Note: Hey so I'm not crazy about this chapter especially after how much I liked the last two but I felt like this one was kind of necessary. Thanks! :)

She awoke to something ringing in her ear. The phone. She opened her eyes and glanced at the bedside table. Carefully she reached over, without even so much as a tiny slip out of Jess's grasp on her.

"Hello?" she asked.

"Is this Ms. Burke?" she frowned.

"Yes."

"There's someone at the front desk here to see you." Her frown grew deeper.

"What?"

"There's a Mr. Burke out here to see you." She cursed inside her head.

"Alright. I'll be right there."

She leaned over to wake up Jess but hesitated, looking at how peaceful he looked. On one hand he did need his sleep, but on the other what if he woke up while she was gone?

She nudged him gently. "Jess," she whispered, "Jess wake up." she said softly.

His eyes opened slowly and he smiled, stretching his arms above his head. "Good morning." he yawned.

"Not really! The front desk just called...my dad's here!" she panicked.

Jess sat up. "What?"

Leslie nodded furiously. "I don't know how he found out..." she mused.

"Do you want me to come down there with you?" he asked.

She sighed. "No...I should go by myself. I told them I'd be right there though...I should go."

He chuckled. "You're going in your pajamas?" she rolled her eyes as she stepped into her signature lace up boots and zipped Jess's jacket up over her pajama tank top.

"I'll be back." she promised, leaning over and kissing him quickly.

"I know." he replied as she closed the door behind her. But deep down, he was a total nervous wreck.

Meanwhile Leslie made her way to the front desk and when she arrived, Bill was waiting in a small sitting area on one corner of the lobby.

"Dad." Leslie said, slowly approaching him. Bill looked up and walked over to her.

"Can we talk outside?" he asked.

"Sure, but please make it fast...I think Jess might be worried." she shot back crossing her arms.

"Young lady, I'm your father...you can't talk to me like that." he said. She sighed and the two of them walked outside to the parking lot.

"Leslie Sophia Burke...what were you thinking?" he asked once they got out of ear shot of everyone.

"I was thinking that Jess is my best friend! And these past seven years have been torture for both of us and I love him!"

Bill looked at her dumbstruck...he wasn't expecting her to have answer.

"Dad, I miss you." Leslie said quietly.

"I'm right here Leslie. And if you miss me so much, come home." he replied pleadingly.

"No dad. I miss how you used to be. When we first moved to Lark Creek. Before the plan started. You haven't been the same since then." she stated.

"I don't know what you're talking about..." he said, looking down at the ground.

"Dad I think you do. What happened to the dad who used to dance around the room with me, and sing, and quote presidents?" she asked, feeling tears prick her eyes.

"Leslie-" he started.

"I'm not finished." she hissed. He instantly closed his mouth.

"Dad, I love you. You know I do. And I know you're doing what you're doing because you love me. But dad...I love Jess with all my heart. As cheesey as that sounds. And I need him and he needs me. You already took me away from him once dad...please don't do it again." she begged.

"Leslie...it's just too dangerous. I'm sorry. Maybe in a few years, Jess can come visit us in Brussels. But you're going to have to dye your hair back again and..."

"No! Dad please. You can't do this! I need him!" Leslie was starting to loose her calm demeanor and Bill felt his heart break. He really had been a horrible father for the past seven years and now he was just crossing the line. But if Leslie went with Jess they'd both be in danger.

"I'm sorry, Leslie." he murmured.

She was about to open her mouth again but they were interrupted.

"I'm sorry for taking her, sir." Jess said, appearing behind Leslie.

At the sound of his voice Leslie let her sobs fall freely as she whirled around and flew into his arms.

He held her close and kissed the top of her head, whispering things that Bill couldn't hear into her hair.

What he did hear a lot was "love you". He seemed to be saying it, every other sentence.

Bill looked at the scene in front of him and before he could stop himself he opened his mouth "Go." he said.

Jess looked up but Leslie kept her face buried in Jess's chest.

"What?" he asked.

Bill took a deep breath. "I want Leslie to go with you. It's very clear you two need each other. But at the first sign of danger, she's coming home you hear me?" Leslie sniffled and turned around to face her dad.

"You mean it?" she asked smiling.

Bill nodded and the next thing he knew, Leslie nearly knocked him over with a hug.

"I knew you were still my daddy deep down." she whispered, kissing him on the cheek.

"I love you Leslie. You know that right? I know I haven't shown it lately but I do."

Leslie smiled at him and nodded. "I know daddy. And I love you too." she replied hugging him again.

"Be careful, Leslie. Watch your back...these people that are after me, they won't take mercy on anyone."

"I will." she promised.

With one final hug, Bill returned to his car and Leslie ran over to Jess throwing her arms around him.

"How'd you know to come down here?" she asked.

"You were taking too long...I got nervous. There was something that I read in your journal..." he started.

"What?" she asked.

"You wrote that your dad...h-h-hit you." he stammered.

"Oh. That. Jess, please don't worry. It was one time and I deserved it, but it's never happened again."

"Leslie, don't you ever think for a minute you deserve something like that!" he exclaimed.

"You think too highly of me, Jess." she started, shaking her head.

"No. Leslie, please don't." Jess begged. Leslie nodded, and stopped protesting.

"Let's go home." Jess said after a few moments of silence.

"Music to my ears." She replied. He put an arm around her and the two of them made their way back to their room. They packed the few things they had and five minutes later they were on their way back to Lark Creek.