"This looks like the last stretch." Dino commented as he and Rosetta were just finishing their short rest break. "You ready to move on?"
For a few months now the two of them had been traversing the remote heavily forested island trying to locate the source of some smoke they had seen soon after being unexpectedly sent there. Rosetta had her assumptions of what it could be but she tried not to let her hopes get too high.
Now that they were so close however it was getting harder for her to keep calm.
"Yes, let's go." She answered, trying to sound steady and guarded as she rose and started walking.
Despite how hard she had tried to hide it, Dino could hear the hopeful excitement in her voice and cracked a smile as he followed her.
There was a bit more thick brush blocking the way and once it had been cleared up, a most curious and shocking sight greeted them, rendering them speechless.
The Cavallone was the first to make a comment as he dumbfoundedly uttered, "It's…a mansion."
"It's not just any mansion." Rosetta quickly corrected him before unconsciously walking up to the building in a dazed state.
Her companion thought to to stop her but knew he wouldn't be able to so he just followed behind cautiously.
The closer the brunette got the faster her pace became until she reached the door where she immediately stopped and hesitated when opening it. The two of them stood there for a while before Dino spoke up.
"You want to open the doors together?" He asked carefully with a gentle caring tone.
His friend was startled from her dazed state and eventually nodded in reply. Together they then each gripped a doorknob and swung open the doors.
The main hall was a bit run down but the mere familiarity of the sight of it brought Rosetta to tears. Dino immediately went to comfort her and at the same time began to shout, urgently asking if anyone was there since his companion was unable to.
Unfortunately there was no answer, only silence. There wasn't even a creak from the building in response.
After waiting for a minute and hearing no replies, the Cavallone then started to venture further in to search the place but a sudden utterance put a halt to it.
"Stop! Don't move." A male's voice ordered, deep with anger which made them flinch. "Who are you? Turn around and show yourselves!"
Dino and Rosetta remained tense but still obeyed the order, turning to face the man who made the demand. There was a moment of suspicious scrutinization before the brunette's face lit up, for she recognized the male standing before her. He was older by now but there was no doubt.
"…Michael?" She uttered with a cautiously curious tone.
The male who had been addressed looked confused for a moment. It seemed that was his name but he had trouble recognizing the woman who spoke it. It took another minute before it finally dawned on him.
"Rosetta…?" He asked slowly and she nodded eagerly in reply so he smiled and approached. "Rosetta! Wow you've grown so much since I last saw you!"
"Well it has been some time since then…" the brunette remarked a little sheepishly and he chuckled.
The man named Michael then happened to notice Dino, aimed a suspicious gaze at him and asked, "Who is this with you?"
"This is Dino Cavallone." Rosetta answered.
"The Cavallone kid?" Michael uttered half to himself with surprised contemplation.
He went silent for a minute and during this time the brunette wanted to ask about her parents. Just as she opened her mouth to do so, the Mezzanotte member straightened and said, "Wait, before we continue I should take you to see the others. Follow me."
He then started walking away and as the other two followed Rosetta dared to ask, "Others? By others do you mean…?"
"Yeah, everyone. The rest of the main Mezzanotte famiglia…and your parents of course."
I figured instead of rewriting and posting That Which is Lost Can Be Found separately, it'd just be easier to tack onto this one since the narrative is still going. You'll see eventually but this part will be jumping a bit between Rosetta and co. and Vero as they each try to find a way to reunite.