A/N: So, I think this is the last chapter, unless I get a wild hair and want to write more, or unless anyone has a suggestion as to where this might go. As always, please feel free to leave reviews, I really appreciate the wonderful people that take the time to comment every time I post something, it's an amazing thing.

As usual, Annette immediately went for the bump, her tiny hands cradling Mindy's belly without permission, an invasion of space that grated on Mindy's nerves whenever anyone else did it, but for some reason sent a little thrill of pleasure through her when it was Annette. The tone of her voice would shift to a softly sweet whisper as she said things to her unborn grandchild. It was the only time Annette's carefully cultivated monster-in-law personality slipped, and it always made Mindy smile.

Love by osmosis. That's what she felt toward Annette. It was impossible to carry on total dislike for someone that Danny loved so absolutely, his own unconditional adoration bleeding over into her unexpectedly. Granted, the feeling she had for the little woman was nothing close to what Danny felt, but there was definitely a grudging affection.

This is what she had to remind herself of when Annette withdrew abruptly and unceremoniously brushed past her, marching toward the kitchen clutching a brown paper bag, mouth already running. The usual commentary spilled out as expected. "I don't know what all this drama about candy is, but you've really got to get ahold of yourself." She huffed as she set the bag down on the counter, turning to give Mindy a pointed look. "It's just my honest and humble opinion, molded by decades of life experience and untold hardships, that this," She gestured toward the bag on the counter. "... is not worth crying over."

Mindy felt her ire rise as she stomped over to the counter, picking up the item in question. Staring down at the bagful of cherry shaped confections, Mindy felt her throat constrict. "Sour patch cherries? Danny told -"

Annette cut her off. "Yes, and again, my humble opinion is, my son coddles you far too much. You need to toughen up, grow a thicker skin, prepare for what life-"

This time it was Mindy doing the interrupting. "Alright, alright, alright, enough. I get it. I'm some impossibly delicate flower that could never have endured the hardship of the Russian winter that was your life." Mindy's shoulders slumped, for the first time feeling that maybe Annette was right. How the hell had she raised two boys by herself?

Mindy, suddenly absorbed in studying the wrinkles in the paper bag, jumped slightly when she felt a hand on her shoulder. The look Annette gave her was perplexed, her brows furrowing slightly as she took in Mindy's posture. "What's all this then?"

Mindy swiped handful of candy, popping too many in her mouth. She mumbled through lips sprinkled with sugar. "I have no idea what you're talking about." Shrugging off the concerned touch, Mindy strode into the living room dropping down onto the sofa.

"Sure, you don't, and the Pope's not Catholic either." She followed Mindy, doing her best to loom over her daughter in law, hands on hips. "What's going on?"

Mindy felt her bottom lip quivering, and hated that Annette was seeing this moment of weakness. She'd always done her best to present her strongest self to the older woman, tapping into her seemingly bottomless reservoir of self confidence whenever they interacted. They often went tit for tat when arguing and it drove Danny nuts, but Mindy secretly loved it, and she suspected Annette was far more comfortable showing her affection through grousing rather than complimenting.

She felt her lips moving, uttering the words she'd intended to keep inside. "I'm not ready. It's too much, and we don't even have the nursery ready, the crib's a pile of sticks scattered across the floor, and I can't even decide on a color for the walls."

It was a half-truth, omitting the real things causing her anxiety. Annette merely continued to stare at her in confusion. "I'm sure Danny will help you take care of those things, you two have, what, a month and a half left? That's plenty of time."

Annette had uttered the very thing that had triggered her worry to begin with. Mindy stared up at her mother in law, eyes awash in unshed tears, her teeth working away at her bottom lip furiously to keep from crying.

Shifting uncomfortably in the sight of such vulnerability, Annette finally sat down beside Mindy, awkwardly patting her on the shoulder. "Alright, spit it out. What's going on in that hormone riddled brain of yours?"

"Danny, Danny, Danny. He's always here, he's always thinks of what needs to be done before it needs to be done, he's the voice of reason when things get a little insane, even though he can be crazy dramatic too on occasion. With every week that passes, I feel like I'm becoming more and more reliant on him, and while we're together it feels like a good thing, but..."

Annette clucked her tongue, rolling her eyes. "Oh, the hardship of having a loving and supportive husband. How difficult that must be." She pinched Mindy slightly. "Of course it's a good thing."

Mindy rubbed the sore spot on her arm, glaring at her mother in law. "Well, it is a good thing, duh. I know that, but, and I know this is neurotic, I can't stop thinking about the possibility of him not being here."

"Danny would never leave you." Annette sat back, a sad expression now gracing her features. "That's one thing you don't have to worry about, dear."

"Maybe not, but what if he dies?" Mindy couldn't stop, in spite of the frantic tone creeping into her words, the wild look in her eyes. She began to breathe a little too fast. "I can't do this alone. I can't. I know you did, but I can't. I just can't."

It's possible that she was hyperventilating, the colors around her suddenly becoming strangely vivid, the lights a little fuzzy. Annette's fingers found her chin, grabbing it roughly and yanking her face to her. "Listen, Danny is not going to die anytime soon."

She attempted to shake her head no, but failed to free herself from Annette's grasp. "But what if-"

Annette shook her head. "And if by some horrific twist of fate, from a God who clearly hasn't listened to a single prayer I've made for the past forty years, he does die, you'll be fine." Mindy's breaths began to slow, the glassy look in her eyes blinked away. "You'll be fine."

Annette pulled back. "I don't like complimenting you, you generally have enough hubris for a small army, so you know I mean it when I say you'll be fine. You're a strong, independent woman, and being married to my son has not changed that one bit." She sighed, eyeing Mindy's tearstained countenance. "And besides, you wouldn't be alone, not really."

"You would be here?" Mindy's voice was small, coming out in a thick whisper, totally undermining her attempt to sound confident.

Annette nodded. "And there's your family, and Richie, and even those idiots you work with. You wouldn't be alone. Okay?"

Mindy cleared her throat, realizing the utter ridiculousness of her momentary panic attack. "Okay, yes, you're right."

Annette smiled as she got up, dusting imaginary dirt off of her pants. She clapped her hands together, her grin widening as an idea struck her. "Come on, delicate flower, let's go put that crib together. We can manage, between the two of us."

Mindy followed her into the nursery, feeling immeasurably better, the weight leaning so heavily on shoulders gone for the time being.

"And then we can discuss what color this room should be. I'm thinking hunter green or maybe a mustard yellow, since you don't know the sex yet."

Mindy shuddered, the disgust rolling off of her in waves. "Absolutely not! This isn't the seventies, old lady. My child will not be subjected to such a gross color pallette."

Annette smirked, grateful for the return of their normal dynamic. "Well, you know, it's possible the kid'll be born colorblind, like his mother."

"What! I'm not colorblind."

Annette raised an eyebrow. "Really? How do you explain all those crazy outfits I've seen you wear?" The horrified expression on Mindy's face, her mouth dropped open in a shocked little O, made Annette laugh.

"How dare you? I am a fashion forward maverick, taking risks that I'm rewarded tenfold for." She gestured with the hand holding the crib instructions. Mindy shook her head, returning to the task at hand. "Alright, alright, shut up and help me find the allen wrench, whatever that is."

"You got it."