Race Street Pier was in ashes and the dead were buried.  Most everyone had taken days to mourn, avoiding typical work like the plague, but the Byrne family didn't have that luxury.  Crews needed restructuring, businesses needed to be salvaged, contacts needed to know that this setback didn't mean you could fuck over Race Street Properties and not face the consequences.  In all the time Bella had known him, her husband had never been busier and that might have been frustrating save for the fact that Tara had tapped her to be the new Right Hand Man.  Being a Right Hand was a big job... even bigger when you had to meet Tara's exacting standards and worse because of her mood.

Bella had never seen Tara so laser focused, cold, and demanding.  She couldn't blame the woman.  She remembered this road all-too-well.  She and William were what she and Elias had been in all but name, in love and looking towards a bright future together ... losing him was like losing a piece of herself and now Tara was in the same spot Bella found herself after Elias' death... only worse.  Tara wasn't just leading a crew, that was hard enough to do as Bella well knew, but Tara was trying to lead a city.  Tara was trying to rise up and fill the only shoes bigger than her own in this thing of theirs:  her beloved father-figure Jack Mezzo.

Bella kept her head down and her nose to the grindstone hoping to keep Tara strong in a way that the Tower didn't know how to do for her when she had been in a similar state.  It wasn't just the big things, but the little ones... Bella made sure meals arrived on time for Tara to eat because she remembered well that she forgot to eat sometimes in her grief and focus on work, Bella made sure her bodyguards had baths drawn for her when she arrived at her home at night and even began the task of seeking a new apartment for Tara who had been such a workhorse she rarely went home anyway.  It would have to be a practical place in South Philly where the woman could work and rest... no easy thing to find and so Bella began to speak with contractors about having something remodeled to fit Tara's needs.

The days were long, the week seemed to go on endlessly, and Aurora spent more time in the company of staff than Bella had ever allowed before.  It was only after Aurora awoke screaming on night five, convinced that Gavin had been shot and killed while out 'working' that she realized something was bound to give.  Bella had to restructure, rethink, try to find a way to keep the world from falling apart in her office, her home and in her own grieving heart she'd barely given a moment to. 

As she lay there running fingers through the sleeping girl's hair comforting her, assuring her that Gavin would be home before dawn and that she'd only had a nightmare, that she found a deeper respect for every right-hand man she'd ever known.  And on top of that, for every mobster who tried to balance work with a family.  It was also when she finally found herself understanding her mother's actions in her own youth.  Pulling Aurora tight to her she kissed the girl's head and began to consider something she'd long promised herself she'd never do.  

Bella woke to Aurora crawling over her to get to Gavin's side sometime around three AM.  Bella rolled over and watched the girl between them snuggle tightly against Gavin's scarred chest.  Their eyes met and while they said nothing, Gavin seemed to understand.  He put his arms around Aurora and the two fell asleep that way.  Bella, however, lay awake wondering if Gavin could support the idea... or if he'd think less of Bella for considering something that had so badly affected her at the same age.

Six am came too quickly.

Bella got up and began making breakfast, sending out her people to get newspapers and bring copies to her and Tara's homes.  By seven half a dozen street urchins had been in and out of Bella's apartment dropping off information about who was up and around at this early hour - giving hints to what was happening in South Philly so that she had something to report to Tara the moment she set foot in her office.  Notes from the city council meetings and harbormaster about the over-night arrivals found their way to Bella as well.  Something she'd set up only a day before.  As she poured coffee she reviewed them looking for oddities.

Aurora scampered back to her room to get dressed, Bella calling after her to brush her teeth, as she gave instructions to Linval for Aurora's day.  When Gavin appeared at nearly eight, he looked flustered, as if he'd overslept.  These days, four hours was his norm... five was too many.  Tara's expectations weren't just high for Bella, they were far worse for Gavin which had him in a state too.  She suspected Gavin was drinking more than normal but had no way to prove it as their moments together were fleeting.  He snatched some toast and paused to kiss her even as he pulled on his shoulder holster.  Bella took hold of his shirt to hold him there a moment longer than he intended.  She got a chuckle against her lips for her trouble.

"Thursday I've got a job for you."  She said.  "It can't wait.  So, keep your evening clear."

He nodded and poured a cup of coffee.  Then he popped some aspirin.  It was then Bella noticed how rough his hands were looking, clearly, he'd been enforcing his sister's control of South Philly quite literally.  She'd seen neater looking hamburger packages.  She sighed and touched his hand around the cup giving him a sympathetic look.  "Keep the cuts clean..."  She said protectively before adding the part Tara needed her to say, "...you don't need an infection slowing you down."

"What's Thursday?"  He asked around a mouth full of toast.

Bella stood up.  "Incentive."  

Gavin arched an eyebrow. 

Bella kissed his cheek.  

"I figure if you and I don't put our time together on Tara's calendar as if it were actual work, we're not getting any.  Besides, I know you too well to think that you can keep this up for very long without proper incentive so... it's not a lie.  This is vital to our operation. Thursday we're having dinner together, going out for a few hands of poker, and then we're retiring to a private suite for a couples massage and a very happy ending that involves me enthusiastically thanking you for all you do.  All of that followed by room service in the morning before we go back to work.  And don't you dare think of insisting you have something more important."

"I wouldn't dare."  He said with a smirk and a pat on her ass to make sure she knew he was looking forward to it.

Aurora came running out of her room and Gavin gave her a kiss, "I'll be home for dinner tonight, Squirt.  Have a good day at school."

"Be safe."  Aurora said squeezing him.

Bella winced.  She'd hoped the nightmare was a one-time thing.  How much of a problem were her fears?  Bella watched Gavin leave and continued to pour over her notes for Tara as Aurora was prepped for school and eventually left too.  By nine AM she was walking into Tara's office, dressed and ready for the day. 

She had dark circles under her eyes and had tried to hide them with make-up but there really was only so much she could do.  They were all burning the candle at both ends now... and there was just no denying that the days were too long and the nights too short.  She'd never worked this hard for Jack or Salvatore, but neither man had needed her help as much as Tara did, whether she wanted to admit it or not and she wasn't going to let her sister down.  She was going to be every bit of the woman Tara had been for Jack, even if it killed her to do so.

"Shall we begin your morning debriefing?"  Bella asked as she hung up her coat and then began to pour over the details of South Philly's day and week ahead.  Where shipments of goods were, who was doing what with whom, when money and goods could be expected and who was handling those issues, what the city council resolved on at last night's meetings, changes to police patrols in South Philly, and a laundry list of other essentials that she thought Tara might want to know.  It was the highlights she mentioned, but she carried with her a stack of papers containing the in-depth details just in case Tara had any questions or concerns.

Tara was moving within ten seconds of waking up.

Those ten seconds were the best and worst part of her day.

She slowly faded back into consciousness, and for that very brief time... she forgot. She awoke as Jack Mezzo's right hand, thinking she needed to check in with Will. With Arturo. With Charlie.

Ten seconds later, reality came crashing back- and she started moving, which continued until she collapsed into sleep again.

As Bella spoke, Tara raised a polite finger and finished reading the report. When she was done, she spoke.

"Yes, Bella. That would be excellent."

She paused.

"How's Aurora?"

It was a good sign that Tara remembered to ask about something other than work.  Bella was taking her wins where she could find them these days.  

Baby steps.

The irony of that thought being used in regard to Tara, not Gavin, made Bella suppress a smile.  

"She's muddling through."  Bella sat down.  "She had a pretty bad nightmare last night, it's to be expected I think.  She's always known about Salvatore and Marie, but without memories of them it was just stories.  Will, Jack, Charlie... she knew them and the reality of the life we live is in her face.  Our decision to be so honest with her may have made all this worse than it would have been ... or maybe not.  I don't know.  Hell, I don't know about a lot of things right now."

Bella put down her things, letting her thoughts dift to something more personal for a moment.  

"I'm thinking about talking to Gavin about boarding schools.  I don't want to send her away like my mother did to me, but I gotta admit, I'm having nightmares too.  Losing you or Gavin would be hard as hell, but having Aurora so near to us after all this..."  She sighs.

"I'm just wondering if it wouldn't be wiser to have her as far from us and all of this as possible."  Bella didn't add the part about feeling like absentee parents now that they had so many other things to focus on.  Tara didn't need that guilt on top of everything else, especially since she and Gavin would have it no other way.

"I think I'd like to see Aurora later. Just briefly. Maybe for dinner or something. She's the future, now."

She furrowed her brow as she listened about Aurora's nightmare, but relaxed as she heard Aurora's plan.

"Still, I think a boarding school is a fantastic idea. For safety, of course."

"When my mother sent me away I hated it.  I was lonely, miserable, and eventually acted out.  Aurora's already got so many anger issues and been in so many damn fights thanks to ..."  She paused, at first thinking maybe she shouldn't say shit about William... but that had been how people treated her after Elias had died.  It had been Gavin alone who realized how much she needed to talk about him.  How much she needed to not just cry but treasure the happy times too.  Maybe Tara needed one person who wasn't afraid to talk about Will too?

"Will."  she said.  "God, he left his mark on her.  Aurora won't rest until she's a damn prize fighter like Elie and Will."  She shook her head smiling.  

"I'm just worried if I send her away from home that it will not only be hard on her but all of us too.  She's ... special.  Gavin is better because of her and I am too.  But the selfishness of that thought makes me cringe too.  I don't know... like too much lately I just don't know.  Sometimes I feel like being a mobster is easier than thinking about all the other crap in life at the moment."

She shook her head.

"I'm happy to bring Aurora by after school for an early dinner.  By the way, I have Gavin booked Thursday night until early Friday.  If you need him on anything, we'll work it out so he can handle it before or after that."  She looked around the room.  "Speaking of food, have you eaten yet?"

Tara's face was stone, and her smile seemed like it had been chiseled into her with supreme effort.

"We'll train her to fight. But you're right; sending her away is the right choice. And you and Gavin should of course have some time together. Both of you have been working hard lately; I expect things will get more more manageable soon for the two of you."

She paused.

"And I had some wine, bread, and cheese for breakfast left over from last night. Shall we go over the rest of what you wanted to discuss?"

Bella nodded.  Tara wasn't ready.  Not yet.  Maybe never but definitely not today.  Bella would give her time and space.  What she needed right now was routine and a sense of familiarity.  There was a security in habits and order, for Tara more than most.  Bella could see that and so pulled out some preliminary renderings from the contractor.

"Let's start with this... these are the plans to renovate a new office for you and Race Street Properties.  As you can see I've already taken liberties to have them work on including a private residence there as well that should give you the best of both works - work and relaxation. Of course, all of this is pending your approval but the building is already in my possession so really it's just a matter of making the necessary changes and you do need a more permanent office than this."

Two hours went on in this way.  Bella pulling out one item and then another, taking time to touch on the highlights of the projects and Tara taking a red pen to most of it.  Always a little tweak here and there to make sure her mark was on it even when the work she'd done was adequate.  Tara wasn't the sort to lavish praise and so when kind words came, Bella took them to heart sincerely.

"And this... Adams turned me onto this idea."  Bella pulled out the photos of the South Philly Community Center.  "Remember this place from Christmas?  Yea well, these photos are what it looks like when they put all the stuff back into the room we used."

Bella smiled softly, "It's a gym.  Locals use it but the equipment is a shambles and the building is only a little better.  I'm thinking of taking it on as a project as soon as we get a little cash on the side.  I want to renovate it as our gift to the community.  I think your previous thoughts about binding us to the locals is spot on and this could really help us make some headway in that department.  With your approval of course..."

"And... I'm using the South Philly Employment Agency as my office.  Been giving associates work out of the place.  We got a lot of work that needs doing and I figured there was no sense in running Gavin completely ragged when many hands make for light work, right?  So... if you need me, your guys can find me there most days."

"New office sounds good, thank you. I'll look through the plans and make my own modifications."

As they continued to run through business, Tara's mind grappled with dozens of new issues; it was good to stay occupied.

"The gym is a great idea. Community center should build up some good will. We can afford moderate expenses right now, and after all the violence that happened we need to win the people over again- make them more likely to talk us than the cops."

She narrowed her eyes slightly.

"About Adams... find a prostitute. Someone great in the sack, but good girl who just needs money, who got stuck, who dreams about a simple life. Husband. Kids. Some a couple of our thugs and gangsters to "harass" her near Kacey. The rest will take care of itself. If it doesn't work, keep throwing beautiful women at him every 2-3 weeks with variations on the same theme: girl in trouble, wants a good life. One of them will hit."

"And your office sounds fine. We have a lot of new people whose quality we need to ascertain; let me know if anyone really impresses you."

Bella was stunned at the ruthlessness with which Tara addressed the situation of Adams.  Her orders went unstated, but they were definitely understood - she didn't want Adams working with or for Bella and by extension, herself.  Clearly, Tara knew how he felt about her still and some part of her wanted to push Tara towards him.  If anyone needed a rebound guy, it was Tara.  The man knew damn well what she lost, he had been there to see Race Street go up in flames... though he had no idea about William.  And even if she did tell Kacey, she doubted he'd know how to handle that mess correctly.  Tara might shoot the poor idiot in the state of mind she was currently operating in.

Bella drew a breath and said simply, "If that's what you want ... I'll get it done."

Did Tara think she was being kind to try and find Kacey something he wasn't looking for?  Probably.  But she was too hurt to care that it might be wrong of her.  Bella knew better than to defy a Godfather on something as personal as this.  While Tara wasn't Salvatore, she wasn't going to test her Sister-In-Law's resolve today.  She'd do as the woman asked and be there to help her pick up whatever mess it all came to.  And, if it ended in a happily ever after for Kacey, she'd send the guy flowers on his wedding day.  The man deserved a win.  Bella hated to admit it, but she'd been wrong about Kacey.  There really was such a thing as a good cop left in this corrupt world and he was the real deal.

Bella stood up.  "I'll be by later with Aurora.  I'll use the time you two are together to chat Gavin up about Boarding Schools over dinner.  We'll see how he handles the idea and go from there.  Until then, I'm headed to my office...  unless you have anything else for me to handle?"

Tara looked into Bella's eyes.

"He deserves to be happy, Bella. That won't happen with me. Yes, this is what I want. He'll find a woman who needs him, who needs him to take care of her. He's a protector, and he'll build a life with the woman who needs one."

She paused.

"I... would like to see Aurora. I suddenly dread talking to her, but I suppose I should force myself to do it?"

Her eyes questioned Isabella.

Bella softened and walked over to her.  She put her work down and wrapped her arms around her Sister.  

"Don't you know the very best thing about being the Godfather yet?"  She chuckled sadly into the other woman's hair.  "You don't have to do anything that you don't want to do.  Not anymore.  You make the rules.  The rest of us figure a way to make the world work within those rules."

She pulled back and looked into Tara's eyes.

"We all love you."  she said as gently as she could.  "And no one knows better than Aurora what you've lost.  Kids... they got a way about them."

Bella fussed with Tara's outfit.  Straightening, smoothing and removing lint all as an excuse to keep contact with the woman a moment longer than she might otherwise have allowed.  Tara might not want it in the logical part of her brain, but Bella knew the Godfather wasn't inhuman... she was a woman.  And she was suffering.

"They can make pain easier.  Make complex things simple.  They find words we can't and they seldom judge us as harshly as we judge ourselves.  Just be honest with her.  It will do her good and who knows... maybe it will do you some good too?  After all, she's not expecting dinner with the Godfather... just Aunt Tara and Aunt Tara has been through hell and back this last week.  Close the curtains and enjoy some time with a person who you can be real with.  There's too few of those these days."

Bella stepped back. 

"There now.  Perfect.  You look like a million bucks.  I'll have some goomba pick you up some new pumps too.  Size 7?"

Tara stiffened as Isabella hugged her, but eventually seemed to somewhat relax.

"Thank you, Isabella. I suppose dinner will be right, then. And yes, 7 would work fine."

***

A few hours later, Tara arrived at Gavin and Isabella's. The Godfather was moving between hotels and, while there were many restaurants that would have been suitable, the privacy and comfort of home would be nice- even if it wasn't her home, strictly, it was about as close as she'd even gotten. 

She left her bodyguards outside watching the elevator as she walked into the residence, calling out for one of the other three Byrnes in the world. 

Aurora came running out of her bedroom yelling, "AUNT TARA!!!!"

Neil, taking off a princess crown, came out behind her.  He smiled, but - of course - said nothing.

Aurora hugged Tara.  "Neil was playing tea party with me.  Mom and Dad went out on a business dinner.  That's what I'm supposed to say but I think they are probably just having cuddle time in the car."

Neil rolled his eyes and on his pad of paper wrote the words:  "I'll wait outside the door.  Bella left dinner in the oven on warm.  Linval is patrolling.  Kassandra is on duty with Bella and Gavin."

After getting Tara's blessing, Neil went out of the apartment to take up his post.  Aurora, however, was already setting the table.  "We'll use the fancy plates.  Can we use the wine glasses?  We can drink apple juice and pretend it's fancy wine!  Or you can have wine... mom has some stuff on the rack.  I can't use the screw thing, but you can!"

Tara's smile was small but authentic as she knelt down and hugged her niece. She decided to let "cuddle time in the car" go by without a comment, as she read Neil's note and nodded

"Fancy plates and wine glasses sounds good to me. Apple juice for both of us would probably be best."

She smirked as she slid into the seat, even as her mind was distracted by other thoughts.

"What'd your mother make for dinner? And how's school?"

"Meatloaf and smooshed taters.  They're good with butter there's that brown gravy stuff if you want.  I don't like the mushrooms."  She wrinkled her nose.  As the little girl carefully carried plates over to the table, her puppy ran around hoping for a scrap to fall accidentally.  Sadly, it was denied as Aurora's balance was incredible.

"School is good.  Dad took good care of Gus and he's not been a turd lately and he even has Kassandra talking to Tony."  She blushed at the mention of a previously unmentioned boy.  "And I ain't got into a single fight since dad told me to lay low a while.  I think the principal is proud of me.  AND..."  

She dashed off and ran back with a paper gripped tight in her hand to show Tara.  The top had an "A" in red ink with a small message, 'Incredible. Sounds like fun.' written across the top.

The paper was an essay about Aurora's Christmas which documented her family's involvement in giving Christmas to the community and the dinner party at her apartment.  Many of the names mentioned, sadly, were no longer with them but Aurora's two paragraphs about them could not have created a more heartfelt image of a loving family if it had been written by a poet.  The child's simple words were used beautifully and spoke mountains of the amount of reading that Gavin and Bella (and their bodyguards) had been doing with the child since infancy.

"My teacher said I was incredible!  Mom says we can put it in frame, if I want.  I'm gonna be a writer when I grow up.  I figure I can write stories in the daytime in an office and do other stuff at night, don'tcha think?"

Tara smiled as she accepted the food, unsurprised at Aurora's balance. Despite their lack of blood, she'd seemingly absorbed Gavin's physical skills through their training together. 

"And another writer in the family? I'll have to keep an eye out, or you'll be stealing my paper away in no time, eh?"

Right. She had to get another issue out soon as well. One more thing to do. She forced a smile well enough to fool the observant girl.

"That depends what you mean by "do other stuff at night", but yes- your idea sounds good in theory.

"Work."  She said climbing into a chair.  "With Mom and Dad." 

She spread her napkin.  "Dad said I can't ask about leaving school until I'm sixteen but then we can talk.  He said Uncle Will is right and not everyone needs school especially if you're not scared of taking the road of hard knocks and we already know I'm a good fighter.  I'll be a whole lot better when I'm sixteen and I'm learning all sorts of other stuff too like how to fight with a knife and pick a lock with a bobby pin."

Tara raised an eyebrow, but she kept her voice steady.

"And what sort of work is that? Fighting? Killing?"

This girl needs boarding school. Isabella is right.

"Maybe."  She said with a shrug.  "But only bad people who hurt good people.  We don't hurt people unless we have to, Dad says so.  Fighting isn't our first choice... I should use my head, like you.  That way I never get a parking ticket."  She nodded proud of herself for remembering Aunt Tara never gets parking tickets.

"I even have my own business, my very first one, and I've made three dollars already!"  She nodded proud of herself but then she remembered how it was she came by the ability to start her business and her smile faded a bit.  "I can show you, if you want?"

Tara began eating and nodded.

"Sure. Have your dinner- then you can show me."