Life is Strange: The Graham Theory

Episode 3: Methodology [PART 2]

The missing person's poster was all he could see in his mind.
Rachel was gone. Maybe not in his own timeline, but she was missing.
How?
Why are so many things different?
Warren couldn't understand it.
He lay in his dorm room, his eyes focusing on the ceiling above. He fell into a trance of troubled and confused thoughts. Suddenly, his phone rang. Warren tensed up, startled by the sudden noise. He sat up and picked up his phone. Dad. He answered it.
"Hey, dad. How's everything?" He asked, his voice calm.
Warren's father voice cheerily filled the speakers on the other end. "Hello, son. I was wondering if you'd want to join Toph and I for some breakfast at the Two Whales tomorrow morning before your classes start? I know your car has been giving you grief lately so I'll come and pick you up around half 7?"
"Oh yeah. That'd be great, dad. It's been a while since you, Toph, and I had something to eat together." Warren smiled at the thought. It'd be nice to spend some time with his family for a while.
"Fantastic. Toph and I cannot wait to see you, buddy. It'll be fun!"
"I'm sure it will, dad."
The conversation ran dry for a moment, until Warren's father spoke up. "Is something going on, Warren?"
"I...uh. Yeah- I mean no! I'm fine." Warren spluttered. "Do I seem upset?"
"A little." His father admitted. "You seem to have lost your energy."
"Mmhm." Warren nodded.
"You really miss her."
"Yeah."
"I wish I could fix things for you." His father said solemnly.
"I know, dad." Warren spoke quietly, before clearing his throat. "But I'm gonna enjoy tomorrow. Anyway, I need to go. Have a good night, dad."
"You too. Love you, Ren."
"You too, dad. Say goodnight to Toph for me."
"Will do. Goodnight."
"Goodnight."
Warren hung up and sank back into bed. It was late and he felt his eyelids get heavy.
'Tomorrow will be fun.' Warren assured himself as he drifted into sleep.

The early morning sun broke through the windows of Prescott Dormitories, and painted everything in it's path with a golden autumnal glow. Warren was awake, and ready to spend time with his family.

Stepping out of the shower, Warren dried and dressed himself before stepping outside. A familiar 4x4 waited outside. He could see his father and brother sat talking in the front seats. They spotted Warren and waved at him. Warren opened one of the back doors and sat inside. His father began driving.
"Hey, Warren. How's everything?" Toph asked his brother.
Warren shrugged. "Same old, I suppose. You?"
"Yeah I'm good. I get deployed again in a few weeks so I best spend some time with you guys until I go." Toph explained.
Warren's father grinned. "It's nice to be with both of my boys. It's been a while since we did anything like this."
His father pulled into the car park of the diner.
"It's been such a long time." Toph stated, licking his lips in anticipation as he grinned.
Warren didn't feel as enthusiastic as his older brother did, but he smiled at his sibling's positive nature. It was the happiest he'd seen Toph in a while- a feeling he savored and enjoyed while it lasted.
The boys left the car and waited for their father to lock the doors. Warren eyed his dad's car keys. Familiar key rings adorned them.
"It's nice you kept them." Warren began.
"Kept what, son?"
"Those." Warren repeated, pointing at the keys in his hand.
He watched his father look at his keys, and saw his face soften in expression. "Yeah. Hated seeing your mother's keys on the rack without ever seeing her come home so I joined them with mine. Nifty, huh?"
"It's like you're always together in spirit." Warren smiled gently.
"Yeah." His dad agreed. "Let's go inside. Toph looks like he's going to burst a blood vessel waiting for us." He laughed, gesturing to his other child who waited impatiently next to the entrance.
"What a kid." Warren laughed, as he followed his father and brother inside.
The diner was lively as it was breakfast, and a gentle rumble of morning chatter. The sun beamed through the windows, illuminating the booth seats and the tables. Warren wandered to the front, almost in a daze with the different sights, sounds and smells in the diner.
"Your mother used to go here all the time." A calm, welcoming voice spoke next to him, snapping Warren out of his trance. "She used to take your brother and you here all the time. You were thinking about it now, weren't you?" She spoke.
Warren smiled at the warm, reminiscent woman in front of him. "I sure was. It's wonderful to see you, Joyce."
"You too, my dear." She hugged Warren tightly. "Poor Amelie. Your mother brought a lot of profit in. She used to spend a lot of time in here after long night shifts in the hospital. And when your father was deployed, she did double the hard work."
"Yeah." Warren laughed. "At one point me and Toph barely saw her. She worked so hard... too hard. I wish she could've slowed down a little."
Joyce sighed. "She was quite the workaholic. However, she knew how to achieve a lot. Meanwhile, I just work in this here diner. Not much significance. But I know my William was happy either way."
"You make so many people happy, Joyce. And I bet you make him proud." Warren encouraged.
Joyce smiled. "Thank you. Now I'm gonna get your father some coffee and get your food on. Take a seat and get comfortable."
"Will do!"
Warren turned and saw his father and brother talking in a booth nearby. He walked towards it and sat next to Toph.
"I see you were talking to Joyce!" His dad mentioned.
"Yeah! She was just checking if everything was ok- which it is, of course!" Warren assured.
His dad grinned. "Brilliant." His smile faded and he sighed. "I have someone joining us for breakfast, Warren. I hope you don't mind."
Warren felt a pit in his stomach. Could it be her? "Oh... okay. Who is it?" Warren asked, trying his best to hide his hesitation.
"Remember our discussion a few days ago? You and I didn't exactly make ends meet. However, I want you to meet her and see her for who she is and then decide later."
Warren wasn't convinced, but he nodded reluctantly anyway. "Sure. I guess I was a bit prejudging of her- despite never meeting her."
Warren's father turned to his elder son. "Toph?"
"Yeah. Sure thing." The once positive tone in his voice had dwindled.
Suddenly an obnoxiously loud voice echoed through the diner. "Sorry I'm late, Christopher. The traffic was horrendous." A woman walked towards their table. She had shoulder length pin straight black hair, sharp deep set blue eyes and pale skin. She wore a white shirt and black pencil skirt, and held a loudly colored red handbag as she clopped down the diner in stilettos. The woman slid into the booth and shuffled to get comfortable. Warren turned his head to the left and saw his brother already looking at him, as if waiting for his reaction.
"Ahh nice to see you again- is it Toph?" She spoke, her sing song nasally voice filling the space. She held her hand out as he reluctantly shook it.
"Yeah. You too." Toph replied back, uneasily.
Her attention diverted to Warren. "Ahh! And this must be your other boy! Warren, isn't it? My name is Sylvia."
"Nice to meet you, Sylvia." Warren spoke quietly.
"Warren's quite shy." His father laughed. "He's always been like that since he was a young boy. Toph however was always super outgoing."
"Isn't that right!" Sylvia laughed. "He's quite a cute one, isn't he? How old are you, then?"
"I'm sixteen."
"I heard you got into Blackwell last year  on a high school scholarship? Fifteen is unusually young. You must have been extremely gifted."
"Yeah. It's kinda weird how I'm on a college scholarship now and I'm not even at high school graduate age." Warren told her, trying not to sound too awkward.
"The highest scoring student in all Oregon." His father stated.
"Yeah." Warren spoke.
The conversation was interrupted by Joyce walking to the table with plates. "Here you go, boys. Your favorites! And you, Chris! Your coffee too." Joyce placed the plates and coffee down, before pausing for a moment. She turned her attention to Sylvia. "And what may I get you?"
"Just a black coffee." Sylvia told her. I'm kind of on a diet."
"Yet you choose a diner? Very well. I guess the atmosphere is friendly." Joyce mentioned.
Warren smirked as he took a bite of some waffles. "This is amazing, Joyce. As usual! You are one cooking master!" He complimented.
Toph followed with a bite of pancake. "On par as usual, Mrs Price. Or is it Mrs Madsen now?"
Joyce laughed. "Thanks, boys! I am a Madsen now. Don't mention that to my Chloe, though. She wouldn't be very happy!"
Warren smiled. "I won't tell her a thing."
His father nodded. "On par as usual, Joyce."
Joyce nodded. "You enjoy your meals, and I'll be right here with your coffee, ma'am." She walked away from the table.
"Ok! Where were we?" Sylvia asked.
The conversation carried on, much to the dismay of Warren. He sat quietly, listening to the nasally droning of Sylvia as she boasted about her fulfilling career as a secretary. He finished his plate of food alongside Toph, before Joyce returned with a fresh coffee pot.
"Here we go." She said as she placed a mug and the pot down. She looked at the empty plates of Warren and Toph. "My, you boys must have been hungry!" She exclaimed. "Here, I'll take these plates back."
"Let me help you with that." Warren offered, picking the plates up with his hand as Joyce picked up an empty coffee pot and glasses.
They went to the front of the diner, where warren placed the plates on the bar.
"Here's the money for my food, too!" He said, placing the money in her hand"
"Thank you. I bet you just did that though to get away from your little unexpected guest." Joyce suggested, handing him change.
Warren shrugged. "Kinda, but helping you out is also good to do as well."
"Aren't you sweet? Just as well you got away though. You looked awfully uncomfortable over there." Joyce pointed out. "You reminded me of my Chloe whenever she's around her stepfather."
"You can kind of put it that way."
"I suppose you could, Warren. I do sympathize with your father though. Losing a spouse is the worst feeling ever. I felt so worthless without William. I miss him every day. However I guess it was best for me to move on and find someone else. Will would've wanted that." Joyce reasoned, before looking back at the table in the distance. "However, I did meet David a lot longer after William died. Your father seemed to go quite quickly. Two months isn't that much time."
Warren sighed. "I'd be happier if it wasn't for the fact he moved on so quickly. It's like he's trying to forget about mom. And Sylvia... she seems to ignore the fact we don't want another mom in our life. It's like she wants to fill her shoes."
"It's a big position for her to be in, Warren." Joyce reminded him. "I'm sure she'll find an approach to take where you'll all be comfortable. I do agree that you don't need someone replacing your mom. She was a remarkable woman. Nothing could ever be as good as she was for your father- not only in your eyes, but mine as well."
Warren nodded. Joyce was right. There was nothing he could do but wait it out and see where things would go.
Warren grinned. "Thanks, Joyce. You're the mother figure that I'm happy to have in my life. Mom would've liked that."
"She would've, dear! And I'm glad I could help you! Hurry and ask your brother to drop you off, you don't want to be late for class." Joyce called after him, smiling. "Say hello to Chloe for me, too, and tell her to come see me at around 4 so we can have dinner. Don't forget to tell Max I said hello, too."
"Deal. Thanks, Joyce!"
"You're always welcome."
Warren wandered back to the table and looked towards his dad. "I have to go. Class starts in 20 minutes and I have to get back."
"Not to worry son. Here, lemme drop you off."
"I'll do it, dad! Sylvia has just got here and I don't want you to stress. I'll be back here in no time." Toph suggested, to the delight of Warren.
"Well, ok then! Make sure you don't crash the car." Their dad tossed Toph the keys.
"Sweet. I won't be long. Come on, Ren." Toph began walking to the exit. "Thanks again, Joyce!"
"See you later." Warren quietly spoke, before following his brother out of the building.
They got inside the car and closed the door. Toph turned the key and the engine roared to life.
"So?" Toph began. "Sylvia."
"I hate her." Warren spat bitterly.
"Thank god. I'm not the only one." Toph agreed. "It's like she wants to be our mom."
"Christopher, we don't need a new mom!" Warren shouted, his voice cracking. "Dad has gone and went for someone who is the worst fit for him too. What is he thinking? I'm so damn angry!"
"Warren..."
"A-and he tricked me into meeting her. Argh... dad isn't the same guy he used to be." Tears filled his eyes. "Ever since mom died, he's just been so..."
"Strange."
"Y-Yeah." Warren sniffed.
Toph wrapped his arm around his younger brother and pulled him close. Warren buried his head into Toph's shoulder.
"Toph?"
"Hmm?"
"I'm gonna miss you when you leave again."
"I'll miss you too, little buddy." Toph sighed, rubbing Warren's shoulder. "I hate leaving you."
Warren nodded. "But I know you love being there."
"True."
"Be careful, ok? If anything happens to you-"
"Nothing will happen." Toph reassured him. "You'll always come first."
"Thanks, Christopher." Warren smiled, as he pulled away from the hug. "You too."
Toph smiled as he pulled out of the car park. He started driving down the stretch of road to Blackwell Academy. Warren watched the waters of the bay pass him, as the water twinkled in the morning sunshine.  The radio quietly played, with Toph humming underneath.
"Hey, Toph?"
"Yeah?"
"Remember when you stole my lightsaber when we were kids? And mom had to practically yank us apart?"
"Yeah! You didn't speak to me for a week after that." Toph chuckled. "It was payback for you deleting my save on TimeSplitters."
"That was an honest mistake!" Warren protested. "I was much better at it than you, anyway."
"Dream on!"
"You just wish you were as good as me."
"I don't have to wish- cause I'm better!"
"Sure you are." Warren laughed.
Toph nodded. "You're better than me at being a nerd, though. All that science stuff hurts my brain. What's that cat box shirt you got?"
"Schrödinger's cat?"
"Yeah, that thing. What even is it?" Toph asked.
Warren shook his head and smiled. "It's a paradox."
"You already lost me."
"I figured."
Toph pulled into the car park of the academy. "We're here."
"Great. Thanks for saving my ass from the diner. Means a lot." Warren thanked, giving his older brother a high five as he got out of the car and shut the door. Toph rolled the window down.
"Take care of yourself." Toph told him. "It's best that I get back now. Dad will worry sick thinking I've kidnapped you."
"Or vice versa. See you, Toph."
"I'll try and visit before I go. Bye!"
"Bye."
Warren watched as his brother drove off. He sighed and turned around to walk inside the building.
Chloe wandered around the halls, before spotting Warren.
"Hey! Where did you disappear off to?" She asked.
"Your mom's diner. I met my dad's new lady."
"Is she a witch? A soon to be stepwitch? A stepbitch?" Chloe inquired, pushing Warren's shoulder playfully.
"I wouldn't say witch but..."
"But?"
"I hate her."
"I figured you might." Chloe stated. "How's my mom?"
"Awesome. She watched me writhing in disgust. She also wants you at the diner at 4 and says hello." Warren reminded her, before looking at his watch. "I'm gonna he late. I'll see you later."
"Later, nerd!" Chloe told him back. "I'll see you around lunch time. Then you can describe to me and Max how much of a bitch she is."
"Will do."
Warren walked down to class and sat down. His eye began to throb.
"Not again..." He whispered under his breath.
When will it stop?