CHAPTER FIFTY

( WHEN WITH ROME )

SHE HAD TO admit, she didn't miss the humidity of Virginia. It was the middle of October and she still felt as if it were sweltering. Thankfully, the academy had air conditioning which greeted her as she entered the dorm area where the cadets were with her escort. As soon as she had stepped foot off of the plane she had been greeted by full security, making her feel like a high max prisoner but she understood why she had this much security. It was to make sure she stayed put. And from her conversation with Suyin when she had come into the academy it sounded like they were going to be near her twenty-four seven.

It wasn't ideal but if it made the other cadets feel safe along with the agents that resided at the headquarters then it was fine with her. Honestly, she really didn't mind. This was her second chance at achieving greatness and she wasn't going to pass that up. She couldn't let Steve down. She didn't understand how much it meant for him to see her follow out her dream but seeing how he reacted to her leaving the academy the first time, broke her heart. He was disappointed but he still cared for her and understood why she left which made her feel worse for letting him down. Especially since he had always been there for her. This was her second chance to prove that she could do anything she put her mind to, that she could handle herself and didn't need to be babied constantly. She wasn't going to let him down.

Speaking of letdowns, the security guard had lead her to the corridor her dorm had once been on. She held her breath, as they approached a door that she had remembered. Obviously, she wasn't going to be getting her old room back. And as she cracked the door open to peer inside, her heart faltered within her chest as she saw the small room. Smaller than her previous dorm with Linnea. As her eyes scanned across the room, the more disappointed she became. No window, a bed that resembled the bottom bunk of a prison bed, and most importantly no other bed or signs of life from within the room. Apparently, having someone live with her must've been a luxury that she no longer was provided.

A small sigh escapes her lips as she enters the dank room. If she thought she felt like a prisoner before she was wrong, this was the life a criminal lived. She placed her bag on the twin bed, listening to the mattress springs squeak in protest. She almost winced at the high-pitched sound. Good-bye full night's of sleep, hello painful cricks in her back. She clears her throat as she turns to see the security guard standing in her doorway. Her brow arched as she stared up at him. "Do you mind if I change?"

"There's no need to change, Cadet." The man informs her, causing her to frown. "I'm here to escort you to drop off your things and then escort you to your class."

"Right," she whispers beneath her breath, her displeasure becoming painfully obvious. For a moment she's disappointed as she hadn't truly been alone since she stepped out of her apartment. Of course, they had sent a car for her, equipped with a robust man in a black suit to watch over her while he transported her to LaGuardia, where another man in a black suit escorted her through the airport (making her look and feel like a convicted felon on her way to trial), and let's not forget the entourage she's collected since arriving to Quantico. She's managed to go through three different guards in less than twenty-four hours. This must be what jail felt like because with each passing moment she could feel her freedom growing smaller and smaller. But it was the right price she had to pay.

She knew of the consequences when she decided to leave. However, she wasn't going to complain about not wearing the typical uniform and wearing her - albeit old - clothes, they were still nicer than whatever the starchy t-shirts and shorts were made out of. The only regret she had about wearing her own clothes was how she was going to stand out, and she didn't need to be recognized even more than what she already was. Especially after her escapade. She let out a brash sigh before following the security guard out the door, listening to it click to make sure she hadn't just left it open. The last time she didn't check to see if her door was shut all the way, she ended up with sharpie all over her uniform. Although she knew Rome and considered him an acquaintance now, she still wouldn't put it behind him to sabotage her uniform. She had almost cost them their jobs, their education, of course, he'd be upset with her. Enough to write Zombie over her clothes again.

She followed the agent down the hall, away from the stairwell that leads to the academic side of the academy. This perks her interest for a split second only for her logic to kick and remind her that she was on strict probation and shouldn't question what they were doing with her. As she followed the agent she couldn't help but feel like there was something about him that just was familiar. She didn't necessarily know the man but she had felt as if she had seen him before and not just at the academy. His dark hair was nearly swept up into a stylish hairdo, his cold blue eyes swept the hallways, making sure she didn't run into any other cadet. He was unbelievably handsome, she couldn't put that past him. That must have made him a keen asset to the agency. He could disarm any suspect with just his looks, something she aspired to do but knew she couldn't.

Not with the swollen eye Rome had given her a few days ago, which had now started to grow into a warm purple color instead of a harsh blue. It still throbbed every once and again but she had become used to the pain. The agent stopped in front of an elevator, placing his hands behind his back in an effort to stay professional but she could tell he was disguising a stretch. She followed him, standing by his side as she waited for the chime of the elevator to hit their floor. She averted her eyes from his stone cold face, her curiosity was starting to get the best of her. He could've been from anywhere. She shakes it off, she probably saw him at the academy unknowingly and is just now starting to recognize him.

The chime of the elevator brings her back to reality for a split second as the doors slide open. He sticks his arm in between the elevator doors while ushering her in, in an attempt to stop the doors from closing. She says a brisk thank you before stepping in making sure to stay as close to the back wall as possible. She had never been on an elevator in the academy before, most cadets were to use the stairwell, it seemed odd to be riding one down to the first floor - at least she thinks it's the first floor they're going to, it's the only button lit up.

It felt awkward to be trapped in the small elevator with an agent dressed from head to toe in a sauve black suit. Even more so as she hadn't really spoken to him since he had been assigned to stay at her side and escort her since she had arrived at the academy. However, she figured it was too late to start up the small talk once again. That didn't stop her from gazing at him though, trying to figure out where she had seen him before. She couldn't help but glance up at him for a moment, her mind trying to piece together the puzzle where she had seen him before. The agent gives her a judgemental side eye, making her cheeks heat up in embarrassment. Her eyes are drawn back towards the elevator doors. "Forgive me. You just look familiar," she speaks up after a moment of awkward silence. He shifts uncomfortably for a moment before speaking up.

The man sighs, "I should look familiar."

His voice was gruff, it was apparent that he didn't want to talk to her but she still felt intrigued by his presence. Even more so, now that he admitted that he should look familiar. She raises her brow up in confusion at his statement. She had seen him before but she still couldn't place where. "Do I know you?" she sheepishly pries, earning another side eyed glance from him. He sighs, letting his guard down. "Agent Timothy Sawyer. S.H.E.I.L.D. Field Agent," he states in a monotone, bored voice.

"You're from S.H.I.E.L.D!" she yips in excitement a little too loud for Sawyer's liking as he winces at the shift in her tone. While he glared to himself, Quinn was ecstatic. Usually, when bits and pieces of information came back to her they were pretty substantial like when Blair had Agent Ward (who turned out to be Hydra) help train her by putting her in various choking positions. But nothing as major as recognizing someone. She was completely buzzing with joy. "Did I actually know you? Sorry. My mind got a little frazzled during the whole compromisation." she questions, a bright warm smile placing itself on her lips. The smile paled in comparison to Sawyer's dry and lifeless expression. As if it had bothered him to be in the same elevator as her. "Not officially, no," he answers before shifting his stance in irritability. "How come you're here and not somewhere else?" Quinn suddenly asks, instantly regretting what she had just said.

"Where else would I be?" he questions, his tone sharp and bitter as if he had just been insulted by a cadet. She winces a little at this, instantly feeling small and weak next to him. It was obvious he didn't want to be bothered. "I don't know. Forget I said anything." she quickly dismisses the conversation, averting her eyes from the agent. She felt insignificant next to him. She had a million questions she wanted to ask him but could tell he didn't want to be bugged. She bit the inside of her cheek to prevent herself from having another outburst, crossing her arms across her chest to make herself seem more standoffish like Sawyer.

After a few more moments of stagnant silence, Sawyer cleared his throat, piquing Quinn's attention. "I was going to quit S.H.I.E.L.D. before it all went down. I had one foot in here and the other over there. It didn't become official until Rogers became a fugitive." he spoke up, surprising her. She was happy that she got him to open up to her, it was nice knowing she was able to remember something like a passing face from earlier in the year, but something tugged at her chest that caused her to frown. The small glimmer of hope for a friend in this place, aside from the ones she had gotten in trouble, seemed to fade away as the more ever-present question lingered in her mind. "You must hate me like all the other cadets then. Being forced into Hydra and all. Can't be trusted and whatnot." she sighed out.

"I don't know you, but I know I could never hate you," Sawyer spoke up, once again perking Quinn's attention. "There's talk of why you decided to abruptly leave, some say you had a Hydra calling but others say you went to go help someone. Which is true?" he questions, his tone low and his gaze lingering on her for a moment before staring back at the mirrored elevator doors.

She could feel the heat rushing to her cheeks in embarrassment. The failed plan to rescue Blair.

"Ah, yeah, I went to go help a friend." she absentmindedly rubbed her upper arms out of nervousness. She felt stupid saying it all out loud to someone who she didn't technically know. "By friend you mean Agent Norris, correct?" This question caught her off guard. Her mouth opened a bit out of surprise and her eyes narrowed. No one knew of Blair here, and even if someone did they wouldn't know what she was up to and if she was lost. Could he be Hydra? Her mind flared with danger, her hair on the back of her neck stood on edge, however she tried to keep her cool. "How did you -"

"Know? It's a small world, Quinn. I knew Blair when she first started at S.H.E.I.L.D." Sawyer tried to explain but it still seemed off to her. She stood on edge, still, gazing up at him with weary eyes. He rolled his eyes before speaking up once again. "I'm Bodhi's best friend, Bodhi happens to be dating Natasha, Natasha and Blair are best friends. You get the picture."

"I mean...I guess? So you know Blair." Quinn says uneasily.

Sawyer let out a soft chuckle, "I'm dating Blair."

For a moment, Quinn's mind runs absolutely blank. Someone was dating Blair? Blair Norris? The same Blair Norris she knew? The Avenger? Her brows furrowed as she stared unsure at the man. It made sense. He was quite attractive, and he had previously been employed with her. The number of agents that inner dated within S.H.I.EL.D. wasn't too common but it wasn't rare. And Blair was always so secretive around her, even after the incident, their texts between each other were almost bone dry, aside from the occasional juicy gossip she'd tell her about Steve. However, when Quinn's attention brought her back to the real world, it felt like she had been hit at a thousand miles an hour with a curveball.

"Oh," she says quietly at first but then her voice escalates when the realization hits her. "Oh! Then you know!"

It took a lot of strength for Sawyer not to flash her a small smile, her excitement about finding out about their little affair was amusing. Like watching a comic book nerd spasm over a movie about the comic. "To a degree." he acknowledges, trying his best to keep his voice low and stay composed in a professional manner. "Why didn't you say something! Why didn't you come with us! You could've persuaded Steve -"

"I trust, Blair." he cuts her off, mid ramble, causing her to close her mouth. The elevator chimes, its doors opening to let them out into a dank hallway. It wasn't familiar to her but she wasn't too concerned with where she was at the moment. She was too focused on Sawyer. For a moment there was silence between them before he checks over his shoulder as if he didn't want anyone eavesdropping on him. When he continues speaking, it doesn't surprise Quinn, she was anticipating for him to rebuttal. "I trust, Blair," he reiterates from their previous conversation. "I know, Blair. I love Blair. She's not hurt. She's just doing her job. There's no need to get worked up over it." he casually dismisses.

This makes Quinn squint her eyes, as she tries to wrap her mind around what he had said. It was touching that he trusted her so much to run into the face of danger, in a way she wished she could be like that with Steve, but she knew she couldn't. When Steve left, her mind would flood with endless possibilities of what could happen to him. It almost didn't make sense as to why Sawyer was so calm about Blair risking her life. "What if she dies?" she questions, the latter half of the sentence coming off more like a whisper as if she said it loudly it would come to fruition.

Sawyer's lips purse into a thin line across his face as if the words had cut him deep. For a moment she sees his hesitance with answering but when she does, she shocked. "Then the world loses one of the best people on it. But it does still turn." he sighs as if it were a bother to keep answering her questions or to even think about Blair dying. It was something Quinn couldn't understand. How could she care more about Blair's well-being than her own boyfriend? Was he even devout to her? Where exactly was he when S.H.I.E.L.D. was being taken over by Hydra and Blair was on the frontlines of figuring it out?

There's not a moment that goes by where she doesn't think of Steve in that moment, and she knows for a fact that, even though she was hijacked, he had made it perfectly clear to those who followed them not to kill her. He went out of the way to ensure her safety while saving the world, yet Sawyer couldn't even be bothered to care for Blair risking her life at the moment. "How could you say something like that?" her words burned like fire as she spat them out, her quick and defensive tone throwing Sawyer off guard as he looked down to see Quinn's face reddened with anger.

"I worry about Steve all the time. I worry about if he'll come home, I worry about my life without him in it. I've just started to see Steve. And you've been with Blair for-for-for-" she sputters out, trying to get a grasp on her mindset as she tried to put together a single coherent sentence.

"Two years," Sawyer answers, almost bored, which matched the look on his face as well.

"Two. Years. I can't believe it." Quinn spouts off, waving her hand to dismiss the conversation. She was livid and she knew she wouldn't sound coherent when she was pissed. It was one of her flaws. The silence says too much, that they were both heated about the topic. One side cared too much while the other side was the exact opposite to an extent. Sawyer scoffs as he lets Quinn's words sear into his mind, she tried to pay no mind to this, instead crossing her arms across her chest and internalizing her frustration. "In S.H.I.E.L.D. we're trained to not let our emotions get in the way of what we do. Same with here." Sawyer states, not gaining a response from the cadet who seemed to be boiling with rage.

He stops in his tracks, tapping her lightly on her upper arm to stop her as well. She glared up at him, as his grey eyes scanned her features, his lips almost tugged into a light smirk. Almost. "Do you honestly think Steve thinks the same as you or will when you start to go on missions? Steve is a soldier before anything. He won't hesitate to think about you for a split second if the world depends on it." His voice is as low as it was cold.

The words stung.

Steve wasn't anything like Sawyer, thank God. But Sawyer did have a point that he was getting at and that she understood. Controlling emotions was the best way to live if you were dating an Avenger it appeared. "I wouldn't expect him to value me over the world but I do ask for him to be cautious," she responds, her voice meek but her eyes still engulfed with anger. Sawyer lets out a humorless chuckle as if what she had said was amusing. It was the first time he had shown any emotion other than disgust or boredom. "If Rogers listened to that then he's a fool." he spits out the words like venom.

Quinn clenches her fist. If she hadn't already been on the watchlist then she would've decked him. What Steve and her felt real, real enough to care for each other and it had only been a few months. To go without caring for someone's safety, regardless of their job, for two years seemed disloyal in a way. If not disloyal then dishonest to the relationship. She swallowed her pride as she fell in step with him. "Is that your advice?" she questions, her voice still hostile. "Your parting wisdom to me is to just keep on living as if it didn't happen if Steve were to die." Sawyer doesn't respond, he keeps his head held high as if she were beneath him once again.

This infuriates her even more but she suppresses it. They're silent once again, until Sawyer stops at a grey metal door, with one small window. It looked like it was straight out of solitary confinement in a prison. He tilted his head towards the door, indicating this was their stop. She didn't dare look up at him, she only let her temper get the best of her. Her fingers linger on the door handle but she catches herself, just before she opens it. "Let me make this clear to you now. Just in case we meet again. Whether it be here or wherever the Avengers are." she addresses him without even looking up at him.

"I will be damned if one more person in my life dies. I don't think I can handle it. I'll shut down. I don't want to shut down." she takes a shaky breath, thinking about losing those who she loved and those she's already lost always made her anxiety spike. Knowing that she was thousands of miles away from her mother and something could happen to her while she was away always terrified her, especially with her new status of dating an Avenger. Who knows what kind of target she not only painted on her back but on the backs of those she loved the most. She shakes her thoughts of it, staring up into Sawyer's expectant eyes. "Steve knows that. That's why he's careful," she huffs out as if it were common knowledge.

It should be.

"It's not too much for you to worry about Blair, it doesn't show weakness as an agent to show that you care about her, it shows the strength in your relationship."

Sawyer lets out a humming sound as if he were taking in the words one at a time. However, his face was still expressionless, bored, and lifeless. Quinn, at the point, couldn't see what Blair saw in him. He was handsome, yes, but he was an ass who seemed to bring out the worst in her. Usually, she wouldn't spout off on someone like that but he had insulted her relationship with Steve and spit on her friendship with Blair. If only this were a man that Jo was dating, she would've throttled him without hesitation.

"This is you," Sawyer announces, gesturing towards the door with his hand. She quickly takes this time to avert her gaze away from him, in fear that she may spout off once again if she held his gaze even longer. "It was pleasant to meet you, Cruise." his voice was cool and unpleasant, he lingered over the word pleasant as if it had a double meaning to it. Quinn half-heartedly let out a small breathless laugh, rolling her eye as she grabbed onto the metal door handle. "Aha, right," she mumbles as she whips the door open forcibly, hoping that it would smack him on her way in, but she was let down as he stepped a few paces behind her to avoid it. Then, he turned on his heel and vanished.

She lets out a low growl of frustration as she enters what appeared to be a small classroom. It was the size of an executive conference room, maybe even smaller, with fewer windows, and more cameras that could fit on the walls. She could tell the room hadn't been used in quite some time, the dust had collected on a few shelves, stocked with worn and tattered books. If she hadn't known any better she would have sworn she had walked into her eighties kindergarten classroom. The desks were easily from that time period and had collected enough dust particles to where she could write her own name on them. They were each in rows of five, leading all the way to the back of the classroom.

Sitting, spaced out from each other, were the familiar faces of Rome, Lena, and Linnea, each nose deep in a textbook. They hadn't even bothered to look up at her as she entered the room. She notes the separated desks from one another and takes the desk closest to the door. It felt like they were all in silent detention. "Is this where we're meeting?" she questions, her voice breaking the silence and gathering their attention towards her. Lena's are the first eyes she meets, they were dark but beamed with glee as she realized who was speaking. At a moment's notice, she had risen from her seat and thrown her arms around the blonde, causing her to stumble. "Quinn!" she shouts, directly into her ear, making Quinn wince a little but her smile refused to falter.

Quinn almost chokes on her own spit as Lena latches her arms around her neck, embracing her tightly. It had been a while since she received a back-breaking hug like this. She hadn't felt this loved since Jo left. "You're back!" Linnea chides, gluing herself to her side and wrapping her arms around them. Quinn, unable to move her arms to hug Linnea, instead leans her head against hers as a way of embracing her.

The last person to mosey their way over to them was Rome, who looked more laid back in causal clothes than his uppity uniform. His arms were crossed against his chest, and there was a slight trace of a smirk resting on his lips but it could've been a trick of the light. It takes him a moment to even find his voice. He hadn't been at a loss of words in a while. He was almost certain that he'd never see her again, yet she was standing right in front of him. His blue eyes wavered with concern for a moment before they go back to their usual guarded nature. "I thought I heard your voice from the hallway. What were you yelling about?" he questions, not even bothering to say hello to her.

Quinn rolls her eyes, shaking off Linnea and Lena, who lean up against the opposite side of the desk, waiting for her answer. Quinn hadn't realized she had actually been that loud. Maybe she did have a problem with her temper. However, she couldn't let Rome know that, or else she wouldn't hear the last of it from him. "Oh, nothing. Just ran into an old coworker." she merely shrugs off, trying her best not to even think about the conversation. If Sawyer had actually gone, they could've had a valid reason to go. Steve would've let them pass with no hesitation. If only Sawyer had a little emotion within him, they would be on their way to Italy instead of being stuck in the musty classroom they resided in.

Quinn begins to settle herself in, taking out her notebook from her bag, and uncapping the novelty pen that she had taken from Robin, a small token to remind her of home. "I owe you an apology." Rome states along with huffing out a sigh. Quinn almost snorts at this. Rome? Apologizing? She never thought she'd see the day. She tries her best to mask the smirk growing on her face as she turns to face him, her brows rising in question. "Why do you owe me an apology? I should be the one giving you guys an apology." she retorts, earning a shrug from Rome. "You've made up for the hair-brained trip. We're still at the academy," he states as if it were no big deal that they had snuck off the premises and violated several rules and conditions. This time it's Lena who snorts, "Yeah, you know, under lock and key but still here."

As she sits down in her, what Quinn can only assume, assigned seat in the middle row. Quinn presses her lips together in a thin line. She really hasn't done much to keep them at the academy. When she asked Yvette if they were able to stay, she had already informed her that their actions were forgiven but they were facing the consequences. She had no idea the consequences would be complete isolation from the other cadets. "Ah well, you're welcome. I suppose." her voice trails off for a moment. "I didn't actually think they'd allow me to come back," she admits, sliding into the blue plastic chair that was almost too small for her to sit in. It was child-sized. How could Rome even fit in these?

"And here you are," he exclaims, leaning on the top of her desk. For a moment the desk shakes, threatening to collapse under his weight but then it evens out, causing Quin to let out a sigh of relief. "And here I am," she replies as a matter-oh-fact, tapping her pen on her desk.

"So what's your situation? There's no way they would've allowed you to come back with just an apology." Rome inquires, prying further into a subject she didn't feel the need to divulge in but, they had almost gotten expelled. It was the least she could do. Plus, her mother always said, honesty is the best policy. "Don't think I'm sweet enough to talk my way into coming back?" she comments, throwing him a smirk as she leaned on the palm of her hand.

"Was it Stark?" Rome asked with an eye roll.

"No. It was me," she answers, sitting up straight in her chair. "But not sweet-talking. They want to use EDGE the app I developed to track Blair."

Rome narrows his eyes at her, his arms, once again, folding across his chest. "So they're exploiting you?"

Quinn rolls her eyes at his comment, watching his smirk grow into a shit-eating grin. "You can call it that but I'd like to call it a second chance." she huffs out while playing with her hair, trying to do something with her hands to stay preoccupied. "So what's all this then? Why are we in this room?" she questions, gesturing to the dank classroom, hearing Lena give her a snicker. "Isn't it obvious? We're in detention." Lena answers, causing Quinn to perk her brows up. "So we don't actually get to go to class?"

"I guess that was part of the agreement when they decided to take us back," Lena suggests, shrugging her shoulders. Rome lets out a small puff of air, almost a sigh, but more as a scoff as he returns to his seat. "Yeah, you know, it's fine for you because you only have to spend a month in here while we have to spend the rest of our academic careers in here."

Quinn frowns at the statement. She knew she had messed up their training but not this much. She opens her mouth to apologize but Linnea pipes up to comfort her thoughts. "I don't think that's true. You're exaggerating. We're in here until she's gone." she lays into Rome with an eye roll. Quinn tosses a glare at him, who merely shrugs it off. She never took him for someone who would be overdramatic or theatrical. In the beginning, he always looked so serious, so deadly. Now when she looked at him all she could see was an annoying brother figure. If only she actually got to know her own brother like this before the accident.

The sudden twinge of sadness crept into her mind, contorting her face to display an unpleasant frown instead of her usual smirk. "And the professor's...?" her voice trails off as she points all around the room, noting the absence of an authority figure, which she thought was odd. "Come in after they're done with their last lecture," Lena responds. "But don't get any ideas of leaving. There may not be someone in the room but there are agents everywhere out in the hall."

Quinn snorts, "I was just in the hallway. I didn't see anyone besides Agent Sawyer."

"Well, they'd be bad at their job if you did see them." Rome retorts, eluding to agents hiding in the hallway. All Quinn could do was picture several agents pinned against the walls engulfed in camouflage. They wouldn't be that extensive in making sure they'd stay in their detention center, or would they?

"Professor Caufield shows up just before twelve hundred so we have to study up until then." Rome's voice brings her attention back to him, his slouched position in his seat.

"And outdoor classes?"

"Usually held until the very end of the day." Linnea answers. "We're in purgatory. We can't complain about the schedule but it's better than being kicked out." she shrugs. Quinn nods a bit, agreeing with her but also feeling bad as well. "So we're stuck here until I graduate..." she says after a moment of silence, her voice trailing off at the open-ended statement.

"You better graduate on time, Cruise. I don't want to spend the rest of my days here." Rome threatens, jabbing his pencil in her direction, causing her brows to furrow. "I will. But I might need your help trying to do firearms and all that... physical stuff," she states, waving her arms about to emphasize the latter half of the statement. "Because you're at the top of the class when it comes to that."

"I'm sorry, can you repeat that?" Rome teases, earning an eye roll from Quinn. "Did you just admit I'm better than you?"

"Will you please take this seriously?"

"You want advice? Think the target is me." he scoffs.

"Oh really?" Quinn's voice is dripping in sarcasm. "It's not like I haven't thought to do that before. Are you going to actually help me or not?"

Rome slouches down in his seat, returning to his original position that he was in before Quinn had begun speaking with him. Huffing out a sigh, as he picks up his pencil again. "I'm not going to go easy on you."

Quinn narrows her eyes at him, "When have you ever made my life easy?"

The comment makes Rome smirk - something that she used to think was bad but now she found it almost endearing. "Exactly. It'll be like old times," he says, his lips finally twitching up into a crooked smile. Quinn couldn't help but feel the need to run her arms anxiously. The next few weeks were going to be something unforgettable.