Sean casually entered into the house, waiting anxiously for Sam to pop up out of nowhere to yell at him.  Silently closing the door, a small smile pulled at his lips.  Sam was sleeping across the couch.  Carefully walking over to her, he grabbed the blanket off the back of the couch and tenderly tucked her in.  Leaning down, he brushed her bangs away and lightly kissed her forehead.  He hadn't done that since she was little.  Picking the remote for the TV off the floor, he straightened up and turned the TV off.  Setting the remote on the coffee table, he caught sight of her drawings.  One of them was of him.  It was a sketch of him sitting on the kitchen counter and staring out the window at the sunset in their old house.  He never really knew how that looked from her eyes until now.  He looked so... depressed. 

A lump started to form in his throat as his eyes drifted to a lightly sketched woman that had been added to the scene.  A ghost.  Signe's ghost.  Sam had sketched Signe standing behind the counter with her hand on his shoulder.  Sean forced himself to take a breath as he looked over the note her art teacher had pinned to it.  "I find this drawing haunting. By far some of your best work... but Sam... Is everything ok at home"?  Sean set the drawing back down on the coffee table feeling like the worst father.  He tried so hard to keep Sam from seeing his pain... but he clearly wasn't good at hiding it.  Sam shifted on the couch, sleepily asking him.  "Dad? Are you ok"?  Sitting on the edge of the couch, he told her a bit strained.  "Ya. I just lost track of time with Nate. I'm going to change and head off to the gym with Mark in minute. I just... I wanted to make sure you were ok". 

Sam sat up to hug him tightly, whispering to him.  "I was worried about you. You weren't answering my texts and you never stay out late. I know I'm being silly... I mean, everyone saw you leave with Nate... but I don't know...".  Sean wrapped an arm around her to rub her back as he comfortingly toward her.  "I'm sorry, Sammy. I didn't mean to make you worry. How did the movie go"?  Sam sat back with a sniffle and a smile, before happily replying.  "Tim was really sweet. He bought me popcorn and he makes the cutest noises when he gets the hiccups"!  Sean felt his protective dad attitude kicking in as he blandly told her.  "I was talking about the movie, but I get the funny feeling you weren't watching the movie".  Sam swapped his shoulder innocently, before wrapping her arms around her knees and asking hesitantly.  "Daddy? How did you know mom was the one"? 

Sean patted her leg, honestly telling her.  "I didn't. I just liked being around your mother. We made each other happy".  Sam blushed a little, asking him a little embarrassed.  "I think he likes me".  Sean felt so conflicted.  He was happy for her... but terrified.  She was old enough to decide for herself, but she was still his little girl.  Clearing his throat, he told her a little worried.  "Just... Be careful".  Sean slowly climbed off the couch, giving her another kiss on the forehead.  He started to walk toward his bedroom as Sam asked him suspiciously.  "Dad? Are you wearing Nate's cologne"?  Sean staggered in the hall, before turning to ask her wide eyed and very concerned.  "How do YOU know what his cologne smells like"?  Sam giggled, rocking on the couch as she blushed a deeper red, answering.  "I've made excuses to hugged him. Plus, I asked him what he wears. I have a little bottle of it somewhere". 

Sean wasn't emotionally ready to hear that.  He opened his mouth, but couldn't think of how to phrase what he wanted to say.  Sam waved a dismissive hand at him, adding in.  "Oh, relax. I saw a woman do it in a movie once. It's not creepy. I don't use it. It's just to help inspire my drawings of him".  Sean pointed to her a bit uneasily as he stated aloud.  "We will talk about this when I get back home tonight, Sam".  Sam scoffed loudly, before yelling out to him as he left to change.  "By the way! Tim is taking me to the dog park for lunch today! So, I may not be home until dinner time! Is that alright"?  Sean quickly changed into a pair of sweat pants and was slipping on a t-shirt, when he raced back out to tell her.  "Alright. Text me if your plans change and I'll be sure to answer this time. Wish me luck".

As he opened the front door, Sam called out to him playfully.  "Good luck, Daddy! Protect those lucky charms"!  Sean took a small breath and gestured for Mark to give him one more minute.  Then closed the front door and dashed after her.  Sam launched off the couch and tried to make a mad dash for her room, but he managed to grab her and tickle her into submission.  When he finally made it outside, he jogged up to Mark, panting out.  "Sorry about that. She's a wild one. I barely made it out with my life".  Mark chuckled, placing a hand on his shoulder as he replied honestly.  "It's fine. Did she tell you that she tried to bribe me to break down Nate's door"?  Mark started to jog and Sean followed suite asking a little shocked.  "She what"?!  Mark nodded, answering casually.  "Ya. Fifty bucks to break his door and find out if you were ok and not tied to a chair in his basement".  Mark laughed at Sean's horrified expression and added in.  "Tim says it was a scene in the horror movie they watched. I think it shook her up a little bit". 

Sean shivered, mumbled out a bit harshly.  "That would explain a lot".  His daddy instinct was kicking in again and he hated the idea of Tim trying to scare his baby girl into his arms.  He wanted to turn and run over to Mark's house to kick the daylights out of Tim.  Instead, Sean picked up the pace and changed the subject, asking the first question that popped into his head.  "So, what is the deal between you and Nate? Nate says you butt heads a lot".  Mark shrugged, answering simply.  "Nate's loud music has caused issues with the neighborhood from time to time. He's been known for playing too early, or too late at night. I'm always the one sent to deal with him. So, we butt heads. I personally think he's just acting out to hide the fact that he is lonely since Matthew moved away". 

Sean slowed his pace a bit to catch his breath enough to ask even more curiously.  "Matthew"?  Mark nodded, telling him lightly.  "Ya. You haven't met him. Mat was Nate's best friend. Then when Nate's girlfriend, Colby, confronted Mat about stealing Nate's attention. She kind of chased Mat away. Nate was devastated. He just seemed to loose everything all at once. Felix used to gossip about Mat being 'really' close to Nate. But he stopped when Nate became his nightmare".  Sean slowed to a stop, nervously prodding him on.  "His nightmare"?  Mark shrugged innocently, stating casually.  "Nate lost his tempter last year and slashed Felix's tires with a katana sword. Nate happily paid for the damages, but Felix said that it freaked him out. Claimed that he had nightmares about Nate and his katana sword. Nate didn't mean it. He was just hurting. No one got hurt. Felix was inside the house with Mariza". 

Mark started off into another jog and Sean followed.  He couldn't really picture Nate being that upset.  However, how well did he really know him?  He wanted to claim that what Nate did was wrong, but people did strange things when they were hurting.  He chose to turn his own pain inward for Sam.  Although, he couldn't help thinking that if their roles were reversed... would he have done the same thing?  He knew that he loved his daughter enough to do something like that to scare a boy off.  They jogged all the way to the gym in town and Mark opened up the gym door for Sean to slip inside.  Sean was feeling tired already.  He hoped that he could continue to keep up with Mark through all this.  To Be Continued...