♫

❝ hey , you  ❞ the familiar face was always a welcomed one, and the offer of food made it twice a blessing.  ❝ oh , yes , i’m starved.  ❞ plus it seemed as if her appetite has been endless lately, plucking the appetizer from the plate she put it to her lips and took a bite. chewing and swallowing it down ,  ❝ the food always makes these parties worth it.  ❞ she grinned softly.  ❝ how’s your valentine’s day going ?? ❞

“I own something that isn’t leather after all.” Jason joke a little, putting his drink down on the table. He has always liked dressing nicely, but he doesn’t wear a tie that often, but it was comfortable nonetheless. “Thank you. I like your dress.” He compliments, implying in his words that it was good to see her too. “I’m hanging in there, everyday is different. How have you been?”

“Oh man, and I was hiding it so well.” Roy says with a soft chuckle as he slumps down beside Dinah. Lian’s nearby playing with a new friend - Roy made her promise she’d stay where he could see her, and she seemed more than happy with that. “Do I? Jay helped me get something together, so I kinda figured I couldn’t go wrong.” He laughs softly and takes a sip of his water. “I’m doing okay, I think. You having a good time?”

She’s okay. She’s okay. Roy breathes a very long sigh of relief at Dinah’s words, nodding his head as he repeats them in his mind over and over. She’s okay, she’s alright - of course she is, it’s Dinah, she would’ve taken care of Lian better than Roy could’ve ever hoped. Roy knows that, he could never doubt that but - god, knowing she’s alright, hearing those words, it’s amazing to have that confirmation, to know his daughter is alright.

He follows Dinah through the place, making a beeline for the room she’s directing him to but before he can even reach for the handle the door flings open - Lian must have heard his voice or just happened to want to come out for something, but Roy doesn’t care why she’s here, only that she’s here. She’s here, staring up at him with wide eyes, and - god, she’s grown, of course she has, she’s not the sweet little four year old with her hair in pigtails and a smile on her face that could light up the world. “…Daddy?” She asks quietly and her voice is a little different but it’s still her, it’s still Lian’s voice and Roy all but breaks on the spot. She’s grown, she’s older, she’s - she’s still got that light in her eyes but it’s.. different, there’s something else there. Something a little sad, a little hard at living the past three years without him, and it breaks Roy’s heart to see it.

“Sweetheart -” He mumbles, rushing forward to scoop her up in his arms and he feels the tears in his eyes, feels them burning, feels his hands shaking as he squeezes his daughter a little too tight but he doesn’t care, not after three years without her. And she might be bigger but she still fits so perfectly in his arms, fits right here with him just as she always has, and for the first time in three years Roy finally, finally, finally feels some sense of peace. “I’m here, daddy’s here it’s all okay, I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry I left you honey, it’s all gonna be okay.” He tells her softly, over and over again as he holds his daughter, assuring her that everything’s going to be okay - and it will. Now that he has her back, it’s going to be okay. It has to be.

Still holding Lian, he turns just enough to look up at Dinah, eyes shining with tears. “Thank you, Dinah - thank you, for taking care of her. You have no idea - thank you.”

dinah walks in the direction of lian’s room, with roy trailing close behind. there’s a lot going through her head, but, above all, she just hopes that this reunion goes well, for both of their sakes. they move across her apartment quickly, which is no surprise. when they reach the door of the room, she steps aside quickly, so that roy can be the one to enter. but, it even startles her a little bit    just because she, and the other two she guesses might be as well, is so on edge. she watches as lian looks out from the doorway, and her heart swells. it’s out of sadness    for the years lost between the two of them    and out of joy, for, contrarily, seeing them together again.

she doesn’t know if she was afraid that the young girl wouldn’t    it was a fleeting, irrational worry now that she thinks about it    but dinah’s overcome with emotion as lian willingly goes into roy’s arms and she watches it all play out before her eyes. she takes a step or two back, leans against the walls of her hallway. her thoughts all over the place, but, she supposes that in all of the chaos, turmoil and heartache that the world has been encased over the past few years, at least moments like these are happening now. it didn’t change how hard things had been for anyone, but at least roy and lian had this, in the now.

It’s a huge relief when the door swings open to reveal Dinah, the tightness in Roy’s chest beginning to loosen and fade away bit by bit at knowing she’s here, she’s safe, she’s alive. God knows he has a long ass list of people he needs to check in with but Dinah is very much near the top of that list, so seeing her definitely offers him a sense of calm. Just a little one.

“I’m fine, m’just fine.” He answers immediately, offering her the most convincing smile he can manage as he pulls her in for a hug. It’s - it’s good to see her, it’s good to see someone he can trust after years of absolute hell, and while she may not have expected a hug he definitely doesn’t regret it. “Where is she, Dinah?” He asks, his smile fading a little as he pulls back to meet her eyes. It’s not that he’s not glad to see her of course, and Roy knows they have a lot they need to catch up on all things considered - but it shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone that Lian is his first priority. “Where’s my daughter?”

dinah flicks the lock on the door as he steps inside, and immediately returns his hug. still confused but calmer a moment later, she takes a step back, looking him over because, despite his words, she’s still concerned for him, too. she swallows, arms falling to her sides as he speaks again. no, it’s certainly not a surprise that lian is his priority here. 

“Do you think you can go over that ONE more time?”

“yeah, i am definitely listening,” nodding her head as she didn’t look up from her laptop, completely obvious that barbara was not listening.