I'm Still Here: Finding Me

Opening her eyes she reacquainted herself with her surroundings; her head still resting against his shoulder as she looked down to check her watch. She had been asleep for almost thirty five minutes. Her eyes scanned the premise, then over to Larry who was holding a newspaper in his hands, reading adamantly.

She sat up; he turned the page, closed the newspaper back up and placed it on the empty chair beside him. "I'm hoping the sleep that you got was suitable?" He asked her; the sky had gotten lighter since she had fallen asleep.

Stretching she offered with a smirk, teasing lightly. "Not exactly what I'd like to call my kind of sleeping." Placing her hand on the back of her neck she worked out the kinks that she was feeling from laying at such an odd angle.

"Well it has been said that your own bed is the most comfortable." He pointed out, just as the announcement that they would begin loading the plane came overhead. With that they still had a few minutes to spare before getting on.

"I can see why." She responded understandably as she stood up. There was a line forming, tickets were being checked. It was only a matter of time that she saw herself being brought back to where she had first run from. She was going on that her father probably still lived in the same house, and she did manage to find out that he worked part time as a teacher in her old high school. And that might have been the last place she would have imagined him working.

"Something in particular you're thinking about?" He inquired, watching another person after person show their tickets, then disappear down the long hall towards the plane.

"That this is got to be the hardest thing that I've ever done." Her eyes drifted upon his for the conclusion, and she nodded. A few minutes silence, the line continued to grow then shortened again. Exhaling, she added. "I feel like I should be working on another case."

"You know that's quite understandable." He agreed, standing up, closing the distance between them. His hands were slightly in his pocket, "Entering the concerns of your heart is not an easy task." She exhaled in relief; he always knew how to calm her.

As if nothing else, before they knew it the next announcement came overhead for the next section to board the plane. The next time that announcement came overhead, it would be their turn.

She mustered another smile and hooked her hand around his as they moved to the window, their backs against the cool glass. "You know that's what I love about you." Beginning, he gazed at her with intentness—he had her in the palm of his hand. "You always seem to know just what I'm thinking." Searching her bright green eyes, he looked happily, almost taken aback.

He scrubbed his hand over his cheek, "As the same to you, sweet one." She loved his greeting, thought about it often. So much that they had stayed silent, as tiredness and trepidation waved over. And then as if like clockwork the final call for the last section was called. And it would nine hours that they would have to get there. This would be time for them to grow closer.

She wished that he would stay longer with her. Nine hours and a few days didn't seem long enough. But somehow he knew she would need time. Have that moral support he brought with him, and would leave in her heart as she conquered what would be her biggest undertaking of all.

Which lead her to ask, what would she see when she saw him? Her father. Somehow she felt like he had changed, when to her he hadn't really changed, even at the small glance that she had of him. Just the fact that he was teaching, brought her back to his lack of patience. The lack of patience he had for his family. Had for her.

As her ticket was handed back to her, she walked beside Larry as they made their way to the plane. Everything from standing in line to where she was now was headed in one big blur. Her thoughts returning as they made their way through the small aisle.

Her father had never been patient. So what had changed? Not like she had guessed that he would have stayed the same for this long. Although he was a stubborn man and probably still was, she wondered what he saw in her now. And she was only hours away from finding out.

Too long. At least it felt that way. By the time that they had reached New York, he would be long gone and back home. So the long awaited and somewhat anticipated reunion would have to wait until tomorrow. As she planned to make a visit to her old school. And him.