Sam promised himself that he'd never return. Despite all his efforts to remain aloof and apart, Sports Night ended up being a comfortable fit, one that he could see himself settle down with. That was when he knew it was time to leave; it was better to keep moving. Safer.

Dana called. He wondered how she tracked him down. He rarely gave out his personal number precisely to avoid calls that would drag him back to the people and places he'd worked hard to put behind him. He started to ask but she barrelled through his question.

A stroke. A second one, more severe and damaging than the first. The Sports Night crew wanted someone they knew and trusted and the owner of the new network lacked the industry connections to have any other suggestions of his own, and would he please come back, it's what Isaac wants.

In his head, he said no ten times. Twenty. He ran through a litany of reasons why he couldn't, both generic all-purpose excuses and brutally honest explanations. Into the phone, he said yes.

He watched the display count up to forty-nine, took a deep breath, and stepped out of the elevator.