Whew... I hate this forgetting to update thing I have going. My apologies, dear readers, and I beg your pardon. Damn summer classes for college, trying to get the GPA up. One good thing to report, I have written the end of this story. I am hoping that the end being done will motivate me to finish writeing the middle... As well as having a good friend from the Daria fandom community cracking his whip at me. And not the good whip either. ;) And with that, my lovelies, I will shut up.

Daria and Jane sat on the stairs of the frat house that was hosting the party, each with their respective drinks; Daria with a Coke, and Jane with a beer from one of the multiple kegs. From the stairs they could see Mystik Spiral playing on a cleared spot in the living room. Jane took another sip and asked, "Is it the beer, or are they really getting better?"

Daria shrugged. Mystik Spiral didn't sound much different to her now than they had the last time she had gone to one of their gigs. But the people here seemed to be enjoying the music, although, as Jane had mentioned, the vast amount of beer available could have contributed to that.

When the band was nearing the end of their first set - with a rousing rendition of "Ow, My Face" - and Jane stood up. "Hope you don't mind, amiga. I got to make sure the Sorority Party stays off of Jesse."

"Don't smear your lipstick," Daria replied blandly.

"I brought extra," Jane smirked and headed toward the spot where the band was playing in the living room of the frat house as Trent announced that they were going to take a short break. Music began playing from the stereo system as the crowds drifted away to the kegs. Daria drank the last of her Coke and was considering getting up to get another when someone she didn't know sat next to her. He was the broad-shouldered athletic type, blonde, and very obviously drunk.

"Hey, cutie, what are you doing sittin' here all alone?" His voice was slurred and his breath reeked of alcohol. Daria wrinkled her nose in disgust.

"I was enjoying the solitude, but then you had to come along and ruin it," She spat, hoping he'd take the not so subtle hint and leave, but he was too drunk.

"It's a party, babe, no one should be alone," He said, grinning stupidly, and leaning toward her slightly. "I could always keep you company."

"Don't bother," Daria started to stand up, then realized that because of the way he was leaning at her there was no way to get up without falling into him, Afraid he might take such action as an advance on her part – which was the last thing she wanted – her mind cast around for the best alternative, but it seemed the only choice involved trying to punch at him, and he was a lot bigger than her.

"Hey, Daria."

Daria looked up, giving a relieved sigh, happier to see Trent than she had ever been in her life. "Hey, Trent." The guy sat back and looked up at Trent with obvious annoyance, but both Daria and Trent ignored him.

"Could I ask you something real quick? Outside…" Trent added, holding out his hand to help her up.

"Yeah," Daria, said, taking his hand and letting him pull her off the stairs.

Her admirer made one last effort, saying "You should come back when you're done talking, sweetheart."

"Not on your life," Daria muttered under her breath, as she and Trent walked though the front door.

"Well you looked like you are having fun in there." Trent commented, leading her over to a porch swing so they both could sit.

"I've had more fun getting a root canal," Daria snapped, and Trent smiled. "But thanks for helping me out," Daria added. "I was about two seconds from punching him, or passing out from his breath, it was a hard call."

"Well I can hardly blame him from coming on to you. You look really good tonight, Daria."

Daria scowled. "Have you been drinking too?"

"No," Trent chuckled then added, "And there's nothing wrong with taking a compliment, you know."

Daria blushed and didn't say anything. It was a nice night and people were milling outside, talking and laughing. Daria and Trent sat in silence for a few minutes, Trent absentmindedly pushing the swing with his feet.

"So how are we doing in there?" Trent asked after a few moments, looking over at her.

'You could go into the business of raising the dead.' "Pretty good."

It was then that Jane stuck her head out of the fount door and spotted Trent.

"Yo, they're looking for you. Some asshole spilt a beer on your amp."

"Shit," Trent groaned, standing up

As soon as they got back to the Daria's room, the well inebriated Jesse passed out across Laura's bed, snoring softly. Jane wasn't exactly sober, but she was still in control enough to change into her pajamas.

"Sorry bro, looks like you get the floor tonight," She yawned. After shifting Jesse toward the wall and climbing under the blankets, she promptly joined him in filling the room with soft snores.

Daria and Trent had both gotten ready for bed; Daria donning a t-shirt and the shorts she normally slept in, Trent in a sleeveless shirt and pair of gray pajama pants.

"I sense that's not the first time she's done that." Daria commented about Jane's deftness at the task of maneuvering Jesse in his sleep.

Trent nodded, "Janey's always helped us both find beds the times we'd show up at the house hammered. And that was long before they even considered dating." He chuckled a little. But then he scowled a little. "It still kinda bothers me to see her drunk though."

"Why? I mean, you do it, why shouldn't she?" Daria asked, genuinely curious as to what his logic for the situation was.

Trent shrugged," She's my little sister, and I gotta watch out for her." He replied matter-of-factly.

"Ah." Daria decided to let the matter drop from there. She knew they were incredibly close for a brother and sister. Jane had informed Daria that Jesse had even received a warning about what was in store for him if Jane got hurt when they had begun seriously dating. There were even times when Daria was jealous of their relationship. She knew that it wasn't bloody likely that she and Quinn would ever share such a bond. 'Oh well…'

Daria sat down on her bed, leaning up against her pillows and pointed her feet toward the TV at the foot of her bed. "So… are you tired?" She asked Trent.

"Not really," He replied, standing his guitar up in the corner when it wouldn't fall over. "You?"

"Not really," She echoed, picking up the remote form the floor next to her bed. "There's a two day Sick Sad World marathon. Feel like watching as much as we can handle?"

"Eh, why not?" And he crossed the room and sat down on the bed, to Daria's surprise, as she had been going to suggest her use her computer chair. She slid over as much as she could but the bed was small and their shoulders were pressed together. Trent didn't seem to notice, or mind, but Daria was tense. She really hated herself for getting so flustered when he was close to her. Sitting on a bed. 'Right next to me. Stop, Morgendorffer, no more thinking for you tonight.'

"Remember when that pizza delivery kid was on this show with the picture of you and Janey as the 'alien love goddess's'?" Trent asked, a smirk playing on his mouth.

"Shut up," Daria retorted, but with a good natured tone in her voice. Trent laughed/coughed as she un-muted the TV.

"Marijuana Monopoly, tonight on Sick Sad World!"


AN: yes this is based off of truth

Marijuana Board Game Weeded From Toy Fair

CALGARY, Alberta - A Monopoly-style board game in which players run an imperiled marijuana growing operation has been uprooted from the New York Toy Fair, the Calgary Sun reports.

The Grow-Op Game, manufactured by Bored Games Corp. of Vancouver, British Columbia, was pulled because Toy Industry Association officials decided it violates the values the group seeks to portray and its mandate to support positive development of children.

"It really did surprise me," Bored Games spokesman Ivan Solomon said. "There's a lot of other games out there touting everything from guns to war and violence. We see this game as a sort of education: If you're thinking about starting a grow operation, it's not going to be easy."

While trying to grow B.C. Bud, a potent form of marijuana cultivated mainly indoors in British Columbia, players may be ratted out by neighbors, electricity cut off and the harvest endangered by flood, fire, fungus, bugs and ceiling collapse, not to mention police raids.

Grow-Op, the brainchild of a young, 20-something reformed grower known only as Rabbit to conceal his identity, began selling online and at a small number of stores in Canada late last year.

He came up with the idea of demonstrating the pitfalls of the business while serving time in jail, Solomon said.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police have not been amused. Cpl. Scott Rintoul of the Mounties' Drug Awareness Squad, has said Grow-Op fails to show the potential damage to organized crime victims.

"It's not a game," Rintoul said.