[b]Tyler - Baton Rouge/Apartment - Katie/Scarlett[/b]

Katie was apologizing, but Tyler would hear none of it. He spoke over her, not relenting until she stopped. "Stop," he said. "Stop. You didn't do anything wrong. None of this was your fault. Katelyn--" He moved his hands to her shoulders and gave them a gentle squeeze. "You're not dirty. Nothing... Nothing is wrong with you." It was true, really, as all the fault was on Tyler. If something was wrong with Katie, it was because of him.

After Scarlett answered, Tyler looked up at her and nodded. She was right, and Tyler knew he had to let his own daughter in on a few things as well. He couldn't possibly tell them everything-- No one had ever understood him, so he didn't dare believe anyone would start understanding him now-- but he had to come clean just a little. Just enough to make things clear. Taking his hands off Katie's shoulders and putting them to his side, Tyler let out a weary sigh. "There's a few things I have to tell you... Both of you." He stared at Katie, still kneeling in front of her. "That man-- Berk... I knew him once. I did some... very upsetting things that made him hate me. He must have been following us for a while now, waiting until..." Tyler paused to lick his lips. This was a delicate topic, and it was starting to make him sweat. "I'm sorry, Katie, but your daddy wasn't the nicest man a few months ago. I was actually a really bad man." He stood now and looked at Scarlett. "I led a group of dangerous people. I didn't approve of everything that was done, but I'd felt it was necessary at the time. I just wanted to protect Katie... make a place where she could be safe. After her mother and... and her brother--"

He had to stop for a moment; Had to gather himself. He brought a hand to his face and rubbed at tired eyes. "Those people are gone, but my actions had consequences. You were never the dirty one, Katie. It was always me." He cleared his throat, placing a hand behind him so that he could lean against the door of the bathroom. "I did it to protect you, but that wasn't right of me. You're everything, Katie. You mean absolutely everything to me. You're my hope, no one else. I was wrong to shelter you, so now I have to do the hardest thing I can imagine." Steeling himself, Tyler balled his hands into fists. It made him want to throw up all over again to even think of this, but it had to be done. He'd gone about this all wrong from the day it began. "You need to learn to survive, Katie. To protect yourself. To carry a gun and know how to shoot it."

He looked now at Scarlett, cautiously. He didn't know how she'd feel about all of this, especially concerning that last bit. "I trust [i]you[/i]. I need your help."