30th of December 2013.
07:41pm.
Verona City,Italy.

"Visiting time is over,come back tomorrow." The man behind the large counter, dressed in green pants and matching shirt with a black beret perched on his bald head, said with a quirk of his brow.

"But- But... I have to see her." Kelsia whined,her lower lips trembling from her effort to keep the tears of frustration,threatening to burst forth,at bay.

The man stroked his curly mustache. "As I already said,visiting times are over. You have to come back on Friday,if you want to visit your mother."

"Listen here,Mr-bald-mustache-man, this little girl came all the way from America,just to see her mother. Do you think it would be fair not to let her see her,huh?" Lisa frowned at the man. "How heartless can you be?"

The man scowled in return. "you insolent little brat. You better get out before I throw you behind-"

"What's going on here?" A new voice joined in. Making all three heads turn towards the right.

A man dressed in white uniform,with three shiny stars on each shoulder, stood in the doorway leading to a very long corridor. The mustache man stood ramrod straight with his chest puffing out,that Kelsia feared that the buttons of his shirt would pop off. She hid her smile behind her hand.

"Sir!" Mustache man shouted. "This girls requested to see their mother and I was trying to explain to them that visiting hours are over."

Lisa snickered. "Don't forget to add that we came all the way from America."

The man in white came forward, until he was standing before them. "What is your name,dear?"

"I'm Kelsia,and this is Lisa. Ka... Allegra Dante is the woman I want to see."

"Smart," The man nodded his head. "I am Major Sergei Bluntschilli. Nice to meet you Kelsia and Lisa."

"Nice to meet you too,sir."

Major Sergei smiled at them,before staring at the mustache man with a stern expression.

"Daniel, go and get miss Dante." To Kelsia. "Fifteen minutes is all you'll get,then you can come back on Friday."

Kelsia nodded. "Thank you,sir."

The Major left and Daniel,aka mustache man, went to get Kate. Kelsia was still staring at the dirty white ceiling when Daniel returned with Kate. Not caring about how Kate looked,Kelsia dropped her bag and ran to hug her.

Kate,with tears running down her cheeks,knelt down and gathered the little girl into her arms. Lisa was so moved by the scene playing out in front of her,that she also began to fidget.

"I missed you so much." Kate kissed the top of Kelsia's head.

"I missed you too." Kelsia sniffed. "You promised not to leave,but you did. This Christmas was not different from the rest,because I still cried."

Kate hugged her tighter. "I'm sorry."

Daniel cleared his throat,which made them release each other reluctantly. Kate cleaned Kelsia tear streaked face with the back of her hand,while Kelsia also did the same. The both of them laughed nervously.

"You look different," Kelsia observed. "You look really sad."

Kate shook her head. "I'm not. I only feel a little bit tired,that's all." Her eyes went over Kelsia's head as if she was searching for something.

Or someone.

"He's not here," Kelsia told her,making Kate return her gaze to her. "I came alone with Lisa," she pointed to Lisa who smiled nervously.

Kate nodded in acknowledgement. Then her face turned stern. "It was wrong of you to leave San Fransisco alone,Kelsia. What is something happened to you on your way here? And your father, he must be worried sick!"

"I only wanted to see you,but he wouldn't come."

"You should have listened to him. In future,you have to do everything he says."

Tears rolled down Kelsia's cheeks. "He wants to get back with Sancha,and i don't like her."

Kate gasped and held a hand to her heart as if it was breaking in two,which indeed it was. Tears begged to be let out of her eyes,yet she blinked them back,not wanting to break down in front of Kelsia.

He never had any feelings for her and he pretended to be hurt by what happened, all the while he still loved his wife.

The bastard.

"I came here because I want daddy to come see you. I also want to prove your innocence. How many people are in your house?"

Kate stared at the girl as if she was nuts. What investigation can an eight year old do?

"How many of Nancy Drew's books did you read?"

"Three," Kelsia pouted. "I can do better than her."

"I think we should call your father," Kate got up on her feet. "After then,I'll ask someone from home to come and collect you,how's that?"

Kelsia nodded.

"Thank you,Lisa." Kate shook hands with the girl,who blushed a dark red under her gaze.

"You're welcome,ma'am." Lisa smiled. "You don't really look as if you could hurt a fly."

Kelsia threw Lisa a death glare,which she gamely choose to ignore.

"Thank you." Kate smiled,before talking to Daniel, who grumbled and mumbled before borrowing her his cellphone.

After she accepted the phone,Kate typed the number,waited for few seconds,then dialled his number.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~

December 30th,2013.
10:14pm.
San Fransisco.

Fredo and Sancha sat by the phone,waiting for a call from Kelsia. After he got back home from the airport, he called Sancha to inform her about what happened. Fredo had expected her to nag and complain about how he brought Kelsia up,but to Gia surprise, she only told him that she was coming over.

Since then,both of them sat by the phone,saying nothing to each other.

"Fredo," Sancha adjusted in the chair she was sitting. "Don't you think that we should in form the police about this? Don't you think that that criminal must have forced her to go over to Italy?"

Fredo sighed,but didn't say anything.

Not pleased with his silence, Sancha hissed. "Does your silence mean that you support the fact that your daughter ran away from home to meet a murderess?"

"Enough!" Fredo slapped his knees. "I am troubled enough,your endless talk is driving me crazy."

Whatever Sancha was about to say became drowned by the loud shrill of the phone. Both of them leaped for the receiver,but Fredo grabbed it first.

"Kelsia?"

"It's Kate."

That name knocked the wind out of his sails. The silence from both end was deafening. Unable to hold back anymore, Fredo broke the silence.

"Is Kelsia there with you?"

"Yes,She got here not quite long ago. In fact, i-"

"Let me speak with her." He cut her off sharply.

Fredo didn't miss the sharp intake of breath from the other end of the phone. He knew, without a doubt,that he hurt her yet again. Fredo longed to wrap his arms around her and tell her that everything was going to be alright,but he couldn't forgive that she lied to him.

Fredo heard Kate speaking to someone,although he couldn't hear what Kate said,Kelsia's reply was as clear as a glass in the sun.

"I don't want to speak with him. He'd probably chastise me. Just tell him that I went to the bathroom or something."

"Kelsia!" Kate exclaimed. "Your father wants to know that you're alright."

"I don't want to talk to him."

Fredo combed his hands through his hair. He knew what his daughter was trying to do,yet he wasn't sure if he was ready.

"Fredo," Kate came back to the received. "She-"

"I heard her."

"She's gone outside." Kate sighed. "I will text you my house address and home number,so you can come and get her."

"Okay." Yet,he couldn't bring himself to end the call.

Kate ended the call for him.

Fredo dropped the phone in it's cradle, the same time Sancha asked; "what did she say?"

"Kelsia is in Verona." He sighed,feeling tired all of a sudden. "I have to go to bed now,close the door on your way out."

Fredo didn't wait for her reply before going upstairs. He went to Kelsia's room and went to sit down on her bed. Her fragrance lingered in the room still. How much he missed her presence!

Over the years,Fredo didn't even for once think that one day would come when his own daughter would not only sleep in the house,but also defy him and run away from home.

Both Kelsia and Kate had come to be important in his life and either he liked it or not,he missed them greatly.

Staring at the ceiling,Fredo realised something with a start.

He was in love with Kate.