Love is Ours {See Final Author's Note}

Chapter Twenty

[Sierra]

The rest of the week went by slowly.  Sierra spent a lot of time hiding in her dressing room with the door locked.  In fact, when she wasn't onstage rehearsing, she was sobbing in a corner of her dressing room, wishing the world would go away.

She hated Tam.  He took away the most important thing to her: Ramin.  Sierra had thought about talking to Ramin, but she knew Tam would find out and hurt her, or worse, hurt Ramin.

On Friday after their final rehearsal before previews began, Sierra ran to her dressing g room, buried her face in a pillow, and cried her eyes out.  She didn't know how long she cried, but when all the tears had been drained from her body, she felt weak and feverish. 

She sprawled out on her couch and tried to ignore her pounding headache and burning body.  Sierra felt like she was being burned alive, she was so hot.  She knew she should go home, but she honestly felt like she'd faint if she got up.  She closed her eyes and tried to block it all out. 

A while later, she heard the door open but was too tired to see who it was.  She figured it was Summer or Joseph, but they'd surely have gone home by now.  She heard the sound of water running and then stopping.

Footsteps crossed the floor, and she felt someone gently brushing a few strands of hair off her forehead and place a cool cloth on it.  She sighed in relief as the person smoothed her hair back and adjusted a pillow behind her head.

After a while, the person stood and Sierra thought they were leaving, but she just heard some muffled noises and then the person sat back down, taking her hand and squeezing it. 

"Sierra, I'm sorry for whatever I did to hurt you.  I don't know why you've been pushing me away these past few days, but whatever I did, I'm sorry for it.  It's been pretty lonely without your laugh and craziness to occupy me.  You're the silliest person I've ever known, and you gave me laughter in a time when I needed it most.  It's been pretty stressful these last few months, and, even if you don't realize it, you've helped me through it.  Watching Anchorman and Les Mis with you were some of the happiest times in my life.  I want to do it all over again.  I want to hear your laugh and make you blush and take you out to dinner.  I want to laugh when you accidentally order snails and stage door all our favorite shows with you.  I want to protect you and hide you so no one will ever hurt you again.  I miss you, Sierra.  Whatever I did, I'm sorry.  Please come back to me." The person whispered pleadingly.

Sierra was barely conscious to hear their speech.  As she thought, she realized the voice and the events sounded familiar and suddenly she was wide awake and her eyes snapped open.

"Ramin?" She breathed.  His eyes were misty and he looked downright pitiful. 

"Sierra, I'm so sorry," he murmured, brushing a few strands of hair behind her ear.  She didn't have the heart to push him away, but she knew she had to.

"Ramin, I think it's best if you leave." She whispered, fresh tears prickling at her eyelids. 

"Sierra, please tell me what I did wrong." He begged, holding onto her hand tighter.

"Ramin, just go." She pleaded.  She couldn't stand to see him looking so hurt, even if it was her fault.

He suddenly began to cry, putting his head in his hands.  Sierra covered her face to mask her emotions.

Why did Tam do this?  He couldn't let Sierra be happy because he knew she wouldn't truly be happy with him.  He had to use threats to get her to stay with him.  Sierra didn't know how Tam could stand himself.

She had to confess to Ramin.  She didn't know what Tam would do, but Sierra would take the full blame and not let Ramin get hurt.

"I'm so sorry, Ramin." She whispered. 

"Just tell me what I did wrong, Sierra, and I'll fix it." He begged her.

"You didn't do anything wrong," she soothed him. 

Sierra took a deep breath before explaining to Ramin how she'd come home and found Tam on her couch and how he'd threatened her.  She left out the cheating part and twisted the story, saying Tam had forbidden her to hang out with any of the cast members for his own sick reasons.  She didn't know why, but she didn't want Ramin to know the full story just yet.

Ramin gaped at her once she'd finished.  Sierra felt bad for lying to him, but she also felt like a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders. 

Ramin suddenly took her in his arms and they sat there, tears streaming down both their faces.