𝐀𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝟑𝟎𝟖𝐁 | 𝐉𝐁 + 𝐀𝐆

"𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞."

❝and now that you don't have to be perfect, you can be good.❞

— john steinbeck

˚˙༓࿇༓˙˚˙༓࿇༓˙˚˙༓࿇༓˙˚

December 10th, 2000

WESLEY thanked the movers one last time before handing them their check and giving a small, yet forced smile just before escorting them out of his house.and shutting the door behind him while suddenly letting out a breath he didn't realize he was holding with his warm palms still pressed against the cool wooden door.

The silence of the house was slowly starting to consume him as he let his mind spiral with all the thoughts he's had for the past few weeks started to feel like they were going to make him crack right there in that moment -- but he couldn't -- no matter how bad he wanted to break down right there on the marble floor.

He had to be strong for Dakota.

Suddenly, as if on queue, Wesley heard the sound of a shuffling upstairs which made him snap out of his thoughts and crease his eyebrows and slowly headed for the black metal staircase just a few steps away and head toward Dakota's new bedroom where there was nothing but sheer lilac colored curtains up and boxes scattered across the room.

Wesley slowly opened her bedroom door a bit more and noticed Dakota was nowhere in sight which made him investigate the room more as he walked fully inside the room and noticed all her boxes were still closed and only one box was open causing him to look inside and let out a small sigh once he realized what the contents inside were: pictures of Dakota and her mother.

Wesley suddenly heard a low sniffle which made him quickly look toward the window and see Dakota's back facing him as she sat on the roof outside her window and looking straight ahead while still occasionally sniffling just as he stepped out into the cool air of New York.

"Hey...Kota bear, what're you doing out here? You'll get sick..."

Wesley drifted off his sentence once he noticed Dakota's face was red as a tomato and she was frowning with tear stained cheeks while her hands clutched a picture frame to her tiny chest which only made Wesley swallow hard as he remained silent and got himself comfortable on the roof with Dakota.

"I miss her too, Kota bear."

Dakota remained silent, the only audible sound she made was her whimpering while she clutched the picture tighter as if letting it go would mean that it disappeared forever which made Wesley swallow hard and hesitantly place his hand on Dakota's back and try to comfort her.

"I know the move from Alaska was hard, but...we needed a new start. You're going to love it here...your mother grew up in New York, yknow? I-I met her on a business trip--"

"--I want my mommy back!"

Dakota's sudden shriek was enough to make Wesley stop talking and rub his beard stubble on his face just as he felt the stinging sensation in the back of his eyes, Wesley usually wasn't one to cry in front of people, but in that moment he knew he needed to be here for his daughter.

Wesley wasted no time bringing Dakota's body close to his and letting her small and cold body absorb his large and warm one while he snuggled her close to his chest while she continued to cry which made him simply run his fingers through his hair to calm her down like he always did while they sat in silence.

After a few moments, Wesley peeled Dakota's body away from his and looked down at her and saw her tear stained cheeks were beginning to dry up -- but of course her grip on the picture frame was still like her life depended on it which made Wesley hesitantly reach for it and cause Dakota to slowly release it from her hold and let Wesley look.