A/N: The story of the Corleone family belongs solely to Mario Puzo & Francis Ford Coppola…in other words…these characters are not mine. Storyline maybe…not entirely either.

My name is Mary Corleone, I am the Daughter of Kay & Michael Corleone & the Grand daughter of Vito Andolini Corleone, and I am in love with my cousin; The New Don of the Corleone Family.

Currently I am in a coma, in Palermo as a direct result of an assassination attempt against my father. My cousin…Vinnie, he killed my shooter.

I remember saying 'dad' and then my world going blank

So here I lie…hooked up to machines and having my heart being pumped by a machine. I hope they pull the plug. Why? Because my Vinnie told me that we could no longer be together. My heart can't stand the thought of being without him. 'There are things that I want to be apart of Mary that you can not be around. You have to understand…you have to understand' he told me at the opera house right before my brother Tony took to the stage. I know my father had to be behind it. He was the one who told me that I can not see him anymore because its 'too dangerous' ha!

I remember the first time Vinnie and I ever said 'I love you' It was when my father was in the hospital in a Diabetic Coma. I went to see him at his club.

"Hi Cous I thought I'd drop by is that ok?" I asked standing in the doorway of the club.

"No it's not ok you shouldn't have come…a couple minutes only, okay?"

"You Look Beautiful, Cous"

"Thanks"

"So this is your club…your hideout?"

"Yeah"

"I came here to check it out"

"It's so strange, just me and Aunt Connie in the house. I feel better when I'm with you."

"What's wrong, sweetheart?"

"I'm really scared about my father."

"Don't be scared."

"When I saw them take him out of that ambulance, I thought he was dead."

"I know…Everybody says he's gonna be better."

He kissed my cheek

"Don't worry, Okay?" he said and then turned to walk into the kitchen.

"I remember them shooting at our house when I was little. And Al Neri came one time with other bodyguards…and just took me and Tony away. Is it all happening again" I said as I walked into the kitchen.

"Not like that, sweetie."

"Then why are you hiding here? Is something going to happen to you?"

"Nothing's gonna happen to me. I'll take care of you."

"Can I stay here and hide out with you?"

"You have to make gnocchi for the boys."

"You know I don't know how to cook…but I'll help."

"Okay" He said and stepped aside and let me try to make gnocchi

"What do I do?" I asked and then grabbed a pinch of flour and threw it on to the counter

Vinnie grabbed my right hand with his and helped me form the gnocchi. We did 4 of them and then he pressed his hand down on top of mine and then laced his fingers through mine.

"I love you, Cous"

"I love you, too, Cous." He said and I put my head on his shoulder

"Okay, let's cook." He said trying to get back to the task at hand. We never got back to the task at hand because next he had both of his arms around my shoulders kissing my pulse point. Then my cheek then the side of my mouth before I turned around and kissed him properly.

"Hold me" He said and I put both of my arms around his neck, he squeezed me tight and then lifted me up twice and then on the third time he carried me off to his office. We lay down on his sofa.

I'll never forget that day. I'll also never forget the day Vinnie broke my heart.

It was the same day as the shooting. We were all in the staging area behind the balcony that was reserved for the family. I was being praised by the men in my father's crew when I saw Vinnie walk in. I slowly excused myself from the gentlemen and walked over to the doorway

"Hey"

"Hey Cous"

"where's your leather?" I asked hitting his chest lightly he looked around and then said

"stop it."

"It's over. Mary There are things I have to do that you can't be a part of…." He said and I immediately turned my head to look at my father he continued to break my heart even more by saying:

"Don't look at your father. It's not your father's decision. It's mine."

I looked down

"Don't hate your father."

I looked back up at him

"There are things I wanna be a part of, you can't be around. After tonight you won't see me anymore…You gotta understand Mary….You gotta understand."

"I'll always love you." I told him.

He closed his eyes to prepare himself for his next response. Then the final blow came and put a hole in my heart.

"Love somebody else." He said and walked away. The tears pour out my eyes like water from an overflowing sink.

I can hear everything that is going on around me. I hear my mother's voice and sometimes her weeps. I hear my father's voice and his apologizes. I hear my brother singing to me and telling me old jokes from when we were kids.

The one voice I want to hear, I haven't heard since he and I talked right before the shooting.

"Can I please talk to you now?"

"Not now, Mary it's not a good time."

"You're just like my father."

"Come on, stay with the family. Go on."

I walked away joined up with the family I am walked up to my dad

"Dad…Dad, why are you doing this to me? You don't have to do this to me."

"Doing what? What do you mean?" My dad asked

"Mary, will you please--"my brother Tony said my dad and I were both distracted that we didn't see one of the clergy members pull out a gun and start firing. 2 shots were fired…1 hit my dad in his arm. The other right through my chest. An 8th of centimeter and I would have died flat out.

"Dad?..." I asked as I slumped to the ground

"Mary!!" Aunt Connie Screamed

"NO!!!" My mother Screamed

"oh God…Maybe she's not dead" my father said and slumped over me to pick me up by the shoulders

"No!!! No!!! MARY!!!" Vinnie screamed from the foot of the stairs looking up at the scene before him. He walked up the stairs and came over and pulled me into his lap

My dad looked at me and saw that I am still alive

"Somebody Call an ambulance…She's still alive." My dad said

The ambulance was on the scene faster than I ever thought possible. I guess a lot of sway does come with the last name 'Corleone'

I would guess at least a month has passed and I am still in a coma. I miss Vinnie so much.

"Mary…My sweet little Mary" my father said holding my hand that has an IV in it.

"I never understood your love for Vincent. Or for our family…but you were always trying to bring us closer together." He said.

"I need you to wake up sweetie" he said…his voice cracking as he does so.

"I'll never be able to forgive myself for the rest of my life if you were to die. That bullet was meant for me." He said letting out a sob and letting his tears flow freely.

"Vinnie…has killed the man who shot you baby"

At the mention of Vinnie's name the heart monitor beeped as my heart rate dropped a little.

I remember the first time I saw Vinnie as an adult. It was my father's party for his appointment to the Order of St. Sebastian

"Hi Vincent…I remember you"

"You remember me? From where?"

"from the last time we were at a party together"

"did you come down to the club?"

"No…it was a wedding"

"a Wedding?"

"I was 8 and you were 15"

"I had a lot of girlfriends when I was 15"

"8-year-olds?"

"Especially 8-year-olds."

"You know, you haven't kissed me hello yet. Relatives always kiss."

"Oh, now we're related?" he laughs

"I'm your little cousin."

"Who's your father?"

"I'll give you a hint. He's Italian."

"Mary! Mary…we've been waiting for you…Remember…keep your voice low. Smile. Don't forget to smile."

Another week has gone by still I haven't heard from Vinnie.