Disclaimer: The characters of CSI: NY do not belong to me however this story is of my own and should only be used once permission has been asked and received. No copyright infringement intended and no profit is being made.
Summary: The lives of two people, intertwined in the city that never sleeps, over twenty five years. Historical Fiction. DL with SM and FA.
Notes: I know I shouldn't be writing this when I have two stories which are already long overdue a new chapter but guh, I was just too excited! I don't know whether people will be interested in this sort of thing but personally, I am a huge sucker for historical fiction and when this idea bit I just couldn't shake it. A lot of research has gone into this and although books tend to be trustworthy, the internet isn't always. Know that I have tried by utmost hardest to keep it as accurate as possible but unfortunately all mistakes are my own.
Danny said in 5x19 'Communication Breakdown' that three of his family members were called Louie, Clemenza and Alphonse so I've accordingly used those names.
I've said in the summary that there shall be DL, SM and FA pairings which is true – however this is still primarily a DL storyline with the sub-pairings of SM and FA (in that order). That's not to say I've thrown them in for the sake of it but then they shan't be featured – chapter four is entirely dedicated to a relationship other than DL (though I won't give the game away now by saying who) – but I didn't want to mislead anyone. I once stated in an old story in another fandom that there would be a mild pairing in later chapters and then received many complaints when they didn't show up for a while so I don't want to relive that conundrum!
With that out of the way, let's roll on!
Fidelis Ad Mortem
Prologue
Ellis Island, 1898
Ellis Island, 1898
The red-brick immigration centre with its four corner towers stood proudly, welcomingly beckoning the slow procession of travellers towards its promise of freedom and a new life. After the long and gruelling journey on the ship from Italy, the steerage class passengers had been transferred to a barge which had carried them across the Hudson River for disembarkation at the island. One small boy pulled away from his mother's grip, weaving through the legs of the many people around him before he broke free from the crowd. Gazing open mouthed across to the neighbouring island, he stared at the magnificent Statue of Liberty, robed elegantly with a torch held high and a tablet clasped in her left hand. He was mesmerised by the statue having first seen it in a photograph his nonno had sent along with a letter inviting the family to join him and his eldest son in America. He'd caught the first look of Lady Liberty in person whilst travelling on the ship and found that the photograph had not done her justice.
"Daniel!" a voice called behind him. Turning, he faced the small girl who was pushing through the crowd. Two years his elder, Giorgia Messer was already growing into a beautiful girl with golden curls and blue eyes with long lashes. Finally reaching the five year old, Giorgia grasped him around the wrist and began to tug him back through the crowd. She spoke in rapid Italian, the only dialect they knew. "Mama is frantic, she says you mustn't run away or we'll leave you here and live in America without you."
"I wanted to see her again," he explained as he was pulled back to his family. Giorgia cast a smile back over her shoulder, having always held a soft spot for her younger brother.
"As soon as we live in America, you'll be able to see her as much as you want," she told him as they finally found their parents again.
Alba Messer took her youngest son into her arms and hugged him fiercely, held him out and scolding him for running away before hugging him again. This proceeded a further three times before her husband ushered them along with the line which was disappearing into the building. As they neared the entrance they could hear a man shouting orders and their bags where being taken by porters. Alba kept a firm grip on both Daniel and Giorgia's hands as they followed their father and eldest brother, thirteen year old Louie, into the vestibule where they were examined by military surgeons and Italian speaking attendants. Labels were pinned to each of them and although Giorgia observed hers with a contemplative expression, Daniel knew she was only pretending to read the foreign writing.
The men were directed one way whilst the women and children went another. Alba gazed after her husband as he was swallowed by the crowd. Daniel watched her, wondering whether she worried that he'd misbehave with his father gone and so squeezed her hand reassuringly. She gave him the briefest of smiles before following Louie towards a doctor who was lifting the eyelids of each person and examining their eyes. Daniel swallowed hard, remembering how his father had insisted he put his glasses in his mother's bag rather than wearing them. 'Just in case', he'd said. The doctor checked his eyes and ruffled his hair before sending him along with the others. Breathing a sigh of relief, Daniel clasped his mother's hand as soon as she was examined and approved too.
A staircase leading upwards greeted them and Daniel caught Giorgia's eye, each of them remembering how their nonno had warned in his last letter that anyone who looked breathless or tired would be sent to be examined by doctors. Men in uniform were carefully scrutinising the people as they climbed the stairs and Daniel was careful to not catch their eye, lest he attracted attention to himself. As they neared the top they watched as a woman cried and clamoured for her son who was being led away by a doctor, looking fearful. Tucking her two youngest tighter into her side, Alba called to Louie who was a few stairs ahead. He rolled his eyes but returned to her as well, keeping close as doctors asked them their names and further inspected their chest, scalp and legs.
Finally they were sent through to the Registry Room where people were waiting for loved ones whilst others joined the long lines that were congregating around fourteen different desks. Again, they were being observed from above by officials who stood on a balcony around the room. A man snaked through the crowd before calling to them and they turned, relieved to see their father who kissed them each in turn.
"I have been talking to some men," Clemenza explained to his wife. "They have also heard this rule about being sent back if you already have work. I am to not tell the man at the desk about the work my brother has lined for me or face severe consequences."
Clemenza's brother, Alphonse, had moved to America three years before and owned his own construction firm with a business partner. As well as their nonno, he had also urged the family to move to America for a better life and promised work for Clemenza should he move. Their nonno had warned them though that the Ellis Island Immigration officers didn't trust people who already had jobs for two reasons. The first, he had explained in his letter, was because the Americans wanted people who were desperate to work any job, and the second was due to the increased exploitation of immigrants. Recently, wealthy masters had approached families and offered jobs and citizenship, even offering to pay for their travel to America so that once they were in their new country, the master could take them to their lodgings where they would be trapped as slaves within his power.
With this in mind, Clemenza quietly warned his children that he'd have to tell a small lie for them to be granted immigration into America but it would be worth it. Following their father, they joined the queues and before long were being questioned by an official who spoke in clear Neapolitan which was understandable to all those who lived in the Mezzogiorno.
"Messer, excellent," he smiled at them all after checking their names off from the ship's manifesto. "Are you all here?" Clemenza gave a resolute nod. "Good, I only have a couple of questions; did you pay for your own passage?"
"Yes."
"And have you a job in America?"
Daniel noticed his father's forefinger twitch. "No."
Satisfied, the official beamed at them each in turn. "Excellent. Welcome to America, Signor Messer."
