A/N: Hi! So last chapter our babies visited California and got a new pet. It was practically a fluff parade. This chapter…not so much. But the angst as always will be short lived. Also, just to keep it straight, Olivia is 5 ½ months pregnant.

*one month later*

Olivia waddled into the apartment and gratefully stepped out of her shoes. She wiped sweat from her high forehead as she removed her coat then walked over to the living room window and opened it in hopes of letting in a breeze as climbing the stairs had left her almost wringing wet with perspiration. She had expected November to much cooler but it had been almost 60 degrees that day. She wasn't sure what to make of it, or what that would mean for winter.

"You're late, Mrs. Grant." She turned in surprise at Fitz's voice. He stood in the doorway, holding Aloysius. Olivia was surprised as he and the cat hadn't warmed to each other just yet despite having been around each other for a month.

"I didn't expect you home." She had read in the paper about some squabbling on the eastern border and expected Fitz to be at the base readying the troops in case the Nazis reinvaded France.

"I haven't been home in almost two weeks. I had to get back to my favorite girl." They met in the middle of the living room and embraced. Aloysius wiggled out of the embrace, dropping to the floor with a tiny thud then hopping onto the couch. Fitz kissed her lips then knelt to kiss her stomach. "Hey in there. Are you being good for your mama?"

"He's just like his father, up all night running wild in there. Jumping up and down on my bladder. Seems like he only wants to sleep during the day." Olivia had settled in her mind that they were having a boy once the baby dropped low in her womb. Fitz was doubtful that a simple feeling could tell her the baby's gender, but he didn't have an argument that she was wrong.

Fitz kissed her stomach again. "You're just having a good time, aren't you?"

Olivia smirked, moving to sit on the couch. Aloysius promptly coiled in her lap, purring when she ran her fingernails up and down his back. "Oh it's all good fun. I can't sleep on my side anymore. He doesn't like that."

Fitz smiled as he joined her, pulling her onto his lap and kissing the curve of her jaw. "Well now I'm back to make it all better. Why don't you let me run you a bath and you can soak while I cook dinner?"

Olivia smiled, wrinkling her nose. "You can't cook, honey."

"I can make mac and cheese. And mine's much better than Tess's." He lay his head on her shoulder and Olivia reached around to scratch his scalp. "I've missed you so much ladybird. I can hardly sleep without you."

"Well you won't be getting any sleep tonight, Mr. Grant." Olivia gave an impish smile.

Fitz grinned, nipping the curve of her jaw. "And why might that be?"

"Pregnancy has made me surprisingly…excitable, shall we say. And my husband's been away for a terribly long time. Do you suppose you could help me with my…aching?"

"Are you propositioning me? That's not very good behavior for a married woman." Olivia's breath hitched when he cupped her breasts in his hands. She wasn't sure if it was normal sensitivity or if her body was crying out at finally being reunited with the one that knew it best.

"It wasn't a proposition, just an innocent offer to keep me company. Maybe soothe my tired muscles. If you're thinking something inappropriate, it's certainly not my fault." She smiled, leaning over to lick the shell of his ear, quite pleased when he groaned. "I'd like to have that bath you promised first, though."

"Can I undress you for it?" His voice was a low growl, a telltale indicator of his arousal. His fingers worked at the buttons of her uniform, undoing them until he could open the bodice of her dress, revealing one of her new bras. It was a dark shade of purple, edged with lace, and designed much more demurely than her former undergarments that were hardly more than lace themselves. "This is new."

"I had to get new bras. The old ones don't fit anymore. Hardly anything does. Cherie had to let out my uniforms so I could button them." She frowned and bit her bottom lip. "I'm a house."

Fitz trailed kisses from her chin to her collarbone. "You're just as beautiful as ever, Livvie. I don't know why you can't see it."

"Because I used to be so tiny," she whined, pouting at Fitz as he slipped from beneath her and stretched her out on the couch. She sighed in relief at being able to lie down after a particularly long shift. A little boy with a particularly nasty case of croup had died as she was clocking in that morning and she'd been tasked with telling his mother who had wailed in the waiting room for hours. "Do you remember how little my waist was when we met? Now it's like I'm in front of one of those awful fun house mirrors all the time."

Fitz just smiled as he slipped off her stockings. "I'll tell you what, precious, tonight I'll make a whole pan of macaroni and after you've eaten, I'll eat the whole thing. And tomorrow night, I'll do the same thing. And the night after that too. I'll keep eating until our stomachs are the same size. Would that make you feel better?"

Olivia grinned, reaching out to pinch his nose. "You're a silly man."

"And you're beautiful." He unhooked her bra and kissed her lips. "Now I don't want to hear any more about how big you're getting. I won't have you talking bad about my favorite girl."

"I better be your only girl, mister."

"Only one in Paris, right?" Fitz grinned.

"Don't toy with me, Fitzgerald."

"Suppose I'll have to break it off with my girl in Italy, and the one in Berlin too, and probably the other dozen in the States. They won't take it well. There's liable to a whole string of riots. But I guess it's what I've gotta do." Olivia laughed, clapping his cheek, a whisper of a slap that made Fitz laugh too. He'd always imagined she was one of those tiny people who was ridiculously strong like Teddy, but he guessed that she wasn't. He nipped her fingertips. "I'm gonna go run your bath. Don't move."

"Will you turn on the radio first?" Olivia asked, getting comfortable on the couch. Fitz adjusted the throw pillow behind her head then went to turn on the radio. "And shut those curtains. I wouldn't want the people across the street to see me lounging in my underwear. I'm not that Parisian."

Fitz shut the thin white curtains and turned on the radio, filling the room with soft jazz. He smiled at his wife. "Anything else Your Majesty?"

"Can you get me a Coke? And some grapes?" She smiled sweetly as Fitz walked past her, his hand brushing over her face and tweaking her nose gently. He returned a moment later with an open bottle of Coke and a bowl of grapes.

"Shall I feed you too or can you manage such a difficult task?" he teased as he set the bowl atop her belly.

"I can manage just fine." Fitz kissed her forehead then turned to head for the bathroom. "Fitz!"

He turned back and looked at her expectantly, smirking as Aloysius perched himself between her body and the back of the couch in hopes of getting a grape. "Yes?"

"Will you change the radio? I want to listen to the mystery on the other one."

Fitz gave an exaggerated sigh as he walked over to the radio and changed it. "Fitz do this! Fitz do that! Needy, needy, needy!"

Olivia laughed. "Oh hush."

XXXXX

Olivia leaned against the towel folded behind her head, humming along to the radio that sat on the counter beside the sink. She decided a soak after work was exactly what she needed, and that she would do it from that day on instead of coming home and getting straight to the housework. She smiled at Fitz when he came in with a stool. "This is wonderful. I'm going to do this every day."

He sat behind her and rubbed her shoulders. "You look relaxed, Livvie. I've been worrying about you working yourself too hard."

"I think I'd feel better if I took a nap or a bath after work instead of going straight to laundry and dinner."

"You could leave the laundry for me," Fitz offered gently.

"Well I never know when you'll be back, and I don't feel good about you coming home to a dirty house."

Fitz took a comb from the counter and began running it through her damp hair. "Do you think I notice when it's dirty? Honestly? I didn't even realize you'd had the couch reupholstered until I took a nap on it today. Livvie, when I get home, I want to see you. I want to hold you and kiss you and make love to you and sleep with you. This place could be a pig sty and I wouldn't pay it any mind unless it bothered you. So don't put yourself out for me. Clean when you feel like it and leave something for me. Do you know what I did today? I played with that bastard of a cat. I taught him to fetch. I spent hours teaching him to fetch. If you had left me a little list of chores, I would have done it gladly."

"But—"

"No buts, Livvie. Make a list and when I get home, I'll do it. I can vacuum or mop or do this dishes or laundry. Whatever you don't want to do, I'll do." He continued combing her hair. "Where's your shampoo?"

"Under the sink." She turned to look at him. "You don't have to wash my hair."

Fitz looked back at her with a smirk. "I know. I want to. Will you please let me take care of you?"

"I suppose I can."

Fitz resumed his seat behind her and squeezed some shampoo in his palm. "This smells good."

"It's peppermint," Olivia replied. She sighed when Fitz began massaging it on her scalp. `She pulled her knees up to her chest and rubbed the suds on her legs. "Can you believe how big my breasts have gotten?"

"I noticed." Fitz smiled.

"One of the girls at work said if I don't breastfeed, they'll stay like this. I can't imagine having breasts so large." She cupped her large breasts in her hands. "I've been a B-cup all my life and now I'm nearly a double D."

She dipped her head in the water to rinse out the shampoo then reemerged. Fitz began combing through her hair again. "Well are you planning to breastfeed?"

"I don't know. My mother says it's better for the baby than formula, and that it'll help me lose the weight, but I'm scared that I won't get it right."

Fitz smiled and continued combing her hair. "Well baby it's not something you can get wrong. It's the most natural thing there is. You just have to decide if you want to or not."

"I think I'd like to."

XXXXX

After dinner, Olivia and Fitz lay in bed. Fitz frowned at the back of his wife's head, aware that she couldn't see him. "I've got some bad news, Livvie."

She rolled onto her back and looked at him. "What is it?"

"My enlistment's been extended." Olivia almost frowned but stopped, realizing she could never frown as hard as he was at that moment.

"For how long?"

He lay his head on her chest, his frown relaxing when she began raking her fingers through his hair. "Three months."

"Well that's not so bad. I can tolerate April just as well as January." She kissed the crown of his head.

He sighed. "I just wanted to be out when the baby came."

"It'll only be another month."

"But you're gonna need me."

She kissed his head again. "I think you're worrying too much."

He sighed again. "I'm just ready for my enlistment to be up. I wanted to take you to the Alps for Christmas, and back to Nice in the spring."

"Well there's no use going to the Alps because I'll be even bigger by Christmas then and I'll just waddle around the cabin. And the baby's due in March so we won't be able to travel then. I think," she kissed him again, "you should just focus on that honorable discharge you'll be getting in the spring. And the military pay for another three months won't be a bad thing. We've got to get a house, and a car, and things for the baby."

"We can afford the house, and Sergeant Doyle is packing in to head home so he's offered to sell me his Jeep. We just need time to find the right place, time I would have if my enlistment was up." He looked up at her with doleful eyes. "I don't want to be stuck in the barracks running drills when my baby comes, Livvie."

"Well so what if you are? That won't mean he isn't born, will it? And he'll still be every bit as new and squirmy when you see him as he will be when he pops out of me. I promise."

Fitz smiled. "You're just so sure you're having a boy, aren't you?"

"It's just a feeling. I can't explain it." She smiled at her stomach. "Do you still like Henry?"

"Yes," he replied. He kissed her belly. "How do you feel about Henry?"

He pressed his ear to her stomach as if he would actually hear an answer. Olivia laughed. "He's not quite big enough to kick yet. He will be in a week or so."

XXXXX

*one day later*

"Bonjour Madame Grant," greeted the portly mailman as he entered the building toting a large box. "Someone has sent you a present. A very big one!"

Olivia looked at the large box as he set it down. "Oh I'll never be able to get it up those stairs by myself."

"I can do," he replied in his heavily accented English. He followed her upstairs, humming a tune. They reached her apartment and he set the box down in the living room. He dug into his satchel for the rest of their mail. He handed Olivia the bundle of letters with a grin.

"Oh thank you." She smiled. "Do you want some pie? It's boysenberry."

Olivia only understood "boysenberry" as he replied in rapid French, his ruddy face clearly excited. Olivia could tell from his paunch that he liked sweets. She cut him a hefty piece and he declined a plate, instead taking it in his fat hand and munching as he left with a wave. "Goodbye, Madame Grant."

"Goodbye," Olivia called as she walked over to the box. She smiled when she read the California return address. She found a knife in the kitchen and sliced the tape open. She opened the box and found a white note card atop the bubble wrapped parcel. It read, "For Baby Grant. This is a Grant family heirloom used by every Grant born, from Big Gerry (the eldest Grant) to Celie (the youngest until now). It was a pain in the ass to ship so we want lots of pictures in return. Love, Tess and Celie." Olivia laughed, knowing the note had been written by Tess. She put the card down then pulled off the bubble wrap. They had sent her a crib. Olivia smiled even as tears began streaming down her face. She wiped them away quickly, cursing her hormones.

Looking at the pile of mail, she remembered that she was supposed to be writing to her mother. She left it for Fitz to go through, placing her list of chores for him on top of it with a smile, then went back to the kitchen to have some pie and get her monthly letter to her mother out of the way.

XXXXX

Dear Mama,

Fitz's enlistment has been extended three months. He's upset. I'm not. He doesn't want to miss the birth but I think it'll be okay. The only thing that worries me is that he goes away for so long. I miss him so much. Sometimes when he's been gone for more than a week, I sit in his lap and cry like a baby when he gets home. I know it's silly but I can't stand being away from him for even a night. You're probably rolling your eyes, saying it's just infatuation, but I've never felt like this. Sometimes I'm so full of love I can barely eat. But that isn't very often. I'm gigantic. I never expected to be so big so soon. The girls at the hospital say it's normal, especially for the first pregnancy, but I used to be so small. I don't think I'll ever get back there. Fitz says it's okay. He offered to get fat too if it would make me feel better. Isn't that precious?

He's got to go away again next week. He's going back to Italy to meet that all-colored regime out of Tuskegee. It's all his colonel's doing. That man wants Fitz to the face of the war or something. I loathe him. And I don't want Fitz back in Italy. They're still fighting there. I know he'll be alright. I just hate being without him. And so does the cat. He just mopes and crawls in Fitz's shoes. It's the cutest, saddest thing. I sent you a picture of him sitting in Fitz's boot. He's the most darling thing. His name is Aloysius.

I suppose I should wrap this up. I worked the late shift and I'm probably talking nonsense. Give Dad a kiss for me.

Love,

Olivia

XXXXX

*two days later*

Olivia frowned at the letter from her mother. She hadn't even read it but she had a bad feeling about whatever it contained. Her mother's letters were rarely happy. Maya wasn't sour per se. She was cynical and pragmatic and sarcastic, and while Olivia had inherited the sarcasm, she hadn't gotten the other qualities and they subsequently drove her crazy. She looked more like her mother, but she had Eli's temperament. They were both quietly optimistic and realistic, but never to the point that they took away anyone's hope. Maya seemed to take pleasure in bursting everyone's bubbles. Olivia opened the letter, giving the envelope to Aloysius so he could tear it apart, something that seemed to give him endless pleasure.

Dear Liv,

You shouldn't be alone when he's gone. What if something happens with the baby? He should tell them he can't travel. Or you should come home. I don't know why you won't. Is it because he won't let you? Never mind. It's not like you'd tell me if that was the case.

Anyway, I have an idea. I'll come to stay with you while he's away. I've got some vacation time I've been meaning to take. And I can bring you all the things people have sent for the baby. I'll write again tomorrow with my flight information.

See you soon,

Mama

Olivia stared at the letter for a long while before Aloysius crawled onto her lap and bumped her stomach with his head, signaling that he'd destroyed the envelope and was bored. Olivia dropped the paper and Aloysius tore off a corner but left the rest intact. He bumped her stomach again.

"Are you hungry, precious? Or do you want to go out?" Aloysius jumped off the couch at the mention of the word "out." He went and sat by the door and waited patiently for Olivia to pull herself off the couch. She put on her coat and hat then retrieved his leash. Fitz had almost succeeded in turning the cat into a dog. He even liked to go for walks on a leash. Olivia had never seen anything so strange. But they had bonded as she'd hoped so she didn't say anything. After clipping him to it, they left the apartment. Olivia smiled as they stepped out into the sunny but chilly November day. "Why don't we go see Daddy at work?"

The walk to the barracks wasn't long but Olivia was sweating by the time they reached it. She missed Georgia winters, when it never got any colder than 50 degrees. It was in the 40's that day and her legs were cold but the rest of her was burning up. When she reached it, she found the soldiers returning from breakfast. No one seemed to pay her and Aloysius any mind except to open doors and greet her politely as she headed for the clerk's desk. The large blonde man behind the desk smiled at her. "Good morning ma'am. What can I do for you?"

"I'm here to see Captain Grant. Is he around?"

"Yes ma'am. He's in the mess hall. If you go back outside and go in the other door, you'll find him."

"Thank you."

Olivia did as he instructed and found herself in a building that she guessed had been a gymnasium at one point judging by the floor. It wasn't particularly crowded or loud. A few men sat around playing cards or dominoes or finishing up their breakfast. She quickly spotted Fitz sitting with Teddy and a stocky man.

She smiled as she walked over. "Is this what my tax dollars pay for? So y'all can sit around shooting the bull?"

"Hey Liv," Teddy greeted with a smile.

"Morning Mrs. Grant," the other man replied. "I'm Huck."

"Nice to meet you. I've heard wonderful things." They shook hands.

Fitz laughed as he stood to wrap his arm around her, his hand going to her belly. "What are you doing here, lady bird?"

Olivia shrugged. "Just taking Aloysius out for a walk."

Fitz looked down at his feet and smirked. Aloysius was winding himself around Fitz's feet. He sat on the toe of Fitz's boot, purring softly. Olivia smiled. "He missed you. I found him in your shoe when I got home."

Fitz bent to pick the cat up. "Hey there. Did you miss me, you bastard? Or were you peeing in my shoe when Mama caught you?"

Aloysius only purred and rubbed his head against Fitz's chest. Teddy laughed. "Hey Liv, what the hell's wrong with your cat? Why's he so small?"

Olivia smiled. "We don't know. He's just special, I guess."

Huck smirked. "What's wrong with you Teddy? Why are so small?"

Teddy smirked back. "Did you hear Liv? I'm special."

Olivia laughed then yawned. Fitz looked at her with concern. "Have you been to sleep yet Livvie?"

She shook her head. "Not yet. I haven't been off very long."

"Come on. I'll walk you home."

After saying goodbye to Huck and Teddy, Fitz and Olivia left the mess hall hand in hand, Aloysius resting comfortably in the pocket of Fitz's shirt. Olivia looked up at the bright sun. "Do you think it'll snow for Christmas?"

Fitz shrugged. "I don't think it's cold enough just yet."

"The children are so excited for the snow. I think their little heats will break if they don't have a white Christmas."

"I've never had a white Christmas. It's 70 degrees in California this time of year."

"Me either. It's cold in Georgia, but the most we get are those awful hail storms. I'd like a little snow for Christmas."

"Is that all you want?"

"Oh I don't need any presents."

Fitz frowned. "It's our first Christmas, Livvie. You can't just not want any presents."

"Well I can't think of any presents I want, especially since we're saving."

"Livvie, I don't wanna talk about money. I want to get my wife a Christmas present."

They crossed the street. "Well I don't know. I haven't really thought about it. Surprise me."

He smiled. "I can do that."

They got to their building and ascended the stairs, stopping to greet Mr. James as he sat stuffing himself with the last of the boysenberry pie that Olivia had dropped off when she'd gotten home from work. They entered their apartment and Olivia sighed as she was immediately confronted with a gust of heat. "I think that radiator is broken. Will you look at it?"

Fitz went over to the radiator and inspected it. "You've got it turned up too high, Livvie."

"Oh. I'm not used to the temperature difference." She took off her coat and shoes then stretched out on the couch. Fitz took Aloysius out of his pocket and he quickly joined her. "I forgot to tell you that my mother's coming."

Fitz looked back at her in surprise. "You invited her?"

"She invited herself. I told her you were going away for a week and she said she was coming to stay with me while you're gone." Olivia yawned. "I don't suppose it'll be too terrible."

"I guess not if I'm not here."

Olivia frowned. "She doesn't dislike you. It's not personal. She just wants to be the only person making decisions in my life."

"That's not how it feels. She never even includes me in the letters. At least when your dad writes, he's talking to both of us."

Olivia sat up and shrugged. "Well does it matter? I like you, quite a bit some might say."

Fitz grinned as he walked over. "Is that right, Mrs. Grant?"

Olivia wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him. "That's right."

She laughed when she felt a stirring in his pants. "It seems like you like me too."

Fitz smiled, reaching down to run his fingers through her hair. "Some might say quite a bit."

Olivia stood and Fitz wrapped his arms around her. She smiled and asked, "So we like each other. What do we do about it?"

Fitz smiled as he began unbuttoning her uniform. "Well, Mrs. Grant, I'm going to take a shower. Maybe you could join me."

"That doesn't sound like something I should be doing. I'm married, you know."

Her uniform dress hit the floor and Fitz knelt to pull down her pantyhose, nipping her hip. "How long until your husband comes back?"

Olivia gasped at the contact of his lips on her inner thighs. "Oh I don't know. He's terribly neglectful."

Fitz chuckled, kissing his way down to her ankles then back up. Olivia squealed when he swept her off her feet. "So we've got time?"

"At least until the hot water runs out," she replied, her lips ghosting the shell of his ear.

XXXXX

*five days later – Monday*

Fitz smirked as he watched Olivia do her fourth pinball ricochet around the living room, cleaning the immaculate room yet again. "Livvie, baby, come sit down. You can't get it any cleaner."

"I know my mother. She'll find something to pick at." She straightened the throw pillows again.

"Livvie, come sit down. Please."

Olivia sighed and walked over to the armchair where Fitz sat reading the paper. She eased herself into his lap and sighed again. "My back hurts."

"You've been up all morning. You've got to calm down. Your mother isn't even here yet, and you've worrying yourself sick." He pressed his thumbs into her tense lower back and massaged small circles in her knotted flesh. "Have you eaten today?"

"Aloysius and I had crepes," Olivia replied. At the mention of his name, the now chubby cat waddled over to their feet and lay on his side, looking up at them sadly. Olivia bent and picked him up, rubbing his fat belly.

"Look at him, Livvie. He's so damn fat his little legs can't hold him."

"He is not! He's eating well and he looks like it."

"He's spoiled. He needs to go back to cat food."

"He eats cat food for dinner."

"After he eats everything you've eat all day."

Olivia smirked. "You know, being fat used to be a sign of prosperity."

"Livvie look at him."

Olivia looked down at the definitely plumper kitten resting in her lap, yawning as he stretched his short legs. "I suppose we could cut down on the sweets."

The doorbell rang. Olivia looked at it for a moment before Fitz gave her a nudge. "You've gotta let her in Livvie."

Olivia heaved herself off his lap and set Aloysius on the floor. She ran her hand through her hair and put on a smile before she opened the door. Maya stood on the other side, smiling almost wryly at her daughter. "Hi Mama."

"Hello, Olivia," Maya replied. Olivia stepped back to allow her mother inside. Maya's smile twitched as she set down her luggage and looked around the apartment. "Your walls are purple."

Olivia's smile twitched in much the same way. "Well they're purple in here. The kitchen is yellow, our bedroom is green, and the bathroom is blue. The old woman who lived here before us was quite proud of it, and I like it."

"It's nice. Very different." Maya looked at her daughter expectantly. "Aren't you going to hug me?"

Olivia moved reluctantly toward her mother and they hugged briefly. "It's good to see you."

"You too, Liv. You're practically glowing." Olivia tried not to frown as her mother looked her over. "You're a little puffy around the eyes though. Aren't you sleeping?"

Olivia sat in the chair that Fitz had previously occupied, wondering where he'd disappeared to. "Yes Mama."

"Are you drinking your water?"

"Yes Mama."

"Are you taking your vitamins?"

"Yes Mama."

"Is that husband of yours giving you trouble? Are you crying often?"

Olivia smirked. "I cried because we were out of cheesecake this morning. Is that what you're referring to?"

"Is he here? Is that why you won't tell me what's got you all puffy?"

"Is who here? That Fitz guy? He owes me money!" Fitz joked as he walked into the room, Aloysius weaving between his feet.

Olivia laughed as she hefted herself out of the chair so he could resume his seat. He sat down and Olivia dropped into his lap. He smiled at his mother-in-law. "Hi Maya."

"Hello Fitzgerald," Maya replied with a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "I thought you were leaving today."

"My train doesn't leave until noon."

Maya's raised her eyebrows. "And they aren't looking for you at the base?"

"I took leave last night." He grinned. "Would you like me to leave?"

Maya gave a lopsided grin. "I certainly can't make you leave your own apartment."

Olivia smirked. "Mama are you hungry? Fitz made mac and cheese."

Maya's eyebrows rose again as she looked at her son-in-law. "You cook?"

"Yes ma'am. Livvie's been overdoing it lately so I took over." Olivia smiled at his pride. They had fought tooth and nail about him taking over dinner responsibility but Olivia had reluctantly agreed after being too tired to make anything except grilled cheese Friday night. "We have mac and cheese, meatloaf, and cornbread. Livvie says the cornbread doesn't count because it came from a box but I disagree."

"It doesn't even taste like it came from a box, Mama," Olivia announced. She reached back to pinch Fitz's cheek. "He's been making breakfast too. His waffles are incredible."

Maya's smile twitched. "Well isn't that nice? I suppose I could eat."

Olivia watched as she walked into the kitchen. Fitz helped her to her feet and briefly wrapped his arms around her. "I think it's going well."

"That's because you get to leave," Olivia replied before waddling into the kitchen behind her mother. She smirked at Maya and Aloysius appraising each other at the table. "Mama this is Aloysius."

Maya smirked. "I see. He's quite the little porker isn't he?"

"Livvie likes to feed him people food," Fitz replied.

"He's just healthy," Olivia insisted as she waddled to the refrigerator.

"Livvie sit down. I'll get everything," Fitz said as he met her at the refrigerator door.

"I've got it."

"Livvie."

Olivia raised her hands in surrender. "Fine."

She waddled back to the table and sat down. Aloysius sat at her feet and she bent to pick him up. "Are you hungry too, precious? Do you want some meatloaf?"

Fitz gave her a pointed look. "Livvie."

"Meatloaf is practically cat food," Olivia insisted. "And he likes it."

"He likes everything. Look at him."

"Alright fine." She smiled at Aloysius. "Come on. Mama's gonna get you some cat food. We'll just put a little ketchup on it."

She went to the cabinet and retrieved a tin of cat food. Fitz watched with a smirk as she covered it in ketchup then set it on the floor before Aloysius. He sniffed it curiously then began eating. Olivia smiled. "Good boy."

Fitz shook his head and looked at Maya. "Aloysius is too good for regular cat food."

"So I see," Maya replied with a smirk. "Liv, I hope you're planning to have a bit more restraint with the baby."

Olivia smirked. "It's kind of hard to overfeed someone who only drinks milk."

Maya gave her daughter a pointed look but decided to switch topics. "Speaking of the baby, everyone's been sending the most wonderful little clothes. I had to ship the big box. It should be here in a few days."

She got up and went to the living room, coming back with one of her suitcases. "This is all the stuff your father and I bought."

She opened the suitcase and began pulling out clothes. She pulled out a white christening gown and held it up. "This is from your aunt Aida. She hand-stitched the lace. Isn't it gorgeous?"

"Mama we aren't Catholic," Olivia replied.

"Well Aunt Aida is and she's hoping you'll come home and have the baby christened. She probably won't be around for many more births, you know." Maya smiled innocently as if she wasn't tugging at Olivia's heartstrings, talking about her favorite relative.

Olivia smirked. "She wants me to bring my white husband and half-white baby to Augusta, Georgia for a christening? Absolutely not. We'll send her a picture, the biggest one we can get."

Fitz set plates in front of them then moved to rub Olivia's shoulders. "I don't think we should baptize him, Livvie. I think he should decide if he wants to be baptized when he's old enough to know what it means."

"What if we just had him blessed? Just a prayer and a presentation." Olivia looked up at him, pulling Aloysius off the table as he inched toward her plate.

"That sounds nice." Fitz smiled at Maya. "We can do it in the States if you want, but maybe somewhere like California so we're not in such hot water."

Maya scoffed. "We're southern Baptists. We baptize our babies and we do it in our churches."

"Maybe we don't do anything at all," Olivia interjected. "Maybe we just send pictures and leave religion alone. It's not like we even go to church."

"You don't go to church?" Olivia almost laughed at her mother's shocked expression.

"Well we haven't found one yet, and Sundays are our only day together. We like to take the cat to the park and have a nice dinner. It's not a big deal, Mama," Olivia replied.

Maya didn't say anything, only frowned as she began eating. Olivia glanced at Fitz and he shrugged. The clock struck eleven, the chimes seemingly deafeningly loud in the stony silence. Fitz squeezed Olivia's shoulders. "I should probably get going."

Olivia frowned up at him as she stood to wrap her arms around him. "Can't you stay just a little longer?"

Fitz frowned as her eyes glassed with tears. "Don't cry, Livvie. I'll be back before you know it. And I can call you from the base at night. Stop crying. Please."

Olivia wiped her eyes. "I'm sorry. I'm being ridiculous. I'll just miss you."

Fitz wiped her tears away. "I'm not going to kiss you goodbye until you stop crying."

"So if I keep crying, you won't leave?" She sniffed and lay her head on his chest.

Fitz kissed the crown of her head. "Come on, silly woman, I've gotta go."

Olivia sniffed again and looked up at him. "I'm finished. I promise."

Cradling her face in his hands, Fitz leaned down and kissed his wife goodbye, easily getting lost in her mouth. Maya smirked and cleared her throat. The couple reluctantly parted. Fitz finger-combed Olivia's hair back into place. "See you in a while, crocodile."

He looked down at his foot and smirked at Aloysius sitting on his boot. He bent and picked the cat up, pointing at him with his right index finger. "Be good, you fat little bastard. You better not pee on anything of mine while I'm gone. And you better be thinner too. Do you hear me?"

Olivia laughed when Aloysius placed both his tiny paws on the tip of Fitz's finger. "Isn't that precious? He's holding your hand."

Fitz smirked. "He's trying to butter me up because he's still going to be a little blimp when I get back."

"Leave him be." Olivia took the cat and cradled him in the crook of her elbow. "He's perfect."

Fitz shook his head. "Cat food only, Livvie. I mean it."

Olivia sighed. "Fine. Cat food only."

Fitz smiled and turned to Maya. "It was nice seeing you Maya, brief as this visit was."

"Hopefully the next one will be longer—and stateside," Maya replied.

"Mama," Olivia warned.

Maya raised her hands in surrender and went back to eating. Fitz turned back to Olivia with a smirk. "I'll call you tonight."

"Okay." She resumed her seat at the table and Fitz leaned down to kiss the crown of her head before heading for the door. Maya gathered from her daughter's tight grip on her glass of lemonade that it was routine for them.

"You never watch him leave," she observed.

Olivia shook her head. "If I don't see him leave, I'll only have the image of him saying goodbye if he doesn't come back. If I see him going, I'll always remember watching him walk away. It'll haunt me forever."

"Smart," Maya replied. She went back to the suitcase and pulled out a yellow crocheted blanket. She held it up. "Isn't this adorable? It's got little bear ears on it, and a tail! One of my clients sent it to me."

"How many people know I'm pregnant?"

"Your father and I put an ad in the church bulletin…which is why you should really reconsider the baptism. Everyone will be dying to see the baby."

Olivia smirked. "Everyone will be dying to see my pale, curly-haired, blue-eyed baby. What do you suppose they'll be doing after they see him?"

Maya shook her head. "There's no guarantee he'll be pale, curly-haired, or blue-eyed, Liv."

Olivia got up and waddled into the living room. She returned a moment later with a picture and placed it in front of her mother. "Meet the Grants: Fitz, Tess, and Celie. All tall, pale, and blue-eyed. They've all got the same smile and strong chin too. Fitz and Tess could be twins. This is your grandchild's gene pool. Tell me again what he'll look like. Not to mention that we aren't the darkest bunch around."

Maya smirked. "Well so what? It's certainly no secret what you're doing here, Edison and his cow of a mother made sure of that. You might as well bring him home and show him off, proud as you are of his daddy."

"You know what? You're absolutely right. We still won't have him baptized though. If Fitz wants to wait, we'll wait." She leaned back in her chair and yawned. "I suppose we can come back next Christmas. Henry will be big enough to travel by then."

Maya frowned. "Henry? Where'd you get that?"

"I don't know. We just came up with it. We like it."

"Well I don't." Maya shook her head. "What about Nicholas? That was going to be your name if you were a boy."

"Maybe we can name him Nicholas Henry or Henry Nicholas. I'll have to ask Fitz what he thinks."

Maya rolled her eyes. "Of course."

Olivia stood, frowning. "I'm going to lie down. Make yourself at home."

She waddled out of the kitchen, thinking a week with her mother was much too long after she'd learned the glorious freedom of being away from her.

XXXXX

*the next day*

"This is the park Fitz and I go to on Sundays. There's a duck pond over there," Olivia pointed in the direction of a cluster of ducks standing before a cluster of elderly women with bags of popcorn sitting on a bench, "and a carousel on the other side of it. It's been too cold lately for Henry and me though. The only good thing about being pregnant in the winter is that I won't have to suffer the summer. The neighbors say it can get quite warm."

"Well you survived Georgia summers. How bad could Paris be?"

Olivia shrugged. "Well we might not be here in the summer. We've been talking about Nice, or maybe somewhere in the south. Fitz really wants to live in the country."

Maya gave her a pointed look. "And what do you want, Liv?"

"A little house with a garden and a swing set in the back. Maybe some fruit trees. It doesn't really matter where. Supposedly the south of France is gorgeous though. Supposedly the Netherlands are beautiful too. I don't think I could ever learn Dutch though. Fitz says it wouldn't be hard but my accent makes French hard to understand. And Dutch already sounds like nonsense. Dutch with an American southern drawl is probably unintelligible."

"I wish you'd consider coming home. Even having you in California would be easier than having you all the way around here."

Olivia shook her head. "Mama, California is just a slightly more progressive place than the rest of the country. We'd still be out of place. And the baby would be even more so."

"Liv, America is changing."

"I don't have very much faith in the prospect of change, and certainly not enough to risk my family's safety for it. Maybe if it was just Fitz and me, we'd give it a shot. But soon we'll have a baby to think of, a baby who doesn't deserve to be brought up around racism so I won't be homesick."

"When the war is over, Fitz will be a veteran. He could petition the government to—"

Olivia frowned and interrupted, "He could petition for any number of things. We could sue the whole damn country if we wanted. We might win too. It's certainly an angle. But it's not fair to the baby, to be some legal bargaining chip or the poster child for interracial love. He deserves to grow up happy and free without Jim Crow hanging over his head, or Fitz and me battling the world when all he wants is his mommy and daddy. It would be nice if America could be our home, but it can't be, at least not now."

Huffing, Olivia sat heavily on a bench and Maya sat beside her, producing a handkerchief to wipe Olivia's glistening brow. She went on, "Besides, we don't know when this war will be over. Everyone keeps saying it's running out of steam but it keeps going on every day just fine. If I went back to Georgia without Fitz, it could be years before I see him again."

"And wouldn't that be the real tragedy?" Maya asked knowingly. "You're not concerned about how things are going in America. You just don't want to leave that man."

"No I don't! Why would I? He's my husband. I moved across an ocean to be with him. Why would I just up and leave, carrying our child no less?" She glared, biting her lip to keep from crying. She had never really been one for tears, and certainly not with her mother, but her hormones seemed to be conspiring against her. "And riddle me this: if I did leave him and things changed between us, what am I supposed to do? Raise our baby alone pretending my marriage never happened? And who would marry me at almost 30 with a baby? More importantly, what black man in Jim Crow Georgia would marry me and raise my half-white baby? Since you've got it all figured out, fix those problems for me."

Maya looked at her lap, considering her words very carefully. "Well…you know Edison still asks after you."

Olivia thought her eyes might bulge out of her head. "I left Edison when I didn't have to! Don't you get that? I could have turned Fitz down flat about coming to visit me and broken off the whole thing. I could have gone through with the marriage and no one would ever know a thing. But I didn't. Edison could not be farther from what I want in a husband! Don't ever mention him to me again or I'll stop speaking to you altogether! I picked the man I want and it's time you accepted that."

She pushed herself off the bench with a huff. "I'm going home. You've spoiled my appetite."

Olivia waddled away, frowning deeply with Maya hot on her heels. She didn't look back at her mother the whole way back to the apartment. She stormed into her room and slammed the door then lay on her bed. It didn't take her long to fall asleep.

XXXXX

Olivia rolled over at the sound of the door opening. Maya stood in the doorway holding a plate. "I made you a sandwich. It's chicken salad, your favorite."

She didn't wait to be invited into the room, instead coming in and sitting on the bed. "Liv, I didn't mean to upset you. It's just that it seems you've given up your entire life for a man and I can't agree with that."

"I haven't given up anything except an address. And the one I have now isn't too bad, especially not since I get to share it with the love of my life. My life is different now, Mama. I didn't plan and you didn't either, but it is and it's time you got on board."

Maya frowned. "I just don't understand."

"You don't have to understand to support me."

"I just feel like—"

Olivia sighed. "Can you just leave the sandwich and go? I'm not in the mood for another argument."

Maya set the sandwich down and left the room, shutting the door behind her. Olivia went back to sleep.

XXXXX

*three days later*

"Mama I'm home!" Olivia called, suddenly feeling 15 again, as she came into the apartment, dropping her wet umbrella in the stand by the door. She peeled off her raincoat and stepped out of her wellies.

Maya appeared in the kitchen doorway. "So is your husband."

"He is? Where is he?" Olivia completely forgot how tired she was, instead feeling elation at the prospect of seeing Fitz.

"He's asleep in your room, has been all day." She smirked. "I suppose that little chef routine the other day was all for my benefit. Is this what really goes on, Liv? He sleeps all day while you work?"

"No. I don't know why he's asleep. I'm assuming he's tired. He doesn't sleep well in unfamiliar places." Olivia moved to sit on the couch and propped her feet up on a pillow. Her ankles had stopped their swelling but it had been a least a week since she'd seen her feet. She was 23 weeks along and guessed that she and Fitz were expecting a big baby from the size of her stomach, although Cherie had told her that her belly only seemed huge because she was so small.

"It just doesn't look right that you're at work all day while he and the cap sleep. Is this what you're planning to do when the baby comes?"

"Are you asking if I'm planning to be some kind of deadbeat when the baby comes?" Olivia looked up in surprise at Fitz's voice. She wondered how much he'd heard but guessed from his deep frown that he pissed judging by the frown on his face. She had never seen him frown that way, not even at Colonel Beene.

Maya squared her shoulders and gave him a similar look. "All I'm saying is that you're home asleep while my pregnant daughter is at work."

"Would it interest you to know that I'm home three days early? That I'm getting paid for this time?"

"Olivia still shouldn't be working."

Olivia looked back and forth between them, wondering just how ugly it would get. She was going to intervene but she felt that the confrontation had been a long time coming.

Fitz smirked. "She and I have talked about that. She doesn't want to quit yet. A lesser man might insist but I'm not the kind to bully my wife."

"A man of proper means wouldn't have her working at all."

Fitz shrugged. "That might be true, but she chose me, meager means and all."

Maya smirked. "She's young and naïve. She's got time to change her mind."

"And when do you suppose she'll change her mind, right before or right after she pops out a baby that looks just like me?" He sneered. "And as for you insulting her intelligence, I'd like to point out that she was smart enough to get away from your sour attitude."

Maya's eyes widened and Olivia sat up, knowing things were about to take a turn for the worst. "How dare you talk to me that way? I always said you didn't have any class!"

"I don't have any class? Are you sure? I was under the impression that class was the ability to treat everyone with decency and respect. I must be wrong though. Clearly class is disrespecting your child and her choices in her own house, and disparaging someone who's treated you both with nothing but respect! You might be the most miserable—"

"That's enough!" Olivia snapped. She turned to Fitz. "You don't yell at my mother. She's way out of line but she's still my mother."

She turned to Maya. "And you. You don't get to disrespect my husband when he's been nothing but kind to you. He is the man that I chose, the man I love, and the father of your grandchild. You will respect him or leave, Mama. I love you very much but you're wrong and you know it."

She sighed and pushed herself onto her feet. "Now you two have given me a headache so I'm going to have a soak in the tub. I don't want to hear any more arguing. If you kill each other, do it quietly and don't mess up my clean floors."

She waddled into the bathroom, shutting the door loudly. A moment later, they heard the radio turn on.

XXXXX

Fitz gingerly opened the bathroom door and peered in at Olivia. He wasn't sure if she was asleep or just resting her eyes. "Livvie?"

"What?" she replied, opening her eyes and turning toward the door.

"Your mama's gone."

"Gone where?"

"She packed her bags and apologized for coming then left."

Olivia sighed. "I'm sure she'll write her apology in the next letter. She'd sooner lose a limb than apologize in person."

Fitz walked over and pulled up the stool behind the tub. He rubbed her shoulders. "I'm sorry things happened like this baby."

"It was bound to happen sooner or later. My mother can't handle things not going her way. She's never been one to roll with the punches. She thinks if she digs her heels in and insists, things have to go her way." Olivia sighed.

Fitz kissed the crown of her head. "You should get out. You've been in here for almost an hour."

Olivia nodded and stood. Fitz wrapped a towel around her body then helped her out of the tub. Olivia wrapped her arms around his neck. "I'm so glad you're home. I couldn't have gone four more days without you."

Fitz buried his nose in her hair, breathing in her sweet scent. "Did your mama give you a hard time?"

"No more so than usual." She kissed his Adam's apple.

"You know I met a saw an ad in the paper for a house in the country. It's even got a pond."

Olivia looked up at him with a smile. "Talk dirty to me."

Fitz grinned and held her hand as they walked to the bedroom. "It's got 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, a garden, a sunken living room…"

"Oh baby," Olivia purred, giggling as Fitz lifted her onto the bed.

"And the backyard's two acres. That means we can have a swing set and a few trees." Fitz kissed his way down to her ankles and back up, stopping between her legs. "And it's in our price range because the guy wants to sell ASAP."

"Mmmm," Olivia replied, reaching down to take hold of his hair.

"And I called him and we're going to see it tomorrow."

Olivia pulled her knees back. "Oh Fitz, now. I can't wait."

Fitz sat up and looked at her with a grin. "Right now?"

"Right now," she whined.

"As in right this second?"

"Fitz!"

He laughed as he moved to cover his body with her. "That's right. Say my name."

He pushed inside her wetness and groaned. "I can't hear you, Livvie."

"Fitz!" She didn't have much leverage but she pushed against him as best she could.

Fitz pushed her knees back as far as they could go and leaned over to kiss her neck. "Say it again."

"Fitz! Fitz! Fitz!" His lips tugging at her sensitive nipples earned him another chorus of his name. He smiled, feeling the tide well up inside her. Fitz had learned that one of the perks of pregnant sex was that he didn't have to do much to get Olivia to climax, and that once she started, she couldn't stop. Combined with her hormones revving up her sex drive into a frenzy, their sex had never been better.

Her explosion took them both by surprise. "OhgodyesFitzyesyesyes!"

"That's right baby. Let go." He kept his pace, driving her further over the edge.

A/N: Next up, our babies go house hunting. Don't forget to review! XOXOXO