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(A/N: Don't forget to give those power stones to Skyrim everyone!)
...
Because everything that mattered, they were already carrying with them.
The quiet inside the jet lasted longer than either of them realized.
At some point the clouds outside the window had thickened, turning the world beyond the glass into nothing more than shifting layers of white and pale gray. The sunlight still broke through in places, soft beams slipping across the cabin floor and the polished surfaces around them.
Leah had leaned back fully in her seat now, one leg tucked slightly under the other, her hand still resting loosely in Francesco's.
She wasn't asleep.
But she wasn't fully alert either.
Just somewhere in between.
Comfortable.
The low hum of the engines had settled into a steady rhythm beneath them with the kind of sound that eventually faded into the background until it felt like silence.
Francesco sat beside her, looking out the opposite window for a while before glancing down at her again.
Her eyes were closed now.
Not tightly.
Just resting.
He smiled faintly.
"…Tired?" he asked quietly.
One of her eyes opened.
"Maybe."
He raised an eyebrow.
"Maybe?"
She stretched slightly, letting out a soft breath.
"Okay… yeah. A little."
He nodded.
"Travel fatigue."
She smirked without opening her eyes fully.
"Is that a professional diagnosis, Doctor Lee?"
"Years of experience."
She huffed a quiet laugh.
"Right."
A few seconds passed.
Then she opened her eyes properly, turning her head toward the window beside him.
Still clouds.
Still sky.
"How long?" she asked.
Francesco glanced at the small display near the front of the cabin.
"About an hour left."
She nodded slowly.
"Feels shorter."
"It usually does."
"Good."
Another pause settled between them.
Not the reflective quiet from earlier.
This one felt calmer.
Lighter.
Because the leaving part was already done.
Paris was behind them now.
The goodbye had already happened.
Leah stretched her arms above her head slightly before dropping them again.
"…So," she said.
Francesco glanced at her.
"So?"
She tilted her head toward him.
"What happens when we land?"
He shrugged a little.
"Depends."
"On?"
He smirked.
"How tired you are."
She narrowed her eyes.
"That's suspicious."
He chuckled.
"Just options."
"Like?"
"Home. Food. Sleep."
She considered that for a second.
"…Food sounds good."
"It usually does."
"And sleep."
"Also predictable."
She nudged his arm lightly.
"You're the one who dragged yourself to the gym this morning."
He didn't deny it.
"Worth it."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
She studied him for a second.
"You do look different."
He frowned slightly.
"Different how?"
She gestured vaguely toward him.
"More… centered."
He leaned back in his seat slightly.
"That's a compliment, right?"
"Obviously."
"Good."
The conversation faded again after that.
Not because there was nothing left to say.
But because neither of them felt the need to fill every moment.
Sometimes quiet was enough.
Sometimes quiet was exactly what you needed.
Outside, the sky slowly began to change.
The clouds thinned.
The light shifted.
And eventually the plane began its gradual descent.
The subtle tilt of the cabin was barely noticeable at first.
But Francesco caught it immediately.
He glanced toward the window again.
Lower clouds now.
Thicker.
Grayer.
London weather.
Leah noticed his movement.
"…We descending?" she asked.
"Yeah."
She leaned slightly toward the window, trying to see past the clouds.
"Already?"
"About an hour."
Her eyebrows lifted.
"Seriously?"
"Time moves fast when you're not watching it."
She leaned back again.
"Well… that was quick."
The pilot's voice came over the cabin speakers a moment later.
Calm.
Professional.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we've begun our descent into Heathrow. We should be touching down shortly. Please remain seated as we prepare for landing."
Leah smiled faintly.
"There it is."
Francesco nodded once.
"Welcome back."
The clouds outside the window slowly broke apart as the jet descended further.
Gray skies replaced the white haze.
Then pieces of land.
Roads.
Clusters of buildings.
London slowly appearing beneath them.
Leah leaned closer to the window again.
Even through the dull overcast light, the city felt familiar.
Comfortable.
"Home," she murmured.
Francesco watched the same view from his side.
"Yeah."
The aircraft lowered steadily.
Flaps adjusting.
Engines shifting tone.
The runway soon appeared beneath them.
A long stretch of asphalt cutting through the airport grounds.
The moment came quickly.
A slight jolt.
Then the unmistakable feeling of the wheels touching the runway.
Rubber meeting pavement.
The jet rolled forward as the engines reversed thrust, slowing them down gradually.
Leah smiled to herself.
"…Always a weird feeling."
Francesco nodded.
"Landing?"
"Yeah."
"Why?"
She shrugged slightly.
"It's like your body expects one more drop."
He chuckled softly.
"Fair point."
The jet slowed until it finally rolled to a controlled stop along the private terminal section of the airport.
The engines gradually powered down.
The hum faded.
And just like that.
The flight was over.
The door opened a few minutes later.
Cool London air slipped inside immediately.
Different from Paris.
Sharper.
More familiar.
Leah stood first, stretching slightly.
"Okay… I definitely feel the travel now."
Francesco stood as well.
"Come on."
They stepped out of the jet together, descending the small staircase onto the tarmac.
The sky above Heathrow was its usual shade of gray.
Clouds thick.
Wind light but cool.
Leah wrapped her arms briefly around herself.
"Yep. That's London."
Francesco smirked.
"Miss it?"
She thought about it.
"…A little."
Their luggage was brought out moments later by the ground crew.
Two large suitcases.
A couple smaller bags.
Everything they had packed from Paris now sitting beside them again.
Francesco grabbed the handles of the larger ones easily.
"Let's go."
They walked toward the parking area together, the concrete ground stretching ahead of them.
Private jets behind them.
Rows of vehicles further ahead.
Leah glanced around as they walked.
"…Feels weird coming back like this."
"How?"
"Quiet."
He understood.
The last few days had been a bubble.
Paris.
The hotel.
The freedom.
Coming back meant real life waiting again.
Not immediately.
But soon.
They reached the parking area a few minutes later.
Francesco slowed slightly, scanning the rows of vehicles.
Leah followed his gaze.
"Which one was it again?"
He pointed slightly ahead.
"There."
Parked a few rows in was the familiar dark shape of his SUV.
The BMW X5 sat exactly where he had left it before they flew to Paris.
Leah smiled.
"Still here."
"Of course."
They rolled the luggage over to it.
Francesco opened the trunk first, lifting it up smoothly.
He placed the larger suitcase inside.
Then the second.
Then the smaller bags.
Everything fitting neatly into the back.
Leah leaned slightly against the side of the car while he finished.
"…You know," she said.
"What?"
"This thing is actually useful."
He raised an eyebrow.
"You doubted that?"
She smirked.
"I thought it was just your 'footballer luxury car'."
He shut the trunk.
"It's practical."
She laughed softly.
"Sure it is."
They moved around to the front.
Francesco unlocked the doors.
Leah slid into the passenger seat while he stepped into the driver's side.
The interior still smelled faintly like the leather and clean air from the last time he drove it.
Familiar.
Comfortable.
He started the engine.
The low rumble of the car came to life immediately.
Leah leaned her head back against the seat.
"…Okay, this part I missed."
"Driving?"
"Being driven."
He chuckled.
"Honest."
He pulled out of the parking area smoothly, guiding the BMW toward the airport exit roads.
Traffic wasn't bad yet.
Just the usual steady flow of cars leaving Heathrow.
Leah watched the road ahead quietly for a few moments.
Then glanced at him.
"So… where to first?"
Francesco didn't hesitate.
"My parents' house."
She looked surprised.
"Already?"
He nodded.
"Need to pick someone up."
Her eyes lit up instantly.
"…Cheddar."
He smiled faintly.
"Yeah."
Cheddar.
Their dog.
The one they had left behind with his parents while they were in Paris.
Leah sat up a little straighter in her seat.
"Oh, he's going to lose his mind when he sees you."
Francesco kept his eyes on the road, but the corner of his mouth lifted.
"Probably."
"Probably?" she repeated. "He absolutely will."
He laughed quietly.
"Yeah. You're right."
They merged onto the main road heading away from the airport, the city slowly opening up around them.
Familiar streets.
London architecture.
Gray skies stretching overhead.
Leah looked out the window for a moment.
Then back at him.
"…You realize the trip officially ends when Cheddar jumps on you."
He raised an eyebrow.
"That the rule?"
"Absolutely."
"Who decided that?"
"I did."
He shook his head.
"Fair enough."
The BMW moved steadily through traffic, heading toward the quieter suburban area where his parents lived.
The same place they had visited countless times.
The same house where Cheddar had been staying.
Leah smiled faintly to herself as she looked out the window again.
Paris was behind them.
London was back.
But something about the way they returned felt different.
Not like the trip had ended.
Just like it had become part of everything else.
The road out from Heathrow gradually blended into the wider flow of London traffic.
Not the frantic kind.
Just the steady pulse of the city moving through its day.
Cars slipped past in both directions. Buses rolled by with their familiar red bulk. The sky above hung low and gray like it often did over London, clouds stretched wide and heavy but not quite threatening rain.
Leah rested her elbow against the window, her chin lightly against her hand as she watched the city slide by.
The trip still lingered in her body.
That strange mixture of relaxation and tiredness that came after traveling somewhere good. Somewhere that had been just far enough away to feel like an escape.
But not so far that it felt unreal.
Paris had been like that.
Close enough to reach easily.
Different enough to feel like stepping into another rhythm entirely.
Francesco drove comfortably, one hand resting on the steering wheel while the other shifted occasionally as he navigated the traffic. He looked relaxed behind the wheel in a way he always did.
Driving grounded him.
After flights, hotels, matches, crowds, interviews, and stadium noise, something about simply driving felt normal again.
Leah glanced over at him after a few minutes.
"You've got that look again."
He glanced sideways.
"What look?"
"That 'I'm back in my natural environment' look."
He smirked slightly.
"Driving?"
"Yeah."
"Better than sitting on planes."
She tilted her head slightly.
"You literally own a private jet experience now."
He laughed under his breath.
"That doesn't make flying less boring."
She smiled faintly and looked back out the window again.
The city outside shifted gradually as they drove further away from Heathrow.
Industrial buildings gave way to residential neighborhoods.
Apartment blocks turned into rows of houses.
Familiar streets began appearing more often now.
Leah recognized several turns they had taken many times before.
"…We're getting close," she said.
Francesco nodded slightly.
"Ten minutes."
Her posture shifted a little in her seat.
Anticipation.
He noticed.
"You're excited."
She didn't even try to deny it.
"It's Cheddar."
He chuckled.
"Fair."
"Also your mom's cooking might happen."
He glanced at her again.
"That part might be true."
"See?" she said. "Multiple benefits."
The BMW rolled through another quiet residential street lined with trees whose branches were still mostly bare from winter.
The houses here were larger.
Set back slightly from the road.
The kind of neighborhood that felt calm even during the day.
Francesco slowed the car as they approached a familiar corner.
Leah leaned forward slightly in her seat, already knowing what came next.
"Left here," she said instinctively.
He raised an eyebrow.
"You think I forgot?"
"No," she said casually. "Just helping."
He turned left anyway, the car gliding smoothly down the final street.
And there it was.
His parents' house.
Same as always.
A comfortable two-story home with light brick walls, wide front windows, and a small garden that his mother insisted on maintaining perfectly year-round.
Even now in the cooler season, the front still looked neat and alive.
Francesco slowed the BMW before pulling into the driveway.
The car rolled to a gentle stop.
For a moment neither of them moved.
Leah looked at the house with a small smile.
"Alright," she said quietly.
Francesco cut the engine.
"Ready?"
She nodded.
"Oh yeah."
They stepped out of the car almost at the same time.
The cool London air greeted them again, brushing across their faces.
Leah stretched slightly after sitting during the drive.
"Okay… that's definitely colder than Paris."
Francesco walked around to the back of the car, pressing the button to open the trunk.
The lid lifted smoothly.
Their luggage sat inside exactly as he had packed it.
He pulled one suitcase out first, then the other.
Leah grabbed one of the smaller bags.
"We're not staying long," she said.
"Just picking up Cheddar."
She nodded.
"Still."
They walked up the short path toward the front door together.
The garden stones crunched softly under their shoes.
Leah glanced at the familiar plants along the walkway.
"I swear your mom's garden looks good."
"She refuses to let it look bad."
"I respect that level of commitment."
They reached the front porch.
Francesco set the suitcase down briefly.
Then he reached forward and pressed the doorbell.
A soft chime echoed inside the house.
And almost immediately.
BARK!
BARK BARK!
Leah's face lit up instantly.
"Oh my god—"
Another bark followed.
Higher pitched.
Excited.
The unmistakable sound of a corgi losing its mind.
"That's him," she said.
Francesco laughed quietly.
"Yeah."
From inside the house, rapid paw steps skidded across the floor.
Then more barking.
Even louder.
BARK BARK BARK!
Leah leaned slightly toward the door.
"He knows."
"He always knows."
The barking grew even more excited.
Somewhere inside, a woman's voice followed.
"Cheddar! Calm down!"
Leah grinned.
"That's Sarah."
A moment later, footsteps approached the door.
The handle turned.
And the door swung open.
Sarah stood there, smiling warmly the moment she saw them.
Francesco's mother looked exactly like she always did when they visited with comfortable cardigan, relaxed posture, that easy warmth in her expression that made people feel welcome immediately.
"Oh, there you two are!"
Before either of them could respond.
A small orange-and-white blur shot forward from behind her.
Cheddar.
The corgi puppy practically launched himself toward the doorway, barking happily as his little legs scrambled across the floor.
"CHEESE!"
Leah laughed immediately.
The dog skidded to a stop right at the edge of the doorway before bouncing forward again.
His tail wagged so violently that his entire body wiggled.
BARK BARK!
Francesco crouched instinctively just in time.
Cheddar jumped straight into him.
Front paws on his chest.
Tongue out.
Absolute chaos.
"Hey, hey—" Francesco laughed as the dog attacked his face with enthusiastic licks. "Okay, okay!"
Leah was laughing so hard she had to hold the doorframe.
"I told you! I told you he'd lose his mind!"
Cheddar barked again happily, spinning in a quick circle before jumping up at Francesco again.
His ears flopped as he moved.
His short legs worked overtime trying to climb onto him completely.
"Hi buddy," Francesco said, scratching behind his ears.
The puppy made a happy little whining sound.
Sarah stepped aside, still smiling.
"He's been like this all morning."
Leah finally stepped inside.
"He knew we were coming?"
"Oh, he always knows when something's happening," Sarah said. "The second I walked toward the doorbell he started barking."
Cheddar ran in a quick circle between all of them.
Then jumped toward Leah.
She crouched immediately.
"Oh hello you!"
The corgi launched himself at her next, licking her hands enthusiastically.
She laughed.
"Hi baby!"
Cheddar barked again happily, tail wagging like a tiny propeller.
Francesco stood up again, shaking his head with a grin.
"Yeah… he definitely remembers us."
"Of course he does," Sarah said.
Leah continued rubbing the puppy's belly as he rolled halfway onto his side in pure excitement.
"I missed you," she said to him softly.
Cheddar responded by licking her fingers again.
From deeper inside the house came the faint sound of a television.
Francesco glanced toward the living room.
Through the open doorway he could see his father sitting comfortably on the couch.
Mike.
Relaxed posture.
Eyes on the TV.
Remote in one hand.
A sports channel was playing.
Naturally.
Mike glanced over briefly at the commotion near the door.
Then he spotted Francesco.
"Ah," he said casually. "You're back."
Francesco smiled faintly.
"Hey Dad."
Mike nodded once.
"How was Paris?"
"Good."
"Win anything?"
Leah snorted softly at that.
Sarah rolled her eyes.
"He went on vacation, Mike."
Mike shrugged from the couch.
"Just asking."
Cheddar barked again and ran over to Mike briefly, then sprinted back to Francesco as if making sure everyone in the house was accounted for.
Leah stood up again, brushing a little dog fur off her pants.
"He's grown," she said.
Sarah nodded proudly.
"A little."
Francesco crouched again to rub Cheddar's neck.
"You feeding him extra?"
Sarah placed a hand over her heart dramatically.
"I would never."
Leah raised an eyebrow.
"He looks slightly rounder."
Sarah laughed.
"Okay maybe a little extra."
Cheddar barked happily again.
Mike spoke again from the living room without looking away from the TV.
"He stole half my sandwich yesterday."
Leah laughed.
"See? Criminal."
The puppy ran back to Francesco and placed his paws on his leg again.
Francesco scratched under his chin.
"You ready to go home, huh?"
Cheddar barked excitedly.
Leah tilted her head.
"…I think that's a yes."
Sarah stepped a little closer.
"You're not leaving immediately, are you?"
Francesco shrugged slightly.
"Just came to pick him up."
She folded her arms lightly.
"You could stay for a bit."
Leah glanced between them.
"…There might be food."
Mike spoke again from the couch.
"There's definitely food."
Francesco looked at Leah.
She tried to act neutral.
But failed.
"…Okay maybe a little," she admitted.
Sarah smiled knowingly.
"I thought so."
Cheddar barked again as if agreeing with the plan.
And for a moment the house felt full again.
The familiar rhythm of family.
Dog paws on hardwood floors.
Television noise in the background, with smell of cooking lingering faintly in the air.
For a few seconds after Sarah said it, nobody moved.
The house had settled into that familiar rhythm again with the one Francesco had grown up with, the one that somehow never really changed no matter how many years passed.
Cheddar's paws tapped rapidly against the hardwood floor as he ran another excited lap around the entryway. His nails made tiny clicking sounds with each step, like he physically couldn't decide which human deserved the most attention first.
Francesco.
Leah.
Sarah.
Then back to Francesco again.
Leah laughed as the corgi skidded slightly trying to stop in front of her.
"Okay, okay," she said, crouching again to rub the dog's ears. "You're going to wear yourself out before dinner even starts."
Cheddar responded by licking her wrist enthusiastically.
"Still energetic," Francesco said.
Sarah folded her arms lightly, leaning against the doorway with a fond smile.
"That's because he spent the entire afternoon waiting near the door."
Leah looked up immediately.
"He did?"
Sarah nodded.
"Every time a car passed outside, he ran over to the window."
Cheddar barked once, like he was confirming the story.
Francesco shook his head with a small smile and scratched the back of the dog's neck again.
"You dramatic little thing."
From the living room, Mike finally turned his head slightly.
"You're staying for dinner," he said in a tone that sounded less like a question and more like a simple statement.
Leah blinked.
Francesco glanced over.
Mike had already turned his attention back to the television again.
"See?" Sarah said with a grin. "Even he assumed you were."
Francesco sighed in mock defeat.
"Alright."
Leah's face brightened instantly.
"Oh good."
Sarah clapped her hands lightly.
"Perfect. Dinner's almost ready anyway."
She stepped aside and gestured toward the kitchen.
"Come in properly instead of standing in the doorway like visitors."
They stepped inside fully now.
The warmth of the house wrapped around them almost immediately.
It smelled like garlic, roasted vegetables, and something simmering slowly on the stove.
Leah inhaled deeply.
"…Yep. Worth staying."
Francesco smirked.
"Told you."
Cheddar ran ahead of them toward the living room before doubling back again as if he couldn't quite settle on where he was supposed to be.
Mike finally muted the television as they walked in.
He leaned back on the couch, glancing at Francesco.
"So."
Francesco raised an eyebrow.
"So?"
"You flew to Paris for a few days."
"Yes."
Mike nodded slowly.
"Good food?"
Leah answered immediately.
"Incredible."
Mike gave a satisfied nod.
"Then it was worth it."
Francesco chuckled softly.
"Yeah."
Cheddar jumped onto the couch beside Mike for half a second before immediately hopping down again to follow Leah as she wandered toward the kitchen.
The corgi clearly had no intention of letting anyone out of his sight.
Sarah had already started moving dishes around when Leah walked in.
"Oh no you don't," Sarah said.
Leah froze halfway toward the counter.
"What?"
"You're not helping."
Leah blinked.
"Why not?"
"You just got back from traveling."
Leah folded her arms.
"I'm perfectly capable of setting a table."
Sarah pointed toward the dining room.
"Then you can set the table."
Leah smiled.
"Deal."
Cheddar trotted behind her like a tiny bodyguard as she carried plates and utensils from the kitchen to the dining table.
The house filled gradually with the quiet preparation sounds of dinner.
Silverware clinking.
Plates sliding across wood.
Sarah stirring something on the stove.
Francesco eventually wandered into the kitchen doorway, leaning lightly against the frame.
"You need help?" he asked.
Sarah glanced at him briefly.
"You can bring the bread."
He grabbed the basket sitting on the counter.
"Very important job."
"Extremely."
They moved everything to the table together.
Mike eventually appeared a few minutes later, stretching his shoulders slightly as he walked in from the living room.
Cheddar followed him closely.
"Dinner time," Mike said to the dog.
The corgi barked excitedly again.
Leah laughed.
"He understands that phrase perfectly."
"He understands every phrase involving food," Sarah said.
Everyone settled into their seats.
Plates filled.
Conversation flowed easily.
The meal itself felt simple but perfect in the way home cooking often did.
Roasted chicken.
Vegetables.
Fresh bread.
Warm potatoes.
Nothing fancy.
Just good.
Leah took her first bite and closed her eyes briefly.
"Oh wow."
Sarah smiled.
"Good?"
"Incredible."
Mike nodded approvingly as he took a bite of his own.
"See?"
Francesco leaned back slightly, watching the scene around the table.
This kind of dinner used to be normal for him growing up.
Something that happened almost every night.
Now it felt slightly different.
Not distant.
Just… appreciated more.
Leah kept talking with Sarah about Paris.
"What was your favorite part?" Sarah asked.
Leah thought about it.
"…Walking everywhere."
Francesco smirked.
"You complained about the walking."
"Only sometimes," Leah said defensively.
"You made me carry shopping bags."
"You're strong."
Mike raised an eyebrow.
"Shopping?"
Francesco sighed.
"So much shopping."
Leah pointed a fork at him.
"You enjoyed it."
"I tolerated it."
Sarah laughed softly.
"What did you buy?"
Leah grinned.
"Too much."
Francesco nodded.
"Accurate."
Dinner continued like that.
Easy.
Relaxed.
Stories from Paris mixed with casual family conversation.
Cheddar eventually curled up beneath the table after finishing his small portion of dog food, though every once in a while his head popped up hopefully whenever someone shifted their plate.
Leah noticed.
"No more," she told him gently.
The dog sighed dramatically before resting his chin on her foot.
After a while the plates were empty.
Sarah collected them before anyone else could stand.
"You two sit," she said.
Leah tried to protest again.
"Really, I can—"
"No."
Francesco leaned back slightly in his chair.
"You're fighting a losing battle."
Leah sighed.
"…I know."
Mike wandered back toward the living room while Sarah cleaned up.
Francesco eventually stood and walked into the kitchen anyway.
"You don't have to do that," Sarah said.
"I know."
But he dried dishes while she washed them anyway.
Leah watched them for a moment before standing up and walking over as well.
"You're both stubborn."
"Yes," Sarah and Francesco said at the same time.
Leah laughed.
After everything was cleaned up, they returned to the living room for a little while.
The evening had fully settled outside now.
The windows reflected the warm light from inside the house.
Cheddar had found his favorite toy somewhere and brought it proudly to Leah.
"You want to take that home?" she asked.
The dog barked once in response.
Francesco checked the time on his phone.
"…We should probably head back soon."
Leah nodded slowly.
"Yeah."
Sarah looked over.
"Already?"
"Still have to get home," Francesco said.
Mike glanced up from the couch.
"Richmond's not that far."
"Still."
Sarah sighed softly but nodded.
"Alright."
Leah stood up and picked up Cheddar's toy.
"Okay little man, time to gather your stuff."
The corgi perked up immediately.
Tail wagging again.
Sarah disappeared briefly down the hallway and returned with Cheddar's things.
His leash.
A bag of food.
A small blanket he liked to sleep on.
Leah took the blanket.
Francesco grabbed the bag.
Cheddar followed both of them around like a tiny supervisor making sure nothing important was forgotten.
"Looks like he's ready," Mike said.
Francesco clipped the leash onto Cheddar's collar.
The dog barked happily again.
Sarah hugged Leah first.
"Come visit again soon."
"Of course," Leah said warmly.
Then Sarah hugged Francesco.
"Drive safe."
"Always."
Mike stood up from the couch and gave Francesco a brief hug as well.
"Good trip?"
"Yeah."
"Good."
Mike scratched Cheddar behind the ears once.
"Don't steal sandwiches at their house."
The corgi wagged his tail again.
Leah laughed.
"No promises."
They walked out to the driveway together.
The night air had cooled slightly.
Francesco opened the trunk of the BMW X5 again.
He placed Cheddar's things neatly inside next to their luggage.
Leah opened the back seat door.
"Your throne awaits," she told the dog.
Cheddar jumped inside without hesitation.
Francesco closed the trunk.
"Alright."
They waved one last time to Sarah and Mike standing in the doorway.
"Bye!"
"Drive safe!"
The car doors closed.
Francesco started the engine again.
The BMW rolled smoothly out of the driveway and back onto the quiet residential street.
Leah twisted slightly in her seat to look at the back.
Cheddar had already curled up comfortably on the seat, his toy tucked under one paw.
"Well," she said softly.
"Trip officially over."
Francesco glanced in the rearview mirror.
"Yeah."
The car turned onto the main road heading toward Richmond.
Streetlights stretched ahead in long rows, illuminating the quiet London night.
Their home waited there.
The mansion in Richmond where life would start moving again tomorrow.
But for now, it was just the road.
The quiet hum of the engine, with Leah beside him and Cheddar asleep in the back.
______________________________________________
Name : Francesco Lee
Age : 18 (2016)
Birthplace : London, England
Football Club : Arsenal First Team
Championship History : 2014/2015 Premier League, 2014/2015 FA Cup, 2015/2016 Community Shield, 2016/2017 Premier League, 2015/2016 Champions League, Euro 2016, Premier League Champion 2016/2017, and 2016/2017 Champions League.
Season 16/17 stats:
Arsenal:
Match: 55
Goal: 87
Assist: 5
MOTM: 14
POTM: 1
England:
Match: 1
Goal: 1
Assist: 0
MOTM: 0
Season 15/16 stats:
Arsenal:
Match Played: 60
Goal: 82
Assist: 10
MOTM: 9
POTM: 1
England:
Match Played: 2
Goal: 4
Assist: 0
Euro 2016
Match Played: 6
Goal: 13
Assist: 4
MOTM: 6
Season 14/15 stats:
Match Played: 35
Goal: 45
Assist: 12
MOTM: 9