Sienna woke to a pounding headache, the world spinning slightly as she blinked against the morning light pouring through the window.
Her mouth was dry, her limbs heavy, her brain foggy with flashes of last night—the bar, Maeve, Cassian… God.
She turned her head and immediately regretted it. Cassian was moving quietly around the room, placing a glass of water and a bottle of aspirin on the nightstand like a loyal, anxious puppy.
She stared at him, too tired, too broken to even pretend she knew what to say.
Cassian's eyes met hers, a soft, worried look in them. "Take these," he murmured, his voice careful, as if afraid he'd scare her off.
Sienna pushed herself up slowly, accepting the water and pills. She took them without speaking, letting the cold liquid soothe her burning throat.
Cassian sat at the edge of the bed, watching her like she might vanish if he looked away.
She didn't know what to do. She didn't know how to face the mess between them.
She loved him—God, she loved him so much it hurt—but it wasn't just about love anymore. It was about a child.
A child that wasn't hers.
Her chest squeezed painfully, nausea rising again, but this time it wasn't from the hangover.
Cassian reached for her hand, tentative. "Sienna, we need to talk. About everything."
She closed her eyes, tears pricking behind them.
She wanted to run. She wanted to scream. She wanted to curl back into the blanket and pretend the world outside didn't exist.
But instead, she stayed still, letting him hold her hand, because for all the betrayal and heartbreak… a part of her was still hopelessly tethered to him.
Sienna groaned softly and shifted. "I have a headache. I'd rather sleep more," she mumbled, her voice hoarse.
Cassian immediately stood up. "Okay, okay. Just rest. I'll—I'll call Maeve. Let her know you're okay."
Sienna gave a faint nod, already burrowing back into the blanket.
Cassian moved to the living room, fumbling for his phone. He called Maeve and quickly reassured her. "She's okay. Just resting. I'll take care of her."
When he returned to the bedroom, he found Sienna half-asleep, mumbling under her breath.
"Took advantage of me," she whispered groggily.
Cassian paled, crouching beside the bed. "I'm sorry," he said, voice wrecked. "But when you kissed me... and took off my clothes... I just missed you so much. I didn't want to hurt you. I swear, Si."
Sienna cracked one bloodshot eye open and muttered, "Shut the fuck up. I remember I started that."
Cassian blinked, looking startled.
She sighed heavily, her voice raspy. "Did you use a condom?" she asked blearily. "'Cause we don't need two babies running around."
Cassian's face drained of color. "No," he croaked.
She closed her eyes again with a groan. "Perfect," she muttered. "Absolutely perfect."
Cassian hovered nervously.
"I have a headache," she said, voice sharp now. "And if you want to be useful, get out of my sight. Maybe cook something."
Cassian scrambled to his feet, nodding quickly.
He slipped out of the room, and Sienna buried herself deeper under the blankets, letting the exhaustion pull her back under.
When she woke again, it was late in the afternoon. Groggy but slightly steadier, she slipped out of bed and grabbed one of Cassian's shirts to wear, the fabric soft and hanging loose around her.
She padded out to the living room and found him slumped on the couch, head resting heavily on his hand, unmoving.
The moment he noticed her, he shot to his feet, eyes wide with worry. "How do you feel?" he asked quickly.
"Food," she mumbled, too tired to say more, and dropped herself onto the couch where he had been sitting.
Cassian didn't hesitate. He rushed toward the kitchen to reheat whatever he had cooked earlier, moving with the frantic energy of someone desperate to make things right.
While she sat there in his spot, Cassian hovered anxiously in the kitchen, stealing glances at her. He didn't say a word, just watched her with wide, cautious eyes as she slowly ate the reheated food.
Sienna, for her part, deliberately ignored him. She focused on her plate, refusing to meet his gaze, refusing to acknowledge the weight of everything hanging in the air between them.
After a long stretch of silence, Cassian finally cleared his throat. "Um, Sienna... Sammy—you know, Theo's sister—and Nicole's friend, they want to come over. Maybe talk through this mess."
Sienna paused mid-bite and slowly lifted her head, giving him a sharp, pointed look that made Cassian visibly flinch.
"Talk about what?" she said flatly. "Your and Nicole's wedding plans?"
Cassian's face crumpled, visibly hurt. "Please don't be like this, Si," he pleaded.
Her eyes flashed. "Don't tell me to calm down," she snapped, the anger boiling up sharp and raw.
"You don't get to plead innocence here," she spat. "You expect me to just sit here and smile while you bring your whole damn family over to talk about the mess you created?"
Cassian ran a hand through his hair, his voice breaking. "No—it's not like that. I just... I thought it would help. I thought maybe if they explained—"
"Explain what?" Sienna cut him off sharply. "How you got drunk and 'accidentally' created a life with someone else while you were begging me to be yours?"
Cassian's face crumbled further. "It was one mistake… I never wanted—"
"You never wanted it, but here we are," she hissed, shoving her plate aside.
Cassian dropped to his knees in front of her, desperate. "Si, please. I love you. Just let me explain. Let me try to fix it."
She glared down at him, breathing hard, every muscle tense with anger and heartbreak.
"I don't even know if there is a fix, Cassian," she said, voice shaking. She hated him. God, she hated him. And yet, she hated even more how part of her still craved the way he said her name.
Cassian bowed his head, looking utterly wrecked.
Sienna pushed herself up abruptly, fury and heartbreak driving her movements. She stormed toward the door, grabbing her things with shaking hands.
"I'm done talking," she bit out.
Cassian's head snapped up. He surged forward and caught her around the waist, hugging her from behind with a desperation that made her stumble.
"Please, Si," he choked out, his voice breaking. "Don't leave me. Please. Just listen—I can't lose you. I can't... I can't breathe without you."
She struggled for a second, but his arms tightened around her, trembling with the effort of holding her together.
"I swear I'll fix this. I'll do anything. Just stay. Stay and yell at me, hate me, throw things at me—but please, don't walk away," he pleaded, his voice a rough, shattered whisper against her shoulder.
Sienna's heart twisted painfully at the wrecked sound of him. Tears pricked behind her closed eyes. She hated him, and yet she still wanted the broken boy clinging to her like she was all he had.
"Please, Si," he whispered again, his voice cracking, holding her like she was the only thing keeping him upright.
For a long, trembling moment, she stood frozen.
Slowly, her fists unclenched. Her breathing slowed.
Without turning, she whispered hoarsely, "Let me go. I need to sit."
Cassian immediately loosened his hold, stepping back like she'd burned him, his face crumpling in helpless agony.