Italy was just as beautiful as she had remembered. Ale also couldn't help but feel home as the plane touched down on the runway. Sure, she had never actually lived in Italy for longer than a couple of weeks at a time on family vacations, but she knew many people here, had relatives that based their life here, had many memories that originated from here, and it was where her parents now rested.

It was where her heart was.

Nate watched Ale as they landed, the decent having been bumpy and probably painful for her. She was only smiling, however, her eyes filled with tears as she looked out of the window.

"Do you think this be will be when she breaks?" Sophie asked him softly.

They had all been debating when Ale wouldn't be able to smile through her pain and really face the loss of Lio. She was putting on such a strong front that the team wondered when it would crack.

She had moments where the sadness crossed her eyes, or she seemed lost in thought, but other than that Ale wasn't acting the part of a victim. She was smiling and laughing and lighting up the room no matter where she was. The team was growing to like her presence, her humor and attitude fitting with the others so well, a piece of each of them coming out in her as well as her own unique parts complimenting them so well.

Parker had taken a real interest in Ale, but for completely different reasons than the rest of the team. They all saw Ale as broken and were waiting to pick up her pieces, but Parker saw her as someone who understood, and someone who she could understand. There was something about Ale that Parker just liked…she couldn't put her finger on it. Then again, she didn't understand why she liked or disliked a lot of things.

"Are you sad because we have to bury your brother?" Parker said suddenly, Ale seeming to snap out of whatever daydream she was in.

"I am sad that Lio is gone, yes. It hurts to know he is gone and thinking about having to live without him takes my breath away. But I am not sad we are having his funeral…it is a time to celebrate him," Ale explained, Parker nodding. Nate and Sophie, as well as Hardison and Eliot, let out a deep breath, grateful Ale knew how to handle Parker. She could easily hurt so many people's feelings, and many people didn't understand her. Ale, however, just seemed to get it.

"I was sad. When my brother died. But I'm okay now so you can be okay, too," Parker said, patting Ale on the head.

The entire team froze—Parker never talked about the accident that killed her brother. After the psychic job, she locked all of her feelings away, never bringing up her family again. The fact that she had just offered a piece of herself, just to make Ale feel better, was a huge improvement.

"Thanks, Parker," Ale whispered, obviously knowing what a big step this was. Parker found her seat next to Hardison once again, talking about something she stole from Italy a few years back as if nothing had happened.

Eliot, who was sitting one seat away from Ale, watched her, wanting to know what was going on in her mind. Just like Parker, there was something about Ale that drew him in. He couldn't put his finger on it, but it was there, a magnet pulling him towards her.

When it was time to get off the private plane Eliot made sure to be at Ale's side, sure she was stiff from the long flight and in a lot of pain.

"I'm okay, Eliot," Ale sighed, standing from her seat. She took a few steps, wincing as she did so.

"You sound great," he laughed, offering Ale his arm. Ale rolled her eyes, leaning heavily on Eliot as they made their way out of the plane.

When they got to the luggage cart Parker immediately found her bag, the small duffel being all she needed. Ale also only had a small bag, as she didn't really have any clothes to pack from at headquarters, and she hadn't wanted to go to back to her home quite yet. Sophie had gone shopping for her and picked up the necessities while Ale played video games with Hardison.

Ale grabbed her own bag, the rest of the team looking for their luggage. The minute Eliot realized Ale was carrying something he took it from her, growling a bit.

"What?" Ale shrugged, looking at Eliot.

"You shouldn't be carrying that," he grumbled, searching the airport for any threats.

"I'm basically back to normal," Ale shrugged, once again wincing. Parker poked her in the ribs, Ale immediately doubling over. Hardison pulled Parker away, a little surprised at the thief's small outburst.

"She said she was back to normal. I was checking before I took her climbing," Parker shrugged, Sophie laughing a bit. Eliot put down all of the luggage he was carrying swiftly, being at Ale's side in a second, one hand comfortingly on her back, the other on her elbow to add some support.

"Parker you are so stupid," Eliot snapped, Ale struggling to catch her breath.

"Leave her be," Ale rasped out, standing up slowly.

"She just—" Eliot started, Ale glaring at him quickly.

"She was trying to look out for me," Ale said softly, the entire team raising their eyebrows at her. It was true, Parker was checking to make sure it was safe to bring Ale climbing with her…sure there was a better way to do it, but she was being helpful nonetheless.

"She was doing a bad job," Eliot said softly, grabbing the bags and walking away quickly.

Ale stood there, dumbfounded. She wasn't sure what she had done wrong, but Eliot was definitely mad. He was always sweet with her, and then he would just snap at any moment. Ale wasn't afraid of him, but she wanted to know what made him tick. What made him close himself off so quickly.

"Our chariot awaits," Sophie smiled, linking her arm in Ale's for some support, both emotional and physical.

"Thanks, Sophie," Ale smiled, allowing the brunette to lead her out of the airport even though she most definitely knew the way herself.

The team climbed into a car, Ale sliding into the front in order to navigate to the house where they would be staying. As Nate sat beside her Ale gave him quiet directions, the team talking loudly behind them.

"I like the team," Ale said, looking at Nate as he stopped to let a group of kids run across the street.

"They definitely grow on you," Nate smiled. "They like you too, you know."

"It will be up this next hill. On the left," Ale said, ignoring Nate's comment.

"Are we almost there?!" Parker asked, popping in between the front seats.

"Two more minutes. And just remember, no stealing anything from the living room. Any other room is fair game," Ale warned, Parker squealing with delight.

"Did you hear that?!"

Ale smiled as the house in question came into view. It was a large villa, with beautiful vines growing up the sides of the building. The house was located at the top of the hill, looking out at the ocean.

"My goodness, Ale this is beautiful," Sophie gasped.

"Thank you. It was my grandfather's. He gave it to me and Lio, and we gave it to a bunch of Lio's friends. Lio made the mistake of telling them what a fraternity was like and now you can find a good old American party house right here. They are great guys though. True gentlemen…most of the time," Ale explained, remembering all of the nights she and her brother had spent with the boys, and how all of the boys felt like brothers to her on those nights.

When Nate parked the car amongst the other vehicles strewn on the front driveway the team grabbed their luggage, Eliot taking Ale's before she even had a change to argue.

"Eliot, seriously. The bag weighs two pounds. Plus, these guys…they don't know yet. They don't know about my injuries and they definitely don't know about Lio. I don't need them to figure something out before I even get the chance to explain what really happened."

Ale wanted to plead with Eliot to not make this as big of a deal. If she let on to how hurt she was, the boys would try and take care of her, when really, they needed to focus on mourning Lio. It was the right thing to do.

He did, after all, die because of what the man did to her. He fought for her until he died, and she was going to honor him as well as she knew how.

The house was amazing. It was the team's dream house—it had the style and grace to fit a queen, or Sophie, in this case. It had an entire media room that Hardison could fill with tons of his equipment. It had high ceilings and tall balconies for Parker to repel off of, and it had a huge gym in the basement for Eliot. And for Nate, the view of the ocean that accompanied every deck and balcony was the perfect place to get lost in thought. As Ale explained the set up of the house while slowly showing them the first floor, the team could hear a bunch of voices coming from the upstairs. There was chatter and a bit of playful yelling, as well as music thumping deeply and loudly.

"They all speak English, so Hardison you should be fine," Ale explained, looking at the one member of the team who wasn't bilingual. "And they are very, very welcoming and friendly. They don't know I'm coming, though, so be prepared."

"Prepared for what?" Hardison asked as they began climbing the grand marble staircase. As soon as they reached the top a large living room appeared, couches and TV's and pin ball machines dotting the room. The walls were made of windows, giving the appearance of being in a fish bowl.

There were about fifteen boys in total, all of them doing something. Some of them were playing video games, others were playing fuse ball, and some were flopped on couches, watching people play video games and fuse ball. As soon as one of them noticed the team, and Ale, the entire room stopped.

"Alessandra!" they all yelled in unison, Ale laughing and dropping her bag. All at once the boys crowded around Ale, some of them ruffling her hair, others giving her a kiss on the cheek, and most of them lifting her up in their arms and spinning her around.

Eliot and Nate froze in their spots, knowing how delicate Ale's ribs were.

Sophie was a little saddened by how well Ale was covering up the pain she was in just so the boys could be happy for a few minutes.

Hardison was smiling, glad that Ale had someone somewhere who loved her. He couldn't bear the thought of her being completely alone…although he didn't like the way some of the guys kissed her cheeks. Ale had become a sister to him, and wasn't so sure he liked the attention she was getting.

And Parker, well Parker was already scoping out the dozens of places she could climb and jump off of.

"They should get off of her," Eliot growled, watching as the boys swarmed little Ale.

"She can handle herself. She would make an excellent grifter, you know," Sophie smiled sadly. Eliot knew just what she meant, but that didn't help him feel any better.

The boys finally gave Ale some breathing room, one of them picking up her bag and heading up another set of stairs.

"You can follow David to the upstairs," Ale smiled. "Then once you pick your rooms we can have some introductions."

"Can I please sleep in the ceiling?" Parker asked, Ale laughing.

"My room has rafters. You are welcome to set yourself up there. Just ask David which one is mine. I hope you don't mind sharing…there's only two open rooms," Ale winced, looking sorry she hadn't mentioned it sooner.

"That's perfectly alright," Sophie smiled, glancing at the boys who were standing behind Ale. They were all good looking, fine Italian gentlemen. And they cared for Ale—she could tell.

As they followed David up the stairs the team heard the boys ask where Lio was.

"I'm getting to that," she answered, squealing a bit. The team looked over their shoulders, Ale being picked up by one of the boys and thrown across his back. Eliot growled again and Parker nudged him with her shoulder.

"And you were mad at me for poking her." Parker rolled her eyes, brushing past him on the stairs.

Eliot just sighed in response, trying to get his blood to stop boiling. When it came to Ale, however, it never seemed to stop.

A/N: I hope you all are enjoying the story as much as I am enjoying writing it.

Thank you all for your reviews…it warms my heart to know people are actually reading. Thank you, again, and a new chapter will be up as soon as possible!