Saul took a step back and stared at her for a moment.

"My—my baby?" He croaked out the words as best as he could.

Sophie nodded, the tears continuing down her face.

"I'm so sorry," She sobbed, her body trembling uncontrollably.

Saul's breathing was rapid and his anger swelled within him.

"When did you find out?" He asked her, "Sophie? How do you know,--"

"Not even two weeks ago, Saul," She answered, wiping her eyes, "And I haven't been with Joe in months, if that's what you're about to ask. Eddie knew that and I couldn't hide how sick I was so they forced me to the doctor and then...then.." Sophie turned around, rubbing her hands down the length of her dress, "Then that."

Saul felt like his whole world had come tumbling down.

"Our baby," He whispered, mostly to himself.

"I tried to stop him!" She wailed. "I begged him not to make me do it. I told him I could give the baby to you, but he wouldn't have it. He didn't want me pregnant with a DeMarco heir."

Saul balled his hands into fists. Of course, that would have helped them had she known sooner or even been pregnant and told the families. They wouldn't have allowed the termination of a DeMarco heir.

"All he keeps saying is that he'll tell everyone it was Joe's and that I didn't want it, but that's not true!" Sophie told him, "I wanted that baby. Your baby."

He stepped closer to her again to hold her, to cradle her and soothe her. This was beyond anything Saul anticipated and he'd never felt so empty. Eddie took something that was his—his child with Sophie. A piece of him ripped away without his or Sophie's consent.

"I need you to listen to me, Sophie, and I need you to understand that what I'm proposing goes even beyond what I had wanted for us, but we gotta go," He put his forehead against hers, "We're going to go on the run."

Saul made sure to gather together the most trusted group of people: Darlene, Debra, Jack, Rory, Lena, Suzy, Vito, Fredo and Allen—even Caliope and Georgina were invested in the scheme.

"I've got people in Alabama," Fredo told him, "But have your trail lead to the Bronx so they think you're going to Preston's."

"Did Preston decide against a marriage between me and Michael?"Suzy asked.

Saul nodded, "I think you're still going to eventually marry John. Preston doesn't seem to want anything to do with the Swann's."

Suzy sighed with relief.

"I'm getting her out of here. I don't know what else to do," Saul was saying, lighting up yet another cigarette. His chainsmoking was evident to his group, but they understood. He was taking a huge risk going on the run with Sophie, "And honestly I love all of you and I thank you for doing this, but I will not hesitate to kill you if I find that you ratted us out."

The group knew he wasn't joking, but they'd gladly die on this hill if it meant helping Sophie and Saul be together.

Saul rubbed his hands together. He was still so angry about what Eddie had done to their baby—a DeMarco heir that could have potentially united them in matrimony, but Eddie knew that and he made sure to rip it away from them.

"Why can't we just hire a hitman?" Fredo offered after learning what Eddie had done.

Rory nodded, taking a flask out of his jacket, "Yeah, it's not like some of us haven't put a hit out before."

Saul shook his head, "The issue is we don't know how far Eddie's reach is or who he's allied with. He takes his grievances up with the tribunal so much. Why do you think the rules keep changing? Eddie has a hold and no one knows how strong it is. Hell, I even thought about going to the courthouse and just getting married to her, but Eddie's got connections."

"For a family that isn't on top, you'd think someone would have already taken him out," Rory said.

"He offers us," Suzy said, softly, "Sex sells."

Saul stiffened. He would gladly torture every last person who laid their greasy hands on the Swann women.

"He does his best to knock people off at random," Jack admitted, "All those civilians you hear about? Eddie..."

That made sense. That also made Saul wonder if it was Eddie who did the hit on Garcia's men.

"I think he put the hit out on me," Jack shrugged.

"What the fuck? Really?" Saul took the flask from Rory and downed the whiskey.

"It was too convenient and Eddie wanted that dock back. You do the dirty work in plain sight, deny it and then hit your own to make it look like Garcia. Harold never would have hit me," Jack said, shaking his head, "Hell, I tried to help those guys when they were shot. He knew I didn't do it."

"Well, we got the plan down?"Saul asked, reviewing everything step by step with his trusted accomplices.

"Game on, boss." Rory saluted.

"This isn't going to work,"Sophie whispered to her sister as they headed out two weeks later, "Someone's gonna find out—if they haven't already."

"Damnit, Sophie, I already told you that Saul has everything planned out and your job is to simply go along with it. You'll be married to the love of your life and living,--"

"On the run for how long?" Sophie sighed.

"That I don't know," Suzy told her, "It might be a very long time. You go, get married, go to Italy. I told you his family and Luca's are waiting for you."

"I don't know..."

"You love him! This is what you need to do! Romeo and Juliet style, Bonnie and Clyde, Thelma and Louise!"

Sophie laughed, "First off, Thelma and Louise? Second, those are all tragedies!!!"

"Your story won't be!"Suzy reassured her, "Now get some shit together because we do our first drop to Vito this afternoon."

Saul's plan consisted of Sophie gathering as many of her belongings as she wanted to take and dropping them off near a dumpster by Pompeii's. Every day, Vito would come and pick them up, taking the items back to his house and getting suitcases for her.

"Eddie hasn't even looked twice at us since the engagement party!" Suzy said, "So you know he thinks his little plan is working."

"What about you? What happens to all of you?"

"Don't worry about what happens to us,"Suzy said, "Hell, I'll probably be doing this myself in a few months." She trailed off, thinking about John.

Sophie was so anxious, but she was incredibly excited to see her future husband—the love of her life, Saul DeMarco. There was a small inkling of sadness for Joe. He did love her, she knew that, but he wasn't what she wanted and he wasn't ready for anyone or anything other than himself and his interests.

He did save her the last month or so from Eddie's wrath and she was thankful for that. Now it was her turn to go—to get out of Florida and make a life with Saul—until Joe decided she wasn't worth his time anymore.

She'd even begged a few of her closest friends to find a woman for Joe, but no one wanted him. Plenty of them wanted a DeMarco and she couldn't blame them.

Within the week, Vito had all of her stuff packed up at his house. For a guy who she thought didn't have connections, he was surprising all of them.

"Fake ID's," Suzy told her, "Give me a name so I can tell Vito."

"Patricia Byrd," Sophie said, confidently proclaiming the feminine version of Patrick.

"Saul is going to be Lucas—but I'm sure you know why,"Suzy softened.

Eddie was allowing them to go everywhere alone—which seemed like a trap, but Saul's group was keeping tabs.

Vito said he had an old SUV and a driver who owed him a favor, but the SUV and the driver would be ditched in Jacksonville where Fredo's buddy had another car waiting with fake plates.

"I can't believe all of this is happening," Sophie said as she rode alone with Suzy on their last outing to the last bridal shoppe.

"You know what to do," Suzy's voice cracked, "After an hour or so, I'll give you the text to go out the back door and Saul will be waiting. I've placed a mannequin wig in the last dressing room underneath the bench."

"What color?"

"Blonde,"Suzy told her, "That red hair won't get you far."

They laughed, but it was so depressing—so sad and maybe permanent. None of them knew what to expect, but they were damn sure no going to give in to any of Eddie's demands. Nothing could be traced back to them.

Sophie's other sisters and Lorraine were waiting at the bridal shoppe. Sophie almost got back into the car, but she knew she couldn't. She couldn't go along with the wedding and she'd have to wait until someone offed Eddie to live a happy life with Saul.

It was bittersweet, but the girls were having a wonderful time as Sophie tried on dresses. The last dress was taken to the back by Sophie and, right before she was going to put it on, a buzz came on her phone.

"Lock is disengaged. Romeo is outside."

Suzy...

Sophie quickly put on the wig after she heard the backdoor lock jiggle.

Grabbing her purse and making sure she looked believable as a blonde, Sophie took one last look at the hallway that lead to the waiting area where her family was. Not taking another second of thought, Sophie reached for the door and pushed it open coming face to face with the black SUV and a smiling Saul in the backseat.

She scrambled into the car, embracing him as he yelled for the driver to go.

"What the hell are we doing?" Sophie panted, kissing Saul over and over and over again.

"I don't know, but we've got no other option, baby," He held her close, taking in her scent, "I'm so sorry you had to leave them. I am..."

Sophie leaned into him like she always did. Her adrenaline was pumping so fast and she could feel Saul's heart beating frantically inside of him.

"I pray to God we at least get to Alabama," Saul said, "From there, it should be a breeze."

Sophie watched the scenery go by just knowing Eddie was about to pull out of some back road.

"Blondie..." Saul mused, tousling her wig, "It looks good, but I love me some red heads."

Sophie smiled, "What if we get caught? What if they,-"

"Then we get caught, but I'm not giving up on us, Sophie. I can't and neither should you,"Saul said, "or should I say Patricia?"

"Lucas..." She wrinkled her nose, "That's so weird to say."

They rode in silence for the longest time. The driver, Miles, asked very few questions which pleased Sophie and Saul.

"You are worried," Saul stated, bluntly.

"I am," Sophie admitted, "'What do you expect me to be?"

"Hopeful."

"I am hopeful," She turned to face him, "But the repercussions won't be pretty if we get caught. They'll drag us back here by our ears—if they don't kill us."

Saul knew that was true, but there was no other option except to leave. By now, the families had probably called a meeting and his family was most likely losing their minds.

"Will I like Italy?" Sophie asked.

"I think so," He told her, kissing the top of her head as she rested on his chest, "I've got a private plane set up in Mobile. Once we're married, we'll only have a day or two to get to that plane and don't be alarmed if there's only a pilot and crew. I've paid them off."

Sophie nodded. Suzy had already informed her of everything already, but she liked hearing it from Saul because then it seemed real. They both knew what might happen if they were found—death, exile, shunning, torture. The list went on in their world.

Saul could see the worry spreading across her face. She was so tired of being strong and he understood that. If he had to be strong for both of them, he'd gladly take on the challenge.

"You are my destiny, Sophie," He whispered to her, "No matter what happens, I am not letting you go without a fight—even if it kills me."