Sixteen years before.... July 24, 1992

It's 11:00 p.m. in Arlington, Texas. Nel had fallen asleep with her infant son on her chest while Mike spoke on the phone. "Does he look like you, Figlio?" A woman with a thick Italian accent asked.

Michael sighed and ran his hands through his full head of hair, "no, Madre, he favors Gio. We are twins so sure, he looks a little like me but-"

"At least no one will be able to tell. How is Nel?"

"S-she's fine. She was scared she wouldn't be able to love him. But her motherly love is abundant."

"Wonderful, wonderful."

Suddenly the air became thick, Michael struggled to catch his breath. He turned to see his twin brother, Giovanni, standing with a smirk.

"Madre, I'll call you back." As he hung up, Giovanni lunged at him. He grabbed Michael by the neck.

"You thought you could replace me?!" He yelled. Michael, scared he'd wake the baby, quickly whispered a spell rendering the occupants of the room frozen.

"No, you are e-evil. They don't deserve that."

"You thought you could dismantle everything my group worked for?! You broke us part?! Tell me why I shouldn't kill you? I could cast a spell and everyone will forget you! He's my son! He'll be greater than me, than you, than Papa!" Try as he might, the darkness within Giovanni fought and lost. For just a second he let go, Mike falling to the floor.

"I know! I-I know. You're not fit to be a parent. You're selfish, insane, and unpredictable. He doesn't deserve to be raised by a lunatic."

"You were! What makes you different than him?"

"He doesn't know! He doesn't know of how many good people you've killed. How many lives you've set a blaze and for what? Because Papa told you it was the right thing to do? You had no choice! One of us had to be the bad guy, Papa chose you!"

"It could have been you!"

Mike slammed his fist on the wall next to him, "it wasn't! Someone had to stop you, just like in Italy, someone had to stop the Grassi curse! I did what I did to protect the world from you. He will not be a pawn in your game! Do you hear me?! He will not grow up to be like you!"

Giovanni turned and looked at the baby, head full of brown hair, a slight dimple in his cheek. "Then let him chose! Let him see both sides and make his decision. But you won't because in the end, you know he'll choose me."

—

As Mike sat watching his son laugh and be comfortable with those around him, the echoes of that night sixteen years ago rang in his head. Nel placed her hand on his knee. "Marito, now is not the time to reminisce."

She knew. He told her when she woke up and it scared her. He and the Ministry promised her Giovanni wouldn't be able to find them. Mitch's acceptance into Kloriara only meant they were one step closer. One step closer to Mitch being forced to make a decision. One step closer  to seeing Him again. Neither of them were ready for it.

Up until that point, they were sure Mitch would make the right decision. However, when he was 14, he found a picture of the three of them, Nel, Michael, and Giovanni. He wasn't supposed to know, not then, at least.

—

They were visiting Michael's mother in Siena, Italy. She moved back once Francesco was killed and the ban was finally lifted. She had done a good job at erasing Giovanni from her life, the same way she had done Francesco, but still. The young adventurous boy, looking for something he could take back to America, found the picture.

Valentina had been watching him, curious as he was. She saw the frown when he realized he didn't know the man staring back at him. She walked over to the couple talking to each other in the kitchen.

"You need to tell him. He found a picture of you three. It's only a matter of time before he asks."

Mike stood, angry, "Madre! You said you put everything a-"

"Away, yes, but your son found it."

Mike went to yell, scream if he had to, but Nel stopped him. "Michael, no. He should know. He'll find out sooner or later." She called on him.

Mitch, unable to put the picture down, carried it with him. Nel gestured for him to have a seat and grabbed it from him.

"Who is that, Mom?"

Nel let go of a breath hadn't realized she was holding in, "Mitchell, your father and I need to tell you a story."

Mike sat down beside her and put his head in his hands. "Your father has a twin brother. His name is Giovanni and...and he is your real father."

"Wait.."

Nel grabbed his hand, "we never told you because-"

"He died?"

"Not quite. Um...he was a bad man. He did terrible things to good, honest people. You heard of the Il Demonio, correct?"

Mitch nodded. Nel continued, "your father and Giovanni were raised together but separate. Your Nonna raised Mike and your Nonno raised Giovanni. Your Nonno was apart of the Il Demonio and together, they all taught Giovanni to be the greatest dark wizard there was. Mike and I fell in love for the moment we met but your real father had other plans. He casted a spell that would make me fall in love with him. After we left Kloriara, we got married and Giovanni assembled a group of other dark wizards. Together, a lot of people died. It went on for a few years, until I found out about you. By that time, Michael had broken the spell and fought against him. They lost and the Ministry banished him and his followers away. 4 months later, you were born."

Mitch sat there, taking it all in. Nel explained it all. Mike was quiet, not speaking until Nel was done. "Mitch, no matter what though, I'm your father. I love you, you know that right?" Mitch nodded  and ran to him, collapsing in his arms. "My soft little boy, what's wrong?"

"I'm scared, Dad."

"I have faith in you, son. Faith you'll make the right decision."