Chapter Eight: Fair Weather

A.N: If you didn't see the update on my page, I have a few medical things going on in my private life that may hinder my ability to write. It's unfortunate but I'm pushing through as much as I can, which is why I am limiting myself to alternating between Guardian and Memories. Enjoy the chapter!

Calabasas, Los Angeles, California – May 2010

The weights in Xander's hands pulled at his muscles as he exercised. He was home today, with only two of his children. Jodi was across the hall working on her guitar lessons and Hailie was in her room upstairs, quiet. Truth be told, he was worried about her. She was normally happy to tell him about her school day, but today she'd shrugged her shoulders and wandered upstairs. She hadn't left her room since then. She wasn't his biological child, but in the years he'd been with her mother, they had become very close. Hailie had always referred to him as Dad, even though she knew who her real father was.

It was this connection that caused him to drop the weight he was holding and retrieve his phone. He wasn't the type to simply barge into her room. If she didn't want company, he would respect that boundary, but it didn't stop him from texting her.

Hey, Sunflower. I get the feeling you're feeling pretty blue today. Wanna talk?

He sent the text and retrieved his weight. He wouldn't force the issue; if she didn't want to talk to him, or talk about what was bothering her, that was her decision. The text only told her that if she wanted to, he was there to listen.

By the time he got a reply, he was in the kitchen figuring out what to make for dinner. His phone vibrated and drew his attention away from the pantry.

Jodi, who had been quietly sitting at the island doing her homework, opened his phone and read the message so him.

"'Can I ask you a question? In private?' I think she needs you," she said, handing her father his phone. He grinned and ruffled her hair, heading upstairs.

Soft music was coming from Hailie's room when he reached her door. It was Nelly Furtado's All Good Things Come To An End.

'Flames to dust, lovers to friends, why do all good things come to an end?'

Xander's shoulders dropped. Hailie had always been a very happy kid. Despite growing up in the foster system, constantly on the move and never knowing how long she'd be able to stay in one place, she had grown up to be a well-mannered, happy kid. She had a good circle of friends, a great support group at home, and she very rarely showed negative emotions. He tapped his knuckles on the door. He waited until he heard a sniff and Hailie's soft voice over the music.

"Dad?"

He opened the door and poked his head in. Hailie was sitting on her bed, her knees pulled close to her chest. Her blonde hair had fallen into her eyes, which were puffy and red. His heart broke; he'd never seen her this way. She looked up at him through the loose strands of her hair and gave him a weak smile.

"You wanted to talk, Hay-Jay?" Xander stepped into the room and sat down on the end of her bed. She lowered her legs and wiped her tears away. She stayed quiet. He knew that, much like her mother, Hailie wouldn't respond if he pushed it. She'd just close up again. On the rare occasion when she did feel upset, she would either swing back or shut down. It was best to let her speak up first.

"You know Cassidy, right?"

Xander nodded. Cassidy was Hailie's friend that she'd met while living with her previous family. They'd started out as penpals, but had met when Hailie had moved to California from Chicago. They'd been friends since they were nine. Now at almost fourteen, they were the best of friends.

"What happened?"

Hailie sniffed and dropped her shoulders.

"She doesn't want to be my friend anymore."

Xander's brow furrowed. He took her hand in his and grazed his thumb against her knuckles.

"Did she tell you why?"

Hailie looked at her crossed legs, squeezing his fingers.

"She said it's because she wants to be popular. I'm a loser and she doesn't wanna associate with me anymore."

Xander scooted himself forward as she began to cry again. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her head. He held tight to her, gently rubbing her shoulders. He wasn't going to say anything yet. She needed to cry this out before she would take in anything he said.

Truth be told, he knew exactly what to say. He needed to reassure her that she was not a loser, to tell her she didn't need a friend like Cassidy, that was willing to drop her just to pursue popularity. It needed to be said; she didn't need to feel so low and he wouldn't let her. She was very important to him and he would do anything to make her feel better.

"I really needed her after Uncle Chris but she kept hanging out with her new boyfriend," Hailie sobbed, pulling away from her father and wiping her eyes. "The one moment I really need my friend and she's not there."

That line alone was enough to make Xander laugh. Hailie looked up at him, tears still streaming down her face, and frowned.

"I'm sorry, honey. This situation isn't funny, but the fact you just described a fair-weather friend is," he said, petting her hair. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and rested his chin on her head. "A fair -weather friend is someone who is only there when the sun shines, but disappear at the first sign of rain, and they're not worth keeping."

Hailie snuggled further into her father's embrace, sniffing softly. He could feel her shoulders shaking as she held back the real sobs. It had been a horrible few weeks, and the loss of her friend was definitely something she didn't need. Hopefully his words helped her see her true worth. She wasn't a loser.

Xander gently eased her forward and looked her in the eye.

"My darling, you are your mother's daughter. You feel your emotions as fiercely as she does and I promise that is a good thing." He brushed her hair from her face. "In this situation, it means that you felt this friendship and the love that goes with it with everything you have, and the pain lets you know that those emotions are real."

"But what do I do now? I have to see her at school." Hailie wiped the tears from her eyes and gave her father a sad smile.

"Well, you still have Lily and Ash, and Jeremy and Josh. You don't need someone like Cassidy if you have good people like them. You have to find you tribe."

Hailie looked away. After a minute she sighed and stood, retrieving a picture from her vanity mirror. She walked across the room and shut her door, revealing the dartboard behind it. She stuck the picture to the dart board and turned back to her father.

"Loser. That's what she called me. The lamest insult, and that's what she calls me."

Xander smiled when she retrieved a dart and threw it at the board. It landed left of Cassidy's face. The picture was about a year old, of the girls at their first school dance. It had been a night they'd both been looking forward to, Hailie especially because she'd been asked to go by Jeremy, the boy she liked.

"See? You've already learned that sometimes walking away is the right thing to do," Xander said, taking her hand. He stood and rested his hands on her shoulder. "Another thing to remember is fight or flight implies a permanent choice, but flight often just means putting off the fight for another day. Choose your battles wisely, Hay-Jay."

Hailie gave her father a confused look before he grinned and tilted his head. She had her mother's eyes, and those eyes were staring at him in such a way that he felt like laughing. Hailie was more like her mother than she thought.

He gave her a kiss on the forehead and went to exit the room. He'd given her almost all the advice he could, except for one crucial piece. She was like her mother, and her mother never let anyone walk over her the way Cassidy had Hailie. If he'd learned anything in his almost thirty-three years of life, it was that if you didn't stand up for yourself, no one else would.

With his hand on the door, he turned back to Hailie and smirked.

"Confront what frightens or offends you. Reckless and insulting talk should never go unchallenged." He winked and left.

When Hailie came downstairs later for dinner, the pep had returned to her step. She sat at the table with her family, her old smile back on her face. As Xander served their plates, she gave him a kiss on the cheek. He smiled and kissed her head.

"Love you, kiddo," he said. She beamed and turned to her mother who gave her an odd look. Xander placed her plate in front of her and smirked.

"Do I want to know?" April asked. He kissed her cheek and grinned.

"Just Dad stuff. Nothing to worry about."

Xander sat at the head of the table, watching as his family devoured their meal. He couldn't help but smile. It was one of those rare moments where he could actually breathe. He could let go of the pain of his past and look forward to the future.

Life was a little easier now, and he wouldn't give it up for anything.