Edgar

She was in front of me and I still hadn't processed what she told me. Pregnant. We're going to have a baby. I dreamed for whole nights about it for the time we spent apart and now it was really happening. Tasha, my girl. She who was my childhood friend. We comfort ourselves in difficult times so many times. We did so many things together. Natasha was my first love and I found her unreachable, I found it impossible to reach her heart. She had a few boyfriends and I was her confidant. How many times have I felt lost for being just that for her. I wanted more, I wanted her to love me, I wanted to be one of the boys she went out with. I wanted to kiss you at your door at night. I wanted to say that I loved her.

When it all happened, when I kissed you for the first time, I never wanted it to end. I could hardly believe what I was experiencing. We had a wonderful time together, we had some problems too. And after I went to college everything messed up. We spent a lot of time away from each other. Then it was over and I collapsed. We spent years without meeting and when that happened, we relived what we had, it was strong, it was intense, we could barely get away from each other. And now? She is here and pregnant. It was all I could ask for.

- Tasha. - I spoke after the shock. - You are pregnant? Wow!

- Look, Reade, I didn't ask for that. I do not know what to do. We have been together for such a short time and... - She was very nervous. I took her by the hand and led her over to the couch where we sat.

- I'm here, Tasha. You are not alone. - I tried to calm her down.

- You don't have to do anything if you don't want to. - What could I want to do? Stay with her, of course, and with our son. This cannot have happened by chance. It was a sign that we could have a future, and it will have something lasting beside it was all I wanted. Nobody would be forced into anything, because the love we felt would only be strengthened in this child we were waiting for. She must have been unsure of the situation, but I wanted to calm her down and show that she would be here, always.

- It's my son too! There's no reason I don't do anything if I don't want to. - I was a little nervous because she had that thought.

- It's just that we're so young and a son now. Are we ready?

- Tasha. - I took her hands trying to comfort her. - We will do it together. And without being prepared, let's get ready. - I touched her face making her look at me. - Will be all right. We have each other.

- OK. - She smiled and I pulled her to me and hugged her.

A son! I think we are able to take care of a child, our child.

- I love you, Tasha. Everything will be fine, you will see. - A son! I think we are able to take care of a child, our child.

- I love you too, Edgar.

It's the third time I've heard the phone ring and I need to answer it. It's Patty. We need to go.

- Tasha, if you want to stay and rest, if you are not feeling well to go.

- Ed, don't start. I am pregnant, not sick. - She spoke firmly.

- Okay! - I raised my hands in surrender and we left.

Kurt

We met at SIOC. Jane's call filled me with worry and anxiety. We all arrived very quickly and I could see the fear and distress on Jane's face. I just learned that I have a daughter, but for her it was all very heavy, she went through it all by herself and her baby was taken from her and given up for dead and, now, knowing that the girl is alive and not knowing where, I don't even I wonder what she might be feeling. I sat next to her while Patterson explained what was going on.

Natasha and Edgar arrived and did not look very good. Something seemed to be happening, but people with so many problems ended up noticing us.

- It's all right? - I asked when Edgar sat next to me.

- Yes, I mean, I don't know, but everything will be fine. - He spoke a little confused.

Nas called our attention to the latest events.

- We found the orphanage where Avery was, and we went to check and the girl is no longer there. - Nas explained.

- We followed some leads that lead to this woman here. - Patty shows a woman on the computer. - We have been trying to locate it since then and have achieved nothing.

Jane's phone rings and she is disoriented. - I need to answer.

Jane gets up and goes into the hall in search of privacy, but returns with a desperate expression and Patty places the devices on her phone in an attempt to trace the call, but there is no time.

- It was Ellen. - Jane says. - She's with Avery.

- Let's find her, Jane. - I speak. - We need to do something, Nas.

Jane

I'm desperate to know that Avery is with Ellen. That viper is with my daughter and we need to stop her from doing anything with the girl.

- I'm going to Ellen. - I speak distressed. - Maybe there, get some clue about my daughter.

- I'll go with you. - Kurt speaks getting up.

- Kurt, you can't come. Ellen would never accept. If I get there with you, I lose the only chance we have of getting something.

- I won't let you go there alone. She's a psychopath, Jane. We don't know what your plans are. It is too dangerous to subject yourself to what that woman wants.

- You two stop because you can't expose yourself like that. - Nas speaks in an attempt to put some sanity in our heads. - You think you have a chance going there alone.

- Nas is right. - Edgar speaks. - We need a plan.

- I won't be alone. Roman is there. - I ask.

- Jane... - Nas intervenes.

- He's my brother and knows Ellen better than anyone. - I explain. - Roman is the best I have now to be able to locate my daughter.

- And you think Ellen wants you there for what? A family reunion? It is obvious that she will not let you get close to the child until you execute her plan, whatever it may be.

- You know I never agreed to execute any of her plans. You all know ... I have no choice. I never had since she rescued me from that orphanage.

You are aware that if you go back to your mother, you will be breaking all the agreements you made with this agency, right?

- It's my daughter in her hands, Nas!

- Jane, we can't risk your deal. You can't have Avery if you end up with a life sentence for terrorism. Kurt tried to dissuade her, fearing the worst.

- Jane, the child is the asset that Ellen has to manipulate you. She will do nothing with her daughter until she gets what she wants. So we have time to act. Our concern now has to be focused on the safety of everyone else in that country.

I shut up. It would be useless to say anything else. Everyone in that room had already decided how to act and confronting them at that moment would not help me. I faced the old truth: I was alone as I always was.

Kurt seemed to realize that my silence said more than words and became my shadow for the next few hours, fearing what I would do if he neglected me. I pretended to have given up on meeting Ellen's demands and focused on Nas's plan.

It worked. In the middle of the afternoon, he called me Reade for a private chat. I would probably ask to be my partner on the mission to keep your eyes on me. He was always so protective!

This was the opportunity I needed. It was easy to sneak out of the FBI building and disappear into the subway.

When I found myself in front of Shepherd's HQ, I shivered. It was a path of no return. All I had in mind was to get clues to Avery's whereabouts and send Roman on the rescue to get her to Kurt safely. In the meantime, I would make Ellen's plan fail, sabotaging him from within, although I still don't know how I would do it.

I knew that my fate from there would be cruel: life imprisonment or death. Roman would hate me for the rest of my life. And there was no way to regain Kurt's confidence after leaving him again.

I took a deep breath and accepted: there was no possibility of a happy ending for me. There never was. But I would do it right and ensure the safety of everyone I love.