Fic: Shouldn't Have Loved
Title: Shouldn't Have Loved
Author: Mary (stillxmyxheart)
Beta: Lindsay (rowofstars)
Rating: R (language, violence)
Genre: Drama, Angst
Warnings: Domestic abuse
Word Count: 8,700
Characters/Pairings: David, Hannah, Juliet, Seth (Hannah/Seth)
The doorbell rang, pulling David from his musings on the two files spread open in front of him. He'd been working quite contentedly to the sound of classic rock floating softly from the radio on his desk and the rain falling outside, and he frowned slightly, pushing his glasses up his nose with the tip of his finger as he glanced at the clock. Juliet was likely still at work and wouldn't be at the house for a while yet, and he wondered who it could be.
The bell sounded again, and he pushed to his feet, dropping his pen on his desk before striding from his office.
He peered through the peephole and frowned as he twisted the deadbolt, pulling open the door and staring at the figure standing on his doorstep.
His daughter stared back at him, soaked to the skin, hair hanging limply around her face, and as he watched, her eyes filled with tears.
"Hannah, what -" he began, alarmed, and then her face crumpled as she stepped towards him, wrapping her arms tightly around his middle and pressing against his chest.
He was only dimly aware of his shirt getting wet as he held her tightly, more concerned about why she was crying, and why she had clearly walked to his house in the rain.
"Come inside, sweetheart," he said softly, stepping back and pulling her over the threshold. He shut the door and led her into the living room, sitting her down on the couch and telling her he'd be right back when she clutched at his shirt as he tried to step away.
He hurried to the laundry room and pulled two clean towels from the stack on top of the dryer, and then returned to the living room, settling beside her on the couch as he wrapped the first towel around her shoulders.
He used the second towel to dry her face and hair, trying to ascertain if she was hurt in any way. There were the faint beginnings of a bruise on her cheek, and he ran his thumb lightly over it, frowning a little when she shied away.
"What happened?" he asked, raising a hand to brush her hair from her forehead and staring intently at her face. She was still crying and hadn't yet said a word, and he could feel frustration welling up inside of him, accompanied by a vague sense of panic. "Was there an accident or something? Are you hurt? Where's your car?"
She shook her head, her fingers clutching at his shirt, and he blew out an exasperated breath.
"Hannah, honey, talk to me. Tell me what's wrong."
"Seth cheated on me," she finally blurted, and David stared at her, entirely wrong-footed.
"How do you know?" he asked after a brief hesitation. "Did somebody tell you -"
She shook her head, and said bitterly, "I walked in on them."
David felt his anger beginning to rise. "Did he - did he throw you out?"
"No, I left and took the bus here. Couldn't think of anywhere else I wanted to go."
"Han, the nearest stop is six blocks away, you should've called me. I would've come and gotten you."
Hannah sighed and didn't respond, instead closing her eyes and pressing her fingers to her forehead. David raised his hand to her cheek and touched his fingers very lightly to the darkening bruise.
"Did he hit you?" His voice was quiet, his gaze sharp on her face. She didn't answer, and he raised his other hand to her face, trying to get her to look at him. "Hannah -"
"God, Dad, just - just shut up!" she exclaimed suddenly, pushing his hands away and springing to her feet. The towel fell from her shoulders as she turned away from him, raising her hands to her forehead again.
He stared at her, stunned, his hands falling into his lap. She so rarely got upset enough to yell at him, and he felt a flash of worry.
A second later she turned around again, her expression guilty as she looked at him, her hands over her mouth. "I'm sorry," she said in a small voice.
"It's all right," David murmured.
He noticed for the first time she was shivering, which was unsurprising, given it was March and still somewhat cold out. "You need to get out of those clothes." He glanced at her wet t-shirt and jeans before returning his gaze to her face. "Go upstairs and take a shower, you've still got some clothes in your room. I'll be right here when you get out, okay?" He held out his hand and she gave him hers, gripping back when he gave her fingers a gentle squeeze. "Go on."
Hannah sniffled and nodded as she withdrew her hand, crossing her arms over her chest as she headed for the stairs.
David watched her go, waiting until she disappeared from sight before swiping at the couch cushion, drying the leather with the towel he'd used on her hair. He glanced down at his shirt, brushing the wet fabric absently with his hand before settling against the couch cushions to wait for Hannah to come back down. He had a million and one questions he wanted to ask, though there was really only one he wanted an answer to tonight.
She appeared on the stairs a little while later, dressed in pajama pants and a t-shirt he recognized as one of his own, though he hadn't worn it in years. He suspected she'd stolen it from him at some point in the past.
"Feel better?" he asked, trying to smile as she approached him.
She shook her head miserably and flopped down beside him, tucking her legs underneath her as she curled into his side.
He shifted slightly, slipping his arm around her shoulders and kissing the top of her head as he pulled her against him.
"Tell me what happened," he said softly.
She took a shaky breath, her hand brushing against his side as she rolled a fold of his shirt between her fingers.
"Do we have to talk about it now?" she asked quietly.
David shook his head. "No. But I do need to know one thing right now." He paused, almost afraid to ask the question again. "Did he hit you?"
Hannah was quiet a moment, and then she nodded almost imperceptibly, whispering, "Yes."
"Son of a bitch," David muttered, glancing away as he ran a hand over his mouth.
"We were - we were fighting," Hannah said, her fingers tightening on his shirt so much that it stretched across his stomach, "and I was so angry... I picked up one of - one of her shoes and threw it at him. The heel hit his chest and broke the skin, and he just came at me so fast. He - he slapped me, and then shoved me against the wall, and he was so close and he was yelling and just saying -" She broke off, taking a steadying breath. "I was scared, and - and angry, and I just... I stomped on his foot, really hard. One good thing about him not being dressed, I guess."
A short laugh escaped David's lips in spite of his anger, and he felt a flash of pride.
"It was all I could think of to do," she said, sounding a little sheepish. "But it worked. And - and he tried to come at me again, so I shoved him. I think it surprised him because he stumbled, and I left. I didn't stop to grab my purse or anything because I was afraid he might try to come after me again." She shivered a little, and David tightened his grip on her, closing his eyes as he dropped a kiss to the top of her head.
"I'm proud of you for knowing what to do," he said quietly after a minute.
"Learned from the best."
A smile flickered over David's face, and he squeezed her again, his smile fading as he rested his cheek on top of her head. He'd seen firsthand the damage caused by anger at the loss of power, and the thought of how the situation with Seth could've gone sent a shiver through him. Seth was a lot bigger, and a lot stronger, than Hannah was, and though David knew she could protect herself, he also knew it wouldn't take much for someone like Seth to overpower her.
They were quiet a moment, and then Hannah shifted, somehow tucking herself even further into David's side.
"What's wrong with me?" she asked, very softly. He could hear the tremor in her voice again, piercing right through to his heart.
"There is nothing wrong with you," David said fiercely, holding her tighter and fighting the fast rising urge to grab the gun from the top drawer of his desk and -
He was pulled from his thoughts of homicide when Hannah burst into fresh tears, turning towards him and hiding her face against his chest.
He slipped both arms around her, holding her to him as she cried. He knew this wasn't something he could just make better with a kiss and a hug, but that didn't mean he couldn't try.
It was several minutes before she calmed down, and she sat up.
"Your shirt," she murmured, frowning slightly and sniffling as she swiped her hand over her cheeks.
David shook his head. "It's just a shirt."
He carefully ran his hand the length of her still damp hair down to her back, rubbing lightly, and then raised his eyebrows.
"How about some hot chocolate?"
He was rewarded with the tiniest flicker of a smile, and she nodded. He leaned forward and touched a kiss to her forehead before standing and reaching for the TV remote.
"Find us a bad movie to watch," he said as he handed it to her, receiving another small smile in return. "I'll be right back."
He busied himself in the kitchen fixing hot chocolate for Hannah, and tea for him, and when he returned to the living room, Hannah was wrapped in a blanket with her legs pulled to her chest, hands resting on her knees as she flipped through the channels on the TV.
She set the remote down as she took her mug from David, and he was preparing to sit down beside her when the doorbell rang again.
He frowned, and then glanced at Hannah when she looked up fearfully.
"What if it's him?" she said anxiously, her hands tightening around her mug.
"Oh, I'd like to see him show up here," David muttered. "Just stay here."
He set his tea down on the coffee table and moved into his office, opening the top drawer of his desk and withdrawing the gun he kept there, tucking it into the waist of his jeans. He may not actually shoot the bastard, but he could damn sure scare him.
The doorbell rang again as he emerged into the hall, and he glanced at Hannah as he moved to the door.
He slipped his right hand behind his back as he looked through the peephole. He saw only a flash of brown hair as the person on the other side turned their head, and he pulled open the door, deflating slightly when he saw Juliet standing on the porch, though the obvious height difference between her and Seth should have been a dead giveaway that it wasn't him.
She raised an eyebrow at him, shifting the files in her arms.
"Something you want to show me, David?"
He laughed slightly, his hand falling to his side. "Hey, Jules, sorry."
He stepped back to let her inside and she grinned as she stepped over the threshold.
"The last time you greeted me at the door with a gun, I was flanked by two dealers and a pimp named Richie Rich."
He laughed again and shook his head. "I'm sorry." He raised a hand to rub the back of his neck as he glanced towards the living room. "I forgot you were coming over."
Juliet followed his gaze, and her brow knitted slightly when she saw Hannah on the couch, turned sideways and craning her head to see who was at the door.
"Hey, sweetie," Juliet said, sounding mildly surprised.
"Hey, Jules," Hannah replied, raising her hand in a small wave before turning back to face the TV.
Juliet looked back at David, her eyebrows knitting together. "Is something wrong?"
David turned towards her, tugging on his ear. "Seth cheated on her," he said, pitching his voice low, and then added softly, his voice pained, "He hit her, Jules."
Juliet's frown deepened as her mouth fell open, and she glanced at Hannah again. "Is she - well, no, of course she's not all right." She looked at David and her lips twitched. "Explains the gun though. Can't say I disapprove."
The corner of David's mouth lifted slightly, and then he sighed.
"Maybe you could talk to her?" he asked, raising his eyebrows as he rubbed his earlobe between his thumb and forefinger. "I'm feeling a little out of my element here," he said, but Juliet was already shaking her head.
"I will, if she wants me to, but later." She smiled. "If I know her as well as I think I do, she just wants her daddy right now."
David smiled back. "I know you came all the way out here, and I'm sorry I didn't call you -"
Juliet shook her head again. "It's all right. We can do this later; she needs you now, and this can wait. I'll talk to you later, and tell her she can call me if she wants to talk or anything."
David nodded and touched a quick kiss to her cheek. "Thanks, Jules," he said when he straightened, not noticing the slight flush that colored her face.
She smiled, tucking her hair behind her ear. "No problem."
David stared past her at the rain that still pounded down, and called to Hannah that he'd be right back before pulling the door shut behind him. He grabbed Juliet's umbrella from where she'd propped it against the wall, and the two of them hurried back to her car, David holding the umbrella high over their heads.
Once she was inside her car, he folded it and handed it back to her, and then closed the door. She smiled, and then waved her hand in a shooing motion, urging him back inside and out of the rain.
He grinned and nodded, hurrying back up onto the porch and glancing back to see her car pull back into the street. Once she was out of sight, he went back inside, closing and locking the door behind him.
He replaced his gun in his desk and Hannah looked up at him when he returned to the living room, one eyebrow quirked.
"Two dealers and a pimp named Richie Rich?"
"Hush," David said as he sat down beside her on the couch, reaching for one of her towels from earlier to dry himself off.
Once he finished, he picked up his tea from the coffee table before settling against the back cushions.
Hannah leaned into him and his arm slipped around her shoulders, fingers lightly stroking the skin of her upper arm.
"That's all right," she murmured after a minute. "I'll just ask Jules later."
David rolled his eyes and glanced down at her, pleased to see the slight upward curve of her lips.
Some hours later she was asleep against his side, and he was dozing off, his cheek pressed lightly to the top of her head.
He sat up, shaking his head sharply and straightening his glasses as he glanced at the clock.
He said Hannah's name softly, giving her a gentle shake.
She groaned, pressing her face against his shoulder, and he laughed quietly.
"Wake up, sweetheart. Your bed will be more comfortable than the couch, or me."
"You're plenty comfortable," she mumbled into his shirt and he laughed again, dropping a kiss to the top of her head.
"Then let me put it this way," he murmured against her hair. "I'm too old to sleep on the couch. I'd definitely end up regretting it in the morning."
Hannah sighed as she sat up, looking ruefully at him.
"You're not old."
He smiled and reached up to smooth her sleep-mussed hair. He rested his palm on her cheek, lightly stroking her skin with his thumb, and looked at her for a moment. He could still see the sadness in her eyes and in the slight downward curve of her lips, and he sighed softly.
"I know it hurts now," he said gently, "but it'll get better."
"I know." She leaned forward, wrapping her arms around his neck and hugging him fiercely as she whispered, "I love you, Daddy."
He hugged her back, his arms tight around her slender frame, and was reminded of how small and fragile she seemed sometimes. She may be an adult, but she would always be his little girl, and nothing hurt him more than seeing her in pain.
He tightened his grip on her, inhaling the clean smell of her hair and realizing just how much he'd missed her ever since she moved out.
"I love you too, Hannah Banana," he replied and heard her giggle softly, followed a second later by a quiet sniffle.
She pulled away, running her fingers under her eyes as she stood and started for the stairs.
"Night, Daddy," she said, just before she headed up to her room.
"Night, baby," he replied, smiling as he watched her go.
He waited until he heard the click of her bedroom door closing before he sighed, passing a hand through his hair as he flopped back against the cushions. He pulled his glasses off, holding them between his fingers as he covered his face with his hands for a moment, and then took a breath, running his hands down his face and replacing his glasses as he stood.
He reached for their mugs and stacked them on top of their plates from dinner (grilled cheese with bacon and tomatoes, Hannah's favorite comfort food), and carried them into the kitchen. He set them in the sink on top of his dishes from breakfast, not in the mood to bother with them tonight.
His gaze moved to the window above the sink, and he stared out at the moonlit backyard. The rain had stopped a little while ago, and now the grass and trees shone as though covered with diamonds.
He thought back to the way Hannah had looked when he'd opened the door earlier, soaking wet and shivering, and the look on her face when she all but fell crying into his arms.
Anger burned deep within him again as his mind drifted to the bruise on her cheek, and his hands tightened on the edge of the counter. He thought of his gun, lying innocuously in the top drawer of his desk, and of the things he wanted to do with it, things that would be an incredible abuse of his position and power, and would likely get him suspended, if not fired, and possibly arrested, if anyone were to find out. Though he supposed it depended on what he did, and at this point he wasn't sure what might actually happen if he were to take his gun, get in his car, and drive over to the apartment.
David had been wary of their relationship at first, not sure if he trusted Seth, and one night it culminated in one of his and Hannah's very few fights. After that he'd backed off; he still wasn't sure how he felt about Seth, but Hannah seemed happy, and he promised he wasn't going to interfere. In the almost five years they dated, Seth always treated Hannah well, but David realized now that maybe it had just been for his benefit. He'd never seen them together when they didn't know he was watching, and though David was sure Seth had never hit her before today - he knew Hannah wouldn't have put up with that - men didn't just turn physically abusive out of nowhere, and it was likely there had been other forms of abuse. Hannah was smart and independent, and David knew she wouldn't normally let anybody mistreat her, but he thought it was a bit like sitting in a pot of water that slowly begins to boil. The danger had built up gradually, and she hadn't noticed it until it was too late.
David's anger surged, and his grip tightened on the counter once again as he took a breath to calm himself. Seth was just another one of those assholes who got bored in a relationship but was too much of a damn coward to just end it, and either too stupid or too arrogant to make a better show at hiding his affair.
David pushed off the counter and moved back into the living room. He grabbed the blanket off the couch and folded it over a couple of times before tossing it over the back cushions.
He'd really begun to think that Seth was the one, the guy that would take his Hannah away permanently, and she'd seemed happy with him, so David had been preparing himself to let her go. Now it appeared she'd most likely be moving back home, and David found he was very nearly overjoyed at just the thought. He missed having her around, missed seeing her when he came home from work, sitting in the living room with her homework spread over the coffee table. He missed her fixing dinner for him, and the look of surprise she always had when he left work on time and made dinner for her. He missed braiding her hair after a stressful day at work, and he missed their lazy Sundays when they did nothing but sit on the couch and watch movies all day.
For the longest time it had been just the two of them, and selfish though it made him feel, he was happy to have her back, but hated that his happiness had to come at the expense of her heart.
He sighed and picked up the towels off the floor, slinging them over his shoulder as he went to check the doors and set the alarm. Once he was sure everything was secure, he threw the towels into the laundry room, turning off the downstairs lights before he started up to his bedroom.
He hesitated outside the door to Hannah's room, contemplating it for a moment before twisting the knob and pushing it slowly open.
Her deep, even breathing told him she was asleep, and he walked quietly towards the bed, careful not to wake her.
He could see the faintest gleam of tears on her face as he looked down at her, and felt a pain in his chest, followed by another dim flash of anger as his eyes traveled over the dark shadow on her cheek. He reached down, passing his knuckle very lightly over her skin and brushing away some of the lingering moisture.
He looked at her a moment longer, and then took a soft breath as he leaned down to press a kiss to her temple. He stroked her hair for a minute, and then pulled the covers a little higher before walking quietly from the room.
David looked up as Hannah stepped into the kitchen the next morning, smiling a little just because he was so happy to see her.
"Hey, baby," he murmured, wiping his hands on a dish towel as he stepped around the counter. "You want some breakfast?"
She shook her head, pushing her hair behind her ear with one hand. "I'm not hungry."
He noticed her phone was in her other hand, and frowned a little, but she spoke again before he could.
"Do you have some boxes somewhere? I want to go get my stuff from the apartment today."
David nodded quickly. "Yeah, I'll get some together. When did you want to go?"
"I was going to call -" She broke off, taking a deep breath as her hand tightened around her phone, and then continued. "Call Seth and - and make sure he's not going to be there."
David nodded again, his heart aching at the look on her face, and moved to head for his office, knowing she wouldn't make the call in front of him.
Once he was gone, Hannah moved for the back door to step out onto the deck, not wanting to risk any chance of her dad overhearing her.
Seth answered after a few rings, sounding annoyed. "What?"
Hannah took a breath, closing her eyes a moment. "I wanted to come get my stuff, and I - I don't want you there."
He sighed. "Whatever, I have to leave for a date in a few minutes anyway."
Her heart clenched at his words, and she stepped forward to lean against the deck railing, trying to keep from crying all over again.
"Just get your shit out before I get back," he muttered, and then hung up.
Hannah snapped her phone closed, and then slid it into her pocket before resting her elbows on the railing and dropping her head into her hands.
From the second she'd stormed from the apartment the afternoon before, the thought that her dad had been right all along kept looping through her mind. She'd been so stupid. She should've just listened to her dad, to Juliet, to everyone who tried to tell her what Seth really was.
Their five year anniversary would've been in just a few months, and she wondered how many of those years had just been her being stubborn, refusing to admit that she was wrong. So much was becoming clear to her in hindsight, and it hurt to think about everything she had just refused to see.
She took a deep breath as she straightened, raking her fingers through her hair and then swiping her hands over her cheeks before she turned to go back inside.
She found David in the living room, along with several empty file boxes stacked on the floor and the coffee table. She couldn't resist smiling a little, wondering how many files were now piled on various surfaces in his office because he had emptied some of the boxes so that they could use them.
He looked up when he realized she was there, and she knew he could tell she'd been crying again.
"He, um, he's going out," she said, before he could speak, "and I know he's working at four, so we should have until around three."
David looked at her for a moment, seeming to contemplate something, and then he glanced away, looking around at the boxes.
"I think there's some bigger ones down in the basement -"
Hannah cut him off with a shake of her head. "It's mostly just my clothes. I don't have much - much stuff..."
She trailed off, emotion swelling within her as another realization about her relationship with Seth hit her, that even though they'd lived together for almost a year, the apartment was still more like his place, and not theirs.
David lowered his head, his hands tight on his hips as his jaw worked, but he remained silent.
After a moment, Hannah hurried upstairs to get her shoes, and then they loaded the boxes into the car before heading for the apartment.
They were at a stoplight when Hannah glanced anxiously at David. "What if he's there?"
"Then I'll throw his ass out."
Hannah smirked a little, amused by the image of her dad manhandling Seth out the door, and then shook her head.
"Please don't," she murmured, turning to look out the window. "I don't want any trouble; I just want to get my stuff and go."
David reached over and gently patted her knee. "I know. I called Jules; she had to run into work this morning, but as soon as she's done there, she'll come help. And if he's there, we'll just ask him to leave."
Hannah nodded, trying to calm the nervous twisting of her stomach. There was no fear whatsoever that he might try to talk her into taking him back; any remote possibility of reconciliation had died the second they began fighting. He said so many awful things to her, what seemed like years of pent up anger and frustration spilling out of him and grinding her already broken heart into even smaller pieces.
Hitting her had been the last straw. She flinched a little as she remembered the sound of it, remembered the way her head snapped to the side, and then the subsequent pain and heat on the side of her face. Then he pushed her against the wall, and as he stood over her, shouting and angry, she realized she'd never been so scared in her entire life.
The anger came back then, because, damn it, he wasn't supposed to make her feel that way, and a comment about her relationship with her dad had made her stomp the heel of her shoe on his bare foot.
He'd jumped back, and when he started towards her a moment later, she'd pushed off the wall and shoved him hard. The surprise on his face might have been comical, but she was in no mood to laugh, only wanting to get out of there before he hurt her worse. She knew that he could, and by that point she didn't doubt that he would.
She didn't stop for her purse, and the only thing she had in her pocket was her school I.D., which got her on the bus that she knew would take her to the nearest stop to her dad's house.
The sky opened up just before she got off, and she trudged the six blocks to the house in the rain, arms crossed tightly over her chest.
By the time she was on the porch, everything had begun to catch up with her, and when her dad opened the door, the sight of him made her burst into tears.
She knew she had some heavy apologizing to do, to several people, and she vowed she would do it just as soon as things settled down again.
It wasn't long before they were driving up to the apartment, and Hannah was relieved to see Seth's car missing. David parked in the space right beside Hannah's, and she felt another sense of relief that her car seemed undisturbed.
It wasn't until they were walking to the door that Hannah remembered she didn't have her keys, but David waved her concerns away, reminding her that he had a copy of the key to the apartment.
They pushed inside, and Hannah sighed as they walked into the living room. She threw open the curtains on the window, instantly brightening the room, and then turned around to survey the space.
Her purse was on the floor by the couch, right where she'd left it, and it didn't seem like it had been touched.
She started towards it, her dad trailing behind her, and then slowed to a stop when she glanced at the coffee table.
Brightly colored shards of ceramic littered the wooden surface, and she felt her tears begin to rise again when she realized they were the remains of the two hummingbird figurines she had bought shortly after moving in.
David stood quietly beside her, and she could feel his gaze on her. She forced her tears away, a firm sense of resolve settling within her.
"Let's just get this over with," she muttered, and snatched her purse from the floor.
He nodded and went back out to the car to get some boxes as Hannah moved into the kitchen. She wrapped a few mugs to take with her, and plucked some pictures from the refrigerator, slipping them carefully down the side of the first box.
There was one of herself and Seth that she ripped to shreds as David watched, leaving the pieces on the counter before striding back into the living room.
A few knick knacks joined the mugs already in the box, and David carried it out to the car as Hannah began filling another box with movies from the shelf beside the TV. A couple of handfuls of books joined them, and then that too was taken out to the car.
It was slower work than Hannah had initially anticipated, trying to figure out what explicitly belonged to her, and what she cared enough about to want to take with her, and after David carried the box with the books and movies out to the car, he announced he was going to pick up something for lunch.
Hannah nodded, telling him she'd be fine by herself for a little while, and he left her with a few more boxes, which she carried into the bedroom.
She quickly loaded the first one with jeans and shorts from the bottom drawer of her dresser, and was carrying it out to the living room when she heard the door open.
She looked up, expecting her dad, or maybe Juliet, and then froze in place when she saw it was Seth.
Her fingers clutched around the handholds of the box, unconsciously holding it closer to her body as though she thought it might protect her.
He glowered at her as he started forward. "I thought I told you to get your shit out before I came back."
She quickly stepped to the side, nearly stumbling in her hurry to get out of his way, and watched as he moved into the kitchen.
"You said - you said you were going out," she stammered, and then set the box down, feeling foolish. She wiped her palms on her jeans, flexing her fingers a little. "I thought you'd be gone until you had to get ready for work."
He reappeared, a soda in his hand, and started towards her again.
There was a dim flutter of fear, low in her stomach, but her anger was also beginning to rise again.
"My car is still out front, you knew I was still here, why did you come back?"
He raised his eyebrows, the can in his hand crinkling slightly as his fingers tightened. "Last I checked this was my place, and I can come and go whenever the fuck I want. If anybody shouldn't be here, it's you, since you don't actually live here anymore."
He smirked, raising the soda to his mouth to take a sip before he spoke again.
"Did you run home to daddy? Did he make you feel better?"
"Shut up!" Hannah snapped, feeling a little sick as the thought of what he had said the day before rose in her mind again. "Just shut up, and get out!"
His hand tightened around the can, and then he moved to slam it down on the table before stalking back over to her.
"And what if I don't? Huh?" He towered over her, his expression dark. "What're you gonna do? Step on my foot again? Maybe hit me?"
She started to move away, snapping, "Get away from me," but his hand shot out to grip her upper arm, holding her tightly.
"If you hit me, you better be prepared to go all the way, because guess what, hon? I hit back."
She tried to pull her arm from his grip, but he squeezed tighter, smirking when she cried out. She raised her other hand to try to pry his fingers from around her arm, but he grabbed her wrist, yanking her hand away, and she gasped.
"Get your hands off of her!"
The sudden loud shout made her jump, and then her dad was between them, placing himself squarely in front of Hannah, and forcing Seth back a step.
"Oh, look, it's daddy to the rescue," Seth sneered, glaring down at David.
There was a certain look in Seth's eyes, and Hannah was suddenly afraid he'd repeat everything he said the day before, but fortunately, David spoke first.
"Damn right it is. You told her you weren't going to be here, so get out."
"This is my apartment -"
"I don't give a shit!" David pointed a stern finger at the door, which was standing open. "Get out so she can finish erasing you from her life."
"You think I'm afraid of you?"
David's voice softened dangerously. "You should be."
There was movement by the front door, and Hannah looked over sharply to see Juliet in the doorway, her eyes slightly wide as she took in the scene in front of her.
Her gaze fell on Hannah, and she hurried over, pulling her into her arms.
"Are you okay, sweetie?" she asked softly, pulling back a little and raising her hand to Hannah's face.
Hannah nodded, and then moved closer to Juliet, holding her tightly. Juliet squeezed her back, resting her cheek against Hannah's head as she stroked her hair, and then her eyes hardened as she looked at Seth.
"What can you do?" he was saying, a skeptical smirk on his face. "Arrest me? For what?"
David shook his head, a humorless smile curving his lips. "Oh, you have no idea what I could do to you. But if you touch her again, you'll learn pretty fast."
Hannah shivered at the tone of her dad's voice, quiet and menacing with a certain edge that scared her a little. She'd never seen him this angry before, and she felt an immense swelling of love at the knowledge that he would still defend her this fiercely, even after everything she had done.
"Get. Out." David's words were clipped, and he shook his head again. "You're not gonna like what happens if I have to tell you again."
Seth shook his head, trying to maintain his tough guy act, but Hannah was pleased to see the smallest flicker of fear and uncertainty cross his face.
"Whatever. Fuck all three of you."
He turned and stalked from the apartment, slamming the door behind him.
Hannah finally breathed a sigh of relief, and Juliet held her tighter, kissing the top of her head.
David stood still for a moment, his body still tense, and then his shoulders sagged as he blew out a slow breath.
He turned to face Hannah and Juliet, and Juliet let Hannah go so David could pull her to him in a tight hug.
"I'm so sorry, baby," he murmured against her hair. "I didn't mean to take so long; the line for food was ridiculous."
Hannah shook her head, clinging to him. "It's okay. I honestly didn't think he'd show up here."
After a moment, David pulled back a little, staring intently at Hannah.
"Did he hurt you?"
She shook her head, sniffling a little. "Not really. He just grabbed me."
David lowered his gaze to her arm, his expression darkening at the bright red mark on her skin, and then pulled her to him again, holding her tightly.
He stared at Juliet over the top of Hannah's head, and she looked back sympathetically, raising her hand to brush her fingers over David's arm.
A heartbeat later she moved forward, and David opened his arms to include her in the hug.
They stood like that a moment until Hannah gave a soft, shaky laugh.
"You guys are squishing me."
"Sorry, baby," David murmured, as Juliet said, "Sorry, sweetie," and the three of them separated.
Hannah took a slow breath, swiping her hands over her cheeks before running her fingers through her hair.
"You okay?" David asked, laying his hand on her shoulder.
She nodded, flashing a small smile. "Yeah. Let's just get this done."
"In a minute. Let's eat, I'm starving."
"Threatening to kill a man will do that to you," Juliet muttered, casting David a sidelong look.
He smirked but didn't respond as he went to grab the bags of food from where he'd hurriedly set them on the table beside the door.
"Come in here," Hannah called from the kitchen. "We'll dirty up some dishes for him too."
David's smirk widened into a grin as they joined Hannah in the kitchen, and he kissed the side of her head. "That's my girl."
She smiled a little, passing plates to each of them, and they settled in to eat their lunch. Juliet had called David just after he left the apartment to tell him she was on her way over, and he'd gotten her something to eat as well.
They piled their plates in the sink when they finished, and headed back into the living room.
"Feel better, baby?" David asked, tilting his head a little to look at Hannah.
She smiled and nodded, though she was starting to look tired.
"Yeah. I just want to get this finished."
David nodded, and the three of them headed into the bedroom to finish packing up Hannah's clothes.
David helped her unload a couple more of her dresser drawers as Juliet took a box into the bathroom, and the two of them headed out to the car shortly after to load up the boxes.
After they left, Hannah pulled open the topmost drawer to pack up her bras and panties, and then slowed when her fingers brushed against the smooth silks and textured lace of the lingerie she had bought over the years.
There was no way she was taking any of it with her, and she started to just pile it on the bed when an idea took root in her mind.
She quickly separated her normal underclothes from the rest, dropping them into the box before taking the lingerie over to the bed.
She hurried into the kitchen to pull a pair of scissors from the utility drawer, and then returned to the bedroom.
She spent the next several minutes happily slicing and shredding, scattering lace and silk and satin all over the bed, flimsy bras and tiny panties and negligees that she'd never really cared for. The only reason she bought and wore any of it was to make him happy. For the three years they'd been having sex, all she'd ever cared about was pleasing him, but she could feel another one of those realizations beginning to creep over her, that he had never really seemed to care about pleasing her, unless he could get something in return.
Her anger at him, and her hatred of the clothing piled in front of her, surged, and she cut a pair of panties clean in two.
She was still standing beside the bed, the scissors in her hand, when David and Juliet returned to the bedroom.
They both stared at her for a moment, David arching an eyebrow as Juliet pressed her lips together, and then he wordlessly began piling shirts into the next empty box.
Juliet walked up beside Hannah, raising a hand to rub her back as she asked softly, "Feel better?"
Hannah gave a small nod. "Yes."
Juliet slid her arm around Hannah and gave her a squeeze. "Good girl."
They stood quietly for a moment, their heads touching, and then David cleared his throat.
They pulled apart, turning to face him, and David gestured towards the box of Hannah's underwear.
"You want me to take that to the car?" he asked, hitching the box already in his hands.
Hannah shook her head, stepping forward to grab it. "Not yet, I want to put some more stuff in it."
He nodded, turning to leave, and Hannah carried the box around to her side of the bed, picking up a small collection of framed pictures from her bedside table and tucking them in with her clothes. Her alarm clock followed, along with the things from her drawer, and she started to carry it out to the car when she suddenly remembered something.
She hurried to the closet, rising on her toes and stretching her arm up, fingers groping until they finally closed around a small plastic shopping bag.
Inside was a new bra and panty set she had bought just a couple of weeks ago, dusky rose trimmed in black lace. Though the reasoning seemed obvious now, Seth's interest in sleeping with her had begun to wane over the past couple of months, and she hadn't been able to understand why. Most of the things she'd ever worn for him hadn't made her feel terribly sexy, but rather awkward, like she wasn't being herself, but she thought that if she could wear something she liked and felt good in, it might help rekindle that spark. She hadn't yet worn it for him, and he hadn't seen it, and she carefully tucked the bag into the box, vowing to save it for someone who actually deserved to see her in it.
She carried the box out to the car, and David and Juliet joined her in the bedroom once more.
The last thing was the closet, and Hannah pulled out all of her dresses and other hanging clothes, telling David to just lay them on the backseat of her car. They gathered her shoes together next, the three of them managing to get them all in one trip, and piled them into her trunk.
They wandered back into the apartment when they had finished, and Hannah stared around the living room as she slipped her purse onto her shoulder.
"Is that everything, baby?" David asked, sliding his arm around her shoulders.
She took a breath and nodded. "I think so. I guess it has to be, because I'm never coming back here."
David touched his lips to the side of her head, and she leaned into him.
"You two go on to the house," he murmured after a moment. "I just want to check everything one last time."
Hannah stepped away from him, eyeing him suspiciously. "Dad -"
"Go on, Han."
Juliet took hold of Hannah's hand, tugging her gently towards the door. "C'mon, sweetie."
David waited until he heard the sound of both of their cars pulling away from the apartment before he stepped towards the coffee table.
He pulled the sleeve of his jacket over his hand, and in one swift motion swept everything from the smooth surface, littering the carpet with the shards from Hannah's shattered figurines.
He made sure it was completely clear before he straightened and reached into his pocket.
His personal weapon was in his hand when he withdrew it, and he ejected the clip, carefully popping out a round.
He rolled it between his fingers for a moment before bending and setting it on the table, making sure it was centered.
He was sending a message, and he hoped Seth got it loud and clear: If you mess with Hannah again, I will kill you.
Juliet helped Hannah unpack her things, helping her turn her room back into her room, and then they joined David in the kitchen, where he had once again made grilled cheese for dinner.
Hannah raised an eyebrow as David handed her a plate. "Things better look up soon, or I'm not going to fit into my clothes anymore."
He laughed lightly, and murmured a soft, "Hush," as he pressed a quick kiss to her forehead.
The three of them lounged together on the couch after dinner, watching movies until Juliet reluctantly announced she was going home.
Hannah walked with her to the door, hugging her tight and whispering a quiet, "Thank you."
"You don't have to thank me." Juliet smiled, raising her hand to tuck Hannah's hair behind her ear, and then raised her eyebrows. "Just promise you'll call me soon. It's been far too long."
Hannah laughed softly, and nodded. "I promise."
"Good. Then I'll talk to you later."
Hannah smiled, and gave Juliet one last quick hug before turning and heading for the stairs, passing by David as she went.
He watched her go, and then moved to stand with Juliet.
"Thanks, Jules."
She shook her head, rolling her eyes towards the ceiling. "Almost eleven years, and you two still think you have to thank me for every little thing."
He laughed. "I'm just so appreciative of everything you do. I don't ever want you to think I'm not."
"I know." She smiled. "I like doing it."
"I'm glad, because I'm keeping you around forever."
"Oh, really?" She arched an eyebrow at him, trying to maintain their teasing flow, but she felt a small flutter at his words.
"Mmhmm," he hummed.
"Do I get a say in this?"
He smiled brightly. "Nope."
She laughed, and shook her head again, trying not to let the emotions swirling within her show on her face.
David pulled her to him, burying his nose a little in her hair as he hugged her, inhaling the scent of her. It was one of his favorite things, and he was reluctant to let her go.
He smiled when he pulled back, his hands lingering on her arms before he let them fall to his sides. "I'll see you later."
She nodded, returning his smile, and he stepped out on the porch to make sure she made it safely to her car.
She pulled away with a wave, and David walked back into the house, locking the door behind him.
He was settled on the couch again when Hannah came back down, dressed for bed with her wet hair lying over her shoulders.
He couldn't deny how happy it made him to have that again, to see her coming down the stairs after her shower, all freshly scrubbed and clean smelling. He had missed her, but so many little things were making him realize just how much.
She flopped down beside him with a sigh, tucking her legs underneath her as she leaned against him.
"Looks like it's just you and me again."
David shifted a little, lifting his arm around her shoulders and allowing her to get more comfortable.
"I've missed it being just you and me," he said softly.
"I know." She sighed again, and then shook her head. "I'm sorry, Dad."
"For what, sweetheart?"
"For everything. For the last five years. For not listening to you. You were right all along, and I was just too stubborn and - and stupid to see it."
David shook his head sharply. "You are never stupid. You were young, and in love, and that can be a dangerous combination sometimes. You made a mistake; it happens to everybody." He paused, tightening his grip on her a little as his mind drifted to Karen. It was hard to think of his relationship with her as an outright mistake, because she had given him Hannah, but he knew what it was like to be proved wrong, and how much it hurt. "I'm sorry for how it ended, but I'm glad you got out of it before it got really bad."
"Yeah." She sighed. "I just wish I had listened. I mean, it wasn't just you, it was Jules, and Maddie, and Dr. McKenzie. I think even Harry might have said something once, and I blew all of you off. I defended him, and just -" She broke off with a disgusted groan, and David dropped a kiss to the top of her head.
"I thought you were happy."
She shook her head. "I mean, I was at first, but then... it just - it changed. And I didn't see it."
The last statement was a whisper, and then she fell silent. David didn't ask her to elaborate.
She played with a fold of his t-shirt for a moment, and then said quietly, "I guess it's true what they say, you can never find a man who loves you as much as your daddy."
He smiled, rubbing his hand up and down her arm. "Maybe that's true, but there's somebody out there who will love you almost as much. You'll find him one day."
"I hope so."
David rested his cheek on top of her head, his hand still moving along her arm, and said softly, "You will."
Author: Mary (stillxmyxheart)
Beta: Lindsay (rowofstars)
Rating: R (language, violence)
Genre: Drama, Angst
Warnings: Domestic abuse
Word Count: 8,700
Characters/Pairings: David, Hannah, Juliet, Seth (Hannah/Seth)
The doorbell rang, pulling David from his musings on the two files spread open in front of him. He'd been working quite contentedly to the sound of classic rock floating softly from the radio on his desk and the rain falling outside, and he frowned slightly, pushing his glasses up his nose with the tip of his finger as he glanced at the clock. Juliet was likely still at work and wouldn't be at the house for a while yet, and he wondered who it could be.
The bell sounded again, and he pushed to his feet, dropping his pen on his desk before striding from his office.
He peered through the peephole and frowned as he twisted the deadbolt, pulling open the door and staring at the figure standing on his doorstep.
His daughter stared back at him, soaked to the skin, hair hanging limply around her face, and as he watched, her eyes filled with tears.
"Hannah, what -" he began, alarmed, and then her face crumpled as she stepped towards him, wrapping her arms tightly around his middle and pressing against his chest.
He was only dimly aware of his shirt getting wet as he held her tightly, more concerned about why she was crying, and why she had clearly walked to his house in the rain.
"Come inside, sweetheart," he said softly, stepping back and pulling her over the threshold. He shut the door and led her into the living room, sitting her down on the couch and telling her he'd be right back when she clutched at his shirt as he tried to step away.
He hurried to the laundry room and pulled two clean towels from the stack on top of the dryer, and then returned to the living room, settling beside her on the couch as he wrapped the first towel around her shoulders.
He used the second towel to dry her face and hair, trying to ascertain if she was hurt in any way. There were the faint beginnings of a bruise on her cheek, and he ran his thumb lightly over it, frowning a little when she shied away.
"What happened?" he asked, raising a hand to brush her hair from her forehead and staring intently at her face. She was still crying and hadn't yet said a word, and he could feel frustration welling up inside of him, accompanied by a vague sense of panic. "Was there an accident or something? Are you hurt? Where's your car?"
She shook her head, her fingers clutching at his shirt, and he blew out an exasperated breath.
"Hannah, honey, talk to me. Tell me what's wrong."
"Seth cheated on me," she finally blurted, and David stared at her, entirely wrong-footed.
"How do you know?" he asked after a brief hesitation. "Did somebody tell you -"
She shook her head, and said bitterly, "I walked in on them."
David felt his anger beginning to rise. "Did he - did he throw you out?"
"No, I left and took the bus here. Couldn't think of anywhere else I wanted to go."
"Han, the nearest stop is six blocks away, you should've called me. I would've come and gotten you."
Hannah sighed and didn't respond, instead closing her eyes and pressing her fingers to her forehead. David raised his hand to her cheek and touched his fingers very lightly to the darkening bruise.
"Did he hit you?" His voice was quiet, his gaze sharp on her face. She didn't answer, and he raised his other hand to her face, trying to get her to look at him. "Hannah -"
"God, Dad, just - just shut up!" she exclaimed suddenly, pushing his hands away and springing to her feet. The towel fell from her shoulders as she turned away from him, raising her hands to her forehead again.
He stared at her, stunned, his hands falling into his lap. She so rarely got upset enough to yell at him, and he felt a flash of worry.
A second later she turned around again, her expression guilty as she looked at him, her hands over her mouth. "I'm sorry," she said in a small voice.
"It's all right," David murmured.
He noticed for the first time she was shivering, which was unsurprising, given it was March and still somewhat cold out. "You need to get out of those clothes." He glanced at her wet t-shirt and jeans before returning his gaze to her face. "Go upstairs and take a shower, you've still got some clothes in your room. I'll be right here when you get out, okay?" He held out his hand and she gave him hers, gripping back when he gave her fingers a gentle squeeze. "Go on."
Hannah sniffled and nodded as she withdrew her hand, crossing her arms over her chest as she headed for the stairs.
David watched her go, waiting until she disappeared from sight before swiping at the couch cushion, drying the leather with the towel he'd used on her hair. He glanced down at his shirt, brushing the wet fabric absently with his hand before settling against the couch cushions to wait for Hannah to come back down. He had a million and one questions he wanted to ask, though there was really only one he wanted an answer to tonight.
She appeared on the stairs a little while later, dressed in pajama pants and a t-shirt he recognized as one of his own, though he hadn't worn it in years. He suspected she'd stolen it from him at some point in the past.
"Feel better?" he asked, trying to smile as she approached him.
She shook her head miserably and flopped down beside him, tucking her legs underneath her as she curled into his side.
He shifted slightly, slipping his arm around her shoulders and kissing the top of her head as he pulled her against him.
"Tell me what happened," he said softly.
She took a shaky breath, her hand brushing against his side as she rolled a fold of his shirt between her fingers.
"Do we have to talk about it now?" she asked quietly.
David shook his head. "No. But I do need to know one thing right now." He paused, almost afraid to ask the question again. "Did he hit you?"
Hannah was quiet a moment, and then she nodded almost imperceptibly, whispering, "Yes."
"Son of a bitch," David muttered, glancing away as he ran a hand over his mouth.
"We were - we were fighting," Hannah said, her fingers tightening on his shirt so much that it stretched across his stomach, "and I was so angry... I picked up one of - one of her shoes and threw it at him. The heel hit his chest and broke the skin, and he just came at me so fast. He - he slapped me, and then shoved me against the wall, and he was so close and he was yelling and just saying -" She broke off, taking a steadying breath. "I was scared, and - and angry, and I just... I stomped on his foot, really hard. One good thing about him not being dressed, I guess."
A short laugh escaped David's lips in spite of his anger, and he felt a flash of pride.
"It was all I could think of to do," she said, sounding a little sheepish. "But it worked. And - and he tried to come at me again, so I shoved him. I think it surprised him because he stumbled, and I left. I didn't stop to grab my purse or anything because I was afraid he might try to come after me again." She shivered a little, and David tightened his grip on her, closing his eyes as he dropped a kiss to the top of her head.
"I'm proud of you for knowing what to do," he said quietly after a minute.
"Learned from the best."
A smile flickered over David's face, and he squeezed her again, his smile fading as he rested his cheek on top of her head. He'd seen firsthand the damage caused by anger at the loss of power, and the thought of how the situation with Seth could've gone sent a shiver through him. Seth was a lot bigger, and a lot stronger, than Hannah was, and though David knew she could protect herself, he also knew it wouldn't take much for someone like Seth to overpower her.
They were quiet a moment, and then Hannah shifted, somehow tucking herself even further into David's side.
"What's wrong with me?" she asked, very softly. He could hear the tremor in her voice again, piercing right through to his heart.
"There is nothing wrong with you," David said fiercely, holding her tighter and fighting the fast rising urge to grab the gun from the top drawer of his desk and -
He was pulled from his thoughts of homicide when Hannah burst into fresh tears, turning towards him and hiding her face against his chest.
He slipped both arms around her, holding her to him as she cried. He knew this wasn't something he could just make better with a kiss and a hug, but that didn't mean he couldn't try.
It was several minutes before she calmed down, and she sat up.
"Your shirt," she murmured, frowning slightly and sniffling as she swiped her hand over her cheeks.
David shook his head. "It's just a shirt."
He carefully ran his hand the length of her still damp hair down to her back, rubbing lightly, and then raised his eyebrows.
"How about some hot chocolate?"
He was rewarded with the tiniest flicker of a smile, and she nodded. He leaned forward and touched a kiss to her forehead before standing and reaching for the TV remote.
"Find us a bad movie to watch," he said as he handed it to her, receiving another small smile in return. "I'll be right back."
He busied himself in the kitchen fixing hot chocolate for Hannah, and tea for him, and when he returned to the living room, Hannah was wrapped in a blanket with her legs pulled to her chest, hands resting on her knees as she flipped through the channels on the TV.
She set the remote down as she took her mug from David, and he was preparing to sit down beside her when the doorbell rang again.
He frowned, and then glanced at Hannah when she looked up fearfully.
"What if it's him?" she said anxiously, her hands tightening around her mug.
"Oh, I'd like to see him show up here," David muttered. "Just stay here."
He set his tea down on the coffee table and moved into his office, opening the top drawer of his desk and withdrawing the gun he kept there, tucking it into the waist of his jeans. He may not actually shoot the bastard, but he could damn sure scare him.
The doorbell rang again as he emerged into the hall, and he glanced at Hannah as he moved to the door.
He slipped his right hand behind his back as he looked through the peephole. He saw only a flash of brown hair as the person on the other side turned their head, and he pulled open the door, deflating slightly when he saw Juliet standing on the porch, though the obvious height difference between her and Seth should have been a dead giveaway that it wasn't him.
She raised an eyebrow at him, shifting the files in her arms.
"Something you want to show me, David?"
He laughed slightly, his hand falling to his side. "Hey, Jules, sorry."
He stepped back to let her inside and she grinned as she stepped over the threshold.
"The last time you greeted me at the door with a gun, I was flanked by two dealers and a pimp named Richie Rich."
He laughed again and shook his head. "I'm sorry." He raised a hand to rub the back of his neck as he glanced towards the living room. "I forgot you were coming over."
Juliet followed his gaze, and her brow knitted slightly when she saw Hannah on the couch, turned sideways and craning her head to see who was at the door.
"Hey, sweetie," Juliet said, sounding mildly surprised.
"Hey, Jules," Hannah replied, raising her hand in a small wave before turning back to face the TV.
Juliet looked back at David, her eyebrows knitting together. "Is something wrong?"
David turned towards her, tugging on his ear. "Seth cheated on her," he said, pitching his voice low, and then added softly, his voice pained, "He hit her, Jules."
Juliet's frown deepened as her mouth fell open, and she glanced at Hannah again. "Is she - well, no, of course she's not all right." She looked at David and her lips twitched. "Explains the gun though. Can't say I disapprove."
The corner of David's mouth lifted slightly, and then he sighed.
"Maybe you could talk to her?" he asked, raising his eyebrows as he rubbed his earlobe between his thumb and forefinger. "I'm feeling a little out of my element here," he said, but Juliet was already shaking her head.
"I will, if she wants me to, but later." She smiled. "If I know her as well as I think I do, she just wants her daddy right now."
David smiled back. "I know you came all the way out here, and I'm sorry I didn't call you -"
Juliet shook her head again. "It's all right. We can do this later; she needs you now, and this can wait. I'll talk to you later, and tell her she can call me if she wants to talk or anything."
David nodded and touched a quick kiss to her cheek. "Thanks, Jules," he said when he straightened, not noticing the slight flush that colored her face.
She smiled, tucking her hair behind her ear. "No problem."
David stared past her at the rain that still pounded down, and called to Hannah that he'd be right back before pulling the door shut behind him. He grabbed Juliet's umbrella from where she'd propped it against the wall, and the two of them hurried back to her car, David holding the umbrella high over their heads.
Once she was inside her car, he folded it and handed it back to her, and then closed the door. She smiled, and then waved her hand in a shooing motion, urging him back inside and out of the rain.
He grinned and nodded, hurrying back up onto the porch and glancing back to see her car pull back into the street. Once she was out of sight, he went back inside, closing and locking the door behind him.
He replaced his gun in his desk and Hannah looked up at him when he returned to the living room, one eyebrow quirked.
"Two dealers and a pimp named Richie Rich?"
"Hush," David said as he sat down beside her on the couch, reaching for one of her towels from earlier to dry himself off.
Once he finished, he picked up his tea from the coffee table before settling against the back cushions.
Hannah leaned into him and his arm slipped around her shoulders, fingers lightly stroking the skin of her upper arm.
"That's all right," she murmured after a minute. "I'll just ask Jules later."
David rolled his eyes and glanced down at her, pleased to see the slight upward curve of her lips.
Some hours later she was asleep against his side, and he was dozing off, his cheek pressed lightly to the top of her head.
He sat up, shaking his head sharply and straightening his glasses as he glanced at the clock.
He said Hannah's name softly, giving her a gentle shake.
She groaned, pressing her face against his shoulder, and he laughed quietly.
"Wake up, sweetheart. Your bed will be more comfortable than the couch, or me."
"You're plenty comfortable," she mumbled into his shirt and he laughed again, dropping a kiss to the top of her head.
"Then let me put it this way," he murmured against her hair. "I'm too old to sleep on the couch. I'd definitely end up regretting it in the morning."
Hannah sighed as she sat up, looking ruefully at him.
"You're not old."
He smiled and reached up to smooth her sleep-mussed hair. He rested his palm on her cheek, lightly stroking her skin with his thumb, and looked at her for a moment. He could still see the sadness in her eyes and in the slight downward curve of her lips, and he sighed softly.
"I know it hurts now," he said gently, "but it'll get better."
"I know." She leaned forward, wrapping her arms around his neck and hugging him fiercely as she whispered, "I love you, Daddy."
He hugged her back, his arms tight around her slender frame, and was reminded of how small and fragile she seemed sometimes. She may be an adult, but she would always be his little girl, and nothing hurt him more than seeing her in pain.
He tightened his grip on her, inhaling the clean smell of her hair and realizing just how much he'd missed her ever since she moved out.
"I love you too, Hannah Banana," he replied and heard her giggle softly, followed a second later by a quiet sniffle.
She pulled away, running her fingers under her eyes as she stood and started for the stairs.
"Night, Daddy," she said, just before she headed up to her room.
"Night, baby," he replied, smiling as he watched her go.
He waited until he heard the click of her bedroom door closing before he sighed, passing a hand through his hair as he flopped back against the cushions. He pulled his glasses off, holding them between his fingers as he covered his face with his hands for a moment, and then took a breath, running his hands down his face and replacing his glasses as he stood.
He reached for their mugs and stacked them on top of their plates from dinner (grilled cheese with bacon and tomatoes, Hannah's favorite comfort food), and carried them into the kitchen. He set them in the sink on top of his dishes from breakfast, not in the mood to bother with them tonight.
His gaze moved to the window above the sink, and he stared out at the moonlit backyard. The rain had stopped a little while ago, and now the grass and trees shone as though covered with diamonds.
He thought back to the way Hannah had looked when he'd opened the door earlier, soaking wet and shivering, and the look on her face when she all but fell crying into his arms.
Anger burned deep within him again as his mind drifted to the bruise on her cheek, and his hands tightened on the edge of the counter. He thought of his gun, lying innocuously in the top drawer of his desk, and of the things he wanted to do with it, things that would be an incredible abuse of his position and power, and would likely get him suspended, if not fired, and possibly arrested, if anyone were to find out. Though he supposed it depended on what he did, and at this point he wasn't sure what might actually happen if he were to take his gun, get in his car, and drive over to the apartment.
David had been wary of their relationship at first, not sure if he trusted Seth, and one night it culminated in one of his and Hannah's very few fights. After that he'd backed off; he still wasn't sure how he felt about Seth, but Hannah seemed happy, and he promised he wasn't going to interfere. In the almost five years they dated, Seth always treated Hannah well, but David realized now that maybe it had just been for his benefit. He'd never seen them together when they didn't know he was watching, and though David was sure Seth had never hit her before today - he knew Hannah wouldn't have put up with that - men didn't just turn physically abusive out of nowhere, and it was likely there had been other forms of abuse. Hannah was smart and independent, and David knew she wouldn't normally let anybody mistreat her, but he thought it was a bit like sitting in a pot of water that slowly begins to boil. The danger had built up gradually, and she hadn't noticed it until it was too late.
David's anger surged, and his grip tightened on the counter once again as he took a breath to calm himself. Seth was just another one of those assholes who got bored in a relationship but was too much of a damn coward to just end it, and either too stupid or too arrogant to make a better show at hiding his affair.
David pushed off the counter and moved back into the living room. He grabbed the blanket off the couch and folded it over a couple of times before tossing it over the back cushions.
He'd really begun to think that Seth was the one, the guy that would take his Hannah away permanently, and she'd seemed happy with him, so David had been preparing himself to let her go. Now it appeared she'd most likely be moving back home, and David found he was very nearly overjoyed at just the thought. He missed having her around, missed seeing her when he came home from work, sitting in the living room with her homework spread over the coffee table. He missed her fixing dinner for him, and the look of surprise she always had when he left work on time and made dinner for her. He missed braiding her hair after a stressful day at work, and he missed their lazy Sundays when they did nothing but sit on the couch and watch movies all day.
For the longest time it had been just the two of them, and selfish though it made him feel, he was happy to have her back, but hated that his happiness had to come at the expense of her heart.
He sighed and picked up the towels off the floor, slinging them over his shoulder as he went to check the doors and set the alarm. Once he was sure everything was secure, he threw the towels into the laundry room, turning off the downstairs lights before he started up to his bedroom.
He hesitated outside the door to Hannah's room, contemplating it for a moment before twisting the knob and pushing it slowly open.
Her deep, even breathing told him she was asleep, and he walked quietly towards the bed, careful not to wake her.
He could see the faintest gleam of tears on her face as he looked down at her, and felt a pain in his chest, followed by another dim flash of anger as his eyes traveled over the dark shadow on her cheek. He reached down, passing his knuckle very lightly over her skin and brushing away some of the lingering moisture.
He looked at her a moment longer, and then took a soft breath as he leaned down to press a kiss to her temple. He stroked her hair for a minute, and then pulled the covers a little higher before walking quietly from the room.
David looked up as Hannah stepped into the kitchen the next morning, smiling a little just because he was so happy to see her.
"Hey, baby," he murmured, wiping his hands on a dish towel as he stepped around the counter. "You want some breakfast?"
She shook her head, pushing her hair behind her ear with one hand. "I'm not hungry."
He noticed her phone was in her other hand, and frowned a little, but she spoke again before he could.
"Do you have some boxes somewhere? I want to go get my stuff from the apartment today."
David nodded quickly. "Yeah, I'll get some together. When did you want to go?"
"I was going to call -" She broke off, taking a deep breath as her hand tightened around her phone, and then continued. "Call Seth and - and make sure he's not going to be there."
David nodded again, his heart aching at the look on her face, and moved to head for his office, knowing she wouldn't make the call in front of him.
Once he was gone, Hannah moved for the back door to step out onto the deck, not wanting to risk any chance of her dad overhearing her.
Seth answered after a few rings, sounding annoyed. "What?"
Hannah took a breath, closing her eyes a moment. "I wanted to come get my stuff, and I - I don't want you there."
He sighed. "Whatever, I have to leave for a date in a few minutes anyway."
Her heart clenched at his words, and she stepped forward to lean against the deck railing, trying to keep from crying all over again.
"Just get your shit out before I get back," he muttered, and then hung up.
Hannah snapped her phone closed, and then slid it into her pocket before resting her elbows on the railing and dropping her head into her hands.
From the second she'd stormed from the apartment the afternoon before, the thought that her dad had been right all along kept looping through her mind. She'd been so stupid. She should've just listened to her dad, to Juliet, to everyone who tried to tell her what Seth really was.
Their five year anniversary would've been in just a few months, and she wondered how many of those years had just been her being stubborn, refusing to admit that she was wrong. So much was becoming clear to her in hindsight, and it hurt to think about everything she had just refused to see.
She took a deep breath as she straightened, raking her fingers through her hair and then swiping her hands over her cheeks before she turned to go back inside.
She found David in the living room, along with several empty file boxes stacked on the floor and the coffee table. She couldn't resist smiling a little, wondering how many files were now piled on various surfaces in his office because he had emptied some of the boxes so that they could use them.
He looked up when he realized she was there, and she knew he could tell she'd been crying again.
"He, um, he's going out," she said, before he could speak, "and I know he's working at four, so we should have until around three."
David looked at her for a moment, seeming to contemplate something, and then he glanced away, looking around at the boxes.
"I think there's some bigger ones down in the basement -"
Hannah cut him off with a shake of her head. "It's mostly just my clothes. I don't have much - much stuff..."
She trailed off, emotion swelling within her as another realization about her relationship with Seth hit her, that even though they'd lived together for almost a year, the apartment was still more like his place, and not theirs.
David lowered his head, his hands tight on his hips as his jaw worked, but he remained silent.
After a moment, Hannah hurried upstairs to get her shoes, and then they loaded the boxes into the car before heading for the apartment.
They were at a stoplight when Hannah glanced anxiously at David. "What if he's there?"
"Then I'll throw his ass out."
Hannah smirked a little, amused by the image of her dad manhandling Seth out the door, and then shook her head.
"Please don't," she murmured, turning to look out the window. "I don't want any trouble; I just want to get my stuff and go."
David reached over and gently patted her knee. "I know. I called Jules; she had to run into work this morning, but as soon as she's done there, she'll come help. And if he's there, we'll just ask him to leave."
Hannah nodded, trying to calm the nervous twisting of her stomach. There was no fear whatsoever that he might try to talk her into taking him back; any remote possibility of reconciliation had died the second they began fighting. He said so many awful things to her, what seemed like years of pent up anger and frustration spilling out of him and grinding her already broken heart into even smaller pieces.
Hitting her had been the last straw. She flinched a little as she remembered the sound of it, remembered the way her head snapped to the side, and then the subsequent pain and heat on the side of her face. Then he pushed her against the wall, and as he stood over her, shouting and angry, she realized she'd never been so scared in her entire life.
The anger came back then, because, damn it, he wasn't supposed to make her feel that way, and a comment about her relationship with her dad had made her stomp the heel of her shoe on his bare foot.
He'd jumped back, and when he started towards her a moment later, she'd pushed off the wall and shoved him hard. The surprise on his face might have been comical, but she was in no mood to laugh, only wanting to get out of there before he hurt her worse. She knew that he could, and by that point she didn't doubt that he would.
She didn't stop for her purse, and the only thing she had in her pocket was her school I.D., which got her on the bus that she knew would take her to the nearest stop to her dad's house.
The sky opened up just before she got off, and she trudged the six blocks to the house in the rain, arms crossed tightly over her chest.
By the time she was on the porch, everything had begun to catch up with her, and when her dad opened the door, the sight of him made her burst into tears.
She knew she had some heavy apologizing to do, to several people, and she vowed she would do it just as soon as things settled down again.
It wasn't long before they were driving up to the apartment, and Hannah was relieved to see Seth's car missing. David parked in the space right beside Hannah's, and she felt another sense of relief that her car seemed undisturbed.
It wasn't until they were walking to the door that Hannah remembered she didn't have her keys, but David waved her concerns away, reminding her that he had a copy of the key to the apartment.
They pushed inside, and Hannah sighed as they walked into the living room. She threw open the curtains on the window, instantly brightening the room, and then turned around to survey the space.
Her purse was on the floor by the couch, right where she'd left it, and it didn't seem like it had been touched.
She started towards it, her dad trailing behind her, and then slowed to a stop when she glanced at the coffee table.
Brightly colored shards of ceramic littered the wooden surface, and she felt her tears begin to rise again when she realized they were the remains of the two hummingbird figurines she had bought shortly after moving in.
David stood quietly beside her, and she could feel his gaze on her. She forced her tears away, a firm sense of resolve settling within her.
"Let's just get this over with," she muttered, and snatched her purse from the floor.
He nodded and went back out to the car to get some boxes as Hannah moved into the kitchen. She wrapped a few mugs to take with her, and plucked some pictures from the refrigerator, slipping them carefully down the side of the first box.
There was one of herself and Seth that she ripped to shreds as David watched, leaving the pieces on the counter before striding back into the living room.
A few knick knacks joined the mugs already in the box, and David carried it out to the car as Hannah began filling another box with movies from the shelf beside the TV. A couple of handfuls of books joined them, and then that too was taken out to the car.
It was slower work than Hannah had initially anticipated, trying to figure out what explicitly belonged to her, and what she cared enough about to want to take with her, and after David carried the box with the books and movies out to the car, he announced he was going to pick up something for lunch.
Hannah nodded, telling him she'd be fine by herself for a little while, and he left her with a few more boxes, which she carried into the bedroom.
She quickly loaded the first one with jeans and shorts from the bottom drawer of her dresser, and was carrying it out to the living room when she heard the door open.
She looked up, expecting her dad, or maybe Juliet, and then froze in place when she saw it was Seth.
Her fingers clutched around the handholds of the box, unconsciously holding it closer to her body as though she thought it might protect her.
He glowered at her as he started forward. "I thought I told you to get your shit out before I came back."
She quickly stepped to the side, nearly stumbling in her hurry to get out of his way, and watched as he moved into the kitchen.
"You said - you said you were going out," she stammered, and then set the box down, feeling foolish. She wiped her palms on her jeans, flexing her fingers a little. "I thought you'd be gone until you had to get ready for work."
He reappeared, a soda in his hand, and started towards her again.
There was a dim flutter of fear, low in her stomach, but her anger was also beginning to rise again.
"My car is still out front, you knew I was still here, why did you come back?"
He raised his eyebrows, the can in his hand crinkling slightly as his fingers tightened. "Last I checked this was my place, and I can come and go whenever the fuck I want. If anybody shouldn't be here, it's you, since you don't actually live here anymore."
He smirked, raising the soda to his mouth to take a sip before he spoke again.
"Did you run home to daddy? Did he make you feel better?"
"Shut up!" Hannah snapped, feeling a little sick as the thought of what he had said the day before rose in her mind again. "Just shut up, and get out!"
His hand tightened around the can, and then he moved to slam it down on the table before stalking back over to her.
"And what if I don't? Huh?" He towered over her, his expression dark. "What're you gonna do? Step on my foot again? Maybe hit me?"
She started to move away, snapping, "Get away from me," but his hand shot out to grip her upper arm, holding her tightly.
"If you hit me, you better be prepared to go all the way, because guess what, hon? I hit back."
She tried to pull her arm from his grip, but he squeezed tighter, smirking when she cried out. She raised her other hand to try to pry his fingers from around her arm, but he grabbed her wrist, yanking her hand away, and she gasped.
"Get your hands off of her!"
The sudden loud shout made her jump, and then her dad was between them, placing himself squarely in front of Hannah, and forcing Seth back a step.
"Oh, look, it's daddy to the rescue," Seth sneered, glaring down at David.
There was a certain look in Seth's eyes, and Hannah was suddenly afraid he'd repeat everything he said the day before, but fortunately, David spoke first.
"Damn right it is. You told her you weren't going to be here, so get out."
"This is my apartment -"
"I don't give a shit!" David pointed a stern finger at the door, which was standing open. "Get out so she can finish erasing you from her life."
"You think I'm afraid of you?"
David's voice softened dangerously. "You should be."
There was movement by the front door, and Hannah looked over sharply to see Juliet in the doorway, her eyes slightly wide as she took in the scene in front of her.
Her gaze fell on Hannah, and she hurried over, pulling her into her arms.
"Are you okay, sweetie?" she asked softly, pulling back a little and raising her hand to Hannah's face.
Hannah nodded, and then moved closer to Juliet, holding her tightly. Juliet squeezed her back, resting her cheek against Hannah's head as she stroked her hair, and then her eyes hardened as she looked at Seth.
"What can you do?" he was saying, a skeptical smirk on his face. "Arrest me? For what?"
David shook his head, a humorless smile curving his lips. "Oh, you have no idea what I could do to you. But if you touch her again, you'll learn pretty fast."
Hannah shivered at the tone of her dad's voice, quiet and menacing with a certain edge that scared her a little. She'd never seen him this angry before, and she felt an immense swelling of love at the knowledge that he would still defend her this fiercely, even after everything she had done.
"Get. Out." David's words were clipped, and he shook his head again. "You're not gonna like what happens if I have to tell you again."
Seth shook his head, trying to maintain his tough guy act, but Hannah was pleased to see the smallest flicker of fear and uncertainty cross his face.
"Whatever. Fuck all three of you."
He turned and stalked from the apartment, slamming the door behind him.
Hannah finally breathed a sigh of relief, and Juliet held her tighter, kissing the top of her head.
David stood still for a moment, his body still tense, and then his shoulders sagged as he blew out a slow breath.
He turned to face Hannah and Juliet, and Juliet let Hannah go so David could pull her to him in a tight hug.
"I'm so sorry, baby," he murmured against her hair. "I didn't mean to take so long; the line for food was ridiculous."
Hannah shook her head, clinging to him. "It's okay. I honestly didn't think he'd show up here."
After a moment, David pulled back a little, staring intently at Hannah.
"Did he hurt you?"
She shook her head, sniffling a little. "Not really. He just grabbed me."
David lowered his gaze to her arm, his expression darkening at the bright red mark on her skin, and then pulled her to him again, holding her tightly.
He stared at Juliet over the top of Hannah's head, and she looked back sympathetically, raising her hand to brush her fingers over David's arm.
A heartbeat later she moved forward, and David opened his arms to include her in the hug.
They stood like that a moment until Hannah gave a soft, shaky laugh.
"You guys are squishing me."
"Sorry, baby," David murmured, as Juliet said, "Sorry, sweetie," and the three of them separated.
Hannah took a slow breath, swiping her hands over her cheeks before running her fingers through her hair.
"You okay?" David asked, laying his hand on her shoulder.
She nodded, flashing a small smile. "Yeah. Let's just get this done."
"In a minute. Let's eat, I'm starving."
"Threatening to kill a man will do that to you," Juliet muttered, casting David a sidelong look.
He smirked but didn't respond as he went to grab the bags of food from where he'd hurriedly set them on the table beside the door.
"Come in here," Hannah called from the kitchen. "We'll dirty up some dishes for him too."
David's smirk widened into a grin as they joined Hannah in the kitchen, and he kissed the side of her head. "That's my girl."
She smiled a little, passing plates to each of them, and they settled in to eat their lunch. Juliet had called David just after he left the apartment to tell him she was on her way over, and he'd gotten her something to eat as well.
They piled their plates in the sink when they finished, and headed back into the living room.
"Feel better, baby?" David asked, tilting his head a little to look at Hannah.
She smiled and nodded, though she was starting to look tired.
"Yeah. I just want to get this finished."
David nodded, and the three of them headed into the bedroom to finish packing up Hannah's clothes.
David helped her unload a couple more of her dresser drawers as Juliet took a box into the bathroom, and the two of them headed out to the car shortly after to load up the boxes.
After they left, Hannah pulled open the topmost drawer to pack up her bras and panties, and then slowed when her fingers brushed against the smooth silks and textured lace of the lingerie she had bought over the years.
There was no way she was taking any of it with her, and she started to just pile it on the bed when an idea took root in her mind.
She quickly separated her normal underclothes from the rest, dropping them into the box before taking the lingerie over to the bed.
She hurried into the kitchen to pull a pair of scissors from the utility drawer, and then returned to the bedroom.
She spent the next several minutes happily slicing and shredding, scattering lace and silk and satin all over the bed, flimsy bras and tiny panties and negligees that she'd never really cared for. The only reason she bought and wore any of it was to make him happy. For the three years they'd been having sex, all she'd ever cared about was pleasing him, but she could feel another one of those realizations beginning to creep over her, that he had never really seemed to care about pleasing her, unless he could get something in return.
Her anger at him, and her hatred of the clothing piled in front of her, surged, and she cut a pair of panties clean in two.
She was still standing beside the bed, the scissors in her hand, when David and Juliet returned to the bedroom.
They both stared at her for a moment, David arching an eyebrow as Juliet pressed her lips together, and then he wordlessly began piling shirts into the next empty box.
Juliet walked up beside Hannah, raising a hand to rub her back as she asked softly, "Feel better?"
Hannah gave a small nod. "Yes."
Juliet slid her arm around Hannah and gave her a squeeze. "Good girl."
They stood quietly for a moment, their heads touching, and then David cleared his throat.
They pulled apart, turning to face him, and David gestured towards the box of Hannah's underwear.
"You want me to take that to the car?" he asked, hitching the box already in his hands.
Hannah shook her head, stepping forward to grab it. "Not yet, I want to put some more stuff in it."
He nodded, turning to leave, and Hannah carried the box around to her side of the bed, picking up a small collection of framed pictures from her bedside table and tucking them in with her clothes. Her alarm clock followed, along with the things from her drawer, and she started to carry it out to the car when she suddenly remembered something.
She hurried to the closet, rising on her toes and stretching her arm up, fingers groping until they finally closed around a small plastic shopping bag.
Inside was a new bra and panty set she had bought just a couple of weeks ago, dusky rose trimmed in black lace. Though the reasoning seemed obvious now, Seth's interest in sleeping with her had begun to wane over the past couple of months, and she hadn't been able to understand why. Most of the things she'd ever worn for him hadn't made her feel terribly sexy, but rather awkward, like she wasn't being herself, but she thought that if she could wear something she liked and felt good in, it might help rekindle that spark. She hadn't yet worn it for him, and he hadn't seen it, and she carefully tucked the bag into the box, vowing to save it for someone who actually deserved to see her in it.
She carried the box out to the car, and David and Juliet joined her in the bedroom once more.
The last thing was the closet, and Hannah pulled out all of her dresses and other hanging clothes, telling David to just lay them on the backseat of her car. They gathered her shoes together next, the three of them managing to get them all in one trip, and piled them into her trunk.
They wandered back into the apartment when they had finished, and Hannah stared around the living room as she slipped her purse onto her shoulder.
"Is that everything, baby?" David asked, sliding his arm around her shoulders.
She took a breath and nodded. "I think so. I guess it has to be, because I'm never coming back here."
David touched his lips to the side of her head, and she leaned into him.
"You two go on to the house," he murmured after a moment. "I just want to check everything one last time."
Hannah stepped away from him, eyeing him suspiciously. "Dad -"
"Go on, Han."
Juliet took hold of Hannah's hand, tugging her gently towards the door. "C'mon, sweetie."
David waited until he heard the sound of both of their cars pulling away from the apartment before he stepped towards the coffee table.
He pulled the sleeve of his jacket over his hand, and in one swift motion swept everything from the smooth surface, littering the carpet with the shards from Hannah's shattered figurines.
He made sure it was completely clear before he straightened and reached into his pocket.
His personal weapon was in his hand when he withdrew it, and he ejected the clip, carefully popping out a round.
He rolled it between his fingers for a moment before bending and setting it on the table, making sure it was centered.
He was sending a message, and he hoped Seth got it loud and clear: If you mess with Hannah again, I will kill you.
Juliet helped Hannah unpack her things, helping her turn her room back into her room, and then they joined David in the kitchen, where he had once again made grilled cheese for dinner.
Hannah raised an eyebrow as David handed her a plate. "Things better look up soon, or I'm not going to fit into my clothes anymore."
He laughed lightly, and murmured a soft, "Hush," as he pressed a quick kiss to her forehead.
The three of them lounged together on the couch after dinner, watching movies until Juliet reluctantly announced she was going home.
Hannah walked with her to the door, hugging her tight and whispering a quiet, "Thank you."
"You don't have to thank me." Juliet smiled, raising her hand to tuck Hannah's hair behind her ear, and then raised her eyebrows. "Just promise you'll call me soon. It's been far too long."
Hannah laughed softly, and nodded. "I promise."
"Good. Then I'll talk to you later."
Hannah smiled, and gave Juliet one last quick hug before turning and heading for the stairs, passing by David as she went.
He watched her go, and then moved to stand with Juliet.
"Thanks, Jules."
She shook her head, rolling her eyes towards the ceiling. "Almost eleven years, and you two still think you have to thank me for every little thing."
He laughed. "I'm just so appreciative of everything you do. I don't ever want you to think I'm not."
"I know." She smiled. "I like doing it."
"I'm glad, because I'm keeping you around forever."
"Oh, really?" She arched an eyebrow at him, trying to maintain their teasing flow, but she felt a small flutter at his words.
"Mmhmm," he hummed.
"Do I get a say in this?"
He smiled brightly. "Nope."
She laughed, and shook her head again, trying not to let the emotions swirling within her show on her face.
David pulled her to him, burying his nose a little in her hair as he hugged her, inhaling the scent of her. It was one of his favorite things, and he was reluctant to let her go.
He smiled when he pulled back, his hands lingering on her arms before he let them fall to his sides. "I'll see you later."
She nodded, returning his smile, and he stepped out on the porch to make sure she made it safely to her car.
She pulled away with a wave, and David walked back into the house, locking the door behind him.
He was settled on the couch again when Hannah came back down, dressed for bed with her wet hair lying over her shoulders.
He couldn't deny how happy it made him to have that again, to see her coming down the stairs after her shower, all freshly scrubbed and clean smelling. He had missed her, but so many little things were making him realize just how much.
She flopped down beside him with a sigh, tucking her legs underneath her as she leaned against him.
"Looks like it's just you and me again."
David shifted a little, lifting his arm around her shoulders and allowing her to get more comfortable.
"I've missed it being just you and me," he said softly.
"I know." She sighed again, and then shook her head. "I'm sorry, Dad."
"For what, sweetheart?"
"For everything. For the last five years. For not listening to you. You were right all along, and I was just too stubborn and - and stupid to see it."
David shook his head sharply. "You are never stupid. You were young, and in love, and that can be a dangerous combination sometimes. You made a mistake; it happens to everybody." He paused, tightening his grip on her a little as his mind drifted to Karen. It was hard to think of his relationship with her as an outright mistake, because she had given him Hannah, but he knew what it was like to be proved wrong, and how much it hurt. "I'm sorry for how it ended, but I'm glad you got out of it before it got really bad."
"Yeah." She sighed. "I just wish I had listened. I mean, it wasn't just you, it was Jules, and Maddie, and Dr. McKenzie. I think even Harry might have said something once, and I blew all of you off. I defended him, and just -" She broke off with a disgusted groan, and David dropped a kiss to the top of her head.
"I thought you were happy."
She shook her head. "I mean, I was at first, but then... it just - it changed. And I didn't see it."
The last statement was a whisper, and then she fell silent. David didn't ask her to elaborate.
She played with a fold of his t-shirt for a moment, and then said quietly, "I guess it's true what they say, you can never find a man who loves you as much as your daddy."
He smiled, rubbing his hand up and down her arm. "Maybe that's true, but there's somebody out there who will love you almost as much. You'll find him one day."
"I hope so."
David rested his cheek on top of her head, his hand still moving along her arm, and said softly, "You will."