Natalie held up a tiny blue onesie that looked like a tuxedo, "What about this one? It's so cute." She turned it toward herself, smiling brightly. Sierra looked toward Reagan, who was shuffling through a couple of the onesie next to them. Her best friend gave her a sympathetic grin before looking back to the rack. 

"Are you sure this is a good idea? It feels kind of silly." Sierra remarked as she rubbed her hand over her stomach. To most people it probably looked like she had gained some weight, nothing really showing. To her though it was obvious, none of clothes were fitting right anymore. Whenever she took off her pants, she would see those offensive red mark from the waistband. All the changes were beginning to make her feel self-conscious and uncomfortable in her own skin.

Natalie threw the onesie into the basket, which she had been slowly filling up since they walked into the little boutique. She limbed toward Sierra, leaning her weight into her cane, "Trust me, Scottie will appreciate the gesture and the surprise. I know my brother, he's a schmuck for this kind of stuff." She patted Sierra on her shoulder as she walked around her to another rack. 

Reagan had driven Sierra to her three month ultrasound today, and Natalie had asked to tag along in Scottie's stead. He had wanted badly to be there when they found out the sex of the baby but he had an important business meeting that couldn't be rescheduled. 

Reagan pulled a tiny coat from the rack, it has little skulls all over it, "This is kind of cute..." She seemed less sure of herself as she held it up. She had been acting strangely since Sierra and Scottie had dinner with her and Austin a couple weeks ago, and he had brought up the topic of them having children together. Sierra knew that her best friend had been more skittish over getting to settled and attached to Austin, in case something didn't work out. Which was ridiculous it was easy to see the two of them were perfect for each other. 

Natalie leaned over to get a better look, "Oh definitely! Good eye!Throw it in the basket. My nephew is definitely going to be the best dressed baby is this city." Reagan smiled at their new friend's enthusiasm, chucking it into the basket that was beginning to overflow. 

Sierra shook her head, combing her fingers through her hair, "Don't you think we've got enough for now, Nat?" 

Natalie lifted her face in Sierra's direction, "You are having a beautiful baby boy. The doctor said he looks and sounds healthy, at this point what more could you ask for in this kind of situation? I think that deserves to be celebrated." There was a look in her silver gaze that had Sierra feeling a little guilty over her attitude. She knew that Natalie had been through a terrible accident, not only had she been left with the physical scars. She had lost her husband, and whatever dreams they had been building together. It wasn't fair, but Sierra knew well that life wasn't fair.

Sierra wasn't sure if she had what it took to be a good mother. She wasn't sure where her and Scottie's relationship was going. A lot of things in her life were in flux at the moment, but Natalie was right about one thing. Her baby was healthy and developing well, that was something she should be satisfied with, "You're right..." 

She turned to the nearest rack, eyes resting on a tiny pair of converse. Sierra felt something in her heart give way as she grabbed them up, holding them up. They were so small, and perfect, "How about these?" 

Natalie looked to her with a bright smile, "Perfect! Into the basket with them." she encouraged. 

They spent the next hour buying more stuff than they needed too, and when Natalie offered to pay for it all Sierra had tried to refuse her. Natalie quickly responded with telling her that she had more money than she knew what to do with, and that she would be spoiling her nephew so Sierra might as well just accept that now. 

"I'll go get the car. Be right back." Reagan remarked as they left the boutique, each carrying handfuls of bags. Natalie and Sierra were discussing how to surprise Scottie with ultrasound, when she heard a familiar voice. Sierra lifted her face to see Angela coming out of the café next door with Chloe and Andrew in tow. She felt the sudden urge to flee for a moment but that thought went out the door when Angela's beady eyes locked on her like heat seeking missiles. 

"Look who it is..." 

Chloe and Andrew hadn't noticed her yet, too caught up in one another. Obviously they had fixed whatever issue they had been having and were as thick as thieves again. She had expected her heart to ache at the sight of them but she felt nothing. That was more of a shock to her then actually seeing them in the flesh. Chloe sneered at Sierra, leaning more protectively into Andrew as if she thought Sierra would reach out and snatch him away from her. The concept was laughable in her mind. She wanted absolutely nothing from her, especially not him. 

Angela snickered as she looked over Sierra, gaze zeroing in on her stomach, "God, this is priceless. I sure hope you know who the babies daddy is, home wrecker." The need to protect her baby from the spiteful witch burned in her veins, "Hope it's not that girl's boyfriend you were messing around with...what was her name again?" 

"Marcy..." Chloe filled in. How had she known that?  Had she snooped through her things? Had they been following her around?  It made Sierra feel a wave of discomfort at the thought that how far they had dug around in her life, at how hard they had been working to try and make her miserable. All they cared about was dragging her through the mud, making sure she was shamed completely and utterly. 

Angela snapped her fingers, "That's right, Marcy..." She looked to Sierra with a victorious grin. 

"So you were the one behind the disruption on my birthday..." Natalie interjected, starring down Angela, silver eyes flashing like sharp iron. She took a step forward, "You know I've known many people like you in my life. You think you're a social warrior, a hero to save others from those who would prey on them..." She shook her head, dark waves swaying as she placed a hand on Sierra's shoulder, "But your really just a mad dog, that will spend day after day, chasing it's own tail. You bark at false villains, and  look to your master be praised for your good work..." Her eyes flashed over to Chloe, giving her a knowing smirk. 

Sierra didn't know what to say, sensing the tension that was taking up root. Natalie turned her face toward Andrew, "Hello Drew. It's been a while since you had dinner with the family..." She must be referring to her and Scottie. Sierra didn't know how close they were to him but it seemed that there was a good amount of familiarity, "Feel free to bring your girlfriend, she seems lovely." Her words dripped with sarcasm as her gaze moved back to Angela, "But I would suggest you leave your dog at home. My house isn't pet friendly." 

They all stood frozen at Natalie's words as Reagan pulled up and honking the horn, "That's our ride. See you around." Natalie linked her arm through Sierra's turning them away from the people who wished to knock her down, over and over. 

"Thank you for that, but you didn't have too..." 

Natalie let out a chuckle, "Oh I know, but I wanted too. I have a thing for poking at self-righteous hypocrites..." 

~~~~~~~~

The sound of keys jingling echoed through the quiet apartment. 

Sierra had given Scottie a key to her apartment, and cleared out a drawer for him in her dresser about a week ago. He had been spending more then have the weeknights at her place it only seemed to make since. She was laying in bed reading one of the books that Reagan had bought for her when Scottie got home from work. 

He came into her bedroom looking handsome in his slacks and button up blue shirt that brought out the brightness of his eyes. Her fingers itched to run through the soft waves. Scottie shucked off his dress shoes, "It was hard to be at work today when I wanted so badly to be with you..." The first words out of his mouth made her cheeks rush with heat. His honesty still took her by surprise, made her feel like a young girl with a crush. 

"It's okay, Natalie and Reagan kept me busy..." Sierra shrugged her shoulders before leaning over her side of bed to grab the gift bag she had prepared that evening after Reagan had dropped her off at her apartment. "I got something for you..."

She felt nervous as she handed him the paper bag. His brows lifted up in surprise at the gift, lips slowly curving up into a smile, "I wonder what you could have gotten me..." He shook the bag, playfully before opening it. 

He reached in and pulled out the tiny pair of converse, "I think these might be a little to small for me, beautiful." Sierra chuckled at his cheesy joke, he was such a loveable dope. Scottie set the shoes down on the side table, digging into the bag for more goodies. She felt a bit nervous about how he was going to respond when he found out the news. 

He pulled out the blue onesie tuxedo with the ultrasound photos taped to it. The expression on his face changed to one of shock as he set the paper bag down. He pulled the photos free, looking them over closely, before turning his eyes in Sierra's direction, "This is our baby..." It was like he was in the same daze she had been in. 

Sierra bit into her lip, nodding her head, "That's him..." 

"Him..." Scottie repeated the word, looking back to the photos. His lips curved up into a big grin that chased away any of the fear she had been feeling, "I'm going to have a son. I'm going to be a father." 

Sierra couldn't help but smile too, his happiness was contagious, "You are."  He set everything down and leapt onto the bed next to her, pulling her to him. She let out a laugh at his childish behavior, which he smothered in a heated kiss. When he pulled away they were both panting. 

"You are giving me the best moments of my life, Sierra." His whispered words echoed through her mind. She felt them deep in her soul, cherishing every syllable. She wanted to say that she felt the same way but the fear of jinxing what they had kept her silent. Instead she smiled at him, not a false smile she gave to the other men who had come in and out of her life. 

A real smile.

A smile just for him.