| " | \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRaymond pushed open the heavy barred door, squinting into the glare of late morning sun. He was finally out and it was a beautiful day to get his freedom back. A blur of motion start heading his way set his prison weary reflexes on edge before he managed to barely recognize who it was; With a shout of "DAD!!!", Talitha was rushing toward him in a gleeful sprint, arms spread wide for an impending hug. His daughter barely slowed as she collided with him and squeezed her father tightly, the first hug they'd shared in the 10 long, grueling years of his sentence. She'd grown so much and he hugged her back like she'd slip away forever, tear welling up in his eyes as she nuzzled under his chin "I missed you daddy!". He knew the police were watching and he didn't care because while Ray was happy to be free, that his daughter was there, happy to see him, forgiving him, finally hugging him again... That was what set his tears free. Ray never understood why Talitha hadn't ever cut him out of her life despite what he'd done to her. She should hate him, she shouldn't want anything to do with the likes of him, she should despise him as a monster for even existing. His mistakes were an incalculable cost on both their lives; so much time was lost, he'd missed so much of her kithood, of her growing up, of her life...... Yet, Talitha had constantly fought long and hard to stay as in contact with her father as the system would allow and now, she was welcoming him back into her world with literally open arms. Ray hugged her a little more tightly crying openly while re-enforcing his determination to try and set things right, to be better, and prove he was worthy of the faith his daughter put in him... The older raccoon knew he'd been given a precious gift, something that even he felt he didn't deserve; a second chance. There was no way he was going to waste it, this time he would do better. He had to. Not for himself; but for her. \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t | \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t