Sorry for the wait and for any mistakes the beginning of the fight took me a while because I forgot I hadn't written it. To be honest the fight is a way escalated version of a fight with my father. It was my way of venting one day though there are differences that are purely for the sake of creating conflict. I don't let my father push me around anymore since I'm nearly 21 so we've been arguing occasionally when he's being insensitive. Let me know what you think and the next chapter will be up sometime this month.

Enjoy and comment!

Chiara

I walked up the stairs from the garage and stuck the keys into the door to the rest of the house. If I'm completely honest, I feel a bit numb. And drained, definitely drained, but alongside that there was a spark of hope. Maybe this would really work.

"Chiara, is that you? I have something I want to talk to you about; it's important."

Or maybe not.

I climbed the stairs and ignored my racing heart. There's no way he knows. It's stupid to worry over this.

I opened the second partially glass door and saw him standing by the entrance to the living room.

"What is it? I'm tired and I want to go take a nap."

"Well," He hesitated, moving closer to me. "Considering recent events I want you to have a bodyguard. This isn't up for discussion."

"Wait, what? Where is this coming from?" I burst out. Since when do I need a bodyguard? How ridiculous is that!

He gave me a stern look. "You know why. I will not lose you too."

"I don't need a bodyguard! Nothing is going to happen to me and if this is just about you wanting to keep track of me then maybe instead of doing this, you just ask me!"

"Don't misunderstand me! I just want you to be safe. You know how dangerous it can be; just look at what's happened to this family. I won't lose anyone else." He glared sternly, clenching his jaw.

"But you haven't lost Feli yet! He's out there somewhere and we need to find him!" Why is he so stubborn? He's never said a word about the world being dangerous before.

"He ran away; why is this so hard to believe? The police ran a thorough investigation. I know it's hard but it is the truth."

"No it's not!" Frustration and desperation seeped into my voice as I stepped away from him. "Stop being so stubborn! You're letting them blind you, and for what?! I'm not giving up on him!"

"Chiara, stop this foolishness. I am your grandfather and you will respect me!" He snapped, anger marring his handsome features. His shoulders pushed back and he stood taller, as if trying to intimidate me.

"No, you're not going to convince me. I won't get a bodyguard and I won't give up on him."

"You will and I'm not going to let you put yourself in danger for your brother. If he wants to be stupid and live on his own, then that is his choice."

He's not stupid, you are! I shouted in my mind. That would definitely get me in trouble, he doesn't exactly take well to his 'authority' being challenged after all. Or at least that's how he sees it.

"You don't know that. You won't even hire someone to look into Feliciano's disappearance!" I stomped my foot.

"I've told you to drop that. Why would I pay house and home for a stranger to sift through some papers and tell me what the cops already told us? Bambina, you know it doesn't make sense." He pleaded, rubbing his temples. He's probably trying to calm that stupid temper of his.

Dio, I'm getting nowhere with him. He's hopeless!

"Why are you so ready to believe that Feliciano abandoned us?"

"Because if I don't then that means that he really is in danger and that thought is worse. Just promise me you won't go out alone anymore."

"You're contradicting yourself, old man." I said snidely. "If there's nothing to be afraid of then why do I need a chaperone? Are you going to drive me to my classes everyday?"

"Chiarina, you're being unreasonable. Just do what I say and let me hire you a bodyguard."

"I don't need a bodyguard. I can take care of myself. You were the one who had me take self defense classes two years ago, right? Or was that someone else?" I said sarcastically.

"Why are you being so stubborn?" Stupid old man's trying to throw my words back at me like always!

"Why are you? Your way isn't always the right way!" I shouted.

He scoffed. "And you think you know better? You're only nineteen!"

"If it wasn't for this nineteen year old then you wouldn't know that there is so much more to his disappearance than the cops told you. They are lying!"

"What did you do?" He gripped my arm. "Did you go against me and hire one anyway?"

I tried to jerk my arm out of his painful grip but failed. "No, I just meant that I went down to the police myself last week. I overheard one of the officers there talking about sweeping this one under the rug. It doesn't take a genius to figure out who they were talking about."

"I told you not to go!"

"You're hurting me!" I ripped my arm out of his grip and took a step forward.

He took a deep breath before glaring at me. "So you think you're the adult of this household? That you don't have to listen to me because I'm old?"

Clenching my fists, I ignored his goading and proceeded to make my way to the staircase decorated in picture frames. It'll do neither of us any good if this argument escalates anymore. It's already on the record as our worst yet.

It seemed as though he didn't agree with that sentiment though seeing as how the next thing that flew out of his mouth crossed the line.

"This is exactly the kind of thing your parents would have done; making rash decisions and getting involved with the wrong people when they should have been acting responsibly."

Whirling around, I let out all of the anger I'd been trying to keep in check. How dare he compare me to them! "That man nearly destroyed us and you dare compare me to him? Mamma was so self-absorbed, she dumped us off on you. You barely even saw us the first month we were with you. We've had to practically care for ourselves for years now! So don't you dare try to put me down when you're gone all the time on 'business'. You weren't even here when they took Feliciano, you were in Greece!" My mouth clamped shut and instantly I knew I had gone too far. Looking down at my feet, I muttered bitterly. "I'll be in my room."

Rage still roiled within my stomach but now a tinge of guilt settled in my heart. Turning swiftly on my heels, I launched myself up the stairs and slammed the door to my small bedroom before he could say anything. I know that if I looked him in the eye, that things will only get worse from there and if I stayed there any longer he would definitely throw me over his knee like a child. Everything I said was the truth; he brought it upon himself—he knows that I don't hold back in arguments. After all, I have to defend myself; I'd been holding that in for a while now. I won't apologize, not even if he does. Even if I wanted to, it's his fault I can't, with his stupid corporal 'discipline' as he called it that so many morons still practice today. Don't get me wrong, he didn't do it often, I just never took to that kind of discipline and once he took notice of that, (note, the tantrums and crying fits only got worse) he stopped but that still doesn't change the fact that it still shaped my temper and sorely lacking apologetic skills. Feliciano got it maybe a handful of times and that was mainly because despite his rambunctious nature as a child, he tried to never cause trouble for nonno Roma.

Kicking off my shoes, I threw my bag down on the hardwood floor and grabbed my IPod before throwing myself on my twin sized bed on the wall to the left of the door. There were little lantern lights wrapping around my headboard and my sheets had red polka dots that looked like tomatoes. Selecting my angry playlist, I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to block out the day's events.

He's been far from the perfect guardian and there are still things I resent him for. Petty things but who cares? He needed a taste of his own medicine.

I kicked my right foot out against my bed and made a growling noise.

The next day I skipped class and hung out with Alfred at his place with a bag of salt and vinegar chips on my stomach as I slouched on his nice grey leather couch and American flag throw pillows.

Alfred sighed as he plopped down beside me with a coke ice cream float in one of his vintage glasses and took a huge bite of his grilled chicken sandwich. Swallowing, he said. "Are ya sure you don't want to stay at my place with me? I could always clear out the spare room. Or if you want, I could convince my neighbor to take ya in? She just got back from visiting family in Mexico; I'm sure she'd like you well enough."

Pausing from sticking another chip into my mouth, I looked at him from the corner of my eyes. "Thanks but no thanks. Besides, we all know the moment I open my mouth it'd be a warzone. I've seen the way you two argue when she tries to sneak in and she thinks you won't notice."

Grumbling, he took another angry bite. "She keeps trying to say that my room gets better ac but then she eats all my food just to spite me." He sighed. "But yeah, I see what you mean. You've both got strong personalities. I just really don't like the idea of you being all alone with him while you're fighting. I mean what if the people who took Feliciano come back for you? The police aren't even doing anything and I—oh… I'm sorry; I didn't mean to bring it back up."

Alfred said somberly, giving me a sad look through his blond eyelashes. Patting his arm, I sat up. "It's alright, Al; I know you didn't. Anyways, I haven't given up hope just yet. I've still got a few cards up my sleeve left."

His eyes narrowed at me. I could tell the gears in his brain were turning. Alfred's not as dumb as some people like to think—he's actually one of the cleverest people I know. "Chiara, what are you planning?"

Screwing my face into a stubborn expression, I stuffed a handful of chips into my mouth and said nothing.

Groaning, he half slammed his float he'd just picked up back on the coffee table and shifted so he could face me fully. "This isn't a joke; whoever took your brother is serious business if the police are too scared to do anything about it! I won't have you dead in a ditch." His eyes, the color of crystal clear sea water, were serious, something not very common for this fun loving golden boy with a hero complex. When Alfred gets serious, not many can stand in his way.

Swallowing, I tried to calm him down. "I'm stronger and faster than that. This is something I have to do; I can't just let them do this to him. He deserves better… besides I'm not doing this alone, I'm getting help. Oh, don't give me that look! It's professional help!"

"Professional? But the police don't want to help." He furrowed his eyebrows, an adorably confused look in his pretty eyes.

Seriously, his _ amazes me. "Alfredo, you disappoint me. I thought you had a love affair with all things 50's and noir." The muscle car he was saving up for and the Elvis Presley records he inherited from his grandfather are proof of it. He even works at a diner.

He was silent for a moment but I could see the gears ticking. Right when he looked like he was about to have a fit—he's pouting pretty angrily, it's hilarious—a light bulb dinged behind his eyes. He eyed me suspiciously. "A private detective? That kind of professional help?"

I nodded as I looked back at the scene on television. I swear we can both be such couch tomatoes. "Investigator actually but yeah. It took a bit of convincing; there was a macho white potato there who tried to throw me out but I convinced one of them to help me." I so did not want to tell Alfred about how he'd taken me to the bistro/café after seeing my mini meltdown outside.

It was embarrassing enough he'd witnessed it, I wasn't about to relive the moment by hashing it out with Alfred. Plus he'd get all weirdly protective.

Alfred ran his fingers through his hair and heaved a sigh. "Alright but let him do the work. Don't try and get yourself involved. Leave it to the professionals."

"I'll try."

"Chiarina!" He moaned before falling silent. "So how's it going in chemistry class?"

I scrunched up my face. Three weeks in and I was still struggling.

He chuckled. "You gotta get a tutor; this is your third time taking that same class."

"I wouldn't have to if this stupid University wasn't so hard! I swear if I have to hear nonno try and tell me why I'm having trouble and should switch majors, I'll bust a cap!"

"I still don't get why he thinks switching majors would mean you didn't have to take that class. It's a ge after all."

"Who knows what goes on through that crazy cobweb filled head of his."

We went on like that, watching the movie and chatting about small things but we didn't return to the topic about Feliciano and the private detective. It wasn't until it was nearly four thirty that I decided to head out before nonno starts to wonder where I am.

It wasn't exactly a long way from Alfred's apartment building to our relatively large house, it was just a hidden in a very nice cul de sac.

Our house layout had the garage to the right of the house with a door that leads into the kitchen. Then there's the small gate nonno had installed in front of our lawn with the fancy scroll. Nonno may have lost it all once but that doesn't mean he didn't manage to gain at least a fraction of it back. Instead of starting another vineyard, he worked at a wine company for a little while until he got enough money to put the down payment on a museum/art gallery. It really took off and we live a relatively comfortable life now.

Or that is, we did.

Making sure I closed the door as silently as possible, I kicked off my shoes and grabbed them before started to make my way upstairs. I didn't want another confrontation—it wouldn't be right, we're all we have right now. Even if he is a stubborn old man too set in his ways.

"Bambina, would you come to my office? I need to talk to you." Nonno Roma called out.

How did he know I was here? Cringing, I dropped my shoes with a loud plop and headed back down stairs. To the left of the entryway was the living room but his office was in the back right room with the double doors in the wall under the stairs.

"I need to apologize to you. I should have never said what I did to you. With Feliciano gone and all the pressure I've been getting, I've been a little harsh with you. There's no excuse to good enough to justify it. I just don't want to lose my precious granddaughter; I'm sorry."

I stared at him for a moment, my gut clenching at the slight guilt that marred my relief and elation at his apology. I can't believe I'm going to do this. Looking down at my fiddling hands, I spoke in a low apprehensive tone. "I'm sorry too." I looked up sharply at him, my heart beating fast and narrowed my eyes. "But you shouldn't have provoked me!"

A hearty laugh rang out as he tilted his head back. "That's my bambina! A real firecracker as they say."

He pulled me into a hug and squeezed me hard before letting go and resting his palm on that puzzle box of his. "I promise I'll try to be more open minded and I won't make you take on a bodyguard but."

I groaned.

"As long as you promise to call or text every hour on the hour while you're out. And you have to let me know where you're going."

Annoyance flared but I could see he wasn't going to budge. "I'll text but you can't get angry if I forget."

He stared at me for a moment before grabbing the box and fiddled with it. "Okay, I promise. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to finish up filling out this proposal before dinner. I have meeting with some important people tomorrow. What do you want to eat?"