The mail had just been dropped off at Muriel's apartment building. Looking through it she noticed a letter from her father. Her heart fluttered as she dearly missed him. She found the letter opener and she quickly slit it open, pulling the letter out she read intently.

Her lips curved into a smile, but quickly turned into a gasp. Her father was coming to visit and his arrival would be tomorrow! She had to prepare! Her room would be his, of course, and she would sleep on her sofa. That was the respectable thing to do for your parents. Her kitchen was a bit bare and she would need to stock up. Her father didn't say how long he would be staying, but she could always run and get more if needed. Muriel wanted to fix a few American meals she had learned for him.

Muriel made a few stops to get everything that she was looking for. She placed all the groceries away, swept, and placed his bath towels on her bed. She let out a soft sigh and rolled her shoulders back. The rest of her day would be spent checking over the numbers for the family business. Profits were up in all, but one of the shops. Muriel would deal with them later. Yet, at the moment she needed to try and get some sleep before the ship arrived in the morning.

Her alarm sounded and Muriel collected herself. She wore one of the more modern dresses for their time. Her hair had grown some since the incident with the group of local punks. Although, it was still far from her long, lusciously beautiful hair. Due to this she stuck to the "flapper" style for now.

The ship arrived and Muriel anxiously waited. Hundreds of people disembarked. She glanced around until she saw his familiar green eyes that could pierce any man's soul. Muriel rushed towards him and threw her arms around his neck. He embraced her for a moment, but then requested to be taken to her home immediately. Muriel's heart sunk. He was not here to see her. He was here for business.

She nodded and took him to her apartment. She showed him to her room and then went to the kitchen. He locked himself away in her room and didn't show his face until dinner. Muriel didn't give up on some hope that her father wanted to spend time with her. She prepared a splendid meal to which he only picked at. It wasn't long until he disappeared back into her room.

She wondered what business he had here. Why stay with her, but have nothing to do with her? Out of all the men in her life she looked up to her father the most. He was now breaking her heart.

The next day they ate breakfast in silence. The only noise that broke the tense air was the birds singing. Muriel didn't understand why her father was acting this way. He was a loving, fun, and caring papa when she was home in Scotland.

He stood up and turned to once again hide in her room, but Muriel could not take this treatment anymore.

"What is going on!?"

Muriel asked with her voice raising as she stood up to face him. He stopped in his tracks.

"I would happily tell my daughter, but you are not her."

His word stung, not his daughter? What did he mean?

"I am your daughter. I am Muriel!"

He refused to turn around. He refused to face her.

"You are no daughter of mine. Your hair is far from the long, moonlight, blonde locks she had. Your body is not soft and beautiful like hers. Your's is scarred. My daughter also knew her place. She would never stand up to me like she was an equal and question me. You are a disgrace to what my daughter was. No man would want you!"

He walked off and slammed the door behind him.

Muriel fell to the ground in tears. She felt ashamed of who she had become from just a few words.

The next couple days her father did his business here without her. He did not speak to her and only came out to eat. She found out he opened multiple accounts with the local banks. He was here to re-establish his footprint with the family business. Ever since the man she was to marry died her father held very little power here.

Muriel stood in the bathroom as her father's words replayed in her mind. While she washed herself she began to scrub intensely at the scar she received from the bullet that seared her. She knew scrubbing at it wouldn't make it go away, but she tried. She then tugged at her hair. She had lost most of it when her captives held her down and cut it.

Tears stained her face, but Muriel washed them away. Why was she shaming herself? She had fought to get where she was and who she had became. She was a strong woman who gained respect. Enough respect that gained her the title of Boss. Her father was only here for one more day. She wondered if the man she knew was still somewhere in there. She was going to try one more time.

As they sat down to eat the silence returned. His eyes stared down at his plate while they ate. Muriel took a deep breath and challenged him again.

"Father, you may not see me as your daughter, but I am. We have so much in common. I always looked up to you. I strove for your approval. I wanted to be just like you. Now I am."

Muriel paused to see if he was listening, he didn't look to be, but she continued anyways.

"Because I am a woman you don't see this. You place me in the role of a wife who is purely there to be pretty and serve. From watching you I was not raised to fit that role. If I was your son you would be proud of me. You would praise the work I've done. I worked my way up. I proved myself. I fought to rid my city and others of a nuisance. You would be proud if I was a son. Be the man you taught me to look for. The man who loves and cares. I'm sorry I was not born a man, but I am not sorry for becoming a splitting image of you. I will forge my own path with or without your approval, but know I became like this because I had a dad I wanted to be like."

After she finished she felt his hand on hers. His eyes stared into hers and he smiled.

"I am a fool. How could I ever expect my daughter to become a housewife when I raised her?"

Muriel felt her heart grow warm with joy. He held her hand and apologized. The rest of that evening they spent the time catching up.

When he left for home, Muriel felt some new pride in her. She was a strong woman in a man's world, where most women weren't even seen as anything close to equals. Taking a deep breath of the coastal air, she happily watched as the ship sailed off. She was proud of herself and her father was too.

Irina listened as the woman recounted her tale. She could relate to this young, strong woman in many ways. She gave the woman a moment before approaching her, placing a hand softly on her arm.

Thank you Muriel for sharing a part of yourself with us. I am very proud of you for taking a stand for yourself. For finding the strength within you to stand up for your beliefs and for following your heart. I am glad to hear that your father had a change of heart and can respect you for the life you have chosen. I look forward to seeing you grow in this life.

Irina smiled and then hugged Muriel before heading back to the HQ.

Upon hearing the story Muriel told, Redeemer was reduced to tears. His own daughter and wife were taken from him violently so he knew how she felt for that brief moment. But he was also proud of her for standing up and finding her voice.

"You have earned my respect. Cherish this moment my friend. My own daughter is....well that is another story for another time. But well done standing up for yourself. And it is wonderful that you and your father are doing well again."