"Mommy! Mommy, mommy, mommy!" Celia Benson jumped on her sleeping mom. "It's time to wake up!"
Olivia Benson smiled under the covers then shot up, attacking her little girl with tickles. Celia shrieked with laughter, kicking her legs in the air. Olivia smiled as she watched her daughter. Her daughter. She still couldn't wrap her mind around how perfect Celia was, and that she was hers.
Almost five years ago, Olivia had a realization. She was never going to find someone. If she wanted a family, she would have to start it by herself. So, she thought about adoption. But she was a single woman, and a police officer. No adoption agency would even consider her. She knew she couldn't do it the old fashioned way, so she decided to try IVF- in vitro fertilization. It was expensive, and a long, not so fun process of hormone shots, uncomfortable doctor visits, and having to take off work so she could be less stressed, in order to help her chances with becoming pregnant. Most people who did IVF had to do at least two rounds. But it worked on the first try for Olivia, and, nine months later, she had her baby girl.
Celia was every mother's dream. She was adorable. She always said please, and thank you. She appreciated what she had, and was loving and sweet. Olivia could always count on her to make her smile, even if she had the worst day at work. Every night Celia would cuddle with her mom and tell her she was the best mommy ever. She would kiss her and hug her at random times, and tell her jokes Fin and Munch had taught her. She wouldn't complain if Olivia had to drop her off at Elliot's sometimes because she had to go to court or be somewhere. She would even try to dress up in Olivia's clothes sometimes. It was clear to anyone that Celia was the biggest mommy's girl ever. And Olivia loved her daughter with such a passion it was beautiful. Her eyes sparkled when she saw her. She smiled as she would watch her sleep. Before Celia, her work was her first priority—her only priority for that matter. But now, Celia came first, always.
Olivia stopped tickling her little girl and pulled her into her arms. "How did you sleep?"
"I had a dream about you!" Celia looked up at her, beaming.
Olivia grinned. "Oh really?"
"Mhmm. I had a baby sister." Celia nuzzled into Olivia's neck, her voice a little sad now. "She was really cute, mommy. And you let me hold her and she was smiling at me, even though she was just a little baby."
Olivia blinked, rubbing her daughter's hair and holding her close. "That sounds like a good dream, baby." She tried her best not to sound upset.
Celia pulled away, her big brown eyes bright. "It was. Do you think that I'll ever have a little sister, mommy?"
Smiling sadly at her little girl, Olivia kissed her forehead and took her hand, leading her to the kitchen. Celia asked for an Eggo and chocolate milk, so Olivia got her both, while Celia sat on the couch and watched Little Einstein's. While she got her daughter breakfast, she thought about what Celia had said. "Will I ever have a little sister, mommy?" The words haunted her.
Of course she wanted to have more kids. She had always dreamed of having two, maybe three kids. But that had been assuming she would have a husband. That obviously wasn't happening, though. Celia was a good girl, but she was still a handful for Olivia, because of her job. Special Victims Unit was Olivia's home, and the people there were her family. She couldn't imagine ever leaving it, even if she did meet Mr. Right. It was too big a part of her. And that meant sacrifice. She had known she wouldn't be able to have a traditional family. But she did want to give Celia a little brother or sister. One day. She promised herself.
Celia ate her breakfast and talked to Olivia about her friends at school. She spoke with the happiness in her voice only a child could have. She told Olivia about how she was planning to play with her friend, Grace, soon. She chattered on and on about the puppies she had seen at the pound on a recent field trip, and how cute they were. She asked Olivia if they could get a puppy, and Olivia told her maybe. After breakfast, Olivia helped Celia pick out an outfit to wear to school, and made her a lunch that she put in Celia's pink backpack. Celia brushed her teeth, and brushed her hair. She asked Olivia to put a pink bow in her hair, and Olivia did. Olivia helped her put on her sandals, and then walked her to her preschool, a few blocks down.
When Olivia got back to her apartment, she cleaned up Celia's breakfast, then took a quick, steaming hot shower, and got dressed. She did her makeup and grabbed her purse, then drove to work, still thinking about Celia's dream.
"Morning, Liv." Elliot Stabler told his partner as she walked into the squad room, just barely on time.
"Morning." She gave him a tight-lipped smile and took a sip of coffee she had picked up on the way there. She sat down at her desk and opened a file that was on it. Her heart broke at the picture inside. It was a little girl, probably only a few years older than Celia, dead. Her throat had bruises on it, indicating she had been choked to death. "Oh my god." She breathed.
"I know." Elliot stood over her desk, his own coffee in his hand. He set it down on her desk. "Captain called me at two last night after someone found her in an alley."
"Why didn't anyone call me?" She demanded, giving Elliot a half confused look.
Elliot shrugged. "Cragen told me it was a little girl." He told her nonchalantly, leaning against her desk and crossing his arms over his chest.
"Okay. I've seen plenty of little girls that have been raped, El."
Sighing, Elliot put a big hand on her shoulder. "I just didn't want you to see that. It was a raped, and murdered seven year old. I thought it would hit too close to home for you. I was trying to protect you, Liv."
Olivia stood up abruptly, closing the file. "I'm your partner. You don't have to protect me, Elliot."
Elliot stared after her as she walked towards the captain's office, obviously annoyed with him. Even though she didn't know it, Elliot knew what was best for her and how to protect her.
One day she would see.
Author's Note:
Thank you for reading! If you haven't already guessed, this will be an Elliot/Olivia romance, as well as family drama. I already have the next few chapters written, and the more reviews I get, the sooner I'll update! I'll take criticism, praise, and ideas :)
-M