The Boat [Closed to Robert]

[abster]

Pushing her phone in her pocket, Abby looked at the connection between boat and dock before making a face. Yeah, it hadn't been quite so bad when her dad- when her father was carrying her but now looking at it was making her feel uneasy. Like it could fall through into the water and then she'd be drowning again. Or Gabby would try and save her and that would be embarrassing as hell.

"Where are we going?" Gabby asked, tugging on her hand. Taking a breath, she let Gabby lead the way up to the deck of their dad's ship. She'd totally meant to tell her before now but then she just- she couldn't. He was right about some things. "Whose boat is this? It's so big, do you think it sails on the ocean? I bet it's been to India or China or- or Texas."

"Uh, I don't think it's gone to Texas somehow. And we're here to see someone... special, okay? So, be on your best behaviour and don't- don't be disappointed if... if he's not like the stories." Abigail muttered, brushing Gabby's hair back before knocking on one of the doors before entering. "Uh, hey? Hello, we're um here."

Comments

[scaledtokill]

Robert refused to admit that he was nervous. With how many children he had, you would think that he'd get used to this sort of thing but for some reason this was different. Gabby knew about him, she knew about him and thought the world about him and that hadn't happened in a long time. Not since Corry was a little girl and to a much lesser extent, with April. Robert liked to think that he was a different person now, maybe a slightly better one, and in light of recent understandings he maybe had a chance to do something good here.

The problem was, Robert didn't know if he was up to it. Oh, he could fake it for sure. He could play the role of a loving and attentive father, but to actually be genuine? He wasn't so sure. Not only that, if he was truly honest, he wasn't sure if he wanted to.

Rachel had informed him that she and Gabby were coming for the holiday. Of course, she had informed him just before they boarded the plane, but he appreciated the heads-up all the same. The fact that she wasn't doing so well scared him. While he couldn't say that he ever loved her, she was a good mother and Abigail and Gabrielle deserved a lot more years with her. Years they might not get.

When there was a knock at the door, Robert took a deep breath and opened the door, smiling. Gabby was every bit as adorable as her sister was grumpy. Which was a lot.

"Hello, Abigail. Hello, Gabby. It's nice to finally meet you."

[abster]

"This is-" Abigail began as Gabby let out an excited squeal of 'Daddy' before she threw herself at Robert. Abigail rolled her eyes, folding her hands across her chest as Gabby hugged their dad. "-our dad."

"Hi! You have whiskers!" Gabby said, stretching her hands up for him to pick her up. She was getting too big for it really, well for their mom and Abigail but their dad was certainly bigger.

[scaledtokill]

It had been a long, long time since one of his daughters had run to him like that for a hug but he found that the instinct to reach down and pick Gabby up was an easy one to give in to. She was tall for her age but he still hefted her relatively easily.

"Hello, princess," he said, his voice surprisingly soft as she scratched at the beard on his face. "And I do have whiskers. I think they make me look rather scruffy, what do you think?"

[abster]

"Mmmm..." Gabby began, reaching out to touch his face. Rubbing her hand against the scruffy beard she giggled before hugging him as much as she could. "... yes but that's okay. Flynn Rider has whiskers too and Rapunzel still loves him."

Abigail pressed her lips together, sliding into a seat and looking more and more like the sullen teen she pretended not to be.

[scaledtokill]

Robert glanced over to see Abigail looking... well, kind of like she normally looked which wasn't necessarily a good thing. Shifting Gabby a bit to once side he pulled back so that he could look at her. She looked so much like their mother, with large gorgeous eyes and a kind expression.

"I think your sister is jealous we're not sharing our hugs though. Doesn't shee look like she wants to hug us?"

[abster]

"Abby loves hugs, she hugs me all the time but only when no one's looking. Not mom or Sam or anyone," Gabby said, singing Sam's name before she reached out and made grabby hands at her sister.

"You're the worst," Abigail muttered, not clarifying if she meant Robert or her sister. Standing up she rolled her eyes before tentatively wrapping an arm around her dad but more warmly wrapping one round Gabby.

[scaledtokill]

Robert hugged Abigail close, even if she didn't want it, because it wasn't like she could hate him anymore, right? Besides, he had to admit that this was... nice. Not that he would admit it to anyone else, but he could at least admit it to himself.

"She gave me a hug once," Robert said. "It was fast but it was a good hug."

[abster]

"Yeah, that's your yearly amount so don't get used to it." Abigail muttered. Not admitting that it was kind of nice to be hugged by her dad. She didn't know why she was doing this, he was only going to end up hurting Gabby like he'd hurt her.

Making a face at Gabby, Abigail turned and blew a raspberry on her sister's arm making her squeak and giggle. Slipping out of their hug, she brushed her hair back and smiled at her sister.

"She hugs Sam all the time, one time she and him were in the back of the car and-" Gabby began trying to figure out the words as Abigail's eyes went wide.

"No one needs to hear about that, you are such a blabbermouth." Abigail muttered. "Why don't you tell... dad about your swimming lessons or horse riding."

"I'm the best in my class! Abby can't swim at all, she has to wear a silly uh blow up thing. It's funny."

[scaledtokill]

Robert arched an eyebrow at Abigail as Gabby started to explain just what it was she and Sam were doing in the back of the car. He knew that Sam was her good friend back home, but apparently he was more than just a good friend. That did things in the back of cars with Abigail when her sister could see.

"I know she's terrible at swimming," Robert said as he lead the girls into the boat. "Some bad kids threw her off a bridge and I had to rescue her. I bet you're the best though. Can you make your scales show up yet?"

[abster]

"We weren't doing anything," Abigail muttered as her dad arched his eyebrow at her. Well, they'd been doing something but all their clothes had (thankfully) been on and someone was not supposed to be home at all. "And I'm not terrible, I just chose not to do it."

"You never said that!" Gabby said, still quite happy to stay where she was in her dad's arms. She had always known he was a Prince and from the look on Gabby's face, the boat just kind of proved it. "Ahuh, turqoise! Like Ariel. And shimmery. I like the shimmery bits. Abby never lets me see hers... do you have scales?"

[scaledtokill]

Robert didn't believe for a moment that they weren't doing anything, but he was the last person to criticize anyone for having sex as long as it was consensual. He was also willing to bed that she was careful about it as well. Robert's own life was a testament to why that was important, it made a very good object lesson.

"If Abigail doesn't want to show you her scales, that's her business. Some people like to keep those things private," Robert told Gabby. It still felt a bit like he was playing at being family, but it certainly wasn't unpleasant. He could offer some generic guidance, couldn't he? "And I do have scales, watch."

Robert shifted easily, even as he held her. His scales were less like a fish and more pebbled, like a reptile. They were dark grey, almost black and his eyes flashed and glowed red.

[abster]

Gabby didn't care if they were playing family, that Abigail looked as uncomfortable as a cat in water. Her daddy was there and that meant everything to her- reaching out to touch his face, she laughed as she squeezed his nose.

"But daddy..." Gabby said, making a face at him as if she could charm him into doing exactly what she wanted to. "... I really, really, really want to see. And I cleaned up my bedroom and everything and Abigail promised."

Abigail swore when her dad shifted, more reptile and dark than either Gabrielle's bright scales or her own which she knew she had and ignored (which were a pale grey, so pale she looked like she'd disappear in deep water if she were ever inclined to swim in them.)

"That's... different. Can I expect her to do that?" Abigail asked, looking at her dad worriedly. More thinking about if she would end up doing something like that. She was never going in the water again. Ever.

[scaledtokill]

"Well, if Abigail promised then she certainly should follow through on her promises. Because that would be setting a very bad example, wouldn't it?"

He'd only known Gabby for a few minutes but she was absolutely precious and was so happy to see him it made his heart ache. She reminded him a lot of Corry when she was younger and he couldn't help but think of how he had turned that bright, happy girl into something else. The same with Abigail from what he remembered from eight years ago. April, Grace... had he really been so horrible to all of them?

"And they won't necessarily glow red. Lara, the Matriarch here, has golden eyes, which look much less sinister, I promise."

[abster]

Abigail made a face at her dad when he said that, giving him a 'Oh really' look before levelling one at her tell-tale sister. As far as she was concerned right now they were both the worst.

"I never promised anything so don't tell fibs. And yeah, it probably would be a bad example, right... Jack?" Abigail asked, looking at him pointedly. He was the biggest hypocrite ever. Worst person. "I've met her, she said she knew I was yours. Said I radiated the same power or something."

[scaledtokill]

"Someone has to set a good example for her," Robert pointed out and he doubted that it would be him. Maybe he could manage to not be a bad example though? That was probably the best that he could hope for, really.

"And yes, that's your magic, or your siren's song. It's a bit like DNA, you can trace familial lines through it."