Tony Karan finished the last few words on his hastily procured notepad, and looked at the hospital clock for what had to be the 95^th time since he had barged into the hospital hours ago, frantically changing into sterile clothing. And waiting. Waiting for the inevitable. Waiting for the words.

“Mr. Karan? She’ll see you now.”

Inside was a scene where frantic activity still lingered in the air. There was the smell of blood, of other things that he couldn’t identify, and didn’t have the mental facilities to even think about doing so at this point. There was only enough to see what had been the center of the frantic activity, her form, lying against the hospital bed, covered in sweat, and tears.

And the little baby girl who had just finished protesting its travels into a strange new world, murmuring softly as she nursed at her mother’s breast.

Tony thought of a million things he could say. That he wanted to say. That he NEEDED to say ... but in the end, it was two simple words “Hey babe.”

The barely no-longer-teenaged woman looked at him incredulously.

“You came.”

“Did you really think I wouldn’t now that I know everything?”

“But you should be in LA making a new life. I know you never wanted to be tied down here. That’s why I...”

“Did you really think that if I knew the truth, that I wouldn’t come back? Besides, we were both there when it started, so I had to be there when it ended. This little girl needs a mother and a father. Together ... We WILL make a world for her to grow up in. Grow strong in. Maybe she becomes as beautiful as her mother. But now that I know that you carried our baby inside of you for nine months, there’s no way in hell I would leave you behind.”

The tears started again.

“Yes, I knew that. That’s why I didn’t want to have you know. You could fly to LA, become a big time star, and someday I would be watching you on TV, turn to our daughter and said “That’s your daddy. I let him go because I knew he was going to be great and I didn’t want to limit him. I wanted him to be the biggest fish in the biggest pond imaginable.”

“Fuck that. Writing songs, recording them, all the crap that you have to do to make it big? They’re not the end. They’re the means to an end. The end that I truly desire is laying on a bed right in front of me. It’s you, and that baby girl on your chest. Everything else is noise. Thanks to decisions we can’t take back, I’ve missed being there for you throughout this. I won’t be party to missing anything more. So ... if I DO go back to LA, you’re coming with me.”

“but...”

“No buts, unless it’s your butt resting in bed. I know it’s a bit late now, but what is our daughter’s name?”

“I tried not to think about it, because it was so scary...”

“How about Dara?”

“Why?”

“Because it means a bit of knowledge, and I want you to remember this knowledge forever. I love you. I’m willing to give up anything for her, and for you. There is nothing more important then the two of you in my life.”

“I know that, now.”

“I’m pretty sure you knew already. That’s why I’m here.”