Vincenzo was sitting in the game's room playing cards in groups with Sebastiano and Alexander facing Stefano, Trent and Viggo. They were laughing and joking. All of them were joining in except for Cain who was standing at the window leaning to the wall as he kept glancing outside. The boys around the table kept inviting him to the table were they were sitting, but he declined to go to them.

Suddenly the door opened and Tristan came in.

Vincenzo asked " Where the hell have you been?"

Tristan didn't look at Vincenzo and walked to the library in the room. He picked up a clipboard and a pen. He then walked back to the door as he muttered " I am in a meeting with your father. Now I need to go back there to make some notes... don't wait up." He then walked out and slammed the door shut.

The boys got on with playing. After a while Alexander stood up " I need to go to make a phone call... I just remembered something."

After Alexander walked away and left the room, Vincenzo turned to look at the window " Cain. What's up with you? Either come play cards with us or leave. We are a man short... What's the point of you being in this room if you ignore the guys? Why don't you go join the girls at the pool side?"

Cain glanced at him " I can't leave... I am not allowed to leave this room for now..." He then looked back outside.

The other boys were looking at each other with knowing looks. Cain never made sense. He gave short answers and never gave much away. They were lucky they got any words out of him now. Anything he said was riddled anyways.

Vincenzo asked " And why can't you leave?"

Cain shrugged and looked outside " It doesn't matter. I can't leave. I am to stay here..."

Vincenzo turned to Stefano " Would you care to translate for us what he means?"

Sebastiano laughed " Why would he know? Stefano is not his real brother. Cain is adopted and his parents are alive. Cut out the nonsense."

Cain looked sharply at Sebastiano " If you repeat that, I will floor you..."

As Sebastiano stood up looking at Cain ready to retaliate, Vincenzo put his hand up " Sit your backside down. He is right. He is sensitive about that. Don't call Stefano his step brother. You are the one out of order here."

Sebastiano put his hands on his hips and laughed " Me? Out of order? Who are you calling out of order? He is the one that refuses to give you a straight response to a simple question. At least I am straight with you... always... But he is hiding everything. What is his real name anyways?"

Vincenzo stated " My uncle Costanzo's orders state no one needs to know anything...His father's enemies can show up here if they find out who he is. So the less you know the better. Do you really want to be the one to cause his identity to be revealed and a mob war to start over him? I doubt that."

Sebastiano reluctantly sat down " He needs to watch his mouth."

Cain stated " So do you. Don't talk about Stefano like he is a stranger to me and we won't have a problem. He is as good as my brother..."

Sebastiano spoke " Answer the question here... Why can't you leave this room? Vincenzo asked you a straight question. Give him a straight answer. You refused to give him an answer...."

Cain frowned "I did answer him. I said it doesn't matter... I didn't refuse him anything... But for your information, my father might show up here tonight. "

Vincenzo chuckled as he saw the look of surprise on everyone's faces " Even your brother doesn't know... right? So you are leaving tonight? Huh?"

Cain shook his head " No... I am not going anywhere. Not yet... My uncle Costanzo thinks it's not safe. My father doesn't like that... I went to see him a few days ago when you were at the Giovanni mansion that day and I wasn't. He wanted to see me tonight too but uncle Costanzo says no... It's not fully safe yet. My father's enemies are on the loose still.... Does it answer your questions? But my uncle Costanzo thinks I have weeks left... then I can go.... But we will meet again... Are you happy now Sebastiano?"

Sebastiano was looking at Cain with a strange look. Who was this guy who had so many secrets? Why was he so important to the Rosarios that protected him. He had no idea.

Just then the door opened and Tristan came in. He brought back the clipboard with no papers.

Vincenzo asked " Did you use up all those papers?"

Tristan put back the clipboard " Sure. I used them all. They are in my pocket. Your father has so many rules for dating your sister... But he said yes after I signed under the rules..." He then left the room without hearing the boys opinions. He chuckled as he heard Viggo's voice complaining and calling him to stop. Then that was muffled as Vincenzo was telling him to sit down and suck it up.

Tristan was so happy. At last he was allowed to approach Vienna in public without worrying about accidentally crossing the boundaries. At last he was allowed to ask her out.

Tristan walked through the corridors with one intention only, to show the world who she was to him. He entered the room and immediately spotted her sitting next to her mother as her father was standing in a corner talking to her uncle Costanzo. He noticed Vienna's mother who was looking at her daughter worriedly as Vienna stood up.

Tristan found himself smiling as he noticed Vienna walked away from her mother ... towards his direction. That was perfect. He was hoping he could get her away from her mother. Adele Rosario did  not like Vienna near Tristan and he knew it. Tristan was aware he had a lot to prove. He had to prove that he was worthy of Vienna and he deserved her in his life. But for now he was allowed to ask her out...Francesco Rosario had bluntly told him he was accepted but had warned him he was to impress his wife or he could revert his decision that was meant to be a joint decision with his wife. Adele Rosario had faith in her husband's judgement and had said anything he decided she was going to respect but Tristan knew Adele Rosario was not thrilled with him. She wanted a civilian for her daughter. That made his blood boil that anyone could imagine Vienna with anyone else except him but for now he was going to celebrate his victory that he had earned. He still couldn't believe this beautiful innocent girl was to be his girl. The way she looked at him worriedly made him want to hug her as she reached him but he knew not to push his luck. Francesco could revert his decision.

Vienna stopped in front of him " Tristan... What happened? What did my father say?..."

Immediately Tristan went down on one knee in front of Vienna making her gasp. He smiled " He said yes... But will you?" He then took out a box from his pocket and opened it offering it to Vienna making her blush and cover her mouth.

Vienna knew what this was. O'Neils did this. Even if they asked a girl out they offered her a ring in front of witnesses to wear on her right hand. The ring of course had Irish style writing on the inside stating the O'Neil name and stating " I love only one for eternity...."

The entire room had fallen silent now.

Tristan stated " Vienna Rosario... will you go out with me?"

Vienna looked around her. Her eyes caught her parents. Her father had an unreadable form expression. Her mother was gasping in shock and disbelief.

Vienna looked at Tristan and he looked at her and spoke with a demanding but soft tone "Will you?"

Vienna was blushing and that made Tristan's heart beat faster. When she blushed he just wanted to lean closer and kiss her but of course they had not even gone on a first date. Were they even going to date? It was in her hands. She had the power to break his heart into pieces or make his heart jump with joy.

Vienna bit her lip making Tristan suck in a breath. She was teasing him. How could she be so cruel? He wanted nothing more than to taste those lips. The wait was agonising for her answer to come and it was painful to watch her tease him with biting her lip showcasing what he wasn't even allowed to touch.

Vienna finally spoke " I ... Tristan .... I will...."

Tristan smiled and let out a breath of relief. He put the ring on her finger. He then stood up and offered his hand to her. Vienna took his hand.

It was Tristan's grandfather who cleared his threat " This means a toast is in order. We will have champagne now....". The room then erupted in clapping and cheers.

Vienna found herself lead to the the door as it was getting crowded around the room. She saw her father embracing her mother who looked worried. Her father kissed her on the forehead and held her tightly. Vienna felt guilty. She didn't want to worry her mother.

Vienna found herself being lead alongside a corridor she hadn't been to before. She hadn't noticed how far she had walked side by side hand in hand with Tristan as she was thinking of her parents and how they felt.

As she came out of her thoughts, Vienna turned to Tristan " Where ... are we going?"

Tristan smiled and turned to her as he squeezed her hand tight " To our first date... sort of."

Vienna gasped " Where?..."

Tristan looked ahead " You will see... I asked your father for permission to take you up there..."

They reached a set of stairs. As Vienna climbed the stairs with Tristan he explained " We are going to the roof.,."

Vienna asked "To do what?" She had no idea what to expect.

As they reached a set of doors on the top floor, she knew it was the roof. Tristan opened the door " After you..."

Vienna nodded shyly and then walked on the rooftop . She gasped "Is that..."

Tristan walked behind her " A telescope? Yes... We are watching the stars tonight... Get closer to it... It's a very good telescope and tonight it's nice and clear..."

Vienna was excited. She loved the stars. She walked to the telescope and stood behind it " I don't know how it works... I like looking at stars but never looked at them through a telescope."

Tristan stood behind her " I know you like stars. I have seen the books you own... It's not so hard... May I show you," He then gently reached his hands to hers and placed them in position making Vienna lose her breath. When he was standing behind her and was touching her like that she felt warm on the inside.

Tristan let go and walked around her. He adjusted the height of the telescope and stated " Look through the lens while I adjust it." He then got on with fixing the telescope. Once he was done, he stood behind Vienna.

After Vienna looked through the lens for long enough she pulled away " Its so beautiful..." She them turned around " Don't you want to ... have a look?"

He whispered " I used to come up here a lot. I used to look at the stars thinking of you quite often over the years. I know what the stars look like through the lens.

Vienna blushed and decided to look back through the lens. It was easier to avoid his gaze that was zeroed on her.

Tristan continued " When I watched the stars ... I always felt closer to you.... because only stars have been out of reach for me and of course you.... Nothing else seemed out of reach to me. My father always said I could reach anything but I always told him I can't reach the stars and I can't reach you.... Even now that you are right in front of me, I feel like you are still out of reach... Some people would not want to see us together but I will fight...  I know your mother doesn't like to see us together truly... Does she? I guess I will have to fight hard for you and prove to you I am worthy..."

Vienna gulped and turned around " Its not that... She told me to ... try liking another boy.., that's all... She doesn't try to break us up...."

Tristan narrowed his eyes "You are mine Vienna ... only mine.... So if your mother tells you to try liking another boy, you can... but know that I would kill him... Now that I know how it feels to have you close to me as my girlfriend and watch you with my ring on your finger, I vow to never leave your side. Now that I have you, I won't let you go."