Isabella had finally got things settled at her HQ out at the Detroit River Lighthouse.  She and her family had quickly stepped into a role of backbone for the working side of the Luciano Criminal Empire's Black Market.  With access to the river which allowed one to LITERALLY see the Canadian shoreline, they were making cash day one and tribute would be flowing upward soon.

But this particular day, Isabella wasn't concerned about bringing her father cash.  Today she had something far more valuable in mind to give her old man.  Putting her car in park she got up and walked to where a private plane was now preparing a set of stairs for a very special guest to join her.

Isabella leaned against her Bugatti, smiling behind large cat-eye sunglasses, her hair tied up and under a kerchief.  She wore high waited Capri and a man's shirt tied at the waist.  All around here were several cars full of armed men prepared to die for them both if it came to it.  

"ELIE!"  She cried out as soon as Eleonora_Luciano appeared.  She waved and smiled, waiting for her sister to join her.  

Today was the day...  The day that everything would be confirmed.  Alright alright, so it really wasn't that kind of momentous.  The facts were already fairly confirmed.  Even if there would always be some doubt in her heart.  Did she really belong in this world so full of money and strong and influential people?  Well it was a resounding yes if it meant she could stand beside her sister...  Yes her sister.  The word still sounded so wonderful upon her lips and in her thoughts.  With Isabella, it hadn't been hard for her young mind to wrap around the idea that she had kin, had someone related to her by blood.  The two of them had already fantasized about being sisters, and the revelation that she was her sister, full sister at that, was wonderful but easy for her mind to draw the connection.  

The one she was having difficulty with was the newfound relation that had not been so readily fantasized on.  The incredibly strong and confident, newly appointed GodFather of Detroit.  Even Eleonora, who hadn't grown up in this life knew what that title meant and at least a portion of it's depth to this society.  It was the ultimate place of power in this thing of theirs.  He was her father.  Now don't get the girl wrong, she had longed for a father, dreamed of having a father, even perhaps fabricated one in her mind so as to feel that she wasn't just thrust into this world without one.  But she had never grown up with one.  She had wandered lost in these formative years.  This was no fault of the man who had indeed fathered her, her caretaker had told her that he likely hadn't even known she existed as that had been their mother's wish.  Her mother on the other hand knew...  And she had let her go anyway.  Ellie didn't know why...  She had formulated her own opinion on this...  She was a silly and romantic minded little thing, but she wasn't stupid in the ways of the world as she grew.  Times were hard...  Her mother had been on her own.  Honestly it would have been hard raising one child alone, but with current revelations, there were two.  She could almost see why she had been given up.  

But these were thoughts for a different time.  Today was to be a beautiful day, a day where she actually met with the man she had only briefly spoken to and in such interaction near lost her supper from nerves.  Other than that, it had been a glance here, a meet of the eyes there...  But the busyness of this business made it impossible for them to actually meet on a level that counted.  She admired him from afar as her young mind tried to come to grips that he was there and she too had a father that she for so long hoped was out there.  Sure there was still some niggling in the back of her mind...  What if this was a trick?  A misunderstanding?  What if Luciano was a fairly common name and she held no relation at all?  But from the things that Isabella had told her, and even seeing the man face to face...  It would be hard to deny...  And did she really want to?  

It had been arranged for Eleonora to fly out from Las Vegas all the way to Detroit.  She had visited a time or two, and been no stranger to travel since she'd left the orphanage.  She was eager to see all the places she could and now with some liquid funds to do so, she indulged as she engaged in drug runs and whatever else took her fancy so far.  Ellie was a hard worker, and eager to please, so she did.  But now it was a moment that she was eager to partake in.  To see her sister and to meet the very man who had captured her imagination even before she knew he existed.

As soon as the plane touched the ground, the girl was anxious to get off it.  Not that she minded the flight, no...  She knew what stood just outside that door.  The small group of bodyguards that now was tasked with keeping the small woman safe rolled their eyes as they looked knowingly at eachother.  It didn't take long to get to know the habits of the girl.  They were random, scattered, and unpredictable.  But somehow they kept up.  She wasn't dead yet after all...  Finally!  The door opened and like a bullet released from the barrel of a gun, the girl all but flew from the belly of the small beast.  The trademark heels clicked upon metal steps as she hurried down them to meet the concrete runway.  Her brightly colored sundress fluttered playfully in the breeze.  Did this girl go anywhere not wearing a dress?  Doubtful at this point...  But she hurried and didn't even break stride as she honed in on her beloved sister.  Running at full tilt, even the clicking of her heels was a merry sound.  "Isabella!  I've missed you!"  She squealed with pure joy as she threw her arms around the girl, hugging her tight.  Sure she had just seen her days ago when they celebrated her rise...  But still.  It was enough time and it seemed like an eon to the girl since she had last laid eyes upon her.  Besides, they hadn't had a chance to catch up that day and it was likely a week prior to that that she had seen her.  Time truly flew in this thing of theirs.  "How are you?  How are you settling into your new headquarters?  Are they being nice to you?  How many have already signed up to be in your crew?  I bet they're banging your doors down-I..."  Her voice suddenly quieted and she turned a little pink.  "Sorry..."  She shrugged and chuckled softly trying to bring herself back down again.

"I wouldn't say beating down the door, but it's been a steady stream none the less.  Sadly, my growth has come at the expense of others losses.  It's a hard truth of this thing of ours."  She kissed her sister's cheeks.  "How's Vegas?  I trust that Uncle Joe is treating you right?"  she smirked.  Of course she knew he would.  While Elie was a mobster, she was a woman and Joe came from an older line of thinking.  There were things a made man didn't do when it came to women... and others that he always did, such as protecting her as best he could.  Beyond all of that, recent revelations that she was the Godfather's middle child would have guaranteed her safety and good treatment... anything else could be cause for bloodshed and no one wanted that.

Getting into the car she showed her left hand to Elie.  "So... this happened."  The diamond encrusted sapphire ring was a thing of beauty.  It was a family heirloom of her future husband's family and that only made it all the more dear to her.  "Elias asked me to marry him and ... I said yes."  she laughed.  She had wanted to tell Elie sooner, but with the new launch of the crew, when had their been time!?!

"Salvatore gave his blessing... but let me tell you it was NOT easy to get.  Word of advice though... send anyone serious about seeing you to meet Dad first.  He's a pain in the ass but you don't want to know what happened to the guys who DIDN'T ask."  She shook her head, only partially joking.  She often wondered if that young man, Chad, who had danced with her at the Independence Day party had really had an accident or if her father had thought his hand going down her backside during that slow dance they had, was too much of an insult to bear.  That poor boy's hands were never found after his horrible car wreck.

The car drove them to Salvatore's palatial gated estate on the west side of Detroit.  It had far more security now than it had before, but considering that Marie was due soon and Isabella had been shot on his front porch, it wasn't much of a shock.  The guards checked her car and waved them through and the two made their way up the drive towards the main house.

She tilted her head a little as she listened intently to her sister as she spoke of the booming of her business.  She nodded thoughtfully at this.  The sad part of it made her frown a little, but she shook her head a little.  "I'm sure more will come.  They'll need a home too..."She nodded, certain that the families that Isabella's people had come from would recover.  Surely that was the way of things.  But she returned the customary greeting, returning the kisses with a warm smile.  She could learn, she would learn.  She perked up as talk moved to Las Vegas and she nodded eagerly, her eyes brightening.  It was clear she was being entirely truthful.  One would doubt that Ellie would be able to pass off a lie in any case.  "Oh yes.  He's a perfect gentleman...  I'm really enjoying myself, I don't make near as much as some to in the family, but I'm doing alright I think.  And they're taking good care of me there."  She smiled warmly as she thought of her family back home in Las Vegas.  "You're not upset with me for not joining you in the tower are you?  You know I still love you more than most people on this earth..."  She smiled warmly to the woman.  The choice to stay in Vegas hadn't been an easy one for her.  It made sense to move to where her blood family was, but sometimes there was family that was not blood and they deserved some loyalty as well.  And it was becoming more and more clear to her that the two of their cities were joined in purpose and family ties.  She loved it to be honest and wanted to see where this one went.

Eleonora got into the other side of the car, her gaze drawn by a glitter upon her sister's left hand as she showed her.  Ellie gasped softly as her gaze leaped to Izzy's face.  "Oh my Hotrod...  He asked?  Oh and you said yes!  That is marvelous!"  The younger Luciano positively squealed in delight.  She didn't hold it against her that she hadn't been told the moment it happened...  Some other big happenings were also taking place as of late.  And yet some concern showed in her eyes.  Izzy had been being very obvious and wearing the ring out to see their father.  But that nervous piece was quickly put to rest as she said that their father had given his blessing.  "Oh good..."  She very much remembered letters talking about their father's response to past boyfriends after all...  She cringed a tad as Izzy spoke of being up front with their father.  That was something she'd have to get used to.  She had not dated much in the orphanage...  Well at all in fact, but since she had come to this life, already she had been trying her hand with love, or at least flirting...  She wasn't certain what to call the interactions she had enjoyed already.  Not in the least.  Nor how her father would respond.  "I'll certainly keep that in mind..."  She murmured lightly.

The closer they got to the main house, the quieter the younger Luciano girl got.  She seemed to withdraw visibly, sitting up a little straighter in her seat.  She didn't even wave to the guards as she might have at other times.  She began to quiver just a little as she stared on ahead, her eyebrows furrowing a tad.  "What if he doesn't like me Izzy...  What if he doesn't want me here?  What if he never wanted a second daughter?  What if he sends me away..."  He hadn't so far, and he could have if he wanted to she was sure.  But still those irrational fears started to assail her young mind.  She obviously didn't know how to act, as was clear when she curtsied to the man in their first interaction no matter how brief.  She didn't even speak with him on the night that Isabella rose to power...  Now would be the first personal meeting she could say she had with the man.  What if it went poorly?  Oh she would just die.

"Look, a few things... No I wasn't hurt you didn't come to the Tower.  Maybe, if I'm being honest, it's best.  Can you imagine us ever spending time together and feeling like one of us was ... subordinate to the other?  I've always seen you as my friend, my partner and my equal... even when we were much younger.  I certainly can't imagine a life where I was giving you orders or worse... if I ever had to come down hard on you."

She takes her sister's hand.  "I wish I could see you everyday but in the real world - real sisters don't get that either.  They move on, get married, maybe raise a family and see each other on holidays... we'll do that part.  Surely Old Uncle Joe won't keep you away from me on all the major holidays?"  She laughed.

"As for Dad... just be yourself.   He knows you didn't grow up in the Mafia.  He doesn't expect you to play the part of someone who did.  He just wants to finally look at you and know who you really are.  You can't possibly let him down because he doesn't know who you are or who you'll yet be.  He is, however, happy that you're in the family business.  If you'd been an outsider he never could have bonded with you in the same way I'm sure.  So... just be you and know he loves you already just as he loved our mother."

The two are taken into the house and put into a study and asked to wait while Salvatore comes down to meet them.

Sal had been busy in his study dealing with political issues of Detroit. The Mayor wanted to pass laws that well... would dampen Sal's business interests. Sal sat at his desk as the mayor rattled on and on about how this would be good and would help and yadda yadda yadda... Sal was tired of listening to the man speak. 

Sal stood up and walked around the desk Grabbing the man by the collar and pointing his .45 at the man's head. 

"I put you into that office and I have no issues with taking you out of it. YOU WILL NOT pass this shit. If you do I will walk into your office and put a bullet in your ass right there and walk out like it never fucking happened... Have I made myself clear?" he said to the man with a deadly serious tone. 

The man cowered and agreed before Sal had him escorted out of his house. He should not have threatened the guy but he had grown to big for his britches and needed to be put back in his place. 

Tiny walked into the office and to let him know the girls where here. Sal nodded to him and Tiny went off to fetch the girls. Sal turned and put his suit jacket back on and took a drink from his glass to help compose himself after dealing with the mayor. 

She smiled warmly to her sister and listened intently to her words of wisdom and encouragement.  She searched her eyes for any signal that she was not being truthful.  Ellie's heart longed to be where her sister was, but it seemed she had made the right choice even in Izzy's eyes.  There was no deception there.  She doubted there ever would be, there hadn't been before.  She couldn't imagine her Izzy ever having to come down hard on her either.  "I doubt if you could come down hard on me.  Surely I'd run rampant, ever the errant wild one." She gave a cheeky grin, but it was clear she spoke out of playful nervousness.  She was determined to get some of this nervous energy out before they met with Father.  She knew she should have gone on a run before boarding the plane...

​​​​​​Still holding one of her sisters hands, she leaned over gently against her.  This was right...  This was just where she was supposed to be. Right at her side.  Just as it had been when she was in school.  "I don't think he'll mind too much...  And if he does?  We'll have a conversation..." She smiled sweetly to her.  

Her breath caught a little as conversation turned to Dad.  She frowned and began to worry her lower lip with one of her canines.  She listened intently to her words and nodded.  It was very good advice and yet she couldn't help but feel the familiar flutter of panic.  She knew she didn't even know the man but she wanted so badly to make him proud.  And even then she had no clue how to do that yet.  But her spirits lifted as she stated that he already loved her, just as he loved Mom. "Thank you Izzy...  I just want so bad to make him proud...  Both of you." She smiled shyly to her.  

Nodding, she got herself under control, drawing a deep breath.  She had this.  They entered the house and would wait silently, still quivering just a bit.  She about jumped out of her skin when Tiny came in to fetch then.  Looking up at Izzy, she nodded and stood, standing ramrod straight.  She could do this.  She was only going to formally meet the most powerful man in Detroit...  Her father.

Isabella was quite use to Tiny's presence and she smiled at the man who was anything but TINY.  The mountain of a man was a big marshmallow at his core, though she suspected only her father knew that.  He wasn't always fond of the work he did for the Godfather, but he was as loyal a man as any could ever hope for ... so... he did his duty.  However, Isabella always suspected Tiny liked working for her more than he'd ever admit because there was a lot less of the dirty work under her employ.  For as bad of a temper as she had... her father was FAR worse.

Hand in hand she and her sister made their way through the house to her Father's office.  Tiny knocked only once before receiving the word to enter.  He entered first and held the door for both women.  Isabella took in the look of her father, trying to determine which version of the man they'd be meeting tonight: would he be the powerful Godfather clad in unyeilding armor of equal parts rage and authority ... or would they find the more human face, that one she'd come to love in those quiet private moments they sometimes shared.

For herself, she wore an expression of business.  It was appropriate until she knew if her father was in the mood for such informal and casual interactions.  The part of her that lived and breathed the life of the Mafioso would allow nothing else for this man to whom she owed so much.

"Good evening."  She said formally, walking nearly all the way to him - stopping far enough from him so not to make him feel as if he was being rushed into far too familiar contact with a woman he was only just seeing for the first time.  Again Isabella wondered who her sister would remind him of... being that she looked so different from herself and her mother, Isabella suspected she must share a similar face to someone on her father's side of the bloodline.  Would it be someone he dearly loved... someone he respected, despised, or feared?  Who could say.  All she could do now was wait and see what the two people made of each other.

Sal stood in his office when he heard the knock at his door. After a moment the door opened as he knew it would and in walked Isabella and Elli. Sal looked over his daughters and smiled as he watched Isabella step forward. 

Sal watched as she said hello and stepped to hear and embraced her in a hug. 

"How are you doing Isabella? Everything good with you?" he says to her. 

"You must be Elli." Sal says turning to the new face in the room. 

She didn't know Tiny...  She wasn't sure if she liked Tiny...  He made her nervous and yet as he came to retrieve them, he managed a small smile in her direction.  She would fight a small smile of her own in place as she sought to relax.  He was just doing his duty and he didn't seem to mean either of the girls harm.  Come on Ellie...  You were a big bad Mafioso... Mafiosa?  What the heck was a lady mobster supposed to be called anyway?  She'd have to ask Izzy later.  She drew herself up, holding her head high as she sought to keep all sign of weakness and nervousness from her small form.  She could do this.  She could do this... Right?  Heck it was just meeting her father!  And her father loved her.  At least that's what Isabella had said.  And she trusted Isabella...  With all her heart.

As they walked down the hall, Isabella reached over, taking her sister's hand.  Ellie's eyes followed her arm up until they reached her eyes, but Isabella looked forward.  She smiled gently and squeezed her hand as they walked...  A silent thank you.  She understood her.  Then again it was likely that Isabella had walked this same proverbial road...  Only she did it alone.  Eleonora couldn't imagine doing this without her sister.  She would not have had the boldness to do this without her, even if she had initiated it and only found out that she was her sister before she had managed to find their father.  But she was glad things happened in the order they did.  

The walk was far too short and before too long, Tiny was knocking on another door.  Ellie's breath hitched as they heard the affirmation that they may enter.  And in they walked.  There...  Standing there before them was the strong presence of their father.  Eleonora felt panic flutter in her chest but she forced it down.  She was safe here.  She was with family for goodness sake.  

She watched in silence as the two moved in to greet eachother.  Isabella released her hand and Ellie allowed her hand to fall to her side.  She remained in her sister's wake, feeling as if this is the most safe place to be.  She greeted their father warmly, only to be pulled into a hug by the man.  Ellie smiled softly, feeling an irritating prickling at the corners of her eyes.  Oh heck no, she wouldn't cry now.  How embarrassing would that be?  She drew herself up, trying to keep herself under control.  She smiled as the two shared a tender moment, the Godfather checking in on his daughter to make sure she was well.  The warmth in his eyes as he looked upon her was almost too much.  Eleonora remained at her side, a little back, trying to let them have a moment.  But then as she looked back up, her eyes met with Salvatore's...  And the warmth was turned upon her.  She almost missed his words entirely, but she took a half side step to stand at Isabella's side instead of behind her.  She fought not to curtsy to him again...  That was embarrassing and a half...  Instead, she just smiled and dipped her head in greeting.  "Good evening...  Father."  The word sounded foreign and yet so wonderful on her tongue.  It wasn't something she had used...  Ever as far as she could remember.  But now she had.  

Focus Ellie...  Poise and grace and all that...  Be respectful, be respectable...  Be...  She couldn't.  Eleonora suddenly lunged at her father in a manner that could only be described as desperate.  It would be a wonder if this action didn't come with repercussions, but the young woman threw her arms around the man and hugged him tightly if she made it that far.  It was well known that the young woman had not grown up in this life or among people like these...  So one could only hope that this would save her from an untimely end.  If it was allowed, she would hug him tightly, making it quite clear that this girl was very much fueled by emotion, and she had quite the bold heart...  Or perhaps she was simply dim.  Either way her intentions and feelings about this moment were as clear as if they had been written in plain ink.  But who could blame the girl?  She had gone through her whole life thinking she had no parents...  And now that she did have a family...  It was hard for her not to act on that.  

Sal was stunned for a second when Ellie hugged him out of the blue. He should have stopped her but he couldn't help it and hugged her tightly back. It was his daughter and he was meeting her for the first time he could allow this one. 

The hug lingered for a long time both trying to make up for lost time and when the embrace ended he just looked at her. 

"Elli, I am so happy to see you and meet you," he said at a loss for words. 

Isabella smiled at her father as he looked at her over Elie's shoulder.  Well, at least he was getting to know the real girl.  No facade here.  Just true blue Eleonora.  

She let them embrace and stayed back until they parted.  "Now,"  She began, "I have to warn you.  Elie here has been known to embellish the truth before in the past so I assure you anything she tells you about our youthful antics is very likely exaggerated.  I was, in truth, a model student and daughter."  She winked at Elie and made her way to her father's liquor cabinet to pour herself a gin.

"Never one for foolish antics, criminal activity, or hijinx.  Very serious."  She chuckled.  "Can I pour a glass for either of you?"

Eleonora couldn’t begin to describe the emotions running through her mind and heart right that moment.  Joy…  Bewilderment…  Excitement…  Love?  This was her father…  The man she had only been able to dream up and imagine to this point.  But here he stood before her.  She hugged him for a number of moments, and yet the moments flew by without pity and all too soon, she stepped back from him.  His gaze upon her made her feel minorly self conscious.  What would he see?  Would she add up to what a daughter of the Detroit Godfather should be?  Certainly she was no Isabella…  Isabella was strong and sure like him…  While Eleonora…  She was soft, gentle…  She could read people and worm her way into their hearts.  Not to say the others could not, but this was where her gifts lay. 

And yet her gaze became unwavering as the moments ticked by.  Their eyes locked as they seemed to quietly memorize eachother’s features.  And his words merely emboldened her.  That radiant smile leapt to her lips, lighting up her gentle brown eyes.  “I’m so happy to see and meet you too Father…  I…  I dreamed of this day but never thought it would really happen…”

Once the tender moment had faded a little and Eleonora didn’t seem intent on all out tackling their father, she heard her sister’s voice rise and Ellie looked back with a mock taken aback look.  “Sister mine you wound me!  I would never say anything but!  A model citizen you are indeed…  Growing up you taught me all the…  Good things I know!”  She shot a sideways grin at their father before watching as Isabella moved for the gin, her eyes dancing.  She couldn’t say she had ever had gin so she shook her head a little.  “Maybe later…  But thanks!”  She looked over to their father wondering if he’d partake and relax.  Also if he’d be irritated that Izzy was raiding his liquor cabinet.  Not likely, but possible.