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

A/N: This story has NOTHING to do with the other fics I've written. D/J are 24 years old, Trent is 29. Much has happened since the two girls graduated from Lawndale High…

Chapter 1

For the Moment, Free

Raft University, Boston

In cadence with the rest of her graduating class, she moved the tassel to the other side of her mortarboard.

Her time in college had come to an end. After a long deliberation, she had decided to postpone her Doctorate, and spend a few years in the real world. Perhaps the month in Paris would clear her head, before she started at what she hoped would prove to be a temporary position. Despite the decent starting salary, it wasn't what she really wanted, but it would have to do for now. She wasn't unrealistic enough to expect to step into her dream job with just a freshly minted MFA and no real experience.

Now, in the press of her classmates and the crowd, she wanted nothing more than to get the hell out of the academic regalia and into her favorite jeans. There was the dinner, though, hopefully just a quiet time with the people closest to her. The jeans could wait a few hours, considering the fortune her parents had spent on getting her to this point in her life.

"Well, look at you! Summa Cum Laude, Master of Arts from an Ivy League Institution," Jane said proudly.

The two friends of nine years embraced tightly. "Congratulations, mi amiga."

"Thank you, Jane, she murmured into her best friend's shoulder. "You found me pretty quickly in this mob."

"Not too many with this kind of a collection," Jane smiled, fingering her multicolored honors cords. "And my spotter helped." Jane glanced over Daria's shoulder, a sparkle in her eye. Daria turned, her face blossoming into a radiant, full smile before she could stop it.

Saying nothing, Trent stepped forward and wrapped his arms around the diminutive woman, almost lifting her off her feet. He held her for a long moment.

"Hi." She almost stammered. ""I thought you were on tour," she said hesitantly into his ear.

Finally releasing her, he reached over and brushed a strand of hair out of her face. "I told my label that I had to have this weekend clear, so the tour starts next week. There was no way I was going to miss your graduation, Daria."

"Thank you," she said quietly. She pressed her face into his shoulder, his familiar scent triggering a flood of memories. Not now, it's taken so long for us to rebuild our friendship. No. Not again.

"Thanks for inviting me, Mrs. M," Trent smiled. "You look great. All the women in your family do."

"You and Jane are family, Trent," she smiled at him fondly. "And when are you going to learn my name?"

"Sorry, Helen. Kind of a habit. You two raised a couple of beautiful, smart women."

"They sure are, aren't they?" grinned Jake. "Glad I made it to see this. Now if I live to see my girls married and my grandchildren, I can die happy."

"Jake!" Helen shook her head. "Stop talking like that. I'm too young to be a grandmother."

"No, you're-" Jake started, interrupted by a quiet smile from Trent. Leaning over, he whispered in his ear.

"Jake, with all due respect, you need to stop now."

Jane laughed, turning to her boyfriend Matt. "See? You're lucky you don't have that kind of pressure to deal with."

C'mon, Janey. Trent glanced protectively at Daria, who had reached over to pick up her glass of wine.

Quinn did the same a moment later, raising her glass. "To my brilliant sister Daria, who's about to kick the collective asses of the world."

Trent smiled at Quinn as he lifted his cabernet. Took her awhile, but she got it. Her sister's a jewel.

He watched Daria's small, full lips delicately touch the rim, the light sparkling off the meniscus of dark liquid. The glass was returned to the table, it's rim still unmarred. His eyes flicked back to those lips, now glistening. She still didn't use lipstick, or any makeup, as far as he could tell. That was the natural color of her lips, something that he had always thought lovely. Janey would use the bright scarlet lipstick as a way of hiding who she was from those unable to see below the surface, while Daria thought she was simply hiding in plain sight.

What a subtle beauty she has. That guy Will was such a total fool to lose her. What was it about the guys Daria seemed to attract? They could see her brilliance, her grace; but they would also see a woman that they want to make even more perfect. So what if she didn't care about her appearance? She tried to be honest about everything. As far as he was concerned, there was nothing to improve.

He looked away, not wanting to let her catch him staring at her. Maybe it hadn't been such a good idea to come. Still, she seemed okay with it now, and dammit, he was happy to see her reach this personal milestone on her own terms.

He had considered begging off after presenting her with the flowers and her engraved fountain pen, but she had touched him like a feather on his arm when Helen had told everyone where the restaurant was.