A/N: First off this came from no where, I just adore the song and Hinder so much I had to write this. Secondly this takes place back in good old 2008, Michael was never shot and Sonny never took Johnny. Enjoy!

He wrapped his arms around Kate, just like he knew Ric was doing to Claudia, in their bed on the other side of town. He just hoped that they had done the right thing in breaking up after the pregnancy scare. He knew he missed her, that's why he was diving head first into work and back with Kate. He needed the substitute, but he was learning quickly that no one could replace her. She was learning the exact same lesson, but was learning how to deal with it, maybe. She was beginning to realize that dating the lawyer who was going to get her brother acquitted meant nothing when her heart wasn't in it. Maybe Johnny was right, maybe she should leave Ric. But where would she go? Because as far as she was concerned Sonny wasn't an option anymore. After what had happened, they didn't mesh like they used to.

It only took three minutes, but to them three minutes sounded like an eternity. In three minutes they would find out if their relationship would have to go public, if they would have a baby to bring into the world. When the timer 'dinged' Claudia jumped up from the bathroom floor, where both she and Sonny sat. She held the test and looked at it closely. He couldn't tell whether her face held a smile or a frown.

"What does it say?" He asked, worry clouding his voice.

She shook her head.

"I'm not pregnant."

He watched as her head dropped a little and her shoulders slouched as she walked back into her bedroom. He followed closely, wondering what was going through her head at the moment. They both sat on the bed.

"What's wrong?"

They had been together long enough for him to know when she was upset.

"Are you disappointed?" He asked her.

"It's not that…I'm disappointed in myself for not wanting our child. Sonny, I love being with you, but I could never…would never bring a child into our world. I wouldn't be able to do it. Not knowing how our world is and how dangerous it is. And even though our child didn't exist, I feel bad for not wanting it."

A few tears slipped from her eyes, Sonny used the pads of his thumbs to wipe her tears away. She shook him off a little, not wanting his comfort right now.

"Are you disappointed?"

"A little, I'm the exact opposite of you, Claudia. I wanted our baby, I wanted a baby with you. It may sound crazy, but in a way I wanted a reason to come out with our relationship."

"So we wanted two completely different things. I'll never be able to give you what you want, Sonny. I don't want a baby."

"What are you saying? Are you saying our relationship should end?"

"I don't know anymore."

When his phone began to ring, both Sonny and Kate jolted in bed. She scowled at him before lying back down while he grabbed the phone and checked the caller id. When he saw her name flash on the phone's screen, he knew he would need a cover.

"Kate, it's Jason. I'm going to take this into the other room."

"Whatever." She mumbled not even turning to look at him.

He rolled his eyes at her, getting the feeling she really didn't even care anymore. When he got into his study, he closed the door. He didn't understand why he felt so anxious to talk to her, but just the thought of it excited him.

"Hey, why are you calling so late? It's kind of hard to talk right now."

"I screwed up."

"What's wrong? You're crying. What did Ric do to you?" He loudly whispered.

He was ready to go downtown and beat the crap out of his brother because he knew Ric was the reason she was crying. He didn't care what Kate had to say about it, his whole heart still belonged to Claudia even though no one knew it.

"I'm fine. Why are you whispering?"

"Kate's in the next room. Does Ric know you called me? Will he get mad?"

"He doesn't have a clue, he gets mad about other things. Does Kate even have a clue?"

"No, she doesn't. Claudia, why did you-?"

"Call? I needed to hear your voice. We fought and I just…...I need you, Sonny." She sobbed.

He stood in silence for a few seconds. She needed him and he couldn't leave her alone. What had Ric said? What had his brother down to his Claudia?

"Where are you, baby?"

"Pier 39. Ric didn't want me in the apartment."

He looked at his clock, it was almost midnight. When it got dark it was dangerous on the piers. People avoided the piers at night in fear of their lives, it wasn't unlikely that there would be shootings or people being stabbed there.

"I'll be right there, stay put."

"Thank you."

He was glad he kept an extra pair of pants and a shirt in his study that way he didn't have to go back to his room and wake Kate again. But when he opened the study door he found Kate standing there, an angry look on her face.

"That didn't sound like Jason." She stated the obvious.

"You know what Kate? I'm done, you can take me as I am or leave, but at this point I don't care. Now move, please."

She stepped out of his way and he left, not even letting the guards drive him. When he made it to pier 39 he found a broken woman lying on the bench. Tears had stained her face and right then and there he promised himself that he would hurt Ric for hurting her.

"Claudia." He called out to her.

She looked up and ran to him. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close to him. She was freezing from sitting in the cold so long.

"Sonny.." She sobbed.

"You know it's really good to hear my name coming from your lips. I'm glad you called me, you had been on my mind."

"I've missed you a lot. I've dreamt of you and Ric always woke me up."

His arms tightened around her at the mention of Ric.

"He threw me out, Sonny. He…..he grabbed my….my arm and literally threw me out."

"Shhh, it's all okay. Why did he get mad? He was infatuated with you before. What changed?"

A cry came off her lips before she could hold it back. She wiggled out of his arms and pulled back the jacket she had wrapped herself in, Sonny saw it nearly immediately; a bump on her tiny body could be easily spotted. He watched as more tears fell down her cheeks, he couldn't stand it.

"We haven't been together….long enough for me to have a bump. He knew…..it wasn't his."

"The baby's mine...?"

She nodded.

"We're going to have a baby. And it's not that I'm not happy, it's just...I hurt him so bad."

He pulled her back to him as sobs racked her small body. He knew she was tired and cold, so he bent down and picked her up. He drove her to his house and turned on the fireplace. She sat there wrapped in a blanket while he sat right next to her. Kate glared at her as she made her way down the steps, a suitcase trailing behind her. She stood at the door and turned around to face them.

"You made your choice and now I've made mine."

With that she was gone, out of the house and out of Sonny's life.

"I'm so sorry." Claudia told him.

"It's okay. It's just like she said, I made my choice. You are my choice, now and forever."

She laid down, her head in lap. He ran his finger over her lips.

"What are you doing?"

Before he gave her an answer, he kissed her.

"Yep, you still have the lips of an angel."