- Three Months Later -

With her baby bump growing by the day, and her sister being pregnant along side her, Brianna feels as though she should be a lot happier than she is. Looking down at her small bump doesn't feel the same as it did with Birdie; she seemingly can't genuinely smile about this.. Brie loves her baby, of course she does.. but she's doubtful that'll be enough.

At the moment, she's approximately three months into pregnancy - her bump isn't huge, but you can easily tell she's pregnant. Soon enough, her and Nikki will need to announce their news to the masses. Although, Brie would rather hide away and keep it a secret; telling the world is such a huge step, and one she isn't ready for. However, they're in the public eye.. if they don't tell people themselves, the paparazzi will do it for them.

That's why, in a couple of weeks, her and Nikki will be doing a double maternity photoshoot. Of course, Brianna was over the moon for her sister - she's seen her struggle for years with potentially never being a parent - and now, she gets what she's always wanted. But, if anything, it only makes Brie feel worse. Obviously, she doesn't wish Nicole never fell pregnant or anything, but seeing how happy she is about her baby.. well, it just reminds Brie that she can't bring herself to feel the same.

When she first saw the positive sign on her test, Brianna was completely alone - all by herself in a random gas station bathroom. From that single moment, despite being surrounded by her family, she's felt so lonely.. even with an unborn baby quite literally tied to her, Brianna feels consumed with isolation. Bryan seems to be bouncing off the walls with excitement, as he should be; Birdie is... well, a child; Nicole has her own little one to worry about; her brother is a busy family man, and Stephanie.. Stephanie McMahon.

Simply thinking of the older woman brings tears to Brie's eyes; she does her best not to think of her, but to rarely works.. to be honest, barely any moments have passed where Stephanie wasn't at the forefront of Brie's complicated mind. No matter how much time has passed without any communication between them, it hasn't become any easier. Only Steph knew how to stop Brianna's loneliness.. and now she's out of her life - most likely forever.

With that being said, Brie blames no one but herself. Granted, Nikki might have put her in a difficult position all those weeks ago.. but Brianna's a grown woman, she could've kept talking to Stephanie if she'd only been a little stronger. But this is the problem - she isn't strong. She hasn't felt an ounce of strength since.. well, since the last time she was talking to the woman she's so cruelly ghosted.

Besides the agonising loneliness, Brie's single other emotion has been guilt, because she knows that she's putting Stephanie through the same feeling of isolation. The Monday she intended to visit Raw... near the end of the show - when Brianna was supposed to be wrapped up in Steph's warm arms - she was instead hiding underneath a blanket, weeping at the helpless sounding voicemail she'd been left.

"I..I just really need you.." - That's what Stephanie had said, ever so gloomily.

Brianna's spent hours torturing herself with thoughts on what she could've need her for.. what if she was hurt? Or upset, or scared, or in pain somehow..? What if she was any of those things.. and Brie just completely ignored her..? There were a few texts from Stephanie after that, one or two phone calls.. but after a month, the iPhone notifications ceased to exist, and Brie was left without anyone to turn to, and a half broken heart.

While there aren't many things Brianna regrets more than revealing her feelings for Steph to Nikki; she still needed to say those words out loud.. it might have cost her the woman she cares so deeply for, but she'd have ended up doing something stupid at Raw, had she have gone. For Christ's sake, there's every chance that Brie would've gotten lost in Stephanie's beauty and tried to kiss her, or something outrageous like that.. after all, how can you stop yourself from acting upon feelings you don't even know are there? Because she only truly knew how strong her feelings were after telling Nicole.

To be honest, those feelings are still there.. Every time Bryan touches her, his hands feel rough and coarse; Brie desperately misses how gentle Stephanie was, even if it was merely contained to a phone. Granted, Stephanie isn't perfect.. but every one of her imperfections is the reason Brianna has fallen so quickly. Regardless on how much she cares about Steph though.. she's hurt her.. she left her behind, and she kept wearing another man's wedding ring whilst being pregnant with his baby.

Brie and Stephanie weren't meant to be.. but Brianna feels as though she tempted fate for it to be that way - which is exactly why the relentless guilt is overtaking her whole body.

"Brizee..?" Nikki says, clearly cautious.

The younger twin looks up to see her sister in the doorway, holding her own smaller baby bump, with a concerned look on her face.

"Are you alright..?"

Only then does Brie notice the tears rolling down her cheeks, and the near painful knot her chest; thinking about what she's done to Stephanie typically has this effect on her, but she normally releases the emotions in the privacy of her own bedroom.. God, these feelings were becoming so intense that she can't even keep them from spilling out anymore.

Kindly, Nicole walks over and sits on the couch, wrapping a protective arm around her sister.

"You looked like you were having another panic attack..?"

Brianna forces a chuckle and shakes her head. "God, no.. It's just hormones, don't worry."

"Brie.. I get pregnancy hormones too now, you know..? I don't get panic attacks.." Nikki says, soothingly stroking her twin's back. "Do you want me to get Bryan?"

"No!" Brie instinctively shouts.

As much as it pains her to admit, the last person Brie wants is her husband.. he can't make her smiles, or laugh, or feel protected.. maybe he did once, but she simply can't see him in the same light anymore. If it wasn't for Birdie and their unborn.. she can't say for definite that they'd still be married.

"You're worrying me.." Nikki whispers.

"Well stop worrying!" Brie snaps, standing up abruptly. "Just.. just stop!" She shouts, practically running away to take refuge in her bedroom.

And there Nikki sits, stunned with disbelief at what just happened. But most of all, she just feels frightened.. Brianna's clearly been going through a lot lately, and she's even more clearly been bottling it up. As Nikki protectively rubs her bump, she wonders what on earth it will take for her sister to open up; they're twins, they tell one another literally everything.. why is now any different?

Taking a sigh, the older twin stands up and makes her way back next door to Artem, in hopes of cuddling away the concern.