In my youth, when I read Buffy fanfiction quite frequently (I was such a delinquent), I once read a fic which was a series of one-shots depicting Buffy and Spike getting together in every episode -- even the ones before he officially showed up. So, as I sat here this morning after staying up all night playing Civ 2, I recalled that fic, and decided that, since I've really begun writing Daria fic in earnest in the past year or two, why not take the basic idea and apply it to Daria?

So, without further adieu, I give you the first in (hopefully) a long series of Daria/Jane one-shots, one per episode.

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Daria and Jane were watching a segment about UFO conventions on Sick Sad World. As they watched, Daria reflected on how they had met -- being shoved into the same self-esteem class by the incompetent school psychologist. Jane had told her she had been through the ordeal six times, so maybe she could bust them out.

"You know all the answers to the questions on the release test, right?" Daria asked.

"I've got them in my notebook," Jane confirmed.

"Well, why don't we just take the test tomorrow and get out of the class once and for all?"

"How would I spend my afternoons?" Jane asked, eyeing Daria.

"UFO conventions," she answered, thinking that if she was going to be surrounded by idiots all the time, she'd at least be surrounded by interesting idiots.

"Now you're talking," Jane said turing back to the TV.

They watched the awkward-looking redhead continue to make a fool of himself some more. "What else would we do?" Jane asked. "There're only so many UFO conventions a year, you know."

Daria thought about it. "I don't know. I'm sure we can find ways to keep ourselves occupied."

Jane nodded, then smiled. "We could always make out."

Daria shot a surprised look at her. "What?" she asked.

Jane cracked a grin. "Just seeing if you were paying attention," she said. Her tone of voice belayed something else, though.

"Jane...are you gay?" Daria asked.

The question seemed to embarass Jane, as she looked down at her boots instead of at Daria. "Um...look, just forget it, okay? It was a dumb joke."

"Uh, Jane...it's okay if you're gay. Or bi. Or whatever the case may be. It doesn't bother me."

Jane looked up at her. "Really?" Daria nodded. Jane let out a sigh of relief. "I was afraid you would leave, like most of my other so-called friends did." Jane leaned back on the bed. "Do you know how I got into the self-esteem class the first time? I came out to Dr. Manson, and she put me in there." She snorted. "Woman couldn't analyze to save her life."

Daria lay back on the bed herself. "God, Jane, I'm sorry."

Jane shrugged. "Not your fault. And sorry if I, uh, made you uncomfortable with...that thing I said."

"Uh, well, uh..." Daria said intelligently. "You didn't really make me feel uncomfortable." She reached out and took Jane's hand in her own. Jane's eyes widened as she looked down at the two hands, then back to Daria's face.

"Amiga...?" Jane said questioningly.

"Dr. Manson put me in that class too, you know," Daria informed her, the sentence heavy with meaning.

Understanding lit upon Jane's face, who then smiled. "I...see," she said, her heart starting to pound.

"So, do you want to go to a UFO convention, or..." Daria was cut off by Jane's answer.