Title - Light Of The Full Moon
Chapter title - Teach Me How To Swallow Pride
Author - OblivionsGarden
Genre - Romance/Adventure/Friendship/Drama
Disclaimer - I do not own the Uncharted Series in anyway shape or form. I only own the plot points surrounding my oc's, not recognized from the games. For this chapter I own, Lucy Oakley.
Chapter Word Count - 3667 words.

A/n - Sorry if this chapter seems a little rushed but I basically realized that I've been finding it so hard to write because writing around an existing plot doesn't give me much room for my own story. But now that the game plot is finished, I can talk about Sam and Lucy's life post Avery. Finally! (Also the song at the end is 'If You're Gonna Be Dumb' by Roger Alan Wade. Seriously, it is Sam's theme.)

Please leave a review so I know if people are still reading/enjoying this fic. Thanks! 3 xx

Lucy peered over the ledge, trying to see where Nathan had landed but saw nothing. She took a minute to breathe, take in her surroundings and plan her best path down. She took her time as much as she could, reminding herself that rushing down and getting herself into more trouble wouldn't help anyone.

It seemed that most of the Shoreliners had moved away from this side of the island, clearly assuming Nathan dead and Sam with Rafe. She idly wondered if Rafe had men looking for her or if he'd forgotten about her completely. He had made a habit before of over looking her skills. She was always the first to admit that she was more suited to life behind a laptop screen but she knew that most people underestimated her.

There were a few stragglers here and there but she managed to take them out without any noise, picking up a gun as she did. She was around halfway down, sure she could see a figure on the ground. It may have been her mind playing tricks on her or just some foliage that looked human shaped from so far up but the unmoving body shape on the ground had her heart pounding once more. She was set to continue down when she heard a car not to far from where she was stood. Figuring a car would make her trip much quicker, she crept out from her hiding place, aiming for the tires.

"WAIT!"

The shout came from the car as it screeched to a halt, mud spraying up as it did. Frowning with her gun still drawn, Lucy stepped closer as the door opened. Elena climbed out, holding her hands up in mock surrender. Lucy heaved a sigh of relief and lowered the weapon, pulling the other woman into a tight hug.

"You have great timing."

"Where are the boys?"

Lucy balked. How exactly do you tell a woman her husband just fell from a cliff and could possibly be dead? Elena's face fell slightly at the silence.

"Rafe has Sam and Nate... I'm going to get him now. Let me drive."

"Lucy, what happened?"

"I'll explain on the way down, get in... Did you steal this car from Shoreline?"

Lucy told Elena everything that had happened on the cliff side, including the fact that she knew about Sam's lie. Elena was hurt that Lucy would lie to Nathan, despite thinking of him as a younger brother, but was too preoccupied with worrying about the unknown fate of the man in question to say anything.

They drove as far as they could, leaving the car when they couldn't drive down to where Lucy thought she had seen Nathan. They ran the rest of the way, Elena handing Lucy her canteen of water as they did. They soon found Nathan, unconscious but alive, and began to patch him up to the best of their ability. He soon came to, taking huge gulps from the canteen.

Lucy stayed to the side, using a bandage from a medical kit they'd found in the car, to re wrap her wrist. She stayed out of Nate's eye line as he explained how they lost Sam and why this treasure was so important that he would willingly lie to his wife about it. He talked about what happened the night that they left the orphanage to find their mothers journals. Lucy listened avidly, Sam having never gone into great detail about it. She was wondering how scared they must've been when the woman collapsed when she was brought from her own mind by Nathan.

"You knew didn't you? The whole time..." His expression was tired and hurt but mostly just sad. Lucy nodded.

"I did. He told me after the auction."

"That's why you were so quiet when we flew to Scotland."

"Yeah." She trailed of, trying to figure out how best to explain this.

"After everything you said to me about lying to Elena, you went along with him?"

"I knew what it would do to you Nathan." She stood up from the log she been resting on. "At first I didn't tell you because I knew how angry you'd be and you'd just got your brother back. But then... After Scotland, when he called and said I was sick and that we'd leave the following morning? I was fine, I just wanted him to tell me the truth and he did. He told me everything. Sam has never been that open and that honest with me in all the time I've known him. He told me how it was after you left the orphanage. He told me things that even you don't know Nate. Everything he went through in Panama..." She broke off, fighting off her angry tears and clearing her throat that felt tight with emotion. "You have to understand that Sam didn't lie just to get you to go along with him. This isn't just another treasure for him. This was your mom's work, Sam wanted to finish it. He's wanted that since he was just a kid, researched, traveled, gone to jail all for the sake of finishing her work. He got obsessed with it and then when he had a good lead he got stuck in Panama."

She sat back down beside Nathan who was remaining silent, letting her finish.

"He had thirteen years with nothing to do, no one to talk to, nothing to think about except the last job he was working. He has had thirteen years to obsess over this, never move on or learn that some things just aren't worth it. He is still essentially a twenty something year old man in a forty something man's body. I mean, do you remember when we nearly lost you to Drake's legend? I bet Elena does." She looked over at the woman who nodded, a pained look in her eyes. "It hurt when that happened Nathan. Seeing you loose yourself in all of that was horrible. If I'd told you that Sam lied, you would've gone home. I don't want to loose Sam to this treasure. I can not loose him again."

"But he didn't have to lie. If he'd just told the truth from the start-"

"You would've told him you were retired, out of the life. Don't even pretend that you wouldn't have. I'm not saying that you shouldn't be mad, Nate, I'm still mad too. I'm just saying that you gotta try and understand why."

It was quiet for a while as hot and frustrated tears left marks in the dirt on Lucy's cheeks. She racked her brain for something more to say but it seemed she was out of words. Elena stood, looking over her shoulder for a second.

"We need to find him, whatever happens. If Rafe has him, he's only going to keep him as long as he's useful."

"Yeah." Nathan nodded and stood up, turning and offering a hand to Lucy. "I get it... I'm still pissed and I'm still gonna yell at him when we get out of here, but I get it."

"Don't worry I yelled at him too." Lucy took his hand with the ghost of smile. "I'm sure he can take some more."

It was a strangely guilty feeling, sitting in the back of the jeep, listening to Elena and Nate talk. Elena was still struggling to forgive Nathan's lying and Lucy was thankful to know that she and Sam weren't the only ones with trouble in their relationship. She felt bad for even thinking it but it was a little reassuring.

It took a long time, lots of climbing, alot more talking and plenty of Shoreliners but they made it to New Devon. They spotted Sam outside of Avery's place and Lucy felt that familiar feeling of anger when she saw Rafe pushing him around, gun in hand. She was all set to go in guns blazing until Elena managed to talk some sense into her.

Rafe and Nadine obviously expected Lucy and Nate following them. Shoreliners were stationed everywhere. A huge group just inside of New Devon and even more inside Avery's house. Lucy couldn't think of anything other than getting Sam and getting off this damn island. She knew under different circumstances she would've marveled at the grand table where the long deceased founders sat. She would've stopped to look in every room, at every letter and trinket. But Sam was the only thing on her mind and she was impatient to reach him.

Finding Sam's lighter meant that they were getting closer which only served to make Lucy more impatient. She practically flew down the steps when they were revealed and hopped from foot to foot as Nathan crossed over the explosive puzzle, knowing she'd get herself blown up in her haste if she went first.

"Hey, you need to slow down." Nathan gripped her shoulders after she narrowly avoided getting taken down by a couple of the exploding mummies. "I know you want to find Sam, so do I... You're not gonna find him if your in different pieces down here."

"Nate, if we don't find him soon, Rafe will kill him."

"If Rafe kills Sam he'll never find the treasure. Trust me, he's still alive and we have got just enough time to make sure you don't get yourself killed, alright?"

Seeing Elena and Nate goof around after the fall sent an aching for Sam through her but soon enough the sound of gunfire behind her let her know he wasn't too far away.

"Is it normal to find the sound of guns comforting cause I know it's probably Sam?"

"For us?" Elena shrugged, jumping to her feet. "It's just another day in paradise."

They were up and climbing again until they spotted Sam, making his break away from the Shoreliners. There seemed to be hundreds of them, all over the beach, bullets flying in from every direction. If Nate, Lucy and Elena hadn't worked together for years they would've been dead in seconds but they had never forgot their old formations and the way they used to work as a team to take down just as many men. Hearing Sam's shouted taunts had her even more at ease as they fought their way over to him.

"You're a sight for sore eyes." His breathing heavy when they got to him as he reached out to touch Lucy's cheek. "You good?"

"I'm alive." She shrugged. "You?"

"Been better. Hey, Nathan did you find my lighter?"

An RPG exploded into the ship they were stood on, sending them crashing to the ground and continuing the fight.

"Can't we get five minutes to ourselves?" Lucy muttered angrily as she found cover.

"Shoreline have a flair for the dramatic." Sam laughed. "Didn't you hear the dynamite?"

"They're a bunch of buff theater kids that got given guns and put on a nut job's payroll."

Sam laughed his loud barking laughter that she loved as they ran forward, firing back and doing their best to escape. They lost Nathan somewhere along the way but they kept running, knowing they'd catch up to him eventually. They could hear his trail of destruction as they ran through, taking down Shoreliners as they did.

"What did we trade one Drake for the other to let you both go blow some stuff up on your own?"

"Guess they really are brothers, huh?" Elena joked breathlessly.

"There, look!" Sam pointed to where Nathan was running from an armored car.

They raced after them, trying to keep up to offer some sort of help but Sully beat them to it. Sam and Nathan's reunion was tense and a little awkward and Lucy ran her hand down Sam's back when Nathan told him to save it for later.

"He understands... Kind of. He's still mad though." She murmured and Sam nodded, guilt evident in his eyes. "He'll be fine. Ok?" Again, he nodded as Nathan asked Sully where his plane was.

Lucy sighed when Sam suggested going after the treasure. Even after everything he couldn't give it up. She wasn't shocked and she even kind of understood his need to see this through but a little part of her had hoped he could let it go. Nathan convinced him to leave and whilst Lucy was grateful she knew it wouldn't be the end of it.

Sure enough it wasn't the end of it. After getting Nathan, Elena and Sully to the other side, Sam was waiting for Lucy to jump across but she could see the look in his eyes. She stayed put, shaking her head.

"I know what you're planning Sam." She said in a quiet voice. "I get it, I do but I'll be damned if I let you go and get yourself killed over this. We almost lost Nathan, we lost you once, I am not doing it again."

"Lulu-"

"You really wanna go after his treasure, then you'll have to take me with you." She folded her arms defiantly, holding his gaze.

"I can't let Rafe have this. I have to finish it. It's been over thirty years, Lulu, I have to see this through to the end. I'm sorry."

"You don't have to apologize to me. Nathan is another story though."

Sam looked up at his baby brother, waiting for them on the other side and then over to the cave that he knew held the treasure. He could hear Nathan's protests, shouting for Lucy to convince him otherwise but Sam had already made up his mind.

"I'm sorry."

"Nathan, I'll keep him safe!" Lucy managed to shout before taking off after Sam, ignoring the yelling behind them.

Most of the journey was spent in silence, save for giving each other a heads up of unstable surfaces and such. Lucy knew Nathan wouldn't leave without them, knew he was probably already after them not far behind. He also knew his anger at his brother wouldn't last long.

Sam would find this treasure and he wouldn't be done. He hasn't had enough time to be done with this life yet, probably never will. Lucy had tried the 'normal' life for a while but it just wasn't her. She craved the adventure, even if it did come with certain risks. Even Nathan, who adored his wife and his job, missed it.

Telling Sam that he still wouldn't feel fulfilled at the end of this wouldn't work though. He needed to actually feel it to believe it. Of course, he would be satisfied that they'd completed what their mother had set out to do but he'd need the adventures that were completely his own.

"Shh..." Sam held up a hand as Lucy waded through the water beside him. He pointed to where Nadine was stood on a part of the dock.

Silently they swam beneath her remaining out of sight and crept up behind one of their speedboats. Sam took out the guy at the wheel, pulling him over and into the water before climbing in himself. He pulled Lucy up and sped away around the other side of Avery's ship.

Most of Nadine's men were out helping her load the gold they'd already took so getting onto the ship was easy. Lucy marveled at the place, the riches that surrounded them.

"Samuel Drake..." She smiled, running a hand across his shoulders as he ran his fingers across a chest. "You found, not only Avery's treasure, but every damn pirate treasure of the founders of Libertalia."

"What can I say? I'm just that good." He chuckled. "You know back in the day a discovery like this would've earned me the affections of the most attractive women in the city." Lucy cocked an eyebrow, smirk rising to her lips. "You're her, so... How about a little sugar, sugar?"

"You are a class act, Drake."

Their kiss was short lived as they heard heavy footfalls above them. They crept further to the back of the ship, staying as quiet as they could until Sam spotted a door.

"I bet that's where Avery kept his good stuff." He whispered.

He took a step for the door, Lucy at his side only to hear the distinct click of a gun behind them. Turning they saw Rafe, shaking his head with that ever arrogant smile. Lucy pulled her own weapon, aiming it straight at him.

"I gotta hand it to you, you almost made it." He stepped forward but Lucy held her ground, stepping in front of Sam. "Ah ah... Samuel, don't open that door."

"Give up, Rafe." Lucy growled. "You aren't going to win this one. You never were."

"Actually, you now what? Go ahead and open it, I'll let you have a look around before I shoot you both."

Rafe stepped forward, ignoring Lucy completely. She shot at his feet, keeping him back. Before Sam could open the door, two mercenaries arrived either side of them, weapons drawn. Lucy swore and handed over the gun, turning just as Sam lifted the door and dragged her into the next room.

The silence was overwhelming save for the faint noise of something burning. She saw Rafe catch the door before it swung shut, diving forward into the room as the noise seemed to break into an ear bursting explosion. Avery had trapped that room too, of course he had. They were stupid to think he wouldn't.

The three of them were tossed around the room like rag dolls with the force of it, parts of the ship breaking down in the fiery aftermath. Lucy saw nothing but black for a few moments before she came to, the orange glow seeming to encompass everything. Her leg was stuck between two boards that had snapped as she hit them but with just a little force she managed to pull herself free. She crawled across the floor, in too much pain to try and stand. She could see a leg and hoping it was Sam's she crawled toward it.

"Sammy?" She almost collapsed again when she saw his lifeless form trapped beneath the beam. "Come on, honey, wake up." She tapped his cheeks, shook his shoulders, did everything she could but his eyes wouldn't open. "Don't do this, not now. Sammy, please." She could feel a pulse under her fingers, feel his breath when she leaned in close. "You've left me twice, Sam. Don't do it again. You promised you wouldn't leave me on my own again. You swore we were going home together."

"A Drake's promise doesn't mean anything."

Turning to look over her shoulder, she saw Rafe, climbing to his feet and picking up his gun from the floor. He had blood running down the side of his face, his hair was disheveled and he had cuts on his arm and stomach.

Lucy didn't have the energy to argue with him or even try and hide herself from his line of fire when he lifted his arm to aim at her head. She closed her eyes, felt Sam's cheek beneath her finger tips. When she expected to hear a gunshot she instead heard the door open and Nathan shouting for his brother.

Nathan insisted that Lucy get Sam awake whilst he dealt with Rafe. She continued shaking him, slapping his cheeks harder now, shouting his name in his face. Eventually he opened his eyes, just in time to slide Nathan his dropped sword. Lucy tried lifting the beam from Sam's chest but her wrist was still broken and trying to do it with just one arm was pointless.

"Nathan, help me with this." She shouted once Rafe was gone.

Together they tried to lift the beam but it was just too heavy. When Sam basically said goodbye to them both without actually saying it Lucy wanted to kick him. She wasn't about to let him give up now.

"I'm not leaving, Sam so shut up." She pursed her lips and Sam saw that same stubborn teenager he'd fallen in love with all those years ago. "We have come too far, lied and hurt each other, hurt other people and fought too hard to leave you behind now. You promised you'd always be with me so I'm promising just the same. That's just a fact you're going to have to accept. Understood?"

"Ah-firmative." Sam smiled, as Nathan moved the canon to aim at the floor and told Sam to hold his breath.

They swam as fast as their aching, tired bodies would allow them, keeping that last bit of light in their sights. The first breath of air once they passed the cliff wall was the sweetest thing Lucy had felt in a long time. Elena was on the shore line, waiting to pull them up. Lucy collapsed beside Sam, breathing deeply as she blindly reached out and took his hand.

"What a journey, huh?" Nathan smiled as he leaned back against the wall of the plane. Sam took a seat beside him, after having found a spare pack of cigarettes he'd stored in the side of one of the seats.

"The exploding mummies were a personal highlight." Lucy joked, watching Sam as he lifted a cigarette to his lips, idly tapping his pockets. Nathan held up the lighter and flicked it open, sharing a smile with him.

It was quiet for a while as they watched the island get smaller behind them. A sudden thought came to Lucy's mind and she couldn't help but laugh aloud. Sam gave her a questioning frown as she caught his eye.

"If you're gonna be dumb you gotta be tough." She sang, half laughing the words. "When you get knocked down you gotta get back up."

"That could be your damn theme song, shit you've been through" Sully shook his head from up front.

"I ain't the sharpest knife in the drawer but I know enough to know..." Sam trailed off, looking at Nathan.

"If you're gonna be dumb you gotta be tough."