Terri stepped off the bus at her school and sighed. She didn't know how she was going to get through the day worrying about her father. She had an exam in her Ancient Histories class that she wasn't nearly prepared for and she didn't know if she could focus on it while her father is God only knows where getting shot at possibly.

"Terri?" Her best friend, Micheal Jackson asked. "Why didn't your dad drop you off?"

"Don't ask…" Terri whispered. Mike was a orphan at the local orphanage. His parents were Archeologists and died when he was a baby. His older brother had taken care of him until a year ago when he went missing around the same time her father was on the last mission of his career. Or so she thought it would be his last mission.

"Anything I can help with?"

"Unless you can change the Air Force's mind, no." Terri whispered.

"They didn't…"

Terri nodded. "Last night they recalled him." Terri whispered. "He's on a mission somewhere."

"Ouch…"

"Tell me about it." Terri sighed. "I'm a nervous wreck."

"I'm sure he will come back fine." Mike smiled as he touched her shoulder.

Terri blushed softly. She had had the biggest crush on him since she met him.

"Anyone tell you that you are too beautiful to be in a school for the gifted?" Mike smiled.

"Anyone tell you that you are a shameless flirt?" Terri laughed.

"Only you."

"Come on, go out with me once, Terri." Mike begged.

"You know my Dad doesn't let me date until I am 16." Terri smiled as her cheeks flushed a deep shade of red. "As flattered as I am…"

"I know…" Mike sighed. "Hey did you get a chance to look at my brother's research?"

"Yes."

"And?"

"I… I am not sure…" Terri said. "It's no wonder people called him a Quack… But there is evidence to support his theories."

"But he disappeared right after the University laughed at him."

"I'm sure if he could come back he would, Mike…" Terri said. "Come on, we'll be late for class."

"You can be late once in a while, Terri."

"Not on my watch." Terri smiled. "I have a perfect attendance record to up hold."

"Alright." Mike laughed softly.

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.

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Taryn closed her locker and sighed when she saw Max Sanders staring at her again. He had been trying to go out with her since she started a year early in High school and she thought that he was a bad kid.

"Hey Beautiful."

"Leave me the hell alone, Max." Taryn growled as she grabbed her science book.

"Aww don't be like that," Max cooed. "I just wanna be with you."

"And I don't want to be with you."

"I was surprised to see you on the bus today. No daddy to drop you off today."

"He's out of town." Taryn whispered.

"So that means I can come over then?"
"Not a chance." Taryn barked as she walked into the Biology lab. "Now leave me the hell alone."

"No one says no to me, O'Neill, I'll have you as my girlfriend one of these days." Max said before walking over to his desk.

I wish Dad was here… Taryn thought, worried about where he could be as the class started.

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.

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"Go Taryn!" Terri yelled at her sister's soccer game as she sat next to Mike in the bleachers.

"So how is Taryn taking her dad missing the championship game?" Mike asked.

"Hard, but it's something he had to do."

"And I regret every minute of it." Jack smiled as he sat down with a man in glasses.

"Daniel…" Mike whispered as he looked at his brother.

"Mike? Wow… You have changed so much in a year."

"This was the friend you had to save?" Terri asked her father.

"Yeah, but I have to go tomorrow to save another friend and Daniel's wife." Jack said.

"Wife?" Mike asked.

"It's a long, classified, story." Daniel sighed. "I'm going to be staying at Jack's till I can find a suitable place for us."

"So I have to go back to the orphanage?"

"You can stay with us." Jack smiled.

"Are you sure, Dad?" Terri asked.

"Sure," Jack smiled. "He can stay in Charlie's old room."

"Oh…" Terri whispered as she looked down at the ground.

"What's wrong, Kiddo?"

"You haven't opened that room for a year, Dad…"

"It's alright, Kiddo, it's only for a short time…"

"Alright…"