Brotherly Love

03. Officially a Moretti

"Iris here always gets sent back from homes and if she goes to live with you and you were to bring her back it would be quite an inconvenience, not to mention that this is in fact her life so she will make the final decision."

"No," Donatello spoke.

"Excuse me,"

"She will be coming back with us,"

"That's not your right to choose,"

"It was my mothers wish for her to stay with us, and if there's one thing I don't do among many it's let my family down, dead or alive and I'm not about to start now,"

Mrs Wood huffed, " Despite what you may believe this isn't about you Mr Moretti,"

Before Donatello could counter the argument Iris spoke up.

"Mrs Wood, it's okay," All the heads in the room snapped towards the girl making her cower on the inside.

'Never let them see you weak,' she told herself before speaking up.

"I appreciate everything you've done for me and I owe you a lifetime of debt but Amalea Moretti was like a mother to me if this was her wish then I would like to honour it,"

"Very well, you can go and pack I'll be up in a second,"

Iris left the room going to pack, as soon as she left the room Mrs Wood turned towards the two men who were looking at the door their new 'sister' that just walked out of with relief on their face, threatening a woman who owned an orphanage was not on today's schedule.

"I know you two are really powerful and important but that girl has been through enough and what I don't need is you raining down your authority on her back,"

Mrs Wood remember finding a bruised and battered fifteen-year-old Iris shivering on the side of the road fighting for consciousness. Her foster was one of the few places that was actually well kept they helped the kids there, they were a family. But Iris was just an outsider looking in, she stopped herself from creating a bond with them. This didn't make Mrs Wood care about her any less she wanted the best for her, she saw that she had so much more life to live.

Donatello and Nazaire weren't intimidated in the slightest, but the admired how much the woman cared for Iris and her well being.

"We can assure you we'll take good care of her," Nazaire said sincerely.

"You better," she mumbled as she left the office.

As Iris was packing she wondered what it would be like to be back in New York, though now she had to live with a new family. She didn't mind though, she planned to just wait out the two years and then leave when she was eighteen. Don't get close to them, don't let them get close to you. Sounds simple enough.

Oh, how wrong she was.

As Iris came down the two boys looked at her in confusion, how could a sixteen-year-old girl possibly fit everything she owned in one backpack.

Mrs Wood embraced Iris into a tight hug.

"May God bless you Iris, and try to let them in allow yourself to have some love in your life,"

"I'll try," she said softly as she pulled back and smiled.

Donatello and Nazaire thanked Mrs Wood before walking out with the signed adoption papers, with Iris following behind.

'They own a limo, oh they rich rich' she thought to herself.

"When we get back most of the boys should be asleep as it's quite late but you'll get to meet them tomorrow in the morning," Nazaire started.

"Okay,"

"You'll also be giving to get stuff for your room tomorrow we didn't do anything to it as we didn't know his you'd like it,"

Iris was just looking out the window processing what had just happened "Sure thanks,"

"Iris," Donatello spoke.

She hummed.

"Welcome to the family,"

She thanked him as a sincere smile made its way onto her lips.

They pulled up to a secluded part of the airport where their private jet was waiting.

"A jet too, makes me feel like I've been adopted by Oprah,"

The boys just chuckled as they made their way into the plane.

As the plane started to move down the runway Iris felt nerves bubbling up inside her chest. She didn't like this feeling, feeling like she wasn't in control because anything could happen and she wouldn't be able to stop it.

Donatello noticed Iris rubbing her wrist quite harshly, he took her hands and rested them in his. Iris gazed up at him and he looked down with a questioning look.

"Scared of flying,"

"First time," she confessed.

"Don't worry it gets better," he reassured, though she had been told that many times before and it never did.

Nazaire was sleeping on one of the other seats, whilst Iris and Donatello sat in silence. As Donatello looked down at Iris he couldn't help but think back to what Mrs Wood had said.

She's been through enough

'What could she have been through' he wondered and he could've found out but he chose to respect her privacy knowing that she may tell them when she's ready.

He could already feel himself forming a bond with Iris, the younger sister he never had. As kids, he was always protecting of his cousin Emilia and he could feel himself growing protective of Iris too. She reminded him of a poppy flower, even though she had faced troubles in life she still made it to the forefront like the poppies which grew after the war.

"Look out the window picocolo papavero,"
(Little poppy)

When she looked out the window she saw all the lights shining against the dark sky and it was beautiful. Maybe it does get better she thought to herself. For now, all her worries were gone and she fell into a peaceful slumber, her hands never leaving Donatello's.

He looked down at his new younger sister, making sure she was comfortable before laying his head back.

'She's now officially a Moretti,' he thought to himself before drifting off to sleep himself.

- x -

Author's Note: What do you think of Iris so far?

Random Question: Have you ever travelled?

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