Never Be the Same

Part 5

A/N: Please don't hate me for this chapter, remember I am a strong supporter of happy Stellaride. But every story needs some drama. If you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain first.

Hearing him say he had a son was heartbreaking. She wasn't expecting that; yes, she had a bad vibe about the woman, but that wasn't what she was thinking. She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths. She needed to calm herself down. Why now? She kept wondering, why is this happening as they are starting their family. They are bringing a baby into this world together. A baby they both wanted. They are overly excited about the life they have created. She was supposed to be the only mother of his children. She didn't want to share the role.

"I... need to get ready." She tells him as she walks to their bedroom. Pretending like she didn't hear what he said. She can't deal with this right now. She doesn't need the added stress.

"Stella, say something." He said this as he followed her. "Babe, don't shut me out."

She took her robe off and started getting dressed. "Forgot to tell you, I have to meet DC Hill; she called me yesterday and asked me if I would do her a favor and be her assistant for two weeks while she found a replacement for her old assistant. I said yes; I'd rather spend time with her than Seager. Especially since the whole Carver situation." She keeps talking; it's the only way to keep herself together. She ignores whatever he is saying so she can focus on her day. She can't let herself get stressed, she or the baby doesn't need it.

"Stella, we need to talk about this."

"I can't be late on my first day, Kelly; bad first impressions are not professional." She said this as she did her hair. She is proud of herself for not breaking down. Yet.. she knows it's coming.

"Tell me what you're thinking," he begged. He watches as she puts her shoes on. And walks out of the room. "Stella, I need to know how you feel."

"I'm working nine to six Monday through Friday. Just for the next two weeks, the money's pretty good." She tells him as she grabs her keys.

He grabs her arm. "Stella, talk to me; don't leave like this."

She won't look at him because she knows he can read her like a book. "I won't be home till late; I work at Molly's tonight." She pulls away from him. "Don't wait up."

He watches as she walks out the door; this wasn't how he wanted the conversation to go. He throws himself down on the couch. As he thinks about his current situation.

Stella got to Molly's a little after seven. "Sorry, Herrmann, I was going over a lot of paperwork, and I lost track of time." She tells him as she comes behind the bar.

"No problem, not much of a crowd tonight," Herrmann tells her as he leans over the bar. "So personal assistant, is it better than being a firefighter?"

" Nothing is better than being a firefighter." She tells him.

"True, very true."

Stella looked around the bar. "Kelly has a son." She blurted it out, then covered her mouth. She can't believe she just said that out loud like that.

Herrmann looked at her and asked, "What?" He wasn't sure what she just said. "Repeat that?"

She pulled him to the side and said, "I've been holding it in all day, and I just need to talk. I can't hold it anymore. Kelly has a son " She cried. She felt relieved for finally telling someone; it's been weighing on her all day.

Herrmann saw how upset she was and yelled, "Gallo, watch the bar for a minute. I need to talk with Stella. I'll be back."

"Sure thing," Gallo responded.