Josh looked over at Maya as her chest rose with every shallow breath she took while asleep. The red numbers on the clock read three twenty-one as he let out a deep sigh. It was the middle of the night and he couldn't sleep in the slightest. He had a few things on his mind. Maya of course but then there was this other thing. Andrew. He hadn't realized just how close Andrew and Maya had become since he left. What he couldn't quite recall was when exactly he had asked Andrew to keep an eye on his wife while he wasn't around. That's right, he hadn't. Josh had this pit in his stomach. It had been there since the moment he walked in his home and there it was. Andrew dancing with his wife in his living room.

Josh shook his head and climbed out of the bed quietly, slipping on a jacket to cover his bare chest. He slipped out of the bedroom, taking one last look behind him to make sure Maya was still asleep. Making his way out into the kitchen, he grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and chugged it down in seconds. He couldn't get that image out of his head. The two of them together, intertwined, moving together with the music. If we're being honest here, it made him sick. Why would Andrew do this? That's what Josh was stuck on. What could possibly interest him enough that he'd be taking such a special interest in his personal life?

But then there was Maya. Josh's mind shifted its focus to her. He told her that this seemed weird to him. Why wouldn't she draw a line? Why didn't she? Did he need to be more explicit with his distaste for Andrew's presence? Josh balled up his fists as crushed the water bottle in his hand. His knuckles grew white the harder he tightened his hands. "Fuck," he whisper shouted. He slung the crushed bottle across the kitchen in frustration. This was not how he thought his marriage would be going at this time. He needed to do something about this. He quickly grabbed his phone and dialed a number before holding his phone up to his ear.

"Josh it is three in the morning, why the hell are you calling me?"

Josh listened to rustling on the other side of the line as he ran his fingers through his hair. "Cory this is serious. I'm going crazy. I need to talk to you."

"Well we can talk at ten in the morning like normal people," Cory grumbled.

Josh shook his head. "No now. I'm coming over there."

"Josh what I-"

Josh didn't wait for a response. He had already hung up the phone and gathered his keys before making his way to the people who he knew would give him the best advice, Cory and Topanga.

.:.

Topanga set down a steaming hot cup of coffee on the table as she smiled softly at her brother-in-law. Josh took the mug in his hands and stared down at its dark brown contents. As Topanga took a seat next to her husband, she frowned. She extended a hand out to Josh to draw in his attention. Her hand softly graced his as it gripped his cup. "Josh?"

Josh's eyes darted up to meet Topanga's. He let out a deep sigh and leaned back in the chair, dragging his hands down his face. "I need you guys to give me one good reason as to why I shouldn't believe that my best friend and wife could be-" He held his breath for a moment. "I don't even want to say it."

Cory frowned and stared at his little brother. "Then don't." He propped his forearms against the table. "Josh what is going on?"

An annoyed and agonized groan left the bellows of Josh's abdomen. "I'm supposed to be on a press tour right now. I don't even know if I'll still have a fucking job, I haven't seen my wife in what feels like months but has actually been what, one? I actually don't even know anymore." Josh licked his lips and stood from the table. "She said it was okay, she said that she was fine with me going. So it was okay right?" Topanga and Cory just stared blankly at Josh, concern slowly washing over them. "Right?"

Topanga looked at her husband with a worried look in her eye. "Josh sit down please." Josh sighed and sat down with his head in his hands. "Tell us what's going on."

Begrudgingly, Josh lifted his head out of his hands and finally looked the couple in the eye. "I think Maya and Andrew have feelings for each other."

The air left Topanga and Cory's bodies as they watched their loved one deflate. Cory was the first to speak. "Josh I'm sure that's not true, T-"

"Then why did Riley call me telling me Maya was freaking out and second guessing things?"

"She what?"

"Yeah. Riley called telling me that Maya was having some sort of melt down about things and Maya didn't tell me this herself. Riley had to tell me. So I dropped everything and came back home and what do I see when I come into my home that I pay for? Andrew, dancing so comfortably with my wife in my living room. Not to mention the takeout boxes that were in the kitchen. So he had been there for a while."

The truth was Cory and Topanga didn't know what to say. They've had their fair share of problems during their courtship but once they were married they learned to tackle things together. But Shawn would never overstep the way it seems like Andrew is overstepping in this situation. "Did you ask him to keep an eye on her?" Cory asked.

Josh shook his head no as he clenched his fist. Topanga glanced down at his hand and stood up to walk to his side. "I don't like this," she said as she gently unclenched his hand. "But most of all you, don't like this. You're married now Josh. You decided to marry Maya and she decided to marry you. So you need to trust her, that she wouldn't do anything to put your marriage in jeopardy." She glanced over at her husband, urging him to jump in.

"You need to talk to them both Josh. Set those firm boundaries."

"Yeah you are right."

"Shawn would never be here if I was gone for a long time like that and not let me know. Let alone be so comfortable with Topanga that it blurred lines. You should really do something about this before it makes you feel worse than you do now." Cory walked over to his brother and pulled him into a hug. "I love you Josh," he whispered into his shoulder.

"I love you too."

.:.

Dawn had passed as the sun steadily began to rise in the sky. The morning sun, really defined the sleepiness in Josh's eyes as he walked up the steps to his Brooklyn home. As he turned his key in the lock, he heard laughing come from inside. He instantly recognized it as Maya's. What was she doing up so early? He entered and closed the door behind him as he threw his keys down in the entry. "Maya?" he called out. No answer. He walked inside towards the kitchen and frowned as he saw Maya sitting at the table, along with a guest. Maya looked up at him and smiled, getting up to greet him. She pressed her lips to his cheek and rubbed a hand on his back. Yet, Josh was still focused at the other person at the table. "Andrew," he said stiffly.

This was the first time Maya really noticed Josh's shift in demeanor. She frowned and placed a hand on his chest. Josh broke his eye contact with Andrew and looked down at Maya. "I called him. I woke up and you weren't here and you didn't answer your phone so I thought he might know where you were."

"So then why is here? He couldn't tell you that he didn't know from where he was?"

"Josh," Maya chastised as she turned to Andrew. "I'm so sorry about him I-"

"No," Josh said, abruptly cutting her off. "I don't need you to apologize for me."

Maya's hair whipped around her head as she faced Josh. "What is your problem? I invited him over to sit with me until you came home!"

Josh's blue eyes were ripe with anger. He gritted his teeth and glared between Andrew and Maya. "Andrew, leave. I need to speak to my wife alone."

Without a word, Andrew left the couple to their own devices. As Maya heard the front door shut, she crossed her arms over her chest. "You think I didn't notice you acting weird when you came home last night? Because I did. Why did you really come home Josh? And don't say that it was because 'I'm your dream.' We both know that's not why you came home."

"Why was Andrew here last night?"

Maya scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Are you serious right now?"

Josh was doing his best to maintain his cool. He repeated himself again. "Why was he here?"

Maya threw her arms out in exasperation. "He came by with take out last night! He was trying to be a good person since you weren't home and he brought me take out!"

"It wasn't just take out Maya. I came home and you two were dancing. Not just a friendly dance either." It was like the energy surged into Josh's body as he remembered the scene again. "You don't just dance like that with someone at home, by yourselves."

Maya paused for a moment as she processed the words leaving Josh's mouth. She looked down at the floor and placed her hands on her hips. "Oh you've got to be fucking kidding me right now. You think I would do that Josh? You think I would cheat?"

Josh paused and took a deep breath. Choosing his next few words very carefully. "I'm not saying you would but I'm not saying that you haven't been doing things that have disrespected me and our relationship."

Silence fell over the pair as they each stewed in their anger. Wondering who would break their momentary silence, they each tried sorting through the thousands of thoughts running through their minds at lightening speed. "He's your friend Josh. He was here because you weren't."

Josh was reaching his breaking point. He didn't know how else to go about this. He was too angry, too hurt, too afraid. "And I didn't ask him to be," he said calmly. The change in demeanor from full blown anger to eerie calmness, confused Maya. "I told you that I didn't know he was in town. I had no idea that he was going to even be around you. And you're telling me that didn't send off any warnings to you?"

Maya crossed her arms over her chest and stared Josh square in his eyes. "Nope," she said, popping the p.

"So you're really going to be this childish about this aren't you? God, it's like you're the you I met in L.A. all over again." Josh turned his back to her and started to pace around the kitchen.

Maya's eyes followed him around the room as her defense started to rise. "And what the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Josh stopped pacing and faced his wife. "It means that you are refusing to look at things from my point of view. We are married Maya and you're telling me that none of this seems inappropriate to you? You're telling me that you don't think you're putting yourself into situations where Andrew would think it's okay to try and make a move on you?" Maya opened her mouth to reply but Josh continued on. "If you expressed that something was making you uncomfortable, I'd put a stop to it. End of discussion. But you are making this so hard. For what reason?"

"Nothing has happened between us. He's been here while you've been gone. That's it."

Josh was losing his will to fight. "And you don't see anything wrong with that?"

"It's not like I kissed him the way you kissed, Cassie."

Ouch. That one hurt. Josh started to laugh. He couldn't believe this. This really couldn't be happening right now. They were not having this fight again. "Two things. I didn't kiss her, she kissed me and I had to work with her but otherwise she did not exist to me. Why? Because you said she made you uncomfortable and that was the end of that discussion. But if you want to play these games be my guest. But know that this isn't what I signed up for when I decided to marry you." Josh backed his way out of the kitchen and shook his head. "Oh and um, you wanted know why I came back home? Riley called. She said you were having a hard time, that I didn't get to hear about from you by the way, so I left work immediately and got on the first flight home."

Josh took a pause and said one last thing. "If you don't want this, let me know. Because I am not going to be the man who keeps you somewhere where you don't want to be. But as far as I'm concerned, right now you are my wife and you are carrying my child. I'm not going to beg for your respect. I am not going to beg you for anything actually. I'll call my agent, tell him I'm not finishing the press tour. It may mean that I won't have a job but I signed on to ensure that I made enough to support us for at least the next year."

Maya just stared at him as she felt tears start to well up in her eyes. The emotions of it all were getting to her. She listened intently as Josh continued. "I get that we're young and we may have rushed into all of this but I was sure when we got married. I knew what that meant but I'm not sure if you do. So you don't have to want me but you do have to respect the fact that I hate how things have gone since I had to leave for work. Now I'm done trying to explain this, you'll do whatever you want because you're obviously right, right?"

Josh sighed and mumbled to himself. Realizing he had one last thing to say, he look back at Maya. "You know I love you right? So I'd never put myself in a position to lose you."

With that said, Josh left the room, leaving Maya stone cold with a singular tear that finally fell down her face once he left the room. This was not what she expected from marriage by any means.


A/N: I know you guys are gonna hate me for putting them through this but just stick with me here. Sometimes things have to get worse before they get better. So just trust me. Let me know your thoughts! And please be kind!