Growing Pains

13

A/N: Thanks so much everybody!

Some time later:

Olivia had her head down and was fumbling for her apartment keys when she bumped into somebody. "Oh, sorry," She mumbled as she looked up. "Oh, Carolyn," she said as she saw the older woman. But something was wrong. Carolyn's eyes were red-rimmed, her cheeks pallid. "Carolyn?" Olivia asked softly, "What's wrong?"

Her neighbor's usual quick smile did not appear. Her mouth gaped, and her eyes were wet and full. "It's... my son. Derek. There was an accident," Her hand shot to her mouth as she tried to hold back a sob. "He's dead," she finally gasped out. She gave Oliva a small nod and continuing down the hallway, a small suitcase trundling behind her.

Olivia blinked, the news not quite hitting her yet. Then it occurred to her that Derek was Meredith's husband. A dark haired handsome man with twinkling blue eyes. Meredith had shown her a picture the last time she saw her. She opened the door to her apartment and went in, greeting Lucy her Nanny. Sort of in a daze, she barely heard Lucy's update on Noah.

"Mama!" Noah shouted as he ran into the kitchen.

Lucy smiled, "Well, I think he really missed you today." Olivia nodded and said goodbye as Lucy left for the day.

She picked up Noah, still in reflective thought about Carolyn and Meredith. How could this happen? She was so happy... so loved. Olivia sent a quiet prayer to the Shepherd family, before she had to focus her attention back on Noah as he tried to explain all the things he did today.

xxx

It was months later when there was a knock on her door. It was late in the day, not too late though... Noah was already in bed and Olivia was about to enjoy a glass of wine. She put the bottle on the counter and walked to the door, peering into the peephole before opening the door.

"Carolyn?" Olivia greeted. She hadn't expected this.

The older woman was uncharacteristically anxious, ringing her hands, and looking side to side. "Olivia... can I speak to you for a moment?"

"Of course." Olivia opened the door further to let her in. "Can I get you something to drink?"

"No, that's alright..."

"Carolyn..." Olivia touched her upper arm, "What is it? What happened?"

"I... seem to be having a dilemma." Carolyn paced the room.

"What sort of dilemma?"

"It's Meredith." Carolyn blurted. "I haven't heard from her. No one has heard from her. And her friends... I don't know, they say she's fine but... I-"

"Carolyn you're not making any sense..."

"Meredith left after the funeral. She just left... and I'm worried."

Olivia soaked this information in as she sat down. "I don't see her being irresponsible," she said. "Grief does strange things sometimes."

"I know... Believe me, I know... but I'm worried. Seattle was Meredith's home, everyone that cares about her is there... but she took the kids. I need to know if she's okay, if the kids are okay. She doesn't answer the phone and no one has a clue where she is."

"Are you wanting to file a missing person report?"

Carolyn sighed. "I - I don't know... I don't think she'd like that."

"How long has she been gone?"

"Six months?"

"When was the last time you called?"

"Just now."

"And the phone rang?"

"Yes, but I just got voicemail."

"So it's still in service."

"I suppose so." Carolyn looked up at her, "I realize what I may be asking is... may be illegal or something but... I just need to know that she's okay. That the kids are okay, that's all. I don't need to know where she is or what she's doing- you understand?"

Olivia thought about what Carolyn was really asking. There was a reason she was here and not at the station making a report. Olivia sighed, "Carolyn... I don't know..."

Carolyn got up and nodded. "You're right, I shouldn't get worked up over this, Meredith is a strong woman, I'm sure she's fine. I-I'll go." And just like that she was gone.

xxx

She couldn't sleep. Carolyn's motherly concern for Meredith bothered her. Olivia rolled over in bed, trying to push the thoughts away.

"Mama!" Noah called. His footsteps bounded through the hallway and then he was scrambling on top of the bed and snuggling next to her. She thought about Ellie Porter, Noah's Mother. Her body had been found burned to a crisp. She thought about the many cases she'd worked on where people just vanished. She thought about how happy Meredith seemed, even amidst all her problems. She recalled Bailey covered in dandelions and Zola playing tea party.

Noah was settling in her arms, and Olivia reached for her cell phone, "Fin, I need you to do something for me."

The next morning Fin greeted her outside the precinct with a coffee and piece of paper. Meredith's last credit card bill. Meredith's address was now in San Diego, but it was a post office box. She walked distractedly to her office and thumbed her contact list on her phone, she did know someone in San Diego... "Nick? Hey, how is it down there? Can you do something for me?"

xxx

Meredith rubbed her belly absently as she watched her kids play on the beach. Zola was trying to tolerate Bailey's frequent attempts to flood her castle with miniscule amounts of water, (because he carried the pail so fast he spilled most of the water before he reached his intended target.) She was more than eight months pregnant, due anytime really and was proud that Zola was learning not to pick fights with her brother, because clearly getting up to discipline them was not always the easiest thing to do.

"Zola, don't get too close to the water," she called.

She stopped by the grocery store on her way back to the apartment she rented, she had to get milk and cereal and a few other necessities... except, she had a feeling. As she paid for her groceries, she looked behind. In the line across from her a man paid for a magazine and a newspaper, his eyes shifted away from her for a second, before he turned his attention to the cashier.

She'd seen him before. Yesterday, after she picked up her mail from the post office. He was in there talking to the clerk. This morning she saw him strolling past her little rental house when she went to drop Zola off at the local playschool, and later at the beach she saw him ordering a drink at the concession. Coincidence? Paranoid pregnant hormones? He seemed harmless enough right? But she had a feeling... and she didn't feel like waiting for this one to pass.

Now finished with her transaction at the register, she followed him out the sliding doors before quickly catching up to him. Bailey laughed at the sudden lurch of the shopping cart and Zola picked up the pace beside her, her tiny hands gripping the metal grill of the cart. With a sudden fury, she lurched in front of the man, using the shopping cart to block his path. "Wanna tell me what you're doing?"

"What?"

"Just who do you think you are huh? Following a pregnant lady around? Creep! Seriously. Maybe I should call the cops!"

The man glanced around, "Look, I don't know what you're talking about..."

"You were at the post office, and outside my house and at the beach and now you're here! Stay away from me!" She started to charge off then, huffing with adrenaline.

"Wait! Wait!"

She kept going...

"Olivia sent me alright? Olivia Benson? She's your friend? She said she was worried... you moved away from everybody."

Meredith stopped. "Olivia?" she choked. "New York Olivia?"

A/N: Thanks for reading! Please vote and comment!