As Promised the first chapter of the sequel before my five day sabbatical from fan fic due to school work and real work and a weekend away with my boyfriend in hopes of salvaging our relationship!
ILB
Olivia sat on the living room of her Manhattan fifth avenue brownstone, a gift from her father when her eldest son had been born two years earlier.
"Momma will you do my hair?" Three and a half year old Latisha asked coming in with her 'special' comb and two pink hair bobbles.
"Sure Tisha." Olivia smiled.
"Momma when can I have my relaxed?" Latisha asked as she sat on the floor between Olivia's legs, she'd been asking this since she'd learned that's what her friend Denika had done to straighten out her afro.
"When you go to school, which is a long way away." Olivia replied as she pulled Latisha's hair into pigtails, she'd taken a long time learning how to tease Latisha's unruly afro into place.
"But I want it done now!" Latisha moaned.
"Not happening Latisha and I am not having this argument with you today now will you go and find where Daddy is with Tyrell please?" Olivia asked as she straightened out her daughter's pink Nike tracksuit.
"Fine." Latisha moaned taking the comb and stalking off.
Olivia walked over to the play mat where her six month old son Tremaine was playing happily.
"Come here little mister." She smiled picking up the young baby up. "You're having your first full day with Molly today." Olivia smiled as she tickled her son's belly making him laugh.
Bayard came into the room carrying two year old Tyrell on his hip.
"Tisha said you were looking for us." He said as he put the toddler down.
"Yeah just wanted to make sure Ty was ready for Molly." Olivia replied as she adjusted her husband's tie with her one free hand.
"You looking forward to getting back to work?" He asked her as she finally let go.
"Can't wait, bit nervous about leaving Trey but Molly's been our Nanny since Latisha was four months old." Olivia replied. "At least I'm not as bad as I was when I went back to work after having her."
Bayard laughed at the memory. With Latisha, Olivia had gone back to work after just four months of maternity leave. They'd hired Molly Lucas a twenty two year old Mormon who'd left the community to work as a Nanny in New York, for the first week Olivia had called every hour on the hour to check up on her daughter driving the Nanny mad, she was sure Olivia didn't trust her very much at first until Bayard managed to talk her into calling on her breaks.
"Tremaine will be fine with Molly and you know that." Bayard smiled as he ruffled his son's tiny afro.
"I know, I just look forward to getting back into the grime of Manhattan." Olivia laughed.
"I didn't think you'd go back this time." Bayard replied earning him a look of shock from Olivia.
"Why not?" She asked in surprise.
"Well when you took the extra two months without pay of I thought it was because you'd just had enough." Bayard shrugged.
Olivia nodded, she had debated going back and that's why she had taken the extra two months but then she realised she could never be a stay at home Mom.
"No I just wanted to make sure Tisha and Tyrell didn't think I was abandoning them, Ty didn't take so well to having a new little brother." Olivia laughed.
"Yeah in the same way Latisha didn't take to us having Tyrell, remember the tantrum she had when you left the hospital, she hoped we could leave him there!" Bayard laughed, it had been hard for Latisha, she had only be a year old when along came Tyrell, Bayard and Olivia really hadn't hesitated in expanding their family.
"I know, poor girl." Olivia chuckled as her son become bored on her hip and she put him back down on his play mat.
"Think we'll do this again?" Bayard asked wrapping his hands around her waist as hers went around his neck.
"What have more kids?" She asked him.
"Yeah." Bayard nodded.
"I don't know B, I mean I was happy with just having Latisha, I was only back in work two weeks when I found out I was pregnant again, heck I was pregnant before maternity even finished remember how much Munch took the piss out of me for that?" Olivia laughed as did Bayard, Munch had really ripped into her when she'd told them the news.
"Yeah but then it was fifteen months later when you got pregnant with Tremaine." Bayard noted.
"I know but I'm tired of being pregnant B, I love our kids so much but I don't think I could do it again but it's not like we've been careful is it? I mean we've been sexually active since I got the all clear from the OB after Tremaine's birth and so if it happens it happens, just wish you could do the pregnancy thing this time." She laughed as she nuzzled her head into Bayard.
"I know, it would just be nice to have more." Bayard replied. "But I'm happy with the brood we have."
ILB
Olivia pulled her Ferrari into the precinct parking lot. She had planned on getting rid of it when Tyrell came along but she didn't have the heart to and instead used it to get to and from work, it wasn't like she could carry the family in it.
She grabbed the tray off coffee she'd bought and made her way up to the precinct hoping that she would have a case to work on straight away so she wasn't missing her kids too much, especially Tremaine who was only six months old and she hadn't missed a day of his life yet.
"Ah There's Momma Ellis!" Fin laughed as Olivia came into the squad room.
"Good to see you too Fin." She replied handing him his coffee.
"So how is Tremaine Bayard Ellis doing?" Munch asked as Olivia placed his drink on his desk.
"He's good, went into Molly's arms without a problem." Olivia replied trying not to sound hurt by the statement.
"Olivia she's been there with you since he's been born so she's not a stranger." Fin told her as he sensed her discomfort.
"I know that, just felt like he wasn't going to miss me ya' know? Olivia explained as she put Elliot's drink on his empty desk, he hadn't arrived yet, which only meant he was with Jessica his current girlfriend.
"When you get home he'll be glad to see you." Fin reassured as she put her own coffee on her desk.
"So other than baby Tremaine how are Tyrell Oliver and Latisha Ava doing?" Munch asked.
"Good but if Latisha asks me about getting her hair relaxed one more time I'm just going to have it cut off!" Olivia laughed.
"Relaxed?" Munch asked in shock while Fin laughed his head off.
"Yeah it means that it won't be an afro for a while, loads of Afro-Caribbean's get it done." Olivia explained as Fin was still laughing too much to talk.
"Why don't you want her to have it done?" Munch asked.
"Because she's three years old Munch I want her to be happy about her appearance the way it is, and have you seen how cute she is with her hair in pigails?" Olivia asked grabbing the photo off his desk and making him look at the three year old with afro hair in pigtails.
"Ok I get it." Munch replied snatching the photo of his 'niece' back and putting it back in place.
"So why does she want her hair relaxed?" Fin asked having finally calmed down enough.
"Her friend Danika got it done and now Danika can have more pretty things done to her hair and it doesn't hurt to comb so she wants it done too but she's three, I said she can have it done when she starts school at five." Olivia explained.
"Fair enough, I mean her afro is cute..."
"You can't say much Fin you have your hair relaxed." Olivia replied with a smirk.
"Hey..."
"How did you know that?" Munch asked.
"It's quite obvious once you get used to seeing your own kids who have afro's, you know what to look for and Fin has his hair relaxed I'd say once every three months." Olivia replied and Fin glared at her, that had been a well kept secret.
"So what about Tyrell he planning on getting his hair relaxed?" Fin asked.
"He's only two and his afro is adorable, there is now way on planet earth he's getting his hair relaxed until he's much older, even older than Latisha." Olivia replied with a cheeky grin, she loved her son's afro, it was far more curled that Latisha's was.
"What are you talking about?" Elliot asked as he walked into the bullpen.
"Olivia's kids hair." Munch replied earning a strange look from Elliot.
"Latisha asked me again this morning is she could have her afro relaxed." Olivia explained to her best friend and the God Father of her eldest son.
"Oh ok." Elliot replied with a nod of understanding he's been at Olivia's house when Latisha had asked once.
"Right I'm gonna take Don his coffee." Olivia said noticing she still had the Captain's drink in the box and taking her own she left the three men to discuss whatever while she saw her superior.
"Hey." She smiled poking her head around the door.
"Olivia! Welcome back." He smiled as she walked into the room.
"Glad to be back." She replied placing his coffee cup on the desk and accepting his embrace.
"Good, how is little Tremaine doing?" He asked as Olivia took one of the seats in front of the desk.
"He's good, growing like a champ, started crawling last week." Olivia smiled with a glow of motherly pride.
"Quicker than Latisha did." Don noted.
"But slower than Tyrell." Olivia replied and Don nodded. "But there was less age difference between Tyrell and Latisha then Tyrell and Tremaine."
"Good point so Olivia I have to ask, do you want to be back at SVU?" Don had a serious look in his eye and Olivia stared for a moment unsure how to answer.
"Of course I do." She said eventually.
"Good, because there's always a place here for you if you want it Olivia you know that but with you having taken the extra two months..."
"Don." She stated firmly. "Listen to me, taking those two extra months were for me, I passed my State Bar exam, I can work as a lawyer now if I want to and I did the exam in the fifth month I was off, and after passing I debated coming back to this line of work or going into the world of law even with all the politics and crap I would still enjoy doing it and it's a little safer than being a cop because I have kids to survive for now." Olivia explained.
"I thought you weren't going to take the Bar exam." Don said.
"I wasn't planning on, when I was off with Latisha I did the foundation, then I took the rest of the course when I was off with Tyrell and it just made sense to prepare for the State Bar exam while I was off with Tremaine, I wasn't planning on taking it but I saw no harm in trying and I didn't even expect to pass Don." Olivia explained. "But I did, and it gives me options to work as a Lawyer, I can go and work for my Dad and Bayard if I want."
"You'd go into defence?" Don said sceptically.
"I don't know, but for now, I'm happy being a cop I mean I haven't even told my Dad that I took the State Bar exam yet the only person who knew was Bayard and now you." Olivia replied honestly. "And don't say anything to my dad either, I'll tell him when I'm ready too, I just don't want him pushing for me to join the family business just yet."
"I won't say a word Olivia, you know that but I am still in shock that you took the exam." Don replied.
"Well the exam happens twice a year Don, once in February and once in July, and my lecturer from the Open U called me while I was off on Maternity and asked me to reconsider taking the exam as I would make a good Lawyer and then said that it would be in February and I knew I had the option to extend my Maternity if I wanted to without pay and I just thought why not take it." Olivia explained further, she didn't know why she was explaining herself though, it was none of Don's business that she was now eligible to practise Law in the state of New York.
"Fair enough." Don shrugged, he was now worried that she'd start to think more like a lawyer on cases and not like a cop but that was not his place to think about.
"Well I noticed that there are no cases up on the board, except some colds." Olivia said deciding to move the conversation on.
"Nope, it's been a very quiet period at SVU not that I'm complaining." Don replied with a smirk.
Olivia laughed, no one complained about quiet periods in SVU, yes they complained about boredom and the paperwork but the truth was if there was no one reporting crime the chances were less crime was being committed and knowing that relaxed all of them.
"You had to go to Albany..."
"Excuse me?" Olivia said in shock.
"To sit the Bar exam, you had to go to Albany twice to sit it, the New York state on is on the last Tuesday of February and July and then the Multi State one which is on the Wednesday." Don explained.
"Yeah and?" She asked not understanding why he was bringing it up again.
"Nothing just intrigued as to why you would do it." Don explained shrugging.
"Because I was bored Don, bored of SVU, bored of being a cop and thought if I was going to do something else then being a Lawyer was the option." Olivia snapped, she wished she'd not said anything to him now.
"Ok." Don nodded. "But you're back?"
"I'm back." She sighed. "I don't think I'm ready to leave all this behind yet, as much as I loved doing my Law Degree and sitting the exam I don't think I'd enjoy it that much, I mean you should see how much paperwork Bayard has to bring home with him." Olivia tried to make a joke of it.
"Well you know if you ever do leave there's always a place for you to come back." Don told her.
"I know, but I'm not ready to turn over my shield just yet." Olivia replied before getting to her feet. "Now I'm going to see what use I can be to the guys on their cold cases."
ILB
Olivia and Elliot had been working a three year old cold case for the past hour. It was a rape homicide case in which they had four suspects.
"You'd think we'd have figured out which one of these four it was by now." Elliot moaned, this had been a tough case for both of them when they had got it because they had no way to narrow the suspects.
"Get Huang here." Olivia said.
"Why?" Elliot asked.
"Because I think I've just found probable cause for a warrant for film footage or photographs retaining to the stalking she had reported before her rape and death but I need to know off Huang if he'd keep them." Olivia explained and Elliot stared at her wide mouthed. "What?" She frowned.
"You did it didn't you?" He asked and Olivia swallowed, he'd been the one to talk her into it but she hadn't told him that she'd done it.
"Did what?" She replied trying to act oblivious.
"You took the State Bar exam..."
"She did what?"
Olivia groaned as Munch stopped by them, Elliot finding out was one thing but Munch would then proceed to tell Fin and soon everyone would now.
"You did didn't you?" Elliot asked again.
"Yes Elliot, yes I did happy now?" She snapped closing the Manila folder and walking off.
"Hold up!" Elliot said grabbing her shoulder.
"What Elliot? I haven't even told my Dad yet and now Munch knows." Olivia snapped.
"Sorry." Munch said from behind Elliot.
"When?" Elliot asked.
"Three weeks ago." Olivia replied. "I passed by the way." She added shrugging.
"Jesus, well done Liv." Elliot smiled pulling her into a hug.
"Thanks, I mean, I wouldn't have taken it if you hadn't persuaded me too." Olivia laughed.
"You're a lawyer? God help us all!" Munch laughed.
"No Munch, I'm a cop who's just qualified to practise Law..."
"You're what?"
Olivia groaned again realising she'd have to tell her father before the whole of New York knew and he found out of someone else.
"I'm a cop who's qualified to practise Law." Olivia told Fin who was staring at her in shock. "I took the State Bar exam last month and passed."
"Jesus." Fin managed to say. "Congratulations Liv, I bet your Dad and Bayard are proud."
"My Dad doesn't know yet, but I'm going to call him and arrange lunch so I can tell him, because now everyone seems to know about it but him." Olivia sighed, she hadn't planned on telling anyone but her husband and superior. "Now Elliot call Huang so we can get a warrant?" She said before walking off to call her father.
ILB
"How did we miss this?" Casey asked as she looked over the details Olivia had provided her with regarding their need for a warrant, Huang had confirmed that probably if he was their killer then he would have kept the footage or photos he'd taken of the victim.
"Well it was easy to miss." Olivia replied.
"Well yeah for a cop but I didn't see this and I'm a lawyer." Casey replied.
Olivia felt Elliot's eyes boaring into her, he wanted her to tell her friend but she wasn't sure if she was ready to tell Casey, but the truth was with Munch and Fin knowing she would soon find out.
"Well neither was I the first time round." Olivia said taking the file back from her friend.
"Excuse me?" Casey said in shock, she knew Olivia had completed her Law degree when she was off on Maternity with Tyrell but in the two years since he'd been born not once had Olivia referred to herself as a Lawyer, she'd never even bring up her degree.
"I took the State Bar exam three weeks ago." Olivia explained.
"Jesus."
"That's what Fin said." Olivia smirked. "I passed too."
"Wow, well done Olivia, I mean it took me three attempts!" Casey smiled as she leant over and hugged her friend.
"Yeah so this time I was looking over the file for probable cause for a warrant and when I found it Huang said he'd probably still have the footage and photos so I thought we'd best get you to find us a judge." Olivia replied not wanting to have to go through the same conversation about her State Bar exam again, truth was the more people she told the easier it came to say out loud.
"Well I'll go find you a judge and then bring the warrant to the precinct when I'm done." Casey smiled.
"I'm going for lunch with my Dad so El you want a lift back?" Olivia asked.
"Sure."
ILB
Olivia walked into the restaurant and instantly spotted her father. He was sat with a wide smile on his face and embraced his daughter when she arrived at the table.
They made small talk as they ordered but once the food was in front of them it was time for the hard talk.
"So what did you want to talk to me about Baby Doll?" Oliver asked as they tucked into their food.
"Uh well you know when I was on Maternity with Tyrell I finished my law degree." Olivia began nervously her eyes fixed on her food.
"Of course I do, proudest moment of my life when you were up there in your cap and gown, I mean I didn't know Open U's had graduation days." Oliver smiled, he'd beamed with pride that entire day and he had a picture of himself with Olivia on his desk at his and Bayard's law company of her in her cap and gown with her degree in hand.
"Yeah well uh you know how you said I should take my Bar exam seeing as I got a first degree..." Olivia started.
"Yeah and you told me you'd always be a cop and never a lawyer." Oliver laughed remembering the conversation.
"Well last month I went to Albany and took the exam..."
"What?" He gasped and dropped his fork. "You did? Oh my? How was it?"
"It was fine." She shrugged.
"And?" He asked excitedly.
"I passed." She said softly.
"Olivia! That's amazing! Why didn't you tell me?" He was in shock, a mixture of excitement and a little bit of disappointment that it had taken her this long to tell him.
"I don't know, it's not a big deal Dad I mean I'm not about to quit my job and become a lawyer." Olivia laughed softly.
"No but still Olivia! You passed your State Bar exam! We should celebrate."
Before Olivia realised what was happening there was a bottle of champagne on the table and Oliver was proudly telling the waiter how his daughter had become a lawyer.
She laughed softly at seeing his pride, she was relieved to have told him but she also knew now he'd drag her in on cases by making sure she knew the ins and outs of them and have them tug on her heartstrings until she took them, even though her Dad and Bayard had been involved in a lot of cases getting murderers off and drug dealers off but they had both kept away from SVU cases which was a small mercy.
ILB
After lunch Olivia went straight back to the one six feeling pleased that she only had a couple of mouthfuls of champagne, her father came with her, he wanted to talk to Don about his pride in his little girl and she knew she and Elliot would have their search warrant at some point and they'd have a house to toss.
Just in case you're wondering, I did mention her taking an Open University foundation law degree in the first story and so this isn't something I made up on the spot when writing it and there is a point to it, Olivia being a lawyer as well as a cop is going to be quite the focal point of this story and that's why it basically 'came out' in this chapter.