Her eyes slowly focused on the dimly lit room, and Joe right beside her. Feeling her hand firmly in his, her mind finally made the switch from dreaming to fully conscious. She made an effort to slow her breathing and try to remember what was going on.

The pain in her torso and the slightly stinging soreness from the stitches in her back reminded her of the train. She still didn't remember the blast, but had vague recollections of the hospital in Venice. None of that mattered at the moment. Ilaria was just happy to know that he was there beside her, and that they were both alive and seemingly safe. Better still, she was fully aware and able to process things without the haze of medication. She squeezed his hand and softly smiled. 

"I missed you."

As her eyes adjusted to the room, she could see Joe's face more clearly. There were bandages on the cuts in his face, and one that wrapped around his hand. She had a vague memory of him just after the explosion. She reached up a hand and cupped his cheek, drinking in his calming blue eyes.

"Are you alright? We are safe now?" 

Happy was all he could say he was at that moment if he could quantify it in words. And later on when they'd look back on it, he'd say it was the moment he knew without a shadow of a doubt this was the women he'd want to spend the rest of his life with. Fighting off and getting into trouble together was destined. Written in the stars. They just couldn't seem to avoid it.

To avoid each other. And the adventures that had them both on the cusp of death. This was the third time they'd hit that threshold and would walk away to tell the tale. Joe would blame her troublesome looks. She would blame his love of pasta. But they'd always have Italy. And the memories, the good and the bad, that came with their time here.

Joe leaned forward and let his forehead rest on hers as her fingers ran over the telltale signs he was still mending too. He let out a very, satisfied breath as he began to relax. He'd been so tense, so unable to let himself fully go. Just in case she turned or something happened that he'd missed.. missed the opportunity to tell her once and for all how lucky he was to have her.

But, as he let his head rest against hers, he felt it. All the fear. The anxiety. Most of which he wasn't even aware of. He felt it wash away in the sea of her boundless love. And he was happy to float there, with her, now and through whatever came next.

"Yes, my love. Now, we are safe."