What if Daria and Quinn had started making up earlier than Season 5? (And, just for the heck of it, let's say the trips on 'Antisocial Climbers' and 'Psycho Therapy' happened before 'Speedtrapped' instead of after.)

Ω

Ceasefire

"That was kind of nice, what you said," Daria admitted as they walked back to the car from the Fremont VFW Hall. "That we make a good team."
"It was nice, wasn't it?" Quinn was never one to turn down a compliment. "I guess sometimes being timid is just as important as being confident!"
Her sister frowned. "I'm not timid. I just think about stuff before I do it."
"OH-kay, whatever."
"At least we worked together. Otherwise we would've been stuck out here all night."
Quinn nodded. "I know! And my emergency makeup supplies can only last for so long."
"You wouldn't believe how much trouble that gave Shackleton." Daria quipped.
"...The anarchic explorer guy?"
"Antarctic. Yes," Daria stopped with her hand on the door handle. "Wait. You know that?"
Her sister rolled her eyes. "Yeah, how he got lost and saved everyone and junk. It was on TV one night after Fashion Vision. Gawd, he must have been crazy to go down there in the first place. Weren't there any good sales in England?"
Daria looked thoughtful as they got into the car. "Well, I don't know about the last part. But he was a risk-taker. He wanted to see how far he could get. Without dying, I guess."
"Kind of like you and Jane on the mountain and stuff?"
"Sort of, except we didn't have a choice," Daria studied the dashboard, still memorizing where everything was. "Hand me the keys."

Her only reply was a sniff. Daria looked up. Quinn's eyes had a hurt, glassy look to them, and she was just kind of staring into space. "Um, Quinn?"
"I did," Quinn said.
"No, you didn't. The keys are still in your pocket."
Quinn shook her head irritably. "Not that. I mean I had a choice."
"About what?"
"On the mountain. I didn't have to bring all that stupid stuff with. Because of me...Joey, Jeffy and Jamie brought my things and left the food back at the bus," Quinn said dully. "We all could have starved because of me."
"Maybe. After they got done lynching you, that is."
"It's not funny, Daria! It's just like today, when I let Travis spend our bailout money on my new outfit! If we didn't fool those cowboys at the bar, Jane and Trent could still be stuck out here. I'm so stupid!"
Not long ago Daria would have enthusiastically agreed with this statement. But she wasn't so sure now, and Quinn's outburst seemed refreshingly devoid of ulterior motives. She just waited.
"I tried to tell Mom."
Daria looked up.
"About the mountain thing. In the car."
"I remember."
Quinn sniffed again. "She didn't listen at all."
Daria hesitated. "It wasn't what you were saying, Quinn. It was the way you were saying it. When you make everything about clothes, even when it really isn't, you-"
"How else was I going to say it?!" Quinn protested. " 'Sorry Mom, I almost killed everyone'? I can't say it that way, Daria! I'm not like you!" She clenched her fists in her lap. "You're not afraid like I am. Sometimes I think you like being miserable."
Pause. Daria shifted in her seat. "That's not true." When she got no reply, she continued. "What I mean is, I say things the way I do to get rid of people. Because sometimes I am afraid."
Quinn looked back at her, biting her lip.
"I mean, who are these people? How do I know they're not going to..." Daria trailed off. "Look, I can't do what you do, either. I can't be in the middle of a crowd all the time. But that doesn't mean I'm miserable. Or suicidal."
"I didn't say suicidal!"
Daria gave her a hard look. " 'Just throw me in front of a train, why don't you?' "
Quinn sighed. "Just write about me running into an eight-lane highway, why don't you?"
Silence. The sun was sinking lower.

"Fine. If you stop treating me like I'm miserable, I'll stop treating you like you're stupid."
"That sounds fair." Quinn replied, cautiously.
Daria was astonished at the answer, even though her expression revealed nothing. She struggled to think of what to say next.
"And...I'm sorry I almost let you fall down the front steps when you were little."
"I'm sorry I laughed when you fell at your dancing thing."
"Thank you," Daria said. She pursed her lips. "After 16 years of torturing each other, I feel like we should say more."
Quinn giggled. "Yeah. That was pretty sad."

Daria swallowed back a bitter taste in the back of her throat. Even though they weren't facing death, this was oddly similar to her conversation with Jane. It reminded her of one thing she wished she hadn't said.
"I'm sorry I say things about wishing you weren't born."
Quinn squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head. "I'm sorry I pretend you're not my sister."
They talked for a short while after that, but daylight was wasting and Mom and Dad would see the car missing when they got home. Finally Quinn handed over the keys. Their hands brushed together and stayed there, just for a moment.
It was the first time Daria had touched her in years, except to hit her.
She cleared her throat and ended the moment. "We should probably get home before we end up singing 'Feelings'."
"Eee-yewww!" Quinn reached for the radio. "Even this would be better."
With Conway Twitty pouring from the speakers, they started for home. Neither girl bothered to change the station.