A/N: It's been forever since I wrote anything FF. I do want to finish this story, though. I'm taking Stylistics this semester so I'll try to upload a chapter every week in which I take that week's subject and run with it, killing two birds with one stone.

A/N 2: I hated last chapter, so I'll rewrite some day soon.

A/N 3: This chapter isn't part of my Stylistics-chapters, it's just a connector to my current story ideas.

A/N 4: Yes, this chapter is a PoV switch. I intended it this way.

Disclaimer: I own Mr. Graham and Dorothy Ackermann but none of the canon Godfather characters. These are still very much the property of Paramount, Coppola and the Puzo estate. I think.

It's Me

Tom donned his hat and looked at this young secretary. He felt pity for her. Her ginger hair and dark brown eyes had an air of familiarity and the freckles made her look almost child-like. He wanted to protect her. He gazed over her head to her spotless desk, noticing the name-tag.
"Miss Ackermann, I –"
"Tom" Dorothy sharply grabbed his attention. "It's finie. These times are horrible. It's been years."
Mr. Graham coughed in his doorway. "Miss Ackermann, please stop harrassing Mr. Hagen. Tom, I'm terribly sorry about this. Please –"
Tom put up his hand and smiled. "It's alright, Mr. Graham. Miss Ackermann, it was nice meeting you."
He drew the door shut and crossed the corridor to gaze out the window, onto the crowded Manhattan streets. The sunrays beat down on the reflective car roofs. He never asked for her first name. Their childhood – Tom chuckled softly to himself. Miss Ackermann could have been mistaken. For all he knew she could have picked up on Graham's 'Godfather'-remark and wanted a bit of Vito's generosity for herself. But then why claim to be his sister? No one even knew he had one, aside from Vito and Sonny. Maybe Mamma knew. Of course Mamma knew. But no one else. He turned away from the city and walked to the exit. Vito would have an answer.

Genco Olive Oil had been New York's most successful olive oil importer for several years now – that is, in terms of reported revenue. No one actually knew its precise profits, as its imports and sales were of a vast variety and were not accounted for in the official ledger. Tom knocked on Vtio's dark door, finding the Godfather in deep conversation with his own thoughts.

"Pop" Tom addressed him. Vito looked up at him and smiled.

"Tom" he spoke in his characteristic manner.
"Pop, I have to talk to you."
Vito sat back in his chair.
"There was this secretary at Graham's –"

Vito looked sternly at him. "I never thought you one of them, Tom."
"Oh, no" Tom continued. "That's not it. She claimed she was my sister."
Vito sat up. "Family is all a man has, Tom. What does she call herself?"
"Ackermann."
Vito nodded. "Talk to our man downtown."

A/N 5: Yes, it's terribly short. But I had to do this. Next chapter will be childhood memories, so don't forget to R&R so I know what to take into account!