I stared at my coffee, taking tiny sips, trying to keep my eyes open. It wasn't happening.

"You need more sleep."

"Can't," I told Esme simply.

"It's four in the morning. You can't skip sleep. No news is going to change in just a few more hours."

"I can't sleep," I insisted. "I try, but I just can't. So I've stopped trying. The kids will be up in a few hours, this coffee will keep me going."

"Are you neices and nephews coming back over?"

I nodded, "My house is usually where they're all dropped off for a family emergency, like this. Dante's like their official nanny, and they've grown up their whole life with him, so the family trusts him. And they like you, they do, so they know the kids will be in good hands. And Carlisle's a doctor, so that's a bonus."

"What other family emergencies have here been?"

"Before I moved to America, my grandparents died, on both sides. So that was really it. One was a house fire, the other was a car accident. All in a month. The kids were over here every day. It was chaos. Funeral arrangements, family visiting from out of town, my grandparents friends over, all here. All because I had the biggest place that could accomodate everyone." I sighed. "I'm used to the kids being over. If it's a sibling emergency, they go to my parents house. Or the farm. Usually my ma's, because they're good with her."

"Oh, that doesn't seem fair."

"I'm fine with it," I insisted. "I love the kids just as much as they love me."

"You have a lot of family," Esme informed me. "I have trouble just keeping track of them, let alone their names."

I laughed, "There's Giosetia and Liborio, Riccardo and Emiliana's children. Fernando and Georgina, Theresa and Mauel's children. Sophie and Emanuel have the triplets, Fausto, Felice, and Fina. Ambrose and Fiorenza have Silviana, the two month old. Alonzo and Gabriella have Francesca and Flora, twins, both a year old. Amelia and Giannino have Ginevro. Gisella is Aurora and Giorgio's child. And Camelo and Daniella are having their first any day now."

"And then you have none."

My smile fell, "Yes. I have none. Ambrose pushed it, having his first kid at twenty-three. My parents badgered him for years. Fiorenza had trouble getting pregnant, though, so it took them a while. Camelo's only nineteen, still, so he wasn't pressed as much. Me, well, I just turned nineteen. I'm being pressured more then all of them."

"Because of the illness," Esme nodded.

I nodded back, "Yes, and the fact my dad just can't fucking say yes." I sipped my coffee before giving a sigh.

"We don't know what happened to your father," Esme sighed. "It's a mystery to us."

I nodded, "I know. Seizure and heart attack."

"Pretty freak accident," Esme insisted. "He's bound to be fine."

"But at what price?" I murmured to myself.

A week later, he was still in the hospital, but he had only woken once.

I walked Stitch exessively around the city, every day from seven in the morning to noon. The poor thing was asleep before it even went dark outside. I went to the gym, after lunch, and I worked harder than I ever had before.

I lost ten pounds, just that week alone - from stress, lack of eating consistently, exercise, and lack of sleep. It wasn't healthy, I knew, but it didn't stop me.

"Phone call," Dante passed me my phone as I got back in from taking Stitch outside in the back to play frisbee.

I took the cell and put it to my ear, "Hello? Graziella."

"Grazie, dear, it's lovely to hear from you," Vanni's voice sounded.

I winced, guiltily, "I'm sorry I haven't gotten back to you, Vanni, I-"

"Perfectly alright, dear!" he insisted. "I understand there are family issues and I send your father my best."

"Thank you," I said, hanging up the dog leash on the hooks by the back door.

"Now, this contract, my dear."

"Oh, right!"

"When would be best for you to sign?"

I glanced at the time on my phone. Nearly one. I should probably eat. "Well, I'd love to . . . tomorrow. Is tomorrow okay?"

"Tomorrow is perfect. What time?"

"Anytime," I insisted. "Probably the earlier the better."

"Eight o'clock alright?"

"That's perfect."

"Wonderful, come to the villa, then. We'll set it all up."

"Great, should I bring anything?" I asked.

"Just yourself."

"Alright, thank you," I said, sliding out of my shoes.

"Take care, dear. And don't over work yourself. Get a good night sleep."

"I'll try."

"Have a good day, dear."

"You, too, Vanni."

I hung up and sighed, rubbing my face with my hand as I started to climb the stairs. A shower, I believe, was in order.

"Grazie-"

"What, Dante?"

"You're really underweight."

"I'm normal weight," I insisted, not pausing as I started up the next flight.

"You're a hundred and ten, Graziella."

I glanced down at myself, "No, I've only lost like five to ten pounds."

"No, you've lost like twenty."

I rolled my eyes, "No, I haven't."

He sighed and threw me over his shoulder, and I gave a small gasp in shock, before I was deposited on the scale in my room. It blinked a moment before showing me my weight. One o'seven.

"That's not right," I insisted.

"Yes, it is," Dante insisted. "You're killing yourself."

"No, I've just been stressed," I insisted. "I'll gain it all back."

"Before you lose how much more?" Dante insisted. "Come on, we're going out-"

"I need a shower-"

"Tough."

He threw me back over his shoulder and I, in my sweaty shorts and t-shirt, could only throw my hair into a bun and hope it looked decent. We walked down the street to McDonalds. "You better eat what I order you."

"I'm not hungry," I insisted.

"Tough."

So he ordered supersized items and put them on a tray in front of me.

"Can't we go home and eat this?" I asked. I glanced at the windows worriedly.

"No."

I sighed and started to eat the double cheeseburger.

"If there's press, you're to blame," I insisted, pausing as I ate some fries.

He chuckled, "Yout just need to gain the weight back."

"That explains why my clothes were so loose," I said, trying to lighten the mood.

Dante didn't laugh though, "Look, take out your stress some other way. Obsessively tweet. Babysit all the time. Do something other than starve yourself."

"I'm not starving myself," I insisted. "I've eaten. I just work out more than I should."

"Just, promise me you'll work on not worrying."

"My father is in the hospital. Of course I'm worrying," I insisted. "It's hard not to."

"He'll be fine," Dante insisted back. "Alice said so."

"And visions change," I snapped. I stuffed a handful of fries into my mouth. "I just... I can't stop worrying. What caused it? That's what's bothering me. And time is ticking. I haven't found any suitable guys-"

"You know how your dad got used to me," Dante insisted.

"It took a whole year," I insisted. "I haven't got that much time. And that was different. You really... you really were my boss's son, so you were over all the time."

"And Emmett's your father's type, he's my build, and he's a lot better of a guy than I am."

I rolled my eyes, "My father doesn't see that, and you know it."

"Emmett and I are working on those kinks, actually."

"What kinks? What are you working on?" I demanded, as this was news to me.

"You'll see."

"But-"

"Eat," he demanded back of me.

I scowled, but obeyed.

My hand moved on its own accord as I signed the contract at Vanni's home. Dante was lounging besides me, the lawyer and Vanni on the other end. Juliette was somewhere else in the house.

"So, that's it, then?" I asked. "All I needed to do?"

"Si," the lawyer agreed.

I gave a relieved sigh, "Thank God. I'm sorry I've been putting this off for so long, Vanni."

Vanni gave me an understanding smile, "It's alright, dear. You've had issues at home. I understand.

"It's no excuse," I insisted. "I should have signed it right away and gotten it over with."

He waved it off, "You should go to the hospital to see him, Grazie. We are finished here."

I stood and kissed both of Vanni's cheeks before playfully shoving Dante's arm, "You drove me here."

"Eh, take a taxi."

"Dante..." I sighed, giving a pout.

He groaned, "Fine."

I said my goodbyes, and took a copy of the contract with me as I fled out the door.