Sam was in the middle of a meeting when Bridget walked in and handed him a note. He flipped it open, read it, and looked up at Bridget, who shrugged.
"When this meeting is over, clear about an hour for me. Reschedule whatever I had planned." he said quietly. Bridget nodded and walked out. Sam finished up his meeting with a worried look on his face.
"Everything okay?" CJ asked.
"Yeah. I'm sure it is. I'm going up to the Residence for a while." Sam replied. "I'll see you later."
"What about the meeting with Harmon?"
"I told Bridget to reschedule."
CJ nodded and left the room. Sam grabbed his jacket and stuck his head out the door.
"I'm leaving. I'll be back around two."
"Okay. The meeting with Senator Harmon is now tomorrow at one." Bridget said, hanging up the phone.
"Alright. I'll see you later."
"Bye."
Sam quickly headed up to the Residence and went straight to Gracie's room. The door was closed, as usual, and she had her stereo playing very loud. Sam looked at Alex, who just shrugged. He opened the door quietly, though he figured Gracie wouldn't even hear it open, and entered the room. While in the hallway, Sam thought the music was loud. In here, it was like being at a rock concert. He quickly strode across the room to the CD player and turned it off. Gracie poked her head out from under her blanket and Sam turned around, his heart breaking as he saw the tear streaks on his daughter's face.
"What's going on?" he asked, sitting next to her. Gracie sat up and buried her face in his shoulder, crying some more. "Hey,"
Sam pulled her away from him slightly and wiped her face off.
"You okay?"
Gracie shook her head and Sam pulled her back into a hug.
"Ho-how did y-you kn-know I was u-up he-here?"
"I could here the music 1,000 yards over and two flights down." Sam joked, hoping he'd make her laugh. "Alex told Bridget, who interrupted me in a meeting."
"I'm sorry."
"No. I was worried. What's going on?"
"I was going to fourth period and Chris came up to me. We started talking and he asked me if I wanted to go to the movies Friday and I told him I couldn't because of the inauguration and how things might happen in the next few days and that everyone was on high security and that I'm not allowed anywhere besides school."
"I never said that." Sam said.
"I know that. He doesn't. So we started arguing and he said that he hates when we go out and I have a pack of agents with me. So I told him to stop, that I needed the agents with me and he said that it was your fault that I got kidnapped and I told him it wasn't your fault and went on about how Ryan was from Mom's past and he said well let's start on your mother and I cursed him off a bit and he cursed me off a bit then I started to head to class and he came after me and grabbed my wrist and pushed me back into the lockers. Jack grabbed him and took him away and I told Alex I wanted to go home. I know it was a stupid reason to go home but I just wanted to come back here." Gracie said quickly. Sam stared at her, his eyes wide. She really amazed him with the ways she could be like Ainsley.
"No. That wasn't stupid."
"And it wasn't even because of Chris. It... when he grabbed me it... it like... started a flashback or something."
"...of Ryan."
"Yeah. I was like about ready to have a nutty right there in the hallway so I just... I didn't want to embarrass myself."
"Okay, first of all, you may want to try speaking in a couple of sentences, not a run-on." Sam teased, making Gracie laugh. "And this stuff with Ryan... I thought you had gotten over it."
"Me too." she admitted. "Guess I was wrong. Maybe I really am crazy and I'll be like this for the rest of my life."
"Stop. You're not crazy. Okay, maybe a little. But that was there long before this ever happened. I mean, come on. Look at who your parents are."
"You realize you just called yourself crazy."
"I am."
"What is this? A party and I wasn't invited?"
Sam looked over his shoulder and saw Ainsley standing there.
"We were just discussing how crazy you are." he said.
"Oh I feel loved. Allison told me you came home early. You okay?"
"Don't get her started." Sam said. "She'll go into another run-on and when she dies of lack of oxygen,"
Gracie smacked him with her pillow and looked at her mother.
"I'm fine. I got into a fight with Chris when he insulted you two and then he grabbed me and pushed me into a locker. Jack and Alex took care of him and I had a flashback so I came home because I was about to freak out." she explained.
"Oh honey..."
"We'll talk later." Gracie said quickly. Ainsley nodded and she and Sam went to leave. "Dad..."
Sam turned and stared at her.
"What?"
"Are we done talking?"
"I thought we were."
"I didn't think so." Gracie mumbled, ducking her head.
"You still wanted to talk?" Sam asked, astonished. Gracie nodded and Sam sat back down. "What do you want to talk about?"
"I wasn't done telling you about my day."
"Oh."
"You seem shocked."
"I am. Usually you talk to your mother."
"We were having an enlightening conversation and I don't want to worry her."
"Why would you worry her?" Sam asked. Gracie sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "Gracie..."
"When I was fighting with Chris... I realized that I like having the agents. At least now I do, after all of this happened."
"Why?"
"I feel protected. I... I get scared thinking that... that he could come back." Gracie muttered. "That he's going to try and take me again."
" No." Sam shook his head and cupped Gracie's chin his hand, tilting her head up. "I will never let that happen again. Okay?"
Gracie nodded and Sam kissed her forehead.
"You okay now?"
"I still get freaked out."
"I know."
"It's not going to go away."
"It will."
"It hasn't yet."
"It hasn't even been a year yet. Take it slow. Alright?"
Gracie just nodded and Sam rubbed her back.
"I have to get back downstairs." he said.
"I understand."
"I can stay up here with you if you want."
"Duty calls." Gracie mumbled. "I want to try and sleep anyway."
"Okay." Sam kissed her forehead and she sunk back down into her pillows. "Just call Bridget if you need anything and I'll be up here in a minute. Or call Allison and Mom will come up."
"I'm fine Dad."
"Okay. I'll see you at dinner."