~Man of Fortune~ (Samuel Drake fanfiction)

~3~

15 years later

Me and Nate never spoke to Rafe after what happened, nor did me and Nate speak much about Sam. We did keep talking to each other,  but we never brought up Sam in any way. It was a silent pact between the two of us, and not even Nate's wife, Elena, knew about him.

After Sam's death, me and Nathan went on a few adventures with Sully and Elena. Sully was the one who took care of Nathan after he got out of the orphanage, when Sam couldn't. Elena was a journalist who tagged along with us, and stayed with us. Nathan found the love of his life, while I found a bottle of Jack Daniels. "You won't find answers at the bottom of that bottle, darlin'." Sully said to me. But I wasn't searching for answers... so technically this wasn't a problem. Ok, yeah drinking was a problem for me, but I handled it as soon as I realized it.

Leaving my adventure life behind, I decided to go work to a nearest pub in town, while Nathan went to work at Jameson Marine Inc. He tried to pursue me to come work with him, but I declined. Adventure was like a drug to me, and if I got small amount of it, I'd totally lose it. Even though it'd be just diving and searching for sunken cargos, it would be enough for me to want more. It would start by just diving, then it would escalate to the point where I'm risking my life because of a treasure I may never find. That is why I declined Nathan's offer.

My hair grew back to its desirable length and now they reached over my boobs. I also bleached my hair a little to make them dark ash blond color, which I didn't care to keep up so my brown roots showed. My shoulder was left with a gunshot wound, but it worked just fine. Panama left more mental damage in me, than physical. I couldn't think about Panama, without getting emotional. Which is why I was so glad, when Nathan and I never spoke about him. 

The pub where I worked was decent. A couple regulars came every night, some college kids came at weekends, but it was never packed with people. The salary was good enough for rent and food, but I never had money for anything else. 

I cleaned the tables at the pub and left after my shift was done. I got on my motorcycle and drove to visit Nathan and Elena. The motorcycle was the model as Sam used to have before he sold it to get a better one.

20 years ago

I sat at the edge of a railing watching as waves hit the shore. I breathed in the salty sea air and felt as wind brushed through my hair and the moonlight danced on top of the water.

I heard a rumbling sound of a bike far away from where I sat. The sound came closer and closer until it was right behind me. I didn't pay attention to this and continued to look far away to horizon.

"You know, you could fall from where you sit." the strange voice said to me. I turned around to see a lean and handsome man. He had his hair swept back and was lighting a cigarette.

"You know, you could die from that thing." I pointed at the cigarette. "I guess we both want to live on the edge." I smiled to him.

He chuckled as he stepped closer and leaned to the railing next to me. "So... what brings you here? More than wanting to live on the edge?"

"Peace. Silence. And freedom. This is the only place I feel those things." I sighed "This is the place where I dream of transforming into a bird and flying away from responsibility."

"Any luck yet?" he asked

I giggled "Nope. But I'm getting there." He chuckled with me.

"So what about you? What brings you here?" I asked

"Mostly the same things what you just said." he takes a drag from his cigarette. "Although I've never thought about transforming into a bird."

"Well I guess it's just a stupid fantasy and only the really desperate people dream of it." I breathed out a laugh. "But it's just a dream. Although it would be totally awesome being a birdie, I like to keep my feet on the ground."