So she was his daughter... It wasn't the son he had expected. Both aspects came as quite a shock. It was ironic really, he had come to this town looking for his old lover and their child, and he ended up finding Stella. He had found his family, or what was assumed to be left of it. The truth was he loved Stella dearly, and now it made sense why. He had recognized her in the first place, he shrugged it off as perhaps he'd seen her in the papers, but now he knew it was because she looked like her mother. Her name had been the second thing that drew him to her, Stella; of course she would have been named that. Staring at the picture he felt daft for not putting in all together sooner. He had slept with his own daughter and there was nothing to reverse that, nothing that could be done to make it feel right. He had deflowered her, taken her innocence, and seduced her. He had fallen for her even though he knew she didn't feel the same way. Perhaps he was hoping she'd come to a realization, just like anyone who pursued a person they loved hoped. It was an awkward discovery to say the least; he didn't know quite how to feel about it, though he definitely did feel ashamed. Part of him was happy he now knew he had a daughter, but another part of him desperately wanted a lover; though it was wrong, he still craved her and wanted her. But he did want to be a father to her.
O'Hara realized he had been spending too much time thinking everything over. He didn't have time to waste, Stella was leaving him; leaving him for Meredith, that scummy man that he had tried to warn her about, the man who used young men and broke their hearts. He knew he would break hers, especially with her being in denial about his sexual preference. He couldn't bear that thought, the thought of Stella being hurt that badly. Why couldn't she have just loved him? She would be safe with him.
Every emotion he was feeling could be heard when he stood at the end of the dock, screaming out to a woman who wasn't there, a woman he'd probably never see again. He needed to get it all out, the frustration, the loathing he felt for life. And once he did he had a new found confidence for getting Stella back, he knew he could win her over. He'd only been showing her his love, not his passion. He needed to give her everything, give her so much more than petty kindnesses and a good fuck every now and then; he needed to swoon her, make love to her. He was in debate whether he should tell her of their relation, but he knew it wouldn't be right to keep the information from her. But how would he tell her? There would be no easy way of doing so.
He made his way back to the theatre and found Stella in her dressing room. He didn't knock, he just walked right in. Stella jumped at the intrusion, looking over at the door from the boudoir she was sitting at, her eyes round and questioning.
O'Hara closed the door and leaned with his back against it, looking down at the floor beside where she sat, unable to look at her, "Stella... There is something I need to say to you."
"There is nothing to say, I've made up my mind," she said quietly and calmly, with a hint of defiance.
"I'm in love with you," he said immediately. There was a silence and after a second O'Hara slowly raised his gaze up to Stella's, finding the stunned expression on her face. He pushed himself away from the door and walked towards her, a hand held out to her, "I know you think you're in love with Meredith, but as I said before, he is interested only in the hearts of young men, and crushing them." He reached where she sat and knelt beside her, resting his hand on her cheek and looking into her eyes, "I'm the one who loves you with the whole of my heart, who adores you fully and completely. He could never love you like I love you."
Stella looked back into his eyes, her bottom lip quivering. It was a while before she answered as she was trying to keep herself from crying, "Is that what I've done to you? Taken your heart and crushed it? I didn't mean to hurt you..." Her eyes were watering and a drop slipped from one, falling down her cheek and onto O'Hara's hand.
Seeing the tear fall tore at him, he hadn't meant to upset her, or make her cry; his goal was to free her from her cursed obsession with Potter. That was his daughter crying, his daughter feeling guilty, but she had done nothing wrong. He shook his head and moved closer, shushing her and wiping at her wet cheek with his thumb, "No, you didn't crush it, you healed it. My heart was aching before I found you. You're the one I've been searching for."
She bit her lip, willing herself not to cry any more than she already had, trying to keep herself composed. She was through with being a child. The hand on her cheek made her blush, "P-perhaps I only thought I loved him. I must admit that, over time, I had grown feelings for you, I just didn't realize until now. I've thought about what you've said, about Mr. Potter, and I do believe I've been oblivious." After she ended her part in speaking she looked at him for just a second before moving forward and pressing her lips to his, holding them there.
O'Hara was stunned by the confession, and for some rather odd reason he was also stunned by the kiss. With his knowledge he wasn't sure if he should be kissing her before telling her, but he couldn't resist reciprocating it just for a moment. When he pulled back he looked at her as if that could possibly be the last time he'd ever be able to look at her in such a way. He swallowed heavily, still caressing her cheek, "There is something else I need to tell you..." Her brow slightly furrowed; and it pained him so much, the horrific thought of possibly losing her. "I... am... your father..."
It was out, and his heart sank at the sight of Stella's expression contorting into one of utter disbelief. She began to pull away and he desperately grabbed her wrist, pleading to her with his eyes for her to stay. But he knew he had to let her go, it wasn't right for him to be so selfish, so he released her wrist and stood. She backed away some more, staring at him in shock, but only for a moment before she went to him again, wrapping her arms around his waist and burying her face into his chest, crying.
"It's not right!" she started, "It's not right for life to make me fall for someone only for it to be a perversion."
He wrapped his arms around her in return, stroking her hair, "Sh... I know. It isn't fair."
She cried into him, getting as much comfort as she could from his warmth. She sighed, her fingers clutching the back of his shirt, "There's no going back. Would it really be so wrong if we moved forward?"
He looked down at her; though he had been hoping she'd say something along those lines he was surprised to actually be hearing it. He let out a relieved chuckle and brought a hand up to wipe away a few tears of his own that had fallen, "What's done is done, there's no reason we can't continue. I'd say our ignorance was our permission in the first place."
Stella looked up at him with a smile, glad that they both thought so, "I love you, and nothing can stand in the way of that."