"Hey, guys. Welcome back."

"Thanks." Abby said.

As Abby and Sam sat down, Jack asked, "So, Abby, did you learn anything going to work with your dad?"

"Yeah, I did."

"Can you tell me about it?" Jack asked.

"Well, I never really understood what exactly he did. I thought it sounded boring. But he really helps people that can't help themselves. He really likes what he does for a living, and I hope I do one day too." Abby said.

"Wow. Sounds like you guys had a good day." Jack said. "Sam, you okay?"

"Yeah. I'm just feeling really proud to be her dad right now."

Abby blushed and smiled.

"Good. I'm glad you two bonded over that. Did you both do your other assignment?"

"We did." Sam said. "We made sure to talk every day."

"How'd it go?"

"It was sort of awkward at first." Abby said.

"How so?"

"The first time we tried it we just sat there for almost five minutes not saying anything. Then we just burst out laughing. We finally decided to play the favorites game." Abby said.

"The favorites game?"

"We tried to guess each other's favorite color, favorite song, favorite thing to do." Abby said. "It helped us learn things about each other."

"It was fun too." Sam admitted.

Abby laughed. "Yeah, it was."

"You know, you guys have done much better so far than I thought you would." Jack said. "I'm impressed."

"I think you're right." Abby said. "I like being able to talk to him more."

"I like it too, kiddo. You had a good idea."

Abby smiled, still not used to Sam's overabundance of compliments for her.

"Okay, let's get down to business. We're gonna start to dig a little deeper today. I want to talk about Abby's gaming and why it's so important to her."

"Do we have to?" Abby asked.

"Yes. It's something that's important to you, and I think your dad needs to understand why." Jack said.

"Okay." Abby said.

"Now, Sam, can you tell me your biggest objection to Abby's gaming?" Jack asked.

"I don't really mind her doing it as a hobby. I just want her to focus a little more on school. Start thinking about her future, going to college and what she wants to do with her life." Sam said.

Abby jumped. "Can I tell him?"

"Tell me what?"

"In a second." Jack said. "Sam, Abby sent me an email last week after I told you guys what we were gonna talk about. I think it's gonna be a shock for you, so I wanted to prepare you."

"What the hell is going on, you two?"

Abby turned towards him, a serious and determined look on her face. "I don't just play video games. I design them too. I submitted one of my games into a contest. If I win, my game goes into production and I get a scholarship for the Art Academy after high school."

Jack had predicted Sam's reaction well. He sat there, staring open-mouthed at Abby, his mouth moving up and down without saying anything. Abby, not sure how to take his silence, looked to Jack for help.

"Sam? Tell us what you're thinking." Jack said.

"Why wouldn't you tell me that?" Sam asked. "Honey, that's amazing."

"After all the time you've spent telling me that it's just a hobby? That there's nothing you can do with it and it's a waste of time? Why would I?"

"Honey, I'm sorry." Sam said. "I…I don't know what else to say."

"Abby, you said at our first meeting that you thought your father didn't like you very much. Has that opinion changed at all?"

"Some. I just wish he would have supported me more before now." Abby said.

"What do you mean? I've always supported you."

Abby scoffed. "Really? Because every time I've asked you if I can get a new game, I've had to earn the money myself. Every time I've lost and gotten upset, you've always said 'It's just a game, it's not worth getting upset.' It's worth it to me." Abby started to say something else, then stopped and turned to Jack. "You said you wanted to wait to talk about Kelsey."

"If it relates to what you're talking about now, it's okay." Jack said. "Just keep it to how you feel about gaming for right now."

"It's what I like to do. It's what I'm good at, what I understand how to do. But I can't get so much as a good job out of you for it. But hey, Kelsey wants to play soccer? You pay for her uniform, her physical, you go to all her games. She wants to play piano? You pay for lessons, you go to all her recitals. It's like whatever she wants to do, you pull out your wallet and cheer her on like it's nothing, but when I want to do something that might actually help me learn what I want to do, like go to the video game conference, you…" Abby stopped, the momentum leaving her for a moment as she struggled to sort out her feelings.

"What is it, Abby? Remember, we have to get everything out in the open for it to do any good."

Abby was close to tears, and took a shuddering breath as she wiped her face. "You laughed at me."

"What? When?" Sam asked.

"The night I asked you and mom if I could go to the conference. When I asked you about it, you laughed like it was a joke. And I kept trying to explain to you why it was so important for me to go. But you just kept laughing and wouldn't listen to me. Then, even when I did earn the money to go, you still didn't take me seriously."

"How?"

"You took it away." Abby said. "You told me if I earned the money, I could go, no matter what. Then you took it away when we got in that fight over my grades."

Sam's mouth was failing to work again.

Abby was losing the fight not to cry. "I'm nothing but a big joke to you."

"Abby, that's not true…"

"Sam?" Jack stopped him. "I know you don't want to hurt Abby's feelings, but you need to be one hundred percent honest."

"I am."

"No. You're not. I can see it; you're telling her she's wrong because you're afraid to hurt her. This will only work if you're honest." Jack said.

Sam sighed. "You're right." He turned back to Abby, who was staring intently at the floor. "Honey, you're right. I guess I didn't take you seriously. I thought it was just something you liked to do to relax. Even if it had been, I should never have laughed at you. But even if I didn't take your gaming seriously, you are not a joke. You and your sister and your mom are the reason I get up in the morning. I want to get to know you better, and I promise I'll listen to you more."

"And supporting me?"

Sam shifted in his seat. "I don't really understand how you want me to support you. You're right about me paying for everything for Kelsey. I guess I could start paying…"

"I'm not asking for money. Just don't act like it doesn't mean anything to me. Wish me good luck when I start a tournament or ask me how it went when I get done. And don't tell me 'it's just a game'. You wouldn't like it if I said 'it's just a case' when you lost a case, would you?"

"No. I wouldn't." Sam said.

"Abby, I have a question for you." Jack said. "What do you like best when you play?"

"What do you mean?"

"What do you get out of it? Other than fun?" Jack asked.

"Well, it helps me feel better when I've let him down." Abby said. "When I get a bad grade or something, and he tells me he's disappointed, it makes me feel better."

"How? How does it make you feel better?"

"Makes me feel like I'm actually good at something." Abby said.

"Anything else?"

"Well, I like to read sometimes, but it's cool to jump into another place and be able to see and do stuff rather than just read about it." Abby explained.

"That's a pretty cool reason. So, you like being in a different world? Changing things about it?"

"Yeah." Abby said.

"I never thought about that." Sam said. "That is pretty cool."

"Really?" Abby asked, unable to believe that she might actually be turning him around on the subject.

"Really."

"Hold on, guys. We're not done yet." Jack said. "Sam, I want you to remember you used the term 'cool' when talking about Abby's gaming when I give you guys your homework assignment for this week. Abby, I have one more big question for you."

"What is it?"

"When did you start feeling distant from your dad because of this?" Jack asked. "Was it a recent thing?"

Abby's smile disappeared. "No."

"How long has it been?"

Abby sighed. "I was five years old."

Sam's eyes bulged. "You were five? It's been ten years?"

"Yeah."

"Catch me up a little, here. What happened when you were five?" Jack asked.

"I was in the hospital. I had meningitis, and it wouldn't go away. I was in the hospital for almost two weeks. My dad, my mom, and my uncle Dean took turns sitting with me." Abby watched as Sam took in what she was saying. "I was bored. I couldn't get out of bed and play, I had a hard time focusing on a book to read, I was crying because I felt so bad. My uncle Dean went out and bought me this little handheld game for kids. It helped me learn my alphabet and helped me get started learning to read."

"I remember that. You wouldn't put that thing down for a month." Sam said.

"Yeah. I remember. Every time I tried to show you that I knew my alphabet now, you told me to put it away and you'd play with me then." Abby said. "I was sick and hurting and you wouldn't even hold me because I had 'that thing' in my hand."

Sam's heart was beginning to throb. He remembered well Abby being in the hospital. He'd taken time off work to be with Abby and help take care of Kelsey, and their health insurance at the time wouldn't cover everything, so they were stuck with medical bills that seemed insurmountable. It had led to fights between Jess and Sam, and was one of the lowest points of their marriage. He remembered the night Abby was talking about. She had come home from the hospital that morning, and was still weak and frail. Sam was supposed to go back to work the next day. He hadn't thought much of it at the time, but apparently it had bothered her more than he realized.

"Abby, you're supposed to be asleep, baby."

"I tried, Daddy. Can't sleep." Abby said, sitting up in bed and looking at her father with glazed over eyes.

"Oh, honey, come here." Sam sat down next to her on the bed and started to rub her back. Then he spotted it. The video game Dean had given her, sitting in her bed, still turned on. "Abby, that's why you can't sleep. You're playing games."

"I was practicing my letters." Abby protested.

"We can practice together when I get home from work tomorrow." Sam said, reaching over and taking the game from Abby.

"Daddy, don't take it, please. I'm sorry, I'll put it away."

"No, I will put it away. You've lost it for tomorrow because I told you to go to bed and you didn't listen. After that, it needs to be given to me or mommy before you go to bed. Understand?" Sam asked.

"Please don't, Daddy. I want to show you I can do it." Abby begged again.

"I said no, Abigail."

Abby stopped and turned away from Sam. Daddy meant business when he called her Abigail. She didn't understand why Daddy was so mad. He was always trying to make her do stuff to help her learn her letters and numbers. She thought most of it was boring. But the game that uncle Dean had gotten for her made it easy for her to learn, and she felt good about herself finally being able to get something that everyone else seemed to get faster than she did. But she didn't know how to explain all this to Daddy, and he was too mad to listen to her now anyway.

"Abby, come on. Let's go to bed, sweetie."

"I'll put myself to sleep." Abby said, trying not to cry in front of him.

Sam was a little taken aback by her sudden attitude, but figured it was because she was sick and tired. It never crossed his mind that he might have hurt her feelings. Sam stood up, kissed her goodnight, and headed towards his own room, falling asleep long before Abby did.

"Dad?"

"What?" Sam asked, Abby's voice shaking him out of his thoughts.

"You okay, Sam? You spaced out on us for a second." Jack asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Sam said. "I was thinking about the day she was talking about. Baby, I'm sorry. I was exhausted and wasn't thinking. I was worried too. I didn't want you to get sicker from not sleeping like you should have. I just never realized how important this was to you. Honey, I can't say I'm sorry enough. Please forgive me."

"Don't answer that quite yet, Abby." Jack said. "I think this is a good time to give you your homework assignments." He asked of Abby, "Do you play exclusively online with other people?"

"No." Abby said. "I just started doing that a couple years ago. Most of my games are discs."

"Okay, good. Do you have a game that's good for beginners? One that's easy for you to teach?"

Abby smiled. "Yeah."

"I want you to teach your dad one of your games. Your assignment is to be patient with him, and help him learn how to play it completely. Doesn't matter what it is, just make it one that you think the both of you will enjoy." When Abby's grin grew wider, he asked, "You already have one in mind, don't you?"

"Sure do."

"You guys can work that out later. Sam?" Jack turned to Sam and said, "Even though your assignment is to play a game and have fun, I want you to take it seriously. Approach this game just like you would a case. I want you to actually try and master it, not just humor Abby and sit with her for a couple hours watching her play. Got it?"

"Got it." Sam said.

"Alright, you guys. That's it. Sam, can you let me talk to Abby alone for a minute?" Jack asked.

Sam shrugged. "Sure. You remember where we parked, baby?" Abby nodded. "I'll meet you at the car."

Sam's mind was reeling going to the car. Abby had been feeling distant from him for an entire decade, and he had been completely oblivious. Sam remembered many times trying to talk to his own father about things that meant a lot to him, and how badly it hurt when John would dismiss him. Dean's words from the night he and Abby had decided on counselling were haunting him now. I know you don't want to hear this, but you're treating her just like Dad treated you. Only this time it's not hunting and school. It's school and games. If she really did bust her ass the last few weeks, and she's that close to what you wanted, let her go as long as she promises to keep it up. If you don't, she'll pull away from you like you pulled away from dad. Is that what you want? As much as Sam loved his father, he had never regretted not raising his children with the same authoritarian attitude he had. He thought that both his girls knew they could come to him with anything, and apparently that wasn't true. It will be from now on, Sam thought, before the door to the car opened.

"Dad? You okay?"

"Yeah, kiddo, I'm fine. Why?" Sam asked.

"You're crying."

Sam looked in the rearview mirror, and he was indeed crying. Sam wiped away the single tear going down his cheek, then reached over and grabbed Abby into a tight hug.

"Dad?"

"I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry." Sam said sincerely. "I love you so much, and I think you're an amazing person. I'm sorry I didn't see it before, but I do now. I'm sorry, baby. I'm sorry."

"I love you too, Daddy." Abby said. "Thank you again for doing this with me."

"Don't thank me. Thank you for the idea." Sam kissed Abby's cheek, hugged her again, and suggested, "What do you say we get started on that assignment?"

"Let's do it." Abby said. "But, I want to say this first. That night we were talking about? I get it now why you took the video game away from me. I needed to sleep, and you had told me to go to bed. I get that, I really do. But I was upset because I'd tried so hard before then to learn my alphabet and I just couldn't get it. I felt dumb because mom had tried so hard to teach me and I just couldn't get it. You had been so busy taking care of the hospital stuff and taking Kelsey back and forth to school that I hadn't seen you. I just wanted to show you I'd learned it. I wanted you to be proud of me."

Sam felt another sharp splinter of guilt. "I am, baby. I am proud of you." He came up with an idea. "You want to go for ice cream before we go home?"

"Won't mom be mad? It's almost time for dinner."

"You don't tell on me, I won't tell her you talked me into it."

Abby laughed. "Deal."

As he started the car, Sam asked, "Hey, what did Jack want with you?"

"You'll find out next week."