Brennan stared at the article and closed the laptop which Erin did not like. "I don't think you should read this, Erin." she said. Erin got up from the bed, "I DO! That's MY father! Anything concerning my father, concerns me!" Erin was yelling, she was furious. "You don't get to tell me what I can and cannot read! I'm going to read it on my own. Excuse me." Erin said harshly and ran out of her mother's room. Brennan felt the stung of Erin's words. Erin raced to her room and closed the door and quickly typed the title of the article into her browser. Her heart was racing as she continued to read, she felt sick,
"Dr. Michael Stiers blood levels were 3X the legal limit with traces of diamorphine. Upon further examination, it was confirmed Dr. Stiers was battling the ending stages of colon cancer. Was Dr. Stiers a part of the growing Heroin epidemic in Chicago?"
Erin had tears streaming down her cheeks and she snapped her laptop closed and threw it on her bed. "Heroin? Dad? Heroin? You were using?" she was asking her father as if he could hear her. "Did you know you were going to die?" she continued to ask within sobs. Brennan also read the article, "Michael….cancer? It doesn't make sense...why not follow the correct course of treatment?" she asked herself. She walked to Erin's room and she placed her ear on her door. Brennan could hear her daughter's sob, her silent cries of 'why', and the sound of her hyperventilating. She couldn't take it. She wanted to give Erin her space but she couldn't. Her child was hyperventilating. She knocked and entered Erin's room, her maternal instincts kicking in. She rubbed Erin's back as her face was buried in between her blankets. "Please go away. I cant- I don't want you-" Erin struggled to say between breaths. Brennan shook her head, "I'm not going anywhere. I know you're mad at me but I can't leave you alone while you're actively hyperventilating. Erin, turn around please. You need to regulate your breathing." Brennan ordered. Erin composed herself, well she tried. She turned around and laid back allowing Brennan to wipe her tears away with kleenex "I want you to exhale and inhale when I do. Please, look at me honey." Brennan said while trying to hide the fact she was also tearing up. Erin looked at her mom who was soon laying next to her and breathing calmly. She repeated this process three more times, Brennan moved the wet strands of Erin's hair back into place, "Feeling better?" she asked Erin.
Erin nodded, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry for what I said." She apologized and attempted not to cry. Brennan placed a kiss on Erin's head, "Don't worry about that. It's okay." she whispered. Erin sniffled, "Cancer, he was already dying." she said while looking up at her mom with her tears rolling down her face. Brennan nodded and before she could speak Erin snuggled up against her mom and hugged her tight and continued to sob. Brennan returned the hug and kissed the top of her head multiple times. "I got you honey. It's okay. He's not in pain anymore. I have you." Brennan said sadly. Erin released herself from the embrace, just slightly, so she could look at her mom. "You do...You do-have me, mom." and returned to the embrace. Brennan soon released her sobs; she couldn't keep them anymore. Soon, Erin was sound asleep. She had fallen asleep while crying and Brennan quietly released herself from her daughter's embrace, kissed her forehead, placed a blanket over her and turned off the lights. She quickly got on the phone with Anthony, "I don't know what you need to do, but I need you to take that article off the internet. I need it gone! Erin has read it and is distraught. I'll pay whoever I need to remove the contents of the autopsy from the internet, the paper, anywhere. Understood?" After her call with Anthony Brennan immediately contacted Angela to see what she could do about the article. Brennan did not want Erin to read the article ever again. She didn't want Michael to be remembered as a drunk driver who killed himself before cancer could.
The next morning, Brennan woke up early wanting to check up on Erin. She made coffee first and then started to make breakfast. She had called the Jeffersonian to let Cam know she would be coming in late. Erin woke up to the smell of coffee and put on her robe and walked out of her room. Brennan heard her daughter walk up to the kitchen and smiled when she saw her face, "Good morning, sweetheart." She greeted Erin. Erin smiled sadly and walked to her mom and gave her a hug. "I'm sorry about what I said. I really am, mom." Erin apologized once more. Brennan rubbed Erin's back, "I know you are. It's okay. Would you like to come into work with me today? Or would you like to stay home?" she asked. Erin looked down at the counter, "I rather stay home, if that's okay?" she asked her mom. Brennan smiled, "Of course it is. I just wanted to be here when you woke up. I wanted to check on you. I'm going to finish getting ready for work. Go ahead and eat." she said as she kissed Erin's cheek. Erin smiled and began to drink her coffee. She decided to walk out to the balcony for a while. Brennan finished getting ready and walked out to say goodbye to Erin."Erin, I'm leaving now. Let me know if you need anything, okay?" she said as she placed her hands on Erin's shoulder. Erin nodded, "Okay, drive safe..Mom?" she said as she looked up to her, "I love you." There she finally said it. She felt it, she always did, but last night was more than enough to prove to Erin that her mother really did love her. Brennan pulled in Erin for a hug and kissed her forehead, "And I love you, my sweet girl. I'll call you later." she said as she stood up and began to walk away. Brennan closed her apartment door and leaned into it. Her daughter had told her she loved her.