"Last Call!!" Jack's voice came roaring across the bar.

Or at least it sounded like a roar, to Danny's inebriated mind. "Soyou want another? I'm heading up."

Casey stared contemplatively at his almost empty bottle, but only fora moment. "Not sure that I need it, but why not?"

"Hey, at the very least, you get to stare at my cute ass as I walk upto the bar..."

Casey nodded and lifted his bottle in a gesture vaguely aimed at Dan."At the very least."

As he walked away, Casey did indeed find himself staring at Danny's ass,although probably only because Dan had mentioned it. hmm... It actuallyis kinda cute... As soon as the thought entered his head, Casey realized that he wasn't quite sure that was something he wanted to think about,and shook off the idea. Sure, Danny was quiteattractive (in that Knox Overstreet sort of way), but this wasDanny. We're talking the equivalent of "the boy next door," and youjust don't go there.

Just as Casey finished off his last swig of beer, a new bottleappeared in front him. "So I've been thinking, Case."

"You've been thinking? In the ten minutes it took you to get ourbeers? Please don't tell me you've finally grasped imaginarynumbers, cuz that would just make me feel sooo inferior."

"I've been thinking about us."

"Us?" On second thought, maybe you did go there... "What about us?"

"Well, more about our predicament, really."

"We have a predicament?

"Yes. Well, actually, we have several predicaments, but nevermind."

"Several predicaments?"

"Indeed."

"Well, are you going to share them with me?"

"To be honest Casey, I'm rather surprised you don't already know whatthey are."

"Why do I get the feeling we're not talking about the sale ofContinental Corp.?"

"Cuz we're not. Although that was one of the predicaments, so youget half a gold star."

"So it was the other predicament you were thinking about on youradventure to the bar..."

"Correct again! Man, you're really on a roll tonight..."

"Well hey, after John Rocker, I could only improve."

"As is true for just about everyone."

About 3/4 of the way through the bottle of beer, a realizationentered Casey's somewhat fuzzy mind. "Hey, you never told me about ourpredicament."

"Our predicament?"

"Yes, our predicament. The one you were thinking about at the bar."

"I was wondering when you'd remember..."

Casey mocked surprise. "You noticed I'd forgotten and didn't say anything?That's very unlike you Danny."

"You may just find I'm full of surprises tonight."

Danny now had Casey's full, if hazy attention. "Oh really? Now I reallywant to know about this predicament."

"Casey, what would you say was the main theme of this evening?"

"On the show, or in the bar?"

"In the bar."

"I'd have to go with whining and complaining."

"Anything else?"

"Speculation?"

"Two very good answers, but you're still circling the issue at hand.What else, have say, you, me, and Natalie all been trying dotonight?"

"Ah... now I get it... We've all been trying to get sex."

"Ding Ding Ding!!!! The prize goes to Casey McCall! And now Mr. McCall,your bonus question: Who, have we all been trying to get sex from?"

"Well, with Natalie it was Jeremy, and with you it was Kim, and withme it... oh, I see, it was our co-workers!!!

"Bingo."

Casey just stared at Dan, almost afraid to say anything. He could seewhere this conversation was going, but was having a hard time believingthat Dan would even be thinking this. And given that, he would reallyhate to say anything, hint at anything, or even gesture at anything,and turn out to be wrong. That would be bad. Very, very bad.

"So tell me Case, were any of us successful in our quests?"

"Our quests to get laid?"

Dan nodded.

"Well, as you and I seem to be pretty much the only people we know leftin this bar, and Jeremy and Natalie most definately leftseparately, I'm gonna have to go with 'no.'"

"So there in lies the predicament."

"That we all wanted sex-- from our co-workers-- and didn't get any?

"I would've said 'haven't yet gotten any,' but yes, that isessentially the predicament."

"And you were thinking about this on your way to get our beer."

"Yes."

"Almost directly after you made a comment to me about your 'cuteass.'"

"Yes."

Casey shrugged and went for broke. "So I may be going out on a limbhere-- and I really hope I'm not, cuz this will be so embarrassing ifI'm wrong-- but are you saying that the solution to our 'predicament' isrelated to me looking at your cute ass?"

"Yes." There was now a distinct smirk making its way across Danny's face.

Relief instantly lightened Casey's tone. "And does this solution alsoinvolve me agreeing that your ass is cute??"

"Well I should hope so..." Danny's smirk turned into a smile as he puthis elbows on the table, leaning closer to Casey.

Casey was just about to respond, when those infamous bartender wordswere called out from across the room, "Closing time!!! You don't haveto go home, but you can't stay here!!"

Casey was almost gleeful as he turned back to Dan. "So, Danny, whichone of us isn't going home tonight? "