JP adjourned the meeting after Vito approached me and pulled me into a hug. Enzo stayed behind but gave us some space and waited outside the room while Vito and I talked.

"You must have a lot of questions, bella stellina," Vito cups my face as my eyes scan over his features, and I see so much of Timo in him.

"I have pictures of you with me always, see?" He pulls his wallet out and shows me three small pictures. One as a baby, another where I'm around six or seven and missing my two front teeth, and the last I'm in my high school graduation cap and gown.

"I know it must be a shock to see me for the first time, yes?"

"See you? I didn't even know you existed."

The smile on his face falters a little before he clears his throat. "Yes, Timo was very clear. He no want contact, and I wish I had tried more. He only want to protect you, but this world finds you. Not always, some leave, and others only leave through death, like Timo. You still mad at him, yes?"

I look away and fidget with my hands, but I shake my head. "No. No, I'm not mad anymore, just...sad. I was angry, and I told him I hated him..."

His warm fingers wipe away a stray tear. "He knew you didn't hate him, Piccola. On the contrary, he loved you very much, you know? Very proud of you. He was angry with himself after Roberto Cardinale took you and hurt you."

"He told you about that?"

"Yes," He nods his head, he clenches his jaw, and his eyes darken, "I wanted to set the world on fire, but then he told me how you fought, how you survive, but... then you left, and I understand why."

"I just wanted to be free, away from everything and everyone. But ironically, I still stayed in the in this world through Cristian."

"Yes, your name spread like wildfire everywhere, l'angelo della morte."

"Well, I'm known by a different name now," I say sarcastically.

"Yes, I am also aware, Raven," My head snaps up to look at him. "It is not my place to judge, nipotina. We have all done things we may not necessarily be proud of to survive. But I'm glad you are no longer doing this...dancing, yes?" He raises his eyebrows expectantly.

I chuckle, "No, no, I am not. I'm not ashamed of it necessarily, but I know it's not what I imagined myself doing or being this involved in this world either."

He smiles warmly at me.

"Can I ask you a question?" I gnaw on my lip.

"Of course."

"Why did you leave and Carmela stayed?"

He sighs heavily, "I didn't want to leave, but I knew Timo would not gain the respect and following if I didn't give him the room he needed to make a name for himself. And my sweet Carmela would not leave her bambino as she referred to Timoteo, even as an adult." He chuckles. "You cannot get in the way or separate a mamma from her bambino's. You see one day."

His face saddens as he continues, " Timo had a hard time when she became sick." He reaches for my hand and holds it, "John Paul told me you were there when she died when they killed her."

I nod as my eyes fill with tears, "She didn't recognize where she was or who I was at first, but then this smile lit up her face," I look down, "it's the same smile she gave me every morning at breakfast, and I knew she remembered me, even if just for a moment before..." Vito pulls me into a fierce hug as I cry.

"I regret not coming back for her when there was time." He strokes my hair and kisses my head.

"If you allow me to give you simple advice, it would be that you were meant to lead, but I respect your decision if you walk away. Il inganno, you felt from John Paul, and Timo is heavy-- I mean no disrespect-- but you came out of it stronger because of it." (the deception)

Timo's words come back to me from the video message he left me. He told me to be careful around Vito, yet he seems sincere as he speaks to me, but the apparent fact that I hardly know him is something I can't ignore.

"Please think long and hard, Piccola. I will be in touch with you," He tells me as he leads me out of the room.

Enzo pushes himself away from the wall he was leaning against when he sees us. He smiles as he walks up to me, "Don Vito, it is good to meet you in person." Enzo shakes then kisses Vito's hand in subservience.

"Lorenzo Romano, it is an honor to meet you as well," Vito nods to Enzo. "I thank you also for always looking out for Stella."

"As long as I live, I will always protect her," Enzo tells him without any hesitation.

I look down the hall and see John Paul is talking with a few other people from the meeting. I notice several people shake and kiss his hand before departing, and then I see Valerius making his way towards us.

"Signore Bracco, I beg your forgiveness for my inexcusable behavior." Valerius addresses Vito.

Vito observes him, "It is not I that you should seek forgiveness from, Valerius."

Valerius nods, then clears his throat as he reaches for my hand, placing a kiss on it, and I fight the urge to slap him away. "Please forgive me, Signorina Bracco. I pledge my services and loyalty to you should you call upon me for anything."

I nod as I slip my hand out of his. JP walks up behind Valerius and brings his hands down hard on Valerius's shoulders, startling him.

"Val, do not make things worse for yourself and walk away now. Per favore."

"Si, Don Santiago, of course," Val gives us all one last nod before walking away.

JP turns back to us, "It's late; let's head home, yes?" Adonis, Nicky, and several other men join us towards the elevator.

"The benefit is this weekend, no? John Paul," Vito asks as we walk into the elevator. This is the first I've heard of any charity event, so I listen in, but it's not like I didn't have an option since we were all riding together.

"It is." JP answers my silent question with a smile as he looks at my questioning look, "It's the same cancer benefit started on behalf of my mother." He tells me.

"It's been running this whole time?"

JP nods, "Vito kept is running after Timo passed. However, this will be the first year we attend in person since everything happened."

"Is it another masquerade?" Enzo asks, playing with a switchblade.

"No, we want to see everyone's faces," JP states, seriously. "But invitations were sent out months in advance, so everyone who is going is accounted for."

"Is that your subtle way of saying I'm not invited?" Enzo smiles at JP.

JP returns his smile, "It's not your type of crowd, Enzo."

"I'm sure I could find someone with similar likes if I try really hard," Enzo quips.

"Is Annalisa involved in this charity?" I ask JP.

He turns to face me, "Yes, she is. She was able to do the PR for the event, and she also donated towards the cause." I smile, proud of my best friend for really putting her natural gifts and passions into use.

We say our goodbyes to Vito, and he gets into his SUV with his security detail while we get into the waiting SUV with JP and make the long drive home.

<><><><>

"Is mom okay?" I hear Lucy's worried voice.

"She's fine Lucy, she just fell asleep on the way home," Enzo tells her quietly. My eyes flutter open, and I look up at Enzo, who's carrying me.

"Luce, why are you still up?" I ask sleepily.

"I wanted to make sure you were okay and that you came home," She tells me quietly. I tell Enzo to stop and put me down. I walk up to Lucy and hug her as I see her eyes welled up with tears.

"Oh, Luce. I'm so sorry you were worried this whole time," I rub her back, feeling awful for the stress she must have been feeling the whole time I was gone. "I'm here, now." She holds on to me tight.

"I was so scared, but I didn't want to scare the little ones," Lucy whispers. I lean away and move her curly hair away from her face and wipe her tears. I place a kiss on her head.

"Come on, let's go to bed."

Enzo walks with us to my room, and she gets in the bed right away. I turn to Enzo and hug him, "thanks for carrying me in. I must have been out," I laugh.

"Oh, you were," He laughs, "I'm just letting you know you called out JP's name in your sleep."

"What?"

"Yup," He says, chuckling, "It seems like your dream was very...intimate." He wiggles his eyebrows. I'm having a moment of deja vu as this happened before with Topo, Rocco, and Mateo.

Awesome.

"Was...was I loud?"

"Well, it sure got everyone's attention in the car if that's what you're asking."

I groan, rubbing a hand down my face.

"If anything, you just made JP's head that much bigger."

"That's what I don't want," I tell him, and he laughs, telling me goodnight.

After doing my nighttime routine, I climb into bed with Lucy, who's already asleep. I lay there wishing I could remember what the hell the dream involved.

My phone chimes and I reach for it on the nightstand and see it's a text message from Sean.

S: Hey gorgeous, I know it's late, but I just wanted to say you looked amazing today. I also wanted to see how you are doing after meeting your grandfather for the first time. We can talk more tomorrow, I hope. I miss you.

Me: Thanks, Sean. I'm doing okay; it was surreal to meet him in person. I'll see you tomorrow. Goodnight, x

<><><><>

"So, how long are you in town for?"

"Until Sunday," Sean tells me as he takes a bite of his hamburger. "Are you moving out today?"

I nod as I finish swallowing my food. "Yup, right after this. The kids are super excited, too."

"Maybe I can come over later," He wiggles his eyebrows at me.

I laugh, "Sean, that kind of works against the whole 'needing space' thing, don't you think?"

"I thought you weren't making any decisions about that yet, Stels," He sighs, "but if that's really what you want, then I'll respect your decision."

I shake my head, "If I knew what I wanted, I wouldn't be feeling so confused and frustrated all the time, Sean."

"Is this about John Paul?" He leans forwards, and his eyes darken.

"No," I avoid his glare but then look up at him, "I mean; obviously, he's involved because we share the kids."

"He's taking advantage of that whole situation, isn't he?" Sean accuses.

"He's trying to respect your and mine relationship," I inform him.

Sean scoffs as he continues to eat his food, and then my phone rings; Lucy is calling.

"Mom, we need you. Carmen is having a meltdown and refuses to pack; she doesn't want to move. JP's not here, and we don't know what to do," Lucy tells me.

"Okay, I'm coming."

I tell Sean what is going on, and we head out of the restaurant. I try to call JP, but he doesn't answer. I groan, frustrated, and try not to yell at Sean to drive faster. There's no sense in getting a ticket for speeding home; that would just slow us down.

When we walk into the Villa, I hear JP's loud voice as soon as I walk in the front door. I run up the stairs, and he's outside Carmen's door, pounding on it, yelling at her to open it up.

"Why are you yelling?"

He whirls around, his angry eyes staring back at me. "I rushed home, thinking something had happened, and she's just being Carmen!" He yells at me.

"Lower your voice; you honestly think yelling at her is the answer?"

"Don't lecture me on the do's and don't's when you weren't even here!"

"I've only been gone for less than an hour!"

"Guys, I don't think this is helping," Sean tells us.

"Stay out of it!" We both yell at him.

I sigh and grab Sean before he turns to leave. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have yelled at you," I turn back around and see JP is already walking away, down the stairs.

I turn my attention to finding out what's going on with Carmen, and I knock on her door and call out to her.

I wait patiently. Well, as patiently as I can manage, but I hear the lock being disengaged finally, and then the door opens a crack. "Is JP still there?"

I shake my head, "No, it's just Sean and me. Can I come in?"

She opens the door wider, and I look back at Sean, and he tells me he'll wait outside, seeing the worry and tear stains on Carmen's face.

"What's going on?"

"I don't want to move, I...I don't want to leave...it feels like I'm leaving mom," She whimpers softly.

"You're not, though. She's always with you, Car."

"It doesn't feel like it," She says quietly.

"I know how you feel, Carmen. When Serena died, I wanted to go back for her, but I couldn't. And I felt a lot of guilt afterward. But I promise you; you are not leaving your mom. Marco was telling me you guys have a lot of pictures at the house, and we don't have very many here, so I'd love to see them. But, I can talk to JP if you really want to stay; I'm sure he'll let you stay until you're ready."

I turn to leave, and then she calls out to me. "Will it ever stop hurting?"

I sit down next to her and hug her. "No, but you learn to live with the pain, and even though it still hurts, and you miss them more and more each day, you realize life goes on. Your grief is just your way of not letting love go. And that's okay. I'm here for you, Carmen; if you want someone to cry with, scream or yell with, please let me know. But don't hold it inside, okay?"

She nods into my chest and then pulls away, wiping her face.

"I'll go. I can't be without Lola and Toby...and I guess, even Marco," She rolls her eyes slightly, and I laugh.

"Good. Because they can't be without you either," I pinch her nose playfully, she laughs.

I help carry her bags, and we head downstairs to load up the cars to start a new chapter in a new home.