New Beginnings (Charlie Bartlett Fanfic Starring Robert Downey Jr.)

Chapter 54 - When do we pack?

Sydney stayed at Nathan's that night, needing to be close to him and trying to fight off the sick feeling Sedgwick gave her. It took Nathan reading a few chapters of their latest book out loud before she fell asleep. He removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes, then looked down at her. His heart ached for everything that happened from Rick's assault through tonight. He was certain that it was Sedgwick's dislike of him, and not Rick's accosting, that made her his latest target.

He tucked her in and kissed her forehead before slipping downstairs. He composed an e-mail, pulling himself off of the chaperone list for the spring break trip, then spent the next couple of hours online. He was putting something else into the works.

"Dad?" Susan's voice floated into his study and she appeared in the doorway.

"Hey, Susie Q," he said, a tired smile on his lips.

"Is Sydney still here?"

"Asleep upstairs."

Susan's face fell. "You didn't fight, did you?"

His mind immediately went to Sydney's desk, the complete opposite of fighting. "No, honey. Why do you ask?"

Susan walked across the room and plopped into the armchair near her father's desk. "Well...it used to be late at night when I'd find you here after you and mom...and usually you were...you know."

He looked ashamed. "Oh...right." He shut the lid on his laptop and rose from his seat, circling his desk. He leaned against the front of it to be closer to his daughter. "No fighting, Susan, I promise. No drinking, either." He wrung his hands together before continuing. "It seems that Superintendent Sedgwick's dislike for me has sort of bled over to Syd. He pretty much tore her heart out after our presentation tonight, blaming her for getting Rick fired and the baseball team losing a few games. He pulled her off the spring break trip and told her he was going to black ball her at every district around here."

"What? He can't do that!" Susan was genuinely outraged. "Dad, Swearingen is an asshole that..."

Nathan put his hand up, stopping her. "I know. He can't do anything to her that will stick, there's too much against Rick. He was just trying to make her feel like shit, which she does." He ran his hand through his hair. "I withdrew from the trip and booked something a little more private." Even though he was exhausted, he couldn't hide a wider smile.

Susan's face lit up. "You're taking her away?"

"I think it could do us both some good. You still okay with staying at Rodine's for a week?"

"Uh huh," she yawned. "Well, since I know you're okay, I'm gonna go back to bed." She got up and hugged him. "I love you, Dad."

Nathan kissed the top of her head. "I love you too, honey." He went back up to his bedroom and found Sydney still asleep. As he slid beneath the covers she stirred. "I didn't mean to wake you, baby."

"Everything okay?" she asked, groggy.

He gently pulled her into his arms. "It will be, I promise. He can't do anything to you other than take the trip away, you know that, right?"

She nodded. "I know, but that doesn't mean he's not an asshole."

Nathan chuckled at her word choice. "No arguments from anyone in this house." He stroked her hair, trying to relax her again. "I pulled out of the trip too, but I made some other arrangements for us." Sydney moved so she could look at him, but couldn't quite make his face out in the dark. He suddenly found himself nervous. "Sydney, will you go away with me?"

She delayed her answer on purpose, wanting him to wonder. "When do we pack?"