A/N:Wow...it has been 5 months since my last update, it can't have been that long, can it? Oh it has! I really apologize to you guys, I mean you take the time to review, then I never post...To set the record straight, my lack of updates was not due to a sudden disinterest in my own story, it was just the time factor. Last I updated was in February, and I was writingtwo term papers, so all my energy was put into that (since I wasn't doing very well in either of the classes I was writing the papers for) and school in general cause that wasn't going well...then I finished the term paper and suddenly it's finals, then prep for graduation and prom and the actual graduation plus finding time for friends and boyfriend and the great attack of writer's block that hit didn't help either. So hopefully I'm getting over that, school's been over for a month and there's a sudden drop in my social life since my boyfriend broke up with me...

Not that you care about that or anything...Anyway, I apologize unreservedly for my lack of updates, I feel so horrible...I'm gonna try to update more (in fact I'm writing 2 chapters ahead now, I just don't have the second chapter on this computer, so once I get on the other one, I'll have the chapter after this for you all.

So enjoy and I hope you find it in the goodness of your hearts to still review and notyell atme for not updating. I'm gonna try to update a lot more, so hopefully here's the first of a steady flow of updates until we reach the end of this merry road...

Thank you so much for your patience, though it's probably wearing thin by now and I can't blame you, but I appreciate it all the same...

-AEM

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Frank stomped childishly to his rental car, Stephanie on his heels. Frank reached the car, and began to pout even more childishly. He crossed his arms and sadly stared down at his feet. Stephanie stood quietly for a while, but soon, she discovered she couldn't be quiet anymore

"Dad, your friends, for lack of a better word, are scum. They're really mean. I don't even see how you can call them your friends"

Frank was still silent.

Stephanie walked around her father so she was facing him. She touched him lightly on the shoulder "Daddy?"

Frank jumped a little and then stared at his daughter like he had never seen anything like her before "Oh hi Stephanie. Well, this was a nice trip to California, I think, don't you? Are you ready to go back to Fort Wayne, now?"

Stephanie stared at her father a minute before answering "No, Dad. I don't think this has been a good trip to California. And I'm not ready to go back to Indiana"

Frank stared at his daughter suspiciously "What do you mean?"

"I mean, Daddy. . . you can't just leave. You can't just sneak away and let these people walk all over you"

"It's. . . it's what I used to do and…I-I think I'll do it again" Frank said, a bit chagrined.

"You can't let them win. That's not fair to you. You shouldn't let Mom and Tiff and Jackie win and you shouldn't let them win. . . it's not fair to you. They have to know that they can't treat you like pond scum anymore, they shouldn't have been in the first place. Daddy, you have to stand up for yourself. It will make you feel better about yourself knowing that they can't hurt you anymore" noting her father's still skeptical look, she continued on "and if you can't do this for yourself, do it for me. I don't wanna see you hurt like this anymore" This cinched it. Stephanie was the only person in the world Frank cared about (excepting of course, Margaret – he still fantasized about one day Margaret coming to her senses, loving him and taking off with her and Stephanie to live happily ever after). He lived in secret fear of one day that Stephanie would wake up and see him as he was and not as however she saw him (because in his eyes, who could love him unless he was someone else other than himself?) and he would lose the only person that cared for him and that would kill him.

"All right, Stephanie" he said finally "I'll do it. I'll let them know I'm not scared of them anymore. But I need to do something big to prove to them that I'm not scared of anything and . . . " his beady little eyes darted back and forth, suspiciously, looking for eavesdroppers in the parking lot, empty, save the cars, and as if he half suspected to see BJ Hunnicut jump out from the hood of his car. He finally turned back to his daughter ". . . and I'll need your help, will you help me?"

Stephanie smiled "Of course I will, Daddy. I wouldn't let you do whatever it is you want to do alone"

Frank grinned and his chin disappeared.

"What is it you want to do, anyway?"

Frank's grin faded and his chin returned. He put an arm around his daughter "We-el it's a little dangerous…" he held up his index finger and his forefinger to show how little dangerous it was going to be.

"That's okay, Daddy, anything for you"

Frank grinned again "Okay. Good" he looked around again for eavesdroppers again before turning back to Stephanie and leaned down towards her "Okay, Stephanie, here's the plan…"

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Frank's plotting...never a good sign...