Daughter AU - Reset

[troublewillfindme]

She prides herself on taking after her family: guns, coffee, and space magic. She is her father’s daughter, above all else, and it’s a fact she takes no small amount of comfort it.

Except for the part where she’s never managed to hold her anger in the face of a genuine apology. 

Besides, Bradford reminds her uncomfortably of a kicked puppy every time he sees her.

He looks shocked when she slides into the seat next to him at the bar.

“I didn’t think you drank,” he offers tentatively.

“I don’t, but I wanted to talk to you. Took a guess this was where you’d be.”

“That predictable?”

“It’s not that big a ship but … yeah,” she nods. “I had twenty years of data to go on, though, which is practically cheating. Everyone’s predictable after that much time.”

He winces, but makes no motion to get up.

“With Dad back and everything, I’ve had some time to think. I mean, time was never the issue but…”

“But it’s different with him here.”

She nods. “Yeah … It’s … Exactly.” She pushes a strand of hair behind her ear. “We didn’t have the best introduction. And I’d rather un-fuck that sooner rather than later for everyone’s sake.”

“Not your job to un-fuck.”

“It kind of is. Look, you aren’t what I expected. I was so angry at you for so long that I just …” She trails off, shaking her head. “Losing Dad was hard. I couldn’t imagine that anyone felt it like Jack and I did. So, we watched everything that happened and I just took it all as proof that I was right, that of course, you didn’t really care. Which was bullshit.”

“I was never supposed to have a family, you know? There’s no record of my birth parents’ names in their medical histories. No one could ever find anything. And then Dad quite literally just … showed up. And after a minute of obvious panic decided ‘Yeah, mine now.’ Just like that,” she snaps her fingers. “All of a sudden, I had a house, and a dog, and a dad. It’s something I took pretty much at face value back then, but it’s meant more and more the older I’ve gotten.”

“He was … is my hero. I still remember getting word the base had fallen; I asked Jack if that meant Dad was finally coming back.” She catches an errant tear. “Sorry,” she apologizes. “I figured after all this time, that wasn’t gonna be quite so tender.”

“I don’t think what happened that day is ever gonna be an easy thing to talk about.”

Some of the tension eases from her shoulders. “No, I don’t think so either.” She scrubs at her cheek again. “After Dad disappeared, I found out that I had a lot more family than I’d realized.”

“Sophia and Art.”

“And Theresa and Jude and Nathaniel, and now, his two girls. And Jack, obviously.” She shrugs. “My point is: I was never alone. I didn’t have Dad, but I had the rest of my family. Which brings me back to that bullshit judgment thing. You didn’t have that. You were on your own. It wasn’t fair of me to make the judgment I did.”

“I could’ve done a lot better.”

“And you could’ve done a lot worse,” she says, meeting his gaze. “We never would have found him without you. And, while we’re clearing the air, I am sorry for how you found out about me. Dad and Jack always were cautious, given the circumstances, but that doesn’t make it any easier. They figured the fewer people who knew, the safer I was. ”

“And that was always his priority.”

She nods. “Exactly. Still, I’m sure he didn’t mean for you to find out the way you did.” She squirms in her seat. “And I’m sorry for that. Actually, I’m sorry for a lot more than just that.”

He shakes his head. “Nothing you could have done about it.”

“No, but there’s something I can do about this. I know we didn’t get off on the best foot, but I’d like the chance to get to know you. Actual you, not just … whatever I made up in my head. And maybe you could get to know me beyond ‘Will’s surprise kid.’”

“Yeah,” he says, the smile gentle and genuine. “I’d like that.”