"For the last time I don't know what the guy looked like! I don't really remember anything about this night, Rick. Leave me alone." Stan growled.

"You looked right at him, Stan, why the fuck don't you know?" Rick said.

"I don't know!" Stan shouted, put his hands in hands and groaned. "Oy, is the blood test ready? It's been a day."

"Cut me some slack, the machine needs to do a comprehensive analysis, which takes time." Rick sighed. "Do you remember anything about that guy who talked to you outside?"

"No, and I remember less the more you keep askin' me!" Stan roared. "You are getting on my last nerve Sanchez, and it's only 10:00 am. I'm goin to Rita's to get a coffee."

Stan left slamming the door as he went. Then came back in because in his dramatic exit he'd forgotten a few important things.

"You're gonna wanna put on some pants." Rick mentioned with a wave.

"Yeah," Stan grumbled.

So he did, back in his room, he shaved, put on a shirt that smelled clean, a spritz of cologne and brushed some gel through his hair. He strolled down the block to Rita's, it was packed, he took a seat at the counter: lit a cigarette and took drag, the waitress would come around shortly. As he watched the waitress flirt with a construction worker at the other end of the counter, he sighed this would take a while. Someone tapped him on the shoulder and he spun around on the stool.

"Hey I was wondering," said a woman's familiar voice, before he was able to face to her. "You got a light for a girl?"

He turned and looked shocked at the woman sitting at the counter. Same thick brown hair with a flower in it, same smile and same killer figure. "Carla McCorkle?"

"Yeah,… that's me… " she said. "Do I know you?"

He laughed maybe a little nervously. "Yeah, I'm Stanley Pines, I stopped that guy from steal in' your purse and we went on a date or two about four years ago."

"Well you sure grew up," She said admiringly. "You're mad at me for sending back your flowers, see the thing is if my Dad had gotten wind of—"

Hey! She was interested in him, that was good, he decided he'd take the high road, forgive, forget and maybe get another shot with her? "No, it's fine. Still want me to light your cig?"

She held it up. "Sure!"

He flicked the lighter and she leaned in close over the flame, she smelled the way angels smell, Stan thought,

"Hey Carla baby, you free any time this week?"

She looked him up and down again. "I might be, ya got a car?"

"That's a thing I have!" He said eagerly.

"Great," She said with a smile and puff on the cigarette. "Pick me up here this friday at 8:00 sharp."

"You bet I will!" He was overjoyed and had forgotten about flagging down a waitress. A real hot girl, was going on a date with him! Wait was Rick the jealous type? No, why the fuck was he thinking about Rick like that? The skinny sonofabitch, wouldn't care. Stan decided it would good not to tell him, because he wouldn't care anyhow. What if she found out, about the hustling? Would she react like Mom and Dad did when Ford finally told them?

He thought about that fateful night again:

"—Though if you think about it, there is a silver lining huh… treasure hunting?" He said with a shrug.

"Are you kidding me? Why would wanna do anything with the dirty hustler who ruined my life!?" Ford shouted and pushed him.

Stan was about to get to his feet when Pa came out of nowhere, grabbed him by the shirt, yanking him up "You're doing what you knucklehead?!"

"He's selling his body down on the docks!" Ford said.

"Hey!" Stan countered. "You said you'd never tell!?"

"I don't want your dirty, whoring ass here!" Pa shouted and pushed him.

Mom came in with the crying baby, and then she found out and….Some brother Ford turned out to be. Well, he'd show them, he'd makes a pile of money treasure hunting or something else semi-legit (not this), and he'd come back rich and with a pretty girl on his arm, maybe Carla, maybe someone else. They'd forgive him, they'd love him, he'd prove he wasn't worthless. Decades later in a cold, dark sub-basement, he'd tell the twins and Soos a sanitized version of this story, or bits of it. However, the future is a far way land whose shores are impossible to fathom, and Stanley was never good at that. He tried to think of his upcoming date with Carla as he walked back to the motel. Back in his room, he'd just laid down on the bed when Rick burst in.

"HEEEY! I JUST GOT THE BLOOD TEST RESULTS BACK!"

Rick shouted, then kissed him full on the lips. Stan pushed Rick away, hard.

"What the heck, Sanchez?"

"Turns out you were drugged and there are -urp- compounds in here that erase memory."

"Knew it! I never get that hammered on three beers!"

"Pines, whoever is doing this is a genius chemist, almost as good as me. Some of this stuff isn't available to every asshole with a home chemistry set. It narrows the pool of suspects down." Rick said. "Also they live nearby… I have some, friends still at Princeton and Columbia."

"You went to those schools?"

"Yeah but not under my own name. I n-n-need to make a few calls. I need a few bottles of high class booze, and I'll need your car."

"Hey, you can't do that!"

"I'm asking because I'm not an asshole I'll have it back by Friday."

"You'd better."

With that Rick was out the door. Stan put some pants and looked out the door. Rick was speeding away in the Stanleymobile, asshole. He felt in his pants pocket and noticed he still had the keys. Which meant… Rick has hot-wired the car. Stan felt a smile curl on his lips, That Rick Sanchez knew what he was doing alright. Stan just hoped his car would be one piece when Rick came back.

He spent the week hustling his ass off, not thinking about Rick or much other then seeing Carla on Friday night. It was harder to get around without the car, but he'd found ways of making enough money to impress Carla. Friday morning Stan slept in, he work to find his car paired in front of his room, it looked alright, not scratch on it. Stan went to Rita's for his breakfast (this time he could get some eggs! Well one egg…) Rick was sitting in a far booth, hunched over something and mumbling. Stan took a seat across from him.

Rick looked up, Stan was shocked at what he saw but quickly covered it with a smirk.

"Hey Rick you need help carrying those bags under your eyes?"

"You're not funny, Stan. I've been having to wine, schmooze and in two cases fuck academic windbags all week… they all wanted something, and only Doug Blevins and his wife let me crash in his place."

"What, you're delicate you can't sleep in a car?"

"It fucked up my back, Stan. "

"Heh, yeah, it does that."

"I've been living on aspirin and coffee. I'm narrowing down the suspects…"

Stan looked down at the scribbled list that Rick was holding.

"Can I help?"

"NO."

"Yeesh, I thought we were in this together…"

"—you can't, you don't know dick about any of these people—"

"—you could tell me—"

"-To much effort—" Rick dismissed him with a wave.

"Oy, sorry I asked." Stan sighed

Stan got up from the booth: Rick was an ungrateful son of a bitch, Rick had all the social graces of a bear and all the manners of a snake. Stan got up and went to counter to get his coffee and a sunny side up egg with toast. That night he had a big date with Carla, this time he wouldn't blow it.

A little after eight pm, Stan pulled up in front of Rita's, if he'd been earlier then he would have been uncool, his hair was slicked back, spritz of cologne he was in a almost new tan leisure suit and aviator shade. Carls was standing near the door, a white flower in her hair, she was in a sexy red number, gold gladiator sandals, she was carrying a small red clutch, dolled to nines, she smiled as she slide in next to Stan.

"So what do you wanna do, babe?" Stan asked, trying to sound cool and in control.

"I wanna go dancing!" She squealed sliding in next to him and rest her hand on his arm. "Let's hit the disco."

Maybe it was feeling of her hand on his forearm, maybe it was smell of her, or the way she was looking at him… but the disco sounded great. The Starlight club was one of two discos in Glass shard beach, it wasn't studio 54 or anything, but the look in Carla's eyes when they parked the car was heaven, she was beautiful and she was with him.

He felt like a prince and when they weren't turned away by the bouncer but let instead, was the cherry on the sundae. They danced for a good portion of the night, she felt light, soft and sweet in his arms. That was on thing both of them could really dance, it was nice that to have someone that appreciated it. Nice to be with a girl, not a stinking, crude, hairy man. Halfway through the date he began to feel sweaty, tired, aching and heavy.

"Carla," He yelled over the music. "You wanna take a break?"

"Yeah why not!" she shouted back.

There were vinyl booths in the back of the room near the bar, C-shaped, dark and cool. She seemed just as tired as he did as they slumped down into the booths.

"Ugh, I'm sweatin' like pig…" She mumbled and scratched the back of her head. Then she caught him looking at her, blushed and primped. "I mean I'm a bit hot, ya know."

"..yeah me too. You having a good time?" He asked, feeling nervous.

"Yeah! I love dancing, I haven't been in forever, I'm staying with my sister and her family… it's so good to get out of the house." She sighed. She took a cigarette out of her purse and lit it, taking a drag.

"what do you wanna do after this?" He asked.

"I wanna keep dancing, Stan." She said. "I love dancing, I wanna dance all night. I know what'll perk us up!"

"What?"

She took out a baggie of white powder and put a little of it on the table, began cutting lines. "You party Stan?"

"Yeah," He said. "Didn't they say this doesn't hurt you no more then eaten' peanut butter?"

"Yeah pretty much." She said. She took a rolled up dollar bill from her purse and did a line, then sniffed. Stan rolled up a dollar from his wallet and he did a line. His heart beat faster, he felt the spring return to his step, in fact he felt fuckin' amazing. They were going to dance this place down to ground.

He grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her on the dance floor, she laughed. They bopped, shimmied and did the hustle, it was great. Everything seemed clearer, sharper, better, no pain only joy.

A slow song came on and she curled into his arms holding him around the waist. Her warm body pressed against his, was making him hard and nervous. He hoped she didn't notice…then she looked him in the eyes deviously and snuggled closer to him. She did know and she liked it! She liked him! He wanted to take her right there on the dance floor… she leaned up and whispered: "This is fun but I gotta pee. Meet you but the bar?"

"Oh, okay." He said he was trying not to blush.

They moved off the dance floor. He stood but the bar waiting for to get back, the song ended a new louder more upbeat song came on, she emerged from the ladies room.

"Hey why don't we get drinks?" She asked.

"Why not?" He said.

He got a harvey wallbanger and she got a tequila sunrise, they went off to a booth, drank, giggled, a little drunk, a little high… mostly happy. They were playing footsie under the table, she was holding his hand, and they talked about stupid stuff. She was sipping her drink, looking out across the dance floor when she saw someone that made her go white as sheet. Suddenly Carla ducked under the table.

"What the-?!" Stan began and he did the same.

"Why did you do that?" She hissed.

"Me? I'm not the one who just hid under a table… this floor is sticky." Stan commented.

"Fine, I'll tell you but don't get mad. My ex Tommy is here." She said chewing her bottom lip. "He's trying to get me back."

She pointed and there was a thin man with black hair slicked back in a pompadour, a long nose, a hello dress shirt with wide lapels… jeans.. that guy looked strangely familiar but Stan couldn't place him.

"You don't want him do you?" Stan asked worried the floor was sticky and his back ached from crouching.

"Naw, he cheated on me with my sister, not the one I'm living with….that's Marie but my younger sister—Rosie" She sniffed. "He's a pig and she's always been jealous."

"Then why are we hiding?" Stan asked indignantly. "Sounds like you don't want nothing to do with him."

She looked away again…then back sheepishly. "I took all the money we made from our last job, when I left him. I think he's just found out now."

"Oh boy…." Stan said. "There's a back door to this place, you find it and leave, while I distract the asshole."

This was his moment Stan got out from under the table, straightened out and walked towards Tommy.

"HEY ASSHOLE!" Stan shouted and jabbed Tommy in the gut. "YER EX SENDS HER REGARDS!"

The music was still playing but underneath there was silence from the other clubgoers. The bouncer would be here shortly, Stan had to leave quick…..

Tommy doubled over, then slowly uncurled from the punch to the gut, he was laughing. "So she's got some other sucker to do her dirty work now?

"What? You cheated on her!"

"She got greedy, I had to show her she could be replaced."

"I'LL REPLACE YOUR FACE!" Stan shouted and lunged the other way as Tommy flinched. Stan turned and ran out the door, dodging the bouncer. Carla was waiting by the car. He unlocked the doors, they got in and sped off. They looked at each other and started laughing uncontrollably, they were laughing so much Stan had to pull over.

Carla stopped laughing she smiled at him.

"Ohhhhh thank you so much!" she squealed and kissed him hard on the mouth. Her lips were soft, she smelled amazing…Stan was reeling, but recovered enough to wrap his arm around her, and start kissing her back. The thought of Rick vaguely itched in his brain he pushed it away. Carla broke the kiss, she primly leaned back in her seat and began to fix her make up. Stan was still a bit overwhelmed, a bit giddy and dizzy.

Then something clicked in his head he knew where he saw Tommy before!

"Carla wasn't that Tommy the asshole who tried to swipe your purse four years ago…"

"…yeah…"

'Then why were dating him?"

"Cuz, we had a fight and I split with some money we made. I went to the movie line, he showed up, tried to take it back and I figured someone would stop him."

"…yeah…I did!"

"You did, you big hero!" She nuzzled in close to Stan but he sidled away. "What?"

"You and him…."

"…it's over now. He's a cheating pig. This was the last straw!"

"You got back with him then."

"That was different I was a kid, I was new to the game."

"Game?"

Carla looked away, blushing, ashamed. "I'm a con artist Stan. Tommy taught me some things we did the romance game, the badger game, the pigeon drop, the dropped wallet, the ring drop, lottery fraud and few others."

Stan smiled and began to chuckle, this was just rich, she was just like him.

Carla scowled. "What's so funny?!"

"Nothin' …I was wondering, babe, you looking for a new partner?"

Her eyes glimmered suspiciously. "You're not a cop?"

"Nope."

"…you want in on this whole thing?"

"Yep."

"Alright. I'll show you the ropes, Stanley." She said, was starting to smile to it lit her whole face.

"What do you want to do now?" Stan asked.

"I wanna go home." Carla said, she sounded tired.

"Sure thing, babe." Stan said.

This was fun," She said smiling. "I wanna see you again…" She took his hand, a pent from her purse and scribbled her number on it. "Call me."

She got out the car.

"Sure thing," He said. "bye"

Carla insisted on being dropped off at the end of the street and walking the rest of the way to the house. Stan watched her until she entered one of the houses. He drove back feeling content, he could still smell her perfume, still feel her soft lips. That was real romance, maybe this was the start of something good .Stan was still thinking of Carla when he walked into his motel room. It was dark, so Stan flipped on the light. He gave a startled cry when he saw that Rick was sleeping on his bed.

"What the fuck are you doin' here Sanchez?"

"I was waiting for you, asshole." Rick said blearily.. "I wanted to get laid before the night was over."

Stan closed the door and sat down on the edge of bed. "Well go back your room you horny son of a bitch. I aint' putting out tonight."

Rick looked Stan over suspiciously. "Yeah cuz you've been out with a bit of tail."

"Yeah, what's it to you?!" Stan roared.

"Calm down Stanley. " Rick said. "We aren't fuckin' married."

"Yeah exactly." Stan nodded.

"So you want me to leave, or do you want your dick sucked?" Rick asked.

Stan furrowed his brow… it wasn't like he was serious with Carla either and Rick did know how to suck dick real good. "Uhhh, yeah sure."

Rick was shimmying down between Stan's legs even as words came out of his mouth.

Stan wondered if this was wise but Rick's teeth were pulling down the zipper of his jeans, and Rick's hands were freeing his cock form his boxers. Soon he wasn't thinking about anything because of Rick's deft tongue swirling and circling around the head of his cock and Rick's wet mouth encircled around his the shaft. His mind was dissolving in the wet, hot pleasure of it. He wasn't thinking and didn't want to be bothered with it, just let him fl, let him float in this bliss that was this hot, wet hole and skilled, lapping tongue. It wouldn't stop, then he felt a hand stroking his balls..it was amazing. Shit, how the fuck did Rick get so good? Stan watched him through half lidded eyes, in s blessed out stupor as the minutes ticked by and the feeling built and built. His hands tangled in Sanchez's dark hair, his hips jerked thrusting unconsciously into Rick's mouth. Rick looked up at him, and that almost sent him over the edge. Then with a wet pop, Rick pulled away.

"Wha?"

"Fuck me."

"Alright, lemme just get in the middle of the bed."

Rick took off his pants and mounted Stan, he rode and rode Stan, hard and fast as he jerked himself off. It was to much Stan came cursing. Rick got off, and rolled on to the bed next to Stan.

"That was big let down, Pines."

"I told ya, I'm tired. "

"Jerk me off and we'll call it even."

"Fine, fine…"

Stan took Rick's hard cock in his hand and began in earnest. It the midst he felt Rick's lips press against his temple… the asshole was kissing him? Stan shrugged it off and continued until the asshole came exploding in a white torrent of goo in Stan's hand.

"Ugh..I'm gonna ways my hands."

"Uh-huh do that."

Stan never said anything about the kiss. He washed off his hands, and when he returned Rick was fast asleep on Stan's bed snoring. It had been a helluva day, he was to tired to kick Rick off. He laid down beside him and soon was asleep himself.