It had been extremely difficult for the team to watch Ale say goodbye to the boys and the kids. All of the guys gave her big bear hugs and they talked for a few minutes.

The kids also gave Ale huge hugs, each of them handing her a letter, card or picture that they made for her. It was heartbreaking to watch the kids say goodbye to Ale, but she stayed strong during all of it, the new caretakers being so good with the kids as they were upset. The boys also helped, making it a bit easier on Ale.

The last goodbye came from Emilio. Despite their argument earlier, Ale and Emilio held each other in their arms for a long time, whispering back and forth.

By the time Ale had said goodbye to everyone it was time to board the plane, the team getting to the airport in the nick of time. Ale sat in her seat, unfazed. Sophie watched her closely, assuming that it was going to be hard for her to leave.

Instead, she sat in completely silence, her face a mask, void of any emotion.

"Do you think what she said is true? That she doesn't know who she is?" Hardison asked, looking at Sophie from across the aisle. Ale had been smushed between Parker and Eliot before the team could switch the tickets around since they were a bit late boarding.

"I think that she is going to have a very tough time coming back to Boston. She is going to have to face a lot of demons…it's going to be difficult. We all were compelled with her strength, but we have to understand that it's going to crumble a lot before it is fully present again," Sophie shrugged.

The flight seemed quick to Ale, her waking up just as they were landing. At some point she had fallen asleep, and when her eyes opened again her head was resting on Eliot's shoulder.

She wanted so badly to pick her head up quickly, but the cold she had was lingering and it was so much easier to just stay down.

"You're awake," Parker said, always being the first to notice when Ale arrived or woke up.

"I am," Ale nodded, sitting up slowly.

"How's that cold doing?" Eliot asked, a knowing smile on his lips. Ale's eyes widened, wondering how he knew about it. "You still have a fever. You felt a little warm on my shoulder."

Ale nodded, thinking of an answer. Before she could speak, however, it was time to exit the aircraft.

Ale allowed herself to get pulled to the luggage cart with Parker, remembering the last time she was in the airport with the team.

She was hurt then, in a different way than now, leaning her weight on Eliot's shoulder. Now, whenever she was in his presence she didn't know how to act…were they friends like before she went to Italy, or did Eliot want her to keep her distance?

Sure, he had apologized but there was still something he wasn't telling Ale, and she was worried her actions would make it worse.

"I cannot wait until I get to show you my place. The ceiling is filled with lines for zip lining and the roof is prime for jumping," Parker rambling, grabbing her stuff. Ale grabbed her bags, only having a few since she sent the rest of her luggage ahead of time.

"It will be great," Ale nodded, Parker linking her arm through hers as they walked through the airport. When they got outside Lucille was waiting, Ale immediately confused.

"Lucille was in Italy," she stated to no one in particular.

"That was international Lucille. This is the original," Hardison smiled, glad to see his pride and joy waiting for him.

"Wow," Ale nodded, throwing her luggage in the back. Her phone ran then, her quickly dismissing the unknown number.

"Everything okay?" Eliot asked, looking at Ale as she put her phone back in her jeans pocket.

"Yeah," she nodded, sending a quick smile his way. Hardison noticed, however, and quickly pulled Ale to the side. Eliot watched with interest as the two spoke, feeling as though there was something he should know.

"Was that the number?" Hardison asked, Ale nodding. "Do you ever answer it?"

"I've always been working at the orphanage. I didn't see the point in answering if I didn't know them. But then I noticed it was the same number, every time. It's not telemarketers because they have my house number for those calls. When I called back it said the number was unavailable."

"Next time it rings and we are around my equipment you will answer. Until then I will just try to trace it. I wouldn't worry about it though," Hardison smiled.

"Thanks Hardison," she nodded, climbing into the car.

The conversation didn't go unnoticed by the rest of the team, either, Nate and Sophie sharing a questioning look.

"So, for dinner tonight I was thinking we could do Chinese takeout," Nate said once they got in the car.

"I'm actually going to go back to my house tonight, I think. I have a lot of stuff to clean up there and I should start unpacking from Italy," Ale said, the entire team looking at her.

"You want to go back to that house?" Sophie asked, horrified. That is where Ale had spent time with her brother and where she had been taken by Buchamp's men.

"I have to at some point," Ale shrugged.

"We can drop you off, if you would like," Nate offered, Ale shaking her head.

"I'll just take a cab from the bar. Thanks, though," Ale smiled, seeming lost in her own thoughts.

Truth was, Ale didn't want to go to her house. She and Lio had spent months there together…they hadn't been in the town long enough to make their own friends so they were the only entertainment the other had.

And there was the memories of the day she got attacked. She hadn't told anyone about that day, and she hadn't told anyone how it happened. She didn't want to. It was so much easier to forget if you just pushed it out of your memory.

Once they got back to the bar Ale grabbed her bags and immediately, leaving before the team could argue that she should stay for dinner.

She told the driver where to take her, quickly arriving at her house.

As soon as they pulled, up, though, it was as if Ale couldn't breathe.

"Do you need help with your bags, Miss?" the driver asked, looking at Ale.

She shook her head, lifting the bags out of the trunk. Ale gave the man her fair, walking up to the front door. As she tried to steady her breathing she put in the key and entered into a world of unwanted memories.