A/N: Okay, i got bored waiting to post this. i was originally gonna space them out to once a week so that i wouldn't run through what i have written too fast, but i've got nothing better to do, LOL especially since we haven't gotten to the good part of the story yet.


"Mom! Dad! I'm home!" Cassie yelled as she stepped through the front door, dropping her bookbag just inside the walkway.

"In the kitchen," Janet called back.

Cassie grabbed a soda from the fridge before joining her parents, Daniel leaning against one of the counters, Janet against him. He had his arms wrapped around her from behind, his palms flat over her stomach.

She leaned across from them, smiling, even though she was still upset from the day before.

"So, Dad told you?" Janet asked nervously.

Cassie's grin widened as she nodded.

"You're not upset?"

Cassie shrugged. "Why should I be? I love kids."

"He also mentioned something else about a concert?" Janet cocked an eyebrow at her.

"Please, Mom? It's this Friday. I'll come home as soon as it's over."

Daniel gave a slight cough. "Why don't you tell her who invited you."

"Dominic," she muttered softly before raising her eyes to her parents. "But there's going to be a large group of people, so we won't be alone. Please?"

"What do you think, Janet? Should we let her go?" He wasn't sure he was ready yet to let his only daughter – for that's how he saw her – go out with a boy on what would essentially called her first date. Yeah, they knew the kid, but still.

"Who else is going?" Janet asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Um, I think Teri, Jordan, Dawn, Alisha, Mary. I'm not really sure."

"Any other guys?"

Cassie shrugged. "Just Dom and Chad, I think. Jeff might go."

Janet and Daniel exchanged glances, holding an entire conversation in just that one look.

"I don't know, Cass," Daniel started.

"Please, Dad?"

Janet shook her head. "I don't think it would be such a good idea."

"I agree."

"But-"

"No but's, Cassie," Janet said sternly. "That's final."

"Oh, c'mon!" Cassie threw up her hands in frustration.

"Cassandra!"

"Why can't I go? Everyone else's parents have already said yes! Dom's parents are going to drop us off and pick us up!"

Janet pulled out of Daniel's embrace and stalked over to the kitchen table, letting herself fall into the chair. She flopped her head onto her folded arms, exhausted from the day and frustrated with her daughter.

Daniel crossed the room to his daughter and pulled her into his arms for a quick hug. "Why don't you go upstairs and your mom and I will discuss it some more. You're still only fifteen, Cass. To us, you're still our little girl. This is a hard decision for us to make."

Cassie just nodded and walked out of the kitchen to her bedroom, snagging her bookbag on the way.

Daniel watched her leave and joined his wife at the table, gently massaging her shoulders. He leaned down, kissing her temple, and sat down next to her, his hand constantly rubbing her sore back.

"You know," he spoke softly. "We're gonna have to let her go some time."

Janet turned her body into his, hating the way her hormones had hijacked her system. Now she finally understood what Sam had been talking about all these months.

"It'll probably be easier to let her go now, where we know there will be plenty of other people around, than stop her until Dominic eventually asks her out on an exclusive date and she sneaks out of the house to see him," Daniel reasoned.

Janet shook her head against his chest. "She would never do that!"

"She's a teenager, Janet. Don't tell me you never rebelled?" He pulled back just a bit and stared at her with a false shocked look on his face.

Janet snorted. "I never even got asked out on a date until college."

Daniel cocked an eyebrow at his wife. "I find that hard to believe."

"Believe it." Janet spoke harshly. "And in my inexperience, I married the jerk!"

"Oh, Jan. I'm sorry." Daniel wrapped his arms around his wife and held her tightly. Though he'd known she'd been married before and that it had ended badly the day she'd decided to join the Air Force. It was still something she didn't like to talk about. He understood, though, he still missed Sha're at times.

"I think you're right, Daniel."

Now he was confused, his head spinning at the sudden change of topic. "Uh… what?"

"We should let Cassie go to the concert. You made your point. She's going to grow up on us eventually; we might as well make it easier on all of us."

Daniel smiled and kissed Janet softly, helping her to stand. "We'll tell her in the morning." He gently pulled her along into the bedroom, eager to hold her in his arms as they slept. He softly knocked on Cassie's door and opened it ajar, checking in on their sleeping daughter on their way to bed for the night.


A/N: okay, maybe on wed. or fri. i'll post again, not too sure. or if i get enough reviews i'll post again tomorrow.