Work Text:
The studio is packed. Rachel managed to land CJ Cregg's first post-Bartlet administration interview. It's not a bad night for Keith either, he got Casey McCall and Melissa Harris-Lacewell announcing their new show for the ten-block. All three of them are now standing next to Ana Marie, out of camera sight, but not out of hers. Ana bribed her with a bottle of bitters from a the best homebrewer Rachel has ever met to be here. Keith just barged in with his guests following behind. All the crew who aren't busy doing things like actually making the show go are here too. Standing, watching the interview in rapt fascination. She recognizes several people from Keith's crew, too.
Murphy watches from the mezzanine, just out of sight until Rachel shakes CJ's hand. They cut to commercial and Murphy pops into view just long enough to give her a thumbs up. Rachel can't help it, she's grinning from ear to ear.
CJ is rushed back to the green room. It's a short commercial break, but thankfully all they have left is Kent and then they can wrap. Which is good, because Rachel is so high on her own adrenaline and glee it's all she can do not to laugh the entire segment.
By the time she gets back to the green room, Ana and CJ are already drinking and talking to Murphy with her seltzer. Keith and Casey are arguing about a minor technicality in the handling of Judge Sotomayor's baseball strike, and Kent and Melissa are talking about something she can't hear but already fears.
"Hey!" Danny Concannon says when she walks in the room, wrapping her in a hug.
She hugs back.
"Dan and Dan are already down at the bar, holding the back room for us," Danny explains. She's known him almost as long as she's known Murphy, and the two of them go back even further.
CJ comes up behind Danny and leans on his shoulder. "Rydell and Patrick are holding down the bar? We should go before the drink everything." She turns and smiles at Rachel. "Good job in there, kid."