The fits of giggles erupted from the other room as Feli sat at the table, listening to Chloe enjoy the girls company. Jalila and Luciana were happily talking with her about their countries and husbands, yet his own mind wandered, wondering if he was doing the right thing. As the others spoke deep in conversation of war, Feli's mind fell back to the sunny day in the Vatican over five months ago.

The sun was bright as he walked the stone streets. The day was warm and comforting as he mingled with his people, something he enjoyed doing as the war was growing more and more each day. It was one of the ways to cool his head and worries besides blustering away to Ludwig or Kiku, or even Lovino. But with Kiku helping Yao and Nora and Ludwig being a papà all the time there wasn't much time for Feli to speak to the others.

He let the high sun bask upon his back as the city was alive with slowly growing crowds. He knew it would only get worse as the sun set lower in the sky, so quickly he changed pace only to smack into something.

"Oh cac! Sorry, I didn't see you!" he heard someone say, "Damnú air! Italian Chloe, Italian. Uh, Mi dispiace...non...um, ti ho visto? Think I did that right."

He was stunned to see a foreign woman brushing herself off as he fought to find his own words, "Parla inglese?"

"Oh, English? Yes, I speak English, well Gaelic if you want technical terms." she said as she looked at him.

To be fair, she was the most breathtaking woman he had ever laid eyes on. Not that he hadn't seen his share, especially in Italy but she was stunningly beautiful. Her red hair flaring in the gentle breeze as her green eyes looked up at him. She was curvy and busty, yet perfectly sculpted from his view and as he looked at her, something told him to stay near her.

"That's good then." he smiled at her, "You look a little lost, do you need help?"

"That would be terrific if you could." she replied holding up the map to him as a sweet floral scent hit him, "I'm looking for this church actually."

Feliciano looked at the map and saw the circled places that she was visiting and marking with small side notes once again something telling him to go with her.

"Sure, it's actually this way." he said, "If you'd like I could help you around since you have a couple of places marked down, I don't mind."

"Not going to kill me and sell my organs on the market?" she smiled.

Feli couldn't help but laugh as he shook his hands, "No, no. Non voglio vedere una bella donna perdersi a Roma."

"I'm guessing you said you don't want anything bad happening to me, huh?"

"Sì. So, the real question is, why are you looking at these places and not the normal attractions?"

She smiled at him, "You'd find me crazy if I told you."

"Never say that with me. My friend's always say I'm strange, so nothing will shock me."

"You sure about that?"

"I am." he smiled at her, "I'm Feliciano."

She gave him a sweet, bright smile, one that hit his very soul, "I'm Chloe. And I'll tell you once we get there."

"Feliciano!" he heard his name shouted.

"Huh?"

"Have you heard a word we all said?" Lovino snapped at him.

"Let the poor man be." Antonio chuckled, "His mind is stuck on his chica."

"Scusate. I didn't mean to wander." Feli replied to them.

"It's alright, you have a lot on your plate now Feliciano, it's makes sense for you to fade out." Marques replied. "I think we were all that way at one point."

"Sí, sí. I know I was when Luciana came to me. Speaking of the girls, how did you get Chloe to warm up to you so well? Most of the girls and guys even were a bit cautious and worrisome as they learned of their dreams and the truth behind them. Took me two weeks to convince Luci she didn't need to be in an asylum."

Feliciano found his head back to that sunny day, "Luck I guess."

"Come now, Feli. Grandpa would want truth." Lovino pointed.

"That's true." he sighed, "She was a tourist in Rome, looking at everything and enjoying the day but she was looking for specific things, churches and monuments. The more she spoke about them the more I kinda knew what was going on. After a little I got her to spend the entire day with me and we, well, got closer. I helped her find her places and she gave me a fun day. A win if you ask me. So, when she was going back to Ireland, we exchanged numbers and such to keep in touch. And we did, right up to this very day."

"Damn, he knows how to keep the girls. Better learn Lovi." Antonio joked causing the man to slew out a rush of Italian curses.

"Forget them Feli. You did well getting her here, better than most that's for sure." Marques spoke over the two.

"You're right, but I feel like I'm failing her."

The men grew silent as he confessed his thoughts. Truth be told, he felt like he was putting her in more danger than just leaving her in Ireland under the care of Carine and her husband, but Arthur was the one that told him to bring her to Italy.

"Why do you say that?" Lovi asked.

"Honestly, look at me. I'm nothing like the others. I run away from battles and wars, I don't want to fight and I'm lucky to hold a gun up to even look threatening." he released his mind, "Plus, and no offence to Chloe, she won't have a chance. The rest of the girls have some to a slim chance, not her."

"Now Feli, you're just reading-"

Feliciano cut off Antonio, "No I'm not. All the girls are either warriors, soldiers, queens and more. Chloe's souls are saints. Women of philosophy and books. Not much to help her defend herself if Genesis pops their heads in Italy. Heck, Lovino, you have more than me. I just don't think I can protect her."

Crossing his arms upon the table, Feli laid his head down upon them, letting his mind roll with his gut and heart.

"Feliciano." he heard Lovi say, "Grandpa would smack you now if he heard you talk like that."

"Ve?"

"You heard me. He would've given you an ear full after a hard slap to your head, talking so low." Lovino chided him.

"He's right Feli. Your abuelo would be upset if he heard you talk that way, he knew what kind of men you all would turn into. And what you described wasn't that." Antonio added.

"But come on guys, you know me. When do I ever-"

"What did grandpa say Feli?" Lovi interrupted him.

"But Lovi-"

"What did grandpa say?"

"I know what he said, but-"

"What did he say?"

"Lovi, I-"

"What did Grandpa Rome say, Feliciano?"

Feli sighed in defeat, hearing his grandfather's words deep in his memories, "A man will become twice the man he is when needed. You could be the smallest sprout in the garden, yet when time is needed, you will become the biggest tree."

"There you go." Lovi nodded at him.

"I get that but how-"

"Just let grandpa's words sit for a while Feli. It'll come to you." Lovi said, "Now, I overheard the potato bastard at the last meeting about the Turk, is it true?"

"Oh Aphrodite? Sí, it's true." Antonio smiled at them, "It was hard to believe that a woman who had been in a coma for months suddenly came around with memories of women of past and present, searching for Sadiq. But the moment he saw her along with Zehra, there was no doubt in his mind, she carried all those souls including Habibah's memories too. So, another happy ending to a nation and capital."

Feliciano sat there as they shifted subject after subject as his mind was in a turmoil mess as he tried to think of how to protect her. He knew that the women within her were doing their best to help, but they were women of books and purity. Doctors, mathematicians, political and noble, along with philosophy of the church, there really wasn't a fight to any of those women but words.

"If you're so worried over it Feli, have one of the guys train her or their wives. I don't think any of them would argue." Marques interrupted his thoughts.

"Someone else?"

"Sim! Come on, don't tell me none of them help their wives out in defense. We all know Yao and Nora spar together."

"That's not lasting long with her having a bebé on the way." Antonio pointed out. "But if not them, why not Kiku and Harper?"

"I never thought of it really." Feli said, "I don't know how Chloe will take it either."

"Never know unless you try." Marques replied, "Best to try since the 'triplets' aren't sure."

"Oh ha, funny." Lovi sneered as Antonio and Marques laughed as Diego entered the room.

"I was a bit curious as to why she said that Feli, didn't you tell her about us?" Diego asked.

"Family is a touchy subject and one very strange to her." he replied.

"How so?" the other three asked.

"Because she doesn't know what it's like to have a family." he said as their eyes widened at him, "She's an orphan."

Chloe giggled as she felt the little foot move across her hand as Luciana smiled down at her belly. Oh, how she wished to be like this one day.

"Someone is playful." Luciana said as the baby within move around once more.

"I'd say. What a lovely feeling." Chloe stated.

"Until it's doing the tango on your bladder." the Spanish woman smiled.

"Not there yet, Marques and I are waiting a little longer for our bundle." Jalila said handing them both a drink.

"This one kinda jumped up on Antonio and I, but we're not complaining." Luciana replied.

"That was always one of my favorite things with my one coworker being with child, just feeling the baby move around, such a heavenly feeling." Chloe said.

"Wanting one of your own?" Jalila asked, pulling down her hijab.

"Oh, that's right, thanks for reminding me Jalila." Luciana patted the floor as she pulled out a brush, "And yes, like she said."

"I truly would love to have one of my own. A little tot running around, yes that would be the day." Chloe sighed.

"Well if you and Feli keep up this little romance you both have it'll be sooner than later." Jalila smiled at her as Luciana worked on her hair.

Chloe blushed at the thought, doing whatever she could to change the subject, "Just pick my brain why don't you. Besides, aren't you..."

"To keep it on?" Jalila finished for her, "It's more of a habit now. I go out without Marques and I have it on, and yes, I get those looks from people and the insults as well. But as of late I have been without it more and more around the people I know. Like Luci and such."

"Sorry wasn't trying to, you know, be rash or anything."

"No, no. Don't worry. You were curious knowing what you were taught, yes?"

Chloe nodded as she watched Luciana place her hair in a beautiful ornate braided bun, awed by her handy work.

"Would you like me to do your hair?" Luciana asked.

"Would I?" Chloe jumped up from the seat as she sat next to Jalila.

They giggled at her as she felt the brush tangle through her messy red hair, "God I have to say, I love your hair."

"Typical Irish." Chloe reminded them.

Jalila chuckled, "Well as we said, you seem pretty sure of starting a family at one point. Love kids that much?"

Chloe let her gaze fall to her lap as her own thoughts and heart haunted her. It was an easy thing to say, but every time she spoke she could still see the damn place within her head.

"I just want to have a family I can call my own." she sighed, "Never had one to say, so why not from my own body."

Both women paused in their actions, taking in her words as Chloe prepared herself for the onslaught of apologies.

"Chloe, are you an orphan?" Luciana spoke up finally.

Giving a heady sigh, she nodded to them. She was determined to show weakness or how much it bothered her, yet deep down she knew it killed her. Wondering if there were people out there that looked like her and wondered about her.

"Sorry dear."

"Yes, sorry. We didn't mean to-"

"It's alright." she waved them off, "I've gotten used to it."

"Only the strongest can get through the toughest times." Luciana said to her.

Her words were true. Chloe found herself in many situations that left her feeling that she wouldn't make it to see the next day yet she opened her eyes everyday afterwards, smiling and giving the world the finger as she strode out of her home. And now here she was, one step closer to the truth of her dreams.

"It seems that something else puzzles you." Jalila asked.

"Oh, it's nothing."

"Now, now, don't nothing us." Luciana finished her hair, handing her a mirror, "We'll help you as best as we can. Go ahead and tell us."

Chloe looked at the mirror, awed by the beautiful braid that she made, "Wow."

"You like it?" Luciana asked, "When you want the bun down, just pull the pins out and it'll flow."

"Go raibh maith agat!" she replied, "Oh, oops. Meant thanks."

"Well?" she heard Jalila say behind her.

Chloe looked at the two women, wondering how crazy they would think her if she told them the truth. Well, time to find out.

"Truth, I first came to Italy because I dreamed of it. Not like I wanted to tour it and such, even though I did with Feli. But with me, it was more to find things that were in those dreams." she explained.

Both looked at her in question. Shit, she knew better that to speak so freely, why did she-

"Do you dream of women?"

"Huh?" that was unexpected.

"Women." Luciana repeated.

"Not just any women either, but women that molded Italy to today's form?" Jalila asked.

There was no way they would be serious about that. No way they could've known, yet Chloe found herself nodding to them, just to have warm smiles from them.

"Well, with Feliciano working along the Axis and Allies for the war on Genesis, I think you need to talk with those wives first before anyone else." Luciana pointed out.

"Yes, very much so." Jalila added, "We did and found a lot more than we could have by ourselves."

"Makes more sense why he brought her here too."

"Wait, what do you mean?" Chloe's confusion rocked her head, "What other women and what do you mean by what you said?"

"I think you need to talk to him first." Jalila said.

"Once you speak with him first, you'll speak with the girls. There's a meeting happening this week so you'll see them all very soon." Luciana nodded.

"What girls, I'm lost?"

"You'll see." they said together heading out the door towards the men at the table.

Chloe could hear the men chuckling and speaking deep in conversation about them, yet Feli looked lost. His eyes were fixed on the table as she made her way to him, the other girls behind their men.

She watched as Luciana gave a shocked look to her husband, just to have her hand connect to the back of his head, "Aiye, puta de madre! Qué chingados?"

A spew of Spanish filled the air as she twisted his ear and gave him hell like no other. Jalila and Marques laughed at the two as Lovino made his way to Diego and Feli came to her side.

"Ciao Chloe." he smiled at her.

How that smile sent a warm feeling through her, one she swore she had seen many times. Before she could utter a word, he took her hand and pulled her away from the group, having her enter the terrace way.

"Feli?"

"Sì?"

"You alright?"

"Um, yea. Just a little lost in my head."

"Need me to send a search and rescue team in?" she joked with him, gaining his happy chuckles.

"No, no need. But I do want to ask you something."

"Ok?" she felt her stomach flop around for unknown reasons as her mind faltered between her dreams.

"You know I work for government and with that I also have ties to war. And Genesis is quite a big, scary group of people and with Italy being involved with the war with them, I was wondering if you would train?"

"Train?" she questioned, "Be a little more specific."

"As in defense."

"You mean fight in-"

"No! No, no. Never that, no!" he jumped at her words, fear crossing his face, "I mean as to defend yourself when I'm not around."

"Oh, you mean like martial arts and such?"

"Yes." he sighed, "But if you want to. I don't want to push you into something you don't want. I just thought my two friend's wives could help you, or any of them really. I mean they're all good with it and from different nations so you'd learn a lot and-"

Chloe pressed her finger to his lips, finally getting him to stop speaking. She found it sweet that he worried over her so much that he had to have all that done for her, including when he wasn't around. She felt comforted and yet something stirred within her as the conversation from earlier came to mind, maybe things were to be this way.

"I'm fine with learning from your friend's wives if you are." she replied. ""I'd love to meet the girls."