Andrea lay staring at the ceiling in her room for what seemed like forever. She understood her father's need to keep her safe and all, but she didn't understand why he had to get so angry. Did he really care that this is something that she might possibly be really good at? She knew that changing her last name also wouldn't solve things. She missed Tessa during times like these. Duncan had her best interest at heart but didn't she have the right to maker her own decisions?
"Andrea?" said Duncan knocking on her door
"Come in." she said not moving
"Can we talk?" said Duncan sitting down
"Yeah." she said sitting up
"I am sorry for what I said earlier about mom not being proud of you. Tessa would be very proud. I just don't understand why this?" he said
"Dad this isn't for the rest of my life and it may not even be for more then a couple of months. I am still discovering who I Am." said Andrea
"Sweetheart you're my daughter Andrea MacLeod of the clan MacLeod?" he reminded her
"Dad I know that, but as an individual I need to learn what I can and can't do. I love you and I know that you want to protect me from danger and from the possible immortals that may want to hurt you or me, but I can't stop living my life." said Andrea taking his hand in hers
"Some days I just want to keep you here in this room safe from all of the things that could happen. You mean the world to me." he said gently touching her face
"Dad I love you and I love Richie, but I'm am not doing this for either of you I'm doing this for Me." said Andrea she said looking him straight in the eye
"Then go ahead and do this for you. I promise that I won't say anything else." he said smiling at her
"Thanks dad. I want to know that you are ok that I'm using Ryan as the last name. I figure that way they can figure me as his sister."
"I suppose." he said
"Hey I am not going to go off and get famous and then forget you." said Andrea hugging him
"Well you know you seem pretty sure that you want this." he said with a hopeful smile. He didn't want her to know that he'd wished that Richie had never even been apart of her life because now there happened to be this void between them.
"If you don't want me to do this then just say so dad. You are the adult remember? Besides I 'd rather you were alright with it then to say you were and then later say that you hated it." said Andrea now standing next to him on the floor. They locked eyes and it made Duncan's heart melt when he saw them up close. They reminded her of Tessa.
"I am not going to stand in the way. I want you to be happy Andrea and if this is something that you want to do because of you then I support you." he said
"Thanks that means a lot." said Andrea
"Well you mean a lot to me." he said hugging her
Andrea spent the next four weeks training with Richie and also training on her own time which left little time for much else including seeing her father between eating breakfast and trying to have a real conversation for the whole two minutes that she was even in the same room. Duncan Understood her need to do well and he understood that she would have to work even harder against the guys, but did killing herself in order to prove the point really worth it?
"Hey Mac have you seen Andrea?" said Richie walking into the loft
"I haven't really seen her at all in the last four weeks." he said
"She missed the appointment to go run times this morning." said Richie
"I wouldn't look for her here." said Mac
"Are you two alright?" said Richie
"I miss her is all Richie. I hardly see her anymore and when I do she's always in a hurry to go somewhere." said Mac
"Mac she's just excited for the race this weekend. You are coming aren't you?"
"Well I don't know Richie." said Mac
"What do you mean you don't know?" said Richie
"I don't know if I am going because Claudia has a recital in London." said Duncan
"Yeah but this is Andrea Macleod your daughter and her big chance to prove herself to the rest of the racing world. Tell me that you aren't thinking of hurting her like that." said Richie
"If I can get Claudia to understand that I can't make it then yes. Richie I really can't find myself happy to support her in this. I mean I can try and all but I really hate the Idea all together." said Duncan
"Mac she has the chance of a lifetime here." said Richie
"Yeah and what happens when I no longer can help her or take care of her? Richie the reason I don't like this is that Immortals are going to show up and if she's out of the country I have no idea what's going on?" said Mac
"Mac, remember that I'm immortal, too? I can handle it don't worry besides she hasn't signed anything yet." he said as Andrea walked out into the room
"Nice of you to come out of the hole." said Duncan to Andrea
"Please don't start." said Andrea she said looking like she had been up forever
"Where were you this morning?" said Richie
"Well let's start out with the fact she didn't get home til 5 a.m." said Duncan
"Andrea you went out with those guys didn't you?" said Richie shaking his head
"What guys?" said Duncan
"Andrea I told you that they weren't interested in you. All the care about is the fact that you are now the easy girl." said Richie
"Wait you didn't stop her from going with them?" said Duncan angry
"I can only say so much before she makes the choice." said Richie realizing that his answer only made Mac madder
"Where did you do anyways last night?" said Duncan to Andrea with all the calm tone he could manage
"We went to a restaurant and then we went to a club and danced."
"Danced til 5?" said Duncan
"So I went to the guys' apartment." said Andrea
"Oh boy." said Richie rubbing his hand over his face
Mac just stood there hanging his head. Had he really not taught her enough about men? He understood what went on with the men these days just by spending an hour with Richie in public to know that guys had other things in mind.
"Richie Could you give Andrea and I a moment?" said Duncan calm
"Yeah sure I'll be downstairs." said Richie
Once Richie had left Duncan walked around the kitchen with Andrea standing there. He didn't want to have to do this but he knew that if they didn't at least understand each other this would only get out of hand. He also now knew that leaving the country was out of the question.
"Andrea we need to talk about this sit down." said Duncan walking over to the couch." said Duncan
"How mad are you?"
"I'm not mad sweetheart and I blame myself for this partly." he said
"Dad this isn't the sex speech is it?" said Andre rolling her eyes
"No this is the guys who take advantage of my daughter speech."
"Dad I realize that what I did wasn't smart." said Andrea not wanting to hear it at all. Maybe Richie could use it?
"Do you realize the things that could have happened to you? Andrea guys like those aren't doing that because they want to be your friend. They realize that they can do nice things and they can get you to trust them and they will hurt you."
"Is this the 'I know because I am one of them speeches?'" she smiled bu stopped when her father didn't look happy she had even said that
"Andrea I'm serious and I want you to know that you don't have to do things because you want their respect on the track. Am I making any sense?" he said getting frustrated and wishing that he didn't have to do this.
"Yeah dad I understand I need to be careful."
"Good and by the way if you ever come home that late again you are not only grounded you are no longer riding. Am I making myself clear?" said Duncan
"Yeah I got it." she said
"What am I going to do with you?" he said cupping her face in his hand
"I'm sorry." she said smiling
"Andrea…I just want to know you are going to be alright. I can't imagine my life without you." said Duncan putting his head against hers
"I promise that you won't have to worry about me."
"I know because you are not leaving the country without Me." said Duncan putting her into a headlock
"Dad stop you are chocking Me." she lied
"I am not." he said not letting her go
"Dad stop please you are going to mess up my hair." said Andrea trying to get his arm away from her
"Oh no not that." he whined
"Dad seriously let go." she said starting to cry
"Oh poor baby did I hurt you?" he said letting her go as he did she grabbed a pillow and hit him in the head
"Hey now that isn't fair at all." he said grabbing the other one and hitting her
"Dad, stop!" she said angry, but she couldn't help but laugh at him.
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