Posed with the question of what fuels most to be the way they are, Sonny remained routed in his spot silent.

He looked away breaking the intense stare off only to blow out a harsh breath out of a stubborn side he's always had to not answer and instead said, "Shoot me."

I had tried my best to just watch and be a spectator but even that wasn't enough. Something burst inside me when I saw Nicky's finger twitch against the trigger. Stepping out of the vehicle all eyes shifted onto me in confusion.

The alarm flashed across Nicky's face before a frown emerged, "Go back in the car, Aaliyah," I froze in my pursuit to move towards him at the use of my full name coming out of his lips. It was one of the rare occasions he had ever used it but I quickly recovered my composure and replied, "And watch you kill him. No."

"Just liste –"

"No you listen!" I interjected widening my stance to stand my ground," Killing him won't fix anything."

"She's right," Joseph replied stepping closer towards Nicky hesitantly to pry the gun out of his hands. But the words fell on deaf ears as he stood there fuming, I knew he wasn't happy with the way we were reacting, "He deserves to die," he breathed tightening his hold on the weapon.

"The last thing you want is more blood on your hands when you're about to have a child come into this world, believe me... you don't want that karma falling upon your child, Nicky. So let the gun go," Joseph urged and though it was difficult for him to accept, Nicky eventually allowed his uncle to take the gun. However, just as the two conversed with Joseph telling him he was doing the right thing a bridge formed before my eyes.

Sonny saw the moment as a chance to react when he reached inside his suit jacket.

As he attempted to pull out a gun I took my first step in my journey across a new experience as I pulled out my own concealed weapon that I couldn't during those days leave the house without and aimed it towards his body pulling the trigger on him. The bullet sliced through his shoulder rendering him incapable of attacking. It's strange how after all this time I'm yet to grasp just what went through my mind at the time. I guess all I could think of was that I needed to protect those I cared for.

Before my life changed I couldn't even fathom the idea of owning what more using a gun and yet there I was in that open field stepping up to take such a risk. No one had really seen it coming. When the gun in Sonny's hand slipped Joseph was quick to also retrieve it and when he groaned out in pain my focus zoomed in on the sound of my heart clogging up my ears.

The panic washed over me at the prospect that I may have killed him. Just when I wanted to react on that panic Nicky came to my side and held me up. "C'mon, let's get the hell out of here," he murmured lowly into my ear. Tugging me closer to his chest he briefly turned to Damian and Lucien, "I've given you, Sonny – alive at that. I don't expect us to have any problems as long as you give me what I really want," he said tightening his arms around me as he addressed Damian and Lucien.

"We're men of our word," and those were the last words spoken from Lucien.

We moved towards the vehicle and once we entered neither of us said a thing. Even as Sonny was dragged by Lucien's men to be thrown into a trunk the feel of Nicky tensing beside me was indication of the fact no matter how much he didn't want to admit it, Sonny was someone he had cared for. It would take a long time for the connection to disappear.

On the drive back somewhere in the darkness I found his hand giving it a gentle squeeze to let him know that although he felt alone, I was there. Through the good and bad I'd be there through it all. He squeezed it back sating the worry in me and once we stepped out of the vehicle and managed to gain some form of calm. We had barely spent a minute or so in our home before he collapsed on the edge of the sofa and broke down.

His body shook in anguish and all I could do was take a seat beside him with tears of my own accumulating at seeing him in so much pain over something he never deserved. I put my hand tentatively on his back to rub gentle circles into it. I did not protest when he lied down to put his head on my lap. I was willing to do all I could to heal his wounds that had been reopened after so many years.

The process of removing the scab had been an unbearable process for him to endure. Unfortunately it had to happen in order for him to fully heal.

"Shhh...." I whispered leaning forward to lay a gentle kiss on his temple. He closed his eyes sniffling every now and then feeling spent from crying so hard. "I'm so sorry... I know no matter how many times I say it, it wo –"

"I love you... so much," his voice cracked and I wasted no time in responding. I had struggled to tell him but now that we had told each other just how deep our affections lied best believe I was ready to leap onto any chance I could to say it.

Running my fingers through his hair to soothe him, he shifted growing more comfortable on the couch. It wasn't long before the sniffles turned into light snores that had me leaning forward to find him asleep. It was a relief seeing finally get some resr.

***

I am not particularly sure how long I sat there humming a little tune to myself before I too drifted off to sleep. But when I opened my eyes I found myself in bed wearing one of his shirts enveloped in warmth from the duvet cover.

The sunlight that managed to slip past the curtains informed me the night had come to an end but the damage that had been done would take time to be repaired. Rubbing my eyes gently I stretched releasing a satisfying moan and placed a hand upon my belly at the kick I felt.

After undergoing my bathroom routine I left the room already in search of him to ensure if he was in much better spirits. It was when I entered the kitchen to find him looking serious with his arms crossed that alarm bells began to ring. It didnt help that when I moved further into the room I saw his mother by the kitchen island nursing a cup of coffee with Joseph seated next to her wearing a blank expression. It didn't take long for me to pick up on the fact something was amiss when Eva greeted me with a smile that didn't reach her eyes.

"Everything okay?" I asked switching my gaze between the two only to have Nicky scoff and lean further against the counter. "No... I don't think I appreciate the habit this family has of keeping secrets."

As soon as he said it the realization dawned upon me. When my eyes found those of Eva's, the slight nod of her head confirmed my initial suspicion, "You decided to tell him," I stated in a matter of fact tone.

Taking a seat I released a heavy sigh that had Nicky uttering, "Wait, you knew all along? Why the hell didn't you tell me?" he questioned and though I had wanted to reveal more of the reason behind Sonny's possible motives at the time I was still piecing it all together as much as he was. "It wasn't my story to tell."

He frowned clearly bemused by the explanation but it was the only suitable reason I could give," Be easy on her. If anything I gave her the impression that I didn't want you to know," Eva replied placing her hand onto my shoulder to offer some kind of support.

"Why the hell didn't you tell me, ma?!" Nicky queried dropping his arms to the side only to have his hands ball into fists in pure rage, "If I had known that fucker was after you, I would've killed him a long time ago," he seethed closing his eyes tightly shut as the rage overtook his body.

"I admit... when Sonny's wife and child passed shit just changed. I always assumed his change in behavior was a result of a man overcome with grief," Joseph murmured catching all of our attention to see the images flashing through his eyes. No doubt he was flipping through the pages of his mind trying to pick up on any possible signs from Sonny. But Sonny had blindsided all of us with his actions.

"I just fail to understand why it took you this long to say anything about Sonny's advances?" The question was posed to Eva whose hand dropped from my shoulder at having to give an answer she had convinced herself would remain buried from her son.

However, everything was coming to the surface. For the sake of ensuring there was some ounce of clarity we had to bring everything to the light. "I-I didn't want to take away the only other person you had in your life. Once Victor was in prison Sonny became the only other male figure in your life. Even if I didn't like him, it was nice seeing you have moments where you managed to be happy," her voice came out slightly demure. It was clear she was uncertain over her past judgements but as she continued her voice hardened at the anger and equal betrayal she felt, "But I promise you if I had known about what he had done I would have killed that bastard myself!" she sneered. When I turned to look at her the moisture trickling down her cheeks had me shifting closer to offer comfort to her the same way she always had for me.

Nicky's face softened at the sight of his mother's tears. In no time he was by her side wrapping his arm over her till she all but collapsed onto his chest, "I-I s-swear I wouldn't h-have..." she choked back on a sob and that alone caused him to tighten his hold on her. It was hard to come to terms with the fact that the person they had opened their home to could've have done this. Just when a part of me felt terrible for shooting him, I grew to wish in that moment watching a family console themselves over a loss that shouldn't have occurred in the first place that the bullet killed Sonny.

My eyes momentarily switched off to Joseph to find him looking remorseful and although I wanted to believe the storm had come to an end. I had a feeling we were not completely in the clearing.