The day had come where they said goodbye to Rio. In that week the brothers, Franco and Charlie had made sure to spend as much time with Rio, as they possibly could.

Rio still hadn't a Scooby Doo what was going on, but she was just happy that her favourite people in whole wide world where spending quality time with her.

Little did she know, those cherished moments together were going to be the last ones for years.

The little girl was sat on her temporary bed, playing with the endless amount of toys her family had bought her; during her time in Brazil.

She had already packed her suitcase, she had overheard her mummy and daddy the night before-discussing their departure the next day.

Rio found it confusing how the parents or brothers never confronted her about their departure from Brazil, but she never questioned it.

'They must have forgotten, the silly Billy's.' She amusingly thought to herself.

How devastatingly wrong she was.

A knock on her door caused the little girl to shriek in shock, she dropped her dolly and held a hand close to her heart.

The toddler looked towards the door, it slowly opened revealing a very distraught looking Franco. She wanted to laugh at his facial expression, he looked as though he was holding in a poo poo.

"Daddy!" The little girl squealed, she had recovered quickly from her moment of shock and waddled to her daddy.

"Hello, sweetheart." He responded to the little girl and bent down to lift her tiny body onto his hip.

After the argument between Charlie and himself the previous week, he made sure to calm himself down before apologising to his princess. Rio being Rio accepted his apology wholeheartedly-she loved him too much to stay mad at him.

That being one of Rio's weaknesses.

Franco walked out the bedroom with Rio still on his hip, babbling on about her dreams and aspirations, one of them being a strong woman.

He listened carefully, he always did when it came to his lady bug. As she spoke further, he couldn't help but feel the growing pain within his heart.

Knowing he had to leave his precious little girl behind; it broke his heart more than anyone could know.

They reached the living room of the Brazilian penthouse, that was when Rio saw all the suitcases-excluding her own.

"What's going on Daddy?" Rio spoke, her silver eyes stared up at her daddy's identical ones. It was without a doubt to say she was extremely confused.

"We're leaving, my ladybug." He bent down and steadily placed the little one on the floor. "I need to get my suitcase Daddy, it's in my room!"

Franco shook his head, his eyes filling with unshed tears. "There is no need Principessa." (Princess)

"All my dollies are in there, I can't just leave them behind Daddy!" The toddler's voice began to raise-in no circumstances would she ditch her beloved toys. Not even for chocolate.

Ignoring the little girl's upcoming tantrum, Franco pulled out his phone and dialled his assistant's number; asking them to collect the remaining suitcases from the living room.

"You my strong, little girl are staying here." Franco knelt down and cupped his daughter's beautiful face delicately. "You are going to be Dora The Explorer and explore Brazil."

"But, what about you? Aren't you joining me?"

"Unfortunately, not princess. Me, your mummy and brothers need to get home." Franco choked on his tears.

Rio's eyes filled with big tears, she didn't want to left on her own. Before she could say anything further, her Nona and Popo walked through the doors as if it was all staged.

"What about me? I want to be with you." She clung onto his arm like a koala, not wanting to let go.

"It's for your own safety princess, you're too young to understand fully. But, I want you to know that Daddy, Mummy and brothers love you so much." Franco peppered kisses all over her face, wanting to soothe the little girl's tears.

"I promise that I am always a phone call and FaceTime away, whilst we are gone Nona and Popo will be here to look after you." He whispered into her ear soothingly, as much as he hated to do this-he knew he had to.

More death threats against Rio and his family's life had been sent left, right and centre. Essentially, they were faking Rio's death until she was old enough to protect herself.

"But, I want you, Mummy and bubbas to do that." She whimpered, Rio wouldn't back down from this-she refused to not be with her parents and brothers.

"Baby, I have to go." Franco sighed; he pressed his head against hers and exhaled deeply. "I will love you forever, princess."

He quickly kissed Riri's head and stood from the uncomfortable position, without looking at her again he walked away, only to stop at his parents.

"Please take good care of her, she means the absolute world to me. If anything where to happen and I didn't make it in time, I don't know what I'd do." He held both his parents arms in his hands tightly.

Whilst all this was going on, Rio was sobbing uncontrollably. She felt as though she had been abandoned, hell she felt as though she'd been shut out.

No three year old she feel like that, scrap that no child should ever feel like that.

"Of course we will, who do you think we are?" Nona chuckled to herself, where as Popo glared at his son with an immense amount of anger.

He didn't agree with Franco's motives and intentions regarding his daughter. However, he would care for Rio like she was his own- Nona had managed to talk him down from whooping his ass.

Franco nodded at his parents, he took one last glance at Rio's heartbroken figure before walking out of the penthouse; they had all been residing in since the attempted attack on Rio.

At that action, the three year old girl threw herself at the floor and began crying into the carpet. Some may call her being dramatic or throwing a temper tantrum.

But, to her she just lost the people she cared about the most, and she never knew when she was going to see them again.

----

It had been a couple of hours since the Esposito family left their beloved daughter in Brazil. After Rio threw herself on the floor, she ran as quick as her little legs could carry her into her bedroom.

She just wanted to cry in peace.

Her grandparents had attempted to persuade the little girl to have her meals but, she just remained quiet in her bed.

Throughout the rest of the day, the once bright, bubbly little girl never left her room. It was safe to say the little girl was going on a hunger and talking strike.

"Screw this, I am going to check on her!" Popo shouted to his wife, he then proceeded to tiptoe up the stairs and down the hall to her room. He didn't want to risk waking his beautiful grandchild up.

As he neared the door to her room, he could hear her heart wrenching sobs-it utterly broke his wise, old heart. In his eyes no little girl like her should be crying like that.

He gently knocked on her door to which, Rio responded with a sniffly 'Come in.'

He opened the door to be met with a shocking site, there sat on her bed was a heavy-hearted girl with a bright red nose, and bloodshot eyes.

Without giving it a second thought, Popo raced over to the girl and swooped her up in his arms and soothed her pleas and cries for her family to come back. It had taken Popo a good twenty minutes to calm the girl down until, her sobs became small sniffles.

"I know it hurts baby, I know." He cooed into her ear, whilst massaging her dainty head. "But, it will all get better with time."

"Really?" She snuggled into his embrace.

"Really, really." He chuckled, Rio's giggles filled the room-instantly brightening the atmosphere around them.

"When will Daddy and Mummy come back?" She said in a broken voice, Popo sighed at the question.

"All with good time, ladybug." He kissed her chubby cheeks. "But, I promise you that when they do come back for you-you will be bigger, stronger, and a fierce firecracker."

That was a promise he made to keep.