Chapter III
Sasha and Michael found themselves on the road traveling down to where they had first encountered each other: Cassidy Creek. They had piled in her Pegassi Vacca. Knowing well the drive with be a considerable distance. With the modified Pegassi, reaching their destination wouldn't be a problem.
"I need to mention that this is a nice Pegassi, Sasha. I'm sure this Vacca was expensive."
"This was a gift from Lance when I turned twenty. Almost a decade ago now. Lance was so excited that he was more than eager to modify it. Upkeep I'm sure is just as expensive as the base pay for an average Pegassi."
"So you've been a soiled brat all your life then?"
Michael's question made Sasha crack up. "Don't you wish! I may come from a complicated family history, but it doesn't mean I can't fend for myself. If that were the case I'm sure I wouldn't have an escape such as Paleto Bay. My family keeps everything in the family. Family Traditions. Especially more so knowing what my Grandfather did in the 80s."
"Your Grandfather must have had one hell of a reputation." Michael was quick to comment.
"Yeah. A grand amount of a reputation and power." There had been a hint for sarcasm in her voice. "While most of us still work. He's down in Vice City enjoying his retirement on his million dollar yacht."
"Your Grandfather is living a dream I once wanted."
"Retirement wasn't for you, then? Given how you carry yourself... I would have guessed you weren't too far behind." Sasha joked. "During my Grandfather's Younger Days he got himself into more trouble than what it was worth. As he got older, some of his more defined personality traits had stayed. Yet as he aged, he mellowed out. Gangs, Family Business. Anything you would assume he had... I'm sure he could have bought."
"Family Affairs will always be complicated."
"So what's your family matters, Mr. DeSanta?"
"Complicated. How about yours?"
Sasha grew visibly stressed knowing well that she was disconnected with her family down in Paleto Bay. Her expression wasn't of anger or hate. It had been of worry. "Unlike most of my family members... I carry a lot of weight, Michael. Weight upon my shoulders that isn't even mine. Just with my family name alone. Another reason that when I do hide. I do my best to not be followed."
Michael didn't have exact words to comfort her overall state of mind. Yet there had been a few choice words his mind had caught through pattern. "Are you really hiding, Sasha? Hiding from the world as you say you might? Perhaps you're running and don't even know." His statement being genuine enough for her to absorb his words.
Pulling down the path where she had first found Michael. They had arrived in a decent amount of time. Sasha had unbuckled herself, wanting to shy away from Michael's question that lingered. She knew Michael knew better. "If I answer. I know not of your reaction, Michael. I know you're trying to understand my situation and I respect that. I know that you want to pay me back dare I entertain myself the thought it might be a little more..."
"You save my life. You gave me Sanctuary. Naturally I do feel obligated to repay the favor. That isn't a strange notion between the both of us. I just have a feeling I won't see you again knowing I could have done something to assist your own battles against the darkness."
"I won't deny your concerns, Michael. Nor will I ignore your gesture of repayment you feel obligated, but trust me. I'm a nobody. Even if I am on this edge. Battling my mental illnesses isn't anything new. Nor am I designed to be a burden on someone like you. I am still much in my head and responsible for myself."
"Kid. I'm going to ask you to spare me the details of your ramblings and get to the source. You are too hung in the past. This darkness that you fight. Dark thoughts included. Are these the reasons behind your increased drinking? Losing a family friend... or in your case Lance wouldn't cause the increase. It just gave you an excuse to keep adding to the problem."
"Mental Illnesses. Something severe as mine are often ignored as cries for attention. Then they tell you to stop acting out or you get strongly lectured on how 'easy' it is to get out of a state of mind. Driving you further and further darkness..."
"I see it from you. You know you have a problem. You put on a mask to hide how you truly are. Because something might have happened to where no one took you seriously then others around you don't think it's a form of abuse."
"Suicidal Thoughts are a mental illness, Michael. Even when some people use it for other devious means. I've been battling it more so in recent years. I've had it all my life, but it increased the more I was shut down. I have a therapist. My life is falling apart. Trust me when I say I want nothing to deal about my past and do my best to press forward. It's just been difficult. I don't think I would be here today if I wanted to give up. That's my motto anyway."
Michael gave a sigh, fearing how similar his feeling were, but had to be the stronger man under this circumstance. "What if I told you that I wasn't too far behind? That my wife and I constantly argue? That my kids. Especially my son causes me more of a headache that I want to deal with? There are days I'm firmly convinced that my family hates me."
His voice may have trailed, but Sasha had been still listening. Swift action pulled Michael into her embrace. "I don't know if you believe in fate. Coincidence, perhaps. However I am going to insist that people meet for a reason. Don't think that you being here hasn't made an impact on me or in your case when you depart we won't see each other again. We are the ones to change our paths with just one choice. One decision to knock on someone's door."
It was within her own words. Michael connected how he could repay Sasha. Something he knew that it could be more impactful. "You might have just convinced me... But I'll tell you what, kid. How about I check in with you and visit you every now and again? Not just out of getting myself in trouble with the law? Because I already have a feeling that alone will have a common occurrence between us." There had been sarcasm behind some of his statement. Yet enough to make Sasha smile.
"I appreciate the sentiment, Michael. Thank you. My offer of keeping Sanctuary when needed still stands. Don't forget that." Sasha ended their conversation there. Climbing out of her Pegassi. "Now. Let's see if we can find your items and send you on your way back into the chaotic world you call home."
Michael had followed suit exiting the Pegassi watching as Sasha opened up a secret compartment of storage in the back of her car. Inside had a spare handgun, a couple other necessities and what he saw as a spare emergency flashlight. Sasha reached for her flashlight, checking if the batteries were fresh. Blinding herself in the process.
Clicking off her flashlight to assure she wouldn't do the same to Michael, Sasha pointed in the general area where Michael had been originally located. "As you already know. I found you along the mouth of the creek. Not quite something that would meet alongside the ocean-"
Michael hadn't completely ignored her explanation, but was quick to grab Sasha's smart phone that was in her back pocket. "You shouldn't do that to your phone you know. You could end up destroying an essential device." Then going through her phone to switch on the built in flashlight on her phone.
Sasha's thoughts were out of that range entirely. "What is your deal?" She almost yelled in response.
"I'm on the same note as you are, darling. I'm just pitching in to find my items. What do you expect me to do? Sit on my hands? I don't think so. Not one bit." Sasha had huffed in response. Walking down closer to the river.
"You know!" She yelled back at him. "If I didn't think you were reaching my phone I would have called sexual harassment on your ass! Don't be doing that around me, damn it!"
Michael laughed. Disregarding her anger. "You would think that if when inventing such an innovative device such as the smart phone... they would have made them waterproof from the get go, right? Guess that's too futuristic for them." In return sharing a laugh soon after with Sasha. Making the miscommunication a slight moment of grace.
It had taken hours before there had been success at finding Michael's Belongings. The phone seemed to endure than Michael did. Being water damaged and a little cracked. While his wallet had been completely drowned. From afar, he glanced up at where he had been shot. Remembering how LSPD gave chase just as reluctantly.
Michael could still feel the sharp pain of being clipped and snipped in the back of his left shoulder. Having failed to dive safely into Cassidy Creek. Michael had failed to dive off the Alamo Railway Bridge into the shallow waters of the creek and its fall. The random encounter that would have the chance meeting at meeting Sasha.
Attention was called away from the recent days, now glancing back at Sasha whom had collapsed into the cold water below her. "God damn it!" She shouted. Groaning in self defeat.
Michael had hiked back over to Sasha who had sat in the water in exhaustion. "I found my phone and wallet. Come on. Let's get back to your place. Here-" He reached out a hand to help Sasha. "-allow me to help you out."
"It's all right, thanks. I was just... I was just a little clumsy." Denying his offer as she fell backwards into the water a second time. Now visibly frustrated. Michael forced himself to assist Sasha. Regardless of her attitude. "You didn't have to... Thanks."
"Don't be so hard on yourself, Sasha. It doesn't hurt to ask for a little help every now and again." Michael guiding Sasha to dry land once more. "With this out of the way. One question remains, Ms. Reeves. Am I staying another night with you or do we depart from now?" Sasha had locked eyes with Michael. "I'm still insisting we head to dinner. I'm also leaning into the direction I stay another night before I travel back into the chaotic world."
"Well if you want that. The Hen House is just around the corner from where I live-"
"Would it be too much to ask that I see the sober side of you, Sasha?"
Though stubborn, Sasha committed to Michael's request. "All right. There are some pretty good burgers at Jared's Famous Burgers just in-town. Across the street in a place called The Mojito Inn. That way we can enjoy each other's company if you want to take that route. Maybe that will suit more of your style?"
"That sounds decent enough." Michael agreed as they accompanied each other into Sasha's Pegassi. He had even gave Sasha her own smart phone back given the courtesy at not blinding her with her own flashlight app. "I also insist that when we get back to your place and freshen ourselves up a little. I don't think you want to be sitting in wet clothes." Again he had been a bit of a jokester through his sarcasm.
Sasha in this result had felt better through his intensive. "All right, Mr. DeSanta. You win this round. Don't get too far ahead of yourself."
The afternoon had been decent enough as the both of them. As Sasha retried to her master bedroom to get into something more decent than her typical messy self. Perhaps through Michael's logic she understood where he had his concerns. Outside of her goals, Michael took a moment to walk down to a discount clothing store to buy a better shirt to accommodate.
Their advantage was that they didn't have to dress fancy. Something that had been casual. It was just the both of them enjoying an outing. It had just been the both of them to hopefully get to know one another better. "Now ain't that interesting?"
Michael had chuckled knowing where they had been approaching. "What is, Michael?"
"Something as off kilter as a 'Famous Burger' being offered in a cafe inside an Inn. They must be pretty good as your scones."
"Hidden in plain sight. Just as much as anyone else here in Paleto Bay."
"You've been here long enough to figure that out?"
"As long as I disconnect myself from my family, of course. As I mentioned before. That most the time it's peaceful here. Everyone keeps to themselves and no one asks questions. It alters your perception and settles you outside of the world. Before you know it..." Michael had stalled. Staring back at his companion. "Before you know it you don't want to go back to Los Santos. Because in time you prefer the silence and solidarity lifestyle. This doubles if you grew up in a family such as mine."
"So is that why you created your place of Sanctuary and offer it to others?"
"I'm not running, Mr. DeSanta. No matter how you might perceive it from the outside. The echoes of your past will always follow you. It's not that I don't want to commit to my family. Everyone could use a break from the world every now and again. Even if some prefer longer periods of solitude than others."