NICCOLÒ

7. Unspoken Agreements

"You're so kind," Cee beamed, liquid energy racing through her veins. "Could I meet you in, say, half an hour's time?" The nurse blinked.

"Of course, Miss. May I know what for?"

"Don't worry about it, Robin, please don't let me distract you!" Cee was already striding down the corridor, picking up speed.

The nurse watched her go, blinking, thinking about how she was going to tell the others that the ghost girl had finally found some energy.

---

"Good morning!" Cee sang, waltzing into the room, putting on a brave face for the three men she'd come to like.

"What do you want?" Anton asked impatiently as Stefano stared. The former hadn't shaved in a while; the rugged look suited him, aged him from a young twenty year old to a man, while his twin looked the same.

"Miss Fiero- "

"Please, call me Cee." She grinned at Stefano, who looked like he'd seen a ghost. "And hello, Anton, I'm here to read to Dean."

"How's your hand?" Stefano asked cautiously, an unreadable expression flashing across his face.

"I'm absolutely fine, no worries at all." She had an ugly scar across her right palm. "Sorry for not visiting in a while, I had a slight...disagreement." She shook her head, ignoring any thoughts of the Romano Don. "I have extra blankets!"

Cee distributed the blankets, noting the boys' quiet mood. "Is everything okay?" Anton turned away, facing the wall, refusing a blanket; she fought back a sigh. She knew he didn't particularly like her, but she was getting frustrated with the lack of reason behind it.

"Anton?"

"We thought you'd been killed." Cee blinked, turning back to Stefano - who'd changed the topic to grab her attention.

"Killed for what? I'm just a hostage."

"Being a spy." Stefano's voice was quiet. Cee almost laughed.

"I'm not a spy," she said finally. "I hadn't seen this world for four years until I came here. I lost touch with my family for the last year of that."

"Boss told us," Anton said. His bandages had been removed. His glassy eyes stared straight ahead, unseeing. "Told us that your family tried to cross him. Sent you instead of a girl." Cee stopped for a second, her mind spinning. Niccolò genuinely believed she was here to spy on him.

"My sister. Caterina," Cee said eventually, drawing up a chair to sit by Dean. "She's five. I came in her place."

"To steal secrets from our family," Stefano spat, finally facing her. "To betray us." Cee glared Stefano down coldly. Neither of them had ever seen her truly angry before. It wasn't that she was intimidating; it was the concept that Stefano had crossed a line that had previously been invisible.

"Listen," Cee spoke, her tone measured, calm. "I am six months away from completing my training as a nurse. Once my time here as a prisoner is up, you may discuss my imaginary espionage freely. I want to go home, to my crappy apartment on the Third Block on North Street. I'm miserable, I'm lonely and I'm fucking scared. My friend, Flo, is being held hostage in exchange for my co-operation.

"I have been threatened with guns and with knives, neither of which I have had to see for four years. It was either me or my little sister. In a few weeks, I will leave and I will never see your faces again. Now, I have a promise to keep, to Flo." Cee glared at each of the twins individually. "To read to her brother."

They didn't bother her again. They didn't say a word. 

---

Cee sat patiently, waiting for someone to join her. The other nurses were whispering to each other, each one refusing to be the one that associated with the Fiero. Forcing herself not to look at them, she stared straight ahead, focusing on the noticeboard that had all of the shifts pinned up to it.