C2

Cragan looked at the envelope with a familiar handwritten address of his old house on it. The new owners had found it in his old office in a draw. The letter wasn't from his wife but a woman that he had a short relationship with in the late 60s when he was a military man.

He had read it twice before sending his DNA to see if what the letter was stating was true, a paternity test. He had also just got the results.

Paternity test results

99.9% that one Olivia Donna Serena Benson is your daughter.

He had a daughter. A daughter that he had worked with for 13 years. He knew there was something that he had to do which is why he had asked Fin to send Olivia in when she got back.

Sure enough it only took 5 minutes after getting off the phone from Bailey for Olivia to knock on his door.

"Cap, Fin said you wanted to see me." Olivia said walking in.

"Close the door and sit down"

Olivia closed the door and sat in the seat across from Don. Don was getting nervous, but it needed to be done.

"I received something in the mail about a month ago. The family that is living in my old house found a letter that was sent to me in the early 70s by a woman I had a relationship with. I think you may recognise the hand writing."

Don passed the letter over to Olivia who looked straight at the letter and gasped when she was the handwriting.

"Mom"

She looked at the letter turned it over and opened it after looking at Don who nodded towards her.

Dear Don,

I'm sorry for the way I ended things.

I saw you with another woman about 6 months after i ended things around the same time as you joined the police force.

My brother gave me your address.

I should have told you and I'm sorry but on September 1st 1968 I gave birth to a Baby girl. Our baby girl. I named her Olivia Donna Serena Benson. She was/is perfect light brown hair, brown eyes. 5lbs 9oz born at 4.20am at St Vincent's.

My brother James has helped me out over the last 4 years. He or Sandy take care of Olivia when I'm at school. I'm doing a PhD in English Literature.

Thanks for giving me our Beautiful daughter.

Serena Benson.

"Your?"

"When I got the letter I don't think I believed it. I'd been married for 3 years, I never told Marg. I put it away. When the new owner sent it to me, I got a paternity test done." Don said passing the results of the paternity test over.

Paternity test results

99.9% that one Olivia Donna Serena Benson is your daughter.

"So i finally have a daddy" Olivia said wiping tears away.

"And I have my oldest child back"

"What?"

"You are my oldest child"

"You have more kids? Why didn't i know?"

"I have a daughter. Little younger than Maureen Stabler."

"I have a sister"

"I adopted her. My partner has two grown sons from her previous marriage."

"SO you got 4 kids that call you dad"

"No just 2 hopefully. James and Henry call me Donnie"

"Yep two."

"So who knows about her?"

"You, Fin, Chief of Detectives and Judge Donnelly."

"Fin?"

"His son lives with Bailey and a few others. I only just found out."

Don opened his desk draw and pulled out a photo of Bailey. He handed it over to Olivia. The photo was taken at Bailey's graduation, Bailey and him standing together taken by Liz his partner.

"She's beautiful. Graduation?"

"Computer Science from NYU. My computer genius, she's a tough nut. She broke her forearm as a kid playing football with her cousin & uncles."

"How?'

"Coat hanger tackle. She broke her forearm and gave her uncle a broken nose and concussion."

"Ouch."

Don looked at her then at the clock. 5pm. Shit what time did Bailey say was dinner. That's right 6pm, an hour to get from Manhattan to Queens.

"Once you have finished this Case. Go home have some sleep. Then take the day off."