"Did he cause these injuries?"
Emily nodded.
"He grabbed me when I tried to get Lucy away from him."
Bear's hands tightened.
He wanted to stand up and search the entire forest.
He wanted to find Travis.
But he forced himself to remain where he was.
Emily needed him.
Lucy needed him.
And the police would need accurate information.
"Did he follow you here?" Marcus asked.
Emily nodded again.
"He found our car on the road. I told Lucy to run into the woods while I tried to keep him away from her."
Bear looked at Lucy.
The little girl had moved closer to Marcus.
"Did he hurt you, sweetheart?" Bear asked.
Lucy shook her head.
"Mommy told me to hide."
Bear gently touched her shoulder.
"You did exactly what you needed to do. You were very brave."
Lucy looked at him.
"I was scared."
"I know."
"Are you scared?"
Bear thought about the question.
"Sometimes."
Lucy frowned.
"But you're big."
Bear smiled sadly.
"Being big doesn't mean you never get scared. It means you try to do the right thing even when you are."
The paramedics carefully prepared Emily for transport.
Before they lifted her onto the stretcher, she reached for Bear's hand.
"Will you come with us?"
Bear nodded immediately.
"I'm not going anywhere."
He turned to Marcus.
"Stay here with the others. Give the police everything they need."
Marcus nodded.
"Don't worry. We'll handle it."
Bear looked toward the road.
His motorcycle stood where he had left it.
For years, he had ridden through the countryside trying to escape the memories of his daughter.
Now, he was following an ambulance carrying her to a hospital.
And he was not going to let another day pass without telling her how much she meant to him.
Chapter 6: The Hospital Room
The hospital was nearly full when Emily arrived.
The medical team examined her injuries and ordered imaging to make sure she had not suffered internal damage.
Fortunately, although she was bruised and badly shaken, she had no life-threatening injuries.
Lucy sat in a chair beside the bed.
Bear stood near the window.
He had removed his leather vest and placed it over the back of a chair. Without it, he looked less like the intimidating biker people saw on the highway and more like an exhausted father who had just been given something precious back.
A nurse entered with a clipboard.
"Mr. Mercer?"
Bear turned.
"Yes?"
"Are you the patient's father?"
He nodded.
"Yes, ma'am."
The nurse smiled.
"Your daughter is going to be okay. The doctor will explain the next steps shortly."
Bear closed his eyes.
"Thank you."
When the nurse left, he looked toward Emily.
She was watching him.
"You still do that," she said.
"Do what?"
"Close your eyes when you're relieved."
Bear gave a small laugh.
"Some habits are hard to lose."
Emily shifted slightly.
"Sit down, Dad."
He pulled a chair beside her bed.
For a moment, they simply looked at one another.
Then Emily asked:
"Did you really keep the photograph?"
Bear frowned.
"Which photograph?"
"The one of me on your motorcycle."
He nodded.
"Of course."
"Where is it?"
"At home. On my bedside table."
Emily looked away.
"Even after all these years?"
"Every day."
She swallowed.
"I thought you had forgotten about me."
Bear leaned forward.
"Emily, listen to me. I made mistakes. I said things I should never have said. But I never forgot you."
She looked at him.
"Why didn't you find me?"
He took a long breath.
"I tried. I went to your old apartment. I called the numbers I had. I asked people who might have known where you were."
He paused.
"But I also convinced myself that you didn't want me in your life."
"I was angry."
"I know."
"I wanted you to understand how much you hurt me."
"I understand that now."
Emily's eyes filled with tears.
"I kept expecting you to call on my birthday."
Bear looked down.
"I didn't know where to send anything."
"You could have tried harder."
He nodded.
"You're right."
There was no excuse that could bring back the missed years.
No explanation that could replace the birthdays.
No apology that could make Lucy's first steps happen again in front of him.
Bear knew that.
"I can't give you those years back," he said. "I wish I could. I'd trade everything I own for one more afternoon with you when you were little."
Emily cried quietly.
Bear reached toward her hand but stopped.
He did not want to assume she was ready.
After a moment, Emily moved her hand toward his.
He took it gently.
"I don't expect you to forgive me tonight," he said. "I don't expect you to pretend nothing happened. I just want you to know that if you give me another chance, I'll spend the rest of my life proving that I deserve it."
Emily squeezed his hand.
"I don't know how to do this."
"Neither do I."
She gave a small, tired laugh.
"That's not very reassuring."
"It's the truth."
They both smiled.
For the first time, the silence between them did not feel like a wall.
It felt like a beginning.