Sofia

Chapter 9

Rose's pov:

"Hey! it's ok. It's all going to be okay. Just breathe for me, will you?", Theo's calm and composed voice rings out the echoing corridor. He runs a hand in circles on my back as I sob. I couldn't help but cry. He holds me as I let all my feelings, frustration, anger and helplessness out in the form of tears and choked sobs.

I don't really know how long he held me as I vented but he stayed through it all. I wipe away the tears staining my face with the sleeve of my shirt and stand up. "We should go find Archie.." Theo says and I follow him.

"Hey!" he says but his tone immediately changes to concern at my Disheveled state. "Hey...Are you okay?" he asks but I didn't have the energy to answer. I notice the exchange of the concerned looks between Theo and Archie, but I don't care. My mind is flooding with thoughts of Sofie and how she would cope as well as thoughts of sleep and food. Thankfully they understand that I can't talk, and Archie holds my hand as he led me to a room. He's being very nice. Why? Nobody is this nice to strangers, right? Empathy and Sympathy only go so far.

I don't protest as they make me sit on a bed and a doctor comes in. I immediately recoil into myself in the presence of someone new. Archie gives me a soft smile which makes me ease up a little. I hate being like this...Being scared all the time.

The doctor tries to check me for injuries and wounds but I instantly tense up despite my best efforts to not. "Get away from me! Don't touch me!" I yell. Fear, anger and trust issues cloud up my judgment. There is no way in hell I would ever let anyone hurt me ever again. Never again.

I don't pay attention to the voices around me or Theo's commanding yet soft tone asking for female doctors or nurses instead. Well maybe a female nurse or doctor would make me feel a bit better. I pull my legs to my chest and hug them close. I'm so fucking tired. I just want to take a nap or even just close my eyes for a bit. So, that's what I did. I hear the doctors shuffling and one of them says " She'll be out like a light." That's the last thing I hear before I slip into a dreamless sleep.

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No one's pov:

It has been almost an entire day since Sofia was back in the DeLuca house, an entire day during which Sofia was at peace. Well at least as much peace as a child who was abused and traumatized was allowed. She was happy and content. Maybe content was pushing it a bit. The only nagging issue in her mind was Rose.

She hadn't been away from Rose for even 10 minutes her entire 5 years of existence and now suddenly she completely disappeared. She promised she would be back, right? So, she would. Sofia makes up her mind that Rosie would come back to her because she always did. Rose always keeps her promises. Repeating this in her mind she gets off her bed.

She desperately wanted a change of clothes since she was in her pajamas, but she didn't know where anything was in her room. She sat on the bed, anxiously chewing on her nails, not sure what to do. Suddenly, she gets startled by the door opening slightly.

"Hey! Are you up amore mio?" comes out a soothing voice. Sofia calms her racing heart when she realizes it was only her sister. Her sister...that feels nice to say.

"Come on, let's get you out of bed. So Breakfast or shower first missy?" She asks walking over. Sofia looks at her, eyes glassy due to the lack of sleep. The truth is she hadn't slept a wink that day even if the bed she was on felt a cloud. She was too busy trying to keep her eyes open in case these nice people had a change of heart and killed her in her sleep. Her trust issues only got worse without Rose, whose shirt fabric she would tightly clutch every night to fall asleep, her breathing almost like a lullabye.

Sofia simply shrugs, not sure what to do or say. "Okay then let's just get you changed, brush your teeth and then we'll go down for breakfast. What do you say sof?". The younger sibling simply nods and Isabella helps her down the bed. They both head into the bathroom and Bella pulls out a step stool for Sofia and hands her a brush with toothpaste on it. She like Isabella. She seems nice. Nice in the sense she had a no nonsense, straight to the point attitude.

After washing up they head back into the room and Bella opens a wardrobe. "Okay babes! choose your outfit!" Bella says putting on a cheery voice in hopes that it may help her sister more comfortable or open up to her. She noticed the bags under the five year old's eyes and it hurt her.

Sofia just stared ahead at the clothes. She never really had clothes before. At least not much to choose from. Isabella noticed her unwillingness and spoke up, "Sofs do you want me to choose for you? You can pick anything you want! How about some fairies? Oh look here! We even have a barbie t-shirt! Do you prefer cars? I personally love cars." she said as she shifted through the hangers. It wasn't until she landed on a shirt with a print that said 'Follow the Yellow Brick Road' that she heard the little girl let out a sound.

"That one..." Sofia's voice rang out softly. "This one?" Bella asks as she removed the t-shirt from the hanger. "Wizard of Oz fan huh? I guess there are worse stories than that one. Come on let's get you changed. Hands up."

She waits for Sofia to do something but she doesn't. "Do you want to do it yourself then tesoro"? She asks handing the shirt out to her.

When Sofia doesn't move even after a couple seconds Bella speaks up, "Sofie...We need to get you changed. You've been in those clothes since you came home."

"Home..?" Sofia says after a few seconds of silence finally making eye contact. " Well yes...This is your home. It's our home tesoro. Never doubt that." She crouches down to meet her height and she moves her arm to take her sister's tiny hands into her own but Sofia stumbles back a few feet.

This was enough for Isabella's nonchalant act to crumble. " Sof...please don't be scared. Please...I promise I won't hurt you. No one in this house is ever going to hurt you. You never have to be scared again...We'll find the bad guy and make sure he'll never ever get you again. Okay?" She knew it was easier said than done but she had to try right?

She watches as the five year old mutters something but couldn't quite hear it. "What did you say?"

"Nothing...", Sofia says softly. " Okay, but we really need to go down tesoro. Hands up..please?". She watches as Sofia raises her arms and Slightly squinting at her like she was judging her. " I'm not gonna hurt you." She slowly and carefully pulled Sofia's shirt up an nothing in the world could have ever prepared her to look at the proof of the torture her baby sister endured. Her hands balled up into fists, nails digging into her palms almost drawing blood, picturing the neck of the guy who did this under her very sharp blade.

There were bruises and cuts littered everywhere on her pale body. A healing broken rib which now explained the cause of her labored breathing. Isabella chokes back her tears. This is not what Sofia needs right now, she thinks to herself. "Im gonna kill him..." she says to herself.

" I already did that..." Sofia's voice comes, laced with a very minute hint of pride.

Isabella's eyes widen as her brain finally comprehends what her sister just said, her mouth opening and closing like a fish. "HUH?! Sofs..What?"

" I killed him.. He's dead..." Sofia says as she puts on her shirt herself which was on the floor as Isabella had dropped it due to verbal impact.

She wasn't sure exactly how long she sat there frozen but it was long enough for her mother to come into the room complaining why she was taking so long to dress a five year old.

"Bella, cosa stai facendo? Ti ho dato un compito!" Camila says ushering Sofia out of her room to get her some breakfast. (Bella what are you doing? I gave you one job!)

"Stai giocando con le statue! Vieni giù!" She leaves the room with Sofia leaving a stunned Isabella in the room. "What the actual fuck!" she says to herself as she stands up and shuts the door behind her as she heads downstairs contemplating if she had a concussion after yesterday's training.

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