Fina's POV

The next morning came too quickly. I woke up to the sound of quiet whispers and the faint smell of coffee wafting from downstairs. Aiden was still beside me, sitting up in the chair by my bed with his phone in hand. He must have stayed up late because his eyes looked a little heavier than usual, but his expression softened the moment he saw me stir.

"Morning, sleepyhead," he said with a small smile.

I blinked a few times, trying to shake off the grogginess. "Morning."

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "How're you feeling?"

The nausea was finally gone, and while the cramps were still there, they weren't as sharp as before. I gave him a small nod. "Better. Thanks to you."

Aiden grinned, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "You don't have to thank me, Fina. I'd do it all over again if it meant you'd feel okay."

His words made my cheeks warm, and I quickly looked away, suddenly feeling shy.

A little while later, Aiden's phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen, his smile faltering slightly. "It's my mom," he said, standing up. "She's asking when I'm coming home."

"Oh," I said quietly. The thought of him leaving left an unexpected ache in my chest. He had been here for me through the worst of it, and the idea of not having him close felt... strange.

"I should probably head back soon," he said, though he didn't sound like he wanted to. "I've been gone a while."

I nodded, trying to be understanding, though a selfish part of me wanted to beg him to stay just a little longer. "Yeah, of course. You've done so much already."

He walked over to where I was sitting on the bed and crouched down so we were eye level. "Hey," he said softly, tilting his head to catch my gaze. "I'm just a phone call away, okay? If you need me, you call, no matter what."

I swallowed the lump forming in my throat and nodded. "Okay."

He helped me downstairs before he left, making sure I was comfortable on the couch with a blanket and a warm drink. My mom came into the living room, smiling warmly at Aiden.

"Leaving already?" she asked.

He nodded. "Yeah, my mom's expecting me. But thank you for letting me stay."

Isabella placed a hand on his shoulder. "You're always welcome here, Aiden. Thank you for taking such good care of Fina."

He glanced at me, his smile soft. "She's worth it."

My mom's eyes softened, but she didn't say anything, giving us a moment alone instead.

As he walked toward the door, I followed him, my blanket still wrapped around my shoulders.

"Fina, you don't have to get up," he said, stopping to turn back.

"I wanted to say goodbye," I said, clutching the blanket tightly.

We stood by the door, a strange tension hanging in the air. I didn't want him to leave, but I couldn't find the words to say it.

"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked, his hand brushing against mine.

I nodded, though my voice came out smaller than I intended. "Yeah. I'll be fine."

He hesitated for a moment before leaning down, his hand gently cupping my cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow at school, okay?"

Before I could respond, he leaned in and pressed a soft, lingering kiss to my forehead. I closed my eyes, letting the warmth of it spread through me.

When he pulled back, I felt the loss of his touch immediately.

"Goodbye, Fina," he said softly, his voice almost a whisper.

I stared at him, unable to stop the small smile that tugged at my lips. "Goodbye, Aiden."

Just as he turned to open the door, he paused and looked back at me. Without a word, he leaned down and kissed me gently on the lips. It was soft, sweet, and over far too quickly.

My cheeks burned as he pulled back, his own face slightly red. "I'll text you later," he said with a shy smile before stepping outside.

I stood there for a moment, staring at the closed door, my heart racing. The warmth of his kiss lingered, and for the first time in a long time, I felt like everything might just be okay.

As the front door clicked shut behind Aiden, I stood there for a moment, still clutching my blanket and feeling like my heart might burst out of my chest. His kiss lingered on my lips, a warmth spreading through me that I couldn't quite describe.

But before I could bask in the moment for too long, a low whistle broke the silence behind me.

"Well, well, well," Luca's teasing voice drawled. "What do we have here?"

"Shit" I mumbled

I spun around, my blanket slipping from my shoulders, and found all five of my brothers standing in the hallway, grinning like they'd just discovered the world's greatest secret.

"Were you all watching?" I demanded, my face heating up in a way that had nothing to do with Aiden's kiss.

"Watching? No," Enzo said, smirking. "We were observing. Big difference."

Antonio folded his arms, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Didn't realize you had a boyfriend, sorellina. When were you planning on telling us?"

"He's not my boyfriend!" I protested, though my voice was too high-pitched to be convincing.

Dante raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Because from where we're standing, that goodbye looked pretty romantic."

My face felt like it was on fire. "He was just... saying goodbye!"

Matteo snickered. "With a kiss? Yeah, sure, that's how all friends say goodbye."

"Ugh!" I groaned, burying my face in my hands. "You're all impossible."

"Relax, Fina," Luca said, still grinning. "We're just messing with you. But seriously, Aiden's a good guy. We like him."

"Not too much, though," Dante added, his tone shifting slightly. "We'll be keeping an eye on him."

Their teasing continued as they followed me into the living room. I dropped onto the couch, crossing my arms and glaring at them.

"Don't you all have something better to do?" I snapped.

"Nope," Antonio said, sitting down on the armrest of the couch. "This is way more fun."

"I swear," I said, narrowing my eyes, "if you don't stop, I'll tell Mamma and Papa."

That got their attention. The teasing immediately died down, and all five of them exchanged nervous glances.

"You wouldn't," Enzo said, his confident façade slipping slightly.

"Try me," I shot back, smirking.

"Okay, okay," Antonio said, raising his hands in surrender. "No need to bring the parents into this. We'll stop."

"For now," Matteo muttered under his breath, earning him a glare from me.

The room settled into a more comfortable silence, and I let out a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding. Despite their relentless teasing, I knew my brothers only wanted the best for me.

"Fina," Enzo said after a moment, his tone softer now. "For what it's worth, we're happy to see you smiling again. It's been a long time since you've looked this... happy."

His words made my chest tighten, and I looked down, fidgeting with the edge of my blanket. "Thanks, Enzo."

The others nodded in agreement, and for a moment, I felt the weight of their love and support.

"Just don't forget," Dante said, his protective streak shining through. "If Aiden ever hurts you, we'll handle it."

I rolled my eyes, but a small smile tugged at my lips. "I'll keep that in mind."

As much as they drove me crazy, I couldn't imagine going through life without them. They were my brothers, my protectors, and the best kind of chaos I could ever ask for.