"Lease, don't do this to me right now," Olivia pleaded. She wondered when she'd become a bargainer with a three-year old.
"I wanna stay with mommy," Elise whined, her Dora the Explorer sneaker encased feet pounding on the cement. Olivia sent a glance over to the other children, dragging their parents into the pre-school by their pinkies. She envied those parents.
Olivia sighed and shut her eyes before shaking off the initial reaction of yelling at the little girl. Telling her that not everybody was going to give her everything she wanted like her father did. Boy, did she hate her father.
Elliot.
He hadn't been over in two full days. He let his anger toward her keep him away from his youngest daughter. It was a record for him. He'd usually stop by after work, given the hour was appropriate or at least call. It was a first and she had to admit she was surprised he was that angry with her.
"Mom!" Elise writhed and bounced up and down, her tiny fingers squeezing her mothers. "I just 'na stay with you. That all," she said, her bottom lip quivering.
Olivia opened her eyes too look into those of her daughter, admiring the color they were turning into. She crouched down so that she was nose to nose with her. "Leasy, mommy has a lot to do today. I need to get ready for my return to work," Olivia said softly.
"I know and when you go back you won't stay with me anymore and I'm never gonna see you and I like seeing you. I miss daddy. I don't wanna miss mommy, too," Elise said as tears left her eyes, settling at the top of her plump cheek before cascading down to her chin.
Olivia almost felt her own lip quiver at the confession and she reached out to her and pulled her into her arms, lifting her up as she stood. Elise buried her face into Olivia's neck, tears still falling from her eyes.
"You know, Leasy, I always say I hate your father for spoiling you," Olivia muttered as she walked to the school, "but I spoil you just as much," she chuckled into her long, thin, brown hair.
"Why are we going into the school?" Elise hiccupped.
"I'm going to tell them that my princess is spending the day with her mommy. Just this once, though, okay?" she asked, her lips brushing her ear.
"Kay," Elise answered softly, tightening her arms around her mother's neck.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Watching as she pumped her feet back and forth put a smile on her face. She was so innocently beautiful and untainted. She hadn't had a care in the world. She squatted down so that she was right in front of her, finally getting her attention off of the pink lollipop she'd been sucking on.
"Hello, Ms. Elise Stabler," Casey said, cupping the beautiful little girls chin. A big smile spread on her lips before bringing her hand up and waving.
"Hi, Auntie Casey," Elise replied as Casey picked her up off of the bench she'd been sitting on.
"Where's mommy?" Casey asked.
"What'd I tell you about talking to blonde Assistant District Attorneys?" Olivia questioned and Casey turned around to find Olivia with a stack of files in her arms.
"That they're simply beautiful," Casey grinned. "Liv, every time I see her, she gets more and more precious."
"Thanks. If you only knew. Where is Munch? He promised to watch her," Olivia said, her hand tickling Elise's tummy, making her laugh.
"Mommy!" she squealed, slapping her hand away.
"Where did Munch run off to, sweetheart?"
"Munchy went to get me daddy 'cause I told him I want daddy," Elise said simply and Olivia sighed.
"That's exactly what I need right now," Olivia muttered.
"So, I saw El and I asked him how you and Lease were doing and he said something along the lines of you were returning. He's opposed to it, I assume?" Casey asked.
"Oh, yes. He and I aren't on speaking terms," Olivia informed. "You want to attend lunch with Leasy and I?"
"I'm actually free and anytime I can sit across from a beautiful face like this," Casey bounced Elise in her arm before turning back to Olivia, "I'm happy."
"Daddy!" Elise wiggled out of Casey's hold and ran to her father. He scooped her up into his arms and kissed her cheek.
"What's up, Lease?" he asked, before kissing her again. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed a long kiss to his cheek.
"Daddy, you're face is stubby!" she exclaimed, referring to his five o'clock shadow. "Wanna come with me, mommy and Casey to lunch?"
"Elise, I'm at work so I can't leave but-"
"It's alright man, I'll tell Cragen you went for lunch." John sent a smile over to Olivia, knowing that she and Elliot were still, obviously, not on speaking terms.
"Die," Olivia muttered, rolling her eyes.
"That's not nice," Casey said nudging her in the ribs with her elbow. The two shared a knowing glance before turning back to Elliot, Olivia praying he'd come up with an excuse to satisfy the three-year old.
Elliot looked over to Olivia before looking back at his daughters face. Her smile had faded away and she somehow become this magnificent actress. Her long, dark eyelashes fluttered a few times before she looked back up at him to reveal the tears in her big bluish-green eyes.
"Please daddy? Munchy says it's alright," she whined, playing with his tie and he chuckled softly before kissing her forehead.
"I could never say no to a face like that," he whispered and she smiled before turning around to look at her mother.
"I want bisghetti!"
"How about french-fries and chicken nuggets?" Olivia asked and Elise thought about it for a minute before nodding and popping the pink lollipop back into her mouth.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"So, am I the fourth wheel or am I the fourth wheel?" Casey asked, sticking her white plastic fork into her salad and moving it around a bit.
"No Case, it's just that some people are so ignorant that they can't put aside their feeling just once for someone they love," Elliot explained, and she nodded, biting down on her bottom lip.
"Or is it that some people give and give to the point where they feel they can't give anymore. To the point where they have nothing left to give. To the point where they have to do some things for themselves," Olivia said, each word coming through clenched teeth.
"Isn't that what being a parent is? Sacrifice? I mean, I've been sacrificing myself every since Kath told me she was pregnant. I guess I'm different, Case, because I'm not used to be a stuck up, little-"
"Son-of-a-bi-"
"I gotta go potty!" Elise said, dropping the crayons she'd been using to color the clown in the circus with, and standing. Just as Olivia placed her fork down and was pushing back from under the table, Casey put her hand up.
"No, Auntie Casey's got this one!" she replied, smiling happily as she escorted Elise to the ladies room.
"You are such an asshole if you think I'm selfish," Olivia decided aloud, shaking her head. She laughed at nothing in particular before she continued. "Selfish is telling someone that you love them one night and then leaving them because your wife decides she'd put up with you for the sake of your kids when you're not even in love anymore. Selfish is asking me if I'd consider giving my child up for adoption because it'd be a better situation for you and your family."
She remembered when she'd told him she was pregnant. She remembered him falling back into the sofa behind him, rubbing his hands over his face, muttering something about him and Kathy getting back together. She almost felt the tears pool her eyes as they did then.
"Selfish is you spending five minutes with Lease on holidays. Selfish is looking me in my face every day and not understanding the hurt and pain you put me through. I tell you I love you and I give myself to you and she snaps her fingers and you don't care. I'm tired of me and my daughter being an inconvenience in your life, El. Selfish is asking me to give up the one place I've ever felt wanted or needed. The only place I've made a difference," she saw Casey and Elise coming back from the bathroom, so she relaxed in her seat and took a deep breath. She stood up and grabbed her purse. "I'll tell Lease you said goodbye," she whispered.
It's not always going to be bad and THANKS SO MUCH for all the positive feedback!