I OWN NOTHING!

When Tess walked in to the bathroom of the Burlesque Club she didn't expect to be greeted with the awful sound of vomit. She glanced down at the floor and recognized Georgia's black heels. Tess couldn't handle one of her best dancers getting sick especially since Nikki had been at her all time worst lately.

"Please don't have the flu," she said as Georgia emerged from the stall. She shook her head no. Tess then suddenly realized the seriousness of the situation, "Please have the flu!"

She then took a very scared Georgia in to her arms and gave her a hug. An unplanned pregnancy did not do wonders on a relationship, certainly not one that could be as fickle as the one this poor girl was in, nor did it do wonders for Tess and her club either. She'd have to hold auditions and make sure the new girl knew all the dances without stepping on the toes her newly pregnant dancer. However, this was a time she need to be a mother figure. She comforted the sweet girl as best she could and sent on her way.

Being left alone, Tess took the time to check her appearance in mirror. Her hands moved down her sides smoothing down the ruffles in her shirt and her hand ran through her, still dark black (thankfully), hair. Age was a cruel joke. She was once young and carefree just like the girls she worked with. She did the same stupid things, but that was in her past. Tess could care for them, help them learn from the mistakes, but this time her heart went out to Georgia, it was hard and she knew that first hand.

Sean was the best man in Tess's life. He was a constant companion and the perfect man. The only down fall, he was gay. However, he always would know how to make her feel better. Tess and her on again off again boyfriend Vincent were currently off again. So Sean's big idea was to take her out of town. They went wine tasting, out clubbing, and by the time they got back to the hotel they were wasted.

Tess always being the forward person, she made the first move. It started with a kiss and somehow they made it to the bed. The next day she woke up a pounding headache, cloths thrown across the room and Sean passed out next to her. When they were both sober enough to discuss what happened, the decision was to never speak of it again, and that's what they did.

The club was doing well again which meant Vince and Tess were back on again. She was happy again and working hard on new routines for her girls and a solo number for herself, the introduction to be exact. The dancers would follow her every movement as she taught. Suddenly it felt like something hit her right in the stomach; she tried to shake it off, but to no avail, it hit her again this time with nausea. Tess quickly sprinted to the bathroom, Sean soon to follow ignoring the sign on the door.

He found his best friend with her head bent over the toilet getting violently sick. His instincts took over and he grabbed her long dark hair. When Tess was done she leaned back on her heels and shook her head, she was obviously sick. Sean picked her up and quickly took her in a hug sensing her embarrassment. He then grabbed her coat and neatly placed her sunglasses over her eyes. They strutted out of the club like nothing happened. Rehearsal was over for the day.

Tess couldn't believe it, not possible, not happening she thought as she paced the bathroom. Her eyes wouldn't leave that little plastic stick and that awful pink plus sign. She was not pregnant. Pregnant was bad with out a husband, worse without a steady relationship, and completely insane if the baby is her boyfriend's.

Since the restart of their rocky relationship, Tess and Vince was not exactly celibate, but deep inside she knew that it was Sean's baby. In the month to follow after their one night rendezvous she had skipped her monthly cycle. It was always irregular due to the crazy, stressful life she had, so Tess thought nothing of it. Oh, but it was something, alright, something life altering.

The first thing she knew was even if it is Sean's baby; she was going to tell Vince that it was his. That night of drunken intercourse was promised to never be brought up again and she wasn't one to go back on her word. Then again, for all Sean would know it did belong to Vince, he was no stranger to his best friend's sex life. However, then came the hard part telling people and then suffering through their reactions. Third on the list was the club. Tess knew she couldn't perform like this since she'd start to show soon. The girls would have to go on without her. Tess sighed, this was one mess she couldn't undo, couldn't comprehend, and couldn't even believe.

Telling Vince was scary almost horrific, but he had taken it better than Tess had originally expect. He threw a little fit, then refused to believe it, called her a liar, but in the end owned up to the child. The girls were all ecstatic due to the fact it was a baby, they were naïve in this way. Now, telling Sean was a secret guilt trip. He was overjoyed to hear the news and from that moment on hardly ever left her side.

Sean would go to every appointment with her and hold her hair when the morning sickness would act up at work. Tess knew from the start that she was being selfish by not telling him the truth just to save her own relationship, but she also saved his life. Vince would have killed Sean, he was always jealous of the closeness the two shared. Then there was the baby, Tess wasn't about to put a small innocent little life through hell with the mess she caused. It was something she couldn't do.

Soon, it was obvious to hide the fact she was pregnant. Tess was big for being only four months along and the girl's couldn't keep their hands off their boss's new baby bump, which drove her crazy. Today was the big day though, the day they'd all find out the gender of the baby.

Tess walked in to the club that morning with an envelope tucked under her arm. The girls all stopped and dropped what they were doing, Vince came out from the back, and Sean, of course, was right by her side. The room went silent and they all held their breath as Tess broke the envelope open.

"It's a boy" She laughed.

The room erupted in a giant cheer, then with out hesitation the stomach touching started up again. Sean stood there studying the ultra sound picture and pulled his friend in to a hug only to have her stolen by Vince. He reached around and gave her a kiss. His hands lingered on hers as placed something small into the palm of her hand.

"Vince what is this?" she said with one hand placed on her hip and the other holding a small diamond ring.

"Tess, sweetie, will you please marry me," he dropped to one knee.

"Yes, honey, I will."

It was late when Tess left the club that night, which was normal for her. She unlocked the door to her car, sat down, and finally relaxed for the first time since the ordeal stared. She laid her hand on her stomach studying the small bump and of course the new ring on her left hand. Then there was a tap on the window. It was Sean.

"Hey baby, be careful, there are a lot of crazy drunk people out tonight," he sighed as he kissed her cheek.

As he left she started her car and made her way home to her new fiancé. As she crossed though the intersection right outside the club she saw it, a shiny red truck coming right at her little car, and there was nothing she could do.

Tess woke up in a hospital bed with an empty feeling. Her hand reached down and touched the bump where her little boy once was. She knew he was gone, she didn't need to be told, a mother always knew. She looked to the foot of the bed expecting to see Sean, but much to her disappointment, it was Vince.

"Tess, Honey, the baby…" he began to say with tears in his eyes.

"I know" she managed to choke out before crumbling into his arms.

Tess cried for what felt like forever in her world and on her perfect day too. She felt like shit, everything was messed up and it was all her fault, not to mention she ached from head to toe. Vince said he wouldn't leave her side, but she sent home not wanting to see his heartbroken face over a baby that wasn't even his. Then almost like clock work as Vince left Sean entered.

He had a vase with pink daisies, her favorite. Unlike her future husband, Sean wasn't going to try to explain what happened or what could have prevented it, he was there for her. Sean took off his shoes and climbed in the bed next to her, resting his head on top of hers and placed his arms around her to hold her close in the silence.

Without even looking at him, Tess sighed and whispered "He was yours, you know," fresh tears sprung from her eyes.

Sean didn't say anything; it was like she expected him to either. He just pulled her closer and buried his face deeper into her dark hair and sobbed with her.

Tess glanced again in the mirror her hand moving over the flat emptiness of her stomach. Quickly she shook off any emotion, and checked her face.

She took her time on the way back to her office examining every inch of the club she might lose, she thought of the replacement for Georgia, and replay everything her now ex-husband had told her. Then, as she opened the door to her private office she saw Sean sitting on the couch. Tess took her place next to him and his arms over took her like always and she cried. "I know baby, I know" he murmured pulling her closer, "I love you baby," and sometimes that's all Tess needed to hear.