That weekend, Gale and Miley are together at home with Dani, doing homework and just relaxing together. Hearing the phone ring, Dani reaches out to grab it, but Gale picks it up and answers.

"Hello?" Gale asks earning a smile from Dani and Miley, "Oh, hi dad. Yeah, mom's here just busy." Dani told Gale about Elliott supposing trying to make it to meet Gale's teacher. Gale is furious and is happy Dani did tell him and honestly, he's happy that Elliott didn't come. He's closer to Dani and loves her more than Elliott any day, "How are you, dad? That's good. I'll see if mom could pause and talk to you." Passing the phone to Dani, Dani accepts it.

"Hey, Elliott." Dani greets.

"Has Gale told you he wants to be a girl?" Elliott wonders furiously.

"Yes." Dani trails off, "He can be who he wants to be. There is nothing wrong with it."

"Yes there is!" Elliott shouts making Dani cringe, "It's sick and wrong. I am disowning him."

"Fine, be that way. Goodbye, Elliott." Hanging up Dani tosses her phone next to her and puts her face into her hands groaning.

"What's wrong, mom?" Gale whispers hurt after hearing the conversation.

"Your dad is a jerk." Dani states looking at him. Seeing Gale in tears, Dani opens her arms. Sitting down on Dani's lap, Gale cuddles into Dani's body, "Are you sure this is what you want to do, Gale?"

"I don't feel comfortable being a guy." Gale admits.

"I know what you are going through."

"Really?"

"Yes. I like girls, not guys." Surprised, Gale looks at him mom.

"You never told me that."

"I know. I figured it was time."

"Thank you." Gale whispers. Hugging Gale to her, Dani kisses his forehead.

"I love you for who you are, Gale. I don't care if you want to be a girl. It's your choice. You have to know people will bully you."

"I know. I just want to be who I always want to be."

"Would you like to do surgery? Or just start small and wear girl clothes and let your hair grow out?"

"Small for now."

"Okay. How about this, after I finish this paperwork, we head out and go shopping?"

"Really?" Gale looks at his mom excitedly.

"Yes. And we can go out for dinner."

"Yay!"

By that evening, Gale carries his bags in his room with Dani as Miley goes straight to the TV. Using the boxes she bought, Dani packs Gale's guy clothes before helping him hang up and put them into his drawers of his dresser.

"Have you decided what your name should be?" Dani asks.

"No. I like Gale." Gale admits.

"Well Gale is a girl's and guy's name. How about it stays?"

"Really!"

"Yes." Dani chuckles as Gale attacks her with a hug, "Miley will have to get used to the idea, so will I, but we will support you forever."

"I love you." Gale whispers.

"I love you too."

"Mommy?" Miley's voice rings into the bedroom. Turning to the door, Miley is crying. Behind her are Dani's parents.

"Come here, honey." Dani speaks quietly. Getting up as Miley rushes over, Dani gets Gale to hold her and leaves her phone on Gale's bed. Walking toward Travis and Jessie, Dani stands at the door, "What would you like?" Dani asks politely.

"What is this we hear that your son is going to be a girl?" Travis growls.

"I don't have to answer to you. You have no right to be in our home or be around us. You are violating the law. You know I have a restraining order against both of you." Dani glares.

"You need to kick him out. He's a disgrace to our family." Jessie snaps.

"We aren't a part of your family. In my family we respect each other and what they choose. They know I'm a lesbian as well. They know Elliott disowned Gale. We stand by Gale's wishes, just like we will stand by Miley and myself. You have no say in the matter." Feeling her father slap her, Dani shoves him into the wall with her arm pressed against his throat, "Don't you dare touch me again." Dani hisses darkly.

Her father is a good couple of feet taller than she is and is big and muscular. He is a wrestler and taught her moves growing up. Her mother however used to be a performer on Broadway.

Feeling her get flipped, Dani immediately flips Travis and punches him in the face as Jessie tries to lift Dani off of him, but isn't successful.

"MOMMY!" Dani hears Miley's scared voice. Looking to her and then behind her, Jessie has a vase and is about to smash it over her head.

"Get off him." Jessie snarls. Doing what she is told Dani gets up and backs away, "Good, Miley get in the car, we are leaving."

"You're not taking her anywhere." Dani roars. Her parents are hardcore against society. Lesbians, gays, trans, teen pregnancy, everything. Yet, they helped her during her pregnancy with Gale and Miley. Dani just doesn't get it.

"Miley," Travis growls, "Get in the fucking car!" Hearing Miley whimper, Dani sees red. Tackling Jessie to the ground, Dani's vase smashes. Feeling her father hit her; Dani stays strong and hits her mother. Grabbing the half of the vase that is still together, Dani turns and smashes it against her dad's head.

"Kids, run!" Dani shouts as she pins Travis to the ground. Once Miley and Gale are gone, Dani gets up and sprints out of the apartment. Knowing the kids' hiding place, Dani runs as fast as she can over there. Ducking behind the garbage bin, Dani sees Jessie and Travis run out.

"Where are those brats?" Jessie asks Travis.

"We'll just go home and come back later." Travis states. Watching them walk to their car, they climb in before driving away. Waiting for them to disappear into the night, Dani jogs to her kids' hiding place. Arriving there, Dani calls out to them. Seeing them peek out from behind the back exit, they rush over to her and hug her tightly.

"We're okay." Dani whispers hugging them back.

"How did they find us?" Gale asks shaking in fear.

"I think it was your dad. I'm not sure though."

"Can we move?" Miley wonders hugging Dani tighter.

"We will be. We will start packing tonight." Dani confirms. Heading back, Dani gives the front desk shit before heading upstairs to their apartment. Reaching the apartment, Dani immediately heads to Gale's room and picks up her phone. Dialling the police, she reports her parents. Gale and Miley stay in the living room pulling out the boxes from the closet and begins to pack the kitchen carefully.

Arriving to the kitchen after hanging up, Dani smiles softly helping the kids.

"I hate Grandma and Grandpa." Miley informs Dani.

"I know." Dani nods looking to her, "We all do."

"Why did they hurt you? For protecting us?"

"Pretty much. And refusing to listen to them."

"They do that to mom even before you were born." Gale admits.

"Gale, Miley, since we are almost done with the kitchen, could you pack up Miley's room?" Dani asks. They have very little things, just four plates, cups, microwave dishes, silver wear, just what they need. Watching them nod, Dani finishes the kitchen, which fits into three boxes marked Kitchen in Dani's penmanship.

Helping the kids pack up Miley's room, it is finally time for bed. Scared, Miley and Gale crawl into Dani's bed with her and fall asleep cuddling up to Dani.

The next day, they finish packing the very little stuff they have and within seven hours, the car is packed with everything it can hold and called a moving truck for the dressers, beds, and the last of the boxes.

Arriving to Dani's best friend's house, Devon Smith, Dani knocks on the door.

"I'm coming!" Devon calls opening the door, "Dani!" Devon squeals hugging Dani tightly, "What do I owe?"

"May we move in until we find a place?" Dani gives Devon a sorry look.

"Of course." Opening the door wider, Devon orders the movers to offload the truck as he helps Dani offload the car with Gale and Miley. Showing them to his two spare rooms, Miley and Dani share as Gale gets his own room. Once Dani's things are in the storage room he has, for the things that aren't needed and don't need to be unpacked, Dani promises they will be very neat and tidy, "Thanks. But we all know I'm messier than the kids." Devon laughs.

"True." Dani agrees closing the door after going to pay but Devon beats her to it, "Why did you do that?"

"No friend of mine, as close as you at least, will pay when I'm around." Devon's family is beyond rich because they are actors and Devon himself is in a band rising from the ashes from their downfall before he was in it.

"Thank you." Dani smiles sadly. Pulling his best friend into a hug, Dani sniffles starting to cry.

"Everything will be okay." Devon promises.

"Over time they will be." Dani agrees softly. Kissing Devon's cheek, Dani wipes her tears before pulling away. Turning to Gale who is in a pair of jeans and a long sleeve shirt with a vest, Gale frowns, "I'm okay." Dani promises to her oldest daughter.

"No you're not." Gale argues.

"You're right, but we will all be okay."

"Are you okay? Physically, I mean."

"I'm good. Just got some bruises but other than that, I'm okay."

As Monday arrives, Dani sighs exhausted from the overwhelming weekend. It is lunch hour as Dani walks out of her classroom leaving the eighth graders to monitor her class.

"Mom!" Turning to Gale who is running down the hall crying, Dani hugs her.

"What happened, honey?" Dani asks in her ear.

"Can I stay with you?"

"We'll stay in my classroom." Heading to Gale's classroom to get her lunch, Dani steps in to see her daughter's teacher trashing Gale's things, "Mr. Hale!" Dani calls furiously. Watching him freeze and openly check her out, Dani glares, "How dare you touch Gale's things!"

"He's a he-she." A student laughs.

"Excuse me?" Dani rounds on him, "How dare you call her that."

"Gale is a guy. He's a cross dresser." Glaring at the female student, Dani shakes her head.

"She is a she, end of story. Gale is whoever she wants to be." Storming over to Mr. Hale, Dani crosses her arms standing in front of him, "Give me Gale's things. If anything is broken, I want them all replaced. Get started."

Once all of Gale's things are gathered, Dani is fuming.

"Mom?" Gale whispers, "Do I have to go back?"

"No. I'm withdrawing you from your class and moved to the split class." Dani mutters profanities under her breath but Gale catches them with wide eyes. She has never heard her mother swear.

Getting Gale to sit and have lunch in her classroom, Dani heads to the office to make the switch. Having a nice long talk, Dani successfully gets her daughter switched but it was a struggle. Proud of herself, Dani heads back to her classroom in time for the bell to ring, sadly she missed her lunch, but Gale is worth it. She and Miley are worth everything in life.

"How did it go?" Gale asks in a whisper stepping into Dani's classroom. Turning to face her with a smile, Dani doesn't have to say a word. Rushing over, Gale hugs Dani tightly, "Thank you."

"I love you, Gale. You and your sister deserve the world." Dani speaks gently, "Though you have to finish this week in your class. Next week you start the new class. Can you do that?"

"I'll try." Gale nods.

"Good girl." Kissing Gale's forehead, Dani finds her class filling up, "You better head over."

"Okay." Picking up her bag, Gale kisses Dani's cheek before rushing out of the room.

Walking quickly to her class, Gale suddenly gets slammed into the hooks, hitting her head off them. Landing in a heap on the ground, Gale looks up to see some eighth graders. Feeling tears build, Gale tries to hold them back.

"Are you going to cry to your mommy?" The leader speaks in a baby's voice.

"Go. Away." Gale speaks as tears fall.

"So the cross dresser wants to be left alone? Like that would happen."

"Please go." Gale whimpers.

"No!" The leader shouts, "You deserve to die. No one will ever love you. Your mommy and sister just put up with you."

"You're wrong."

"No, I'm not. I heard your mommy say that." As the tears fall faster, Gale curls into a ball and cries.

With Dani, she gets a phone call from Gale's teacher to find out Gale is missing.

"Class, stay here and don't move." Dani orders before rushing out after putting Miley in charge.

Running, Dani checks all hallways besides the hall where Gale's class is. Sighing, Dani sprints down the hall before seeing her daughter. Running over, Dani kneels before her. Going to pull Gale into a hug, Gale forces Dani away.

"You don't love me." Gale glares.

"What are you talking about? You know I do." Dani speaks softly, hurt.

"No! Everyone knows you and Miley only put up with me."

"Gale, you know that is not true."

"I should just die. Everyone would be happier without me." Crying harder, Dani ignores Gale's fighting and hugs her tightly. Rocking Gale back and forth, Dani whispers I love you, over and over.

"You know Miley and I wouldn't be able to handle if that happened, Gale. We love you so much and can't bare to lose you. You're my little girl, Gale. You're my baby." Hearing Gale cry harder and hug her back tightly, Dani cries with her at the thought of losing Gale. Lifting Gale up just so she can sit down and have Gale on her lap, Dani kisses Gale's forehead lovingly, "I can't lose you Gale."

"It's hard." Gale whimpers.

"I know. Miles and I are forever behind you. I will pick you up, Gale. You can always come to me." Wiping Gale's tears away, Dani kisses her cheek, "Miley and I love you, Gale. We need you."

When Dani was seventeen she wanted to die a lot, but Gale and Miley pulled her out of the depression to live again. To live for them. To be there for them. Life is worth living. You have to stay strong. Live for the next day, live for those who love you and need you.

Hearing the bell ring, the mother and daughter don't move.

"Ms. Heart!" Looking up together, the principal walks over furious, "Why the hell are you out of class?"

"Don't use that language around my daughter!" Dani narrows her eyes.

"I could fire you, you know. For leaving your students without adult supervision."

"My daughter needed me."

"Son." The principal corrects.

"No, daughter. She wants to be a girl, so she is one. People bullied her to the point she wanted to commit suicide. Deal with that." Getting up together, Dani takes Gale's hand and takes her to her classroom. Walking in, the class is quietly working with Miley sitting at Dani's desk doing work, "Go sit at the back." Dani whispers to Gale. Nodding, Gale walks to the back and takes a seat. Watching Miley collect her work and sit at her desk, Miley sends Gale a smile. Smiling back sadly, Miley frowns knowing something is wrong, "Okay class, thank you for behaving. It is gym, so let's head on down."

Happy, the kids line up and before Dani signals Gale to come with them. Joining them, the class heads down to the gym.

Getting ready to head home, the principal storms into Dani's classroom.

"Your twit of a cross dresser made me expel the school's richest kid! You are fucking fired!" The principal shouts fuming.

"That's against the law. You have no reason to fire me." Dani counters.

"Actually I do. Leaving your class unattended."

"For ten minutes if that." Dani secretly rolls her eyes, "Other teachers leave for over that amount of time and you don't give them trouble."

"Do you have proof?"

"Yes, I do. I have witnesses including myself. For example, April 23rd, Mr. Charles left the classroom for the second graders for a half hour at eleven-thirty to noon. Besides, it's on the cameras."

Watching the principal pale, Dani knows she won the battle.

"So, you want me to come into work tomorrow or am I still fired?"

"Fine." Watching him leave, Dani sighs.

"And I thought high school was dramatic." Dani whispers to herself, "Come on kids, time to go." Turning to her kids, they are sitting at Dani's desk in surprise, "What?"

"Dang mom, you're good." Gale smiles.

"Thank you. Let's go home."