Five Letters And A Number - A TWFAF Story

Okay, so given the times we're living in, I thought I should put this out there. This will be a series of interlinked one-shots focus on the experiences not only of Carrie, but of her friendship group of OC's from my main story "That's What Friends Are For", during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. That being said, you do not have to have read TWFAF to understand this story – in part because several story points referenced have not been written yet in TWFAF (so, in some senses, I will actually be spoiling that story). Also, I will provide sufficient backstory for my OC's in this story

I realise that this story will spoil quite a lot of what I had planned for TWFAF and fast-forward story and character development, but you know what? Fuck it. I just CAN'T let the current events go unremarked upon. The first two cases of COVID-19 showed up in my home town today (March 17). You know something? I'm scared, and I imagine a lot of readers/writers on this site are scared as well, especially those in places like France and Italy that are under lockdown. I decided to start this short story just to cope with my anxiety about this, and perhaps maybe help others cope with this as well. I know eventually there will be light at the end of the tunnel, it's just the dark we have to drive through to get there that scares me.

Also, I would just like to include a TRIGGER WARNING for general mentions of the pandemic and it's effects, as well as some minor character deaths. There will be a nightmare scene in this chapter (I will bold it so you don't have to read it if you don't want to). There will also be references to suicide in this chapter, so I urge anybody who's reading this: if this situation is causing you to feel suicidal, PLEASE seek help! If you're in the US, call 1-800-273-8255 the National Suicide Prevention Hotline, or search online for help in your local region.

Just a note: I am putting this story under Carrie X Misc. Books, despite the fact that TWFAF features MCU characters. While they will make appearances in this story, most notably in chapter 2 (which is Carrie's one-shot) the main focus of these stories will be on Carrie and her friends I mentioned above.

I'll just leave you with this thought. There are a couple of sayings from the Maori people, indigenous to my homeland of New Zealand that I feel is particularly appropriate for this moment in history.

Kia kaha. E waka eke noa.

Stay strong. We're all in the same boat.

Disclaimer: I don't own Carrie of the Marvel characters referenced in this story – I only own my OC's.

Chapter 1 – We're All In This Together (Olivia)

*** FLAAN ***

Olivia Catherina De Rossi was born in Turin, in the province of Piedmont, Italy on June 18, 2002. Two months later, she was christened and baptised at the Basilica of Corpus Domini, surrounded by members of her family. Wrapped up in a white blanket and wearing a pure white gown, the baby was presented to the priest, a man in his 50's dressed in a simple white gown. Holding her in their arms were her parents. Antonio and Francesca. Watching alongside was her older brother, Marco, was would soon turn seven, her aunt and godmother Lucia, and her grandparents Georgio and Loretta. It was a happy day for all involved. Well, except for baby Olivia, as she let out a cry of shock as the priest poured holy water over head, sealing her baptism in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

When Olivia was two, in September 2004, she and her family moved to the United States. Specifically, they moved to New York, where Antonio took on work as a dental assistant. Francesca tried to get the toddler Olivia excited by talking about how they were going to be able to see the tallest building in the world. However, her first memory of the United States was a very daunting one – of her parents being asked to take off their shoes while they were scanned by TSA agents. This was America in a post 9/11 age, and no-one could be too careful. Then came time for her first day of kindergarten – Marco had taken like a pig in poop to his new school and had made a lot of new friends, his outgoing boisterous attitude serving to bridge the language gap. He was now a well-liked fifth grader. Olivia, however, was much more nervous, homesick and quiet. This was underlined by her first playtime, where she stood at the window of the classroom, staring off into the distance. As her bottom lip trembled, her teacher came over to her.

"Olivia." She asked, kindly. "Would you like someone to play with?"

And it was then that she met the person that would change her life forever – a girl with black skin and a bright smile.

"I'm Brianna!" The girl greeted, happily. "Let's play blocks!"

It was then that Olivia knew that she had a friend for life.

The friendship between the two deepened over time. Play dates and birthdays at each other's houses became a fact of life. Olivia and Brianna shared in each other's joys and triumphs as they moved through childhood into adolescence. They received First Communion and Confirmation together, side by side. Brianna had squealed in joy as Olivia had earned the captaincy of her soccer team and when her family got citizenship, as did Olivia when Brianna had won her regional ice-skating tournament. Both welcomed new siblings of the other as though they were their own, with both of them adorably speaking to both Olivia's sister Maria and Brianna's brother Jerome in their mother's bellies, urging them to come soon, so they could play together. Brianna also set alight Olivia's community spirit with her passion for helping people and protesting, inspiring her to love the poor, the downtrodden and the marginalised. Of particular import was her volunteer work at The Angel's Arms, a homeless shelter run by their Catholic parish, as well as being an ally and supporter of Brianna's work with the Black Lives Matter movement. Witnessing the movement in action had been an eye opening experience for Olivia, especially in regards to the racism and institutional prejudice encountered by African-Americans throughout history. Brianna and her older brother Marcus, in particular, were appreciative of her support of the movement. When Olivia had asked why they were so at ease with her attending meetings, despite the fact she considered herself white, Brianna's response was telling.

"It's simple. Many European migrants to the USA – especially Italians – also suffered prejudice and discrimination. Your story is our story." She had declared.

The duo were also there to mourn with each other during their darkest moments. Brianna's middle brother, Andre, had been murdered in a senseless act of gun violence. He was shot by a drug dealer, who mistook him reaching for a packet of M&M's with attempting to pull a gun on him. Olivia remembered exactly where she was when she received the news – she was watching Juventus and Lazio battle each other in an intense matchup. She immediately got Antonio to drive her to the hospital, where a distraught Brianna threw herself into her arms. They spent a large portion of the day crying and praying together, with Olivia trying to offer reassurances, empty though she felt them, that everything would be okay. Olivia and her family were deeply moved by the grace Brianna's family showed to her brother's killer in court, with Brianna citing this as part of the reason for her passion for community activism. If the killer had been given a way to escape poverty, chances are he would not have been on the street making drug deals, she had argued.

Then it was Brianna's turn to return the favour. When Olivia was 15, Francesca had miscarried what would have been her fourth child, baby Stefano, after approximately four months of pregnancy. Olivia would never forget the moment her mother let out a loud wail of pain and collapsed to the ground. The colour had left her face as she saw a telltale line of blood running down Francesca's leg. She had attended enough women's heath classes to know what a miscarriage looked like. Instinctively, she shut Maria's eyes as she led her across to her neighbour's house, asking them to watch her. Just that morning, she and Maria were both discussing what to do to welcome little Stefano into the world. That afternoon, he was gone. That had been the first time that Olivia had seen her father cry. And, just as they had before, she and Brianna both wept together.

Now, there was a time where they both needed to support each other once again. In fact, people all around the world were needing to come together and support each other more than anytime in modern peaceful history. It was like a World War, but this time, they were all on the same team.

And it was all because of an evil little fucker smaller than a dust particle.

COVID-19 was the fancy pants name for it. Whether you used that name, or the more simple coronavirus, or SARS 2.0, or the goddamn beer virus, it had now firmly encased itself in the minds – and worlds - of many. In Olivia's case, specific attention was being paid to her birthplace of Italy.

It all started with the closing of stadiums for sporting events in Italy. Then came the suspension of Serie A, one of Europe's most high-profile sporting competitions. Then came the most startling development – the unprecedented lockdown first of northern Italy, including her own birthplace of Turin, then the entire nation. The easily spreadable nature of the virus, coupled with Italy's ageing population, had made for a high death toll and the overloading of the Italian health system. The death toll continued to spike daily. Heartbreaking decisions were being made about who should live and die. All of this was playing havoc with Olivia's emotions. Anger that the Italian government didn't act quickly enough, a deep sadness that this disease was even in the world at all, and fear that such scenes would soon be enacted in America were the order of her day. There were some days where Olivia just wanted to scream or cry or throw something through her window. But she knew she had to stay strong for her family's sake.

Then came the day the situation suddenly became real to many Americans. The World Health Organisation had declared the outbreak a pandemic, which meant it was now the world's problem. A pandemic was defined as the sustained outbreak of a disease in two or more global regions, so it was a mystery to Olivia why it wasn't declared as such sooner. Then came the bombshell that really rocked the nation – Rudy Gobert, that stupid dickhead, had tested positive for the coronavirus. Somehow, Olivia just KNEW that something bad was going to happen when he smeared his virus-infected hands over all those microphones. The reaction was immediate – the league was suspended immediately, and the likes of the NCAA, MLS and NHL followed suit. Media was also not left untouched, as several movies were delayed and TV shows ceased production. Whether Americans wanted to admit or not, the fact was that COVID-19 was here. It was real. And it was likely to get grim.

Who would have thought that five letters and a number could cause so much trouble?

Such was the realisation as Brianna and Olivia sat on the couch together, watching the ongoing news coverage. Behind them, in the kitchen, Brianna's parents, Kareem and Candice, were discussing a matter of importance with Antonio and Francesca.

"We just think it's best that Brianna not come over for a while. Just until this thing blows over." Candice explained. "We've actually got an elderly relative staying with us to ride it out, and we don't want to risk her catching the virus and infecting him inadvertently."

"Please don't take it as us being xenophobic against Italians." Kareem begged. "You've been so good to us for so long, and we love each other's children like our own."

"Yeah, she's not going to be able to see any of her friends during this period." Candice explained. "She's disappointed, but understands that it's for the best."

"Absolutely." Antonio agreed. "Family comes first. Do whatever you feel is necessary."

"If we were in your situation, we would do the same thing." Francesca added.

"The girls can still talk to each other on Skype or on the phone." Kareem clarified. "Just not in person."

"Alright, let's let them say their goodbyes. Kareem, Candice, Francesca and I would like to thank you both for being so gracious to us, and especially to Olivia. Whatever happens from now on, we are forever in your debt." Antonio declared. He and Kareem then proceeded to exchange a fist-bump – a substitute for a handshake in these contact-minimal times.

"And finally, fist bumps become popular with the parents!" Brianna joked, in an effort to bring some levity to a troubled situation. She then turned and looked at Olivia with a sad look on her face. "Well, Livy, I guess this is goodbye…" She mumbled, beginning to get choked up.

"It's not goodbye, it's see you later." Olivia interrupted, standing a reasonable distance from Brianna and locking eyes with her. And ."I love you, Brianna. Until we meet again. You've been so special to me. Stay safe. Amicizia per sempre – friends forever."

"I will." Brianna nodded. "Make sure you Skype me, alright girl?"

"You know it, girl!" Olivia nodded, as they released the fist bump. Brianna and her family then nodded at Olivia and her family, and walked out the door, shutting it behind them. Even though it was a quiet noise, it still sounded as loud as a gunshot in that moment. After what seemed like an eternity, Antonio spoke up.

"Olivia? Are you alright?" He inquired.

"Hmm? Oh, you mean apart from me not being able to see my best friend for God knows how long, with the city on the verge of turning into a fucking prison? Yeah, totally fine." Olivia huffed, her mask of frustration and fear briefly slipping before being put back into place.

"You heard what Candice said – it's for the best." Francesca supplied.

"Yeah, but does that mean I have to stop seeing my friends as well?" Olivia piped up, anxiously.

"We'll discuss this tonight." Antonio answered.

"Well, I'm going for a walk to clear my head. They can't stop me from doing that yet." Olivia announced, as she pulled on a black jacket and grabbed a small bottle of hand sanitiser. She sprayed some of the translucent alcoholic gel onto her fingers and began to rub them together. She rubbed her hands together, to make sure the sanitiser covered every inch possible. After 30 seconds of thorough disinfecting, she grabbed a hat and placed it on head. "Bye Mama, Papa!" She called.

"Be careful!" Francesca warned. "Where are you going?"

"To church!" was Olivia's curt answer, as the door was slammed shut behind her.

The Italian-American teen began the 1.7 mile journey from her house to her church by walking south on Orchard Street, passing the Tenement Museum, a public monument to the history of New York's immigrants. She then took Division Street, walking under the Manhattan Bridge through Chinatown. The main thing that struck Olivia was the eerie quietness of the usually bustling district. The streets were almost deserted, and those that were walking about were wearing face masks. How wise they look now. She thought to herself, making a mental note to ask Dad to check up on their supply of masks when she got back.

She then walked into Chatham Square and Worth Street, walking past the New York Supreme Court, Afterwards, as she walked through Foley Square, past the Federal Courthouse and the Brooklyn Street subway station entrance, she could start to literally smell the fear in the air. It felt like the world was coming to an end – and in a way, it was, at least for a while.

Afterwards, she walked along Centre Street past City Hall, where no doubt the power brokers in the Mayor's office were working overtime to try and put protective measures in place. Given what was going on elsewhere in the world, Olivia began to grimly accept that this might be the last walk she would take for a significant period.

Eventually, after walking down Broadway, she reached her church of St. Mary Of The Angels, located on the corner of Broadway and Wall Street, with Church Street running along behind the Italian Renaissance style church and it's modern educational campus. Olivia took a glance at the statue of the Virgin Mary and the four archangels surrounding it in the church's front yard. She found it deeply ironic that such a symbol of peace and tranquility should be located just a hop, skip and a jump away from the Stock Exchange, where the floors were running red with the blood of damaged investments, lost income and broken dreams. A deep stone of sadness settled in Olivia's stomach as she realised many families just like hers were going to have to undergo difficult times.

"Can I help you?" A male voice interrupted. Olivia looked up to see a NYPD officer standing at the entrance to the church.

"Uh…hi." Olivia asked. "Is the church open?"

"For now." The officer replied, his professional tone mixed with sympathy. "But I can't let a crowd get too big in there, or else I'll have to move you on."

"No problem. I'll be quick. Ten minutes, tops." Olivia answered. She then walked into the church, passing by the empty holy water bowls, which had been emptied on orders of the Archdiocese of New York as a health precaution. She then bowed deeply towards the tabernacle, where the Blessed Sacrament resided. Olivia then nestled herself in at the far end of the pew, and knelt on the rubber kneeler. She folded her hands together and began to pray.

"God?" Olivia whispered. "I know I don't visit during the week as often as I should, but…I don't know where else to turn to. I'm…I'm really frightened right now, God. People have died. People are going to die, right here in New York. I know you're in control, but I just feel so powerless. Help me be strong for my family, because I know I can't be that strong by myself." Tears pooled in her eyes, but she blinked them back furiously – she refused to cry in public. Just then, she heard footsteps approaching. Olivia looked up and was surprised at who she saw.

It was Carrie Stark née White, adopted daughter of the infamous Tony Stark a.k.a: Iron Man and personage of the newest Avenger, Psystorm. A telekinetic, Carrie was capable of moving things with her mind. She discovered this after Carrie saved her from being mugged after attending a Yankees game together. Carrie made her promise to keep her secret, because she wanted friends who liked her for who she was, not for who she knew or what she could do. Olivia was intensely grateful to have secured Carrie's forgiveness and friendship after she made the horrible mistake of falling for her bullies narrative of her and laughing at her torment, and she was proud to have seen Carrie grow from a wallflower recovering from a childhood of abuse and bullying, and blossoming into a brave, young woman. She had formed a visible, diverse friendship network encompassing people of all races, ages, sexualities and of all religions and none.

However, that bravery was gone from Carrie's eyes. Covering her nose and mouth was a white face mask. In addition to wearing a jacket and beanie, she was wearing a pair of gold gloves – gold being one of Psystorm's colours. She sat down on the pew, far on the other side of the building. The Italian-American felt her heart break for Carrie – she had just been in the wide world for barely a year after getting out from under the thumb of her cow of a mother and her bullies, and now she's faced with this terrible pandemic? And to top it all off, she couldn't levitate, bend, blast or flex it away, like she had so many enemies in combat. Olivia was willing to bet that Carrie was feeling every bit as helpless as she was right now.

"Hi, Livy." Carrie announced, weakly.

"Hi, Carrie." Olivia replied, not daring to raise her voice above a murmur. "I've missed talking to you lately."

"Yeah." Carrie whispered. "Youth group's stopped, and Dad's putting up the protective walls again after Mass, so I can't talk to you. How have you been?"

"345 more deaths in Italy today, as well as some 4000 new cases. You tell me." Olivia declared, brushing away more tears that threatened to flow.

"I know, Livy. It's horrible." Carrie replied, trying desperately to hold back her own tears. "I pray for Italy every day. And also for an end to this awful pandemic."

"Would be nice if they were answered for once." Olivia murmured, wistfully. She then pointed to Carrie's mask. "Where'd you get that, Carrie?"

"I live with a doctor, remember?" Carrie answered, referring to Bruce Banner a.k.a: The Incredible Hulk.

"Nice for some." Olivia muttered, a hint of spite creeping into her voice. She felt remorse as soon as it came out of her mouth, as she was implying that Carrie was entitled because of her living situation. "I'm so sorry, Carrie. I really didn't mean to imply you were selfish or anything like that."

"No, Livy, you're right." Carrie declared. "It is nice for some, and I realise that I'm in a very privileged situation. Brianna and MJ have really opened my eyes to a lot of the inequality in society, and I plan on doing everything in my power those less fortunate then myself during this difficult time." She then took a deep breath. "This is going to be really difficult for me. Peter and some of his friends were planning to go to Europe for a holiday, including Italy and the UK, but that's gone now. I think he just started to realise how real this is. Also, most of our Eternal Pentecost girls are going behind closed doors. Brianna and Renee are hunkering down for the long haul, Ash has bolted back to Albany to be with her parents, and Lex and Cat are also voluntarily staying home."

"And maybe the two of you should as well." A voice interrupted.

Both Carrie and Olivia turned around in surprise to see the one girl in Carrie's circle of friends that was left out of her roundup. This was Danielle Horton, a slightly diminutive girl with hair as black as night and a nose piercing who was very into heavy metal music. If it wasn't for her longer hair, Carrie would say she was a doppelganger for Negasonic Teenage Warhead – an extremely powerful mutant she had fought alongside. In fact, she actually played in a band called The Four Last Things, where she was the vocalist. Carrie would always remember watching them put on a show for her in her garage at her house in the Bronx, especially Danielle's haunting rendition of Slipknot's Vermillion. Danielle's devotion to her Catholic faith and her happy, bright attitude stood in stark contrast to her taste in music and darker exterior, emphasising that only God knows the heart of any given person. If asked to describe her personality, they would describe her as a cross between Ned Flanders and Wayne from Wayne's World, or a younger version of NCIS's peppy lab tech, Abby.

However, at this moment in time, she was deadly serious.

"Jeez, Dani!" Olivia exclaimed in shock. "You're worse than Poe's raven, you know that?!"

"Livy, Carrie. I thought I might find you here." Danielle replied. She then sat down two pews behind Olivia, maintaining distance between the two other girls.

"So what brings you here all the way from the Boogie Down?" Olivia inquired.

"I was actually told that Carrie was going here by Mr. Stark. I figured you would be here as well." Danielle mused. "Anyway, I just want to say that I just had what I would call my last hurrah – one last face to face meeting each with our girls whilst on the phone outside their houses, before I stay home and distance myself from people. And I would advise both of you to do the same. To be honest, the only reason I'm here is because Carrie didn't pick up her phone."

"I still don't understand." Carrie replied. "If they're not enforcing lockdown, why should we? Dad tried to get me to stop coming here. I…I kind of mind-threw a vase at him." She finished, sadly.

Danielle looked at Carrie with a look of sincerity in her eyes. "Carrie, I love you. And given your childhood, I know this isn't going to be easy. But I am about to tell you something that no rocker worth their salt has ever said, except in this moment in history – please, listen to your parents!" She pleaded.

"I guess I probably should." Carrie sighed. She then looked up at the angels on the stained glass windows. "This place was where I first felt truly happy. I just can't imagine life without Mass."

"Well, you both should get used to it." Danielle stated, firmly. "The latest I've heard is Cardinal McMahon will either drop the Sunday obligation, meaning you don't have to go, or he'll cancel all masses and you won't be able to go. A LOT of things are going to follow suit – it'll be a lockdown in all but name. Brace yourselves. Tough days are coming."

"Look, I don't know…I just don't want to scare Maria." Olivia admitted. "It's tough enough what with what's going on in Italy and everything."

"Okay, Livy. I understand." Danielle responded, gently. "Look, my dad's just parked up the road, so we can walk together and talk more about this."

"Okay." Olivia responded. She then pulled a small bottle of hand sanitiser out of her pocket. "It puts the lotion on it's hands!" She intoned ominously, shaking the bottle as though it was a toy. She then squirted a small amount of sanitiser onto her hands, and then sprayed some onto Danielle's hands so she could do likewise. Carrie, wearing gloves, had no need of them. Once all three had finished disinfecting themselves, the trio exited the church.

"Hang in there." The cop on the door offered by way of encouragement. "It'll get better."

"I know it will. But how much worse will it get before then?" Danielle wondered.

"God bless you, sir." Carrie replied, from behind her mask. "We're grateful for your service during these days."

The officer nodded as they took their leave.

Up to that point, both Carrie and Olivia were more nervous about the need to stay at home than Danielle was. A newly free Carrie didn't like the idea of remaining in her home, fearing it would undo all the good work she had done making her way in the world. She didn't want to go back to cowering in fear like she did in Maine. Olivia was anxious enough about the situation without wanting to alarm her younger sister. If Maria even got a hint that Italian-style lockdown measures were on the way, she would panic, which was not what her already stressed family needed right now. However, if there were any doubts left about if it was the right thing to do, they would soon vanish.

A young man in a green New York Jets T-shirt was walking by the group, talking on his cellphone.

"Yeah, don't have anything else to do tonight. Again." He complained. "This coronavirus shit – it's all fake, I tell you. It's a conspiracy to line the pockets of the pharmaceutical companies!"

Those words flipped a switch inside Olivia. Did that fuckface seriously say that the suffering and distress of 16 million people was all a scam?! Anger brewed in the Italian-American's heart as she turned from the group and stormed after the individual.

"HEY, ASSHOLE!" Olivia yelled, as she pursued the man on the phone.

"Livy! No!" Carrie pleaded, as she and Danielle chased after her to try and keep the peace. However, it didn't work, as Olivia parked herself in front of the man just outside the church, making sure she kept a reasonable distance from him.

"Hang on, I'll call you back." The man muttered, as he hung up. "What the hell?!" He exclaimed.

"How dare you!" Olivia blazed, her righteous anger pouring out. "How fucking DARE you claim the pain and torment of my homeland is a cash grab!"

"Get away from me, you crazy bitch!" The man protested.

"Hey! What's going on down there?" The duty officer yelled, making to move towards the altercation.

"We're just having a conversation, officer." Olivia answered. "It seems that this idiot here hasn't been watching the news."

"Yeah, and you said 'your homeland', meaning America, and I don't see any pain…oh. Oh, you must be one of those Italian-Americans that puts the Italian first." The man smirked.

"Shut up! This has nothing to do with this!" Olivia fired back. "People are dying!"

"Yeah, newsflash, people die! They're closing down the whole country over the flu!" The man argued.

"Bad move." Carrie muttered.

Mount Vesuvius had nothing on the volcanic anger that spewed forth from Olivia at that statement.

"THE FLU?! SPORTS EVENTS ARE CANCELLED, ENTIRE COUNTRIES ARE QUARANTINED, ELDERLY PEOPLE ARE BEING LEFT TO DIE, AND YOU STILL THINK IT'S THE FUCKING FLU?!" She shrieked.

"So what? Have you seen the stats? This thing only kills older people!" The man fought on. "They're ripping all the fun out of people's lives, just so they can keep the old fossils alive for a few more months!"

"Dig up, stupid." Carrie muttered, as she saw the pint-sized Danielle surge forward, also making sure she didn't get too close to the Jets fan. This fool was about to learn the same lesson as the Nazis – you can't fight a war on two fronts.

"Excuse me? Did I hear you right that we should go on as normal, in disregard for the health of the elderly and we should let them die?" Danielle inquired, quiet indignation brewing. "Because if so, that's a really disgusting sentiment. Shame on you!"

"Oh, run along, Ebony." The man sneered. "I think they have a sale on at Hot Topic."

"You didn't answer my question." Danielle pointed out.

"Okay, but would that really be such a bad thing?" The man asked. "I mean, you're taking all people's entertainment away and killing the economy for something that's killed less people globally then the flu does in America!"

Olivia, Danielle and Carrie were all deeply disgusted by this man's cavalier attitude. Carrie was spooked by what was going on, but at least she sort of understood why it was necessary. This man seemed to remind her very much of Chris Hargensen – someone who didn't care about what happened to others as long as he got his. Olivia and Danielle both had skin in the game – Olivia had aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and grandparents stuck in lockdown in Italy, and was terrified for them, whilst Danielle was deeply concerned and scared about the health of the old people she knew in her church family, as well as her own grandmother, who she had just started to repair her relationship with after a troubled and rebellious adolescence caused her to push her family away.

"Okay, let me fill you in on what's going on." Danielle began, struggling to keep the contempt she felt out of her voice. "And I'll even explain it to you like you're two years old, since that's the age you seem to be acting right now. So, you see, we have these things called hospitals. They look after sick people. However, the efficient running of any given hospital depends on how manageable their caseload is, and keeping ICU beds free. Any person with the coronavirus can infect between 2-3 other people, without knowing it. It can stay in the person's system for up to two weeks. If the contagion rate is accurate, and we carry on as normal, by this time in a fortnight, the cases will overload the health system, and we'll be in the same boat as Italy. That's why we're closing everything. We have less ICU beds per capita than Italy. What do you think that's going to look like?! We'll be in the same place where there'll be a shortage of ventilators. Whether an elderly person gets a ventilator could be the difference between life and death. Have you read about what a death from COVID-19 feels like? It's like drowning on dry land! And that's not even mentioning all the non COVID-19 patients who will struggle to find care in such a situation."

"Yeah, limit gatherings, fine, but you don't have to cancel sports and TV shows over this! It's like nobody can have fun any more!" The man whined.

This sent Danielle over the edge. "Oh, poor you!" She snapped, angrily. "So you won't be able to watch the NBA for a while?! If that is the absolute WORST thing that happens in this city over the next few months, we should all consider ourselves blessed! Get some perspective! People are going to die if we don't act! Grow the fuck up!"

"But what about the economy? Millions are going to be out of work!" The man protested. "There'll be a depression."

"Oh, come on! Haven't you heard of a stimulus package? The economy will bounce back." Danielle argued. "Besides, people tend to not be able to enjoy the fruits of a good economy if they're, you know, DEAD!"

"And what happens when those same elderly people you claim to love so much starve to death because they can't get food during the economic slowdown?" The man asked.

"That won't happen." Danielle stated. "So, it's pretty fair for me to assume that you still think that all this is unnecessary."

"Yep." The man replied.

"Okay." Danielle assessed. "So, if you think that even one death – just one – is an acceptable price to pay for going about business as usual, I assume that you would be fine with that one death being you or someone you care about?"

"We've all gotta die sometime." The man shrugged.

Danielle and Olivia then began to take turns speaking, in what Carrie liked to term "Weasley-speak", after Harry Potter's famous twins Fred and George.

"Okay, so to recap." Danielle began.

"You don't care if someone dies, as long you can do what you want." Olivia added on.

"Never mind the high contagion rate." Danielle supplied.

"Or the high hospitalisation and mortality rate amongst the elderly and immune compromised." Olivia continued.

"And you still think COVID-19's just a flu, despite the fact that it's doubly spreadable, even while dormant." Danielle chipped in.

"Despite the fact that Europe is providing a pretty big lesson to the contrary right about now." Olivia informed.

"You really need to search your heart." Danielle declared.

"And try to see if you have your priorities straight." Olivia added.

"In the meantime, take this-" At this, Danielle displayed her middle finger to the man, with Olivia copying the vulgar gesture.

"And please, from the very bottom of our hearts…" Olivia built up.

"GO FUCK YOURSELF!" Both Danielle and Olivia chorused, displaying their contempt for the man's views.

"Hey, officer! You going to let these crazy broads talk to me like that?!" The man complained to the police officer stationed outside the church.

"The crazy broads are right!" A voice interjected. Standing on the opposite street corner was a middle-aged man wearing a dark blue jacket and a Yankees cap. "Go home, asshole! Flatten the curve!" He called out, cupping his hands around his mouth to make himself heard. The Jets fan turned towards the police officer to look for support. But the officer shook his head, as if to say "I'm not touching this one." Defeated, the man stormed off in frustration.

"Ladies." The Yankee fan continued, tipping his cap in the direction of Olivia, Danielle, and Carrie. "You sure showed that bastard. But you need to get home too, you hear?"

"Don't worry, we were just leaving." Olivia replied. She then turned to the police officer. "Sorry about making a scene." She sheepishly muttered. "That guy just made me so fucking angry, and…"

"Look, I get it. It's a trying time for everybody. But I couldn't help overhearing the conversation you three had earlier…and, honestly? You should probably listen to Little Miss Punk." He then paused. "A little bit on the nose, don't you think?" He announced, indicating the T-shirt Danielle was wearing under her leather jacket. The T-shirt depicted a mental patient tied up screaming on a table, advertising a tour promoting an album by the thrash metal band Anthrax. The name of that album? Spreading The Disease.

"What can I say?" Danielle shrugged. "If you don't laugh, you'll cry."

With those words, the trio took their leave. The three of them walked in a straight line, keeping a respectable distance from each other. Danielle took the lead, with Carrie and Olivia behind her. To an observer, they would have looked like three separate people rather than a group.

"I'm so sorry you two had to see me like that." Danielle said, sadly. "I've been trying so hard to control my temper. I've been seeing a therapist – I really thought it was working."

"Look, Dani, don't be sorry. That guy was asking for it." Olivia answered. "Besides, we're all sinners."

"Yeah, I'm on your side." Carrie added. "Whenever I screw up, I pray about it. You can pray for forgiveness and offer contrition. Maybe we should all say a prayer for the world tonight."

"Definitely." Both Danielle and Olivia agreed. The trio kept on walking, each noting they could hear their footsteps on the pavement, so deserted was the street.

"I know this is going to be difficult and scary for the both of you, especially Carrie." Danielle announced, turning around to face the other two girls. "But I think you can take solace in the fact that you've both endured terrifying situations before – Livy lived through the Battle of New York, and Carrie puts herself in danger on a daily basis."

"But that was with an enemy we could see." Carrie replied, underlining the difference of the situation they were in.

"Yeah, if only it were as easy as zapping the virus out of existence…" Olivia muttered.

"Look, I'll use the example of Carrie's coming out party as an example of how you can look at this situation." Danielle began. "Do you want to know what I saw when I saw Psystorm on that cricket ground in Australia? I saw an angel. I saw an inspiration to millions. Most importantly, I saw a reminder that there are still some people that are entirely and purely good in this messed-up world."

Danielle was referring to Carrie's first ever battle as an Avenger. This took place in Melbourne, Australia, where the Avengers faced off against Malekith The Accursed and his Dark Council. The battle raged all over the city of Melbourne, taking in landmarks such as the Flinders Street Station and the Yarra River (including one memorable moment where the Hulk threw one of the city's iconic trams at a group of Rock Trolls). The final battle took place at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG for short), a massive 100,000 seat sports stadium. It was there that the Stark clan of Iron Man, Psystorm and Spider-Man faced off against Malekith, Kurse and King Ulik. Psystorm's moment of glory came when she strained every fibre of her being to elevate one of the MCG's light towers and crushed the king of The Realm Below with it. Malekith then tried to menace Psystorm, but the intervention of Iron Man and Spider-Man bought time for Thor to arrive and defeat him. At the reception to hail the Avengers, both Tony and Thor put all the praise on Psystorm, who still wearing her costume, a white suit of armour with a gold helmet that made her look like an angel.

When the Lord Mayor of Melbourne invited her up to speak, Psystorm came to the podium still in costume. It was there that her catchphrase was inaugurated: "A friend of the weak, a sword for the downtrodden, a shield for the innocent and the bane of all evil." Then, she removed her helmet to speak to the crowd personally. "My real name is Carrie Stark, and I promise to keep you all safe. I will always fight for those who cannot fight for themselves." This remark earned her the love and adulation of many people, but most notably Australians and Melburnians. The Lord Mayor gave her the freedom of the city, and with it, an open invitation to visit Melbourne at any time.

Suffice it to say, the global situation meant that Carrie would not be able to take up that invitation for a while.

"And now, Carrie and Livy, we all have the opportunity to be angels." Danielle explained. "You don't need to perform acts that defy the laws of physics to be an angel. You can put a smile on the face of a family member that's feeling down. You can perform an act of kindness for someone who's struggling. You can raise awareness of causes that deserve to be supported. You can donate to a food bank to make sure someone gets their next meal. And, perhaps most important concerning what I discussed earlier, if we can manage to stay at home and be relatively healthy, then that means there are three ICU beds open for those who need them. We can be lifesavers. Besides, Carrie knows as well as anyone there are worse places to be confined to than Avengers Tower."

"Yeah, you could be stuck on lockdown in Europe." Olivia agreed.

"Or in a cold cell with a mattress and a blanket." Danielle chipped in."Look, I know you're still anxious about what's ahead, but-"

"Fuck it. I'll do it." Olivia announced, getting her game face on. "That asshole back there showed me the sort of person I don't want to be."

"Yeah, me too." Carrie agreed, firmly. "I hate the idea of not being able to physically interact with my friends. But I hate the idea of what could happen if we don't even more. If this is what it takes, then this is what it takes."

"That's the spirit!" Danielle encouraged. "We're all in this together, and we'll get through this together!"

Just across the street, a red Ram truck honked it's horn from across the street. The window wound down to reveal Danielle's father, Thomas, a mall security guard, who was bald with a chin that looked as though it were made of granite. "Danielle! Come on!" He called out.

"Coming, Dad!" The rocker replied. She then turned to Olivia and Carrie. "Stay safe, you two. This is the most important performance, game or battle of our lives. How we handle this will go down in history. I love you both, Carrie and Livy. I'll try to reach out as often as I can."

"We love you too, Danielle." Carrie replied.

"Look after yourself, okay?" Olivia asked, as the trio looked upon each other as if to hug. Danielle got emotional and her voice cracked as she started to speak in French.

"A tout le monde

A tous mes amis

Je vous aime

Je dois partir."

"These are the last words I'll ever speak." Carrie whispered, tears brewing in her eyes.

"And they'll set me free." Olivia wobbled, her voice becoming thick with emotion.

Danielle had her head bowed and her shoulders shaking, making her appear to be crying. However, upon closer inspection, the teenage metal head was actually laughing. This caused Olivia and Carrie to laugh as well – what could have been a sad goodbye that left the both of them feeling depressed had turned into a positive experience that gave them optimism for the difficult journey ahead. They were ready to push on and do what had to be done.

"Ah ha! You HAVE been paying attention to my dissertations on rock and metal, Carrie!" Danielle cackled.

"Megadeth." Carrie smiled, referencing the lyrics they were quoting.

"Yes!" Danielle fist-pumped. "I'll make a rocker out of you yet! Well, Carrie and Olivia, so long, and thanks for all the fish!"

"A Perfect Circle!" Carrie grinned, correctly guessing the song title Danielle was referencing.

"Oh yeah!" Danielle whooped in celebration. "When – not if, WHEN, we get through this, the three of us are going to go to Download, and it'll kick so much ass!" She exclaimed, referring to one of the biggest rock festivals in Europe, based out of the United Kingdom. Her voice then grew serious. "Make sure I'm not going by myself, okay?"

"We won't." Carrie and Olivia replied, nodding determinedly. With a final nod of goodbye, Danielle got into the car with her father. The red Nissan drove off into the distance, leaving only Carrie and Olivia there on the sidewalk. The duo then spaced themselves out and continued to walk up Broadway towards the Avengers Tower, whose large blue A usually served as a beacon of hope, to the city of New York and to the world. However, in the current situation, it looked about as useful as an ashtray on a motorbike.

This enemy couldn't be shot with a missile. Couldn't be taken down with Captain America's shield. Couldn't be smashed by the Hulk. Couldn't be destroyed by the might of Mjolnir. Couldn't be flexed out of the air or a human's body. Carrie and Olivia were both left to let the pandemic take it's course. And that was what scared them the most.

"How do I explain this to Maria, Carrie?" Olivia asked, anxiously. She then peered around the shockingly quiet New York streets. Both girls felt like they were witnessing the Apocalypse. "How do I tell her she won't be able to do all the things she loves for a while?"

"I think you should tell her the truth, in a way that's easy for her to understand." Carrie answered, from behind her mask. "Don't frighten her, but just tell her that the people in charge are trying to protect us."

"I just feel so helpless…" Olivia whispered, sadly.

"I know, Livy. I feel helpless too. But we just have to find a way to get through this." Carrie declared. "Besides, if anyone can adapt, it's you. You're one of the most tactical, strategic girls I know."

"You really think so?" Olivia asked.

"I don't think so, I know so." Carrie answered, firmly. "You underestimate yourself."

Just then, as they were approaching Avengers Tower, the two girls saw Antonio's Jeep parked outside the tower. Olivia's father was standing in the sidewalk with Tony. Both men's expressions were those of relief when they saw their daughters approaching.

"I had a feeling that you and Carrie would be together." Antonio surmised.

"How'd you know?" Olivia inquired, confused.

"Lucky guess, especially since Carrie told me that she wanted to head to the church for a bit." Tony answered.

"Speaking of which." Carrie supplied. "I'm sorry for reacting like I did, Dad. I'm just so scared about this pandemic, and what it's going to do to society. I just had to get away and pray for a bit. I know you have my best interests at heart, so I'm going to take your advice and distance myself from people until this goes away." She removed her mask as she said those words.

"Me too." Olivia agreed. "I like to think I'm strong mentally, well, now I have to nut up or shut up. I can't help Italy, but I can help America."

"I think that is a very wise and mature attitude put forward by you both." Antonio praised. "Of course, I encourage you both to keep in touch."

"Yeah, we can have virtual slumber parties!" Tony exclaimed, trying to find the good in a bad situation. "And Psystorm actually has a decent platform to make a difference."

"I still can't believe you lifted that light tower, Carrie." Olivia marvelled.

"I know. But I can save a lot of lives now by just being myself and being a responsible citizen." Carrie admitted.

"Well, we should take our leave." Antonio decided. "Thank you for accepting Olivia's remorse for her mistakes. She is more mindful of her words now and the impact they have, and her and Carrie's friendship has blossomed."

"Yeah, well, thanks for making Carrie feel welcome at church and in your lives." Tony replied. "And, for what little it's worth, I am so sorry – I wouldn't wish what's going on in Italy on my worst enemy."

Olivia then turned to Carrie and looked her square in the eye. "I love you, Carrie. Thanks for giving a second chance to me when you found out I had acted like a stuck-up bitch. You're a much better human being then I am."

"I just did what Jesus commanded me to do." Carrie responded.

"When this pandemic is over and this…this evil thing is in our rear-view, I'm going to take you to visit Italy." Olivia announced, determination in her voice, trying to give both of them something to look forward to. "It's such a beautiful country, and it's not fair that it's being tainted with this horrible epidemic."

"I'd like that." Carrie smiled, trying to keep her spirits up.

"Take care. Amicizia per sempre, Carrie!" Olivia smiled, promising that this would not be the end.

"You too! Amicizia per sempre, Livy!" Carrie replied, as they eye-hugged each other for what seemed like an eternity. The moment was poignant, as the pair echoed the sentiments that sealed their friendship on that summer's night at Yankee Stadium as they witnessed Olivia's Yankees defeat the Boston Red Sox. Conspicuous by its absence was the bear hug and double kiss beloved by Olivia as a form of greeting.

Both of their parents then motioned for their daughters to follow them. Carrie and Olivia both nodded their heads at each other, as if to say: "See you on the other side." They waved at each other as Olivia's Jeep drove off in the distance. The Italian-American drank in the iconic structures of New York City as she passed them, knowing that this would be the last time she would look upon them up close for a period.

It would be a challenge. Olivia knew there would be bad days. But she steeled herself for the fight – she had to be an example to her younger sister. This would be the making of her – and a lot of her generation – as human beings. If she got through this, Olivia knew that playing professional sport would be a piece of cake in comparison. She would get through this by being strong, being brave, and being kind. Her love for her family and her fellow human beings would be her strategy, rather than nifty passing and combinations.

As the door to her home shut behind her, she knew that the most important game of her life was about to kick off.

*** FLAAN ***

The following morning, Olivia, Antonio and Francesca sat around the table eating breakfast. As they ate their cereal, they tried to ignore the blaring of the TV news, which chronicled the continuing march of COVID-19 across the globe. Italy was in the grip of another horrible day, and the latest news coming out of New York was that the state's governor would institute a "shelter in place" order, which would effectively bar people from leaving their homes except to buy groceries. Their world was changing by the hour. Right now, the first order of business was figuring out how to explain to their youngest child why she would not be able to go anywhere for a while. In a way, Olivia was glad that she and her friends had all made the decision before it was made for her – better late than never.

Inevitably, Olivia had volunteered.

"It's the happy medium." She explained. "Papa, you're the big dentist – you're always detailing exactly how fillings and root canals work. You'll be too serious and scare her."

"I don't think I was that bad." Antonio muttered, good-naturedly.

"Uh…yeah, you were." Olivia shot back. "Pennywise would have been less frightening to six year old me. And as for you, Mama, you'll sugarcoat it too much. You'll make it seem like we'll be staying home to play fairies and unicorns, when there's every chance that some really bad stuff's going to happen in this city over the next little while. I can tell her about the reality of this, without daunting her."

Speak of the devil and she would appear – the De Rossi's youngest child, eight-year old Maria, came skipping down the stairs and into the kitchen happily.

"Good morning Mama, Papa, Olivia!" She beamed, happily.

"Good morning, Maria!" Olivia smiled, trying to keep up a positive front in the face of such grim news. She then mouthed the word 'after" to indicate when she would begin to explain what was going on. Getting the hint, Francesca then shut the TV off. After they had finished breakfast, Olivia called out. "Maria? Could you listen to me, please?"

"What is it?" Maria asked. Olivia then crouched down to her eye-level, keeping a reasonable distance.

"Maria. The four of us are all going to have a holiday for a bit. But, we're going to stay here at home, okay?" She began.

"A holiday! Cool! We can go to the zoo!" She exclaimed, jumping up and down in excitement.

Olivia sighed, sadly. "I'm afraid we won't be able to go to the zoo. Or the movies. Or the baseball. Or to Mass." She explained, gently.

"But we always go to those things!" Maria replied. "Why can't we go to them?"

Olivia cast her eyes to the sky, praying for the right words to say. She then looked Maria square in the eye. "Now, Maria, you may have heard something about how a lot of people have been getting sick lately."

"Yeah. My teacher said they may have to close my school down." Maria answered. A look of worry crossed her face. "Are we going to get sick?" She asked, nervously.

"No! Papa won't let us get sick!" Olivia responded, determined. Suddenly, she was grateful for Antonio's strict hygiene rules. "But this is a new virus, like the flu or pneumonia and they haven't found a cure for it yet. The doctors and smart people in the hospitals are trying to figure out how it works, so they can make medicine or an injection that stops it. The President, the Governor and the Mayor are trying to keep us all safe, okay?"

"I'm scared, Olivia." Maria whispered. Suddenly, being robbed of her ability to do her favourite things had made the younger sister realise that this was an unprecedented, unknown event.

"I know, Maria. I'm scared as well." Olivia admitted. "I can't play soccer or hang out with my friends. But this is for the best – they're trying to stop people from getting sick."

"Are people going to die?" Maria asked, warily. "Tell me the truth."

Olivia, Antonio and Francesca were heartbroken at this question. How do you discuss the idea of a potential mass casualty pandemic with an eight-year old? But Maria was always a rather perceptive child – she understood that Olivia and Antonio were fighting when they had disputes about their differences on various moral topics, and she clearly had an idea of just what exactly they were going to face. Olivia let out a gulp as she went to answer her question.

"Yes." Olivia responded, letting tears roll down her cheeks. "How many here in New York I don't know, but yes."

"A lot of people have died, haven't they?" Maria whimpered, tears filling her eyes as well.

"Yes. Especially in Italy." Olivia cried bitterly. "And that makes me sad, and that makes Mama and Papa sad as well. I'm worried about Aunt Lucia and her family, as well as Grandma and Grandpa. There's a lot of people all over the world that are feeling scared and sad right now."

Just then, Maria ran into Olivia's arms and began bawling. Instinctively, the teenager's arms closed tightly around her little sister as she kissed her on the forehead. She couldn't imagine not comforting her little sister when she needed it the most. Looking above her, Olivia saw that Francesca was already in tears, with Antonio looking like he was headed that way.

"Don't die, Olivia!" Maria sobbed. "Please don't die!"

"I'll never leave you, Maria!" Olivia promised through her tears. "Not now, not ever!" After releasing the hug, Olivia pulled herself back from Maria and looked her square in the eye. She gratefully accepted a box of tissues from Antonio and used it to wipe her eyes.

"Maria. Can you please stop crying and look at me?" Olivia asked. "Take deep breaths, okay? In and out. In and out. That's it! In and out. You're doing great!" She urged as the distraught eight year old complied, eventually causing her tears to subside. She, too, took a tissue and used it to wipe her eyes, after which it was safely disposed of. Antonio then brought over the large communal bottle of hand sanitiser, which Olivia made use of to disinfect her hands after touching her face.

"Put some of this on your hands, Maria, and scrub them exactly as I do, okay?" Olivia instructed. Maria nodded, as the two girls both took 30 seconds to throughly scrub and disinfect themselves. Wiping along the palms, the tops of their hands and scrubbing frantically in between their fingers, they made sure that no traces of bacteria were left in their hands. After they had done this, Olivia caught Maria's attention.

"Now, there are going to be days like today where you feel sad or upset and you feel like crying. And that's okay – I feel like crying when I think about what's going on." Olivia began. "But there's another thing I want you to remember, Maria, and this is the most important thing – this will not be forever. Now we live here, in America, and we've been to Italy for holidays plenty of times before. The people of both countries are very proud and strong, yes?"

"Yep! I love singing the national anthem!" Maria beamed, glad to have her mind taken off the sad topic.

"Well, they have had bad things happen before, and they still stand proud and strong." Olivia replied, pride and courage swelling in her voice. "Bad men with guns couldn't destroy Italy. Bad men in planes couldn't destroy New York. And this will not destroy us, whether you think of us as Americans or Italians. In fact, when this is finished, I think both countries will be stronger and better than ever."

"You think so?" Maria asked, desperately searching for hope.

"Yes, I do!" Olivia proclaimed, trying to convince herself as much as Maria. As the youngest daughter became calm and composed, the elder daughter pressed on. "Now I know this is a lot for you to take in, but I've actually got something for us to do that's really fun, and which will help me to explain why we're doing all this, okay? I'll get my soccer ball and you, Mama and Papa come join me in the backyard."

Olivia then retreated to her bedroom and grabbed her yellow and blue Nike branded soccer ball out from under her bed. She then got changed out of her pyjamas into the jersey of her team, Juventus, black and white with a Jeep logo on it. Olivia then walked out the back door of her house into the backyard. Due to the density of housing on Orchard Street, it wasn't much of a backyard, but it would serve her purpose adequately. Assorted toys and a soccer training goal littered the landscape. After a short while, Maria, Antonio and Francesca joined her after getting dressed for the day. Olivia made sure they were decently spaced apart before she began her demonstration.

"Okay, we're going to do some passing drills, but I want you to pay attention to what I'm about to say, Maria." Olivia instructed. The eight year old nodded in understanding.

"This ball," Olivia began, displaying the soccer ball to those present. "represents a virus. I'm sick. I'm sneezing, coughing, and generally don't feel very nice." To underline this hypothetical, Olivia fake sneezed into her elbow and let out a series of coughs. "Now, I'm going to pass this virus to you, Maria." Olivia then gently kicked the ball to her little sister. "Now you're sick as well."

"Achoo!" Maria let out a fake sneeze as well, following her lead and doing it into her elbow.

"Now, kick the ball back to me." Olivia told her. Maria complied, sending the ball skidding across the grass.

"Yes! Well done, Maria!" Olivia praised. "Your body fought off my virus attack! I fought it off as well!" At this point, the teenager took the ball and kicked it hard into the training net that was stationed near the fence. She ran and retrieved the ball, preparing for the second part of the explanation. "Now, we're going to try another virus attack this time, but this one's gonna be a little different. I'm coughing, but I've also got a fever, and I'm…out…of…breath." Olivia gasped, trying to demonstrate what shortness of breath looked like.

"Like I just played a really tough soccer game. I'm going to pass the virus to you…" After she had done so and received the ball back, Olivia elaborated. "But, I'm also going to pass it to Papa…" She then kicked the ball to Antonio: "…and to Mama." Followed by a pass to Francesca. Quite understandably, due to the nature of ageing, her parent's passes were not quite as crisp or effective as the two girls' passes were.

"Now we're all sick!" Maria exclaimed, catching on to Olivia's metaphor. "Oh no!"

"Yep. It's not fun being sick, huh?" Olivia replied, sympathetically. "That second attack was from the new virus everyone's talking about. This virus is super sneaky, like a spy – it can live in your body for up to two weeks before making you sick. And instead of your usual flu, which most people only pass to one person, this one can go to two or three. And older people like Mama and Papa can't fight off the attack so well. We don't want them to get sick, do we?"

"No!" Maria replied, shaking her head back and forth vehemently.

"That's why the President and the Governor say we have to stay home." Olivia supplied, hoping that Maria would understand. "To make sure the virus can't make anyone else sick, to prevent those that are already sick from infecting others, and to make sure the hospitals can look after all the sick people without turning any of them away. That's why so many people are dying in Italy - the hospitals can't cope and look after them all."

"I don't want people to die!" Maria gasped, horrified at the prospect.

"Then, we're doing this!" Olivia resolved, encouraged that Maria was starting to show some understanding of the situation. "Now, I know you like Disney, so I want to use something to inspire you. You like High School Musical, right?"

"YES!" Squealed the eight-year old in delight.

"Well, you remember how the basketball and decathlon teams tried to stop Troy and Gabriella from singing in the musical, because they wanted them to focus on what they wanted them to do?" Olivia inquired. "This situation is kind of like that. A virus can't talk or think or feel, but if it could, it would want us to focus and obsess over what it's doing to people, instead of what lies ahead. Now, do you remember how High School Musical ends?"

"They get to do both things!" Maria smiled, happily.

"Exactly!" Olivia returned the smile. "Now, as I said earlier, it's okay to want to be sad or cry – we both had a cry earlier, and it was perfectly natural. We'll probably cry again at some stage. But it's important to never forget your dreams. What do you want to be when you grow up?"

"A soccer player, like you." Maria responded, determined.

"Well, whenever you feel upset about something you may have heard about this virus, don't hold back your feelings. But just promise yourself, when this is all over, I will play soccer like my big sister." Olivia declared. "Don't forget that there's an Olivia or a Maria out there in places here in America like California or Florida, or overseas in Italy or Spain or the United Kingdom that's just as frightened or anxious as we are, trying to look forward to their futures. In fact, you could say…

We're all in this together!"

And with that, Olivia launched into Troy and Gabriella's song of victory, a song that served to unite jock and nerd, cheerleader and scientist. But this time it was a call to bravery, not just to her sister here in New York, but to everyone whose lives were being impacted by this blasted virus, from Los Angeles to Boston, from Rome to London, from Beijing to Buenos Aires, from Delhi to Sydney, and from Tokyo to Auckland. It didn't matter whether you were black or white, Republican or Democrat, Yankee or Red Sock, everyone was now in the same boat. And only by rowing in the same direction, would they get through the storm. Maria eventually joined in, as the two girls danced together in the small backyard while Antonio and Francesca looked on proudly. It would be tough, but they knew, eventually, that everything would be okay in the De Rossi household.

"So, Maria. Game face on?" Olivia asked, forming a non-holding huddle with Maria.

"Game face on, Olivia." Maria answered, determined to fight alongside her sister.

"Let's give this nasty little bug the red card!" Olivia declared, heading inside and preparing to fight the battle in a unique way – by sitting on her ass.

*** FLAAN ***

The first order of business for Olivia was to get rid of that fucking stupid Calvin cartoon.

Yes, the one of him pissing on Inter's badge. Yes, the one Marco had crudely photoshopped for her birthday. Yes, the one that served as the symbol of her rivalry with the blue half of Milan.

But right now, Olivia didn't give two shits about what it meant to her. It served as a reminder of who she couldn't afford to be at this moment in history. Merda, she had called Inter and their fans. Shit. They were people who were suffering every bit as much, if not more, than her right now. And she had called them shit. As recently as February, she was gleefully using this term for them, as well as proclaiming that the city of Milan would look infinitely more beautiful if the blue half were abducted by aliens, and thought nothing of it. Now, Olivia felt embarrassed she could even utter such words. If she couldn't be kind to people from across the sea – even her rivals – in their darkest hour, how was she going to be able to be kind to those on her block? She still had a long way to go in terms of development and maturity, despite her inspiring words to Maria earlier – her terrible behaviour with Chris Hargensen in Maine was but one example of where she had come up short. Chief among these were her attitudes to sporting rivals.

The truth was, whilst Olivia might have sympathies for the horrors undergone by a individual city, she still used harsh language against their teams when filled with competitive fire, primarily against the Red Sox, Internazionale and the Dallas Cowboys – her so-called "unholy trinity" of sports hate. But now she realised the folly of investing so much hate into a children's game. Oh, the competitive desire would still burn brightly when the respective sporting competitions resumed, but never again would Olivia claim to hate any team or their fans.

If the coronavirus crisis had taught her one thing, it was to be kind to everyone. Especially your rivals. And she would be a less parochial and more open person – to all fan bases – when this was over.

Such was her mindset as she tore the offending cartoon up and put it in her trash can. She then got to work making a new artwork to replace it – one that would emphasise unison, and not division. When she was done, she hung it up, satisfied with her work. It depicted twenty soccer players, each representing one of Italy's top flight clubs, teaming up to kick a coronavirus shaped football into orbit. It would be a message that would inspire her to help anyone she could during this troubled time.

And that was how Olivia Catherina De Rossi spent her first night in New York's COVID-19 lockdown.

*** FLAAN ***

Her second night was spent working out with her soccer ball in her room. Olivia would throw it up in the air to herself and back again to relieve stress. She also dribbled the ball between her feet to simulate a passing drill, as well as balancing the ball on her head in order to give her something to concentrate on. The nights were the only time she had to herself, due to her days being taken up with online schooling. Despite Maria's outward displeasure at still having to learn, Olivia knew this was a good idea – it would make her feel as normal as possible in an abnormal situation.

The third night would be spent on a Skype conference with her friends from her Catholic youth group. This would be the first time she would speak to either Brianna, Carrie or Danielle since the "shelter in place" was enacted. Olivia was also looking forward to touching face (well, virtually touching face) with the other members of their friendship circle, as well as looking to get some much needed spiritual nourishment during these trying times. One by one, the images of the participants popped onto the screen. She recognised Brianna, Carrie and Danielle almost immediately – they were on the far left, centre, and far right of the screen. Olivia greeted the other four members she recognised.

To the right of Brianna was Alexis Schumann, a very intelligent platinum blonde girl with strengths in sciences and languages. In the next window was her paramour, Catalina "Cat" Alvarez, a highly-strung Latina who ran track at the same private Catholic school as Alexis in Queens. Next to Carrie was Renee Hawthorne, a dirty blonde former cheerleader from Philadelphia who was studying to become a child psychologist at NYU. And between her and Danielle rounding out the group was Ashley Deslauriers, a girl of mixed American and Quebecois heritage. Ashley was a hockey fanatic who studied sports medicine at Columbia University.

To begin with, they held an intercessory prayer circle, similar to that held at every Sunday Mass where they could offer up their prayers and concerns to God. Carrie prayed for the pandemic to end and for healing to come to America and the world, a sentiment that was agreed on by all. Renee prayed for comfort to all the children who were fearful at this moment in time. Ashley prayed for all state, national and international leaders to make wise and prudent decisions during this crisis. Danielle prayed for the sick, the elderly and all health workers and caregivers to be given the necessary strength and courage to endure this terrible season and be provided with the best care imaginable. Brianna prayed for the homeless and those less fortunate than themselves to be kept safe and healthy. Cat prayed for the safe repose of all the souls of the people who died in the pandemic, while Alexis prayed for all scientists working to find a cure. Lastly, Olivia prayed for the city of New York and the group present, that it may stand strong during this trial.

Each prayer was met with the same reverent, hopeful response: "Lord, hear our prayer."

Then they studied the Bible readings from what would have been that upcoming Sunday's Mass. The Gospel reading was especially poignant, as it was the account of the Gospel of John of Jesus healing a blind man. The significance of the message was not lost on Olivia and the others – their shared faith in Jesus, the Divine Physician, would sustain them through these dark days. After a period of silent prayer, the mood amongst the eight Skypers began to shift for the better. Usually after solemn reflection on the scriptures and what they meant, Eternal Pentecost meetings would become much more lighthearted. Much banter and laughter was exchanged between participants – a sign that they could poke fun at one another's foibles and still remain friends.

And boy, did they ever need some laughter right about now!

"So," Renee began, in that blunt straightforward style common in the great state of Pennsylvania. "How has this thing fucked you over?"

"I say! That is HARDLY language worthy of a group of young Catholic ladies!" Cat gasped, doing a spot on impersonation of Nikita (or Nikki, as she was regularly called), the group's female leader. The NYU senior sometimes likened herself to "the mother of eight teenage brats" when she was trying to get a grip on their antics. But the girls had no doubt that she loved them deeply, as she and the group's other leader Andrew, laid out in a sad but necessary email announcing the suspension of Eternal Pentecost meetings.

"Well, Nikki's not here, is she?" Renee shot back. "And I'm the oldest one here, so what I say goes!"

"Oh yeah?" Olivia blurted out, entering the fray. "Well, if you're the oldest here, then that means we get to call you Grandma!" She then waved at the Philadelphia native through the screen. "Hi, Grandma! Don't forget your cane and catheter!" She teased, going toe to toe with her NFC East rival.

"Livy, you little scamp! You talk to me like that again, I'll take you over my knee and give you a good spanking!" Renee teased, enjoying the battle of wits.

"Where do I sign up?" Cat huskily whispered, causing Alexis to clear her throat in disapproval.

"Something you want to share with the group, Cat?" Ashley smirked, getting an idea of just what excited the young Latina.

"Oh, good grief! Is this a religious gathering, or the Penthouse Forum?" Danielle laughed, enjoying the momentary distraction from the worries of the world.

"Sometimes I think it's both, Danielle!" Carrie giggled, being familiar with the playful nature of the group.

After the laughter had died down, Renee's tone turned serious. "But really, how is this affecting all of you? Are you okay? My exams are going to be online…if they even happen. I keep up with my family, but…I miss them."

"Cat and I are stuck apart from one another." Alexis grumbled. "It's difficult to not be there for one another to provide physical support or…relief. Also, I'm worried about my grandparents in Austria."

"It's just not the same kissing via Face Time." Cat huffed. "And I'm frightened for my grandparents as well."

"Dad's winter supplies shop here in Albany is closed." Ashley muttered, downcast. "It was closing soon anyway for the warmer months, but he doesn't know if it'll re-open."

"Let's just say the phrase "Social distancing protocols initiated" has become my soundtrack." Carrie quipped, trying to lighten the mood. "Also, my brother's trip to Europe is off."

"I won't be able to see any of the old people I help until all this is over – they've really given me purpose in my life. I'm scared for them." Danielle whispered. "And my grandma as well. Also, my church's trip to Portugal is cancelled, as well as God knows how many concerts."

"All mass gatherings are cancelled, so we can't organise a protest to protect the working class during this time." Brianna spoke. "E-petitions and tweets just don't feel as effective."

"And of course, this affects my soccer as well. A scout from Notre Dame couldn't travel to see me play." Olivia finished the circle. "But that doesn't mean jack shit compared to what's going on in Italy right now."

"What's happening over there is so terrible." Danielle declared, speaking for the whole group. "I just hope it doesn't happen here."

A dread silence settled upon the group at that possibility. Eventually, Cat spoke up.

"This reminds me – what are we gonna do about Mass?" She asked. "We can't go."

"Yeah, it's going to be weird." Alexis agreed.

"Isn't it funny – not laughing funny, but ironically funny – that my mentally unstable tyrant of a mother couldn't stop me from attending Mass, but a small microscopic virus can?" Carrie wondered.

"As Christians, we should still keep Sunday a spiritual day." Danielle declared. "Use it to relax and spend time with your families. Read the Bible. Light some candles to provide light and hope. Pray the Rosary and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy - bring your worries to Jesus our Lord and Mary our Blessed Mother. We should pray the Act Of Contrition to ask forgiveness of God whenever we fall into mortal sin, and the prayer of Spiritual Communion to show our desire to receive Jesus in the Eucharist. This is going to be a long period of sacrifice, where we have to go without access to Mass or Confession or Adoration, so it's vital that we as believers make use of all the tools at our disposal to keep our souls healthy, as well as our bodies. This group is called Eternal Pentecost – we should start preparing for a year of Eternal Lent."

The other Skypers stared at the heavy metal girl. "What?" She inquired, as though she had just declared that water was wet.

Olivia was impressed and inspired by Danielle's zeal and devotion to her faith. She was usually the first to enter and the last to leave whenever the group attended Eucharistic Adoration, and had a fierce devotion to the Virgin Mary and the Rosary, to the point where she was dubbed the group's "Mary expert". And she had only been a full member of the Catholic Church for a year! Olivia had learned all the prayers on her mother's knee, and was still not as comfortable with public pronouncements of faith as this girl with a nose piercing and a Slayer T-shirt, who had only picked up a Bible and Catechism a couple of years ago. Next to Carrie, she was perhaps the most overtly spiritual girl in her group of friends. To a non-believer, such devotion would be intense, bordering on scary. However, to Olivia, it was admirable and worthy of emulation. She began to think that perhaps God had a plan for Danielle and was calling her to serve Him.

"Nothing." Olivia replied. "I just wish I was half as devout as you. You're an inspiration to us all, Danielle. Have you ever thought about becoming a nun?"

"I think it would suit you." Carrie agreed. "I've seen your sacred space at your house – you're very reverent and have a wonderful heart for prayer."

"It's a fluid situation." Danielle replied. She then sighed deeply as she added: "Everything's a fluid situation right now."

"Right, to finish us off: what are we going to do to help out? I mean, besides stay at home." Olivia inquired.

"I know Stark Industries has made a very generous donation, but I want to make a personal contribution as well – maybe a number of them." Carrie stated. "Dad's just talking to the finance people about what that would look like. I have to do something. I WILL do something."

"Maybe we should hold an online auction on eBay to raise money for the hospitals?" Cat suggested.

"Yeah, we could all find something to donate." Renee agreed. "Also, we should donate anything we don't strictly need to food banks or to goodwill, so that somebody who needs food or clothes can have them."

"Absolutely." Alexis agreed.

"I've got a whole bunch of vinyl records lying about at home." . "Those can go in the auction – people will pay through the nose for anything classic, especially if it's for a good cause."

'I've got some old ice-skates I could put up for auction." Brianna suggested.

"And I could put up some of my excess sporting gear." Olivia thought out loud.

"These are all really good ideas!" Renee praised. "Danielle, would you lead us in prayer to end this meeting?"

All present closed their eyes and bowed their heads as the rocker girl began to pray.

"God our Father, we come before You to ask Your blessing on our nation and world in this time of crisis. We ask that You bless everyone more than us, and to give us only the blessings we need to endure this trial with patience and humility. We offer up our sorrow at not being able to meet in person, in union with your Son's suffering and death on the cross for our sins, for an end to this and all epidemics. Help us to always praise You, even in our darkest moments. We ask this in the name of Jesus, our Lord."

"Amen." The group chorused. After performing the Sign of the Cross, Renee signed off the meeting.

"Until next time. Take care, stay safe, and be not afraid." She urged.

"Be not afraid." The group echoed, referencing Jesus' words to his disciples during a terrible storm. That was the same verse quoted by Andrew and Nikki in their email, and it would become the group's new rallying cry. One by one, the Skypers exited the conference until only Olivia and Renee were left standing.

"Look, Renee." Olivia began, nervously. "I love our rivalry, and enjoy it when we trash talk each other. But I just want to say that if I ever said anything that made it seem like I hated Philly, their fans, or you, then I'm truly sorry."

"Aw, Livy." Renee comforted. "It's okay."

"No, it's not." Olivia answered, firmly. "I can be pretty narrow-minded and petty when it comes to sports, and I can't afford to be that right now. That's why I got rid of that Calvin cartoon."

"I thought I noticed something different about your room." Renee mused.

"Make no mistake – I'm still going to be as competitive as ever when sports come back. But I'm not going to hold grudges or hate any team. Even the Red Sox or the Cowboys." Olivia declared.

"By the living God that made you, you're a better woman than I, Olivia De Rossi." Renee smiled, fondly. "Take care of yourself, okay?"

"You too." Olivia nodded, ending the Skype call. She had been able to speak to her friends, shared some of her hopes and fears with them, and even had a little laugh. Olivia had also pressed forward with her studies, whilst not thinking too much about the horror unfurling in the land of her birth. Day three was easily her best day whilst sheltering in place.

However, it would be followed by day four – her worst day.

It all started when her father had received a phone call after breakfast. Antonio would slip away to answer the phone. After a period of about 15 minutes, he returned, his face as white as a sheet. Looking every bit his 56 years of age, Antonio turned towards his assembled family. He whispered for a bit in Francesca's ear. Olivia and Maria knew straight away it was bad news, as she saw Francesca clap her hand over her mouth in shock. Antonio then turned to his children.

"Olivia, Maria, please listen to me." He instructed, although his voice was more weary than authoritative.

"It's bad news, isn't it, Papa?" Olivia asked, dread in her voice.

"I'm afraid so." Antonio admitted. "Girls, your Aunt Lúcia, she's…she's very sick. She's in the hospital in Turin."

"Is it the coronavirus?" Olivia whispered, nervously.

Antonio's silence told them all they needed to know.

"My god…" Olivia gasped, covering her mouth.

"Is Aunt Lúcia going to die?" Maria asked, wringing her hands anxiously.

"We don't know." Antonio responded, truthfully. "They managed to get her a bed, so the doctors will do all they can. Just…pray for her. And for the doctors as well."

Olivia and Maria went about their day as normal. However, the realisation that her beloved aunt could fall to this virus continued to nag away at the teenager. That night, Olivia just sat in her room and held all the photos of her and her aunt she could find. Tears rolled silently down her cheeks as she remembered her baptism, her First Communion, and too many birthdays and Christmases to count. She remembered kissing and hugging goodbye to Aunt Lúcia that Christmas. Olivia let out a stifled sob as she realised she may never see her aunt again. As she went to bed that night, COVID-19 was firmly settled in her mind.

And as any psychologist will tell you, once something is in your mind, it will make it's way into your dreams.

Olivia found herself floating high above the Manhattan skyline. Usually, the streets of the city would be bustling with people and traffic. Now, the eerie silence was only broken by the wails of ambulance sirens. No people. No cars. No taxis. Nothing. All of a sudden, she felt a powerful force dragging her in a certain direction. Eventually, the force stopped, leaving her floating in a room.

This was Avengers Tower, Olivia had surmised, going by how high up they were.

Her suspicions were confirmed when she saw Carrie dressed in a sleek black dress with her face veiled. The telekinetic folded her arms and began to pray silently as she knelt before the crucifix above her bed. Just then, Tony Stark stuck his head in the bedroom.

"You know you can't go, Carrie." He stated, his voice laced with sympathy.

"I know, Dad." Carrie answered, tears in her eyes. "That's why I'm praying right now – I couldn't forgive myself if I didn't."

Just then, that same force pulled her away like a hurricane to a different location. This time, she was in Cat's house in Jamaica, Queens. The track star was currently speaking to Alexis via Face Time.

"I can't believe she's dead, Lex." Cat whispered, sadly.

"I know. This sucks so much." Alexis replied, choking up as she did so.

"Wait…what's going on, Cat? Who's dead?" Olivia called out. The Latina gave no indication of having heard her, however, as she grabbed a Kleenex to wipe her eyes.

Just then, she felt herself being dragged away again, this time to Danielle's house in Kingsbridge, in the Bronx. The rocker girl was slumped back on her bed, crying hysterically with her head in her hands. Thomas and her twin brother Michael were desperately trying to comfort her, to no avail.

"Why did this have to happen, Dad?" She sobbed. "And her family's already suffered so much because of this! It's not fair!"

"I know, sweetheart. I know." Thomas comforted.

"What's happened, Dani? Who's been through so much?" Olivia called out, desperately.

Whoosh. Another pull away, this time to Renee's accommodation near the NYU campus. The Pennsylvanian was pacing around the room furtively. Suddenly, Renee let out a loud scream of anger and sank to the floor, her hands gripping the side of her head.

"Oh Livy…" She whispered in a broken voice.

Just then, something clicked inside Olivia's head. Her friends were all devastated because of her. And Cat mentioned somebody dying…

An awful thought began to take root in the Italian-American's head.

Was she dead?!

Just then, she was whisked off again, this time to Brianna's house on the Upper East Side. The African-American was sitting in her room, holding a photo taken of the two girls in happier times.

"I miss you already, Livy." Brianna whispered. "I wish you were still here. I wish I could be there."

"I'm right here, Brianna!" Olivia called out, trying to get her attention. "Turn around!"

She felt the force pull at her, this time to a small room, filled with nothing but coffins. It was a harrowing sight that Olivia had seen on the nightly news in regards to the tragedy in Italy, but now it was right in front of her eyes. The sight would be grim for the most hardened observer, never mind a high school girl. Just then, Olivia felt herself being pulled towards a particular coffin – one painted in black and white colours. She took one look at it, then covered her mouth with trembling hands. Staring at her right in the face was the identification tag attached to the coffin.

DE ROSSI, OLIVIA.

Tears streamed out of Olivia's eyes as the realisation hit her. She was dead. She had passed on. She was no more. She had expired and gone to meet her Maker. She was a stiff. Bereft of life, she would rest in peace. If she wasn't shut in that coffin, she would be pushing up daisies. Her metabolic processes were now history. If she was a bird, she would be off the twig. She had kicked the bucket, shuffled off her mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the bleeding choir invisible.

She was an ex-New Yorker.

Except this wasn't a fucking comedy sketch.

And her tears were not of laughter, but of sadness.

And given the prevailing context, there was only one cause of death possible.

Even the invisible force acting as her guide seemed to take pity on Olivia, as it allowed her to take all the time she needed. Holding her head in her hands, Olivia cried, wept and sobbed as she mourned for herself, those she had left behind, and all the dreams that would never be fulfilled.

She would never go on another family vacation. She would never hug Mama or Papa, or kiss Maria goodnight again. She would never go to college. She would never represent her country on the world stage. She would never see any of her friends again. She would never cheer on any of her teams. She would never get married, or have children, or dote on grandchildren. She, like so many others, had been robbed of the dignity of a proper funeral. And all because of this fucking virus.

Eventually, when she had no more tears left to cry, her invisible guide moved her on, this time gently rather than forcefully. She was now standing in her house. Mama, Papa and Maria were going about their business. But what most struck Olivia was that the light seemed to be gone from their eyes. It seemed they were existing, rather than living.

"Darling, I'm just going to go do some work in the garage." Antonio called out.

"Okay." Francesca replied, in an apathetic tone. Suddenly, Olivia found herself gently floating after Antonio as he wandered down the stairs to the garage. She noticed Papa walk over to a box and pull out about four feet of rope. He then took the rope over to his work station and began to work at the rope as he began to tie a series of knots. After working at the rope for a brief period, Papa walked over to the other side of the garage and picked up a wooden chair. After placing it a short distance away from the work station, he then picked up the rope and swung the top part of it over the rafters. Olivia felt her heart stop as she saw the foreboding O-shaped noose over Papa's shoulder.

There was only one horrible conclusion she could draw – Papa was going to kill himself!

"No, Papa! Please don't do this! Put away the rope!" Olivia begged, clasping her hands together.

"I will never see my daughter again. What is the point." Antonio muttered, as if he didn't hear Olivia's words.

"I'm right here, Papa! You don't have to do this! Stop!" Olivia cried out. Antonio, however, ignored her as he stepped onto the chair.

"Papa, stop! Think of Mama! Think of Maria! You'll destroy them! Stop, please! I'm begging you! Please!" Olivia began to cry as she saw the inevitable approaching. As Antonio placed the noose around his neck, she floated up and grabbed hold hold of it to try and pull it off his neck. However, to her absolute horror, her hands just went through Antonio's neck instead of grabbing a solid hold of the rope. Antonio then began to utter an Act Of Contrition, what would be his last words, as Olivia tried in vain, through her tears, to get him to stop.

"Oh my God, I am deeply sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins-"

"Stop this, Papa! Please! God doesn't want this! I don't want this!"

"Because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell-"

"It's not worth it! Please come down!"

"But most of all, because I have offended Thee, my God, who art all good and deserving of all my love."

"This is going to destroy Maria! Think about her, Papa! It's not too late!"

"I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to confess my sins, to do penance, and amend my life."

"Talk to Father Sean, Papa! Talk to a counsellor! They'll help you! I'm begging you, don't do this!"

"Amen." With that last word, Antonio began to walk off the chair to his death.

"NO! NO, PAPA! STOP! PLEASE!" Olivia screamed desperately, as her father jumped of the chair.

The noose twisted around his neck-

A bloodcurdling scream erupted from Olivia's throat as she jolted awake from her nightmare. Flicking on her bedside lamp, she cried out desperately for her parents.

"PAPA!" Olivia wailed in panic. "MAMA! HELP!" Gone was the brave older sister who was encouraging her sister to fight alongside her. Now, Olivia was just a scared child who needed a hug. In almost world record time, Antonio and Francesca were at their daughter's side.

"I had a nightmare! It was awful!" Olivia trembled, her body shaking with fear.

"Shhhh, we're right here, sweetheart." Francesca soothed gently, as she took Olivia into her arms. "Look at me."

"Take deep breaths, Olivia, okay? Just like you told Maria.' Antonio encouraged. The shell shocked teenager complied as she tried to stop hyperventilating and get her breathing under control. Just then, she heard a little voice break out into song.

"We're all in this together…"

Olivia looked up and blinked as she saw Maria wander into her room, still in her pyjamas. A few days ago, the teenager had calmed the eight year old's fears about the future. Now, it was Maria's turn to soothe her troubled soul. As the singing progressed, the older girl was eventually able to stop hyperventilating and resume a normal breathing pattern. By the end of the song, Olivia was fully becalmed.

"Grazie, Maria." Olivia whispered in relief. "I needed that."

"We need to stick together!" Maria declared. "Now more than ever!"

"Are you sure you will be able to get back to sleep tonight?" Antonio inquired.

"Yes, Papa. I will." Olivia replied. With a nod, Antonio and Francesca left the room, Maria following soon behind. The door was quietly shut, but to her it was as loud as a prison cell door closing. All the teenager was left with were the dark and her fears.

Olivia always hated lying to her father.

*** FLAAN ***

The following morning, the De Rossi's were enjoying their breakfast – well, as much as one could enjoy something amidst the current situation. However, an uneasy silence stretched across the four family members. Olivia knew why her family seemed to be so tense – it was the nightmare-shaped elephant in the room. But it was something of a more circular shape that would continue to haunt the eldest daughter. Eventually, as the TV blared in the background, Antonio spoke up.

"What got you so spooked last night, darling?" Antonio asked, gently.

"Yeah! You never get scared like that!" Maria added, having felt Olivia's fear herself.

The eldest daughter then turned to the youngest. "Go to your room, Maria." Olivia warned, sternly. "I don't want you to hear this."

"But I-" Maria began.

"GO!" Olivia yelled in desperation, causing Maria to jump up in fright. The teenager sighed and put her head in her hands – the stress of the lockdown was starting to get to her. "I'm sorry, Maria." She whispered. "Just, please…go."

As soon as the younger daughter complied with Olivia's request, her parents turned their undivided attention to their oldest daughter. Antonio and Francesca placed their hands comfortingly on Olivia's hands, to tell her that it was okay. Olivia sighed and began to relate the story of the nightmare to her parents. It was a highly emotional retelling, especially the revelation of her "death" due to the virus. But perhaps the most distressing moment for all involved was her revelation of what Antonio was doing in the garage. When Olivia tried to describe her father stepping off the chair to end his life, she couldn't finish and burst into tears. Instantly, she was enveloped in a hug by her Mama and Papa, assuring her that everything would be alright.

"Oh, Mama, Papa, help me!" Olivia wept. "I'm so scared! I'm scared for Aunt Lucia! I'm so scared for Italy! I'm so scared for America! I'm so scared for the world!"

"Shhhhh. We know, tesora. And so are we." Francesca soothed, holding her daughter tightly in her arms.

"Promise me you'll never kill yourself, Papa!" Olivia sobbed. "Promise me!"

"I promise you, I will never leave this family until my appointed time." Antonio promised, looking Olivia dead square in the eyes as she did so.

After a while, Olivia was able to calm down and resume normalcy. That day was a Saturday, so Olivia actually had most of the day to herself. She spent the morning doing some soccer training in her back yard followed by having lunch with her family. However, the haunting images of her nightmare were still burned into her brain. Olivia was desperately hoping for one happy moment that would keep her mind off nooses and coffins and grieving friends and sick aunts. That lunchtime, however, she would get it.

Maria came prancing down the stairs, holding her plush toy of Despicable Me's Minion, Dave. However, instead of the Minion's signature blue overalls, the loveable yellow creature was wearing a little doctor's coat and a face mask covering his mouth and nose. Around his chest was a toy stethoscope.

"Hi, Olivia! Dr. Dave will see you now!" She chirped, happily.

"Hi, Dr. Dave." Olivia grinned, weakly.

"Open wide and say "Aaahhh"!" Maria encouraged, holding the toy Minion in front of Olivia's face.

"Aaahhh." Olivia complied, as she stuck her tongue out as she opened her mouth, looking like she was about to lick an invisible lollipop. At any other time, she would have felt stupid for engaging in such a childish game. But these were not normal times. After a brief "examination", Maria stepped back with a little frown on her face.

"You have too many sad spots on your tongue!" The "doctor" adorably diagnosed. "Dr. Dave's got the perfect medicine to get rid of sad spots! Do you know what it is?"

"No, Maria. " Olivia replied with a smile, getting a feeling she knew what the answer would be. "What does Dr. Dave prescribe for sad spots?"

"BANANA!" Maria squealed, referring to the Minion's infamous song. Smiling, Francesca plucked the yellow fruit out of the nearby fruit bowl and passed it to her eldest daughter.

"Thanks, Dr. Dave!" Olivia replied, grinning like an idiot. "I feel much better already!" She then began to peel the banana and eat it, followed by a glass of water. Slowly but surely, her mood was beginning to improve for the better.

She would receive a further boost in morale that afternoon, when she received an invite to what was dubbed an "emergency friendship summit" to be held via Skype. She logged on to her computer to find the faces of her friends staring back at her, with love and concern in their eyes.

"Okay, we were originally going to meet next Thursday, but screw it, this can't wait." Renee declared by way of introduction. "Carrie, I'll let you take the lead on this one."

"Your dad called me and said you had a really bad day yesterday." The telekinetic asked, nervously. "Do you want to talk to us about it?"

"No. I don't want to burden you with that knowledge." Olivia replied, flatly.

"It wouldn't be a burden." Danielle insisted. "As Christians, we're called to share in each other's suffering as well as their joy. We want to be there for you."

Olivia let out a deep sigh and began to relate how her aunt was diagnosed with COVID-19 and was fighting for her life, and about the harrowing nightmare she had. The response of the group was exclusively sympathy and solidarity.

"Oh, Livy…" Brianna sighed, sadly.

"I'll be praying the Rosary tonight for your aunt." Danielle promised. "All of us are going to storm Heaven for her."

"Definitely. I'll pray for her as well." Carrie vowed. Remarks of assent followed from all around the virtually gathered group.

"Fuck." Renee muttered, dumbfounded. "I mean…fuck." The blonde Philadelphian was lost for words, a rare occurrence.

"It really brings it home when you know someone who could lose someone from this." Alexis stated.

"Definitely." Cat agreed. "I'm going to savour each moment of talking to my family and friends from now on." This was met with a chorus of agreement.

"That reminds me: we got together to decide on a way to cheer you up." Ashley began.

"Yeah, I've found that music can really provide me with an escape from my problems." Danielle continued. "So, we all decided to sing for you today."

"Dani, I swear, if you think Marilyn Manson's going to cheer me up…" Olivia muttered.

"You're the second person to raise that point, Livy, and no, it's not rock or metal of any kind." The rocker replied. Danielle's voice then grew thick with emotion as she continued. "This song is for us to show how much we love you, how much you mean to us, that we'll always be there for you, and that we'll always have each other's backs."

Danielle began to sing the opening lines of Jess Glynne's "I'll Be There". The British songstress had originally written this song as a message of solidarity to a friend who had seen their relationship come to an end. Now, it served as a message to not just Olivia, but a promise from each member of the group to the other that they would always be there for each other, in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health.

Amicizia per sempre. Friends forever.

Carrie, Renee, Brianna, Alexis and Cat and Ashley eventually joined Danielle in singing the song. From Harlem to the Bronx, from Broadway to Queens, and even from the state capital, a virtual choir was offering their solidarity and support to Olivia during her toughest days. Tears began to pool in the Italian-American's eyes, but these were not tears of sadness – rather, they were tears of joy and gratitude. She was fortunate enough to have some of the best friends a girl could ask for.

"Thanks, you guys! That was so nice and sweet!" Olivia smiled through her tears. "I wish I could give you all a big group hug!"

"And when this is over, you'll be able to." Carrie promised. "But we can still show our love through our computers. Like this." Carrie then formed her two thumbs and pointer fingers into the shape of a heart and showed it to Olivia, a gesture that was soon copied by the rest of the group. Smiling through her tears, Olivia returned the gesture.

"I love you guys so much!" Olivia declared in an emotion-laced voice

"And we love you too, Livy." Brianna replied. "Stay safe."

"When all this is over and we're allowed to travel freely again, we are all going to travel the world together." Carrie promised. "I've actually been collating a list of places I want us to see one day. Livy and Dani have already given me some ideas."

"That's a great plan, Carrie! It gives us something to look forward to!" Cat praised.

"We've just got to stay optimistic and positive." Carrie vowed. "No matter how bad it gets."

"So, how is everybody trying to pass the time?" Olivia asked. "I've been drawing and having limited soccer practice – as much as I can in my room or my backyard."

"I've been trying to spread the word about social distancing." Carrie answered. "I didn't realise how important it was before, and subsequent conversations I've had, both with Bruce and some of you guys, have made me understand the necessity of it. Also, Dad and I are going to make a public announcement tomorrow about what our contributions to the fight against COVID-19 will be."

"I've been trying to find ways to reach out to Cat." Alexis continued. "We actually had our first social distancing date last night."

"We Skyped for a bit, watched Westworld, then Skyped some more." Cat added.

"I've been making a daily livestream to put on YouTube." Danielle provided. "I just provide my views on what's happening, talk about some of my favourite songs and have something of a Spotify party where my viewers all listen to music together and have a chat, just to have something resembling a concert or a party or a radio show. Funny thing is, I'm not actually doing a livestream tomorrow – it's Sunday."

"I've been binging box sets, whenever I'm not studying." Renee offered.

"Four words – plush toy Stanley Cup." Ashley rounded out the groups contributions.

"Do you feel better now, Livy?" Carrie asked, gently.

"Yes, Carrie, I do." Olivia answered, truthfully. "Thanks for this, it's really helped to lift me up."

"Until next time. Stay safe, be not afraid, and remember: every day above ground is a good one." Renee concluded. "We will get through this! See you next time, everybody."

"It's Sunday tomorrow! Don't forget to keep it holy!" Danielle reminded the present Skypers before they shut the conference off.

Olivia then spent the rest of that Saturday watching Disney movies with her family. She, Maria, Antonio and Francesca laughed at the antics of Olaf the Snowman, cried at the demise of Mufasa and cheered at the speed of Lightning McQueen and his fellow Cars. Afterwards, she would brush her teeth and say her prayers before going to bed. As she went to sleep, Olivia thanked God for blessing her with the best group of friends ever. Without them, she would have probably gone insane from the fear she was feeling for her Aunt Lucia.

No coffins or nooses would haunt Olivia's dreams that night.

*** FLAAN ***

The following morning, Olivia prepared to face her first Sunday without Mass that she could remember. She was determined to spend it with her family and become closer to them. It was important to keep everything as normal as possible, despite the clear abnormality of the times they were living in. She would do everything to make the day feel special for her family, but especially for Maria.

As she entered into the kitchen, she saw Antonio sitting at the table, a piece of paper laid out neatly in front of him.

"Read this, Olivia, and tell me what you think." He instructed. Olivia took the page and began to read.

Strategies for Olivia and Maria to cope during this coronavirus crisis

You both can take a walk to get out of the house – but remember to obey the distancing rules: six feet away from others.

You both will have a media blackout – if something happens that affects our family or New York, we will tell you.

Make a list of all the things that you are grateful for today – it will help you focus on the good, instead of the bad. We will share our lists as a family.

If either of you are stressed about something, talk to each other – you two are starting to form quite the bond.

Find a new hobby – it could be some time before sports resume, so you need something to occupy your time.

We have never really heard Maria take an interest in sports before – if she is serious about following in your footsteps, introduce her to sports through some of the classic games that are on TV now.

We will return to praying as a family – we need to present a united front spiritually, as well as physically and emotionally.

"These all sound great, Papa. But why are you asking me about what I think?" Olivia inquired.

"Well, every game plan needs the approval of the captain." Antonio declared, simply.

Olivia was flabbergasted. A captain was a leader. Someone who was strong, brave and unyielding in the face of danger. None of those could describe what she was feeling at the moment. Had Papa already forgotten what she had been through yesterday? There was no way she could be any sort of captain right now!

"Me? The captain?" The teenager stammered in confusion.

"You were the one who encouraged Maria not to be frightened of this situation. None of us could have done that. In addition, your pleas for me not to take my own life struck a chord with me – I am deeply concerned about the future of my dental practice and if it'll reopen when this crisis is over. Your urging reminded me that I am a father first, and a dentist second. I may be your father, but you are our fearless leader, Olivia." Antonio answered. "And I am so proud of you."

"Thanks Papa." Olivia smiled. "Speaking of number seven, I actually have an idea to add to that."

And it came to pass that at 10am, the time the De Rossi family usually attended Mass, Olivia placed a pair of candles on a small table and lit them. She then took a crucifix and placed it on the table, which was situated next to twin statues of Jesus and Mary located near the staircase leading to their sleeping quarters. Antonio, Francesca and Olivia each took turns reading that Sunday's Bible readings. After the gospel was completed, Olivia set up her phone which was connected to a Bluetooth speaker. Soothing music emanated from the speaker as the four members of their family folded their hands, bowed their heads and engaged in silent prayer. At about quarter to the hour, at the point where Holy Communion would be received, Antonio, Francesca, Olivia and Maria all took turns praying the prayer of Spiritual Communion, inviting Jesus to come and be with them now.

"That was lovely, Olivia. Thank you." Francesca smiled after the reflection period was over.

"See what I mean, fearless leader?" Antonio asked.

"It wasn't actually my idea." Olivia answered.

"Regardless, you still took the initiative to put this in place." Francesca declared. "This will be our new tradition until we start attending Mass again."

And as time went by, the family began to find some more new traditions. That night, the De Rossi's prayed as a family for the first time in a long time. Antonio, Francesca, Olivia and Maria placed their hopes, their fears and their concerns before God and asked for his intervention.

By day nine on lockdown, Olivia had found a new team to lend her support to. But this team did not wear Juventus' zebra stripes, Yankee pinstripes or Giants blue. This team wore many colours – some yellow, some dark blue, but mostly white. This team were the brave doctors, nurses, civil servants and police officers of New York City – perhaps the most important team she would ever back. To that end, she would set up a chair by her upstairs window, beverage in hand, and provide uplifting comments to them as they went about their work.

"Wooo-hoooo!" Olivia would cheer as a pair of city employees clad in yellow protective suits disinfected a lamp post. "Kick that virus' ass!"

"C'mon New York's finest!" She would whoop and holler as an NYPD cruiser slowly made it's way down Orchard Street. "Good luck against the back end of this bullpen, Covid, you little fucker!"

And every night at 8pm, the De Rossi's would stand on their front steps and join the other people on their street in applauding the brave hospital workers of New York City. A heartwarming gesture that had started in Europe, it had eventually made it's way to America. Olivia simply couldn't fathom would those doctors and nurses on the frontlines against COVID-19 were having to endure. Based on what she saw in Italy, she imagined it must resemble something of a war zone. She was just grateful to do her little part. Olivia was not born when the 9/11 attacks happened, but she was developing a sense of the unity and camaraderie that arose in that city following that dreadful atrocity. At that moment, she was immensely proud of being an American and a New Yorker.

By day 12, Olivia and Maria had started taking little walks together every day, to get some exercise and fresh air. These would eventually become little runs as Maria explained that if she wanted to play soccer, she would have to get fit. They would initially start by walking to the end of Orchard Street and back, then expand, eventually walking 3.4 miles to the now closed St. Mary Of The Angels church and back. Olivia was deeply proud of her younger sister once she had accomplished that last milestone – Maria had never walked to church before, never mind there and back! Of course, both girls took care to practice responsible social distancing – usually resulting in them swerving to avoid any fellow exercisers they encountered.

On day 16, they received some good news – Olivia's cousin Giovanna informed them in an emotional video call that she had learned from the hospital in Turin that Aunt Lucia had survived the worst of the illness and was progressing towards a full recovery. This deeply gladdened the family's hearts – it finally seemed like something was turning for them.

However, on day 17, a cruel hammer blow struck.

It all started when Antonio received a phone call. After listening for a long time, his shoulders slumped, sending waves of nerves throughout the other members of the family. "Yes…yes, I understand." He muttered furtively. "Goodbye." He then hung up the phone and walked back to the table, his head bowed and shaking. All present braced themselves for the inevitable bad hews.

"Girls, that call was about your Nonno." Antonio spoke, his voice thick with emotion. "He…he died last night."

"You mean we'll never see him again?" Maria asked, tearing up.

"I'm afraid so." Antonio sighed, with Francesca rubbing his shoulders comfortingly.

"Was it…was it…" Olivia choked out, not wanting to contemplate the idea of her beloved grandpa dying the sort of horrific death associated with the coronavirus.

"We don't know." Her father answered, bluntly. "As you know, Italy are only counting those that die in hospitals as part of the official COVID-19 death toll. Even if it was, he would not have died of the disease in the eyes of the government. But…Nonno's caregiver did say he was coughing and complaining of a fever when she spoke to him two days ago."

"Please tell me he didn't die alone, Papa!" Olivia begged, anxiously.

"No. The caregiver said that Nonna made sure he could see her before he passed. She kept her distance, but she made sure he knew she was there." Antonio answered.

The two siblings had very different reactions. Maria, quite understandably, burst into tears and ran into the arms of her parents for a comforting hug. Olivia, however, stared off into space blankly. She couldn't describe the feeling that lived inside her chest at the moment. It was a conflict of sorts, dragging her feelings from one side of the spectrum to another. She, quite simply, didn't know how to feel. She knew how she should feel, but was having difficulty expressing herself.

"Olivia? How are you feeling?" Francesca asked, gently.

"I don't know." Olivia replied, numbly. "I don't know whether to cry that he's dead, or be relieved that he didn't die alone after not being treated in a hospital, and a doctor or a nurse won't be scarred for life by having to refuse to treat him."

"I know it's a lot to take in, darling." Antonio answered. "But you know your grandfather had to be brave a long time ago, in his own way. He'd be so proud of how you're handling this crisis."

Olivia knew that her father was talking about her Nonno Georgio's role in the Italian Resistance during the Second World War. When he was almost her age, he risked life and limb to stand up to the fascist regime led by Benito Mussolini (or, as Olivia referred to him, "that big-chinned motherfucker") and to provide a voice for freedom. There was one big difference between the two though – Georgio had to move in secret to dodge his enemy, whilst Olivia had to stay in place. In her view, it took much more bravery to dodge a dictator's army than to sit on a balcony, Skype and keep her distance from people. Now he was dead at 91, and to many, that would be a ripe old age. But Olivia could not help but feel depressed at the idea of a tiny virus managing to do what one of the most feared men of the 20th century could not.

"What? No! Nonno was much braver than me!" She insisted.

"But you are facing the biggest trial the world has had to endure since his." Antonio responded. "You can only fight an enemy with the best tool to defeat it. And you are responding wonderfully so far."

Later that night, Olivia was chatting with Carrie via Skype.

"I'm so sorry about your grandpa, Livy." Carrie offered. "Was it the coronavirus?"

"No – at least, as not as far as the Italian government's concerned – he didn't die in a hospital. At least he wasn't alone when he went." Olivia then let out a sad sigh. "I guess the saddest part about this whole thing is that we're not going to go to his funeral."

"I know. That's the most terrible thing about this pandemic – people can't say goodbye to their loved ones." Carrie agreed. "I'm just really nervous about Mama. I've read about how it's spreading in hospitals – I just hope it doesn't get her before I have the chance to tell her I forgive her. And the same goes for the Ultras as well."

"Why would you feel sorry for them? They made your life a living hell!" Olivia exclaimed.

"Everybody's being affected by this, just and unjust alike. Besides, they were just followers – they and their families lives don't deserve to be ruined for not knowing better." Carrie retorted.

"I guess you're right." Olivia sighed.

"Look, I'll tell the rest of the group about what happened – you should be spending time with your family right now." Carrie said as she began to finish the call. "You're in my prayers."

"Thanks, Carrie." Olivia smiled, fondly. "Arriverderci."

"Arriverdeci, Livy." Carrie farewelled as their conversation ended. The Italian-American then got up and went into the hallway. As she passed Maria's bedroom, she heard the sound of sniffles coming from inside. Olivia eased the door open and felt her heart break, as she saw her younger sister hugging herself whilst crying weakly. The eldest daughter slipped into the bedroom and placed a comforting hand on Maria's shoulders.

"You're really going to miss Grandpa, aren't you?" Olivia asked, sympathetically.

"Uh huh." Maria wobbled by way of reply. "I don't like not being able to go to his funeral."

"I know. That's the saddest part for me as well, Maria." Olivia answered, honestly. "Do you know why that is?"

"No." Maria replied.

"Well, do you remember when baby Stefano died in Mama's tummy?" Olivia asked.

"Yes." Maria answered.

"That was very sad, wasn't it?" Olivia agreed. "But do you remember how we made ourselves feel better? We made a list of all the cool things Stefano could have done. Then we imagined that he was getting to do all those things in Heaven. That made me feel better, and I know it made Mama and Papa feel better, as well as Marco, Grandma and Grandpa. But also Aunt Lucia and Uncle Roberto, and cousins Giovanna, Isabella, Angelo and Fabio. We told all those amazing stories to them when they came to see us, and it made them feel better. But we won't be able to do that now, because we can't fly to Italy."

"Every family where somebody died is like that now, huh?" Maria wondered.

"Yep. And that's really sad." Olivia replied, choking out a stifled sob. "Remember when I said we were going to cry again at some stage, Maria? This is one of those times. But just remember: We're all in this together…"

This was the third rendition of the High School Musical number. While the first two were calls to bravery, this third rendition was one of pure sadness. Tears streamed down the faces of both girls, as they mourned for the loss of their grandpa, and grieved in solidarity with those who were unable to farewell their loved ones during this most difficult time in history. When the song was finished, the two girls held each other and cried for a good 15 minutes.

The De Rossi's prayers that night were exclusively focused on those who had lost a loved one during this pandemic. And Olivia would awake to a sea of messages from her friends giving her their condolences.

*** FLAAN ***

It was day 22 when Olivia stumbled upon a genius plan. After hatching it with Maria, the two girls went to their parents with their idea.

"Papa, you know how all these celebrities are posting videos of themselves on YouTube and Instagram?" Olivia asked. "I think we should do our own challenge. Like, we could do something, then challenge fans of other teams to do the same."

"Why do I have a bad feeling about this?" Antonio sighed.

"Don't be that way, Antonio." Francesca reprimanded. She then smiled at her two daughters. "What were you thinking, girls?"

"We were thinking of singing and dancing together as a family." Maria answered.

"What song?" Antonio asked, his eyes narrowing. When told the name of the song, he recoiled in disdain.

"No." He declared. "You girls can do anything you want, but leave me out of this."

"It's a fun song, Papa!" Olivia wheedled, trying to convince him.

"Yes, a song for children. I have a reputation to uphold." Antonio answered. "What will people think when they see me dancing to some Disney song?"

"They'll think you're a good citizen trying to provide support to those around you during trying times." Francesca offered. "Plus, you've sung along with Maria before."

"I just love how you sing "Let It Go", Papa!" Maria grinned.

"But that was in private as a father!" Antonio protested. "This will be on the Internet, and this will be forever!"

"What's the worse that could happen? People find out you have an actual personality beyond "big serious Catholic dentist?" Olivia teased.

Just then, Antonio sighed – there was no way he was going to win this battle.

"Fine." He grumbled. "I don't know High School Musical so well – give me the lyrics."

Within an hour, the family were assembled in the sitting room. Antonio, Francesca, Olivia and Maria were each armed with a copy of the lyrics to the song in question.

"So, Olivia and I are going to be Gabriella and Troy." Maria announced, with all the polish of a Broadway producer. "Olivia can be Troy – she's the big sports person, so I'll be Gabriella!"

"And Troy is…?" Antonio racked his brain.

"The basketball player, Papa! Try to keep up!" Olivia urged her father.

"And Mama and Papa – you can be Sharpay and Ryan!" Maria smiled.

"Sharpay's the scientist, right…?" Antonio wondered.

"Oh, Papa!" Olivia sighed, rolling her eyes in an amused fashion.

"Honestly!" Maria added, following suit.

"Your papa is just teasing – of course he knows what you're talking about!" Francesca laughed.

"Yeah, I know the characters – I just don't know the songs so well." Antonio replied. "Tween music is not really my taste."

"Well, there's a first time for everything!" Olivia grinned. "Let's get this rehearsal on the road!"

And so, every afternoon the De Rossi's would sing and dance in their sitting room as they tried to get a hang of the song. Olivia and Maria were naturals, having sung it many times before. However, what really impressed the two kids was how Antonio and Francesca got a hang of their parts. So much so, in fact, that by day 26 they were ready to go live. Olivia set her cellphone upon a stable vantage point, so that they could record their singing. She then stood a safe distance and began to speak.

"Ciao, everybody!" Olivia greeted, happily. "I'm Olivia! This here is my sorellina Maria, and these two are my parental units, Antonio and Francesca. And together, we're the De Rossi family, proud residents of Manhattan's Lower East Side!" Her tone grew more serious as she continued. "Look, I know the world has been a bit crazy lately. So I just wanted to put this out there as a little something I like to call the "We're All In This Together YouTube Challenge"! So, we're going to sing and dance to a song – I think you've all guessed which one by now – and then we'll issue a challenge to fans of sports teams who, let's be honest, have nothing to do right now! I chose to target this to sports fans because I'm a big sports fan myself, and well, I'll let the song do the talking. If someone accepts the challenge, this might become A Thing. If not, hey, at least we gave you something to laugh at, which I think we all need right now."

She then stepped back and walked over to where Antonio's phone was lying. They had set up his Spotify to play the desired song. Upon pressing play, the song began to play over the Bluetooth speaker next to it.

All four members of the family began to launch into the opening portion of the song. This song served initially as a private moment between two sisters, which would solidify their bond during this crisis. Now it was used as a message of support to the world, an invitation to cast off their fears and anxieties and have some fun for a while. All four voices mixed and blended in perfect harmony.

After the intro, Olivia and Maria stepped up to deliver the first verse.

Both sisters took the opportunity to express their joy at being able to rejoice with each other, even in their darkest times. This exercise also served as a distraction for both of them. For Olivia, it served as a way to cleanse her mind of her horrific nightmare. For Maria, it was a way for her to get over her sadness of not being able to do her favourite things. For both girls, it served as a way of drawing a line under the mourning period for their grandpa and looking forward to the future. Even though the love between Troy and Gabriella was different from the love Olivia and Maria had for one another, it was no less intense.

Antonio and Francesca then joined their daughters on the chorus. This song was a celebration of Troy and Gabriella becoming stars at anything they wanted to – be that basketball, academia or the musical. But Olivia sang the chorus with a special meaning to it. She was once a one-eyed sports fan, who showed disdain for others based on the clothing that they wore. Whilst she never wished them harm, she never exactly wished her rivals well either. Now she was showing her new heart – everybody who was trying to get their family through this crisis was a star. It didn't matter to her whether they backed the Yankees or the Red Sox, the Giants or the Cowboys, I Bianconeri or Il Biscione, anybody who was trying to keep their families strong, sane and healthy during this pandemic were stars and heroes as far as Olivia was concerned.

Francesca and Antonio took over the second verse. What really impressed Olivia during rehearsals was her Papa's loud baritone singing voice. Antonio's presence, coupled with Francesca tackling the song with all the gusto she could muster, added a sense of gravitas to the otherwise lightweight pop song. As the chorus came around again, the De Rossi family stood united to send a message to the world – that they were all champions in their own way. But they also sent a message to each other. The parents thought their daughters champions for facing this pandemic head on, and the daughters were thanking their parents for giving them the bravery to do so.

During the bridge, all four members of the family just let loose and enjoyed themselves. Olivia and Maria twisted and turned together, punching the air as they did so. The two sisters then turned and laughed happily as they saw Antonio and Francesca dancing the paso doble as they sang. This was what they wanted – to get everybody involved in the music and take their mind off things for a few minutes. As they came into the final chorus, they realised that for the first time in a while, they weren't thinking about harrowing death tolls, closed businesses, worrying about friends and family or mourning grandparents. They were just lost in the sea of pure joy of being together as a family.

As the song finished, all four family members finished with a final flourishing pose, holding their arms out wide in the air. Olivia then faced the camera and began to speak.

"We challenge fans of the Boston Red Sox, the Dallas Cowboys, and Inter Milan! You have 24 hours!" The Italian-American began, laying down the challenge. "From this Yankee fan, it's over to you!" With that, Olivia stopped recording, then began the process of registering with, and uploading the video to, YouTube.

Within 24 hours, Olivia and her family would know whether they hit a home run, or struck out.

*** FLAAN ***

Her attempt at a viral challenge had gone, well, viral!

By the time, Olivia checked YouTube the following morning, there were three videos posted, one from each fan base challenged. Olivia felt so humbled that people took an interest in what her family had done, she didn't even mind it when the Red Sox response ended with a defiant "Yankees Suck!" Chant. The challenges that followed were many and varied.

"I challenge fans of the Tampa Bay Rays, Philadelphia 76ers and the Buffalo Bills!"

"…Houston Astros, Los Angeles Rams and the Philadelphia Eagles!"

"….Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid!"

Within the week, the amount of videos had shot right up as sports fans right around the world showed their support and solidarity with one another. Olivia was amazed to see her old sparring partner Renee take up the challenge on behalf of the Eagles, singing and dancing with her Swoop the Eagle plush toy. When she first met her friends via Skype for the first time since the video dropped, she received unanimous congratulations from all involved.

"Here's the big social star!" Brianna cheered as the group convened.

"OMG, Livy! You're YouTube famous!" Cat squealed in delight.

"Yeah, well, so's Dani." Olivia retorted, referring to Danielle's own popular YouTube stream.

"Yeah, but I just talk about music. It's not like I inspire anyone." Danielle replied, fiddling with one of her silver spear-tip earrings. "You actually put a smile on people's faces during the saddest times of their lives. That's much more impressive."

"Absolutely." Carrie agreed. "I think it's wonderful what you've done, Livy."

"Thanks, girls! You're going to make me cry here in a minute!" Olivia smiled, grateful as always for her friends and their love. After a brief moment, a cheeky grin crossed the Italian-American's face. "Anyway, onto the big questions: Renee, when are you and Swoop getting hitched? Because you two really had it going on!" She joked.

"Fuck you, Livy!" Renee laughed, jokingly flipping her off as the group, Olivia included, began to sing: "Renee and Swoop, sitting in a tree…"

Yeah, it was childish, but who the fuck cared? They were having fun, during a moment where everything else seemed so bleak and hopeless. They had all cried on each other's virtual shoulders when they needed it, it was only fair they finally had fun as well. All eight girls kept in mind Carrie's words that they had to stay optimistic and find something that made them happy. Olivia then knew that, when this crisis was over, they would be bonded together for life.

On day 40, Olivia uploaded a video thanking all who participated in her challenge.

"Wow!" She had begun, shaking her head on wonderment. "Holy shit! When this immigrant girl from Italy who fell in love with American sports put that video up, I was just trying to cheer up my family. I mean, I didn't expect people from all over the world to cotton onto this the way they have. It's just such an honour to be able to put a smile on people's faces during this sad time."

Olivia then let out a sigh and began to massage her temple with her hands. "And I think it's important to acknowledge that this is a sad time. People have died. People are going to die, and they won't get get the honour or the dignity of a proper funeral. I've lost my grandpa, possibly, to this bastard of a virus – not officially, but I have my suspicions. In any event, I won't be able to pay tribute to him at his funeral. Millions of people worldwide are in the same situation."

Tears welled up inside her eyes as Olivia continued to speak. "And here I am, right in the United States' deadliest place for COVID-19. They've had to set up temporary hospitals all over the place. I first learned to kick a soccer ball in the middle of Central Park. Now, people are dying and will die, without members of their family present, in the place where I had one of my happiest childhood memories. I've seen forklifts moving human bodies. It's…it's horrible. It's just horrible. Sorry…"

At this, Olivia dissolved into sobs. Grabbing a Kleenex, she wiped her eyes furiously. She then covered her face with her hands and took several deep breaths, attempting to compose herself. When she had composed herself, she eventually began to start talking again.

"Look, I know this is tough and hard and fucking scary for a lot of people. I get that. But, in the worst of circumstances, I've seen the best in people. I've seen Italians, Spaniards, French, Britons and my fellow Americans react with such compassion, generosity and love towards each other. It really gives me hope that, when this terrible pandemic is over, this world will be better than ever."

Bravery filled her voice as Olivia prepared to sign off. She did the same heart-shaped gesture that Carrie had shown her, showing her love to her city, her country and the world. "So, to the world I say, stay safe, and stay strong. To my fellow Americans, especially my fellow New Yorkers, hang in there – brighter days are coming. And to Italy, my birthplace and motherland…Andra tutto bene."

The Italian-American then blew a kiss to the camera. "I love you all." She finished as the video came to an end.

*** FLAAN ***

Next chapter: Carrie reflects on the changes the coronavirus has made in her life, learns valuable lessons about social distancing and flattening the curve, and uses her platform as Tony Stark's daughter to try and make a difference.

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