Without A Heart

CH13

"Can anyone tell me how this ever started?"

Toby says as he looks at the two girls with bruises on their faces and looking angrily at each other. And, if you're wondering what is going on here just like Toby, well, let's rewind a little bit on what happened before Toby and his partner were called to deal with a 'domestic disturbance' in the middle of the night.

"What is wrong, Emy?"

Wayne says as he is able to read his daughter so well, she's an open book in terms of emotions and it's very obvious something is causing distress to the dear Emily.

"I... I..."

Emily sits beside his hospital bed. Still struggling to say what she came to say. How is she supposed to say she screwed it up? How is she supposed to say she's not the perfect girl he raised? Having his approval, making him proud, it has always been the only thing that Emily wanted in life till love appeared in front of her.

She always heard people saying how love makes you act like a fool. She never believed in it till now. Because she feels like a fool for how easily she indulged in Love. A love in the shape of two beautiful blue eyes, a beautiful smile and golden curls. And, Emily's lips curve into a tiny smile, just imagining how beautiful it would be if the baby gets the same features of the blonde.

"I hope the baby gets her eyes"

"Huh? What baby? What are you talking about, Emily?!"

The panic in Emily's eyes rises when she realizes what she mumbled out. And now that the 'b' word has been spoken, there's no way to chicken out. There's just one thing to do, to come clean and tell the truth. Wayne says nothing, he just nods, still processing everything Emily is saying. And, the brunette is already sobbing, feeling sad about how she might lose her father's love, about how he might feel ashamed of her. So much fear, Emily was expecting the worst, when this went in a completely different direction than what she expected.

"I'm gonna be a grandpa? I'm gonna be a grandpa!"

"Huh? Dad?!"

Wayne is in tears when he strongly pulls Emily into a hug. But, those tears are not sad tears, they are happy tears, because, yes, this wasn't planned. Yes, Emily had to be more careful and responsible. But even if he could scold her about all the things she did wrong, right now all she needs is to feel supported and loved. And, that's how he makes Emily feel.

She feels safe in her father's arms and more than that, she feels relieved to see that he's still proud of her. Because the love of her father is more than enough, but, it's not the only love she craves for and Wayne can see it in her eyes, in the way she speaks about this 'Alison' he has never met. The brunette is in love, and that's why he says...

"It's never too late to fight for love, Emily"

"She hates me..."

A tear rolls over her eye as she sadly says how Alison might feel about her. Yes, the blonde will take responsibility, but, the angst, the anger is so palpable in her eyes that it makes Emily very sad to think she might never be able to change the way the blonde looks at her now. But, despite all the discouragement she might feel, her father is there to try to give her hope.

"There's just one step between hate and love"

"Dad..."

"Emy. Listen to me. I always put my work and my career in the Police force first. That's why your mother left me. And, I should have ran after her, but, I didn't because I thought my career and my obligations as a cop where more important than anything else"