Stella's Story (Milan, Florence, Vinci)

[Alastair "Bob" Roanoke]

Working title for this whole thing is Stella's Story. Main characters are Stella Vargas(Milan), Lorenzo Vargas(Florence), and Leonardo "Vivi" Vargas(Vinci, Italy).

Seeing as they are not here as OCs some information before we begin.

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Stella (Present Day) - MINE
Birthday: December 7th

Height: 5'9"

Hair: long, smooth, slightly curled at the ends, reaches midback, a medium-light blond. She like most italies has a curl, hers is a small banana/corkscrew curl at the back of her neck and can be hard to notice and less likely to be touched. In truth there are only two othe people in the world who know about it *laughs evilly, is smacked*. Her son *is slapped again* Vivi and Lorenzo (whom she's had a crush on since at least the 10th century...)

Eyes: silver (with a faint blue-tone)

Age: 24 (Physically)

Personality
Bubbly and cheerful more often than not. She friendly with most people hugging and in the case of family kissing them on the cheek. While she comes across as a bit of a ditz a lot of the time she isn't. She's actually pretty smart when she calms down to show it. (although not Vinci level smart)

You do not mess with her Vivi unless you want to bring out the Mamma Bear. She’s usually against violence these days, but that doesn’t mean she isn’t prepared and properly accessorized for fighting should she need to. You’d be surprised how many accessories she can modify to make them both beautiful and “practical”.

Fashion is her passion and she loves designing and modeling (after all she's got the height and the figure) but she loves other art as well and architecture.

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Vinci (Present) - Belongs to Weaver
Height: 5' 4"
Hair: dark medium blond, a snake tongued curl on one side
Eyes: Gold
About: Pacifist, not well known as a region or personification, basically raised by Lorenzo & Stella (when she was around), Artist, Polymath, Vegetarian

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And now onto the first piece...

[Alastair "Bob" Roanoke]

Title: Trouble
----((Late 1440s, Vinci -2, Stella- 18, Lorenzo-~ 23))---

Stella wandered the streets of Florence aimlessly. She wasn’t supposed to be here. She was probably already in trouble because they would have had to discover that she was missing by now. She would be in even bigger trouble if they found out where she was or if she didn’t get back within a couple days, but she didn’t care much. She had wanted to come and so she did, despite the risks, especially traveling mostly unarmed.

It was about then that she heard the commotion from down a dark side alley. The cry of a young child and sinister sounding voices surrounding him. She slipped down the alleyway sticking mostly to the shadows creeping up to hear them better.

“Che cosa dobbiamo fare con il nanerottolo?” One of the three men said, looking down with a sneer at the crying child.
((What should we do with the runt [little guy]?))

((Get rid of it, he's too small to be worth much and too much trouble if he won't shut up.))
“Sbarazzarsi di esso, è troppo piccolo per valere molto e troppi problemi se non si zitto.” The man, who appeared to be leading the group said coldly.

The child wailed louder, almost as if he understood the danger he was in. The two lackeys slapped their hands over their ears trying to block the sound. However, the leader instead struck out, hitting the child with a strong slap, a ring on his hand slicing the fragile cheek and causing more cries and spilled tears rather than silencing them.

“Bastardello.” The leader growled. “Gettarlo nel fiume e lasciare che il bastardo annegare. E 'più di lui merita.”
((Throw him in the river and let the bastard drown. It's more than he deserves.))

The child didn’t appear to be more than two; big golden eyes filled with tears under a mop of messy dark blond hair and an unusual little snake-tongued curl. Between that and the bruises she was watching fading from his tiny form it was easy enough to determine that he had to be a personification, another italiano. Her eyes turned hard. That made him famiglia, and she wouldn’t stand for these people abusing her family. (even if sometimes they fought and abused each other)

Stella stepped out facing them, the small knife she had brought with her in her hand. “Rilasciare il bambino e non dovrò farti del male.

((Release the child and I will not have to hurt you.))

The men sneered, looking laughingly at the knife in her hand as compared to the weapons they carried themselves.

“And what are you going to do?” The leader asked with a mocking smile.

“It would be easy enough to call la polizia from around the corner.” She said with a slight smile. “But I’m pretty sure we can resolve this without their assistance.”

“You are bluffing, signorina. Se aveste la polizia in attesa che li avrebbe già chiamato fuori.” The man said with a calm smirk
((If you had the police waiting you would have called them out already.))

“Am I bluffing?” She raised an eyebrow with an innocent smile. “Vuoi scoprirlo?” ((Do you want to find out?))

The man snorted derisively. “Che rischio c'è a chiamare il bluff quando so che non c'è la polizia qui?” He signaled for his men to attack. “You should have stayed out of this, ragazza.” ((What risk is there to calling your bluff when I know there are no police here? ))

Stella smiled lightly as she dodged, her own blade stricking out with uncanny speed and accuracy. “Va bene.” She shrugged a light smile still remaining on her face. “But if you choose not to run… E 'il tuo funerale.” ((it is your funeral.)) Her smile edged towards a smirk as she watched them men clutching their bleeding chests. “Avete ancora vuole sfidarmi?” ((Do you still wish to challenge me?))

While their leader seemed to be a man with some spine it seemed that his lackeys did not share this strength of will. They ran from the alleyway shouting and babbling about “she demons”. Stella smirked as the leader glared darkly at her.

“You will get what’s coming to you, ragazza.” He snarled turning to depart. However as a parting shot he kicked the child, who had quieted while he was not being stared at, and threw his own knife at Stella, managing to just graze her arm as she dodged out of the way.

Stella hissed, grabbing her arm. “Tu sei quello che otterrà ciò che sta venendo a voi per male una Italia.” She bit out glaring at his retreating form.

((You're the one who'll get what's coming to you for hurting an Italy.))

However there were more pressing things to do than tracking him down. She let go of her arm, ignoring the thin trail of blood tricking from the wound to focus instead on the child. She picked him up, cradling him in her arms, doing her best to sooth him while he healed. Just because they healed quickly didn’t mean that it didn’t still hurt.

Wiping the tears and blood from the little one’s cheeks, she hummed giving him a gentle smile as she started softly singing a lullaby.

“Stella stellina la notte si avvicina: la fiamma traballa, la mucca é nella stalla. La pecora e l'agnello, la vacca col vitello, la chioccia coi pulcini, la gatta coi gattini; e tutti fan la nanna nel cuore della mamma!”

((Star, little star The night is approaching: the flame is tottering, The cow is in the cowshed. The sheep and the lamb, the cow with the calf. The hen with its chicks. The cat with its kittens; and all are sleeping In the mother’s heart!))

By the time she finished his tears has stopped and golden eyes were looking up at her inquisitively. One pudgy little hand reached up to her face. “Mamma?”

Stella’s silver eyes widened slightly, “Non. I’m not your mother little one. I am Milano, Stella.” She wasn’t sure he could even understand... and it soon became obvious that he didn’t.

He looked up at her tipping his head, small hand brushing her cheek as he smiled. “Mamma.”

She sighed carrying him out of the alleyway. She sighed shaking her head and beginning to walk out of the alleyway. “Non, not mamma. Stella.” She repeated again, despite knowing it was probably no use. “Stella.” She poked his nose and he went slightly cross-eyed trying to look at it and giggling.

She would need to find his family soon… She frowned slightly wondering how she was supposed to do that. She didn’t even know where this child was the personification of to know who was his normal caretaker.

The little boy smiled up at her brightly. “Mamma, Mamma, Mamma!” He clapped his hands giggling.

Stella blushed as people turned to look. She didn’t look that old... barely old enough to possibly have been his mamma for real in human terms these days.

((Where is your family))

She sighed, whispering to the child worriedly, “Dov'è la tua famiglia?” As she turned down another, less populated street.

The child just continued to smile brightly up at her. “Mamma!”

There was suddenly a noise behind her as someone dropped from the rooftops to the ground.

“La sua famiglia è proprio qui. And I am wondering why you are trying to claim to me the mother of mio fratellino.”
((His family is right here.)) A slightly dark voice said from behind her. “Chi sei tu, che pretende di essere sua madre?”

((Who are you who would claim to be his mother?))

“I wasn’t pretending to me his mother! Ha appena iniziato a chiamarmi 'mamma'!” Stella said starting to turn around.

((He just started calling me 'mamma'!))

“I was just looking to give him back to his famiglia...” She turned fully around and looked up at the man behind her, “Firenze!” She was startled, having not recognized his voice.

Lorenzo frowned looking at the young woman who was cradling his little brother. “Milano.” He replied flatly. “Cosa ci fai nella mia città?”

((What are you doing in my city?))

“Solo in visita.” ((Just visiting.)) She replied nervously. “Anyway… here is your fratellino back.” She said, attempting to pass the child to him.
“Dovrei partire prima di mettersi nei guai.”
((I should be leaving before I get into trouble.))

However, the little one clung to her, refusing to leave her arms crying, “Mamma! Mamma!”

Stella sighed. “Little one, you have to let go. Devo andare. Vai al tuo fratello.”

((I have to leave now. Go to your brother.))

“Mamma!” If anything he just seemed to cling tighter.

“He doesn’t understand you. He only repeats what he hears.” Lorenzo said with a slight sigh, slipping his brother back fully into her arms where he settled immediately with a happy ‘mamma’. “And the ‘little one’ has a name. Il suo nome è Vinci.” ((His name is Vinci.))

Lorenzo gave her a flat look as she cooed over his fratellino. “La~ Così il suo nome è Vinci.” ((So his name is Vinci.))

“Mamma, Vivi!” Vinci burbled back at her.

Stella laughed; a bell-like sound. “La~ piccolo Vivi.” She cuddled him, before suddenly sighing. “... but I should really be going…
prima di entrare nei guai.”
((Before I get in trouble.))

“ Ve ...” Lorenzo stared at her for a moment in incomprehension.
((Milan... You are already in trouble.))
“Milano ... sei già nei guai.” His hand closed tightly around her upper arm and she hissed in pain, both from the force of his grip as well as the fact that his hand was pressing on her wound.

He frowned, pulling his hand back and looking at the blood before grabbing her other arm a dark look on his face.
“Vieni. Penso che tu abbia qualche spiegazione da fare, Milano.”
((Come. I think you have some explaining to do, Milan.))

“Cosa?! Ma devo andare! I just came by myself for a short visit! I wasn’t causing any trouble!”
((What?! But I have to go!))

“Just because you came alone and did not intend any trouble does not mean I can permit you to simply leave.
Non dovrebbero essere qui, Milano.”
((You are not supposed to be here, Milan.))

For a moment she struggled to break his grip trying to pull away but Lorenzo just tightened his grip. Stella hissed in pain and the little one- Vinci’s - golden eyes welled with tears again. “M-mamma! Mamma!”

She stopped and focused her attention on the child reassuring him.
((It’s ok little Vivi. Mamma is well.))
“Va bene piccolo Vivi, I... mamma sta bene.” She smiled at him waiting until he calmed, even drifting off to sleep, before shooting Lorenzo a resentful look. “Sarete nei guai quando la mia gente mi trovi.” She hissed.
((You'll be in trouble when my people find me.))

Lorenzo just gave her a flat look in return.
((You said yourself you came alone. I'll only be in trouble if your people find you.))
“Hai detto tu stesso sei venuto da solo. Sarò soltanto nei guai se la tua gente a trovare." He smirked slightly. “Even if they are looking for you... I doubt they will search here for a while yet.” He started tugging her along the streets.

((Let me go, Florence.))
“Lasciami andare, Firenze.” Stella said scowling, trying again to tug out of his vicelike grip. As she shifted Vinci’s face scrunched up, perhaps on the verge of waking.

“Non.” Lorenzo simply continued along his path, smiling a bit and waving to some of the people around him despite the sour look on the face of his companion.

Stella frowned, but let herself be led along. She would have resisted more if not for the threat of waking the sleeping little one. She didn’t want to see him cry again. However she scowled at Lorenzo,
“Non si può semplicemente trascinarmi in giro come questo! I didn’t come here to cause trouble! I only came for a visit!”
((You can't just drag me around like this!))

“Ve~” He continued tugging her along, turning off the main roads and heading on the path to take them to his Villa.
((I could always tell my people that it was you who tried to hurt my brother... or perhaps I could even tell them that you came here to spy on me.))
“Potrei sempre ai miei gente che è stato lei che ha cercato di ferire mio fratello ... o forse potrei anche dire loro che è venuto qui a spiare me.” He said nonchalantly.

“Cosa?! I would never!”

He smirked again, ignoring her interruption. “Ma penso che sarebbe un errore, non è vero?”

((But I think that would be overkill , don't you?))

Stella narrowed her eyes, frowning with anger, but there was a tremor of worry in her voice. “A cosa stai pensando?” ((What are you thinking?))

He turned to face her fully, now standing in front of his home. “Ve~... Milano, sorella~.” He said a slight smirk on his face,
“Stavo semplicemente pensando che tu sei così bella e hai buone cose e tante belle ...”
((I was simply thinking that you are so beautiful and you have so many good and beautiful things...))

He looked her up and down making her feel as if she were an object on the shelf to be purchased.

“I am certain you would hate it if I stopped letting you use your money…” His face bore a light smile. “…So that you could not have such things anymore.” He reached out, brushing her cheek gently with the back of his hand.

She shifted, angrily slapping his hand away. “So what do you want? Qual è il tuo prezzo?” She looked at him suspiciously.

((What is your price?))

((All you have to do is stay here.))
“Tutto quello che dovete fare è stare qui.” He said lightly, gesturing with his free hand to the Villa. “Watch mio fratellino. He will cry without you, and I refuse to let him cry.” His voice took on a harder tone as he continued; a slightly hard edged smile on his face. “You will stay, won’t you sorella?”

“I have a choice?” She said with a slight huff.

“Non.” He replied with a smirk holding open the door.

((So what do you think my answer is, Florence?))
“Allora cosa ne pensi la mia risposta è, Firenze?” She stepped over the threshold and into the house.

((I think your answer is 'yes', Milan.))
“Ve ~. Credo che la vostra risposta è 'sì', Milano.” He replied, smirk firmly etched on his face as he stepped inside as well, closing the door behind him.

“Si.” She replied, her tone dry.

[Alastair "Bob" Roanoke]

Title: Staying
----((A few days after trouble))----

The sun shining through his window onto his face woke Lorenzo with a groan. How long had it been since he had slept long enough for the sun to be waking him? He laid there for a moment listening to the sounds of the house and frowned. It was quiet…. Too quiet...

He climbed out of his bed and strode over to the bedroom next to his own, peeking inside. Leonardo was sleeping peacefully in his crib, but Milano was nowhere to be found. He frowned. He didn’t want to have to carry through with his threat, but he couldn’t be weak… and she had left… it wasn’t that surprising really. Anyone would have snuck away. But how the hell did he sleep through that….

There was a soft thump outside and a quiet mutter that sounded like a curse. Lorenzo’s eyes narrowed and he reached for his dagger, listening to the footsteps approach the front door. The door creaked open and Lorenzo whirled around throwing the dagger at the intruder.

There was a startled “eep” and a thud as Stella dodged. “Merda!” She hissed in pain grabbing her right ankle which had collapsed beneath her with the added weight when she shifted to her right.

Lorenzo stood there blinking down at the girl in shock for a moment. “Milano… what are you doing here?”

The look she gave him in return seemed to imply that she thought he must have lost his mind. “You told me I couldn’t leave, Firenze. So I’ve stayed here.” She rubbed her ankle muttering at the offending body part unintelligibly.

“Where were you?”

“La? I was outside on the roof watching the sun come up, Firenze. You seemed to be sleeping well so I tried to be as quiet as possible not to wake you.” She took hold of the doorframe and using it to support herself got back to standing and limped forward a couple steps.

He still couldn’t figure out how he could have slept though that… Lorenzo’s eyes narrowed watching her limp. “Ti sei fatto male? ((Are you hurt?))

“Non, sto bene.” She flashed him a strained smile, shaking her head. “I just landed a bit wrong when I was getting back down.”
((I’m fine))

He frowned watching her try another couple steps, trying to be less obvious about her limp. “Milano. Don’t lie to me.”

“I’m not lying.” She huffed. “Io sto bene.” She insisted, taking another step. However it was at that moment that her ankle decided to give out on her again. It would have sent her crashing back to the floor had Lorenzo not caught her.

((That is not fine))
“Questo non è ‘bene’.” He said with a flat look to the girl in his arms. He sat her on the edge of the table taking off her shoe to see. “You’re going to have to try to stay off this foot for a while, Milano...” He gave her a stern look. “Non ti muovere.” ((Do not move))

Stella stayed where she was frowning in irritation for a moment before she sighed… unfortunately Firenze was right. She could barely stand let alone walk. She should probably let him know about that tile that had been loose…

Lorenzo returned with a roll of bandages and started to wrap her foot and ankle. Without raising his head he started to speak.
((I want to apologize.))
“Voglio scusarmi. The other day... I...” Lorenzo could feel his face starting to heat up with an embarrassed blush. “I did some things I am not proud of.”

“La?” She looked down at him with some confusion and he could feel her eyes on the back of his head but he refused to look up.

Lorenzo cursed in his head. His face probably looked like a tomato. “I-I’m not sorry I made you stay. But I’m sorry for.... for...
Mi dispiace ti ho guardato come se fossi una puttana!” He spit out quickly, the only way he could think to describe what he had done.
((I'm sorry I looked at you like you were a whore))

“L-la?” He could hear the surprise in her voice.

“Anyway.” He said quickly, desperately wishing for the blush to leave his face, “Just make sure you stay off your foot as much as you can. And if you absolutely have to walk you can use that.” He pointed to a cane that was resting against the wall. It was decorative, far too much so for his taste, che idiota e le sue battute stupide... He felt his face cooling and he finally looked up to see her reaction.
((That idiot and his stupid jokes))

“Grazie, Firenze.” Milano’s cheeks were dusted a light pink and she had slight smile and an expression of surprised gratitude on her face.

“Prego.” He looked away again. Why the hell was he blushing! “I have some important business to attend to today.” He addressed the floor, looking up again only when he felt his face cool. He almost sighed in relief when he saw Milano’s serious listening face. “You will be alone here with mio fratellino. I will be back in a few hours. I believe you can handle yourself until then.”

Suddenly from the other room there was the sound of crying. “Maaaaaamma! Maaaammaaa!”

Stella moved to get down off the table, but before she could Lorenzo scooped her up again, stopping to grab the cane as he passed and setting her on a chair in the room with the cane leaning against the side and picking up Vinci and plopping him into her arms. He studiously avoided looking at her face once again.

“I will see you this evening then. Ciao.”

“Ciao then, Firenze.”

Lorenzo left the house to the sounds of a quiet lullaby being sung to Leonardo. The soft voice quickly silencing his cries and tears.

[Alastair "Bob" Roanoke]

Title: You who so dare, beware, Firenze.
---((Later that Afternoon))---

Lorenzo smiled as he was walking home. He had thought that these things were going to take a really long time, but the politicians had managed to settle their issues much more quickly than he had expected. He walked speedily along the road happy to be free from his obligations for the day. However his smile faded as he got closer to the villa. Not only because of the roof tile he could see on the ground (So that’s how she had slipped… He was going to have to fix that…), but because the door was slightly ajar… He could make out a man’s voice inside as well as his sorella’s, he hadn’t been expecting any company… and Leonardo… Leo was crying. He frowned darkly, slowing his steps and slipping inside silently.

“Basta farsi da parte e la mano del ragazzo a mi!” The man’s voice called out authoritatively.
((Just step aside and hand the boy to me))

“Non!” Stella’s voice quivered, a slightly pained note in her tone.

Lorenzo’s eyes narrowed. Even without entering the room he could almost picture the scene, the faint noise accompanying Stella’s speech signaling a step taken… Weight placed onto that ankle that was supposed to be resting, but was forced into use by the, figlio di una cagna, who dared to threaten his family in his home.

“What do you think you’re going to do?” The man sneered as Lorenzo rounded the corner to catch a glimpse, “You’re in no fit state to walk, let alone fight.”

Lorenzo crept up behind the man and placed a heavy hand on his shoulder. “She might not be, amico, but I am.”

The man jumped spinning around, his eyes widening. ”Firenze!”

According to all that this man knew Lorenzo should have been out for hours still. Had he known even in a remote sense that this was a danger he would have sent one of his expendable underlings still instead of finally taking the initiative to do his dirty work himself. He hadn’t counted on the unknown female Italy from the other day being there, but injured as she was she wasn’t much of a deterrent to his plot. Something that has he been thinking clearly he would have reconsidered, realizing the danger of someone so close to Firenze knowing his face.

“Francesco.” Lorenzo replied, his tone clipped and a frown etched onto his face... His anger was nearly a tangible thing. Francesco took a couple steps backwards, Stella hobbling with her armful of toddler to a corner of the room farther from the now frightened Florentine.

“Imagine my surprise when I arrive home to find you dare to threaten my famiglia so boldly.” Lorenzo said, stalking forward like a tiger on the prowl his expression dark.

Francesco took another step backward before he seemed to gather himself and his self importance again, replying, “All I’m doing is ridding the world of a shameful thing that should have been drowned at birth!”

“That ‘thing’ you are talking about is mi fratellino.” Lorenzo struck out quickly, a blade in falling into his hand almost before the other man even realized. The razor sharp edge slicing Francesco’s cheek drawing blood. “And I do not appreciate what you have been doing.”

“He is a bastard! Una vergogna!” ((A disgrace)) Francesco shouted irate, spittle flying from his mouth. “Should you want me to continue my patronage with the bank of your friends, the Medici; you will allow me to remove it!” He finished, gathering himself again, pose haughty even with the trickle of blood sliding down his face.

Lorenzo growled, “You try to kill mi fratellino and you would hold a knife to mi sorella.” The man flinched, finally seeming to grasp the relation between Firenze and the Female Italy that was unknown to him, “And you think you can get away from this with your life because you have money. You are wrong.” He stalked forward again, Francesco stumbling back astonished at the failure of his ultimatum.

“Y-You can’t!” Francesco stammered out, “You can’t do that!”

“I think you’ll fine I can, amico.” Lorenzo said flatly, watching the terror grow in Francesco’s eyes.

Francesco’s eyes suddenly took on a wild look as he made a break for it, attempting to get across the room. If he could just grab one of them… a hostage… leverage… he could get out of here alive.

“I don’t think so amico.” Lorenzo growled, springing forward, tackling Francesco to the ground. “No one threatens my familglia and gets away with it. Nobody.” He hissed. Lorenzo took the knife in his hand stabbing violently into the soft skin of the man’s neck, severing the vertebra. And just in case that wasn’t enough to do it, he grabbed Francesco’s hair, pulling back and slicing his throat. Blood splattered the floor. That was going to be hell to clean.

He looked up into Milano’s pale face as the cries of his fratellino penetrated the angry fog in his mind. He stood, straightening his garments and frowning down at the spots of blood he had gotten on them. Dammit!

“Milano. You should sit. I’ll take care of this.” He wasn’t sure what else to say, this is simply how things were, although he hated to show that side in front of his brother.

He strode out of the room with confidence, not looking back, simply moving on to get what he needed. Of perhaps he didn’t want to have to face those wide silver eyes. This would all turn out fine. And it would be a firm reminder. Nobody messed with Firenze. Nobody.

---

And this concludes our first time period... well... there's one more thing that would be close but it's not written yet so yeah...
ONWARDS!

[Alastair "Bob" Roanoke]

Title: Nightmare (I sense and angry Florentine out for my head -.-)
----(( 1450s or 60s (?), Stella- 18, Lorenzo-~ 23 & late 700s, Stella- 11, Florence- ~13))---
((en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankish_Kingdom Milan surrendered to the Franks in 774. Conquered by Charlemagne in 774, Florence…))
*translations in here are Latin

---

Stella woke up gasping, her hands flying up to her neck to pry away hands that weren’t there. She rolled over, burying her face in her pillow and struggling to hold back tears. Not again. Not this again. That had happened centuries ago and yet these last few nights it had been coming back into her dreams again and again….

The man was a giant, or so he had seemed, towering over her eleven year old self. He looked down at her his expression haughty, a dangerous gleam in his blue eyes as she backed away. He had defeated all of the soldiers around her and all that she had herself was a little knife. Nothing that would be effective against him... not at this moment…

She had been terrified. Completely helpless, completely alone…

“You know why all of the mighty empires before me have fallen?” He asked rhetorically.

The man took one long stride forward, forcing her to take several steps back. She tried to keep a distance between them that could even be considered reasonably safe and allowing her to watch his face for signs of danger. Even if there was no escape…

“It was because of little runts like you who decided that they were going to take their territory back for themselves.” He sneered. “And I won’t have it. I will not have it.” He snarled striding forward again.

She backed away, suddenly finding herself caught in the corner. She hid her little blade behind her back she didn’t wish him to see it and take it as a threat. It couldn’t help her, but she couldn’t get rid of it.

“Do you understand?” He demanded, his tone harsh.

“I-Immo, me intelligere.” She replied quietly.
((Yes, I understand.))

“Good.” He replied taking a couple long strides back.

She relaxed a little moving out of the corner herself, her hand falling to her side. She forgot about her little blade and her intention to keep it hidden. The candlelight reflected off the well polished metal catching the man’s eye and he frowned, turning.

“So you were trying to trick me were you?” He accused, his expression furious as he spotted the knife.

“Non! Quoniam non eram!” She said emphatically shaking her head and backing away again from the furious man. “Ego tantum-”
((No! I was not! I only-))

“Do not lie. Do you think me a fool?” He caught up to her in a few long strides reaching down and picking her up by the throat.

Her feet danged over the floor as she struggled futilely in his grasp, trying to pry his large hands from her throat so that she could breathe freely… She shook her head as much as she could, tears gathering in her eyes.

“Your people have surrendered Milan. If you do not cease such foolish fighting I will destroy you.” He said coldly. “Do you surrender?”

She nodded rapidly.

“Say it.” He shook her, demanding.

“E-eg-” She choked on the words. There simply wasn’t enough air!

He squeezed tighter and tears started trailing down her cheeks from pain, her vision blurring. She couldn’t breathe.

“Say it. Ego deditionem.” He spoke coaching her through the words.
((I surrender))

Didn’t he understand there wasn’t any air? Her mouth opened and closed silently. The man frowned.

“If you refuse to say it…” His frown deepened as he trailed off with his threat, his hard blue eyes staring into her own.

Her eyes widened. No! No! Couldn’t he understand! That wasn’t true! And there wasn’t any air! She renewed her struggles trying to pry the grip from her throat. All she needed was a little air, just a little air and she could tell him what he wanted! His grasp only tightened.

“Goodbye Milan.” Firm blue eyes stared into silver ones that were quickly loosing focus.

It was always at this point she woke from her nightmares… desperate to get free… Shaken and trembling…

But that wasn’t where this had ended… no…

“It’s a shame, such a pretty child. You would have been a beautiful woman one day.” The man said in a soft voice trailing off sadly.

Her mind was fuzzy and his words seemed to come from a strange distance… her vision was darkening. There was a sudden commotion in the room, a body slamming into the man holding her. The startled man dropped her limp form to the floor. She could just barely make out the boy shouting as everything seemed to fade away…

“NOTHUS! Dimittere soror mea! How is she to answer you if she cannot breathe?!”
((Bastard! Release my sister!))

She hadn’t recognized the voice, and she never saw his face… the boy to whom she owed her life. Her memory too hazy to be of any use finding him to thank him…

She rolled onto her side hugging her knees. Why? Why was she thinking of this now? Why did these memories still torment her so?

There was a soft knock on the door.

“Mamma?”

Hearing six year old Leonardo’s voice outside her door she hastily wiped the tears from her face.

“Si? Come in Vivi.”

The six year old cautiously opened the door, golden eyes peeping through the crack before he opened it more widely. He entered, shutting it behind him and climbed up onto the edge of the bed next to Stella.

“Lorenzo said it was time for you to get up or you would miss breakfast. So I came to wake you, Mamma.” He said.

Stella smiled hugging him and ruffling his hair fondly. “Grazie Vivi.”

Leonardo’s head tipped to the side slightly looking intently and inquisitively at her face. “Mamma? Why have you been crying?”

Stella closed her eyes, cursing slightly in her head. Sometimes he was far too perceptive for her peace of mind. “It was just a bad dream, Vivi. It’s nothing to worry about.”

The little boy frowned before wrapping his arms around her and giving her a kiss on the cheek and smiling up at her brightly. “Va… Whenever I have a bad dream you and mi fratello make it better with hugs and kisses so this time I’ll help make it better for you!”

She smiled again laughing slightly and cuddling him to her. “Grazie again, mi piccolo Vivi. Now why don’t you run off to the kitchen and make sure Lorenzo doesn’t put away the breakfast on us, va bene?”

Vinci smiled brightly, nodding and hopping off the bed. “Va bene!” He scampered into the kitchen as Stella got out of bed to get ready for the day.

[Safarina Lee (Pei Xing)]

Just one note.. Perhaps you could just put all the Italian in English Italics? It's hard to read the words that have to look for the translation than go back to continue reading.

Other than that is fine ^^ Interesting~

[Alastair "Bob" Roanoke]

*shakes head* I can't really. My mind insists on it actually being in Italian. I actually cut it down a lot from what was there originally, and was happy to have won that battle. the first one initially had all the spoken parts in italian. And I have all the translations right by it which is better than having to scroll to the bottom at least.

Glad you find it interesting ^-^ It's worth all the trouble I'm having dodging angry Italian head!characters then.

[Angelica Vargas-Jones]

Vi~ *w* Wonderful~. I love it Kit-kat~!!!

[Alastair "Bob" Roanoke]

Grazie Princesse~!

[Sadiq Adnan]

Its interesting, but hard to read iwth all the italian with the english above and below it. Other than that its interesting.

[Carina Jones]

Yeah, in later parts that shouldn't be so much of a problem. It's mostly that first bits that insisted on being that way. I really did try to cut it back but my head!characters insisted on keeping what I did.

Glad you think it's interesting 'though ^-^

[Lorenzo da Firenze (Vargas)]

I read this before, and didn't get to comment because my internet cut out on me. ^-^;

But I really enjoy your story so far. It's quite interesting, and you have my characters portrayed well, I'll be following this closely to see what you do with your history.

[Carina Jones]

That's ok. *hugs* I'm glad you like it... and you already know a lot of what's coming

[Carina Jones]

AN: Many thanks to Weaver without whose help and some cowriting I would have gotten stuck very badly. Navy means miss weaver wrote it
((Present Day))
Title: With Deepest Affection - Ignazio *sarcasm intended*

---

“Ciao Milano.”

Stella whirled around her heart pounding as she heard that voice with its deceptively pleasant tone. “C-ciao Ignazio. What are you doing here?” She asked, scanning the room for anything she could use to defend herself just in case. “How did you get in?”

“I just came for a visit; I figured it’s been a little while so the two of us could use a little chat.” He innocently slipped his hands into his pockets, the jacket of his suit opening slightly and showing the gun in its holster and the glint of one of his knives. “That’s not really important is it?” He said taking a step forward.

Stella suddenly turned towards the exit door, making a dash into the hallway. She needed to get to one of her weapons… She wasn’t playing this game with him. He was the mafia, he most certainly wasn’t there just to talk. There was a sudden pain in her leg and is collapsed out from under her, sending her crashing to the floor. She gave a short yelp at the unexpected fall taking a look at her leg. It wasn’t anything critical, just a graze really, but she wasn’t going to be going anywhere on it anytime soon. Shit, shit, shit!

Ignazio tutted, slipping the silenced pistol back into his holster as he calmly strode towards her. “Stella,” His tone was patronizing as he scolded, “It’s not polite to run off when someone’s trying to talk to you.” He reached down grabbing her arm, dragging her back to the other room.

“Let go of me you lying sack of shit!” She tried as best as she could to pull her arm away, but she didn’t have any leverage. “Let go!” She shouted again lashing out, scratching her nails across the hand on her arm.

Ignazio hissed, dropping her none too gently. Her head hit the ground with an audible thud dazing her as he growled looking at the red lines on his hand, one bleeding a little. “I am trying to be nice, donna, but you are getting on my nerves.” He moved, stepping down hard onto her wrist with one shiny black shoe, holding it in place while he grabbed the other. When he had both wrists in his hand he continued dragging her back to the room where he had greeted her.

When he got inside he picked up a bag she hadn’t noticed and opening it with his free hand. “I hadn’t brought all this for you, donna.” He said as he opened it and she could see the various ‘tools’ inside, “I have work to do today. This is just a social visit, no need to be pulling out all the stops.” He pulled out a roll of silver. “I just decided to come here and leave a present for miei fratelli because I realized how negligent I’ve been… So many birthday’s I’ve missed these past years.”

The sound of the tape as he started unrolling it was almost unbearably loud in the otherwise silent house.

“Let me go. You don’t want to do this.” Stella insisted. “Just go and do your ‘job’ if you don’t let me go you know Lorenzo will have your head on a platter.”

Ignazio seemed to ignore her, shifting his grip to begin wrapping the tape around her wrists, getting them secure to prevent any avenue of attack. “I don’t think so, donna.” Ignazio smirked, ripping off the tape and securing the end down after wrapping it around her wrists several times. “Lorenzo’s going to be a little… distracted… to be coming after me, Stella.”

Stella frowned. “Ignazio. Let me go. Just go away back to whatever hole you crawled out of. Whatever you’re planning you aren’t going to get away with it.”

“Stell~a,” He whined at her, “You never smile for me. You would think you didn’t like me.” He said his face taking on a mocking affronted look for a moment before falling into a pout, “Won’t you smile for me, Mila~no.”

“No.” Her expression remained stony. “I’m not going to play whatever game you’re playing Ignazio.”

He snarled reaching down and grabbing her by the throat with one hand. He lifted her pinning her to the wall her head slamming back into the paneling. “Fine, if you don’t want to play then I’ll stop playing, Donna. I know you get paid for your pretty face like una puttana, and Florence seems to be fairly enamored of it as well. But I’ve never seen what’s so pretty about it, you don’t smile enough, donna. Maybe if you smiled more… but I can help you with that.”

He pulled out a knife pressing the blade to her cheek, “Smile, donna.” He said, his tone almost sing songy before he started tracing the blade across, watching the blood well up.

Stella hissed biting her lip, but remained silent; Ignazio growled in irritation pressing the blade in harder and retracing deepening the wound, without fully splitting the cheek and still nothing. He turned to the other side slicing savagely a grinning line of blood stretching across either cheek and yet she didn’t make another sound. He could see blood welling where she had bitten through her lip instead and he growled.

“Scream dammit!”

“No.” the word was filled with pain and her breathing was slightly ragged, “I won’t give you the pleasure.” She hissed.

“You will scream, donna!” Ignazio growled. He struck, stabbing her in the side with the knife he held in his hand. With no time to prepare or stop herself Stella screamed, tearing her cheeks open further. Ignazio smirked. “I told you you would scream, donna.

He stabbed her again and again, until she couldn’t scream anymore. Tears mingled with the blood on her face as Ignazio grinned madly. It was a wonder she was still conscious. “Stella, Stella, Stella. Look at that beautiful smile.”

Her eyes narrowed glaring at him and she kicked out at him with her good leg. He growled darkly, dropping her to the floor and kicking her in the ribs. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

Stella blinked back pained tears as she glared back up at him, struggling to breath.

“Oh don’t be like that, Milano. It’s not like it’s personal. And besides, it will all be over soon.” He paused looking around their surroundings thoughtfully. “It’s just a matter of where to leave the present.” He reached down grabbing her and dragging her mostly limp form through the house and down the stairs leaving a trail behind them. “I think over here will do nicely.” Ignazio said, glancing around the entry hall. Don’t you think so Milan?”

He didn’t get any response, but he continued anyway speaking to her as he leaned her against a wall. “You’ll have to tell them Happy Birthday for me when they get here… then again I’m not sure you’ll be in any shape to do that.” He pulled out his pistol again and her eyes widened slightly. “I’ll just leave a note. Anyway, for now,” He lined up the shot, his finger on the trigger, “Arrivederci, Milan.” He pulled the trigger and watched with a smirk as fresh blood blossomed across her stomach and she slumped, unconscious.

He put the pistol back in its holster and then turned to exit. However before he did he stopped himself turning to grab a pen and a paper. “I almost forgot to leave them their card with the present. How thoughtless of me...”

He quickly penned his note for Lorenzo and Leonardo to find, taping it to the wall above the limp form. It was unfortunate… there just wasn’t a place he could leave it on his gift that wouldn’t ruin his card, but he supposed this world serve well enough.

He directed one last smirk to the unconscious woman and gave a jaunty wave. “Arrivederci, Milan.” He called out cheerfully. “I’m so glad we had this little chat.” And with that he exited the house as he entered it, shutting off the lights as he did. All the doors and windows were locked.

---

Lorenzo strode up to the door and knocked. “Stella! I’m here!”

He paused, waiting for her to call back and come to open the door, but nothing happened.

“Stella?” He knocked again, “Mi amore, are you there?”

Still there was no reply. This wasn’t like her. He knocked a third time.

“Stella, please, open the door!” He called, worried now. But there was still not reply. He peaked in the window, only able to see in a crack with the closed curtains, the room was dark, but there was something… There was a frantic ringing on the edge of his senses. He darted around peeking into the windows that he could, but every single one was dark. He stood before the final window.

“Mi amore… I hope you will forgive me if I do what I do now in error.” He said, managing to finagle the lock mechanism inside and pry the window open. He slipped into the house, it was silent, and the only lights remaining on were in the hall and the room he entered…. But she wasn’t here. He stepped out into the hallway, heart filling with dread as he noticed the trail of blood leading towards the stairs.

He held himself back from rushing, moving cautiously and listening but he heard no sounds of anyone else in the house. He followed the trail all the way to the front hall, where moments before he had been knocking on the other side of the door. There was a strange shadow a few feet to his left…

Lorenzo flipped on the light turning to look and his hand flew to his mouth. “Stella! Mi amore!” He rushed over, but she was unresponsive. He reached for her neck, searching for a pulse, wincing at the bruises… Her pulse was there, weak - oh so weak, but there… He picked up the phone, uncaring for any smears of blood he might leave on it from his fingers.

As it the line rang he spoke to her unconscious form urgently, “Stella, mi amore, stay with me. You have to stay with me.”

The line finally picked up. “Va?” there was a slight yawn, “Fratello? I thought you were spending the day with Ma-Stella.” He said with some confusion.

“I was, but something has happened. Leonardo I need you to come here right away. And when you get here I need you to promise me you will Not Panic.”

Leonardo stood at the other end of the line, nodding slightly, though he knew his brother wouldn't be able to see it. "Alright."

Lorenzo hesitated for a moment. “Leonardo… it… it’s really bad. Be sure you pack everything you might need, but get here quickly.” He hung up the call and unlocked the front door, he looked around to find anything to staunch the bleeding, but there were so many wounds. He grabbed what he could find and hurried back.

It was this time as he re-entered the room that he saw the “card”.

To my darling Fratelli,
It has come to my attention as of late just how many important life occasions I have been delinquent on, and so I thought to myself that I should remedy this situation. And so, for all those missed Christmases, Easters, New Years, and most especially Birthdays I have left you this little gift.
I know how much the two of you love to see her smile, so here she is, smiling, just for you. I hope you enjoy it while it lasts.
With deepest affection
Ignazio

“Ignazio.” Lorenzo growled, reading the note quickly before tearing it down from the wall, leaving a few bloody fingerprints on it and crumpling it into his pocket. He pushed that aside for now instead kneeling down and starting to apply pressure to the gunshot wound to her stomach…. She was so pale…

“Dammit…” His voice had a tremor, “You aren’t allowed to leave me, mi amore, not now.

---

Vinci’s brow furrowed at the panicked undertone to his brother's words. If there was an emergency there was really only one reason his brother would be calling him, and it wasn't his perfect memory or his skills in art and invention. It could only be for his skills in medicine. He had his doctorate several times over in most fields and there were far too many times he could recall of patching Lorenzo up or sticking things back together after his brother got into a fight… He hung up the phone, as the call was cut from the other side and made a bee-line for the medical supplies that were neatly arranged in a small drawer, something the perfectionist artist had released his inner OCD on a while back. Snatching up everything he rushed over to the bag he had arranged by the front door. Grabbing it in his free hand he unceremoniously crammed the wraps and other supplies in their before scurrying out the door.

When he arrived at Stella’s house he found that the door had been left unlocked. Something which seemed fairly careless for his brother. He pulled it open cautiously golden eyes peering inside. Those golden eyes widened, as Leonardo beheld the tableau in front of him. Stella unconscious on the floor, Lorenzo desperately applying pressure to her stomach trying to staunch the bleeding… but there were so many other wounds.

“M-Mamma!” He raced over tears already starting to stream down his face. “Lorenzo, what happened?”

Lorenzo growled. “Ignazio, is what happened, but right now that is not important.” He turned to Leonardo his eyes serious, face haggard. “Right now what is important is making sure she survives. I hate to do this to you, fratello… but her fate rests in your hands now.” He sounded almost helpless, certainly there were things he could do, but Leonardo was the surgeon.

Golden eyes flicked uncertainly from the unconscious form, to his brother and back again. With shaky steps Leonardo quickly stumbled over to where she lay and sank to his knees before her. Unfocused fingers danced across the stabs and bullet wounds as he evaluated the current situation. It was anything but favorable.

“D-do you m-mind,” he choked, feeling his throat tighten, “a w-washcloth... warm, please.”

Leonardo watched his brother hesitate for a moment, not wanting to leave her side before disappearing off in search for the washcloth. Then he turned his attention back to Stella, reaching around with a blind hand he searched in his bag for the small packets- of course it was treated with other things, but he had found that sugar would make a nice paste and contribute in being a minor disinfectant. That and it was nice for traveling.

Lorenzo made his way back to the bloody room- red-brown eyes nervously flitting around, waiting for Ignazio to come out of nowhere and attack them. He handed the cloth to his brother, kneeling beside Stella and whispering things to her. He took her blood-stained hand in his, anything to comfort him as he rocked back and forth slightly.

“Please, amore, you can't go. You can't leave me now.” His voice sounded broken as tears trailed unnoticed down his cheeks.

---

Stella drifted in the white void, her mind hazy. She didn’t know where she was, and she couldn’t recall how she had gotten there. She tried to remember, it felt important… She felt like there was something she should be doing. Voices seemed to whisper at the edges of her hearing they called her to stay here, to relax, to forget, to drift with them forever, but there was something else tugging at her...

“Please, amore, you can't go. You can't leave me now.” The broken voice echoed around her, more solid somehow if such a thing were possible for a voice. She felt as if something was holding her back, tying her to this voice that she should remember.

The other voices in their musical cacophony called for her to stay with them, not to recall, it was too much trouble, far too much. But she had to remember, it was important… This voice that called to her heart…

---

“V-va…” Leonardo bit his lip slightly looking at his brother with worried eyes. “L-Lorenzo, c-can you- I – I just need another hand.”

Lorenzo hardly noticed his brother's question, not taking his eyes off of the still form- it was so fragile, how could anyone damage it- the ringlets of beautiful golden hair fell in blood matted circles about her forehead and shoulders- with a slow hand he carefully reached out; as if afraid if he touched her she might fade away. Tanned fingers quaked, just barely brushing the smooth perfect skin over her eyes. With a soft and fluid movement he brushed away some of the hair from her forehead, they looked like small rose petals as the fell, sticky and wet away from her brow.

"Fratello?" the younger brother began again, not wanting to pry his brother away from her, but at the moment she needed serious help.

"What do you want me to do," his voice was gentle, something Leonardo hadn't heard him like since Veneziano lived with them. But there was an undertone to these kind words offering his service. Something dark. Hollow. Cold-blooded.

Once Stella was safe, Lorenzo would be out for revenge.

“C-can you just hand me,” Leonardo’s hand waved absently towards his bag searching for the proper word. “I-in my bag, the gauze… ”

Lorenzo gave a short nod despite the fact that Leonardo couldn’t see it as he was busy paying attention to the wounds, “Si, I can do that.”

They set to work, both focusing on the task at hand. This had to be done properly, there would likely not be a second chance.

---

It was hours later when Leonardo finally felt stepped back. It had taken longer than is should have to get her stabilized. His hands had been shaking so badly… he wasn’t certain how he had gotten it done without really messing things up, except that he had to. There wasn’t any other choice. He wiped le back of his hand across his forehead, leaving a streak of blood behind.

“V-va…” He turned to Lorenzo shooting him a grateful look. Without his assistance it would have been even worse, but he could tell from the deadened look in Lorenzo’s eyes as he stared at her that Lorenzo was faring even worse than he was.

What if she wouldn't make it? What if she died? What would he do? Lorenzo bit his lip, feeling as the coppery taste of even more blood was spilled tonight. It was sickening, everything. The world around him had gone colorless, a monochromic void. Nothing was beautiful, if she was gone nothing was- no.

No. what was he thinking. He still had his brother, and Sicily, Feliciano and Roma as well. But... no Stella... He curled his feet up to him, resting his chin on bloodstained knees.

Leonardo sighed, knowing what would happen if his mamma never woke up. Grabbing the depressive man under the arms he pulled him with some difficulty to his feet. Pointing over to the chair near the make-shift bed they had set up for Stella; he watched as Lorenzo stumbled almost blindly over to it. The life seemingly draining from him once he sat, still watching Stella.

“Va…” Leonardo just stopped himself from rubbing at his eyes, finally noticing the blood still covering his hands. He was so tired, but there was still one last thing he needed to do before he could rest with ease. He picked up the phone sighing as he dialed the number once again. “Va… Dottor Rossi… I was wondering if perhaps you could let me borrow some of your hospital’s equipment for the next couple of days va…”

He paused a moment listening to the man on the other end of the line.

“I have a friend who’s suffered a serious injury, but it will require treatment at home. She can’t be moved easily and would prefer the event was kept out of the media…”

He paused a moment his face turning white and then red. “Giuseppe! V-va! S-She is… fidanzata di mio fratello!” It might be stretching the truth a little but, not by much... ((my brother’s fiancée))
{AN: This is not the case. While they are in a relationship that's stretching things. However it was a fast way to explain things to make him shut up so they could get down to business without the other complexities of ">.< dear god she's my mamma"}

There was a chuckle that could be heard from the other end of the line.

“Va... Stop teasing me! T-this is serious I need this equipment stasera!” ((tonight))

Leonardo gave a sigh of relief as the other man assented to his request, rattling off what he needed the address for Doctor Rossi. They should be here in thirty minutes or less... and then... once all of that was set he could finally allow himself to collapse.

Lorenzo couldn't bring himself to take his eyes off her, though he could feel his eyelids beginning to get heavier and heavier. He would not sleep though, not yet anyway. Not until Stella was safe. Resting was a sign of defeat, something that had been drilled into him ever since Rome taught him how to fight, and before Rome, Etruria. He wouldn't leave her side. He clenched his hands into fists, gathering the fabric in his white, blood-stained knuckles. Mafia... how could he?

---

It felt like forever before Doctor Rossi arrived, even though it was only twenty five minutes, better than the time he had promised Leonardo. Giuseppe was shocked at the scene. He tried to insist Leonardo call the police, but Vinci just put a gentle, but firm hand on his shoulder. Golden eyes staring at him solemnly.

“This is no matter for la polizia... this is one of the more... sensitive cases. I promise you it will be handled.”

The man’s eyes widened at the proclamation and he nodded. He delivered the equipment into the house speedily, and helped to set it up efficiently before he left. He knew better than to question his friend if the matter was as this sounded.

Leonardo locked the door behind Giuseppe, before dragging his body back into the room and collapsing into one of the chair. He blinked blearily trying to stay awake, but it was no use. The equipment was set up and barring anything unusual… she should be safe enough until morning. He drifted off into an uneasy sleep.

Lorenzo stayed staring at the still form for a while after his brother fell asleep. His eyes began to slowly close, his head was heavy, he couldn't stay awake dammit. After a few more minutes of struggling he succumbed to whatever nightmares awaited him.

---

He had come back to the house to check the results of his days work and he found, this!

Ignazio growled softly looking at the unconscious figure in the bed. She wasn’t supposed to still be alive. He had been so careful in his planning, so precise. He knew when the man was going to get there and by then even if he got help, even if he did anything, it had been over an hour! It should have been too late. He must have made a miscalculation due to her status as a personification, but even then it wasn’t like he was unaware… he growled. And yet Lorenzo had arrived and she still lived. Ignazio shot a derisive look at the dark haired form slumped in one of the chairs by the bed.

And look at him over there. So worn he didn’t even wake. Where was the master assassin who woke at the drop of a pin now? He would have to be sure to mock him for that when he saw him next. Ignazio smiled nastily, checking the syringe and flicking out the air – as if it mattered. The drug was an anti coagulant and it should do the job nicely, he’d just reopen the wounds and she would bleed out by morning. Leaving them to boo-hoo over their failure and wonder how it happened. Of course he’d be by as soon as possible to rub it in their faces. Show them how pathetic and weak they were.

He smirked. No one messed with the Mafia and got away with it.

---

((except for the ones that totally totally do get away with it <.< … >.> Angel I’m looking at you for some reason))
{{Chandi: XD you can totally look at angel...I have a feeling she screws him over regularly....}}
AN: thanks to Chandi for helping with Angel’s actions and dialogue

---

“Vi…” Angelica checked her phone for probably the 50th time. It was nearing 11pm and Zoni had said he would be there at 10 so that they could have a little talk. About what she didn’t know, but it wasn’t like him to not call if he wasn’t going to show.

Angelica had tried calling his phone several times, but it must have been off because it went straight to voice-mail. She knew he had been visiting Stella earlier. She “vi”d unhappily. He must have shut off his phone to not be disturbed and then forgotten…

“Viiii…” but that didn’t quite sound like him either… She stood up, and headed towards the door. She was going to go find him… just in case.

It didn’t take her long to get to Stella’s house and enter quietly… As she crept towards the stairs to the lower level she noticed some suspicious dark colored streaks on the floor. She crept stealthy through the house seeking any sound or sign of life… her nose crinkled as she approached one of the rooms, the smell of blood and disinfectants heavy in the air. For a moment all she heard from the inside were the soft sounds of breathing and a slight beeping like the machines in a hospital.

Then she heard his voice.

“Well I am quite sorry to have to do this.” Ignazio said quietly, his tone one of contrived regret, “But you just don’t seem to get the point.” Each deliberately enunciated word was punctuated by a shake of his head. “You were supposed to just die, Stella.” He tutted. “You really need to follow instructions better, but it’s ok, because I can fix it.”

Angelica peered around the edge of the doorway, assessing the situation in the room. Leo and Zoni were both slumped asleep in chairs, she frowned, it wasn’t like Papa to sleep through another person entering the room, let alone talking… and she glanced at the makeshift hospital bed. Stella was hooked up to a number of machines, including oxygen and there was Ignazio… standing over her his back to the door and a syringe in his hand.

Angelica’s eyes narrowed, she might not know what was in that syringe, but it couldn’t be anything good. She took a knife from its place on her belt and threw it. Ignazo hissed as it stabbed into his hand and he dropped the syringe. “The fuck!” He glared, “What the fuck are you even doing here?!”

“Vi…. I go where I want when I want. What’s it to you, giovane? Besides I’m welcome here.” She stated firmly, glaring over at him, “I should be asking you that question, but I think I know what you’re up to, vi.” She pulled out another knife. “So why don’t you just get your ass out of here before I have to stick this between your vertebra again, va bene?”

Ignazio growled, a quick glance to the side showed him that Lorenzo was finally starting to stir. He didn’t like taking on odds that were even remotely fair. So he shoved past her slipping out of the house.

“Viiii…”

Lorenzo woke with a start rubbing his eyes. “A-Angelina, what? When did you get here? Why do you have your knife out?”

“Viiiiii…. Ignazio was here… to finish what he started I suppose.” She said, glancing over at the still form on the bed.

Lorenzo started to stand from his seat. “Ignazio! I have to secure the house and make sure he’s gone an-”

“Viii.” Angel placed a hand on his chest, gently pushing him back into his seat. “Papa, he could push you over with a feather right now. You’re exhausted, vi.” She frowned. “You go back to sleep and I’ll take care of checking the house and keeping watch, va bene?”

Lorenzo nodded sinking back into the chair wearily. “Mi dispiace. We were supposed to have a chat tonight weren’t we?”

“Vi, don’t worry about it Papa. We can talk about it when you’re awake.” She said, turning to leave and patrol the house. “I’ll see you in the morning. Sleep well, Papa.”

---

When morning came, it wasn't the sunshine that woke Leonardo from his slumber. It was the frantic shaking from Angelica as one of the machines started beeping worryingly.

"V-va! For how long?!" He asked, trying to pull his sleep muddled brain together, although the adrenalin and the shrill noise were certainly getting his heart racing.

"Vi... only a couple minutes, I couldn't wake you at first." Angel replied worriedly.

Leonardo nodded. “Grazie.” He muttered distractedly standing from his seat, lightly bumping Lorenzo as he did so.

Angelica moved, standing in the corner silently and watching. There wasn’t anything she could do except stay out of the way.

Lorenzo groaned finally coming out of the sleep of the totally emotionally spent... His heart nearly stopped as he realized what he was hearing. He rushed over to the side of the bed taking her hand. "Stella, mi amore!"

Vinci darted around Lorenzo, checking and rechecking everything, bandages, stitches, pulse, all the readouts. “V-va.” He tugged at his hair anxiously muttering to himself, “It doesn’t make sense. It should be fine va… there’s no cause but her heart rate is dropping vaaaaa…” He stood jittering not quite sure what to do with himself, this wasn’t normal…

Lorenzo watched her, holding her hand, watching the rise and fall of her chest. His heart nearly stopping as it started to falter. “Please, amore, please… I am begging you do not leave me.”

He turned to Leonardo, his eyes pleading. Leonardo looked back at him, with tear filled eyes, “I don’t… I don’t know… we’re losing her…”

“No.” His voice fell broken from his lips. “Don’t leave me.” He held her hand in both of his, hanging on tightly as if somehow that would keep her with them.

“V-va… fratello… there’s nothing else I can do… I’m sorry I’m so sorry.” Leonardo stammered, he was slightly dazed, shocked by this turn that defied everything he knew. “I – If she’s going to survive, i-it would be a miracle… it’s up to her now I guess va…”

Angel walked over to the bed, staring down at the pale form. “Vi,” It was weird, Stella was always so… bubbly and irritating… “You had better not give up.” Stella took another shaky shallow breath. The space between them was worrying… Vinci said she should be fine and she wasn’t. Had that little pain in the ass given up already? “If you break papa I’ll bring you back so I can kill you myself, Stella.”Her voice was hard and angry sounding, but in the back there was a slight tremor. Much as she found her irritating sometimes Angel didn’t want Stella to die either.

“Amore…”

Angel angrily wiped a tear from her cheek listening to her father’s broken voice. Stella would survive. She had to, because Angelica refused to see this break her father.

---

“Please, amore, please… I am begging you do not leave me.”

The voice called to her, begging her to remember what it was that she had forgotten. There was an increasing sense of urgency. She had to remember and quickly or something bad would happen…

‘No, no.’ the melodic voices soothed, ‘There is nothing wrong, nothing to worry about… nothing, nothing, nothing. Everything you need is right here. Just look around see, right here.’

Out of the undulating opalescent white that was the sea of voices a form took shape. It was a man, he seemed very familiar, but she couldn’t remember… There was almost no color or life to him at all, he seemed to be made of the same whiteness that was the rest of this place, but he smiled and took her hand. When that voice came again his lips moved as if it were his own, but something was wrong, something was off. It wasn’t right.

“Don’t leave me.” The voice whispered brokenly, from those still smiling lips.

“V-va… fratello… there’s nothing else I can do… I’m sorry I’m so sorry.” The second voice was back again…

There was almost a feel of… of... what… fear, unrest, danger, dislike, hope from the mass of voices. Her curiosity, a wordless query, was picked up by the voices.

‘Nothing important, no reason to care, no reason for concern.’

Another shape took form, a smaller man smiling at her as well with his colorless face. She supposed this must be the second voice, but again something was wrong. These figures… perhaps it was that they smiled at her so, when the voices were so sad.

Who were these voices and what made them so sad? Why did they call out to her…? It mattered… didn’t it…?

There was a feeling of unrest from the voices. ‘Relax.’ they called, ‘Do not concern yourself. All is well. All is right. Stay here. Rest a while.’

A new voice entered, a third one, stronger than the two outside voices that had been with her all this time, despite the feeling of roiling unrest the voices called up this third form.

“Vi, you had better not give up.” The voice from the young woman’s peacefully smiling white face was quiet, but hard and angry. “If you break papa I’ll bring you back so I can kill you myself, S-”

The voices hissed angrily cutting off the outside voice bewildering her. Why did they do that? What was wrong? She had been slipping again she realized but she was focused again now. Whatever this was was important, she had to remember and she had to remember quickly.

This voice would kill her herself if she… was she-?

‘No no no!’ The voices rose in a cacophony of noise, ‘There’s nothing to remember. Relax, relax! Stay. Forget.’

She frowned, if there was something that could be forgotten there was something to be remembered. They couldn’t fool her anymore. She closed her eyes against the oppressive whiteness doing her best to block the cajoling voices from her hearing.

These voices, these people, they were important. She strained trying to recall, and those white faces the voices had called up came to her mind, except these ones were filled with splashes of color.
Those were them, they were the real voices, the real people.

Her mind and body were assaulted by flares of pain and the voices urgently begged her to calm down, to stop, stop remembering, stop hurting herself, but she refused. She had to remember.

The white hand holding hers was cold, was wrong, she shook it her hand and the snow white fingers slipped out of hers, releasing their grasp. There was a feeling of discontent, of urgency, from the voices. She felt cold fingers on her hand again, they were tugging at something on her finger and it was slipping… That frantic feeling she had been experiencing intensified.

Her eyes flew open looking into the blank smiling face for only a second before glancing to see their work. She gasped as she saw her own body fading to white. What was happening, what had they been doing to her? And then her eyes fell on those fingers’ target.

There was a thin ribbon of red tied around her pinky, stretching off to somewhere beyond the white void… There were other cords of color around it too; their ends drifting lazily near her fingertips as if recently severed from their mooring.

‘No! ’ She closed her hand into a fist fingers closing around the strings, not allowing them to float any farther and preventing that last bit of color from being removed from her world.

‘No no no no no.” These cords were important these were the voices and she didn’t want to let them go, not one of them. And especially not the one that those cold fingers were still prying at hers to get loose.

‘No! Lorenzo! Leonardo! Angelica! Help me!’

It all came back to her, memories shifting around to their proper places snapping into place. Ignazio, the attack, the pain, so much pain, and so much blood. She should have been dead… Lorenzo wasn’t to arrive for an hour yet, but she wasn’t dead. Not yet. No.

‘Stay Stay Stay!’ The voices demanded; little white fingers all over trying to pull her into the white to become a part of it.

‘No! Someone! Help me! Please.’

“Amore,” Lorenzo’s voice floated to her, “Please, please come back to me. Don’t go. Ti amo, Ti amo con tutto il cuore… Please come back to me, please.”

‘STAY.’ The voices insisted, losing the last of their soothing harmony, instead they were a hard sound, commanding.

‘NO!’ She shook off the white fingers as they hissed at her, following her handful of strings away from that place.

Red, violet, blue, green, orange, brown so many colors… one by one they attached back in their proper place, but she kept following the three that were closest to her heart. The strong steady red, gentle blue, and vibrant green. She followed them home, despite the pain that steadily overtook her as she approached.

---

Silver eyes slid open with some difficulty meeting the red-brown eyes above her that stared out of a haggard tear worn face… and shifting her gaze to the sides she could see Leonardo and Angelica as well. If she could have she would have smiled. Her eyes turned once more to center meeting Lorenzo’s tears slipping silently down her own face. She was home.

[Sadiq Adnan]

This is good, only a few suggestions.

How about instead of saying He stabbed her again a second time and a third and a forth, until she couldn’t scream anymore, you say he stabbed her again and again, until she couldn't scream anymore. To me, that just reads better.

and if you tell someone not to panic over the phone, they're going to start demanding whats wrong and have a minor panic attack.

also, where he says to back everything he might need...how does he know what he needs, what does he need? a fork? medical supplies? Just need a little bit more detail there to make it clear.

Thats just my opinion on peoples actions and wording. Otherswise I like it though.