FLASHBACK

"No, I don't want no scrub," A five year old Arianna sings nodding her little head to the catchy beat of TLC's latest song. "A scrub is a guy that can't no love from me."

Twenty-two year old Catalina smiles broadly, sneaking a quick glance at her daughter in the back seat of her Toyota Camry through her mirror before returning her eyes back to the road.

"Hanging out the passenger side of his best friends ride, trying to holler at me," Catalina sings the next verse. Even though Arianna still has the typical "baby" voice one would expect of her age, Catalina can tell, like herself, her little girl will grow up to have a beautiful singing voice.

"Mommy!" Arianna pouts, crossing her tiny arms. For her age, she's rather petite. This doesn't bother Cat too much though. She was the same way as a child. Eventually, her body caught up with her age. Curves for days. She just hopes her little girl won't be developing sooner than need be.

"Si mi amor?" Catalina questions, already knowing what's going to come out of the girls' mouth.

"You can't sing that part!" Arianna exclaims as if it's the most obvious thing ever.

"Why sweetie?" Catalina struggles to conceal her smile. She was right on target.

"Becauseeee," Arianna drags on the ending. "It's the only part I know, duhhh."

"Uh uh," Catalina quickly turns on her discipline voice. "What did I tell you about using that word nina?"

"That I shouldn't," Arianna replies sadly.

"Por que?" Catalina continues.

Arianna sighs, "Cause it's disrehecful."

Catalina has to laugh at that. For the most part, Arianna is very advanced for a five year old. Her mother has opted to raise her to be bilingual, along with teaching her how to read at the young age of four. She wants the best for her child. She wants her to be better than she is. She will be.

"The word is disrespectful mija," she smiles, pulling into the parking lot of their destination.

"Chuck E Cheese!" Arianna shouts, smiling broadly, revealing her deep dimples. Catalina frowns slightly. Those dimples. The same ones her father has. Her little girl has so much of him, it's almost painful.

"That's right baby girl," Catalina parks, removing the keys from the ignition, and unbuckles her seatbelt. Getting out the car, she closes the driver's door and proceeds to open up the backdoor. She unbuckles Arianna from her car seat, pulling the little girl out and kneels down to look at her eye to eye. "Now I know I told you I'd give you a birthday party sweetie but," she looks down. "Mommy just doesn't have the money this year." She wants to cry. Sure, her daughter is only five and she has plenty of time to throw her a birthday celebration, but this isn't the first time her finances have gotten in the way of her giving her meaning for living something she really wants.

"It's okay mommy," Aria says sadly, but with a smile on her face. "It's your birthday too and you won't have a party either so we can be like...like..." Her face scrunches up in confusion and frustration at not being able to find the right word.

"Twins?" Catalina offers sweetly. One thing Catalina loves about the relationship between she and Arianna is their many similarities. The fact that they share the same birthday would have to be the main one though.

"Yeah!" Arianna shouts excitedly. "Is that why you didn't go to work today mommy and I didn't go to Mrs. Flowers?" She refers to Catalina's elderly neighbor who watches Arianna almost everyday.

"Si mija," Catalina confirms, reaching out to stroke Arianna's long hair that reaches her belly button. Again, like mother, like daughter. "It's just me and you today."

"Really? Tonight too?!" Ariana gets overly excited and Catalina frowns.

"No, I still have to go to my other job tonight." Catalina grimaces at just the thought of her second "job." She'd give anything to not have it, but she has to provide for Arianna and there's nothing she wouldn't do for the girl. "But, you and I are gonna have so much fun today that I bet you'll just want to have dinner and sleep as soon as we get home."

"Yay!" Arianna jumps up and down, before reaching out to hug Catalina. "Te amo mommy."

"Te amo mija," Catalina grins, kissing the top of her daughters head. "Te amo."

The two spend hours in Chuck E Cheese, both having an amazing time with just being together. Arianna loves spending time with her mother and vice versa. Working two jobs doesn't allow Catalina a lot of free time with her little girl though. After winning several prizes and taking plenty of pictures, the two leave and head over to McDonald's, Arianna's favorite fast food restaurant. After ordering their food and forcing a hyper Aria to eat at least some of her food, Catalina watches as she heads over to the play ball pen.

"Well well well," Catalina freezes at that voice. That all too fucking familiar voice. "If it isn't little miss Angel." She cringes at the use of her stage name.

"What are you doing here Darrius?" She sighs, placing her head in her hands. Looking up at him, Catalina hates to admit it, but Darrius has to be one of the most attractive men she's ever met. Light skin, 6"2, nice smile, if he wasn't such an asshole, he'd be the perfect guy.

"I didn't realize it was against the law to stop for something to eat," he chuckles, inviting himself to sit in the seat opposite of her. "You know I don't think I've ever seen you with this much clothes on."

She bites her tongue to keep from lashing out at him, "And I don't think I've ever seen you without your pants around your ankles."

He smirks, "Would you like to fix that?"

"Fuck off Darrius," she spits back.

"Tch tch tch," he shakes his index finger at her. "Such language in a family friendly establishment?"

"So what the hell are you doing here?" Catalina demands, wishing he would just leave her alone. It's bad enough he owns the club she works at and has to deal with him every night, but now during the day too? No, that's too much.

He cocks his head to the side, "I was just about to ask you the same thing."

She crosses her arms and smirks, "I didn't realize it was against the law to stop for something to eat."

A dangerous glint appears in his eyes, "If I were you I'd watch my fucking mouth, you work for me bitch, not the other way around."

"Not right now I don't," Catalina challenges, refusing to show fear.

"Now see, that's where you're wrong." He laughs and she is reminded once again just how unstable the man really is. "As long as you still owe me for that not so little loan you took out five years ago-"

"Which I would have paid off if you hadn't upped the interest so damn much," she barks back harshly. In desperate need of money to care for her newborn, she had turned to Darrius, the neighborhoods most feared drug lord, for a loan. She borrowed 10,000 and he had somehow upped the money she had to pay him back to 50,000.

"What can I say? Business is business."

'And bitch ass niggas always gonna be bitch ass niggas' Catalina thinks bitterly to herself.

"Mommy!" She mentally curses as Arianna, with awful timing chooses to run up to the table.

"Yes mija?" she asks, ignoring Darrius intent gaze on them.

"I wanna take a picture together!"

Catalina bites her lip, "Right now?" Arianna nods enthusiastically. "Okay sweetie, just give me-"

"I'll take it," Darrius offers, smiling broadly. Catalina shoots daggers at the man. He ignores her. "Give me your camera."

"Yay!" Arianna claps happily. "Give it to him mommy."

Internally groaning, she reaches in her purse and hands the man her camera. Pulling her daughter on her lap, she wraps her arms around the tiny child.

"Ready? On three," Darrius instructs. "One, two, three." He snaps the picture. "Perfect," he says softly, starring directly at Arianna. This doesn't slip past Catalina.

"Alright, go finish playing sweetie. We'll be leaving soon."

"Okay mommy," Arianna agrees easily before scurrying back over to the ball pen.

"She sure is a pretty something," Darrius mumbles, reaching back the camera. "Just like her mother."

"Yes, well that's the only thing she'll have in common with me." Catalina glares.

He quips an eyebrow, "You sure about that?"

She bites the inside of her cheek, "What are you talking about?"

"You won't have that tight little body of yours forever Angel," he nods his head in the direction of Arianna. "But she on the other hand....she's gonna be something when she gets older." He bites his lip and leans back, mentally conjuring a picture of an older and filled out Arianna. "And you know me, I like em young."

Catalina leans over and hits her fist on the table, "She's fucking five years old you sick bastard!"

"She won't be five forever," he smiles evilly.

"I swear to God Darrius," she closes her eyes, trying to control her temper. "You better stay the fuck away from my child or I swear to God-"

"You'll what?!" In an instant, he's leaned across the table as well. Slyly pulling back his jacket, Catalina cringes slightly at the sight of his gun. "That's what I thought," he quickly covers the weapon back up. "I want my fucking money Angel and I'm not a patient man. I've given you more than enough time," he stands up and adjusts his collar. "I will get my money back," his gaze travels back over to the ball pen. He smirks. "One way or another." He walks past her to leave but stops to lean down and whisper, "Oh yeah, and tell baby girl I'll be seeing her." Catalina gulps and he laughs, walking out.

As soon as she sees he's left the building, Catalina immediately turns to look at her daughter playing, having fun, without a care in the world.

Feeling her eyes water, she places her head in her hands, "What I have gotten myself into?"

END FLASHBACK

ARIANNA POV

"This doesn't make any sense," Maya shakes her head.

"None of this does," I mumble quietly.

"So let me get this straight," Derrick starts and I swear each of us roll our eyes. "This nigga who you don't know, outside of your job where he's a regular stalker, I mean customer, just so happened to have a picture of you and your fine ass-" Maya socks him in his chest. "I mean, your mother and you....and you have no idea who this man is or how the hell he got it?"

"Pretty much," I nod solemnly.

"This shit sound like something off of a Law and Order episode," he shakes his head.

"Derrick, do yourself and everyone else a favor and please shut the fuck up," Colin groans, wrapping his arms protectively around my waist.

"Cosign," Maya mutters.

After getting bitched at by my boss about my "carelessness" and agreeing to getting a cut in my next paycheck to pay for the glass I 'broke', he agreed to let me and Maya off early. She was able to convince him that I didn't need to be left alone. Kay didn't come in tonight. She's out with Xavier and I didn't wanna bother her with this so Maya came home with me, letting Derrick know where she was before he so casually invited himself over too.

So, that leaves us in our current situation, the four of us sitting at Colin's dining room table, with the picture being passed along from person to person. Of course, I'm in Colin's lap, instead of a seat. God, I'm becoming so predictable.

"Do you even remember when this picture was taken babe?" Colin questions gently.

Frowning, I grab the picture, pulling it in front of me.

"I do," I smile sadly. "It was our birthday."

"Our?" Derrick asks, obviously confused.

"My mom and I share the same birthday," I explain quietly. "I remember that day....she had taken off of work and we spent the day at Chuck E Cheese...." I trail off, feeling my eyes water. "This picture was taken in McDonald's. She took me there after Chuck E Cheese."

"Do you remember who took the picture at least?" Maya presses gently.

"Some man," I shake my head, wiping at my eyes. "I had never seen him before but I think my mom knew him somehow....she didn't like him though."

"How do you know?" Derrick asks.

"I could just tell," I reply, tucking a string of hair behind my ear. "Just the way she looked at him..." I elaborate, remembering my own bad feeling about him back then. He just looked like bad news.

"Are you sure..." Colin begins and I shake my head vehemently. I know where he's getting at....

"No, it's not him. Trust me. I would have recognized him." He simply nods in response.

"How old were you?" Derrick wonders. "In the picture I mean."

"Five," I reply quietly. "The same age I was when she left me..." I trail off, running my finger lightly over her face. She was so damn beautiful, and kind. Damn it. I feel my eyes water. This is why I hate talking about this. I can never control my emotions. "Excuse me," I announce quietly, getting up, taking the picture with me and running upstairs upstairs.

*Downstairs*

*No One's POV*

As soon as the sound of Arianna slamming a door shut reaches downstairs, both Maya and Colin are up on their feet.

"I'll go check on her," they both say at the same time.

"I'm more familiar with the situation so I should be the one to talk to her," Maya explains. "Plus, I know how to handle her-"

"And I don't?" Colin interrupts, slightly insulted.

"I didn't say you don't," Maya rolls her eyes. "I just think you should let me handle this one Colin. I mean, she is my best friend after all."

"With all due respect Maya, I get that she's your friend and all, but she's my wife." He explains. "And I love how close you guys are and how you've seem to become her protector in a sense, but that's my job now. She's my responsibility. You can't protect her forever. You've gotta let go a little."

Maya is silent. She doesn't know how to respond. Well she knows how she would like to respond, but she won't disrespect Colin is his own house.

"Did you know she used to be suicidal?" Maya says quietly after a few minutes of silence. Both Derrick and Colin look equally shocked. "She had a really bad experience a few years back and as a result she started cutting herself..." Maya looks down, feeling her own eyes water thinking back on the harder times. "You're right, I have become her protector. Just too late. She went through so much shit that I didn't even know about....I wasn't there for her when she really needed me and I still regret it to this day." She wipes away a tear that manages to escape. "Look, I get it. You're right. I do have to let go a little. But...not now. I can't." She walks up to him and places a hand on his shoulder. "I wish I could tell you everything to help you understand better, but it's not my place to. She should be the one to tell you. And she will, when she gets ready. But please, for tonight at least, let me deal with her."

Colin looks down at the girl and even though it pains him to know Arianna is hurting and not being able to comfort her, he can't deny Maya the right to help her best friend.

"Go ahead," he agrees, as the young woman smiles in appreciation and heads up the stairs to comfort the woman they both care about.

Little does anyone know though, that instead of being with Xavier like everyone thinks, Kay is actually at the condo. And, like her best friend, is too in need of comfort. She's alone though. In her bathroom, on the floor, knees up against her chest. She stares helplessly, tears leaking out, at the four positive pregnancy tests surrounding her.