FADE IN:

INT. MEL'S BEDROOM - DAY

Mel lies in fetal position amongst the darkness. She is still -- emotionless. Meanwhile, Leah bangs on the door repeatedly.

Leah: Mom! I know you are in there. Let me in. Please. Come on...

Leah breaks down and props her head on the door.

Leah: Mom, please... I'm so, so sorry...

The doorbell then rings. Leah staggers down the stairs to the door. She opens it and reveals Remy, Clayton, Christina, and Felicia.

Leah: (wiping away the tears) Grandma and Grandpa? Uncle Remy? Christina? What are you all doing here?

Felicia: We came to see how you and your mother is doing.

Leah: I'm fine. It's Mom I'm worried about.

Felicia: How is she?

Leah: Still locked in the room. She won't come out. She hasn't eaten for days. I'm worried.

Christina: Poor Mel...

Clayton kisses Leah on the forehead and then continues past her up the stairs.

Felicia: Clayton? What are you doing?

Clayton: Saving our daughter. That is what I am doing.

Felicia: Clayton--

Clayton: No, Felicia. She is a Boudreau. She needs to get it together and now!

Felicia: Clayton! She just lost someone dear to her!

Remy: Yeah. A criminal. She shouldn't be surprised it ended like this.

Christina: Remy!!

Christina socks him in the arm.

Remy: Well it's the truth.

Felicia: You better not go up there, Clayton, acting like a fool.

Clayton: I don't wanna hear it.

Clayton continues up the stairs while Felicia still calls out:

Felicia: Clayton! Clayton! Dammit, Clayton! (to Remy) Go and stop him.

Remy: Mom--

Felicia: NOW!!

Remy is does as he is told and runs up the stairs. He makes his way down the end of the hallway where he spots Clayton beating on the door.

Clayton: Mel, this is your father! I want you to open this door at once!

No answer.

Clayton: Mel! Open this door now!

Now answer.

Remy: Dad, enough. Come on.

Clayton: No. I am not going anywhere. I am the father and I want this door opened now...

Remy: Dad, maybe she wants to be left alone.

Clayton: Remy, when you have children then you can tell them what to do. Till then, buzz off. (to Mel) I WILL BREAK THIS DOOR DOWN, MEL IF YOU DON'T OPEN IT NOW!

Remy clutches his lips together, holding back his words. Footsteps are then heard coming up the stairs. It's Harley and Blake.

Harley: Clayton, maybe we can help.

Clayton: I doubt that I am her father.

Felicia: (O.C) Clayton, get down here now and let Harley and Blake speak with her! NOW!

Clayton: Fine. I'm going to give you ten minutes to talk to her and if she does not open that door by then I'm going to come up and burst the door down. Got it?

Blake: Ten minutes then.

Clayton and Remy descend down the stairs.

Blake gently knocks on the door.

Blake: Mel... Please come and open the door.

Harley: Watch out.

Blake: What?

Harley slides Blake out the way and pulls a card out of her pocket. She slides the card into the latch and the open slowly opens to reveal Mel still lying on the bed in a daze.

Blake: Oh God.

Harley and Blake enter the room. Harley gently closes the door behind her. The two then join Mel on the bed.

Blake reaches out to touch Mel and then stops, second guessing herself. But this is her friend. Blake starts to stroke her hair.

Blake: Mel, I understand what you are going through. I really do.

Harley: (grabbing Mel's hand) Me too.

Blake: And we aren't going anywhere until you talk to us.

Harley: And you know when Blake says something she means it.

Blake and Harley chortle until they notice Mel isn't reciprocating.

Blake: Remember when I lost Ross and I shut myself off. You bugged me until I came around. You felt so guilty because Rick was your husband and you had part of the blame. I cherished every day you came to sit me.

Harley: And you did the same with me when Gus died.

Tears stream down Mel's face as she tries to fight them.

Harley: I may not have approved of you and Cyrus being that he and I parted ways badly but I never questioned his love for you and vice versa.

Blake: I guess we all assumed that he was just using you.

Mel: He was... He kept Grady being alive from me.

Harley: And I agree. Him keeping that from all of us was wrong, but their bond was always so strong. Mel, you knew that.

Mel: I did. I just don't get how he could not have trusted me with, Grady. I mean we could've taken legal actions to get him off. And now Grady is gone not be found while Cyrus is lying in the ground dead. STUPID BASTARD!

Harley and Blake tear up at the pain coming from Mel.

Mel: I never knew that losing something would be so HARD. I thought when Rick and I separated was hard but this so hard! I still see Rick. I will NEVER see Cyrus again.

Blake: Don't say that. There is always--

Mel: The afterlife. I know, I know. But that could be years from now. And whose to say I'll even see him then.

Harley: Then you should keep faith alive that you will.

Mel: I can't do this. I can't do this! How am I suppose to worry about Leah and this baby?! How?!

Harley and Blake are stunned.

Blake: ...Baby?

Mel: (laughing through her tears) Open the top drawer, Harley.

Harley opens the drawer and pulls out a pregnancy test. Harley glances at it and smiles.

Harley: You're pregnant?

Mel: Yep.

Blake: Oh my God!! Oh we so have start planning for this baby!

Harley: I know! The shower, paints and stencils for the room...

Mel: I'm not going have it.

Blake and Harley: WHAT?

Mel: I said I am not going to have it. I'm getting an abortion. No need in bringing this child into the world only to suffer. The father is dead, and he father was looked down upon, I cannot put a baby through this.

Blake: Mel!

Mel: No, Blake! I don't have time. Plus I have Leah's accessory charge to worry about -- I don't have time for a baby. I don't.

Harley: And have you asked the rest of your family how they feel?

Mel: No. They'll never know. You guys are the only ones who are going to know also.

Harley: Mel, that is not right.

Mel: So what. It's my baby, my body. I'll do whatever the hell I want. And you two are going to keep quiet out of respect. Got it?

Suddenly Leah peeks her head into the room.

Leah: Mom... is it OK to come in?

Mel: Yeah. (wipes tears) Tell everyone to come on in.

Everyone comes in one by one. Mel gets up and hugs her family members. She shoot a look of warning at Harley and Blake.

And on Harley and Blake feeling guilty,