Christian slept incredibly deeply that night after the confirmations from earlier in the day, and he barely even heard Ana moving around the bedroom or the apartment, dreaming heavily.

Christian didn't dream that night, instead his head replayed a memory of one of his worst memories from his daughters childhood.

Jade was sixteen, her hair long and dark, reflecting her general personality at the time- abrasive and angry.

Christian had spent several months trying to get Jade to see John Flynn to talk about her anger and issues, and she had finally agreed after a long time of persuading.

It was late on a Friday afternoon when Christian was sat in the little empty waiting room reading over an email whilst Jade was in her third appointment. He had been feeling quite smug that she had even agreed to go when it suddenly disappeared.

Christian heard the sound of a raised voice before his daughters voice echoed through the place with a resounding

"no- how about you go fuck yourself John?".

A second later the office door slammed open and Jade stormed out, John calling her name in a surprisingly gentle tone but Jade simply turned and shouted down the hallway "fuck- offffffff!" And stormed out.

Christian stood quickly and shook his head apologetically at John "my delightful daughter. I should go-"
John nodded and waved Christian away, watching as he hurried after his daughter and out into the car park, incredibly grateful that it was the end of the day and there weren't people around.

Jade was stalking across the car park when he shouted her name, causing her to stop and turn sharply "what? What do you *want* from me dad?"
"I want you to explain what the fuck just happened in there!"
She pulled a face, voice dripping in sarcasm "oh I'm sorry for wasting your money, but I think you're good for a few hundred-"
"I don't care about the money Jade, don't be stupid- I don't want you throwing your life away"
"Thanks dad, nice to know you think so highly of me"
"That's not what I meant and you know it"
"Seriously just fuck off"
Jade turned to walk away but Christian grabbed her arm to stop her, and when Jade looked down she saw where he was looking. Christian's eyes looked up from the scars and marks on her wrist that were usually covered by the bracelets that had fallen down her arm.

When their eyes met, Christian looked hurt and confused, the anger disappearing quickly, his voice quiet "Jade…"

She twisted her arm out of his grasp, unable to look him in the eye

"Can we please just go home?"

"This isn't over, we are talking about this"

She said nothing and slid into the passenger seat as Christian sat in the drivers seat, looking over at her as Jade simply stared out of the window.

It was as they were in unmoving traffic not far from Escala that he finally spoke "Why?"

"Excuse me?"

"I said why? Why does it help? And why do you need to?"

"I'm not going to have this conversation with you"

"I'm your father"

The only response from Jade was a derisive snort and a muttering of something under her breath that he didn't quite catch but assumed it was Hebrew, his grip on the wheel tightening "What is that supposed to mean?"

She said nothing until they parked back at Escala, and it was in the lift back up that Christian tried to speak to her.

"We are going to talk about this, whether you want to or not, and regardless of what you may think of me, I am your father"

"Interesting way of showing it"

The lift doors opened into the penthouse apartment and Jade was already halfway through it before Christian could catch up.

"Jade- Jade! For gods sake what has gotten into you? Are you taking anything?"

Jade turned around quickly, a look of pure anger and hate on her face "Go fuck yourself. If you can't see what the issue is then you're a bigger idiot than I thought"

Christian looked affronted "Are you trying to blame me for this? For what you are doing to yourself? I have given you everything!"

Jade bawled her hands into fists, eyes watering with pure frustration "Yes! Yes I am, this is your fault! You think it's nice to know that you are a burden on your own father? Know that he resents your presence? Know that ever since the day you were forced upon his life, he has wished that he could just get rid of you? Do you really think a fancy apartment and a nice laptop are going to get rid of that? Do you think that perhaps the only thing I have ever wanted is a father who would show me something, I'm not asking you to love me Dad – I'm asking for you to at least not resent me. How can you not see that this is tearing me apart?"

Christian looked as though he had been slapped in the face "You don't think I care about you?"

Jade made a sarcastic laugh before storming through the apartment and slamming her door behind her, the sound of a lock following seconds later.

It was safe to say that the following week had not been easy or comfortable for any of them in Escala, with Taylor and Gail somewhat caught in the crossfire of the tension between Christian and Jade.

When they had been speaking it had been short, harsh comments at each other before one would scream the place down at the other, and world war three would break out.

Jade had somehow managed to skip school twice since the incident at Dr Flynn's, despite the fact she was always tailed by security. Christian had shouted at her until he had been literally red in the face, and the first time Jade had shouted back at him, but after a call from the school earlier in the day, Christian had been informed that she had ditched yet again.

When his daughter had come back to Escala at 5pm with her hair ruffled, school skirt far too short and a smug look on his face, Christian had been far beyond angry, but Jade hadn't said a single word, not even giving him a slight reaction before heading silently for her room.

It was later that afternoon in the dining room that Jade was jabbing her fork into her food with a sour expression and Taylor looked briefly conflicted before he spoke
"You know he'll come around, right?"
Jade looked up slowly "don't kid yourself Taylor, but thanks for trying. We both know that my father is a stubborn cun-"
"I'm going to have to move you out of that school if that's where you're learning this language"

Taylor and Jade both looked up quickly, seeing Christian in the doorway, and Taylor left the room as quickly as he could.

Jade and Christian stared each other out for a minute before he leant against the doorframe with crossed arms and an unreadable expression "Do you want to know something?"

"Not really"

"Elliot and my parents have all offered to raise you multiple times throughout your life, and yet… I always said no. Why do you think that it?"

"Because you are a stubborn, pig headed, vain-"

"Because you are my daughter. Whatever you may think of me, and of me as a parent, I have loved you as best I could. You've been difficult, you have seriously tried me at times, and you have deliberately acted out to gain a reaction out of me, but you know that doesn't matter. You're my daughter, whatever else is irrelevant. I love you, and I want to keep you safe, and the fact that you are so sad and angry is killing me"

Jade's fork was suspended in mid air and her mouth was slightly open, clearly shocked "Did you just…. I've never heard you say any of that before…."

Christian coughed, clearly awkward "Yes, well, you have now. Finish your food and get your homework done, and you have an appointment with Fynn tomorrow"

"Okay"

Christian opened his mouth to say something more, but changed his mind and closed it, leaving the room, unspoken words hanging between them both awkwardly.