nancy Lieberman-Cline, a.k.a. Lady Magic. Played in the 1976 Olympics, led Old Dominion to three national championships, played men's pro basketball--"

"Walked on water..." the heavyset guy behind her interjected. Then he grunted as she jabbed her elbow back at him.

"She's a coach now, and she'd be a great subject for a feature. If these guys would just *look.*"

"Guys, watch the tape," Charlie said. Kim beamed at him. "You know she'll just pester you until you do."

"Hey!"

"Charlie!" The blonde woman pulled herself out from under the desk and hurried over, smiling brightly. "Hey, it's good to see you, sweetie." Chloe saw the tears in her eyes as she hugged Charlie, but she blinked them away before he saw them. "You sure know how to spice up a football game, don't you?"

Charlie rested his hands on her shoulders. "I'm sorry I worried you, Dana."

"Who said--?"

"You're looking for your shoes again, aren't you?"

Dana laughed. "You know me too well, Charlie McCall." She framed his face with her hands. "Yes, all right, you scared me. Don't do it again."

"Yes ma'am," he said solemnly.