Omniscient Pov:

⚠️mentions of self harm⚠️

The house was quiet, wrapped in the comforting darkness of late evening. The usual sounds of family laughter and conversations had faded, leaving only the hum of the house and the distant tick of a clock on the wall.

Inside Serafina's bedroom, however, the silence was unbearable. The nightmares had been haunting her ever since she'd opened up about the trauma she had endured. They came in waves, each one more vivid, more terrifying than the last. The faces, the voices, the places-all of it felt real, like she was back in those moments of pure fear and helplessness.

Tonight was no different.

Serafina lay tangled in her bedsheets, her body covered in a thin sheen of sweat. Her heart raced in her chest as the nightmare continued to replay in her mind. She was back in the dark, cold room again-the one that had haunted her every night for years. The shadows stretched out before her, twisting into grotesque shapes. The door creaked open, and she could feel them-him-approaching, his breath heavy, his voice like gravel.

"Fina..."

She gasped, waking with a start, her breath shallow, her hands trembling. For a moment, she didn't know where she was. The nightmare still lingered in her mind, the terror of it wrapping itself around her heart. She sat up quickly, feeling dizzy, her body soaked in sweat, her chest tight. Her breath came in quick, uneven gasps.

A cold sweat coated her skin as panic gripped her. She couldn't breathe. She couldn't think. She was back there. The room felt too small, the air too thick. She couldn't escape the feeling of being trapped.

Her chest tightened, each breath coming faster, shallower. Her hands shook as she clutched at her throat, trying to force air into her lungs. She couldn't control it.

A panic attack.

Tears blurred her vision, and for a moment, it felt like everything was closing in on her. The familiar sense of helplessness from the nightmare clung to her, like a shadow that refused to leave. She could feel her body trembling, her heartbeat thundering in her ears. It wasn't just the nightmare. It was everything. The memories. The fear. The overwhelming sense that nothing was ever going to be okay.

Her mind raced, and in that moment, the urge to feel something else-to control something-took over.

Her eyes darted to the small drawer on the side of her bed, where she kept the blade she had used in the past, the one that had always been her way of coping with the pain. Just a little bit of relief, Fina. Just a little.

Without thinking, she reached for the drawer and pulled it open. The cold steel glinted in the dim light of her room. Her hand trembled as she closed her fingers around the blade. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest, faster now, her breathing shallow and erratic. It was like the world was closing in, and this was the only way out. The only way to silence the storm in her mind.

Her breath hitched as she brought the blade close to her skin, her pulse racing. She could feel the familiar pull of the darkness, urging her to let go, to finally escape the suffocating pressure of her own thoughts. But before she could bring the blade down, the door opened.

"Fina?"

It was Enzo's voice-soft but full of concern. He had heard her gasping for breath, heard the faint sounds of her crying out in the night.

Serafina froze, her body stiffening in shock. She had been so consumed by the panic, so lost in the need to escape, that she hadn't even noticed him approach. She quickly shoved the blade back into the drawer and slammed it shut, but the damage had already been done. The fear, the panic it was there, hanging in the air between them.

Enzo stood in the doorway, his eyes wide with worry as he took in the scene. He could see the way Serafina's hands were shaking, the tear-streaked face, the way her body was curled in on itself. "Fina..." Enzo whispered, his voice thick with emotion. He stepped into the room slowly, cautiously, like he was unsure if he could reach her.

Serafina tried to wipe away the tears, her chest still heaving with each shallow breath. "I-I'm fine," she choked out, her voice breaking as she tried to push him away, not wanting him to see how broken she truly felt. Enzo didn't listen. He crossed the room in a few swift steps and knelt in front of her, gently taking her hands in his. His eyes were filled with a quiet intensity, his voice full of concern. "You're not fine, Fina."

Her shoulders shook as she pulled her hands back, afraid to let him in, afraid to show him just how much she was hurting. She had always been the one who kept it together-the calm one, the strong one. But tonight, that facade cracked, and the rawness of her pain was all too visible. "I don't want to be like this," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I don't want to feel like l'm drowning. I don't want to hurt anymore."

Enzo didn't hesitate. He pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly, refusing to let her go. He felt the tremble in her body, the way she clung to him as if he were the only thing keeping her grounded.

"You're not alone, Fina," he said softly, his voice steady despite the pain he felt for her. "I'm here. We're all here. You don't have to carry this by yourself."

Her body trembled against him, the weight of her emotions threatening to break her. She had always thought she could handle it alone-always thought she could push through the darkness. But now, with Enzo's arms around her, with the warmth of his embrace, she realized how desperately she needed them.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered, her voice breaking as the floodgates finally opened. "Stop," Enzo said, pulling back just enough to look at her. "Don't apologize for this, Fina. You're not broken. You're hurting. And that's okay. We're going to get through this together."

Serafina looked into his eyes, searching for any sign of judgment, any sign that he saw her as weak. But there was nothing but love and concern in his gaze. "I'm scared, Enzo," she confessed, her voice trembling. "I'm scared I'll never get better. That I'll always be this broken."

Enzo gently cupped her face, wiping away the tears that streaked her cheeks. "You don't have to be fixed, Fina. You're not broken. You're just... healing. And healing takes time." He pulled her back into his embrace, letting her cry against him, feeling the weight of everything she had been carrying for so long. He didn't know how to make the pain go away, but he knew one thing: he would never let her face it alone again.

After a few moments, he gently pulled back. "Come on," he said softly, his voice comforting. "Let's get you settled. You don't have to go through this on your own anymore." Serafina nodded, still trembling but grateful for his presence. He stayed by her side as she lay back down, holding her until her breathing finally slowed. The panic attack had passed, but the hurt was still there. It wasn't over yet. But now, for the first time in what felt like forever, she felt a glimmer of hope. She wasn't alone.

The door creaked open once more, and Enzo stepped out of the room, his heart heavy with concern. He walked down the hall to where Alessandro and Isabella were waiting. He didn't need to say anything. They could see it in his eyes—the pain, the fear, the desperate need to protect their daughter.

"She's struggling," Enzo said quietly, his voice filled with emotion. "She was about to hurt herself."

Alessandro and Isabella's faces softened with grief. They knew how much Serafina had been through, but hearing it out loud-seeing the depth of her pain-was a reality they weren't fully prepared for.

"We're not going to let her go through this alone," Isabella said, her voice firm with resolve. "We'll get her the help she needs."

Alessandro nodded, his jaw tight with emotion. "We'll do whatever it takes. She's our daughter, and we're not letting her fight this fight alone."

The family stood together, knowing that the road ahead would be long and painful-but also knowing that as long as they were together, they could face anything.

The clock on the nightstand ticked away the seconds, each one heavier than the last. The house was still, save for the faint rustling of the wind outside, the sound of a distant branch tapping lightly against the window. Inside Serafina's room, the silence felt suffocating—like the walls were closing in, pressing in on her chest.

She hadn't been able to sleep. Every time she closed her eyes, the darkness of her mind would creep back, pulling her into the terrifying memories, the haunting nightmares that never seemed to fade. She had tried to push them away, tried to ignore the tears that welled up in her eyes, but the more she fought it, the stronger the urge became. The weight of everything—her past, her fears, her insecurities—felt too much to bear.

Her room, once a place of safety, now felt like a prison. The shadows clung to her like a heavy cloak, and no matter how much she tried to pull the covers tighter around herself, she couldn't escape them.

The desire to run, to escape it all, surged within her, but she didn't know where to go. The darkness in her room mirrored the darkness in her soul, and she felt as if there was no way out.

And then, in the quietest moment, a thought crossed her mind: Mom. Dad.

Her breath hitched. She didn't want to wake them, didn't want to burden them more than she already had. But the yearning for the comfort of their presence was overwhelming. They were the only people who made her feel safe, the only ones who could hold the darkness at bay, even for just a little while.

Without thinking, she swung her legs over the side of the bed, her feet hitting the cold floor. The chill of the night air wrapped around her as she hesitated, biting her lip, wondering if she should turn back.

But the loneliness gnawed at her, and her feet carried her forward, down the hall, toward her parents' bedroom.

The house felt eerily quiet as she tiptoed past the other rooms, the faint creak of the floorboards beneath her feet the only sound that accompanied her steps. When she reached the door to her parents' room, she paused, her hand hovering just inches from the doorknob.

Her heart raced. What would they think of her? Would they be angry, or would they understand? She didn't know, but the need for their comfort was so strong that she pushed the fear aside. Slowly, she turned the knob and pushed the door open.

The soft light from the hallway spilled into the room, casting shadows over her parents' sleeping forms. The bed was large, the covers drawn up to their shoulders. Isabella lay on her side, her face peaceful, while Alessandro lay on his back, one arm resting on the pillow, the other draped over his stomach.

Serafina stepped quietly into the room, her heart pounding in her chest. She moved slowly, careful not to wake them just yet, but she couldn't help the overwhelming surge of emotion that flooded her chest. She wanted to run to them, to crawl into their arms and let them take away all the pain.

She stopped beside the bed, standing for a moment as she gazed down at them, her tears threatening to spill over once more. She didn't know what she was looking for—maybe comfort, maybe forgiveness, maybe just the reassurance that everything would be okay.

"Mamma... Papa," she whispered, her voice breaking as the weight of her emotions took over.

Isabella stirred first, her eyes blinking open, and when she saw Serafina standing there, her expression softened instantly. She reached out a hand, her voice filled with concern. "Fina? What's wrong, sweetie?"

Serafina's throat tightened, and before she could say anything, the tears started to fall. She hadn't even realized they were coming, but once they started, there was no stopping them. She felt so small, so fragile, like a little girl lost in the dark.

Isabella sat up quickly, pulling Serafina into her arms, her warmth enveloping her like a shield. "Oh, darling, it's okay. What happened? Why are you out of your room?"

Serafina clung to her mother, sobbing into her chest. "I... I was so scared, Mamma. The darkness... it feels like it's always there. I can't escape it. I don't know what's wrong with me."

Alessandro stirred at the sound of his daughter's distress, his eyes snapping open. He immediately sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes before looking over at Isabella. Without saying a word, he reached out and gently pulled Serafina toward him, wrapping his arms around both her and Isabella.

"You're safe now, Fina," he said, his voice deep with love and concern. "We're here. Nothing is going to hurt you. You don't have to be afraid anymore."

Serafina felt her heart begin to slow as she was engulfed in the warmth of her parents' embrace. The panic that had gripped her earlier began to dissipate, and for the first time in a long while, she felt a flicker of peace. It was fleeting, but it was enough to make her feel like maybe—just maybe—she could make it through the night.

"Why didn't you come to us sooner, sweetheart?" Isabella asked, her voice gentle but filled with concern. "We're here for you, always. You don't have to fight this alone."

Serafina sniffled, wiping her eyes on her sleeve. She felt a deep pang of guilt—guilt for burdening them with her pain, guilt for not letting them in sooner. But the words she had been holding back for so long finally broke free.

"I was scared," she whispered. "I didn't want to bother you. I thought you'd be mad or think I was weak."

Alessandro gently cupped her face, tilting her chin up so she could meet his eyes. "There's nothing weak about asking for help, Fina. Nothing at all. You're our daughter, and we love you no matter what. We want to be there for you, always. You don't have to carry this burden by yourself."

Serafina looked between her parents, their faces full of love and understanding. In that moment, the weight of the world didn't feel quite so heavy. The storm inside her hadn't disappeared, but with them beside her, it felt like she could weather it.

Isabella pulled her back into her arms, holding her close. "You're not alone, darling. We'll get through this together, okay?"

Serafina nodded against her mother's chest, the soft rhythm of her heartbeat a comforting reminder that she wasn't alone. For the first time in so long, she felt like she could breathe again. The darkness was still there, but with her parents by her side, it didn't seem quite so all-encompassing.

"I love you," she whispered, her voice muffled by her mother's embrace.

"I love you too, Fina," Isabella replied, her voice thick with emotion. "We'll always be here for you."

Alessandro pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head, his hand resting protectively on her back. "Always."

And in that moment, Serafina finally allowed herself to feel safe—to feel loved. The storm inside her wasn't gone, but she had her family. And with them, she knew she could fight it.