As soon as he finished that, a small and slim shadow flashed past him like lightning. Some of his men and ours flinched by the sound of the wooden floor being pierced through something sharp.

 

A survival knife attached itself to the far corner of the floor behind him, it had to be one or two feet behind the so-called Caporegime. I turned my head to the extended left arm beside me, the knife came from Adrian. His once gentle eyes are no more, only a gaze full of bloodlust filled it whole with murderous intentions. A swift line of blood flowed lightly from the man’s right cheek. 

 

“You are not welcome here, especially your Family. Whether you and your crew leave now or we will make you” 

 

Adrian threatened with a menacing and grumbling voice, with his men backing him up as clicks of the safety lever of their guns are pressed. Others followed, their faces also filled with rage. Adrian only lets this side loose when a threat comes over to the ones he cares about.

 

“Oh, I’m not done yet, as you see. Also, I haven’t answered your question.” He lifted his hands up while some of his crew began to tense and point their guns back at us.

 

“We should settle this as civil as possible, lower the guns and we will talk. It’s your choice whether or not blood is gonna be spilled.” Blanche began to let out a huff, Adrian lowered his left arm and stared down at the ground. His eyes had returned to normal, with a single movement of his hand the other crewmen lowered their weapons. As our crew did it, the opposing ones did too.

 

“Now isn’t this nice?” He smirked, putting his hand on his hips.

 

“There better not be tricks, otherwise I wouldn’t miss your head this time,” Adrian replied, his voice is now calm like how it usually is.

 

“No need to worry about that, in fact, the one who sent us here is the Don himself, YOUR Don” His voice went deep at the last words, it left all of us wide-eyed.

 

W-wait, my dad? He sent them over here?! 

 

“It can’t be”

 

“The Don wouldn’t do such a thing”

 

“Did he really do this?”

 

“THERE’S NO WAY WE COULD TRUST THEM!”

 

Exclamations from some of our crewmen murmured out, some denied it hard by saying those words out loud. Adrian’s face went gloom, the glare he had towards the young man once again filled with the thirst to spill blood.

 

“Impossible, he would never give such commands,” Adrian replied in disbelief, almost sounding like a scowl. At this point, I already knew he was already done by all of this. He despises when people talk bad about the ones he cherished.

 

“Buuut, I do have proof that he’s the one who sent me here to pick his darling daughter up” He exclaimed as he wiped the blood from his right cheek with a single swipe of his thumb. His light pink tongue licked off the blood from his thumb with ease.

 

“Bring him in, will you?”  He snapped his fingers, in return, his crew began to move to the sides. As footsteps scattered, it became clear what they were doing in front of us.

 

While Blanche moved to his right and turned his body towards his crew with a chuckle. It was as clear as daylight, their movements revealed one man in particular amongst them. A figure wearing a navy suit and a Cyan colored tie came clear to our eyes. His short pulled back Burgundy-colored hair, and square glasses to finish the look. 

 

The barely sighted wrinkle around his eyes and the look of his Magenta irises drops any anger aside, pulling me into a state of shock. The man that me and Al have looked up to as a brother figure for our whole entire lives.

 

“K-Kalem?!” I exclaimed as he stepped out forward, making the short Capo cackle as he turned to us with a sly smile.

 

“There you have it, the Consigliere of the Esmond Family, right before your very eyes” Blanche stretches his left arm towards Kalem with his right hand behind his back. 

 

“Kalem, is this true?” Adrian’s voice trembled, the two of us looked in shock as Kalem nodded with a guilty face.

 

“He has told me to accompany the group to make sure that you’re prepared for departure. He wishes to see you as soon as possible at the docks, Lenna. I-I don't have any other choice but to obey his words.” Kalem replied with a straightforward voice, I could feel his soul shrinking in shame.

 

Does that mean… Dad’s in trouble? Did he get cornered by the Family? What was he thinking? Was he also captured like Alphonse? Or worse, was he being held to get information out of him? The peer pressure of Kalem’s voice was enough to make my spirit kneel into the ground with terror. Hands trembling, cold sweat coming down my back, a trace of ghosting shivers spread throughout my body like raindrops. 

 

“Lenna,” A gentle voice interrupted my thoughts as a hand wrapped itself around mine.

 

Adrian looked at me with a shallow look deep within his eyes. His lips pressed into a flat line like a ruler while his left hand grabs hold of mine. 

 

“You hear the Advisor, it’s better if you come with us without any retaliation. Otherwise, it looks like big brother’s gonna see the gates of Heaven in a short while” That midget executive commented, his words made my blood cold and boil at the same time.

 

“You don’t have to do this, it could be something big, or much worse. If I could convince him to just take me with them, you needn't be involved” Adrian whispered as soon as the Capo stopped talking, tapping his foot into the floor impatiently.

 

I paused for a moment as I took a look at Kalem, ‘Blanche’, and back to Adrian’s face. “Adrian, we have no choice. It’s either I go along or they would do something unspeakable to Alphonse. We both already knew what his injuries are like, I don’t want to risk it furthermore.” I whispered back, the tapping on the floor became louder and faster as a grunt spurted out of the Capo’s mouth.

 

“We don’t have all day here! I’m getting annoyed by the second you asses are thinking about what to decide! Hurry up and make your choice!” He yelled from across the lobby, making me and Adrian look at each other immediately.

 

“Are you sure about this?”

 

“Definitely, if it’s for my dad or Al, I’ll gladly do anything,” I replied and let go of his hand from mine. I stepped in front of Adrian to face the young Capo. His frown turned into a flat line with one of his brows lifted.

 

“So what’s your choice? Be here or come with us?” He asked with a hiss, his hands stuffed into his pockets.

 

“I will go, just as you wanted” Protests coming from our crew rambled the air, while Kalem just stood there and averted his gaze far from me. I have to make the right choice, dad and Alphonse’s life is on the line. I won’t let anything happen to them.

 

“Great! Before you go though, you should change to something more…. “appropriate” ” He commented as he glanced from my upper body to the lower parts.

 

“Okay,”

 

I turned my face to one of the older maids whose face was filled with fright watching the intense scene unfolding in front of her eyes. I walked closer to her with determined steps and stopped just before I went to my old room upstairs. 

 

“Are there any available formal attires?” I turned my head to the side as I asked her.

 

“Yes, Lady Lenna. Your wardrobe is still the same as you had left” She replied with a trembling voice, bowing to me.

 

“Very well” I nodded and signaled her to follow behind me. I could hear many more footsteps trailing behind me.

 

“Make sure she looks “appealing”, the boss doesn’t like to see people who don't dress up for occasions properly. Especially when an exceptionally alluring  young lady is in front of his eyes.” My lips were shut tight by his words, clearly disgusted by how he puts those words in act. I tried to shook it off immediately and went ahead.

 

I do have a few dresses for occasions like this, but I have never worn them. Since all of those are gifts from either family, friends, members of the alliance, and others. I finally reached my room and opened the heavy doors on my own. Past memories began to play in my head when I was still staying here.

 

….. As well as memories back on that day…..

 

“Come on, give it back, Al!” I laughed as I tried to reach the book within Al’s hand as both of us were sitting on top of my bed.

 

“I already said that I’m going to read you this book and nothing’s going to change that.” He held my face in place as my arms tried to reach the colorful book with all my strength.

 

“Boohoo, I’m already six, Al! I can read bedtime stories on my own! Why don’t you bother Kalem for once in a while?” I pouted as I slumped my arms on the bedsheets. Alphonse’s snickers filled the whole room as my night lamp lit up the surroundings.

 

“Nu-uh, you’re still my baby sister, can’t a big brother give all of his love to his sister?” He cooed as he put his index finger in front of my face. “In that case, I would have to prove that I’m not a baby anymore!” I giggled and threw myself to him, trying to snatch the book.

 

Both of us were in a pickle, with me constantly trying to grab the book while Al slithering his body like a snake here and there. We were like lion cubs playing rough house. Suddenly a creak of the door of my bedroom interrupted our quarrel. A woman with long Chestnut-Brown hair and two pins each on the right and left of her temple to keep her bangs to the side. A navy shirt tucked in her long slim black pants made it recognizable on who it was.

 

“What are you two doing on top of Lenna’s bed?” She laughed as she approached us.

 

“Momma!” Both me and Al called to her in sync, our movements were stopped completely by our mom’s presence. With me being on top of Al as he stared at mom with glistening eyes, now’s my chance.

 

“Gotcha!” I yelled out as I swiftly took the book from Al’s hand, leaving him to yelp and stare at me with vexed glares. “Heeyy...”

 

“Now, now you two settle down, what’s the problem here?” She stood in front of us with her hands on her hips. Me and Alphonse quickly repositioned with the two of us sitting on our knees facing her. 

 

“I was just going to read Lenna a bedtime story, mom” Al replied with a pleading voice.

 

“But I can read it myself, you big DUM-DUM! I don’t need someone stupid to read it to me anyway!” I shouted back and pointed my finger at him, the two of us growled at each other. It was as if lightning were flashed before our own eyes as our gazes were locked, teeths are bared.

 

A sigh slipped out from our mom’s mouth, she moved closer and sat on the edge of the bed with us. 

 

“You two are hopeless, come here” She patted the mattress, a smile emitted from her face. We followed her words and sat on each of her sides. Her hands stroked mine and Alphonse’s hair with gentle caresses.

 

“Both of you are brother and sister, you should get along. What Alphonse is trying to do is sweet, Lenna. Not everyone has a brother who’s willing to give all of his attention to their siblings. In fact, most of them don’t care” She scoffed, Al stared at me with a cheeky smirk and let out his tongue at me.

 

As I was pouting, our mom also made another argument, “But giving those kinds of things have limits as well. If you give it too often, it would be simply called bothersome and it will end up as an act of annoyance, got it, Alphy?” 

 

Al’s eyes went wide at her words and blushed in embarrassment, I smirked back at him as a symbol of victory. “Uhmmmm, okay, mom” His slurry tone echoed and he plopped his head to our mom’s lap and snuggled in closer.

 

“Good, but keep at it, Alphy. After all, I have a surprise for you two” She whispered playfully, ruffling both of our hairs cheekily. Me and Alphonse’s eyes brightened up, I immediately jumped to my feet on top of the springy mattress.

 

“What is it, Mommy?! What’s the surprise??” I exclaimed jubilantly as I jumped up and down on the mattress while holding to her shoulder. 

 

“Yeah, yeah, what’s the surprise, Momma?” Alphonse wrapped his arms around mom’s left one, grinning from ear to ear gleefully.

 

“Hehe, but don’t tell your dear daddy about this yet, you two” She puts her right index finger in front of her lips with a smile.

 

“Don’t tell me what, exactly?” A deep voice rang throughout the room, making the three of us turned our heads towards the door.

 

A tall, broad-shouldered man with a white shirt and a Red-velvet tie covered by a Mocha-colored vest leaned against the doorway with his brows lifted. His wavy and short Auburn hair dashed with his glistening clear Emerald eyes.

 

“DADDY!!” I screamed joyfully

 

“DAD!” Alphonse instantly shot his body up along with me.

 

Both of us jumped off the bed with legs as fast as lightning, glancing at each other with competitive eyes. We threw our arms around his waist with giggles, clinging to him like glued papers. 

 

“You’re back, Daddy!!”

 

“Of course, why wouldn’t I? Did the two of you bother your mother while I was gone?” He chuckled as he patted both of our heads.

 

“Not at all, dad!” Alphonse looked up to him and saluted with a grin, his fangs shown clearly to our dad.

 

“Welcome back, honey” Our mom called out and approached us, giving our dad a peck on the lips. Me and Alphonse looked at one another with disgusted faces, blabbering inaudible words while shivering our bodies in revulsion.

 

“You’re home early, what’s the catch?” Our mom asked with a sly smirk on her face as she crossed her arms.

 

“Thought the kids could spend more time with me, I’ve been away for far too long.”

 

“Annddd?? ” Her face moved closer to our dad’s with a sneaky smirk. Me and Alphonse watched while we hugged our dad as he let out a deep sigh.

 

“I miss you as well… satisfied enough?” Dad gave a warm smile to mom as she replied with an irritated pout.

 

“At least be more romantic, Roderick. Geez….”

 

“And let the two of them hear what I could offer more than that little sentence?” 

 

Both of them looked over to me and Alphonse with mom blushing all over herself. She then let out some nervous chuckles as she frantically straightened up her back like a pole.

 

“W-well, you’re technically right. But more importantly, since you’re here, guess I have no choice but to let you hear about it.” She giggled as she stepped back from us, making our dad’s face filled with confusion and curiosity.

 

Her hand went into the pockets of her pants, disappearing before it reappeared holding onto some kind of stick. White and one of the edges are colored in blue, she held it with both of her hands in front of dad’s face. 

 

When I looked up to dad’s face, his usually calm expression was crushed by his eyes went wide and his mouth gaped. As well as a blush dusting his cheeks as he received the mysterious stick from mom’s hand. Staring down at it with trembling lips, taking glances back and forth from the stick and mom’s face.

 

“Surprise!!”

 

“Daddy, what is that?” I swayed from side to side in curiosity while my dad was speechless.

 

“Phoebe, you’re...” Mom hummed and nodded at him, me and Al turned our eyes to her immediately.

 

“Alphy, Lenny, you guys are going to have a little sister or brother. Now there’s a baby growing inside of mommy’s belly here” She giggled and held her tummy with both of her hands. 

 

“WWHHHAATTTTT?!?!?!?” Me and Al screamed in sync, sprinting towards our mom and stared at her belly.

 

“Is it true, Mommy?! I’m going to be a big sister?!”

 

“And I’m going to be a big brother of two darling sisters?!” 

 

She giggled and patted both of our heads, “Both of you are right, let's hope it's another girl!!” Me and Alphonse ran around the room with happy shrieks and giggles. Jumping together in jubilee while spinning around, lost in the joy we were experiencing without noticing that our mom’s body had been enveloped by dad’s arms.

 

She let out a giggle as dad hugged her tighter, still holding the anonymous stick in his right hand, “Honey, are you crying??” She asked with a laugh

 

As dad pulled away from her, I could see his expressionless face tethered with blushes and trails of tears. 

 

“No, I don’t” He denied, sniffling a few seconds after that

 

“Then why are these tears flowing down your cheeks? You’re such a manly baby, you know that?” She cooed as she wiped dad’s tears with both of her thumbs.

 

“I’m just….. Can’t believe we’re going to expect another… It took the words out of my mouth..” Me and Alphonse giggled watching dad muttered with an overwhelming blush on his face.

 

“It made me speechless too, not gonna lie. Kalem knows that you’re going to be emotional like this if I told you”

 

Dad’s brows knitted together at her response, “Wait, Kalem knows? Earlier than any of us?”

 

“Yeah, mom. How come??” Al added with his arms annoyingly crossed

 

“I guess he should be the one hearing it first this time. You already know how meaningful it is for him to be in our family, especially with you being his ‘merciless and naggy’ mentor” 

 

“Merciless and naggy is not the word for it. Discipline is the answer and I swear I haven’t heard those words come from his mouth. You just made it up, didn’t you?” Dad let out a chuckle as he holds both of mom’s hands in his.

 

“Maybe~ This is special for all of us, so don’t get too jealous.”

 

I wrapped my arms around mom’s waist and placed my head next to her belly. Waiting to hear any sounds that the baby would make with exhilaration. Mom looked over me and smiled as she stroked my hair.

 

“I can’t wait to meet you, baby! We’re going to have so much fun together!” 

 

“And I’m gonna make sure that you both are safe! I will obliterate anyone who’s trying to come near you two” Al added with his loud voice, saluting to mom and dad with a grin. All of us were overjoyed, waiting for the new member of our family to come within months.

 

If only we get to see what they may look like, that is…. I don't want to lose anyone ever again, not Alphonse, not Kalem, not dad…. They are my family, I would do anything to keep them away from harm. Our bonds are inseparable, lose one and we would fall into oblivion.

 

Just wait for me, dad, Al, I’ll be there as soon as possible. Hang in there...

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