Killshot

As Callen was listening to Nate go on about how college and his master's hadn't taught him how to handle Hetty and he was clueless on how to do it, Callen thought he was pretty clueless on how to handle a teenage daughter. He was also thinking about getting a real place, so Taylor could live with him. But decided against it. Taylor was better and safer being at Skylar's.

His phone vibrated and he opened it to find a text from Taylor. Good morning, Dad.

Callen silently laughed and typed out a response. Good morning Taylor. What do you need? His daughter did not just send him good morning's texts on a whim.

Taylor sat in her second period chemistry, trying not to fall asleep. "This has got to be the worst class," Taylor muttered to Cody. "Worse than Durwick and French class."

Cody looked around. Their teacher, Mrs. Chatham, had her back to the classroom. He checked the clock on the wall. 48 more minutes of this dreadful class. "Wanna get out of here?"

She nodded and silently, they packed up their books and slipped out of the classroom. A couple students were trying not to laugh, probably jealous.

"So what do we do from here?" Cody asked.

Taylor shrugged. "Go shopping? You buy me breakfast." Her stomach grumbled. She had, unfortunately, had an early morning soccer practice.

"I can buy you coffee," Cody replied.

"Breakfast," Taylor said. "Or I tell Mrs. Chatham you snuck out of her class."

"Fine," he glared at her as they walked out of the school. Taylor didn't feel at all guilty about doing it. Breakfast was much more exciting than sitting through chemistry class.

"So, your dad," Cody started off, once sitting down in the restaurant.

Taylor gave him a look that told him to shut up. She did not want to talk about it. "Don't want to talk about it."

"I honestly never knew you had a father. I always thought it was just you and your aunt."

She sipped the coffee. Just was she needed. She was not an early morning person. By any stretch of imagination. "It is. Kind of. It's complicated. My father has been in and out of my life, for, well, as long as I have been alive. Suddenly, he's back in it, and he says he's intending on staying."

"You don't believe him?" Cody reached his hand across the table, to take a hold of hers and gave it a squeeze.

Taylor shrugged, looking away. "My dad is my dad. Part of me wants to believe him, and the other part, expects him to walk out tomorrow, like nothing happened."

Skylar was making dinner when Taylor came in after soccer practice, smelling like a locker room. "Your school called. Well, specifically Mrs. Chatham."

"So?"

"Skipping class again, Taylor?"

Taylor rumaged through the fridge until she found an apple. She hopped up on the counter, next to Skylar. "Get off and get in the shower. You reek."

"I think I smell great," Taylor muttered.

Skylar pointed in the vague direction of upstairs. "Shower. Now. Or no dinner."

Taylor hopped off the counter, smiling the whole way upstairs. Victory. Skylar completely forgot about Mrs. Chatham calling.