Tied to a Castillo I 18+

forty six

don't forget, it's a time jump. I don't wanna focus on the war. Italics are flashbacks. So, the 'present' is in June.

Making a Cake...

Having to go weeks with fear running down her spine—the worry of her safety, her family's, and Sam's—Natalie couldn't wait until the moment was over.

Sam kept his promise and called Natalie. By the hour and how quick she answered, he could tell that she was waiting by the phone for him. She didn't sleep and damn near couldn't breathe until she heard his voice. She was quick to throw in questions, asking him if he was alright, where he was, and when he would reach their new location.

He was sad to tell her that he couldn't see her tonight as she was a few hours away. She felt the waterworks return, and she tried to understand where he was coming from.

If Sam had traveled to where she was, anyone could follow and harm them. He also couldn't miss the war that was next, as every person was needed after Richie killed Luciano Bruno.

Luciano had some pissed-off allies as the news was brought to them that their dear friend was gone. No one would just roll over, lie down, and accept that their friend or business partner was murdered. So people were coming, and they were coming in fast. The Castillo's had to bring in and do whatever they needed to in order to assure that they were the last ones standing.

It was a damn battle.

No one was safe; businesses were attacked, bombs were planted, and people were gunned down. Innocent people that had no ties to the mob or the crime world were afraid to leave their house as a body could be on their porch from a wounded fella escaping.

This war got some attention, and the police were out to protect; however, that didn't save the men that were coming for Richie and his family. Richie has been through this type of thing and knew what to do, but he allowed Sam to take the lead on things. He was, after all, next in line.

This may not have been the most ideal way of getting Sam to learn, but it was beneficial.

When Natalie got the chance to finally see Sam, and not just through a phone after a couple of weeks, she felt this huge wave of excitement and sadness wash over her. Witnessing him at the door, she was reminded of all the nights she stayed up, worried for him.

All the nights she cried.

The nights she had to tend to their son without him.

It didn't feel the same without him, and when she got to place her lips on his and hold him tight, she was afraid that this was another dream or that he could be taken out of her reach.

Natalie never wants to experience something like this again, but dealing with a man like Sam, it could very much occur at another point.

Her curiosity about Giuseppe's death was seized as Sam was honest with her, to an extent. Giuseppe wasn't even supposed to die that night if Luciano stuck with his first plan. Luciano first wanted to kidnap him to make it seem like the Torres's did it, which would lead the Castillos to think Carlo had something to do with it. But Luciano thought longer and took it too far. He got Giuseppe killed instead.

Even for Raphael, he wasn't even supposed to be part of Luciano's plan, but Luciano was persistent and dropped off a bag of cash at his door to get him on board. This was all for greed and power.

Once the family was able to get back together after three long months, Gia felt like it was time to tell them what'd been going on with her. She started speaking with her doctor, and a surgery was mentioned to take action to remove cancer cells, reducing the spreading.