Delaney had been back in the waiting room for over an hour and had still not figured out how to slip the note to Dave. Luckily no one had noticed how she had been staring at him. Gathering up her nerve she walked over and sat down in his lap.

Glancing down he asked "Can I help you?"

"I did something earlier and I am not supposed to tell anyone about it, but I want to talk to you." She said quietly so no one would hear.

Dave looked at her with a blank expression. "So talk."

Delaney scrambled off his lap and stood facing him with her hands on her hips. "This is where you are supposed to get mad and demand to know what I did." She said sternly before stalking off.

Frowning Dave considered going after her when he noticed a piece of folded paper in his lap. Picking it up he opened it, quickly recognizing the sloppy handwriting.

First off, don't be mad that Laney came to visit. I needed to work out some things and I knew Laney would help. I know that you guys have always looked out for me and worry about me. Earlier this week our family relationship went a step further. I have to admit it shocked me and if I had not been so weak I probably would have fought you. Not that I didn't deserve it or what else is coming. I have some stuff I need to talk to you about but that is better done in person. But I am not mad. It was the right thing to do.

Now you need to listen to me. Ever since you pulled Journey out of that fire last year you have treated each other like father and daughter. Don't abandon her just because I acted like an idiot and didn't appreciate what you did for me. You probably saved my life. But Journey needs you as much as I do right now. Laney told me that John overheard Journey say that she didn't care about taking care of herself even if she did land in the ICU beside me. She has also been throwing up what she eats. Take care of it and I will talk to everyone tomorrow. I promise.

Dave reread the letter a second time before folding it carefully and putting it in his pocket. Looking up he glanced thoughtfully around the room. Seeing that Delaney had not returned Dave pushed himself out of his chair and headed down the hallway.

After forty five minutes of searching he was becoming irritated. He had searched the main lobby, the gift shop, and the cafeterias. Signing in defeat he was about to head towards the ICU when he caught a glimpse of her diving behind a door and heard her giggle.

"Delaney Kirsten Calloway, get your butt out here before I come in there after you." Dave yelled, startling several patients in the hallway.

Laney poked her head around the door. "Yes Dave?" She asked trying to act innocent.

"I know that I have been acting different lately and I have let some people get away with stuff. But there is such a thing as going too far." He said sternly staring down at the young girl.

"Now who would do such a thing?" She asked smiling sweetly up at him.

Narrowing his eyes at her he responded by throwing her over his shoulder and starting down the hall. Coming to an empty waiting room he dumped her in a chair and leaned over her.

"Randy." He demanded.

Still laughing from the ride down the hall Laney tried to answer.

"The nurse sneaked me in the back. Randy didn't want to make anyone mad but he needed to talk to someone who wasn't going to jump him."

"And?" Dave asked impatiently when she stopped.

"We talked." She answered trying to keep a straight face.

"Laney, I have been worried sick this last week. I am not in the mood." He growled through clenched teeth.

Laney opened her eyes wide. "Wow, you really are back to normal." Receiving a smart smack to her thigh she continued. "Ouch! Ok Randy is looking better than I thought he would. He was sitting up in bed. He looked a little pale but not dead looking. He said he felt better, just very weak."

She paused to take a breath. "He's scared to death of what you'll say and do. And you want to know the funny thing? He didn't even know that you'll know about the drugs. He flipped when he found out."

"As long as he doesn't do anything stupid." Dave said. "Come on, let's go deal with my other problem child." He added, pulling her out of the chair and dragging her towards the ICU.

Once there he pushed the young girl towards her father. "Mark take Laney and go somewhere fun." Turning to John he kicked him lightly in the leg. "Go home and get some rest John. You probably look worse than Randy does at the moment." When the two men just stared at him in shock he exploded. "There is not point in us sitting around here doing nothing just because that kid was stupid enough to land himself in there. If he grows up and decides he wants to talk to us they will call."

Turning to Journey he said, "Let's go."

"I'm not leaving." Answered the pale girl.

"You're skating on thin ice. Let's go." Dave growled.

"I'm not leaving." She repeated looking up at him.

Dave didn't say anything. He picked her up and strode determinedly to the door despite her struggling.

Mark stared after him with an amused look on his face. "Looks like things are getting back to normal." Laney and John cracked up as they followed him through the door.

Once they were on the road Journey turned to Dave. "You shouldn't have made me leave." She said quietly.

He didn't say anything, just handed her the note Randy had written him. He noticed she winced as she read the last part. "Care to explain what he said about you?"

"No comment." She replied not looking at him.

He frowned concentrating on what he was going to say. "I remember the night we met you. It was a year ago. We were in St Louis for a show which you came to. You were living with that guy at the time."

"Fred. He was angry that I had gone. He was always jealous of Randy. He knocked me around that night, eventually knocked me out." She added quietly.

"After the show we were headed out. Randy wanted to take us to some of his favorite places. He was excited about being home, but sad because you weren't coming along." Dave paused as he negotiated the traffic. "Then his phone rang. It was a neighbor saying your house was on fire. The only reason I went was because I drove him there. When we got to your house someone said that you were inside. I don't know what made me do it but I ran into the house before anyone could stop me."

"I remember waking up in the hospital and you were sitting next to my bed. You have been protective of me since." She remembered with a slight smile.

"I seem to be doing a lot of that lately." He sighed and continued. "When you had healed you came on the road with us. You came to trust us and we came to love you. When you got that job four months ago I was proud of you, even if it did take you away from me."

"Where are you going with this Dave?" She asked as he pulled into the driveway of his house.

Shutting the car off he turned to look at her. "Randy was right. I do consider you my daughter. So I want to know what the hell is going on!"

Journey got out of the car and ran into the house. Dave followed slowly finding her in the kitchen.

"Answer me" he insisted softly.

"I don't know. I guess it just all hit me. Randy doesn't love me, you care more for Randy than me, and if I leave Randy then I will lose you too and then I will be all alone with no one." Journey said quickly, rushing all the words together as she slipped into a chair.

"Where the hell did you get all that?" Dave bellowed, thrown off guard by what she had said. When she said nothing he continued. "First of all, you don't know what Randy feels for you. But I think you should leave him, maybe then he wouldn't take you for granted. And let me tell you something. You will never lose me. I don't care if Randy spits on the ground you walk on. You will always have me here." Grabbing her hands he pulled her up into a hug.

'You were different this week. It kind of scared me."

Dave signed and sat her back down in the chair, taking the seat across from her. "I had a bad week and that is going to happen from time to time. That doesn't mean that I don't care about you. I noticed most of what was going on; I just didn't have the energy to deal with it. That doesn't give you free reign to make yourself sick."

"I am glad you are there for me when I need it. And you are right; I should take care of myself. So I'm going to bed. Goodnight." She quickly stood up, hoping to escape to the bedroom. She winced when she heard his voice.

"Sit down. I still have some things to say to you. I can understand about the sleeplessness and some of the other stuff. But I want you to sit there and explain what you were thinking when you chose to puke your food back up and starve yourself?" He asked in a dangerous voice.

"Its not like I sat there with my finger down my throat. My stomach was just upset and the food made it worse. It came back up on its own." She said, throwing him a look.

When he said nothing, just sat there with his arms crossed she continued. "Honestly, I was not trying to hurt my self. Like you said it's been a bad week."

"Okay, I will accept that. But I want you to go relax because I am going to make you something to eat. If it happens to come back up or you refuse to eat it then we are going to be having a discussion," He said menacingly.

"I think I will be able to eat now." She said smiling up at him.