Homebound

Mistakes

Regret. Something Preston is all too familiar with. He's had many regrets in life, but it seems the biggest ones involve none other than the only love of his life.

Ana Hawkins

As the back door slams against the frame, something his mother would be whacking him with a wooden spoon for had she been in the kitchen when he did it, he can't shake the devastated look on Ana's face after the tongue lashing he gave her. He never meant to say those things, he didn't truly believe half of it, but ever since he lost his brother, he's felt completely lost himself.

Seeing Ana for the first time after five years sparked something in him that has been dead since the night he broke up with her. A night he made more than one life changing move.

"Daddy! There you are!" Barely a second after those words leave her mouth, Preston squats down as his arms are filled with almost forty pounds of pink, sugar scented, giggling little girl. 

Kissing the top of his daughters black curls, he asks, "Have you been loading up on sweets? You smell like four different types of desserts."

She just giggles more before sitting up to look innocently at him, "I just wanted to try a little of everything. I didn't eat it all!"

Preston raises a brow, "What did I tell you about taking more than you could eat and wasting?"

Angie's eyes go round as she defends herself, "But I didn't waste anything daddy, I gave it to Bucky!"

As if he were summoned, their gray pitt bull slowly makes his way toward them licking the evidence from his mouth. He then lays next to the pair of them and licks Angie's cheek before resting his head on his paws. 

Preston rubs his head and smiles. He's had Bucky since middle school when he and Ana found him as a pup left in a cardboard box behind their school. He's been Preston's protector ever since, and now is just as protective of Angie even if he is slowing down a bit. Probably doesn't help that Angie's always sharing her food with him. Bucky used to be very protective of another female Preston loves, but who knows if he even remembers her now.

That thought brings back the encounter of a few minutes ago causing him to wince.

Never one to miss a thing, Angie asks, "You ok daddy? Still sad about uncle D? Me too, but I know he's in heaven with mommy now. They'll be the best of friends!"

Preston vowed to never speak ill of his daughter's mother to her, or around her, but he secretly notes that Dayton will be anything but friends with that horrid woman. No one in his family ever got along with Tasha, she was hard to like with her entitled attitude and demanding ways. He'll never regret his daughter, she was the best thing to come from that toxic and lonely part of his life, but her mother will forever be one of the biggest mistakes Preston ever made.

Shaking his head, he clears it of those thoughts and replies, "I think you're right. Why don't you go tell grandma, grandpa, and aunt Lia goodbye. Bucky looks like he needs a nap."

She looks at a halfway comatose Bucky and giggles, a sound he'll never tire of hearing, then runs off to do as she's told. 

The screen door once again slams shut and Preston turns in time to catch his brother's wince and quick glance to see if their mom heard. Assured she didn't and isn't coming to attack him, Leighton turns a heated look Preston's way.

"I don't want to hear it Leight. I already know I messed up."

Leighton laughs with no humor, "Messed up? You think you messed up? Nope little brother. You fucked the hell up is what you did!"

"Leight…"

He doesn't let Preston get a word in, clearly having something to get off his chest. "Five years Preston. Five freaking years I've been without my best friend because of the stupid choices you made. I finally get her back, just when a lot of us here really need her, and you throw every single fear she's had over this situation in her face the first chance you get!"

Preston tries again, "I know…"

"You don't know shit Pres! You trying to make her leave your sorry ass again, cause that crap you just pulled out there would definitely do it. If we didn't just bury our brother today I would pull you out back and beat your ass!"

Never one to back down when one of his older brother's are challenging him, Preston taunts, "You could try."

Clearly at his limit, Leighton takes a menacing step forward, "Don't tempt me brother. The look you left on Ana's face and the tears she was crying are more than enough motivation for me to knock you the hell out!"

An intense stare down begins, both of them angry. Leighton for the way his brother treated Ana, and Preston for being called out on it even though he's just as angry at himself for the same reason as Leighton.

"Are you guys fighting?"

The tiny voice laced with worry has both men separating and Leighton rushing to assure Angie, "No sweetie, your dad and I are just talking."

His smart girl knows better and asks, "Then why were you yelling and saying bad words?"

Leighton and Preston share a look filled with question as to just how long she was standing there.

"And who did you make cry daddy? It's not nice to make someone cry." Angie scolds.

Clearly chastised, Preston once again squats down and rubs Angie's arms. "I know honey. It was an accident…"

Leighton snorts, showing what he thinks of Preston's choice of word but it's ignored. "...and it won't happen again."

Angie nods before saying, "You should say sorry. That will make it better."

If only it were as easy as that. Preston will have to say a lot more than sorry to fix what he did, but to his daughter he says, "Yeah baby girl, I'll do that."

Satisfied that she fixed the situation, Angie nods her head and let's them know grandma is waiting for them by the front door before waking Bucky and walking out of the kitchen.

Preston once again stands and faces his brother, "I'm going to fix it Leight. I promise I won't let her leave us again. I'm just not sure where to start."

Leighton stares at his younger brother for a minute before pulling him into a hug. He steps back but keeps his hands on Preston's shoulder as he says, "Start with the truth, Pres. It's where you should have started on graduation night."

He slaps his brother on the back, a little harder than was necessary but Preston takes it in stride. He already had his work cut out for him before Ana got here, now with this mess up it'll be ten times harder to gain any ground but Leighton is right.

Preston needs to start with the truth, no matter how painful that will be for the both of them.