It all happened so fast. She remembered hearing Aiden's voice through the phone and the fear she felt when her arm was nearly twisted by those men. Everything went black after that.

Clara woke up in what felt like a bed. Once she opened her eyes all the way, she took in her surroundings and realized she was no longer in that basement. She was in a small room and the walls were colored in black.

A familiar voice snaps her out of her thoughts. "Clara." She turns to see her father sitting in a chair beside the bed. "You're awake."

"Papa?"

A faint smile appears on his lips, but it only lasted for a few seconds before turning into a frown.

"Are you alright? Are you hurt?"

Concern was written all over his face, but Clara could also see sadness. Had he missed her?

"No, no I'm okay." She sat up from the bed and turned to face him. "If you're going to ask me to come back to the Black Dragon, the answer is no," she says coldly.

He frowns. "You don't have to worry about that. I'm not going to make you come back. I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

He looked so guilty, but he was trying to hold it back.

She sighs. "Why am I here? How did you find me?"

Her father exhales heavily, "Truth be told, when you left, I had my members search for you. When I finally found out where you were, I discovered you were being held by those damn fixers. So I sent my men in there to get you out. Are you sure you're not injured?"

His eyes were filled with worry. Clara went soft and placed her hand on top of his.

"I'm fine, Papa. Don't worry."

He lets out a momentary sigh of relief. "Okay, I just wanted to make sure. When you called and told me you were leaving the Black Dragon without warning, you completely caught me off guard. I tried to find you, but you were no where to be found. Later on though, I found out what happened to Shaun and his family," he frowns. "I'm sorry you had to witness that, Clara."

She grew sad at the thought of it and she sighs. "I try not to think about it."

They were silent for a few seconds before Alex spoke, "I've also discovered that you've been with that Pearce fellow." His brows furrowed.

"Papa, he's not the bad guy here," she explained.

"He put you in danger."

"Well so did you."

He paused. She must have struck a nerve. He sighs deeply.

"I know it was wrong of me to drag you into that mess, but I don't want to see you in further danger. You're still my daughter and I do care about you."

Clara sensed he was saying something else. It was like he was saying he wanted to take the chance to be her father again, but she knew she couldn't be by his side forever. She wanted to start something new with Aiden if they ever had the chance to be free from fixers, which meant leaving Chicago.

"I can't be here forever. You know that right?"

"I know. I won't make you stay here with me. You're an adult and you can look after yourself," he says sadly.

Clara sighs. "I'm also thinking about leaving Chicago...with Aiden."

His eyes widened. "What?"

And just then they hear the door open.

T-bone had traced Clara to an old warehouse at the wards. He and Aiden wasted no time heading there. Aiden was anxious throughout the entire ride. He didn't know what to expect. So many questions flooded through his mind. What happened to her? Who took her?

Aiden tried to think of who. His thoughts drifted to the business or gang she was involved in. What if they took her? Aiden didn't know if that was a good or bad thing.

He and T-bone arrived at the warehouse and they immediately saw two heavily tattooed men holding rifles in front of the building. Aiden and T-bone both agreed to take out each one. They both snuck behind each guard and tackled each one.

Once the guards were knocked out, Aiden and T-bone made their way inside the building. They were greeted by more tattooed guards who had their backs to them. Aiden noticed the tattoos were made up of dragons. This place had to be one of the Black Dragon hideouts.

Aiden and T-bone took the opportunity to take out each guard, but thet were spotted by one of them.

"Go find Clara. I've got you covered, amigo."

Aiden nods and heads the other direction. While looking around, he finds a hallway that lead to a single door. He loaded his pistol, preparing himself for any more guards. He cautiously opens the door and he wws greeted by a pistol aimed at him by a tall, intimidating looking man. Aiden saw Clara behind the man, looking shocked.

By instinct, Aiden aimed his own pistol at the man, who looked angry. Very angry.

"No, Papa!" Clara cried out.

That's when Aiden figured out that this man was indeed her father, Alexandre.

"You stay away from my daughter!" Alex warns.

Clara looked worried as hell. She didn't need Aiden and her father blowing each other to bits.

"Aiden, please lower your gun," she says softly.

Aiden saw the fear in her eyes and he lowered his gun without hesitance, but it didn't make Alex any less on edge. He still kept his gun pointed at Aiden.

"Papa, please don't shoot him," she pleaded, "He's on our side."

"Like hell he is!"

"Please drop your gun, you don't have to do this. He hasn't done anything wrong."

"He's a criminal," her father says while turning to her.

"You're practically a criminal too."

Alex frowns, but kept his gun raised and he turned his attention back to Aiden.

Clara sighs. "He's been helping me deal with serious issues. Ever since Shaun and his family passed away, I've been trying so hard to forget about it, but when I'm around him, he helps me forget. He...he makes me hapy."

Alex paused for a moment before turning to his daughter.

"Are you saying you're...in love with him?"

Clara didn't know how to answer that question. They had only been together simce yestwrday and she wasn't entirely sure if she was in love with him or not. Aiden was listening to their exchange and he wasn't even one hundred percent sure if he truly was in love with her, but he knew he had feelings for her.

"I...I don't know how to answer that."

"You said you were leaving the city with him. That means something."

"But that's not something to shoot him over!" Clara took a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself. "Please don't shoot him Papa," she repeated while looking up at him with pleading eyes. "We can talk about this."

Clara reached her hand out and placed it on her father's arm where he held the gun. He softened from her touch and slowly, but hesitantly lowered his gun. He sighs.

"Fine," he stares Aiden down. "We'll talk man to man."

His accent showed a hint of ferocity and Aiden was quick to pick up on it. Alex stood and began to approach him like a lion preying on a fox. Aiden didn't know her father, but he did his best to study his features his expressions, his movements, and reactions.

Clara grew anxious as she watched her father take slow yet cautious steps towards Aiden. There was no telling what he would do. Once Alex got close enough to Aiden, he gave him a cold glare. He kept his broad shoulders straight in order to achieve an intmidating look and Aiden quickly caught on.

"Why are you so interested in my daughter?" Suspicion was clear all over his face. "And what wxactly do you plan to do with her once you two leave the city together?"

Aiden wasn't sure how to respond. This was first time meeting a family member of her's and one wrong move could lead him to his grave.

"Papa, just relax," they both heard Clara get up.

Alex immediately turned to Clara with a worried look. "Clara, please lie back down. You need to rest."

"I told you that I'm fine." She made her way over to them and stepped between them. "Aiden, I'm sorry about him. I'm sure you know already that he's my father." She knew she had a lot to explain to him. "Aiden...I-"

"It's okay," he answered, I already know everything."

Clara was about to ask how he knew, but her question was answered once he pulled out her journal and handed it to her.

"Oh," she muttered before taking it and flipping through it.

"Are you okay? What happened?" Aiden grew concerned.

She sighs, "Those men nearly broke my arm," she frowns while she gently rubbed it. "But I'm alright."

"Clara, when I heard you scream, I thought...I thought I was about to lose you," he frowns. It wasn't normal for him to be like this. What he felt for her was special and Alex saw it in him.

Clara instinctively wraps her arms around him and they held each other tightly. Alex only watched as they pulled away and shared a long, passionate kiss. He could tell Aiden really cared Clara and he almost felt bad about pointing a gun at him, but he was still a little skeptical.

Clara and Aiden were aware that Alex was still standing there and Clara broke the kiss before turning to face him.

"Papa, just let me work things out with Aiden. We're not entirely sure if we're leaving Chicago or not, so please don't freak out."

He didn't know how, but the way Clara and Aiden held each other reminded Alex of the times he spent with Susan, Clara's mother.

Alex was lost in thought for a moment before he finally spoke. "Clara...I know you're not a child anymore and I do trust you in making the right decisions, but please let me know if you two do plan on going anywhere away from here."

Clara grew confused. He went from angry to calm all of the sudden.

"What are you saying, Papa?"

"I'm saying...you're free to be with him, but if you two plan on...leaving, you have to let me know first."

"Why? So you can scold the two of us?" She asked sarcastically.

"No, I want you to let me know because I'm your father and I deserve to know where you are."

There was a hint of stress in his voice, and Clara knew he was worried about her leaving. She placed a hand on his shoulder

"Listen, I understand you want what's best for me, I mean that's your job as a parent; to worry for your child. But you can't just go from pointing a gun at my...well, boyfriend, to being calm."

Aiden could feel his lips quirk up into a smile upon hearing the boyfriend part, but his small smile quickly disappeared. He was proud to hear that he was her boyfriend.

"How do you truly feel about this?"

He sighed and looked away for a moment. How could he cope with his daughter leaving, let alone being with Aiden Pearce; the man who he had hated for years? He'd have to realize that his daughter was a full grown woman and she was able to make her own choices.

"Honestly, I'm unsure about all of this, but really this is about what yiu want, not me. Although, I don't necessarily approve of you being with him, if he makes you happy, then I will try my best to work things out with him. Just please don't forget about your old man."

This made Clara feel bad about her father.

"Papa," she took a few steps closer to him, "I could never forget you even if I tried. You're my father and...I love you with all my heart."

She felt sad all of the sudden. Sad enough to cry. She felt tears begging to push through and eventually she gave in. Tears began to form in her eyes and before she knew it, she was in her father's arms, crying against his shoulder.

"Clara," he cradled her, "My little girl, please don't cry. I'm so sorry I dragged you into all of this. I'll make this right for you. I promise." He began to rub her back, and Clara started to calm down.

"It's okay. You don't have to blame yourself anymore," she says between sniffles. "It's all in the past now and I know that you did all of this to honor mother. You got so caught up in the business that you...nearly forgot about yourself."

"No, I was too selfish to realize that the real person I was forgetting about was you. I never stopped to see how you were doing. I want to change that."

"You can, Papa. Just...give me time to talk with Aiden, please."

Clara wiped her tears away. She felt a little better after crying. She has held back so much and she felt like she could let it all out in her father's arms.

"I won't keep you here any longer," he says while pulling away.

Alex knew what he was agreeing to and he didn't want to stop her from being happy.

"Are you sure about this?"

"I've...never been more sure of anything in my entire life. Go on."

It took Clara a moment to process what he just told her, but she nods.

"I will keep in contact with you."

"You better," he gave a fake glare, but Clara could see a smirk appear on his lips.

She turns back to Aiden and gives him a reassuring smile. She takes a deep breath. "Alright, Aiden, let's go."

Aiden furrowed his brows and leaned close to her. In a hushed voice he asked, "Are you sure? I don't want to pull you away from your family."

"Don't worry, you're not. Besides you and I need to talk things through anyway."

Aiden was silent for a moment before replying, "Okay."

Clara took one last glance at her father for approval. He gave her a reassuring smile as if he was telling her to go on. Before they knew it, Clara and Aiden were out of there.

"Hey, you found her!" They heard an all too familiar voice behind them.

They both turned to see Ray heading towards them.

"Clara," he saw her and cleared his throat, "You okay?"

"Yeah," she nods.

It felt strange talking to him again, especially under different circumstances.

"Alright, let's get out of here, and I also want an explanation for what's goin' on," Ray said.

They made their way out while passing several Black Dragon members lying unconscious on the floor. Once they got outside, Clara took in the fresh air. She had been trapped in that basement for hours, so it was nice to finally be outside again.

As expected, she began to apologize to T-bone for having him dragged into another mess.

"Hey, don't worry about it," he reassures her. "It ain't no mojo shit I haven't been dragged into before." He looked pointedly at Aiden.

Clara couldn't help but laugh a little. It reminded her of old times with them at the bunker before things went to shit. Soon they were out of there.