Donato waited, exactly as Enzo had told him to, finding a bench under a tree a little way off from where he'd last seen her. He sat there running through everything, over and over, trying to make sense of what had just happened.

Why had she reacted like that. Why had she called herself Nova, insisted she didn't know anyone named Kiara. What could have happened to her in five years that would leave her looking at him like a total stranger.

Then it hit him--the possibility he hadn't let himself consider standing there in the moment, too caught up in the shock of just seeing her. Memory loss. It was possible. More than possible, But then a colder thought followed right behind it. What if this wasn't her at all.

What if it was just someone who looked enough like Kiara to fool him in the space of a single glance, and his mind, starved for five years, had simply filled in the rest. He needed proof. Something only he would know.

The mole. He remembered it suddenly, clear as anything-- a small mole just behind her neck, right at the center, the one he used to press his lips against without even thinking about it, back when that was still something he was allowed to do.

If this woman had the same mark in the same place, there would be no more room for doubt. It would be her. His Kiara. He sat with that thought, turning it over and over, waiting for Enzo, losing track of how much time had actually passed.
______

Across the village, its afternoon the school day was ending. Nova arrived at the gates a few minutes early, standing near the wall with a handful of other parents, and the second the doors opened and children started spilling out, she scanned the crowd for the two familiar braids.

Aria found her first, breaking into a run the moment she spotted her, backpack bouncing against her shoulders.

"Mama! Mama, guess what!"

Nova crouched down and caught her, laughing. "What, baby?

"Aria likes school." She said it like she was surprised by her own announcement, still slightly out of breath. "Aria likes it a lot, actually."

"Yeah? I thought you were never going back after this morning."

Aria waved that off entirely, like it had happened to a different person. "That was before Aria went. The teacher is really nice, Mama. Her name is Miss Carla and she has curly hair like this-- She made a wide, looping gesture around her own head. "And she said Aria has pretty eyes. She said green eyes are special. Everyone in the class agreed too."

"Did they?" Nova took her hand and they started walking, Aria practically skipping to keep pace with her own excitement.

"Yes! And there's a boy named Theo who sits next to Aria, and he has a dog named Pepper, and he said Aria can come see Pepper sometime. And there's a girl, Bella, she can already write her whole name, but Aria can write hers too, so we're the same."

She paused just long enough to catch her breath. "And at snack time we got crackers, and Aria shared with Theo because he forgot his, and Miss Carla said that was very kind."

"That was very kind," Nova agreed, squeezing her hand.

"And we sang a song about the days of the week, Aria already knew it because Grandpa sings it sometimes when he's making coffee, so Aria sang the loudest." She grinned, clearly proud of that fact in particular. "And nobody else in the whole class has green eyes, just like Aria said. Aria checked everyone."

"Of course you did." Nova smiled, something in her chest loosening for the first time since she'd dropped her off that morning.

"Can Aria go back tomorrow?"

"I thought this was only going to be a one-day thing," Nova teased.

Aria considered that seriously for a second, swinging their joined hands between them. "Aria changed her mind. School is good, actually. Aria was wrong." She looked up, entirely earnest. "Don't tell Granny Aria said that. She'll say I told you so."

Nova laughed, the sound coming easier than it had all day, and pulled her daughter a little closer as they made their way back toward the café, Aria still chattering on about Theo's dog and the color of paint they'd used for the wall mural, utterly unaware of what was waiting for both of them, closer than either of them knew.

By the time they got close to the café, Nova steered Aria toward the house first, ignoring her daughter's insistence that they stop and say hello to the old couple straight away.

"Bath first," Nova said, already unbuckling her small shoes at the door. "Then food. Then you can go bother them all you want."

Aria grumbled about it, but not for long, and gave in with the ease of a child who was more tired than she wanted to admit.

Nova ran her a quick bath, got her into a fresh set of clothes, and sat her down for lunch, where Aria talked through nearly every bite--about the games they'd played, about the teacher showing them numbers on a big colorful chart, about the letters they'd traced with their fingers in a tray of sand.

By the time the plate was empty, her eyelids were already drooping. It had been a full day for her, longer than any day she'd had without her mother nearby, filled with new faces and new things to learn, and the tiredness was catching up to her fast, exactly the way Nova had expected it would.

She lifted Aria onto her hip, and her daughter melted into her immediately, face tucking into the curve of her neck, small arms looping loosely around her shoulders the way she always did when sleep was close. Nova carried the plate to the kitchen counter first, and by the time she came back into the room.

Aria had already drifted halfway off, barely stirring as Nova laid her down on the bed and pulled the light blanket over her.
She sat there a moment, brushing the hair back from her daughter's face, watching her settle fully into sleep. "Sleep, my love." She pressed a kiss to her forehead. "You've had a long day."

Once she was sure Aria was down properly, breathing slow and even, Nova got up quietly and headed back out toward the café. She saw him the second she stepped outside. Donato was standing there again, in almost the same spot as before, and the moment their eyes met he raised a hand in a small wave,hopeful.

Nova looked away deliberately and walked straight past him, through the café door, refusing to acknowledge him at all.

Donato watched her go, and something clicked into place as he did--she'd come from the side door, the one that led up to the apartment above the shop. So that's where you live. Right above it.

He checked his watch again, jaw tight. Come on, Enzo. They close at six. I need to talk to her before then.

He kept his eyes on the café door, waiting, hoping for even a few more seconds of her, the woman who had looked at him like a stranger and still managed to undo him completely just by existing in front of him again.
______

At four, Aria woke up on her own, and when she looked around and didn't see her mother, she already knew exactly what to do. She'd done this enough times to have it memorized--freshen up first, drink water, then go find Mama.

She got herself up, washed her face at the small basin, dried it clumsily on the towel hanging beside it, and made her way to the table for a cup of water before heading straight for the door. She pushed it open and ran out toward the gate, same as always. And then she stopped dead.

Standing right there, just outside, was a man. Not just any man--a man with green eyes, looking around like he was searching for something, or someone. The lady voice came back to her instantly, unbidden. Your dad must have green eyes, that's why you do too, baby.

Aria stared at him. "Dada," she whispered. A slow smile broke across her face, and before she could think twice about it, she was running straight for him, arms already reaching.

"Daddy!" she shouted, wrapping herself around his leg. "You came back from the city!"

Donato froze completely. He looked down at the small creature now attached to his leg, and for a second all he could register was her eyes looking back up at him--the exact same green as his own, unmistakably. wow we have the same eyes, he thought, stunned, before shaking himself back into focus and crouching down to her level.

"Hey there." He kept his voice gentle. "What's wrong, little one? Are you lost?"

Aria laughed at the idea. "No, Daddy. I'm not lost. I live here." She pointed back toward the house behind her.

Donato followed her finger, and something in his chest went very still. She lives in the same house as Kiara.

"Daddy." Aria tugged at his shirt, pulling his attention back down to her, and it was only then he registered--really registered-- what she'd been calling him this whole time. He softened, crouching lower so they were eye to eye. "I'm not your daddy, sweetheart."

Her face fell instantly. "Why are you saying that? Are you angry at Aria?" Her lip started to wobble. "I'm sorry, Daddy. Look- She pointed at her own eyes, then at his. "We have the same eyes. And you're handsome too. I know you're my daddy." She grabbed for his hand, tugging insistently. "Come on, Daddy, let's go see Mama."

Before Donato could get a single word out, another car pulled up fast, and Enzo came barreling out of it, already running."Darling, are you okay?" He crashed straight into Donato, wrapping him in a hug without noticing anything else around them. "Don't worry, we'll figure this out, I'm sure there's some kind of misunderstanding, we just need to talk to her calmly and-

Aria had gone very still through all of this, glaring up at the stranger who'd just interrupted her reunion, still gripping Donato's hand the whole time. She tugged, hard, and when that didn't get results, she planted her feet.

Enzo, mid-sentence, finally felt the tugging and looked down. "Uncle." Aria's small face was set in the most serious frown she could manage. "Why are you hugging my daddy? Only Aria gets to hug her daddy. Let go of my daddy."

Enzo blinked down at her, completely thrown, the rest of his sentence dying somewhere in his throat. He looked at the aria, then at Donato, then back at the aria again, clearly trying to make the math work in his head.

"Wow, darling." He shook his head slowly. "I take my eyes off you for twenty-four hours and you've already given birth to a daughter."

Donato smacked his forehead. "I didn't give birth to her, idiot. Her mother did. I have no idea why she's calling me daddy." He said it mostly to Enzo, low, hoping the girl wouldn't hear. Their bad luck
She heard.

"You two don't fuss-fuss-fus." Aria crossed her arms, glaring up at both of them. "Talk loud. Aria wants to hear too."

Both men looked down at her, and Enzo let out a low, half-impressed whistle. "She's fierce Like Elian.''

Donato elbowed him and crouched down toward Aria instead. "Sweetheart, listen, I'm not-

"Daddy, come on, let's go meet Mama." She'd already stopped listening, tugging his hand insistently, before turning her glare toward Enzo. "And you, sticky uncle. Let go of my daddy. Only Aria and Mama get to hold Daddy's hand."

Enzo, to nobody's surprise, did not let go. "No. I'm not letting go, he's my darling." He tightened his grip on Donato's other hand out of pure spite.

"No, he's my daddy. Let go." Aria pulled harder on her side.
"No, my darling."
"My daddy."
"My darling."
"My daddy."

"Okay, okay, stop." Donato yanked both hands free, exasperated. "Both of you, stop. And Enzo--seriously? You're arguing with a kid Are you actually serious right now."

He exhaled and looked back down at Aria, who was still watching him with the same stubborn intensity. "Alright, baby. You want me to meet your mama? Fine. Let's go meet her. I'm sure she'll be able to tell you whether I'm your daddy or not."

"You are my daddy." Aria said it with total certainty, already pulling him forward. "I know it. Come on, let's go to Mama."

Donato sighed and let himself be dragged along. Enzo fell into step right behind them. "You know," Enzo muttered, leaning in close, "she does look a bit like you." He glanced sideways, smirking despite everything. "You sure you don't have some secret lover hiding out here in Scanno?"

"Shut up and just follow her," Donato said, not even bothering to look at him. The two of them followed Aria through the café door. The bell above it chimed, and the second they stepped inside, Aria let go of Donato's hand and cupped both of hers around her mouth like a megaphone.

"Mama! Look, I brought Daddy!"

Her voice carried clear across the shop. The old couple, mid-conversation with a customer near the counter, both turned toward the sound at once, faces going blank with confusion. A few of the regulars glanced up too, curious. Where did this little one even find a stranger to bring back with her, the old woman wondered, already moving to see what was going on.

Donato stood frozen near the doorway, his stomach twisting into something he couldn't name. A thought was forming, one he didn't want to finish--if Kiara is her mother, then that means-- that means my wife mov-The thought never finished.

Because at that exact moment, Nova came rushing out from the kitchen, wiping her hands hurriedly on her apron, already calling out, "Aria, what did you-She stopped mid-sentence.

Her eyes landed on Donato first, standing just inside the door, and something in her chest lurched violently at the sight of him again--the same man from that morning, the one who'd chased her down and called her by a name that wasn't hers. Then her gaze dropped to her daughter, still holding his hand, beaming up at both of them like she'd just solved the greatest mystery of her short life.

Behind Donato, Enzo went completely still. His eyes had landed on the woman standing in the kitchen doorway, and every muscle in his body seemed to lock in place at once. "Wow." The word left him without any real intention behind it, quiet, almost reverent, spoken to no one at all. "It's really her. It's Kiara."
_____

The cafe had gone quiet in the way rooms do when something is happening that everyone can feel but no one understands yet. A couple of the regulars had stopped mid-sip, watching. The old man had come out from behind the coffee machine, wiping his hands on a rag out of habit, eyes moving between Nova and the two strange men standing just inside the door.

Nova recovered first, though her voice came out tighter than she wanted it to. "Aria." She crouched slightly, holding a hand out toward her daughter. "Come here, baby."

Aria didn't move right away, still holding Donato's hand, glancing between her mother and the man beside her with obvious confusion at why nobody seemed as happy about this as she was. "Mama, this is Daddy. He came back."

"Aria." Nova's voice sharpened slightly, enough to get through. "Come here. Now, please."

Something in her tone finally landed, and Aria let go of Donato's hand, walking over slowly, her small face falling into a pout as she reached her mother's side. Nova pulled her close instinctively, one hand resting protectively on her shoulder, and looked back up at Donato.

"You." Her voice shook, somewhere between fear and anger. "You followed me again. Now you're talking to my daughter?"

"I-i didnt't- Donato's voice cracked, and he had to stop, try again. "I didn't approach her. She came to me. She saw me outside and she just-she called me-He couldn't finish it. His eyes kept dropping to the girl half-hidden behind Nova's leg, that same impossible green staring back at him, and every time he looked at her his chest did something he had no name for.

Enzo hadn't moved from where he was standing. He was still just looking at Nova--at Kiara-- like he was trying to reconcile the woman in front of him with the one he remembered, five years gone, half a lifetime ago in some ways. He hadn't said anything since that first quiet it's really her.

"I don't know either of you." Nova's voice had risen slightly, defensive now, drawing the attention of a few more people in the café. "I don't know why you keep showing up here, I don't know who Kiara is, and I want you both to leave. Now."

"Please." Donato took a step forward, hands raised slightly, palms open, trying to look as harmless as he possibly could. "Please, just give me five minutes. That's all I'm asking. Just five minutes, and if after that you still want us to leave, we'll go. I promise."

"I don't owe you anything." Her arm tightened around Aria's shoulder. "I don't know you."

"I know." His voice broke on it, quieter now. "I know you don't. But I know you. I've known you for six years. I'm your-He stopped himself, glancing at Aria, then back at Nova, softening it. "I'm someone who's been looking for you for five years. Please. Just five minutes."

The old woman had come up beside Nova now, a steadying hand on her back, watching the two men with sharp, assessing eyes--the same look she'd probably given every stranger who'd ever walked through that door with trouble following behind them.

"Nova," she said quietly, just for her. "Maybe just talk to them. In private, if you want. Aria and I will be right here." Nova's jaw tightened. She looked at Donato for a long moment, then at the other man behind him, still oddly frozen and staring, and something about the two of them together--the desperation in the first one's face, the disbelief in the second's-- made the anger in her falter, just slightly, replaced by something more like unease.

"Five minutes," she said finally, handing Aria off to the old woman without looking away from Donato. "Outside. And if you try anything, I'll scream loud enough the whole street hears it."

"That's fair," Donato said quietly, and stepped back to let her lead the way.

They stepped outside to the corner of the building, out of earshot from the café's windows, and Nova crossed her arms tightly, keeping distance between them. "Say what you want to say. Why are you actually here?"

"I came because I found my wife here." Donato didn't waste time circling it. "She's here."

Nova's brow furrowed. "Your wife?"

"Yes. My wife. Kiara. She was in an accident five years ago, and she's been missing ever since."

At the word accident, something flickered across Nova's face before she could stop it. She'd had an accident five years ago too. Her mind scrambled instantly to shut the thought down. Don't let this man's story get to you. What if he's lying. What if this is some kind of con. "If your wife is missing, then go find her." She said it flatly. "Why are you following me?"

"Because I am. You're my Kiara. My wife."

Her breath caught. "How can you say that with so much confidence?"

"Because you look exactly like her."

That, she could dismantle. Alright--maybe he's telling the truth about having a wife who disappeared, maybe her name really was Kiara, but that doesn't mean I'm her. This whole village knows my story, everyone here knows about my accident, about the old couple finding me in the forest. He could have heard that from anyone and just decided to try his luck.

"I look like her, maybe," she said, careful now. "That doesn't make me her."

"Kiara." Enzo spoke for the first time since they'd stepped outside, his voice quieter than she expected. "Did you have any accident and happen to lose your memory in that accident?"

The question landed like a slap. Nova froze, and it must have shown on her face, because neither man looked away.
"Please," Donato said, gentler now. "Just tell us the truth. Are you actually Nova, born Nova-or are you someone else. Because I'm certain you're my wife. And if you don't recognize me at all, then that tells me you must have lost your memory. Is that true?"

Nova's jaw tightened, and after a long moment, she gave a small, reluctant nod. Something in Donato's chest cracked open at that --relief and grief arriving at the same time, because his wife had spent five years living under a name that wasn't hers, not even knowing who she used to be.

"I lost my memory five years ago, in an accident," she admitted finally. "But that doesn't mean I can just believe I belong to you and your family. What if you're lying to me right now?"

"And if I told you I could prove it," Donato said. "Would that change anything?"

"How?" She eyed him warily.

"You have a mole. On the back of your neck." He held her gaze steadily. "I'd bet it's still there. Can I check?"

"What- Nova took a half step back, genuinely thrown. "Why- how would you even know that."

"I won't touch you unless you say I can." He kept his hands visible, at his sides. "If you want, we can go inside and have the older woman check for you, since you can't see it yourself. I've seen it plenty of times. I used to-His voice caught slightly. "I used to love that mark."

He took a step closer. Nova stood frozen, unable to make herself move. Behind them, Enzo watched the whole exchange with poorly concealed amusement, like he was enjoying something he had no business enjoying at a moment like this.

Donato stopped directly in front of her, close now, and lowered his voice further. "You have another one too. On your right thigh." He said it quietly, almost carefully. "I'm sure you've seen that one yourself."

Nova's eyes went wide. Because he was right. She did have a mole there, exactly where he'd said. She swallowed hard, working to keep her voice even. "F-fine. Let's go inside. Aunty can check the back of my neck." She lifted her chin slightly, grasping for some remaining shred of skepticism. "The thigh one could just be a coincidence."

Enzo let out a short laugh at that, unable to help himself. Both Nova and Donato turned to glare at him at the same time.

____

They went back inside, and Nova pulled the old woman aside, murmuring something quick under her breath. The old woman's eyes widened slightly, but she nodded and gently tilted Nova's head forward, brushing her hair aside to check the back of her neck.

Meanwhile, Aria had already made her way back to Donato, tugging at his sleeve until he crouched down to her level. " Daddy did you say sorry to Mama?" she whispered, glancing back to make sure Nova wasn't listening. "Did she forgive you?"

Donato's chest tightened at the question. "I said sorry," he whispered back. "But she hasn't forgiven me yet."

"That's just like her." Aria nodded knowingly, like this was expected behavior. "Mama acts really strict sometimes, but she's not really. She's cool. Supermama." She leaned in a little closer. "Aria loves Mama so much. Do you love Mama too, Daddy?"

"Yes." His voice cracked slightly on it. "Daddy loves Mama so, so much." He didn't know why he was letting himself sink into this so easily, calling himself that, letting this small girl attach herself to him like he'd never left.

It hurt in a way he hadn't braced for-- his Kiara had a daughter now, a whole life he'd had no part of, and some deep, unreasonable part of him was already breaking over it even before he had confirmation of anything. That who is daughter aria is. He was about to say something else to her when Nova's voice cut sharply through the room.

"Hey. Stay away from my daughter." Her voice was firm, though something in her own head was already arguing with her-- nothing's confirmed yet, we don't even know if I'm his Kiara. She didn't fully understand her own reaction either. Some part of her recognized that this man could be telling the truth, that maybe his family really had been out there searching for her all this time.

But she had no memory of any of it. She couldn't just hand her trust-and her daughter-to a stranger because he knew where a couple of moles were. The old woman finished checking and looked up. "There's a mole there," she confirmed quietly. "Right where he said." Still, Nova didn't budge.

Enzo stepped forward this time, his voice careful. "Can I ask you something? Kiar-sorry. Nova."

Nova hesitated, then gave a small nod. He gestured toward Aria. "Whose daughter is she?"

Nova's shoulders tensed. "Sh-she's my daughter."

"I know she's yours." Enzo kept his voice level. "I meant, who's her father?"

"M-my husband." The words came out slower this time.

"Where's your husband now?"

"I don't know. I had an accident five years ago." Her voice thinned. "This uncle and aunty took me in. They found me unconscious."

That single detail landed like confirmation for both men-Enzo and Donato exchanged a look, something between relief and dread.

"Where," Enzo asked, quieter now. "Where did they find you?"

"In the forest," the old man answered this time, stepping forward. He named the forest, and Donato felt something cold settle in his chest at the sound of it. "At the edge of it. She was hurt, her head especially. I think she must have walked there on her own before she collapsed, but she never made it out.

I found her, brought her back to my wife. She wasn't badly hurt physically, so we didn't think a hospital was necessary-my wife used to be a nurse, she handled the wound herself. And that same day, we had to move here, to Scanno. So we brought Nova along with us. A doctor here examined her once she woke.

He said her frontal lobe had an old weakness, and being hit there again was what caused the memory loss. That's also when we learned she was a month pregnant."

Donato's eyes filled before he could stop them. His wife-his Kiara had been through all of that. Alone. Injured. Pregnant, and not even aware of it herself, while he'd spent that same stretch of time believing she was simply gone. What kind of husband hadn't even known his own wife was carrying his child.

"So Aria really is your daughter," Enzo said quietly, looking at Donato.

Donato just stared at the girl. He is a father. He had a daughter, and he hadn't known not for a single day of her life. He pulled her into a hug without thinking, holding on tight.

Nova watched arms wrapped around herself. "B-but I still can't just believe you're really my husband. I don't remember any of you. What if you're lying? What if you're some kind of criminal? I can't risk my life, or my daughter's life, on a person I don't even remember."

"There's a way to settle this," Enzo said. "For good."

"What way?" Nova asked, wary.

"A DNA test. Why don't we just do that," he continued. "It'll clear everything up. No more guessing."

The old couple exchanged a glance, and the old man nodded slowly. "That makes sense, Nova. We can't just take his word for it either. But a test-that would prove it either way. I think it's a good idea."

Nova looked between the three of them, then down at Aria, still wrapped in Donato's arms. She let out a breath. "Okay. Let's do the test."

Something in Donato finally loosened. He pulled Aria in tighter, and she hugged him back without hesitation. "Daddy, Aria missed you so much."

"I'm sorry, baby." His voice broke against her hair. "I'm so sorry."
_______

The café had mostly emptied out by then, the last of the customers gone, the old man flipping the sign on the door to closed even though it wasn't quite six yet. Nobody had the heart to keep serving coffee through whatever this was.

Nova sat down at one of the small tables, Aria still perched against her side now, having reluctantly let go of Donato once the DNA test was agreed on even though she didnt understand whats going between adults, she kept glancing over at him every few seconds like she was checking he hadn't disappeared.

"How does this even work," Nova asked, arms crossed, directing the question at Enzo since he seemed to be the one with an actual plan. "The test. Where do we even go for that."

"There's a private clinic about two hours from here, in the next town over," Enzo said. "I can call ahead, have them expedite it. We should be able to get a swab done tomorrow morning, and results back within a few hour. Faster if I push, and I intend to push."

"Two hours." Nova frowned. "I have the café. I can't just-

"We'll close for the day," the old woman said gently, cutting her off. "It's fine, Nova. This matters more than one morning of buns."

Nova opened her mouth to argue and then didn't. She looked down at Aria instead, who was watching all of this with the wide, serious eyes of a child trying to understand adult conversations that were clearly about her.

"Mama," Aria said quietly, "are you going to be sad if he's really my daddy?"

Nova's chest ached at the question, and she pulled her daughter closer. "No, baby. I wouldn't be sad about that. I'd just need some time. That's all."

"Time for what?"

"To remember," Nova said, mostly to herself.

Donato had been standing a little apart from all of it, giving them the space to talk, but at that he stepped forward slightly. "Can I say something?"

Nova looked up at him, wary again, but nodded.

"I know this is a lot. I know I'm asking you to trust something you have no memory of, and that's-that's not fair to you, I understand that." He glanced at Aria before continuing. "Whatever the test says, I'm not going to force anything on you.

If it comes back and confirms what I already know, I'm not going to demand you come back with me, or act like the last five years didn't happen to you the way they happened. You built a life here It's all on you what you want i am all ready for whatever you agree It's your decisions.

if you want to come back with me in the city or not. If not i am ready to spend my life here with you and aria. I just-I need you to know I never stopped looking. Not for one day in five years."

Nova didn't say anything to that, just held his gaze a moment longer than she meant to, something flickering behind her eyes that even she couldn't have named.

Enzo cleared his throat, breaking the quiet. "I'll go make the call. We'll figure out logistics." He glanced at Donato. "You should probably also call home. Someone needs to tell mom and everyone else before this turns into a very different kind of chaos."

Donato's stomach dropped slightly at the reminder. Aravi. Lili. Kavya. All of them, still believing what they'd believed for five years. "I'll call them tonight," he said quietly. "After."

"After what?" Enzo asked.

Donato looked back at Nova and Aria, still sitting together at the small table, the late afternoon light coming through the café window behind them.

"After I figure out how to tell them I might actually be bringing her home if she will be ready."

Enzo managed the appointment for the clinic--they'd leave first thing in the morning, and the report would come back within a few hours of the test itself, faster than either of them had expected once he'd made the right calls.

"So we're staying here for the night," Donato said, glancing at Enzo, then back toward the street. "I'll go find somewhere for us to sleep." Before he could take a step, Aria's small hand caught his, gripping tight.

"Daddy, are you leaving Aria again?" Her eyes had already welled up. "Please don't go. Aria doesn't like it. Everyone has a daddy at home. Only Aria doesn't. Now Aria finally has one, and you're already leaving. Why?"

The question landed hard on both of them-Nova's chest tightening at the sight of her daughter's face, and Donato feeling something crack open in his own. He crouched down immediately. "No, baby. Daddy's not leaving you. I promise. I just meant I'd stay somewhere close by tonight, that's all. Not far."

"But you could stay with us." Aria's frown deepened, confused by the distinction. "All my friends' dads stay with them, in their houses. So why can't you?"

He looked up helplessly at Nova, not sure what he was even supposed to say to that. He wanted it more than he could put into words-- to stay under the same roof, close to his daughter, close to his wife--but it wasn't his place to ask for that. Not yet. Not with everything still unproven, still fragile between them.

The old couple exchanged a glance, some quiet agreement passing between them without a word needed. "It's alright," the old man said finally. "You can stay here. we have a guest room. Both of you are welcome to stay with us tonight."

Donato looked toward Nova, waiting. She glanced at the couple first, and something in their expressions must have reassured her, because she looked back at him and gave a small, careful nod.

Relief broke across his face. He turned to Aria. "Okay. Daddy will stay with Aria tonight." Aria's whole body lit up, and she broke into an immediate, delighted little victory dance, spinning once in place. "Aria's daddy is staying! Aria loves you so much, Daddy!"

"Daddy loves Aria too. So, so much." He pulled her into a hug, and over her shoulder he caught Nova watching them, a soft, unguarded look on her face, tears sitting unshed in her eyes. Her daughter might finally be getting her father back.

She might finally be getting a family of her own again, one she couldn't even remember losing. And yet-the thought still wouldn't leave her alone. The What, If. The quiet, persistent doubt that refused to fully settle no matter how much evidence stacked up in front of her.

But there was one thing she couldn't quite explain away, no matter how hard she tried. There was something about this man's eyes. Something that pulled at her in a way she had no memory to attach to, and yet it felt old, familiar, like she'd spent years memorizing exactly that shade of green long before today.

Like some part of her, buried far beneath whatever the accident had taken, already knew him--already ached for him-- without needing her memory to explain why.

I don't know if iam going on right track or not. Are you guys enjoying it? 🥴