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"But you'll come home, right?"
Those words left Drake stunned, in one spot, for a few minutes. And Gosalyn, his baby girl, whispering those words, quite dispondendly, was not helpful, either.
Taking on the mantle of what his 'hero' left behind, drake knew,. He knew the risks he'd take, the struggles he'll face, the dangers, he'll come across, everything. But, at that moment, after adopting gosalyn, it sure was worth it.
He thought being a hero was the most toughest job to ever take, fighting bad guys, getting hurt, but he was wrong, seeing that little girl smile, he knew it was all worth it, in the end.
Seeing her, standing there, with a look that held fear, worry, and...dissapointment? He really can't be sure, what it was, though it still ached him.
"Gos…" He started, but sighed. He hoped her small nickname, at least, put her at ease, or, say something.
What *can* he say? That he'll get hurt? He wouldn't always come back? No, he knew those words would kill her, figurativley, of course, but still.
"Look, i get it." She spoke up. This made Drake look up.
"Your a hero, and heroes always save the day, fighting criminals, but….what if you don't come home? What if i….lose you? I can't lose, another…. Not again."
Hearing her usual spunky voice, vulnerable, made his chest twist, with guilt. Sometimes, he forgets that Gosalyn was once an orphan, right after her grandpa's demise.
He had no idea, what to say…perhaps, seeing her face looking at the window, hair blowing in the cold wind, concealing her broken tears, shedding from her eyes, dripping down to her face, looking so…..distraught?
Maybe she needed a moment alone. After all, he does, once in a while….right?
….
"And so, i dont know what to do…"
Drake was now at the table, having a videochat with his new friend, whom he met at Jim's sign-up. He got along well, with him, considering they are both fans of the same guy, Jim Starling.
After the meeting, they swap numbers, in case of emergencies…and now…..
It was….
"Hmm, sounds to me, that Gosy's still having trouble, adjusting to her new home." The older duck on the video, replied.
"Could be….or maybe, Darkwing Duck." Drake muttered.
"Huh?"
"Sorry, its just...the words she said, the way she said it, as if she think, that i'm going to leave her."
"Are you?"
"No," he shouted, louder than he should've done. "No, i mean, not on purpose. I mean, she knows i'm darkwing duck. She knows i'm out there fighting crimes and beating up bad guys, what i don't understand, is why?"
especially, when she knows i come back?
The man behind the phone hummed a bit, trying to decipher the question drake has been desperatly trying to work out. Until he snapped his fingers.
"Maybe, uh, wait…" he stopped.
"What?" Drake asked, in anticipation.
"Hmmm…" His friend didnt hear, as he continued to hum, in deep thought.
"Okay, now i know your doing that, on purpose." Drake deadpanned.
"Huh, oh sorry. Lost in thought." He rubbed his neck, embarrassed. "So, have you, uh, talked to her about this?"
"Yes…" Drake yelled, then faltered a bit. Did he?
"Hmm, not really buyin' it."
"Okay, so i haven't" drake gave in. "But what was i supposed to tell her? That i'll get hurt? That I'll never come back? That i'll… die?" He said the last word, as if it was sour to his mouth.
"No, no, just, try to help her see that, being a hero, isn't all bad, that there's a reason on why you do it, et cetera, and so-forth." His friend replied.
Drake thought a bit, what he meant by 'theres a reason on why you do it', until it all became clearer.
"I mean, there is a reason, right?" He asked, again.
Drake didnt need to think twice, this time. He knew it.
"I do, now. Thanks again, for the help, Launchpad."
"Anytime, Drake. Leave it to good ol' Launchpad, for help."
…
Heading towards the stairs, he saw gosalyn, sitting near the window, looking out into the night.
Her face looks pale in comparison of the moon, her eyes lost it's usual colour, spirit, and have been distant.
Drake knew. He must tell her.
He cleared his throat, getting his daughter's attention.
"Look, Gos…i know i haven't been clear to…what i'm doing.." He sighed, shuffling his feet on the carpet.
"I know."
This made Drake look up. He remembered her saying that before.
"What do you mean?"
Gosalyn sighed, slowly standing up, towards her father.
"I mean, i know what your trying to say. You save the world, stop the bad guys, it's all part of being a hero. But what i dont understand is….why?"
"Why?" He asked, confused.
"Why take extreme risks? Why go through them, jn the first place? I mean, isn't that the reason why we have authorities?" She asked, her teeth clenched in anger. But really, more of concern and fear.
"Because…" He said, slowly. "I….there is a reason why i'm doing this."
"Really? What's that? For glory? Self-Image? The SPOTLIGHT?"
"For you."
His sudden answer, made the kid jump. What? For her?
"W-what?"
Drake sighed, knowing the truth must come out. He gestured her to sit beside her, near the window. She did.
"Gos, i meant…i'm doing all this….for you." He smiled, gently taking a strand of her hair and gently placed it behind her face. She took her dad's hand, placing her small fingers, between his own.
"But...why?"
"Because.." He said, holding her tiny hand in his, and squeezed it. "All my life, i had nothing to risk for.…sure i had launchpad, at the time, but when…im doing this job, i…realised, i had no one. No one, to back me up, to fight for, to come home to. I was alone, with nothing but souvenirs, merchandise, posters, broken dreams…." He looked at his poster of darkwing duck, with a reminiscing look on his face.
He then placed his hand on his child's small face, brushing her hair. "Then, you, Gosalyn Mallard, came along. You bought me something that no one, not even Jim Starling, could ever give."
"And what's that?" She asked, eyes glistened with curiosity, that made Drake's heart melt.
"Love." He replied, instantly. "You, Gos, are my love, my life, and the sole reason why i took this job, seriously."
She giggled at his kiss on her forehead. "Dad." She snorted. "Don't make this so cheesy."
"I'm your father." He replied, smirking. "It's my right to make this cheesy. Speaking of which.…i'll be right back."
Gosalyn looked confused, when he took off. Minutes passed, he came back in, this time, with a guitar.
Gosalyn groaned at this, realising what's happening. oh, now he's gone too far. Though, secretly, she was curious.
He began to strum a few notes, and sang.
"Can't say how the days will unfold… Cant change, what the future will hold…"
He took her hand, pulling his daughter closer, as he continued.
"But i want you in it, every hour, every minute."
He picked her up, walking in the living room. She smiled, dancing with her dad, now in his arms. His voice was definitly her favourite, and its obviously relaxing her.
"This world can race by, far too fast. Hard to see, while its all flying past." He gently placed her on the sofa.
"But its clear now, with you standing here-"
"-im sitting." She giggled.
"Aaand, nice of you to ruin this moment, Gos." He joked. He cleared his throat, as he still continued, remembering his notes on the guitar.
"I am meant to be, wherever you are next to me."
She smiled, feeling the love from his voice, singing the next, that made her eyes shimmer with tears.
"All i want to do, is come running home to you, come running home to you…." He gently bent down, wiping her tears, with a warm smile on his face. She leaned in his hands, holding her wet cheeks.
"And all my life, i promise to, keep running home to you, keep running home….to you."
Though, the song was cheesy, it was helping her relax. The lyrics she heard from drake, she could feel it, with conviction. That she can trust his promise, to her. And she does.
She yelped as he suddely picked her up, leaving the guitar, on the sofa, still singing, spinning her around.
"And i could see it, right from the start, right from the start, That you would be, be my light in the dark, light in the dark.."
He sat her down on the ground, alongside him, placing her in his lap, playfully tapping the edge of her beak, as more tears trickled down her cheeks.
*"And you gave me no other choice, but to love you…"*
Drakes hands slipped down to her warm cheeks, leaning his head against hers.
"All i want to do….is come running home to you, come running home to you…."
He rocked her gently, as he swayed back and forth to the melody, leaving his hand on his daughter's face.
"And all my life, i promise to….keep running home to you…keep running home…home to you."
Drake gently picked her up, walking towards her room, up the stairs.
Now reaching it, he placed her the darkwing plush, he recently bought her. To remind her, he'll always be there, especially, in spirit. Or, in the shape of a teddy bear.
He stroked her cheek, singing the last notes.
"Can't say, how the days will unfold. Can't change what the future will hold."
He kissed her cheek, adding his own part to the song.
"Cause i got you in it, every hour, every….minute."
As he finished, she opened her eyes, smiling, wearily. "Do you promise?"
"As the song says, Gos….i promise. I'll always find my way home to you. I'll run a thousand miles, if it comes to it."
Gosalyn giggled. "That was cheesy….but….i like it." She yawned. "Love you…dad."
She was certain she saw her dad, crying. Tears are always the case. He quickly wiped them away, and said, in a shaky voice:
"I love you too, little girl blue. I always will." He kissed her forhead, and headed towards the door, seeing her sleeoing form, hugging the plush, close to her.
Smiling contently, he quietly shuts the door. Seeing the photo of him and gosalyn smiling, he knew. The love for her will always be the reason for him to come home.
And that's a promise.