Author's Note - So I decided to do something different - this is an alt season 5. Some things stay the same and some things are changed and drastically deviating from canon. I hope you enjoy it. This is the first chapter. Don't worry I will complete Backtrack and I Have Nothing but this is something I feel like I must write because the plot bunnies are there.

Disclaimer - I own nothing.

One

Real and Unreal

Emma Nelson spent her summer days by the pool catching rays and nights at the ravine with someone unexpected - Jay Hogart. Summer fling, nothing committed or serious. Its August 2005 and the living is rather easy.

Manny Santos spent the majority of the summer at summer camp, she goes every year from the beginning of July to the middle of August and this year she found herself returning back home with a renewed purpose. After starring in the big movie Jay and Silent Bob Go Canadian, Eh! and doing a summer theatre production of Rent she knows exactly what she wants to do in life. She wants to be an actress.

Manny and Emma clad in bikinis lay out as Emma wistfully watches the boy across from the pool with a camera taking candids of the other girls not even noticing the pair. "I've been eyeing him all summer and he doesn't even notice me."

Manny adjusted her black bug eyed sunglasses and looked where Emma was, "He's cute I guess. I can't stop thinking about this agent, I wish she'd call me."

"You guess? Look. He's talking to that turquoise tankini tramp. I hate her. He's the first boy I've been seriously been interested in ever since hurricane Sean blew through my emotional trailer park."

"Em, I have one goal this year and it ain't anonymous hot dude at pool. I'm gonna be an actress. Go ahead. Smile. I'm doing it. Whatever it takes, I'm doing."

x

Later that night, Emma snuck out to the ravine through her bedroom window and saw Jay in his usual spot sitting on the picnic table alone smoking a blunt. He noticed her and he noticed she had been looking a bit glum and not her happy go lucky self. "Smoke?"

Emma reluctantly took a drag and gave it back to him. She uncomfortably wiped her eyes thinking he wasn't looking. Home hasn't been good. Her parents are in debt, they've been fighting constantly and sleeping in separate rooms. She's afraid shes going to lose Snake as a father figure and she speaks to them sparingly distancing herself from the fall out. Hanging out with Jay at the ravine was some sort of escape.

She was somewhat surprised when Jay asked her, "You alright?"

She lied, "Never better."

"That's a crock of shit and you know it." Jay muttered matter-of-factly. "Wanna talk about it?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Why not?"

"Because you're you that's reason enough and besides, this is about having fun and not being you know - complicated." Emma sighed, "lets just go in the van and forget about what you saw."

"Try me. Would it kill you to try?"

"I don't wanna, let's just get this over with. Let's just go in the van." Emma rolls her eyes as she jumps off the side of the table.

"I don't wanna right now. Let's talk. We never talk."

Emma paused for a moment, she made a face, "Why? We don't talk for a reason. Why do you even bother?"

"Because I care about you, okay?"

A wave of silence washed over the pair as she just glared at him, finally she just laughs and shakes her head, "Good one, Jay. You're lying. Jay Hogart doesn't care about anyone." A part of her knew he was being dead serious but she didn't want to acknowledge it because then it makes it real and it wouldn't be the same. She didn't want to feel anything for him because it's simply not real nor does she want to force it to be.

"Ouch okay? I'm sitting right here and I'm not lying. I seriously didn't expect for this to happen but I know something that if Cameron ever came back around you'd drop me like a bad habit." She didn't say anything and crossed her arms as he continued, "but he's gone now and it's time you know that."

She felt small. A big part of her hoped Sean would make his return but she still finds herself resenting the earth he walks upon because he left. A tinge of hurt and sadness could be heard in her voice, "I know he's gone. You don't have to remind me."

"So date someone else, forget that loser at the pool date someone who cares about you."

Emma protested, "Peter's not a -"

Jay ignored her defensive statement, "So uh what do you say?"

"Uh hard pass."

"And why not? I know let's face it I'm not as cute as pool boy but at least I know you exist."

"I'm gonna ignore the fact you said that just now." Emma laughs hiding her embarrassment, she straightened up and added, "We're supposed to be having fun, why make it all weird?"

Jay was silent for a moment as he threw the joint into the brush behind the van, he quickly grabbed Emma's hand and led her to van. He shook his head, "You're right, ladies first." Emma smirked as they went inside ahead of him.