Dante largely ignored Rory as she came in and snatched the artifact off the desk, though her desperation was not unnoticed. Her behavior gave him pause, his teeth grinding audibly as he fought internally with what he should do for her. One the one hand, she had lied to him and left without a trace, yet he couldn't just ignore the love that he had shared with her. Their passion had been untouchable. It had been perfect, or so he had thought, right up until she disappeared from his life. It had become easier for Dante to push his emotions aside and to act in a cold and logical manner, all thanks to the heart break she had left him with, but somehow, deep within himself, her memory, her very presence, had been imprinted on him, in a way that he couldn't fight. Maybe love wasn't as great as most thought.<br/><br/>Letting out a deep sigh, Dante called out to Rory as she paused in the doorway, deciding that he didn't want to part on such volatile terms. “Rory... hold on a sec. I...” His words trailed off quietly as he got to his feet and moved around the desk, stopping an arms reach from Rory. “I'm not exactly sorry for the things I've said, as they've all been true... but I shouldn't have been so angry with you. All this... you showing up after so long... I just didn't know how to handle it. Hell, I still don't.” Lifting a hand to run through his chestnut colored hair, he tried desperately to sort out his thoughts so he could speak to her without being angry. “It hurts to see you again Rory... and it hurts even more to know you had a child with someone else, but I can't just stop feeling anything for you. I... I want to help you.”<br/><br/>“I lied about having plans tonight Rory... I was just trying to find an excuse to send you on your way again before I did something stupid.” Dante couldn't help but chuckle quietly to himself as he continued speaking. “Like offering to help you. We can part ways now, or when you've accomplished whatever task you have set... but I do genuinely want to help you. If you'd have me.” Reaching out with his right hand, he took hold of her free hand and pressed it to his chest, his racing heartbeat easily felt. “I don't know why things happened like they did, but some feelings never change Rory... at least not for me. You don't have to believe me, I'm not sure you should... but it's good to see you again after so long.”<br/><br/>Dante released her hand and stepped back from her, his amber eyes downcast. “Can we maybe start the night over? Now that I'm not in shock... maybe I can be civil and this can be easier on both of us.” With his gaze cast to the floor, he stood quietly, awaiting her response to him, unsure of how she would take his words. He was still angry, sure, but her scent, the smooth outline of her face, was making it hard to stay angry, instead, making him want to feel her touch again, to try and recapture what had been taken from him. He knew it was wrong, and he knew he should've let her walk out that door for the final time, but he was trapped by her, by his love for her.