I'm so sorry it's taken so long to update. The next chapters should come quicker. I'm really trying to finish before the premiere. This chapter and chapter seven were originally one chapter, but it felt too drawn out, so I turned them into two. The fic will now be 9 chapters.

Symbol key: "These" = people talking. ~This~ = an inaudible thought. ***These*** = new scene location or my description of a setting. *This* = something emphatically or expressively stated.

Enjoy. And please review. Thanx!

************************************************************************

"We've been canceled."

***She looks at him for a very long moment.***

"So, about those references... You haven't gotten back to me on those."

***He ignores her.*** "They want us to stick around until the end of the summer."

"So, we're not canceled?"

"We are. They just need time to find something to replace us with."

"Jake, I'm sorry."

***He looks at her as if to say, "Sure, you are."***

"Well, 'cause I know you put a lot of work into everything."

"Yeah. Weren't you going home?"

"I was."

***He nods. She looks at him.***

"This hasn't been an easy week for you, right?"

***He takes his time in answering.***

"No."

"Well, then you wanna go get drunk?"

"That never really helps, Penn."

"Always works for me."

"No. I'm fine."

"Dude, you lost your girlfriend and your job in the same week. It's okay to- -"

"Yeah, but I asked for it all."

"Jake! I'm trying to ask you if you want to be alone or not."

"Oh. Was I supposed to catch that?"

"Yes."

"Oh."

***She keeps here gaze on him.*** ~Well?~

"No, I don't... I really don't."

"Okay, so let's--"

"But I should be."

***She looks at him strangely now.***

"Why?"

"I don't want to do something I'd regret."

"What, you mean like sleep with me and have to tell Dylan about it? 'Cause I woudn't say a word if that helps at all."

***Maybe not the best time for her to be joking like that.***

"I tend to talk when I'm drunk and I don't want to-"

"As apposed to what you're doing now?"

"I don't want to do or say anything hurtful to you."

"Hurt me? How?"

"Goodnight, Penn."

"Okay... Goodnight."

***She begins to walk away.*** ***He stops her with his continuation of the conversation.***

"When you say drunk... how drunk do you mean?

"As much as you could handle.. So, basically a beer."

***He ignores her remark.***

"Right." ~I should go home.~

~He should go home.~ "Goodnight, Jake."

***He watches her walk away.***

***It's not like he didn't need the company tonight. And of all the people in the world, Penny seemed to be the only one he wanted company from. She just also happens to be the one person he probably shouldn't be alone with tonight. After all, he is still technically with Dylan.***

***The storming has stopped. It's still raining, just not nearly as hard. The lighting and thunder have disappeared. It's two in the morning, when Penny's awoken by a tapping on her door.***

"Jake?"

***He walks in.***

"You're wasted." ***She almost laughs.***

"Just a little."

***She just now closes the door.***

"You're a good friend, Penn."

"Thanks?"

"You are."

"Okay, thank you."

"You hate me, right?"

"No."

"Yes, you do."

"Jake... go home or something."

"Home is empty."

"That's a good thing. It's late."

"I didn't think you'd be home."

"It's 2 AM."

"You seem like someone who'd be out at 2 AM."

"I am. Just not tonight."

"Kind of kismet, don't you think?"

"No."

"You want me to go?"

"Yes."

"Then I'll go."

***He turns to the door.***

***He turns back.***

"Can I know one thing first?"

"Fine?"

"Are you really over me?"

***Her response doesn't come quickly. It barely comes at all. She doesn't speak it very loudly.***

"Yeah, Jake."

***He walks out.***

***About two weeks later. Frank walks into to Jake's office to ask him something, but quickly becomes distracted.***

"Ooh, what's that?"

"An invitation to the annual station party."

"I got mine week ago. That thing's a hoot. Last year they did go a little overboard with the ice sculptures, but all-in-all-"

"I didn't get an invitation last year."

"Oops."

"Did everyone go?"

"I wasn't supposed to say anything."

"Penny?!"

***She's just then getting in.***

"Yeah?"

"Did you go to the station party last year?"

"No."

***Frank chimes in.*** "Yes, you-"

***She shoots him a look.***

"Oh, no, that wasn't you."

***He walks away.***

***Jake follows him to find out more.***

"You gone every year?"

"Pretty much, yeah."

"Well, what's it like?"

"It's a party."

"So, it's fun and casual."

"No, it's fun and formal."

"Formal usually requires a date. I don't have a date."

"And you will need one."

"Dylan's out of town. I don't even know how to reach her."

"So, take Penny."

"No, I can't."

"It's a job-related schmoozing. A date *is* a must."

"She wouldn't go. It's not Penny's thing."

"She went *last* year. She looked hot."

"She--"

***Jake walks away.***

"Penny?"

"Jake?" ~What does the dork want now?~

"I know you went to the party last year."

"Okay."

***She keeps doing what she's doing, pretty much ignoring him.***

"Why would you even bother lying about something like that?"

"Why do you care?"

"Just wondering if you were planning to go this year."

"Why not just ask me that?"

***He looks at her.***

"I don't know. Are you?"

"Planning on going? No."

"Why?"

"Because it's boring."

"But you went last year."

"This is exactly why I didn't want you to know."

"So, I wouldn't ask you to go with me?"

"You didn't ask me."

"Penny, will you go with me?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"I'll beg."

"Please don't."

"Please go."

"Why, Jake?'

"Because you're pretty?"

"Jake."

"I need a date. I run this show. If I go to this party maybe I can get them to change their minds about us. If I go dateless, they won't listen to me. It's how the system works."

"Like you know the system?"

"Will you go?"

"Fine."

"Really?"

"I could take it back."

"No! Great. It's a date."

"It's a party."

"Right. Thank you."

"Yeah, well... whatever."

***She walks away.***

************************************************************************

Um, yeah, I was planning on doing something with that "getting drunk" dialogue and "Jake going over to Penny's house" thing, but it was getting too long and twisty. So, I had to edit it out. I know it kinda made you lose some payoff or whatever, but I had to do it. Maybe in another fic. Hmm? Gives me an idea. So, anyway, read the next chapter for more.