Identical Tattoos

~Sleepover at the Drake's~

"Uncle Sammy!"

Cassie hurried to her uncle and threw herself into his embrace. Funny, I didn't know he was good with kids. As far as I can remember, he refused the idea of having babies.

"Cassie!" He welcomed her and gave her a peck on the side of her head. "How's my favorite niece doin'?"

"Great!" She uttered, enthusiastically. "You won't believe what I and mom found at the beach today, you're gonna get surprised!"

Sam chuckled. "I would love to see that"

"Cassie, say hi to uncle Sully and our new guest here" Elena pointed out.

Cassie obeyed her mother's will and greeted Victor with a simple hug then walked shyly towards me.

"Hi!" She extended her hand. "I'm Cassie"

I shake my hand lightly with her fragile one. "Nice to finally meet you, Cassie Drake"

She gave me a heartwarming smile then hurried back to Sam. Seemingly, he's more interesting than us others here. Well, I guess he ain't a bitch towards his blood-related ones, I told myself while sipping on my tea. But I couldn't let the scene between these two get out of my sight. Sam becomes a different person from the people he feels connected with. He's more comfortable and somewhat unassuming. I've always believed that there's an underlying "good" Sam deep in his middle-aged heart, but he wouldn't reveal it, especially to people he didn't know well or had a special bond with. My stare gets deeper. The way Cassie moved her mouth and used her hand gestures that blew Sam's mind away as he was listening intensively. It was their world. Cassie and Sam's world. The environment around them faded, and soon Cassie transformed into me who was now sitting on Sam's lap. My one arm around his neck while holding my mug in the other.

"Are you guys hungry btw?"

I got snapped out of my delusion by Elena's rapid question.

"I have some leftover food in the fridge and Cassie, dear, it's late"

"B-but I have so much to tell uncle Sam"

"You've got plenty of time. Up u go, hurry"

Cassie climbed down from Sam's lap, "and before I know it, he's gone again..." she muttered, grumpily.

"Stop complaining and go to bed!" Elena claimed strictly, and when Cassie wished us good night on the staircase, she placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Would u like to eat something? you must be starving"

I declined courteously. I didn't have so much appetite for some strange reason. 

The crew, except for Nate and I, went to fill their stomachs. I take my last sip and think about Cassie. I may never see her again in person. Maybe in the upcoming game when she becomes older, hm, I wonder how she will look like tho? will she wear her mother's traits or her father's? will she complete her grandmother's work for good, or devolve it to the next generation? will Sam be alive still or is he going to d... Oh, God! I shook my head. No! That won't be happening! Only the thought of it made me shudder.

"This journey is gonna be interesting" I heard Nate say, inserting the batteries in the walkie-talkies.

"U-huh" I answer in despair, putting the empty mug on the coffee table.

"Aren't you thrilled to visit your heritage?"

I shrugged my shoulder at his question.

"Would you experience any sorts of excitement, visiting a corrupted country under a dictatorial regime that is now no longer known for what it once was like it's somehow "excluded" on the world map? I hardly believe so"