It had been a week since Alessia's seizure, and though she had recovered physically, the emotional scars remained. The fear of another seizure loomed over her like a dark cloud, and the isolation she had felt in her room became all-consuming. Giovanni continued to stay close, but his reassuring presence wasn't enough to silence the constant anxiety that gnawed at her.

One evening, as she sat quietly in the living room, she heard the familiar sound of her brothers' laughter outside. They were returning home from a long day at work, their voices carrying as they joked and bantered with each other. Alessia had been trying to avoid the family gatherings. She couldn't bear to see them worried or disappointed in her. They were her family, but she felt like a stranger in her own life.

The door opened, and immediately, her brothers' warm, boisterous voices filled the house. She looked up and saw them—Francesco, Luca, Matteo, and Paolo—walking into the living room, their expressions ranging from tired to amused. But the smiles quickly faded when they saw her sitting alone in the corner.

"Alessia, how are you doing?" Francesco asked, his voice tinged with concern as he moved to sit beside her.

"I'm okay," she replied quietly, offering him a small, forced smile. "Just a little tired."

Paolo, who had always been the more jovial of the group, sat down next to her and ruffled her hair in a playful gesture. "Come on, you can't hide away from us forever. We're your family."

Luca and Matteo joined them, each of them looking at her with a mixture of worry and helplessness. They had all seen the toll the seizures had taken on her, but none of them knew exactly what to say to make her feel better.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Luca asked gently. His voice was steady, but there was a slight tremor beneath it that Alessia didn't miss. He was scared. They all were.

Alessia shook her head, her eyes on the floor. "I don't know what to say. I'm just... not who I used to be anymore."

Matteo, who had always been the more pragmatic one, spoke up. "No one expects you to be the same person, Alessia. You've been through hell, and it's going to take time to get through it. We're not going anywhere. But you have to let us help you."

Her throat tightened at the words. Let them help—that was the part she was struggling with. She didn't want to be a burden, but the truth was, she didn't know how to keep pretending she was fine when every moment felt like a fight for survival.

Giovanni, who had been standing in the doorway, entered the room and sat next to Alessia, his hand gently brushing hers. He had been her constant, her rock, but even he was beginning to show signs of wear. The strain of trying to hold everything together for her was starting to show. His face, though kind, was shadowed with exhaustion.

"Maybe it's time we all sat down and talked about this," Giovanni suggested. "Alessia, you don't have to go through this alone."

She looked up at him, her eyes wide and filled with tears. "But I am alone, Giovanni. I feel alone all the time. Even when surrounded by people, I feel like I'm on the outside."

Luca's eyes softened, and he placed a hand on her shoulder. "You're not alone, Alessia. Sometimes, you might feel like it, but we're all here for you. Every one of us."

Her brothers crowded around her, each offering a word of reassurance. Matteo sat on the other side of her, his usual calm demeanour replaced with an uncharacteristic vulnerability. "This isn't easy. I know. But we'll figure this out together. We're family. We've always had each other's backs and always will."

Francesco, ever the protector, spoke up. "We can't fix everything, Alessia. But we can be there for you every step of the way. Don't push us away."

Tears welled in her eyes as the realization hit her: her family loved her and wanted to help her, even when she couldn't see a way forward. For so long, she had tried to shoulder everything alone. But now, she understood—she didn't have to.

Alessia reached out and squeezed Giovanni's hand. Then, she turned to face her brothers. "I don't know what to say," she whispered, choking back tears.

"You don't have to say anything," Matteo replied gently. "Just let us be here for you."

The weight of their words settled over her like a warm blanket. It wasn't going to be easy. In fact, it was going to be incredibly hard. But Alessia realized, for the first time in a long while, that maybe—just maybe—she didn't have to do this on her own.