Author's Note:

I know. I hate when people do this, too. But, alas, sometimes it needs to be done.

As you've probably noticed, I haven't updated in a while. I am so, so sorry for that and I shouldn't be making excuses but I will anyway (only because you all deserve an explanation). I've been very busy this summer with the usual summer stuff and FF kind of took a back-burner, which I feel awful about. In truth, I'm not sure I have much motivation for this story anymore. I'm not crazy about how I wrote it, and I don't have very many ideas on where to take the plot. It feels... repetitive. That's why I decided I'm going to let you all decide what I should do (a good, old-fashioned voting system).

One option is to put this story on hiatus (like a long break) until I wrap up my other fics and get to a point where I feel like I have enough good ideas and motivation to give N.S.o.a.M. the continuation it deserves.

The second is that I can write a nice little epilogue and end this fic here. Now before you think, "Wow, Willow sure is taking the easy way out," hear me out. If we chose to do this, I would be starting a sort of prologue to this one revolving around a story I'm finding myself growing very interested in: Scip and Serafina. It sounds ridiculous, but I've already thought of the plot and it's not the typical meet-and-fall-in-love kind of romance.

The basic plot is this: Victor gets wind of the notorious Richard Capito's arrival in Venice and plans on nailing him for alleged embezzlement, and decids the best way to get to the bottom of this particular case is through the businessman's daughter, Serafina. Is it pure luck that his new parter Scipio happens to be complaining lately of a "red-headed puzzle". Scip wants nothing to do with the heiress, yet she seems to want everything to do with him. Victor was all too pleased to hear this, and gives the young detective his first case: Get close to the girl, get to the bottom of the Capito scandal, and get out the relationship. It should have been easy. But Scipio quickly learns that putting together Serafina Capito is anything but easy.

A million thank-you's to everyone who has been with me through the beginning. This was my first story and I will always have a special place in my heart for it. Whatever happens, this won't be the end of my time writing for this tiny little wonderful fandom. I just think it's time for some changes so I can give you all my best.

So please leave a review with your preference, and I'll start writing right away!

-Willow