Hello everyone! So I have decided to start a Manifest fic about Grace and Ben. The beginning of this story takes place after they agreed to separate in 1x09.

Special dt to Hailey and Dena! Hope ya'll enjoy it!

It happened in a blink of an eye. One moment she told him he should go, but the next she regretted it. Grace loved her husband so much, but his lies had gotten to her.

She didn't understand anything about said "callings". She couldn't, because she wasn't on the plane. She couldn't understand how Ben was keeping Cal safe when her sweet boy came with cuts all over his face. She couldn't understand how her husband had suggested he should take his son, when she had thought her son had died for five and a half years. No one was going to take Cal away from her, ever again.

Grace couldn't understand why Ben was lying to her, when the night before they had cheered for the new them. She had lied to him before, but that was the past. She was trying her best to ignore the past five years of her life, to start a new life with her husband; to start right where they left off.

But she couldn't. Not when her husband had put their son's life at risk.

So, she said it. "I don't think this is right anymore". And regretted it right after those words came out of her mouth.

But he agreed. He said he couldn't give her what she deserved. He was broken; she could see that. They both were broken. They both still loved each other so much, yet they decided they were going to break things off.

So he left. He was devasted; she was hurt.

…

She woke up with a headache; she had spent the whole night crying while questioning everything.

I should've told him I was furious, and that I didn't mean it, she thought. I should've told him to sleep on the couch and we could talk tomorrow. I should have given him a chance like he gave me.

But it was too late for regrets and 'should haves'. He was gone.

Her bed was empty on the other side. She could still smell his shampoo on his pillow. But she had to be strong for her kids, put up a façade, for the sake of them.

So Grace got up and pulled herself together.

Her mornings were always busy, especially on school days. She had to make breakfast for Olive and Cal, and then head to work. And so she did.

Work wasn't as busy for a Friday. She didn't have that many catering orders, which she hated. She wanted to be busy so she wouldn't think of Ben. But Ben clouded her mind, even when she was working. She was worried about him; where was he sleeping? Did he and Micaela go to their dad's house?

Questions and questions were on her mind. She needed answers, so she thought of calling him.

How could she call him though? He probably didn't want to talk to her, not after what she did. But she needed answers. She cared about him; she loved him.

But they needed time, she needed time to think things through. She needed time to forgive her husband for putting Cal's life in danger. She needed time to process the plane situation so she could support him completely.

And he needed to know that.

So she got the courage she didn't think she had and dialed Ben.

(...)

He had begged her to understand. He had asked her to believe in him. But she didn't.

She asked him to leave instead.

He was hurt, he never thought she was so angry to the point of leaving him. He thought she was going to forgive him, but he knew he didn't have a chance when he asked to keep Cal.

He was the only one who could keep him safe, he had thought. Grace didn't understand how the callings worked, so he was the only one who could protect him because he knew what was going on. He knew, and he lied to his wife.

Yes, he lied to her to protect her; but he lied nonetheless. They both had lied to each other, and even though they were trying so hard to make things work, they were still going to lie to each other.

They needed time.

That was the only reason as to why he agreed to end things. And to also protect Grace, to protect his family.

He didn't want to put any of them at risk, because what he was doing was very dangerous. So he didn't fight and left.

He saw how hurt Grace was, and that made him want to punch himself. Despite her being stubborn he didn't want to hurt her, he didn't want to lie to her.

But he did. And now he had to deal with the consequences.

Mick left with him, like he knew she would. They didn't have any place to go; both too stubborn to go to their dad's house. He got himself in this mess, and he was going to solve him alone. He also felt kind of bad he dragged Mick into it, but at them same time he was happy he got his sister's support.

…

He was awake when Mick entered the room. They were staying at the place where he had the private meetings with Vance and the others. He still couldn't believe Vance was dead.

"I brought you breakfast" Mick said, handing him the McDonalds bag. "Thanks" he responded while grabbing it. "I'm not very hungry"

He sounded so sad, so devasted. Mick ached for her brother, she wanted him to be happy. She knew he could only be happy with Grace, but she also knew they needed to fix what was going on between them, so they could start fresh.

"You have to eat something. I'm not gonna let you have an empty stomach"

"Thanks Mick. For always sticking with me"

"It's our rule, remember?" she responded. "I have to go to work though, so I want you to get up, to eat this breakfast, and to pull yourself together"

Ben smiled; he knew his sister was only trying to cheer him up. But how did she want him to pull himself together when his world just ended not 18 hours ago?

Today was going to be a rough day.

Mick left, and then there was only silence. The only thing he could do right now was eat and look for a job; they needed to get a place soon.

After an hour of applying to different jobs, his phone rang.

His heart skipped a bit when he saw who was calling him.

"Grace?"

He heard a gasp and immediately-

"Oh my God Ben please tell me you're okay"

She was crying, he could hear her sob.

"I'm- I'm okay"

"Ben I'm sorry"

SO! HERE'S THE END OF CHAPTER ONE! LET ME KNOW IF YOU LIKED IT!