A/N: I want to send a shout-out to Sparxx27, who is credited for inspiring me and breaking my rather major writer's block. The jump is being written now and should be up soon. Thanks to everyone else who posted reviews and I'm sorry for the delay, but life (and writer's block) got in the way. Hope you like this.

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"This mountain air has revivified me!" Finn let out a maniacal chuckle and bolted into the woods the second the car came to a stop at the campsite, not even bothering to turn the engine off.

"Make sure he doesn't run off a cliff," Logan ordered, all three of them knowing that was a more than likely possibility with Finn, even sober.

"Cat, it's your turn," Colin quickly spoke up when Catherine turned in his direction.

"Uh! Finn, you slow down!" Catherine yelled, grabbing a lantern and chasing after him. She caught up in the middle of the camp, Finn having been waylaid by Debra Fitzgerald, a bleached tart that Catherine had had a few run ins with when they'd gone to prep school together. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up when Debra pressed herself against Finn's chest, clinging to his arm and batting her eyes.

"Oh Finny, I'm so glad you're here. I've been so bored," Debra's high, squeaky voice grated on Catherine's nerves and she stepped forward, sliding her hand into Finn's, lacing their fingers and flashing a phony smile at Debra.

"Debbie darling, how are you?" Catherine cooed, feeling Finn's amused gaze boring into the top of her head.

"A lot better than you from what I've heard. You must be feeling so lonesome. I heard that Daniel kicked you to the curb, and with the whole baby thing you must be so desperate for respectable friends. I'd invite you to join Finny and I, but three's a crowd, you know?" Debra sneered, Catherine flinching at the painful memory flung back in her face. Finn, having been content to just watch the two of them bickering over him, frowned at the way Catherine reacted and narrowed his eyes at Debra.

"I quite agree Debra, and since my better half has tracked me down I'm afraid you'll have to find yourself another unsuspecting male to waylay," Finn easily pulled free of Debra's grip, wrapping his arm around Catherine and pulling her tight against him, feeling her shiver slightly and snuggle closer, her cheek resting on his chest, arms sliding around his waist.

"Whatever," Debra scoffed, flipping her hair and turning to go. "Slut," she tossed over her shoulder disdainfully. Catherine went taut and Finn tightened his grip, one hand reaching down to cup her cheek, tilting her head up to meet his gaze.

"Relax Kitten, she's not worth it. You're ten times the woman she'll ever be."

"Daniel sure didn't think so," Catherine muttered, the old wound opening up and pain slicing through her.

"Daniel Todd is a moron," Finn snorted. "Any real man would know what a prize you and Morgan are and never let you out of his arms, trust me."

"So what does that make you?" Catherine whispered, pulling back abruptly and walking quickly away, Finn staring after her in confusion. Someone passing him with a glass of champagne distracted him and he grabbed the drink from them, downing it in a single gulp as he went in search of his tent, deciding that women were all insane and not worth the headache trying to figure them out caused.

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"Hey Doc, how goes it without Flik?" Catherine walked over to the lonely looking brunette with a bright smile, eyes sparkling from the four glasses of champagne she'd already drank, her fifth in her hand, half gone.

"Well at least you didn't pick up on the stupid E thing your moron cousin is doing, did you know they've got Edward doing it? At least last time they did it with John, how are they supposed to say Edward's name without using the letter E?" Rachel groaned, rolling her eyes as she threw back the rest of her glass

"Colin never was very bright, look how long it took him to finally own up to his feelings for Asia? My glass is empty, I say we make for the food table and more champagne, how's that sound? We can drown our sorrows," Catherine looped an arm around Rachel's waist.

"Okay, I know why I'm depressed, with Tristan at the base, but why are you well on the way to being plastered?" Rachel asked.

"Daniel Todd's whore is here, and made a play for Finn. Who, by the way, thinks I'm a real prize and any man would know that and never let me out of his arms," Catherine's voice grew high-pitched and cracked as tears sprang to her eyes.

"Champagne isn't gonna work. Seth! We need whiskey!" Rachel bellowed, several eyes turning to stare at the obviously tipsy pair.

"What's wrong?" Seth asked, even as he handed them shot glasses and a bottle of Jameson's, not wanting to refuse either one as he valued his life.

"Men suck!" Catherine declared vehemently.

"Aye! Well, Tristan doesn't suck, he's just gone," Rachel corrected as they clinked shot glasses and tossed them back. Seth watched them for a minute then decided he'd better go warn some people of the uncharacteristic drinking.

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"Colin! Is anything bugging Cat? Or Doc?" Seth asked, choosing his words carefully, already having been warned of the E banishment. When Colin just shrugged, Seth pointed back at the food tables where Catherine and Rachel were giggling and just drinking directly out of the bottle now.

"I think my cousin is unhappy, and drunk," Colin blinked in surprise.

"Shall I inform Asia and Logan of our discovery?" Tim asked, knowing how rare it was for Catherine to get drunk unless she was really upset and that Logan would want to know if Rachel was upset.

"Probably," Colin nodded, still watching Catherine, worried. Tim slipped away just as Rory came up to them. Tim listened to their scathing cuts with amusement before heading over to Logan where he was holding court with several sorority types.

"Logan! Cat's drunk! Doc too," Tim got straight to the point, Logan looking shocked at his straightforwardness.

"Already? That's odd, what's wrong?"

"I don't know. Didn't say, but it was particularly obvious that a lot of alcohol was drank quickly. And consumption is ongoing."

"You're doing the E thing again, aren't you?" Logan sighed.

"I am," Tim nodded. "I shall abscond from your company now and allow you to consult with your tipsy compatriots," he nodded briefly at the girls and turned.

"Wait, you might as well keep the girls company while I find them and fix whatever the problem is. Ladies," Logan began striding through the crowd towards the food area, following the sound of Rachel's giggling.

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"That didn't take long," Catherine muttered, seeing Tim descend upon Logan with detached interest. "Shouldn't be long before he finds and scolds us," she warned Rachel who just hiccupped, having a lower alcohol tolerance.

"Hi Cat, Rachel," Rory appeared and smiled at them.

"Yes! You're using 'E's!" Catherine blurted out the first thing that came to her mind, inwardly wincing at how stupid and drunk it sounded.

"Yes," Rory laughed.

"Me too. Whiskey?" Rachel held up the bottle, Rory shaking her head.

"No thank you."

"We're not supposed to talk to you," Catherine informed her. "Part of the test."

"And you'll obey the rules, cause you're a good girl. I know you are, right Mary?" Rachel burst into giggles.

"Crap, Logan, oh thank God for Robert! There's something I never thought I'd say," Catherine half ducked behind Rory, hoping to avoid being seen and glad that Robert had way-laid Logan before he reached them.

"Why are you hiding from Logan?" Rory asked, Rachel going wide-eyed and rather awkwardly attempting to hide the whiskey.

"Cause he'll pester us for drinking," Catherine muttered.

"Do you want him?" Rachel abruptly asked, Rory choking.

"What? No!"

"There's a line to get to him," she informed her. "I have to throw up now," Rachel staggered off, Catherine breathing a sigh of relief when Logan went after her instead of coming this way.

"I have to kill myself," she smiled at Rory and walked away, grabbing the whiskey bottle from the table, Rory watching after her, bemused.