Boy Meets Girl / Criminal Minds Fanfiction.

Dilemma

"I'm your father."

"I-...what?" Ryder breathed out, her heart dropping as her mind filled with confusion. "No." She denied, shaking her head.

"You look so much like your mother," The man across from her said, acting as if he hadn't heard her words. "I know this is a lot, but if you were willing, I would love to sit down and talk, over lunch maybe."

"I don't-" Ryder continued to shake her head, having a hard time believing this man. "I can't-." She once again cut herself off as she couldn't find the words. What the hell was she supposed to say? Some stranger claiming to be the father she'd never met, a man she held anger towards for giving her up when she was only a baby. Of course, she never knew the reasons behind it, her real parents could've been dead for all she knew but if he was telling the truth then he obviously wasn't.

"I-I have to go," The young woman finally forced out, missing the drop in her supposed father's face as her own emotions started to consume her.

"Wait," He called out and for some reason, she did. She paused in her steps and turned back to him. "I know you probably hate me and I understand if you do. But I've been looking for you for almost a year now and I just want to get to know my daughter. I'm sorry for everything. Please give me a chance."

He was sincere, Ryder could see that much, but she was still skeptical. "How do I know you're telling the truth?"

"Your name is Ryder Faith Mathews, you were born July sixth, you weighed six pounds and eight ounces, and you were sixteen inches long. You have a birthmark on your left shoulder blade." He listed the things he knew about his daughter, some of the things even she didn't know. He wasn't sure why he told her the unnecessary details, maybe it was to prove to either himself or her that he was her father and he did care.

Hearing his words made Ryder falter. She didn't know those things about when she was born but he knew her middle name, her birthday, and about her birthmark. How else would he know unless he truly was her father?

"Why are you here?" She asked him, trying to keep her voice emotionless as she shifted on her feet.

"I've lived with the guilt of giving you up for twenty-four years and I just couldn't anymore. It's a long story and I'd be happy to tell you all about it." The man became hopeful as he looked over at his daughter, seeing the eternal debate she was having with herself.

"I-I can't," She started and his heart dropped until she continued speaking. "I'm working right now."

"Another time then?" He asked, stepping forwards slightly, pausing when Ryder shifted away from him.

"I need time," She told him, looking up into his hazel-green eyes. "To think."

"Of course, take all the time you need." He nodded, understanding her position. "I can give you my number, you can contact me whenever you're ready."

"Um," Ryder mumbled, looking around herself as if all the answers and explanations she needed would appear out of thin air. But they wouldn't, she could only get them from the man standing in front of her. With that in mind, Ryder knew what she had to do. "Okay."

"Great." He sighed in relief. "My name is Roy, Roy Parker." He introduced himself when he realized he hadn't, a smile on his face as he gave Ryder his number.

After departing from him, Ryder drove to her appointment in a daze, her mind whirling with everything that had just happened. If this man really was her father, and why wouldn't he be? What could he get from pretending to be him? She had a lot to think about. She would be lying if she said she wasn't angry at him and wanted to shut him out despite not even knowing him, but she needed answers, answers she had her entire life, ones she never thought she would get the answers to.