[ For a second, he can hardly breathe, and then right away, he's hugging her back fiercely. It knocks her hat askew, which might be on any other day, a source of exasperation, but that hardly matters now when he's been worried sick about her. ]
Where else would I be but right here with you?
[ His words come out in a rush, both concerned and relieved at the same time. She would've been safer at home, he knows it, but they're better when they're together. Both of them. Phoenix leans back (but doesn't let go just yet) and takes a good, hard look at her to reassure himself that she's really here. ]
How long have you been here? [ He's hoping she says not long at all, because knowing that she'd been at home while he was here had been frustrating enough, but knowing that she'd been here too and he hadn't even known... ]
DAUGHTER
Where else would I be but right here with you?
[ His words come out in a rush, both concerned and relieved at the same time. She would've been safer at home, he knows it, but they're better when they're together. Both of them. Phoenix leans back (but doesn't let go just yet) and takes a good, hard look at her to reassure himself that she's really here. ]
How long have you been here? [ He's hoping she says not long at all, because knowing that she'd been at home while he was here had been frustrating enough, but knowing that she'd been here too and he hadn't even known... ]