Sitting quietly on the leather couch, Dante stared silently at Rory, his thoughts a twisted mess of emotions that he could barely contain. As he mused over her words, her accusations of what he had become, he couldn't find it in himself to blame her for worrying about his reaction. Danted had never been the most emotionally stable person, but Rory had always managed to keep his darkest tendencies in check. Depending on how much she knew of his time without her, he could easily understand her hesitation. What kind of father would he be with his current lifestyle? How would he feel if their situations were swapped?<br/><br/>“I'm sorry Rory.” Those three quiet words hung in the silence that followed as Dante puzzled out what to say, and how he could make her believe him. “I'm not going to try and excuse my behavior since you showed back up, but you have to understand Rory, things changed when you left me... I changed.” His piercing amber gaze never left his ex lover as he continued to speak. “You were my heart, my everything Rory... to have you disappear so suddenly with no trace and no explanation, I simply didn't know what to think or do, so I fell to instinct. Instinct that saved my life countless times since you left me. Maybe you shouldn't have come to me for help... maybe you shouldn't have told me you gave birth to my daughter... but you did. You've shattered my world for the second time.”<br/><br/>A heavy sigh sounded from the man as he got to his feet and made his way across the room to Rory. “I'm not asking to be a part of your life again... or to let me be a father to our daughter, gods know I don't deserve it...” As he spoke, Dante lifted his right hand to wipe the tears from her cheeks, his touch as gentle as it used to be. “All I'm asking is that you let me help you figure this shit out. I can't just let you disappear again knowing you're in danger, or that our daughter is in danger. Let me help you make things safe for the two of you... then you can disappear again, if that's what you want.”<br/><br/>Letting his hand fall back to his side, he offered Rory a sad smile. “If nothing else, use me for the kind of man I've become. If I can't solve this problem for you, I can at least cause them enough harm to shift their focus to me long enough for you to take our daughter and disappear. I won't hold it against you this time... I promise, just so long as our daughter is safe.” Dante fell silent again as he searched her face, hoping that she would listen to reason and use him for what she could. “Consider it my karma, if it helps you.”<br/><br/>Taking a step back from her, he motioned to his front door, a smoldering fire burning deep in his amber gaze. “But if you have to go soon, as you say... then there's the front door. If you don't want my help now that you have what you've come for, then leave... but don't come back this time, if that's what you choose to do.”