A/N My muse is so freaking picky. I mean, honestly, I haven't updated in forever and it's all my muse's fault. Well, I was also away without access to my computer for awhile, so that may have something to do with it. Oh, well.

This is short, but sweet and I happen to love it. And you'll get your fill of DS fluff at the end.

Thank you to everyone who has reviewed. There's like 130 some reviews and I couldn't be happier! Thank you all so much.

Disclaimer: No one mentioned in this chapter is mine. Except for Tucker because I have his heart thump thump thuimp thump.

Chapter 11

Tucker was out like a light. Never mind the fact that he was currently outside, on a bench no less, in the middle of a park where anyone could see him. It was snowing, too. But did Tucker care? Hell no! He'd already locked his baby away in his inside coat pocket where no mugger would find it. And the bench just looked so nice...so inviting...so sleeepyyy...

And so Tucker slept on, through the snow and the wind, for nearly an hour before someone fell on top of him.

It felt like his lungs were just poked with a needle. Tucker expelled every bit of air he had before gasping some up to replace it. He shot a dirty look at whomever had just nearly fucking killed him - the nerve of them! - before realizing that she was in nearly as bad a shape as he was.

Her blonde hair was mixed with a tinge of red; Tucker saw that she had a small cut on her forehead where she'd hit the corner of the bench. Her eyes were still closed, whether out of pain or out of unconsciousness he did not know. Sighing, he lifted her up to his makeshift bed and proceeded to wipe her forehead with some snow, hoping that it would clean the cut well enough.

A minute or so later, her azure eyes opened and locked on his. A wave passed between them, a shock, if you will, of understanding, thought neither recognized the other. She slowly lifted her head from the bench before gently prodding her cut with a finger.

"Um," the girl started, rubbing her sore head, "Thanks."

"No problem," Tucker replied in a nearly monotone voice.

"Sorry, but...do I know you? I used to live here and you look pretty familiar." The girl was now twisting a short strand of hair between her fingers. Pretty hair...shiny...Tucker mentally shook his head. What the hell was he doing? Certainly not thinking about the girl in front of him in any non-platonic manner, no way! But she was kind of cute...eh, whatever. As though she'd like him.

"I dunno." He felt like smacking himself.

"Ah. Okay." She was obviously amused by aforementioned liguistic skills. "Well, I'm Star."

"Star." Star. Pretty name. Pretty hair...shiny...wait. Wait. Star? STAR? As in, satellite Star? "Satellite?"

She gave him a weird look at that. "No. Star. Like the shiny things in the sky." Great, now she thought he was an idiot. Lovely day this was turning out to be.

"No, no, wait. I'm Tucker. Tucker Foley. Remember me?"

"Tucker?" Star looked like she'd seen a ghost. THIS is Tucker Foley? Damn, if I'd have known..."Wow, small world. How's life been since I left?"

Tucker supressed a groan. Yes, his life had been smashing up to this point, hadn't it? Not a date since...ever. "Fine, fine," he said hurriedly. "Nothing worth elaborating on. And yourself?"

"Oh. Um, I work at a dress shop?"

"Which one?"

"Pretty in Pink?"

"Why are you saying everything like it's a question?"

"...Because I can?"

Tucker raised an eyebrow. Hmm, perhaps Star had gotten a sense of humor since she'd been gone. She'd definitely stocked up on her sarcasm. Maybe Sam had given her lessons..."Right. Okay. What college?" He widened his eyes as he realized his possible mistake. "That is, if you go to college. I mean, we don't all get into MIT, right? I mean...shit. Uh, that's not what I meant to say. If the dress shop is full time, then congrats, I don't look down on you for it and I wish you the best of luck in all of your dress-selling endeavors!" He said it so fast that he felt almost as thought his tongue would just hop out of his mouth and slap a resignation on his face. Hopefully he'd spoken fast enough that Star didn't actually understand any of his own idiocy...

Maybe?

"...what?"

Tucker decided that perhaps today didn't suck as bad as it could. "Never mind," he said quickly. "So why'd you move back? Last I heard you were saddled back in good ole VA."

Star's eyes brightened. "Well, I haven't really moved back. I'm at Park College. Fashion and business. What about you?"

"Well I'm just back for break," he relayed. He puffed out his chest a bit before continuing. "I'm at MIT for computer programming and AI work."

"AI? Artificial Intelligence, right? WHat are you doing with that?"

Tucker grinned. This one was a favorite topic of his. He just hoped Star could keep up well enough. "Funny you should ask..."

- - - - - - -

"And then he comes up to me again and says, 'Hey, baby, if I were an enzyme, I'd be DNA helicase so I could unzip your genes.' That time, I had to slap him. I had to."

An hour later, Tucker and Star were still happily chatting away on that same park bench. Star was recounting tales of her life at LeFay with Tucker entranced, though not just by her words. Damn, the girl is funny.

"That is so lame. I mean seriously, where'd he get that line? Even my own clever witticisms weren't that bad," Tucker snorted.

Star rolled her eyes. "I know. I mean, he could've at least come up with something less 'I want to bang you' and a bit sweeter, right?"

Tucker paused for a moment before whipping out his devilishly good looking smirk. "I think I know exactly what you're talking about," he said, a spark of mischief present in his eye. He clasped her hands and turned her to face him completely. "Baby," he winked, "if you were C6 and I was H12, then all we'd need is the air we breathe to be sweeter than sugar."

Star was struck silent. Tucker watched as different emotions played out across her face, not seeming to decide on what was right for the occasion. "That," she finally began, sounding a bit breathy, "would have been much better." She stared at him for a moment more before continuing. "It's a good thing I know basic chemistry. When did your pickup lines get good?"

"College, I guess, " Tucker shrugged. "That's when the lines I heard actually evolved from the stupid ones I used to hear, so I adapted."

"Wow. So you must get all the girls in college."

Tucker could've sworn he heard a question in that statement. "Yeah, right," he muttered. "I'm as popular with the ladies as I've ever been, aka not at all."

"Well, "Star started, scooting a bit closer to him on the bench, "I don't see how that's possible. You're funny, a great conversationalist, smart, pretty cute, and now you have decent pickup lines to boot! Where could you possibly go wrong with all of that on your side?"

"It's just not that easy," Tucker sighed. "All of the girls still seem to go for the same type that were girl-magnets back in high school. Just a bit smarter and more mature."

"Not all girls."

Tucker looked up to see Star gazing at him intently, her eyes a few shades darker. She really is pretty. And funny. And fun to talk to. And interesting. And smart enough to get one of my pic...uh, witticisms. Suddenly, he remembered something he'd wanted to save for just this type of occasion. Something that was guaranteed to make her fall for him and stay fallen.

"Hey, you look like you're a bit cold. Want to come back to my house for a bit? I make a mean cup of hot chocolate."

Star smiled shyly, looking down at her feet before sweeping her gaze back up to his eyes. "That sounds great, Tucker. Where do you live again?"

"Oh, it's not far from here, just off Pedonia."

And with that, they were off.

- - - - - - -

Meanwhile, in the bushes behind the bench, two voices were laughing.

"I knew she'd like him! Knew it!"

"I can't believe she went with him after that glucose line. I mean, really, that's just nerdy."

"Well, she said she wanted something sweet, right?"

"Yeah, I guess she did."

"How about you, Sam?"

"What?"

"What do you want?"

"Right now?"

"Mmhmm."

"...Some hot chocolate would be nice."

"...Oh. Well, we can't exactly just barge in on them. This is the first date Tucker's ever had, if you can count this as a date. But I mean he's taking her back to his house and stuff, so - "

"Danny?"

"Yeah?"

"Shut up and kiss me."

"My pleasure."