Chapter 79 - Reconcilation

The rearview mirror reflected a man who was both trembling with nervousness and uncertainty. Dane watched as the hooded Jake with the same grey jacket bit on his nails like mad. All he could do was sigh watching his unfortunate struggles to calm himself down.

Dane had picked up Jake before his flight, out of his good guy conscience. That conscience was now not so sure he made the right choice as it seemed Jake would melt to a puddle of mess any second.

They both left the taxi cab and entered the airport together with Jake trailing behind him like some criminal on the loose. According to his sources, Clarissa Devonshire worked at XXX Flight and would be getting ready to depart an hour before Dane's own flight. He looked around and expectedly found the plane she was scheduled to be on.

He sighed as he realized that Jake hade stopped walking entirely, "What are you doing, getting cold feet now?"

Jake began to pull his hood over his face more than before, as if to completely shield himself from confronting any of his troubles.

"O-On second thought, I've changed my mind! She'll never accept this failure of a father. I'm better off dead in her eyes..."

It was beginning to seem like Dane owed some responsibility for thinking this man could even go through with redeeming himself. So, he dragged Jake by the hood and toward the plane. Yet, Jake kept resisting and ran off the other direction.

"Dad?"

Clarissa stood behind him just as Jake had turned around. He paused in horror and took a step back. Their fated reunion even surprised Dane himself as he had to let out an unknown breath. She slowly looked to Dane and then back to Jake, as a scowl upturned onto her face.

"...Clarissa. Please listen to me."

She began to turn and walk away the moment she heard him speak. Jake almost gave up but Dane pushed him forward with a hand, unable to watch such a pathetic scene unfold before him and do absolutely nothing.

Jake nodded to Dane as he leaped toward his daughter and grasped her from behind into a fatherly embrace. The hood of his jacket fell back and revealed a clean shaven face compared to nights before.

So, this failure of a father had somewhat tried to freshen up.

Her eyes widened as she took a deep shattering breath, "Let go of me."

"Hear me out for one minute. Clarissa, you don't need to forgive me! ...I know I've failed you as your father. I know that what happened between your mother and I was my fault. I know I've forgotten your birthday too many times to count. I know I never returned any of your calls. I know that I was never there when you were sick or were well enough to achieve great things. I know that if I let you go now, god...I'm afraid one day I'll never get to tell you that I love you before it's too late yet again. Clarissa..."

"Your one minute is up."

Jake's arms fell to his sides as he took a step back to remove himself from the fatherly embrace. Just as Dane had thought things were done for good, Clarissa turned around and lightly punched his chest.

Tears rained down from her eyes, "...You stupid failure of a father! I hate you for leaving mom and I behind but I hate even more that I still want to try and...love you."

It was almost endearing the way that Jake puzzlingly had to look over at Dane to confirm if what was happening, was truly real. Dane nodded as a form of farewell and turned to walk away from the father and daughter duo that brought light at the end of the tunnel. Before he turned, he saw Jake awkwardly pat his daughter's head.

"Please, let us start over. I promise to make more of an effort to be in your life."

"When's my birthday?"

"That's easy. August 26th."

"...Wrong. It's September 26th dad. Ugh actually, I was wrong to even consider taking you back in my life!"

"Wait! I'm..."

Her chuckle reached even Dane's ears as he kept walking away, "You were always forgetful. That last part was a joke. If you're really serious, then stop lurking behind the shadows and face me head on from now on..."

Dane smiled to himself, feeling some self satisfaction knowing he was able to help his late father's old friend. Surely, it would be something his father would have wanted him to do. He climbed the steps to the plane but paused in his steps when he heard Jake's voice.

"Dane!"

He turned, "What?"

What met him was determined eyes amidst a flashing bright smile.

"Thank you Dane!"

"No need to thank me, Jake. I didn't do anything. In fact, I was merely doing things for you both to my own benefit."

Jake's face grew startingly serious, resolved and determined than the Jake he was used to moments earlier. Watching him now, Dane thought that he could see what the former detective beside his own father looked like.

"I promise, when I'm done with things here I'll return to New Jersey and finish what your father started."

"That's a lot of talk for someone who almost ran away at the last second," he jokingly pointed out.

Jake was left pulling his hood over his head again.

"..I-I mean it and that back there, was an accident of sorts."

"I'll be looking forward to it. With or without your help however, I've already been planning to take justice into my own hands."

"You're not planning anything dangerous, are you? This...Wouldn't be what your father would have wanted."

Dane looked him dead in the eye, betraying no emotion. "This isn't about what my father would have wanted. This is about sweet cold revenge on my forsaken youth that won't dissolve until anyone who touched their deaths melt down to ashes before me."

"Dane, I'm sure it was hard but revenge, it isn't always the best answer. At the end, you won't feel satisfied. It won't bring them back."

"Don't you dare cross the line!" now he was baring the ugly emotions. "What right does a faiure of a father have to say about my affairs?"

He spoke the painful truth and watched Jake's face contort to wretched pain.

Dane's hand crept to his face to cover the ugly truths he spat out. He had to take deep breaths to stop baring emotions to this man who left his father to battle justice alone. Quickly this time, he turned around and began walking into the plane without pause.

"...Sorry. My emotions got the better of me. You can help me or go against me, there won't be no in between."

"You've never truly mourned, have you?" this question made his heart lurch but he continued on without looking back.

"I'll return and once I do, we can at least seek the truths together...That way, I can put an old friend's soul to rest."