"When did Trent start working at a supermarket?" Daria asked Jane as they walked to class.

"Oh, yeah I remember him mentioning something about that." Jane spoke thoughtfully. "He's been busy lately."

"Mmmm…. did something happen?"

Jane shrugged.

"Well what about Mystic Spiral?"

Jane looked at her friend in surprise.

"I didn't know that it was such a major source of concern for you."

"I was just curious."

"Really kitten?" Jane teased.

"Never mind," Daria mumbled, and all talk of Trent was suspended as they entered the classroom.

"What time should we grace the house of Morgendorffer?" Jane asked as they walked to her house after school.

"Six-thirty?"

"Sounds like a plan to me."

She watched Jane head to her door and continued towards her house. The short walk there gave her time to think. Her father had invited Jane and Trent to dinner… she knew that her father had taken an automatic liking to Trent when he met him, and she was glad for that. Ole Jakey was probably tired of the demanding females in his life too; so, seeing Trent was something of a life raft for him. This brought her back to Trent and the recent changes in his life. She wondered what other changes he had made. She entered her home and shut the door.

"Honey how was your day?" Jake's cheerful demeanor greeted her.

"Well, the cops didn't 'get' me yet so…"

"Great honey- You and your sense of humor," Jake shook his head with a smile.

Daria went upstairs to look over her work before dinner.

Dinner

At the head of the table sat Jake, Helen sat at the other end, down one side sat: Jane, Trent, and Quinn and on the other side sat: Tom, Daria, and Stacey.

I thought the most that I would get out of tonight was some free food and laughs from my friend, but this set up is too delicious. Look at Daria, she looks so uncomfortable…well I'm here to bail her out if things go south. Until then I am definitely going to enjoy this spectacle. The Morgendorffer's are so entertaining…

"How's school going for you Jane?" Helen's voice intoned.

"We haven't declared a mutiny or anything." Jane replied with a smile.

"Well not yet." Daria interjected.

"So, Trent I hear that you're working at the local mart. Does that mean you've stopped with your band?" Helen redirected.

"Mo- om, Stacey and I have come up with an entirely new and more efficient plan for our nail color coordination." Quinn's voice broke through.

"I'm sure it's wonderful Quinn."

Quinn seized this opportunity to launch into how they had carefully done the color charts according to each of the fashion club's pallets. To be fair, it was a rather impressive presentation- for anyone that may have been interested in that sort of thing, but this crowd wasn't exactly clamoring to hear which colors suited whom.

"Given up on Mystic Spiral, eh Trent?" Tom asked.

All eyes went back to Trent.

"No, I'm just doing some stuff in between."

"Good for you Trent," Helen spoke, "it's good to have a backup."

"Well don't forget why you're doing what you're doing," Jake added. "Music is your passion. You don't want to lose that."

"I meant," Helen spoke again, "that there's something to be said to having some form of security just in case."

"I think being a musician is really cool." Stacey added with a giggle, "you get to travel and hang out whenever you like."

"Yeah but sharing space with three other people- eeww!" Quinn interjected. "And don't get me started on the sleep schedule and smokey clubs. Just think of what that would do to my pores and my hair."

Stacey frowned.

"Oh my…"

"Well you certainly paint a gruesome picture." Helen gently admonished. "When it is something that you love doing…it's not a hardship. It's part of living your dream."

"Is that how you felt about being a lawyer?" Tom inquired.

"Actually, I was going to be the number one all-natural female baker of my time."

"What happened?" Jane voiced her curiosity.

She looked at Jake wistfully. He did the same.

"My dreams changed, and I found something that I loved more."

Well this is sufficiently embarrassing.

"So Mystic Spiral is still together," Daria voiced. "Anything new on the horizon?"

"We're competing in the Battle of the bands."

"That's in two weeks," Jane said more than a little surprised and annoyed that he hadn't mentioned it to her.

"Yeah, I know…it's not like you have to be there or anything…" Trent continued looking at his plate as he spoke.

But we're always at the major stuff…and some not so major ones, but always the major ones.

Shit I didn't mean to hurt her feelings…

"I figured you guys had a lot going on with school and getting ready for college. I didn't want to distract you…"

"That's so considerate of you Trent." Helen was touched by his concern for his sister.

So, this was about Daria…Brother, you and I must talk!

"Tom, I hear you will be attending Bromwell." Jake addressed the young man sitting next to his daughter.

"Yes sir."

"And you'll be groomed for the family business?"

Jake talked while continuing to cut his meat. Tom seemed to be taking everything in stride.

"That's the plan."

"Is that something that you want?"

Tom was taken aback. He should have expected this.

"My pare- we've been planning this my whole life."

Jake gave a thoughtful smile to the young man. If Tom hadn't been dating his daughter, he would probably feel sorry for the guy, but Tom had always seemed a little too slick.

"As long as it's something that you want."

"Oh, there'll be plenty of security in that," Quinn chimed in. "You'll already have an 'in' at work. Then, once you take over in a matter of years it'll be smooth sailing. I give it a 10-year span and that's being generous. The vacations- paid vacations will make up for the lost hours at work." Quinn seemed to be visualizing everything as she got wrapped up in her own fantasy about sliding up the business ladder.

"Good to see you have everything mapped out there," Jane commented as she ate.

"Well I think that Daria should understand what she's getting into," Quinn said thoughtfully, "you know, if they're still together then." She ate some of her salad blissfully unaware of all the eyes that had snapped her way with the last off handed comment.

"Quinn, that wasn't a nice thing to say." Helen admonished her daughter.

Quinn looked up at everyone slightly confused at first, but immediately understood. When she spoke, she directed it towards Daria.

"I didn't mean it like that. I only meant that with you each going to different schools you might 'both' decide that a long-distance relationship isn't for you guys." She had worded it as tactfully as she could. Daria seemed satisfied and resumed her silent eating of her food.

"Well, I'm not going to settle down anytime soon," Stacey chimed in, "college is to get to know people so that's what I'm going to do."

"What about school work?" Helen was amused by Stacey very firm stance.

"Of course I'm going to do that, but I love fashion so getting my degree should be a piece of cake."

"Um- you know there's more to it than pointing out what you like the most right?" Jane added.

"Of course, but I'll have a tutor or something." Stacey responded as though it were obvious how to go about doing things.

"You might want to look into the requirements for your particular field of study." Jane looked at Stacey. "You might want to do it really soon- just to be safe."

Stacey looked at the short haired girl perplexed. Surely, she wasn't suggesting that Stacey didn't have what it takes.

My popularity is at it's peak and my instincts have been spot on despite what Sandy says.

"This dinner is really good Mrs. Morgendorffer," Tom offered and felt Daria nudge his leg.

That's right, she said that her dad does most of the cooking since he scaled back on his work.

"Actually, my Jakey did the cooking tonight. I ran late with a client."

"Oh- yeah- sorry. It's really good Mr.-"

"Men cook meals too." Jake spoke in a pleasant enough tone, but as he cut and bit into his meat there was definitely more there. "I'm sure that you don't have to worry about that- and that's fine, but everyone should have the ability to take care of themselves in case something happens."

Tom laughed nervously.

"I have been known to make a sandwich if need be."

"Mmm….."

"I can also heat up soup and open the can to do it." Tom seemed satisfied that his humor had 'finally' won over the older gentleman.

"That's…nice," Jake turned toward Trent, "how'd that Bolognese turn out that we were discussing that time."

Trent looked up knowing that he wanted no parts of this, but also realizing that he didn't have much of a choice.

"I was fine." Trent answered succinctly.

"Fine," Jane interjected, "it was more than fine. I thought the guys were gonna fight to lick the pan. It was delicious." The last she spoke towards Jake.

"See, I can appreciate people- not just women- that take the time to learn how to do things themselves. I-"

"Dad…" Daria looked at her father. Her father looked at her. Jake gave a wink and a slight nod.

"Sorry, I guess I get a bit carried away on the discussion of food."

The rest of the meal was carried primarily with Quinn and Stacey holding the conversation.