A/N: This chapter is another short one. When I was re-reading and proofing, I combined some of the chapters that were short, but there were a few that couldn't be combined so I had to leave them. No real angst in this chapter.

"I want to see my grandmother." An irate Mia shouted at the man blocking her from entering Joe and Clarisse's home.

"Let her in, Vito." Joe called from behind the big man.

"Sure thing, Joe."

"Grandpa." Mia called as she walked into his arms.

"How was your trip?" Joe asked when the embrace ended.

"Umm, interesting." Mia frowned. "Shades, I'm sure is having a fit."

"Mia, you didn't leave without telling him…" Joe already knew the answer by the look on her face.

"I left him a note."

Joe sighed and rolled his eyes. "Mia, a queen just can't decide to leave without first alerting her Head of Security."

"I'm sorry, Joe, but I just had to come to see you and Grandma. I didn't even let him know that I had talked to you about it. I knew that he would refuse to let me come by myself, and I also knew that he couldn't come with me or send anyone in his place."

"Don't apologize, Mia, I understand. I just want you to be a little more aware of how difficult Shades' job is, and more careful of keeping him in the dark about things." He kissed her cheek. "Come on then. She'll be glad to see you." Joe put his arm around her shoulders and lead her toward the master bedroom, but stopped when his daughter appeared in the door of the parlor.

Mia stared at the young woman. Beautifulwas the first thought that entered her mind, an ebony haired version of her grandmother, and then she noticed her eyes. Looking at Joe, and then picturing her grandmother's eyes in her mind, she looked back at her aunt. Her eyes were a strange mix of the blue and green of her parent's eyes, a sort of aqua color that was stunning.

"Mia, this is your aunt." Joe smiled at her and reached out for his daughter.

CnJ

Mia opened her eyes, slowly realizing that darkness had fallen. Looking around the room, she also realized that she wasn't where she had been. She now seemed to be in one of the many guest rooms. How had she gotten here?

Sitting up, she slowly slipped from the bed, slid her feet into her shoes then stopped at the mirror, on her way out the door, to check her hair. Sighing at the sight before her, she did the best she could to make herself presentable before leaving to go and find Joe.

Taking in the décor around her, Mia realized that her grandmother had been involved in the way the home she now shared with Joe, had been set up. Her curious mind wondered just how long the decorations had been there. Had these been here all those years ago?

Quietly opening the door of the master bedroom, Mia smiled as she caught sight of Joe, his head laying on the side of the bed, his hand resting over the soft hand of her grandmother. Then she noticed the figure next to Clarisse, her aunt.

"She's so beautiful." Mia whispered as she moved further into the room. Standing beside Joe's chair, she continued to stare at her aunt. She was so small, smaller than Clarisse. Looking at the young woman, Mia wondered what her uncle would have been like if he'd had the chance to live. Would he have looked like his father? Or would he have been a mix like his sister seemed to be? Would he have accepted the situation his parents lives had brought upon him? Would he have accepted that he was a closely guarded secret that could never be revealed?

"Mia?" Joe blinked up at her. "Honey, why are you standing there staring?"

"Oh." Mia shook her head to clear her thoughts. "I'm sorry, Grandpa. I was just thinking." She smiled when Joe stood up and pulled her into a hug.

"Why are you awake? I thought you would be out all night after you slept through me taking you to your room." Joe kissed the top of her head.

"I wondered how I got there." Mia tilted her face up to place a kiss on his cheek. "I'm fine, really. Why don't you go lay down for a while? I'll stay with Grandma."

"Mia, I," Joe looked at his wife who looked so peaceful, as though her sleep was one of rest and not from being injured.

"Grandpa, she'll be fine. If she wakes up, I promise, I'll come and wake you." Mia squeezed his hand. "Please, Grandpa, she'd kill me if she knew I let you wear yourself out."

"Mia, I can't leave her. I'm resting just fine like this. You go back to bed, and if she still hasn't woken up later this morning, I promise I'll let you sit with her while I get some rest." Joe kissed the frowning young woman and gave her a tender smile. "I promise, I will make sure she doesn't get upset." He winked and smiled when Mia chuckled.

"Alright, Grandpa. I'm going to hold you to that, although I don't think I want to know how you'll keep the promise." Mia winked back, kissed his cheek and took one last loving look at her sleeping grandmother then turned and quietly slipped from the room, the tears she'd been holding back slowly sliding down her cheeks.