*~Chapter Eight~*

"Ohhh shut up, Todd!" Blair growled. "Why don't you go home with your precious Marty and wait for your daughter to come home? I highly doubt she's with Brendan."

"She IS with Brendan!" Todd yelled.

"Will you two please stop fighting?" Starr cried out as she came down the stairs. "Brendan and Marissa are both missing and I am worried... and all you can do is fight!"

Just then, Todd's cell phone rang. "That's Marty," he said before he took the call.

"Todd, I need you to come home now," Marty said. "Marissa still isn't home, and I am really worried. What if - what if... she has run away?"

"I'll be home in a few minutes," Todd replied.

He pocketed his phone and reached out for Starr. He gave his youngest daughter a strong hug. "Don't worry, Shorty; we'll find your sister," he assured her. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. Then with one last glare Blair and Patrick's way, he headed toward the door.

*~o~*

"Alright, Todd... we need to talk," Marty said when he arrived home.

"I need to go out and search for Marissa," Todd grumbled. "Who knows where the hell he's taken her... and what he's doing with her..."

"Todd," Marty spoke as she lay a gentle hand upon his arm. "I don't think that Brendan's a bad kid. Marissa really cares about him. All she wants is a chance to date him and spend time with him..."

"No! I can't let her get hurt. He had his hands on her! He was on top of her!"

"I know, Todd ... but she's NOT a little girl anymore. She's growing up. Don't you see that you are handling this the wrong way? You're pushing Marissa away from us. Because of you, she may have run away from home."

"Because of me?" Todd growled. "I don't think so, Marty. I'm the one trying to keep our daughter from getting pregnant... or worse!"

"Worse?" Marty said as she stared into his eyes. "I know what you are thinking. You're trying to protect her from getting hurt... like I got hurt."

Todd said nothing as he looked away. "Todd," Marty said as she lightly caressed his arm. "Marissa isn't me. She's okay... and Brendan isn't going to hurt her."

"You don't know that," Todd responded in a tortured voice. "She's my little girl... and I have to protect her."

"We need to have a talk with her and let her know what is acceptable, but we have to let her grow up. We have to let her date," Marty said gently. "If we don't, we are going to push her away. I don't want to lose her."

"Marty, I-."

Todd didn't have a chance to finish his sentence. The door opened and Marissa walked in. "Where the hell have you been?" Todd demanded of his daughter.

"Marissa, we were worried sick," Marty said as she wrapped her arms around her daughter in a fierce hug.

"Were you with Brendan?" Todd demanded.

"Yes!" Marissa cried out. "I was with Brendan."

"I specifically forbid you to see that Thornhart kid, but you went against my wishes anyway?!" Todd bellowed.

"Todd, calm down," Marty coaxed. "Your methods are not helping."

Joe came down the stairs and entered the living room. "What's going on?" Joe asked his father. "Why are you yelling at Marissa?"

"She was with Brendan Thornhart... who knows where and doing God knows what!" Todd exclaimed.

"Dad, if you don't let me date Brendan, we'll just have to run away together," Marissa threatened.

Marty gave Todd a look that said, *I told you so.* Joe shook his head, crossed his arms over his chest, and gave his father an angry look.

"Dad, you have to let her date Brendan," Joe spoke in Marissa's defense.

"Stay out of this, Joe," Todd insisted.

"It's my life, too. You're refusing to let me date Megan," Joe argued.

"Todd, if you don't give Marissa a chance to date Brendan, we could lose her forever," Marty told him.

Todd placed his gaze on his beloved daughter. Reluctantly, he knew he had no other choice in the matter. Marty, Joe, and Marissa were all against him.

"Alright," he grumbled. "You can date Brendan... but with certain strict rules."

A joyous smile appeared on Marissa's face. She hugged her mother happily while she bubbled in excitement. "Ohhh Daddy, thank you!" Marissa said as she gave Todd a huge hug.

"No staying out past ten o'clock... and absolutely NO boys will be allowed in your room," Todd added.

"Does this mean I get to date Megan, too?" Joe asked his father.