God Bless The Broken Road

(Chapter Nine: The Stranger)

Olivia came in to her desk and put away her files. It was way past quitting time and she could not wait to get home and see her baby girl. She picked up her phone and called Sarah, the babysitter to let her know she was running a little late. Sarah was a parents dream come true. She was in her early twenties and a part time student at a local college. She was also the niece of Olivia's Captain and he had suggested her as an alternative to daycare when Olivia was forced to return to work after her maternity leave was up.

Olivia loved the idea of Hannah having someone looking after her every need. Someone who could provide one on one care for her. In daycare, she would just be one of many youngsters to one caregiver. Plus Sarah, had a list of recommendations a mile long and Hannah adored her. Sarah also lived just down the road, so she could get there quickly if she was needed when Olivia was on call.

Olivia pulled into the driveway as Sarah brought Hannah out into the yard to greet her. Olivia scooped up the baby in her arms and playfully tossed her up into the air, causing little Hannah to squeal in excitement and burst into laughter. She smiled and cooed and placed her tiny fingers on Olivia's mouth as Liv kissed her hands and cradled her in her arms again.

"Mommy missed you so much while she was at work! How did things go today," she asked looking up at Sarah.

"Really well. She took about an hour nap around noon. You are almost out of formula."

"I'll pick some up later. Can you grab that bag of groceries for me? I'll get you a check when we get into the house."

"Okay." Sarah walked around to the other side of the car as Olivia put Hannah on her hip and grabbed a bag as well. Sarah grabbed the bag, as she closed the car door she looked up to see a dark blue car at the end of the drive way. "Liv?" Sarah said with a worried look on her face.

Olivia turned to look at Sarah's concerned look.

Sarah walked around and stood next to Olivia. "Do you know who he is?"

"I don't recognize the car." Olivia raised her hand to her forehead to cut the sun's glare in an attempt to get a better look at the car.

"He just sits there staring. It's creepy. He is not even moving. Just watching us."

Olivia opened the car door and dropped her bag of groceries back into the car, then turned and handed Hannah off to Sarah. "Take the baby and wait inside," Olivia said not taking her eyes off the strange car.

"Do you want me to call my uncle?"

"No. I'm sure he is just lost or something. Besides I still have my gun if I need it. Just go inside and lock the door and wait for me. If I am not back in ten minutes, then you can call him."

"Liv, are you sure this is safe? I could call my dad and he could be here in five minutes with a shot gun."

Olivia laughed. "It's okay. I do this for a living, remember?"

"Okay."

Sarah took Hannah and went into the house. She locked the door behind her and put the baby girl into her playpen in the living room floor. She walked over to peek out the window and watched as Olivia slid her sunglasses onto the top of her head and walked down the driveway toward the suspicious vehicle.

As she approached the car a tall man climbed out and began to walk toward her. Olivia reached to her side and unlatched the clasp on the holster over her gun, just in case she should need it. The man watched her as she walked. Half checking her out and half looking her over as if he knew her. She felt uncomfortable as she felt his eyes scanning over her body.

She stopped in her place a few yards from the end of the long drive and watched him as he kept walking toward her.

"Can I help you sir?" She asked raising her hand to her brow once more as a familiar face came into focus ahead of her.

"Sir?" He said as he stood there and waited for her to react to him.

She stood there staring at him in disbelief. It couldn't be….how had he found her? She felt her heart leap in her chest and a little flutter of butterflies in her stomach the way she always used to when walked into the room. It had been so long since she had seen him and man was he a sight for sore eyes.

"Elliot?" She asked as a look of confusion crossed her face.

"Oh come on, I know it has been a little while, Liv. But I have not changed that much. You however…."

Her hair was darker and longer, her natural color of deep brunette with little hints of auburn. That brought out the chocolate of her sparkling eyes as they shined like diamonds in his direction. God she looked amazing. He had missed her so much. His heart was racing a thousand miles per hour and felt as if it might explode in his chest. And right now standing in front of her as a summer breeze blew through her shoulder length hair and the sent of her familiar perfume lingered in the air intoxicating him, it took everything inside him to control the reaction of other parts of his body that had missed her as well.

"Oh my God!" She said with a smile as she moved in for a hug.

"I missed you," he blurted out desperately before he even realized his mouth was open.

She laughed and smiled her beautiful smile in his direction. "I missed you, too." Elliot watched her eyes as tears began to rise slowly and she quickly turned around and pointed toward the house to divert his attention. "Why didn't you just pull up the drive way?" She asked looking back at him for a second.

"I wasn't sure this was the right place. You on a farm?"

She laughed. "I know, right? Well, why don't you come up to the house?"

"Come on," he said pointing to the car.

She climbed into the passengers seat of the car and he drove up the driveway and parked beside her black Jeep Cherokee.

Olivia walked up the steps with her keys in her hand and unlocked the front door. She walked in with Elliot right behind her.

"This place is great, Liv."

"I like it," she replied with a smile as Sarah walked around the corner to look at Olivia and the stranger. "It's okay, Sarah. This is Elliot, he's an old friend of mine from back in New York."

"Elliot, this is Sarah. My babysitter."

"Nice to meet you," Elliot said extending a hand as Sarah shook it cautiously.

"Oh," Olivia remembered. "Your check," she said as she signed it and tore it out of her checkbook handing it to Sarah.

"Same time tomorrow?" Sarah asked looking at Olivia.

"I will let you know," Olivia said looking at Elliot.

"Don't forget, my uncle is coming by later. He has a new gun he wants to show you," Sarah said defensively shooting a glance in Elliot's direction.

"It's okay Sarah," Olivia laughed. "Elliot was my partner back in Manhattan. I assure you everything is just fine."

"Okay, I will talk to you later." Sarah waved at Olivia and headed out the door.

Olivia looked back at Elliot who was staring at her. "What?"

"Babysitter?" He raised an eyebrow to her.

"Oh, I almost forgot." She walked into the living room and picked up Hannah and carried her in to meet Elliot.

"Liv, she is beautiful."

Olivia smiled. "You want to hold her?"

"Yeah?" He asked looking at the youngster with her mother's beautiful eyes.

"Yeah," Olivia smiled and handed Hannah off to Elliot.

She wore a little white summer dress and her little matching diaper cover had ruffles on it. Hannah looked up at Elliot and cooed and smiled at him as she held tight to the pacifier in her mouth.

"She looks just like you." Olivia smiled. "What is her name?"

"Hannah, Hannah Grace."

"It's pretty. You are a pretty girl," he said looking at Hannah as she giggled at him. "She seems to be a pretty happy baby."

"She hardly ever cries."

"She is gorgeous, Liv. Congratulations. I always knew you would be an amazing mother some day."

"Aww, thanks Elliot. So, how are things with your new one?"

"Oh, okay."

"Boy or girl?"

"Boy. Elliot Stabler II, we call him Eli."

"I'll bet Dickie was ecstatic to finally get a brother."

"Oh, yeah."

"You want some coffee?"

"Sure." Elliot moved around to the island as Olivia carried Hannah back into the living room and put her back into the playpen.

"I need to get dinner started, Jack will be home before long. You should stay. Jack is grilling steaks. I can call him and have him pick up some beer."

"I should really be getting back to town. I have a reservation at a motel, I have to check in before six."

"Stay here," she tipped her head softly to the side and looked into his eyes. "We have a guest room that has never been used. And this way we will get to spend more time together while you are in town. How long are you in town?"

"I'm not sure, really. I am just taking a little break from things back in New York. Work and everything. I just needed to get away for a little while. I thought I would track you down."

"It's good to see you Elliot," she said handing him a cup of coffee and sitting plate of homemade chocolate chip cookies on the table in front of him.

"It is good to see you, too. I hate that it has been so long."

"Almost a year and a half," she added. She looked down at her coffee mug for a moment in silence. "I'm sorry that I didn't keep in touch better. I moved here and things kind of got all crazy once I found out I was pregnant. There were a few times that I thought about calling you. But it had been so long and I knew you were busy with the new baby and work."

"I wish you had called. I worried about you, Liv."

"I can take care of myself, Elliot."

"I know that. I can see that. But, you were….are my best friend. It was strange not seeing you for so long. I spent eleven years standing next to you then one day you were just gone. How did you not expect me to worry. I tried to call you, a couple of times. But after the last time you called me your number was disconnected."

"Elliot…" she had no idea what to say to him. After so long it just became to hard to contact him. She had been a shitty friend. "How did you find me?"

"A little over a year ago I used some illegal means to get your address. Of course I didn't realize until I got to Denver that it was not your address anymore. I went in to the police station there in town and did a little song and dance for your new Captain. I finally convinced him to give me the address. I had to show him ID and dive a DNA Sample and consent to a background check."

Olivia smiled and laughed. "They are really protective."

"I noticed. I even called your precinct once. But you answered and I couldn't speak. I felt so stupid. I just sat there like an idiot and didn't say a word."

Olivia smiled and laughed a little. "I remember that."

"Yeah?"

She nodded her head.

"I heard you laughing and you sounded happy. It made me happy for you. I didn't want to mess that up for you. So I put the card with your address in my wallet and just carried it around for over a year. Then after the divorce I realized…."

"You and Kathy got divorced?" She cut him off. "Elliot I am sorry."

"It is okay. We tried, we really tried. Then we both realized it just wasn't working anymore. She is seeing someone, she's happy."

"And you?"

"Am I seeing anyone or am I happy?"

"Well, both. I guess."

"No, I'm not dating anyone. I guess I am happy. What about you?" He asked looking down at the diamond ring on her left hand.

"Yeah," she said glancing down at her ring. "We finally set a date. He has been trying to get me to for months. Just a few more weeks."

"Tell me about him."

"He's really great. He's a pilot. He's gone a lot with work, but he is all about family when he is home. And he is great with Hannah."

"He's a good father, that is a plus."

She smiled and looked up at him.

"I think you will really like him, Elliot."

"I'm sure I will."

Olivia raised her head as she heard a car pulling up the driveway. "That must be him now."

She sat her coffee cup down on the counter and dashed out onto the driveway to greet Jack.

Olivia threw her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his.

"I missed you."

"I missed you, too baby."

"Who's car is this?"

"Well, Elliot is here."

"What?"

"Yup."

"How is that going?"

"Really well, actually."

"Did you tell him?"

"I have not really had a chance. Just kind of making small talk and catching up. I can't just blurt it out. I asked him to stay here, in the guest room. I thought that would give him some time with her, maybe soften the blow when I do tell him."

"Yeah. It will give you guys some time together, too."

She smiled at him.

"Are you sure you are okay with this?"

"Yeah, baby I trust you. He is your best friend."

"I can't wait for you to meet him."

"How long is he here?"

"I'm not sure. A few days at least. But I was thinking since the wedding is in two weeks I thought I would invite him. If he is still around then, I would like him to be there."

"Of course. Liv, the man is your family. Lets get inside and get dinner started."

"How long are you home?"

"I have to leave out in the morning. But I will be back in a couple of days."

They turned and walked toward the house.

"I'm thinking of taking a day or two off to spend time with El. I have time built up."

Jack cupped his hand on the side of her face. "I think that is a great idea."

She smiled and kissed him again. "I love you so much."

"I love you, too."

They walked inside and introduced Jack to Elliot. Afterward Jack made a beeline for Hannah's playpen picking her up and kissing her and bouncing her and holding her in his arms. Hannah smiled and giggled and laughed looking up at him adoringly with her big brown eyes. Jack pulled a toy out of his bag that he had bought for her while he was gone and held her on his lap to play with it as he and Elliot talked.

"She looks like she really missed you."

"I miss her like crazy when I am gone. I miss them both. When you have this at home it makes it hard to leave out again."

"I bet."

Olivia looked up at Elliot and smiled. She was relieved they were getting along so well.

"Here you go," she said handing Jack a tray with the seasoned steaks on it.

"Thank you," he said kissing her lips.

"Elliot, why don't you grab a couple of beers and help me out here. Liv, says you grill a pretty mean steak."

"I have been known to, yes."

Elliot grabbed two beers from the refrigerator and followed Jack who had the tray in one hand and Hannah on his hip.

"Nope. Not you young lady," Olivia said taking the baby from Jack. "It is your bath time. Then it is off to bed for you. Say goodnight."

Jack sat the plate down and picked Hannah up again. "Goodnight princess," he said cuddling her and cradling her in his arms. "I love you baby girl." He kissed Hannah's forehead and handed her off to Olivia.

"Goodnight," Elliot said as Hannah wrapped her little hand around his finger pulling it to her mouth.

Olivia took Hannah in for her bath and headed for the nursery with the bottle to lay Hannah down for the night.

The next morning Olivia called in and took a couple of personal days off to spend time with Elliot and the baby. Jack managed to take a later flight and didn't end up having to leave out until early that evening.

They spent the day together just laughing and talking and catching up on old times. Elliot seemed to latch right on to little Hannah and Olivia watched him with her as they bonded. He played with her and talked baby talk to her and fed her bottles, never suspecting for a moment she was his child. Olivia was glad to see that he was so attached to her already, but she was going to have to find a way to tell him the truth and she needed to do it soon before he left to go back to New York.

The next evening Olivia was giving Hannah a bath in the bathtub while Elliot stood behind her carrying on conversation.

"There we go," Olivia said wiping the excess water from Hannah's dark hair. "All done. Elliot can you hand me her towel?"

"I'm not seeing a towel."

Olivia glanced over her shoulder at the counter top. "I must have left it in the nursery."

Just then her phone rang.

"Can you watch her for just a second and let me go get that?"

"Sure," he said smiling at the baby.

Olivia watched for a second as Elliot sat on the edge of the garden tub and talked to Hannah.

"I guess you have a lot of experience with this, huh?"

"I ought to after five kids."

"I'll only be a minute."

She walked into the kitchen and picked up the phone to talk to Jack and proceeded into the nursery to get Hannah's towel. A few minutes later she returned and stood in the doorway watching as Elliot showed Hannah how to splash the water with her hands. She kicked and squealed and flailed her little hands and feet in the water splashing them both with the water as she giggled. Olivia smiled at the sight, then pulled the baby from the bathtub wrapping her in a towel and walking through the kitchen toward the nursery with her.

Elliot looked at little Hannah and noticed a small birthmark on the back of her shoulder. He watched as Olivia patted her off with the towel and headed for the nursery to put her to bed.

Elliot was seated quietly at the island in the kitchen when she returned and had poured them both a glass of wine.

"Thanks for you help back there."

"Yeah."

"So, how big is Eli?"

"Quite a big bigger than her. He is starting to walk and has about six teeth. He will be a year old next month."

"Wow, that doesn't seem possible."

"I know. How old is Hannah?"

"She just turned six months on the tenth."

Elliot sat quiet for a minute. "So you guys hadn't been together long when you found out you were pregnant, had you?"

"Not really, about a little over a month I think."

Olivia turned around and started straightening her kitchen just looking for something to do trying to avoid the direction this conversation needed to go.

"I should check on her," she said softly as she turned and walked toward the hallway.

"Is she mine, Olivia?"

She stopped dead in her tracks and bit her lip as she stared down at her feet. She shifted her head to glance at him over her shoulder as a tear slid off her cheek. She stood quiet for a moment as she took a deep breath.

"Yes," she said softly.

She could hear him take a deep breath behind her. And she turned to face him. "How did you…"

"The birthmark," he said with tears in his eyes. "Maureen has the same one."

Olivia stared at him unsure of how to make this better. "I'm sorry that I didn't tell you Elliot."

He patted his hand on the stool beside him.

She walked slowly toward him and sat down on it. "I didn't know I was pregnant until after Jack and I were together. But I knew when I found out my due date that she wasn't his."

"Does he know?"

"Yes. He has always known there was a chance. He didn't want to know. He said he wanted her either way. I had always intended on telling you. But I didn't really know how. We had fallen out of touch and you were busy with your new baby. I was going to tell you while you were here. I couldn't let you leave and not know she was your daughter."

Elliot closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He stood up and walked to the nursery to stare down at little Hannah sleeping by the glow of a night light.

"Elliot, say something. Please don't be mad at me."

"I'm not mad, Liv. I have just missed so much of her life. I should have been there when she was born."

"I know you would have. I am so sorry, Elliot. I made such a mess of this."

"Liv," he said looking into her eyes. "I know that you did what you thought was best for Hannah. I can't be angry at you for that. I just hate that I missed out on so much of my daughter's life. But at least she had Jack."

"Elliot I know you would have been here if I had told you. But then you would have missed out on all of the firsts with Eli. Jack is good with her. He loves her Elliot, like she was his own. He is so afraid of losing her now that you are here."

"I wouldn't take her from him. But I can't walk away either, Liv. She is my daughter."

"I know. And I will never keep you from her again, Elliot. I need you to know that."

"I do."

Elliot smiled across the crib at her and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. He knelt down beside the crib to look at the sleeping infant. "She is so beautiful, Liv." He reached his fingers through the bars and twirled his fingers in her dark curls. "She looks exactly like you."

"She has you in her, too."

"Oh yeah?"

Olivia nodded. "She has your smile and your dimples. She is a definite morning person and I know she didn't get that from me. I would not be out of bed before noon if coffee wasn't involved somehow."

Elliot laughed. "She is perfect, Olivia."

"She is my entire world."

Elliot looked up at her and stood beside her as they watched their little girl sleep.

"It's late," she said softly. "I'm gonna go on to bed. She will be up early."

"Olivia," he said looking at her.

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

She raised her chin to look as she looked at him. "For what Elliot?"

"For bringing her into my life."

She walked back to him and placed her hand on his shoulder. "Thank you," she said softly as he looked into her eyes. "I couldn't have done this on my own."

Elliot moved his hand into hers and kissed it gently. "We did good, huh?"

"Yeah," Olivia smiled. "Goodnight, Elliot." She gave him a warm smile and headed for the door.

"Goodnight, Olivia."

Olivia climbed into her bed and turned out the light and thought about how wonderful and crazy the last few days had been. She smiled and exhaled softly thinking how good it was to have Elliot back in her life again. She had missed him so much and these last few days it was almost like old times. Back when they were close, before everything had gotten complicated. It was nice to have her friend back.