Epilog

"Thanks, Uncle Matt!" the little girl laughed as she was hoisted high on willing shoulders. "There's Daddy!"

Daria craned her neck and managed to catch a glimpse of her husband as he took the diploma in hand. I'm so proud of you, Trent. You've worked damn hard for this.

She and Trent had been together for over nine years now, and married for the last six, the summer after Daria had graduated from Raft. It had been slow going, with little Ani born a year later; the bright, beautiful little girl was quite the handful. She had inherited Daria's hair and eyes, and Trent's love of music, running nonstop and singing constantly.

"I wish Jake could have been here," Helen wept as she hugged Trent. "He would have been so proud of you." Ani threw her arms open, and Helen picked her granddaughter up. "Ooof! You're getting so big, Ani!"

"Are you sad, Gramma?" the little girl asked, noticing the tears in Helen's eyes. She very gently put her arms around her Grandmother's neck, and pressed her cheek against Helen's.

"No, Sweetie, Grandma's just happy for your daddy."

"Daddy did good," Ani grinned, bouncing happily. Helen had to laugh. Quinn used to do this.

"Where's Auntie Jane?" Ani looked around, trying to pick out her mom's old friend.

"There she is," smiled Trent, seeing his sister waving at them, camera in hand. "Your cousin Nicky is with her, Sparky."

"Nicky? Yuck, Daddy," Ani wrinkled her nose in a mock scowl. "An' don't call me Sparky! Gramma, you're wrinkling my dress!"

"That is so damn funny, sis," Quinn laughed, coming up behind Daria.

"Hey, Ani," smiled Saraswati, brushing her long, dark auburn hair out of her eyes. "How're they hangin, cuz?"

"How are what hanging?" Ani scowled, looking to her mother for an explanation. "Mommy, what's hanging? What's so funny?"

"Vernacular expression, sweetie. Referring to the dangly bits of the male anatomy. Sara's asking how you are." Daria tried hard to suppress her laugh.

"Well, Miss Rude Thingys, why didn't you just ask normal? I'm fine. How are you hanging?" Ani scowled. "Wait, we're girls. Or at least, I am, and you're just dressed funny."

"Now I know Daria's your mom, Ani," laughed Helen, setting Ani on the ground so she could give both her granddaughters hugs.

"Hey, Big Bro," squealed Ani as Nicky walked up, laden with his mother's camera bag.

"Hey, Squirt," grinned the boy.

"I may be smaller than you but I can still kick your butt," Ani sniffed.

"Wanna bet?"

"Did the last time. Wanna try for two black eyes?"

"Hooligan."

"Artist."

"Ivory Tower Intellectual."

"Poser."

"….oh yeah?"

"YOU LOSE!" scoffed Ani, tossing her auburn hair with attitude.

"Huh?" scowled Nicky. "Says who?"

"You got stuck. 'Oh yeah' is an automatic fail. You brain farted, so you lose."

The three women stood close together, observing their offspring. "What the hell happened?" Daria smirked. "How come I wound up with a mini-Quinn?"

"Ani's a lot smarter than I am," smiled Quinn. "But my Sara is as cool and as smart as her favorite Aunt."

"My kid hasn't learned yet about tangling with Ani, so he might be an idiot," smiled Jane, "or maybe just pitifully optimistic."

"Nicky's really patient with the girls," Quinn smiled. "Like a lion with a couple of monkeys."

"I can't believe what a handful Ani is," chuckled Daria. "Hey, Mom," she called out, "Was I that much work for you?"

Helen smiled at the photos she had just taken on her phone and walked over. "In a way, Daria. Different, but yes, you were both a challenge. I'd not call it work, though, it's something else, and it's much more rewarding in the end than just work."


Haroun stepped up to Trent, putting his arm over his shoulder. "About time, slacker boy," he smiled. "Congratulations. Now what?"

"Tour starts in two weeks, and Daria's minding the kids for the west coast segment. The kids want to go to Disneyland, so it worked out great. We play two concerts, and the management comps the admission packages for the whole family and touring crew."

"Like you can't afford to pay full VIP price for twenty people. I guess the kids will be thrilled to see you on a Disneyland stage with giant mice."

Trent smiled. "That's what Daria said. Playing the Budokan in Tokyo meant nothing to them."

"What about her work?"

"Encrypted satellite link in the tour bus. She's mostly writing speeches these days for income, and she's finishing up her third novel."

"You, my friend, are insane. Our three kids, Daria, Jane and just one nanny on a tour bus?" Haroun laughed and shook his head. "Quinn and I will think of you while we relax on the beaches of Goa."

"Looking forward to the peace and quiet, Matt?" Trent smiled as he autographed programs for a cluster of teenage girls. Noticing a group of older girls clutching copies of Daria's latest book, he smiled and pointed her out for them.

"Got that big installation at the convention center, so it'll be a crunch. Jane's been great about the cashflow issues with being married to a working sculptor."

"Remember, if you need help leveling your cashflow out, let us know," Trent said firmly. "Did that foundation grant come through?"

"Thank God, yeah. And Jane starts her teaching gig in the fall at BFAC, so things will smooth out. Nicky starts school then too, at the Montessori right around the block. I'll miss my shoprat. Kid's got a natural design sense, just like his mom."

"Good, that must be the same school Daria picked out for Ani. It'll be easier for both of them to start together."

"She'll have at least one boy to boss around," smiled Matt.

"One's enough," Trent laughed, looking at his wife and daughter. They both looked back at him with those curious little smiles, and the same twinkle in the eyes.


A/N: okay, this is the last of this project. For those of you that are kinda confused about some of the characters, I borrowed my own from Roomies- Ziggy and Matt in particular. I like Matt as a match for Jane. Remember, the arc of this story is based on different factors- it's a totally different Daria-and-Trent scenario.

If anything I'm thinking about going into the Quinn and Haroun story...