Alessandro carried Fina into the bathroom with practiced ease, his grip secure yet gentle. She barely reacted, her fever-weakened body pressing limply against his chest, her breath shallow.

"Piccolina, I need you to stay awake for me," he murmured, nudging her cheek lightly with his nose. "Just a little longer."

Fina groaned softly but didn't lift her head. She felt like she was floating, exhaustion and fever blurring everything around her. She hardly noticed when Alessandro set her down on the closed toilet seat, keeping a hand on her shoulder to steady her.

"Fina," Isabella crouched in front of her, brushing damp strands of hair away from her face. "We're just going to freshen you up, okay?"

Fina barely nodded, too drained to fight against the hands that moved to clean her up. She shivered as Alessandro carefully unbuttoned the sweat-soaked shirt she was wearing, replacing it with one of his own. The soft fabric smelled like him—like warmth, safety, home.

Once she was changed, Isabella dampened a cloth and pressed it against Fina's face, wiping away the remnants of sweat and tears. "There we go," she whispered. "That's better, isn't it?"

Fina leaned into her mother's touch but didn't answer.

Alessandro exchanged a worried look with Isabella before sighing. "Let's get her back to bed."

He scooped her up again effortlessly, cradling her against his chest. As he walked back to the bedroom, he noticed how small she felt in his arms—too light, too fragile. It sent a sharp pang through his heart.

Isabella had already changed the sheets, ensuring they were fresh and cool. Alessandro gently laid Fina down, tucking the blanket around her as she curled up, her body still trembling.

"Is she okay?"

The deep voice from the doorway made them both turn.

Luca stood there, arms crossed, his jaw tight. Behind him, Antonio, Enzo, Matteo, and Dante hovered anxiously, all of them looking unusually hesitant. Their sister had been keeping her distance from them ever since their argument, and now seeing her like this—sick, weak, barely responsive—made their stomachs churn with guilt.

"She's sick," Isabella said softly. "She needs rest."

Fina stirred at the sound of their voices, cracking her eyes open just barely. Her blurry gaze landed on Luca, then shifted to the others. Her lips parted slightly as if she wanted to say something, but no words came out.

The room was thick with tension.

Alessandro sighed, running a hand down his face before turning to his sons. "If you're going to stand there, make yourselves useful. Get her some water and cool rags."

Enzo nodded quickly, disappearing down the hall, while Dante slipped past Luca and hesitantly approached the bed.

"Fina..." he murmured, his voice unusually quiet. He reached out but stopped himself, unsure if she'd even want him near her.

She blinked slowly, barely processing his presence before closing her eyes again.

"We're sorry," Luca finally said, his voice low. "For before. For pushing you too hard."

Fina didn't respond.

Matteo frowned, stepping beside Luca. "Fina, we were just worried about you. We didn't mean to—"

"Not now," Alessandro cut in, his tone sharp. "She's exhausted. Let her rest."

Luca clenched his jaw but nodded, stepping back. He hated this—the distance, the silence, the way Fina barely even looked at them anymore.

Isabella smoothed a hand over Fina's hair, pressing a kiss to her warm forehead. "Rest, sweetheart. We'll be right here."

Fina let out a weak hum in response, already fading back into sleep.

As she drifted off, Alessandro stayed close, watching the slow rise and fall of her chest. His daughter had been through hell and back, and now, with her sick and withdrawn, he was more determined than ever to protect her.

Fina swallowed, her throat dry, before whispering, "Enzo..."

At first, he didn't think he heard her. But when he glanced up and saw her eyes barely open, his breath caught.

"Yeah?" He stepped forward, careful, hesitant.

She shifted slightly, her fingers gripping the edge of the blanket. "Stay?" Her voice was hoarse, barely above a whisper.

Enzo blinked, caught off guard.

Out of all their brothers, he had been the loudest during their argument—the one who had pushed her the hardest, demanded answers she wasn't ready to give. And yet, now... she was asking for him.

His throat tightened. "Yeah, Fina. Of course."

Luca and the others exchanged glances, but none of them spoke. They simply watched as Enzo walked over, lowering himself onto the chair beside her bed.

Fina didn't say anything else. She simply turned her head slightly, facing him, before letting her eyes close again.

Enzo hesitated for only a second before reaching out and gently resting his hand over hers on top of the blanket.

She didn't pull away.

And that was enough for now.

The soft hum of the night filled the room, broken only by the occasional sound of Fina shifting under the covers. Enzo sat beside her, his fingers still resting over hers, feeling the warmth of her skin despite the fever. He hadn't moved since she asked him to stay—hadn't even thought about it.

After everything that had happened, he wasn't going anywhere.

Fina let out a soft sigh, barely audible, and curled in on herself. Even through the thick blankets, Enzo could see the way she shivered.

Without thinking, he kicked off his shoes and slid under the blanket beside her, moving carefully, unsure if she'd be okay with it. But when she didn't pull away—when she only turned slightly, her face resting against his shoulder—he let himself relax.

"You're burning up, Fi," he murmured, shifting so she could be more comfortable.

She made a small sound of acknowledgment but didn't say anything. Instead, she curled closer, her forehead pressing lightly against his collarbone.

Enzo swallowed hard. He wasn't used to this. Sure, they had grown up together, but Fina had always been the one to seek comfort from their parents or even Luca—not him. He was the loud one, the one who teased her, the one who always acted like nothing could touch them. But now...

Now she was clinging to him like he was the only thing keeping her grounded.

His arms tightened slightly around her, protective, warm. "I got you, Fi," he whispered.

And for the first time in what felt like forever, she let herself believe him.

The room was quiet except for the sound of Fina's soft breaths, ragged and labored in between. Enzo held her close, his heartbeat slow and steady against her ear as she settled into his arms. Her body trembled slightly under the blankets, and even though the heat from her fever radiated between them, he could feel the exhaustion weighing down on her.

He adjusted his position again, shifting her so her head was nestled into his chest. It felt natural, this quiet comfort, but he couldn't shake the ache in his chest—the worry that something more than just a fever was causing her to pull away from everything and everyone around her.

"Fi," Enzo whispered, his hand running through her damp hair. "Why didn't you say something sooner?"

Fina let out a weak breath, her voice barely audible. "I didn't want to bother anyone."

Enzo's heart twisted at the sound of that. He knew her too well. Fina always tried to handle things on her own, never wanting to burden anyone with her pain, whether it was emotional or physical. But this time, she couldn't hide from it.

"You're not a burden," Enzo murmured, tightening his arms around her. "Not to me. Never to me."

Her breathing slowed, and she finally relaxed into his embrace, the soft tension in her shoulders giving way to the warmth of his care.

They stayed like that for a long while. Enzo wasn't sure how long—it could've been minutes or hours—but it didn't matter. He was there, and Fina needed him.

The feel of her warmth against his chest was something Enzo had missed, something he hadn't realized how much he craved until now. She used to crawl into his bed when they were kids, pressing against him for comfort whenever she couldn't sleep or when something scared her. But as they grew older, things changed. Fina became more independent, and he started to think of her as the strong one—the one who didn't need anyone.

But now, as she clung to him, her breathing still uneven, Enzo remembered the little girl who used to seek him out for protection, for warmth. She wasn't just his little sister—she was someone who needed him, just as much as he needed her.

His mind wandered back to the days when things were easier, when their family didn't feel fractured, when they didn't have to hide their pain. He could feel the weight of those memories pressing down on him, but for now, all that mattered was the girl in his arms.

"I'm not going anywhere, Fi," he whispered again, as if she needed the reminder.

Fina's grip on his hoodie tightened, as though she feared he would disappear if she let go, but her body softened in response to his words.

"I know," she murmured, her voice breaking the silence in the room. "Thank you, Enzo."

For the first time in days, Enzo allowed himself to relax. He wasn't the one who had to have all the answers. He didn't need to fix everything. All he needed to do was be here. For her.

a/n

heyyyy lovelies im backkk .