Suddenly

Nightmare

Grace was running again. She hadn't felt this helpless in a long time. All around her, she could hear his laugh, and her cry. It made her head spin, it made her eyes tear up.

"Aylie!" She yelled over and over.

How was it possible that this hallway was so impossibly long?

"Ayla Grace!" Her voice broke as a sob ripped from her throat. She had to find her baby!

"Come on, Grace! You can do better than that!" Josh's voice berated her. "Don't you even care about her?"

Tears had begun to cloud her vision as she searched harder for the source of the cries. It sounded so close, yet so terribly far away.

"Please!" She begged as her knees gave out from exertion. "Give her back!"

She tucked her knees to her chest and let the sobs come. She felt so worthless and like a horrible mother. How could she not protect her own baby?

His laugh pierced the air again, at least he seemed to be enjoying himself. She just wanted it all to be over.

To her right, something emerges from the shadows. Slowly, she cranes her neck. She is met with the sight of her husband holding a screaming Ayla.

Grace jumps to her feet and takes a step towards them.

His hand goes up to stop her.

"You can't help her now, Grace." He gently turned to the baby and attempted to soothe her. "It's okay, little one. Don't worry about Mommy anymore. We will be fine without her."

It felt as though Grace's heart fell from her chest, what did he mean 'fine without her?' Grace was right here, and she sure as hell wasn't leaving her daughter what that monster.

"Give her here!" She yelled at him, causing the baby's head to snap in her direction.

Fat tears traced down the little girl's cheeks as she reached for her mother. Grace tried to reach for her, but Josh took a counter step back.

"Sorry Grace, this was your decision." He spit at her. "You left me, I had no choice but to fight back and take what was mine. What would hurt you the most."

Grace choked on her tears. This couldn't be happening, how could she be losing her baby? Josh didn't even want her! This was all a ploy to hurt Grace.

"Please!" She sobbed again, her chest hurting as Ayla began another round of screams for her mother. "She needs me!"

Josh scoffed. "Please, she won't even remember you. You were the one who decided to throw the life we had away, Gracie."

The blonde could feel herself sinking to the floor in utter despair. How did she ever think her plan was going to work? How did she ever thing she could beat him?

"I'll do anything." She begged hopelessly.

She looked up to an evil grin stretching across his face, it gave her chills just to look at him.

"Anything?"! He teased.

She nodded, no longer trusting her voice. Her eyes were focused on Ayla, the looked girl looked so entirely confused and afraid.

"Be home before I get back, Wednesday, or else." Josh told her menacingly. He spun on his heel and disappeared into the shadows.

With Ayla.

"No!" Grace screamed, she tried to chase after him but was met with only a longer hallway. "Josh! No!"

"No! No!! Aylie!"

"Grace! Come on, Grace, wake up!" It was Hannah's voice.  Why was Hannah here?

The sting of a slap to her cheek caused her eyes to snap open. She was met with the blue eyes of one Hannah Hart staring at her in fear and confusion.

"Are you okay?" Hannah asked quickly, her hand grasped Grace's tightly, reassuringly. "I heard you screaming, I guess you were having a nightmare."

Grace said nothing. She was still attempting to gather her bearings and figure out exactly what was going on, she looked to her right. Ayla sat beside her, her little face tearstained and red. Her tiny hand grasped her pink blanket, the other held tightly to Goose's collar. Even the dog looked concerned.

"Oh my baby, come here!" Grace sobbed as she grabbed her daughter and pulled her to her chest.

Deep sobs began to quake from within her chest. The dream had seemed so real, and so frightening.

Ayla made no sound. She gently laid her head on Grace's chest and grasped tightly to the hem of her nightshirt. Her brown eyes met Hannah's.

Hannah had ever seen such a little human look so serious and afraid at the same time.

"Grace, honey, can we talk about it?" The younger woman asked gently, she reached forward to brush a lock of hair from Ayla's forehead.

It took a few moments for the blonde to gather herself enough to speak.

She gave Hannah a quick version of the dream before she fell to pieces again.

"What if it's a warning? What if I'm not back by Wednesday and he takes her, Hannah?"

Hannah could feel her heart break for her best friend. None of this was fair. Grace had a wonderfully happy weekend, now this. She couldn't remember a time she had seen the blonde so hopeless. It hurt.

"I don't have all the answers, Gracie, but if you felt this was the right choice last week, then it probably is." She chose her words carefully. "You said yourself that you knew this wasn't going to be simple or easy. And it's really not. But I need you to push through. I'm not going anywhere. Mamrie sure as hell isn't, have you seen how in love with that baby she is?"

That brought a slight chuckle out of Grace.

"You have been so happy since you have been here, so has she. Can't you tell this is the right decision." Hannah felt her throat close a bit. "I've been so happy with you back."

Grace gazed at Hannah. The two of them said nothing for a long moment. After a while, Grace noticed that the little girl had fallen back to sleep on her chest, her little thumb inside her mouth.

She brushed hair out of her eyes, Hannah was right. This was the best thing for them. The dream was just brought on by stress of Wednesday getting closer.

She looked back to Hannah, "Thank you." She said quietly.

Hannah smiled. "You are most welcome, Smells." She hopped off the bed and made her way towards the door. "You two, umm, sleep well."

Grace watched her as she turned off the light and reached for the door.

"Wait!" She called softly, yet firmly. "Can you lie with me? I'm still a little jumpy from the nightmare." She blushed deep red in the darkness. Was she really asking Hannah to sleep with her? That was totally bonkers.

She couldn't see the huge smile that broke across Hannah's face in the darkness. Of course Hannah would lay with her!

"Scoot over, Helbig, your big butt is taking up the bed." She gently poked Grace's side.

Grace giggled, but carefully moved herself and Ayla towards the edge of the bed.

"Hope you don't mind a full bed." She joked, "Ayla and Goose take up quite a bit of room."

Hannah laughed lightly in the darkness. "Wouldn't have it any other way." She turned to face Grace and Ayla. She could feel the little girl's warm back against her chest as she moved to her comfortable in the small bed. Her bed was much bigger than this full sized guest bed, but for some reason, right now, she was happy for the small bed. "Good night, Grace, sweet dreams."

"Goodnight, Hannah," Grace's words were slurred slightly with sleep.

Before Hannah could fully drift off, she felt Grace's hand wrap lightly around hers.