I know yet another story by Steffie, I've got major writers block with all my other stories only able to write a few paragraphs at a time before I get stuck, so they're all like half way through the next chapter. I will upload as soon as I've done but until then why don't you enjoy this new story.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own it.
Olivia was at home looking after her newly adopted two year old baby. She was still in complete shock at the fact that she'd been able to adopt her let alone bring her home so soon. Brooklyn Leah now Benson was Jameson was found in a dumpster on Lexington Avenue. Olivia who had been approved as a short term foster parent, so that when children on SVU cases need to be placed quickly they could be placed with Olivia until they could be placed somewhere on a long term basis. Just a few weeks before managed to get Brooklyn to be with her while the rest of SVU worked on the case. They found out that Brooklyn's mother was the one who had dumped her after the death of Brooklyn's father who had died in Afghanistan. Child services had been to speak with Olivia about keeping hold of Brooklyn while they waited on someone willing to adopt the little girl when Olivia had asked about the possibilities of her adopting the youngster, she'd just gotten so attached to her and she was scared of letting her go. Brooklyn's case worker Savannah had told her it was a great idea but her chances for adopting Brooklyn were slim because of her job and the hours she worked and the fact that she was single but told her she should go ahead and try anyway and that's exactly what Olivia did. Being a foster parent she'd had another child come to stay with her while she waited to find out if she could be approved for Brooklyn's adoption and thanks to Kylee the little girl who had been staying with Brooklyn and Olivia she had been approved as Kylee had told Savannah all about how loving and caring Olivia was with her.
"Brooke no baby!" Olivia called for what felt like the thousandth time in the past three days, Cragen had given her a week off when the adoption was finalized.
Olivia untangled Brooklyn from the wires behind the TV and decided to move the arm chair to block Brooklyn's path. She had a habit of getting behind the TV and playing with the wires and Olivia was terrified that she would get hurt.
"Brumbry." Brooklyn moaned rubbing her stomach, Olivia had only just gotten used to the baby talk and having to decipher what it was her daughter was telling her.
"You hungry?" Olivia asked looking at the brown eyed toddler who nodded and pouted. "Come on then baby Momma will make you something to eat." Olivia smiled inwardly as she said the word Momma, she wasn't sure if it would work but Savannah had told Olivia if she kept referring to herself as Momma to Brooklyn then the name would catch on, Brooklyn hadn't caught on to calling her Olivia when she was being fostered and Savannah had explained it would take time but the truth was Brooklyn wouldn't even remember her own parents as she was so young.
Olivia placed Brooklyn in her highchair and was about to go to the kitchen when her buzzer rang. Groaning at being interrupted she made her way to the door.
"Hello?" She asked.
Hey Liv it's me and Fin. Elliot's voice crackled through the intercom.
"Come up the door will be open." She smiled, she loved seeing her best friends.
She buzzed them in an opened the door before going to the kitchen to make a sandwich for Brooklyn.
"We got Pizza!" Fin smiled bringing three large and one small box onto the counter.
"I'm guessing I don't need to finish making this sandwich for Brooke then." Olivia smiled as Fin embraced her.
"No you don't there's a very small cheese pizza in here for Brooke." He smiled nodding his head towards the small box on the top.
"You guys are too good." She smiled before embracing Elliot.
"Ok none of that." Fin joked, he'd been doing a lot of joking about their relationship status over the past few weeks, he'd commented on them touching each other more and the way they spoke and looked at each other.
Olivia and Elliot had been in a relationship for a few weeks. They hadn't told anyone about it yet and had no plans on doing so either, they knew they could lose their jobs if they told anyone and neither were ready to put it all on the line.
"Funny." Olivia replied hitting him with the dishtowel she'd grabbed.
"You're a bad influence on Brooke!" He commented jokingly. "You don't really want her to be learning how to hit people do you?"
"I'm hoping she'll learn how to defend herself." Olivia replied as she took Brooke's pizza and started cutting it while Elliot pulled two bottles out of a bag, one Coke and one Diet Coke for Olivia.
"You're too good to me." She smiled as she placed the smaller pizza chunks onto a plate and took it over to Brooke.
"Give Momma a kiss..." She said leaning down.
Brooke giggled and clasped Olivia's face between her tiny hands before kissing Olivia.
"Mwwwaaah!" She giggled as she released the kiss.
"You eat your dinner baby and if you want more you can have more." Olivia smiled ruffling the head of little brown ringlets that she adored.
Brooklyn happened to look a lot like Olivia. She had the same piercing brown eyes, brown hair and olive skin, the only difference was that Brooklyn's hair was naturally in curly ringlets where as Olivia's was much straighter.
"So how's motherhood treating you?" Fin asked when Olivia sat down with her own pepperoni pizza and glass of diet coke.
"I love it, I still can't believe she's definitely mine now though, I mean, I spent so long worrying that they were going to take her away and give her to someone else that I'm sure I've developed some new frown lines!" Olivia laughed and she could almost hear Elliot's reply when she saw the look in his eye.
"Nah baby girl you're as beautiful as ever and being a Momma suits you." Fin smiled.
"Yeah Liv, that little girl is lucky to have you, the best mother in the world." Elliot smiled and Olivia beamed at him gratefully.
"It's me who's lucky, I thought if I ever was going to adopt I'd have to adopt an older kid you know like about eight but when I got approved to adopt Brooke I was so happy." Olivia smiled.
"Liv I have to ask why do you call her Brooke?" Elliot asked.
"What do you mean?" Olivia replied with a frown not understanding what Elliot was getting at.
"Her name's Brooklyn but you always call her Brooke, you only once called her Brooklyn and that was when you introduced her to the squad." Elliot explained. "I mean there's nothing wrong with that." He said hurriedly. "Just wondering."
"I guess it's because when I was younger I said if I ever had a little girl I'd call her Brooke and it's cutting her name down you know, like I call you El and you call me Liv." Olivia replied honestly.
"Then why don't you change her name legally to Brooke?" Elliot suggested.
"I could do that?" Olivia asked in surprise.
"If you wanted too." Elliot replied.
Olivia looked from her friends to her daughter happily eating away at the pizza.
"No, her name's Brooklyn calling her Brooke is just like me calling you El." Olivia replied before turning back to her friends.
"Fair enough but what do you want us to call her?" Elliot asked seriously.
"Whatever El." She shrugged with a smile. "Brooke or Brooklyn either way."
"She's always gonna be Baby Girl number two to me." Fin smiled as Olivia laughed.
"That's a mouth full Fin!" Olivia laughed.
"I don't care you'll always be Baby Girl number one." He smirked making Olivia laugh.
"So when you back in work?" Elliot asked, he missed his partner.
"Monday." Olivia replied making Elliot frown, it was only Thursday. "Oh come on you can't miss me that much!"
"I do, if I have to work with Brian Cassidy much longer I'm going to kill him!" Elliot laughed.
"You're partnered with Brian?" Olivia replied with a frown.
"Yeah, he's back for good but only partnered with me until you come back." Elliot explained.
"And he was telling the truth about killing him too baby girl, Brian's been telling us how he's going to be making a move on you again." Fin smirked.
Olivia shook her head. She had no interest in going out with Brian Cassidy. He was just a one night stand, she needed to work off some of that pent up frustration and he'd been a willing participant, nothing more, and to hear how he was going to be making a move on her actually turned her stomach.
"He's got no chance with me Fin." Olivia replied firmly.
"Why not Baby Girl?" Fin asked just to wind her up.
"Oh come on Fin have you met the guy?" Olivia asked frowning.
"Yeah and he adores you." Fin explained keeping up the pretence that he thought Olivia and Cassidy would make a good paring.
"You're out of your mind." Olivia replied laughing. "I have no interest whatsoever in having any relationship with Brian Cassidy..."
Olivia was cut off when the buzzer for the apartment went off.
"I'll get it." Fin smiled leaving Elliot and Olivia alone for a minute.
"So can I come over tonight?" He asked cheekily.
"I'd like that." She smiled back before leaning over and giving him a quick kiss. "I hate hiding this."
"I know but if we tell Fin it's not a long jump to Munch and then Cragen and then that's it Liv our jobs and our pensions gone." Elliot sighed, he had so much desire to tell the world that he was in love with Olivia Benson but it just wasn't possible.
"Hey Liv it's Cragen he's coming up." Fin smiled coming into the room just seconds after Olivia and Elliot turned back to their food.
"Sure." Olivia smiled, she had been looking forward to seeing Cragen, she and him were so close and he'd been over the moon when Olivia asked if he'd consider being the grandparent in Brooklyn's life. "Hey baby Papa is on his way up." Olivia grinned as she wiped the tomato sauce from around Brooklyn's mouth.
"Papa!" Brooklyn exclaimed kicking her legs wildly.
"Yeah Papa." Olivia grinned as she pulled Brooklyn out of the high chair and letting her down to go greet her grandfather.
"Papa! Papa! Papa!" She giggled diving into his arms as he bent down.
"Hey Brooklyn!" He beamed picking her up and tickling her stomach as he carried her giggling through to the kitchen where Olivia was washing up the dishes.
"Hey Don." She smiled as he leaned in and pecked her cheek.
"Hey Liv how are you?" he asked placing Brooklyn back on the floor so she could go and play.
"I'm good and you?" She asked as she dried her hands deciding the dishes could wait till later.
"Good I just thought as it was quiet at the one six I'd come see how my grandbaby was doing." He beamed.
Olivia smiled, she knew how much Don Cragen thought of her daughter, of her. He loved them like he had been there all their lives and Olivia loved him right back.
"So have you sorted everything ready to come back to work?" He asked.
"Yeah there's a great day care not far from the one six, I was in two minds you know having her close to the apartment or close to the precinct but as I spend most of my time there I thought close to there was best." She explained. "They're also a night care service too, for parents working nights so I talked with them and they have a couple of other cops kids there and if we catch a case all I have to do is call them and then they'll keep Brooke for the night." Olivia smiled, it had been absolutely perfect when she'd found that out.
"That's great news Liv." He smiled.
"And it's not too expensive either which is great." Olivia laughed. "I had worried about the cost of child care you know I was getting a check from Children Services when I was just fostering her but then as soon as she became mine the checks stopped." Olivia explained, not that she minded, she didn't want money for looking after her kid.
"Well as her Papa I wanted to ask you something but maybe we can do that when there aren't ears around." He smiled nodding his head towards Elliot and Fin.
"We were actually just coming to say goodbye." Fin smiled knowing that they deserved their privacy.
"We'll see ourselves out." Elliot smirked knowing he'd be back later.
"Ok thanks for lunch guys." Olivia smiled as Elliot picked up a toddling Brooklyn.
"We'll see you soon Brookie." He smiled tickling his nose into her stomach making her beautiful giggle echo around the room.
"Bye baby girl number two." Fin smiled dropping a chaste kiss onto her forehead before Elliot put her down and letting her toddle to her mother.
Olivia picked her up and watched as her two friends went before Cragen finished making the coffee Olivia had started. He carried both mugs through to the toy littered living room making him chuckle. He hadn't been to the apartment much, but on the times he had it had been missing the homely feel that it had now. He smiled at seeing the picture of Olivia and Brooklyn on one of the shelves. It was obvious that Olivia was genuinely happy in that picture. Both of them face by face with Brooklyn laughing at something near the camera. It was a beautiful close up photo.
"Brooke time for a nap princess!" Olivia smiled as she tickled the baby.
She prepared the beaker of juice and then placed the visibly tired youngster into her playpen in the living room before snuggling her into a tiny pink blanket.
"Sleep tight Momma's princess." She whispered as the young girl drank from her sippy cup and slowly closed her eyes.
She then sat back down on the couch and grabbed her coffee before making herself comfortable by snuggling into the corner so she could face the elder man.
"So what did you want to talk about?" She asked quietly not wanting to wake the baby.
"I wanted to ask if you'd let me be a proper Papa." He said as she sipped her drink and frowned at him.
"You are a proper Papa what do you mean?" She asked still frowning in confusion.
"I want you to let me help with day care cost."
"No." Olivia said firmly. "That's not what grandparents' do that's what parents do."
"Liv..."
"No Don please don't argue with me about this, I've got it covered." Olivia replied giving him a smile.
"Olivia..."
"Daaaaad." She moaned like a stroppy teenager giving him a pout in the process.
"Me and Liz talked and we both wished we were really your parents but we aren't and didn't get to do things for you so we are asking you please will you let us help you with Brooklyn?" Cragen was almost pleading.
"Don I don't need help especially not with childcare cost I have it covered." Olivia replied smiling as she looked over at the sleeping baby.
"I know you don't need help Liv, but we want to help. Please let me and Liz do this for you and for our grandbaby." Don explained and he gave her playful puppy dog eyes and bat his eyelids towards her making her laugh.
"Ok as long as you stop acting like a teenage girl trying to get away with getting a DUI!" She laughed as he broke out in a wide grin.
"Good Liz will be pleased to hear now I need to head back but not before I ask you for dinner, Liz wants to see you both." He smiled.
Olivia hesitated, she had planned on seeing Elliot.
"It's ok if you have other plans." He smiled but Olivia shook her head.
"No I'm good, dinner sounds lovely." Olivia smiled as she got up to walk Don out.
"Ok well I'll see you at six." He smiled giving her a peck on the cheek.
"See you at six." She smiled.
As soon as the door was closed she grabbed her cell phone and text Elliot knowing he was going to be disappointed but she wanted Brooklyn to know her 'family'.
Elliot understood. Of course Olivia knew he would because when Kathy and he were divorcing he'd cancelled meeting with her to go and argue with Kathy even though they were together at the time.
That evening Olivia had dressed in a pair of comfy jeans and a sweater knowing better than to dress up to go to her surrogate parents' house. Brooklyn was dressed in a denim skirt, white t-shirt and pink cardigan with flowery pink tights.
Brooklyn's car seat was in the passenger seat of her car. When with Elliot they used his SUV or their police issued Sudan so she only used her car with Brooklyn. Once Brooklyn was strapped in and she'd deposited the light pink and black diaper bag in the back seat they were on their way.
Olivia's phone rang and she knocked the hands free.
"Benson." She called making Brooklyn giggle.
Hey Liv where are you? Fin asked.
"On my way to Cragen's place why?" Olivia asked.
Just caught a case with a kid involved. Fin replied and Olivia knew instantly what it was about.
"I'll be there in five let me just call Cragen and see if they can do another for dinner." Olivia replied.
Ok Eden that's her name is eight so you don't need to worry about car seat or anything. Fin told her.
"What's the case?" Olivia asked knowing that most of the kids coming to stay with her would have been through some sort of trauma.
Her Mom was raped and murdered, single parent and the family are in Hawaii so CSU knew to call you and gave me the go ahead to do it. Fin explained quietly so that Eden wouldn't overhear.
"How is she? Does she know?" Olivia continued.
Yeah. Liv she was there. Fin replied and Olivia felt almost sick for the girl.
"As in saw it?" Olivia asked weakly.
Everything. Fin told her.
"Ok I won't be long." Olivia replied.
See ya soon. He replied before hanging up.
Olivia knocked the speed dial for Cragen and waited for his voice to answer.
Cragen.
"Hey it's Liv." She smiled as she spoke.
Oh hey are you on your way? He asked worrying that she had changed her mind.
"Yeah except that I had a call off Fin they caught a case?" She wasn't sure if he even knew.
Yeah woman raped and murdered. Cragen replied knowing the one.
"Yeah well CSU want me to take the kid so I'm on my way to the one six now, is it ok if I bring her by for dinner?" Olivia asked not wanting to if they couldn't manage it.
Of course it's ok Liv, we'll make her feel welcome.
"Are you sure Liz doesn't mind?" Olivia asked.
I don't mind! Liz voice was being carried from the background making Olivia chuckle.
"Ok we won't be long." Olivia replied before hanging up and going into the parking lot. "Right you, we're going to get Eden before going to Nanny and Papa's house ok?" Olivia smiled before exiting the vehicle.
She soon took out the diaper bag and Brooklyn before making her way into the one six.
"Oh isn't she a doll." Officer Steven the evening door officer smiled.
"Thank you." Olivia smiled as he tickled under her chin.
"Motherhood suits you Detective Benson!" He smiled as Olivia placed Brooklyn on the floor to walk.
"Thanks!" She called again rushing after her daughter. "Brooke! Stop right there!" She called and Brooklyn stopped and turned to her with a mischevious smile.
"Here's a rule for you princess, no running off from Momma ok?" She asked as she took the little girls hand.
"Ok." She nodded and Olivia wasn't even sure if the little girl understood but was glad to see her nodding away as they stepped into the elevator. "You going to sit with Uncle Fin while Momma works?" Olivia asked.
"Yeah!" Brooklyn smiled throwing her fist into the air making Olivia laugh.
"Come on then." Olivia smiled as the elevator door opened and they stepped out.
"Brookie!" Fin smiled opening his arms for the little girl.
She beamed and rushed into him before wrapping her arms around his neck.
"Fin!" She smiled pointing at him and almost hitting him in the eye.
"Yeah Fin baby. You stay with Uncle Fin Momma has to go talk to somebody ok?" She smiled and Brooklyn nodded before kissing Olivia's nose.
"Bye bye." Brooklyn smiled.
"I'll be back." Olivia grinned, she loved nothing more than hearing her toddler's voice.
"Interview room." Fin smiled. "DeRosa is in there with her, the only woman on duty." He hated the female uniformed officer assigned to the one six, they all did because she was determined to take Olivia's place.
"Yeah I get it." Olivia nodded, no one hated the woman more than her.
Olivia sighed softly and made her way towards the interview room. She looked in through the two way and saw the little girl. It was obvious Fin had been to get her some clean clothes from the chest Olivia had up in the cribs, she was wearing a pink sweater and jeans. Olivia had bought lots of clothes in different sizes when CSU started placing kids with her as emergency short term fostering when she was approved. Eden was beautiful, she had shoulder length dirty blond hair tied in a pony tail over her shoulder. From what Olivia could see she had green eyes and behind them Olivia could see so much pain. The tear stains on her cheeks were just evidence of that pain. Olivia frowned seeing Officer DeRosa sat by the table while Eden sat alone on the couch. Rookie. Olivia thought as she went to the door.
"Hi my name's Olivia." She smiled reassuringly at the girl completely ignoring the cop by the table.
"Hi I'm Eden." The little girl said without a glimmer of a smile.
"Ok you're coming to stay with me for a little while until we can find your family is that ok?" Olivia asked as she approached the little girl.
She looked at Olivia uncertain what to make of her. Normally, Olivia would work with the children in taking statements and slowly built up trust with them but she hadn't worked with Eden and knew it would be difficult in getting her settles.
"You don't have to be worried, I look after lots of children until we find their family, I'm a police officer just like Officer DeRosa, but I'm a Detective." Olivia smiled as she sat beside the little girl.
"You are?" She asked looking at Olivia as she blinked her bright green eyes.
"Yeah sweetie."
"Do you work here too?" Eden asked.
"Yes but I'm not working this week." Olivia smiled gently.
"Why not?" Eden asked with a frown.
"Because I have to look after my little girl Brooklyn this week, you want to come and meet her?" Olivia asked and Eden nodded softly.
Olivia extended her hand to the little girl and she took it before climbing from the couch feeling comfortable with being led away.
Fin was sat in his chair bouncing Brooklyn up and down on his legs making her giggle loudly when Olivia and Eden entered.
"Is that Brooklyn?" Eden asked pointing to the laughing two year old.
"Yeah." Olivia nodded as Fin stopped jiggling Brooklyn and pointed to Olivia.
"Look it's Momma." He smiled as the toddler turned around and grinned extending her arms out to Olivia.
Olivia reached over and picked Brooklyn up just to put her on the ground and hold her hand.
"Hey Brooke, this is Eden can you say Eeee-den? Olivia pronounced the name in a way that would help the youngster try and pronounce it.
"Eeeden." Brooklyn replied.
"Yeah well done princess." Olivia smiled giving the youngster a kiss on the cheek making her giggle.
"Hi Brooklyn." Eden smiled kneeling down in front of the two year old.
"Eee-den." Brooklyn smiled.
"Yeah I'm Eden you're Brooklyn." Eden smiled and Olivia grinned at Fin as they watched the two girls communicating.
"Brooke, Eden is coming to stay with us for a while." Olivia smiled knowing that the two year old didn't really understand, she'd seen three children come and go from Olivia's apartment already.
"So are you ready to go?" Fin asked Olivia and she nodded.
"You ready Eden?" Olivia asked as she scooped Brooklyn into her arms and extended her hand to Eden who nodded and took it.
"I'll call by and see you tomorrow how does that sound?" Fin asked, he'd been with Eden all day.
"Ok." She smiled gently and Olivia smiled reassuringly.
"I'll see you tomorrow Fin." Olivia smiled giving him a gentle friendly kiss on the cheek before heading off.
In the car Olivia explained to Eden that they were going to Cragen's house or as she had explained it, to Brooklyn's grandparents house which led to an interesting conversation about how they weren't her parents, she had to explain it when the girl had asked or she would have been confused when Olivia called them by their first names but she hadn't told Eden that Brooklyn wasn't her real daughter, she didn't want to raise Eden's hopes that she couldn't live with Olivia full time like Brooklyn did.
Cragen met them in the door way and Olivia introduced Eden to him and even though she was shy she wasn't scared and that was of some relief to Olivia.
"Olivia!" Liz grinned coming into the living room from the kitchen.
"Hey Liz." Olivia smiled embracing the older woman that she had come to look at like a mother.
"And Brooklyn!" She squealed reaching her arms out to the toddler who reached back. "Where's Nana's little angel?" She asked as she tickled the youngster's stomach. "And who's this?" Liz asked looking happily at Eden.
"This is Eden she's coming to stay with me till CSU can track down her parents." Olivia smiled even though she'd explained on the phone. "Eden this is Don and Liz."
"Hi." Cragen smiled. "It's nice to meet you."
"You too." Eden smiled.
"I hope you're hungry do you like Sausage Stew?" Liz asked and Eden nodded.
"Well let's all go through to the dining room, I've set up Brookie's booster in there." Liz smiled handing the youngster back over to Olivia.
"Is Brookie hungry?" Olivia asked rubbing the young girl's belly.
"Brumbry!" She yelled happily.
Olivia grinned and extended her hand to Eden before following Cragen through to the back dining room. They strapped Brooklyn to her booster seat and Eden sat down beside her while Cragen and Olivia sat opposite them.
"So how is everything going with Liz?" Olivia asked knowing that the two had not long been living together.
"Yeah it's good." Cragen nodded. "I didn't think I'd be able to live with someone again but it seems to be going smoothly."
"So have you asked her yet?" Olivia asked as Cragen had confided in her that he wanted to propose.
"No not yet I'm trying to plan how to do it." He replied honestly. "But I hope you and Brooklyn will be there when I do." He smiled at her and she grinned back.
"Of course we will, there is nowhere else I'd rather be when you ask her!" Olivia grinned excitedly just before the conversation had to be dropped because the food was served.
"Be careful sweetheart because it's hot ok?" Liz smiled as she placed the bowl in front of Eden.
"Thank you." Eden smiled as she nodded her head.
"This is Brookie's it's a bit hot for her at the moment." Liz smiled passing Olivia a smaller plastic bowl and spoon.
"Thank you Liz." Olivia smiled before she started gently blowing on the food and stirring it trying to cool it down.
Once everyone was sat with their food the conversation quickly turned to Olivia's love life which it did every time they were sat together.
"You're telling me you've never made a move on Elliot Stabler?" Liz asked with a look that showed she didn't believe a word of it.
"I'm telling you I have never made a move on Elliot." She lied through her teeth.
"Yeah right if he was older I certainly would."
"Liz you're old enough to be his mother!" Olivia teased.
"Hey I'm not that old ... ok maybe I am but if he was older I would make a move on him well that was if your father wasn't such a handsome man." She smiled, it had become a habit for Liz to refer to Cragen as Olivia's father and he'd sometimes do it back making Olivia very tempted to call them Mom and Dad sometimes but she had refrained from doing so thinking they wouldn't like it.
"Anyway, I couldn't make a move on Elliot even if I wanted to which I might add that I don't." Olivia made sure to add the last part because she didn't want to leave any hint that she and Elliot had moved their relationship on.
"Why not?" Liz asked.
"NYPD Regulations, they'd lose their jobs if they became romantically or sexually involved as partners." Cragen replied gruffly, he knew that Olivia and Elliot had the hots for each other and was surprised as anyone that they hadn't in his mind moved the relationship on.
"Exactly." Olivia replied trying to hide the sadness that engulfed her at the thought.
"That's a shame, I think you and Elliot make a perfect couple." Liz sighed.
"I admit Elliot and I work well together but that's because we're best friends Liz, I love him to pieces but as my friend and partner not in any other way." Olivia continued to ooze the lies hoping that Cragen didn't catch a hint of what she was thinking inside.
"So Eden how old are you?" Liz turned the conversation to the eight year old trying to make her feel more welcome.
"Eight." Eden replied.
"You're eight wow you're a big girl, do you go to school?" Liz continued while Olivia and Cragen started quietly discussing the case without mentioning any words that could catch Eden's attention.
"Yes Saint Mary's Catholic Church in Queens." She replied.
"Oh you go to the same school as Detective Stabler's children, he works with Olivia isn't that right Liv?" Liz smiled.
"Oh yeah." Olivia nodded before resuming her conversation.
"Olivia..." Eden started gaining the detective's attention.
"What is it sweetie?" Olivia asked smiling reassuringly at her.
"Am I able to go to school tomorrow?" Eden asked.
"Do you want to go to school tomorrow?" Olivia replied knowing that most kids took the first day if not first week with her off school.
"Yes." Eden nodded.
"Ok well I'll call Elliot and ask him if he has a spare school uniform of Lizzie's you can borrow, she's only seven but is around the same height as you." Olivia smiled.
"Thank you." Eden grinned.
The evening passed with light conversation but by eight pm both Eden and Brooklyn were nearing sleep.
"Thank you for having us over." Olivia smiled once the kids were in the car.
"No problem just give me a text when you're home won't you?" Liz asked as she embraced her surrogate daughter.
"Of course." Olivia smiled before embracing Cragen.
"Drive safe." He smiled as she climbed into the car.
"Always, goodnight." She smiled before he shut the door and watched her drive off into the Manhattan night.
So this chapter is just getting to know a little about where the characters are in their lives as will the next one be, I know it's a little long but I hope you enjoy it.