a/n: when you really, really, really got your hopes and wanted to win a Watty but you don't ^^^

But on a serious note, congratulations to all the winners and thank you to everyone that actually took time to vote for Luciano! Now, who wants to join me in my corner with my tub of ice cream and my speakers blaring, "Pity Party"? No one? Okay...that's cool too.

SO BASICALLY WE'RE ALMOST AT 10K FOLLOWERS ON WATTPAD AND 200 ON TWITTER AND THAT'S CRAZY ILY

The length of this chapter is staggering im sorry I couldn't stop bye ily – I'LL BE STALKING THESE COMMENTS SO LIGHT THEM UP

- - - -

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." – John 15:13

- - - -

I woke up to the feeling that I was being watched. It was an odd feeling and I tried to push it to the back of my mind, especially after reminding myself that three guards were on duty in my room. But it wasn't until I rolled over on my back, folded my arms across my chest, and sighed when I realized just how oddly silent it was. There was no sniffling, no shifting in seats, no low chatter. It was certainly odd, which is what led me to rolling over and flipping on the bedside lamp.

Least to say, I wasn't expecting nor was I ready for what I saw.

The two guards', who had initially been seated beside my only realistic exit, were now lying on the flood, their blood soaking the carpet. Their necks were cut clean and their lifeless eyes remained open, trained on a part of the bed I lay in. I slapped my hands on opposite arms as the goosebumps began to ripple. I didn't waste time turning to my left, only to find the third – and final – guard slumped against the wall, his fate similar to his friends.

I didn't have much time to absorb the shocking events that seemed to have taken place in my slumber. Before I could even utter a few curse words out of shock, a gun clicking drew my attention to the right side of the room. I jumped a little in the bed and gripped the duvet tighter as if it were a bulletproof vest.

My heart did a few flips, but not because I was scared or frightened for my life. Liam sat in a chair to my right, dressed in clothes as black as midnight. A gun rested casually in his lap and he seemed relaxed, content, as if I wasn't being held prisoner and three dead men weren't bleeding out on the floor. An eyebrow of his was lifted, a teasing smirk was pulling at the corner of his lip, and his eyes glistened. His hair seemed longer than the last I saw it and more than a few strands fell nonchalantly over his forehead. His facial hair had also grown out to a decent length and it took everything in me to keep myself from flying out the bed and pulling him in one of the biggest hugs he would ever receive.

You're still mad at him Faith. Stay mad.

"You're up." His voice was deep and I missed it. He didn't say it with any type of emotion, just a statement, a fact. I curled my legs up towards my chest and wrapped my arms around my knees.

I nod and glance around the room for a second. I wasn't looking for anything in particular, but it was an easy way to look away from him; his gaze was intense. "How long have you been sitting there?"

Pushing his sleeve up on his arm, he glances at the watch on his wrist. "About fifteen minutes."

I turn from him, casually noting the bodies on the ground. "And how long have they been dead?"

He doesn't check his watch this time, "About thirteen minutes."

I nod again and in a way, it feels like the conversation dies. I wasn't sure what direction to head it in. I mean, sure, the typical, "how the hell did you get in here?" would probably be a good question, or, "Where's Dominic and Rico?" but for some reason, I was drawing up a blank. Clutching the duvet, I pull it up to my chest and eye the dead bodies once more.

The cutting of the throats, the brutal way they were murdered, it was all a M.O. of my favorite assassin, but clearly this was Liam's doing. I had become so accustomed to having other people do his dirty work, that I almost forgot that Liam was also capable of murder. Of course, I don't believe he was on the same "killing people" skill level as Rico, but from the looks of it, Liam was close.

"We need to talk," was the next thing he said. I had to do a double take on that. Letting out a brief laugh and gathering myself together, I threw the blanket off my legs and hopped out of bed. Liam still hadn't budged from his seat.

"Talk? Yes, we do," I agreed, "But not now."

Liam looks towards the closed door, then back at me. "Why not now?" He points towards the people on the ground, "It isn't like they're going to be interested in our conversation." He stands to his feet, his height was almost intimidating. Folding my arms across my chest, I stand where I am, not yet comfortable in taking any steps towards him.

I found myself inching away the closer Liam got and it wasn't until the back of my knees hit the edge of the bed that I realized that I had nowhere else to go. He had closed the sizable gap between us. I took in his expression, the way his eyebrows creased together and the uncertainty that floated around his eyes. He looked stressed, definitely worried, and ultimately, tired.

His hands stayed by his side and he carried himself awkwardly, as if he wanted to reach out for me, but something in the back of his mind was telling him not too. Liam was struggling for words, that much was obvious, and while he searched his vocabulary for something to say, my eyes fell from his face, to his jaw, past his neck to his shoulders and chest. My attention locked on to the shimmering object that was strapped around his neck and once I got a good glimpse of what I saw, I smiled.

Leaning forward, I lifted a hand, grazing a few fingers across the engraving of the necklace. A few fingers brush against Liam's exposed chest and I can feel his stiffen underneath my accidental touch. I wasn't sure whether Liam predicated it or not, but as soon as I was lured closer in because of the necklace, I felt a hand of his clamp itself on my hip and pull me against him.

His head lowered and I felt him and all his glorious facial hair rub against my cheek as he whispered into my ear, "They were right."

Placing a hand on his chest for good measure, I lean my head back and tilt my face towards his. "About?"

Liam's tongue runs along his bottom lip before he takes a step back, allowing both of us to breathe deeply. He finally speaks up after a moment of silence, "That you don't appreciate what you have until it's gone."

All I could do was look down.

Liam's voice was by no mean's loud and forceful, he spoke in a breathless tone, in an almost whisper, and I think that made his words hit deeper than they should have. "Before you came, my house was a house of business, where Dominic and I laid our heads down to rest, a building where we knew we were safe, secure. I was hardly there, constantly traveling, balancing this work and the company. When you came, everything changed; suddenly the house was filled with laughter, conversation, and then when you left, it went back to what it was – but this time, it was worse."

I glance up, a smile teasing at my lips as Luciano took another step towards me, a light in his eyes.

"Federico and Dominic bickered like cats and dogs, they both managed to piss me off while I'm sure I did the same to them. The laughter faded and the conversations stopped and it was only then that I finally realized the difference between a house and a home."

He steps close enough to wrap his arms around my waist, pulling me close. As he does so, I throw my arms over his shoulders, interlocking my own hands behind his back.

"And what exactly is the difference, Mr. Luciano?"

His voice lowers an octave as he leans forward, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "You are, Ms. Crawford."

He leans in for the kiss and I freeze. Like I had stated before, I had already forgiven Liam for what we had yelled at each other previously, I had forgiven him for telling me that he wouldn't come back – I was just waiting for him to apologize. I wasn't sure what went through Liam's mind between the short distance between our lips, but he seemed to hesitate the second I inhaled, preparing for the kiss. He stopped just inches short and my eyes fell open – partially out of curiosity and partially out of annoyance.

"I learned another very important lesson."

I shoot my question back, "And that is?"

"That if you care about someone you should tell me immediately, because there's a possibility you won't have another chance." I leaned back a bit, getting a good glimpse of his face. His expression was serious, there wasn't even a hint of a smile. His eyes met mine and I found my lips falling open as he angled his face to my neck, pressing gentle kisses up towards my ear. "And not only am I sorry for not doing my job, for not manning up, and for making you make this decision, but I'm sorry for not telling you I loved you sooner."

"I—uh..." Liam pulls his head away from the crook of my neck, a slight smile on his face.

"You don't have to say it back," He adds, "It's—"

"No!" I snap back at him so fast, his eyebrows lift on his forehead. Wrapping my arms tighter around his neck, I pull him close, take a deep breath, and smile. "I forgive you; I forgave you a while ago." He smiles at that.

Leaning forward, he presses his lips to mine in a kiss so soft I thought I had imagined it. With his breath warm on my lips, I hear him whisper something along the lines of, "Is that all you have to say?"

My words came out in a breathless manner, as if I had teleported back in time to the first time I had ever run the mile in physical education. Not only had I been thinking about it a lot, but I had been thinking about Liam a lot. And maybe his confession came at the right time, because three days ago I probably wouldn't have been able to admit it, but I was ready now.

"I love you too."

There was a certain level of suspense that surrounded us as my eyes zone in on Liam's plump lips, watching as they curled into a slow, steady smile. One second they were moving even closer, the next they were not. The voice in his ear, one that the earpiece he was wearing helped relay a loud message, one that we both heard.

It was screeching.

And it ruined to moment.

To be even more specific, it was Rico. The screeching was as high pitched of a tone as a grown, twenty-two year old man could hit. I would place hundreds of dollars on a bet that Rosalie could hit a note far higher, but for a man who has clearly been hit by puberty, I would say Federico did a damn good job. And although he had partially ruined the moment, both Liam and I still laughed.

He leaned in closer and turned up the volume so we could do our own eavesdropping.

"That was so cute!" He made another weird screeching noise before you heard, "Dominic! Dom, Jesus hurry up! Liam just told Faith he loved her!" There was another muffled voice, one that was probably Dominic. We stifled a few chuckles as Rico's voice came through the earpiece loud and clear. "Hey, Liam, can you run that back? Dominic didn't have his earpiece in and didn't hear—"

By now Liam had created a good distance of space between us and I laughed hard when he gave me a look. I mouthed back, "You couldn't survive without them and you know it."

He responded with the same tactic, "I know."

Pressing a finger to his ear, he speaks into the mic. "No, Rico, I will not 'run it back'." While he does so, Liam fishes out a similar looking device out of his pocket and hands it to me. I smile, mumble a thank you, and slip the device in my ear after a little fumbling.

I'm not sure about how Rico replied, but I could discern that his last two words were, "Fuck you."

"Are you two in position?"

"Yes."

"Give me two minutes," Dropping his hand from his ear, Liam looks to me.

"Here's what's happening," He starts off, "You, Michael, and I—" He nods towards the door, "Clear this floor and get to Peter. Dominic and Rico clear the first floor, disable the alarm downstairs, and come upstairs with us."

"—We deal with Peter and leave," I nod, smiling slightly, but I couldn't help but feel how easy that sounded. Nothing in life was easy and something told me this wouldn't be either.

"Bingo," Liam sing-songs. I watch him reach behind him, untangling a gun from the waistband of his pants. He hands it to me handle first. "You know how to use it?"

"Yep," I glance at it for merely a second, "Aim it at the bad guys and pull the trigger."

Liam pulls out his own weapon, quickly checking the amount of bullets he has left. He does it in a swift and perfected manner. The gun clicks and before I know it, he has it dangling at his side. Locking eyes with me, he shoots me a look that includes a smile, "Close enough," He nods and starts to make his way towards the door, I follow at a slower pace. My eyes still scanning over the dead bodies that lie all around us.

"How did you even get in here?"

By the time I step over the body, Liam already has his hand on the door. His gaze floats over to the beautiful balcony that I was never able to step near. "Balcony entrance," He shoots me a million dollar smile, "Just call me James Bond." A moment passes where we just smile and he nods at me, "I missed you."

"I missed me too."

He gives me a look.

"Fine," I groan, "I missed you too."

He smiles.

Lifting his gun, Liam starts to move his wrist slowly, the door now that much closer to opening. He turns back to me, "Anything else you need to add before all hell breaks loose?"

I shake my head with confidence and lift my gun, a smile on my lips, "Nope."

It was the smile Liam shot me that sent every single memory of the last week or so flooding back. I had been so elated that he was here, that I was free, and that Peter was closer to death than I was, that I had completely forgotten about one of the most significant things. Zara Luciano. His smile, which was one I had been admiring now for a while, mirrored the same smile the woman downstairs had been shooting me every now and then. My gaze unfocused from Liam as my lips fell open and the memories continued to roll; from meeting her, to introducing myself, to finding out who she was, to—

"Faith?" I was shaken back into the present, Liam's hand resting firmly on my shoulder and his gaze was intense enough to raise the dead. His hand drifted from my shoulder, rode up my neck, and cupped my cheek as I zoned back in on his worried look, "You okay?"

I jumped back at his touch. It was missed, but at the moment, foreign and cold. My eyes widened as my throat tightened up. I spewed out the facts faster than my mind could remember them. "Your mom! Peter...he has your mom.... She's downstairs! In the basement! She's...she's..." I shook my head just at the thought and lifted my gaze, trying to discern Liam's reaction.

He just blinked at me. There was a moment of silence, a precious moment wasted. But when Liam started smiling, then chuckling deeply, I was certain he had heard me wrong. I started to repeat myself in a rushed manner, my hands making odd motions to help me explain; but he would have nothing of it. Stepping forward, his hand reached forward, slowly stroking my cheek. His thumb brushed against my cheek bone before venturing towards the back of my head, where his hand probed around, feeling and massaging my scalp.

"Did you get hit in the head?"

"Liam!" I smacked his hand away and received only laughter; a gorgeous smile and laughter. His smile was bright and his eyes matched, but it only took about thirty seconds for Liam to realize I wasn't joking. His smile slowly vanished, his eyebrows began to crease, and the light in his eyes faded. By the time realization had hit him, his lips were parted and a look of confusion was running across his face and around his eyes.

"But Michael said..." I could see the wheels churning, the lies Michael had told him were trying to be reprocessed, and whatever painful memories that were rolling through his head forced his eyes closed.

"I know Michael lied to you about your mother..." I let out a breath, "A few times, anyways." I was hesitant in taking those steps towards him, but I did it anyways. With his eyes closed, he looked like he was unbalanced, swaying a bit. My hands caught his forearms as I pulled myself to him, our chests bumping momentarily. At the feeling of our touch, his eyes fluttered open and a certain look of uncertainty darted across his face. "But it was her," I lower my voice to a whisper, "I swear to you on my life it's her."

He still didn't look certain, as if my words weren't enough and it hurt – just a bit. But I had to realize that what he had come to believe was the truth, was far from it.

I couldn't help myself this time. His face was soft when my palm came in contact with his cheek. The tiny facial hairs tickled the inside of my hand. Yet, just when I was beginning to think how soft his cheek was, my thumb brushed over his lips and they definitely took the cake.

"I know you trust me," I lift my eyes to his and sigh, "So for this once, don't overthink it, just trust me."

His eyelids close slowly and reopen at the same speed. Inwardly, he was still fighting a battle I would never know much about, but when he started to nod, I knew I had won. "It's her?" He whispers one last time for confirmation and my fingers move as his lips do. I drop my hand from his face and answer.

I nod back, "It's her."

He doesn't reel back like I just punched him, but he steps back in a calculated manner and puts a hand back to his ear; I now knew what that meant. His voice doesn't only float through the room, but it floats into my ears accordingly.

"Rico, Dom," He glances up at me and I nod once again, urging him on, "We have a change of plans."

- - - -

The changing of the plans was minimal, but important. Instead of Rico and Dom coming to meet with us the second the alarm was disabled and the guards' on the first floor were eliminated, they were to head to the basement and free Zara Luciano. When Liam said it through the earpiece, he said, "Free my mother," and the three other people on the opposite end of the earpieces grew deathly silent for a good three minutes.

Nobody really wanted to say anything, that was easy to tell. Liam and his mother was a topic that was hardly touched unless he brought it up and it remained the same, even now. But when Liam threw the doors open that had previously separated us from the rest of Peter's home, a breeze blew through my hair and we stepped out into the hallway, right in the middle of a struggle.

The second floor of Peter's home was an open concept in a way so when stepped out into the hall, the first thing we saw was Michael Luciano and another one of Peter's men in a physical fight. My grip tightened on my gun and I saw Liam's hand flinch towards the holster on his thigh, but our movements were proved worthless when Mr. Luciano shifted into a perfect position, wrapped his hands around the man's head and neck area, and twisted. There was a sickening crack, a dull thump, and heavy breathing.

The older Luciano hovered over the body that had fallen to the floor in a weird position before looking up. A thin layer of sweat covered his forehead and he was breathing quite heavily as he stood straight up and looked to us. That was when I let my eyes wander to about three other bodies that lay sprawled out on the carpet, their arms and legs twisted in odd, unnatural positons.

I was scared so I took a step back, but another part of me was still impressed. Old man still got it.

Michael hardly glanced in my direction, his eyes trained on his son as if he already knew what Liam was about to say. I think we all did if I had to be honest. Keeping his voice in a low, harsh, harsh whisper, Liam cleared the space between them. "How long have you known?"

Liam's father glances away for a second, his son's stare far too intimidating, even for him. He makes a motion with his hand while he does so. "I don't know—"

I jump when Liam speaks again. The anger in his voice was evident and he didn't keep his voice down. "So she was never dead," Liam shook his head, "So every story you told me was bullshit."

"You sound surprised," Michael stepped over a dead body and sighs, "Every story I've told you has been bullshitted."

The anger vanished from Liam's voice faster than Usain Bolt could run the 100M. "You would tell me she died," He shook his head and took a step forward, clearly trying to understand his father's old ways. "Then you would tell me she left because of me. And for the longest time I thought it was my fault. As a nine year old, I cried myself to sleep because I thought my mother left because of me." Liam looked sad, to say the least, and I felt for him. He was reaching for answers that Michael would probably never give him, "But it was never me, was it? It was you."

Michael looked back over at his son, then he looked at me and his eyes stayed on me. I felt uncomfortable under his gaze, but he wasn't glaring or staring at me in a hostile manner; he looked lost, maybe even borderline confused. But when Dominic's voice came over our earpieces stating that their floor had been successfully cleared of all Peter's men and that he and Rico were heading down to the basement to retrieve the woman whom our conversation topic rotated around, the talking between Michael and Liam died down.

"Once all this shit is over," Michael started up after a moment of silence, "We can sit around a cozy living room, drink some tea, and talk about the mistakes we made in the past—" He rolls his eyes and turns from Liam, heading in the direction of the stairs, "—A goddamn Luciano family reunion," He finished muttering before disappearing from sight.

The assault Liam, Rico, Dom, and Michael had conducted on the Corinelli household up to right now, had been perfect. With silenced weapons and stealthy tactics, it certainly seemed that Peter nor his son, Xavier, were aware of what was going on right outside their bedroom doors. Rico had been right; Peter didn't keep many guards at night for protection, which is what made this job twenty times easier. But when I saw Liam shake his head in frustration and head towards the steps, turning around right before Peter's bedroom door, I followed in confusion.

I reached Liam before we landed on the first floor and I was glad I did. My hand grabbed his and I let out a sigh of relief when he did the same. Our fingers interlocked as our steps synchronized themselves, right before we hit the wooden floor below. The first floor was a quiet as the second and I got chills as I looked around. I counted about eleven bodies in total; some appeared as though they had come face-to-face with their murderers, while others laid in a position that appeared as though they had been snuck up on. I wasn't sure what gave me chills; whether it was the stain of blood that seemed to trail into the kitchen, or the feeling of Liam's thumb brushing along my hand.

Time certainly slowed, but before we knew it, we heard footsteps. All three of us reached for our guns, but when Federico's hooded figure came marching out of the dark void that – in the light – was really a hallway, we relaxed. Dominic and Zara followed closely behind and it didn't surprise me at all that he was the one comforting her, the one who had his arm around her, helping her along the way.

"Thank you, uh, but I'm okay, really," Zara was the first to break the loudest silence I had ever heard. Liam's gaze, Michael's gaze, even my gaze went straight to her the second she entered the room and unlike mine, Liam and Michael's attention never faltered from her, not even for a second. We watched her thank Dominic once again before she turned and froze right where she was.

Dominic drifted back towards a corner of the room where Federico stood. The younger man had his hands shoved into the pockets of his pants and a hood was thrown over his face, covering most of his features. I missed them both and although Rico did glance up for a second and shoot a brief, forced smile in my direction, I still wanted to run over and give both of them a gigantic hug. I planned too, however, the reunion between Liam and his mother was what held all of our attention's at the moment.

Liam's hand dropped mine and I watched as he wiped his palms over his pants, nervous. I stifled a giggle as he hesitated to step towards her, so being the lovely assistant that I was, I gave the lower portion of his back a gentle shove. I wasn't exactly strong, but my shove caught him off guard and he stumbled forward just a bit. He shot a glance over his shoulder at me, in which I used hand motions to usher him forward.

"Go," I partially whispered, partially mouthed the word as a corner of my lips curved upwards.

He looked back over at an expectant looking Zara. Even from here I could see the tears brimming in her eyes. He turned back to me and extended his hand, wiggling his fingers while he did so. He mouthed, "Come with me," and the look he gave me exposed all of his feelings at the moment. He was scared, nervous, and he had every right to be.

Reluctantly, I agreed. Lacing my fingers around his, I practically pulled him over to his mother. I stepped to the side, allowing them to be face-to-face. She smiled through the silent tears that ran down her cheeks; a few dripped off her chin while others ventured around the curves in her lips.

"Mom?" Liam's voice came out quiet and unsure, but when Zara nodded, a smile slowly appeared on his face. It wavered for only a second as he stepped forward and brushed the tears from her cheeks, "Don't do that," He let out a breath before wrapping his arms around his mother before pulling her close to his chest. Her shoulders began to shake the second her cheek rested against her son's chest and I was positive they would stand there until she was okay and the tears had stopped.

I felt myself being yanked back by my arm, but I didn't make much of a sound. The area of space between Liam, his mother, and I grew wider as the person continued to pull me back but it wasn't until a heavy arm draped itself over my shoulders and pulled me closer that I finally glanced up and to my left, eyeing the culprit. I yanked the hood off the top of the man's head and glared at him playfully, but the playful glare vanished when I saw the long cut that decorated his cheek.

Rico, using his left hand, threw the hood back over his head and turned to me. Keeping his voice low, he leans forward, "I missed you."

"I missed you," I shoot back at him with a worried smile, but he doesn't share the same back to me. Rico turns his attention back to Liam and his mother, his arm still lazily thrown around me; but it wasn't until then that I noticed the temporary bandage he had on his left hand. Nudging him in his rib and getting his attention, I point to the hand. "What the fuck happened?"

"This Doberman outside bit me," He stated the piece of information like it was a typical daily occurrence.

I was just about to say something about being concerned when Dominic sidled up to both of us. "Yeah—" He throws Rico's arm off of me and pulls me in his own version of a side hug, "No, see Faith, what he's trying to say is that he killed a harmless puppy."

"A harmless puppy?" Rico laughs gently and glances at Dominic like he's lost his mind. "That puppy weighed about two-hundred pounds and was trying to maul us."

Dominic whispers back, "I still think you could've ended his life a little nicer; a gunshot maybe."

"How did you kill it?" I glance back up at Rico but all I can see is the outline of his profile, then the boyish grin that crosses his face. He doesn't answer, Dominic does.

Dom leans towards me and lowers his voice, "He snapped his jaw in half."

Although it was very warm in the room, I still shivered at the thought. Dominic and Rico never left either of my sides. Dom kept his distance, but I could always feel Rico shift in his stance because his shoulder would bump into mine and he would smile briefly. Our gazes returned back to the Luciano's; we had missed a few words Liam and his mother had shared and we even missed the way Michael was slowly inching towards the both of them.

But I took a step closer, leaving the two behind me as Zara stepped away from her son and wiped at her cheeks dramatically. The two were smiling after their long, much needed hug and Zara's lips were moving fast as she spoke in a rushed manner. Liam acted like he didn't even notice my brief departure as I joined him at his side and smiled. Zara glanced between the two of us even while she addressed her son.

She reached into her ragged pair of pants that had been given to her sometime during out stay. When she pulled her hand out, she was clutching a hand-made bracelet; the string was plain and white and rainbow colored beads decorated it. A few beads had letters engraved in them. She twirls it around in her hands for a second before swallowing hard and looking back to Liam.

"Do you remember this?"

Liam's hand finds mine again as he shakes his head.

"I didn't think you would, but..." He lets out a shaky breath, "You made it for me in your kindergarten class." Zara's eyes practically sparkle as she holds it up. Liam holds a hand out, waiting as she drops it in his. I lean over as he smooths out the beads and exposes the letters to both of us.

There was his initials – LEL, then a bead with a heart embedded in it, and it was finished with a single U.

"The original string broke a few years back," She continues to explain as Liam rotates his craft in his hand, "I put it on another and kept it." Liam reopens his palm and goes to hand the bracelet back, but instead of taking it, she folds his fist and pushes his hand back to him, "It was the only thing I had of you, but now that I have you again, I don't need it anymore." Zara smiles softly, "You keep it."

I step back again as they pull each other into another hug. But when Liam pulls back, Zara rests her hands on either side of his cheeks and smile. She glances over at me, "You were right, he is gorgeous."

I smiled wide at that and I'm pretty sure we all laughed when she glanced over at Michael, who was standing off to the side, his hands in his pockets. "We did a pretty good job."

Liam and his mother step back as Zara turns to Michael. He takes a few steps closer, his eyes darting around the room – landing on all of us for merely a second – before landing on Zara. "We did do a pretty good job, but if I remember the night of conception correctly, I think you did most of the work."

I heard a stifle of laughter from behind me and I only laughed when I saw Liam shoot daggers over my head; the laughter stopped immediately.

"Still an ass, I see," Michael's bold statement didn't throw Zara off, not at all. They still took steps towards each other, slowly decreasing the space between them.

"Still beautiful, I see." He shoots back.

The two reached, but unlike the sappy romance movie, they didn't kiss. Zara lifted a hand and slapped Michael just like she vowed she would yesterday and I couldn't have been any more proud of my gender at the moment.

Michael's expression remained neutral as he brought his face back towards his ex-wife; a muscle in his jaw twitched. But I'm pretty sure he moved in closer and pulled a move nobody was actually anticipating. Pressing his forehead against hers, he leans down and mutters something that only she can hear. It makes her smile wide.

"You can slap me all you want," I heard Michael say as his voice gets louder, "but I think you're worthy enough to know that you're still the only woman I'll ever bow down too."

Her smile widens as she turns from him, pushing his chest with her hands while she did so. Liam steps beside me and grabs a hold of my hand once again that night. With his parent's reunion temportariyl over and Zara's attention back on him, he points to the two other men that occupied the room. As Zara approaches, her gaze falls to them.

"Mom, this is Dominic Santiago," Dominic steps forward as Liam introduces him. Zara walks briskly to him and shakes hands, "Consigliere, underboss, whatever you want to call him," Liam finishes with a laugh.

"It's a pleasure to officially meet you, Mr. Santiago,"

And with same deep, buttery voice that I heard when I first met him, he says, "The pleasure is all mine, Ma'am." He places a gentle kiss to the back of her hand before standing straight up and stepping back.

"And uh," I wasn't sure what Liam was chuckling about, but he nods over to a still Federico. "This is Federico De Santis." Rico, however, didn't respond to his name. His gaze was locked on one of the many rooms that surrounded us. His shoulders were tense, his jaw locked – almost like a guard-dog that heard something suspicious.

Letting go of Liam's hand, I step over to Rico and prepare to place a hand on his shoulder, hoping to shake him from his daydreaming. My hand never comes in contact with him; before my fingers could even brush the fabric of his hoodie, his hand snatched my wrist and he twisted. I'm pretty sure my quick cry of pain alerted him of what he had done and he dropped my hand equally as fast. He shot me a look before meeting the eyes of everyone else in the room.

I definitely took notice of the fact that his shoulders remained tense and before he stepped forward, a hand extended towards Zara, his eyes darted around the perimeter once more. They greeted with a handshake and even a little eye contact as Rico forced a smile on his lips.

"Nice to meet you, Ms. Luciano."

Zara smiles briefly, tilting her head a bit as she does so. "It's nice to meet you too, young man. But call me Zara," She risks a glance behind her shoulder, making eye contact with Michael for only a second. "Although I wish it was, Luciano isn't an addition to my name anymore."

Michael's laugh was deep, "If you want it, you can have it."

He never saw the blush that crept up on Zara's face once she turned back towards us. Her hand was still in Rico's and she pulled away slowly, a smile on her lips. "I've heard a lot about you," She says to him, "You're Vincenzo's boy."

"Only good things I'm assuming," Federico shoots back, "Everyone that talked shit about me is dead."

Zara's smile grew as she glances back at her son, then at Michael. "Yep, definitely Vincenzo's boy."

Liam moved over to stand by my side, addressing the few that stood in the room. I felt his arm snake around my waist and pull me closer, forcing our hips to bump together. "As much as I'm enjoying this family reunion, I do believe it should be continued once we're out of here and once we're all safe."

Federico backtracks to stand beside Dominic and the two fold their arms as Dom speaks up, "You're the boss, what's the plan?"

Liam's eyes fall to his father for the first few seconds, then to Zara, then to me. When he spoke it sounded as though he was speaking to all of us, addressing all of us, but his eyes were only on me. I felt his fingers dig into my skin as he tried to pull me closer than we already were. Worry seemed to cross his face for only a second, before it was washed away and masked over with a look of confidence and certainty.

"You and my mom go back to the car, that's the first thing that happens."

I slipped out of his grasp quickly and took a step back, both Zara and I stating the same thing at the same time, "Hell no!"

This was the perfect opportunity for the flashbacks to set in; for the night where Liam and I argued about him, about me. He was trying to keep me from giving myself to Peter and while he argued to keep me safe, I argued my point about giving myself up – I had figured if I did, he and all those that he loved would be safe. In the end, neither of us were wrong for caring deeply about each other, but we had just approached the situation completely wrong and I wasn't going to let that happen again tonight.

I took a deep breath and retraced my steps, "No," I repeated much more calmly, "I understand why you want us to go back to the car, I get it, but I think I speak for both of us when I say hell no." Liam's stare was intense and I was seriously beginning to lose confidence, but the curt nod Zara gave me when I turned to her was enough to keep me going, "Peter Corinelli brought me into this when he decided to fuck with me and fuck with you and everyone here that I actually care about—" I point at Rico, at Dom, and I even surprise myself by pointing at Michael. He shoots me a shocked look and slaps a palm over his heart, mouthing the word "awwwww" to me.

"—and he didn't just bring Zara into this when he had people kidnap her. He brought her into this when he fucked with her son and I'm not going to stand here and let you tell us to 'go wait in the car' because we deserve to watch that bastard die just as much as you do." I huff, "So, once again, I think I speak for both of us when I say we aren't going anywhere."

My lovely rant was met with utter silence.

After a moment or two of Liam staring at me like I had lost my mind, I heard whispering. Out my peripheral vision I could see Rico leaning over, whispering something to Dominic. The curly haired man just chuckles quietly before they both fall silent. A smile started to appear on Liam's face and before I knew it he was chuckling. He shot a look over at his father, who out the corner of my eye I saw shrug.

Michael returns the smile, "The true boss has spoken."

Zara steps beside me and makes a face, "You mean the queen?"

Mr. Luciano's gaze doesn't snap over towards his ex-wife. His eyes linger on his son, then on me, before fluttering over to the dark haired woman beside me. "If you're in the room, I don't utter that word unless I'm referring to you, my dear."

"Charmer," She retorts and I could've sworn I saw the corners of Michael's lips spread even wider.

As we slowly began to make our way to the staircase, I noticed we all had partnered up; Zara walked with Michael, I with Liam, while Dominic and Rico followed up behind us. I knew that somewhere outside the house, down the road, Tim and William sat in a vehicle with computers and tablets set up, searching the perimeter for any activity, for any sign that Peter's men know that Liam and his men were here. I almost forgot that they were in our ear and when I mentioned it to Liam, he said that not hearing from there was a very good thing.

Zara was given a weapon before we started ascending the stairs and halfway up, everyone stopped, including me. Dominic, harshly whispering, had called to Liam, who halted our army of six. He was a step ahead of me and as he shot a look over his shoulder, I did the same. Dom had his back towards us and everything seemed to be normal until my eyes fell on Federico.

He was still standing at the bottom of the stairwell and although the only angle I had of him was a bad one, I could still tell he was alert and suspecting. Rico turns back and looks straight past both Dominic and I.

"I feel like we missed someone, I just..." He turns back, his words fading. Rico turns back and gives Liam an expecting look.

"Fine, go," Liam mutters back to him, "But call if you need help."

Federico nods and is always backtracking into the darker portions of the house. Although most of his face was already covered by the hood he had thrown over his head, by his third step backwards, I couldn't see him at all. I heard his gun click right before his figure disappeared around a dark corner.

Our ascent continued, minus one member of our already tiny army. We reached the second floor in a matter of seconds and the closer we got to Peter's bedroom door, the quieter we all grew. Zara eventually faded to the back of the group with Dominic, I in the middle, and Liam had taken a few larger steps, rightfully taking the lead with Michael.

We were right before the two large doors and I think it was an appropriate time to ask the question I had been wondering all night. "What's the plan now?"

Liam glanced at me, then at his father who replied with, "We don't have one."

"What do you mean we don't have one?" I whispered back harshly.

I felt Michael's hand on me as he casually dragged me backwards a few steps. My question was still hanging between the thick air that separated us. And as time slowed down and Liam stepped between the two doors, preparing for something, I felt Michael lean towards me and whisper in a cool, calm, and collected manner.

"As long as you do your job Faith, you won't have to worry about a plan," Our eyes meet and the typical angry look that seemed to always resonate behind his dark eyes, is gone. The hatred, the unreadable emotion that I had become so accustom to seeing was gone. He seemed nervous, worried even, but excited and overall, happy. But I think the best word to describe him, was at peace. "As long as you have his back, he'll always have yours."

His words were still sinking deep into my mind as Liam reeled back and kicked the door with all his might. I would definitely have to ask about how and when he trained for something like this, because the doors swung open on his first attempt. We all had our guns pulled and aimed high by the time we stormed into Peter Corinelli's room and for the first time, we weren't the ones taken by surprise.

Two of Peter's guards were dropped on sight. Liam had shot the one on the left, Michael had hit the one on the right – both shots were deadly and their bodies crumpled to the ground before they could even move towards their weapons.

Peter Corinelli's room was as luxurious as you would assume a mafia leader's room would be. It had plush carpet and a matching grey and white color scheme. He wasn't sleeping, which was what caught me off guard in the first place. His duvet hardly had a wrinkle in it and instead of preparing for bed, he was sitting over in a corner of his room, his back to us as he leaned over a computer. My eyes scanned over Xavier's figure as he stood beside his father, pointing and nodding as they talked.

At the sound of the gunshots, they both had angled their bodies in our direction. Xavier saw us first and he didn't even look remotely frightened, nor did his hand even flinch towards the weapon on his hip. Peter rolled around in his little chair and made eye contact with Liam, before glancing at the dead bodies of his guards.

"Well that's pathetic," The older man stood to his feet, adjusting his suit jacket while he did so. He looks back to us, a creepy grin crossing his face as he did so, "Liam! Michael," He greets, "I was expecting you all, just not so soon," As Peter begins to step forward, I feel Liam step up and over, partially shielding me from any form of danger. "But cutting the feed to my security cameras and disabling my alarm, wow," Peter laughs, sounding impressed, "I am definitely impressed, to say the least."

As Zara steps up to the front, Liam nods, "Thank you, we tried."

Peter laughs lightly before glancing at his son. Xavier's eyes were locked on me, never faltering, never wavering. I swore I saw him take a few steps back and shake his head.

"I would say this is where you kill me in a dramatic fashion," Peter continues, "But—" The man pauses for a lengthy second, long enough to make Xavier glance to his side. Peter raises a hand, silently counting the number of people we have in the room. I saw his opposite hand beginning to reach for his side, reaching for a weapon. "—Wait, you're down one man." Federico's presence was certainly missed. "—oh, wait," Peter nods, "now you're down two."

There was no time for a warning, I had certainly missed my chance. Peter's gun was pulled, along with the trigger, but missing the chance to give a warning was not the only fault that was made. Both Liam and Michael made a move towards Zara, both of them – even I – believing that she was Peter's next victim. It would've made sense if you thought about it, but they were so busy trying to reach her, grab her, to shield her from harm that neither of them realized that the bullet wasn't even meant for her.

It was meant for Michael Luciano.

The older Luciano dropped to the ground, clutching the gunshot that had pierced his chest. I felt my knees grow weak and my breathing became heavy as I watched his painful expression; but nothing could match Zara's face. She let out a scream as she dropped to her knees, the tears already freefalling down her cheeks. Her hands went straight for his chest, putting pressure on the blood stain that was growing faster by the second.

Everything was unraveling so fast it was hard to keep up. I felt numb as I watched Zara frantically trying to keep the bleeding under control and I wasn't sure when Rico had joined us, but when I glanced back at a grief stricken Dominic, he was there, staring wide-eyed at Michael's body. And while all of this was happening; while Zara kept her hands pressed against her ex's chest, Michael rested his hand on top of hers.

I turned to Liam, watching him as he watched them. It took a few seconds for everything to sink in and I stepped towards him, but not before he snapped his attention to Peter and stepped forward, "What the fuck was that for?!"

Peter glanced away from the couple on the floor, "You came in here, in my house, you killed my men and if you think I'm going to let you waltz into my bedroom and kill me without losing a few of your own, then you are damn wrong." I saw Peter wrap an arm around his son and pull him close, "Knowing that you're going to kill me is just another reason for me to take out as many of you all as I can. And this bitch is next—"

But this time, surprisingly, the gun wasn't aimed at Zara, at me, at Rico, or Dom, it wasn't even aimed at Liam. Peter lifted it to Xavier's temple.

I felt my heart fluctuate just a bit as Xavier let out a sickening laugh. He tried to wiggle his way out of his father's grasp, but he couldn't. Both Rico and Dominic stepped forward, their guns aimed at Peter's head. It was only then that I noticed Liam had dropped his weapon to his side.

"Are you really doing this?" Xavier hadn't been expecting this move and I don't think anyone was – especially not me. Peter gripped the left side of his son's neck, digging the barrel of the gun further into his skin. Xavier grimaced. "I've done nothing but help you my entire life!"

Peter mimicked his son in an oddly high voice, "Don't think I haven't noticed your disloyalty. You, walking away just because I beat that freak's ass, just proved how much of a little bitch you are." Not only did Xavier wince, but I felt Rico flinch from beside me, "And if I'm dying tonight, I'm taking your bitch-ass with me."

Xavier smiled through clenched teeth, "Why? You think once you're dead I'll make this family more successful than you ever could? Is that the real reason, dad?"

"You're testing me, Xavier."

"Then pull the damn trigger, do it," I felt myself stepping back as Xavier braced for what he knew was coming. He attempted to look at his father out the corner of my eye, "Pull the trigger, because I would. I would take this family to places you could only dream of and I'd tarnish your pathetic legacy while I'm at it."

Peter's jaw clenched and he would eventually reach his breaking point if Xavier continued talking. "This won't be hard if you keep talking."

"Tell my daughter I love her and tell my unborn child just how much of a dick her grandfather is."

And in all seriousness, Peter nodded, "Noted."

But before Peter could pull the trigger, Xavier dodged the gun's chamber, twisted his father's arm, and forcefully knocked the gun to the ground. The move was perfected and before you knew it, Peter was the one on the ground, his arm yanked back in an unnatural position, and a gun to his head. Xavier now stood over him.

"I should put a bullet in your head," Xavier finally says, "But I'll let them—" he nods towards our group, "—do whatever they want with you. You deserve it."

Liam nodded toward Peter's body and we watched as Federico and Dominic made their way over. Rico took Xavier, Dom went towards Peter. I took notice that Federico had told Xavier to step back and drop his weapon; his command was obliged.

"Liam," Zara's voice immediately pulls us away from our one accomplishment. Her voice is clogged with tears while her face is stained with them. Blood stains a portion of her shirt and covers every crevice in her hands. "He wants to talk to you," and our eyes immediately fall to Michael. His dress shirt was now more crimson red than white and his breathing was labored.

Holstering his weapon on the way there, Liam dropped to his knees on one side of his father while I did the same on the other. Zara scooted away, giving her son all the room he needed.

The amount of blood that came into view was almost overwhelming. Liam hovered his hands over his father's body and uncertainty swept across his eyes. He muttered a curse word beneath his breath before resting his hands on his father's chest, "We'll go get help, Michael, you'll be—"

Michael's head moved just the slightest and his eyes hardly opened. Breathing was clearly not the only thing he was struggling to do. "Dad," His voice came out as a mere whisper. It wasn't commanding or harsh, it was soft and I swore he even stuttered. "Dad, call me Dad," He made a facial expression that represented pain.

I saw Liam's jaw clench and his eyes glazed over with tears that he wouldn't let fall. Mine did the same; it was the way Michael had said the statement that made you emotional. It sounded as though he was giving up, as if he knew he was fighting a battle he couldn't – and wouldn't – win. I found myself wiping my cheeks as Liam began shaking his head like a defiant little boy.

"No," He stated, "I've called you by your first name my entire life and I'm not going to change that now. You're going to be fine and we can have that stupid little family reunion you were talking about." Michael smiles weakly, "You know, with the little tea and shit," Liam makes a motion with his hand.

All Michael does is shake his head.

Slowly, his eyes begin to close and Liam shakes him a bit. "It won't be a family reunion without you, Michael."

Mr. Luciano swallows hard and rolls his head back towards his son after glancing at me for just a second. He lets out a breath, "Promise me two things."

I see Liam shake his head once again, "Dad," A tear made its way out the corner of his eye and Liam wipes it away almost immediately. "Don't, Dad."

Michael's condition worsened in those three seconds as Liam leaned forward, preparing to hear what his father had to say. The words were practically a whisper in the wind. His eyes flutter towards Zara as he speaks, "Take care of her like I should have," His attention returns to his son, "And forgive me."

Liam lifted his gaze to me and my heart shattered. He looked so lost, hurt, unprepared, and absolutely confused. He was nodding before his gaze even returned to his injured father. And I'm not sure what was worse – the look of devastation that crossed Liam's face, or the fact that Michael Luciano would never know that his son indeed forgave him. Because by the time Liam looked back at Michael and said, "I forgive you," the man's gaze was distant – a look of distance only the dead could give.

I had seen Liam cry before, but back then there were more readable emotions on his face as the tears slid down his cheeks – but it wasn't like that now. His eyes darted over the still body of his father and his face lacked any type of emotion as the tears started freefalling down his cheeks. I couldn't look at him any longer; I tore my gaze away and lifted it to Zara, who was practically choking on her sobs and tears. She had her hands in her face and her shoulders were shaking drastically.

Leaning back on my heels, I turned to look over my own shoulder just as a few more tears of mine fell. Dominic and Rico stood right where we had left them; Federico with a vice-like grip on Xavier's shoulder and Dominic holding on to Peter. Dominic's expression was far easier to read than Rico's, but you could tell both of them understood the situation, saw what had happened, and were saddened by it.

I looked back at Liam, who was now leaning over Michael. He lifted a shaky hand over his father's face and drew his eyelids down, closing them for him.

Peter Corinelli broke the pending silence with a sniffle of his own. It drew most of our attention to him and we watched as he dabbed the portion under his eye gently with the back of his hand. He faked another sniffle, "Oh God, that was almost adorable—"

Even with blood stained hands, Liam stood abruptly and adjusted his black suit jacket. He cleared his throat loudly and addressed the others. "Take him to the basement," was the next command. Dom and Federico glanced at each other for a long second before Dominic nodded and proceeded to push Peter towards the door.

Rico finally made a sound, "And what happens to him?" He shakes Xavier.

At this point, Liam didn't seem like he cared. He flicked his wrist and muttered, "Whatever you want to do with him, I don't care," before turning around to face his mother.

Zara was a complete wreck. Her eyes were red and puffy, her cheeks having been wiped so much they looked red also. Liam stepped up to her and wrapped his arms around the woman's shoulders, pulling her in a much needed hug. She rested her head on his chest, while he rested his cheek on top of her head. They closed their eyes and zoned out from the dark, dangerous world around them.

The sound of a gun drew me back to the present.

Rico had shifted in his stance behind Xavier and I had seen it so many times that I already knew what was coming. A gun was lifted to Xavier's temple once again. Rico leaned his head back, but still kept an eye on the back of the other man's head. Xavier's shoulders fell as his eyes closed and I wasn't sure whether he had given up because he was now seriously outnumbered, or given up because his father was now in enemy hands – something he had probably wanted his entire life.

The safety was released and I didn't miss this opportunity. I took a step forward, outstretched a hand, and shook my head. "Rico, no."

He looked at me like I lost my mind.

"This man had the ability to keep my ass from getting beat and he didn't say a word. Why do you think I wouldn't pull the trigger?"

I looked from Xavier to Rico, my mind searching for something to say in my defense. "Because he isn't a bad person,"

"You don't know that," Rico shot back at me.

"Yes, I do," I took a step towards them, my voice pleading, "I got to know him, Rico, just like I got to know you. And although he does things I don't understand, like sticking with his father for so long, doesn't make him a bad person, Rico." I took another step, "You do things I don't understand, but that doesn't change the way I look at you." The gun in his hand lowered just a bit, "You're not a bad person, Rico, and neither is he."

Federico dropped the gun to his side as I glanced over at Xavier, who was taking the moment to let out a breath of relief. He mouthed a gracious, "Thank you," before adding a slight smile.

"But," I lift a finger and point it at Xavier, "Fuck up and I'll put him—" I nod at Rico, "—right back on your ass. So don't test me."

I heard a series of chuckles, but they were dim compared the Michael's voice that popped back up in my head, "The true boss has spoken."

"You son-of-a-bitch!" Zara's scream made me jump and when we turned to see what had caused it, it all made sense. Dominic had just brushed past her with Peter in tow. The woman tore herself from her son's arms as she lunged for Peter, her swinging arms coming in contact with his face quite a few times. And despite the eye contact between the two, Zara never backed down. She shoved her middle finger in his face as she made her point, "You messed with the wrong bitch!" As she slapped him one last time, he smiled, "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, you little cocksucker." She gave his face one last shove before turning away and heading right back towards the man on the ground.

We all watched her as she dropped to her knees and clutched Michael's hand. I felt the tears beginning to rush up again as she closed her eyes, tilted her head, and rested his hand against her cheek. Her shoulders started to shake once more and the scene was enough to pierce even the coldest of hearts.

I looked back at Liam, who was speaking in a hushed whisper with Dominic. I watched as they switched roles; Liam heading over towards the door to take hold of Peter, while Dom headed in the direction of Zara. But before he sat down by her side, Liam spoke up, motioning for Federico and I to follow him.

"Come with me,"

So we did.

I couldn't help but risk one last glance over my shoulder at the sight behind me. Zara was still kneeling beside her man's body, with Dominic now sitting beside her, keeping her company. It was a heartwarming sight knowing Dom had offered to sit by her side as she stayed with Michael just a little longer. And right before the door closed, I saw Dom throw an arm around Zara's shoulders and pull her close.

The walk from the bedroom to the basement was indeed a long one. Liam kept a hand on Peter the entire way, eventually pulling out his gun about a quarter way there. I ended up falling back and walking side-by-side with Rico. His gaze wasn't on me, but on the back of Corinelli's head. When I glanced up and saw the intense look in his eye, I shivered just imagining what was going through his head.

Either he caught me staring or decided to ask a question at the perfect time. He looked towards me and lowered his head, dipping down to my height as he continued walking, "Are you okay?"

I inhaled deeply and leaned up a bit to whisper back, "As long as the rest of us get out of here alive, I will be."

Rico turned from me and nodded. His lips moved but his words didn't come out with much volume. "We will."

"Liam, how's everything going?"

For the first time that night, a voice from outside of the house spoke into the microphone. It sounded like William and my assumption was confirmed when Liam replied.

"It's going," he said.

There was an awkward silence on the other side.

"We'll let you know what happened later, just keep watch," Federico jumped in with his own statement and ended the conversation with that.

The rest of the walked continued in silence. The basement door was thrown open and we were marching down the steps before I could even blink. It was dark, the stairs dimly lit, and I felt a hand on my bicep as we were led down them – Rico's arm to be exact. Liam took a few turns before pushing a door open and throwing the prisoner inside.

The room was nothing different from the one Zara and I had the pleasure of staying in. It was small with concrete walls, floors, and no windows. A light above us hung from a wire, casting a blue sort of tint about the room. A large, clear container held an unknown liquid in the corner and I saw Rico's eyes land on it for a brief second.

Peter stumbled to the floor as Liam marched on in, standing over the man that was now kneeling on his hands and knees. The older man looked up, a sick laugh on the tip of his lips. I watched Liam shake his head before reeling his leg back and sending Peter into spiraling darkness. Luciano's foot came in contact with Corinelli's jaw and the man crumbled to the floor, unconscious.

I lifted an eyebrow.

"He won't be out long," Liam turns to Rico and motions him to come closer. The two angle their bodies just enough to pick Peter up, drag him across the room, and sit him in a chair in the far corner of the room. They even had me pitch in by going to grab the stained rope from another corner. It was pretty heavy if I had to be honest.

By the time Peter's arms, waist, and legs were somehow tied down, he was waking up. I wouldn't be surprised if a bruise would form on the side of his head where Liam had kicked him. His nose was trickling blood and it ran over his lips and dripped into his lap. His eyes were a little hazed over, showing just how unfocused he was.

We all stood in close proximity to him; Liam and Rico far closer than I.

"Why?" was the first question Luciano challenged Peter with. The older man just laughed, clearly understanding the question, but not directly answering it. Liam's jaw clenched as he leaned forward and lowered his voice, repeating the same word once more, just a bit slower this time, "why?"

Peter chuckles, finally lifting his gaze to the man before him. Blood continued to stream out of his nostril, but it clearly didn't bother him much. Looking Liam in the eye, he laughs, "Why did I kill your father?"

"You know that isn't what I'm asking—"

"I wanted everything you had, Liam. That isn't obvious yet?" Peter questions rhetorically, "I was jealous of how young you were, how far you came, and I wanted it for myself." The man laughs, "Power drives people to do crazy things, Luciano, and considering you're in the leading position, I think you should watch out." Mr. Corinelli glances back at Federico, who stands oddly still over his shoulder. "Because if I have to be truthful, I'm not your biggest threat."

Liam entertained the statement. He folded his arms across his chest and leaned back, "And who is?"

"Ask the freak standing behind me."

Both Liam and I's gaze lifted to Federico, who was too busy shooting daggers in the back of Peter's head to notice our stares.

"Federico De Santis is no threat to me, he's a friend," Liam's eyes fell back to Peter.

Peter met Liam with a smile, "Federico may be, but what is Vincenzo De Santis to you?"

"He's a—"

Before Liam could even respond, Peter's head was yanked back by his hair. He let out a cry of pain as Federico leaned down and angled his head towards the man's ear, whispering harshly. "Keep my father's fucking name out your fucking mouth, you understand me?"

Rico didn't wait for Peter to answer him. He tossed Corinelli's head back up and stood back, just as quiet as he was before.

"I commend you, Liam, for being able to grow a pair and come into my home and wreak havoc." Peter licks his lips after waiting a moment for his vision to refocus, "I commend you for facing your pathetic fears and now I can die in peace. I can die knowing I didn't go down without a fight." He lifts his gaze back up to Liam, then he looks at me and his eyes stay on me. "I can die happily knowing I took out two of the most important people in your life." He turns back to Liam and nods, a smile on his lips.

My eyebrows crease.

Two?

I could tell both Liam and Rico had mentally done the math and it certainly didn't add up.

"If I could," Peter nods, "I would like to request if I could say my finals words?"

Liam was already backtracking when we heard the blood curdling, feminine scream that echoed throughout the entire house. It was full of fright and terror. It sent goosebumps rippling down every extremity. Luciano's face paled and the second he hit the entrance, he was gone – leaving in a full blown sprint.

Peter didn't wait for an answer.

"Uomo a terra."

I still wasn't fluent in Italian, but the look that washed over Federico's face was enough to put me on high alert. His eyes lifted from Peter's head, the glare now being masked over with fright. The wall of emotionless expressions fell as the words processed in Rico's mind. His eyes lifted from Peter, fell to me, and you could've read him like a book. Fear – fear, the emotion that makes your heart race, your palms sweat, your stomach churn – it was written all over Rico's face. He darted past me so fast I hardly had to chance to get out the way.

I ran after them, not even wasting another second to look at Peter. I heard him though – loud and clear as I left the room. "Wait! You can't leave me down here!"

Federico took the steps three at a time, clearing much more space than my shorter legs could. I was breathing heavily by the time I hit the door and sprinted down the long hallway, racing towards the sound of the scream. I wasn't sure what to expect, so in thinking of my protection, I grabbed my gun. But when I skidded to a stop and turned the corner, my eyes fell on a scene I hadn't expected.

Dominic Santiago was lying on the floor in a pool of his own blood.

I felt like I had been kicked in the gut relentlessly.

So much started happening that it was hard for my eyes and ears to keep track of it all. Liam had been the first by Dominic's side, but the second Rico came jogging in the room, they switched positons. Federico dropped to his knees and without hesitation, pressed his palms to Dom's chest. Once Liam stood, he turned towards his mother, demanding her to tell him exactly what happened. Zara's cries and Liam's demands were the loudest – by volume – in the room, but Federico's whispers hit closer to home than anything else.

"No, no, no, no, Dominic," He was shaking his head when I numbly reached his side. There's a certain level of feeling you lose when you see someone you care about, someone you love fighting for their life, literally fighting to keep their eyes open. It brings you to tears, tears you don't even know are falling until you feel your heart rate increase and your breathing grows uneven. Now I knew what Zara felt like not even an hour ago.

"Look at me, Dom, look at me," The urgency in Rico's voice wasn't misheard. Gripping Dominic's jaw, he forced the man below him to look at him. "I need you to stay awake, okay?" Despite the mostly pained expression that was written all over Dom's face, I saw the quiver of his lips as he pulled them into a smile and nodded.

I shook my head and turned back to Liam, "You have to call 9-1-1."

Liam's eyes fell from me, to Rico, Dom, then back to me. His lips fell open, but his voice didn't resonate around it room. It was Rico's. The younger man, still keeping pressure of Dominic's chest, turned to me before looking at Liam. "The police come when an ambulance is called."

I nod, somehow having forgotten that tiny detail. "The warrant," I muttered.

There was a second of silence, everyone in the room processing the information. Dominic's lengthy, painful sounding cough brought everyone back into the present.

Rico spoke again, "Dominic, I'm not playing with you, keep your eyes on me, okay?"

"I'll call," Zara stepped forward, her eyes were still red but the tears had stopped falling. Her gaze fell on Dominic, "He took that bullet for me, Liam, I'll call." She sighs before adding, "It's the least I can do."

Luciano shakes his head defiantly, taking a few staggered steps backwards. "No."

Zara's jaw clenches, "Liam Elijah, I'm your mother and I'm not asking for your permission, I'm demanding—"

Her powerful statement didn't jar Liam's conclusion, "No." His eyes dart around the room, "I'm not going to let the police come up here and haul you away, asking you a million questions about this—" He motions to look around the room, which we do. Bodies lay sprawled out everywhere, not including the ones upstairs.

"We can't just not call them--!"

Liam cuts Rico off, "—I didn't say I wasn't! But I'm not going to let Zara call them and I'm not going to let Faith do it either, not for me." Luciano looks to both of us, the only women in the room. "I just got you both back and I'm not planning on losing either of you again."

"—and you're tired of running." Another voice said.

All of our heads whipped towards the direction of the voice, where Xavier Corinelli stood at the bottom of the steps, a hand shoved into the pockets of his pants. Liam hesitated to reach for his gun, but he didn't pull it. Xavier steps forward a bit more and sighs, "I know how you feel. You're tired of running, it does get tiring after a while." His eyes fall on me before drifting over the Dominic. "Call an ambulance for your friend," Xavier nods towards the bodies on the ground, "I'll have the bodies taken care of before the cops come up in here."

That was all Liam needed to here. Both he and Xavier pulled out their phones and turned away from our group, talking in a hushed manner in their phones. It was a risky move to say the least, especially knowing Xavier could be calling backup – but I don't believe that idea even crossed Liam's mind. Everyone was more concerned about the man bleeding out on the floor.

I heard another series of pained laughter, which made me turn back to Rico and Dominic. "Remember when you asked me about love?" Dom coughs a bit and groans, his eyelids still struggling to stay up. Rico nods grimly. "Y-you asked me to define it for you and truthfully, I can't." Both Rico and I's eyebrows connect, anticipating what's next. "Love is different for everyone and you'll know what it is when you experience it for yourself."

Federico looks away; away from Dom, in the opposite direction of me. And in a voice so soft, so vulnerable and exposed, Rico said, "Don't leave me."

I heard motion come from behind me and when I realized who it was, I stood to my feet and took two steps back, meeting him in his stride. Liam let out a breath, threw his arm over my shoulder, and pulled me close. And while he watched Dominic, I watched him. I couldn't bring myself to look back down at the heartbreaking scene unfolding before me. I didn't have to watch to cry. A tear streaked down my cheek as I leaned into him, "He's going to be okay, right?"

It was a stupid question to ask within the moment and maybe I shouldn't have worded it as one. I should've worded it as a statement, maybe even as a prayer. It should've been simple reassurance for all of us in the room, but my question was answered only seconds later when Federico's cry pulled me out my thoughts.

"Dominic?" The urgency in Federico's voice was almost startling. "Dominic, don't play with me, you're not funny." We watch in breathless silence as he leans over and shakes Dom. I felt my heart drop all the way to my heel when Rico lifted the man's arm, only to watch it fall limp at his side. I slid out of Liam's grasp and dared to take a step closer, noticing now that Dominic's eyes had indeed closed. Federico leans back on his heels, his voice a mere whisper. "Dom?"

Everything around me grew blurry as the tears rushed up and out the corners of my eyes, streaking down my cheeks in crooked lines. I brought a hand up to my mouth to suppress the sob I knew was coming. Liam's arm snaked around my waist as he pulled me to him and when I looked up, I saw him wipe at the corner of his eye.

And if my heart wasn't already on the verge of shattering, it was completely obliterated after hearing Federico's last desperate, breathless plea as he leaned back over Dominic's body, "Thunder buddy?"

Rico was met with silence.

Then his shoulders started to shake, slowly then much more rapidly. I wanted to move, I wanted to do something. I wanted to hug him, to hold him, even cry with him. Just like Rico, I felt like I had known Dominic much longer than just a month or so. They both held a special place in my heart and seeing one lying on the ground motionless and the other crying tore at every bit of me.

Liam and I made our way around Dominic's body, our eyes never leaving Federico. He had his body draped over Dom's still figure, his shoulders shake, his breathing uneven. We dropped to our knees, Liam going to check Dom's pulse while I leaned forward, calling Rico's name as softly as I could without my own voice cracking. His name came out shaky, unsure, and full of emotion.

He responded to his name, something I hadn't anticipated him to do. He lifted his head from Dominic and drew his face to me. I reeled back at the intensity of the look that swirled in his hazel eyes, but that wasn't what frightened me. His eyes were red, his cheeks stained with tears, and his bottom lip quivered as his eyes searched mine. He was trying to ask me a question I couldn't answer and I found myself shaking my head. I couldn't find the words to explain the look that was written over Rico's face; he looked like you would expect anyone to look after witnessing what he just saw.

His eyes fell back down to the man below him and I followed a tear that slipped out the corner of his eye and traveled down the bridge of his nose and dripped off, mixing with the blood that soaked Dom's chest. "How many more people?" He sounded hurt by his own question, yet innocent, as if he wasn't accustom to the concept of death. But when he repeated it, an angry undertone pierced his words and the sound of his palm slapping against the hardwood only intensified his question. "How many more people?!"

Federico didn't look back up. His palms pressed firmly against the cold wooden floor below us as he kept his weight off Dominic, his head still bowed as the tears ran down his face. His shoulders, his back, it all shook as a wave of sadness washed over everyone in the room. I found myself wiping at my face continuously with the back of my hand. Even Liam leaned back a bit and I noticed him press his index finger to the corner of his eye, suppressing the tears that would eventually fall. You didn't have to see Zara to know she was feeling the same, if not worse.

Rico was the first to move out of all of us. He stands to his feet, hovering over Dominic's still body. His eyes were on the still figure that Liam and I kneeled beside, but when he diverted his gaze over towards me, I felt empty – empty and terrified. I was terrified because the man that stood before me I could recognize, but the look in his eyes I could not. Federico was walking backwards before I could even make a move towards him.

"Go," Liam nudged me, nodding towards the figure that was slowly disappearing down a hallway. I scrambled to my feet and ran to catch up with Rico. Liam's voice fading as I went, "Mom," He called to Zara, "Keep pressure on the wound until the ambulance arrives, you understand me?"

I rushed out the room, following Rico down the hardly lit hallway. He was moving quickly and catching up to his quick enough to grab his sleeve had been a trying task. Like a yo-yo, he slung around to me and we bumped into each other – I stumbling more than he. His jaw clenched tight as his head bowed. There were a bunch of questions that were circling in my mind, questions that I really wanted to ask, and of course statements that I felt as though needed to be said.

Are you okay?

Where are you going?

"Get off of me," He demanded it with a tone so thick that my initial reaction was to do exactly what he said – to get off – but I didn't. My fingers clutched around the cloth of his jacket, my gaze as intense as the grip on his piece of clothing. He glances down at my hand for a brief second, before looking back up and if it was possible, his gaze intensified and I nearly melted in a puddle right there on the floor. I watched his hand clench at his side as his mouth falls open again, "Let go of me before I hurt you, Faith."

"I—" My voice wavered as I took a step back and dropped my hand, unsure of what to say in response. I wanted to be there for him, I would be there for anyone who had just lost a dear friend, but Federico was a pro at pushing people away. He started walking towards the door we all had just run out of and I still stood in the middle of the hallway, right where he left me. "Where are you going?"

His reply was short, sweet, and straight to the point, "To go play with fire."

What he said didn't actually click until he was gone and the door at the end of the hallway slammed closed. I found myself traveling in that direction and after a few steps, I was in a full blown sprint. I flung the door open and scrambled down the steps, pulling my gun out sometime between reaching the steps and landing on the concrete floor.

When I reached the room we had left Peter in, I stopped dead in my tracks. Rico had marched straight over to the man, tilting his chair back at a threatening angle and waving a lighter in front his face. Federico was in the middle of his sentence as I zoned in on the conversation, taking a few frightened steps forward.

"—let me make this very clear," The accent that was rarely heard in Federico's voice made a guest appearance for this statement. It was thick, yet his voice was cool, calm, and most certainly threatening. "—if Dominic Santiago is declared dead—"

"What are you going to do?" Peter leans his head back, a smug look on his face as he refuses to back away from the potential threat. The older man's body shakes as Rico drops the chair back on its four legs and steps back, "Kill me, Rico? Let me guess, you're going to shoot me in the head? Or, no, you'll slit my throat?" Peter's eyes follow the younger man as he rounds the chair.

My attention follows Rico as he saunters over towards the jug of liquid that resides in the corner. He leans down, unscrews the cap, and takes a whiff of the substance. He seems satisfied with what he finds because when he stands up and begins his journey back over to Peter, he had the jug in his hand. He was angry, that much was detectable thanks to the creased eyebrows and the dark look in his eye. His eyes were still red from the amount of crying he had done and I'm sure his heart was heavy – as was mine.

Liam joins me by my side without a word, his eyes squinted as he joins us in analyzing the young man that stood in the middle of the room. Federico had begun to squat, his hand tugging at the top of the jug, unscrewing it quickly. The unknown substance was confirmed just a minute later as he stood, jug in hand.

It was gasoline.

Peter knew exactly what it was and I could've sworn I saw him squirm beneath his restraints. His eyes lingered on the container in Rico's hands, but his voice didn't relay any nervousness he was feeling. "Well, Rico?"

"I'll do you one better, Peter," as Rico stands, he closes the gap between him and Peter, slowly tilting the gasoline, pouring enough to saturate Corinelli's right leg. The stench of the gasoline carried throughout the room as Rico did the same to Peter's other thigh. "I'll let you see what it's like to be me."

Peter Corinelli scrunches up his face, confused. "And how the hell are you going to do that with gasoline?"

"Because every day it feels like I'm on fire—" Federico lifts the lighter in his hand, his thumb forcing it to light. He bends slowly and hovers it over the Corinelli's one leg, "—and no matter how much I scream, nobody comes to help."

Peter's leg is engulfed in flames that dance along his thigh, burning through the pants that cover his skin. His screams and cries of fright and pain come next but no matter how much he tries to shake his legs, shake the chair, his attempts fail. The fire spreads to his opposite thigh, burning holes through the fabric of his pants. Sweat begins to pierce his brow as Rico stands, his attention solely on the fire that slowly spreads across Peter Corinelli's lap, decorating his clothing like art.

And as Peter's screams grow louder, Federico moves closer, tilting the man's head back and using his finger to pull his eyelids as open as he can. I couldn't hear what was said and maybe I was glad I didn't. Rico leans forward and whispers something in Corinelli's ear, before lifting the jug and dousing his body with gasoline. And before you could intervene, before you could even make a good assumption on what was to come, Rico relights the lighter and presses the flame to Peter's eyeball.

In only a matter of seconds, Corinelli's body was submerged in flames. They danced along his arms, his legs, and up his neck. The scene played out like a perfectly edited movie, with Peter Corinelli's screams as the soundtrack and Federico De Santis as the co-star.

He backed away from his handiwork with pride, his jaw clenching and unclenching as he closed in on us. Partially facing Liam, partially facing Peter's burning body, he looks to us. He nods at Liam, a serious look on his face. "It's your turn," and as he turns and marches towards the door, he shoots a look over his shoulder, clarifying, "finish what we started."

The corner of Liam's lip arches upwards as he turns to face the burning man. His screams were still audible, but were fading in volume the longer the torture continued. And I turn to face Peter, Liam pulls out his gun but instead of aiming it, he nudges me, offering me the handle.

"I think if anybody deserves revenge, it's you, Ms. Crawford."

Maybe it was the adrenaline; maybe it was the fact that this man was responsible for Michael's murder, for Dominic...

But I didn't consider it long. I took the gun and turned back towards the smell of burning flesh.

"You deserve it too--" I second-guess my move and go to hand the gun back, but Liam stops me. His hand finds mine as he positions himself behind me. His voice was close to my ear, his chest pressing against my back, among other things that were pressing against me.

"That's why we'll do it together," He lets out a less than humorous laugh as his hands clasps over mine, holding the gun steady and aims it high, the barrel of the gun steadily bringing Peter's head into view.

I wasn't sure what killed Peter Corinelli first; the gunshot or the fire. The trigger was pulled and the bullet pierced the flames, nailing the man in the center of his forehead, right where we had aimed. His head snaps back accordingly and the room falls silent.

I wanted to feel relieved, thankful that this man was finally dead, finally out of our way, out of our hair – but this was just one of the many problems that had arisen over the last few months and unfortunately, we still had a few left to deal with. Luciano let out a sigh of relief as we stepped back and he slid his gun back in the appropriate holster on his thigh. I turned around, a hand now on his chest.

With Peter out of the way, I focus in on the next surfacing problem. "Liam, the warrant."

"Come," was his command and I followed. He pulled me along in a hurried manner and we climbed the steps, leaving Peter's burning body to do just that – to burn. Liam threw open the door to the basement and we strode through the hallway at an alarming rate.

"Liam, they're coming," Zara's voice was the first one we heard as we entered into the foyer, but it wasn't the first thing we saw. Red, white, and blue lights flashed just outside the windows, their lights and sirens getting brighter and growing louder as they approached. She had been right where I remember Liam leaving her, on the floor above Dominic, her hands pressing firmly against his chest.

Rico stood in a corner, the hood drawn up on his face and his expression hidden from view. His hands were shoved deep into his pockets and he was slouching in his stance. You could see the downward tilt of his lips from here but other than that, I saw nothing.

"The bodies have been taken care of," Xavier's voice was next and as I glanced around at the room, he was right. I wasn't sure how he did it, I wasn't sure who came, but I was thankful for his help. I nodded a bit, hoping he saw, but I was pulled away from him.

I felt my heart skip a few beats as Liam's hand left mine and found my shoulders, bringing me in front of him. His gaze was intense and his demands left no room for argument. "I need you to listen to me, Faith," He shakes me for good measure and I nod, alert, "Go. You, Rico, mom, you go."

"Yeah," I nearly scoff as I attempt to shake out of his grasp and grab his hand, "We go and you come with."

My heart dropped when he moved his hand away and shook his head, refusing to take my hand in his. I felt him distance himself from me as he took a step back and looked away for a second, "I'm not going with you, Faith."

"Are you mad?" I take a step forward, ignoring the looks from everyone else in the room, "Liam—" I reach for him again and once more, he dodges my attempt by stepping to the side. I let out a breath, "Liam, if they catch you—" I try once again to grab him, but he pulls his hands behind his back and stands still, "—we're talking about murder! They want to charge you with murder, Liam. We're talking about life in prison!"

He cracks a smile; a smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes. "I'm well aware of the consequences, Ms. Crawford—"

I felt the tears rush to my face as I step forward, my fists clenched. "Don't Ms. Crawford me!" His smile fades, "You're coming with us and I don't give a fuck what you say--!"

"And run for the rest of my goddamn life?" His voice rises without warning and I'm taken back. I take a few steps back as Liam shakes his head, his voice hardly lowering in volume and the edge in his voice never leaving, "They would find you all and make your lives living hell... tapping your cellphones for the rest of your life, you'd have FBI agents all over your asses for the next twenty years, for what? So I can go off and live on an isolated island till I die?"

I glance away for a second, as if everything he just proposed wasn't even a horrific idea. "I'd do it for you."

Liam's eyes dance along the perimeter, probably making eye contact with his mom, with Rico, before they land back on me. He reaches for me, his hand grabbing hold of my jeans pocket and pulling me close. One hand finds my waist as the others rest on my cheek, his thumb outlining my jawline. "I've lost enough people tonight, I don't plan on losing anymore," He leans close, his breath tickling my lips, "And quoting a gorgeous red-head that I know... no offense Faith, but you have no say in this."

And just for a second, the tension breaks as I smile. My words come out as just a whisper, "Are you questioning my authority?"

The kiss was slow, but nice – very nice. His lips were warm and soft and it wasn't until then that I realized just how much I missed him.

We pulled away – not because we wanted to stop, but because we had too. The sirens had grown louder and at a glance, it was obvious to tell they were heading up the driveway if they weren't already there. The temporary feeling of happiness faded as I fell back down to earth. I saw Dominic's body on the ground, the grim look on Federico's face as he stepped into a ray of moonlight, and the dried tears that stained Zara's cheeks.

"Go," It was a simple word but brought even more tears to my eyes. I wanted to fight for him, I wanted to drag him out the house and bring him along. I wanted Dominic to suddenly wake up, crack a corny joke of his and come along, I wanted him and Federico to piss each other off like they typically liked to do, but I realized that just because you wanted something doesn't mean it'll actually happen.

I was physically pulled away as Rico came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist, lifting me off the ground and carrying me towards the back door. The police presence outside only grew at the fact that they knew their most wanted man was inside, just waiting to surrender. I was put down eventually and my bicep was grabbed as I was tugged towards the back doors, exiting the foyer as we headed towards our only sensible way of exit.

I casted once last glance over my shoulder, only to see Liam rushing to Dominic's side. His lips were moving as he kneeled down and leaned over the still figure, slowly resting his hands back on Dom's chest.

The next few minutes were a blur, like most of the night had been. Federico pulled out his weapon as Zara and I clasped hands, following the talented man before us. The back door was open and we were outside, crouching through the grass as Rico led the way. We had no problems with police or anything suspicious; all of the activity was out front – the ambulance, the police, possibly news crews.

I lifted my gaze as we rounded the side of the house, noticing the multitude of squad cars that were idling outside the home, their lights flashing in the night. A few EMT's hopped out the back of a solo ambulance and ran inside, preparing to do their job. I was crouched for only a second but when I took another peek, I saw the EMT's returning. They pushed Dominic in the back of the ambulance and the doors closed seconds later. And as quickly as they had come out, the police went in, their guns aimed high.

Making it back to the idling van that waited for us was easier than I had thought. With the entire police presence concerned on cornering and arresting their wanted man, no eyes were on us. Federico continued to lead the way as our feet hit the concrete. The doors to the van opened and Timothy and William sat there, eyes wide and faces white. They step out and eye all three of us.

"We heard what happened," Will was the first to speak.

"Whoa," was all Timothy had to say.

I glanced back towards the house and luckily for us, we were close enough to still see the action unfolding. Although his figure was small, Liam was escorted out the home with police on either side of him, pushing and tugging him towards the nearest squad car. His hands were surely tied behind his back and his head was bowed. When I turned to look at all the others, they were staring at the same scene I had been watching unfold. Heavy breathing and a few gasps and sighs were heard, but other than that, it was dead silent.

Both Timothy and Will had the same reaction; their mouths open, jaws slack. Zara stood off to the sound, her arms folded over her chest as she tries to preserve some body heat. The activity that surrounded the house was incredible; officers ran in and outside the house and I hoped they found nothing else majorly suspicious. I saw Xavier step out next, talking quietly with a few officers. Whatever he had said was significant enough for them as they jotted down notes and waved, dismissing themselves from the scene.

William turned back to face most of us, asking a very relevant question. "So, who's the boss now?"

I felt my face flush when everyone stepped back and angled their bodies towards me, their eyebrows lifted high on their heads. I swallowed hard and let out a breath, "Yeah, no," I shake my head, "I know nothing about running a freaking mafia family."

I was about to suggest Zara taking the lead, surely she would know where to go from here. But as my eyes drifted over the merry little group that stood around me I realized we were missing one member. My eyes fell on the figure that was fading from view, his path directing him down a long stretch of dimly lit back road. I quickly excused myself from the three as I jogged away from them and grabbed on to Federico's hoodie, pulling him to a stop.

I was asking questions before he even turned around to face me, "Where the hell are you going?!" I breathed out quickly, "I need you!"

When turned to face me, I took a step back and felt air leave me. With his lips pursed in a straight line and his eyes shooting me a look that could freeze water, he lifted his gaze to the group behind me and nodded upwards. "You don't need me...Boss."

I could've sworn I heard a sarcastic, joking undertone when he called me that, but his eyes didn't light up and his lips didn't quirk upwards. "Yes, I do!" I pull him closer, hoping I could convince him to stay, "And don't call me that, I'm not a boss and I never will be a boss. That's Liam's job—"

"—and Liam's gone," He refuses to meet my gaze as he pulls his lips into his mouth, wetting them. "The underboss is gone." His attention falls back down on me, "It's you now."

My stomach did an awkward flip and I felt myself sway. I felt him leaving me, his hoodie slipping out of my grasp as he faded in step, falling away from me instead of into me. "But I don't know what to do," I called out after him. I found myself wiping the tears that started running down my face. "And I'm scared," It was nice finally admitting the truth; I had been afraid, afraid of everything that I had encountered but once I finally said it out loud, I almost felt relieved.

His shoulders slumped as he put a foot forward and lowered his voice, "Have Will and Timothy go home and secure the house. You and Zara find somewhere safe and you lay low until help comes. It's likely Peter's men, once they find out, will retaliate." He nods, "Do that, you'll be fine."

"But what about you?" I step forward as he takes another step back, "Where are you going?"

"That doesn't matter."

"Yes, it does," I tense, "What are you going to do?"

I lost Federico's figure in the dark of night as he stepped back. And the confidence that echoed throughout his words like the first day we met, came back tenfold as he chuckled sadistically, "What I do best," then he was gone.

I felt alone. Every single person that I had grown close to, grown to trust, was now gone. I shoved my hands in the pockets of my jeans and turned around, holding my breath in hopes of keeping the rest of the tears from falling. Will and Tim were still watching the house with curiosity, while Zara had thrown open the side door of the van and sat there, huddled against the cool metal, her gaze distant.

I mentally repeated what Federico said to me and stepped forward to speak his advice and let the other's know exactly what was going to happen next, but I stopped after my first step and looked down. My fingers brushed against something odd in my pocket and I pulled it out and opened my palm.

I smiled through the tears as I read the wording on the bracelet that Liam had somehow slipped into my pocket.

LEL loves you.

- - - -

a/n; edited, kinda