When the Stars Align Again

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

I stare at the 'no wifi' signal on my phone with annoyance. My texts aren't going through and I want to know if everyone is alright. I need to check if they're on their way home.

It's pouring outside, thunder cracking. I'm worried it'll wake up Ellie.

"You called for me?" John walks into my room, calm.

"I need you to watch Ellie." I tell him. "I need to get in contact with my family and I have to use the wireless phone downstairs."

"Of course. I'll call Leon to my stance but he isn't supposed to be here for another hour. I'll bring someone else in his place until he gets my message."

I nod to him. I look to Ellie, sleeping soundly. The urge to hold her tightly consumes me but I hold myself back. I set her on the bed and off my lap. My lips press her cheek for a goodbye.

"Watch over her, John." I tell him sincerely.

"With my life." I nod to him, standing in front of the bed, keeping Ellie's protection.

All that can be heard is the hard patter of rain outside. The house is dark, I look for the switch. When I find it, I realize it's been turned off.

You've got to be fucking kidding me.

Someone cut my wifi, my power.. and I'm alone with no family, just guards. I know now that most of my guards are unreliable and some may still have a connection to the Russians. I've weeded most of them out but I'm not sure how many there are.

"Cazzo!" I mumble to myself. "John! Get Ellie!" I shout up the stairs in Italian. I pull out my gun and run upstairs.

I click it into position, trying my best to keep my mind steady. I notice how quiet it is upstairs, an unsettling feeling bellows in my stomach. I kick open the door to my room to find John on the ground with something sticking out of his neck. I don't see any blood. His body is lifeless on the floor, cold.

Ellie isn't anywhere to be seen.

I didn't hear her scream.

Fuck!

I worry for John, I do but, my daughter is my first priority. I run. I run the fastest I've ever fucking moved before.

I should've known something was going to happen. I should've been more prepared. I don't have a good feeling about this.

"Ellie!" I shout aimlessly. Then I shout again.. and again. "Eleonora.. where are you!?" I'm begging she's okay. I'm begging she's still here.

The lights flicker and I find them coming back on. All of the lights flicker back off but the lamp in the living room. I go running towards it, my gun pulled to position.

My heart drops still when I come to face what lies for me. One of my gate-guards, William holds Ellie tightly to him with a knife to her throat. He's kneeled so he's to her level. Ellie's tired and petrified eyes find mine. There's tape around her mouth, on her hands too.

My gun is pointed at his head and just as I go to shoot his skull, a click behind me halts my shot.

"Kill him and little Ellie will have to watch her papà bleed out."

My entire body freezes. The gun presses to the back of my neck, paralyzing me. My eyes stick to Ellie's. Tears stream down her face in agony. Her eyes are red.

I want to run to her and tell her it will all be okay but, I know deep down that I'd be lying.

"Why are you doing this?" I say as calmly as I can.

"You know when you were a little boy, you were always so. . . compliant. What happened, Val?"

Eight men join in the room, four with guns pointed at me. Four men with guns pointed at Ellie. We trapped, cornered.

"Let Ellie go. You want me. Take me."

She cackles. She leans down by my ear and whispers, "But then that'd be no fun."

"She didn't do anything." I spit out, my blood starting to run cold.

"She exists. That's enough." She fires back. "Now.. listen to your mamma and answer my question."

I push down the heavy knot in my throat. "I was thirteen then. I was just starting my training. I tried to please everyone back then. I grew up, that's what happened."

"Val, baby. You act like I was the only parent to have something special with their child. Lots of people have something close with their first born."

"No, I think it's only you and your psychotic father." I seethe. A slap stings my cheek. Mamma blocks my view from Ellie, forcing me to look at her only.

"How dare you use his name in vain!"

"You act like he was a god! He was a fucking pedophile!" I retort quickly, my anger fueling the fire sizzling through me.

She pulls her trigger on my arm, letting the bullet graze my skin. My eyes clamp shut at the sudden pain but I mask it quickly.

I hear Ellie trying to scream and then she stops. When mamma moves out of the way, I see Williams hand over my daughters mouth, pressing down hard on the tape. Ellie is clearly starting to hyperventilate. She's scared.

I'm slammed to my knees, someone puts handcuffs on me from behind.

"Watch your fucking hands." I growl at William. He smirks, knowing he has the upper hand. I watch him claw Ellie's face, leaving red marks on her skin. She cries harder. "I'm going to fucking kill you!" I fume.

"Get off your high horse, dear. You don't have the power here. Why don't you start asking questions.. I'm in the mood for a game." A too giddy looking smile twists her lips.

"I'm not playing your games." I snap.

"But don't you want to know what I'm going to do with your bodies once I kill you both?"

Mamma's fingernail draws a line from the back of my head all the way to my mid-back. I shiver unwillingly, goosebumps prickling my skin.

"How long has Ivan been dead?"

I play into her games, if that's going to stall time then that's what l need to do. I need my family to get here. She wants to brag about how smart she is. She's a narcissist.

"Baby, he's been gone." Mamma cackles.

Mamma bends down on her knees beside me and starts cleaning the blood pouring from my shoulder. She's trying to fuck with my head. She's trying to make it seem like she cares, like she's motherly.

"When?"

How did I miss it? How didn't I know?

"I had a deal with Ivan a long time ago. I found out about Eleonora months before you did. We had plans. He was going to give me the child so I could kill her myself and I was going to give him fifty million American dollars for him to take out the second largest mafia in the world, the Americans."

I flinch slightly when mamma cuts open my shirt with cold scissors. She pulls out a needle and thread to start sewing my wound shut.

"Let's say. . . things didn't go as planned. The child got away and I was left with only one option. I killed Ivan Moscow."

The trade had to be so close to my house. Why would she risk it?

"You've been pretending to be him." It's not a question.

"Yes." Mamma replies simply.

I take a moment to compose myself before I ask her something that's been on my mind for awhile. "Where did you get Katerina's necklace?" I breathe out deeply to control myself.

Mamma pricks me with the needle to sew my wound. I don't flinch.

"Where do you think?"

"Did he kill her?"

"Valerius. Now, from a young age.. I always new you'd be a smart boy. But these. . . whores keep trying to take you from me. You haven't been very smart lately. I'm starting to get worried."

Her voice is gentle like she cares about me. I need to remind myself she doesn't. She's not answering my questions anymore. She's avoiding the truth but I'm not surprised.

"How long have you been doing this?"

"Have you ever imagined how you would die?" Mamma gets up from the floor after she stitches up my arm. Her hand caresses my cheek.

I hold myself back from rolling my eyes. "No."

"Have you ever thought about how your daughter would die?"

"Don't—"

"People say the greatest tragedy in life is watching your child die. That must be why it's so hard for me to kill you. I've tried to do it before but.. it just didn't feel right."

"You won't kill me. You want me for yourself. You wouldn't kill me."

Would she? Am I fooling myself at this point?

"What if I put the gun in your hands and told you to shoot your daughter. What would you do?"

My mouth becomes dry. I know she's trying to freak me out. She doesn't want me relaxed.

"I wouldn't."

I stare into Ellie's bright blue eyes and silently I tell her that she'll always be safe with me. That everything will be okay.

"Even if that meant you'd die if you didn't kill her?"

"I'd easily die for my daughter and that will always be the difference between us." I voice is tight and accusing.

"And what is that supposed to infer?"

I can see her starting to get angry.

"That you're a narcissistic bitch who doesn't know how to fucking feel anything."

She slaps me across my face again. This time I don't flinch. I expected it to come.

"Im tired of your games!" She sneers. Her gun clicks. "I don't have time for this." She presses the gun to the side of my forehead.

I tense, my eyes immediately meeting Ellie's. She's shaking, I can see it. She's holding back more tears.

Ellie can't watch me die.

"Wait!"

"I'm tired of fucking waiting!"

"I'll go with you!" I breathe out.

"And why would I want that?" Mamma spits.

I think of something quickly. I think of her papà. The reason she's like this.

"I'll protect you. I wont leave you again. You were right, I shouldn't have treated you the way I did. We can live the rest of our lives together. We can leave together. I.. I promise."

I push down the vomit that's threatening to come out. I hope Ellie doesn't believe the words I say. I look into Ellie's eyes, trying not to break down.

I don't want to leave you, piccolina. I'm sorry. I try to tell her without words.

For a moment, a soft look takes my Mamma's eyes when she looks to me. Almost like she's remembering a fond memory.

"You'd do that for me?" I can't tell if the psychotic smile on her face is genuine or not.

I swallow down my disgust. "Anything for you."

"You really do love your mamma don't you? I knew they couldn't turn you on me." Her hand grazes my cheek, her thumb touches my lip. I hold myself back from pulling away from her touch.

"Leave the girl here." It stings to talk about my Ellie in such a way. "It doesn't matter what happens now. We'll be together." She'll kill Ellie if I don't convince her not to. I know she won't hesitate to if she has the chance.

Mamma's face turns sour. "I knew you'd make it about her!" Her voice gets whiny. "I knew—"

"I'll do it myself." I whisper to her in Italian so Ellie will find it hard to understand what I say. "I'll kill her myself." A sick smile turns on mamma's lips.

"For me?" Her voice drops low, almost in disbelief.

"Yes." I ignore the guilt settling in my chest. "Yes." The lie tastes like poison. "Just not today— they'll be back soon. I don't want them ruining it for us." I continue in Italian.

"You're right. It needs to be slow. I want to relish it for as long as I can."

I resist the urge to ring her neck. I bite the inside of my cheek.

"Let me talk to her. Tell her what I'm going to do to her." I tell mamma. She agrees and tells William to back away for a minute.

She un-cuffs me. I don't make a move because it's me against ten people with guns. I'd never be able to get Ellie and I out unharmed.

I kneel to Ellie. I want to wipe her tears, hold her close to me for comfort but I have to force myself not to. My hand touches her cheek and on impact, tears rise to my eyes but reign back on my control. I breathe in and out deeply.

I look over Ellie's face to make sure she's unharmed. I want to take the tape off of her mouth. I don't like seeing her in so much pain.

My chest feels like it's collapsing in on itself. I can't breathe.

"Ellie." My voice shakes, it's at a whisper so mamma won't hear me.

"Papà..," she begs. Her voice comes out as a muffled whisper behind the tape. Her voice breaks, cracking my heart even further.

I place my hand on the back of her head so my voice is right by her ear.

"I know. I know, baby." I can't stop a tear from slipping down my cheek. "You're such a brave girl, baby." Shakily, in a whisper I continue. "It was an honor to be your papà." My voice breaks. Ellie sobs, her body collapses onto me. I don't comfort her so I don't get pulled away. "I am so proud of you. My brave, brave girl. This isn't goodbye. I will find you again. No matter how long it takes. I promise. Fino a quando le stelle non si allineeranno di nuovo."

I don't get to hug my daughter goodbye before I'm dragged away.

"I think she's learned her lesson now." Mamma cackles to me, looking at Ellie's tears. "William, take her to the other car. Let's go!" She shouts and I walk out with her. I'm cuffed again.

I swallow the guilt in my throat, hoping this shit works.

My brothers will be back soon. They will save her. They'll take car of her. I trust them.

I'm taken to the back of a white van by four guys, two follow with guns pointed at my head. We walk slow, my feet drag with every step.

We're several yards away from the house when I hear gunshots go off. My body slams tense. I whip around, breaking the guards grip. They shout at me, I'm dragged backwards staring at the sight in front of me.

Flames cling to the side of my house. Right where Ellie is.

My heart drops to the bottom of my chest.

Shit, shit, shit! That was not the fucking plan!

"Wait!" I impulsively shout. I feel something prick my neck hard. I flinch, falling immediately to my knees. "Wait..," it gets harder to keep my eyes open.

I turn to find my mamma hovering over me with an empty syringe. One that looks like the object in John's neck.

"I thought you might try to outsmart me." She looked at me with disappointment. "I really did think you were better than to try against me, dear. It's okay, son. You'll learn." Mamma's hand gently slides off the side of my face.

I'm thrown into the back of the van, hard. Mamma gives me a disgusted look. I see my home burning up in flames before the door is slammed shut. It only takes a few seconds for my eyes to flutter completely shut. The affects of the drug start taking over my body quickly.

I'm fighting to stay conscience and as I do, my brain thumps hard. My eyes shut for the last time.

I regret a lot of things.

Trusting mamma. Letting papà walk all over me when I was young. Not getting close with my fratelli. Not telling Katerina about the mafia sooner. Not seeing that she was pregnant. Not telling Ellie I loved her enough. Not holding her enough. Not admitting that I wanted to be her papà. Not finding out the truth quick enough.

I could keep going on. My list is long.

Though, there is one thing that I know for sure I'll never regret.

Finding Her.

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