Arrivederci

"The way they leave tells you everything"

• Baby •

I was left flustered, and questioning everything
We had nearly kissed
Nearly had a moment and it was interrupted
Was that for the best?
Or would it have been better if we had kissed?

I'm torn between the two
Because right now, sat in the car on the way back home was... awkward to say the least
We had barely spoken since he talked to the seller.

So I had took to looking out the window and wishing that the drive would go faster
But then I felt Vincent's hand graze mine, before his fingers entangled with mine.

I looked at him, and he was just staring at me
"Are you alright?" He asked, I nodded slowly
"I'm fine" I dismissed, looking back to the window
"Did you like the house?" He asked, I nodded again, not trusting myself to speak.

"Baby" he said
"I just... well we nearly kis-"
"Sir, we're here" the driver interrupted
I looked outside, and we were slowing down, I could see the gates ahead of us
Vincent nodded once
"Okay. But next time..." he began, leaning forward.

"Don't ever interrupt her" he warned
"It's fine Vincent" I said
"No. It's not, it's disrespectful" he said
I refrained from rolling my eyes, the possessive attitude wasn't settling well with me
And it only reinforced those thoughts in my head that he wouldn't be swayed on the education topic.

But whether he likes it or not, I will be running my own businesses
Knox was taking over the Italian business, so I always planned my life around having a legal occupation
Sure I would help out when I could, I was still a trained assassin, no matter how many books you put in front of me.

But I wanted something to fall back on if everything crumbled
I wanted stability waiting for me if the mafia life fucked me over in the end
Or in this case... Vincent.

I know he says he loves me. He says it a lot
But what if this really didn't work out? And he had to let me go?
I'm not going to uproot all my hopes and dreams for a marriage that may leave me alone with nothing at the end of it.

"Baby?" I looked to my side, and Vincent was holding my door open, I looked to where he once was, I really have to stop zoning out
"Yeah uh... sorry" I mumbled, stepping out of the car.

•

Ever since we came home earlier, me and Vincent have practically avoided each other
I didn't know what to say to him
I didn't want him getting false hope, but at the same time I did... I did want to kiss him in that moment.

• Vincent •

"Why are you so happy?" Brooke asked, raising an eyebrow from her seat by the fire with Matthew bouncing on her knee
"Yeah you look like an idiot" Rocco mumbled, earning a glare from me.

But I couldn't stop the smile on my face, we'd been to see the house
And she actually liked it, she was giving us a chance. A real chance
And we nearly fucking kissed.

"I nearly kissed her" I said
"What?" Arlo asked
"You heard me" I mumbled, sitting opposite Rocco and Brooke
"I hate to be the one to break it to you brother... but you have already kissed Baby" he chuckled.

I glared at him again.
"I know, but it was... real, she wanted it, I know she did" I mumbled
"Well... that's great" Brooke smiled
"I know" I smiled again
"She's finally trying, I just need to get her to love me" I said.

"Don't get ahead of yourself though, a kiss doesn't mean she's ready for the carriage and house yet" Rocco said seriously
"I know" I snapped. I know it didn't mean we would just be a picture perfect marriage
But it was a step in the right direction.

"I'm just saying, I don't want you getting your hopes up, Baby's trying" he said, I sighed
"I know" I said, but I just felt... deflated now
What was it going to take to get her to love me?
The way I loved her...

She was everything
She was my everything.

• Baby •

Going to sleep had become... difficult now. I was alone as usual. I was in a warm bed, with sweet silence around me
But now I had the nervousness building up inside me.

The 'knowing' that Vincent would be getting in beside me at some point.
Even just being in his bed threw me off getting to sleep easily, the sheets were consumed with his scent, it surrounded me and drowned me, reminding me I was his.

I was in his house
In his bed
Waiting for him just to be able to sleep with ease

It took hours
Hours and hours of sitting, laying, rolling round in bed trying to sleep before he came in
And I had laid still... waiting for him to get in beside me
Then I could finally let my guard down, if I had fallen asleep I knew he'd hug himself to me.

And we needed to establish boundaries
I felt the bed dip behind me, and then he was next me... in the darkness
It was silent for a moment, like time had stopped for as long as I held my breath.

And when I exhaled... I felt it
I felt his ringed hand slide along my waist and pull me backwards into him
His heading nestling into my hair
"Mm... night Baby" he mumbled quietly.

I pulled away slightly, and turned over to face him
I could make out his features in the little light left from the moon
"I um... I think it's best if we sleep apart from each other" I said softly.

"Why?" He asked, his hand grasping my hip gently
"I just..." I pushed his hand away
"I just think it's best, if we sleep... together... then we'll get used to it. And we'll rely on the other being there all the time" I explained.

"But I will be here. Always Baby" he mumbled, moving closer again
"But-"
"I want to rely on you being here, I want to count on you lying here every single night for me to hold and love Baby. I want to sleep knowing that you love me, that you chose me. I know that will take time, but right now... this" he said, gesturing to the space between us.

"This is all I have to show you I love you" he mumbled, pushing my hair out of my face softly, I could feel he was close to me
Almost as close as we were today sat by the piano
When we nearly... kissed.

And then he closed the distance
And I felt a small feathery kiss on the tip of my nose, then my forehead... before they ghosted, ever so lightly across my lips, not daring to move further.

"Goodnight Baby, I love you" he said simply, his head fell back into the pillow, sinking into the softness and leaving me in confusion and tingles.

I laid my own head back down, feeing the air pass by my bare neck since he had moved my hair
"Night" I mumbled quietly.

•

"It's only a week Baby. And then you'll be with them" Vincent assured me, I looked at him through the mirror as I sat at the dressing table in my room
"I know" I said simply, but I was still sad to see my family go.

• Baby's Outfit •

"Come on, I think the cars are here" he said, kissing the back of my head and opening the bedroom door
I stood up, I promised myself not to cry
No matter what
I was a strong woman. I could say goodbye to my own family, I'll be with them in a week anyway.

Just a week...

•

"I'll see you soon mio caro" my mother smiled, before pulling me into a hug
My darling
I savoured every moment of it
She was a practical and logical woman, and I knew she was hiding how sad she really was to be leaving.

Especially when Knox was staying here for a few more days
Apparently he had 'business' to do, so he had packed all his things and gone into the city.

"I love you mama, take care of dad" I said, she nodded
"Of course dear, he won't be leaving my sight" she said with determination
I glanced at Dad, who looked worse for wear
He rolled his eyes.

"Sto bene amore mio, non ho bisogno di una badante" he said, groaning slightly at the end
'I'm fine my love, I don't need a carer'
"No, you need a new body and that isn't going to happen, so stop your whining and listen to what I tell you" she scolded him
He sighed.

"Yes my love" he mumbled, opening the car door and throwing a bag in
I turned to Lia, who seemed to be having a very heart felt goodbye with Hudson
"I'll see you soon sorella" I smiled, kissing her forehead.

She smiled back, but I could see she was trying not to cry
Emotional girl that she was. But it was sweet
"Baby" I turned to my father, he was now leaning against the car to keep himself up
"It's only a week" he said simply.

"Yeah, just a week, and I'll be home" I said, I could see Vincent wince slightly at my words
But it was the truth
This wasn't my home. Not yet
"Just... don't stress too much about me darling, you have a marriage to concentrate on, and a new career here" he said.

"No, I have my ill father to think of" I said, crossing my arms, he wasn't making me back down on this
"Oh please... we all knew this was coming" he said
"Doesn't make it pleasant, so stop talking like that. And get some rest" I said.

He groaned
"Fuck sake, all you Garcia women want to do is make me bed ridden eh?" He chuckled
"Technically, I'm not a Garcia anymore" I sighed, he nodded
"True, you're a Romano, that's even worse" he smiled.

"Oi, watch it Lorenzo" Giovanni smiled. It was off watching him smile, he was normally so... stoic
But anyone could see he would miss Lorenzo, he was the closest and more loyal friend he had.

"See you soon bambina" he said gently, kissing my forehead, before getting into the car
I stepped back to stand with Vincent
Andre had left with Knox for the city, and Grace and Connor would be leaving later, but my family going was the hardest.

Watching them leave like they did every time we had visited
But this time... I wasn't with them.

I was left behind
I belonged here now... a Romano
I felt Rocco's hand clasp my shoulder comfortingly.

Just a week... a week
Then I could go home. With my family.
"Let's go inside baby, I don't want you getting cold" I heard Vincent say, but I couldn't move
Despite the brisk morning air
Despite everyone else trailing back into the house.

I couldn't help but to just stand and stare
To stare at the car slowly fading from view as it drove through the grand gates.

Vote and Comment
Thoughts???

•