Jake rubbed his tired eyes as he sat across from his wife on the couch. Normally him coming home and the two sharing a bottle of wine was a deeply romantic gesture where they could share some alone time, catch up on the events of their days apart and it would usually end with a night of lovemaking. But this time there would be none of that as Peyton recounted the incident with Jenny that had happened two days prior.

"So let me get this straight, she just freaked out for no reason?"

"None that I can think of", Peyton shrugged. "One minute she and Amanda were playing, the next, I heard her scream."

"I don't get it. Something had to happen to make her react like that."

"Yeah but what, Jake?"

He shook his head.

"She was doing so well…"

"There's more", Peyton sighed.

"What now?"

"When I followed her in the house and she was spazzing out and I told you I had to grab her arms and pin her to the floor?"

"Yeah…"

"We were in the laundry room."

"Pey, what were you doing in there?"

"That's where I followed her. Jenny was taking off her clothes and putting them in the washer. They were soaked, Jake. She…she peed on herself."

"Are…are you sure?"

Peyton rolled her eyes.

"Jake, I think I know pee when I see it."

He put his head in his hands.

"What is going on? Did something happen or this some sort of repressed memory or…"

"Babe, I don't know what it is but Jenny needs help."

"I'll talk to her."

Peyton shook her head.

"No, Jake. She doesn't need to be grounded or talked to by you or me. This is way beyond us. Jenny needs to talk to someone, see someone."

"What do you mean? Like a therapist?"

"Yeah…like a therapist."

Jake stood up, pacing the room.

"No! No way."

"Why not?"

"I am not sending my daughter to some quack!"

"What if that so called quack can help her?"

"No, Peyton. Absolutely not. We don't even know what caused Jenny to freak. So we don't talk to her about it and then send her to a bunch of doctors, strangers asking loads of questions, she gets even more frightened and then just clams up more because she really can't trust us now because she thinks we think she's crazy."

"You're making excuses."

"I'm protecting her."

"What do you think I'm trying to do?" she demanded.

Jake struggled to maintain his composure.

"Look, I am not having this fight with you. Just drop it, Pey. I'm not putting my little girl through that."

Peyton lowered her head and her voice quivered as she spoke.

"You mean like you did me?"

Jake closed his eyes, stopping dead in his tracks.

"That was different", he whispered. "Way different and you know it."

"Was it?"

"Yes, it was. Jenny is a good kid that grew up with no love and structure and discipline from an evil psychotic mother. She's angry and she's trying to rebel and her way of coping is to not deal with things because that's just her way. You were severely depressed, Peyton. You didn't get out of bed. Sometimes you didn't even speak. You just cried all the time and…"

"And what?"

"Nothing. You get my point."

"I don't think that I do. Why don't you tell me, Jake?"

"Why are you doing this?"

"Because I want to hear you say it! Say it, Jake! Say it!"

"Peyton…"

"Go ahead. Be a man about it. Grow a pair. I want to hear the words come out of your mouth."

"Fine!" he turned to her. "What do you want to hear? That you were a coke head? That I was afraid to leave you alone for more than a few minutes because I thought I'd come back and find you lying in a tub of bloody water with your fucking wrists hanging by a vein?"

They were in each other's faces, heated, emotional and angry. The sound of sniffling coming from the stairs stopped them. They looked up.

"Please don't fight", Amanda cried softly.

Peyton ran her fingers through her hair as she glared at Jake.

"We weren't fighting", she said coolly. "In fact, I'd say we're more than done here."

"Wait", the girl cried, wiping her eyes. "I know what happened to Jenny. This is all my fault."

"What do you mean, Amanda?" Jake asked.

"I'm sorry. Jenny told me the other day that she had a bad experience with dogs. It really scared her. That's why she hated having Teezer around. And when we were playing outside, I wasn't really watching him or else I would have kept him away from her. But everything was fine and she picked up this old tennis ball and…"

"Tennis ball?" Peyton interrupted.

"Yes. And that's when Teezer jumped on but I swear he was just playing. I wouldn't let him bite her but you know he wouldn't hurt a fly."

Peyton sighed.

"Amanda, it isn't your fault. That ball is what Jake and I use to roughhouse with Teezer. He just associates it with aggressive play. It…oh God, we didn't know."

Jake sighed.

"I'll go talk to her."

Amanda nodded.

"Just one thing, Jake? Please don't tell her I told you about the dog thing. She kind of told me in confidence and I really want her to trust me."

"Okay", he nodded. "Um, that's very nice of you."

"I love Jenny. She's like a little sister to me", she smiled sweetly. "And if having Teezer around is going to bug her so much, maybe Nathan and Mrs. Scott can keep him for a while."

"You love Teezer. Amanda, you shouldn't have to give up the dog…"

"It's okay. I love Jenny more. She's more important."

Peyton gave her a hug.

"Thank you. It's late. You've got school tomorrow. It's time for bed."

Obediently Amanda headed to her room while the tension loomed between husband and wife. All headed upstairs, Peyton to the master bedroom and Jake to talk to Jenny. By the time he finished, his wife was already in bed, her back turned.

"Good night", he said softly.

"Please don't talk to me right now", she cut him off.

Jake sighed and rubbed her bare shoulders.

"Pey…"

"Are you fucking kidding me?" she jerked away from his touch.

She went to bed angry while he went to bed feeling confused and guilty. Down the hall Amanda sat in front of the vanity mirror slowly brushing her long, straight blonde hair. She went to bed feeling quite satisfied with herself. And a few doors down, Jenny sat propped up on pillows, tired hazel eyes fighting sleep and the nightmares to come as she clutched her purple monkey. Four different emotions for the four different people in the Jagielski household. Rest came easier for some and the night hours flew by as the sun rose all too early the next day.

"Breakfast!" Peyton bellowed out as usual, the tension still present between Jake and her.

Jenny sat on her bed tying her shoe when Amanda came in.

"What do you want?"

"Are you mad at me?"

"You're a cunt", Jenny said.

Amanda's eyes widened.

"Wow. Nice language."

"Get out."

"Look, I'm sorry about the dog thing. How did I know Teezer would go all crazy on you?"

"You did it on purpose."

"Did not."

"Did too!"

"Jenny, quit being such a baby about things. Anyway, the dog will be gone this afternoon. Nathan and Haley will take him."

"Don't do me any favors", Jenny mumbled.

Amanda shrugged.

"He was a dumb dog anyway. But just know that I never would have let him hurt you. And I'm sorry you were scared."

"Whatever."

"Friends again?" Amanda extended her hand.

Jenny looked at it before shaking her head. DTA were her own words. And when she'd slipped and let her guard down just once, just a little bit for a little while, look what had happened.

"No", she said. "We never were."