Stay This Little

Part One: Begin Again

(Taylor's POV)

I watched the rain stream down the windows from my seat at the head of the conference table. There were some days I wished I could be like those tiny droplets of water, just following along a small, winding path, with no choices to make, nothing to stand in the way of my predetermined destiny. Days like today.

"If there aren't any new topics to discuss, I'm going home for the day."

"Taylor." My dad sighed. "If you would just listen to me for a minute-"

I whipped my head around to face him.

"I have been listening ever since I brought this to everyone's attention three weeks ago. I have listened to everything you, Mom, everyone else at this table, and even Austin has to say on this subject. You just, you don't understand. What more could there possibly be for you to say?"

I tried to keep my voice even, but I knew my eyes gave away the agitation I was feeling.

"Taylor, you know we only have your best interests at heart." My mom reached over and patted my hand. "But Scott, she's right. We've all gone around the same topic at least a dozen times, just this afternoon. Maybe we need to just give her some more time to think it over, alright? I know you'll do the right thing, honey." She smiled at me, but I could tell she was just as exasperated as Dad was with me.

The right thing. Sure. Just another way of saying that I would do what they all wanted. Not this time.

"I'll think about it." I smiled tightly. "I've gotta get going. Have a safe trip back home. I'll see you guys in a few weeks."

I hugged both of my parents tightly. As frustrated as I was with them, it didn't make me miss them less when I knew I wouldn't be seeing them for a while. It did mean that I let out a long sigh of relief when I was alone in the back of my car, being driven home by Greg. I was just thankful the divider was up, so I could let a couple of tears slip down my face without my long-standing bodyguard seeing me.

"Why can't they understand that I need this?" I said quietly.

I tried to sit quietly and relax my mind, but that only worked for so long. Being in the car left me introspective, even brooding, more often than not. I spent so much time traveling from one place to another, and I almost never got the opportunity to drive myself outside of Nashville. It gave me a lot of time to think. Too much, sometimes.

Really, I'd done my best to be upfront with everyone. Spent the past three months agonizing over every facet of my decision in private. Then, once I'd tortured myself over it long enough, I ultimately summoned my entire management team, my parents, Tree, my brother Austin, all into the New York office, so that I could tell them exactly what I wanted to do. I had considered all of the options, and arrived at the same conclusion every time. Woken in the middle of the night, been kept up and gnawed at, worried over the same issue to the point of distraction too many times and still remained firm in my choice.

The car slowed to a stop, and I was drawn out of my thoughts for the moment. I painted my best paparazzi smile on my face, as I exited the car and Greg escorted me up to the front door. I let it fall the moment I was safe from prying eyes and all-seeing camera lenses.

Stepping inside my front door was a relief, though. Seeing little Dibbles toddling towards me when I opened the door was always enough to put a real smile on my face, even if it was just a small one.

"Hi, Dibbles."

I scooped her up in one hand to cuddle her against my chest, while I discarded my handbag and slipped my heels off in the entryway.

"At least you can't disagree with me, huh? You're totally fine with whatever I do, aren't you? And you," I gave Meredith a playful side eye. "You don't care about anything I do. Never mind that I have fed you every day of your life."

I rolled my eyes at myself, as I practically collapsed onto the couch next to my eldest cat. Olivia was purring gently as I cradled her with one arm, and used my free hand to scratch behind Meredith's ears.

"They may not understand it, but I've never let that stop me before. I'm in control of my own life, and it may not be what they think is best or easy or right, but I'm doing it. They'll just have to forgive me for doing it." I looked down at my two little furry children. "I'm adopting a baby tomorrow, ladies."

To Be Continued.

A/N: So, this idea came to me after reading a lot of great Taylor adoption fics recently, and it got me writing again. Hope you guys like it!