The Novaks

Colonial Beach, Va.

For the second time this summer Tom Novak found himself standing on his front porch waiting on his daughter's arrival. It wasn't unusual for Casey to bring a boyfriend, In fact, as far as he could tell she'd done so a little less than half of her adult life. But this time was very different from all of the others. Because his baby girl was bringing home another woman. She'd brought home a few girls before; girls she'd went to college with. Once she brought an ADA from New York City before the attorney had gotten married, but this woman was actually romantically involved with his little girl.

His teeth ground together at the thought. It was still a concept he couldn't wrap his head around; his precious Casey, with a woman.

As per usual, his wife walked out onto the porch and slipped her arm around him, "They're at the end of the street."

He nodded and looked to the end of the long driveway. A rumble of a big engine echoed through the trees right before a brand new red Mustang convertible pulled leisurely along the asphalt driveway. His daughter stood up from the passenger seat and waved as a brunette wearing shades shook her head. They said something to each other and Casey sat down as Liv pulled up next to Greg's white Avalanche. One more light rev before the car was shut off. Casey started gathering things in the car as the tall robust woman climbed out wearing jeans and a sleeveless feminine shirt. She popped the trunk before walking around the car to open the door for his daughter.

Tom scrutinized the move and despite his best effort, he couldn't see anything rehearsed or anything that looked like an act. When she held her hand up, Casey took it without hesitation and let the muscular woman pull her up and out of the car. Casey smiled and then turned to wave at her father.

"Hi Daddy!" She shouted.

Tom waved, but he didn't return the smile as he kept an eye on the other woman. She went to the trunk and pulled out Casey's duffel as well as her own. Black with the letters NYPD stenciled in white. It was quite a bit larger than Casey's. Tom figured that it was because Casey already had clothes here or it could be that she was broader in the shoulders than his daughter though she appeared to be a few inches shorter. Tom could see that although she was not a weightlifter her muscles were clearly defined. She took care of herself and that gave him hope that she'd take care of his daughter. Effortlessly she carried the bags as Casey led the way up to the house.

She walked with her arm around the brunette and climbed up the porch.

Casey positively glowed as she climbed the last step and stood before her parents. "Mom, Dad, I'd like you to meet Olivia Benson."

Liv set the bags down on the porch and held up her hand, "It's a pleasure to meet you both, Casey's told me a lot about you."

Tom shook the detectives firm hand in his own, "Did you bring your sidearm?"

Liv glanced at Casey and then back to him, "Yes sir. Casey said it wouldn't be a problem."

He nodded, "I'll show you where you can keep it."

"Thank you, sir." Liv said, grateful that she hadn't gotten Casey into anything.

Casey squeezed her loves arm, "And this is my mother Caroline."

Liv turned to the just shorter than Casey redhead who smiled widely and pumped the detective's hand vigorously, "Oh, please call me Carol. Casey showed me a picture of you." The woman's green eyes rolled over the cop, "It didn't do you any justice."

"Thank you, Carol," Liv said with that disarming smile of hers, "Though I don't hold a candle to Casey."

Carol nodded her approval, "She is a beauty isn't she?"

"Okay." Casey interjected, "Introducing parents, check. Meet intimidating father, check. Mother embarrassing Casey to no end, double check."

Liv smiled and squeezed Casey's far shoulder from behind, "Okay, so let's get the bags put away and my gun locked up and we can go embarrass you some more." Liv looked over at Carol, "I heard the brothers are a riot."

"Oh deary me." She chuckled, "They get along like water and oil."

Tom cleared his throat, "Follow me." He commanded.

Liv arched an eyebrow at his gruff authority and smiled, "Lead the way."

She picked up the bags and followed Tom into the house. Carol pulled Casey aside and guided her towards the back of the house, "Your father bought a new boat last month and your brothers have just been so excited to go out on it."

Casey looked back to where Liv was following her father, Oh no, I'm sorry Liv. I thought we'd at least get a few minutes.

Tom guided Liv up to the bedroom area and straight into Casey's room. He knelt next to the frilly bed and lifted up the blanket near the foot. "I put this lock box in here last week for your use, I expect you to keep your weapon in here at all times when you don't carry it. In the event of a break-in or emergency, you should know that I have a Springfield .45 in easy reach. I have combat experience and though not as recent as I'm sure you've fired your weapon, it's my house, I know the layout better than you and I expect you to let me lead." He pulled a pair of keys out of his pocket and unlocked the box. "Since you're a police officer, I won't ask you to use a trigger safety, but I damn sure want the mag out of your weapon before you put it in here. Put it on the shelf with any extras you have." He looked up at her, "Is that understood?"

Liv nodded, "Clear as a bell." She set the duffel down and pulled out her pistol and holster, "Glock 17, nine millimeter, NYPD uses hollow points for added stopping power. The weapon is department issued and so are the rounds so everything is logged and identified." She pulled out the magazine and racked the weapon, easily catching the airborne round in her hand. Crouching next to him she put her weapon barrel first into the slot before shoving the loose round back into the magazine and sliding it on the shelf. She then reached into her bag again and pulled out a spare mag before placing it next to the other. The holster she set on the bed before closing the box and locking it.

She pulled out the keys and held them up for his inspection, "Mr. Novak, I have a feeling that these are not the only keys for this box. You've shown me trust and respect by allowing me to keep my weapon nearby. I'm going to give you that same courtesy by not asking where the other copy is." She separated the two keys and handed one to him. "You may not like that I'm with your daughter, but my only intent here is to show you that I'm sincere in my intentions and that all I want is to make her happy."

He took the key and nodded, "We'll see." He said and stood up, "Casey should be at the boat with her brothers, let's not keep them waiting."

Liv nodded as she pulled the blanket back down to conceal the box. As Tom stepped back Liv picked up both bags and set them on the bed, "Shall we?"

He turned and walked out.

Introductions

Casey was talking with her brothers, but kept looking back at the house because God only knew what test her father was putting Liv through. She loved him dearly, but even after she had left, he'd given her no indication of either approval or disapproval, which gave Casey hope that he hadn't yet made up his mind about his daughter's chosen love interest.

Her mind eased considerably as she saw Liv walking out next to her father. Her lover looked up and waved subtly letting her know that everything was okay. Liv walked next to her father despite the natural tendency of everyone else to follow on his right, slightly behind him. Or in the case of two of her boyfriends, right behind him like a duckling following the mother duck.

Tom walked casually along the path to his newest joy. The 38 foot Bayliner had the large deck he liked and the cabin space he needed for his family, though it did lack in berths. Still, it was more than enough for day cruising on the river and even doing a bit of coastal fishing with his wife when he decided to retire.

To him it wasn't the same as his old ChrisCraft, but it was more modern had a much better bow and the twin Mercruiser engines could run it up to around 60 knots on open water. Its closed coolant system meant that it could run along on seawater just as easy as fresh. So whether it was the Capital or the Atlantic Ocean, it didn't matter.

Liv whistled low as the boat came more into view, "Very nice ride."

He glanced over at her, "You know something about boats?"

"I did a year and a half on NYPD Marine patrol." She said. "After a few months they even let me drive." She glanced at him, "Or should I say pilot."

Tom couldn't keep the slight grin from creasing one lip, he just made sure it was the side she couldn't see. "What kind of boat were you on?"

"I started on this old P-Boat that we used on the East River. We mainly assisted the Dive Team in underwater recovery, checking fishing licenses and things like that. But then I moved into RHIB's and got to chase speed boats, perform rescues, run down unregistered crafts, and things like that."

"He nodded, "So you know big and you know fast. How fast do those RHIB's go?"

Liv shook her head, knowing that she wasn't allowed to answer that, "All I can say is above fifty, by a lot."

Again he nodded, "I don't know how fast this goes yet, only that the book says forty miles an hour."

Liv nodded, "That's at least 45 knots, respectable. Diesel or gas?"

"Gas," He said.

Liv nodded as they reached the boat. "May I go aboard?"

Again Tom was impressed, "Please."

Liv put her foot up in the tail platform and swung her leg over the transom. Casey was there to grab her hand, but Liv easily swung her other leg on and stood up straight. Tom chose that moment to step up on the rail hard and cause the boat to lurch as he landed on the deck. Greg, Dennis and Carol were holding onto something and rocked with the boat. Casey lurched, but Liv's sure footing kept the detective in place as she caught her girlfriend.

"Thomas Eugene Novak!" His wife barked. "That was a dirty trick."

Liv kept Casey in her arm as she smiled at her father, "I don't know, it worked out in my favor."

Tom shook his head, "Just checking your story." He said as he leaned against the rail.

Liv nodded, "I'd have done it too."

"Oh, my word." Carol shouted, "You found the female version of your father, god help me."

Casey sat down on the back bench, "Yeah, I never could get used to these things."

Tom held an arm out to his perturbed wife. "Relax dear, no one was harmed."

Casey shook her head, "Okay, Olivia, I'd like you to meet my older brother Denis and my oldest brother Greg."

Dennis and Greg were both spitting images of their father. Each was six foot two. Each was tall and lean. Each had the bearing of military. Each had sea blue eyes, but where their father had salt and pepper hair, both of them had a dark brown that out of the sun would look black.

Denis had a jovial smile and a mischievous glint to his eyes that said he was the joker of the family. Something that had probably driven his father insane. Greg however made no immediate move to greet her. He just kept staring with a serious expression that mocked his father's.

Denis held his hand up, "So I guess I should get the party started and say "welcome". The grumpy guy in the corner has issues that he hasn't dealt with yet, but if you arm wrestle him, well, with those guns of yours you might beat him into submission. I, on the other hand am delighted to meet you. Corporal Denis Novak, US Army. The grump in the corner is Staff Sergeant Greg Novak, also from the Army and of course you met the old grump on the rail First Sergeant Tom Novak." He said like a game show host, "Olivia Benson, welcome to the Novak Zone."

Both Greg and Tom rolled their eyes at Denis's way of breaking the tension.

"Don't worry, I'll help Casey get you around the obstacle course." He joked as he shook her hand, "But, no call outs."

Casey rolled her eyes, "He's kidding, baby I swear."

Denis pointed a finger at her, "You've been here for dinner, tell me there's not an obstacle course."

"Denis," Tom said in a grumble.

He held his arms up, "What? You guys are all so serious, I just thought I'd lighten the mood."

Carol fanned her head, "What kind of heathens have I been raising?" she uttered.

Denis came over and kissed her cheek, "Only the very best heathens, Mom."

Liv laughed as she reached out to Greg, "You can just call me Liv."

Greg shook her hand, but let go quickly. It was obvious that he did not want to like her. "Nice to meet you."

Liv arched an eyebrow, but let it go.

"So Olivia, you're a detective." Carol started.

"Yes I am. I was recently promoted to detective second grade." She supplied.

"And you do the same work as Casey?"

"Actually, no I'm on the other side. My partner and I investigate and provide the cases to the DA's office for prosecution."

"Oh isn't that lovely." She said, "Casey does that awful work putting away those perverse people; rapist and pedophiles."

Liv looked over at her lover who nodded slightly, "I know. I'm the one who arrests them. Casey puts them away. I'm from Special Victims."

Greg frowned, "Now I'm not a law expert, but doesn't that create a conflict of interest?"

Liv looked at him sternly, "She's not a defense attorney, so no. Conflict of interest doesn't apply." Her voice held the edge of authority very similar to Tom's. The unspoken message was clear to him: drop it now!

He went to open his mouth when a glare from his father silenced him. He went back to leaning on the console.

Carol checked her watch, "Well Greg, Felicity is flying in this afternoon, weren't you going to meet her at the airport?"

He too looked at his watch, "Yeah, I should get going, it was nice to meet you." He started towards the transom and Tom straightened up, "C'mon, I'll drive you."

Greg didn't say anything as he stepped off the boat followed closely by his father.

Denis stretched his long lean frame, "You'll have to forgive my brother. He's had this stick up his ass ever since Casey told us about you. That's why Dad is going with him. He's probably going to pull that stick out."

"Denis!" Carol barked, "That is your brother!"

"Yeah," he replied, "Doesn't make anything I've said less true." He looked at Liv, "Honesty is a big thing in this house. It started with the big guy and he leads from the top down. Always has."

Liv bobbed her head, "That's good to know."

"Give him some time to decide if you're good for his baby girl or not and he'll be a whole different person, one way or the other." Denis stepped off the boat, "Hey Case, I've got a new twist on the tether that I think you might like. When you're done entertaining your girlfriend come check it out."

She rolled her eyes, "I'll still knock you in the head with it." She chirped.

He made the same moves as if he were catching a ball and his head turned to the side as if he missed.

"Yeah keep talkin' trash Denis." She shouted, "My girlfriend catches better than you."

Liv rolled her eyes, "Now I know where she get's her competitiveness from."

Carol sighed and looked at Liv, "You have no idea what I've gone through over the years."

"Given Casey's tenacity, you're probably right." Liv said. "I really wasn't expecting you to be so… okay with this."

Casey sat back and waited,

"Honey, I'm not sure I am okay with this but that's what this weekend is all about." Carol said lively, "Every one of Casey's boyfriends has come here and only two have been here more than once, none lasted more than twice."

"Really?" Liv smiled at the older woman, "How many didn't make it the weekend?"

"Five." Carol said nonchalantly, "But who's counting?"

At this point Liv wasn't sure if she should be nervous or relieved. "Has Casey ever brought a gal pal down here?"

"Just that nice Erin Ragan." Carol said fondly, "She was such a sweetheart."

"Reagan Mom." Casey said "Erin Reagan."

Liv looked at Casey, "As in Assistant Commissioner Reagan's daughter?"

Casey nodded, "We were friends in White Collar before I went to SVU and she went to Homicide."

"Damn." Liv whistled, "All this time I thought I had the juice, turns out it's you."

Casey shook her finger sternly at her lover, "Elliot calls for warrants, not you."

Liv laughed, "Okay, okay, I remember the deal."

"Good, the last thing my career needs is Branch shoving me off to Appeals or something."

Carol frowned, lost in their conversation.

"Office politics." Casey supplied, "It keeps us out of trouble."

Carol nodded. "Well, it was a long flight so I guess you two want to freshen up. I, on the other hand have to get a list together for the ride tomorrow." Carol dropped onto the dock and started towards the house.

"The ride?" Liv asked her lover.

"Dad's taking us all out on the new boat." She said, "He only ran it once and that was from the marina, home."

Liv nodded, "Then I guess I'd better find something suitable to wear."

Casey''s eyes grew hot, "I've got something you can wear?" She stood up and took Liv's hand, leading her off the boat.

"Something appropriate for your family?" Liv said as she slid her arm around her lover.

"Maybe not, but you'd definitely look good wearing me." She said as she nipped at Liv's ear.

Hot water

Casey jerked Liv by the belt into the upstairs bathroom and turned on the water before kissing the hell out of her.

"Casey, your mother." Liv tried, but her lovers long slim fingers were already working the detective's jeans off.

"My father isn't here, My mother is downstairs and I need you." She whispered and pulled Liv's top off.

"Oh my god, you're going to get us caught." Liv said right before Casey tore off her tank and unsnapped her lacy bra. Her mocha eyes grew dark as Casey finished stripping and stepped under the spray. She adjusted the temperature and gave her lover a come here finger.

Liv tried to protest, but her mind had already shifted gears. Casey slipped her finger in her own mouth and gently sucked the water from it. Liv's mind changed gears again and near instantly, her clothes were on the floor and she had her lover pinned against the tile wall.

Casey wrapped her long legs around Liv's hips and pulled the curtain closed

It was more than an hour before Casey came down the stairs. Her satisfied grin as bright as the sun. Her mother looked up from her list, flushed pink and started fanning herself, "Oh my heavens."

"What?" Casey asked innocently.

Carol arched an eyebrow at her, "Girl, you better tone down that glow before your father gets home. Honestly, Casey you've been home two hours and you're already doing… things you should have done before you left."

It was hard to be embarrassed when she felt like this, so Casey didn't bother as she reached into the fruit basket and plucked a few grapes from the vine. "Who said we didn't."

"Casey Jane!" Her mother barked, though a smile crept into her lips, "You stop that, I'm your mother and I don't need to hear that."

Chuckling Casey chucked a grape in her mouth and leaned over to kiss her mother who pushed her away.

"Go wash your face first, I don't know where those lips have been." Carol scolded.

"Mom, really?" Casey scoffed.

Carol turned away and pushed harder, "Actually I have a good idea where they've been and I really don't want to think about that."

"Mom!" Case shouted in disbelief.

Carol chuckled to herself as Casey went over to the sink. "Just so you know you and Olivia used up all of the hot water."

Liv walked down in a fresh pair of jeans and a blue v-cut sleeveless tee.

Carol continued on at her daughter, "Imagine my surprise when I tried to wash out Chopper's dish and all I had was cold water."

Casey chuckled as she washed her hands and splashed water on her face, "Chopper really doesn't mind Mom. You think his bowl at the base is anywhere near as clean as it is here?"

Liv paused and tried to back away, but Carol called out over her shoulder, "I see you Olivia. Don't think that I don't know you're there."

Busted. Liv sighed as she realized escape was impossible. so she did the only thing she could do, cover Casey at her own expense. "I'm sorry Carol. My place has a boiler so we never run out of hot water."

Carol saw right through it and called her on it, "You lost track of time while you were making whoopie in the shower. I'm a housewife, that doesn't make me stupid. Don't try and BS me, I've still got some years on you, dear." She said and turned back to her daughter.

"So Denis left to go get Becky and Chopper, your father is with Greg picking up Felicity out of Fredricksburg, so you've got another hour before the whole platoon descends on you."

Casey wiped her hands on a dish towel and hung it back up, "So she's coming this time, for real?"

"Yes, she's coming." Carol sighed and looked at Liv, "She's been seeing my son for three years and we've never met her."

Liv snorted and looked at her lover, "Sounds like you weren't the only one keeping a secret."

"Greg always wanted to be like our dad, and Daddy never seeks approval from anyone." She said.

"He's really a good boy," Carol said, "He just idolizes his father, not really understanding what made him who he is. The war was a big part of what makes Tom who he is. You know he was a helicopter gunner in Vietnam?"

"Casey said something about that." Liv said, "Three tours, right?"

"Yes and his first one was under Colonel Moore, First Battalion, Seventh Cavalry." Carol said, "You ever heard of the Battle of La Drang?"

Liv frowned, "I think so. My partner was a marine and I think he said that they landed a battalion by helicopter in the middle of something like three enemy strongholds."

"Something like that." Casey said, "The battle lasted nearly a week and Daddy was in the first wave with a ninety minute turn around. Moore always told his men that he'd be the first on the ground and the last off the field. Daddy watched that happen. All week, if there was a flight, Daddy volunteered to take the door, he was twenty at the time. Moore stayed true to his word and he was the last of his men off the battlefield. Between Moore's battle tactics and his keeping of his word in the heat of battle, he became something of a hero to Daddy.

Casey stared at her love, "He volunteered for his next two tours and was shot down three times, but he kept volunteering. He'd have gone back for one more if he hadn't been hospitalized and shipped home. After that, the Army wanted to medical him out, but he convinced the review board to let him do his rehab before they made the decision. Ten months later, my dad did better on his PT test than he'd ever done before and the Army kept him on."

"Your dad is a hero." Liv said putting a hand on her girlfriend.

"Daddy said that Moore was a hero, he just served his country." Casey said.

"That and other things are parts of Tom that none of us can understand because we haven't been there." Carol said, "I didn't know Tom until about ten years later, even then there were things I knew not to ask him about and it took him a long time before he could put the war in perspective."

"When 9/11 happened," Casey said, "My father called me to make sure I was alright. I'd never heard him so shaken before and I begged him not to go back to war. You know what he told me?"

Liv shook her head, "What did he say baby?"

Casey swiped a tear from her eye, "He said that he was afraid his sons would go for him. In all of his life the only thing my dad loved more than the Army was his family."

Carol interrupted her daughter to give her time to recover, "Greg went over to Kuwait in '01 during the troop rally for the invasion of Iraq. Fortunately, he didn't go into combat. He came back in '03 and for a few months he had a chip on his shoulder."

"Greg thinks Daddy did something to keep him out of the fighting." Casey said, "Daddy won't say and if I find out he did, I'll buy him a bigger boat."

The conversation was interrupted by a dog barking and the garage door being opened. Liv moved Casey behind her as a ninety pound Doberman sauntered out of the hallway and sniffed the room.

"Jesus," She said patting her hip looking for the gun she knew wasn't there. Casey stepped out and crouched low, "Chopper! Come here boy!" She said excitedly. The dog wagged its stump of a tail, perked its ears and rushed to her, teeth showing.

Casey held her arms up and the dog rushed her and started licking her face. "Oh, that's a good boy! Look at you! You're so beautiful!" She said as she started patting his massive rib cage and scratching his ears.

As Casey had come out from behind her and the dog rushed, Liv's heart leapt into her throat, immediately she calmed as the dog was familiar to Casey. But the momentary freeze up bothered her.

"Casey, tend to your lady before she passes out." Carol chided.

Casey looked up from the dog to see Liv holding her chest. "Honey relax, Chopper's been in the family since he washed out at War Dog Camp."

Liv rubbed her forehead, "I thought he was going for your throat."

Casey shook her head as she continued to pat the dog, "Naw, that's what got him out, he has this quirk where he smiles. But, he's still a great trainer on base so they keep him around." She took Liv's hand and held it up. Chopper showed his teeth again before sniffing at her carefully.

"Casey?"

"He's smiling." She reassured, "Trust me if he wasn't you'd know."

Denis came in followed by a short curvey blond. She was about 5'3" with gorgeous features and a warm, pouty smile. Her figure was the envy of most women and though she seemed young, Liv could tell that she was intelligent because of the way her blue eyes shone bright.

"Hi Carol," She said as she set a duffel down on the floor.

"Becky?" Carol said with a warm smile, "My god child doesn't my son ever feed you?"

Becky walked into the kitchen and hugged the tall redhead like they were old friends.

"He feeds me fine, I just don't eat much." She said and nodded to Casey, "She's back from the Empire State. How are you Casey?"

"I'm doing great, sweetie," Casey stood up and hugged the girl, the top of her head coming just under Casey's chin, "How've you been?"

"You know the army, a whole lot of hurry up and wait." She said.

"New York isn't much better kid." Casey said as she returned to her girlfriend, "Never enough information and the enemy knows all your tricks."

Becky looked at the tall brunette with the short hair, "You must be Olivia."

"That's me." She said shaking her hand.

"Denis said that you're Casey's hot secret girlfriend." She smiled.

"Really?" She said as she looked at Denis trying not to laugh. "Remind me to push him off the boat later."

She laughed in amusement, "I'd pay to see it. I'm Becky, and I'm Denis's girlfriend."

"Nice to meet you."

Becky turned back to Casey, "And when did you start walkin' on the wild side?"

"Seven months ago." Casey said as she pulled Liv in close, "She's just got something I just needed."

"A nice rack?" Becky supplied.

"Rebecca Grace!" Carol barked. "You're as bad as my son."

"Hey!" Denis griped.

"Awe come on," Becky joked, "It's all I had on the fly and we both know I'm way worse than Denis."

"Oh, lord help me this weekend." Carol said to the heavens. "Just tone it down a bit, Felicity is coming and we don't want to scare her off on the first day."

"Oh Felicity," She said with a British accent, "I hope she's more cheery than her boyfriend."

Denis started laughing as he pulled out the dog bowl and put some water in it. "Between Casey seeing a woman, Dad having a new boat, and my brother bringing his girlfriend over, this should be a year for the record books."

"Don't forget," Casey added, "Chopper's here too."

Liv looked to Carol who crossed herself quickly. She leaned next to the Novak matriarch, "Remember, if it gets hairy, I'm a cop so stay by me."

She looked over at Liv, "Honey, if the cops could have solved this family's issues, I'd have called them decades ago."