Thanks
Giving
Text
?005 The Angst Guy (theangstguy@yahoo.com)
Daria and associated characters are ?005 MTV Networks
Feedback (good, bad, indifferent,
just want to bother me, whatever) is appreciated. Please write to:
theangstguy@yahoo.com
Synopsis: Thanksgiving is a time for
families to go a little crazy, but it is also a time for梘iving thanks.
Author抯 Notes: This is a sequel to the Daria fanfic story, 揚ause in the Air,?and thus the second in the series. This tale begins about an hour after 揚ause in the Air?ends. It is assumed that the reader is familiar with the major characters of the Daria TV show, so explanations of who is who are not needed. As with the previous story, this one makes use of assumptions made in certain 揇aria?fanfic stories about the actual nature of the relationship between Daria Morgendorffer and Jane Lane (i.e., that they are gay). The 揗ontana Cabin Fund?comes from The Daria Database, under 揃udgets.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?This story was revised to correct an important date-to-come in the series. I wasn抰 counting right, I guess. Additional stories in the Pause in the Air series include (in chronological order following this one): 揗oving Day,?揝ilent Night,?揝hock and Aww,?揊amily Affairs,?揥rites of Spring,?and 揂pril Showers.?o:p>
Acknowledgments: My thanks go out to PPMB denizens Deref and THM, who
asked for a follow-up to 揚ause in the Air.?If you had not asked, it would not
have happened. Now I can blame the whole series on you. 8P
*
牋牋牋牋牋?Quinn Morgendorffer抯 soft footsteps
echoed through the house as she went down the stairs to the main floor. She let
out a long sigh after she reached the bottom and surveyed the silent living
room, then walked to the kitchen. With dinner interrupted and the rest of her
family locked in their respective rooms, it was a good time to grab a low-fat
cookie unseen.
牋牋牋牋牋?To her surprise, Jane Lane was still
at the dinner table, at her place next to Daria抯 seat. Jane抯 elbows rested on
the table, and her hands covered her face. All of the uneaten food from the
Morgendorffers?Thanksgiving dinner was still laid out, now at room temperature
after an hour抯 wait.
牋牋牋牋牋?Quinn studied Jane for several long
seconds, but Jane didn抰 move. Chewing her lower lip in thought, Quinn walked
back out of the kitchen. A minute later, after making small noises in the
living room, she reappeared with a long-necked bottle in one hand and two
wineglasses in the other. She walked to the table and carefully set the glasses
down by her plate.
牋牋牋牋牋?換uiet around here, isn抰 it??she
remarked.
牋牋牋牋牋?Jane said nothing. It was obvious
that her face and hands were wet.
牋牋牋牋牋?Quinn shrugged and walked back to a
counter drawer. She returned to the table with a corkscrew and began working on
the bottle抯 cork.
牋牋牋牋牋?When the champagne bottle抯 cork
popped out, Jane jumped, startled. Her eyes were red, her face expression drawn
and tired.
牋牋牋牋牋?揂h-ha!?Quinn was all smiles. She
held up the champagne bottle. 揑 did it right! No mess!?She carefully poured a
little from the bottle in each of the wineglasses, then placed one glass in
front of Jane.
牋牋牋牋牋?揙kay, sis,?Quinn said. 揕et抯 drink a toast.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?Jane wiped her nose on her napkin and looked at Quinn in disbelief. 搼Sis? You actually called me 憇is??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揧ou married my sister, so you抮e my sister-in-law, right??Quinn picked up her glass. 揇rink a toast with me.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揑 might not be your sister-in-law
much longer,?Jane said in a low voice.
牋牋牋牋牋?揙h, sure, you will. I know Daria.
She抣l get over it. She抣l sulk, make a sarcastic remark, we抣l act like we
didn抰 hear it, and life will go on.?Quinn pointed meaningfully at Jane抯
glass with her little finger.
牋牋牋牋牋?Jane looked at her glass with a dead expression. 揑 blew it,?she whispered. 揝he抯 really mad this time. Did she say anything when you went up to see her??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揘o,?said Quinn. 揝he locked herself in her old room and won抰 come out.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?Jane seemed to deflate. Her head
fell. 揇amn,?she whispered.
牋牋牋牋牋?揝he didn抰 want you to tell us she was pregnant? Or did she want to tell us instead of you??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揝he didn抰 want to tell anyone at
all,?Jane mumbled. 揝he wanted to pick out a right time and place, but this
wasn抰 it. She must have said that to me a hundred times, but then I went and .
. .?Her voice died away.
牋牋牋牋牋?Quinn sighed and sat down across from Jane. 揥hen was the right time supposed to be, when she was in the freaking delivery room??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?Jane shrugged, listless. 揑 dunno. I really blew it.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揥ell, listen,?said Quinn, 揑抦 dying to ask you how you managed to work this whole pregnancy thing out. It抯 killing me for us to talk around it, you know? But it can wait. A baby is a baby.?She raised her wineglass. The golden champagne swished around inside it. 揟o parenthood梐nd my future favorite aunthood.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?Jane stared at her own glass a few moments longer before she slowly picked it up. 揙kay. To parenthood, assuming Daria doesn抰 divorce me when we get back to Boston. Or sooner, like tomorrow.?She tapped her glass to Quinn抯 and took a sip of her bubble-filled drink. After the first taste, she had a second, longer one. 揟his is good,?she said, putting down an empty glass. 揘ot that I抦 an expert or anything, but this is good.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揃est stuff Mom and Dad ever tucked
away for special occasions.?Quinn grinned. 揘ot that I抦 an expert either,
being underage as I am.?She winked at Jane.
牋牋牋牋牋?Jane finally did smile. 揥hen I was little, I used to run around and drink what was left out of the beer cans Summer and Wind left around the house.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揈www!?Quinn made a face, then laughed and sipped her champagne. 揑 bet you were a wild little party animal.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揑 dunno. Sometimes I guess I was. It wasn抰 always much fun, though. If it wasn抰 for棓 Jane broke off as they heard the doorbell ring. 揥ho could that be??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揥e抎 better get it,?Quinn said, putting down her drink and getting up from her chair. 揗om and Dad are locked in their bedroom, arguing about stuff. They抮e trying to keep their voices down, but . . . oh, well.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?Jane groaned, but she got up as well
and followed Quinn to the front door.
牋牋牋牋牋?Opening the door revealed Trent, Jane抯 older brother, wearing a ragged jacket in the cold evening air. 揧o,?he said, shivering. 揝orry to crash in. I lost my house keys.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揧ou抮e back from your road trip early,?Jane said, peering over Quinn抯 head. 揇id the band break up again??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揙nly for the holidays,?Trent said. 揧ou and Daria back??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揘o, just our holographic images made it. You dope, of course we抮e back. We got in last night.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揅ool.?Trent sniffed the air, and his gaze drifted past Jane to inside the house. He shivered again. 揌ey, something smells good.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揑 know you aren抰 talking about me,?Quinn said with a smile, and she motioned him in. 揇on抰 stand out there. We抳e got plenty of turkey and everything else, sitting around waiting for someone to happen to it.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揢m, thanks. Cool.?Trent walked in.
Jane started to lead him to the kitchen.
牋牋牋牋牋?揌ey, wait,?said Quinn. She caught Trent抯 arm. 揧ou and Daria are still friends, right? Can you talk to her??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揢h,?said Trent, confused. 揑 have before. Was I supposed to today??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揘o, I mean, would you go talk to
her right now? Look, just follow me and I抣l explain.?Quinn took Trent by the
wrist and led him to the stairs to the second floor. 揓ane, we抣l be right
back,?she called.
牋牋牋牋牋?揝ure.?Jane watched them go, then
meandered back to the kitchen and sat down at the table again. She eyed the
turkey and picked up a small crisp piece to nibble. The house was quiet once
more.
牋牋牋牋牋?She was nibbling on a biscuit with
cold gravy when a door opened upstairs and heavy footsteps descended. Jane抯
hopes rose梑ut it was Helen and Jake Morgendorffer. They walked into the
kitchen and nodded at Jane as they sat down at the table again. Helen frowned
when she saw the open champagne bottle, but she said nothing.
牋牋牋牋牋?揑抦 going to be a grandfather,?Jake said in awe. 揑 can抰 believe it. My old man said I抎 never amount to anything, and now I抦 going to be a grandfather!?He pointed up at the ceiling. 揂re you watching this, you old bastard??he shouted. 揥hat do you say now, Mad Dog梠r, should I say, Bad Dog??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揓ake, please!?Helen said with a
glare.
牋牋牋牋牋?揑 win!?Jake said, sitting back comfortably with a vacant smile on his face. 揕et抯 see Devil Dad screw this one up!?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?Jane and Helen exchanged looks. Jane took the plunge. 揗rs. Morgendorffer,?she said, 揟rent came over for a few minutes. He抯 upstairs now. Do you mind if he has a little something to eat??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?Helen blew out her breath. 揊ine with me. Why not??She toyed with her hair, looking distracted for perhaps a minute. Her hand then fell, and she looked across the table. 揓ane, can we talk about a very important matter??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?Jane swallowed. Her appetite was gone again. 揑f it抯 okay with you, I抎 rather wait for Daria to come down first. She should be the one to tell you the details.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?Helen shook her head. 揂 baby,?she
said, and it was clear that she didn抰 exactly like the idea. 揂nd you both
just started college. How did you桰 mean, how did she梙ow did she manage to棓
牋牋牋牋牋?揢h, I don抰 want to go into that
right now, okay? When Daria comes down again, we can棓
牋牋牋牋牋?揑t wasn抰 cloning, was it??Jake
asked anxiously.
牋牋牋牋牋?揘o, no, not that,?said Jane quickly. 揌aving one of each of us is quite enough.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揑 wouldn抰 mind if you wanted to make a clone of me,?said Quinn, walking into the room. 揗ay as well start at the top.?/p>
牋牋牋牋牋?換uinn,?said Helen in a warning
tone.
牋牋牋牋牋?揙h, Muuuh-ooom, lighten up!
It抯 Thanksgiving! We抳e got something new to be thankful for.?Quinn sat in
her chair and picked up her wineglass, giving her mother a direct look.
牋牋牋牋牋?Helen took a long, deep breath. Jane
steeled herself. She knew down deep that Helen抯 support for her marriage to
Daria was not particularly thick; the situation was just too weird for her. The
pregnancy could spell major trouble.
牋牋牋牋牋?Footsteps echoed through the house.
Two people were coming downstairs.
牋牋牋牋牋?揟hank God,?murmured Quinn in relief. 揌e did it.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?Moments later, Daria came back into
the kitchen, followed closely by Trent. Jane抯 heart sank when she saw that
Daria did not look at her. Jane tried to make herself small in her seat,
scooting forward in case Daria wanted a wide space to go around to her own
chair.
牋牋牋牋牋?Daria did just that, but she stopped
once she was behind Jane抯 chair.
牋牋牋牋牋?Her left hand gently touched Jane抯
shoulder. Without thinking, Jane found her own hands moving up to Daria抯, and
she pulled Daria抯 hand to her cheek. She struggled not to cry.
牋牋牋牋牋?揑抦 sorry,?Daria said.
牋牋牋牋牋?揑抦 sorrier,?Jane said in a choked
voice. 揑 shouldn抰 have said棓
牋牋牋牋牋?揑t抯 okay. It should have been said
long ago. That was my mistake.?Daria looked down at Jane for a moment, her
hand pressed to Jane抯 cheek, then raised her head and faced her family.
牋牋牋牋牋?揑抦 about twelve weeks along,?she said steadily. 揗y appetite抯 not very good most of the time. I抦 really sorry I didn抰 say anything about this earlier. I thought everyone would freak out, and I was the one who freaked out instead. Bad puppy. Jane did the right thing.?She drew another breath. 揥e went to a special reproductive clinic the week that we got back to Boston. We found a, um棓 Her face colored 摋a, uh, you know, uh, a donor, and we used one of my eggs. I抦 due at the end of May or early June, right after finals.?Her mouth twitched. 揑 admit that our timing could have been better, but we sort of let the moment sweep us away.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揝ounds like your mother and me,?said Jake, who then looked guiltily at Helen.
牋牋牋牋牋?Helen glared at her husband before she looked at her daughter. 揌ow could you possibly afford the procedure? How much did it cost you??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揂ctually, that wasn抰 a problem. Jane had some money saved up, and I抳e been saving the money from all the bribes you抳e given me, and from all the bets I used to win off Jane and Quinn, and my summer jobs, etcetera. It was my Montana Cabin Fund. I don抰 remember if I抳e mentioned it before.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?Quinn抯 face screwed up in puzzlement. 揗ontana Cabin Fund??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揑t抯 a long story. Don抰 worry about.?She looked down at Jane. 揝o we have a Morgendorffer-Lane on the way.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揕ane-Morgendorffer,?Jane corrected
softly.
牋牋牋牋牋?揥hatever.?She smiled, then bent and kissed the top of Jane抯 head. 揂 little of me and a little of her. Something from each of us. We don抰 know what sex the baby is yet. We thought we抎 rather be surprised.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?A strained silence arose, surrounded
by very confused faces.
牋牋牋牋牋?揥ait,?said Quinn, beating her
parents to the punch. 揗aybe my biology抯 sort of rusty, you know, and I don抰
want to say something wrong here, but . . . a little of棓
牋牋牋牋牋?揂 little of me and a little of her,?repeated Daria. 揑t抯 close enough. And since it抯 Thanksgiving, I抣l say this once again.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?Daria stepped close to the table and
put out a hand.
牋牋牋牋牋?揟hank you, Trent,?she said.
牋牋牋牋牋?Every eye turned to him.
牋牋牋牋牋?After a moment, Trent stepped
closer, too, then reached across the table and took Daria抯 hand with a firm
but gentle grip.
牋牋牋牋牋?揧ou抮e welcome,?he said. When they let go, he coughed and added, 揅an we eat now??o:p>
Original:
1/29/03; modified 12/08/04, 12/31/04, 04/08/05
FINIS