Growing Pains

2.

A/N: Meredith is 18, Olivia 29.

"Meredith," Olivia said. "You have a last name?"

"It doesn't matter, nothing happened..."

"What happened to your hand?"

Meredith looked at it and winced, "oh." She carefully stepped into her jeans and pulled them on.

"Sean has a pretty nice bruise... he could have you charged for assault. Unless it was self defence. Was it?"

Olivia sensed the girl wasn't from around here, she looked like she would bolt any second. So she parked herself against the doorway and crossed her arms. There was no escape. "You can talk to to me."

"Look, nothing happened okay? I did the same stupid crap I always do. I got drunk, really drunk... I made out with some guys at the party... then I didn't feel too well so I came here to lay down." She slumped on the bed and cradled her hand. "He got the wrong idea and followed me. I was kinda out of it until he pulled my pants off. I freaked out and yelled at him. Guess I hit him too." She sighed and pushed her long dirty blonde hair out of her eyes. "Can I go? I have to go."

Olivia considered what she heard. It seemed plausible, and Meredith didn't appear overly traumatized, although Olivia was sure she was still quite intoxicated. "Let me talk to my partner. Stay here." She stepped out of the room and into the hallway. Hearing Mikey's voice in the other room she hovered at the doorway.

"So she hit you?" Mikey was saying.

"Yeah, ow!" Sean grimaced as he touched his bruised cheek. "But I don't blame her, I wasn't really thinking... I thought she wanted it."

"Well she didn't." Olivia interrupted.

"Look, she said no, and I stopped okay?"

"Mmm hmm." She glowered at him. "After she punched you."

"Whatever. Are you gonna arrest me or what?"

Olivia gestured for Mikey to meet her in the hall. "Okay, let's compare notes."

Her partner shrugged. "He saw her go upstairs, thought she wanted some action. Then she yelled and punched him. That's when we showed up."

Olivia sighed. "That's pretty much what she said too. Alright, give him as many fines as you can think of, and I'll see if Meredith wants to press charges."

"Sure thing."

"Meredith?" Olivia stepped into the room, but the girl was gone. "Damn." She walked to the window and looked out, not seeing anything. Something in the room caught her eye though, a small red jacket. She picked it up and felt a weight in the pocket. A wallet. Flipping it open she found Meredith's student ID and some cash. "Mikey, Let's go... we got a runner."

They rushed down the stairs and out the door to the car, Olivia scanning down the road. "She couldn't have gotten far."

Mikey sighed and slammed the door to the car as he got in.

"What?" asked Olivia.

"Nothing..."

Her sharp glare caused him to fidget, and Mikey sighed... "It's just-why don't we let her go? It's a busy night."

"She's drunk and vulnerable Mikey, we need to make sure she's okay. Besides, she's not a local. She's from Boston."

"Oh."

They drove in silence for a minute or two, heading in the direction of the nearest train station. The neighborhood was too far from main roads to hail a taxi, so if Meredith wanted to get anywhere, she'd have to head for the train. Olivia's trained eyes spotted her half a block ahead, her small frame zig-zagging and stumbling along the sidewalk. The patrol pulled up to the sidewalk and drove slowly beside her. Mikey rolled down the window. "Hey, going somewhere?" he asked.