Jillian's POV:

"So he's a good father?" I asked as she drove towards the salon. She was visibly uncomfortable, but I felt like I needed to find out exactly what my son had gotten himself into. I needed to make sure that this woman was a woman that would be good to him.

"Took to it like a duck to water. He really loves Reece. She already has him wrapped around her finger," Sara replied as a smile played across her face, "He's not going to know what to do when Reece is a teenager."

"Heaven help us. Nick never could say 'no' to his sisters. When he was five, Anna and Beth decided to put make-up on him. He sat there smiling . . . he's a people-pleaser," I replied, "So, Sara . . ."

"He treats me so good. I didn't mean to keep Reece from him or you. I just didn't think he was ready to have his life turned upside down again," Sara blurted out, "He was still reeling from what happened when he was . . . . He pretends to be so damn tough, but I know he isn't."

"Oh, honey," I replied because I wasn't sure exactly what to say. Just the look on her face told me everything that I wanted to know. Reece might not have been planned for, but she wasn't unwanted. Reece wasn't used to draw Nick into a relationship he shouldn't be in. Sara seemed to genuinely want my son to be well . . . mentally and physically. She seemed to love him as much as I assumed he loved her.

"I'm really sorry, Mrs. Stokes," Sara said softly.

"Honey, it's Jillian. There's nothing to apologize for. I know Nick thinks of his co-workers as family. I just never thought yah'll thought of him as family. Nicky gets so attached to people . . . a lot of times it's a one-way street. You were just trying to protect him," I replied smiling to try to cover the fact that I was nearly moved to tears.

"He does. I worry about how much he cares. I mean, in this line of work it can be dangerous to care too much, but I don't want to see him stop caring. I don't want to take advantage of him," Sara rambled.

"Honey, it's okay. Bill married me when I was three months pregnant with our oldest daughter. It's not the fairytale Nick believes happened. Bill and I have always preached that marriage comes before children. It's terrifying to be alone and pregnant wondering if the baby's father will be there for the birth," I replied.

"I was alone in the delivery room," Sara replied with a vacant look in her eyes.

"Oh, honey," I replied with a gasp. I wanted to wrap my arms around this woman and just hold her for a moment. I wanted to assure her that as long as Reece was a Stokes, Sara would never have to be alone again.

"It was my decision," Sara replied.

"I know. You thought you were doing the right thing," I replied.

"We're here," Sara replied.

"Let's go get your hair done, then let's go shopping. Anything you or Reece need is on me," I said with a smile.

"Thank you for being so kind because you really don't have to be. I mean . . . I'm sorry," Sara replied with tears in her eyes.

"It's the past, honey. I'm not mad and Bill's not mad. Let's go," I replied.

Despite her tough exterior, she was as fragile as fine china. I knew immediately why my son looked at her with all the adoration in the world in his eyes. She was special. Sara was the woman I always wanted Nick to find.

Sara's POV:

"Good Lord. Did you two leave anything on the racks?" Nick asked as he met Jillian and I at the door.

"Sara needed to be spoiled," Jillian replied with a knowing smile. She had been so good to me all day. She made me feel like part of a family. She picked out clothes that she thought would look cute on Reece. She even picked out several pieces of clothing that she thought would look beautiful on me. Jillian wouldn't even let me pay for lunch. She kept telling me that this weekend my money was 'no good' in Vegas.

"You ladies look stunning," Bill said as kissed Jillian's cheek. I hated to imagine that Nick would do the same because I didn't want to feel as disappointed as I did when he didn't kiss my cheek.

"I think I found a house," Nick said triumphantly as I put the shopping bags I was carrying on the kitchen table, "It's a four bedroom in the suburbs . . . not too far away from Warrick and Tina."

"What are we going to do with four bedrooms?" I asked with a smile.

"One for you, one for Reece, one for me, and one for all your books and that huge desk of yours," Nick replied with a smile. It kind of hurt when he talked about separate bedrooms. I wanted to feel his arms around me again. I wanted to wake up with his arms holding me close to his chest, but I worked hard to convince myself that it was a one-time thing. God knows he could do so much better than me.

"It's in a nice neighborhood. Poncho and I walked around and looked at the wiring and plumbing," Bill said. He had the exact same glimmer in his eyes that Nick did whenever he was excited.

"I think Reece even liked it," Nick replied, "We're going to go see it tomorrow morning. Cisco said he would watch Reece."

"Okay, are you sure this is something we can afford?" I asked.

"Sara, don't worry about it," Nick replied.

The evening ended with Nick pulling Reece out of the arms of a very tired Jillian. Bill helped her into a rental car and drove to Nick's townhouse. Nick put Reece down to bed and joined me in the kitchen to begin to sort through everything that Jillian had spoiled us with. I didn't know why, but I began to cry.

"What's wrong?" Nick asked as he pulled me into his arms. I didn't even want to admit how much liked being in his arms.

"I don't know," I cried, "I'm so sorry I kept her from you and your family. I don't deserve you kindness or the kindness of your parents."

"Sar, you know you deserve this. You deserve more than this," Nick replied in the most soothing voice I had ever heard. I could feel him kiss the top of my head. "I want to give you this."

"Nicky, I don't want to be alone anymore," I replied in a moment of weakness.