A.N.: Thanks for all the support, you guys rock! : ) I'm really glad you're enjoying the story. I hope you keep enjoying it! (You know the drill: I don't own any of these characters, yada yada yada...)

The music pulsed as Julie and Connie danced in the throng of people in the den. Julie could tell that Connie was more than tipsy by the way she had been walking around earlier, in that the walk had been more of a stumble. Unsure what to do, she'd stuck close and fended off as many guys as possible, but she was losing steam, and Connie was getting more and more drunk as the night progressed.

And the fact that Guy had never shown up was not helping matters.

"Where IS he?" Connie had snapped about three shots ago. "He told Goldberg he was coming, so where is he?" She snorted and moved away from the kitchen counter. "I'll bet he's out with that freshman cheerleader. The sonuva--"

Banks appeared out of nowhere to catch her as she fell. "You okay there, Connie?"

Giggling, Connie straightened out of his arms. "Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks, Banks."

"No problem. Watch that linoleum, it's slippery," he said, winking at Julie over Connie's head.

Connie continued to giggle as she walked off. Rolling her eyes at Banks, she stepped up next to him as Connie wobbled her way into the living room. "Thank you, Adam. I don't think I could have caught her that time."

"Don't worry about it, Julie. How bad is she?" They watched silently as Connie threw her arms around Charlie. "Pretty gone, huh?" Banks asked rhetorically.

"Yep." Sighing, Julie asked, "Do you know where Guy is? He's the only one who can ever stop her when she gets like this."

Banks winced. "He never showed. He said he didn't feel like partying tonight."

"Great, just great," she muttered. Forcing a smile that looked more like a cringe, she turned to go. "Thanks again, Adam."

"Jules!" She turned back to face him, glancing at Connie to make sure she hadn't moved. Nope, still draped over Charlie. "If you need any help getting her home, let me know."

Reaching out, Julie squeezed his arm, ignoring the fact that her throat closed at the contact. "Thanks." After smiling one last time, she went to pull Connie off an unhappy Linda's boyfriend.

Now she was stuck dancing to a song she hated, and watching Banks flirt with a girl from their calculus class in the living room. This is so not my day, Julie thought wearily.

Connie suddenly stumbled up against Julie and began pulling her over to the hallway where it was relatively quiet. Once there, she leaned on the wall and gave Julie a sloppy grin. "Havin' fun?"

"Oh yeah, this is great. I'm so glad I left my history paper for this." Julie swallowed as the girl leaned over to say something in Banks' ear. He smiled and Julie's heart sank a bit further. Turning her back to the room, she leaned on the wall next to Connie.

Connie either didn't notice her friend's sarcasm or just didn't care at this point. "I've decided something."

"What's that?" Julie asked automatically, not really paying attention.

"Since Guy isn't here to see me with other guys, he'll just have to hear about it. So, I need to do something that will get back to him, preferably by tomorrow."

Julie straightened from wall. "What?" she asked warily.

A devious look settled on Connie's features. "I'm going to hook up with another guy."

Eyes wide, Julie gasped. "Connie, that is NOT a good idea. That's not the way to get Guy's attention, he'll--"

"Screw him," Connie said happily. "Who wants him anyway? I could have almost any guy at this party if I tried hard enough."

Julie nodded slowly. "That's true, but you love Guy."

Shrugging, Connie pushed off from the wall. "So? This is the new millennium. This sort of thing happens all the time."

"So?" Julie echoed. "The point is that YOU don't do this sort of thing all the time."

Connie remained silent, staring into the living room. "Adam is really cute, you know that?" she asked vaguely, eyes settling on him a moment before moving on to the next boy.

"Yeah, he is," Julie said resignedly, for once not hiding the wistful note in her voice. Connie wouldn't even hear it in her condition and even if she did, she wouldn't register what it meant. Suddenly, a thought hit her: Adam had offered to help her get Connie home...

"Oh good, I thought you might be blind to it."

Julie turned back to her friend, shaking her head confusedly. "What?" Connie wasn't making any sense.

"I thought you didn't know that he--"

Just then Charlie stepped into the hall with Linda, holding their coats. "Hey, girls," he said, smiling. "You getting ready to leave, too?"

"Nope, the night is young, Captain!" Connie declared with a mock salute.

The smirk Charlie sent to Julie was clear: This is what you have to deal with? Haha.

"Shut up, Charlie," Julie muttered. If she could just get to Adam, he could help her get Connie out of there. She glanced back into the living room trying to spot him and the calculus girl. They were still near the far wall. Score, she thought desperately.

"Well, have fun, girls. See you at practice tomorrow." Charlie smirked again as he saw the desperate look on Julie's face. Linda waved as they walked out the door.

"Bye Charlie! Bye Linda!" Connie yelled as Julie pulled her into the living room. Practice was going to be hell tomorrow. The only satisfaction was that Connie was going to have it worse than she was.

Connie was easily led over to Banks and the girl, but as soon as Julie let her go, she began to wander off. Grabbing her shoulder, she turned to an amused Banks and a not so amused Calculus Girl.

"Hey Julie." He leaned over so that he was in front of Connie. "Hey Connie."

"Hey," Julie answered as Connie smiled happily and yelled, "Banks!"

"Do you guys know Samantha?" He smirked as Connie leaned against his shoulder.

Julie smiled politely at Calculus Girl. "Hi, you're in my calculus class, right?"

The girl nodded, eyeing Connie and Adam. "Adam, did you want something else to drink?"

"Naw, I'm good, thanks Sam." He held Connie's weight easily as Julie admired him from under her lashes. Definitely looking good tonight, she decided. He was sporting his usual polo shirt and varsity jacket, but he'd taken a page out of Charlie's book and worn jeans that were ripped at the knee. He looked casual and masculine and dreamy.

Dreamy? Julie thought dryly. Did I really just think that word?

Sam, realizing that she no longer had Adam's attention, wandered off to bide her time until he was free again.

"What can I do for you girls?" He tried not to laugh as Connie wrapped her arms around his waist.

"You smell good," she informed him seriously. "Julie, come smell Banks."

Julie tried to hide her laughter as Adam blushed furiously. "That's okay, Connie. I don't usually sniff guys at parties." The comment was lost on Connie who had already stopped paying attention and was once again surveying the room.

"I kinda need your help," Julie informed him, stepping closer. She didn't want Connie to hear the conversation if possible.

"Sure thing, Jules. What's the problem?" He leaned away from Connie as Julie beckoned him closer.

"I need your help getting her home."

A confused frown settled over his features. "I already said I'd help."

"I know, but...she's not going to want to go." Julie knew she was beginning to blush. "She wants to make Guy jealous, so she's planning on hooking up with a guy tonight."

Banks' eyebrows flew up and he glanced back at Connie who was still staring at the boys in the room. "Uh..."

Julie giggled. "I don't think she has any designs on you, Adam." Laughing at his relieved look, she touched his arm, lowering her voice further. "I just don't know how to get her out of here. She won't listen to me about it being a bad idea."

Adam nodded. "Yeah, that's Connie all right. Stubborn as an--"

"Did you say something, Banks?" Connie asked, turning back to him.

Banks just smiled and shook his head. "I was just telling Julie I thought I'd start heading home soon."

"Really?" Connie looked disappointed. "Charlie and Linda already left. The whole team'll be gone and then who's going to tell Guy?"

"Tell Guy what?" Adam asked innocently.

Sighing, Connie turned to Julie. "Nothing. We might as well go then."

Julie's heart sang with the news. "If you're sure." Connie nodded. "All right, then, let's walk with Banks to his place and I'll call a cab from there."

Julie rushed off to get their coats before Connie could change her mind, and came back to find Adam and Connie in the hallway laughing. "What's so funny?" she asked, handing Adam his coat.

"Nothing," he said, eyes dancing with laughter.

Narrowing her eyes suspiciously, Julie turned to Connie who was concentrating on trying to get her arms through the sleeves of her coat. Sighing, Julie helped her. Once she was done, Connie looped her arms through Adam's and Julie's, humming "We're Off to See the Wizard" as Adam opened the door.

A.N.: People have expressed concern over Connie and Guy. No worries, I wouldn't pair Connie up with anyone else. ; )