Fluff to chill from the Crow for the day.—(Closet)

The phone started ringing shaking her awake.

She fumbled for her glasses first and then answered her tormentor.

“WHAT?” She said harshly.

“Daria, it’s terrible.” She heard her sister cry into the phone.

Daria was suddenly alert and out of her bed.

“Quinn what’s wrong?” She asked as images of car accidents and heart attacks filled her mind.

“They’re going to find out.” Quinn cried.

“Who, what are you talking about?” Daria demanded.

“Mom and Dad, I begged the reporter to not use the picture but it’s going to be in the paper tomorrow.” Quinn continued to cry.

“Mom and Dad are ok.” Daria sighed; she felt tears of relief welling in her eyes.

“Until they kill me and get tossed in jail.” Quinn wailed.

“Quinn, whatever you did I promise Mom and Dad won’t kill you.” Daria sighed, wanting to go back to bed.

“Sure they won’t, I got out of there.” Quinn answered.

“WHAT?” Daria yelled into the phone.

“I left, I’m taking a bus out of here. Can I come live with you?” Quinn said.

“Wait, calm down.” Daria said realizing that things were more serious than she thought.

“I don’t have time to calm down, the paper is coming out in the morning and my entire life is ruined.” Quinn cried.

“Your life isn’t ruined.” Daria started.

“It is, please let me come there.” Quinn started sobbing louder.

“I’ll come down there, you … go to Jane’s. I’ll call her and tell her to let you stay and I’ll start driving down in the morning.” Daria offered.

“Really.” Quinn sniffled.

“Yes. If things are bad then yes I’ll bring you back up here with me.” Daria promised.

“Thank you.” Quinn said.

“Now can you get to Jane’s or should I try to see if she can pick you up?” Daria asked.

“I can get there, I’m at the bus station, it’s less than a mile from there.” Quinn said still sniffling.

“Ok, I’ll call her right now.” Daria said.

“I’m heading there, it shouldn’t take me to long to get there.” Quinn sighed sounding relieved.

Daria ended the call and dialed Jane’s cell number first.

“Go away.” Jane’s voice sleepily said and the call ended.

She dialed it again.

“I said go away.” Jane said before hanging up again.

Daria groaned and dialed again.

“What in hell do you want at 4 in the morning?” Jane demanded.

“Sanctuary.” Daria answered.

“Amiga.” Jane said surprised.

“Hey, I got a problem.” Daria said.

“And you want to drop it off on me don’t you?” Jane chuckled.

“At least until I can get down there and figure out what’s happening.” Daria admitted.

“When should I expect the princess?” Jane groaned loudly.

“She’s walking from the bus station now. She’s really freaked out about something that’s going to be in the paper in the morning.” Daria said.

“Am I to assume your parents aren’t to be informed that Quinn is here?” Jane asked.

“Pretty much.” Daria answered.

“You owe me.” Jane said.

“I’ll bring a couple of slices and you can think up some kind of proper payment.” Daria smiled despite the worry she was felling.

“I’ll take care of her but if she tries to give me a makeover I’m going to duct-tape her to a wall.” Jane said and then sighed. “I’m going downstairs and turn on some lights, I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

“Talk to you then.” Daria said and ended the call.

:Damn, Quinn what have you done now?: She thought.

Jane sat on the couch trying to stay awake waiting for the knock at the door. She rose to answer it and opened the door.

“Did Daria call?” Quinn said nervously on the front step.

Jane looked at the red faced, tear eyed girl and sighed. She nodded her head and reached out and pulled Quinn into the house speechlessly.

Quinn was dressed in her normal clothes but her hair was a mess and her face was puffy red and her expression was one of intense depression.

“So I can stay here to wait for Daria?” Quinn sniffled.

“Ya, c’mon, it’s late and I’m dead tired and you look like you need some sleep to.” Jane said and pulled the younger girl to her room.

Jane pulled out the sleeping bag that Daria always used and added an extra pillow for Quinn.

“Sleep now.” Jane said as she crawled into her bed after turning off the light.

“Thank you Jane.” Quinn said as she laid down and quickly adjusted the pillows.

“Sleep now.” Jane responded.

Daria was pulling out of Boston when her phone started ringing.

“Hello.” She answered.

“Daria, Quinn’s missing.” Her father Jake Morgendorffer said quickly and sounding panicked.

“Dad it’s going to be ok.” Daria started.

“She’s dead in a ditch somewhere and it’s all my fault.” Jake whined.

“I doubt she’s dead in a ditch, calm down before you have a heart attack.” Daria ordered sternly.

“But I’m worried.” Jake said weakly.

“Have you read the morning paper yet?” Daria asked.

“No, I went to get Quinn up for school and found her bed still made up.” Jake said still sounding worried.

“Good, I think Quinn is ok, but don’t read the paper unless Mom is there.” Daria said now really worried her father was going to gave himself another heart attack.

“Why?” Jake asked.

“I think there’s something in the paper that might upset you, just trust me.” Daria sighed.

“Should your mother read the paper?” Jake asked.

“Yes, calmly.” Daria said. “I have to go.” Daria said and hung up the call.

Jane read the morning paper and sighed as she carried it to her room and sat on the foot of her bed waiting for Quinn to return from the shower.

Quinn walked in and saw Jane waiting for her with the newspaper and her face fell.

“I’ll leave, please don’t call my parents.” Quinn mumbled.

“Relax, do I look weirded out or anything?” Jane said honestly feeling sympathy for Quinn.

“Thanks.” Quinn said as she sat down on the sleeping bag.

“Hey, it’s not so bad, I have to ask though, is it true?” Jane said sliding down to the floor so she would be at the same height as Quinn.

“Ya.” Quinn blushed and tears started to flow down her cheeks.

Jane moved next to the crying girl and wrapped an arm around her comfortingly and squeezed gently.

“It’s going to be ok.” Jane said nicely.

She wasn’t prepared for what happened next.

Quinn turned her head and kissed Jane without any warning.

“Whoa…” Jane said jumping to her feet.

“But …” Quinn said looking confused.

“What are you doing?” Jane demanded.

“You were nice to me, I just thought … hoped …that maybe you … liked me.” Quinn said embarrassed.

“At least you aren’t saying I give off gay vibes.” Jane sighed sitting back down a little farther away this time.

“My gaydar doesn’t work real well or I would have never spent a year waiting for Sandi to kiss me.” Quinn sighed.

“hoped?” Jane said realizing something Quinn had said.

Quinn covered her face with her hands in utter embarrassment.

“It’s ok, I’m flattered but …” Jane pushed.

“You were nice, you look cute and oh god I’m a leg troll.” Quinn blushed.

“The gams got you huh.” Jane smirked.

“Are you?” Quinn trailed off.

“Ummm I really want to say no but I’m kinda of getting a warm and fuzzy about someone as attractive as you crushing on me.” Jane admitted.

“Well if you make up your mind, we could talk.” Quinn said smiling.

Jane was about to say something when her phone started ringing.

“Hello.”

“Hi Mrs. M.” Jane said and held a finger in front of her lips to signal Quinn.

“No I haven’t seen Quinn but we didn’t get along well. No we don’t have the paper delivered. Daria? I talked to her a few days ago; she was asking if I wanted to come up for Halloween.” Jane said.

“I’ll let you know if I see her.” Jane said and hung up the phone. “As long as it doesn’t break my rules.” She added into the air.

“My hero.” Quinn laughed.

“I’m doing it for Daria mostly, she asked me too.” Jane shrugged.

“Um when is she do in?” Quinn asked as she shifted closer to Jane.

“A few more hours.” Jane said looking surprised as Quinn got on all fours and crawled over to her.

“Maybe we could experiment to see what kind of warm and fuzzies you’re getting.” Quinn said and kissed Jane again.

“I don’t know about that.” Jane said nervously looking uncomfortable.

“It’ll be ok.” Quinn said and her hand moved up Jane’s leg.

“This is something new.” Jane mumbled.

“Oh god I’m a guy.” Quinn said pulling back.

“What, you aren’t a guy.” Jane laughed, her finger stroking her own lip.

“I’m trying to nail you to make myself feel better and you’re not even sure if you want to. I feel terrible.” Quinn said shocked.

“So you don’t …” Jane stuttered.

“No…, no, … I really do but even if you are like me, you’re not ready.” Quinn sighed.

“Oh.” Jane said her face perking back up.

“You’re gonna get a swelled head aren’t you?” Quinn grinned.

“Yes.” Jane answered looking visibly relieved by Quinn ending her seduction.

“So what is there to do here?” Quinn asked.

Daria pulled into Lawndale shortly after dark and she made her first stop a convince store where she bought a newspaper.

The front page gave her all the information she needed.

It took another 10 minutes for her to get to Jane’s.

She walked into the house without knocking and head straight to Jane’s room where she knew Quinn would be.

She wasn’t disappointed.

Quinn was stretched out on the bed with only a sheet covering her while Jane painted her.

“Excuse me.” Daria said tossing the paper on the bed.

“Hi Amiga.” Jane said as she continued to paint.

“You came.” Quinn smiled and Daria caught herself about to smile back.

“What’s going on here?” Daria said cautiously.

“Uh Daria we’re in love.” Quinn giggled.

“WHAT?” Daria roared.

“She’s kidding.” Jane laughed.

“Maybe.” Quinn said and then blushed.

“Stop that.” Jane said seriously.

“When you didn’t know there’s a closet.” Daria read from the front page of the paper.

“I was told the interview was going to be anonymous.” Quinn sighed.

“A 17 year old girl that is forced to hide her true self from everyone. “I just want to have friends and be popular. I didn’t want people to start treating me differently.” Quinn Morgendorffer told me during our interview.” Daria kept reading out loud.

“He took my picture with a hidden camera and ran the story even know I begged him not to.” Quinn cried and Jane stopped painting and moved to the bed and consoled her.

“Of course, the story is so much stronger as a grand coming out statement.” Daria said hatefully.

“I didn’t know what to do. So I ran off and called you.” Quinn said. “Are you ok?” Quinn said slightly concerned.

“I’m fine, I just didn’t expect this. I thought you were sleeping with the mayor or something.” Daria said as she sat on the bed.

“Have you heard from Mom and Dad?” Quinn asked.

“Yes.” Daria answered and she took a deep breath.

“Mom’s really proud of you and Dad just worried. Sandi Griffin has been calling them all day because she’s worried and well the statement about being afraid to act different at school so you don’t get shipped off to a special class has a lot of people asking about what’s happening at the school.” Daria sighed.

“Oh.” Quinn said surprised.

“Did you mean what you said about me?” Daria asked.

“I’m sorry.” Quinn said and started. “I was trying to say.”

“It’s all my sister’s fault really, she kept telling me to spend some time looking inside myself until I found a real person and when I finally did well turns out she was gay.” Daria read.

“You made me want to meet the real me.” Quinn replied.

“I really like the real you.” Jane said pushing the younger girl gently.

“Let’s get you home.” Daria said glaring at Jane.

“Tomorrow, but I’ll call Mom and Dad and tell them I’m ok.” Quinn smiled.

“All I did was crush on your brother and steal your boyfriend, you can’t hook up with my sister.” Daria said looking at Jane.

“YES.” Quinn cheered.

Jane and Daria both looked at Quinn confused.

“Now I’m forbidden fruit too, you know you want to rebel Jane.” Quinn laughed.

“Quinn.” Daria exclaimed.