"Who doesn't like being rubbed?"

He grinned, even as he fought the urge to lay Bella back on the grass. 

So what if there were dozens of bodyguards and members of the Tower around?

So what if Will showed up?

So what if Marie walked out?

Sighing, Gavin made the rare choice to be responsible.

"I think that's a good spot for you to be in right now. Focus on yourself, and let others handle their own business. You've just gotta remember that you're not responsible for every other person, even if you're involved with them. When things quiet down, you can either keep things rolling or make a change."

Gavin leaned down and looked at the turtle, actively trying to distract his attention from Bella.

"You ever have any pets, Bella?"

She shook her head.  "I always wanted one.  My mother had enough problems taking care of me though.  When I moved out, I guess I just got so caught up in life that I didn't ever get around to getting one.  Which, I suppose doesn't make a lot of sense - wanting a pet for so long and never getting one when I had the chance."

She shrugged.

She could almost imagine Gavin keeping frogs or squirrels up in the woodlands he called home.  Squirrels most likely.  What a strange thing to have as a pet if he did!  Wouldn't it be right to see him as keeping dogs?  He mentioned hunting... dogs were a hunter's pet.  And yet... something about Gavin suggested he would never respect a dog or maybe he'd feel too bad keeping it penned up all the time - preferring to see it free.  Isabella smile at the thought of a squirrel scampering around on Gavin's shoulders, swiping food from him and dashing off every time his bully of a father showed up.  It was a fun fairy tale but if patterns held, Gavin hadn't ever had pets either, or worse they had ended tragically.

"What about you?  Ever have a pet?" 

"Once. Tamed a squirrel. My father made me kill it. Well, not exactly. Whatever, long story."

He was quiet for a bit, then he waved a hand and chuckled.

"Sorry to be a downer. Just being honest. But hey, why don't you keep this turtle with you? Maybe it'll remind you to relax and keep things slow. I don't like the idea of caging something up, but turtles seem like they wouldn't care too much, right? Might be willing to trade some freedom for some lettuce or carrots or whatever? And if he's ever lookin' sad you can just set him loose."

“ wow I can’t believe I was right ...  I guess you just seem like a squirrel guy.”   Isabella Smiled but it never became a laugh as she realize she was also right about what his father did in response.

She looked down at the turtle be considered for a moment making the thing her pet she might even have called it, Gavin but maybe that was too demeaning?  

“if I give your job to a turtle, what  reason would you possibly have to stick around?”  She gave him a wink.  “ besides moose here needs to be free he told me so.   I would think a worldly man like you would speak turtle fluently!   Nope this guy’s going to sleep out here under the stars and eat whatever he can find and enjoy the wind the water with every gir title on the riverbank.  And while he does all that, he’ll be secretly waiting for me to come visit him when the world isn’t dragging me off ...  waiting for me to take off my masks, slow down, and just enjoy the fresh air for a while.”

She looked into his blue eyes and said, “ I think we should come back and check on them tonight don’t you?”

Gavin arched an eyebrow.

"If you give all my jobs to the turtle, then you've lost a few good screws- both in your head and in the bedroom."

He laughed.

"And I'm fine with freedom- you know that. And a return visit later sounds just perfect to me. Is that my hint that it's time to head back? Or are you still wanting to hang out here and wait for Will?"

She looked back towards the Tower and along the road leading in from the street, she could see a car coming in.  "No need to wait."  she said.  "That's him I bet.  I don't know the car."

She stood up and dusted herself off and sighed.  "At least I got a small respite before the next round of chaos."  She looked down to the turtle.  "See you around, Moose."  She blew the little guy a kiss and started to walk back.

"What was the squirrel's name?"  She asked as she began plodding up the grassy hill back towards the Tower.

"Squirrel."

Gavin sighed as he stood and walked with Bella.

"Not very creative. But I was only seven."

The flight to Detroit and the subsequent care ride had been long enough to allow the fire that Isabella's words had raised to die down to smoldering embers. It wasn't extinguished, but it had left room for doubts and worries to creep into its place. With nothing else to hold his attention his mind wandered to thoughts he'd rather not consider.

Why was Gavin already there when she'd called? Maybe he'd been in Detroit on other business and good fortune placed him where he was needed. Maybe she'd been with him when Elias came back. Or worst of all, maybe it was a conscious choice and she'd called him first before she'd called William.

What would happen with her fiancee alive? This was a man she'd loved so much that she wanted to follow him into the grave when she thought him dead. Isabella had seemed to be moving on lately, but could that continue with the man that would have been her husband so near?

Would he get there before their trouble with the FBN got them hurt? They were a terrible threat that all in their line of work had to face at times, and to take them on so directly rarely turned out well. He hoped he would have the chance to try and protect at least Isabella from the fallout of this course.

The last worry was put somewhat to rest as the car he'd arranged pulled up to the Tower and he saw Isabella and Gavin walking up the hill  towards the building. Nothing had happened yet. William wasted no time, popping open the door and climbing out as soon as the car had come to a stop. He noted the number of other cars and came to the realization that she either had an army or a godfather present. William wasn't sure which was the more intimidating. Unless it was Salvatore. That would be a nightmare with Gavin, Elias, and himself under one roof.

Rather than dwell on that thought, he crossed to meet Isabella and Gavin. William's worry, doubt, and determination warred over all the things he wanted to say, but in the end there was really only one thing he cared about over everything else.

"Are you ok, Angel?"

Gavin grinned at @William_Bowden.

"I'm fine, thanks pal. How are you?"

In spite of himself, he couldn't help but chuckle at Gavin. Maybe seeing that grin on Tara had softened it a bit.

"I've had better days. And if you want me to call you Angel then I think you're playing a different game than I suspected."

William turned back to Isabella and smiled softly.

Isabella hesitated, contemplating what was the right thing to do in this situation, which allowed the exchange between William and Gavin occur.  She found her brain instantly slipping back into fears of what Gavin would think if she did as her heart demanded, fears about what Marie would think, fears about what Will would think... but all at the cost of herself. 

First, seize the day and live how you will- that's your only responsibility, because tomorrow may not exist.

The instant the quips were over, she'd decided what she wanted for herself, and she did it.  She threw her arms around William and held him tight, her cheek against his, breathing words into his ear,  "Thank you."  She repeated, herself - choosing to take in the comfort of his embrace.

As they parted, he looked at her with such intensity she wondered if he'd pull her back in and lock lips with her right then and there - Gavin and the world be damned.  It was a look she assumed William rarely wore and it made her smile knowing that all which had happened hadn't ruined something she'd seen in New York and again in Atlantic City.
 

Second, even if you don't follow that piece of advice, at least do it for now,

She held his eyes with hers as if searching for something.

Because you have a lot of shit to deal with regarding this whole Garrett situation.

She raised up a hand to Will's face, letting her fingertips caress his cheek.  

Even if you've decided to organize your life and reduce the chaos...

And then she raised the other hand and stepped towards him.

which for the record sounds boring as hell...

Eyes closing, heart racing, she sucked a breath between barely parted lips.

it's dangerous to be beating yourself up over this when you should be beating up your enemies.
 

Tilting her head ever so slightly, her black hair blowing in a steady Lake Huron wind, creating a curtain around their faces, she pressed her lips against his.  A flood of memories washed over her and the Tower, Marie's bodyguards, and even Gavin were distant thoughts.  Like a gentle summer rain that evolves in a heartbeat into a violent storm, her innocent kiss was the last drop of water needed to shatter the dam that was made of Will's best intentions.

One hand took her about the waist possessively pulling her hard to his body and the other went into her hair as if he never meant to allow her to leave this lover's embrace.  It startled Isabella, but she yielded and welcomed him as she would have if Gavin and the rest of the world had not been there. 

THIS was her home. 

SHE was Don here.  

What Don ever trembled in fear of the thoughts of their subordinates?  How many male Dons did she know with harems of whores and lovers alongside their wives?  Why should she be ashamed that powerful, attractive men wanted her?  

The kiss slowed and she smiled as he finally unlocked his lips from hers, allowing her a sheepish, "Hello, Will."  As he released her, she did have the good shame to not immediately look at Gavin, nor to the Tower, but blushed instead - such was the intensity of Will's kiss. 

Isabella cleared her throat, seeming to try and shake off the intensity of what she had experienced and offered, "Should we take a walk and catch you up to speed?"

Gavin paused, staring for a moment as if he was reading something in a foreign language. Then he rubbed a hand on his jaw, as if he were pondering. 

"Not bad. 8/10 for Will. 10/10 for Bella. She carried you on that one, though, buddy. Time to pick your game up."

With a wink, the familiar grin returned to Gavin's face as he slapped Will on the shoulder in greeting. Perhaps just slightly harder than he needed to.

"How're things in Philly, Will?"

William was completely unprepared. For Isabella to throw herself into him like that was literally the last way he expected this to go. Once she did he could think of no other way. He'd held back for the sake of all around them but she hadn't. Her lips pressed against his own stole his thoughts away until nothing remained but the feel of her against him. He let his desire take control and took hold of an angel. HIS Angel.

His worried expression had long since fled and been replaced with a hungry smile as he saw the blush on her face. "A walk sounds like a good idea. I've got a lot of catching up to do."

He didn't even turn for Gavin's words as he was too lost in the depth of the pools of Isabella's eyes and the barely-restrained emotions left from their kiss. "Practice makes perfect Gavin. And Philly is strong as ever. I'm especially looking forward to my new partner on the pier."

Gavin's grin was undaunted.

"I'm sure you are. Well, I'll head back inside. Let the two of you catch up."

With a wink, he headed back toward the house. He looked back as he walked away- not at the two of them, but at the river.

Isabella slid her hand around Will's arm and allowed him to escort her upon the path that led down to and parallel to the river.  She'd walked this road with him once before and she had to admit that, while it was odd to have both Gavin and him here, it also felt right.  Both men could easily have fit in with the Tower.  

"I don't know where to start."  She said as they finally were out of earshot of anyone else.  "I'll try to tell you the condensed version, but please, if you need something explained... just ask."  She squeezed his arm, more to reassure herself than him.  Will, she told herself, would be fine or she hoped he would be.  God, let Gavin be right... 

"I guess I'll start where we left off.  I came home after Atlantic City and it felt like everything was right with the world.  I mean, I had decisions to make as we discussed, but it felt like I was making headway... you know?"

She looked out across the water, "Then Enzo Landucci came to my office.  Enzo, as it turned out, managed to end up in my crew by some strange twist of fate.  And he's no one I ever wanted to meet because he was Elias' father.  They had a slightly less strained relationship than Gavin and his father.  None the less, the man was a horrible beast who I don't regret putting a slug into.  Not one bit."

She shook her head, "But before I rid the world of a monster, he gave me a note that he swore was put under his door by an unknown source.  The note, as it turns out was put under his door by a no-account street urchin paid to find a member of the Ivory Tower.  Impossibly, it was Enzo he found first, but I'm getting ahead of myself."

"The letter was written by Elias.  I doubted it at first... I mean, who couldn't I?  I was there... I touched what I had thought was his corpse.  I wept over it twice - once in the morgue when I had to try and identify what was left of that poor man... and again in the church at the funeral."  She shuddered and squeezed Will's arm again, this time for comfort.

"The letter said that Elias was alive, that he'd escaped his captors - that I was not able to trust anyone, even in the crew and that he would be back in Detroit soon.  The truth was he was in town long before I got the letter.  As it turns out, the night that you saved me in New York... he was escaping his captor - a rogue agent of the FBN who for the last six months tortured and abused him hoping to make him flip on the family.  They left him alone for long periods of time, didn't feed him hardly anything, barely gave him enough water to live... he's easily a third of his former weight.  He can't walk on his own.  They nearly made him the corpse that they'd convinced me he was."

"But I didn't know... I mean, I had this letter and Enzo and... I didn't know what the fuck to do so I freaked out.  I had a damn meltdown.  Everything I thought I'd resolved was suddenly not resolved at all.  In fact, the future I was starting to see as possible, was now nothing but more people I'd hurt... and more hell to put Elias through, *IF* he was alive."

"You see the letter told me that he'd wait for me, every night, at the same location... and if I came, he'd meet with me in secret to explain everything.  I thought it was a trap.  Turns out, it wasn't.  Elias was there.  I fainted when I saw him.  He's..."  The emotions she tried not to think too much about crept up on her.  "hurt."  She said hoarsely.  "So badly... I don't know if he'll ever be the same."

She stopped walking and let Will hold her.  "So I... took him back to the Tower.  I got my left-hand man thinking that he, as a doctor would help... but I had no idea, NO CLUE that he already had been helping Elias.  You see... how Elias escaped was by convincing one of the FBN agents who held him, to take pity on him.  He told the man stories of me and his love of me... and as Elias came nearer to death, the young Agent eventually broke down and helped Elias escape.  Since Elias knew my left-hand man was a doctor, he had the agent drop him off at Stephen's apartment.  Stephen would later claim he wanted to tell me... knew how much I needed to know, but Elias had made him promise not to."

She shook her head, "Elias wasn't sure he'd survive and didn't want to make me relive his death so at first... and seeing the right of it, Stephen reluctantly agreed.  Which is why he threw me the party that you and I came home to from our trip to New York.  While I was trying to die... Elias had escaped.  While I had entered a party on your arm and you on mine... Stephen was doing his damnedest to make sure I didn't stop thinking about Elias because he knew full well that Elias was still alive.  He wanted me to remember my love for him... so I wouldn't fall in love with you and break both your heart and Elias'.  It was stupid of him... to hurt me that way, to keep things from me, but his heart was well meaning I think."

She began walking again.  "So, I had discovered Elias had been home for some time.  Elias had been with my left-hand man and no one told me.  I felt betrayed and an emotional wreck because if someone had told me in a timely fashion... I might have spared you and he and me a lot of pain.  Hell, I never would have met Gavin, let alone..."  

She wet her lips, "Elias, in that first meeting, wanted to know what we were now - he pushed for answers to things I shouldn't have talked about but I was a hot mess.  I told him about you as he seemed to be aware I came to the party with someone, and before it was done I gave him his grandmother's engagement ring back.  I told him I didn't know what we were anymore, that I never stopped loving him, but I couldn't apologize for moving on.  I'd done nothing wrong, or at least nothing out of malice."

"I can't tell you how ugly it was... how much pain I caused him."  She shook her head and tears welled up in her eyes.  "I prayed for him to come back, Will.  I prayed every night for it not to be real and then when I finally start to think about loving again, and I let people near my heart, the impossible happened.  Everything that was good in my life a year ago... it's fucking shattered like glass in a hurricane."  Isabella sounded fit to chew through nails.

"I could have gone back to Elias... even now I could; he'd forgive me everything, but I'm not sure that I wouldn't spend the rest of my life doubting ... and yearning for something I'd turned away from out of a sense of duty.  I have given everything to duty in life.  As a daughter, as a Don... I can't even be a mother to a child because of duty!"  There was a desperate, painful, exasperation in her tone. 

"I won't turn my back on happiness in love for duty - even duty to Elias - may God have mercy on me for it!  Elias has done nothing to deserve all the wrong heaped upon him by others and now his only love.  In all of this, he is the truest victim."  Her voice cracked.  "I thought I could make things more simple... I flew to Philadelphia last night and flipped a coin to decide who I'd tell first... you or Gavin.  Gavin was the unlucky bastard, so Tara set me up with a hotel room and she tricked her brother into coming to find me."

"I thought... if I told Gavin how I felt that he'd run.  I figured Gavin running would make everything easier... I could hate him for turning out to be the sort of jerk which I had been told by some that he was.  I was clinging to the hope that I was wrong about him.  That maybe he wasn't a good person after all."  She lowered her voice and said fondly, "Turns out I was right about one thing, and wouldn't it be my damn luck that it was something that made things a fuck ton harder... instead of easier?"  

"When I realized he was far nobler than I'd given him credit for, I gave up on the idea that he'd leave me so easy, and we started talking about what to do next.  That ventured into a conversation where I told him a story about Elias and I... our past... and an Agent of the FBN who broke laws to make me flip on my family.  Luckily my father and Marie bailed my ass out of that fire.  My father thought he was dealt with, that it was over, but as I recounted the tale to Gavin - I realized who had done all of this and why."

"This bastard, Agent Garrett, he thinks he can become head of the FBN and maybe president one day if he takes down the Luciano Crime Empire.  And he'd overrun hell itself to achieve his goals.  I knew that the moment I met him - I tried to warn my father, but he thought fucking with the Feds was too risky."

She scoffed.  "If he'd put that fuck in a shallow grave a year ago... none of this would have happened.  So I rushed back here, Gavin in tow, to warn my father that the people we had on Garrett had clearly flipped and who knew how many moles were inside our operation.  Garrett was still building his case against us.  Elias' warning, was spot on.  On the plane, I realized it was Saturday morning... that you were waiting with no idea that everything was on fire and I didn't know how the fuck I was going to make any of this right."

"I suppose you're wondering what I was going to tell you... if you'd won the toss?"  She met his eyes and she said softly, "When I first made the plan I thought Gavin would run from the possibility of commitment with me... and that you would ... be you.  Strong, noble... good hearted, you.  I figured you'd see how this mess had hurt people who didn't deserve it and you would likely send me back to Elias.  I suspected that if you knew I had any doubts about who was right for me that it wasn't something you'd insert yourself into because you'd seen the pain Elias' death caused me."

She sighed.  "When I saw your eyes back there... how you looked at me, and I knew I was as wrong about your reaction as I had been about Gavin's.  That while all this is a horrible tangled mess of people's raw hearts and the lives of countless people connected to my family's operations... that maybe it's worth finding our way through.  I've told Elias and Gavin, and now I'll tell you - not to hurt you, but to keep the only thing I have left in all this wretched affair... my honesty; I don't know where I'll land on all of this business of relationships.  Maybe it will be one of you... or none of you... hell, I won't blame you one bit if you run the other way from the insanity that seems to follow me like a lost lamb."

She looked down at the ground, "But if you think that we are worth enduring all this for, Will; then I can promise you a fair shake.  I've already promised Gavin some time alone when this is settled, Elias is bound to get it by virtue of being in my crew I suppose, but I'm willing to do the same for you."

She looked up to his eyes and said, "We can go away together when this is done.  Anywhere in the world - name a place and I'm there.  Away from the problems, away from the other men in my life, and our operations... spend some proper time getting to know each other, just you and me.  For now though... I won't deny that I care about the other two and that I'm deeply concerned about hurting them... as much as I am you.  And I won't pretend my feelings for you don't exist either... as you saw.  Gavin, and in time Elias, will have to accept that ... or make different choices for their own happiness.  And by that... I mean they will have to walk away - because I won't pretend I don't care for you to make things easier on them.  God knows it's sure as fuck not easy on me."

"So, if you want to be here with me now if you want to help me do what needs doing ...  I need you to accept the situation as it is and not as we'd like it to be.  I won't lie about my heart to appease anyone and honestly, I would hope you'd hate me if I did.  No man wants lies.  If and when this settles in your favor, I want you to always know I was true.  It's the only thing that I, a stupid, star-crossed, mobster-like me can offer to a man as good as you.  You're in a class of your own Will.  In many ways the other two can't hope to stand in your shadow... probably in most of them to be honest, but the heart doesn't choose its course based on such logic.  And believe me, there is a world of women that wish it did."

She looked... ashamed.  "You deserve better than this treatment.  Fuck, I can think of a laundry list of women who would give you less grief and pain than me - at least one stellar chose in your own city; women who would worship the ground you walked upon the way I would have if I could have met you before all of this.  You're everything... without exception, that I have ever told myself I wanted in a man, Will.  WE... are fucking amazing together and I don't just mean in the crazy moments, I mean in the quiet ones too."  She kissed his cheek.

"You saved me once before, William Bowden.  And here you are trying to be the hero again.  For those things, you will always have my love and respect... regardless of your choice now.  I truly do not deserve you, but I sure as hell would be flattered if you wanted to stick around and see how things turn out anyway."

Isabella realized she'd said a geat deal and so she took Will to a bench to sit down, waiting for him to process it all or to ask his questions.

So much had happened that he didn't know that it was hard to take in. For a few moments William just sat on the bench next to Isabella and tried to wrap his head around all that she said and all that it meant for them. He'd worried during their phone call that Elias would mean an end to them but her reaction to his arrival had thrown that out the window. Hearing her say that she'd returned his ring was reinforcement enough for him to know beyond any doubt.

His doubts lingered about Gavin, but she'd said enough on multiple occasions to know that he'd helped her more than William would have ever thought possible. A lingering resentment remained out of jealousy and Will suspected that would not change in the near future, but the truth is that he could not reconcile the differences he had seen in his Angel with what he'd known about Gavin. There had to simply be more to the man. That made things much harder.

His hand slid over and enveloped hers in a tender grip as he realized that for all that had changed, they were really in no different place than when they'd talked in his car in Philadelphia. They both had feelings for one another, but they still had only known each other a short time and she deserved to have the chance to make the right decision for herself whatever it may be. She hadn't walked away from him when all this had come down upon her but instead had welcomed him with open arms. Her pain had changed in the days between, but she still suffered the greatest of it by her own hand: Her guilt.

William lifted her hand to his lips and softly brushed his lips across it in a kiss before wrapping his arm around her and holding her close to him. "I'm not walking away, Angel. I'll be here as long as you want me to. There's more to this than I can even begin to process at the moment, but I know that you're suffering for it. I also know that you're blaming yourself far more than you deserve. You didn't ask for all this to happen any more than me, or Gavin, or Elias did." The name of her ex-fiancee felt like a lead weight in his mouth, but how could he truly blame anyone who'd found something in this woman to love? "If anything, you've hurt more trying to spare all of us by taking the pain for yourself. Don't let the bastards who did this to all of us get a hold on you by worrying about who's a bigger victim. Right now, let's focus on making sure that the people responsible for causing this are given exactly what they deserve. Once that's done, we'll figure things out between us."

Williiam rested his head against Isabella's and whispered to her close enough for his breath to brush across her skin. "Just remember that you deserve happiness as much as any of us does and you deserve to have a chance to make your decision when the time is right, not when anyone else demands it. I hope that when that time comes I'll be lucky enough to be the one standing by you. If not, I'll know that you're truly happy where you are and I'm not going to regret a single moment I spent with you. Like you said, the heart picks what it wants how it wants. Right now, mine picks you and until you're sure what you want I'm not giving up."

Will drew back a bit and looked down at their hands linked together. He seemed to be struggling for a moment before speaking again. "But I want to be honest with you too Angel. I worry that you're putting me on a pedestal that I don't deserve. I'm not some kind of hero. You may not see all the things I do but my hands are just as stained as anyone in this thing of ours. As much as I'm willing to face whatever comes, I'm not going to pretend that this is all easy either. You know how I acted towards Gavin, and he's family to me. I've got a temper and sooner or later you're going to see it cause trouble. I worry what that's going to leave left of the way you see me now."

He raised his eyes to look into Isabella's again and the fire rose up in them to match the way he'd looked at her in his arms in front of Gavin. "Until that day comes I'll fight to do right by everyone in this mixed up mess as best I can. Fighting is what I'm good at, and what we've got together is worth facing as many fights as it takes. Even if it means losing them like I've been doing lately. If that's enough for you to want me to stay then it's more than enough for me. As far as what comes after this fight the only place I want to be is with you, problems, operations, and all. The others can drag you all over the world, I'd rather you be where you really want to be."

"Where I want to be... isn't possible right now, but I hope you'll give me a rain check on whatever surprises you had in store for me?"  She arched an eyebrow.  

"And you're right, of course, we need to get focused on making the people responsible pay..."  a bitter look crossed her face, as if she'd had an unpleasant thought or memory.  "Wallowing in our own self-pity isn't going to get shit done when we have one hell of a fight ahead of us.  A Federal Agent is nothing to make light of... and we're surrounded by people whose loyalties are in question."

She looked around as if she expected one of them to be looming, twirling a mustache.  "It's the Angel, the Wolf, and the Moose," Or was that Dragon, Bear, and Wolf?  She'd lost track and had it really mattered? "against God alone knows how many Federal Agents with the US Government's money behind them and potential enemies all around us even here." 

She smirked.  "Hardly seems fair to them."  She stood up.  "We'll get you set up with a room.  My crew thinks you and Gavin are in town for the obvious reason... competing for my affections and my father's approval.  It helps protect Elias if people see me publically covorting with the both of you.  After all... who would believe my fiancee is alive so long as I'm being dandled on Gavin's knee in one location, and being passionately kissed by you in others?"

She began walking as William fell in step with her.  "Should be an easy ruse for you both to keep up... staying in guest rooms, taking every stray opportunity to woo me you happen to find and when no one is looking... all three of us are going to be working to find Agent Garret's allies and bring down his power base here in Detroit before we drag him back here for Elias to kill."  Her tone grew a touch darker as she said, "With any luck perhaps this mean streak of his will disappear after he avenges himself."