AN: The confrontation is coming. I promise. I'm really sorry for the delay I got a horrible case of writer's block and have been debating whether or not to revisit this story. I hope you can forgive me.
"… Lexi I can't do this much longer," Jack said sadly.
Alex's heart stopped beating. "What do you mean," she stammered out.
"I don't know what to do. Everyone seems to know what's going on, but me. I know Elliot was stupid and left her, but why does everyone hate him for it? I'm just confused."
Alex heard Olivia scream her name, as she took a breath to answer her fiancé. "I'll explain later, before the rehearsal dinner." She hung up as Olivia stormed into the room. "How can I help you?"
"I have a few things bothering me," Olivia bit back sarcastically. "One, I just found out that certain people have been checking on me while I'm sleeping, Two, they're cursing out my ex in front of my daughter and Three, I have no idea how to explain to my kid that her father abandoned me and moved to Arizona," she glared pointedly at Alex.
"Well, I can apologize for the first two; I didn't know she was still awake. As for the third, do you have to tell her?"
"What are you suggesting Alex," Olivia asked, incredulous. "That I don't tell Lynn that Elliot is her asshole father who left me in New York alone…"
She was interrupted by a dry sob from outside the door. Olivia paled as she heard Lynn run from the door. When she heard the front door slam, she raced out of the room. By the time she got outside, Lynn was gone.
The phone rang twice before Fin picked up. "Hey you've reached the… Liv… Lynn's where?" the phone slammed on the receiver. "Fuck."
Fin donned his light jacket and went outside to join the search for Lynn.
A few minutes after he left Elliot returned from his jog only to find himself locked out. Figuring Fin must have just gone out; he decided to jog into town for a few items. He left the house and jogged down to the main shopping area. On his way to CVS he passed by an old ice cream shop with a little girl sitting in front of it. She was crying and a suspicious looking man was trying to buy her ice cream.
"C'mon little one, just one ice cream."
The little girl didn't talk to the man; she just looked around for someone to help her. When she saw Elliot and how he was standing she ran to him and wrapped her tiny arms around his leg. The man by the table decided he had somewhere else to be when he caught Elliot's stare.
After he scared away the predator, Elliot focused on the little girl. He gasped when he saw that it was the girl in the picture Liv gave him. Deciding not to scare her further, he started asking her mundane questions.
"What's your name?"
"Lynn Benson."
"Where are you from?"
"New York City."
"Did you know that man?"
"No. He was a stranger, and mommy said never talk to strangers."
"How do you know it's ok to talk to me?" Elliot questioned.
The girl thought for a moment, then with a serious look replied, "You're a cop, or you were at some point. The way that you stand is different from other people, and the look you gave that guy. It wasn't trying to scare him, it was analyzing the situation. Like you didn't want to step in too soon."
Elliot was shocked by the eloquence with which she just diagnosed him. He thought to himself She's definitely Liv's kid. Elliot turned to her. "Now that the man is gone, would you like some ice cream?"
Lynn thought then nodded. Together they walked into the ice cream parlor. Before entering, Elliot sent a text to Jack. "Tell Liv that Lynn is at the ice cream parlor on Franklin with me. Thanks. El."