"Do you even know if it's your child, man?" Andrew's voice carried into the hallway, his question causing Sierra to freeze in place. She had come by to surprise Scottie with his favorite take-out, now she felt that perhaps that hadn't been the smartest choice. An unsettled feeling growing in her stomach, sierra really didn't want to hear anything that couldn't be unheard. 

Scottie scoffed, "Really, Drew? If that the reason you're here..."

"I'm serious, Scottie! You need to get one of those tests, because Sierra has gotten around. I'm sure she's slept with half the men in this city. Anyone of them could be the father." His words shouldn't have bothered her. It's not like she had made her sexual appetite a secret from the world. Still, Sierra felt much like the boy who cried wolf. Nobody would believe her, even if it was the truth was staring them in the face. She could take responsibility for her previous actions, some of them had been poor choices.

"Something like this could ruin your life and you're going places. I would hate for you to get stuck raising some other guys bastard child. You're a good man, Scottie. You deserve better than all of this shit that Sierra is trying to put on you." Sierra felt a wave of hot anger rush through her for a moment, how dare he call her son a bastards kid. If anyone was the bastard it was Andrew. 

Scottie let out an exasperated sigh, "If you think I should get a test, man...I'll get a test, but..."

Sierra pulled back from the door, heart racing so fast that she could feel it pumping the blood through her body. She didn't want to hear anymore. She felt like her mind was a jumble of words, echoing over and over. Sierra made her way down the hallway as quickly as she could walk, stopping at the security room.  She had become acquainted with the men that worked the room over the past couple of weeks. 

"Julian..." 

"Hey Sierra..." Julian turned in his chair, coffee in hand. He was giving her a curious look, "Is everything alright?" 

She forced herself to smile, though it seemed it was nearly impossible, "Oh yes, everything is fine. I actually was bringing Scottie some dinner..." The words sounded empty as she spoke them, lifting the take out box. She had come to surprise him, but it was her that had been taken by surprise. Tears began to pool in her eyes. 

Julian's curiosity morphed into to concern as he rose up from his chair, "Do you want me to go get Scottie for you?" His warm hand gave her shoulder a tender squeeze.

Sierra bit into her lip, holding back the swelling emotions inside of her. She shook her head, a few tears slipping free, "I can't stay and he's busy at the moment...do you think you could make sure he gets this?" She lifted the box, hand trembling. 

Julian took it from her with a solemn expression, "Are you sure you can't stay for a moment? I'm sure Scottie will be free in a moment and you seem mighty upset." 

"No I can't. Thank you, Julian." There was no smile this time. Sierra simply turned away and walked away. She let her hand drift to her stomach, unable to hold back the tears, "It's going to be okay. We're going to be okay." round and round, she gently rubbed. 

Sierra took the back exit of the club, not having the stomach to be surrounded by the memories of the life and person she had been before. She had been trying her best to change, to do right for herself and her baby. She wanted to be a good mother, someone her child could look up to. Sierra knew she would never be perfect, that she was still going to make mistakes. 

Letting Scottie in had clearly been another mistake, she felt completely undone.Tears streamed down her cheeks as she walked down the sidewalk. She could feel the eyes of strangers as she passed them but she didn't rightly care at the moment. Sierra had opened her heart, had begun to believe that in what she had found with Scottie but it seemed that was all false hope. 

The ring of her cellphone took some of her attention away from her current stream of painful thoughts. Sierra reached into her pocket, checking the caller ID before choosing to answer, "Hello?"

"...Is this, Sierra Palmer?" The raspy voice sounded slightly familiar to her but at the moment she was having trouble placing it.

She wiped her runny nose on the back of her sleeve, "yes, who is this?"

"My name is Tara, you probably don't remember who me..." 

Her heart quicken, any relationship issues being pushed to the side, "I remember you. You're Jonas' wife...is everything okay?" 

"Oh sweetie, I don't know how to tell you this..." Her heart sank further, already predicting what the next statement would be, "he passed away this afternoon." The sound in the world around her slowly quieted down, only the thrum of blood pumping through he veins was what she could hear. It seemed like suddenly she was moving through a waking dream, she felt numb to all of existence. 

"I'm sure this must be a shock..." Tara's voice trembled. 

"Oh...yes, it is." Sierra replied rather robotically, "I'm sorry for your loss, Tara. Truly, I am." It was true. Jonas had been one of the purest souls she had ever met. The world would be such a colder and darker place without him in it.

"And I am sorry for yours, Sierra. I know how special you were to Jonas." It suddenly hit Sierra like tone of bricks that this was happening, Jonas was dead. She would never be able to talk, laugh, or simply share a smile with him again. A sob broke free from her throat. She knew he had been dying, that there was coming a time when she would have to truly let go of him. Sierra had always feigned that there was more time but that hadn't been true.  She could hear the soothing tones of Tara's voice but she couldn't understand what she had said, "I'm sorry, what did you say?" She tried to pull herself together. 

"I said perhaps you would like to come over for a cup of tea, if you're able. I think it might be nice to have some company right about now, don't you?" It seemed more like she was doing this for Sierra and less for herself.

Still, Sierra didn't want to be alone right now, "I'll be there in twenty." 

"Wonderful, I'll put the kettle on."