The Twelve Vitali Ch. 01

The only other person who'd helped him with the big decisions in his life was Coach Frankie, and he could really use his advice right now. He pulled out his phone as he watched Mick let himself into the house and felt Cat clutch his hand as the paramedics probed the swelling on her face.

"Frank?" he said quietly into the phone, trying to keep his voice calm. "I know this is probably out of line, but I need help. Cat's been attacked, the ambo's are here, but the police haven't arrived yet. I think I should go to the hospital with her, but maybe I should stay and talk to the police," he let his worries out in one big rush of words.

"Give me the address, I'm on my way now," Frank said, and David could hear the car start before he ended the call and looked guiltily at his sister. He knew she would hate anyone else to be involved in this situation, but he didn't know what to do to make this right for her, and as he watched a stray tear roll down her face he knew he had made the right decision.

"Don't let them take me," Cat whispered in an unsteady voice. "I'm okay, honestly," she assured her brother. She could see the worry, and almost panic etched on his face, and she hated that she put it there. She drew deep breaths now and pulled herself together, as she always did for him. He deserved a better life than the one they got handed, and he was finally getting ahead until she moved in with him. "I'm so sorry, Davey. I never thought he would do something like his."

"He, who?" he looked at her seriously. "Ned did this! Ned hurt you?" David saw red. He would kill the bastard if he could find him.

"No, it was my fault!" she gasped. It was Cat's turn to panic as she saw the expression on her brother's face go from concern to anger in a heartbeat. "I was trying to stop him from destroying the canvases. I got in the way, it was my fault."

"Listen to me very carefully," David pushed in front of the paramedics. "This was not your fault! None of it! Do you hear me? He broke into my house, he destroyed our property, he is totally at fault here. There is no universe in which you could convince me or anyone else otherwise."

*****

"What's Uncle Frank doing here?" Cobi asked as he pulled up behind the black SVU with the personalised plates that belonged to his uncle.

"Shouldn't you be asking what the police are doing here?" Maryanne asked, unbuckling her seatbelt as if to get out of the car.

"Stay!" he ordered, looking at her sternly. "Let me find out what's going on, we mightn't even have the right address," he said. "I'll find Frank and see what he says, okay? Please wait." He saw her about to argue. "Just this once, don't argue with me, please." He reiterated his request.

"Fine," she sighed. "But if you take too long I can't be responsible for my actions," she added.

"Ness, make sure she stays, please. This looks like something bad has gone down," he indicated the broken garage door and police tape sealing it off. "I'll be back as soon as I can," he got out of the car and walked into the yard.

"Frank!" Cobi raised his voice slightly. He saw his uncle turn and walk towards him with purpose as he also noted that the police looked at him questioningly. "What's going on?" he asked, looking around.

"The girl who lives here came home from work early and found her ex destroying everything she owned. She's pretty banged up and in a good deal of shock. I coached her brother, they've got no one to lean on, so he called me," Frank, as always, explained the situation fully. "What are you doing here?"

"The girl's been doing some work for Nessa. We were supposed to do a quick stop in to see some paintings," Cobi told his uncle as he caught sight of Cat through the open doorway. "Where's the ambulance?"

"It was here. She refused to go to the hospital. I've got Paolo coming to make sure she doesn't have a concussion. I'm gonna take them back to my place tonight, they can't stay here the way it is, and if I don't keep an eye on Dave, I'm worried he's gonna go after the guy on his own." Frank grumbled. "They're good kids who've always done it tough," he shook his head.

"Alright, I'll drop the girls off and grab Ricco. We'll give you a hand," Cobi said without thinking.

"No need, I can handle it, but you can tell Nessa there's nothing left for her to see here," Frank grimaced.

"That might not be exactly true," Mick said, coming to where the two men stood. "Sorry, coach, I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but Cat's been panicked about her boss showing up, so I've been on guard. Look," he held up his phone, he flicked through a few screens. "I was making her a website as a surprise, she doesn't know about it yet, but I have photos of most of the paintings she had here."

"Great, give me your phone," Cobi held out his hand. He flicked through the website quickly. "Not bad work," he nodded. "I'm just gonna text the link to myself, okay?"

"Sure, I hope it helps, she really stressed about letting her boss down," Mick said, and Cobi could see the signs of a guy who cared too much for a girl who had probably shot him down more than once.

"Tell her about the website and let her know Vanessa and Maryanne are grateful she created it just in time," he winked. "It'll score you big points, trust me, and it will take away a lot of her stress for tonight. I'll get Ness to text her a gushing review later." Cobi turned back to his uncle, "I'll see you as soon as we can get there. I know you don't need us, but Ricco's got some contacts you can use, trust me on that." Cobi jogged back to the car and brought the website up on his phone, handing it to Maryanne.

Pulling away from the curb, he told them the story and apologised that he wouldn't be accompanying them to dinner.

"You have to take me back!" Maryanne exclaimed at the end of Cobi's explanation. "This is all my fault. I'm the one who made her go home early. I did this to her!"

"You did no such thing," Cobi said sternly, "and the last thing that girl needs right now is you going back there and making things worse. Let Frankie handle it. As soon as I drop you and Nessa off I will go back and help him, but, my love, you have no place back there right now."

"But..." Maryanne began to argue with him, but he held up his hand and gave her a look.

"No, seriously, Maryanne, this is not the time for you to go charging in there. If, as you say, this is your fault for sending her home early, then you do not want to be near her brother right now. He looks like he is ready to murder someone. Trust me, I will handle it, and you will be able to see her tomorrow before you leave."

"But..." Maryanne said weakly, knowing he was right but hating that she had done this. She'd spent the last year trying to live down the things her sister had done and convince her new family that she wasn't an entitled Donati princess. "I didn't know," she said in almost a whisper. "If I'd known I never would have made her go early. I wouldn't hurt anyone like that, ever."

"I know, baby, you're not Nik, but now is not the time to prove it. Let me help Uncle Frankie to get them someplace safe and find out what really happened before you do anything else. Promise me you will stay with Nessa tonight. I am taking Ricco with me, so you can call him if you can't get hold of me," Cobi felt for his wife. It had been a difficult year for her being away from her devastated family and not being able to be part of the true grieving that had occurred in the aftermath of her parent's death.

"I want to go home. I promise I will stay there, but I just want to go home, please," Maryanne said woodenly.

"Okay, baby, I'll take you home." Cobi looked into his rear vision mirror and saw Vanessa nod. He changed direction and reached out a hand to rest it on her thigh. The rest of the drive home was silent, and when they got there she leaned over and kissed him. "Call me when you know anything else?" she asked.

"I promise. Uncle Frankie has it all under control. You have nothing to worry about, she'll be safe with us," Cobi reassured her. He knew she bore the burden of her sister's actions heavily, which was why she was determined to befriend Matteo, and he wished he knew how to help her to let it go. He waited until they walked into the house before driving away.

Maryanne drew a shaky breath as she walked toward the kitchen. She poured a glass of wine for herself and Vanessa without saying a word, and Vanessa looked at her curiously. It was rare to have a silent Maryanne, let alone one that looked so lost and alone, and she worried.

"I just need to make a quick call," Maryanne said in a voice filled with emotion. She took her glass of wine and walked toward the family room. Concerned, Vanessa followed silently, and her heart broke for her friend as she heard Maryanne's voice break when her brother answered the phone.

"D. I've done something really awful!" Maryanne cried. "I don't want people to think I'm, I'm like..." she choked and cried harder. Vanessa guessed there was talking on the other end of the phone, because Maryanne nodded, even though she couldn't be seen.

*****

Ricco looked up from his position beside Cat's bed. The two Donati men walked into the room and nodded in greeting over the body of the sleeping Cat.

"I don't think she's really asleep," Ricco said casually. "I just don't think she wants to deal with any of us anymore. If you want her to open her eyes, you're going to have to get David in here."

"Why don't you take a break and show Dante this painting everyone is raving about, and I'll see what I can do," Peter Donati said easily in a quiet voice. "I have some experience with this type of injury."

"Any excuse to hang out with a real-life hero," Ricco said with a chuckle, and looked quizzically at Dante as he got up from his place beside the bed and left the room, closing the door behind him.

"Cat, my name's Pete, and though I probably look far too handsome and dashing to be a doctor, I am. So is it okay if I touch your wrist to take your pulse while we're having a chat?" He asked as she kept her eyes closed. Not getting a response he took another tack.

"The last time a patient of mine refused to open her eyes she was hiding from people she didn't want to face. Of course, she had almost died, so it was hard to tell. Luckily that's not the case here. I have it on good authority you can go home once you let me examine you," he said gently. "Would you like to tell me why you're hiding? Maybe I can get you home sooner."

"This is all so humiliating," she whispered. "Fine! Take my pulse, or whatever you have to do to let me leave," Cat said with a resigned sigh.

"It's a miracle," Pete chuckled. "My reputation remains intact." He pulled a small torch from his pocket. "Do you want to tell me what really happened? I have that whole doctor-patient confidentiality thing going for me, and a man out there who I love like a brother that will testify to the fact that I took the woman he loved out of the hospital and let her go home because that's what she wanted and needed."

"Was he the one that almost killed her?" Cat asked in a small voice.

"No, it was his sister who almost killed her, and my patient felt she couldn't face him or any of his family. She just wanted to go home, so I made sure she was looked after by anyone but them," he explained. "Sometimes it takes time to heal more than just the obvious injuries. If you tell me what happened, I promise to listen and help you in the same way."

The whole time he had been talking he had been examining her in case she shut down again and refused to talk to him. He knew some of her story, but he wanted to know her version of what happened.

"It was nothing," she sighed. "All this fuss is about nothing. I had a fight with my ex-boyfriend, that's it. That's the whole story."

"So, your ex-boyfriend broke into your house and tried to destroy everything you own, and when you tried to stop him you got hurt," Pete said. "I've already heard the police report, now I want your version of why he did that. You've had a sleepless night to think about it," he said, gently squeezing her hand.

"You'll help me get out of here if I tell you what I think?" she asked.

"You have my word," Pete said solemnly.

"I guess everyone already knows anyway," she took a shuddering breath and closed her eyes, wanting to shut out the whole humiliating affair. "I was young and dumb when I met Ned, he had a flashy car and money to burn, and he helped my brother and me out of a tough spot by letting us move in with him. He was a thief, a liar, a cheater and an opportunist. He never had the brain power to mastermind anything for himself. I've had an on again off again relationship for the past few years, mainly because of situations like this, though never this bad, and never where David would find me.

"He wanted it to be on again, only this time I said no and moved away from the old neighbourhood. I guess he wasn't happy about my answer and was trying to make me go back by forcing me into yet another tough spot. No clothes to wear to work, no paintings to show my boss, I'm screwed, and he knows it."

"Except this time you have your brother and his friend, as well as a very understanding boss, from what I have been told," Pete said. "And now you have me and D. It might make you happy to know that D. is a bonafide hero."

"I don't need or want anyone but my brother," she said, sitting up and swinging her legs from the bed. "I'm not a charity case, or someone who needs your pity. Could you tell David I'm ready to go home now and find out where my clothes are?" she asked.

"I can do that, since you've been such a good patient," he nodded. He had finished his examination, and she was bruised badly, but there were no obvious fractures or a severe concussion. He stood and went to the door, asking for David and her clothes.

"Hey," David said walking into the room. "You're awake, that's great, I thought you were going to sleep forever." He smiled widely, but Cat could see the lines of concern on his face and felt guilty for having put him in this situation all over again.

"I'm so sorry, Dave, if I'd thought for one moment he'd wreck your place, I never would have moved in," she said quickly, wanting, as always, to shield him from as much of the harshness of life as she could.

"It's not your fault!" he said equally quickly in response. "The doc, here, says you're good to go, so why don't you put on this dress and come out and meet Frankie's family. They're just as worried about you as I am."

"That's not my dress," she stared at him. "I'd never wear something like that." She omitted telling him that she'd never wear it because it was obviously way out of her price range.

"Look, I know you weren't in great shape last night, but Ned did a lot of damage yesterday before you caught him. He got in through the garage, but he went to your room and destroyed everything you own and doused it in petrol before trying to start a fire. Luckily, he was never a boy scout, so it didn't take. He was leaving when he stopped to destroy your paintings," David explained, looking up at the doctor as Cat's face turned an ashy white.

"Cat, you don't strike me as a weak and fragile little woman," Pete spoke gently, holding her wrist and feeling the strong pulse. "Put on the dress and we can take you home to see the damage for yourself. Then, if you need to make other plans, you'll know it's because you have to, not because anyone is making decisions for you." This was one of the bigger lessons he had learned dealing with Peri and her injuries.

"Okay," Cat nodded. "I can do that," she gave a half smile.

"I'm just going to consult with the doctor who saw you last night, and when you're ready I'll take you home, just like I promised," Pete placed a gentle hand over hers and smiled encouragingly before leaving the room. "I'll be back in fifteen minutes, take your time, okay? You're bound to still be a little dizzy and light headed. You've had quite an impressive head injury."

"Look," David opened with the same word again. "Frankie was great last night dealing with the police and ambo's who wanted to take you to the hospital. He didn't have to do any of that or offer us a place to stay last night, so try to remember he's not the enemy, Ned is," he said tentatively. "It wouldn't hurt to say thank you rather than snap at him for bullying you."

It had taken all of his and Frankie's powers of persuasion last night to get her to leave the house and come here, and now he was nervous about taking her back there. It was a crime scene, and they hadn't been allowed back in this morning, although Frankie and his nephew were working on that for them.

"We can manage," Cat said in a tired voice. "We always have. This is just another hill to climb, but it will be fine. I'm still on the lease at the flat, we can move back there until the house is no longer a crime scene."

"No," David said earning him a sharp look. It was rare that he argued with her. "That place also has Ned on the lease; you are not going back there. Mick is trying to sort somewhere for us to stay for a few days until this is all sorted out. You have to let us handle things this time. I'm a grown man, Cat, not the scared little boy you had to mother. You have to let me handle things while you take time to recover from the shock."

"Okay," Cat said, finally finding herself on the receiving end of an emotional embrace from David.

"I can't lose you because you're too stubborn to let me do anything for you," David said in a voice thick with emotion. "You're all I've got."

"Okay," Cat repeated. "I still want to go home and get my own clothes, if there are any. I won't be a charity case," she said stiffly, looking at the dress laying across the bed. "I can buy my own clothes, if that's the case."

"I'll agree to a shopping trip this afternoon if the doctor says it's all right, and if," he paused before rushing on. "You agree to talk to the lawyer I have hired and press charges against Ned. I'm pressing charges anyway, but it will be a stronger case if you do it."

"I can't do that!" Cat gasped, thinking of the repercussions, not only for her, but for David.

"You can, and if you love me at all you will. Once Ned's in jail we won't have to worry about him again. It's the only way to have some peace of mind," David said. "I want to feel safe and good about life, like we have been for the last few months. You have to do this, if not for yourself then do it for me."

"How can you possibly afford a lawyer?" Cat asked, not wanting to give in to the emotional blackmail. What if they didn't win in court and Ned came after them for real?

"I keep telling you I have a good job that's going to lead to a good career; we are not strapped for cash anymore. Mick is on the same track, and we can afford it. Just talk to the lawyer, he's a nice guy," David said, seeing her vacillate.

"Fine, I'll talk to him after I see the damage to the house. Now let me get dressed," she shooed him away and sat heavily on the bed. The doctor was right, she did feel light headed, but she had to do this. She couldn't stay here.

*****