Chapter One- Coming Home

Brittany felt it the minute she stepped off the plane. An overwhelming amount of fear combined with excitement and anticipation engulfed her as she took in her surroundings. She had only been in that airport once before, but those few months ago seemed like years and she didn't really remember much about it anyway.

Brittany glanced down and carefully adjusted the small bundle in her arms as she waited for her bag to come. It hadn't even occurred to her what she would do when it actually did; her arms full.

An older woman next to her seemed to sense her distress and gently lifted the pink duffle off of the turnstile. Brittany went to thank her, but the older woman cast a glance down in her arms before moving away.

It wasn't the first look she had gotten. She didn't really know why people were looking at her like that; one of disapproval and judgement; and she didn't really understand what it meant, but it wasn't the first time she had seen it. Over the past few months, Brittany found that almost every time she stepped outside, she would get that look. Her grandparents told her to ignore it, but it didn't go unnoticed by Brittany that they often had that same look directed to her when they didn't think she was looking.

Brittany threw her bag over her shoulder and looked around before she saw the word "Exit". The airport was surprisingly packed for it being Lima, and Brittany found herself walking slowly than usual; her attention mainly on the bundle in her arms.

She didn't have a stroller yet. Or a car seat. Or diapers, or bibs, or toys. To be honest, she had never even held a baby until a few days ago. Her mom and dad had told her she didn't need any of that stuff. That wasn't the plan. But Brittany wasn't stupid; she had watched enough movies to know that babies needed a lot of things.

Brittany slumped on a seat outside by the pick-up area where her grandparents had told her to wait when she arrived. She looked down, completely mesmerized by the tiny human. Brittany didn't really know where she'd come from. Well, she knew she came from inside of her; that was made clear with the agony she went through a few days ago; but she didn't know how she actually got there. All she really knew was that she had never loved something as much as she loved her baby.

The baby shifted in her arms, catching Brittany off guard. She still wasn't used to her, and she sometimes didn't know what to do, especially when the baby cried.

"Shh... It's okay." Brittany whispered, softly playing with the tiny hand.

The baby remained asleep, much to Brittany's relief, and she looked up as a car pulled to a stop in front of them.

"Aunt Shelly?"

The woman smiled warmly at her; rushing towards her to wrap Brittany in a hug. Brittany didn't hug her back; the nurse at the hospital had told her she had to keep the baby's head supported at all times. "Brittany."

Shelly pulled back but kept her hands on Brittany's arms, smiling sadly. "What are you doing here? Grandma said to wait for Mom and Dad."

Shelly smiled sadly, not sure what to say. "You're going to stay with me for a little while, okay?"

"What about mom and dad?" Brittany looked confused; her mom and dad had said they would pick her up when she got back. That was the plan. She would go stay with her grandparents in Utah until the baby was born, then she could come back.

"Oh..." Shelly didn't answer, instead turning her attention to the baby in her niece's arms. "Is this her?"

Brittany just nodded, slightly confused; there were a lot of "hers" in the world and she wasn't sure if her baby was the one her Aunt meant.

"She's beautiful, honey." Shelly said softly, gently stroking the baby's check with the back of her index finger. This time Brittany nodded; she knew that part was true. "Does she have a name yet?"

Brittany nodded, smiling down at the baby as Shelly got an old car seat she had dug out of the garage fixed into the back seat.

"Olive."

A/N: Okay, so very short first chapter and kind of confusing at first, but it will unravel/get better with time :)