THE RECKONING '.'.'. bradley "rooster" bradshaw

5

"I'm gonna hold you forever, the wind will never change on us, as long as we stay here together. Then it will always be like this." I just hold her there until the stars come out. I pretend that the stars shine just for her and that her heart beats just for me. For I know that mine only beats because of her.

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Present

I feel my fist-ball at the memories, the feelings from that night, god I hate myself for that. I take off my shoes and walk along the beach the sun is fully set now revealing the stars that cover the sky. I look the other way to the town, the lights in houses showing contrast to the stars with different colors and shapes. I look down the beach noticing something off. There is one person still on the beach. looking out to the ocean with a large bottle next to her.

I walk over closer to see if I can tell if she is ok, and of course out of anyone it has to be the one and only Invert. Her eyes are bloodshot, probably because of the half-empty tequila bottle sitting next to her. goddamit.

I walk over to her, and as she sees me I see her roll her eyes and start to get up, taking her bottle with her. She stumbles clearly drunk trying to walk away.

"Good luck with that, Penny's house is over three miles away, you will not make it off this beach at your rate."

I see her turn around to glare at me before slurring, "I came here to get away from you, why do you always have to keep coming back." I just stare at her debating if I should just walk away. The decision is made for me though as her legs give out and she falls to the ground. I run over to her tapping the side of her face a couple of times to get her to wake up, which she eventually does.

She looks at me before looking up to the start, "Are you proud of yourself, you made me drink." I roll my eyes at her before picking her up and carrying her to my car. The car ride is silent Ana just looks out the window, going in and out of sleep. Once we get to Penny's I carry her in and take her up to her room, it's past twelve so nobody is up. I lay her on her bed, on her side before looking at her for a second. She had already fallen asleep as I carried her up here, the alcohol finally taking its toll. Her room Is covered in pictures, small polaroids, mainly of her and her dad, and some of Phoenix and Hangman during Top Gun. I'm about to leave before I see a picture on her nightstand, it's of Ana and me standing side by side smiling at each other while high-fiving. It was taken after a successful mission while we were doing our stupid celebration. Sometimes I miss those days. I look back to Ana who is asleep on the bed and throw a blanket over her.

"Eight years Bradley."

Maverick p.o.v

I stand in the doorway looking at Bradley who was standing at her bedside. I cross my arms in front of me before starting again. "Eight years she waited for you to come back." His face is written with hatred staring me down. "I saw her after you left, she used to sit by her phone on her bed, and every time she got a notification she would smile and pick up her phone hoping it was you, but it never was. It got to the point that every time she got a notification she would just cry because she knew it wasn't ever going to be you. " Bradley just stared at me before talking.

"She made her choice, she lives with the consequences." I feel anger bubble up my throat, but I push it down again.

"She can't even say your name anymore, have you noticed that? She only calls you Rooster-"

"It's pathetic." Bradley bites back, as he tries to walk out of the room. I block him with my arm keeping him from leaving,

"No. My daughter is not pathetic because she did something that is worth more than you could ever do, she forgave you. I saw her broken because of you and she picked herself up and forgave you, Bradley. When you can't even forgive the girl that was always there for you."

I let Bradley walk past me before he turns around to face me again. "She might have forgiven me, but she still hates me, and I hate her, she was never my friend. Never will be." Bradley doesn't look at me as he walks down the steps and reaches the front door.

"She never took off the necklace Bradley, you might not want to admit it but you and I both know she meant something to you, and you meant everything to her."

Bradley walks out the door not turning around to look back at me. I walk upstairs to Ana and put a thing of Advil next to her bed and leave a note.

"For the hangover - dad"

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A-N

sooooooo that was fun, first Bradley pov I hope you liked it :)

Also, school just started so wish me luck

- Sammi