The following day Jack entered the commissary to see Daniel sitting at a table by himself reading something. Grabbing a coffee and a couple of donuts, Jack went over and sat down across from his teammate.

"Hey, how'd it go at the principals office yesterday?" he asked with a smirk.

"The principal is really scary" Daniel said honestly, without looking up from his papers covered in alien writing. Jack chuckled; he had met the woman when he picked Cassie up from school one time. Scary was definitely a good word to describe her.

"So why'd the kid get suspended?"

"Got in a fight, broke some guys nose" Jack choked on the sip of coffee he had just taken.

"Guy? She beat up a guy?" Jack laughed.

"Apparently, she broke his nose, he hit her in self defense, and now she's suspended and he's the victim because his right to be safe has been taken away" Daniel rolled his eyes, finishing off his coffee.

"Is that was Rachel said or-"

"The principal said that. Rachel refused to tell me what happened"

"So what's the verdict Dad?" Jack said taking a huge bite of one donut, leaving not even half of it left.

"Grounded for a week?"

"Sounds fair"

"Yeah, but I have a feeling the fight wasn't her fault, but she wont tell me that, so I had no choice but to ground her" Daniel ran a hand over his hair tiredly. Jack felt sympathy for his friend. It wasn't easy being a parent to begin with, but having to start off being one with a teenager, he doubted he could do it himself.

-

Daniel came home that night to find the apartment empty. He checked all of the rooms only to find his daughter AWOL. He rested his elbows on the counter in the kitchen and sighed. He knew she hadn't been kidnapped or anything, but rather she had gone out while he was at work, just to spite him. Hearing the front door unlock, he stood up and walked over to where she was taking off her shoes.

"Where the hell have you been?" he said angrily but not loudly. She didn't answer. Didn't look at him, didn't even show any sign she'd heard him.

"I would like an answer" he said, his voice getting louder. She stopped in her tracks and turned to look at him.

"Out" she said, before turning back around and walking to her room, slamming her door in the process. He followed her, opening the door without knocking. She spun around from her position before her bookcase, throwing the book she was holding onto the bed.

"Where the hell do you get off just coming in here like that?!" she demanded. He was thrown off by the fury in her eyes. This was the most emotion she had shown yet, with the exception of when he woke her up from her nightmare that one time.

"Well when you go out, after I specifically told you not to, I can do what ever I damn well please" he said strongly. They both stood in the middle of her room with their arms crossed over their chests, blue eyes burning into one and other.

"Get out" Rachel said venomously, breaking the tense silence.

"No" Daniel said calmly. He knew this approach was not working at all. He uncrossed his arms and ran his hands over his face and sighed. Rachel remained in her position watching, seeing what he was going to do next. If she had been in one of her foster homes she would have already had black eyes and bruises to match all over.

"Rachel, what's goin on huh? What has got you so angry at everything that you have to make your own life miserable?" he asked sadly, leaning against the wall by the door. Caught off guard, she opened her mouth to protest, but couldn't say anything and shut it again, doing a good impression of a goldfish. She just did not understand him at all.

"Are you angry at your mom for dumping you here with me?" he tried. Getting no response he continued,

"Or maybe you're angry because the families you lived with weren't so nice to you? Beat you up for no good reason? Did things that no body should ever do to anyone let alone a child?? Hmmm? Cause I want to help you, but I cant if you wont let me." He said sincerely.

"Get out" she said, her voice cracking. Daniel could see tears welling up in her eyes. "Please" she said, even more quietly. He knew he could leave and leave it at that. But he decided he wasn't going to let that happen. Although he did have to admit it was a bit alarming to see a girl who acted so tough all the time about to breakdown.

"No, not until you let me help you" he said pushing off the wall so he was standing. She glared at him through tear filled eyes, none rolling down her cheeks quite yet, and she walked toward the door. If he wasn't leaving, she would. But Daniel was too quick for her and she walked right into him as he moved into her path. He put his arms around her, holding her in a tight embrace. She struggled to get away, but he wasn't letting her go. She tried to push him and shake him off, but he was too much stronger than her, and her efforts were wasted. He felt her take a deep breath and as she stopped struggling. It was almost like she deflated. He felt her body shaking, as she began to weep into his shirt. Resting his chin on her head he loosened his grip a tiny bit andawkwardly rubbed her back. She began to cry even more and he felt her grab fistfuls of the sides of his shirt. He had no idea what to say now. He hadn't expected her to start sobbing.
What he had expected when he hugged her was for her to slug him in the face. She began to pull away still crying, breaking his chain of thought. Rachel took a step back looking very embarrassed as she took a few breaths trying clam down, and wiped the tears from her cheeks, careful no too touch her bruise. She made a try for the door again, but this time he gently grabbed her hand as she reached the door. She didn't struggle to get away but kept her face turned down towards the floor as she ineffectively tried to stop her tears from spilling down her face.

"If you ever want to talk…" he said, leaving the offer hanging, knowing she wouldn't take him up on it now. She didn't answer or look up, and he knew she was still crying as her shoulders still shook slightly. He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze and let it go. He kissed the top of her head softly and left her room without another word shutting the door after him gently. That's when she lost it. Rachel sank to her knees on the floor and bawled. He was so nice. Why couldn't he be an ass like every other person in her life? Why did he have to care? She leaned against the wall near the door as she tried to control her breathing, and stop crying. He was making it very hard for her to hate him.

"Why does he care? …I'm not worth it", she said quietly to the empty room not knowing that Daniel was on the other side of the door, having heard her.

He walked down the hallway and whispered sadly, "Yes you are."

Okay folks, I know this was a weird chapter… but hey I cant control my muse… the next chapter will have action in it! YAY!

Please review, it makes me happy :)