Isabella dragged her finger tips across his brow gently and watched him twitch slightly at her touch.  Elias, she realized, was dreaming though she could not say about what or who.  She softened her gaze and, hearing the door close behind her she bent down to press her lips to his.  Elias' eyes came open and they kissed again - he seemed half asleep as he reached out to pull her into the bed with him.

She whispered into his kiss, "My father is in the next room."  Don @Salvatore_Luciano no longer deny that his daughter was in love with his Consigliere Elias... but he had yet to officially bless their union in any formal capacity and had made clear to Elias that if he crossed the line with his eldest child, his reward would be an early grave.

Elias kissed her again and she laughed as she kissed him back.   "They tell me you need to get some exercise.  I was thinking maybe a walk in the night air would do you good.  Hell, do both of us some good."  She didn't know if she'd tell him about her life altering news tonight, or wait, she'd play it by ear.  That, she felt, was for the best.

Elias was woken in the most pleasurable of ways; a kiss from his love Isabella. He wasn't sure whether he was dreaming, or if this was reality... He saw her beautiful brown eyes, and her raven hair rest on her shoulders as she lent down to whisper words he'd longed to hear for what seemed forever. Isabella meant so much to Elias, he loved her with all of his heart, and it was only when he felt nothing short of a stabbing pain in his side that he knew in fact, this was reality. Isabella was alive, although clearly wounded also in the war that had been fought, but he was pleased to be with her once again. Elias could only smile in her direction, looked in her eyes before speaking the words 'I've missed you.'

Isabella noticed that he was clearly in a fair amount of pain, and destress. His wound was still extremely fresh, and in the back of his mind he could think of nothing but the left over fragment that had been left inside his body..never truly knowing if he would ever recover from it. The odds of 50/50 that Don Salvatore told him, were never too great. However, rather than think about the pain anymore, he shuffled up in the bed, allowing Isabella to sit next to him, he pulled her closely to him and just wanted to hold, and be held..never really wanting to ever let her go...

'You know - I didn't think I'd see you again' Elias said to Isabella..'it seems we've both served..and bled for the family in this violent war, and you are right..I probably do need to get out of this bed, and walk around..even if it is only for a short while. I'd love nothing more than to spend time with you, where would you like to go..?' Elias left quite an open invitation to Isabella, purely as there wasn't anything he could really do at this point. Usually it was him who picked Isabella up, or drove them out of the city..but this time was different, putting one foot in front of the other felt like walking up a mountain, with each step that he took..

"Careful now.  I can't hold all your weight."  She lifted the bottom of her shirt to show the bandages wrapped around her own mid section.  "I fear someone's Chicago type writer made one hell of a mess of my mid section.  No cute bathing suits for this girl."  She winked at Elias.

"Let's take a walk along the river front.  We'll stop at a food cart and get you something to see if you can keep it down.  They said you should try eating more than that broth now."  She walked him through the HQ and out the front door, behind them her bodyguards kept a polite distance.  

"I suppose they have you on pain meds too?  If they catch us stealing kisses, let's say it's the pain meds clouding our minds.  We might get away with more on sympathy."  She chuckled.  It was funny, if one didn't think about poor Marie and how guilty she felt about it all.  Isabella tried to cast that from her mind.

Elias struggled to get up, before he was generously helped by Isabella. After a few seconds of stagnant moving, he managed to put his weight on both legs, for the first time in a long while. 'Do you know my love..it feels good to stand here next to you, I know this sounds stupid..but just standing without collapsing on the floor in a bloody mess, makes the difference. I guess it's the small things that I need to value now..I'm not sure i'll ever be the same again...but hell, I'll be damned if I don't almost kill myself in order to get there.' Elias was determined to put on a brave face to Isabella, especially after he'd seen the wound that Isabella also carried. He thought to himself silently 'she looks in a bad way too..why are we both putting on acts, maybe we should just be honest with one another..?' However Elias said nothing, he just smiled at her, kissed her cheek and replied 'I'd love nothing more than to walk by the river front Izzy, but I'd prefer it if we don't even up in the river this time!' He ruffled her hair ever so slightly, to show his playful side still burned brightly inside of him..

As they walked down by the river front, Elias couldn't help but hold her hand, and shout his now..quite famous catchphrase. It always tickled Isabella, who would respond by always throwing both of her hands in the air, and shout 'ME!' He found it ever so endearing, and the longer he spent alone with her, the more he counted the blessings that a war came, an unavoidable war..yet they both managed to just about scrape their lives together..even if it was for one more walk together, it would of been worth it.

Elias kept looking at her, bouncing back and forth between looks of love and looks of worry.  She was made uncomfortable in those moments, and soon she came to the assumption that someone had told him of her condition.  It seemed the only reasonable explanation for his awkwardness.  If anything he should be thrilled the both survived and yet, he was holding back and hiding something. 

He MUST know...

And yet, he was showing her such love and affection.  Why would he do that if her condition left him with any sort of discomfort or doubt?  The whole damn situation was dizzying so when he suggested they NOT end up in the river, she couldn't help but laugh.  

He wants to be with me... but maybe he doesn't know if he can commit to a woman who isn't... complete? 

She looked at him and wondered how he felt about her now.  His smiles made her blush and she sincerely thought he must love her, but was that enough?

Isabella stopped at a hot dog vendor.  "Shall we get some dogs and coca-cola?  We can find a nice bench to rest on and look up at the city lights across the way.   It is rather pretty out tonight." 

Elias carried on the joke with Isabella...'hot dogs?!' I remember what happened last time you were left alone in the HQ with hot dogs...and jelly! I opened the door and caught you red handed, you had strawberry jello all over your face!' Elias chuckled to himself 'although, I must confess it was a rather amusing sight! But of course my love, grabbing some hot dogs sounds like a plan! It's rather cold out tonight though, would you like my jacket?'

Without allowing her to even reply, he went to take off his jacket, stretched behind his back and instantly grimaced with pain, although he struggled to let his face contain the secret, he wasn't sure if Isabella noticed, but nonetheless put the jacket over her shoulders before kissing her forehead..'there we go..all better! I hope you like mustard, because I'm emptying the whole bottle on these dogs!'

As they sat down on the beach eating hot dogs, and looked at the beautiful lights from across the city, he tucked Isabella tightly into his body, her heart began to beat faster, and he lent in to kiss her softly. 'There is no place i'd rather be right now Izzy. Thank you for getting me out the HQ.'

She snuggled close to Elias and listened to the sounds of the river front, the ships, the people, the birds.  She enjoyed her hot dog, but mostly she just enjoyed being with Eli.  

"I thought I was going to die."  She finally said frankly.  "I would have thought that our last moments together would have made that reality easier to swallow... but it didn't.  I'm ashamed to say that I was as scared the second time being shot as I was the first."

She looked up and met his eyes, she mustered her courage,  "Eli, I know you must be... heart sore over the long term ramifications of these injuries."

She patted his hand.  "It's a lot to take in.  For some men, I suppose it changes everything really; but you should know that I love you with all my heart.  And I respect you but...  if these unhappy circumstances have caused you to need some time... to think about us and if you wish to continue on with our relationship..."

She swallowed a lump in her throat.  "Well, I just want you to know that won't effect how I view you as a friend and as a member of the crew.  Nor should you worry that it will effect my father's treatment of you.  I don't want you to feel the need to remain committed to our secretly spoken words from last week, when so much changed during the war."

She looked at the ground not wanting him to feel as though he had to try and hide his true emotions from her.  She needed him to be honest about how her lack of ability to bear children really made him feel.  "I could hardly hold it against you if you needed time to see if you could... feel the same in light of what's happened.  And rest assured, there's time for that, if you'd like or need."

Elias squeezed Isabella's hand, and looked up at her 'being shot is something that scares us all. Usually in our way of life it's over in an instant, kind of like a code that we live by. We can't all get along, we have enemies like everyone else. However usually when we meet our end, it's like turning a light out. There's no pain, no distress. We are just mourned by our leftover family that have to carry on our name..'

'You've survived two attempts, and I've survived one. We are lucky, we must get that from your father..' Elias paused before sighing '...even if one of us will never be the same again' He couldn't muster the strength to ever tell Isabella about the potential terminal diagnosis he'd received from Don Salvatore, but if he could spend the rest of his days in Isabella's company, for him it was worth it.

'The only time I need to spend thinking about us, is it you can accept this relationship, and this love that I have for you. We might be different, but we'll survive..and we'll manage with strength and determination.

Tears filled Isabella's eyes and she threw her arms around Elias burying her face in the space between his neck and shoulder to not allow anyone to see her utter break in emotional control.  "I was so scared you'd have changed your mind when they told you."  Her body shook slightly as she wept quietly.

"I should have known..."  She squeezed Eli gently.  "I'm sorry that I thought something as silly as me being left barren would make you leave me.

She released him and looked into his eyes.  Her brown eyes strained with tears and stress finally released.  "I've spent the last few days recovering... wondering what sort of woman, or wife I could possibly be for you with what they took from me."  She looked down at the bandages around her midsection in disgust.

"I'm hideous... but to think I have no chance of giving you children..."  She looked back up to his eyes.  "For many men, I'd be utterly undesirable now that I could not bear sons to carry on your bloodline.  I could hardly have blamed you if you had been one of them."

She sobbed again hiding her face in her hands, partly out of self-pity and partly for joy that Elias hadn't rejected her when she knew her lover had every right now that she would never give him a child to carry on his family name.

Elias held Isabella for what seemed to be forever. He wasn't going to let his embrace go of her until she was ready. They often shared moments of high emotion and turmoil. It seems that this was no different. Elias realised at this point there had been a huge mix up in their situations. Isabella was talking about her war wound resulting in her being unable to carry a child, and Elias was all along referring to the bullet shrapnel lodged inside his liver. But to save Isabella any further heartache, the last thing she needed right now. He acted as if he knew what she'd been talking about the whole time, and yet again refused to tell her the burden he was carrying.

Elias gave her a slow sensual kiss on the lips before wiping away one of her many tears. 'My love we almost died, we were on deaths door, ready to enter the darkness alone, with nobody by our side. I see survival as a blessing from God. The fact we are together, sitting here..having this conversation here and now. I don't want you to ever worry, it won't stop me loving you any less. We get to spend time together now, as a single unit..we might be here for a day, a week, a year...or a lifetime. You are my Tower, I lean on you more than you know, because of your inner strength. This is just another obstacle put in the way of us, but I promise you. It won't define us..'

She nodded and dried her tears.  "Do you think we'll ever have a regular night out like normal people without some tragedy or need to murder someone?  I mean... most people DO have normal dates before they eventually wed."  She bit her lip, suddenly feeling stupid.  She shook her head and blushed.

"I'm sorry.  I shouldn't have said that."   She put her face into her hands again and this time groaned in annoyance of her own loose lips.  Girls always thought of weddings, but saying something like to a man who hadn't even mentioned such a future - that was horribly embarrassing.

She spoke with her face still in her hands.  "I want to disappear.  Can I do that... like right now?  I don't think I can bear to have you look at me.  I'd run off if I didn't promise to get you back safely."

Elias chuckled 'maybe in the future my love, but I thought you liked escaping near death experiences and killing the scum that live on this earth with us?' He held out his hand and gently helped Isabella to her feet..'and Izzy, I've not even had a conversation with your father yet to make us official, I still need his blessing. But please don't hide in your hands, I wouldn't want to stand side by side with anyone other than my Ivory Princess.'

Elias kissed Isabella on her forehead and pulled her close into his side as they slowly took their time walking back to her car...'speaking of the Don...there's no time like the present, maybe we should go now..?'

"George come on!  Come on!  Isn't it beautiful?!  Oh look at it!"

The tiny stature of one little woman came into view, her feet pounding the pavement as she ran out ahead.  Since the terrifying events that had put her on this crazy path, Ellie had seen more of what this world had to offer in the last few  she days than she had seen in her first seventeen years on this earth.  This world held wonders that she had only read about.  And she could see them all!  Partake in them all!  

Pausing as she reached the rivers edge, she turned half to look at her friend and mentor as he made his way toward her.  It was unclear to her as to whether he was amused by her joyful antics and exuberance, or just happy.  

"Why haven't we seen places like this before...  It's beautiful..."

Yes, she did just answer her own prior question as she turned her attention back out to the river side.  Sure, Eleonora had been used to the water, growing up in LA, but she didn't get to see it near as much as she would have liked.  Not to mention, this was a whole different sight.  Ellie drew in a deep breath as she took in the evening air.  She didn't know what life held in store for her now...  But she placed complete faith and trust in the man that now accompanied her.  He hadn't led her astray to date...  Or at least the people who said he did, were no longer of this earth...  This was a new day now...  A new life.  An exciting opportunity and a curious new world to explore.  All under the careful guidance of the man who had become her closest friend, and one she would never forsake for the world.

So it was that when he told her that he was packing up and joining his relative in Las Vegas, that she didn't hesitate a moment to request to join him.  With her last ties to LA gone, she had only to say yes.  Las Vegas wasn't where her clues led her...  Heck, as far as she knew, her mother lived in New York.  Her father...  Of whom she had heard whispers when she discovered her true last name, was from Chicago...  At least that was the rumor she had heard.

But all these things were for a later nights pondering.  Tonight she was determined to enjoy the Riverfront with her dear friend, and that was all she had planned...  So engrossed in the sight, she didn't even fully notice the two people preparing to depart for their car, but one can bet that the night was about to get real insane, real quick.

The gleeful exclamations of a younger person weren't surprising to hear on the riverfront.  It was a lovely place to visit and if you were a tourist it was sure to catch your eye and pull you in.  Lake Huron and the Detroit River were a sight to behold especially all lit up at night.  She squeezed Elias' hand, sharing a similar but different joy as the young woman - and no small bit of fear.  Elias' suggestion was far too bold by half but how to tell him that?  Her father wasn't ready to consent to them seeing each other, let alone marrying!

But there was something about that voice, something that pulled her back in time and caused her to pause mid step and look back.  She had to think, to her later shame, where she'd heard it before.

"Are you okay?"  Elias_Luciano asked, she could feel the tension in his voice, the worry that she'd suddenly heard or seen something worth looking at... the fear that it might be trouble and him injured as he was.  She gave his hand  reassuring pat as she searched for the source of the voice and found the shadow of an equally petite young woman, as herself.

"I know that voice."  She said to Elias.  "Just... give me a moment, okay?"  Waving at her bodyguards she gave them to know that all was well and they should continue to stay a distance back with the cars.  No, this wasn't trouble, it was a ghost... of a sort.  As she got closer and closer to the young woman who was jumping like a monkey around the pier looking at things, causing a small disturbance of the night's peace - she became more sure it wasn't a ghost but an old friend in the flesh.  Even more odd was to see her with an familiar face from THIS new life she'd joined into... that was George_Ligambi wasn't it???  How did she know George?

Stopping a safe distance away so not to cause George to think she was upset or going to do something rash, she called out to Eleonora_Luciano above the city's night sounds - just loud enough to be heard.  "I will be heartbroken if you're here to take my car for a joyride and you're not inviting me along,"  She laughed.  "Ellie."

Ellie was beside herself as she gazed out over the water.  "Oh George come see!" Once again came the girls excited request.  There was no hurry in his step.  But in reality there wasn't need.  There was no danger and the lights weren't going anywhere.  But Ellie was just beside herself with what she was seeing.  

Eleonora was fairly oblivious as to how much she may have been disturbing those around her.  But her child-like wonder was so infectious that a few of them just chuckled and watched her antics.  With wide eyes, she took off a little ways down the pier, gazing out and leaning a bit precariously over the water to look down into it.  She couldn't help but smile as she saw her own reflection in the ripples.  It really was the little things in life that made all the bad worth enduring.  

Leaning even further out over the water, one of those watching her muttered a slight caution, but the girl was heedless to it, leaning out to look. Just then another voice drifted in, making a much bigger impact than the man to her left.  This voice, as she heard it, almost served as a catalyst for a very wet encounter. But Eleonora managed to catch herself before falling in.  That voice...  Ellie turned to look over her shoulder, curiosity sparking in her young mind.  Why did she know that voice, and why did a feeling of warmth, safety, and excitement subconsciously wash over her?  She knew this voice and was highly fond of it.  

"Slow down Hotrod..." She whispered before becoming fully aware of what she said.  It was a catchphrase that she often used on one young woman she had more or less grown up attached at the hip to.  At least during the school year.  She hadn't seen her in a number of years though.  Yet as the realization hit her, she shoved back from the small railing, her eyes raking the area around her until she found her.  

"Hotrod!" 

Having located the young woman, she took off at a dead run toward her.   Her heart raced and she felt tears beading at the corners of her eyes.  Slowing down just a tad before she plowed right into the woman, she threw her arms around her.  One could feel the tension as bodyguards from both sides tensed.  Was this an unconventional attack?  What was the little slip of a woman doing?  Who was this other woman?  There was certainly concern from both sides but Ellie's intention was soon very clear.  She buried her face firmly against the other womans shoulder.  If there was anyone she had needed to see after everything that had happened so far, it was this woman right here.

"Izzy...  Izzy I've missed you..." She murmured against her shoulder as she hugged her tightly.  "It's not joyriding without you."

"Hot Rod!"  She laughed.  "I haven't been called that in a dog's age!  Good God Elie,"  She hugged her dear friend back.  "I thought I'd never see you again!  I've got a million questions and... oh!"  She squeezed the younger woman tighter.  "None of them matter.  The only thing that matters is that you're okay and you're here with me now."

She pulled back to look at her.  "Holy hell... you've grown up!"  She laughed.  "You must have a line of men banging down the door." 

Taking her by the hand she guided her over to Elias.  "I want you to meet someone very dear to me.  Elie, this Elias."  She looked into his eyes as she said proudly,  "My steady guy."  She looked back to Elie and continued,  "And Elias this is Eleonora_Luciano or Elie as I've always called her; the only person in this whole world who knows all about my shameful and lawless youth... and all my best, darkest, and most embarrassing secrets."

Elias shook the hand of Eleonora_Luciano 'it's a pleasure to meet you dear. Let's just hope we don't have a drunken night all together, are names are so similar that maybe we could become easily confused! Although I don't think my scruffy beard gives me away too much!' He chuckled to himself before kissing Isabella-Luciano on the cheek. 'Thank you for introducing me love, this is the first friend of yours I have met, and it's turned out to be a sibling! The more Luciano's - the better! Let's go and have a drink to celebrate? Whattya say hot rod?' Elias pulled Isabella in close and winked at her cheekily. 

Sneks in and grabbs Isabellas hand on my right and then Elias on the left and then telling them.

"Now we will take a long walk-about together friends and see the town!"

After about 2 hours were all 3 pretty tird and sits down in a park on the grass and just enjoy the beautiful weather togehter. Isabella says to Elias

"What a great warm hand that adorable man  NoNamesEverShowed has, we totally float around the inner city with him and were almost not tire at all since he is full of warm and kind feelings towards us"

I flushes over this awsome warm word giving into me

Isabella spotted NoNamesEverShowed and chuckled at the memory of the dream she had about him a few days ago... how weird that the dream she had about going for a walk with him and Elias happened right here on the riverfront!  She'd never had much interaction with him before so it was a strange thing to have such a man wander into her thoughts like that, but maybe that was just the universe telling her that she needed to know him?

She gave him a smile over the shoulder of Elias, not wanting to race over to him while reuniting with her long lost friend Elie.  This was such a precious moment, she couldn't possibly cut out on it at this juncture.

"Hot Rod."  She chuckled.  "Lord, I know I'm going to live to regret that she told you that nickname."  She shook her head.  "I'm certainly up for getting something to drink.  What do you say, Elie?  We could go out somewhere nice... or I could have you all come back to my apartment and we can break out some of that Sicilian wine I stole from my father's liquor cabinet..."

It hit her then, Elie didn't know!  "Oh my God!"  she shook her head.  "You don't know."  She smiled and took her hands away from Elias and took hold of Elie's hands.  "I have so much to tell you.  So so much... please tell me you're in town for a while?"

"That's because I'm the one that loves you the most.  And that's how long it's been since I've seen you!" Ellie replied with a bat of her eyelashes. She beamed at her friend that she hadn't seen in longer than she'd like to admit, her eyes drinking in and reveling in every detail.  Oh she had missed this young woman before her so!  Ellie hugged Isabella so tightly, it was as if she would never let her go. Or perhaps that she was afraid that if she did, she would disappear.  "I'll be honest, I never thought I'd see you again. When your schooling ended... Well it doesn't even matter! And I bet I have even more questions for you.  I'm here...  I don't know how I'm here, but I'm here...  This place is magnificent!"

If if possible her smile got even wider as Isabella exclaimed all about how grown up she had gotten. Yet her cheeks colored a tad as she spoke of men and banging down doors.  "So have you!  Look at you!  Goodness are we sure it's only been three years?"

Speaking of men, Ellie smiled as she allowed her hand to be taken and to be led wherever it was that Izzy followed.  That was how she typically responded anyway.  Yet as she saw the man, she paused.  Ellie had a bit of a shyness and natural born carefulness to her.  This mixed with the cautions she had received about this life gave her pause.  Yet one look in Isabella's eyes reassured her as it often had when they were little.  Yes. This man was fine.  There.  There was the small nod, their indicator. Izzy had always been good for that. A slight gesture, but Ellie couldn't miss it.  Eleonora smiled warmly to the man as Isabella introduced them, and chuckled as she spoke of her knowing her darkest secrets.  "Only because I share them with you!  It's so nice to meet you as well Elias..." She couldn't help but giggle at his statement about their names and getting drunk, nodding enthusiastically and laughing all the harder at the picture of the two of them getting confused.  

​​​​Yet it was the next words that stopped her in her tracks. A sibling? Ellie didn't hear anything more past that.  A sibling?  To Isabella? Could it be true?  She stared at the two of them nigh completely dumbfounded.  She looked to Isabella, but she was a bit lost in her own little world.  Back to Elias, and then back to Izzy again as her mind reeled.  Finally she found her voice as Isabella stated something about her not knowing, those words breaking through the fog.  "Was it confirmed?  Is Salvatore my father?  Are you...  Are you my sister?" Awe colored her voice and her tone as she spoke to Isabella, clasping her hand in return as a hopeful look was given her.  They had hoped, dreamed...  But never dared to think it as fact.  But this... This could be exactly what Ellie was looking for all this time...  A family...  A home...  And a sister that she held in higher regard than the entire world.  To say that her mind was blown was an understatement.