Luca went downstairs, shivering as she tried to erase the bad nightmare that her mind has fed to her.

It was when she was seven years old, when that man kidnapped her and Pierre. Before, she didn't know why that man enjoyed touching her, didn't know why he's so obsessed with her. He didn't want money or fame, he wanted to cause pain to her family. He wanted her.

He desired her.

She remembered Pierre, bloody and tattered, looking so old as he sat tiredly in his chair, unable to do anything but feel helplessness and desperation. His tears would run down his cheeks and that will forever burn in her memory.

His touches. His touches makes her remember the burning feeling of fear. The burning feeling of anger, of emotions that she couldn't even decipher. His lingering kisses, the way his hands caressed her thighs, the way he whispers in her ear.

Fear made her cry, fear made her weak. Fear made her see a whole new different world.  Desperation made her hopeless, desperation made her wish for help despite knowing that the pain and suffering will continue. Wishing for hope made her pathetic. It made her stupid to think that there will be hope in that situation.

Her tears before burned with bitterness and fear.

That room, that cold, wet room, where there were no windows, one door and time just seemed to stop there. Time felt nonexistent, like it wasn't there and the only thing that existed was that man, his touches and Pierre.

She was blindfolded, unable to see what was happening, unable to see Pierre. Her senses were much more heightened, his touches were heightened and she hated the feeling. She hated him.

Luca hated herself.

She remembered hating the grunts and whines of Pierre. She hated how he's slowly losing a battle of strength, making him vulnerable. He didn't want her to hear his screams so he held it down.

For her own sake, he held it down.

And she blames herself for his pain.

He had been supportive, he was always there for her and she hates being saved by Pierre. She hates being saved by her family.

They never deserved being her shield and they'll keep doing it despite her desperate protests against it.

She sometimes hated her younger self for taking advantage of their protection. If she were different, they would've  taught her a way to escape, she would've been more reliable, she would've been able to stop the tears from falling, she would've saved Pierre.

"Luca?" Achilles called in confusion.

He thought that Enzo had tucked her in. Why was she out of bed?

He was about to ask her again but he noticed her paleness, her eyes were filled with tears while she hugged herself, Luca was shaking, as if she's denying something.

Everyone's head turned to look at the said lady and their concerns were immediately shown.

Achilles stood up and walked towards her with slow and hesitant steps.

"Bambina... "  Achilles softly called out, knowing not to startle his little girl when she's like this.

Luca looked at her father slowly. He saw so many emotions run through his little girl's eyes before she huffed a sigh and leaned against her father's chest.

She felt tired. She felt drained, her nightmares were consuming her whole and it was making her make a noise of pain.

She started picturing her family leaving her. Luca started to seeing people killing her, wanting to torture her, wanting to touch her like he did. And there would be no-one to save her because her family left her, they would see her drown in loneliness and in pain.

They'll leave you.

But they promised.

They don't care.

They do.

You're a burden.

Shhh...

You're pathetic.

I'm not. I'm not. Shut up!

They don't love you.

They do.

People will only get hurt because of you. You'll only bring trouble. Sooner or later, your family will die because of you, like your mother for example. She died, your father was forced to kill his wife only to save you. You, you're the most biggest pathetic woman I've ever seen.

"Papa... " She whispered, her tears fell continuously as she hugged him tightly, collapsing in his arms.

Everyone was already surrounding Luca, giving her worried looks, making sure that she was okay and just giving her support.

Sometimes, she would remember the past,  she would feel overwhelmed with the rush of emotions, she would suddenly break down like she does when she was a child.

Not that she had grown up. For them, she'll always be their little girl.

"I'm sorry... " She cried weakly, hugging her father as she recalled the bad memories. The pain, the burning feeling of fear, of sadness, of loneliness. The desperation she felt when she was forcefully pushed into her family's world. The smell of blood and death was so terrifyingly familiar that it was making her sob. The innocents' smiling faces, their cries, their pain. Their death.

It's too much.

"I'm sorry, papa... If—If I weren't weak then you wouldn't have to protect me... I was stupid... All of you could've lived a happy life... Mama would've been alive. I'm sorry. I-I'm so sorry..."

"Luca, it wasn't your fault." Pierre exclaimed, trying to make her believe that she didn't do anything. That it was never her fault. "Don't say that."

Luca shook her head before turning weakly to give Pierre the most heart breaking look.

"I-It was... " She stated. "And it's my fault that I've taken all of your happiness... If I were just braver, if I were just stronger, if I weren't pathetic then I'd be useful but I'm useless, hopeless... I-If I were enough then maybe I'd be of use to all of you."

Luca looked vulnerable and small. She almost looked like the little baby that they all have come to love.

Pierre had to give her a sympathetic look, his heart crying out for Luca's pain and burden. "Oh, Lu... "

'The burden you're carrying is too heavy, baby.' He thought sadly while looking at the little girl's gentle eyes.

"We just need you. We want the Luca who gets getting stronger everyday. We don't need you to act like you're brave, you shouldn't call yourself weak because you're far from that, you're stronger than any demons you've faced and you'll just keep getting better, you dork." Sydney said playfully, a gentle smile planted on his lips as he gave Luca a soft playful punch on the shoulders. "Besides, do you really think that we, Cattaneos,  can be defeated easily?"

"And we're happy when we're with you. There's no other place we'd rather be than be here with you and seeing you grow up into a wise young woman." Enzo added, giving Luca a pat on her head.

Luca sniffled, her nose was red from crying, her cheeks were rosy and her eyes were puffy.

"I just don't want you to leave me... " Luca whispered.

"You dramatic little crybaby." Luca had to pout when Gabriele called her that. "Us? Leave you? You made us promise for fuck's sake, we've been beside you for seventeen years. We've been with you and you've been with us through thick and thin, we have our own damn, idiotic fears and I know that it's sometimes shitty to face them but that's why we're here, right? We take care of each other, we're here to beat the shit out of everyone who makes us crumble and that includes your fears."

Sydney gave him a look. "You know that it would've been touching if it weren't for the cusses."

Enzo shakes his head in disapproval. "Really, you're setting a bad example to her."

"I agree with that." Pierre quipped.

Gabriele rolled his eyes. "Oh, please. It's helpful that way."

"Anyways... " Achilles said, ignoring his sons before turning to look at Luca. "You don't need to be better. I just want you to be better than any of us here. If you want to be stronger then let us help you, you don't need to carry your burden alone, if you don't want to be seen as somebody weak then let your weakness become your strength. If you blame yourself then blame us as well for making you think like this. You're not alone. You were never alone, Luca, and that will never change."

Luca sniffled weakly before nodding. "Thank you, papa."

Achilles smiled softly at Luca before wiping her tears away. "No, thank you for being here, for just being you, for all of the memories that we have together, thank you for the sadness, the happiness."

Achilles then leaned forward to give his baby daughter a kiss on the forehead.

"We love you so much, bambina."

__________

For the last time, thank you for reading and for loving Bambina.

This is the end of the story, this is the end of their story and I hope that you enjoyed their journey.