*NICO*

“Look, whatever happens, I promise I’ll still be around.  Like I said, I still need some time to think, okay?”  I hear Thias say as he leans over and kisses Serena on the cheek.  After that I don’t really register much of anything.  Next thing I know we are sitting in the car and I’m not sure how we got here.

I glance over at Matthias to see him with his head on the steering wheel.  Whatever that talk was about must have been something important.

“Thias?”

“Nico, please just give me a second.”

He finally looks up at me.  He looks exhausted.  Whatever it is must really be weighing him down.  I nod my head to let him know that I’ll give him time.

He starts up the car and we head out in complete silence.  I’m not sure where we are headed, but until we get there I’ll respect his wish and not push it.  Instead I mess with the radio so we have something to feel the silence.  He just ignores it.

We finally pull up to… an ice cream pallor?  Who would have thought with Matthias?  We get out and order ice cream.  I, of course taking like 5 minutes just to decide which ice cream I want.

I decide as we take a seat that I can’t take it any longer.  I want to know!  When I want to know something I find it out!  No one can resist my charms.  I just hope that still holds true for Thias too.

“Thias?  Come on you can’t just hold it in forever.  Just tell me what’s wrong.”

“I-I’m sorry Nico.”  That wasn’t the answer I was expecting.

“Huh?”

“Serena, s-she’s pregnant.”  I’m frozen to my seat when he utters those fateful words.

“W-what?”  My hands are shaking now, I’m not sure I even heard him right.

“She’s pregnant again Nico.”  Oh, I guess I did.  What does this mean?  He needs to be there for her and the boys, especially if she’s getting this sick.  I know what I need to do, but I don’t like it.

“Okay, so she needs you around to help out.”  I state this with an underlining tone of surrender in my voice.   He starts and looks up at me.  The look on his face shows he understood the hidden meaning to my words.

“What?  No, I’m sure she’ll be fine.  I mean there are plenty other’s to help her out to.  I’ll be there for the baby after it’s born and help take care of it but…”  He’s getting panicky.

“I’m sorry Matthias, but she’s already getting sick and has the boys to take care of too.  This is your baby also after all.”  I’m having a hard time not crying.  I mean he needs to be there for Serena and makes sure she’s okay and everything turns out fine.  She needs him right now and who am I to get in the way of that.  Besides she doesn’t deserve to do all this alone.  She’s a good person and has already been through enough as it is.

“Nico, please.  I need you.”

“Matthias, right now Serena needs you.  Your family needs you; I can’t stand in the way of that.  I’m sorry, but I can’t see you anymore right now.”

“I-I love you Nico, please don’t do this.”

“I’m sorry Thias.  If something comes up or you need me I’m just a phone call away.  I really do love you, but so does Serena, and right now she’s the one that needs you.  We can’t be together right now, but that doesn’t mean I won’t be there for you if you really need me.”  Now I really am crying and just looking at his face has me holding back sobs.

“S-so I can still see you.”

“Thias please don’t make this difficult.  I said if you really need me I’ll be there, but for both our sakes please don’t call me or try to come by unless it truly is something pressing.  At least for now until either Serena is fine on her own or you figure something out.”

“Nico.”  I put my figure to his lip to shush him then lean in to give him one last kiss.

“No Thias, this is it.  I love you, and I hope and pray that the baby is healthy, but right now I can’t handle this.  It’s for both of us.  I’m sorry.”

With that I rush out of the store before I start sobbing right in front of him and loose my will to go through with this.

*MATTHIAS*

What just happened?  I just lost Nico.  No, that couldn’t have happened.  What am I supposed to do now?  Nico’s words echo in my head.  Right, be there for Serena.  I’m not sure I’ll be able to do that after all this.  I’m not sure how I’m supposed to do anything without Nico around.  He’s my ray of sunshine.  I might as well as least try.  I’ve got my family to think of.  Family.  Serena, right.  I love Serena too, but I’m not sure being around her will fill the Nico sized whole in my heart.  Oh well, I guess I need to head back to the house to talk to her.

I robotically leave the pallor and get into my car.  That makes me realize that I don’t even know how Nico is getting home.  I hope he gets there safely.  I know Nico said he did this for both of us, and I’m sure he believes it too.  I just can’t help but feel he did it for Serena too and just doesn’t realize it.  I’m not completely sure why he saw the need to leave me.

I’m still in a type of daze when Serena answers the door.

“Mathias?  What are you doing back already?  Where’s Nico?”

At the mention of his name I just lose it.