TITLE: Should've Been Easier By Three

AUTHOR: Faith Alana Alastair

DISCLAIMER: : I'm not Mike Judge, who had the original idea, or Glenn Eichler, or Susie Lewis Lynn either. I don't own any of these characters, (except Scott, Natasha, Caine, Jason, Dayton and Maggie.)

FANDOM: Daria

PAIRING: Daria/Jane, Daria/Lindy, Jane/Lindy, Daria/Jane/Lindy. Also Natasha/Jason(oc's) and Andrea/Scott

RATING: NC-17/M/FRAO

SUMMARY/PROMPT: It's College, Now. Daria decides it's time to live a little, now that she's in college.

SPOILERS: Everything through "Is It College, Yet?"

AUTHOR'S NOTES: I'm not sure where this came from, but after a Daria marathon, I decided to challenge myself a la NaNoWriMo, and managed it. I actually wrote the 50k+ words in this in 12 days.

FEEDBACK: God, please. I love this fic so much, tell me what you think.

DISTRIBUTION: Want...Ask...Have

WORD COUNT: 51,158

"So I've almost got enough for a car," Quinn said, nibbling on a breadstick.

"That's great, Quinn. I'm proud of you." Lindy smiled, sipping her soda.

"Thanks. And Stacy's going out or whatever with this girl Melanie from Union High."

Daria looked up. "Really?"

Quinn nodded. "Mhm. Tiffany got bored, but Stacy liked it, which I already knew."

"Huh." Jane grabbed a breadstick and bit into it. "I never would have guessed."

"I know, right? But whatever. As long as I don't have to know, I don't care."

Lindy and Daria exchanged a look, then passed it to Jane. "What about Sandi?" Daria asked.

"She's been acting really weird since the Summer, she never wants to hang out anymore."

"I'm sorry," Lindy said.

Quinn shrugged. "I've even gone to her house, but her mom always tells me she's not home."

"Maybe she's going through something. Does she hang out with the other girls?" Jane sipped her soda and leaned back as the waiter put her plate down. "Thank you."

"She's been hanging out with Stacy a lot. But Stacy hangs out with me, too, so I don't get it."

"Maybe she and Stacy found something new in common." Daria picked up her fork.

"Like what?" Quinn picked up her own, stabbing a piece of lasagna.

"Well, does Sandi ever hang out with Stacy and Melanie?" Lindy shook some cheese onto her pasta.

Quinn nodded. "Sometimes… hey, do you think Sandi could... you know…"

"Like girls? Maybe." Jane speared a ravioli. "Maybe she's afraid you'd judge her."

"But I hang out with Stacy… and you guys."

"What if it was you that she liked? Would you still be okay with it?" Lindy chewed thoughtfully.

Quinn's eyes went wide. "Oh my god, do you think so? I mean, it would make so much sense…"

"You didn't answer Lindy's question," Daria pointed out. "I'm curious, myself."

"I'm not like that," Quinn said slowly. "But if she could accept that, I wouldn't care."

Lindy smiled. "Then why don't you see if Stacy could explain that to her."

Quinn nodded. "That's a great idea."

Daria smiled at her sister, sipping her soda. Quinn caught her eye and smiled back. "I think Sandi's got a good friend, even if she doesn't know it. I hope it works out."

"Thanks, Daria."