Peace was a luxury that Tristan never took for granted. In history it was hard to find peace governing earth for too long. War was inevitable. At some point fighting happened. But he never expected war happening so quick while he hardly had time to blink. Who was going to stop this now? Sterling Johnson was even standing aside and listening to the threats thrown in the air. This was all a nightmare, one that some watched with satisfaction. He looked past the crowd at the satisfied looking Paulo Rosario. It was like he was watching a movie. He had sat back. He was relaxed and his eyes sparkled every time Vitale spoke. His nephew had started a nightmare for all. This conference was not for creating distance. It was for retaining peace and finding solutions to problems.

Tristan then saw Francesco Rosario come in. For some reason it did turn some heads even though everyone was silently watching the heated exchange mainly involving the matters concerning the youth from the three families at the centre of the mayhem. That man had power around him. Francesco came in with force. He had elegance and class that no man in that room had.  Was he going to stop the war? Or was he going to be a helpless observer like Tristan at that moment? He then saw Vincenzo stood at one side of his father as Viggo stood on the other side as they watched the scene listening intently.

Tristan's stare met Vincenzo's. He gave Tristan a half smile that Tristan returned. He was what he was. A complex being he tried to analyse without success. He could never get over the fact that the truth was in front of him but he never stopped to dig deeper. Vincenzo was a master of distraction and diversion. He had managed to not lead Tristan to the truth. What else did Vincenzo hide? He couldn't believe Vincenzo had done such sacrifice. He never thought Vincenzo was so loyal to his blood. It had increased his popularity for sure. The Italians murmured their admiration for him and how he was honourable. Would he have done the same if he was in Vincenzo's position? Not a chance. He dealt with such matters differently. Maybe he would have caused a war anyway if he immediately came out in the open about it but at least they would have been minors. Now Vitale was eighteen and Vincenzo was as close to age of consent as Tristan was. Now there was going to be a deadly war.

Tristan was alarmed as the tension was becoming higher. He wondered if they were going to draw guns right there. It was one big mess.

The Voltolinis were the unlikely part of this argument but they had become involved after Lucianos had named their price for peace with the Rosarios. They wanted Tiziana. They actually proposed that Tiziana Rosario was to be promised to Juliano Luciano for marriage when she turned eighteen in order for peace to go ahead. The Lucianos were clever. The Don on the Rosario side was going to approve. The Rosarios were good friends with the Lucianos. But of course Vitale was having none of it. That was why the Italian Rosarios were split on this. Vitale had the right to defend his sister and voice his opinion but the Don said the last word as the head of the Italian based Rosario family. Scorpious had vowed to kill Vitale and Juliano if they forced Tiziana's hand. He wanted Tiziana at all costs. Lucianos were also throwing threats at Scorpious to back off. Of course the adults now had gotten involved at this stage after the youth had their say. Lucianos wanted war with Rosarios unless they had a promise for Tiziana to be engaged to Julioano when she was of legal age.

Scorpios had to be restrained by his uncle now. He was losing it. Ambrogio whispered "There is time to negotiate this. Calm down nephew."

Scorpious was outraged as his hands were locked behind him by his uncle. He breathed "I will kill you both. Vitale and Luciano. I would make it as painful as I can. You are not worthy to even mention her name." But he stopped struggling accepting his uncle's order.

Vitale declared "Wow. You show your love to my sister by throwing your threats at me. Who do you think you are talking to?"

Tristan rolled his eyes at that. Scorpious could say the same back to him. Scorpious's uncle from mother side was Arturo Agostini and his uncle from his father's side was Ambrogio Voltolini. Of course the Rosarios on their own had no chance in Italy unless Franecsco Rosario got the American side of the family involved with the allies that meant the Irish. There was no guarantee Francesco Rosario was going to get involved. He was not going to get involved in Italy where his father was gaining some power and influence.

Then there were the Lucianos who threw threats at both Voltolinis and Rosarios. Juliano was most confident. He knew that Don Vitorio was likely to say yes, so Vitale's protests for asking for a different price was void and he kept arguing with Vitale as Scorpious was threatening both of them. Vitale was dying on the inside. Tristan could see that. He was eighteen.  He had the right to speak about the girl he loved and had the right to defend her. But he hadn't anticipated such backlash to involve his sister. He was prepared to offer land and assets but never expected them to ask for his sister to marry Juliano Luciano the craziest Luciano to walk the earth. As years had gone by Luciano had shown different side to himself. He used to be more peaceful but now he was hardly recognisable even compared to the prom a year and half ago. Mentoring by his grandparents had changed him for the worse. Tristan didnt want his sister near Juliano either.

Vitale of course was not having any of this. He wanted to be with letizia without losing his sister. The Lucianos gave him a choice. Either Letizia was to be handed over to die or Vitale had to watch his sister be promised to Juliano.

The scene was surreal as the youth were shouting their own arguments and their relatives were pointing fingers at each other throwing their own threats too.

Tristan wondered what Arturo Agostini was thinking. He was watching with a passive expression alongside Andreas but then he stood up and walked to Francesco. He whsipered something in his ear. Francesco turned to him and nodded. Francesco then turned to Sterling and shouted at him "Stop this the harlem way Sterling. There is more negotiation to be done behind closed doors. Postpone this case to tomorrow morning. Arturo and I will be willing to talk peacefully with anyone."

Sterling Johnson walked to the platform and put his hand up "Before anyone leaves the room, I wish to remind you that you are on my territory and you play by my rules. The harlem way as Francesco calls it is the peaceful way. You all go to the hotels and guest houses I have provided for you. You use tonight to make up your mids. Is it war, peace or surrender and destruction. You must either come up with solutions to avoid this war between three families or you have to come up with strategies to win the war if it comes to you. Italian families are all associated by marriage in some ways. Lucky for us in harlem and also the Irish folks present here, we are not related to you folks. So this war would involve all of you Italians and Italian-Americans. If you go to war, FBI would break you down. If you choose peace, there is a price to pay but at least its not destruction. Now, for tomorrow.... I want to see all families at church tomorrow morning then after we pray, we come back here and resume the convention. I want peaceful solutions. This is the harlem way. If I didnt make it clear let me remind you, we are at Harlem. Check your history books if you want but we are folks who didn't get any peace like you folks did. We had to die for it, get locked up for it and have our homes burned down for it. When you folks come in my home and threaten to burn another brother's home without consideration of peaceful options properly, I have a problem with that. The youth are young but we are wiser. We know better. They have their teenage emotions but we are men. Let me remind you that we are all brothers here just for the day. Keep the peace at my home or I would call up my folks to come give your folks hell. In harlem I dont tolerate gunfire from you folks. If you have got a problem with me and my rules, come talk to me or rather dont. If you have got a problem with me, go talk to Francesco who is holding peaceful talks about the three families going to war. He will tell me all about what you all are saying."

That was the end. Tristan watched as Francesco Rosario lead the men approaching him to talk to him outside to take them to a different room to talk. Tristan turned to his father "Aren't you going to help the Rosarios in diplomacy?"

Emanuelle looked at his son "I have Irish blood son. Italians only listen to one of their own. Besides if I go in there to be diplomatic I am not sure if I can keep it civil with the Lucianos. They are asking for it. I say let the Italians talk it out. I have a feeling we will have our own problems." His glance zeroed on Vincenzo who was talking to his brother. Viggo was confronting him about Letizia's situation. It was quite unbelievable what Vincenzo had done. No one knew of his secret and that had attracted admiration from the crowd. O'Neil's blood then boiled as he watched Paulo Rosario watching his grandsons. Of course Franecsco had set enough bodyguards around his sons to keep them shielded from the man. Paulo's eyes were following his grandsons as they left the room following their father. If O'Neil was not at Sterling's home he would have walked upto Paulo and would have gladly punched him senseless. He had no right to be near his grandchildren. He had lost the right.

Tristan noticed his father's serious look that was zeroed on Paulo. He wordlessly followed his father as he thought about how complicated these Rosarios were. His family was dysfunctional at times because his grandpa Giovanni tried to get his mother to get divorced but they werent too complicated. But Rosarios had so many secrets and history to unravel.

When Tristan followed his father out of the building and through tunnels he thought back to the day. He never expected Letizia to cause a war between three families. Pietro Rosario, Bernardo Luciano and Ambrogio Voltolini wanted bloodshed.  Pietro had almost attacked Bernardo to rip his throat out when he had supported his son's suggestion for the price for peace to be a union between Tiziana and Juliano. It had shocked everyone including the Voltolinis. Then the youth had jumped in to defend their claims for their girls. Vitale wanted Letizia and was willing to offer assets. Luciano wanted Letizia dead or Tiziana to become his. Scorpious wanted Tiziana and was willing to kill both Vitale and Luciano if he was to Tiziana.

Tristan reached his hotel room and laid down in his bed thinking about the future. There was so much to happen. When it was near dinner time, he decided to go for a walk but then he heard a knock on the door. He didnt expect anyone. He called "Come in." He then saw Vincenzo open the door.

Tristan quickly sat up "Hey. What happened after we left. Did the Italians resolve anything? Any more solutions on the table."

Vincenzo closed the door behind him and leaned on it "No change. None at all."

Tristan sighed and laid down back on the bed "Its all your girl's fault. Letizia shouldnt have shot a Luciano in broad daylight in the first place. Actions have consequences. He then grabbed his baseball from the side table and started throwing it up and catching it.

Vincenzo looked at the movement of the ball knowing which direction it was going to head next as he spoke "Letizia is not my girl. She never was my girl. She never will be my girl. I only have one girl who holds my heart."

Tristan got curious "Really? Who?"

Vincenzo stated "Your sister." And that was when the baseball flew towards him. He caught it mid air of course ready to feel the wrath of the raging bull who was looking at him with widened eyes.

Tristan jumped up from the bed "How dare you joke around about my sister? She is sacred to me. She is my family. You cant love her. You have been... with Letizia. Only her."

Vincenzo threw the ball to the side and put his hands in his pockets while leaning to the door. He spoke "I love Terza.'

Tristan walked to Vincezno and stood right in front of him staring him down. "Does my sister have any idea about this?"

Vincenzo nodded "Yes. She knows. She has feelings for me too."

Tristan couldn't believe this. He was in shock but he composed himself "You kept this from me? Clarisa kept this a secret? How could you not tell me. I thought we were like brothers. How could you betray me like this?"

Vincenzo defended "I did not betray you. I love your sister. I will die for her. I will do anything for her. We all make decisions and live with the consequences. I made my decision and here I am now ready to face the verdict by you and your family."

Tristan looked into Vincenzo's eyes. Why was he so sincere? No. It couldnt be. He couldnt love his baby sister. He shook his head "Have you ever touched my sister?"

Vincenzo didnt expect him to jump to the topic. He replied "I have kissed her."

Tristan was outraged "You what? You have touched my sister? How dare you? How dare you look at me and declare you love my sister. You dont deserve my sister. You are not worthy of her. So let me get this straight. You promised yourself to my sister while you protected another girl and kissed another."

Vincenzo argued "I never kissed Letizia. Have you seen me kissing her on the lips?"

Tristan knew he hadn't. He had witnessed how there was hardly a relationship between Vincenzo and Letizia. He grabbed Vincenzo's neck "Thats not the point. What you did behind closed doors is none of my business. But what you have done to my sister is my business. I swear to the lord, if you have hurt my sister in any way I would kill you. You are Vienna's brother and almost my family but I would denounce you as family if you have hurt my sister."

Vincenzo declared as he balled his hands into fists "I have never hurt your sister. You dont know what self restraint I have to use not to floor you right now for suggesting it."

Tristan shook his head "Your words dont mean anything. Only her words matter to me. I know my sister. She wouldn't give herself to just anyone..." He then hesitated as memories of Clarisa's actions came to mind that he always brushed away. She had given her first kiss to Vincenzo. She had danced with Vincenzo. He tried to remember the look in her eyes when she was with Vincenzo. Was that a look of love? he had tried to deny it. It was impossible. She wouldnt have fallen for a boy who was taken unless she knew he wasnt taken.

Tristan breathed "Does she know about Letizia?"

Vincenzo declared "I had to tell her. I didnt want to involve her. I just couldn't look at her and not tell her."

Tristan was now putting everything together. He let go of Vincenzo's neck as he took a few steps away from him as he was thinking about everything. The pieces of puzzle were coming together "Is that why she left? Is that why my sister went to Italy? To get away from you? Is the one she is trying to run away from, really is you? It is your fault I have hardly seen my baby sister for a year and a half?

Vincenzo frowned "Hold on. She decided to go to Italy and I tried to stop her. She didnt listen. I didnt want her to go. If I could stop her, I would have. I even tried to get Vitale to get Letizia out of this mess earlier but he was not eighteen. He had no authority. At least now, the Rosarios will listen to him and wont hand Letizia over. He has the right to defend his girl and my uncle Pietro wont overrule him. You saw what happened out there. If Vitale had come out earlier, my uncle Pietro would have agreed to hand Letizia over. I am sorry Tristan. I know you will not forgive and forget. I dont expect you to. I am ready to face the consequences. I love your sister. I tried not to love her. I tried hard. I was resigned to my fate. I thought I would be stuck with leticia forever but I just couldnt fall for Letizia. I love your sister. Everytime I spent time with Letizia, the thought of your sister didnt leave me. I am really sorry Tristan."

Tristan was shaking his head taking steps back "You should have stayed away. Thats what I did for Vienna. Only she was threatened, I stepped in. Clarisa didnt need you to make her life difficult. You shouldnt have told her about your feelings. But whats done is done."

Vincenzo took steps towards him "Whats your verdict?"

Tristan laughed bitterly "I dont give a crap about a verdict. I care about my sister's well being. I will go to see her and then will go to my father. We need to talk as a family. Your words mean nothing to me. Only my sister's words matter. She is a fighter. You forced her to run. I need to speak to her. I need to know if she is hurt or not. Screw the verdict. If my sister loves you, she will find a way to be with you even if I say no or my father says no. Her will is very strong. But I need to do my duty and check if she is not hurt. I know you say you never hurt her and I believe you. But she is my baby sister." He then walked past Vincenzo and opened the door gesturing for him to leave "Come back after dinner. Its going to be a long night."