It was the middle of the summer and Millicent's step-father Freddie was out of town for the weekend with his mom, leaving his precocious daughter with Carly and Harper. His mother, because he was a dad and thirty-one and a half years old, dragged him to the aggressive parenting meetings because he had a now fifteen year old daughter himself and to her, she believed that that was the prime age for Millicent to "explore and experiment" and she warned Freddie to be more strict.

It hadn't helped when he was a teen for his mom to be that way, and for Millicent, it was about to be too late. Every child was different and responded to a different kind of discipline and the set of rules that Freddie had was not going to work with Millicent. She had become a very respectful young adult (though still quick witted, and fierce, not that that was a bad thing), and Freddie believed it was because strict parents create sneaky kids and he wasn't nearly as strict as his mother had been. Him and Gwen had agreed on parenting style, thank goodness for that because it had made co-parenting a lot easier. Millicent was very independent, not that that was a bad thing either.

He tried to allow her opportunities to prove that he could trust her and they had a mutual respect for each other that was earned through Freddie being so easy going in allowing Millicent to experience life and earn her trust in her dad to do things to an extent. However, he was forced to send her to Carly and Harper's because he didn't want her alone this time after what had happened the last time. He was gonna let her stay and have them pop in on her and give her a "leash" of some freedom as a second chance.

However, his mother owned the apartment and made the final call, and it was not worth the argument. Mrs. Benson, rightfully so, had been upset when their adept and sneaky little housemate had a rummage sale right out of their apartment. They knew then she would make a fierce and independent woman.

Except now the nifty little business woman in the making was soon to meet her match:

"Hey Carly." Millicent called, rather unenthusiastically.

Millicent dropped her duffle bag as she walked in, surveying the mess of props that lay around her.

She was used to seeing their apartment a disaster; Harper with her styling tools and sewing supplies, and Carly, with her ever popular web series that Millicent had spent her early years trying to cancel. That was until she met her boyfriend last year, who mostly occupied her time until they broke up in an ugly (and rather prejudiced manner)

When they broke up she felt that her step-dad didn't really know how to comfort her, (even though when she was on her period he would bring her her microwavable stuffed animal and water and chocolates, and then leave her be), and Grandma 'B' was too annoying and condescending, and Harper, though well meaning and experienced, was not helpful.

So she turned to her father's friend who he had known and trusted for years, and in spite of Millicent being cold sometimes, was there for her since day one, and understood what she was feeling. She was thankful for this relationship between them, and that she could trust Carly, and Carly so gracefully accepted Millicent's apology for being so tough and cold towards her as a preteen.

"Hey Millie!" Carly enthuses warmly, walking to the kitchen to fix her a snack for their sleepover.

"Don't 'Hey Millie', me." Millicent droned grumpily, catching Carly and Harper by surprise.

Millie was the nickname that only few people could call her, and she was okay with it, Carly being one of them.

"Someone is extra feisty today." Carly teased, not entirely reciprocating the tone in Millicent's voice. She was used to her sarcastic tone after all.

"Is that anyway to talk to the future CEO of 'Millicent's Minions'?" She bantered back before growing serious again.

Carly grabs the plate of chips and guac from the counter before plopping down on the couch beside her, placing their snack on the table.

"What's wrong, Milie girl?" Carly notes her uneasy and unusually nervous body language and tries to gauge what she was thinking.

"How well do you know Freddie in any given situation?" She finally sighs.

"Let's just say after the taco truck incident, we got to know each other VERY well." Carly laughed, blushing a bit.

Millicent looked slightly horrified and Carly immediately read her reaction, apologizing quickly.

"Ew, that's my dad, and definitely NOT what I meant!" She scrunched her face in disgust.

"Sorry, right." She corrected herself, "So what's going on?" Carly redirected.

"It sounds to me like there's something she's afraid to tell Freddie." Harper pitched in in conclusion from her place in the corner of the room.

"What is it, girl? What's got you scared to talk to your daddy?" Harper interrogated softly.

"Is it that jank ex of yours? Did he do something?"

"Harper!" Carly interjected.

Carly shushes her and waves her away before turning back to Millicent, who sat against the arm on the couch, her legs crossed, pulled into her small frame, and her arms resting across her chest. She looked like she was holding something back, her face pale as a ghost.

"It's not him, is it?" Carly reiterated.

"No." Millicent flatly whispered, shaking her head as she was growing slightly annoyed.

"Is it a girl who's got you down?" Harper offered.

"Freddie wouldn't care about that, and who are you to talk, Missy?" Carly corrected and Harper playfully nudged her and scrunched her face up.

Millicent rolled her eyes, turning her body toward Carly.

"Does she have to be here?" She groaned.

"The woman has spoken! Out." Carly demanded, directing Harper toward the door.

"Okay, I get it; Harper is apparently no help." Harper surrendered, talking about herself in the third person, and taking the hint to leave the room.

Millicent waited for the cue of the door slamming behind Harper before even trying to begin the dreadful conversation she was about to have with Carly, who was patiently waiting beside her, locking her eyes gently on Millicent, watching her trace the pattern on her own shirt as a distraction.

"So are you here for some girl talk?" Carly finally prompted when Harper's heels could no longer be heard down the hall.

"Don't. I'm not a child and it's not girl talk. That is disgustingly sexist, and just the code name women use to cater to men because they are embarrassed to talk about women's problems so we are expected to keep the squeamish boys 'comfortable' and oblivious."

"Not necessarily. My friend Wendy and I used to 'girl talk' about every hot guy in the school. You don't do that with your friends?"

"This isn't the movies. Women don't just go to sleepovers to talk about things society deems traditionally girly anymore. Olive and I spend our nights protesting and advocating for women's rights."

"And I'm proud of you for standing up for your rights and the rights for those who can't." Carly smiled.

"Someone has to do it or the men are just gonna keep ruining this country. They always have two heads, but they don't know how to use either one of them." Millicent spat.

Carly bit her bottom lip, unsure if she should laugh and be proud or ignore it because she knew Millicent was a very opinionated and passionate young adult. But after a few moments passed and the playfulness seemed to fizz out and be overplayed, she realized that Millicent had been more reserved than usual and more snappy, so she decided to investigate what she had really been meaning to talk about. Because she had made it explicitly clear that it was not gossip.

"What's going on, Millicent?" She finally visited.

"Awfully bold of you to assume I have a problem I can't figure out." She replied defiantly, sarcasm dripping off her lips.

"C'mon, no one can go through life alone with their problems and find all the answers, or at least that'd be awfully hard. Tell me what's going on Mill so I can help you. I'm here for you."

It was like hearing those words signaled something inside of Millicent, because as soon as Carly said them, she reminded herself to let her guard down since after all, Carly had been like a second mother to her as long as she could remember, even when Millicent had pushed her away as a kid.

Millicent never had been one to beat around the bush and would abruptly tell Carly she was stepping over a line when she had tried comforting her when she was younger. But now that she was more open as an teen and still very much blunt, Carly knew immediately something was up.

When Millicent's mom had constantly been traveling for work and had been gone for months on end, missing Millicent's important milestones such as her science fair project and prize (that she gingerly accepted after realizing they gave everyone ribbons) or when she had gotten her first period and wanted to hide it from her crazy grandmother who would inevitably make her take a 'purifying' bath or something probably.

No matter the circumstance, Carly had proved she'd be there for it all and had allowed for Millicent to slowly come out from her hard exterior to show what a smart and wonderful young woman she was, and Carly knew it all along, knowing she was bold and strong, but she had a sweet side she very rarely let free. Carly had been intimidated by her at first, but had continued to be there since day one. That to Millicent, was enough for her to let herself trust Carly, despite Carly having known Freddie basically her whole life.

"What's wrong? You're usually pretty straight forward." Carly encouraged.

Carly noted the tears pooling in her eyes, Millicent acting as if she had to still be strong willed and brave, and Carly wished she would drop the act and know that crying too was brave. Showing emotions was brave.

"Carls? Will you do me a huge favor?" Her voice cracked nervously.

Her voice wavered, and she cleared her throat as Carly eagerly nodded.

"Anything Millie, whatever you need." She relayed, noting that Millicent seemed to have finally let her walls break for Carly.

"Will you take me, or rather assist me," She quickly corrected herself and Carly silently laughed because it was still the Millicent she knew and loved.

As she always said, even a good boss lady needs an assistant, you weren't meant to be a billionaire on your own. Behind every good show was an equally important stage crew. She had learned that from Carly, and though she very much loved to be independent, she was learning to ask for help when she truly needed it. That was why she was here, in the moment they were in now.

"To the drug store." She concluded.

"Of course! Let me go grab my purse and-" Carly began to taper off.

Carly's chipper and eager attitude comes to a halt when she notes Millicent's body language and realizes that this was not just a normal run to the store after all. It felt much more of a deal than that.

"Wait! A run for what, Millie?" She suddenly prompts.

"Because I've always assured you that if it's period supplies that you don't have to ask for, you can take whatever from our cabinet under the sink, no questions asked." Carly insisted.

Millicent didn't respond, but instead tucked her chin into the throw pillow she was holding flush against her body, fighting back the tears but it was too late. They were already racing down her face and she sniffled loudly and coughed, hoping to hide it. Her cheeks grew red and Carly's heart sank. She knew what was up immediately, catching on as an alarm in her head told her this was not an ordinary drug store run.

"Oh my- gosh!" Carly tried to express calmly, fighting back her usual overreaction, and her innocence was shattered.

Millicent was strong and brave, and too quick for Carly, her cheeks blushing hot as she ripped the bandaid off. And Carly would do her best to react in the way that Millicent needed her too. With support and comfort, because she was scared and there was no point in getting angry for a mistake.

It would do no good to chasten her, not just because she wasn't her mother, but she already knew this was a difficult situation and she needed love and support, not reprimanding, being angry wouldn't change a thing, it would only make a situation worse. Not that Carly was one to get angry, but she would choose her words carefully anyways, because she was not mad, but she wanted to be the best support she could be and didn't want to ruin her relationship with Millicent.

"A test." Millicent mumbled nearly incoherently, and Carly for once pretended to be caught off guard, letting Millicent feel safe enough to say it when she was ready.

"Like, the pregnancy kind?" She asked, knowing it was a dumb follow up question and waited for Millicent to inevitably come up with a sarcastic reply.

She wondered if Millicent knew she was playing dumb, but she would continue until Millicent told her just in case she decided she didn't want to say anything and she didn't want to break the girl's trust, or scare her or shame her out of telling her. This was a safe space, but Carly felt like eventually she'd have to break the ice for their safety.

"No, a drug test." Millicent replied sarcastically as predicted despite the tears still gently rolling down her face and the heavy shaking that overtook her tiny frame. Carly knew she was just compensating with humor to make Carly ignore the fact that she was crying.

"Grandma B and I are really pushing the limits to these "Benson bonding" activities these days."

Millicent rolls her eyes and Carly relaxes her shoulders and fights back a laugh before growing serious again.

"Is it his?" Carly implies. "Or are afraid it might be."

"No, the test is for me." Millicent replied sarcastically again, her coping mechanism for hard and awkward conversations.

"Are you sure?"

"Sure about what? That the test is for me, or that it's a pregnancy kind?"

"Millicent, please! I want to help you. Do you think you could be pregnant?"

Millicent rings her hands together, sniffing loudly before shakily whispering 'yes' in defeat. Carly grabs her purse and keys off the hooks and plops herself quickly down beside Millicent.

"I'll run quickly, you stay here. That way you won't run into anybody you know, and you can take it back here, in the safety of our apartment."

Carly hugs her for a few seconds and then stands, beginning to walk toward the door when Millicent's voice stops her.

"Wait, Carly?"

Millicent grabs Carly's arm and reaches for her purse, forcing Carly to turn around.

"What's up, Millie?"

Millicent stands and hugs Carly as almost a non-verbal 'Thank-you', letting her guard down and silently screaming 'I'm scared'. It caught Carly by surprise, but she embraced it.

"I'm pregnant?" The words nearly shattered her, and she felt weak.

"It's gonna be okay. We don't know that for sure, but we'll cross that bridge when we get there. I'm here for you Millicent."

"We're gonna burn that bridge too if it's negative." Millicent adds and Carly laughs.

"Of course, no one has to know." Carly extends a pinky as a promise and Millicent locks hers too.

"We don't have to tell dad yet, do we?" Her voice finally wavers after a few beats of silence.

"I've known Freddie most of my life, and I just know he's going to want to help you. Maybe he'll be a little shocked at first, but he's not going to be angry, just worried for you. He's a very patient dude, after all, he put up with Sam's stuff."

The last part made Carly smile, and she knew she was right. Freddie had never done anything that screamed 'quitter when times got tough' and she knew that Freddie had always wanted to do better than his dad. He would never walk out or desert his daughter. He's loved Millicent since the moment Gwen introduced them when Millicent was three. He had known her most of her little life and wanted to be there for the rest of it too.

He loved her so much that after the divorce he legally got custody and adopted her as his daughter because the idea of never seeing her again ripped him to shreds and was thankful Gwen obliged and they hadn't divorced on bad terms. Gwen wouldn't have agreed if she hadn't seen Freddie fit, he was the best man for her, or rather, their daughter, even if it seemed that sometimes Millicent wore the pants in her relationship with her step-father. Freddie was a good man, Gwen knew that, and even if they hadn't been compatible for marriage, they still remained on good terms.

Honestly, Freddie's biggest regret was not adopting Millicent sooner, but he had never been one for labels, he had always felt a part of her life and knew it would mean a lot to her if he did do it though, almost as printed reassurance that he wasn't like her biological dad after all.

Millicent felt herself relax, trusting and knowing deep inside that she was right; Freddie had always been there when her mom couldn't be, respected her boundaries, and cared for her so much he had legally adopted her. He had done nothing but prove through time and time again by actions and not just words that he'd be there and had done nothing to show otherwise.

She was just afraid, and she knew he'd be shocked at first, but he would come around. He wasn't like her biological father in any way, shape, or form. He was what she considered her "real bonus dad".

"Besides," Carly finally jolted her from her thoughts.

"Mrs. Benson is the one I'd be more afraid of, but I promise I'll help you tell them if you want, and Freddie is excellent at placating his mother. We can tell them together when you feel safe and ready to do so. But we'll cross that bridge if we get there." She reassures her.

"You mean when I get there." Millicent corrects her, implying that it was inevitable and she wasn't convinced that she wasn't pregnant.

"Then I can make a decision."

"Millie, you're not in this alone. We are in this together. I may not be able to make the decision for you, because it ultimately comes down to what you think is best, but I'll support you and help you in any way I can."

"I guess I'll pencil it into my schedule eventually." She sighs in defeat.

"Millicent, this is serious. You can take it when you're ready, but you can't avoid this forever. You're gonna have to know. I know it's scary, and I feel like I'm beating a dead horse here, but I want you to believe me when I tell you you're not alone."

Millicent knew she was right, all of it. She felt like she was using humor and feigning a tough act to cover up the fact that she knew deep down it was going to be positive, and she was terrified. She felt defeated by this, maybe she wasn't such a boss lady after all. A real woman in power would have made sure this never happened, no matter how hot or persuasive he was.

That was what her intrusive thoughts were telling her and it couldn't have been farther from the truth. Things happened, things out of her control, and she could either learn from it or run. But it did no good to shame her for it or feel shame from it, when she knew it was a hard situation to navigate. She could come back from this stronger than ever, at least she felt fortunate enough to have support and options, not every woman did.

She knew her mom was an amazing lady and she accomplished a lot in addition to being a mother, but motherhood was not her identity. She was a person outside of what she did and though she was extremely proud to be Millicent's mother, it wasn't the only thing she was known for, though she liked to make it known. Millicent was her pride and joy, and honestly it was the greatest accomplishment and honor first to being a biologist.

Millicent doubted the same could be in favor for her, it wasn't the right path, or at least they were taking a detour on her "ten year plan". It didn't make her defective or a failure or even weak, but what if it was going to ruin her future career plans, or in the least make it extremely difficult? Was she going to choose the right option for her and this baby?

Of course, it would all work out in the end, she had a system of the most amazing women she knew, and a stepfather who would do cross burning bridges to do his best to make sure she could achieve her dreams or support her in any way and help her know she can do big things despite difficult circumstances.

She knew that being a mother wouldn't be her only identity, she could be successful outside of being a mother if she aspired to do so. It was a part inspiring her to want to do better for not only a child but herself, and she could empower her child through hard work and perseverance in seeing their mother overcome teen motherhood hurdles. She could be both if she so chose and could do amazing things too. This did not mean the end and this one mistake did not define her. Carly wanted her to see that and eventually Millicent would believe it.

"It's gonna be okay, Millicent."

Suddenly Carly's arms were around her, drawing her out of her spiraling thoughts and wiping the tears that had been rolling down her face. It wasn't weak and it didn't make her defective for asking for help or being scared. Admitting that she was scared was brave, and asking for help instead of trying to go into it alone was brave. Battling anxiety through this was brave. She didn't have to be tough all the time, and in some ways Carly knew best how to comfort her because in some way or another, she resembled Sam, and Carly was always the best 'Sam whisperer', as Freddie would say.

Millicent would be quick to learn what an amazing support system she would have to be grateful for and that it was okay to let her guard down, that she was safe. And she would have to grow up faster than most of her peers, but as a family, they would make sure she still had the most realistic learning experience, but also feel the safest she had ever been.

"Thank you, Carly." Millicent finally relaxes into the embrace of her older friend.