DISCLAIMER:

I own nothing but my OCs and this plot line.

Enjoy!

Chapter Fourteen: House of Return

Nicolo's POV:

After a while of talking to Tori and trying to convince her to stop freaking out, I noticed Fabian come back into the waiting room.

"So how'd it go?" I asked him. "I'm guessing you two are cool now, judging by the stupid grin on your face."

He sat down on the other side of me, blushing furiously. "You're hilarious," he started dryly. "And yeah, we're fine. We figured everything out."

"That's good!" Tori piped up. "Now you two can live happily ever after."

"There's just one thing: Life isn't a fairytale, Tor," I muttered.

"And the king and queen come marching your way," she said grimly.

"Huh?" I looked up in alarm. Sure enough, my parents came running over to us, expressions cross and somewhat frightening.

"Nicolo Ermete De Luca!" my mother shouted. I groaned and slid down in my chair, hiding my face in my hands. "You are in so much trouble! Where is Giana?"

"Uh, hi Mr. and Mrs. De Luca," Tori said sheepishly, waving and smiling nervously. "H-how was the flight?"

"Victoria!" My father took over. "Your parents are worried sick about you! They are considering sending you away to school to keep you out of trouble!"

Tori's expression turned to utter fear and shame. I spoke next.

"Mom, Dad," I started nervously, "Giana's down the hall. Take a left and she's the fourth door on your right."

They looked a bit relieved. "We'll deal with you later," Dad said. Then they left.

"Your parents seem nice," Patricia muttered, stretching and sitting up.

"They are… when they're not mad," I answered.

Then Tori's phone rang. She looked at the Caller ID and got a panicked expression on her face. "My parents," she mouthed.

"Answer it!"

"No!"

Reluctantly, and after giving her my signature glare, she pressed the answer button on her iPhone.

"VICTORIA ANNALISA ESPOSITO!" her mother shouted. She was so loud, she woke everyone else. I cringed.

Tori chuckled nervously and twirled a lock of hair around her thumb. "Uh, ciao, Mamma, I-"

"YOU ARE IN SO MUCH TROUBLE, YOUR FATHER AND I ARE CONSIDERING SENDING YOU AWAY TO A COLEGIO IN ITALIA!"

Boarding school in Italy? I thought. Uh-oh.

Her jaw dropped, eyes widening. I assumed she was silently screaming, as no sound came out. Her mother just kept shouting about how much she'd be punished once we returned to America - something neither of us were looking forward to.

Eventually, after she ended the call, Tori came out of her shell-shocked state, only muttering to herself incoherently in rapid Italian. I tried to reason with her, as did Amber and Fabian, but there was no such luck.

And then my parents came back.

"This has just not been a good day," I groaned as I flopped face-down on a sleeping bag and pillow on the floor in Fabian and Mick's room.

"And it's only seven in the morning," Patricia commented, dripping with sarcasm. "I'm going up to bed. Good night and good luck."

Mara, Amber, Nina and Tori followed her, all saying their goodnights and goodbyes.

"So, what now?" Jerome asked.

I lifted my head. "Now," I started off, "I sleep. I've gone way too long without getting a decent amount sleep."

"We'll leave you be," Alfie said. "Night, Nico."

"Night, Alfie. Night guys."

"G'night," they said as Alfie and Jerome left.

And then I blacked out.

Giana's POV:

A few days had passed and the people from the hospital finally let me go back to school.

"Are you feeling any better?" Nico asked. He, our parents, Tori and I were in the process of going back to Anubis. It was getting later and darker outside. "You've been kind of quiet."

"I mean I was only held hostage and tortured for information I didn't know for over twelve hours," I muttered. "I'm fine. Just tired I guess."

"I'm not buying it," Tori chimed in. "You're never this quiet. What's bugging you, G?"

I shrugged. "Do you think Mom and Dad will still let me attend school here?"

"Of course we will, bella," Mom answered. "You seemed to be enjoying yourself so much there, and your housemates were so nice and welcoming… I especially like that one brunette boy - Fabio?"

"Fabian," I corrected her, blushing furiously.

"Is he good to you, mia figlia?" Dad asked. "He's a good boy?"

"Yes," I answered, averting my gaze to the window. "He's very nice. Respectful. All that."

Once we'd reached my boarding house, I happily jumped out of the car and ran up the three short steps, only partially aware of where I was going.

As soon as I opened the door, I was assaulted with hugs from everyone. And when I say everyone, I mean everyone. Even Patricia and Jerome.

"I've missed you guys!" I exclaimed. "I've missed being here… hopefully things will return to normal, yeah?"

"I hope so," Nina chuckled. "I can't handle too much insanity in one week."

"What exactly happened, though?" Mara asked.

And the room became quiet.

"Er…" Nico started, trailing off and whistling annoyingly.

The silence was so awkward, I just decided to speak up and tell the truth - well, kind of. I had plans to stretch some lies.

"I was kidnapped," I started off shakily, memories flooding back of the horror I endured. "There was a lot of weird stuff… I can't exactly remember what happened." That was a lie. "But now I'm safe and sound, and everyone can get back to their lives. Right?"

And then I noticed one thing: Fabian wasn't there.

When I asked where he was, Amber said that he was in his room. Shrugging and rolling my eyes, I shed my coat, scarf, boots and hat, making my way to through the house and knocking lightly on his door.

"Come in," he said quietly.

I opened the door and walked in, closing it behind me.

"Giana!" he exclaimed.

The next thing I knew, I was falling backwards to the floor. He had run at me when I was partially off-balance, hugged me, and we'd fallen together.

I started laughing.

"Oh my God, are you alright?" he asked. "I'm so sorry!"

"I'm fine!" I exclaimed, still trying to suppress my giggles. "It's alright!"

It took a few minutes for our laughter to die down, and after holding his gaze for a moment, I felt myself blushing uncontrollably - he still had me pinned to the floor.

He awkwardly cleared his throat. "Erm… Need a hand?"

I smiled as he helped me up. Then we hugged again.

"I'm so glad you're back," he whispered, running a hand through my hair.

"I am too," I agreed. "You have no idea what it was like."

We ended up sitting across from each other on his bed, cross-legged, as I relayed everything Rufus had put me through.

"And then, I was in this limbo-like state," I concluded. "I thought I was going to die… but then something happened and I heard you guys shouting my name, someone yelling for an ambulance… And then I blacked out and woke up in the hospital."

"So…" he trailed off. "The entire time you were there, he kept asking you where the Cup was, and if you said you had no idea, he'd think you were lying and stab you in the arm?"

I nodded.

"I'm glad he's dead."

I shuddered. "I am too - you have no idea."

He took my hands in his. "You know what, though? You were strong throughout it all. I admire you for that."

Strong? Me? Nah… I thought.

"Yes, you were."

Oops. Apparently I said that out loud. "Thanks, Fabian, but I think you're delusional."

"I am not." He leaned in and kissed me. "At least you're alright. I don't know what I'd do if anything more serious had happened to you."

"I still have that word etched into my arm," I said quietly, pulling up the sleeve of my cream-colored cardigan. "They said the scars will probably be there forever."

He lightly traced the pink scars on my forearm, immediately stopping as soon as he saw me wince.

"I'm okay," I reassured him. "Really." I fixed my sleeve.

He shook his head. "I'm not even going to try to believe you."

I leaned back against his headboard, a smile playfully crossing my face. "Whatever you say, genius."

And then we heard Victor do his stupid pin-drop speech. Mick had just made it into the room.

"Hey mate, what-" he stopped once he saw me.

"Crap," I muttered. "Uh, okay. If I go upstairs, Victor will kill me. If I stay down here, Nico will kill me. I am so screwed."

"I'll tell your brother to stay in Alfie and Jerome's room," Mick offered, turning on his heel and walking out before anyone could protest.

Fabian and I exchanged awkward glances. "I guess you're spending the night here," he said.

I bit my lower lip.

"Don't worry." He smiled. "You can trust me."

Hmm… what could go wrong? I shrugged.

Mick came back. "He's skeptical, but he'll be staying with Alfie and Slime-ball."

"Why do you and Jerome call each other derogatory names like that?" I questioned.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, he calls you Meathead."

"Does he? That little-"

"Mick, now isn't the time for this," Fabian cut in. "Save it for morning, alright?"

With a huff and a sigh, Mick shut the light and went to bed, muttering something about killing Jerome. I decided to pay little to no attention.

The last thing I remember is falling asleep with Fabian's arms wrapped around me, dreaming peacefully.

Everything seemed perfect.

So far.