A/N: Thanks again for reviewing, everyone! Let me know if there's anything you think should happen next…open to suggestions. : ) Please enjoy and review!

Nick Stokes decided not to bother knocking on his daughter's door. He wouldn't give her the courtesy after she had been so disrespectful to Sara. She was laying on her bed staring up at the ceiling with her arms crossed in anger across her chest when he entered. Immediately, she sat up.

"Have you heard of knocking?" The girl spoke with conviction and anger.

"Watch your mouth." He warned her, putting his hands on his hips, walking over to where she sat. "You wanna tell me what just went on down there?"

"I'm not going to let her sit there and talk to me like I'm her daughter. I am not and I will never be. You keep trying to pretend we're a family. You may want it but I don't!"

Nick sighed, suspecting that Sara living with them was still uneasy for his daughter. This morning had merely been the stick that broke the camel's back, so to say. He wasn't going to excuse her behavior, but Nick knew that when Mally acted up, usually something was bothering her. He was never the type of dad that would just say 'tough' and put an end to the discussion. Nick really wanted to know what was getting to her and how to fix it.

He pulled the chair out from her desk and sat down, leaning forward on his elbows.

"Mally, I know you're still not totally comfortable with Sara and if that's the way you feel, that's okay. But I have raised you to be respectful of all adults. And talking to her like that will not be tolerated. You can express yourself in another way."

"What has she ever done to deserve my respect?"

"She is an adult and she is my girlfriend, Mally." Nick tried to explain calmly. Growing up, he had been taught to show respect towards adults no matter what, but Mally seemed to think differently. "What has she ever done not to deserve your respect?"

Mally looked down at the floor, uncomfortable. She wasn't sure how to answer so she remained quiet. Sara had never done anything mean to her. She just didn't like the idea of her all of a sudden being part of her life without any say so from her. Nick sensed her uneasiness and had an idea.

"Come on. Let's go outside." He suggested, getting up and patting her on the side of her arm. "We'll throw the ball around, just you and me." Nick had taught Mally to play catch when she was four and it had been a bonding, calming activity for the pair ever since. Now in high school, she was part of the softball team and she still treasured this pastime she had with her dad.

She hesitated a moment, knowing he was trying to coax her out of her bad attitude, but she relented in the end. Mally went to her closet and retrieved her well worn-in mitt and followed her father out the door and down the stairs. She pulled her beautiful dark brown hair up into a messy bun. Nick grabbed his mitt and a ball out of the closet downstairs and the pair headed to the back yard, taking their places on opposite ends of the yard, though still in talking distance.

"You ready?" Nick called.

Mally merely nodded, still not in a talking mood, pounding her free left hand into her mitt. Nick sailed one to her and she caught it with ease, loving the sound of the ball hitting the leather glove. She took it out and threw it back to her father. Her aim was a bit to the side, but Nick moved skillfully to catch it. They threw it back and forth a few times silently, just the sounds of leather on leather filling the afternoon air.

"Are you ready for your game coming up against the Bulldogs?" Nick finally asked as he pitched to Mally.

"Dad, we'll never beat them. They're number one in the state."

"Never say never. You gotta give it a chance. I've seen you girls working hard."

"Well, I don't think we will." She muttered. She knew he was trying to make some comfortable small talk to make way for the bigger issue at hand. They threw for another minute or so in silence. She decided to break the tension and spoke first.

"Dad, it's not like I don't like her. I just wish she would stop pretending she's part of the family. It's like she's trying too hard. She's forcing it."

Nick smiled inwardly, glad that she decided to bring it up before he did.

"And how might she go about not pretending she's part of the family?"Mally thought for a couple throws and catches. "I don't know."

"What's really bothering you, sweetheart?"

Silence.

"I don't want things to change." She said softly, Nick barely hearing her. He held on to the ball and walked to where Mally was standing.

"Baby, me being in a relationship with someone is never going to change how I feel about you. You are the most important thing in my life."

Mally started getting a little teary-eyed. "But it's not the same. She's always around and you're always around her. It's never just us like it used to be and I…I just want it to go back to how it was before."

Nick then took Mally into his arms in the middle of their backyard as she started to quietly sob. He stroked her back gently as he let her cry and let out her emotions. Mally had been more distant from him since Sara moved in, but she had also started high school about the same time. He didn't know how much of it was her growing up and wanting to be independent and how much of it was uneasiness about Sara. He cursed himself for not being more in tune with Mally. She'd been his bud all these years and he should've been watching closer.

"Shhhhh….it's okay." He murmured, pressing a kiss to her head. When he finally heard her tears subsiding, he pulled back and she wiped her eyes.

"Mally, I could never love you any less because I'm with Sara, and I'm sorry if you felt that way. But what I think you're not seeing is that Sara loves you too."

"No she doesn't. She puts up with me." She remarked.

"No, Mally bug, you're wrong." He chided gently. "You don't know how many times she's been worried about you and happy for you, and how much we've talked about how wonderful you are. She does love you. You just haven't let her in. But now's your chance."

He'd always had knack for coaxing her to do what he wanted, she thought to herself. He made it sound so logical and so right to trust Sara. Mally knew she was being stubborn about opening up to Sara and she'd been just as stubborn to admit. Now she was starting to see how unfair it was.

"So will you try? For me?" He pleaded. Mally looked up at her father for a moment before she answered.

"Okay, dad. I'll try."

"That's my girl." He pulled her into a hug again and patted her on the back. "Now I think you owe Sara an apology for how you spoke to her earlier. Let's start with that." Nick suggested.

"Yes, sir." She sighed a little as they started to head inside, his arm still draped around her shoulder. They walked together to where Sara was sitting on the couch reading a book.

"Hey guys." She greeted them with a smile. With the look on their faces, she could tell they had just been discussing her. Mally looked a little ashamed but feeling brave with Nick's arm supportively on her shoulder.

"Can I talk to you Sara?" The girl asked timidly.

"Of course, Mally." She sat up to make room on the couch giving a knowing smile to Nick. Nick gave Mally a kiss on the head and then went upstairs to leave the girls alone.

Mally sat down and nervously looked down at her hands. She seemed unsure of how to begin and Sara could tell she was trying to apologize.

"Mally." Sara started for her. "I know this is a big change, your dad having someone else in his life and all. It's just been the two of you pretty much all your life, right?" Mally nodded in response.

Nick had told Sara he'd never really had a serious girlfriend since Mally was born. He'd had a few now and then, but he was very concerned about what effect they'd have on Mally. He didn't want to do anything to upset his little girl. He was very careful about who he let into her life. Nick told her that she'd been the only one he'd ever really felt comfortable allowing into Mally's life. But the concerned father had many sleepless nights before asking Sara to move in with them.

"I just want you to know that I care about you too and want to get to know you. I want you to be comfortable with your dad and I living together. I'd never want to try to take the place of your mother, but I would like us to be friends."

Mally took in Sara's words before continuing herself.

"I know I've been a pain in the ass so far. I've been trying really hard at that." She smiled a little bit and Sara smiled back. "I'm really sorry about the way I spoke to you earlier. You were just trying to help. But I just felt you were…"

"Butting in where I shouldn't be?" Sara finished for her and smiled. "I know. I felt totally uncomfortable doing that, but your dad and I thought we'd give it a try. That wasn't fair to you when you're not comfortable with me yet. Your dad and I talked and we agreed I should stay out of the disciplining for now at least."

"Okay. Thanks, Sara." She looked at her dad's girlfriend and sensed a feeling of mutual understanding for the first time. Sara felt it too. They were beginning to understand one another. Mally could see that Sara was just as uneasy about this new arrangement as she was, but she sure was trying. Sara was really trying. "Sorry again."

"That's okay." Sara accepted. "Shake on it?" She suggested, not wanting to push a hug or anything. Mally gladly held out her hand and the two shook hands.

"Dad still hasn't told me what my punishment is yet. I wish he'd just get it over with."

"Well I think he's glad that he knows what was bothering you so much. He talks so much about what a good kid you are. He said this really wasn't like you."

"So you think he'll forget about it?" She smiled hopefully, knowing that he wouldn't.

"Nice try. He said he's definitely not going easy on you."

"I know he won't." Mally admitted.

"Let's go find him." Sara suggested, standing up. The two headed up the stairs to find Nick.

"I wonder how Natalie's doing." Mally thought out loud.

"I don't know, Mal. You'll have to call her later."

"If I'm not grounded from the phone." She smiled.

TBC…