Again, I don't own Crossing Lines or anything related to it.

When they pulled into the service station just outside Viareggio, the sun was only barely starting to break through the darkness and the roads were all but empty. The adrenaline from the day had worn off, and Tommy was exhausted, his eyes drooping even as they pulled into the fluorescent lit parking lot by the side of the highway.

There was an older man leaning against a small SUV at the far edge of the lot, and the only other sign of life was an elderly man sitting in a plastic chair beside the gas pumps, fast asleep.

Father Vittoria pulled the van into the space next to the SUV, rolling down the window and waving to the other man.

"Buongiorno Silvano, grazie per avermi incontrato."

Putting the car in park, Giuseppe stepped out and shook the older man's hand.

"Nessun problema Giuseppe, sembravi preoccupato al telefono. Tale fortuna povera per Eva."

Silvano shook his head, exasperated by the apparent return of Giovanni Vittoria.

"Quello che un bastardo!"

Giuseppe sighed and nodded.

"Si, ho paura così."

The two men exchanged keys and Giuseppe called to Tommy.

"You two should get into Silvano's car, I am just going to use the restroom."

Tommy stretched his neck and shifted Eva in his arms before standing awkwardly and moving towards the door of the van, which, mercifully, swung open before him, revealing the older priest.

"Thanks, father. Grazie."

"Prego. Come avrebbe potuto fare questa cosa a sua figlia?"

Tommy stepped out of the van, carrying Eva bridal style to the priest's SUV and settling her into the back seat, doing up her seatbelt against her whimpered protest before turning back to the Father.

"Sorry, my Italian doesn't go beyond 'grazie.'"

The older man just nodded, easily switching to English.

"I was simply wondering how anyone could do such a thing to their own child."

Tommy shook his head, leaning back against the SUV and stretching his arms.

"I've no clue, but if I find the bastard I'll be sure to ask him."

Silvano chuckled lightly.

"Please do so.

"Tommy?"

Eva's voice sounded so small that it frightened him, and Tommy immediately turned towards where she sat, climbing into the seat beside her after receiving a nod from Father Silvano, who turned and made his way towards the gas pumps.

"What's wrong?"

He looked her up and down, trying to find anything that could be causing her pain, but she looked the same as she had since they'd left the church.

"Nothing, sorry. Just, would you mind handing me that bottle of water? I can't reach it."

Tommy smiled softly at her and reached for the bottle, removing the cap.

"Of course, here."

He held the bottle up to her lips to let her drink, since she couldn't rely on her hands to hold the bottle's weight.

"Thank you."

Her voice was soft and she sounded embarrassed, so he quickly took a sip of the water before closing the bottle and shutting the car door, moving to pull her into his arms again.

"It's not a problem. How're you holding up?"

She shifted against him, moving so that her head was tucked in the crook of his neck.

"I am the same. Everything hurts and I just want to sleep, but I'm alive."

"Thank God," Tommy whispered "I don't even... I can't..."

He trailed off, the lump in his throat preventing him from saying anything else as he refused to let himself cry.

Seemingly aware of his predicament, she wound her arms around his torso and held him as tight as she could with her injuries.

"I'm sorry Tommy, I should have let you know what was going on before it got so out of hand. I just didn't think anyone would believe that I had seen my dead father. It sounds insane. I didn't believe it at first."

Tommy could only scoff lightly, his voice strained as he spoke.

"Yeah... You're probably right. I just wish there was something I could have done. Something I could do now."

"You are doing plenty."

She looked up at him, trying to catch his eye, as he seemed intent on avoiding her gaze, though without success. Leaving him to gather himself, she pressed a soft kiss to his pulse point, feeling him take a sharp breath as she did so.

"Eva..."

"Mhmm?"

"Have I ever told you that I care about you?"

She tilted her head to look up at him, meeting his eyes this time, his gaze intense.

"I.. I don't know. You may have. Why?"

"It's just, when I thought I'd lost you, there were so many things I realized I'd never get to tell you. That was a big one."

She smiled.

"Well, I know now."

He ran his free hand roughly through his hair.

"It shouldn't take thinking you'd died for me to tell you that!"

"I suppose not, no. But Tommy, I knew. You may never have said it outright, but I knew. I know."

"Okay," he took a breath "okay good. I'm just not good at this stuff, this talking about my feelings stuff."

Seeing how frustrated he seemed to be with himself, Eva couldn't help the laughter that slipped from her lips.

"I'm glad you think this is funny."

He had a smile on his face as he spoke, brushing a piece of hair out of her face and unconsciously bringing his face closer to hers. Feeling his breath against her lips, Eva stopped laughing, instead closing the distance between them and capturing his lips with her own. It was a gentle, tender kiss, almost tentative, but before they had a chance to deepen it, the noise of the door opening startled them apart.

"Sorry about the wait, Silvano and I had to sort out some minor details."

The car started and they pulled back out onto the highway, Eva smiling softly at a lightly blushing Tommy, both thankful for the tinted windows on the SUV.

In a similar car, parked in a similar lot, hundreds of kilometres from Viareggio, Carl Hickman lay in a pool of his own blood, abandoned by the side of the road.

Dun dun. Yeah, figured it was about time to bring in Hickman.

Also, I realize Tommy especially may seem out of character, but I feel like he's never really been one to have relationships with serious feelings, and so may be a bit frustrated/awkward/embarrassed about being open or vulnerable.