"No Apologies"
Laurel walked in the bay door into the main squad. Pride looked up when he heard footsteps. "Hey," he said, quietly. He stood up and pulled out a chair.
"Hey, yourself," Laurel said, plopping down in the chair.
Pride took his seat again. "I know you're still angry with me, but I figured you had enough time to cool off so we can talk."
Laurel shook her head. "I'm not angry. Hurt, maybe. But I know why you got upset."
"You and I have always been able to share things with each other. The drama surrounding my dad is something I managed to shelter you and your mom from for a while. I'm sorry you got dragged into it this way."
"I wasn't dragged, Daddy. I went looking for him. Not the other way around."
"But the way I reacted was wrong."
"I won't argue with you there."
"Maybe I was just as hurt you didn't come to me."
Laurel smiled. "You know, it reminded me of when I was in high school. You would always end your lecture with 'Am I making myself clear?' and then you'd stare at me with your steel eyes until I answered you. 'Yes, sir.' "
"It was effective."
"And if I had done something wrong I wouldn't have reacted the way I did. I'm not a little kid anymore, Daddy."
"But you're always going to be my little girl." Pride stared into her eyes. "Can you forgive me?"
"I can," Laurel said. "I'm not sure I'm ready to, just yet."
"I deserve that."
"Are you going to change your mind?"
"I don't know yet," Pride said shaking his head. "There's so much more to the story you need to know."
"Why don't you tell me?"
"It would take a long time. If I didn't change my mind, would it stop you?"
Laurel shook her head. "I don't want to go behind your back, Daddy, but I've already done it. I reached out to him. I can't just stop now."
Pride stood and grabbed his jacket. "Let's go for a ride. I'll tell you a little story on the way."