Apologies for the lateness of this! I was away for a while and my computer has been playing up, but here it is! Rule 9. Hope you enjoy:)

Rule Nine: Don't lie to me. I may appear to be a middle aged, dim-witted has been, but on issues relating to my daughter, I am the all knowing, merciless god of your universe. If I ask where you are going and with whom, you have one chance to tell me the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth I have a shotgun, a shovel and five acres of land behind the house. Do not trifle with me.

Aaron walked through the hallway with a book in his hand, ready for what he hoped would be a quiet evening with little interruptions. As he was about to turn into the living room, Sophia darted down the stairs, past Aaron and to the front door.

"Hi dad, bye dad!" she said, hoping to escape any questions, but she was naive to think she would.

"Hold on... where are you going?" Aaron asked.

"On a date"

"A date? You know the rules Sophia, we have to meet the boy first." Aaron said.

Sophia gritted her teeth, growing tried of the strictness, but she knew she had to give a little to get a little in return. She opened the door wider and waved at the boy in the car to come to the door. He gave her a confused look, but got out of the car anyway and walked into the house.

"Dad this is Seb, Seb, my dad." Sophia introduced.

He looked relatively normal in comparison to some of the other boys Sophia had dated. He even shook Aaron's hand. Good start, polite.

"Mr Shore. I'm sorry I didn't come to the door, Sophia said we would be in a rush so I should just wait in the car" Seb said awkwardly.

"Well now you'll know for next time. Where are you taking my daughter tonight Seb?" Aaron asked.

"I was thinking a restaurant, there's a new Italian opened down, and it's somewhere with lots of people." Seb said, clearly having heard Aaron's rules from Sophia.

"Oh really?" Aaron said, knowing that Seb was lying through his teeth. "Seb, I know you may think that I am an old guy who knows nothing, who sees nothing, but when it comes to my daughter, I am the merciless, all knowing God of the universe of the boy she is dating. You may have come here dressed smartly to add to the illusion of the story you just fabricated, but if you really wanted your lie to be believable, you should have made sure Sophia didn't have a bikini on under her dress, as made obvious by the fact that it is tied around her neck, unlike how a bra works, so something tells me you were actually planning on taking my daughter swimming." Aaron said as Sophia held a hand up to her neck, kicking herself for not thinking.

"Uh..." Seb stuttered, looking for a response.

"So, how about you go home, get some money to take my daughter to dinner, that way, we can forget about this little lie you've told." Aaron suggested as Seb nodded and turned to Sophia.

"Maybe we should do this another time..." Seb said quickly; "bye" he finished as he rushed out the door to his car.

Sophia turned to Aaron who had a disapproving look on his face. "All knowing merciless god of his universe? You are the most ridiculous dad on the planet!" Sophia said pushing past him into the kitchen, but Aaron was hot on her tail.

"Since when do you think lying is appropriate Sophia? You never lie, what makes this boy worth lying for? Why would you want to date someone who would lie?" Aaron asked as Sophia poured herself a drink.

"We lied because we knew you would freak! I don't know how many times we are going to have this conversation dad, you are so freakin controlling and I can't take it anymore! You have to let me go out there and have fun and make mistakes!"

"I have been giving you a lot of leeway Sophia, especially over the past while. You have been in a foul mood, but I will not tolerate lying, I will not push it under the rug, you know better than that."

"I have not been in a foul mood!" Sophia shot back as the screaming match looked like it could go on for a while.

"Sophia!" Charlotte said coming into the room. "Peter's on the phone, he says he's very sorry and would greatly appreciate it if you would talk to him."

Annabelle came in behind her; "We would all appreciate it if you could talk to him, this whole broody thing is getting old."

"I don't want to talk to him!" Sophia told them as they sulked out of the room.

"Is that why you've been so moody? Peter?" Aaron asked.

"Dad I am not about to sit here and talk to you about my boy troubles, so drop the 21 questions, I get it, I lied, you're disappointed in me, I'm sorry, there's nothing more to say." Sophia said as she tried to leave the room.

"I'm not trying to give you the 3rd degree Soph, I want to help. Peter has been your best friend since you were little, I don't want to see you throw that away over a little fight." Aaron said.

"Dad. I don't want to talk about it." Sophia said firmly.

"We used to talk about everything you know" Aaron reminded her.

"Well I'm not that same little girl anymore dad. You have to let me grow up." Sophia said before leaving the room and going upstairs.

That night, Aaron lay in bed with Emily playing her her hand as he rested his other one behind his head.

"I was a sucky dad today" Aaron said quietly.

"You are never a sucky dad."

"She tested my patience and I blew up and when I tried to be reasonable with her it flew right back in my face."

"She's taken this whole Peter thing pretty badly. We just have to give her space and when she's ready to talk about it she'll come to us. It's not like we've lost her Aaron, she's just growing up and trying to work things out on her own... but she knows we're here."

"She thought it would be ok to lie to me Emily. Where did that even come from?"

"She's just not sure what she wants right now... she will be ok Aaron. I promise."

"I know... she'll find her way. I love you" he said as he kissed her head.

"I love you more."

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