"Sam?" Rys says, sitting down on the couch next to me. After what Ortega did... I'm gonna have scars on those fingers. Then again... modeling went out the window ages ago.
"Hey... well... scars." I say, looking at the three marked fingers.
"This shouldn't have happened." Rys says, lightly stroking my hair. I lean over, the two of us kissing before I rest my head on his shoulder.
"I still miss my mother... I can't understand why she killed herself... part of me thinks she was killed by Ortega." I say.
"Seems we're both after Ortega to get to somebody." Rys says... I know that face.
"You lost someone too?" I ask.
"Yes, I did." Rys says, looking saddened... whoever this person was, they clearly meant a lot to him.
Illegal gun store in Downtown, Los Santos, A year ago...
"Anna?" Rys says, looking over at his sister who had been unusually silent all day, but was currently cleaning a shiny Desert Eagle pistol.
"I'm okay, little bro... just tired." Anna says. There were 6 years between them, Rys had just turned 12 but Anna was 18.
"No... it's Mark, isn't it?" Rys says, Anna nodding. "Something happen?"
"It's just... stuff you wouldn't understand." Anna says.
"Try me." Rys says, Anna putting down the Desert Eagle.
"I... lost my virginity last night. It's something that... sticks in the mind." Anna says, Rys nodding. Most kids his age would've burst out laughing at the subject, but not him.
"It's a step in life, sis... everyone goes through it." Rys says, Anna nodding.
"It just... feels strange, that's all." Anna says.
"How so?" Rys asks.
"Well... it hurt at first... but then it got better, but now... it's sore afterwards. Wait, why do you want to know this?" Anna says.
"Well... it's just good to know things before they happen." Rys says, Anna nodding.
"Yeah... I think I should've learnt a bit more before last night." Anna says.
"Maybe... but that's over with now." Rys says.
"Yeah... don't tell Mom and Dad about this, alright? Just... let me tell them." Anna says, Rys nodding and jumping down from his chair, walking over and hugging Anna.
"You can count on it. Have I ever let you down?" Rys says, Anna smiling a bit as she knew she could trust her little brother.
"Most people say little siblings are annoying... but you're a great little lad." Anna says.
"Hey, don't call me little!" Rys says.
"What? Even I was taller at your age. And don't worry, I'm sure you'll find someone small enough for you." Anna says.
"Hey, we're in a room full of guns, watch what you say!" Rys says.
It's then that the two look up after hearing a gunshot outside, both getting up and running out there, Anna taking a 9mm Machine Pistol with her... before they see something that burnt right into both their souls.
"No... no, it can't be..." Anna says, Rys running over to the dead body and crouching down next to it, frantically trying to wake their father up.
"No... come on, Dad, please!" Rys says, both him and Anna with tears in their eyes and rolling down their cheeks.
"Rys... he isn't gonna wake up." Anna says, pulling Rys up and wrapping her arms around him, Rys crying into her shoulder as the sirens came into hearing range.
"We can't lose Dad, Anna! We can't!" Rys says through his tears, Anna lightly stroking his hair.
"I'm sorry, little bro... we already have." Anna says.
Present time, Sam's P.O.V...
"Did you find who did it?" I ask, Rys nodding.
"I don't know exactly who... but I know the orders went through Ortega, he was the one who supplied the gun that killed my dad." Rys says... it's a terrible thing, losing a parent while you're still a kid.
I shift closer to him, resting my head on his shoulder and wrapping my arms around him, Rys resting his hands, one on my side and the other on my back.
He's hurt by this... anyone would be. Losing a parent is hard...
No. It's not hard, losing someone isn't hard.
It's all the days afterwards when they're no longer there... and you go on.
Without them.
