Family Comes Last.

Chapter 34: Someplace I love.

Trigger warning: PROCEED CAREFULLY, SUICIDALLY NEGATIVE THOUGHTS.

Maybe she never was really meant to survive. Maybe like Hannah Baker, she was meant to suicide, maybe it was worse, see drinking and smoking and getting high...at least once in a lifetime, a person does either one so it's not really considered suicide. But Serafina? She did them every day, she used them as a coping mechanism. She got addicted. Addicted to the hours she forget her life. Addicted to the minutes she forgot her pain. Addicted to the moments when smoke took the pressure off.

And sex? In a way she used that too. To make herself believe she had a say this time, that the other person would stop if she said so. To have the strength to make the other person stop and not go into shock because as sweet and as toxic as Xavier could get, he would stop if she even whispered no.

Maybe she was destroying herself so that no one else could.

Maybe she'd be killing herself all along, slowly, unknowingly or knowingly but she had.

Maybe that's why parents are so important, love is so important, trust is so important. Maybe if she did have them or believed she did, maybe then she'd...get him back for what he did.

"Serafina?" A whispered pulled her out of her thoughts and looking at their faces Serafina was sure they knew, so she let her head rest against the pillow looking at them, the upper part of her bed was risen upwards, so she was easily able to look at everyone and do whatever the fuck she wanted.

"Where's the two I actually wanted to meet?"

Logan immediately opened the water bottle in his hands holding it up to her lips, Serafina looked into his eyes and knew he wouldn't give in, so she slowly sipped the water.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

She looked up at Logan and sighed.

"Because...you were the only one who ever cared enough to stay stubborn about me stopping..." She looked at her hands "I didn't want to disappoint you."

"Serafina" Logan looked at the girl, her skin even paler, deathly pale, hair stuck to the side of her face cleaned up the best it could be "You should've told me"

"I know" Serafina let her head drop back "I know"

"You"-

"I'm sorry, Eve." Everyone noticed how short her answers were, and she noticed Andrea, tilting her head at the woman, before letting her eyes settle on Vittorio, opening her mouth to speak but before she could the twins ran in.

"AUNT FINA"

"AUNTTTTIEEE"

"Easyyy" Serafina chuckled "Easy"

It was as though it was Christmas morning, their faces glowed at the sight of her no matter how sick she looked at the moment.

"What's up?"

"Look" Arie held up the paper and Serafina smiled.

"What'd Eve say?"

"Well, I promised to show it to you first, Mama doesn't know"

"What doesn't she know, monkey?"

"Lion" Three voices rang out and Leo frowned as soon as he closed his mouth.

"It's supposed to be Lioness though...right?"

"Yeah, Mum forgot"

"Mum?" Serafina's eyes raised to Eve who cocked her head immediately, understanding Serafina didn't want any negative feelings. They all got it but they couldn't keep it from her either, she deserved the truth. The least after all the pain they inflicted on her, she deserved the truth.