AN: This is my first attempt at an SVU fic, the idea just popped into my head while driving one night and I decided to write it out; I don't own anything- All the characters belong to NBC & Dick Wolf and the song lyrics belong to Carrie Underwood. Hope you guys enjoy it!
I heard you laughing in a crowd outside a restaurant we used to go to
I caught a glimpse that stopped me in my tracks
It took me back
You looked happy with that little girl on your shoulders, happy
I know where she got those crystal eyes of blue
Time's been sweet to you
Olivia shuffled on her feet attempting to stay warm, it was a blustery January night in the city and she seriously regretted opting to wear a dress as soon as Brian dropped her off in front of the restaurant while he looked for parking. It didn't take long for Olivia to decide she'd wait for Brian inside the restaurant and she let out a sigh of relief as soon as the warmth of the restaurant hit her body. She let the heat run through her body for a few seconds before taking off her leather gloves and walking up to the hostess, "Reservation for Brian Cassidy." She said distracted, looking around the restaurant, wondering what kind of strings Brian pulled to get reservations for such a high end restaurant on such short notice. "Your table will be ready in about 20 minutes Mrs. Cassidy" the hostess said with a smile as Olivia took a seat
"Mrs. Cassidy" Liv thought to herself, she never imagined she'd be the type of woman who'd change her name if she ever got married but she did like the sound of Olivia Cassidy, she smiled a little to herself and didn't notice the man walking up to her until she heard his voice
"Olivia… hi" She looked up shocked, not expecting to see him of all people here, last she heard she had moved out of state since resigning
"David… Hi." Olivia said shocked "How are you?" she asked with a smile, barely noticing the little girl standing beside her ex-boyfriend
"I'm good; I missed the city so I drove in from Boston for the weekend…" David said looking away from the woman he let go after promising her that he wouldn't go anywhere- there was something different about her and he noticed. She looked more relaxed than he remembered, happier too. "I want you to meet someone" David said as he picked up the little girl who was standing beside him, holding his hand the entire time "This is Ava, my daughter."
"Hi Ava! I'm Olivia, a friend of your daddy's. How are you pretty girl?" Olivia couldn't help but smile when she saw the little girl blush and burry her face into her father's shoulder. "David, she's beautiful. How old is she?" Olivia asked as she swept her hair out of her face.
"She just turned 2. She is beautiful isn't she? She looks just like her mother, thank goodness..." David said smiling as he looked at the little girl who was now half asleep on his shoulder "speaking of beautiful, that ring is exquisite. I didn't know you were engaged, these things usually spread quickly through the grapevine, congratulations." David said with a genuine smile, now realizing why Olivia looked so relaxed, she was happy and in love.
Olivia looked down at her ring and smiled to herself remembering the events that had just unfolded before they left for dinner-
She had just walked in the house, barely had time to take off her jacket and shoes before Brian asked her to help him find something in the bedroom "Seriously Bri? It can't wait a few minutes? I just got ho…." Olivia was shocked when she walked into the bedroom to find that is was being illuminated solely by candles that were strategically placed all over the room, Brian standing in front of her in a suit, a beautiful bouquet of flowers sat on their bed and then she saw it; a small velvet box in his hand. Tears quickly gathered in her eyes as she realized what was happening. Brian got down on one knee, "I love you, Liv; the very first time I saw you in SVU I knew I wanted you but what I didn't know was that I would need you the way I do. Olivia, you make me a better person, you've made me a greater man. You taught me how to love unconditionally. Every morning I wake up with you in my arms and I realize how incredibly lucky I am, I don't know what I did to deserve you but I'm willing to spend the rest of my life trying to make you half as happy as you make. Marry me, Olivia Benson." Brian said as he opened box to reveal the most beautiful cushion cut diamond ring Olivia had ever seen in her life; by this point tears were streaming down her face and she could barely find her voice but somehow she managed to quietly say "yes" as Brian stood before her and wrapped his arms around her and kissed her passionately.
Olivia quickly looked back at the man standing in front of her and smiled "No one knows yet" she said with a chuckle "we haven't even been engaged for three hours."
David looked at Olivia and noted the joy on her face, she looked happy and he was glad. He knew that he had hurt her after promising that he wouldn't be going anywhere; "whatever it is, I can handle it. I'm not going anywhere" his thoughts flashed back to the night in her apartment, the night that helped her open up to him, he hated that he left the way he did but he was relieved to see that Olivia had found as much happiness as he had. David noticed the slowed pace of his daughter's breaths and took that as his cue to call it a night, "I better get going before it gets harder than it already will be to wake her up to get her strapped into her seat" David said breaking the silence between the former couple "it was great seeing you Liv. Congratulations once again" he said with a smile
"Thank you, David. It was good to see you too and it was a pleasure to meet Ava" Olivia said returning the smile as David turned to leave the restaurant. Olivia looked around to see if Brian had decided to stand back while she and David spoke. She realized that Brian wasn't inside- he hadn't entered the restaurant yet; just as she was reaching into her purse to dig out her phone to call her fiancé to see where he was she felt a hand on her shoulder
"Sorry it took me so long, Jones caught a break in our case, finally got our witness to talk so he called me to fill me in on the new details. It wasn't much but it's better than what he had" Brian said as he placed a gentle kiss on his fiancée's forehead.
"You don't need to go in do you?" Olivia asked quietly worried that their night of celebrating would be cut short
"No" Brian said as he looked at beautiful woman in front of him "I told him to go home and to take one of the others with him in the morning to look into the new leads. This night is about us Liv and I won't let anything ruin it" Brian said as he gazed into Olivia's striking brown eyes.
"Mr. & Mrs. Cassidy- your table is ready" the hostess said with a smile as Brian reached his hand out for Olivia to take.
"I love you, Olivia Benson" Brian whispered gently into her ear as they followed the hostess to a table in the very back of the restaurant
"I love you too, Brian Cassidy" Olivia said as she sat in the chair Brian pulled out for her as they began their night of love and celebration.
As bad as it was, as bad as it hurt
I thank God I didn't get what I thought that I deserved
Sometimes life leads you down a different road
When you're holding on to someone that you gotta let go
Someday you'll see the reason why
Sometimes, yeah sometimes, there's good in goodbye