I don't own SVU. I do own some plastic Easter eggs and some chocolate candy I'm going to hide!

Sidewalk

413 East Equestrian Boulevard

Wednesday March 28

"Yeah, sweetie, it's me," the woman was full-out crying now, and opened her arms for a hug.

But Erin just stood there, staring at her mother, her own tears wanting to keep company to the other woman's, but Erin suppressed them. Maybe they really did think they were supposed to be a mirror. "Where have you been?"

"I was in California…with Dave. You remember, don't you honey?" The blonde lady said, finally giving up on the hug idea, putting her arms down by her waist again.

"Yeah, I…I do," Erin said, speaking slowly again, an unusual occurrence to the quick-tongued teen.

"Well then what's the matter? Aren't you happy to see me?" She said, smiling and shaking her head, blind to the damage she'd caused by her presence not being of service.

"I don't know, I just…I haven't seen you," Erin replied. By now it was starting to get dark. The sun was going down and the streets were thinning out. Traffic only occupied by people walking around on dates, canoodling arm-in-arm.

"Well I missed you too, but you knew I had to go…"

"No," Erin said firmly, getting riled up. "No, you didn't have to do anything."

"Erin," she cocked her head and sighed, "You knew your father and I weren't happy, it would've made up miserable, and it would've made you and your brothers miserable too. Leaving was the best thing for everyone."

"Usually people get a divorce not have an affair," Erin spat.

"Now that's not fair and you know it," Erin's mother, Chelsea, said firmly. "Neither of us were in love anymore, and we were both starting to branch out."

"So you separate and then see other people, not the other way around," Erin said, just as sternly.

"We were both seeing other people, we both agreed on the arrangement."

"You call adultery an arrangement?"

"Are those the sort of things Theodore's been putting into your head? He made you thing I was unfaithful? If he did then he's lying. There's plenty of dirt I could leak about him…"

"He didn't have to! And that isn't even about that. That is none of my business. You and my father's crap I can deal with. I just think you could've called every one in awhile or sent Christmas cards, or birthday cards, or sent a smoke signal or telegram, whatever!" Erin paced while ranting, her arms wildly speaking with her mouth, "something to let us know you were thinking of us! But apparently, you weren't."

"Of course I was thinking about you. I love you guys."

"Well you sure have a funny way of showing it."

"Hey, don't blame this all on me. You could've got in contact with me if you wanted a relationship so badly. I thought you were fine. I would've been there for you. I thought you didn't need me anymore."

Erin gave a dry laugh, "that's bull. Because I wrote you letters, tons and tons of letters, mailboxes full of them hoping that once you would write back, hoping that you would talk to me, wanting a mom!"

"That was when this was all new. You haven't written or called or e-mailed me in years."

"I shouldn't have had too!" Erin said, pausing to catch a breath from her screaming. "And you know what? I never once resented you for leaving. I never once was cynical about you going away, because you deserved happiness. If that's what you wanted, I was glad you were happy. But do you even understand what a toll it takes on a nine-year-old kid to feel unwanted, unloved by her own mother?" When Chelsea didn't respond, "huh?" Erin prompted again.

"I didn't realize…"

"Of course you didn't realize," Erin said in a low raspy voice, her throat aching from the combination of building tears and screaming. "Because you," breath "Never think of anyone," breath "But yourself. Here's another fun fact for you, when you left, we had half the income. It's pretty difficult feeding eight children on a salary of one parent. So dad had to go to work more often. And I had the pleasure of getting a full-time, minimum wage job of a babysitting/maid/counselor for my struggling family!" Erin was irrational now, pouring all the emotions she'd felt within the past years come flooding out. All the build-up anger and resentment flashing like a shaken-up soda bottle.

"Look, I'm so sorry you had to go through all of that," Chelsea started, "but I'm here now. I want to start over, I want to grow up and be a mother. I'm ready to take responsibility and help you out."

"You can't just prance in here and expect everything to be okay, it doesn't work like that. Motherhood is a full-time job, not just convenient hours and times that are good for you."

"If you just give me a chance…"

"Why should I? When have you ever given me a reason to give you a chance? Name one instance where I could count on you to be there for me. Name one time where I could depend on you to hold me together. To pick up my pieces? To clean up my mistakes and lacking?"

"Erin, I know your upset, and you have every right to be. But let's not be hasty, and let's not forget that I am still your mother."

"By blood maybe…" Erin mumbled.

"And I believe I deserve at least a tiny ounce of respect from my own flesh."

Erin's mouth hung open. "You deserve respect?" her voice was dangerously quiet. "You deserve respect…from me? Of all people?" she repeated again in the same tone. "Because in my family, people don't deserve respect…they earn it. And you sure have not earned any of mine," she said, her voice remaining steady. She began to walk away.

"I'm still part of the family you know. No matter what your daddy or your daddy's mistress tells you, I am still your mother. I still gave birth to you."

Erin stopped and turned back around. "Mistress?"

"Your daddy told me about the lady you were staying with. She's no mother; she's a gold digger if you ask me, there for your daddy's money at his new promotion he told me about."

Erin figured that the ploy about her staying with her father's girlfriend was the cover story used instead of the real reason. But that still explain the fact that Theodore knew about her mother being in town. "First of all, no one asked your opinion, so I don't know why you wish to spout words of wisdom no one asked for. And you talked to my dad?"

"He's the one that asked me to come in town a couple months ago. See, he initiated conversation, therefore the reason I talked to him."

Erin ignored the last comment, appalled and devastated that her dad would betray her like that. "Whatever. And by the way, 'that mistress,' has a name. Not that you're worthy of knowing what a great person she is. She's more of a mother than you ever were."

"You're naïve. And I really should tell your father about this attitude of yours."

"Go ahead. Go be loose with some other guy and leave us alone. We don't need you here."

Chelsea raised her hand to see if Erin would flinch. Erin just stood there, having a stare down. She wouldn't dare. She didn't have the nerve. "Go ahead. Do it. It can't hurt worse than your duplicity," Erin said, starting to get choked up yet again, just edged out by her glowing red temper. Not wanting her mother to see this sign of weakness to her advantage she turned on her heel, and acting like she had a place to go. Acting like she had a clue.

SVUSVUSVU

"Theodore Row, how may I be at service," Erin's father answered the phone in his tired, deep voice. Erin smiled slightly, remembering how much she missed him.

"Hey dad, sorry to call you, it's kind of late," she looked at her cell phone clock, it said 10:42. She wandered around awhile before she decided where to sit and cool off, still trying not to cry. "I just really wanted to talk to you."

"Hey, honey, what's going on?" Theodore's voice got a dent more unprofessional, but still retaining its usual politeness with authority. He was always a serious man, kindhearted, but serious.

"Nothing much. But, um, dad. I saw mom today."

Silence.

"Ran into her on the street."

Silence.

"Did you know she was in town?" she took a deep breath, knowing and fearing the answer.

"Yes," he said hesitantly, "look, I know she hasn't been very supportive the past couple of years, but she really does want to be there for you."

"But you called her. If she wanted to see us so badly she would've contacted us."

"You know how Chelsea is, she's stubborn, she just needed that extra push. I just figured that you're getting older and you needed a mother around. I know this is unexpected and a lot to dump on you all at once, I'm just trying to help you."

Erin sighed and put her face in her palm. Even though she was upset, she knew he was telling the truth. Her dad was just trying to give her what he thought she wanted. It was sweet, but that didn't make the fact she wanted to strange her dad for it go away. "I get that dad, but don't you think you could've let me clear that first?"

"I was just afraid you'd react…badly?"

"Kind of like this? Dad, our meeting was terrible."

"Oh I'm sure it wasn't that bad."

"Oh you're sadly mistaken," Erin protested. "There were words exchanged, unkind gestures, trust me not off on the right foot or any foot for that matter."

"I'm sure you can repair whatever damage was done. Besides I'm sure you're blowing this way out of proportion."

"But dad, I don't want a relationship with her. I'm done trying to please her, constantly worrying about her, I don't want to see her."

"Just give her a chance…"

"'Give her and chance, give her a chance' that's all I ever hear! What about all the other chances I've given her? Some things just can't be healed. I'm sorry, but I don't think we'll be able to repair our relationship. I honestly don't think she's worth it."

She heard a deep breath from the other side of the line. "If that's how you feel, you know I'm on your side, I always am. I just want you to have everything you want. Just do me a favor and sleep on it okay? I told her our family would have dinner with her tomorrow," Erin cut in to protest, "but, but, if you say you don't want to, I'll cancel. Just consider it, okay? Can you at least do that for me?"

"Fine," Erin said, "I'll think about it. But no promises."

"That's all I ask. And Erin?"

"What?" she said, pulling her hand but up to the receiver, thumb still hovering over the 'END' button.

"I love you."

Erin smiled a little, knowing he was sincere, "I love you too, dad," and she hung up.

Suites de Luxe Hotel: Room 414

413 East Equestrian Boulevard

Wednesday March 28

Olivia squandered about the hotel room, flustered and scared out of her mind. She had looked in the dressing room and all around their hotel for Erin. She had called her cell phone a couple hundred times, each time getting a busy bleep. She paced back and forth, watching the seconds tick by on the clock. It was already going on eleven and Erin had not called her back. She could be anywhere and Olivia was starting to get crazy. She was biting her nails, a habit she still hadn't shaken since she was young, under pressure.

She almost jumped through the roof when her cell phone rang from the counter. She pounced on the metal object like a lifeline, flipping it open. Desperately hoping it was Erin herself instead of a police officer giving a report that something had happened to her. But she supposed anything was better than this awful suspense.

"Erin, thank God you're okay. Where. Are. You," she tried her best not to growl.

"Olivia, calm down. I was on the phone with my dad. I just need some time to relax and be by myself, okay? I've had a rough night."

"Yeah, well I have to. I've been worrying for the past two hours. I've been out of my mind. So you can relax, but you'll be doing it here not some random dangerous place where you could be getting hurt or into trouble. Now I suggest you get back here."

"Please, just let me stay here. I need to be out so I can chill out."

"Erin! I need to know where you are! You are my responsibility right now and I can't have you running off God knows where in the middle of the night! It's not going to happen!" Olivia said, not trying to be mean of scary, just concerned.

"I'm at the park, like, two miles from here. It's one of the ones with the swing sets in the slide, one of those parks, okay? Can I go now? I'm not trying to be a brat, I just feel like I'm about to explode."

"Yeah, you can go now," Olivia responded.

"Thanks, bye," Erin said dully and without life. Something that scared Olivia even more than the fact she was gone. Not only was she gone, she was different. Olivia needed to find out what happened…and she needed to find out fast.

Harriet Creek Park

413 East Equestrian Boulevard

Wednesday March 28

Erin was swinging back and forth on the swings, trying to assuage herself from the evenings past events, trying to forget her past that she'd so direly tried to forget. She felt bad too, she felt bad that she'd been worrying about her problems, which seemed petty when compared to things that Olivia dealt with, with the stories she'd shared. She closed her eyes and tipped her head back, exhausted from all of her emotions.

She stayed there for awhile, her feet hanging off the swing, thinking off the memories she'd had on the human pendulum. Her mother pushing her on them. Her father pushing her on them. Her pushing her little brothers on them, God how she missed them right now. She remembered twisting and loading the chain, than spinning as fast as she could, holding onto the interlocking links as tightly as she could. All the good times, now a nest for her whittling emotions. All of the emotions she'd spent years pushing back were back to haunt her, resurfacing.

She didn't know what she wanted to do. She wanted to scream. She wanted to cry. She wanted to let all feeling out. She wanted to bottle all the feeling back in. She just waited until her body made up what it wanted to do without actually have to process and think about it. Her moments of peaceful nothingness were harshly intruded by headlights.

She shielded her eyes from the bright light and was upset to find out the flivver belonged to Olivia. It wasn't that she wanted to be rude. She just made it clear that she didn't want to speak or associate with anyone. The lights turned off, they stopped casting shadows, and Erin got up and turned away from the approaching figure. She wanted to vent to herself, and if she shunned the option of talking long enough, maybe Olivia would go away.

Olivia knew something was wrong right away. The old Erin never would have turned her back on Olivia. They had a joking kind of relationship, a fun one. No one had to be the boss or set any official rules, really. She hoped it could stay that way. She didn't want this to happen to them. She didn't want Erin to not talk to her or for her, to have to instill the fear of her to make to listen. But if that was what it would take to keep her safe, Olivia knew her safety had to come before her desires in a relationship, she couldn't be selfish.

This was not Erin though. Erin was a bubbly kid, always smiling and laughing and full of energy. Always there with a quick comeback and a helping hand. Always there. But she wasn't there right now. Olivia could tell simply by her body language that she was hurting and, as much as she might not want to admit it, she needed someone to be there for her. It's like when you got a rock stuck in your skin, you might not even know you needed to get it out, but it hurt, and it would be better when someone helped you out.

If Erin wasn't acting like herself though, maybe the only option would be to treat her differently than usual. She wouldn't listen to the other Olivia. She needed the no-nonsense and/or caring Olivia. The one she used to victims. Even though she didn't know what she was the victim of, she knew she was hurt.

"Erin, come here," Olivia said quietly, her heart breaking to see her destroyed like this. Even in the dark she could see the water-stained sleeve used to hide the tears she regretted shedding. She had never seen her this vulnerable. This alone. She longed to find out what was wrong, but she knew that if she simply got her to calm down, she would come out with it.

"Come here, Erin," Olivia tried again. Erin still make no move to do anything of the sort.

"Erin, now," Olivia said sternly, hating to have to resort to these methods, but knowing Erin was so stubborn, she had to completely break before she would allow anyone to help pick up the pieces.

Erin controlled herself, the tears rushing upstream so quickly they burnt everywhere. She tried to get angry, "what?" she said harshly.

Olivia just looked in her eyes, straight and stone-face, waiting for the inevitable.

"What?" Erin whispered, water now leaking out of her eyes like a leaky faucet.

"Come here," Olivia whispered delicately.

And though no one officially instigated it, Erin fell into Olivia's arms, weeping on her the bottom of her shoulder because of the height difference. She sniffled and made whimpering sounds every couple of seconds. Olivia fingered through her hair and rubbed her back simultaneously, her sensitive, sympathetic hands rubbing the pain out of Erin's night. Whispering tender, softhearted, pointless reassuring nonsense, but soothing nonetheless, words. She kissed the top of her forehead, making Erin cry harder for some unknown reason, not knowing she was filling the gap her mother had left when she left, bandaging her bleeding heart. Not knowing the Erin felt guilt for being cowardly more interested in Olivia's attention.

She'd been longing for the motherly attention for so long, she was glad it was coming from somewhere. She was even glad the source was Olivia.

"Do you want me to talk?" Erin whispered from the security of a lifeline to hold onto.

"Do you want to talk?" Olivia asked, giving the option, not letting go until Erin did.

"Yeah," Erin said.

"So let's talk."

Author's Note: Oh the drama! Why is this a quick update, may you ask? I will tell you, this is a big celebration. In addition to it almost being Easter…I hit OVER 100 REVIEWS! That's a landmark event for me! Thank you all so much! Keep them coming! I am so very grateful for all of your support, I really and truly am. Please tell me how you liked this chapter; I'm a bit insecure about it. Did you love it? Hate it? Tell me! Thanks again, I love you all so much! Keep them coming! Probably won't update this fast all the time, just saying, I mean less than 20 hours is a record for me, ha-ha. Happy Easter everyone! =)

**And yes, thank you for pointing out a mistake in the last chapter. Erin called Olivia "Olivia" to Delilah instead of "Mom." Sorry I screwed that up. My bad!