Growing Pains

14

A/N: Thanks so much everyone, for your support!

Meredith gaped at the man. He looked at her with a bit of concern but the corner of his lip twitched up as he nodded, "Liv's my old partner, she's a friend. She asked me to look out for you."

"But- How? What?" It occurred to her that Olivia had used her supercop powers to find her and was now definitely Big Sistering her. She pinched her nose and sighed. Then the baby kicked and she grimaced. "Ow."

"Are you okay?" The man asked, quickly concerned.

"I'm fine, I just need to sit down a minute," she puffed.

"Mommy?" Zola asked, tuning into the tension around her.

"It's okay, Zo. Mommy just got a little mad at the man, and now the baby's mad too."

"Baby mad?" Bailey asked as he lunged in his seat in the shopping cart, his hands automatically clutching her breasts. Perv. Meredith thought. Derek Bailey Shepherd is such a perv. I'm going to be raising a perv for a son.

"There's a spot over there..." the man said, pointing to a pair of patio sets parked in the shade of the grocery store.

It wasn't like she had much of a choice, she'd been walking all day, her house being only about a mile radius within everything she needed. "Oh... okay. C'mon Zo, this way."

She sat down, Zola clambering into the chair next to her. Bailey seemed pleased as punch to remain in his chair in the cart. Awkwardly, Meredith leaned back in the chair, her hand making soothing circles over the enormous bump that was Derek's last gift to her. Or curse, but only sometimes.

"I'm Nick, by the way," The man said, offering his hand for a handshake. "I'm sorry about the following thing- Liv just called me out of the blue, and-"

"It's okay Nick," Meredith breathed, releasing his hand. He seemed genuinely apologetic. "You can tell her I'm fine. I just needed some space..." she started when Nick's phone beeped.

He looked down at it smiled, "Actually, you can tell her yourself."

"Huh?"

"Hi Meredith," a voice said beside her and she looked over to see the older woman striding over to them, her expression happy but worried. Olivia. Olivia freaking Benson had followed her across the freaking country. What the hell?

"And that's my cue..." Nick said. "Nice to meet you. Cute kids by the way. Liv, text me later and I'll pick you up?"

"Sure," Olivia said, but her eyes were on Meredith.

Later, Meredith would attribute her reaction to hormones and achy swelling feet, but in this very moment she couldn't help the rising tide of anger at the woman. What part of 'I'm fine. The kids are fine, we're fine.' Didn't people get? She just wanted S-P-A-C-E okay? "What the hell do you think you're doing?" She snapped at Olivia, "Can't you people just leave me alone? Can't I just-" Her words were muffled by a small dark hand covering her mouth.

"Momma, no yelling," Zola reminded her, climbing onto Meredith and pushing her lips closed with her small fingers

Meredith gently pried Zola's hands off her mouth, "I'm sorry Zo, Momma's just not being a very good example today huh?" She fumbled with her daughter as she tried to find a spot for her on her lap. Finally Zola slid into place on one knee, while she watched Olivia curiously.

"Hi."Zola said.

"Hi," Olivia smiled back.

Meredith huffed. "Sorry," she mumbled, a little embarassed that her own daughter had to remind her of manners