Sam could respect that. Even if she deserved it he thought it didn’t make much sense to stand there and take a punch. She did rescues someone too but. Again he wasn’t there otherwise he might have had something else to say. Either way he was going to teach his gir- Cora how to fight properly. Even if she claimed she knew how to fight.

”It is a good thing isn’t it.” Sam said agreeing with her. He had no doubt she could out maneuver him on a bike, however if he really had to catch her all he would have to do would be ditch the bike his younger self bought and make an ice slide. The thought of pissing off his younger self brought a little smirk onto his face.

Once they stopped and she removed her helmet Sam parked his bike and hopped off enjoying the weather and the view his eye stopped studying Cora’s body and he headed to the tree closest to the road where his bike was parked and he sat at the trunk he tried his best to ignore the squirrels overhead. ”I mean, I have a ton of questions… most of which I’m kinda more interested in finding out on my own.” he shrugged and stared out into the rolling hills and field.

”I guess, I’m kind of curious. You said I chased you on the bike. Did Rime open with a line or something?” he asked curiously, ”No judgment but depending on your answer…” Sam said teasing.

Cora considered the question and sort of smirked to herself, ”You actually didn’t open with a line. I think your opening move was just to try and keep up.” The memory made her happy looking back, which was odd and sentimental, not really her style. She caught herself smiling and looked away.

”That’s not to say you didn’t have a few lines and puns down the road. I took you climbing at my rock climbing gym and probably showed off more than I needed to. You can be charming in your own way,” she winked.

Leaving her bike she walked to the edge where the trail broke away, and looked out. It wasn’t a real hike or climb but she still enjoyed the feeling of being outdoors, away from people. And Sam was there. She was re-meeting him, but enough of the old Sam was still under the surface.

”Honestly, I was never looking for a relationship. I...don’t know what you were told, but being able to see threads and relationships between people made me a bit cynical. I feel like people are bound to hurt each other. It’s easy to just give up when you know someone’s heart can change so easily,” she admitted. She put her hands in her pockets, chewing on the idea in her mind.

Technically the story was about him. He felt a little uncomfortable and possibly even a little jealous when she thought about the first time they met or rather his younger self and her met. ”Really, no ice puns right off the bat?” clearly his game was years ahead of Rime’s then. That made him feel a little better and secure about their relationship. Even if technically today was the first day he met her. It felt like he had none her for years though.

”Rime mentioned something like that. The important threads are on one hand and have a different color.” he said trying to recall everything he saw and heard from his younger self. ”I… he wasn’t looking for one either I’m sure. But he found one.” Sam said picking up a blade of grass and twirling it in between his fingers.

”Something we had in common for the most part. Hard to say goodbye to anyone if we had to leave, the past has a weird way of showing up and I never specialized in goodbyes.” he said dropping the grass. Normally he just left without a word or a very generic letter.

”Good thing I’m stubborn though.” he said shrugging and grinning to Cora, his grin faded when the subject talked more of relationships and the ones he had lost or rather were made then removed from him. ”I also happen to know you need to appreciate the relationships you have with people never know when they are going to be gone.” Sam said talking more about his ‘not real’ family and the years he had spent with them. He defiantly had way more baggage to carry than past Sam and that was saying a lot.

While he told her he was an open book he didn’t elaborate on that subject yet. Baby steps were probably needed. This was the first time he was sober and in a relationship after everything had happened. He’d also have to warn her about any potential stabbings he might get if he wasn’t sure about his mental state. He wanted to tell her but he was more afraid of scaring her off.

”I am charming.” he agreed with a smirk. ”Just so you know there is a lot more about me than Rime. I have ten years on the guy and a lot more baggage. However one thing I got that he doesn’t I’m not afraid of love.” he shifted his gaze to her he wasn’t saying he loved her he was just saying he wasn’t afraid of it. Something Rime was.

Rime had told his future self a few things, which made it easier. Cora walked over and sat down, leaning back on her hands. She nodded, acknowledging what he said. "I have one hand that can cut threads, and the threads on that hand are the ones I can't get rid of." She held up the right hand and let some of the threads become visible again. The one leading to Sam was there, darker than the rest, and there was one leading to wherever her dad was.

"So, my x, Mae, and I were together for a bit, and there was a point she was more serious about things than I was. I got cold feet, couldn't cut the thread, so I did the stupid thing and cheated. I...figured that was my chance to have a relationship, and I screwed things up, and I didn't really deserve another shot. Kept the broken thread there as a reminder to myself. It...It wasn't until recently it moved."

She felt weird talking about it to him. It was Sam, but he was older, and he forgot her. She looked at the strings, let them fade, and pushed a hand through her hair. "And yeah, that's why I let myself get punched. Hard to find a proper punishment for hurting someone you cared about. You have a lot more baggage than your younger self, but I had enough baggage to start."

He wasn't afraid to love. But was she? Probably. Maybe. She never thought of herself as scared of anything, but people? She could see that being one of them. "You know, this is your shot to run for the door. You have amnesia, your younger self liked me, that doesn't mean you're forced to..." She offered slowly. Just saying it made her stomach twist painfully, but she felt if she didn't, she would regret it. She didn't want to feel like she trapped him with a relationship. He didn't know her. He wanted to. But was that the best thing? Was she the best thing?

One of those threads was him. Or rather Rime. Did it change to his or was it still Rime’s thread? He thought better not to ask given the situation it might have been a little selfish on his part but while he wasn’t Rime the feelings Rime had were there he couldn’t explain it other than a ‘need’ to be around her. She was important to Rime so she was important to him. Him and Rime were the same person after all, right?

Her baggage wasn’t his baggage but it wasn’t a competition, at least he didn’t’ want it to come off that way they both had things that made them grow as a person or in Sam’s case nose dive into alcohol for a year or two. ”Sounds like you did enough beating your self up about it.” he said finally. ”A punch in comparison is only for a moment. However constantly reminding yourself about how you messed something up…” he nodded his head, ”Along the lines of torture.” Sam said trying to find the best word for it.

He too had to endure. At least he thought he did, he didn’t have any dreams of them last night. Would he see them again tonight? No he had to stop thinking about them. They weren’t real. He needed to stop thinking of them as real. That was the issue he had in the first place.

”I like you.” he quickly interjected. At least he felt he did if they were Rime’s feelings or not he needed to figure that out for himself. ”Again, I’m not afraid of whatever this is. I’m more afraid of missing out on it. I was smitten in my younger years, I can’t miss out on the woman who made that possible.” he reached out and grabbed her hand and held on to it. His stomach did a nervous flip when they touched. ”How about we just take it slow then?” he asked trying to not scare her off.

Cora hadn't realized the walls she had put up from the second she saw the threads change, but they came crashing down when he took her hand. She squeezed it back tighter than she probably meant to, but she was relieved for the contact. He wasn't leaving, he wasn't gone. Sam was there, she just had to find him again. He said they could take it slow, which honestly brought a little laugh out despite how serious the conversation had gotten.

"Sorry, I just never thought of you as the type to take anything slow." He had a collection of women at the mansion who could attest to that. The idea brought a flash of jealousy again. She must have been smitten pretty hard if she still wanted to fight off any chasers around her...uh, Sam. Around Sam.

"So, am I supposed to ask you on the next date then? Wait for you to call me? Attach a note to Bruno's collar like one of those cheesy movies?" She gave a few suggestions, watching how he would react. At least she was on the side with his good eye right now, he wouldn't have to crank his head sideways to see her.

Sam smirked and waited a moment before speaking. ”Guess I got some wisdom in my old age.” he said trying not to laugh, ”Found the best things are worth the wait.” he said trying and failing this time at not laughing. He wasn’t that much older he just knew she was worth it. He could feel it.

”You could.” he said thinking about it. ”Or I could call you. Bruno would like to be involved I’m sure.” he squeezed her hand a little tighter as well before he released it.

”Or… just hear me out on this one, you help distract me so I don’t have to go see what else Rime got into.” he pushed himself up and smirked offering a hand to pull Cora up. ”Like referring to myself in third person. Confusing.” maybe he was just feeding into his ego but those journal entries did give him a bit of an understanding of himself or rather young him? Confusing.

”Only if you want to. Figured I could put some miles on the new bike.” he said smirking.

Cora tilted her head a little despite trying to maintain her cool persona. Her hand felt colder now, and she shoved both palms into her pockets. She smiled at his suggestion.

"I think I can make some time into my day to distract you. And hey, if anyone gets too troublesome, let me know, I can lighten up a few threads." She mimicked scissors with her hand in a lighthearted joke. Hopefully he wouldn't assume she would do that without asking. Her own, maybe, but his relationships...that wasn't her place.

In the end, she led him to the rock climbing gym. She reintroduced him to Scout, although she avoided showing off quite as much this round. There was still climbing, but less need to be rescued from the top of the wall. Most just pointing out what it was they offered. Then she took him to another nearby trail. It was a longer drive, but this one had a better lookout. It wasn't exactly taking him out for a drink like before, but at least it gave him the chance to ask questions.

For her, there wasn't as much to ask. She had met him once, although she was learning different things about this older Sam. He wasn't as reckless, and there was something sadder beneath the surface. It wasn't until they reached the top of the second trail that she finally found herself asking.

"So, one thing we never really talked about was why you started drinking..." She kicked a rock over the edge of the lookout, and looked out at the trees. It was a different view, the ocean visible from this vantage point. They would have to take a boat out next. That was something she hadn't done in awhile. She felt bad he had forgotten Hawaii, but at least part of the awkwardness would be gone from that memory. "Rime obviously didn't have issues with it, so it's something that happened more recently. I just...I don't know, maybe I'm nosy asking. But I care..." It was clear the older Sam had more skeleton's in his closet. It would take time to convince him she wasn't afraid to find out about those too.

Sam was sure he would take her up on that. Some of the female students didn’t need to think because they had a shot with young Sam they had a shot with this one. He liked his teaching job, he had no intention of leaving it because of his younger self’s antics.

Trails and rock climbing gyms were a good way to keep him distracted and the more time he spent with Cora the more he realized why he liked her. It was her attitude and how she carried herself. Almost magnetic.

When they made it to the next lookout and she kicked the rock he watched it fall and then sat on the ledge his feet dangling off the side enjoying the view and sounds from the ocean nearby. It was faint but the wind carried the waves crashing every now and then. ”Open book.” he said nodding his head.

”Something else I might need to give you a heads up for as well. Ummmm… how to start this topic.” he said trying to think about it. It was a hard subject to talk about. It was even harder to come to terms with it. All his time in meetings and his one-on-ones with Gemma had prepared him for it.

”There is this girl I was raised with Amanda. Telekentic and a pretty powerful telepath. We were raised in the same program, underwent the same training. My area was more infiltration and stealth hers was more tech and control. She liked having control. Eventually when I decided to leave that life behind she didn’t take it well. In fact that just gave her more control and when she realized it wasn’t the same without me there she decided to try and change that.” he said glossing over a lot of history between the two. It wasn’t what she asked but it more for explaining what happened.

”Her telepathy gets more powerful the longer she around you. So much so all she needed was a little boost before she could drop me into a dream like state. She got full control of my body after putting me in la la land. Made me kidnap a few of the mansion kids while I got everything I ever wanted in my dreams.” the next part got a little harder to talk about he still had to tell themselves none of it was real.

”Fighting her control… when she realized what I was tryng to do she decided if I was going to fight her everything that I ever wanted could be taken away. Again and again and again. Two kids and a wife.” he said lifting one leg and pulling it in to his chest. ”I still see them sometimes in my dreams… or nightmares.” he paused again, ”I was reaching for anything that blocked them out. No sleep, didn’t help much so I turned to alcohol.” he said finally.

”Was a little over a year sober. Before the de-age happened.” he said finally.

As Sam began to talk Cora found a spot next to him to sit. She didn't reach out while he recounted the events, somehow that felt like it may hurt more than help. He really had been through a lot, and the baggage wasn't something normal people would go through. Cora looked at a hand, wondering what was the best way to start.

"I get wanting to forget something. There are people I literally cut out of my life over the years because it was easier than remembering. And probably one of the worst times you saw me was when I tried to drink away my x. But, you made a lot of effort to make sure I couldn't forget you. And in the end, I don't want to.

"I guess what I'm saying is, there are a lot of things worth forgetting, but I'm also figuring out there are things worth being present for. So yeah, I guess I get that. And support it, you know?" She looked up, wishing it were darker. But she still smiled to herself regardless.

"We hung out once, and I think I remember you pointing out your favorite star. You said something about liking it because you could use it to find out where you were going...Don't quote me, I was half asleep," she laughed, blushing a little. "I think, life is kinda like that. Finding the right point to fix on to know what direction you're going."

She wondered if she had a direction herself. For the past few years, it had mostly just been the rock climbing gym. Her direction was away from everything. Racing, running, hiking until she couldn't feel her legs. She didn't slow down like this often. Slowing down meant having to sort out her problems and reflect, and admit she didn't know what the hell she was doing with life.

”Good.” Sam said finally ”I don’t want to be forgotten.” he said tempted to grab out his phone and pull a younger version of himself and take a photo of the two of them. Though the more he thought about it the more he wasn’t sure if it would have the same effect it once did in his younger form so he waited on that for now.

He agreed, ”Some things. Other things not so much, I’ll need a reminder every now and then of what’s real or not.” he said reaching out to her hand. Which at this point was about as calloused as his was. She led and active lifestyle and he could feel it when he held her hand and he felt at peace knowing this was real.

”Ursa Minor. Polaris.” he said, he couldn’t see it but he had an idea where it would be because luckily it didn’t move much from where he was typically if he was on the southern hemisphere that would be a different story. ”Always easy to find your way if you can find the little dipper.” Sam said smirking. ”I might not know where I’m going but I know this is where I’m supposed to be.” he said squeezing her hand a little tighter at the cheesy line.

”Too much?” he asked grinning.

I don't want to be forgotten...

Her heart twisted a little, turned, settled somewhere that seemed like it was closer to her stomach than it should be. She looked down at their hands and let the threads show for a moment, finding peace in seeing the thread linking them. What was real? This was real. It was scary and had already taken her for more than one twist, but she was holding on through it.

He dropped the cheesy line and she laughed, and let her head find a shot against his shoulder. "It may be cheesy, but I kinda dig that side of you. It...it's nice to laugh."

While Sam held back taking the photo, Cora couldn't resist. She fished for her own phone this time and turned the camera to face him, playfully poking him in the side with her elbow. "Second first date. Tradition. Have to document we survived once more." She took one photo with a face, then the second more serious before putting the phone down. Then she just enjoyed the view and the company.

"Is it ironic I never paid a lot of attention where I was going? Dad hated it. I told him getting lost was half the fun, just seeing where I would end up. I would take off on a climb or a ride, and then have to follow the thread back to him. Although, lately feels like the thread I'm following more is yours." Okay, that was equally cheesy. Maybe he was rubbing off on her.

Finding the spot on his shoulder he grinned when she said she liked cheesy. She’d regret those words. Cheesy one liners was his forte, he knew they were bad but that was why he enjoyed them so much. Laughter in his opinion was the best medicine or the best distraction.

”Heck yeah we did!” he said grinning and making a goofy face. Rabbit ears appeared behind Cora’s head in the form of ice while he smiled for the second photo.

Sam smirked, her line was about as cheesy as his and it just brought a small chuckle to the surface as he turned towards her ignoring the scenery around them. His eye fixed on the details of her face. ”Yeah? Where’s it taking you?” he said trying not to smirk. He leaned in to kiss her hoping he wasn’t being to forward considering this was the first date.

Cora realized his attention had shifted, and then found herself drawn into the kiss, hand finding it's way to his hair, and probably enjoying it more than she should have if this was really just a first date. How could it be a first date? The feelings were still there, and even without the memories, the chemistry continued. It wasn't something she wanted to pull away from.

She smirked against his mouth finally, and ran a hand across his jaw before pulling back. "It's taken me somewhere nice. Did I ever mention I always did like the cold?"

She was sure her cheeks were still warm, looking down to the photos on her phone. She saved the one with the rabbit ears to her background and winked at him.

"Although, I think it's about time I make you decide on a date for us next. Call it punishment for having amnesia."

Sam grinned when she started to. ”No, you haven’t but that’s good.” Sam smirked, willing the air around them to get colder as a way to make an excuse for them to get closer. ”Makes it easier for me to plan dates.” he half joked.

”Don’t know if it would count as amnesia. More of a time displacement?” he thought for a second then smirked. ”I get to pick it huh?” Sam asked thinking it was too soon to take her somewhere really cold like his get away in the artic.

”I don’t know if you’d call this a date but I would like to see what you got in the danger room.” he said grinning. ”Maybe some light sparring.” he mused. ”Got to make sure you can hold your own if you are gonna keep me around.” he half joked.

”Or maybe a moonlit picnic in the park.” Sam said thinking about it. He had been out of the dating game for some time so he thought he was a little rusty. ”I mean, I’m pretty easy.” he said grinning. ”Though I think I might have peaked with taking you to Hawaii.”