Suddenly

Flashback: The First Time

A/N This may be slightly triggering to certain people, and I apologize. This story is about a touchy subject and will go into detail at times for the sake of story progression. Please read at your own risk.

When Grace found out she was pregnant, and slowly began telling those in her life, things seemed strangely simple. Everyone who found out was excited, supportive, and very positive that everything would turn out well, even Josh.

Two days after announcing to him that she was twelve weeks along, it took a while to gather the strength after telling Mamrie, Josh proposed to her. It was unexpected to say the least, but Grace took it as a sign that he was truly willing to change and become her partner in this whole new development in their lives. He had never shown even the slightest sign of doubt, and that gave a boost to her own confidence. Maybe they really could do this and come out as a real family.

Then things changed slightly. One morning, about a week after the proposal, Josh entered Grace's office seeming angry. Tired, and still slightly sick from morning sickness that just didn't seem to give up, even after entering that magical second trimester where it was supposed to end, Grace paid him little mind.

She simply tapped away on her keyboard, answering emails that were long overdue. Goose watched him warily from a spot beside her owner's feet, she had never been a fan of Josh. Something about him always seemed to set her off. Usually she spent most of his time in her house guarding Grace. It annoyed Josh, but after being charged at during a rather heated argument with Grace, he decided to keep his distance.

"Can you stop staring at that damn computer and look at me!" He snapped, growing tired of her ignoring him. He made a step towards her, then promptly backed down when Goose gave him a warning growl.

Grace's eyes met his, she wasn't sure of what had set him off today, but she really didn't feel like dealing with it. This was too much like the old Josh for her to be willing to deal.

"What's wrong, babe?" She decided to play it safe, diffuse the situation before he got angry and it turned into her against him.

He glared at her, clearly seeing through her false sense of empathy, he chose not to say anything about it. "My parents want me to move back to New York." He told her, "My father has told me I am improperly running the company from L.A. and it is beginning to be an embarrassment." His tone seemed accusatory.

Internally, Grace rolled her eyes, for a man in his late twenties, Josh based his happiness too much upon the opinions of his mother and father. Her heart did clench though, at the idea of moving back to New York. Away from Mamrie and Hannah.

"Are you even listening to me?" Josh yelled at her, this time ignoring the low growl that emitted from within Goose's throat. "It's your fault they think I am ruining their company!"

Grace's eyes snapped up to meet his, she stood from her desk chair, her right hand protectively, instinctively finding its place on her lightly curved stomach. She was growing tired of the immaturity that Josh possessed. Why couldn't he just grow up? How in the hell was it possibly her fault that he was screwing his parents' company? Last time she checked, he had spent most of his time in LA partying and burning through their cash.

"Excuse me?" She growled at him. "I'm not to blame because you are a fuckup!" She didn't mean to get so angry so quickly, she could feel her heartbeat in her ears, she knew this wasn't ideal for her baby, but this was ridiculous. "Grow up, Josh! We are having a baby! You are going to step up and be an adult, and start taking responsibility or I am done."

Sadly, this sort of outburst was pretty much a common place for the both of them. They had spent most of their relationship having these fights. At one time, Grace would have called it passion, now she just felt loathing for the man in front of her. When he had proposed last week, Grace had been hopeful that everything was going to change. That Josh was going to change. Now she guessed she had her answer.

Josh's eyes flashed in anger. He could feel himself losing control. Today had already been bad enough with his family demanding he return to New York, not even the news of their impending grandchild could sway them. They had always been fairly open with their dislike of Grace and her career. They didn't really see the woman as 'worthy' of  someone of their family's stature. They saw her as an embarrassment, and the fact that this child was conceived out of wedlock had been yet another strike against their relationship.

"You will not speak to me like that!" Josh yelled back at Grace, his hands balling into tight fists as he tried to calm himself. He should be used to arguing with her like this. It happened often enough. Now that she was to be his wife, he expected more respect out of her. "I am not going to New York with a wife that so blatantly disrespects me!"

Grace scoffed. "Then maybe you won't go to New York with a wife."

The sharp crack of the slap on her cheek surprised her. Goose jumped to her feet, growling and snapping at the man, who promptly sent a swift kick into the dog's side, causing her to Yelp, but not back down. A shocked Grace could do nothing as he drug her dog out of the room and slammed the door, trapping her inside the small office with him.

Her hand rested on her now stinging cheek. She couldn't believe he had actually hit her, Josh had never hit her before. Sure they had fought, many times it lead to rough sex, but never had he physically hurt her.

Tears pooled in her eyes as she turned from him, her free hand grasping for her phone on her desk. Josh's hand grabbed her, eliciting a desperate 'no' from her mouth.

"Get out! Get out!" She yelled at him. Her cheek and head were throbbing, Goose was barking like crazy and trying to tear her way through the door, Josh's grip on her hand was sending her over the edge.

Josh held her hand until her sobs ceased and she cowered in the corner furthest from him. He didn't know how he felt about what he had just done. Never in his life had he purposely injured another person. Though, somehow, it gave him s sense of empowerment to see Grace finally stop yelling at him and give him the respect he deserved.

He reached out for her, she jumped at his touch, then went rigid as he pulled her to his chest.

"I'm sorry I had to do that." He whispered to her as he held her to him. "You just can't make me angry like that. I don't want to hurt you and the little one."

Against her better judgement, Grace mumbled "I'm sorry".

That seemed to satisfy him. He released her, he put his hand under his chin and raised her face so he could meet eyes. "That's my girl." He whispered, a smile on his face. "We leave in two weeks."