One hour from Willow Creek.
The road had started to look familiar again. Fewer trees. More signs. Small things Kate recognized without really thinking about it.
The silence in the car had settled again, not as sharp as before—but still there.
Kate shifted slightly in her seat, then reached over and connected her phone to the car.
A second later, music filled the space.
Bella ciao.
Sam glanced at her. "Seriously?"
Kate smirked faintly, then, without hesitation, started singing along—
"Una mattina mi sono svegliata…" her voice soft at first, then a little louder, playful, "e ho trovato l'invasor…"
Sam let out a quiet breath, shaking her head. "Of course."
Kate leaned back, closing her eyes for a second as she continued, exaggerating the accent just enough to be annoying.
"O partigiano, portami via—"
Sam cut in, almost automatically, "—che mi sento di morir—"
She stopped herself mid-line.
A small pause.
Kate opened one eye, smirk widening slightly. "See? You do like it."
Sam rolled her eyes, but there was the faintest hint of a smile now. "You're impossible."
Kate shrugged, still half-singing under her breath, tapping her fingers against her leg in rhythm.
"Bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao ciao ciao…"
Sam shook her head again, quieter this time, but she didn't turn it off.
And for a moment—
the tension eased.
Just a little.
Kate didn't stop.
She shifted in her seat, lifting her hand again like she was conducting something only she could hear.
"E se io muoio da partigiano…" she sang, voice softer at first, then rising again, dramatic as ever.
Sam glanced at her briefly, shaking her head. "You're unbelievable."
Kate ignored her, eyes half-closed.
"O bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao ciao ciao—"
She pointed at Sam mid-line, like dragging her into it whether she wanted to or not.
"E se io muoio da partigiano—" she continued, then lowered her voice slightly, almost mocking the seriousness of it, "tu mi devi seppellir…"
Sam let out a quiet breath through her nose, a small smile slipping through despite herself. "You really committed to this, huh?"
Kate smirked faintly, leaning back again. "Always."
Sam shook her head, but the tension in her shoulders had eased.
And this time—
she didn't tell her to stop.
Kate didn't miss a beat, lifting her hand again like she was performing for an invisible crowd.
"Mi seppellire lassù in montagna…" she sang, dragging the words out with a dramatic flourish.
Sam glanced at her, shaking her head. "You're doing the whole song. Show off."
Kate smirked, continuing anyway.
"O bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao ciao ciao—"
She leaned slightly toward the window, voice softening just a little.
"Mi seppellire lassù in montagna… sotto l'ombra di un bel fiore…"
Sam let out a quiet breath, a faint smile still there. "Unbelievable."
Kate only hummed the melody after that, tapping her fingers lightly, like she wasn't planning to stop anytime soon.
Kate suddenly straightened, lifting her chin like she was about to perform on an actual stage.
"E le genti che passerannooo—" her voice jumped an octave, full opera mode now, echoing slightly in the car.
Sam blinked, caught off guard. "Oh no…"
"O bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao ciao ciao—" Kate continued, louder, completely committed, one hand dramatically in the air.
Sam let out a laugh she couldn't hold back this time. "You're insane."
"E le genti che passerannooo—" Kate repeated, even more dramatic, like she was reaching for a final note, "mi dirannoo: che bel fiooor—"
She dragged the last word out way too long on purpose.
Sam shook her head, still smiling despite everything. "I can't believe you right now."
Kate finally dropped her hand, grinning faintly like she'd just finished a performance.
"And yet," she said, catching her breath slightly, "you didn't stop me."
Sam huffed quietly. "I'm reconsidering it."
Sam glanced at her, still smiling despite herself.
Then, almost without thinking—
"È questo il fiore del partigiano…" she joined in, quieter at first.
Kate turned her head, surprised for a split second.
"O bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao ciao ciao—" Sam continued, a little more confident now.
Kate's smirk softened.
"È questo il fiore del partigiano…" Sam finished, voice steady, "morto per la libertà."
Kate watched her for a moment, something quieter settling in her expression.
"Look at you," she said softly.
Sam shook her head, but didn't look away. "Don't get used to it."
Kate let out a small breath, almost a laugh.
And for a second—
it felt like before.
Sam smirked slightly, shaking her head. "My turn now."
Before Kate could react, she grabbed her phone, tapped a few times, and switched the song.
The beat dropped.
"When you back, back, back, back, back it up, and you drop it down low—" Sam started, way too confidently.
Kate blinked, caught off guard.
"And you pick, pick, pick, pick, pick it up, girl, I'm ready to blow—"
Kate let out a short laugh. "No way."
Sam shot her a quick grin, not stopping.
"I'ma stack, stack, stack, stack, stack it up, and I'm spendin' it all—"
Kate leaned back, shaking her head, a smile breaking through. "You're kidding."
"When I throw, throw, throw, throw it up—"
Sam finished the line, way too into it.
Kate stared at her for a second… then laughed.
"Okay, that's worse."
Sam shrugged, still smirking. "You started it."
Kate shook her head, still smiling. "I regret everything."
Sam glanced at her briefly, the tension from earlier finally loosened.
"Yeah," she said. "But you're laughing now."
Kate didn't answer.
But she didn't stop smiling either.
And that's when the beat dropped.
Sam didn't hold back this time.
"Start twerkin' like Miley—" she sang, way too into it now, one hand lifting off the wheel for a second before she caught herself.
Kate stared at her, half shocked, half amused.
"Twerk it like Miley—" Sam repeated, nodding her head to the beat, completely committed.
Kate let out a laugh. "Oh my God, what are you doing?"
"Start twerkin' like Miley—" Sam went on, ignoring her, a grin spreading across her face.
Kate shook her head, laughing harder now. "You're actually worse than me."
"Twerk it like Miley—" Sam finished, glancing at her with a smirk.
Kate leaned back in her seat, still laughing. "I take it back. You win."
Sam raised an eyebrow. "Obviously."
Kate wiped at her eye slightly, still smiling. "This is embarrassing."
Sam shrugged. "You started the concert."
Kate looked at her for a second, grin still there.
"Yeah," she said. "I did."
And this time—
the silence that followed didn't feel heavy at all.
The song faded out, the last beat dissolving into silence.
For a moment, neither of them moved.
Sam kept her eyes on the road.
Then, quietly—
"Ti voglio bene, sorellina."
Kate stilled for a second.
"…Lo so," she muttered.
Sam nodded slightly, hands steady on the wheel.
And this time—
the silence didn't need filling.
"Allora… ti sei buttata su qualche cazzo europeo?" Kate said, a smirk creeping back.
Sam's face went red instantly. "Kate—seriously?"
Kate leaned back, clearly amused. "What? It's a valid question."
Sam shook her head quickly. "Stop saying stuff like that—in Italian. It makes it worse."
Kate let out a short laugh. "Oh, so it's fine in English?"
Sam shot her a look. "No. It's not fine at all."
Kate raised an eyebrow. "So that's a yes, then?"
Sam groaned, gripping the wheel a little tighter. "I'm not answering that."
Kate grinned. "Yeah, that's definitely a yes."
"Erano senz'altro felici di poter sentire l'odore di un italiano purosangue," Kate said casually.
Sam scoffed, trying to play it off. "Please. I didn't even let any of them fuck me while I was on my period."
A pause.
Kate slowly turned her head toward her.
A grin spread instantly.
"Got you."
Sam froze. "…What?"
Kate started laughing. "I knew it!"
Sam's face went red. "Oh my God—Kate—"
"You're such a slut, sis," Kate shot back, still laughing.
"Shut up!" Sam snapped, but she was already smiling, embarrassed.
Kate tilted her head, watching her closely, grin already forming.
"Ti hanno fottuto nel culo."
Sam choked on her own breath. "Kate—what is wrong with you?!"
Kate burst out laughing. "I knew it!"
Sam covered her face for a second, completely red. "You're actually insane."
Kate leaned back, still laughing. "You liked it, didn't you?"
Sam shook her head, trying not to smile. "I hate you."
Kate smirked. "No, you don't."
Kate smirked slightly. "Maybe I should go to Europe…"
Sam shot her a look immediately. "Don't even start."
Kate leaned back, still amused. "What? Sounds fun."
Sam shook her head. "Yeah, for like five minutes—then you'd start a war with someone."
Kate raised an eyebrow. "Only if they deserve it."
Sam let out a quiet breath. "That's exactly what I'm worried about."
Kate's smirk didn't fade. "Relax. I'd behave."
Sam glanced at her, unconvinced. "You don't even know what that means."
Kate smirked.
"Ecco cosa ha detto la ragazza che si è fatta scopare il culo da un europeo."
Sam went red instantly. "Kate—!"
Kate let out a short laugh. "What?"
Sam shook her head, embarrassed. "You're impossible."
Kate leaned back, still grinning. "You're just mad I'm right."
Sam muttered under her breath. "Shut up."
She never answered.
Not a yes. Not a no.
She just kept her eyes on the road, jaw slightly tense, like if she ignored it hard enough, it would disappear.
Kate watched her for a second.
Then smirked.
That was answer enough.
The road stretched out ahead of them, Willow Creek getting closer with every passing sign.
Sam didn't bring it up again.
Kate didn't need her to.
And just like that—
the moment passed.
But not really.
Because some things didn't need to be said out loud to be real.
But for once, Kate was actually happy her sister had fun.
She smirked faintly, then leaned back into her seat, letting the tension slip just a little.
Sam kept driving, eyes on the road, pretending not to notice.
And Kate didn't say anything else.
She just waited for Willow Creek.