Title: The World through the Eyes of a Basket Case
Author: TWBasketcase
Chapter Summary: Chapter 39 (oh my!); Following the prom our brats unload at Stubby's.
Rating: T…may be pushing M, but do I really have to change anything? Do I?
A/N: Well here we are; part two of my climax (god that sounds so funny). Anywhoo, just wondering what the hell happened to this fandom in the past month or so…seems like there is only like four or five of us writers left…how sad, it was getting good too. Oh well, I'm sure once they show it on American TV again things will start popping up.
A/N 2: Argh…I am getting to the point where I am not motivated at all to write this story; Today was supposed to be my deadline to get it done but I just can't seem to do it. I am still going to finish it but for the time being I am sorry for the delay in updates. So I hope you guys can still follow me here…that is if you are still following me…and forgive me. I have a bunch of other plot bunnies in my head for more TBC I'm just getting bored with this one. Been writing it too long, eh? So anyways, just wanted to apologize to you all…I hope you like it, feel free to tell me what you think.

Chapter 39 – Party to End it All

What is that saying that goes? All good things must come to an end some time? I know it is something like that. Anyways, that is exactly the way I felt when the dance was over; kinda like something so big and magical…that had everything going right – for once – and it just had to end all too soon. I guess for the most part I had something good to remember but I will miss that feeling I felt all night…like I'm never going to experience something quite like that ever again.

But then again there is still the after party to attend.

Brian and Michelle approached Andy, John, Claire and I with bright smiles across their faces; I'll tell ya, Claire setting those two up is probably one of the better things that happened this past year. I can tell they make each other so damn happy and for that all I can do is respond with a smile of my own. Some people just get blessed with that perfect love that never seems to falter.

"So where to?" Michelle asked quietly.

Claire looked at Andy who in turn just gave her an amused shrug, "We can just go over to Stubby's."

Andy nodded at her and turned his focus back to Michelle, "It doesn't sound like a bad idea…everyone is probably going."

Bender snorted, "I just wanna go so I can get drunk as a skunk and fuck around the muscle head's house."

Andy rolled his eyes, "It's the last party of the school year I really don't think it matters to him who shows up so I say we just go."

Michelle nodded and grasped Brian's arm a little more firmly, "Alright, sounds like a plan to me."

Andy nodded and grabbed my hand as we began walking towards the exit of Shermer's gymnasium. I took a last look around the gym; the lights were turned back on and Carl and the other custodians had already begun to clean up. The mural on the wall continued to burn this enchanted memory into my mind with all the tall trees, small animals, and the purple and black sky that linked it all together. Punch bowls were now empty and there seemed to be quite a few people swaying and stumbling their way out of the gym…I wonder if John has any alcohol left in that flask of his! Ha!

I clasped Andy's hand tighter and walked through the heavily decorated doorway of the gym and sighed; I'll miss the fact that Shermer was beautiful for one night…even if it only was one night. I mean I still have one more year to go until I am finished and somehow I don't think I will be making it to my prom. It just won't be the same; and come next September the halls of Shermer High will be flooded once again with cliques, grudges, homework, and posters. Back to the chaotic institution that it always was; back to hating it, and back to daydreaming of finer days. It's kinda depressing come to think of it.

"You don't have a curfew tonight do ya dweeb?" Bender asked loudly, interrupting me of my thoughts.

Brian straightened out his shirt and smiled, "Well…I mean I'm supposed to be home at a decent hour and all; my mom doesn't want me wandering around the streets late at night because she has this whole theory that I'm just not cut out to be a Chicago boy…kinda like I'd be better off in a smaller city that isn't as heavily paced…and all…"

Bender frowned, "And the answer to my question is?"

"Oh," Brian smiled sheepishly, "I'm supposed to be home by 1:30."

"Aw," Andy groaned, "You aren't going home at 1:30 man! It's prom night!"

"Yeah Brian! You have to stay out with us!" Claire jumped in.

"Well um," Brian looked at Michelle for an answer and she just gave him a wicked grin, "I guess I could defy her just this once."

Bender rolled his eyes, "Well welcome to the real world brainiac."

Brian chuckled and held open the door for everyone as we filed out of the school; I hate to pressure him into staying out later but I kinda agree with everyone else…it just wouldn't be the same without all of us there. I mean I have said this before but this is something big for all of us and we can't have Brian's overbearing mother trample what should be an amazing night. But Brian himself didn't take much persuasion to give in because truthfully I think we are all thinking the same thing…different ways of course.

We stopped short once we reached the center of the parking lot and regarded each other; Andy cleared his throat, "I have my car here."

Michelle nodded, "Well we can follow you back to your place and then you can get a ride with us."

Andy nodded, "Okay but we'll go to Allison's instead…I can just leave my car there rather than dealing with the old man tonight."

Claire nodded and clapped her hands together, "Okay then we will meet you guys there."

I let out a sigh of relief, "Good and while I am there I am changing!"

"NO!" Claire and Michelle scolded.

I narrowed my eyes, "Well we will just see about that now won't we?" I laughed evilly and raced off towards Andy's car. I heard him mutter a good bye to the rest of the group and he jogged to catch up with me. He unlocked the doors and I settled myself in; taking off the stupid dress shoes in the process.

He let out a chuckle, "I don't care if you want to change."

I nodded triumphantly, "Good because I was going to do it anyways."

He smiled brightly, "I knew you would…but you do look great in that dress."

I frowned, "Well I don't feel good in it."

He frowned back and faced me, "Well why not? Are you upset?"

I snorted, "No I have a wedgie and the straps are digging into my shoulders…these things aren't very comfortable you know."

He let out a hearty, infectious laugh and peeled out of the parking lot, "Do you have to get me going?"

I shrugged, "Do you always have to naturally assume I am self conscious and depressed?"

He looked at me with an amused grin, "Okay, okay I am sorry."

I folded my arms over my stomach and looked the window at the passing street lights, "Besides, how can I feel self conscious and depressed after a night like this? I had a lot of fun."

He took a left hand turn and glanced in his rear view mirror, "I knew that you would."

I smiled and looked back into the streets and let out a sigh of relief when I saw that we beat the others to my complex. Andy parked right in front of the entrance and turned the car off, "Do you want me to come up with you?"

"Sure," and with that we exited the vehicle and made our way up the apartment stairwell as quickly as we could. I threw open the door and the whole place was dark. Pam and dad must have gone out or something; for a Saturday night there was no noise in the house from Jacob or Mark so they must have went out and done something as a (gag) family. I flipped on the lights and headed down the hallway towards my bedroom and flung open the door to a complete mess.

"Well this is nice," Andy said sarcastically.

I rolled my eyes, "It was probably those little shits messing around…it didn't look this way when I left here." I kicked a pile of clothes over with my foot and grumbled as I saw a bunch of my sketchbooks strewn across the floor. I grabbed my bag from the corner of my floor and set it on the bed in a heap; man those little dicks really did a number to my stuff!

"Yeah right," Andy teased, "You are just a messy person and don't wanna admit it."

I rolled my eyes, "Okay Andy…is your room any better?"

He smirked, "But I am a guy."

I cocked my eyebrow, "Are you sure? With a whine like that it sure makes me wonder…"

He gave me a mock glare, "I would gladly prove to you that I am a guy if you want."

I rolled my eyes and grabbed an over sized Depeche Mode T-shirt and threw it on over my dress, "No thank you." He grunted and watched as I deliberately changed my clothes so he was unable to see anything; I stuck out my tongue and heard a loud knock on the door. I shot Andy a smile and pulled some grey leggings up my legs and stalked out of my bedroom with my bag slung across my shoulder. I heard his heavy foot steps follow behind me and I paused slightly in the kitchen and reached under the sink grabbing two mostly full bottles. I turned to face Andy, who had taken off his jacket and tie and folded them carefully over the back of a kitchen chair.

"You ready to go?"

He nodded as he opened the top three buttons of his white dress shirt, "Yeah, ready when you are."

I smiled and flung the door open revealing two angry girls, "You are gonna wear that?" Claire shrieked.

I nodded and shut the door behind me as Andy exited, "Yeah."

She turned to Andy annoyed, "You let her walk out of there like that?"

Andy looked at me nonchalantly and shrugged, "I ain't gonna be the one to tell her what she can or cannot wear. I like my testicles where they are thank you."

"Besides," I called over my shoulder, "I don't think very many people are going to be getting wasted in their nice clothes anyways…have fun partying with those shoes on."

I almost heard Claire roll her eyes at me; she is probably just mad because I wrecked her make over…me on the other hand I find it rather humorous. I held the door open to the corridor as they filed out into the entrance of my building. My neighbors were giving us curious glances; with me being dressed down, Andy only wearing his dress pants and a rumpled white dress shirt and Claire and Michelle looking like they should be walking down the red carpet – I would probably stare too.

I staked out the limo as I stepped outside; it was a stretch and pearly white in color. The windows were tinted a jet black and the roof was lined with small orange lights. I've never been in a limo before.

I watched curiously as Claire flung the door open to witness a beat red Brian and an amused Bender; she put her hands on her hips, "What did you do to him?"

Bender shrugged as Brian ushered him to keep quiet, "Well princess since you and I have the presidential seats in the cherry club tonight I thought I would give Bry here a lecture on the use of jimmy hats."

Claire rolled his eyes, "Do you have to harass him just because I won't fall on my back for you?"

Bender smacked the side of his head, "Really? Babe, if you just wanted to switch positions I would have…"

She held up a hand a scrunched up her nose, "That is enough, leave Brian alone."

Bender nodded in agreement mockingly and moved over in the seat to let her in. Michelle piled in afterwards – her face just as red as Brian's – and Andy ushered me to go first and when I looked inside I was in awe once again tonight. It was brightly lit with purple and blue lights and had three rows of seats; two along the sides and one across the back with a glass and ceramic table perched conveniently in the middle. It was enormous! Claire smiled at me, "Hurry your butt up and get in here."

I squeaked and hopped into one of the seats around the table and watched as Andy climbed in beside me.

"Everyone settled back there?" I heard the driver call from the front.

"Yes Jeeves, we are quite ready, chum…please be on your way now," Bender called up with a horrifying British accent. Claire glared at him as he put his arm around her shoulders, "What?"

"Sorry Alexei, John is a prick ignore him," she shot him a nasty look, "We are ready…we are going to Sycamore Avenue."

The driver gave a nod and started the car up; I turned back to John and Claire – Claire with her glare and John with a smirk, "I don't get a chance to be rich and royal very often princess…you should let me have my fun."

Claire rolled her eyes, "He is giving us a ride John, he isn't your butler."

He narrowed his eyes, "Someday…I'll show you little people."

Claire snorted and looked back at us, "Idiot."

Michelle cleared her throat and grabbed her backpack from under her seat; she wiggled her eyebrows and swiftly pulled out a nice looking bottle of Jack Daniels. I nodded my head, "I was thinking the same thing, dear." I reached into my bag and pulled out a bottle of Rum and - eyeing John – a bottle of vodka. Claire put her hands over her stomach, "Just the combination makes me feel hung over."

John snorted, "Amateur."

Claire rolled her eyes, "Oh yeah you really handle being hung over well."

"And being drunk on top of that," Brian piped up. Bender shot him a glare and Brian nodded his head slowly and sat back in his seat. I smirked and looked at Andy, "So, what do ya say?"

He looked at everyone, "Hell…what's one party gonna hurt?"

XXXXXXX

As soon as we slammed the door to the limo the driver sped off quickly and angrily. Claire's face was about as red as her hair, "I cannot believe you did that."

John laughed out loud, "Did you see their faces though? That was priceless!"

She stomped her foot hard, "John I hardly see hanging out of the sunroof with your," she looked around and whispered, "penis hanging out of your pants in front of a church appropriate…especially a church with mass filing out of it!"

John laughed even harder, "Oh god…I'm sorry…that was so fuckin' hilarious!" John laughed the whole way up to the house and momentarily Andy and Brian joined him. I mean the look on the nun's face was pretty damn funny but…if John ever…and I mean ever has his dick out of his pants that close to me ever again I will castrate him. That just is not right. I mean we were all pretty rowdy in the limo – doing all sorts of stupid shit in there – but damn that topped it all off. And we just had to be stopped at a red light too…stupid kid.

Brian let out a low whistle, "This is a pretty big house fellas."

"All the more for me to steal," Bender agreed lighting up a cigarette. There were probably about nine cars in the drive way and even more lined up down the street. Stubby's house is a little closer to the edge of town where homes were a little more secluded and properties were a little bit larger. I think it is safe to say it's an excellent place for a party of a large magnitude. Andy had told me some stories about Stubby's legendary parties and the wild things that went on there. It kinda made me nervous in anticipation…in a good way.

Claire skipped up the steps with Michelle in hand, "Hurry up!" They whined like little girls.

Andy rolled his eyes and walked up the steps, "Well get in there then."

They laughed and flung the door open; the house is pretty huge. It had a very large foyer lined with ceramic tiles and a large angel statue. There must have been at least a hundred kids in the house already and by the looks of the large group of kids behind us it was gonna get even more packed.

I held my bag (with the bottles in it) tightly in my hands as I looked around at all the faces; I have seen them all around the school before but the thing that really touched me was how there was all kinds of different people here; princesses, jocks, brains, criminals, freaks, drama kids, losers, band kids, you name it and they were there…and the scary thing is everyone was mingling together – and smiling.

"Hey Andy, brother! How goes it man?" A short, dark haired boy slapped him on the back and offered him a beer. He was actually shorter than Andy…which is pretty short for a guy and he had a large, genuine grin on his face.

Andy wrapped his arms around the boy in a masculine hug and grinned back, "Not bad, Stubbs, and yourself?"

His eyes lit up, "Great! Man there is so many people here! I'm so messed up right now!"

Andy laughed, "How are ya holding up?"

He shrugged casually, "Same old shit…Tanya threw a hairy on me and I'm just having a good time, bro!"

Andy nodded knowingly, "Well I guess she hasn't changed much then," He raked his hair back messily; "I brought some of my friends with me, that cool?"

He gave us the look around and waved drunkenly at Claire and Michelle, "Hell no worries man! As long as you guys get real messed up and have fun then I'm cool!" He waved his hands around wildly for emphasis. I think I like this guy!

Andy laughed heartily, "Okay well you know Claire and Michelle," he started pointing over his shoulder, "This is Brian, this is Bender, and this is Allison."

He nodded at Brian and grinned at Bender, "I know you dude! You are in my Spanish class!"

Bender smirked back, "Yeah you are the one who threw a jock strap at Mrs. whatever the hell her name is."

"Ha!" Stubby laughed recalling the moment, "And you tripped her with the over head cord? Damn we put that lady through so much crap!"

Bender laughed, "Yeah dude that was good times…I think that is the only class I went to everyday."

Stubby laughed and light heartedly punched him in the arm, "Man we should have teamed up or something…" he handed him off a beer and grinned.

Bender nodded and cracked it open, "No shit."

Stubby smiled at him and then turned to me, "So you must be Andy's ole lady?"

I rolled my eyes and extended my hand, "Yeah, it's nice to meet you."

He smiled, "You seem like such a nice girl in person for being the infamous shit disturber."

I shrugged, "Don't like to start anything with anyone unless they start it with me."

He nodded, "Damn straight woman…ain't it the truth."

Andy laughed at him and wrapped his arm around my waist, "We're gonna go check out the rest of the party, alright Stubbs?"

Stubby waved his arm dismissively, "No problem, you guys have fun! I'll meet up with you later!" And with that he stumbled off into some random hallway belting out the lyrics to Tom Petty's 'Breakdown'. I laughed quietly and turned back to the group. They were beginning to make their way into what looked to be the living room where surprisingly was the quietest place. It must have been the elegant – and very expensive – furniture and carpet in the room that drew them elsewhere.

"That kids hilarious! He pulled so much shit in class man, I was always laughing at him…hell I think he was worse than I was," Bender was saying to Andy.

"Yeah Stubby is a cool guy," he looked at Michelle triumphantly, "I knew he wouldn't have a problem with everyone being here."

Michelle rolled her eyes, "its Stubby what do you expect? Out of everyone he ripped on people the least…even less than you."

Andy nodded quietly, "Yeah."

Claire cracked a grin, "Can you believe how many people are here though, this is great!"

Brian cleared his throat and unbuttoned his jacket, "I never saw myself coming to Stubby's house."

Michelle grinned, "Well here you are and we are gonna party!" She and Claire burst into a fit of giggles at Michelle's antics and Brian's nervous appearance; I wonder what he would be willing to do tonight. I reached into my bag and took out the carefully wrapped bottles and set them down on the floor and sat in front of them. The group quickly followed suit and sat in a small circle.

"So are we doing shots?" Claire asked curiously.

"We could just mix drinks…" Michelle replied thoughtfully.

"Screw that! We're playing a game," Bender chirped in, "I got a deck of cards and we are going to play Take Two Take Four."

Andy nodded as did Michelle, Claire did apprehensively but Brian and I had no idea what the hell he was talking about. He started shuffling the deck of cards and lit up a smoke. Michelle handed him a shot glass and he crossed his legs in front of him.

"How does this work?" Brian asked apprehensively, "You aren't gonna get me sick are you?"

Bender snorted, "No dweeb. The object of the game is easy…you are gonna guess a color – black or red – and I am gonna lay a card down. If you say red and the card is red, you're good, and you will guess again until you can get eight in a row right…"

"What are the chances of that?" He squeaked.

Bender rolled his eyes, "50-50 dork. Now if you get all eight right then it goes to the next person. Now if you get it wrong you have to take one shot and start all over again. So if you get six right and the seventh wrong you have to take one and start at the beginning, you clear?"

Brian nodded nervously and Bender grinned, "Now if you get it wrong on a two or a four than you have to take two or four shots depending on which card it is. If you get it right on a two or four then you get to pick someone else to take two or four shots for you and then you are in the clear. So if you guess the right color on a four and you only have done…say, three in a row…you don't have to do all eight, its like a bye."

Brian nodded as everyone stared at him, "You are gonna get me so smashed."

Bender let out a frustrated sigh, "Dork, its prom night…that's the whole point! Now are ya gonna chicken out and go play with your pickle by yourself or are ya gonna join us and have some fun?"

Everyone stared at him anxiously, "Fine whatever, but if I get too messed up I want you to cut me off, okay?"

Bender nodded mockingly and rolled his eyes, "Okay who wants to go first?"

XXXXX

"John stop yer cheatin'!" Claire harped at him. She was starting over for the fifth time now and we were all having a laugh at her expense…wait was it the fifth…what are we laughing at again?

"I ain't cheating, stop your damn whining!" He said stealing a swig off a random open bottle, "So red or black?"

She sighed irritably, "I don't wanna play this no more! I'm already drunk!"

Bender laughed and looked at Andy who burst out in laughter, "Well Sporto I guess that just leaves you…and me."

Andy stared at him with unfocused eyes, "I could drink you under the table you scab."

Bender laughed, "Red or black?"

I rolled my eyes and quickly spun my head around to face Brian who looked rather white…maybe I spun my head too fast…well whatever, "Hey Brian, you okay?"

"Wanna go outside with me?" He said asking no one in particular.

I giggled, "I'll go outside with you…"

"Me too," Claire piped in.

I put my hands on the floor and stared at them momentarily…trying to focus so that there weren't eight of them there. I pushed myself up slowly and balanced myself so that I didn't fall over. Claire was pulling on Brian's arm trying to get him up…but he just kept on tipping over. I grabbed hold of the other one and pulled him to his feet…and then steadied him in the process. I pulled his arm over my shoulders and Claire did the same and we led him towards the back of the house.

"You guys are sooo great, ya know that?" Brian slurred.

Claire laughed, "You know guys…I never imagined Brian being drunk…I always thought he was a goody two shoes."

Brian scoffed, "Claire I got high with you in detention…Allison's the goody two shoes."

"Am not! I got drunk last week, 'member?"

"Oh yeah I remember that…I always wondered how you guys could have any fun at all drinking alcohol. I guess now I know that it ain't all that bad to unwind…"

Claire opened the door for him and looked at him – trying to be serious, "Brian only if you're with friends and it's a special occasion…drinking for the hell of it or depending on it is not good."

I rolled my eyes, "He gave me the exact same speech Claire, save it."

She laughed and looked out into the back yard, "I thought there was more people here…"

There were more people here; it only looked like there was about twenty or so people hanging around. Maybe it was getting late…shit we sat in that room for long enough. The back yard was pretty damn big though...maybe it just made it look like there was less people because of the size of it…yeah that's gotta be it.

Brian sauntered down to the porch step, "Who cares…look at all the cool stuff back here…there is a trampoline!" He attempted to get up with hungry eyes but I grabbed his arm, "Brian there is no need for a broken arm again, eh?"

He looked at me goofily, "What are you Canadian, eh?"

Claire rolled her eyes, "You would know wouldn't ya, Niagara Falls?"

I burst out laughing as Brian looked at her with wide eyes and a wide open mouth. He shut his mouth and chuckled, "How could you?"

Claire laughed even harder, "Oh I could alright!"

Brian laughed and almost fell off the step; I shot out an arm and grabbed him, "And you said I was bad?"

Brian gave me an incredulous look, "You are just putting on an act for everyone so that they don't know your REAL secret!" He burst out laughing and stomped his feet wildly on the ground as he did. And soon after another form popped down beside him and two more stood behind us, "What the hell are you blabbering about, brainiac?"

Brian looked up to Bender and Andy and grinned, "Hey fellas, care to join us? I didn't know you were here!"

Andy laughed and sat down beside him, "So are you feeling okay?"

He pointed to his chest, "Me? Of course I am grand daddy-o!"

I grabbed a candle off the railing and made my way out into the grass; I may have stumbled a little I am not too sure. But the yard was really pretty and besides, I felt like a walk. There was a trampoline as well as an above ground pool; but after the pool puking that ensued last time I was intoxicated swimming was out of the question. There was also a pretty ceramic bird bath sitting in the middle of a large vegetable garden, and a whole array of oak trees.

I turned around to see Andy almost right behind me as well as the rest of the group about three feet behind him helping each other walk. Andy smiled at me, "I know a cool place around here…"

"Where?"

He pointed above my head and I looked up to find a…tree house? I gave him an incredulous look and watched as he made his way – slowly but surely – up the ladder on the base of the tree and then disappeared into the wooden fort. He extended an arm down to me and I passed him the candle and took a step up.

"What is this?" I heard Bender ask with a laugh in his voice.

"Tree house! Duh!" Brian yelled sarcastically behind him. He rolled his eyes and I turned back around to make my way up. Andy grabbed my wrists and pulled me up the rest of the way and grinned; it was a cool little shack for sure with just enough space to seat us all comfortably on the floor and a small wooden table in the middle where the lone blue candle sat. There was a small 'window' on each side letting the night sky in. I took a seat on the floor next to Andy as the others got themselves seated.

"So," Andy started, "We graduate tomorrow and then school is done."

Claire and Michelle looked at him, "Yeah…you're right."

Claire smiled softly, "It's gonna be so weird, you know?"

Andy nodded, "yeah I know…it's gonna be even weirder leaving here."

Michelle sniffled, "I hear ya."

Bender threw a plastic baggy down on the table and began digging through it, "Hell I wish I was done school."

Claire smiled sadly, "Yeah but now that it is done I don't want to leave."

Bender cocked a disbelieving eyebrow and rolled up a paper, "Why the hell would you not want to? High school is the baby shit; you are moving on to bigger and better things…like me."

She snorted but still couldn't help the sadness in her eyes, "This has to have been the weirdest year of my life."

"Amen," Michelle agreed.

"Not me," I piped up, "This was one of my favorite years."

Claire gave me a small smile, "You are a good friend you know that?"

I smiled softly, "I hope so."

She accepted the wrapped joint from Bender and took a puff, "No seriously…you helped me through a lot of shit and let me play with your hair and go shopping with you. You actually listen to me when I talk."

"What's so hard about that?"

Bender snorted, "You'd be surprised."

Claire smacked him and passed the joint off to Michelle, "No just after everything that went down with Ashley I just can't believe I still have friends…like real ones."

Andy chuckled as he took a puff of smoke, "Are you getting sentimental on us Claire?"

She laughed and wiped a tear from her eye, "Maybe I am."

Michelle smiled at her and then she too started to cry, "I'm gonna miss you so much!" Claire grabbed her back and held her as they cried. Bender looked at Andy and rolled his eyes, "I forgot why I don't get drunk with chicks."

Andy laughed and lay back on the floor, "Ah, just let them be."

Bender shrugged and lay down across from him; then I too joined them and rested my head on Andy's shoulder, "So what do you think is gonna happen?"

Claire sniffled and lay her head on John's shoulder which seemed to surprise him a bit, "I dunno we're just gonna have to wait and see I guess."

I stared out the window and watched as the sun began to peek up over the horizon and I smiled; it's like the dawning of a new day. When something ends something always starts up again…good or bad. I looked back at my friends who were all flopped out around each other. Michelle reached her hand over to Claire's, who reached her hand out to me, "One last hurrah?"

I grabbed Andy's hand and he grinned, "One last hurrah."

TBC