This story is AU from the "Experience is the Teacher". Basically think of it as an alternative ending if Mr. Zwick and Co. had the allotted 22 instead of 19 eps. Stupid ABC. Everything remains intact from "Experience is the Teacher".

Disclaimer: This fic is designed for non-profit use only. I own nafink. NAAAAFINK. It's all Mr. Zwick and Co. and the good people at ABC who used to and abused the show mercilessly. Good work ABC, you fickle sods

Oh, and always, even if you think this story is reeeeeeally lame, leave a review. Please? Hey, don't make me come over there!

My beta, Karen, rocks, but everyone knew that already! Cheers, Karen.

Chapter eight

The next evening, Karen hurried around her kitchen.

"Kids?" Karen called as she threw on a jacket. She nervously rubbed her hands together. The kitchen felt sparse and cold and plummeted further as Jessie cautiously walked through the door, looking at her mother suspiciously.

"Where are you going?" she asked quietly, eyes narrowed.

"Just going out to the office for a while," Karen said casually. She saw Jessie gaze at her intently and Karen wondered whether the lie was flashing on her face. She deceived people for a living, and now she was deceiving her child. It made her feel dirty.

"OK," Jessie said cautiously. She turned to leave.

"Wait," Karen said desperation evident in her voice. Jessie turned to face her mother, fear mingling within her cynical eyes.

Karen opened her mouth, but was mute. There was nothing she could say that wouldn't sound like a filthy, hollow lie. "Do you want me to pick up anything from the store?"

"I'm ok," Jessie said softly, her blonde tresses framing her face, making her look vulnerable and small.

Karen's throat closed as her heart beat worriedly. "I've left some casserole for you and your brother," she said breathlessly. "Just heat it up when you're hungry, ok sweetie."

Jessie shrugged casually, but she wrinkled her nose in distaste. "OK."

"Great," Karen smiled.

There was a long beat of deafening silence.

"Bye honey," Jessie nodded slightly. "I love you," Karen called plaintively.

"Ok," was Jessie's distant reply.

Sighing heavily Karen turned to find her son. He was in the living room huddled over some papers.

"Whatcha' doing?" Karen asked affectionately.

Eli jerked and spun around on his chair, eyes wide as guilt, surprise and fear flickered on his face.

"What?" he snapped.

"I'm just asking," Karen narrowed her eyes. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing," Eli half stood and bundled all the sheets together in his hands. Karen stared at her son, confused.

"Eli…" she said sternly.

"I said it's nothing. Jeeze," Eli muttered, disgusted. He didn't meet Karen's eyes, "just some extra work for Booklovers."

"Oh," Karen saw Eli clutch at his papers defensively, his face an annoyed mask. She exhaled wearily. "Well, I've left some casserole for you guys in the fridge, so make sure you heat it up." Eli nodded.

Karen looked down at her shoes. When she dragged them away her eyes shined slightly with tears.

"Eli," she said in a pained, hoarse whisper. "Just make sure Jessie eats, ok?"

Eli's face dropped, his eyes widening in unspoken alarm. He nodded slightly.

"Bye honey," Karen choked out. She leant over and awkwardly kissed Eli's cheek. She drew away. For a moment Eli thought she was going to say something else, but Karen just smiled slightly and turned and hurried towards the door. Eli released the breath he was holding as his mother left the room. Looking down at the sheets in his hand, he shook his head, feeling lost and forlorn.

"Rick, Karen it's wonderful to have you two here again," Dr. Rosenfeld said warmly, ushering them both in. Rick and Karen entered Rosenfeld's inviting office with trepidation. They both took a seat on his weathered couch, close but not touching.

"OK," Rosenfeld said warmly, plopping down on his chair. He had changed slightly since Rick and Karen last had a session with him. Grey hair flecked his beard and there were deeper lines drawn across his face but his warm brown eyes still twinkled with intelligence. "I got your phone call. Why don't you start at the beginning?"

Karen and Rick glanced at each other. Rick took a deep breath. "Well," he said hesitantly. "My wife and I were returning from, uh, the movies and we accidentally walked in our daughter and her friend, Katie," Rick gulped, "kissing."

"I see," Rosenfeld shifted in his seat then studied Rick and Karen. "This was shocking to you?"

Both Karen and Rick chuckled nervously. "Oh yeah," Rick drawled.

"Mmm," Rosenfeld chewed on the end of his glasses. "Well, have either of you ever walked in on Eli and a girlfriend?"

Rick and Karen gave each other a confused glance. "I have," Rick faltered.

"I see," Rosenfeld sighed sympathetically. "I can't imagine anything worse for a parent, walking in on intimate moments with both your kids."

"Yeah," Rick mumbled.

"I can see your discomfort at the thought of these events. How did your kids take it when you interrupted them?" Rosenfeld asked conversationally.

"Well, uh, Eli's a laid back guy," Rick stuttered, an embarrassed flush creeping up his neck. "He was pretty fine with it."

"But not Jessie?" Rosenfeld asked shrewdly.

"Well-no," Rick said slowly.

"Jessie is a great deal more sensitive than Eli," Karen butted in quickly.

"Yes, but why would Jessie react so negatively and Eli so nonchalantly?" Rosenfeld asked, looking perplexed.

Karen cocked her head and looked at Rosenfeld cynically. "I think we know why, Dr." she said with a hint of scorn in her voice.

"No really, I don't understand the distinction-…"Rosenfeld objected.

"Please!"

"What?"

"It's because it was with another girl!" Karen burst out, frustrated. Rick flinched.

"Ah!" Rosenfeld drew the word out, nodding his head in understanding. "So, everyone would've been much happier if you had walked in on Jessie with a boy?"

"No!" Karen objected hotly.

"But Jessie feels that way?" Rosenfeld asked.

Karen threw up her hands. "I don't know how Jessie is feeling," she muttered under her breath.

"Why not," Rosenfeld asked, peering at them intently.

Again, Karen and Rick glanced at each other surreptitiously. Rick shifted uncomfortably.

"Ever since the incident she's become withdrawn," Karen said urgently. "She's been unresponsive and sullen. Completely different from the child we knew."

"Yeah," Rick agreed, nodding emphatically.

"Have you talked to her?"

"We've tried." Rick sighed. "She won't say anything."

"Has anyone else in the family talked to her?"

"No, only Rick and I know."

Unbeknownst to Karen and Rick, Eli was trying to talk to Jessie at that moment. He knocked on her door cautiously. "Jess?" he asked nervously.

"What?" Eli heard Jessie's muffled irritated voice through the door.

"Can I come in?" Eli asked, holding the door knob.

He thought he heard her sigh. "Sure."

Eli entered the room to see his sister at her desk, light shining on her homework. "Still doing work?" he asked ruefully. He scratched his face nervously. "I thought you'd be talking to Katie like you usually are at this time."

Jessie's face wavered briefly with surprise. But within a moment her features were inscrutable. "No," she said defensively.

Eli nodded, sensing he wasn't going to get anything out of her on that topic. He sat down on her bed. "I'm, like, starved." Eli said. "I'm going to heat up Mom's casserole. Want some?"

"Not really," Jessie sighed.

Eli stomach turned. He swallowed hard and tried to hide his concern. "You better have some," he said warily. "Mom instructed me that she wanted it all gone and you know she'll check and nag at us both."

Jessie sighed and rolled her eyes, lookingutterly frustrated and disgusted. "I guess I should have a little," she mumbled. "I'll come down and have some later."

"Great!" Eli enthused. He stood up. "Jess?"

Jessie turned, irritated. "What?"

"If you know, you ever want to talk…" Eli trailed off uncomfortably.

Jessie stared at him motionlessly. "Why would I want to talk?" she asked blankly, panic glistening in her eyes.

"I dunno," Eli assured her quickly, his eyes darting. Jessie didn't look convinced. "Just if ever want to, I guess." Eli finished lamely, aware of how suspicious he sounded. Jessie stared at him, fear and denial naked on her face.

"I'd better go," Eli babbled. Jessie didn't seem to hear. She stared off into the distance, her eyes shining. Eli backed away from his sister, closing the door, relieved to be away from Jessie's wounded face.

Exhaling, Eli leant up against Jessie's door. Heshut his eyes in disgust. "Stupid," He thought savagely, rubbing his face wearily.

"So, you guys are offering the olive branch and she's not taking?" Rosenfeld asked wryly as Karen and Rick continued their session.

"It doesn't matter what we do, she just rejects ever offer we try to make to talk to her," Karen sighed. "And I'm afraid…"

"What?" Dr. Rosenfeld asked. Rick turned and looked at Karen with interest as well.

"That… she may lapse back into bad habits," Karen choked out.

"Bad habits?" Rosenfeld asked. His eyes widened with recognition. "Like with her eating?"

Rick stared at Karen with wide eyes, his concern palpable. Karen took a deep breath. "She hasn't wanted to eat the last few days," Karen admitted shakily. "And yesterday when I emptied her bin," her eyes watered. "There were apples and snacks she'd said she had eaten. But they were there." Karen's voice was thick with tears. "She hadn't touched them."

"Could she have a relapse?" Rick asked urgently.

"It's very possible," Rosenfeld said gravely. "An eating disorder can take years to recover from. Many struggle with it for the rest of their lives."

Karen let out a strangled sob while Rick's breath lodged in his throat.

"What I want to know is," Rick continued shakily. "How do we make her talk to us and how do we make sure she eats?"

"Well, I'm assuming that she was eating fine before you discovered her relationship with Katie," Rosenfeld saw Rick and Karen nod. "Ok, then it's obvious that your discovery of her relationship may have triggered a relapse."

"Obviously!" Karen snapped shrilly.

"She must not be coping somehow. Have you guys said anything to her that might have upset her?"

Rick and Karen both looked guiltily away. "No," Rick said hesitantly. "No, I don't think…"

"We've been very supportive!" Karen interrupted briskly.

"So this is just Jessie's problem?" Rosenfeld asked innocently.

"Well, I wouldn't say that?" Karen replied archly.

"But you just said you've been very supportive!" Rosenfeld objected.

"We have!" Rick snapped.

"It's just been a shock," Karen sighed.

"Why is it a shock? Jessie's almost sixteen, is she not allowed a love life?" Rosenfeld asked.

"Of course…" Rick said feeling flustered.

"Then why are you so shocked?" Rosenfeld asked with feigned ignorance. "You don'tcare that she has a love life?"

"Well, uh no…" Karen mumbled, her face feeling flushed.

"So, you're just upset you know she has a love life?' Rosenfeld raised his voice and looked at Karen and Rick challengingly.

"It's not that!" Karen snapped. This man was infuriating. "It's not supposed to be this love life!"

There was a long, heavy pause as the sentence hung in the air. Karen gaped as she realized what she said. She ducked her head, ashamed and unable to look at Dr. Rosenfeld. Rick sighed and squirmed in his seat, in almost painful embarrassment.

"What sort of love life is she supposed to have?" Rosenfeld asked in a low voice, staring at Karen.

Karen took a deep breath. She glanced at Rick, but she only saw denial in his eyes. Karen set her jaw. She was sick of lies.

"A normal one," her voice was barely audible, "with a boy."

"So, she's disappointed you?"

"No!" Rick protested, shaking his head. Karen just looked at the floor.

"Karen?" Rosenfeld asked pointedly.

"She has," Karen admitted her voice small. Rick stared at her. "I mean," Karen continued. "Don't think I'm some ogre!" Karen objected, her voice hoarse. "I love her dearly, as much as I ever have, but I can't help feeling like this." Karen choked out a bitter laugh. "And I know it's not her fault. But everything I had planned for her, every happiness I had envisioned has to change now. And I…resent her for it," Karen voice clogged as tears began to slide down her face. She cleared her throat and continued. "I know it's not right, and I know it's not fair. And Ihate myself for feeling this way." Karen shook her head again, "but I can't help it," her voice cracked and she lowered her head, the truth lifting the burden off her shoulders, but leaving her sick to her stomach, despair and self-loathing churning in her gut.

Next to her Rick took a deep, shuddering breath, his eyes shining too. He looked away, the impact of the truth like a slap to his face.

"Guys, it's ok," Rosenfeld reassured them gently. "You aren't alone. Every parent has their own dreams for their kids. All we want is the best for them." Rick and Karen nodded weakly, completely in agreement.

"You're completely within your right to feel that way. But the thing is, what you are feeling is hurting Jessie," Rosenfeld stated gravely. "I think we all know how perceptive she is. Too perceptive, maybe. But she seems to be able to sense your disappointment, and she doesn't know how to react. So she is falling back to ways of non-verbal communication." He paused. "Like the eating."

The implications of that hung heavily over the room.

Rick and Karen looked pensive. After a moment Rick continued heavily. "I just want to do what's right for her. But I can't help thinking that she's making a mistake. She's in a relationship with this girl when she's too young to know herself."

"So she makes a mistake?" Rosenfeld shrugged. "Who doesn't at fifteen? But I think it's better if you two stop thinking this is some phase she'll get over." Both Rick and Karen flinched guiltily. Rosenfeld nodded, bemused that he had guessed right. "I think you should just accept who she is now and not worry about who she may be in the future."

"It's just hard," Karen admitted softly.

"Sure it is," Rosenfeld agreed. "But she's worth it."

At that exact moment, at Karen's house, Jessie tentatively snuck downstairs. Sneaking a look through the darkened hallway, she saw that Eli was no where to be found. Drawing her courage, she reached for a telephone, dialing a familiar number that now filled her with dread.

"Hello?" Mrs. Singer's voice filled the receiver.

Her stomach contracted as Jessie opened her mouth to speak. But something held her back, an intangible barrier, a barrier that snaked around her vocal cords and squeezed tight.

"Is anyone there?" Mrs. Singer's voice was confused.

Jessie slammed the receiver down. She leant up against the table, her mind buzzing and heart rattling wildly. She took a long shuddering breath and gripped the table as if her life depended on it.

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Author's note:Review Please ;)