Unexpected Valor

One Shot- The Dark Side of Love

(Happens before she is pregnant.)

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Brock was home for a few days and had met with Natasha a day after he arrived. "What did you need me for?" Brock asked.

"How are things with you and Val?" she asked with arms crossed.

"Everything is fine. She's been really busy with work, but has tomorrow off. Why? What's going on?" he replied.

"I didn't want to say anything but I've been following Val for a few days. I don't know the whole story, but I thought you should see this."

She handed over a stack of photographs taken with a long distance lens. It showed her leaving work with Eric Hutton and they were both laughing and smiling. Then the next photo was Val at dinner in a booth with Eric. They are laughing and talking. At the end it shows him with his hand on her arm as he's looking at her. The next he's tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear. He leans in but the picture is blurred by a passing car. They part ways to their cars. Brock angrily flipped through all the photos again with a furrowed brow. "What the hell?" he muttered under his breath.

"Like I said, I don't know the whole story but I know she spends a lot of time with him."

Brock's shoulders sagged as he let out a sigh. "I'll deal with this," he said in an angry voice as he left the small room.

He went to their apartment and poured himself a shot of whiskey. He couldn't believe it. There had to be a reasonable explanation for her spending so much time with Eric. But deep in his gut he knew he wasn't good enough or smart enough to be with Val. It was only a matter of time before she left him for someone who was better suited for her.

He drank another shot as he waited for her to get home with the photographs strewn across the counter.

Val opened the door to the apartment, expecting to be met by some type of noise telling her Brock was waiting for her. It was almost 10pm when she called out for him. "Brock? You here?" She called into the darkness. She flipped on lights as she made her way to the kitchen. She saw him resting his head on his arms on the counter, the bottle of whiskey half empty. "Brock, honey, is everything ok?" She asked as she approached him and put a hand on her shoulder.

He turned to face her, a look of annoyance on his features.

"What's wrong?" She asked him again.

"Why don't you tell me," he spat out at her. "I know I've been gone for a while but I need to help Steve. I get that you're lonely, but you could at least be a little more discreet."

Val looked at him with a look of bewilderment on her face. "What are you talking about?"

"What am I talking about?! How about this!" He stood from his stool and held out a photo of her and Eric. "And this!" He shows her another photo as he took a step closer to her. She took a step back as her body was filled with fear. She didn't understand what was going on. She looked at Brock and then the photo.

"What....? That's Eric....."

"Yes, I know it's Eric and it's you and Eric! And, oh, look, it's you and Eric again!" He shouted back at her. She flinched when he yelled and put a hand over her mouth, trying to think and figure out why Brock was so mad.

When she was silent Brock yelled at her again. "Say something! I want answers!"

She backed up again and tears came down her face. He turned away from her and slammed his hands on the counter, scaring her more. She was whimpering by now as she stood still. She didn't know if she should leave the room or try to talk.

In a low and angry voice he said, "Tell me. Why did you go out to dinner with Eric?"

Val wiped the tears from her face and said with shaky breaths, "I-I,..it was just dinner. He was just being nice." Val was trembling, unaccustomed to Brock's anger.

He turned towards her with a dark look in his eyes. He quickly closed the distance between them until he was towering over her and forced her back into the cabinets.

She could see his pulse ticking in his veins and smell the whiskey on his hot breath as it hit her face. She kept her gaze locked on his lips as he brought a hand up and grasped her chin. He gently squeezed her face as he tilted her head so she would meet his gaze.

"You're mine and only mine. I don't want you going out to dinner with other men." He gazed over her face before he asked, "Understand?"

When she took too long to answer he tightened his grip on her chin, making her wince. He slammed his hand on the cabinet behind her. "Understand?!" He shouted at her.

"Yes!" She managed to squeak out as more tears fell from her eyes. He loosened his grip on her chin and put his hands on her shoulders. He seemed to be lost in his mind as he muttered, "Good, good," quietly to himself. It was then like he woke up suddenly and saw the tears streaming down her face. He wiped them away with his thumb as he shushed her crying. "Why are you crying?" He asked her.

"You sc-scared me," she whispered out.

"You're trembling," he said as he wrapped her in his arms. Val was scared and grateful at the same time. She knew his touch to be loving and safe and liked being in his arms. But his anger scared her and she wasn't sure if his anger was truly gone.

He picked her up with an arm under her legs and behind her shoulders and carried her to the couch. He cradled her in his lap and then began to kiss her. She hesitantly kissed him back as she stroked his face. "I just don't want to lose you," he said to her.

"You'll never lose me, but you scared me."

"I'm sorry I yelled at you," he said and then kissed her again. He poured his passion and desperation for her into his kiss. Val could feel her heart racing and her stomach churning with the love she felt for him. She gripped him tightly to let him know she felt the same way. He was the love of her life and never wanted to be without him.

"I'm so sorry, babe," he said between kisses. He kissed down her neck and undid the buttons on her blouse. He laid her back as she tugged on his shirt and pants. She nipped at his neck as he lowered himself on top of her, pressing his arousal onto her. She let out a soft gasp when he grabbed her hips and squeezed. He entered her gently but claimed her with desperation. A sheen of sweat covered both of them as he brought them both to their climax. He nuzzled her neck as they came down from their high. "I love you so much," he whispered to her.