A/N: Because there's too much Maxine hate in the world :)

Fractured Reality

Maybe she was dreaming. Yes, that had to be it. This wasn't real. This couldn't be real. Fate could not be that cruel a mistress. Any minute now she would wake up in her bed, safe and sound.

Maxine's back twinged as she leant against the edge of the bath. Nightmares had physical pain, right?

Just a dream. Just a dream. Just a dream.

Ignoring the pain in her back, she let the piece of plastic slip through her fingers and clatter to the floor. Nightmares had sound, right?

Just a dream. Just a dream. Just a dream.

She chanted the words over and over again, the mantra growing from a whisper to a near shout.

Just a dream. Just a dream. Just a dream.

A bird chirped outside. A car drove by. Children shouted. Nightmares had sound.

Just a dream.

But she knew, deep down, that it wasn't a dream. That this mess wasn't going to just disappear.

Mess.

Yes, it was a mess.

And a life.

A baby. A real life baby.

Her eyes flicked to the discarded pregnancy test on the floor. How could she have let this happen? Why now?

She was pregnant, unplanned, in the middle of a bitter divorce and a brief affair.

She stared at the cracked paint on the ceiling, another of the many things Stuart had promised to help her fix.

Along with their marriage.

But now she, this had screwed everything up.

Mike.

She did the maths again, praying that the numbers would change. That that pink plus sign would vanish. But it didn't.

A baby. A real life baby.

No Commander, no Admiral, No Chief of Navy. Just snotty noses and dirty nappies.

Not a dream.

"Max?" A voice broke her out of her daze, and her stomach did a backflip. She couldn't face him. Not yet.

Not ever.

''Maxine?'' Stuart called again, and Maxine cursed under her breath. She should have changed the locks on him before he came crawling back.

''Max!'' Another voice yelled. A different voice this time. Softer. Kinder.

Mike.

She clawed at the tiles hopelessly, waiting for the ground to swallow her up.

But it didn't.

Footsteps on the stairs grew closer as she resigned herself to the fact that she hide up here for long. She unlocked the door, shoving the test in the bin on her way through.

Not like he's the one who empties the bin.

Stuart stopped dead in his tracks, halfway up the stairs. She stayed on the landing. At least being taller than him made her feel slightly better.

"Max," Stuart began, but she zoned out his words. She knew all his speeches and declarations off by heart.

His eye had swelled where she had hit him, the skin now a patchwork of purple and black.

At least that gave her something to smile about.

Even if Stuart thought it was because he was there with her.

"Max, I'm... I'm sorry, okay?" Stuart whispered, staring at his feet. He was ashamed. Angry at himself.

But now, she felt nothing.

"I've heard-"

"-it all before?" He finished with a wry smile. "I know, I know. But I love you, Max. And I know we can make it work." He took a few steps towards her, arms outstretched like he wanted to hug her.

But she didn't want to be hugged.

She had to make a decision.

"You... you still love me, don't you Max?" He asked, almost timidly.

She glanced at Mike, standing silently in the corner of the room. He was a good friend to both of them. No doubt he was the reason Stuart was here, begging for forgiveness.

They'd held each other so close that night. Her and Mike. It was wrong. But it felt so right.

Didn't he feel that, too? Why was he pushing her and Stuart back together?

She turned back to Stuart.

The man she had fallen in love with all those years ago.

The man who had sucked every ounce of that love from her veins.

He had destroyed her.

But he wanted to fix it.

Unconsciously she lay a hand to her stomach. Did her baby feel it already? Did they know how upset she had been when she had found out she was pregnant?

She knew that the baby would stay.

But she knew that Mike would not.

"Max?" Stuart begged. He was near tears now.

"Of... of course I do." She muttered defensively. Then her heart softened. "Of course I do, Stuart."

And before she could stop herself, the words had tumbled from her mouth. "I'm pregnant, Stuart."

He froze, and for a second she thought he was going to hit her.

"W... what?" He spluttered.

He would stay, wouldn't he? For a baby?

"I'm pregnant. We're having a baby." She repeated anxiously. Ready to run. Ready to fight. Ready to break down.

A second. A pause. And then...

"What! Yes!" He ran towards her, picking her up and spinning her around, laughing like a madman.

So long ago she had felt safe in these arms. But now she felt like crying.

Like she'd signed her life away.

"We're having a baby!" Stuart let her go, turning to Mike. "We're having a baby!"

"Congrats!" He smiled, although she could tell it didn't reach his eyes.

"I've got to tell Mum." Stuart laughed, before running into the kitchen and picking up the phone.

"Congratulations, Maxine." Mike smiled, but she could see the question in his eyes.

The silent accusation.

"Max..." He began quietly so that Stuart wouldn't hear in the kitchen.

"Yeah, Mum. Max and I are having a baby! Yeah I know."

She hated Stuart's happiness in that moment. Wasn't that just proof that they had made a mistake. That he could be so happy when she was so sad.

She wanted to scream. To throw things and then just run and get rid of this… this thing inside of her.

Until today, she never thought you could love and hate someone at the same time.

But now she had Mike and Stuart and a baby.

"Max, is it- I mean…"

"No." She cut Mike off forcefully. He flinched and she winced. She hadn't meant for it to come out that harsh. "Mike, I did the maths. It's not…" She trailed off as Mike nodded solemnly.

''For the best I suppose. Congrats.'' He paused for a moment and Maxine felt the tears prickling in her eyes.

''Still,'' She began. ''Mike, it was one night. It... It was great but it didn't mean anything.'' Stuart ran back into the room and she trailed off.

"We're having a baby, Max!" Stuart yelled, sweeping her into a spontaneous dance.

Mike watched, smiling fondly.

She wondered if he was dying inside like she was.

"Stuart. Stuart. Stop it, please!" She whimpered. Stuart stopped.

"Hey, what's wrong? We're going to have a baby, a family, Max. Aren't you excited?"

Maxine forced a smile again, praying her husband wouldn't pick up on her hesitation.

"Of course."

Just a dream. Just a dream. Just a dream.