Flatlined

V A L E R I U S ' P O V :

I know that beeping sound all too well. So, as the aggravating noise starts to become more clear.. I'm aware that I'm not gone yet. Meaning, the Russians have another thing fucking coming for them.

I hear some incoherent mumbling, voices sounding far away. I try to move but my body feels too heavy.

"Is he awake?" I hear someone almost gasp. I try to move my hands but there isn't any use.

"No he's moving for shits and giggles." They fire back. Sounds like my brothers.

I pry my eyes open to find Fabio standing over me like a hawk circling it's pretty. Marcello is at the doorframe with what looks like a bag of takeout. Again, I go to move but I feel stuck. Annoyance starts to stammer through me.

"How many days?" I rasp.

"Twelve. New record." Fabio takes a seat and snatches Mar's food bag as he walks closer to us.

"Shit." I groan at the awareness of the ache in my body becomes more prominent. "Where's—"

I'm cut off by Fabio pointing to my left. My eyes settle down to Ellie's sleeping form beside me. She's laying on my arm, no wonder I couldn't feel it. I relax at the sight of her unharmed.

"Wont leave your side." Fabio gives me a soft look. "Actually Savino tried to take her off you to give her a bath and she bit him."

I can't help but let out a short huff in amusement, closing my eyes in gratitude for my brothers.

My little devil-spawn.

"How are you?" Mar asks eagerly. He sits in a chair, opening his Chinese food.

"I just died, how do you think I feel?" I grumble back to him.

"Yeah, please don't do that again."

"How'd you know you flatlined?" Fabio enquires. He shoves a spoonful of rice into his mouth.

"I've never felt this drained after waking up in the hospital. Something had to be different." I shift so I can sit up a little, I hold my breath at the immediate sharp pain. "Where is everyone?"

"Nonna, Enzo and Papà are in Russia. They've already taken down two bases. Bisnonna is at home with Savino working behind the scenes on some data shit."

I sigh, trying to compose myself.

"I'm out for two weeks and more has already been done from the months I've had to do something." I shake my head, knowing that I've been screwing up. I'm not blind to my mistakes. I should have done better, I should have seen this coming.

This is my fault.

"It's not really fair of you to say that—" Marcello starts but I don't let him finish.

"No it is. I've had months to do shit but I couldn't figure any of it out. I should have gone straight to the source instead of trying to dissect all the small shit. I should've known better."

"No, Marcello is right, Val. This shit is a lot more personal for you than it is with anyone else. Katerina may have been a bitch but you loved her and he murdered her. He took your daughter, did whatever sick things he could've done to her. He's come for your title, got into your home, infiltrated your mafia. He's playing with your head, not papà's. That's why he can run around Russia cutting off peoples heads without thinking twice." Fabio tells me sternly. I lick my dry lips, grabbing the water he hands me.

I want to snap back but I feel something shift beside me, stopping my retort to Fabio. I look to Ellie, she shifts so her arms are holding tighter around me, squeezing me with as much strength as she can. She doesn't realize I'm awake yet.

I move my arm but the iv gets in my way so I rip it out. "Dude?" Fabio huffs, picking the long tube up from the floor.

I resist a groan when I lift Ellie up, pulling her into my lap. My entire body aches with pain but I choose to ignore it to focus on my sweet girl. Although my body is aching, everything feels okay whenever she's in my arms.

Mar mumbles something about getting pain killers and leaves the room.

I stroke Ellie's hair. I hold her like she's going to disappear. For a moment, I truly believed that I was going to have to say goodbye to her forever. Now, I can reassure her I'll never have to say goodbye again.

My lips touch her head, giving her a gentle kiss. My eyes close, taking in every ounce of happiness my girl gives me. I wait a moment before Ellie's eyes flutter open, peering up to me in confusion at first. Silence passes through when she doesn't register that I'm awake, but then she does.

"Papà?" She whispers in disbelief, her voice is let out softly— heavenly. She is my angel.

With her head over my heart, she controls my life, my mind.

"Hi Ellie." I smile to her sadly but with so much love.

"Am I in a dream?" Her mouth stays dropped, almost in awe. I can't help the smile that touched my lips in amusement.

"No, baby." I chuckle. "I'm okay, I told you I'd be okay." I tuck her hair behind her ears so I have a view of her entire face.

I send her a sad smile but warmth radiates off of me. I missed her so much. She's my lifeline.

Her eyes search mine, her chest heaves. "Papà." Her voice cracks in a broken whisper. Tears prick the back of my eyes.

I don't like seeing my baby upset. It hurts. To know I was the one causing her sadness makes it even worse, I feel so utterly guilty.

She doesn't say another word but her actions speak for her. Ellie jumps for me, hugging her arms around me. I hold her like she's going to escape from my grasp and disappear. My eyes close and I take in the warmth of her body, the comfort I've been missing so deeply. My girl.

"I love you so much Ellie." My voice is a whisper in her ear. "So much."

Ellie slumps against me. She's cried a lot in the past few days, I know she's exhausted. I know this is a lot for her. I can feel just how overwhelmed she is, how her cries run much deeper than of relief.

My heart aches for my little girl. She's been through too much. Seen too much. I hope it will all be over soon enough. Ellie deserves better.

Ellie is quiet, silent tears run down from her eyes as she digs her head into the crease of my neck. Essentially she's hiding from the rest of the world, pretending it's only the two of us left in this damned earth.

"My brave, brave girl. You've endured so much. I promise, you'll be safe soon, by whatever means."

My words were at a whisper, I don't know if she can even hear me. I mean every word. The day I accepted she was my daughter, I told myself I would do anything to protect her. I'll stick by that, no matter the cost.

I never knew how different my world would shift when given a child. All those months ago, I could have never imagined what finding a small battered and bruised girl running alone would turn into.

Since I've been on this journey, I think the most important thing I'll ever take away is love. I would do anything to protect and shelter my daughter because I love her, because she's mine.

So, to protect her, I'm going to do whatever it takes to make sure Ivan Moscow dies by my hands. He'll regret the day he touched my Ellie or Katerina.

"Yeah, I know— just look." My eyes peak open to find Fabio with his phone pointed at me. I hear mumbles of voices from the other line.

"Mio Dio!" I hear my bisnonna shout.

"He's awake!?" Papà says with relief.

"Tell him I'm going to kill him!" I hear Enzo's voice muffled in the back.

"Is that everyone?" I ask Fabio.

"Yeah? Group FaceTime's are a thing now, old man." He smirks. My eyes roll. I'm not that old.

I take my meds off Mar and swallow them with the water he brought.

Papà tells Fabio to hand the phone to me. "You really scared me this time." He tells me. "I thought this time was going to be it."

I can hear the sincerity in his voice. The raw emotion he doesn't want to let loose.

I swallow back the knot in my throat. "I did too."

"You're one lucky mother fucker." Enzo chimes in, his voice rough.

"You're lucky you're not dead. You would have had to face your bisnonno.. and nobody wants to see that fucker again. That's the only reason I refuse to die." Bisnonna sneers, popping open a bottle of beer with her teeth.

"Mio Dio." Mar mumbles from beside me.

"Okay. I've been here long enough. I'm going home." I tell Fabio. "Take your phone."

"Wait! You have to wait until Carlo clears you." Mar jumps up, stopping me from moving. I only stop because Ellie is on me. "I'll go get him."

"You better run." I grumble. "If I spend ten more minutes in a hospital gown, I'm going to lose it."

• • •

"No papà."

My eyebrow raises daringly. "And who did you get that mouth from?"

"You can't go nowhere! Dr. Carlo said so." Ellie gives me a daring stare back, like she's challenging me. Her arms cross rudely over her chest.

I narrow my eyes. "You can't tell me what to do." Childishly, I snap back.

"Yes I can!" Ellie pouts her face angrily.

"No. I'm your papà. You have to listen to me."

"Why?"

"Because I'm your papà. . . now let me go pee, Eleonora."

I attempt to get up and off the bed but Ellie's worried eyes follow me. She tugs on my hand for me to stay but I get off the bed anyways. I can't waste away in this room any longer.

"Papà!" Ellie shouts at me.

"What!?" I lose my cool and whip back around to face her. I realize my mistake and calm down, letting my voice turn softer. "What is it Ellie? I'm okay. I showed you I'm okay."

Ellie goes quiet. Her voice is quieter now. "You can't leave me."

My heart does this twisty thing. My chest heaves with a deep sigh. I have to stop being a dick.

"Ellie, I promise I'm not going anywhere. Truly. The bathroom is right there. You can stand outside the door if you'd like."

"How will I know you're okay?"

Her dumb little puppy eyes dig a deeper whole into my heart.

My hands find my hips, I wipe the tiredness out of my eyes for a moment. "Ellie. You're not going in with me. I don't want you seeing my penis. That's weird." I give her a defeated look.

There's a pause. "I'll close my eyes." She shrugs.

There's a prominent staring contest before I give up on the argument.

"Fine. Let's go."

• • •

Security around the house is now ten times what it was before. Guards are everywhere, I have sensors put out that'll send out an alert when someone gets close to the house.

"I'm back!" Marcello shouts, tossing his suitcase on the ground. He runs and gives Ellie a hug.

"Someone is going to get hurt, you should pick that up." Savino tells Mar. It only takes four seconds for Savino to forget what he's doing and trip over Marcello's suitcase. "You know what Marcello.. fuck y-you!" They shout, getting up.

"Ellie!" Fabio smiles, walking into the house.

"Watch the—"

"Ai! What the fuck!" Fabio shouts from the floor. "Who put their shit in the middle of the walkway!" He stumbles getting up.

"Hey is your fridge stocked?" Mar calls out as he walks away and into the kitchen.

I huff in annoyance. "This is why I can't stand you guys when you come over." I stand the suitcase straight up.

"My little angel!" Bisnonna cheers to Ellie, giving her kisses on her cheeks. "Come. Do you want to make dinner with me?"

"Can we have chocolate too?"

"Oh, of course, dear." Bisnonna winks.

"Yes!" Ellie giggles.

Ellie follows behind me while I take everything up to the empty rooms, getting everyone settled in. I take her to the kitchen where bisnonna is getting everything ready.

I sit at the island and pull out my computer to help my papà with his mission in Russia.

Every so often, I catch Ellie glance at me. Making sure I'm still here. I reassure her with a light-hearted smile every time.

• • •

"Hey.. Val? Do you know what this is?"

I turn to Savino who walks in to my bedroom.

"Be a little more specific, Savino. I can't read minds.. much to my dismay."

Savino hands me a sealed envelope. My name is written in cursive on the front and that's all. I flip it around and start to open it.

"Where did you find this?"

"I was cleaning, I saw some blood the cleaners missed. It was lodged under the stand in the hallway. I had to move it to get all the blood."

"You want to know what I think it is?" I ask as I pull out the white sheet of paper, folded.

"I-I think I can take a solid guess." They give an uncomfortable laugh.

I open the paper and take a look.

Sorry for the mess, I'll be cleaner next time.

There is no signature. Not anything else. Just those nine words.

"This one is different than the ones before." I observe. "It's not signed from him.. the writing isn't the same either."

"Should I send a copy to papà?"

"I don't think that's necessary."

"Why?"

I lick my dry lips, sighing internally. There's no mistake. I'd know that handwriting anywhere. From the woman who taught me how to write. The woman who taught me a lot, especially about trust.

"Because this writing is mamma's."

• • •