Uncharted Imagines/Shorts'

22 (Samuel Drake) Forever: Part One

He loves her and she loves him- but fate has other plans for them.

"Melanie." the voice sends shivers down her spine, it's roughness soothing and an overwhelming sense of safety comes over her as he says her name. It makes her turn around resting her back on the counter as she blinks at him. He moves forward putting his bag on the table in silence, his eyes are locked on her as she meets his gaze and a smile breaks out on his face.

"It's nice to see you again, how long has it been like uh..." he finally starts to say after they take a moment to just look at each other. Melanie cuts in as he thinks "Exactly seven months, Sam." she tells him, her voice soft and hearing it makes him smile even more. It feels like a lifetime since he last saw her and the entire seven months he spent away, all he could think about was returning home and being around her. After a few moments he rushes forward to engulf her in a overdue hug, she buries her head into his chest taking in his scent- the smell of smoke comforting. It hits him that he has a few things to explain as they stand there, seven months ago he told her he was in love with her but she wasn't ready to hear that. It's a conversation put off for months, he knew he chose the wrong time to admit his feelings but seven months is a long time for them both to think about it.

Nathan enters the kitchen loudly, causing them to peel away from each other as he drops his bag to the ground with a huge smile. "Hey, my turn!" he jokes to the pair opening his arms, she moves into them giving him a shorter hug.

Sam smiles "Ah, feels good to be back home- been lonely here without us?" he asks as they separate a few seconds later.

"Extremely lonely, it's a big place for someone small" she tells them "It also went slowly, feels like you've been gone for years." she adds with a soft sigh, glad they've returned sooner than expected. It was a nice surprise when her said her name out of nowhere. Melanie is use to them vanishing for months at a time, staying at home and waiting nervously for them to return- there is never a phone call during the time they're away, so all she can do is wait and hope that they return in one piece. It's been the routine for the last ten years, since they we're teenagers and she's not sure if she'll ever get use to it. In that time she's never really been involved in their work, she helps out when she can but likes to keep clear of the danger and look after the house when they're on the other side of the world exploring lost cities. Although, she has arranged one adventure with them and been promised it will be a safe one. It's just one lost city or infamous treasure she would like to find with the boy's who have made her life a million times better. In another life, she was living on bread crumbs and lead a life of stealing to get by.

Melanie pours them all coffee and they sit at the kitchen table for hours just talking, the two brothers pouring out everything that has happened in the last seven months and telling her what they gained from the job. It was a good one this time around, nothing too dangerous and they can take a small break since their payment is enough for the three of them to live on for half a year or so. Nathan does most of the talking, turning to his older brother at times for his view or opinion on the situation and Sam cracks a few jokes as usual. It's dark outside when their story is finished and their cups are empty.

Nathan yawns as he crosses the kitchen to leave his cup at the side of the sink. "I'm turning in for the night, it'll be nice to sleep in my own bed." he grabs his bag and vanishes upstairs to the top floor where his room and the office are, the other two sit silently listening as he walks up the first flight of stairs and crosses the landing before heading up the other.

"I had a long time to think about what you said just before you left." she says after hearing the familiar sound of a door closing two floors above. 

Sam looks up from his cup surprised she brought it up so soon, never mind at all. "Oh, I uh... didn't think you'd remember" he states feeling slightly nervous.