"Ay yo, really hot boyfriend check—" Phoebe giggled as she danced up toward Danny.

Danny smiled, something he hadn't done a lot of tonight.

"Dance with me, Captain." She reached out and pulled on his arm.

Danny obliged and pulled Phoebe close for the slow song.

"I'm sorry about the limo." Phoebe said as she squeezed him tight.

"An apology is nice, but I'm not the one you should be giving it to."

"I'll apologize to Regina, okay?" Phoebe sighed.

"Do whatever you want, I don't care." Danny said as he watched Lacey laugh and dance with Cole.

"Talk to me."

"I've got nothing to say, Phoebs."

"Nothing? I've seen you connect with Lacey deeper than I've ever seen before….and then I've watched her connect with everyone else but you."

"She's popular, its not all about me." Danny shrugged.

Phoebe squeezed him harder, "I've also seen Regina dressed to kill and watched as she snubbed your dance."

"Why are you so obsessed with me?!" Danny joked before the smile fell from his face, "I dunno, maybe I'm losing my touch." Danny shrugged.

Phoebe slid her hands around and grabbed his ass, "I highly doubt that."

"Easy, killer."

"What are your plans tonight?" She spun around and moved Danny's hands to wrap around her waist as she danced her ass against his junk.

"I'm headed home." He said lightly, absolutely loving this attention, but not wanting to promise her anything else.

"Alone?"

Danny looked over at Lacey, laughing with her big, bright smile at something Cole said. He lost his rhythm. Phoebe craned her neck up and caught Danny's pain before he could force his face back to neutral. She turned again and pulled him in for a tight hug.

"Hey, I'm sorry, okay? Let's just dance."

Danny nodded and held her, thankful for her friendship right now.

"I have a secret." Phoebe said after a few moments.

"Oh yeah?"

"I'm done." She said out loud as if she were testing the words. It was the first time she had said them out loud to anyone.

Danny felt her breathing change. He pulled back to focus on her. He watched her face channel fury, pain and sadness. So much sadness.

"Soccer. Your knee?"

Phoebe nodded and smooshed her cheek against Danny's chest. He squeezed her tight. He knew how hard she had worked to get to where she was, she was devastated.

"I'm so sorry, Phoebe."

"This was my way out of Green Grove, Danny. This was my dream. I'm lost, I'm so lost."

"You're not that lost, you still command the attention of all the Desai cock." Danny tried to get her to smile.

Phoebe shook her head no, "Not anymore."

Danny stopped dancing, "Hey, I was joking." Phoebe didn't respond, "What happened?"

"It was just sex, but he made it clear that it's over now." She shrugged.

Danny didn't know how to react. He held her as they continued to dance slowly, both of them feeling lost and alone.

"No soccer, so no more scholarship, which means no Duke. I'm not enrolled anywhere, I—I can't even keep a fifty year old man interested—" He could feel her chest heave gently.

"Okay, c'mon." Danny snapped into captain mode and pulled Phoebe along the dance floor and directly toward Jo, "Masterson!" Danny shouted and signaled for her.

"'Sup?" Jo bounced over to them, oblivious to reality as usual.

"I need something other than booze." Danny asked casually.

Jo looked at Phoebe and then back at Danny, "I don't know what you're talking about—"

"Cut the bullshit, Jo."

"It's information not everyone should know—" Jo hushed out in a whisper to Danny alone.

"I need a little help here," Danny nodded to Phoebe having the start of a total panic attack, "Xannies. Please. Do it for me?" Danny's eyes twinkled, he knew what he was doing.

"I'll be right back." Jo reluctantly scooted away to fill Danny's order. He had never asked her for anything before, Danny knew she just wanted to please him and at this moment, he'd take it.

"I had the MRI Tuesday, got the results today. I need surgery and I won't play again." Phoebe's tears really started flowing just as Jo returned.

Jo handed Danny a cup, "She's like a hundred pounds, D. One is plenty, and no more alcohol." She warned.

"Thanks, Jo. Alright Phoebs, drink up." Phoebe took the cup and shot the pill back in one swallow before washing it down with the spiked punch, "Well shit. No more drinks, okay?" Danny warned.

"Says the guy who just gave me unknown drugs from god knows where." Phoebe smiled.

"Teenage sobriety has always been a pet cause of mine." Danny giggled as he pulled apart his green handkerchief from his tux for Phoebe to fix her face with.

"Thanks Danny, I'm a mess." She choked out as she wiped below her eyes.

"You're allowed to fall apart. You're also the captain of the goddamn soccer team, get your shit together!" Danny razzed her, trying to get her spirit back up.

Phoebe sniffled, "I have nothing left."

"That's not true. You're a brain, maybe you'll take fall semester off and enroll for spring. Also, you don't have to play soccer to still be a part of it. Think about other things you can do—you're the captain, maybe coaching?"

"Maybe—"

"I get it, everything you thought your life would be completely changed all at once. I know what that's like, but you can do this. Fall apart, take that time, that pain, and build something else. Something better."

"Fuck, you're good at this." Phoebe grinned.

Danny smiled back, "Well, I am also a captain so—"

"Thank you."

Danny hadn't heard Phoebe sound so grateful before. He just continued to hold her as his mind wandered to what she had said before.

"You're really not messing with—him anymore?" He asked lightly.

Phoebe just shook her head no.

"ALRIGHT GREEN GROVE HIGH!" The DJ shouted through the PA system, "It's that time, the votes have been counted, and we're ready to announce this year's Prom Royals. Gather 'round!" The DJ handed a mic to Principal Tang.

"Thank you. As you all know, a vote was collected to determine two individuals who represent what Green Grove High School's core principals are. We asked you to decide which two senior classmates demonstrate: integrity, respect for their community, a passion for excellence, perseverance and discipline. I have seen the results and agree whole heartedly that these two people have fulfilled those requirements and then some. Please join me in congratulating this year's Royal Court, Danny Desai and Phoebe Daly."

Their classmates erupted in applause as Danny and Phoebe headed toward Principal Tang to receive their green 'Royal Court' sashes and pose for pictures.

"Some timing—" Danny shook his head as everyone around them got back to dancing.

"You mean right in the middle of my mental breakdown? I guess that's the perseverance." Phoebe chuckled.

"Let's go sit." Danny guided an emotional Phoebe toward a more private seating area.

"I miss you." Phoebe said honestly. She had to lean in close so they could hear each other.

Danny was buzzed and absolutely missing her too. He licked his lips and tipped her chin up for a kiss. Phoebe sighed into his mouth, relieved and all in for a make out session with him.

Danny kissed Phoebe hungrily on the couch, hands going places they shouldn't while the prom chaperones and their teammates hovered everywhere. The lights were really low, making Danny feel incredibly uninhibited. They were both looking to quell their loneliness. Jo sat uncomfortably beside them, stewing in jealousy yet too desperate to move.

On the couch facing theirs sat Lacey, with Archie on one side of her, Cole on the other. Archie had gotten what he wanted, he was at prom and sitting with Lacey, but somehow Danny was the one still winning here. Cole kept his hand on his thigh, brushing it against Lacey's leg in an attempt to get her to feel the sparks that he felt between them.

Danny knew Lacey better than anyone. He knew she was sitting where she was so she could watch him. He snuck glances at her as he bit Phoebe's lip and squeezed her body. Lacey crossed her legs and smirked. She was turned on. Danny kept going.

Cole moved his hand onto Lacey's thigh and she moved it right back. Danny let out a grunt at that, chuckling to himself. He knew at that point that Cole was not a threat.

Jo licked her lips and tried not to stare. She wanted Danny so bad it was killing her. Tyler finally walked over and nudged Jo right against the writhing pair before realizing how involved they were. Jo's face turned bright red.

"Jesus, Danny, get a room." Tyler said as he plopped down and pulled Jo against him. At this point, it didn't matter how much Tyler sucked in bed, she was horny.

"Let's get out of here." Jo smiled.

"Yeah?" Tyler smiled back.

Jo nodded enthusiastically.

"Later." Tyler stood and yanked Jo off the couch.

"How's my date taste, Desai?" Archie sneered at him.

"Delicious." Danny said before licking flat across Phoebe's lips and dancing his tongue against hers.

Archie turned toward Lacey, "Can you believe these two?" He tried to find some sort of connection with her.

Lacey shrugged, "Whatever."

"Lace, he's consistently banging other chicks right in front of you—" Archie realized he was talking to himself, Lacey's eyes back on Danny and Phoebe as Danny's hand worked its way under Phoebe's dress.

"Wait, you're into this?" Archie was shocked and a lot jealous if he was being honest, "Slut." He said to her as he stood abruptly and walked away. He was drunk.

"Archie, man, that was bullshit!" Cole shouted after him, eyes darting to Danny to see if he had heard, he hadn't.

"Don't listen to him, he's trashed." Cole tried again with Lacey now that Archie was gone.

He leaned back and laid an arm around the back of the couch before wrapping it gently around Lacey's shoulder. Classic.

Lacey turned and looked at him, "Excuse you." He pulled his arm back, "Don't touch." She said as if scolding a toddler.

"That's twice, Farrell. Time to head out—" Danny paused to back Lacey up.

"I wasn't doing anything—" Cole said defensively.

"Bye now." Lacey waved and turned her attention back to Phoebe and Danny.

Cole stormed off. Danny winked at her and leaned to suck on Phoebe's neck, his hand now buried between Phoebe's thighs.

Regina had watched the exchanges from her spot against the wall, giggling to herself as she continued to drink the high octane punch. She was buzzing, warm and happy. Once Cole left she made her way over toward Lacey, two drinks in hand.

Lacey welcomed her and Regina sat neatly on the edge of the couch, "I brought you one." She handed the drink to Lacey and they sucked them down.

"Ladies." Danny nodded to Lacey and Regina as Phoebe pushed her crotch against his roving hand and whimpered quietly beside him.

"Fuck." Danny breathed out, he wanted to participate more. It was time to go.

Danny stood, his arousal obvious to everyone. He calmed himself down a bit and looked at his three friends.

"Let's go." He said generically to no one in particular.

One by one he helped them off the couch as he eyed the exit. Regina was reluctant so Danny laced his fingers with hers and tucked her arm under his as he escorted her personally.

"I'm not trying to hurt you." Danny said softly.

"I know." Regina knew they all just needed each other right now, she decided to set her feelings aside tonight and just be loved by the person she trusted most.

Their classmates all watched as a smiling Danny left with all three girls.