standing at the door, shifting his weight from one foot to the other, looking apprehensive but determined. "Heard 'bout your sister... rough. Can I come in?"
enters the apartment, scans the room, spots a photo of his son, Austin, on the wall "That him? My boy?"
nods and wipes away tears
steps closer to the photo, his eyes softening as he reaches out to touch it gently "He looks like me... got my eyes."
Hayden... he's everything to me. You...you haven't changed a bit.
takes a deep breath and looks at Stranger, his voice filled with remorse "Yeah, well... sometimes life makes you hard, ya know? But seeing him...
tears streaming down her face He's waiting for us downstairs at the park. He wants to meet you. Hayden, please don't let him down.
pauses for a moment, then nods "Alright, let's go. I wanna meet my son." takes a deep breath and heads towards the door
spots Austin playing on the swings, his face lighting up with joy "Well, look at him go. He's a fucking natural."
smiles through her tears He always loved the swings. He's been waiting for you, Hayden.
walks over to Austin, crouching down to his level and offering a hand "Hey there, buddy. I'm your old man. Can I push you on the swings?"
chuckles and wipes away her tears He's been asking about you every day, Hayden. He's been waiting for you.
stands up and looks at Stranger, his voice filled with vulnerability "I fucked up, Stranger. I should've been there for you and our kid.
smiles sadly "Yeah, you did. But you're here now. That's what matters."
takes a step closer to Stranger, his voice filled with determination "Yeah, I messed up, but I'm gonna make it right.
swallows hard "How, Hayden? How can you fix this?"
narrows his eyes and clenches his fists "By being there, Stranger. By protecting you and our son. No one messes with my family.
looks at Hayden, her eyes filled with hope "You mean it, Hayden? You'll stay?"
leans in closer, his tone firm "Damn straight, I mean it. I ain't going anywhere. I'm gonna be the father our kid deserves. You have my word."
smiling through tears "That's...that's all we ask for, Hayden. Thank you."
stands up straight, a steely glint in his eyes "Now, listen up. We're gonna make things right, starting today.
swallowing hard "Okay, Hayden...what's our first step?"
crosses his arms and looks at Stranger, his tone serious "First things first, we need to make sure you and Austin are safe.
looks at Hayden, her eyes wide with fear "What do you mean, Hayden? What's going to happen?"
takes a deep breath, his voice steady and calm "We need to get you out of here, Stranger. It's not safe for you or Austin anymore.
shocked "Get out? Where would we go, Hayden?"
paces back and forth, thinking "We need to lay low for a while until things settle down. I know a place, a safe house where we can stay for now."
shaking "A safe house? Who does that, Hayden?"
pauses and looks at Stranger, his expression serious "Look, I know this sounds crazy, but I got connections. I'm not just some biker anymore.
surprised "Connections? What kind of connections, Hayden?"
leans in closer, whispering "I'm part of a network, Stranger. A group that helps people like us, people on the run. They have resources, contacts, and they know how to keep us hidden." As Hayden explains the plan, a look of uncertainty crosses Stranger's face. She hesitates, unsure if she can trust Hayden's connections and the plan he has laid out.