Family: Out of Business

Sacrificed

EJ's pov

"OH MY GOD! TONY, YOU'RE ALIVE, I shouted out in shock. "How did you find me? Where have you been all this time? I thought you were dead. I thought Father had you eliminated. How can this be true? Are you really here with me, Frattelone (Big brother)?" I rattled off question after question, rambling like a fool. I hesitantly reached out to touch him, sure I was hallucinating, or seeing a ghost. Holding him by the shoulders with my shaking hands, I protested, "It can't be. Let me wake Claire. She'll be so excited to see you."

Pulling me into his arms, my big brother hugged me tightly.

"Yes it's true, EJ. I'm really here. It's good to see you, Fratellino (Little brother). Please don't wake la mia bellissima figlia (my beautiful daughter), we have some things to discuss first."

"But, I don't understand. I just can't get over the fact you're here. Marco made it seem like..." Before I could finish my sentence, Father entered and interrupted.

Stefano's pov

"You have no idea how much it hurts me to know you thought I was capable of such a thing, Elliot James," I said sadly, upon entering the room after eavesdropping on my sons' conversation.

"Father, I'm sorry," he replied dejectedly. "I was so sure. I honestly don't know what to say."

"Making the outsiders believe your brother was dead was all part of the plan. I never thought my own son would subscribe to such nonsense." I shook my head in disbelief.

"Father, I didn't realize what you had planned. I never should've thought that you could sacrifice one of your own children. Can you ever forgive me?"

Holding his face in my hands, I replied, "I love you, Son, and you are forgiven, but you should know better than to doubt me. You make me proud seeing the man you have become as you've parented Francesca in your brother's absence. You've far exceeded my expectations, my boy."

"How did you manage to pull this off, Father? You must tell me."

"Anthony had to go into hiding immediately, as the hit was ordered by Vincenzo Nardello the moment his son James took his last breath. It was always my intention to bring Anthony back, to reunite you as brothers, to return him to Francesca and Alexandra. It is my wish that Anthony take over as patriarch of this family. Elliot James, you will be his right hand man, succeeding the throne when Anthony steps down. I want the four of you to live in the mansion in Italy and raise Francesca together as a family. Così sarà (So it shall be)."

"Don't you mean the five of us, Father?"

"No Figlio, temo di non poter stare con te (No, Son, I'm afraid I can't be with you)."

"But why, Father? Where are you going? Why won't you be with us? Abbiamo bisogno di te, Padre (We need you, Father)."

"I made a deal with Vincenzo, sacrificing my life for my son's. In exchange for his promise to never exact revenge on any of you or your future generations to come, I would lay down my life. He is a man of his word and he will never touch a hair on your head, your children's, your grandchildren's and so on. The feud will end before it can even begin, as my casket is lowered into the ground."

"Father, no! There has to be another way. You can't do this. You can't give up. We will figure something else out. We will make a new deal. Questa non può essere la fine (This cannot be the end). It's not fair, it's not right. Non lo permetterò (I won't allow it)!"

"You do not get to make this decision, my boy. Capiscimi (Understand me)?"

"No! I don't understand. I won't accept this, I never will. Not now, not ever. Questo è completamente inaccettabile (This is completely unacceptable)."