"How are things?"

The little girl looked away with a heavy heart. She didn't want to talk but this person was making her talk. She didn't need help but this person wants to help. She wants to be left alone and this person doesn't just leave her alone.

Plus, this person ask the things that the little girl feels too miserable to answer. Just the thought of answering him makes her have goosebumps.

But, she doesn't want to be mean. This person was her daddy's 'friend' and her father told her that his said friend will help her with all of her fears and problems. Well, the fears are still there but at least it isn't as intense as it was before.

So, Isabella's sulking because she always have to meet mister helper-slash-friend-of-her-papa every twice a week. She thinks that the person is called a shrink.

But, she doesn't know what this so-called shrink is, which makes her all the more upset.

"S' fine." Isabella answered sweetly, not wanting to be rude to the doctor.

The doctor looked at her dubiously before writing something. "Any recurring nightmare, Miss Sofia?"

Isabella never liked to be called Sofia. Her second name's only used when she has to do or follow something urgent or she'd done something incredulously wrong to be worth to be called by her second name.

Hearing the said name just brings her shivers, thinking automatically that she'd done something terrible.

Isabella glanced at Mister Shrink with a scrutinizing gaze before looking back at the clock behind the mister. Only ten minutes left and she'll be able to leave. Only ten minutes left.

"Mhmm," Isabella conceded but then she immediately panicked, her eyes blowing wide, "b-but only sometimes now. I don't get them always." She said for honesty's sake. It's true, though. She doesn't get nightmares as much anymore ever since she started meeting with her doctor. But, that doesn't mean that she likes talking to the man, she just believes that the doctor is really working his magic on her.

His eyes crinkled up in amusement at her sudden change of answer. It was obvious that he liked her honesty.

"I see." He writes again.

Isabella leaned against her comfy chair with a slight pout on her lips. He looks at her again, trying to hide his smile with a fake cough, his hand immediately rushing forward to cover his mouth.

"Excuse me, my lady." He says, covering his smile with his hand.

Isabella sulked more.

"Anyways," he cleared his throat, getting all professional once again. "Do you sit with your family and talk about the problems you're facing?"

Isabella wanted to give a strained whine  because she knows where this was going. It happens all the time that she's not even surprised anymore. This was why she hates attending his appointments. The man always puts her most hated words last.

Isabella tried to protest but her words fell on deaf ears.

The doctor gave her a pointed look.

Isabella crossed her arms, not wanting to complain about not wanting to talk anymore.

"I didn't do anything..." Isabella answered slowly, carefully, as if her words would be caught in a fire that the man is starting to create with her.

"You didn't do anything? Nothing at all?" He didn't sound like he believes her or maybe he does and she's just convincing herself that he doesn't believe her. He then took off his glasses to chew the left temple tips of it. It's a habit of his, Isabella had observed before. "You didn't chat with your brothers? With your father? How about that bodyguard of yours? Who was it again?"

Isabella wanted to swallow a lump in her throat when he mentioned Rafael because she didn't expect him mention her family. Or Rafael. She hadn't seen Rafael ever since that day. She was supposed to talk to him, to apologize to him, but he left her. He left her with thousands of questions with no answers.

Did he abandon her?

Does he hate her now?

What if he does?

"R-Raffy—— Rafael..." Isabella muttered, wanting to disappear at that moment because she hates the conversation. She hates how the doctor prods around her mind like its some sort of game.

"Uh-huh." He said, nodding, putting back his glasses to where it belongs. "Did you talk to him?"

Isabella shook her head, wanting her session to be over. She doesn't want to talk about him. She doesn't want to talk about this.

"Why's that?"

"B-Because I can't f-find Raffy." Isabella breathed out shakily. She can't find him and whenever she thinks of a reason why Rafael is gone, she'd go back to thinking that it's her fault.

He leaned forward, intertwining his hands together. "And why so?"

Isabella shrugged, angry at the uncontrollable tears that were starting to form in her eyes. She hates it. She hate the fact that when the name 'Rafael' pops up, the word disappointment comes to repeatedly play in her mind. Rafael's words were hurtful but she still felt like it was her fault for not apologizing.

And then, there was that creepy guy in that motel.

She still wonders that creepy man's fate. If he's still alive and well or maybe he's dead somewhere. Cold and rotting.

And, what about Romeo?

What happened to poor Romeo?

Then, there's her father. Her papa just suddenly disappeared too, not leaving any trace of him in the mansion. She tried searching for him though, she looked for every nook and cranny of her home but she still couldn't find him. She still couldn't find her papa.

But, why's that?

Does he hate her now?

All of it felt like it was her fault.

"M-Maybe because he thinks that I'm a big disappointment..." Isabella said honestly, clenching her fist at the thought of it.

"Well, do you think you are?" He asks, sounding intrigued by her answer. He was  probably intrigued since her answer was the only real answer that he'd got from weeks of trying to get her to open up to him.

"Maybe I am."

"Then, you're saying that you're disappointed at yourself for trying to protect a friend from a bully?"

Isabella looked up in shock. She didn't mean it to be that way. But, it sounds like he's right.  Still, she shakes her head in panic. "N-No...! I-I didn't mean——Bella didn't mean it t-that——"

"What do you think your friend will say to you when she hears young Sofia regrets protecting her from the big bad bully, hmm? What do you think will happen? What do you think she'll say to you?"

Isabella stayed silent but her eyes were filled with raw fear that couldn't be hidden in the mask that she had created. The shrink's words were painful like a sharp knife and that's because his words were the truth.

Isabella suddenly felt shame rising up in her stomach.

"Do you think that you're a disappointment for hiding when there was an intruder barging in your room?"

"No—"

"So, why would you think that you're a disappointment, hmm? Because the person you loved said so?"

Isabella's tears finally fell. She glared at the doctor in anger. She doesn't want to admit that he's right but he's right. Why was she disappointed in herself when she'd done nothing wrong? She may be comparing herself to her family when some creepy intruder barged in but she reacted fast and hid. Did that count as a disappointment?

"B-But..." She tried to reason but no words left her mouth. She wanted to defend Rafael but she couldn't because she can't find any words to defend her dearest friend.

He looks at her, his professional expression suddenly broke a little and Isabella saw the pity in those blank eyes. She saw the sadness swirling in it too like a whirlpool before he placed his mask of professionalism once again.

"This is the problem. You want to patch things up with that bodyguard of yours when he can't even acknowledge his own mistake. Let him be, Miss Sofia. You're not letting him breathe. You're not lettin' him think about his mistake. You got to give him space. Give him space to think and time to meet you again, okay?"

Isabella nodded somberly. Okay.

"How about your brothers? Did you talk to them?"

Isabella didn't hold back her groan.

She didn't want to talk about that either.

Her brothers are walking on eggshells. They don't know how to talk to her. It's like she's a fragile being and it was as if they were too afraid to even make a peep because they're too frightened to scare her in any way. The whole people living in the mansion treats her like the way that her brothers treat her and she's so tired of it because she wants everything to go back to normal.

"Not talking too?" He supplied and she nodded begrudgingly.

He sighed before looking at his watch. "Let’s call it a day, shall we Ms. Torres? You can report to me on your progress next week."

Isabella nodded, relieved. "'Kay, doc."

***

The doctor watched as the little girl left the room before sighing. He then looks at the hidden camera in the room with a look of annoyance. "Y'know that I ain't good with them kids, boss." 

He really is a shrink but he talks to Dante's men, not his kid. He ain't the professional kind because he prefers to do it his way. He likes it his way.

So, imagine so damn surprise when the boss himself asked for him when he was supposed to be somewhere far away.

He leaned back on his chair casually, looking over his notes with a grimace. The kid's a tough nut to crack. She doesn't elaborate her answer and she keeps her expression in check.

Who the hell taught her that? Anthony? Shit, then. That boy's also a tough nut to crack. Or, maybe there's nothing to crack and the boy's just embraces the crazy that's running in his blood.

How's he going to crack the kid when the kid isn't talking? Well, today's the first time that she actually showed an emotion so he definitely hit some nerve. 

Suddenly, the door opened and he looked at his boss.

He smiled lazily. "Big man, big man. Pleasant surprise to see ya still alive and walkin'. I thought you were dead but lo and behold, ya called me for y'r precious gem. S' nice to see a familiar face, y'know? Lots of newbies crawlin' 'round here that's bound to give me them hibbie jibbies. Can't have that. Can't have that at all. I have a reputation t'a keep. Jus' thinkin' about it 's making me in a bit of a woozy here, boss."

"It's needed." He exclaimed, taking a sit in the chair where Isabella previously sat. "People around here are definitely getting lax and I can't let that happen. I need to strengthen security. I need people who's useful, not useless."

Oh? Realization dawned upon him as he looks at the big man with wonder. Shit must have hit the fan then while he was gone. He raised an amused brow. "Oh, shucks, that ain't you, boss. You ain't like that b'fore. What changed yer heart?"

He gave the doctor a look that made him grin like a Cheshire cat.

"Weakness and consequences, boss." He said, looking back at his notes with a chuckle.

"Weakness and consequences." The boss repeated grimly, pinching the bridge of his nose in annoyance.

"Aww, ya didn't ha'fta come here to threaten me 'bout that little tesoro of yours, y'know? You won't even ha'fta even sew me mouth shut and kill me later when I ain't lookin' just t'a tell me that the young lady of t'is house is one of yer little gems, ey? The moment I saw 'er, I knew that she was yours. Gonna be a good boy. Gonna keep my mouth shut like a good boy for ya, big man."

(Treasure.)

"I'm not going to kill you, Dmitri." He rolled his eyes expressively before leaning back and crossing his arms.

Not yet, he's not. Dmitri snorted. That's funny. "You definitely spilled some blood t'a peeps who ain't doing their damn job right."

Dante hummed in agreement. "And, if you don't do your job right then you know what's going to happen to you, right?"

That... That sent shivers down his spine. And, not the pleasurable ones that Romeo feels whenever the boss gets thirsty for some red. No, it's fear. He remembers that even though they're somewhat friends, he's also his boss and Dante could also be his future grim reaper.

Dmitri doesn't even know how Romeo finds this side of Dante amusing. The man's in need of a session with him soon. He could give that kitty cat some drugs that could make him behave for a little while.

He'll need to clear his schedule for that, promising to himself that Romeo's going to get that session with him.

Dmitri smiled at the boss, keeping his expression in check. The boss can smell fear. He can see it like how he can see you. And, if he smells it, if he can see it, then you bet on your life that you're a goner. The boss hates fears on his people. He kills the weak. He doesn't need 'em.

They're disposable.

Well, except for one.

Except for one, indeed.

He raised both of his hands in mock surrender. "I know, big man. I know. Sheesh, no need t'a give me the scare."

Dante shrugged, smiling at him.

"Weakness and consequences."

Ahh, Dmitri. I hope you like him.

I don't know how an actual professional act but I know that it ain't like Dmitri, okay? So, please don't attack me for it. (´ . .̫ . ')

Anyways, I know it's not all that exciting but I still hope that you guys enjoyed it.