"If you keep this up... you're going to kill someone, Amelia. That's how this ends... if you don't kill yourself first," Derek said, sitting next to his sister on the living room couch. "After that, you'll never be the same again... maybe you'll be sober, but you won't be who you were before. You'll spend every day trying to be a better person, trying to correct that mistake, trying to save lives, trying to make amends. But you won't bring that child back to that mother or the husband back to a wife... sometimes you laugh and smile, but... you'll never be the same."

Amelia stared blankly at the floor, lost in thought as she silently listened to her brother. The weight of his words seemed to crush her, causing her heart to sink into a sea of pain and regret. The remorse she had felt until now seemed trivial compared to the devastation her brother was laying bare so rawly and directly.

"Do you remember when Olive was a baby, when I accidentally clipped the aneurysm of a pregnant woman and killed her? To this day, I still think about it. I keep thinking about how a stupid mistake I made completely ruined a family's life... I question my own ability as a surgeon, as a doctor... I wonder how everything would've been if I hadn't messed it up if I had simply slept well that night instead of operating... I wonder how that family would've gone on... I know this isn't the same, this has nothing to do with your case... And I know you haven't killed anyone, but...

Derek's words resonated in Amelia's mind as tears began to form in her eyes.

"Amelia, I don't want you to live that. I don't want this addiction to lead you to make one of the worst mistakes of your life. Are you listening to me? Or am I talking to the void?"

"I'm listening... what you said was very beautiful... and real... and I care about it... I really do," she said in a faint voice.

She couldn't shake the feeling of being overwhelmed by the image Derek was painting of the future. Would this be her destiny? A life in which she could never fully redeem herself for her mistakes? Tears began to flow freely down her cheeks, a physical expression of the anguish that consumed her.

Addison, who had silently witnessed the conversation between the siblings, couldn't bear to see Amelia cry that way. Without a second thought, she approached her and gently wrapped her hands around Amelia's. She wanted Amelia to know that she was there for her, that she would never be alone in her struggle.

"Just give us thirty days. Thirty days to get clean, and then you'll start anew," Addison whispered. Her voice was warm and comforting.

Her sister-in-law's words penetrated deep within Amelia, echoing in her heart. Could she really overcome her addiction and find the peace she so desperately longed for?

"It sounds great, but... I don't know if I can do it," Amelia stammered between sobs.

"There's a rehab facility nearby. I spoke with them, and they're waiting for you... it's a nice place. It's near the woods," Derek took her hand firmly. The warmth of his gesture was enough to remind her that she wasn't alone, that there was someone who loved her unconditionally and would never abandon her.

"Will you come too?" Amelia asked, hope shining in her eyes.

"I'll come to see you every day. We'll go with Addie, with the girls. We'll always be close to you," Derek affectionately placed a hand on Amelia's face, making it clear he was there for her.

"We'll be there, Amy," Addison added, clutching Amelia's trembling hands tightly. The words were simple yet filled with promises and commitment.

Just when Amelia began to glimpse a ray of hope amid her pain, the abrupt sound of the doorbell startled them. Mark, confused, went to open the door, and a tall, thin man appeared on the threshold, looking apparently nervous.

"Ryan!" Amelia exclaimed energetically, running into his arms. Every cell in her being ignited with joy and relief upon seeing her boyfriend. Before she could think, she jumped into his arms and lost herself in a passionate kiss.

Derek turned to look at Addison, his face a mix of surprise and anger. She couldn't quite decipher his expression, but she knew there was an undercurrent of unease within him.

"You have to go," Derek said firmly as he stood up from the couch.

"Ryan and I are getting married, don't talk to him like that," Amelia said, still holding onto her boyfriend.

"You know you'll never stay sober if you stay with him!"

"Amelia's addiction isn't his fault," Lenny said, stepping forward, "in fact, Ryan, if you want, we can help you too."

"No, we won't," Derek refused.

"Yes, we will, if necessary," Addison interjected.

"No, Addison. Our commitment is to Amelia."

"I know, but it will work better if the person she loves is in the program too, and improving alongside her. There are studies about that."

"I think we should help anyone who wants to be sober..." Mark timidly contributed.

"He didn't say he wants to be sober!" Derek retorted.

Ryan, still confused and dazed by the situation, wrapped his arm around Amelia's neck, holding her protectively. He had no idea what was happening; he had spent all day hiding in the bushes in the garden, and when he saw she wasn't coming out as hours went by, he decided to go for her.

Addison, noticing Ryan's gesture, couldn't help but see that he was wearing a watch that looked similar to the one on his right wrist. Without hesitation, she walked over to him.

"Did you give her your father's watch?" she asked with a puzzled expression.

Derek, hearing this, turned around quickly to see him, "What did you do, Amelia?" he asked.

"It's an engagement gift..." she replied quietly.

"It's Dad's watch!" Derek shouted, approaching her violently.

"Leave me alone!" she said through clenched teeth, turning away.

"Give her some space..." Ryan murmured.

"This isn't your business!" Derek shouted, shoving him back, "I'm talking to my sister!"

"I don't wanna talk to you."

"Did you take the watch from Mom?" Derek asked, grabbing Ryan's arm angrily, "You know how she's gonna feel?!"

"Okay, let's relax..." Addison tried to intervene.

"What, you don't care about the meaning of the watch anymore?!" Derek continued shouting.

"It's a stupid watch..."

"What's the meaning of the watch?" Callie asked, just out of curiosity.

"My mom gave it to my dad for their anniversary..." Amelia said softly.

"That's not the meaning!" Derek interrupted her.

"Derek..." Addison looked at him seriously, trying to get him to stop shouting.

"We were kids, and two guys came into our store..."

"SHUT UP, DAMN IT!" Amelia exclaimed, walking up to her brother in a rage, "DON'T TELL THIS STORY! THESE IDIOTS DON'T NEED TO KNOW DAD'S STORY, SO SHUT YOUR FUCKING MOUTH! YOU INSENSITIVE SON OF A BITCH!"

Ryan held Amelia tightly, preventing her from lunging at her brother as she spat those hurtful words in fury.

"If you keep... if you tell... if you share this story with anyone... I'll kill you with my own hands," Amelia continued to shout, choking on her tears of pain.

"Shh... Amelia, it's okay..." Ryan whispered to her.

Addison looked at Derek, completely disoriented and confused. Throughout her life, she had witnessed thousands of fights between the two, but Amelia had never been so furious with him over a story they shared.

"It's time to go..." Amelia said, heading for the door with Ryan.

"Amelia... please... stay," Addison stepped closer to her.

"I know you're trying to do everything you can to please people so they won't leave you. You're afraid of being left alone because you've always been alone. You say you're doing this to help me, but the truth is that you're afraid your husband will leave you for a woman fourteen years younger. So stop it, don't worry about me or trying to hold this crumbling marriage together. I free you from that obligation. I free you from having to take care of your lousy husband's family just so he won't abandon you."

"Amy, you know it's not like that... I adore you, you're my sister."

"We're not sisters."

Amelia turned and, without saying goodbye to anyone, walked out the front door, followed by Ryan.

~•~

"What now?" Derek asked, minutes after Amelia had abandoned the attempt at intervention they had made.

"Now you must ignore her," Lenny said firmly, "when Amelia calls, and she's gonna call, unless she's ready, you don't help her at all. You don't give her money, or a place to stay, or her job. You only respond if she calls asking for help because she wants to quit drugs. That's it. Everything depends on her now."

"This is not a good idea," Addison murmured, feeling too distressed by what had happened.

"That's how it works," Lenny asserted.

"But it didn't work…" Derek said, "She's on the street now, doing who knows what… and with Ryan. We lost her. I lost her… I lost her," Derek took a few steps to the living room sofa and sat down, covering his face with his hands in worry.

"You don't know," said Lenny, "today we started something here. We progressed… maybe you don't see it. Sometimes, it takes time. The results are not immediate. Sometimes an addict has to hit rock bottom."

"Does Amelia snorting oxy off the counter in front of her coworkers not mean she has hit rock bottom?" Addison asked, her eyes glassy and her voice congested with anguish.

"Fifteen years, three months, and four days ago, I took my five-year-old son to the park," Lenny began, his eyes welling with tears, "he was on a swing, having fun. It was a beautiful day. The sun was out, and he was playing with other kids and we had the whole afternoon. He was on the swing, he was okay. I know because I could hear him laughing while I was getting high on heroin."

Addison and Derek exchanged concerned glances, anticipating how the story he was telling would end and inevitably thinking of their own daughters.

"I passed out. I woke up an hour later and my son was gone. They never found him. Honey, that's hitting rock bottom. Losing your child is hitting rock bottom."

"I'm so sorry…" Addison whispered, holding back the tears that had built up in her eyelids once again.

"I… if you'll excuse me, I need to step out for a bit of air. I… I'll be back in a little while," Derek said, looking at Addison, indirectly seeking her permission to leave. She nodded, and he took his car keys, exiting through the front door.

~•~

"We were in the back of the store... Dad gave me two cents... two men came in... we could hear them talking, but we didn't pay attention until Dad shouted..." Amelia said with a raspy voice, "Two guys shot my dad to steal his watch... we heard the sound of the gunshot... I screamed, desperately... but suddenly I felt like my voice wouldn't come out, something was blocking it... it was my brother's hand. He... he wanted to protect me, he didn't want them to hear me and come for me... then... they took the watch and we heard the sound of the doorbell, indicating they had left... Derek carefully got up from the floor, leaving me alone... he went to check on Dad... I was peeking from one of the store shelves... Derek looked at me... I looked back at him... he gestured for me not to go toward him, but I wanted to go anyway... and I did. I walked a few steps, which felt eternal, and reached him. I could feel the two cents slipping quickly from my hands as soon as I saw my father's body on the ground... I... I still remember how the blood flowed quickly from the hole in his chest... there was so much blood... and..."

"I'm so sorry, Amelia..." Ryan whispered in her ear. They were lying in bed, embracing each other.

"It's okay..."

"Your friends... you know, nobody tried to help me like that. Nobody cared about me. I never... I've never been with someone like you before. You make me feel..." he paused briefly, trying to put his feelings into words, "your mom gave your dad this watch for their anniversary. And... I want to have anniversaries with you. Many. And kids."

Amelia turned around, sitting up in bed to look him in the eyes.

"If we stopped the drugs, we could have kids..." he continued, "and a life. We could also have a life."

"You wanna have kids?" she asked, a small smile forming on her face.

"We have to stop the drugs. My dad did cocaine and I..." his voice started to crack slightly, "I can't. I have to be clean."

"It's okay."

"Wanna be sober with me? Do you want us to stop doing drugs?"

"Yes," Amelia smiled, sharing his joy, "let's be sober together!"

Amelia leaned in and kissed him enthusiastically.

"This is great. It will be great," she exclaimed.

"Yes. I can look for rehab places. We can check in together and check out together. This is a commitment, it's important. Can you do it? Because if you can't, we can..."

"I can do it. I can," I interrupted her.

Ryan kissed her again happily. Then he turned to his nightstand, focusing on a small clear plastic bag that had a few orange oxycodone pills inside. He quickly got out of bed and took them in his hands.

"We should throw this away."

"Yes. Yes."

Ryan nodded and headed for the trash can.

"Or... we could have one last time," Amelia said before he threw the pills in the can.

"I don't know..." he said hesitantly.

"Oh... Okay, throw it away."

Ryan stretched his arm toward the trash to toss the pills, but turned back again, walking slowly toward Amelia.

"One last time," he said, holding up the bag.

Amelia nodded slightly as she watched him sit back down on the edge of her bed.

"How many kids do you want?" Ryan asked, his gaze fixed on the floor, while she began to tie the tourniquet around her arm.

"Three. Two boys and a girl," she smiled.

"What if it's four? Two boys, two girls. That way nobody is alone. Okay?" he turned to look at her.

"Okay."

Ryan took a loaded syringe in his hands and walked toward Amelia, kissed her on the lips for a few seconds, and then started to inject her. He looked into her eyes intently as he watched the drug take effect on her quickly, making her eyes begin to close and her body relax enough to fall into a deep sleep.

~•~

With his heart racing and his mind filled with turbulent thoughts, Derek pressed his foot on the accelerator and sped down the lonely streets of the city outskirts. The engine of his car roared wildly as the landscape faded into a blurred smear.

He needed to clear his head; he needed to forget, even for a moment, the tragic scenes of his sister and the devastating news he had received just a few hours ago, which he still hadn't fully processed.

Addison had been pregnant. Addison was pregnant and then... she was no longer. Addison had suffered a miscarriage.

Despite living with her day after day, he hadn't noticed the obvious signs of an ongoing pregnancy. How could it be possible that he was so careless with his wife that he didn't notice she was pregnant again? A deep sense of guilt overwhelmed him, choking him.

As he gripped the steering wheel tightly, Derek tried to unravel the memories of the past few days, searching for every detail that might have given him clues about what was happening. But while he could remember moments when Addison seemed distant, tired, and worried, he had attributed her behavior to other factors—the accident on Olive's birthday, the arguments with Carolyn, or even the tension with Bizzy. It had never occurred to him that behind all that, there was a hidden pregnancy.

Questions crowded his mind, threatening to overflow his patience. Why hadn't she told him as soon as she found out? Why had she lost trust in him? Had he distanced himself so much that she no longer felt secure by his side? What was the state of their relationship right now? How many secrets was he unaware of?

Speed was his only escape valve at that moment. He felt the adrenaline invading every cell of his body as he accelerated more and more. The wind whipping against his face was like a breath of fresh air, allowing him to forget, even if just for an instant, the guilt and sadness that tormented him.

As the car glided down the streets like a fleeting lightning bolt, Derek found a strange sense of peace in the speed. It was as if the world around him moved in slow motion, as if time lost its regular rhythm and everything was reduced to that frantic moment. There was no space for thoughts or worries. It was just him, the speed, and the road. A new intermediate space where pain seemed camouflaged.

But soon, flashing blue and red lights reflected in the rearview mirrors, interrupting his frenzy. The piercing sound of sirens felt closer and closer. Derek knew he could no longer avoid it; he had been caught by the authorities. Reality slammed back into him, reminding him that he couldn't run away from his problems, no matter how fast he drove.

With the car's engine still hot and his lungs filled with tumultuous air, Derek saw the police officer approaching steadily towards his window. Derek's eyes remained lost in the infinite horizon, feeling his chest constrict as the tension built up inside him.

The officer, with an authoritative voice and a steady gaze, asked for the vehicle's documents and his driver's license. As he frantically searched through the compartments of the car, Derek realized he could no longer escape his gloomy reality. He couldn't run fast enough to leave his problems behind, no matter how much he wished to.

With trembling hands, he handed the documents to the officer, who examined them carefully without saying a word. The tension in the air was palpable as Derek awaited his fate. He knew he had committed an offense and would have to face the consequences of his actions.

And so, he was detained, immobilized both physically and emotionally. Speed, as liberating as it seemed, was not a solution, but merely a momentary illusion of escape.

~•~

The news of Derek's arrest quickly reached Addison's ears, who felt upset and frustrated at having to go to the police station at ten o'clock at night to secure her husband's release. It seemed as though that fateful day would never come to an end.

There was no way to leave the girls alone at home, so she took them with her, holding Olive's hand and carrying Arleth in her arms.

Upon arriving at the police station, Addison found Derek rising from one of the benches in the cell. He appeared disheartened and remorseful for his actions.

"Seriously, Derek?" she asked, her voice laced with annoyance.

Derek looked at his wife and then at their daughters. He felt even more guilty upon seeing Olive with tear-filled eyes, gripped by fear and sleepiness.

"You didn't have to bring the girls here..."

"And where was I supposed to leave them? I couldn't just leave them alone at home, especially after having to wake them up and hurry them out of bed," Addison complained, increasingly aware of the urgency to free her husband.

Olive let go of her mother's hand and timidly approached her father, staring at him intently.

"Why are you in jail, Daddy?" she asked with a trembling voice. She was scared and confused, trying to grasp what was happening.

Derek crouched down in front of Olive, taking her small hand in his. Struggling to find the right words, he attempted to explain the situation in the most comprehensible manner possible.

"I'm not in jail, Ols... I'm just... detained. I made a mistake by driving too fast, and the police stopped me. But Mommy is here to help us, and soon we will be able to go home together," he assured her.

"I'll go sign the papers to pay your bail. Olive, come with me. Don't touch anything; this place smells like urine," Addison said in a tone of disgust, grimacing at the unpleasant atmosphere of the police station.

Together, they headed to the office of the officer in charge to complete the necessary paperwork for Derek's release. Olive once again clutched her mother's hand as they walked through the cold, dark hallways of the police station.

After a long process that felt eternal, Addison was finally able to pay the bail and secure her husband's release. Accompanied by an officer, they returned to the cell where he was being held, freeing Derek from that desolate place where he had spent the last few hours.

Derek hugged Olive tightly and lifted her into his arms, apologizing for the inconvenience he had caused and promising her that he would do everything possible to rectify his mistakes. The little girl simply nodded her head as she clung to her father's arms. It was almost midnight, and sleep was overtaking her.

Derek approached Addison, but she did not want to look at him, nor did she want to embrace him. She remained upset over what he had done—having left her alone with guests at their home after Amelia's outburst and having to bail him out of jail hours later.

"I'm sorry, I…" he began to say, embarrassed, as he walked behind her toward the parking lot.

"Let's go home," she replied while switching Arleth to her other arm, as by this point, the baby was already asleep again.

"I didn't realize when I exceeded the speed limit, I..."

"Derek, I don't want to hear it right now. Can we please go home in silence?"

"Yeah... I'm sorry."

~•~

The first rays of sunlight filtered through the gaps in the bedroom blinds, illuminating the room as Amelia awoke. Still drowsy, she turned in bed to snuggle up next to her fiancé, eager to enjoy a few more moments of rest. However, as soon as she rested her hand on his chest, she was startled by the coldness and rigidity of Ryan's body. She instantly knew that something terribly wrong was happening.

With fear coursing through her body, Amelia jolted upright in bed and knelt down to look at him more closely.

"Ryan?" She froze upon realizing that his body did not respond. His eyes were open, but there were no signs of life in them.

Amelia rested her head on his chest, hoping to feel a heartbeat that would reassure her, but there was none. She could not sense them. Ryan's heart lay motionless beneath his skin.

"Ryan?! Ryan?! Ryan! Ryan!"

She began to shake him desperately by the shoulders, as if that would make him react. But he remained stiff.

"It cannot be!" she kept repeating to herself, refusing to accept what was happening.

Amelia felt her body start to crumble; however, this was not the moment to surrender to despair. Her hands trembled as she picked up the mobile phone resting on the bedside table. Mechanically, she dialed the emergency number and explained the situation in a choked voice, pleading for help as tears streamed down her cheeks.

Time seemed to stand still as she awaited the arrival of the emergency services, clinging to Ryan's body. She held onto the hope that there was still a chance, that the doctors could save her beloved.

When the paramedics burst into the room, Amelia moved aside to give them space, silently praying that they would find a solution. She watched in anguish as they worked to revive Ryan, struggling to maintain hope amid the torment consuming her. But all was in vain. Death had arrived unannounced and taken her fiancé with it.

Shock and despair overwhelmed her completely. She still could not comprehend what was happening. Their plans to build a life together, to move forward and start a family, had evaporated in a matter of seconds. The pain in her chest was so intense that she found it difficult to breathe. She felt lost, as if the ground had vanished beneath her feet.

"Miss, do you know where you are? What is his name?" The words of the officers sounded distant, as if coming from a parallel world.

"Four children! Two boys, two girls," she shouted, approaching Ryan's lifeless body on the bed. "You can't die! You can't die because we will leave drugs behind and have a family. Ryan... Ryan..." Her voice cracked from the heart-wrenching sobs that threatened to destroy her from within.

Time seemed to have stopped while she cried and watched as the police loaded Ryan's body onto a stretcher.

"Don't touch him! We're getting married!" she screamed between tears, holding Ryan's face in both hands. "We're getting married!"

But despite her insistence and desperate pleas, the paramedics took him out of the room, covering his body with a black bag.

"Miss, is there someone you would like to call?" asked the officer, approaching Amelia.

A spark of hope ignited within her. Perhaps there was still something she could do. Perhaps there was still a chance for healing, to find the strength she needed to move forward. It was time to confront her demons, to leave behind the drugs that had consumed her life and her relationship with Ryan. She could not allow their story to end there as well. He would not want that for her.

Ryan's death had been a harsh blow, a painful lesson, but also a wake-up call. Life was giving her a chance to redeem herself, to rise from the ashes, and find a new purpose. She knew that the path of rehabilitation would not be easy, but she was willing to face it. Ryan would no longer be by her side, but his memory would be her driving force, her inspiration to keep fighting.

"Call Dr. Addison Montgomery Shepherd. Tell her I'm ready to go to rehabilitation."