The Ones Who Saved Us

Epilogue

Two Years Later

All of my belongings that I had brought from home were unpacked in my single dorm room. Everything from my entire wardrobe to my graduation gifts to a small box tied with a bow that I planned on giving to my little brother once my family gave us some privacy. Well, he wasn't so little anymore, now as tall as me. It would only be a few more months before he surpassed my height.

I was starting college at the University of Miami next week, which Teddy would be attending as well. We both wanted to stick together for college, knowing that we wouldn't be able to handle the separation. Once we had received our acceptance letters, Alessandro and Papa started searching for homes down here because while they were proud of us, Teddy was only thirteen and far too young to be having the full college experience.

With the Mafia safely in Uncle Michael's hand, Alessandro had decided to expand what was left of the family business down to Miami, allowing Elijah to handle the rest back in New York. For the first time, we weren't living together under one roof, and I think it would take a while getting used to, but over time, we would be okay. We would always be okay.

Arya was joining me as well, her dorm room only a few floors higher than mine. She was with her father and sister moving in just as I was. It had been a while since she had spoken to her mother, but it was probably for the best. Homophobic relatives who refused to support you were best left behind.

My dorm room was starting to feel cramped with my entire family in here, and while I loved them, I needed to talk to Teddy. This was the first time in our lives where we wouldn't be right next door to each other, and I could tell from the way he placed his hands in his pockets and had his eyes averted to the ground that he was barely holding it together. What can I say? Teddy wore his heart on his sleeve, always had and always would.

"Guys," I said, grabbing my family's attention. "Can you give us a few minutes? We'll meet you outside."

Emilio sighed. "You guys will literally be in the same city. What about me? I'll be in New York, which is 1,283 miles away."

"That's a pretty specific number," I said. "Kind of sounds like you looked that up."

"No, I did," Matteo said. "I wanted to see how long it would take to drive down here and rescue from school every now and then."

"Rescue?" Leo said. "School isn't a place they need rescuing from. If anything, they need to be rescued from you interfering with their studies. Leave the kids alone."

Elijah, with a slight smile, placed his hand on Leo's shoulder. "Calm down, all of you. These walls are paper thin. I'm pretty sure Ava's neighbors could hear everything you said."

Alessandro nodded his head in agreement. "Now come on. Let's leave these two college kids alone."

Papa, who had remained silent this entire time with his eyes trained on Teddy, kissed my forehead and whispered, "Talk to Teddy. He won't talk to us, but I know he's scared of college and you leaving. It's going to be a big change."

Everyone soon filed out, and I was left alone with my little brother. I walked to my bed and sat down, patting the spot next to me for Teddy, who quickly joined me.

He held my hand, tears welling in his eyes as he said, "I know it's stupid, but I don't think I'll be able to survive living this far from you."

"It's only a twenty minute drive," I reassured him. "And we'll see each other every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday in our sociology class."

"True," Teddy muttered. He glanced at my desk, looking at the framed picture from when he must have been four years old while I was nine. It was just before Mom had died, before the abuse started. It must have been the last set of photos of us that she sent back to New York to our family.

I had found the picture while rummaging through our family's collection of photos. When I saw it, I knew that I had to bring it with me to college. That one along with the picture that sat next to it from our graduation, Teddy and I decked in our gown and cap with our family smiling proudly at us.

"What if I have a nightmare?" Teddy asked.

I squeezed his hand as I said, "You have Sandro and Papa to take care of you."

"And what about you?"

I had thought about this long and hard when deciding whether to live on campus or off campus with Papa, Alessandro, and Teddy. Over the years, the frequency of my nightmares had lessened, but there was always the risk of something triggering me. Luckily, Arya knew how to calm me down now, holding me close until I felt safe. With her only a few floors above, I knew I was in good hands.

"I have Arya. She knows what to do. You don't need to worry."

"I know," Teddy said. "Doesn't mean that I'll ever stop, though."

He looked up at me, hope in his eyes as he said, "You'll come for family dinners once in a while, right?"

"Every Sunday night," I said. "And you and me will be having dinner together alone, every Wednesday. I already talked it over with Sandro and Papa, and they thought it was a good idea."

Teddy nodded his head. "And we can study and do homework together?"

"Of course," I said, ruffling his hair. "But I bet you'll have more to study than me, Dr. Russo."

"Probably," he agreed.

I reached over to where I had left Teddy's gift and handed it to him. He quickly opened it, a smile tugging on the corners of his lips as he picked up the small pin from the box. "A pair of angel wings," I said, "to put on your future white coat for all the miracles you'll perform.

Teddy turned the metallic pin over, analyzing each detail of the feathers before pinning it to his shirt. "I love it, Ava. I'm never taking this off."

I embraced my brother, in disbelief of the young man he had become in these four short years. How quickly time had flown by. There was so much I had to say, yet I couldn't find the right words. I held my brother's hands as I struggled to express my gratitude for this thirteen-year-old boy who at times I had forgotten was only a kid.

"I remember the first time you fixed me up. You were just past my hip, maybe five or six years old. Since that day, you've been nothing short of a guardian angel for me," I said, my voice cracking as I remembered all the heart-wrenching memories.

"Teddy, without you, I wouldn't have made it this far. I'm proud to say that I'm your sister," I said. "You were the one who saved me, the one who showed me that there was a light at the end of the tunnel. I never saw myself making it this far, but here we are. Theodore Russo, I will forever be grateful to you for you showed me that life was worth living. I love you. Never forget that."

And he wouldn't. From that day, those angel wings never left his body, the silent promise to make me proud present in every single one of those metallic feathers. As we ascended the steps to receive our Bachelor's Degrees four years later, we looked into the crowd to see the six proud faces of our family members, reminded of just how much we had faced, how much we had conquered.

All because of the ones who saved us.

~~~

Well, that's the end. Be sure to go to my profile for some announcements. I love you guys 💜💜