Few months ago...

Alana stares at the floor where her friends where dancing, it was her day off in a way. Her son was with her husband, spending their father-son time together and here she was trying to forget about all her misery and sad life.

She was having had enough of feeling down, if he can move on, have another kid of his own, may be it was time she moved on to. It's just few more months until he will stop spending time with their son, as she knows his time will be focused solely on his new child and just as her, Rick will be forgotten as well.

Sipping on her drink she tries to forget all about the man she has been thinking about, when the drink in her glass finishes she looks around for a waiter but finds no one so getting up she goes to buy one from the bar but gets stopped.

"Here your drink" Spencer's voice makes her sigh.

"You are back" she asks as she sits back.

"Of course, where will I go?"

"You were gone for a while" she points out.

"Did you miss me?" he grins and she rolls her eyes.

"I was glad you were not around, but now"

"Don't be mean, so what are you doing out here drinking alone leaving your son and husband?" he asks and she gulps the drink he offers at one go.

"Whoa, bad night" he asks watching her.

"Bad life" she puts the glass down.

"Hey what is it?" he asks as he moves closer to her and she gets up.

"None of your concern" she waves him off as she picks up her bag.

"You are leaving?" he asks and she sighs.

"There is nothing here for me to stay" she replies as she starts to walk away.

*******

"Shit" Alana groans as the keys falls off her hand.

"You are in no condition to drive" Spencer's words makes her turn to face guy and he bends to pick up her car keys.

"I am fine"

"Let me drop you home, if something happens to you I..."

"I can take care of myself"

"I know you can, but we both know you are in no condition to drive" he points out and she takes the keys away from his hand.

"I have driven in worst condition" she snaps at him pushing him away from the car as she gets in.

"Well in that case, drop me off to my house first" he answers getting in the car as well.

"Get a cab"

"Oh come on, now" he grins making her groan as she starts the car.

"So, everything okay in your life?" Spencer starts and she ignores him.

"You know many of times I have found you drunk it's mostly when you are feeling down" he keeps on talking.

"I am not talking about my life with you" she grumbles.

"Then guess you will have to listen about mine" he states.

"That girl you pinning over? How is it going?" she asks and he takes a deep breath.

"Bad, she is married"

"What did you do?" she asks.

"Broke her heart and now she is breaking me all over"

"Hearts, they are breakable, so easy to do that without a care"

"Yeah, just like that" he nods and both of them stay quiet as Alana drives.

"He cheated on me" she starts to his surprise and he glances her way.

"You can laugh" she states staring at him once before gripping on the wheel tightly.

"I won't Alana, I maybe a bastard but I am not that cruel. I won't say I understand but well shit happens especially from the person we least suspect"

"She is pregnant" she continues as he keeps quiet.

"You men are such a piece of work" she laughs as she stops the car and just stares ahead.

"What are you going to do?" he asks and she stays quiet for a while.

*******

"What do you think I should do?" she asks instead and he shrugs his shoulder.

"Don't do what I did" he suggests and she turns shifts to face him.

"What did you do?"

"Trying to break them apart" he confesses.

"How's that working?"

"Terribly" he smiles as he puts his head on the back of his car seat and just closes his eyes.

"Why did you let her go in the first place?" she asks.

"As you said, we men are a piece of work"

"What's the point in breaking them anyways? She is having his kid, soon my kid will be nothing but a background picture...

That bitch even made my son call her mama, she would know my pain when her child calls her a mother, bitch" she spats and Spencer chuckle.

"Then make her kid call you one"

"What?"

"You know, just because she took your man does not mean you need to stay aside doing nothing"

"I am not taking him back"

"So, you are saying that Alana is giving up so easily"

"It's not that"

"From where I am looking that is what I see, I mean look at me I am not giving up until I break them apart. Because I know I deserve her and I will not back off so easily"

"Whatever" she waves her hands as she goes to start the car.

"Or maybe I can make her disappear from your life" he holds her wrists and both of their eyes clashes.

"What?"

"Think, all your life would you rather live like this? Watching him play happy house with that woman, in the house which was once yours?

Would you rather watch your son grow without a father? I never knew you would so easily let someone replace you like this...

You made everything so easy for him to be honest"

"Disappear her as in how?" she asks and Spencer smiles.

"Somewhere you will never have to worry about seeing her, it will be as if she was never born"

"No, whatever it is, no, no" she shakes her head pulling her hand away.

"I am not saying I will kill her, but may be re-locate her. Someplace far away, never letting her back in your life...

Just think about it" he states and Alana quietly starts the car.

*******

Alana stands still as Rick runs to where his father was kneeling in front of Lena, she watches as they both talk about the baby in her womb and Alana cannot take it so she turns at once to get away from all of the things she thought she can take but clearly she could not.

Alana paces back and forth in her room as he head spins, she feels like she is trapped not knowing what she can do to get out of it before her eyes lands on her phone so picking it up she calls the one person she can think about.

"Spence" she speaks as soon as he answers.

"Make her disappear" her words is out before he could ask or she changes her mind.

"Everything okay?" Spencer asks.

"Not really" she sighs.

"Relax, okay. Do you want to maybe go out for drinks or?" he asks and she refuses.

"No, that is not why I called"

"I know why you called but listen I just suggested to make you feel better. Of course we cannot make a pregnant woman disappear and anyways..."

"But you said you can" she frowns.

"Did something happen? I mean may be your emotions are all over the place so"

"When the baby is out, I want you to take her away, anywhere is fine as long as she is away" she interrupts her.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, but can you do it"

"If you insist"

"And, no one should ever know about this" she requests.

"I will take this to my grave" he smiles as his plan was taking turn to the exact place where he wanted it to.

"Thank you, this means a lot, you are doing a big favor to me Spence"

"Uh-uh. It's not a favor Alana, it's a deal. I help you now and you help me later" his words makes her frown.

"Help you on what?" she asks.

"You will know when the time comes, now sleep tight" with that he cuts the line making her wonder if she did the right thing.

*******

Present time...

"Come on big boy" Richie groans as he picks up his sleepy son in his arms.

"Let him be" Alana requests.

"I will put him on his bed"

"He will come back crying in the middle of the night, so what's the use" she asks making him nod.

"So, have you found out where she went?" Alana asks him and Richie sighs as he puts his son in the middle of the bed.

"No"

"So, what now?" she questions him as she changes Richard's diaper.

"Let's not worry about her"

"Did something happened between you two?" she asks staring at him.

"Why do you ask?" he frowns.

"Just, you just seem so stressed"

"I am just worried, she just gave birth and is in no condition to travel. I just hope she is not stupid enough to get in some kind of trouble"

"I am sure wherever she went she is fine"

"Still, I did have a talk with her but I did not knew she would have just ran away"

"What talk?" she asks curiously.

"Nothing for you to worry" he smiles as he starts to unbutton his shirt.

"What if we never find her? Will you still be stressing on about it?" she asks while he makes his way towards the bathroom.

"I am not stressed about her in the way you are making it, but for humanity sake I don't want her to get in some wrong hands"

"Why do you keep saying in wrong hands, you think she is in trouble?" she questions and Richie shakes his head.

"She is just too young to understand the deal of the world, I will go take the shower" he states before leaving.

Alana turns her focus back on the child before she smiles at him.

"Is my little button hungry?" she coo's and the boy stares at her as if trying to remember her voice.

*******

"No" Rick shouts as he runs away from the kitchen to where his mother was.

"Rick, don't be difficult" Richie scolds his son who hurries to his mother's side.

"I want milk for mommy not in the bottle" he argues with his father.

"You are big enough to drink on your own"

"But why do he always gets to drink from you?" he asks as he tries to sit next to Alana.

"Are you jealous of your own brother?" she asks pulling him on her lap.

"You are always around him all the time" he whines as he pushes Richard's head away from her breast and the baby cries.

"Ricardo, that's mean. You were the one who wanted a brother so badly" she states before she soothes her younger son.

"But you don't love me anymore now that he is here"

"That's not true, he just needs extra care. Look at him, he is just so little. Now, be a good boy and do as daddy says"

"Only if you feed me" he pouts and even before she starts Richie hands her the bowl.

"He is being difficult and stubborn these days"

"He just feels he is being replaced that's it" Richie smiles as he takes Richard in his arms.

"We need to take him for his shot today" she reminds Richie.

"Why are we shooting him?" Rick asks as he stares at his mother.

"It's not that shooting"

"Then"

"Injection"

"No" he shivers as he tries to run off to protect his brother.

"Why not?" Alana laughs at her son's innocence.

"Because it hurts and he is so small" he pouts.

"That's is why you are there to protect him, now finish your breakfast, you have school"

"Do I have to?" he groans.

*******

"Don't cry Rich" Rick caresses his baby brother's cheeks as the boy keeps on wailing.

"Rick, don't touch him baby, you may hurt his arms" Alana reminds her son.

"But he is in pain, mommy. Why do they have to hurt him?" he sniffs staring at his brother.

"It's for his own good, now he will be safe from all the bad things that can make him sick"

"Still, he has not stopped crying. I don't like him crying mommy" he goes to hug Alana and her heart melts as she wipes his tears.

"Aww, he will be fine. Don't cry" she tries to soothe her son.

"Come on big boy, time for bed" Richie announces as he goes to pick Rick up.

"Can he stay in my room too?" he requests his father.

"Are you sure you want to share your room with him, I mean you don't want to share mommy with him"

"Just for tonight" he smiles.

"I think mommy will stay with him for tonight" Alana smiles as she kisses on her son's forehead.

"Then I am staying in here too" he announces making Richie sigh.

"I don't want to share mommy as well" Richie groans before he goes to change Rick's clothes while Alana laughs.

*******

Alana hums a song as she rubs her son's back trying to soothe his pain away, she paces back and forth in the bedroom hoping the pain will go away and he will fall asleep.

"Why don't you give him to me?" Richie asks as he walks towards her.

"I don't want to move him" she whispers.

"Are you okay?" he asks softly stopping her from pacing.

"Of course," she smiles but he does not let her go.

"I know this is not easy" he starts.

"To be honest, it is getting easier without her. At least, now I know she will not take all of you away from me" she interrupts him.

"I won't let anyone take us away from you" he tries to assure her.

"But she did, she took one part of you away from me" she states as she stares at the child in her arms who was now breathing deeply.

"But it is now a part of you as well, you did not have to but you did breastfeed him making him one of yours...

I cannot erase the pain Alana but I can try to make it less painful, he will not know anyone as his mother except you" he smiles as he rubs her arms slowly.

"But the truth is I am not"

"It's all in your hand, you are his mother if you feel it" he states and she once again stares at the child.

*******

"Good morning" Rick greets as he walks towards Alana drowsily rubbing his eyes.

"Good morning my little bubblehead" Alana smiles as she picks him up.

"I don't want to go to school" he whines burying his head on her neck and holding her tightly.

"Aww my poor baby, of course you don't have to" she smiles and he jerks away from her.

"For real"

"Yes, because it's Sunday" she laughs.

"Then I don't want to go to school tomorrow" he grumbles.

"Sure, sweetie pie, because it's your vacations"

"Then I don't ever want to go to school" he gasps in excitement making her laugh.

"Do you want to sleep for a while?" she asks pushing few strands of his hair away from his face and he nods his head without a word.

"Come on then" she smiles but he points at the baby's crib.

"Ricardo" she sighs but he just shrugs his shoulders.

*******

"We are spoiling him too much" Richie states as he stares at the crib and watches both of his son asleep.

"As if he would have listened to me" she sighs laying her head on his chest and smiling.

"Looks like he thinks his brother as a competition"

"He just doesn't understand things that's it"

"Well at least he is not totally unhappy with Richard" he sighs as he pulls her closer to his side.

"Hmm, his vacations are on"

"Yeah"

"So, I was thinking if we could all go away from a while" he suggests and her head jerks to stare at his face.

"Are you sure?" she asks.

"Yeah, I mean. I think all of us need it"

"I will love that" she smiles as she stares at her sons.

*******

"Can I swim with the sharks?" Rick asks as he runs around the house with his bag pack.

"No, Rick stop running" Alana warns her son.

"But dad said we will stay closer to the sea" he states and Alana calls for Richie.

"Dad, dad, what about dolphins" Rick starts as he rush to his father's side.

"If you don't stop this then I will not be taking you anywhere" he warns the boy who groans.

"Mom" he whines asking for her help making both his parents laugh as that is what he does, if Alana scolds him, he runs to his father and if Richie scolds him he runs towards his mother.

"Come here, why don't you stay and watch over your brother while mommy goes and brings her bag and daddy needs to take the bags to the car" she states.

"Can I put him in my lap?" he requests.

"No, you are too young to handle him" she states before she puts few pillows around Richard and asks Ricardo to watch for his brother.

"Can I get to play games later?" he asks and Alana nods her head as she makes her way towards the room.

"Can I trust you with him?" Richie asks and Rick nods his head as he salutes his father before he goes to sit beside his brother.

*******

"Why are your fingers so little?" Ricardo talks with his brother as he holds the fingers of the boy and compares it with him.

"Oh, I know, because I bigger and better than you" he grins as he lies on his stomach and touches his brother's cheek.

"You smell good" he kisses on Richard's cheek.

"Do you like my mommy? Well, is she not better than yours? My mommy is so nice she even lets me have two scoops of ice-cream sometimes...

But your mama, she doesn't let me have it. But it's okay, I will ask my mommy to let you have ice-cream okay?" he smiles as he touches Rich's nose and presses it lightly making the baby squirm.

"Do you know, I go to school and they make me sing rhyme? I hate it. I want to just play with doggo, but they don't even let me take him...

Doggo goes to school as well, dad says he will join the force one day. I don't know what that means though...

Just wait until you grow up, they will make you go to school as well, but it is okay, I will be around for you. And we can play ball and racing cars and I will teach you all the rhymes" he talks with Richard who just throws his hands and legs a bit playing around with himself.

*******

"Let me, let me" Ricardo jumps as he tries to carry his brother but Alana just shakes her head so pushing him away.

"I carry doggo all the time" he whines as he still keeps his arms up in the air to carry Richard.

"Your brother is not a dog" she scolds him and he groans before he runs behind the car to carry his bag.

"You said I am big enough to carry my own things" he grumbles as he walks beside his father.

"Yes, but your brother is not a thing"

"Parents are weird, they ask you do it when you don't want to and then when you do they scold why you doing...

Growing up sucks" he complains and Richie chuckles.

"Suck it up" he winks before wincing as his wife shouts at him.

"It's not a bad word" he smiles but one glare from her he apologizes.

"And you stop complaining, we will see when you have your kids how you will handle them"

"I will let you handle them" Ricardo grins before he runs inside of the house they are staying for the week.

*******

Alana puts a sleeping Richard on the bed before she lies next to him and smiles holding his small hand, staring at his face she sighs as she moves closer and breaths his scent in.

"Is he asleep?" Richie's voice makes her turn around.

"Yeah" she replies as she focuses on Richard once again.

"I will be at the backyard with Ricardo" he announces putting the bags down and she nods her head before she frowns and turns to face him.

"Backyard? What is Ricardo doing there?" she questions and Richie smiles.

"Richie" she asks before she surrounds Richard with pillows and walks towards the window in the room and opens to find her son surrounded by dogs and she groans.

"You did not" she groans and he shrugs his shoulder.

"They will behave" he grins and she shakes her head not knowing both her husband and son's obsession with dogs even if she, herself do not have any problems with them yet.

"That is doggo's family so" he clarifies as he walks to where she was and pulls her in his arms.

"Still, was it necessary to bring them here?" she asks him.

"Ricardo will be handling what I do now, in the future, so he needs to know what I do, he needs to be surrounded by them"

"You brought your work here, did you not?" she asks narrowing her eyes at him and clears his throat.

"Unbelievable"

"I have someone who will look after the boys while we attend a party tonight" he states and she pushes him away from herself.

"I am not partying anywhere with you" she warns shaking her head at him.

"It was a last-minute change"

"You promised a family vacation, I will ignore the guard dogs but not what you just said" she replies as she walks towards her suitcase and opens it.

"It's just few hours"

"I am not leaving for a party" she reminds him.

********

Alana walks out of the room to find both her husband and son playing outside with the dogs, she stands at the doorway and watches as Ricardo picks up a dog that is clearly bigger than him before they both fall down and her son's laughter fills in.

She cannot help but smile as Ricardo gets up, dusts his clothes before he starts to run and few of the dogs follows him she goes to protest worried he will get hurt but stops as they dogs just licks and plays around with him.

Sighing, she just stands quiet just looking around with a sad smile in her face, thinking how her life has changed from the woman who had been no one but a drunken woman with nothing in life to look forward and now here she is a mother of two kids.

Even if one of them is not someone any sane woman would have called hers but when has she ever done anything sane?

Accepting Richard was not the hard part in her life but watching her son crying wanting to be with his father was. And now as she watches her son patting one of the dogs while he grins at his father makes her know why she gave Richie a second chance.

"Why can we not keep them all?" Ricardo asks his father as he tries to get on the German Shepard.

"I told you why" Richie replies as he checks on the dog's legs and Alana frowns as she moves forward noticing it now how her husband has been busy checking on each dog.

"What's going on?" Alana asks and the dogs all turns and starts to growl but a whistle from Richie makes them whine and stop their growling.

*******

"Mom, dad is selling all of them. Tell him not to" Ricardo speaks up as soon as he sees his mother and rush to her side.

Alana crouches down as she wipes sweat off her son's forehead.

"You need to get inside now" she requests as she watches his red cheeks and how sweaty her was.

"But I am playing"

"You can do that later"

"There is no later, he is sending all of them away, even doggo" he gasps pointing at the dogs, eye widened.

"Why?" Alana asks as she picks up her son and stares at Richie.

"They are guard dogs; the highest bidder will take them home" he shrugs as he gets up from the ground.

"What are you checking on their legs?" she asks curiously and he smiles.

"Their tags"

"Tags?" she frowns.

"Yeah, have to keep track on them"

"When are you selling them?" she asks as she starts to walk back in the house but Ricardo protests wiggling in her arms.

"Tonight" he replies before calling someone and Alana frowns as she did not know anyone else was in the house except them but when two men walks out of nowhere she wonders if they were ever alone.

"Put their leash back on, they all are good to go" he nods at the men before he wraps his arms around Alana's waist and nudges her to keep moving.

"I don't even want to know where the dogs and men came from" she states making him chuckle.

"The party tonight, I am the one hosting so I was thinking if you would be a lovely Lady host tonight"

"And how come the Lady host knows about it now?"

"I did tell you we were going to a party"

"Not the one we are hosting"

"Maybe it slipped off my mind"

"How about my hand slips off your cheek?" she narrows her eyes at him.

"It was a last-minute thing, the auction was reserved for next month"

"But" she waits.

"Salvatore wants"

"Salvatore?" she frowns.

"Flora's father, he seems to have an interest buying some dogs"

"And you could not tell him to wait for next month"

"Only few can say no to him"

"Of course, you are now among the few" she sighs putting Ricardo down who turns to run out but Richie garbs hold of him.

"I think you have had enough fun with the dogs, they need to rest now go check on your brother" he pats on his son's back turning him towards the room.

"I need to get in good side of his"

"Why am I not surprised?" she smiles walking towards the kitchen.

"Can you be there?" he requests.

"Now I have more strong reasons to not be there"

"Please"

"No"

"Alana, I need you to be there"

"Because Salvatore has a soft spot for me, right?" she asks staring at him.

"Because you know the way in his mind and heart better than anyone else"

Both of them stare at each other for a while before Alana speaks.

"How much do you know?" she challenges.

"My dogs are only a reason for him to see you" he informs and she takes a deep calm breath.

"I have not been in a scene for a while" she speaks.

"Then this will be a perfect one for you"

"You are a fucking bastard for making me do this" she curses him.

"I tried everything to get in but it seems you are the Golden ticket for me"

"If I am to host this party few things need to be changed"

"I am in for all the changes"

"And you are so wrong if you think Salvatore has soft spot for me"

"Yeah, because it's a hard one" he grins making her scoff.

"He is a sick bastard"

"Can I say I am sorry for dragging you in?" he grins cheekily and she takes a deep breath.

"You have planned it all in, from the start have you not?" she tilts her head and he just smiles.

"When your father asked me if I would marry you, all he wanted was to take you out of the misery you had around you after your brother's death...

When I agreed to marry you, all I wanted was to have some sort of connections that would help me get in and crack few walls inside of the Purgatory...

But as I went deeper I revealed few things, my intentions marrying you were not good but now as I stand here I don't want to use the connections you have but request you to walk in with me by my side as one" he requests standing in front of her.

"What are you up to Russo, what exactly are you up to from the very beginning?" she questions.

"I am the head of the security for the Price family, you see. My first priority and only mission is to make sure not one hair from any of Price family is out of place and for that if I have to go any ends I will"

"A Pricey dog I see" she scoffs not believing her ears.

"I work under the direct orders of Nicolas Cole Price, the man who built the Purgatory and he wants it crumbled down"

"Nicholas as in your friend that?" she frowns but stops as he shakes his head.

"He is known as Pop to many, you see just cutting his ties with the group was not enough"

"And you are revealing all of this to me why?" she asks.

"You were once working side by side with Salvatore, until one night your brother was in the place you should have been, where he stupidly tried to rescue the girls...

You do not hate the world you born into because they took away your brother, you hate yourself for letting the world take away your brother, if you had not asked him to take your place that night...

Your brother would have been alive"

"And I would not have been married to an asshole like you" she interrupts.

"We both hate the group, so help me"

"Did you even meant the words you ever expressed to me?" she asks hurt at the revelation.

"Don't ever doubt my feelings while Ricardo is my heart you are my soul, take anyone of them away and I will not be alive"

"What about Richard?" she questions.

"Ricardo is symbol of us, Richard is the strength between us" he admits and she nods her head.

"You betray me again"

"I will not even beg for you to take me" he promises and she grabs the front of his shirt pulling him closer to her.

"You will lose all of your rights on me"

"A body without its soul is of no use" he confesses and she moves closer to him.

"You Russo, you are really good with words" she smiles as she plants her lips softly on him and Richie smiles into their kiss wrapping his arms around her.

"I love you Alana, never doubt on it ever no matter what" he breaths as he joins their forehead before a scream makes them turn to watch their son run out of the room pinching his nose.

"He pooped" he shouts.