Yet another shameless Daria/ Trent shipper project. In this Universe, things go a bit differently…lots of post IICY characters have been added for the sake of moving things along. Any resemblance to real individuals, living or otherwise, may be coincidental, or maybe not. You can't prove anything, so whatever.

Disclaimer: Daria and associated characters are owned by MTV. This is fan fiction written for fun and entertainment only. No money or other negotiable currency or goods have been exchanged.

Mothers and Daughters

Chapter 1

Reconnected

"Have a good holiday, Ms. Morgendorffer," smiled the portly professor. Lowering his voice, he looked at her over the rims of his reading glasses; he tapped the side of his gray head, a twinkle in his eye. "You are a rare encouragement for this dispirited old man."

"Thank you, Professor Sanderson. Enjoy your family."

Not surprisingly, she had been the first one to turn in her test booklet. Having decided to focus on writing critically with an eye to precision rather than sheer word count, her essays had gotten far more brief and to the point. It had become a challenge; choose a sound rhetorical strategy and cut to the chase, making every word count.

Several pairs of eyebrows shot up in surprise, if not annoyance, when she walked out the door.

The Comparative Lit exam was the last hurdle before the Thanksgiving break. She stepped out into the crisp autumn day and headed across campus to her dorm. Jane had texted her and had set her ETA at two in the afternoon, a little more than an hour away. They were going to spend the holiday checking out the kind of apartments that were available; the plan was that they were going to share a place when Jane started the spring term at Boston Fine Arts College.

She took the stairs up to the third floor, and knocked habitually and paused before opening the door. She had developed that protocol after walking in on her roommate, Deidre, entertaining her boyfriend. She dropped her backpack on the floor next to her desk, and picked up the note taped to the microwave.

A minute later, she heard a knock on the door.

"You're early," Daria smiled, pulling her friend into a rare hug.

"Missed you, Amiga," smiled a surprised Jane. After a moment, they broke apart. "Somebody else wanted to come," she smirked, tilting her head.

"Trent?" Her response was several milliseconds late. She stared, in mild shock. Not what she was expecting.

"Hey, Daria, looking good," he murmured quietly, standing a few feet away in the hall.

"It's good to see you," she managed. "What are you doing here?"

"Gave Janey a ride up. Thought I'd say hi before I leave you two alone to catch up." He gave her a lazy smile, and stepped up to the doorway. "Gotta find a place to stay. If you don't mind, I'd like to join you guys for dinner, so if it's okay, Janey, call my cell."

Daria gave him a quiet smile. After a moment's hesitation, she stepped towards him, opening her arms. The two friends shared a hug, Daria resting her head on his shoulder. "I missed you," he murmured quietly in her ear.

She blushed furiously. "Yeah," she said quietly, enjoying his familiar scent, pressing her face into his shoulder a bit longer than she should have.

Jane, smiling, looked away, not saying a word. She dropped her sleeping bag on the floor, and looked around Daria's dorm room. She stepped over to a built-in desk, and began looking at some framed photographs on the shelf above it.

"Trent, if you don't mind the floor, you can crash here." She balled up the note and tossed it into the trash can. "Deidre's staying at her boyfriend's place, and she's okay with Jane using her bed. You could use Jane's sleeping bag."

"I thought I'd give you two some privacy."

"I don't have anything to hide from either of you."

Jane, suppressing an urge to open her mouth, just smiled.

"You've grown a bit bolder, Amiga," Jane grinned at her friend. Trent had stepped into the shower- it had been a long day, and he wanted to change into fresh clothes.

"Well… I missed you guys too, "Daria said quietly, looking at her hands in her lap.

"No wild parties to distract you?"

"You know me, Jane. Deidre dragged me to a few parties, but then she kinda gave up. I'm just not into that scene. I mean, I've gone out with a few guys, but I'm not what most guys seem to want around here. It kind of makes me want to go find another green jacket and black skirt again."

"Too cold for a skirt, I'd say. Besides, it would be a loss, you know. You look great. Nothing wrong with that."

"Mmrrrf." She got up and pulled open a drawer, pulling out a dark green sweater. A man's sweatshirt fell to the floor. Daria blushed as she picked it up. "I should give this back."

Jane raised an eyebrow, taking it from Daria and holding it up. "Hockey? Never figured you for a jock."

Daria snatched it back and threw it on the bed. "That's why I don't go to parties. I make mistakes like him when I get to drinking. Maybe it'll fit Trent."

"Wishful thinking?"

"You'll never know, Jane."

"You know, he's changed since you last saw him."

They decided on an early dinner, and caught up as they ate. Daria had found a small Italian place nearby, owned by a pleasant middle-aged couple from Sicily. The menu featured what Americans thought of as Italian, but there were a few favorite Sicilian items always listed on the blackboard along with the daily specials.

Daria ordered the Pasta Alla Norma, a fragrant dish of fried eggplant, tomatoes and basil, while Trent and Jane decided on a lasagna that promised a Sicilian touch.

"So how's the Spiral doing?" Daria ventured, having had a few fortifying sips from Trent's glass of beer. Damn, he still made her a little anxious.

"They're doing good. Monique is fronting them now, and I guess she's better eye candy than I ever was, although I was probably a better guitarist."

She paused, fingers motionless over the breadsticks. "Was? You mean you left the Spiral?"

"Yeah. I finally figured out that I'd never get anywhere with that dream. Nobody, myself included, was working hard enough to make it work. Anyway, I got a day job to help Janey out. This BFAC is an expensive school, and even with the grants and scholarships she got, I figured she could use the help."

"Damn, Trent, you're full of surprises. How did Monique wind up with the Spiral? Isn't that kind of awkward?"

"Not really. She and I just kind of grew apart. You know how we never could seem to make it stick? I finally figured out I needed a different kind of girl."

'Well, I know you'll find someone," Daria mumbled to the floor.

Dammit, I can't sleep.

Jane snored softly from Deidre's bed, sprawled face down. There was enough moonlight spilling through the open curtains to see pretty clearly. She had forgotten how much alike the Lane siblings were; she had seen Trent sleeping just like that, during the many nights she had stayed over at Jane's.

Hey, it wasn't her fault that Trent often left his door cracked open when the weather was warm. Maybe she had enjoyed the occasional free show on her way to the bathroom when the stars aligned: a full moon, an open door and just enough heat for covers to be kicked off.

Beautiful boy.

She smiled secretly as she flipped her covers off and swung her legs off the bed, planting them squarely on a warm body.

Shit.

How had she forgotten that he was asleep on the floor? And what was he doing right next to her bed?

She wiggled her bare toes experimentally.

Yup, that would be his ass.

Shifting her weight gingerly to the floor, she looked down. In the dim light, she could see enough to note that he had rolled over on his side and was looking up at her.

Oh God. She flopped back onto her bed, pulling her legs up and wiggling back into her sleeping position. As if.

A few moments later, she rolled over on her side and peeked over the edge of the bed. "Sorry, Trent, hope I didn't wake you." Sure, I just stepped on you and fondled your ass with my toes. Why would you notice that?

A soft chuckle was the reply. After a moment, he spoke quietly. "No worries, I wasn't really sleeping. What time is it, anyway?" He slowly sat up. She was relieved to note that he had a T-shirt and boxers on. He flexed his shoulder and back, stiff, trying to work out some kinks.

She found her glasses and her cellphone. "Three-fourty five. Really should try and get more sleep, otherwise I'll fall asleep showing you guys around today." She got out of bed, more carefully this time, and made her way to the bathroom.

She found him sitting cross-legged on the edge of her bed, rubbing the back of his neck. He had pulled on a pair of sweatpants. "Can I ask a favor?" he said softly, getting off her bed.

"You're supposed to buy me dinner first, you know."

He laughed quietly. "Anytime, Daria."

Damn this mouth of mine. She wondered if he could feel the heat radiating off her face.

"Actually, I was just wondering- not that, you know, I wouldn't want to-" he paused, wondering how to remove his foot from his mouth.

She laughed softly.

He'd missed the sound of her voice. It always amused him the way she tried to keep it dull and unmodulated, the defense made plain when she forgot herself and let a laugh like this one escape. "I- kinda have a kink in my back from the floor," he said. "Guess I'm getting old. I was just wondering if I could get you to walk on my back? You're pretty light, and it should be about the right pressure to get it to pop."

She smiled at that. "Sure. Let me get my spike heels and my leather corset. I guess I should go find that darn ball gag so we don't wake Jane up."

He let out a snicker. Jane snorted and rolled over on her side. After a moment, she resumed her soft snore. "Sorry," he whispered. "I wouldn't want to explain it to her either." He stretched out on the floor, face turned to the side. "Just put your weight along the sides of my spine. Start at the lower back and work your way up to the shoulder blades."

Putting her hand out to balance herself on the edge of her bed, she gingerly shifted her weight as he asked. She slowly worked up along his back, feeling his musculature shift beneath her feet. As she approached the shoulders, she felt a click and then a deeper pop as something eased. "Was that it?" she asked quietly, almost disappointed that seemed to have worked so quickly. He nodded, and she carefully stepped off and gave him her hand as he rolled over. She pulled him up to a sitting position.

"Thanks. Your toes are magic."

She smiled, hoping he was referring to the back walk.

"Sit here," he said quietly, indicating the end of her bed. After a moment's hesitation, she complied. He felt her shudder slightly as he put his hands on her shoulders and gently squeezed. "No wonder you can't sleep. You're really tense." He gathered her hair into a loose ponytail and moved it away from her back. She took it from him, their hands brushing. She smiled.

He rubbed her shoulders for several minutes, and then began to apply pressure to the base of her skull with his thumbs. Working carefully down her neck, he began to feel her relax.

She's brilliant, so cool…I was such a moron…

She moaned very quietly as he worked on her shoulders. He has no idea what this is doing to me- or does he? My God, this feels so good.

"Lay down." He moved to the end of the bed, kneeling down so he could reach her lower back. With her head turned, he could apply pressure to her back with only his stomach getting close to her head. It would be easier if he could straddle her legs, working from the other side, but that would be a very bad idea. She seemed to be enjoying this, and he didn't want to freak her out.

Rather than sliding his hands over her back, which was hard since she had her sleeping shirt on, he rolled the heels of his hands and pressed his thumbs into her muscles. He worked along her back, stopping at the swell of her hips and her rear. A truly excellent butt, and very nice legs.

He was surprised when she pulled the hem of her shirt up, baring her lower back, and wiggling the waistband of her shorts a little lower. "Just a little more, please?" she whispered quietly.

Smiling, he continued, this time with his hands on her bare skin. Tiny sounds escaped from the woman, and he fought to keep from slipping his fingers past the elastic of her shorts. He had to stop, before things got out of hand. Besides, Janey was sleeping only a few feet away.

She sensed him pulling back, and she silently pulled her shirt back down. She rolled on her side, and pulled him down. "Thank you," she whispered.

"You're welcome," he answered. "You should get some sleep." He stood carefully, turning so she wouldn't see the pronounced bulge in his pants. As he moved to lay back down on the floor, she grabbed his shirt and pulled him back.

"Lay down with me, old man," she whispered. "I just got that kink out." She held on tight. "Don't worry, I'll deal with Jane in the morning. Just keep your hands off the goods." Just what the hell am I doing? This was supposed to be over and done with.