Disclaimer: I don't own Monk. This is after the Rock concert eppy but it's AU because Leland and Karen aren't divorced and Jarred is only ten. Be sure to check out my next Monk story WHATEVER HAPPENED TO JENNIFER.

Leland sighed and shock his head.

"I just don't understand Jarred," he said, "You used to be so well behaved. You were like the perfect boy."

"Of course you don't get it," Jarred said.

"So explain it to me," Leland said calmly, "I really want to understand it because despite what you may think I DO love you and I would like to understand where you're coming from."
"Fine," Jarred said, "You want to know where I'm coming from. I'll tell you where I'm coming from. I'm going through a lot. I understand that you're going through a lot as well right now but I am pissed off that you've given up and-"

"You think I've given up," Leland asked, "Jarred I have not given up. I never will give up."

"You haven't," Jarred asked.

"No," Leland assured him, "I have not given up and I never will give up."

"Okay," Jarred said, "But ever since Jennifer was stolen a lot of things have become my responsibility and I don't mind. I love Max and I don't mind taking care of him. I love you guys and I don't mind doing whatever I can do to make things easier for you all but I feel like it's too much. I MISS HER TOO. She was my big sister. She was one of my four best friends and with her gone I feel like I'm missing a part of myself."

Leland put an arm around her son.

"She's missing," he said, "She's not gone."

"And then whenever I act up all you ever do is lecture me or ground me or get mad at me which makes me feel like you don't care."

"OF COURSE I CARE," Leland said

"Then why don't you get that I'm acting the way I'm acting because I'm angry and hurt and I feel overwhelmed. Why do we never spend FRIEND days together like we used to. I miss those days. I miss the days when things were right."

"I do too," Leland said, "and they will be right again. I promise it will happen."

Leland's phone rang.

"It will happen soon."

His phone rang again.

"Dad aren't you going to answer that."

"No," Leland said, "I'm in the middle of a conversation with my son."

"But it may be about-"

"If it's important they will leave a message," Leland replied, "or they will come over here. Besides it's from Monk."

"Your little weird friend," Jarred asked.

"He's not weird," Leland said, "But yes."

"Isn't he afraid of milk," Jarred asked.

"He's afraid of everything," Leland said.

"Are you hungry," Jarred asked his father.

"Yeah I could eat," Leland said, "I think there's a hamburger joint across the street."

"Mom doesn't like us to eat burgers," Jarred said.

"Yeah but mom isn't here," Leland said.

Jarred grinned.

"Look," Leland said, "I understand where you're coming from. I'll admit that there's been a lot on your shoulders lately."

Jarred nodded.

"Sometimes adults make mistakes. Sometimes we get stressed out and we don't handle it well. What you have to understand is that parents do the best they can."

"I know you're doing your best," Jarred said, "and I know that you love us but some of your choices are not the best choices to make."

"Yeah I know that," Leland said, "We're not born with an encyclopedia or the answers. We learn through experience. Sometimes we don't know what else to do."

"Wouldn't it make sense to go to the people who do," Jarred asked.

"Most of the time it does," Leland said, "But we're not talking about that right now. We're talking about you."

"Dad I'm not stupid," Jarred said, "Nor am I blind or deaf or unable to process what's going on and you tell me it's not my business but I'm aware of it and that makes it my business."

"I'm trying to protect you," Leland explained, "There are things that are going on that you are way too young to understand. Your only ten and you're too young to know about things going on right now."

"But I know about it anyway," Jarred said, "I can hear it. I can see those little things, and Max may not understand what's going on because he's only 4 but I do understand."

"Sometimes you have to do what you have to do," Leland said, "and in some ways I'm impulsive."

Jarred smirked.

"You mean you like to be in control," he said laughing.

"I do like to be in control," Leland said, "and there's a reason for that. I see what happens out there in the world. I will do anything to protect the people I love and I don't always make the right decisions but even when I make the wrong decisions it's for the right reasons."

Jarred thought for a minute.

"I understand that," Jarred said as the waitress came over to take their order.

"I'll take the cheeseburger," Jarred said, "Extra fries and a soda."

"I'll get the same," Leland said.

They continued the conversation as the waitress walked away.

"But can you do me one favor," Jarred said, "Try to keep in mind that I'm trying my best too. I'm not an adult and I'm not exactly a kid."

Leland laughed.

"You're still a kid," Leland said, "and I know I haven't said this in a long time but you make me very proud."

"Really," Jarred asked.

"Yes really," Leland told his son, "You have a big heart. You're loyal to your friends. You always insist on doing the right thing. You're protective of Max."

Jarred blushed.

"You know about that huh," he asked.

"To quote you," Leland said, "I'm not blind nor am I stupid or deaf."

"He's my little brother," Jarred said, "I love him. When he's hurting it hurts me."

"As I said, you're an amazing big brother. I'm not saying everything you do is right. Skipping school and going to a rock concert was not a good idea. It was a bad idea. Normally there would be a price to pay for that decision. This is a different case all together."

Leland's phone rang again. He ignored it again.

"I want you to understand something," Leland said, "This is not cart Blanche to skip school. This is basically one get out of jail free card because of your reasons for why you're doing it but you still are going to have to get some help. You need therapy."

"I'm not a freak," Jarred said.

"No. You're a kid," Leland said, "and you've been through a hell of a lot emphasis on hell so like I said you're going to get therapy."

"Fine," Jarred said, "Oh look there's a carnival tomorrow."

"Sorry kiddo I have work tomorrow."

"Whatever," Jarred said.

"What time does the carnival end," Leland said, "baring an emergency I should be home by noon."

"Great," Jarred said, "I look forward to it."

"So do I Jarred," Leland said, "So do I"

"Karen," Leland said, "I have to talk with you."

"Sure," Karen said, "What's up?"

"It's about Jarred," Leland said, "I think we've been way too hard on him."

"What do you mean," Karen said, "He's been behaving horribly lately."

"Yes but he's also ten years old with the responsibility of someone at least twice his age. It's backwards."

"Yes," Karen said, "I can see that but we can't do it all."

"You're exactly right," Leland said, "And if we can't do it all how can we expect from Jarred what we've been expecting. He feels like everyone's given up and-"

"Sometimes it seems that way," Karen admitted.

"The point is Jarred and I had a long conversation today. I wasn't looking at things through his eyes."

"I guess I wasn't doing that either," Karen said, "I guess I couldn't see what he was going through. We have been a bit insensitive to him."

Leland put an arm around Karen.

The next day Jarred looked at the clock. Leland was six hours late. He was starting to get really frustrated when he finally saw Leland's car pull up.

"I know I'm late," Leland said, "and I know I promised that I would take you to the carnival."

"Yeah," Jarred said, "I wanted to go."

"I know you did," Leland said, "But I have something you want even more in the back of my car."

"What's that," Jarred asked going to look.

Leland blocked his way.

"Go get your mother," he said, "and your brother."

Jarred ran off.

"MOM," he called, "MAX daddy has something for us."

Max came running Karen was there shortly behind Max.

"Leland what's going on," Karen asked.

"Well today I got a call. There was a kidnapping sting-"

"Like a bee stings," Max asked innocently.

"No buddy. It just means they do this to a lot of people," Jarred said.

"Exactly," Leland nodded.

"I was told by my boss-"

"Aren't you the boss," Max asked.

"Daddy is the boss," Jarred said, "But he has a boss too."

Leland nodded again and smiled proudly at Jarred

"He ordered me to check it out so I brought my men and we went to the scene of the crime."

"Wow," Max said, "Sounds fun."

"Well it wasn't fun," Leland said, "But it was worth it."

"NO," Karen exclaimed, "ARE YOU SERIOUS!"

"I am serious as I ever have been and more so," Leland said.

"She's here?"

Max, Jarred and Karen asked that in harmony.

"Yes," Leland said chuckling, "But do not overcrowd her. She has been through an ordeal. This is going to require counseling and many other things."

He didn't want to go into it with the boys there.

Leland carefully opened the car door and gently helped a tired but thrilled Jennifer out of the car. Max ran in for the first hug.

"Maxie," she said hugging him back, "You are practically a man."

Max giggled and hugged his sister for a minute more.

"Okay it's my turn," Jarred said running to hug his sister.

"Jarred," she said, "Is that a mohawk"

"It's my new thing," he said, "If you think it's dumb I'll get rid of it."

"It is so not dumb," Jennifer said, "It's really cool."

"I thought you hated mohawks," Karen laughed rushing to hug her little girl. She had not hugged the fourteen year old in nearly a year.

"Well after spending eleven months in an underground bunker with only bread and water to keep you alive you learn to love everything even mohawks," Jennifer said.

"That must have been horrible," Max said tears filling his eyes.

Jennifer knelt down by her little brother.

"The important thing," she said, "is that I'm back now."

They were back to being a full family. Jennifer was back and they knew that it wasn't the end of the drama but the worst was over.