Chapter 11

Sam P.O.V.

Quorra and Gracey were sprawled out on the old yet shiny hardwood flooring to my father's home, where I called home many years ago. Their legs tangled together as they sat across from one another with an old deck of cards sitting between them.

"Do you know how to play Go Fish?" Gracey trilled as she reached for the cards and began to slowly count them.

I laughed somewhat to myself as Quorra responded. "No," she murmured as she glanced over at me curiously to only meet my gaze. She smiled fondly before rolling her eyes at me. "Explain it to me," she urged as she turned back to Gracey.

I turned my back on them as Gracey laughed and I heard her click her tongue against the roof of her mouth. "Okay."

I looked around me, feeling the familiar warmth of being home that I hadn't felt in so long.

I shoved my hands in my pockets as thunder rumbled overhead and the pitter patter of rain grew louder as it hit the glass surface of the windows.

I could still hear the soft ticking that the godfather clock made above the rain. My eyes moved to where it stood in the corner of the family room, next to the mantle. I walked over to it slowly, brushing my fingers over the soft cushions of an arm chair.

I squinted, looking at the pictures that remained on the mantle.

The memories rushed in, as if a flood gate had opened.

I grimaced, feeling a deep pang in my chest. After a few moments, it passed and I studied the pictures of my past fondly.

"You know…" Quorra started slowly from behind me and I turned to face her. She bit her lip and frowned as she looked at me, standing almost instantly and making her way towards me. Her warmth swarmed me as she hooked her arm around mine easily and reached out for a picture that was nestled on the mantle. "I still can't grasp this phenomenon," she murmured as she pointed at a younger version of myself.

"What?" I asked.

She pointed to the picture again, studying the one year old boy in the picture. "How this…you…" she trailed off as she looked at me for confirmation. "Becomes this…you," she murmured as she gestured towards my form. "But it is," she said as if she was trying to contemplate if this was some sort of magic trick. "Same eyes, same exact eyes," she murmured as she held the frame to my cheek.

I chuckled. "It's just a fact of life, a constant. Change is an ongoing thing," I reminded her.

"I know but still…it's hard to wrap your head around, you know?" she asked as she set the picture frame back down on the mantle and turned to look at me, resting her chin on my shoulder so our faces were only two inches apart.

I nodded, understanding where she was coming from. "You'll have plenty of time to see for yourself," I promised as I glanced over at Gracey, who had already abandoned the deck of cards and was sitting by the window.

Quorra smiled softly, following my gaze for a brief moment. "I suppose so," she agreed as she lifted one of her shoulders easily.

I glanced at my watch before pulling Quorra into my arms, smirking down at her playfully. "So, how about after this storm passes over, we head over to this diner on the edge of the city," I suggested.

"What's it called?" she asked as she pursed her lips.

I shrugged. "I don't really remember but I know it's still there," I promised her. "I've spent my fair share of drunk nights there over the years, drowning my drunken sorrows in chocolate crumble milkshakes."

Her facial expression became more curious as she stared at me before she laughed softly. "Okay," she breathed as she lifted her left hand and brushed it over the bare skin of my neck. "As long as I can get some waffles."

"Waffles," I scoffed as I rolled my eyes at her.

"They're so good!"

She laughed and pulled away from me, taking a seat next to Gracey by the window. "Can I have ice cream for breakfast?" Gracey asked.

"No…" Quorra and I both mumbled as my phone began to ring. "When have you ever had ice cream for breakfast?" I questioned her as I pulled my phone out of my pocket and sighed, my shoulders slumping slightly.

It was Alan.

"Being the sick kid had it's feats," she said as she grinned. "And Mom always let me have it for breakfast when I first came home with you guys," she added with a huff.

I looked over at Quorra, who was now frowning sheepishly. "She always asked for it so I thought that maybe it was a breakfast food too. How was I supposed to know?" she asked as she rested her arms on her knees.

I couldn't help but laugh as I slid my finger against the screen of my phone to answer the call. "What's up, Alan?"

"Hey, kiddo. I know you said you were taking a half day but was it really that important to do whatever you're doing today of all days?" he asked.

I heard shuffling in the background as Quorra looked over at me, frowning. "You didn't tell him you weren't coming in?"

"I did," I mouthed as I turned away from her and walked into the kitchen. "Well no but-"

"Sam," Alan started, sounding more serious. "I know you're getting uptight about the press conference coming up but not showing up on the days that you're focusing on preparing for it doesn't help."

"Alan, can't you just do it? I really don't want to," I said as I sat on a bar stood, resting my chin on my free hand.

"Sam, you have to learn, just like all of us did," he told me, his tone lightening a bit.

I sighed aloud, looking out the window at the rain that was still pouring from the clouds. "You'd be better at it or…McClain, he's done it before, right?"

"Our shareholders and business partners don't want to hear from the board members, you know that. What's the problem, kiddo?"

I pouted at the window.

ENCOM's first press conference since I had taken my position was next week. It's not that I didn't care about it but I just didn't like that I was the one that everyone was relying on.

It was like judgment day and everyone would get to see how I was nothing like my father.

I wasn't a leader. I'd never liked public speaking. Hell, I'd never even graduated from college.

I wasn't exactly certified for being the CEO of a Fortune 500 company.

"Sam? There won't even be that many people there since it's your first one. It won't be open to the public," Alan said as I heard shuffling on the other line. "You'll be able to get a good feel of things."

I groaned. "But, I really-"

"Samuel Flynn, you're going to be in your office by two, not five minutes after or ten, two o'clock exactly," he stated before I heard him exhale. "We're just trying to help you but we can't if you avoid us."

I was about to respond but jumped as a warm hand slipped past my fingers and pulled the phone away from me. "He'll be there, Alan," Quorra reassured before handing the phone back to me and reaching into my pocket to pull out the keys to the car.

I half glared at her but she glared back at me, wiping the frown off of my face almost instantly

"So there was a catch after all," Quorra murmured as she shook her head at me.

"It wasn't really a catch, I just wanted a day off to clear my head, to mull over things," I told her as I turned around in the bar stood to see her leaning against a wall by the door.

She huffed. "That's what the weekend it for," she reminded me. She looked at me curiously for a few moments before quirking up an eyebrow. "You know you'll do fine, Sam," she reassured softly.

"I don't."

The two of us seemed to sigh at the same moment. "You should have more faith in yourself," she said as she tapped her finger to the side of her head. "And anyways, I'll be there."

I made a face. "We talked about this, Q."

She waved a hand at me. "I know, I know. But Alan already agreed," she said as she plastered an excited smile on her face. "And I already signed the contract with Vogue to wear a certain cocktail dress at the conference and an evening gown for the after party," she added with a shrug.

I couldn't help but roll my eyes at her as I stood, turning the lights off in the kitchen and family room. "That doesn't mean you have to go though," I said with the slightest of laughs.

"According to the contract, yes…it does," she told me as she stuck her tongue out. "It'll be fun! We haven't been to an event together in months."

I walked over to her and stopped, leaning against the wall beside her. "I wonder why…"

"Dad, can I keep this?" Gracey asked as she walked up to us with the light brown stuffed bear that she had discovered on my old bed.

"I don't see why not," I answered as I turned the security system on and opened the front door. "Q, can you grab that quilt with all the patches on it?" I asked as I pointed to the quilt that was resting over the arm of the couch.

She nodded barely, grabbing it as she headed for the door, ushering Gracey out towards the car at once. "You have twenty-three minutes," she said as I followed after them.

"Then I think the wrong person is driving," I said as she got in the drivers seat and Gracey climbed into the back of the car.

She pouted at me as I sat beside her. "I'm not a bad driver," she insisted as the car hummed to life.

I smiled, shaking my head before looking out the window to see the large body of water that sat across from the house. "You know, we could still drop by the diner and order takeout," I said as she pulled off of the curb.

She glanced at me. "You're absurd, Sam Flynn."

"It was worth a shot."

Tell me what you think! I think I've finally gotten most of my writer block kinks out for this story so I'm hoping to be a lot quicker with updates. See you all soon!