The last week or so had been an insane whirlwind for the young Luciano.  It had gone so fast that she had hardly given herself time and space to think.  She had become ever thankful for her sister as an outlet in their letters that they had begun passing back and forth, lest she become so lost and wrapped up in her own thoughts that she drive herself mad.  The highs and lows that had come upon the young woman and their world at large were intense.  On the one hand a feat beyond anything that the young woman thought possible had been achieved by her of all people.  A sport that was taking their country by storm had drawn her attention.  She had, against some pretty tough odds, managed to win a competition of massive proportions.  This fact still made her head spin.  

This competition had also done a number of other things...  It had deepened her already strong love for those in Philadelphia, introduced her to some pretty incredible people, and brought into her life a new love...  Not one...  But two.  Was her heart really so flippant that she could say that?  Tonight Ellie allowed herself to be alone in her thoughts.  She was still clad in a long simple dress of black...  It was a color that was altogether uncommon for the usually bright and sunshiney girl.  She seemed to delight in dressing in colors of which the brighter they were the better they were in her eyes.  But tonight her attire spoke of something more sobering than she typically cared to focus on.  Some bright lights of this world had been extinguished.  Like everyone, she had heard the announcement and understood the reasoning behind it.  But even with this understanding, her heart still ached like the rest of them.  Because among those lost to them was the rising star and the current man of her heart.  

Walking quietly beside a small lake, Ellie finally allowed a moment to pass where her mind could process everything that had happened.  Joys...  Terrors...  Deep sadness...  How could so many emotions cohabitate in one small mind?  How could they not war together and annihilate everything in their path leaving but a scarred wasteland of her heart and mind?  She chuckled softly at this thought, this image of the different emotions battling it out for her heart.  One thing held firmly though, keeping them all in their corners...  And that was a hope.  She knew that those involved did what they did for the good of this thing of theirs.  It was painful yes, but they had deemed it necessary.  Taking hold of a small flat rock, she launched it across the pond with a soft smile as it skipped twice, three times, a fourth and sank.  Tears stung her eyes as she allowed herself to feel the loss that clouded the joy and triumph.  But it would not overwhelm her.  She loved those on both sides of this altercation...  None as fiercely as her father, Salvatore_Luciano.  She didn't envy him his position or the decisions he had to make and live by.  

She still hadn't gotten the chance to speak to the man after her victory...  Heck they hadn't spoken much since they had found out their relation...  This worried the young Luciano and she longed to get the chance to spend more time with him.  Maybe she should move to his city after all like she'd been encouraged...  But still something held her back.  She loved Los Angeles...  She loved her boys here...  She loved their sister city, her Uncle Joe...  How could she throw all that out to go to join her father?  Could she?  Should she...  She sighed as she took up another rock and looked it over for a moment as she rubbed it between her thumb and forefinger before launching it hard.  Everything they did in this life...  Every choice had it's repercussions and made it's ripples.  One could only wonder how big and how lasting they would be.  Would they keep going like the waves of an ocean?  Or die out quickly like the soft ripples in this lake...  

Things that make you think...  She chuckled softly again and allowed her thoughts to continue like this oblivious of the approach of another for the time being...  But hey, she didn't expect hostility so she remained relaxed and quiet as she allowed herself this time to reflect and remember.

Stopping his car at the edge of the property and knowing that just beyond the tree line was a secluded lake that she always talked about, Casinova stepped from the car.  He had spoken with her earlier in the day, but grew concerned as she seemed so somber after the events of the morning.  Crossing the ditch and following a path that lead through a break in the barbed wire fence, he followed a route to not only a new place, but a budding friendship.  How such a complex sporting event had lead to such a simple relationship was how the world worked at times.

Walking up the path, he started to second guess himself and wondered why he had even bothered coming this far on such a whim.  Would she be there?  Would she be alone?  And if she was there on the faintest of chances, would the interruption of her seclusion be a negative or a positive.  Stopping part way up the trail, he looked out and felt at a cross roads.  Back, was a path that was comfortable and known.  Forward, the lake was the unknown and to some extend, a little frightening, as his heart began to race.

Taking a deep breath, he continued down the path and as he crested a hill, he saw her.  In stark contrast to the rustic setting, a woman wearing a black dress was skipping a rock across the water of a small lake and as it skipped four times, even at this distance, he could see a smile of satisfaction crossing her face.  As he approached, he realized that his thoughts were not of the terrible events that had occurred earlier in the day, but simply of her.  Internally, he knew that it was his own selfishness that had taken over and shook his head in frustration as he continued down the path. 

Less than 100 ft away, he saw her sit down on a patch of grass.  His heavy footsteps seemed the crush the silence of the secluded location, yet she made no attempt to turn and see who walked up behind her.  She was at peace and was he going to be considered a source of support or a disruption was still yet to be determined.  Walking up to the same patch of grass, he took a seat next to her and stared off into the distance, mimicking her to an extend, and thought what is she thinking?  Lord, I hope I haven't ruined something special for her by my presence.

Without looking at her, he simply said "Hey Ellie.  Had a feeling you would be here.  Hope you don't mind, but something told me that this was the right place for me also."