It took another 5 minutes to pry Ava from Connie's arms, so by the time Connie arrived home, Sam was even more worked up than he had been. Paying the driver, Connie took a deep breath and then slipped from the car.

"How dare-"

"I think we should do this inside, unless you've suddenly developed a love of public confrontation?" Connie snapped, walking past him with the house keys in her hand.

He was silent as he stood in the hallway, gazing around at the rooms around him on either side. It was so homely. He'd been once before, but not since Ava had been born, and it shocked him now just as much as it had done the first time he had visited. He knew that she would never have imagined her life like this all those years ago, when they had first met; her house full of toys and children and laughter. She walked through to the kitchen and he followed, looking around him to see not a wine glass in sight, but a full fruit bowl and cereal packets lining the counter.

"What the hell did you think you were doing?" She leant against the island in the centre of the room, glaring at him pointedly, her hands on her hips. She broke his reverie, and his own expression immediately hardened, his eyes turning from the objects around him directly onto her.

"I came to see Grace, your car was parked outside-"

"You can't just turn up like that, Sam! She has a family here, and after what you said to her-"

"Oh, come on-"

"No, Sam! It's not fair on her. You can't just do this and expect her, expect us all, to be okay with it. Where's Emma? Don't tell me you just left her-"

"Connie, she's my daughter, I came to apologise-"

"No." She dismissed him with a wave of her hand, and he tilted his head towards her. "You need to go back. Start your family, make it up with Grace once you've got everything settled. She's got too much on."

"Connie-"

"I have to think about what's best for her, and for Ava. And right now that's you leaving." She adjusted her hands, and as Sam's gaze lowered to watch her it clicked into place. She wanted him out of the way, because there had already been trouble here, presumably with Grace. And right now, he could guess why.

"You're pregnant." He gestured towards where her hands rested, his eyes briefly flicking over her head to the cabinet where every glass was stacked neatly away.

Before Connie could reply, Sam gave a nod. "I can understand everything now. Grace would have been happy for Emma and I, but you got in first, she got upset, and then when I told her Emma and I ended up with all the emotional baggage you've given Grace."

"For your information, I told her after you did, and she's pleased. She would have been pleased for you if you'd not acted like a complete idiot!" Connie snapped in reply.

"And I would have apologised for what I said if you'd have let me! Since when have you become the model parent in this scenario? From what I've heard from Grace, Jacob seems to do the lions share of the child caring, and as for Ava, Grace thinks-"

"Don't you dare bring Ava into this!" Connie barked, squaring herself up to the man in front of her. "Grace needs stability, you know she does, and if that stability comes in the form of Jacob, then so what? What does she get when she visits you? Shopping days with Emma, no discipline and a rare adult dinner with her father. Whenever she comes back from visiting you, her anxiety is sky high and it takes all our time sorting it just in time for her to visit you again!"

"If she lived with me full time, you know that wouldn't be the case!"

"What I KNOW is that when she lived with you last time she started having panic attacks, and all you did is send her to a therapist instead of just talking to her!"

"Connie, there are issues-"

"That could be resolved by us, Sam. Us. She doesn't need to talk to some stranger about the things we need to understand!"

"Why are you bringing all of this up now, Con? It's hardly like you were fussed when it was bad before!"

"YOU NEVER TOLD ME!"

"YOU NEVER ASKED!"

At this, she felt her hands slacken and fall to her sides. Why were they bringing back all of this now? How was this going to help Grace?

"She wants to change her name." Connie spoke quietly, before looking up to meet Sam's glare.

"She what?"

"She... Grace wants to take Jacob's name. Now we're married, and with Ava..."

"He's not her father."

"No. But she doesn't have your name anyway."

"How can you..." His hands raised up in disbelief. "You think I'm going to just agree? I'm not beneath you anymore Con, I don't have to just accept what you decide."

"It's what she wants, it makes sense-"

"He is not her father. She's not a Masters, Con. It doesn't work like that.

"Says the man who just told her she wasn't part of his family." Connie spat back.

"That's not what I meant and you know it!"

"But that's what you said, that's what your daughter heard! And you know what, it's not just that- you haven't asked her to visit ONCE since she moved here. Emma has asked and organised the whole thing. You couldn't even be bothered to take time off work to spend with her while she was there, either! But you know who spends time with her, every day? Jacob. You know who makes sure she is included in every decision? Jacob. Why would she want your name, or mine for that matter, when she can have his? He has been more of a parent to her than either of us will ever be!"

In the movie theatre, Grace was struggling to concentrate, her thoughts on what might be happening at home. Her parents were both fiery people, and she was worried about her mother getting too upset. Or her mother agreeing that she needed to go back and live with her father.

As tears began to cloud her vision, a strong arm suddenly wrapped around her shoulder and Jacob dropped a kiss to her head. "It'll be okay firecracker. And if it's not, we will sort it, just like always."

Grace nodded, but still buried her face into Jacob's top.

Sensing something was upsetting her sister, already having forgotten about Sam and her mother yelling in her excitement about going to the movies, Ava stood up and joined her sister in her seat, snuggling into her side. "It's okay, Gracie."

Grace pulled her sister onto her knee and hugged her for the rest of the movie as Jacob's arm stayed tightly around her shoulders.

"I want to take her back."

"Are you out of your-"

"Connie, she would have more-"

"NO!"

In the midst of the argument, neither Sam nor Connie heard Jacob enter with the two girls. He quickly ushered Grace upstairs with Ava, giving her back and gentle push of reassurance, before walking slowly down the hall to linger outside the kitchen. He watched as Connie stood face on to Sam, shouting at him, and as he heard her words begin to rush and trip over each other, and as emotion seemed to be getting the better of her, he quickly stepped behind her to pull her back towards him. His arms wrapped carefully, but securely around her middle and he turned her around so that she faced him, whilst Sam moved away from where he had been driven into the counter, brushing a hand over his face.

"Hey..."

"She's not going anywhere."

"Grace?"

"Yes, Jacob-"

"Why would she be?"

He turned her around so she stood beside him, one arm still holding her around her waist whilst the other raised up to gain Sam's attention.

"He wants her to go with him." Connie spoke quietly, her anger beginning to steadily reignite.

"No, that's not happening."

"Well you know what? This has nothing to do with you. You're not her father. I was willing to give Connie a try, god knows i wanted it to work beause Grace did, but it's not working. She has told me herself she keeps having panic attacks, and it seems as though you two will soon have your hands full, anyway." Sam motioned to Connie's middle, which she covered protectively.

"Are you even going to give the girl a choice? Her friends are here, her sister is here-" jacob began.

"Half sister. She needs a stable environment." Sam crossed his arms.

"She has that here with her family." Connie spat. "Grace is staying here, if you want to see her more often, then put her before your career and move back here!"

Upstairs, Grace hugged her sister close. They could hear the adults arguing and when she heard the idea of Grace leaving, Ava looked up at her with wide eyes. "You won't go, will you Gracie?"

Grace shook her head adamently, glanced towards the door and then pulled her sister close again. "I am going to stay with you no matter what, and if anyone tries to make me leave, I will run away and come and get you!'

"You're so brave,Gracie!" Ava pointed out in awe.

Downstairs, Jacob could feel Connie shaking with anger and forced himself to take a deep breath as Sam stepped closer.

"She is coming with me. Now."

"She won't go, Sam." Jacob spoke, levelled and calmly. "You need to focus on Emily and the baby. Grace is happy here. Yes, there are difficulties but we get through them, because deep down she knows she's as loved and wanted by both Connie and I, as her sister and the baby."

"We would love her-"

"That's just it, Sam." Connie spoke up, raising her head to focus intently on him. "Would. You don't already, you've separated her too much from your life over there for her to fit." She felt Jacob squeeze her hand in his as she said the last part, and she lightly brushed her thumb over his fingers to acknowledge it.

"Dad."

The three of them turned around sharply, as Grace walked across to stand between her parents. There was a small noise in the hallway, and Ava pattered across the floor to stand in the doorway. Connie made to go to her, but Jacob quickly picked her up and placed a kiss to her head, before turning to look at Grace.

"Grace, you don't need to-"

"I do. I don't want to go with him, and I don't know why he thinks I'm going to."

"That's my girl." Jacob murmured softly with a smile, glancing sidewards to see a slight upwards twitch at Connie's mouth.

"I know you didn't mean what you said, Dad, but I'm happy here. You and Emma will need time to adjust to having a baby around, and I don't want to be in the way of that. I know we will have one here, too, but we've already been through it with Ava." Grace told him confidently, but still risked a glance at her mother who gave her a smile. "I will come and visit you on holidays, and I love doing that, but I don't want to live with you."

"Gracie, I don't-" Sam began, but was cut off my his daughter.

"And I want to take Jacob's name. I have mum's old name, but she doesn't use it anymore, and I want to be like her. I can still have your name, but I want their name, too. I want to belong somewhere, and I think I belong here." Now her breathing began to quicken, because her father remained quiet and she thought she might have upset him. "..Dad?"

Sam finally looked up at her, and it hurt to see the pain in his eyes. He'd been sure that Grace would want to come with him. She loved all the things he could buy her in America, and the state of the art apartment they'd lived in, and the lifestyle he could give her. Here, she lived in a house strewn with toys , a mother who no longer earned as much as he did, and a father who was a mere nurse. "I'm going to go and let you think about this overnight, Grace, and I'll come back tomorrow and see how you feel."

Though Grace shook her head, she was unable to get any words out.

A second later, Ava surprised them all by suddenly snapping at Sam, "She's staying with me, so go away you...big smelly bottom!" It was the worst phrase she knew, and she was satisfied that it would offend him enough to make him go and stop upsetting her family.