A/N- LET ME KNOW YOUR OPINION ON THIS CHAPTER, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO FEEL ABOUT IT. People asked for more of the family's POV so it's in this chapter and will be in others. The majority of chapters are still going to be Alina's POV.

ATHENA'S POV

I was currently bawling my eyes out onto Salvatore's shoulder as he held me.

I couldn't believe what Alina was saying.

My angel was abused!? It was my worst nightmare come true.

I wanted all of my children to have the best life possible, as me and Salvatore were able to give them anything and everything.

Alina didn't deserve any of it.

The starvation, the abuse, not even having the most basic necessities.

Those 2 are lucky they died already because I would have done so much worse.

I'm not the Donna of the Italian mafia for nothing.

I was distraught. She was working due to her fosters parents addictions and selfish needs. She didn't get to have an enjoyable childhood or any childhood for that matter.

She didn't get to work just for fun in order to afford her skating stuff. She had the pressure of working in order to keep a roof over her head.

I was in the middle of my emotional breakdown when I heard my boys screaming.

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ROCCO'S POV

We are currently all sitting in Alina's hospital room waiting for her to wake up.

When we found her on the stairs, we put her straight into our car and drove to our hospital.

We would be quicker than an ambulance as we wouldn't have to wait for it. No one would dare stop us either. So it didn't matter if we were going over the speed limit.

We got here and made sure she was seen immediately and by the best.

Mom and Dad may or may not have threatened the doctors.

Let's just say some might not see the light of day again if Alina wakes up in pain or if something goes wrong.

I know it pains all of my brothers to see her like this.

Matheo came with us but I don't know where he is right now and I actually don't care.

She's covered in cast's and bandages with tubes going in and out of her body.

She has a cast on her ankle and a brace on her shoulder with her torso wrapped underneath her gown.

Why the fuck did she get abused!?

She's perfect. She's the type of person that can make the worst person in the world see light again.

She's a blessing and they saw her as a burden.

She deserves none of this.

Why is it that the worst things happen to the kindest people?

The doctors had listed off injuries after injuries and it made all of us cry harder especially mom and dad.

She had a broken ankle, a dislocated shoulder, shattered ribs, burns marks all across her body, cuts and too many bruises to count.

I could tell my whole family was beating themselves up about the whole thing.

We all were.

This wouldn't of happened if we had kept her safe. If we did something different that night so she wouldn't of been taken.

I put my head in my hands.

Why did she have to be taken, why not one of us? She didn't deserve it. She deserved to be treated like the princess she is!

The doctor said she should be awake in a bit, as it's been around 3 hours since she came out of surgery.

The surgery took around 4 hours in itself.

Apparently they had to realign her ribs because they were literally broken and pieces were moving around.

One of her broken ribs had punctured her lung which made her pass out.

The doctor said it was a miracle that she was even able to stand.

We couldn't believe she was going on with her daily life through the pain the doctor described.

She's a fighter. The strongest person I know.

I just wished she trusted us enough to tell she was in immense pain.

I feel stupid I didn't see it sooner. Her small portions at dinner time, the way she flinched at some things. I wrote it off as not being used to this many people living with her and the death of her foster parents taking a toll on her.

God I'm such an idiot!

A weak cough made me lift my head up from my hands.

Alina's eyes fluttered open looking confused as to where she was.

She looked towards the plush dragon that Romeo insisted he give her as soon as she was out of surgery and cuddled it into her arms tighter whilst smiling at it.

Cute.

She looked towards us confused.

I realised I was just staring at her so I rushed over to her bedside table and poured her a glass of water.

I lifted the straw to her lips so she could drink without moving whilst pushing any wisps of free hair out of her face.

I want her as comfortable as she can be.

Everyone had now noticed she was up and either stood up or crowded around her bed.

"Alina baby, are you ok? I'm so sorry my darling girl!" Mom said, her voice cracking with emotion as she sat down next to her and rubbed her hand.

Alina just grinned back. It was so cute. She looked like she wasn't really listening.

She looked around the room looking confused.

I don't think I've ever seen her smile like that since coming home.

It was a real, genuine smile.

Wait, why was she smiling? She must be in agony even with the pain meds!

We made sure she's got the best pain meds and is given more as soon as she's able to have them, which I believe is every 4 hours.

"Where's potato?" She asked out of the blue.

"Who?" Romeo asked her looking confused.

She grinned playfully back at him

"Potato! I want potato!"

"Alina, honey there is no potato. Do you want to eat a potato?" Dad asked looking worried but ready to get her anything she wanted.

Alina was definitely not ok.

"Potato" she whispered looking upset

The door opened and everyone's heads turned to face whoever entered.

In walked Matheo with a bouquet of flowers.

I scoffed.

As if that makes up for the abuse he gave Alina .

Hey Alina, I know I verbally abused you and made you feel like shit and thought you were a bitch but I got you some roses and daises. Hope we can be best buds again.

Dick.

Alina seemed to have forgotten everything that happened earlier today as she started pointing and waving her hands at him

"POTATO!" She screamed.

Ohhhhh she meant Matheo. I mean her nickname for him was Tato, I guess Potato is kind of similar.

"Why were you not here potato? I was waiting forever with everyone!" Alina said trying to act bossy.

"I misssed you!" She said kind of slurring her words.

Matheo walked through all of us to set the flowers down on her bedside table and walked to the front of Alina's bed so he was facing her.

"Come on potato, you can sit next to me! I'll let you be first one" Alina said patting the spot next to her on the bed. Well she was trying to. Her hand was barely moving.

Matheo looked uncomfortable. He better agree and not upset Alina further.

She doesn't ask for much, the least he can do is this.

Matheo looked pained as he started turning away.

"No potato, don't leave. Please!" Alina said

Matheo kept walking out. 

"Potato please, you were already late please stay. Please potato." Alina begged as she started to cry.

Matheo walked out.

"No.......potato. Mom, potato left me! Stop him! Does potato not love me?" She cried whilst mom tried to calm her down.

That dick!

I started to follow him out.

"No.. mom rocky road is leaving me as well! Make them stop! I don't want them to leave. I don't want to be alone again" she urged mom sobbing.
I turned back to her and crouched down next to her.

I took her face in my hands.

"I will never leave you Alina so don't. ever think that, neither will Potato ok? Plus you've got your 4 other brothers who will stay right with you. " I reassured her whilst kissing her forehead.

Romeo, Marco, Adrian and Luca surrounded her bed making her know they were there for her.

I thought it was better to use her nicknames at this time just so it was easier for her.

Plus rocky road had a nice ring to it, but only when it was Alina saying it.

"I'm just going to go outside for 2 minutes and then I'll be back, ok?"

She sniffled and agreed reluctantly by telling me she and her dragon will be counting.

I walked out to see Matheo pacing outside of her room.

"What the hell man, don't you think you've done enough? You couldn't have stayed for Alina's sake when that's all she asked of you!?"
I screamed at him.

He looked at me with tears in his eyes.

"I can't Rocco. I really can't!"

"Give me one good reason why!?"

"Because I'll just hurt her. I can't stop myself!"

"Of course you can!"

"NO I CAN'T!" He replied

"I have IED Rocco! I got diagnosed just as Alina came home! I can't fucking help it! I flip at her over the littlest things and say things I've never even thought about. The words just come out of my mouth!" He said whilst crying.

An IED?

Oh.

Oh Matheo

"Come here brother" I said as I gathered him in my arms keeping him upright.

"I asked my doctor why I only seem to be attacking Alina and he said it's probably because I care for her the most. I do care for her, I really do!" He sobbed

"I didn't mean to scream at her eating habits. I was worried about how much she was eating. I tried to say that but then something flipped and I was screaming at her and saying even more bad stuff I've never even thought about!" He said voice cracking whilst sobbing as he held onto me

"I can't be near her Rocco, what if I hurt her even more?" He cried.

"Hey, it's ok. We'll figure something out. Have you told mom and dad yet?" I asked him.

"No, I didn't want to take the attention away from Alina. She was finally home" He sniffed.

"You need to tell them Matheo. Everyone including Alina thinks you hate her right now. This will help put things right. I don't really know if I can forgive you just yet but I will try. The shit you said was disgusting whether you meant it or not. Whether you wanted to say it or not. Words still have meaning and can hurt Matheo" I told him

He nodded.

"I've asked for the medication but the doctor said it will take a week to come, and I've been trying meditating which some people said worked. I'm really trying, I am!" He pleaded to me.

"I understand and appreciate that. But forgiveness will be hard to come by regardless. If you explain your situation everyone will have a better understanding of what's happening and why. Now come back and sit with Alina, please" I urged him as I let him out of my embrace.

He just nodded and followed behind me.

I entered the room and saw Alina counting whilst whispering.

She was serious about that.

She looked up as she heard the door open and she smiled at me with her tear stricken face.

"You came back with potato!" She said.

"Of course I did! I promised you, you'll never be alone"

She just smiled at me as she started drifting off.

"Make him stay, I need all of you" she whispered.

Matheo sat at the back of the room trying to hide the evidence of him crying.

Dad had found a nurse that told us that Alina was just loopy from the anethsetic. She'll probably be like that for the whole day.

Thank goodness that explains her behaviour. I was really worried for a second there. I mean she was extra cute when high on anaesthetic.

I sat down and sighed. I'd had enough talking to people today, only Alina would get to hear my voice for the next couple of days.

MATHEO'S POV

I sat at the back of Alina's room watching her peacefully sleep.

I wish I got to take her place.

She deserves none of this shit.  I'm supposed to protect her, and I let her be taken and abused.

I've failed as a brother.

I tried making her feel welcome, tried showing her love but I just couldn't and it kept backfiring on me.

I kept screaming at her saying things I didn't mean and making her feel like shit. And I didn't know why.

Apparently I care so much that me trying to care can turn into anger and frustration.

I got worried at dinner when she didn't have much on her plate and I tried to show her I cared but then I started screaming out of nowhere.

No one realises how scary it is; my body involuntarily doing things.

The way I hate that I'm breaking my angels heart but I can't stop what I'm doing.

The way I feel like shit afterwards.

I clear my throat.

"Dad" I said hoping for him to make eye contact with me.

"Dad" I said but he still ignored me.

"I need to talk to you"

"Not right now son"

"Dad please, I can explain"

"Don't even try so-"
"I've got IED" I whispered.

He froze as he turned around to face me.

"What" he said looking wide eyed.

"I've got an IED. I got diagnosed a couple of days before Alina came home. I didn't want to tell you as I didn't want to take the attention away from Alina, and I'm gonna start medication as soon as I c-"

I was cut off by a hug from my dad.

I hugged him back.

"Why did you not tell me Matheo? I need to know if you're ok or not! You could have always told me about this! I'll get you anything you need that will help to get you through it. Is this....... Is this why you've been freaking out at Alina?"

"I don't mean to, I promise. I keep screaming at her, saying things I've never even thought about before. I'm scared dad, I'm not in control of what's happening!" I sobbed.

Mom also came over and whispered kind words in my ear.

She kept telling me that she loved me and that she'll support me through it all. She told me how proud she was of me for telling us.

I felt a weight being lifted off of my chest after telling them.

I sobbed into my parents until I was able to calm down enough in order to explain what's been happening

"Alina's never going to forgive me" I whispered sadly.

"Alina is an angel Matheo, of course she will. It might take time because you've deeply hurt her, but she will" Adrian told me.

"I still see you as my brother Matheo. I want you to know that. I'm happy there's a reason why you've been a dick to Alina, yet I'm unhappy to learn about how you are suffering" he continued.

"I'm so sorry Adrian" I told him.

"I know. You're lucky, later today I was coming to beat your ass. I still might " He grinned.

I sighed

Now I need to explain this to Alina and hope she'll be able to forgive me one day.

I sat next to her and took her pinky finger in mine.

"I promise to keep you safe. From now until death. I'll keep you safe even from me, as I just seem to hurt you. But no matter what I will always be there for you" I whispered in her ear.

I kissed her forehead.

I sat there hoping to get this figured out so I wouldn't hurt anyone again.

A/N - THIS DOES NOT MEAN FORGIVENESS WILL COME STRAIGHT AWAY! THE IED EXPLAINS HIM SHOUTING  AND LOOSING HIS COOL AT ALINA, WHEN HE REALLY DOES LOVE HER.