Cragen sat at his desk looking out the window into the squad room. One detective he looked at specifically, Olivia Benson. He never thought of her as just another employee. He always thought of her as his daughter. After learning of how terrible her mother was and the reason why, he knew that he would have one hell of a job ahead. Olivia was completely independent and never let anyone forget that. She always said she could and would take care of herself and proofed it many times. He smiled when he thought of her birthday that was quickly approaching. His smile disappeared when he realized that he didn't have a gift for her and had no idea what to get her. Her birthday was in a month and he had no idea what to get her. Just as he was thinking, John Munch came into his office.

"Hey Captain, thinking again?" Don just looked at him. "Guess so. What are you thinking about?"

"Mine as well tell you, maybe you can help me. I'm just trying to think of what to get Olivia for her birthday."

"I know the one thing that would make her the happiest woman on the planet." Don looked at him, his asking unspoken question. "Her name being Olivia Cragen."

"John, that's sick." John resisted the urge the slap his captain upside the head. He ran a hand down his face.

"Let me be clearer, on the father line on her birth certificate, it say Donald Cragen. You know you can be very dense sometimes."

"I would like nothing other than to be her father, but what's done is done." This time John did slap him upside the head.

"I mean adopt her!" He yelled loud but quietly so the surprise wouldn't be spoiled. Cragen looked at John had to admit that he was right. John left the office with a smile plastered on his face. Olivia and Elliot looked up at him. He just shrugged and sat down. Olivia looked over at Elliot and vice versa. Elliot held his hands up in surrender.

"I'm not even going there." Olivia giggled and went back to filing out papers. Cragen watched the whole scene and smiled. He knew exactly what he was getting her.

~ one month later~

Cragen, Elliot, Fin, John, and Casey were all gathered in the squad room for Olivia's birthday. They had all given her their gifts except Cragen. He had made it clear he had to go last. Everyone knew what his gift was except Olivia. After opening them all, Olivia waited for Cragen to give her his gift. He sat down in a chair across from her and took out two envelopes. He handed one to her and kept the second one. She opened it and read the letter inside. Tears pooled in her eyes as she read it. She then flipped the paper over the staple in the top left hand corner and read the letter attached. That was the one Cragen wanted her to read more than anything. He smiled as she read it. She looked up her brown eyes filled with tears as some escaped and ran down her face. Cragen got up and took the other envelope in his hands.

"So you know I'm not pulling your leg." He handed her the other one. She ripped it open and unfolded the paper folded in thirds. It was her birth certificate. The one she had always seen except this one had something different about it. The father section was circled in red. On the father line, it read: Donald Cragen. Olivia looked back up at him. He smiled at her. Olivia flew from her chair, wrapped her arms around him, and hugging him like there was no tomorrow. He wrapped his arms around her and stroked the back of her head. Everyone in the precinct smiled as they watched the two.

"I love you… daddy." Olivia whispered just so Don could hear him. Tears filled his eyes from being called "daddy" for the first time and by Olivia.

"I love you too… sweetie." He said to his new daughter. Olivia got the one thing she ever really wanted, she was loved by real dad.