The train was coming through the tunnel, the sound echoing for all to hear. It would be stopping in just a minute or two. Massimo, Daniella, Lorenzo, and Nonna were all out on the platform, holding up a banner: Benvenuti a casa!

Alberto is standing back, still at the gate of the station, wringing his hat in his hands. Massimo comes walks back to him.

"My boy, what's wrong? Come stand with us."

"Um…my stomach's all twisty…I don't want to puke on anyone."

Massimo's eyebrows go up. "Still? Did you eat that old sauce I told you to throw out?"

"Um…yeah, I did. Yup. I'm sure that's it. So I'll stand back here. Plus, I don't want Luca and Giulia to get swarmed by everyone at once."

…

(Reunion scene not written; GOD this would be hard! Let your imagination fill it it. The boys are obviously very happy, and despite their hesitation still relaxed the instant they are in each others' presence. But the meeting at the train station is relatively mundane. Everyone eventually makes their way into town together.)

...

Massimo: "Alberto, why don't you help take Giulia's things up to her room?"

"Sure thing, I got this!" The boy breaks his silent gaze at Luca's face with a shake of the head, then grabs the suitcase from Giulia's hand and lugs it up the stairs quickly. Miss Marcovaldo can't help but soften as she watches him go, and thinks "I have a embrother/em?…HA! SWEET! I HAVE A BROTHER!"

Alberto calls back over his shoulder: "Come check it out! I took great care of your room, Giulia."

"Right. I'm sure you did…" She suddenly realizes that having a wild animal child bouncing around her home probably has its downsides.

Entering the room, she is actually surprised. It's clean and orderly. None of her stuff seems to be missing or out of place. It has even been dusted and swept. The window is open, filling the space with fresh air and plenty of light. As she steps into her room, Giulia feels the last bit of tension melt that she didn't realize she still had. Her instincts know: she's in a very safe place.

"See!? Told you I didn't screw it up." Alberto looks extremely proud, as if not destroying a room was some sort of accomplishment.

"Yeah, I see. Looks just like I left it. Thanks…bro."

"Oh, yeah…no problem…sis." Alberto's bravado shifts into an awkward smile. Giulia grins at his discomfort.

"But where are you going to sleep? Not out in the tree all summer, I hope."/

"Nah. I mean, I could! I would. No problem. But Massimo let me set my hammock upstairs."

"Upstairs?! You mean, the terrace? Jeez, there's barely any space up there…and no walls!"

Alberto dismisses her concern with a flop of his hand. "Eh, no preocupada. It's fine. I don't have a lot of stuff, and it'll be warm during the summer. I don't plan on spending much time up there anyway other than sleeping. I'll just hang out in here!"

"Oh, really? What, is my room going to be 'Underdog Headquarters' or something?"

"Yeah, that'd be great! All of us can just hang here when we're not running around. Thanks, Giulia."

"That's not…I wasn't…" Alberto locks eyes with her, a grin on his face. "You dork!" She snorts, and punches him in the shoulder. "Okay, fine. But don't be barging in here. Knock first, got it? And I'm getting a lock." He rolls his eyes and shrugs.

Giulia picks up her suitcase and lays it on the bed, then hesitates. "Eh, I can unpack later. How about you show me your terrace? It's been a while since I've seen the view."

...

Back down on ground level, after ten or fifteen minutes of socializing and casual chit-chat the Paguro family waves goodbye to Massimo (and Machiavelli) and starts to walk off towards the shore. Luca comes up behind his mother and tugs on her hand to stop her. Lorenzo, oblivious, keeps walking away, scratching absent-mindedly at his arm where the skin has become unaccustomedly dry to the surface air.

"Mom? Um…" Luca hesitates. Daniella, sensing his discomfort, stops in her tracks. She relaxes and smiles, patiently looking Luca in the eyes to to let her son know she's receptive to whatever he has to say.

"I..." He stares his mother in the eyes, seeking a solid connection. He needs her to understand. After a moment, he knows that she will.

"...I missed you guys so much...but would you mind if I stayed up here tonight? Alberto and I could sleep in the treehouse like before. Massimo said it'd be okay. Please? Just for tonight?"

Daniella glances over at Alberto, who returned to the yard a few moments ago. The boy is busy showing off by trying to clear all the plates at once in one huge stack. She looks back to her son and smiles kindly, caressing his cheek.

"Sure, that'll be fine. But don't stay up too late. We have some work to do tomorrow in the fields and could use your help."

"Greatthanksmom!" Luca stands on his toes to kiss her cheek and dashes back toward the house, waving over his shoulder as he goes. "See you in the morning!"

Daniella watches her boy run.

Shit.

He's growing up. The kid already knows more about the surface world than she does. Maybe even more than Nonna. He's not needing her as much…

She wants him home. All to herself. But no. She couldn't do that to him again. He's like a whole other person up here. As hard as it is to admit, Luca is finally himself. Not just the imaginary version of Luca she held in her mind, like all mothers imagine their children to be. How could she not have seen it before, that she was somehow holding him back?

She takes a deep breath, releases it with confidence, and turns around. She catches up to Lorenzo, who is busy trying to get two snails he found on the sidewalk to race. Daniella grabs his hand and pulls him along towards the shore.

"Luca's staying the night. I don't expect we'll seem him before noon tomorrow."