Luca knew he needed time to reel his anger after the fight with Kit. She blew him away when she slapped him like that. The girl was something else; no one had ever stood toe to toe with him like that. He couldn't deny he was impressed.

He knew drinking again was a bad idea. Instead, he drove around Willow Park. It was a great town. Even at night, he could appreciate its beauty. The mountains in this southern part of the state were lush and green.

He came across a huge lake set along a big park. It had several public docks for boats and fishing. He parked his black Jetta and got out. He walked up to the nearest dock and looked out at the water.

"What a load of bullshit," he said aloud, "Every day, we begged him to take us to the lake to go fishing. All we wanted was a town like this; all he cared about was the business."

"Now I'm supposed to feel bad that I don't want to revisit all that shit?"

"Screw that, Kit. I don't feel bad."

Why should he? Especially after what Leonardo did.

His anger slowly dissipated as he watched the waves rock the water back and forth. Voices from further into the park started to get louder. He raised an eyebrow in that direction.

"Stay the hell away from my girl, Jase!"

"Screw you, Kyle!"

"He's a freaking player, Jess!" The kid added in a pleading voice.

"Stop!" a girl's voice yelled," Both of you, stop!"

"Kyle, no!"

Luca sighed but got up and started to follow the voices. When he got closer, the girl screamed again. He heard a fist connecting with skin. He hurried then and ran. He arrived on time to find some dark-haired kid on top of a blond one about to pummel his face.

"Get off him," Luca said in a commanding voice.

The dark-haired kid looked back and sneered at him with these annoying thin lips.

"I don't have to listen to you,"

"You want to fucking try me?" Luca's voice lowered as he stepped a little closer. The kid gulped but tried to cover it up with a scoff.

"Come on, Kyle, let's just go." the girl, a tall, raven-haired girl with bronzed skin, was begging. Tears were steaming from her eyes.

"Whatever, not worth my time, anyway," Kyle muttered as he stood.

The blond kid sat up, sporting a swollen eye and an angry scowl.

"Jess, don't go with him," the kid sighed, totally defeated.

"Jase, please. Just leave it alone," she begged, "come on, Kyle."

She took Kyle's and drug him away. He was muttering stuff under his breath the entire way.

"Damn it," Jase swore as he spat out a chunk of blood.

"You alright?" Luca gave him his hand and helped him up. "I'm Luca; here, let me help you up."

"Jase, thanks, Luca."

"I can't believe she left with him," Jase muttered, then groaned at the pain in his eye.

"Can I take you somewhere, man?"

"Yeah, sure, why don't you bring me to Willow Grill," Jase agreed, "I could use a shot."

"Are you twenty-one?" Luca asked as he led the kid back to his car.

"My uncle Stone manages the place," he explained.

Stone, as in Kit's dad. Damn small towns.

***

"What the hell happened?" Stone looked up from behind the bar as they walked in. "Eric, ice bag!"

"Kyle Cunningham happened," Jase said as he sat at the bar. Luca took a seat next to him, and Stone poured them each a shot. "Luca here stopped him. He sucker punched me, then got on top."

"He says something about Kit?" Stone's eyes narrowed, and he tensed.

"No, he's moved on to Jess now," Jase mumbled angrily.

"Oh shit," Stone cringed, "sorry, Jase."

"She won't listen! She saw what he did to Kit!"

"What did he do to Kit?" Luca asked and then kicked himself for it; he didn't need to know about her!

"What didn't he do?" Jase muttered. "Tricked her, cheated on her, treated her like dirt... you name it."

"He's a total douche," Stone added.

Eric returned with an icepack for Jase and handed it to him. The tall thin man had an amused look in his dark brown eyes. They told Luca this kind of thing was common around here.

"Maybe Kit would talk to Jess?"

"No," Stone poured them two more shots, "I mean, she would, but it won't help. Jess needs to figure it out for herself."

"She's my best friend, "Jase moaned, "I'm supposed to do nothing?"

"Anything you do pushes her closer," Eric agreed with Stone.

"Why?!"

"Because women are complicated as hell," Luca said.

"Whatever," Jase slid down from the booth to use the bathroom.

"I should get going," Luca said as he stood.

"Thanks for helping Jase out," Stone offered, "I appreciate you."

"You won't say that later when you talk to Kit," Luca admitted, "we had a little thing earlier. I might've gone too far."

"Oh?" Stone raised an eyebrow, "And?"

"She slapped the taste out of my mouth," Luca admitted sheepishly.

"That's my girl." Stone said proudly.

"Right, well anyway, I didn't mean to disrespect her," Luca muttered, "Its just... she knows exactly what buttons to push."

"That's my girl," Stone said again, laughing this time. "Look, Luca, Kit can handle her own. I don't get involved unless I need to."

"Don't make me need to," he added in a lower voice that was very clear.

"Night Stone," Luca said as he left.

Just as his hand hit the door, Stone spoke again. "I know you're sick of advice, but I just got to say this once, and I won't be the one to repeat it, okay? "

"Say it," Luca sighed.

"Dead is dead. No second chances. No going back. He'll be gone forever."

Luca gulped back complicated emotions he wasn't ready to sort through as he left the bar.

*** 

Kit was tired and apprehensive the next day. She wasn't sure what to say or do when she saw Luca. She couldn't keep hitting him, that was for sure!

"Stay focused on the objective and not how bad he pisses you off." Kit told herself as she drove to the house.

Luckily Luca wasn't around when she arrived.

"Morning, Kit." Andre yawned as he came out of the office. He looked like he hadn't been up long.

"Oversleep?" Kit asked.

"Carly stayed over," he nodded.

"Luca's not here?' Kit asked, not hiding the hopeful note in her voice.

"He left a note. He's meeting with dad's attorney and the doctors today," Andre said, looking surprised. "I don't know if that's good or bad."

"He's taking responsibility, so that's good. It's a step," Kit said, crossing into the kitchen. She was going to attempt to make the omelet Leo wanted. "Or he could be trying to wrap things up fast so he can leave."

"Which is my concern," Andre agreed.

"Did you cook already?" Kit asked as she got closer to the oven. It was warm and smelled good.

"No," Andre said, looking confused.

Kit opened the open and found an omelet on a hot plate inside. She took it out and placed it on the tray. She was speechless. She looked over at Andre, and he was gaping at the plate in complete disbelief.

"I can't believe he..." Andre said.

"I know," Kit murmured, feeling slightly dazed. She went to the fridge to grab some fruit and juice for him.

"Morning," Carly chirped as she walked in.

"What's that?" she looked at the omelet.

"Looks like Luca made it," Kit mumbled.

"He cares! He did that because he cares." Andre's voice was full of hope.

"It's just an omelet, Andre," Carly said carefully. "Don't read too much into it."

"I know. I feel like a little kid all of a sudden. I want my brother back." He said quietly.

"I know you do, sweetie," she said, embracing him. "Of course you do."

"He's getting worse," Andre sighed. "I sat with him last night, and he had me repeat my fishing story three times. He's getting less lucid."

"I'm so sorry, Andre," Carly said, squeezing him tightly.

"Me too," Kit whispered sadly.

"He told me last night that I should spend more time with you," Andre said, kissing Carly's cheek.

"He did not! He doesn't like me." Carly said, her eyes wide.

"You have too much energy for him. He likes you, fine," Andre laughed. "He didn't want to see me turn into an eighty-hour workaholic while you hosted parties every weekend. I don't want that either."

"What are you saying?" Carly asked.

"I still want to be a partner, but I don't need to run the world. I'm going to lighten my school load for now. I'm willing to attend more of your events if you can back off on a few. So we can have more quiet nights alone?" he bargained.

"I think your dad is a genius. Yes, I agree," she smiled.

"He had a request, actually," Andre said slowly. "It was pretty specific."

"What?" Carly asked.

"He wants me to take you fishing." Andre laughed.

"Does he know me?" Carly asked, looking shocked

Kit laughed a the very idea of her best friend touching a worm.

"He said it's a rite of passage; he cannot accept you into the family until he has a fishing story. It's his new obsession. I'm sorry, Carly, I must insist on this one." Andre smirked.

"You're enjoying this?" She accused him, crossing her arms.

"Very much so," he nodded with a wide smile.

"Okay fine," she grumbled. "Well, get ready. We have to go to the mall."

"Why do we have to go to the mall?" He asked.

"I need a fishing outfit, duh."

She dragged him up to the bedroom with her.

Kit chuckled as she got the tray ready and followed. If only she could find a love like theirs someday.

**

The omelet was good and bad. She pretended to make it. She didn't want to tell him Luca was here until he was willing to see him. But it still brought back memories of the omelets Luca used to make for him. So it made him sad.

It took every ounce of strength for Kit to hold back from screaming; he made it! He's here, I'm trying...but she knew better.

How terrible would Leo feel if he knew Luca was here but was unwilling to see him?

Leonardo seemed to be lost in thoughts all day and was very quiet.

Kit grew concerned when he was still quiet after she got him settled into bed after his dinner.

"Are you feeling okay today, Leo?" Kit asked.

"I talked to Andre last night like you advised." He spoke softly.

"That's good," Kit smiled, sitting at his bedside.

"I told him what I wanted for him; above all was happiness. It was nice being able to talk to him. Tell him how proud I am and how happy I am for him. To advise him not to make my mistakes. He needed that talk; you were right," Leonardo said.

"You did, too," Kit guessed.

Leonardo shook his head. "Not me, Luca. He needs to hear some things from me before I die. I hurt him so bad. I need him to know some things. I wish I could talk to him."

"I can't imagine how hard it must be." Kit said, feeling a hard lump in her throat.

"I can handle dying knowing that he hates me. It's okay, it hurts, but I have accepted that. What I cannot handle is dying with him thinking I hate him. It's so far from the truth," Leonardo said as a deep sadness flooded his eyes.

Kit nodded, feeling a tear slide down her face and a lump in her throat.

"I shouldn't ask you this, it's wrong, and you can say no," Leonardo said in a hoarse voice. "But would you talk to him? I feel like you could get through to him. I don't know what it is, but he would like you. You could maybe call or if you need to fly to -

"Shh." Kit stopped him, seeing he was getting out of breath. "I will try to reach out to him. I can't promise anything, and I don't want you to get your hopes up."

"You already have, haven't you?" Leonardo asked, his eyes wide. "The omelet? He told you how to make that...is he going to come? Was he receptive?"

"Please." Kit begged. "Just give me some time, okay?"

"He's refusing to come," Leonardo's voice dropped, and his face filled with sorrow. "If you couldn't talk him into it, no one can."

Kit's heart was breaking into pieces. She mentally debated on telling him he did come. But Luca was insistent he was here to do the estate and funeral stuff and leave. He could go at any moment.

Then Leo would know he was here and didn't bother to see him. She decided to stay mum for now, but she had to figure out what to do. Soon.

"I'm sorry," Kit said softly.

She was unsure what else to say without giving herself away even further.

"Thanks for trying," he sighed, closing his eyes, "you are a wonderful girl. I'm glad I'm getting to know you."

"Me too, Leo," she sniffled.

"I'm not giving up yet; you don't either," she said after a silent moment.