"Two and a half months," Nathan said, his voice almost sad. "I wasn't even going to ask you about it until…"

"You were already thinking about that?" she asked. Sydney's words were the last spoken the night before, neither one of them quite knowing how to react in the moment. The honest truth had slipped from her lips and they were comforting enough to let them both drift into a rather restful sleep. They were in the shower together and she was washing his back, slowly massaging his muscles as she did so.

"I talked to Susan about it…how do they make this stuff smell carbonated?"

Sydney giggled. "It's not that long of a wait…right? And it gives us time to be sure that it's what we both really want…"

Nathan turned around a little too quickly. "You don't think we…"

Sydney put her finger to his lips, stopping his words. "I didn't say that and I'm not thinking it. It's just," she took a deep breath, "a fact." She lathered his chest, enjoying the scent of black cherry Italian soda that Nathan picked out. When she moved the loofah to his abdomen, she smiled. "I want to spend every night next to you…and I want to be your permanent ab washer."

He bent and kissed her, pulling her close and covering her in suds. He pulled back, laughing. "I think we should get a bed." Sydney raised an eyebrow. "I've been wanting to get rid of that one for a while and it should be something we both agree on and Celia never touched." Sydney giggled. "What?"

"I find it funny that that bothers you more than it does me."

They finished up, dried and dressed, and Sydney asked to be taken home. While Nathan didn't want her to go, he knew that she had a few things to clean up there. During the car ride, she persuaded Nathan to tell her exactly what David said to him on Friday night. He saw anger and hurt in her eyes, but not a single tear fell…which worried him. He kissed her, making sure the act was deep and lingering – his support to her. He took a deep, shaky breath before pulling away. Sydney seemed to share that breath before she opened the front door. Once inside her home, every bit of good she had over the weekend was overshadowed.

Jess, David, Arlen, and the baby were all in the kitchen. Arlen's eyes were ashamed. He instantly recalled Nathan's words to him, but he didn't have the chance to apologize. She looked at all three of the men and wished more than anything that there wasn't a baby in the house.

Sydney looked at Jess, her eyes kind, but serious. "Go to Brynn's or to Eric's, I don't care which. Grab a bag and do not come home until after class tomorrow."

"Syd?" Jess was confused. "I'm sorry I left you my laundry, I didn't mean to make you think…"

"Sweetie, this isn't about you. Please run upstairs, pack your stuff and go." Her tone made him get up and do as she asked. She didn't speak another word until he was walking out the front door five minutes later. Her eyes went to Arlen next. He started to say something, but she shook her head. "I know you have a lot going on too. I've known you my whole life and you have never not been there for me. We need to find a proper babysitter so we can all balance out our work and personal schedules. I need you to please take Kayla upstairs." Arlen didn't hesitate. He knew something was going to happen between her and David when she got home based on the tension he witnessed between David and Nathan.

"And where are you sending me off to?" David asked, smug.

"Get your ass downstairs, now," she ordered, her voice shaking.

David smiled at her. "Only because I'm curious." He got up and opened the door to the basement. It was finished and while it wasn't sound proof, it was dampened, meant for parties to be able to occur without completely bothering anyone upstairs.

"You selfish son of a bitch!" Sydney screamed. "I cannot believe the words that came out of your mouth on Friday night!"

David feigned confusion. "I was a little drunk, darling, you can't hold me responsible for…" His words stopped when Sydney slapped him across the face, her tears finally falling.

"You told him he wasn't good enough for me! You called me your little whore!" She swung at him again, but he caught her arm.

"He isn't and you were." His voice was cold. "Tell me that you would never go back to bed with me."

Her words were immediate. "I wouldn't."

"You loved what I could do to you…"

"You told him that you could whisper in my ear and I'd splay my fucking legs for you! Do you have any idea how ridiculous that is?"

"I…"

"Shut it, David!"

"I want you! Christ, Syd, for weeks all I've wanted to do is bury my cock in that tight little…"

"Show me your arm," she said, tears falling freely.

"What? No."

"Show me your fucking arm, David!"

"So I say some things to your boyfriend, I know I'm better than him and…umph…" Sydney used all her strength and knocked him down. She sat on top of him, fighting with his sleeve. "Oh, so now you're the dominant one I see…" The marks came into view and Sydney shot up, her breath gone from her body.

She put her back to the wall and tried to force herself to breathe. David was quiet now, found out. It felt like hours before she spoke. "How could you do this to him?"

"How could you have told anyone?"

She shook her head. "No, absolutely not. This is not about me." She slid down the wall, her body numb. "This will kill him. You are a horrible, selfish bastard…after everything with his sister. After everything you said about his sister!"

"I…"

"No, you don't get to talk. I covered for you once, David, and I told you that was all you got from me." She continued to shake her head, a constant movement keeping her from shutting down. "You moved in too fast, you can't handle this sort of life just happening to you and you should have told him. You've been fighting for weeks and using…for what? Six, seven days?" She stilled her head and put it in her hands. "I should have seen it sooner, I regret that, but I didn't think I had to watch for it."

"So busy with your history teacher…"

"I love him, David, and he loves and respects me more than anyone. He's not weak like you. He knows he has problems and he knows that he can ask for help…you don't and you never will…not until you're caught and it's too late." She wiped at her eyes. "I was thinking of moving out, especially since you now seem to be lording this house over me, but…I want you out tonight."

"You can't do that."

"My name is on the deed and my best friend is at stake. I'm taking Kayla tonight and you and Arlen are going to have a nice, long talk…"

"He'll be pissed that you never told him."

"If you believe that, you don't know him at all." Sydney got up and went upstairs, David trailing behind her. She continued to the second floor while David remained in the family room. She walked into Kayla's room and found Arlen rocking her. "Honey, I love you." She could barely choke out the words. "You trust me, right?"

He looked up at her and saw his eyes, red and watery. "Something's been wrong…not as bad as with her mo…but off." Sydney nodded. "I packed for her…" He swallowed hard. "You're taking her, aren't you?"

"For the night, yes."

"He's acting arrogant, like she did…he's…" He took a deep breath. "He has access to things and I never once thought…it isn't the first time, is it?"

Shame filled Sydney's eyes. "I'm so sorry. I got him clean once, before he was ever a thought to you…" She swallowed. "It's been almost three years and I never told a soul," she couldn't lie, "save for Nathan, and that's only due to his own problems…"

"I'm not angry with you."

Sydney smiled meekly. "You can be. Once an addict..."

Arlen shook his head. "You did what you felt was right at the time and he never once treated me badly until…the fighting in the last week or so, the way he's been looking at you…I should have picked up on it sooner." He sounded defeated.

"I kicked him out, Arlen. At least for now. You need…"

"I know. Thank you."

"If things get too ugly, you call me…or the hospital."

"No, it won't be necessary. She's what matters now, not me."

Sydney kissed his cheek, taking Kayla from his arms. "Fatherhood suits you."

"You'll be at Nathan's?"

"Nothing like showing up with a baby on your boyfriend's doorstep." Arlen helped her to his car, the seat already strapped into the back. Once Kayla was secure, he grabbed Sydney, clinging to her. "I'm so sorry," Sydney said, crying.

"He either wants help…or he doesn't want us." He kissed Sydney innocently. "Her first slumber party."

"She's in good hands."

"Two sets of them." He watched Sydney get in the car and pull away and took a few moments to gather himself before going inside.

Fifteen minutes later, Sydney was ringing Nathan's doorbell. "Syd?" the expression on his face was one of disbelief. "You didn't kill them both and take the baby did you?"

She tried to laugh, but her tears fell too fast. "He's using."

Nathan's heart fell. "Susan, honey, come here."

Susan bounced down the stairs unaware that anything was wrong. "Holy sh…crap. When I said I was rooting for pregnancy, I didn't think you guys would get on it so fast." She regretted the joke as soon as she made it.

A real smile appeared on her father's face and he shook his head. "Honey, this is Kayla. Can you do us a favor and take her into the living room for a few minutes?"

Susan beamed. "Absolutely." She took Kayla into her arms and her voice raised an octave, she loved babies. "Hello, baby girl."

Nathan took Sydney just outside the front door; the air was cool, but not cold enough to drive them back inside. "I was just going to call you. Water main break, no school tomorrow…weird, good thing, huh?"

"I'm sorry I brought her here, but I couldn't leave h…I kicked David out, but he and Arlen need to…this is all so fucked up."

Nathan held her close and rubbed her back. "You did the right thing…uh, anything for her to sleep in?"

"Travel bassinet thingy in the backseat." Nathan went to get Kayla's things and Sydney went inside, joining Susan on the couch. They were in for a rather interesting night…