This isn't the last chapter, but it is my longest, so enjoy!
Elliot read through the file, and handed each page off to Maureen as he finished it. She followed and passed it to her new partner, Victor Stemple, who placed it neatly in the folder as he finished. As Elliot finished, he watched his daughter and her partner argue on how to go about handling the case, remembering how many partners he'd gone through. Maureen was like her father; couldn't keep a partner longer than she'd wear a pair of socks.
"Like Daddy, like daughter. Are you going to step in, or should I get the hose?" Fin asked, eyeing the scene before them.
"Let them work it out. Liv and I would fight like that. Cap let us work it out on our own."
"And look where you ended up. Wasn't your second kid with her conceived in the cribs?" Elliot's eyes bugged.
"OKAY! Break it up. Seperate. You over there, you over here." Fin let out a thick laugh from his desk, and only stopped when a paper ball bounced from his head from Elliot's side of the room. "Maureen, you were first at the scene-"
"I was there when the whole thing happened, Stabler," Maureen said, in a dry tone that matched her father's from his younger days. "They didn't make me for a cop because I had the baby with me."
"So..."
"So...? So, what?"
"Tell me what is going to happen."
"Oh, Jesus Christ, Dad. You know what is going to happen. I'm called into court,. I give my side of the story, Casey gives me hard but easy to answer questions while Hope listens, probably crying into John and Alex's soulders, I'll probably get weepy, because I'm so much more emotional now-"
"Maureen," Elliot warned.
"And then I get put through the ringer by Langan. I've been through court enough to do this, Captain," she said. Her eyes were icey, and Elliot decided to back off.
"On that note, Langan won't touch this one."
"Really?"
"When he met with the parents, he had no idea it was Hope. When he read the file, I thought his eyes were going to pop out of his head. His exact words were, I beleive, 'Even I'm not so desparate for a client that I'll touch this with a ten foot pole. I may not be John Munch's friend, but that little girl did Not deserve this, and I won't take justice from her.' He dropped the parents as clients and walked away." Maureen grinned with satisfaction. "It was a truly beautiful sight."
"Sorry I missed it."
"Dad!" came a yell from the doorway to the squadroom.
"Elijah," Elliot said as the kid ran to him, holding a paper. Elliot lifted the seven year old up and hugged him tightly. "What's that?"
"I'm Cragen! Elijah Paul Cragen Stabler. Just like Grandpa and Casey."
"You can call her Grandma now, kid."
"He better not," Casey said. "We're due in court in 15 minutes."
"I'll see you at home, Love," Elliot said, kissing Olivia.
"Good luck."
"We got Petrovski. She doesn't so much like Casey or Maureen." Liv grinned.
"Then she won't mind that you, Maureen and Casey are as close as you are to Hope." Elliot smiled as he pulled his suit jacket on.
"That's out idea."
"Hannah?"
"What?" Hannah mumbled in her sleep.
"I need to use the bathroom," Hope said. Hannah could hear the embarassment in her voice. "Molly always takes me to the kitchen." Hannah climbed out of her bed and took Hope's arm to lead her. "Don't you need the light?"
"No," Hannah mumbled. "I know this place well enough. Found my way through the apartment in the dark enough times to get to the bathroom. You'll get used to it, Hope."
"Thanks," Hopse said as she felt her hand touch the toilet.
"I'll be outside." Hannah stepped into the hall. "You did really well today."
"I cried on the stand."
"That's a good thing. The jury'll have more sympathy for you. They'll be more likely to find the girls guilty. They're going to spend some time at Rikers."
"They're kids," Hope said, sounding a little shocked.
"Hope, they beat the hell out of you, blinded you, and you're worried that justice is too harsh?"
"They screwed up, but they shouldn't lose their whole lives. A decent portion would be fine, like 5-10, but they'll probably be killed there. Their lawyer said they didn't know fully what they were doing because they were high. Can't they be put in a drug rehab facility for a few years?"
"Hope, that...that's a good idea. They serve time, and would be helping the community as they clean up."
"I'm ready," Hope called as she flushed. Hannah opened the door and took her sister's arm and lead her back to bed. "Hi Ma," Hope said.
"I'm not Ma; she's asleep."
"No, she's standing in the hall. I told you to turn on a light," Hope said.
"Sorry," Alex said, blushing even though they couldn't see her. " I heard you two talking about the case, and I wanted to know what you thought about it."
"Then ask," Hannah said, flatly. "Hope doesn't want them in prison. She wants them in a drug rehab program. "
"I heard. Are you sure about this, Hope?"
"If you put them in prison, they'll never change and they'll just do it again when they get out. Putting them in prison is just sentencing another person to get jumped, or possibly killed." Hope pulled her blankets up to her chin as soon as she was in her bed. "Molly," she called. The dog jumped onto the bed and turned around 4 times before resing her head in the crook of Hope's knees. "Can we talk to Casey about it in the morning?"
"Sure. Goodnight, girls."
Elliot leaned back in his chair and propped his feet up on the old desk. He'd come to know it as his own over the last 6 years as his own. But before that, the desk belonged to his mentor, friend and 'Papa-in-law.' Don had taught him everythig about what a Captain needed to be. He'd even gone so far as to have a daughter in the unit. Elliot, however, was Maureen's actual dad from birth.
"Enjoying my husband's desk?"
"Yep. I'll never fill it as well as he did, but-"
"We have a plea bargin, and they've agreed. Petrovski doesn't love it, but she admires Hope for coming up with it." Elliot pulled his feet from the desk and ushered Casey to sit. She smoothed her skirt and sat, taking Elliot's coffee and stealing a sip. "Munch?" she asked, shuddering at the tar in her mouth.
"Yeah."
"I thought he was forbidden."
"Who was going to tell him 'No' about anything today."
"Point."
"So?"
"Each girl got 5 years at Bellevue's drug rehab...and a chewing out by Petrovski."
"Really?" Elliot asked, grinning.
"Hope gave them back their lives after they took so much from her. A child was so giving and so kind that she could come up with this. Hope was asked to explain why." Elliot's smile faded a little. "She said that if someone hadn't given her a chance at a life, she'd be living in hell still. She explained our whole family and how strong we were together. She also told the girls she hoped they found people at least one tenth as good as we are, and then they would know what safe means."
"Damn."
"Kinda makes me feel a little..."
"Proud, but humble."
"Humble. Just humble. We haven't earned that."
"A blind kid can see that we have, so I guess we have."
"El, go home to your wife. She needs you there more than we need you here tonight," Casey said, smiling at her friend.
Ron looked around the dining room at the people who surrounded him. The 6 candles on the cake were dripping wax, and they were still singing that damn song! The nanosecond it ended, he blew as hard as he could, and the candles went out.
"Cool! I get my wish!"
"What did you wish for?"
"Can't tell you," Ron said, smiling through the gap in his teeth. He shoved the shaggy red hair from his face and handed his plate to Don. "Cake, Dad!"
"You are getting so grown up, Red," Casey said, sniffling lightly.
"Mom, its fine! I'm 6, not 60."
"Casadee," Carol Lyn said, resting her hand on her daughter's. "Six isn't too bad. Cry when he's 16."
"Molly and Rookie are playing," Eli called from the window.
"That's not playing," Liv groaned running out there. "Rookie! Go home! GO!" Rookie scrambled away through the back fence. "Molly, inside. Now." The other dog pranced inside.
"We get one of the puppies," Don said, elbowing John, who was white.
"And then its snip-snip for Rookie."
"Puppies?" Ronny squealed. "THAT'S not what I wished for, Mom!"
"What?"
"I didn't want the DOG to have babies," he whined. "I wanted you and Dad to adopt a little brother!" Casey and Don went as white as John had moments ago. Don stumbled over his words, not even forming half a sentence.
"Will a big sister work?" Liv asked, rescuing her 'father.'
"Huh?"
"Ron, I know its never been fully explained to you, but you're my little brother."
"Huh?"
"Nine years ago, your dad adopted me. I'm your big sister. You are actually Allie and Eli's uncle. Is that cool?"
"Not really."
"Oh."
"Well...can you come talk at my school and tell my class your my big sister? No one will believe me that Elijah is my nephew." Liv nodded. "Okay. Now its cool."
"I'm not calling him Uncle Ron," Allie commented, giving Olivia a look that much resembled James Wilson. "Mom? Can I have my own dog? Rookie is SO Eli's dog."
"If Molly has pups, then ask Uncle John for one."
"You may have them ALL."
Ronny's birthday party had been the true beginning of healing for the whole family. Hope was doing well with Molly, and John was getting used to a full house. He decided to take a leave of absense to spend time with Hope, and it brought the two as close as he and Hannah were. Hannah was backing off from full-time care of Hope, but only because she saw that John and Alex needed to gain the child's trust more. Hannah would be leaving in the fall for Harvard, and Hope wouldn't be joining her.
Casey and Don were seeing less of Eli, and spending more time with Ron out of the house. It was hard for Don, who missed the child terribly, but he needed to back off. He needed to let Elliot be Eli's dad. When Elijah was a year old, Olivia pulled him from daycare, and allowed Don to take care of him. It was supposed to be Allie, too, but that hadn't lasted long. He couldn't keep up with her, and she needed kids her age to play with. So for the better part of 6 months, it was just Don and Eli. After that, it was Don, Ronny and Elijah for 3 years full time, five days a week. He was like Don's own child in his heart. And to see that he was scared and hurting, it was hard on the man. But now, he could see Elliot and Elijah bonding again, playing again like they did before. He could see that the only thing keeping Eli coming over at night was Don not telling him to stay at home.
Now that he did, the boy listened, and it started to get easier on the family. Allie and Eli fought more, but its more because they were just together more. Ron missed sharing his room with Elijah, but enjoyed the time with his dad and mom more. He was starting to like being the only child. They showered him with attention now that there wasn't someone else to inturrupt and need them. Now, he was their only child. And he was starting to enjoy it. Even though Olivia was his 'big sister,' he didn't count that, because she was much older.
Elliot and Allie were spending more time together, but they were still so quiet. They'd see movies, just the two of them, go out for hot chocolate, and he took her ice skating. But they never talked. Olivia decided to stay as far out of it as she could. The two would come to an understanding eventually.
"Mom?" Allie called into the living room.
"Why are you still up, Birthday Girl?"
"I have an assignment," she said, sitting on the bar stool at the breakfast bar. She peered through the window into the kitchen. Her mother raised both eyebrows. "Its due at the end of the May, We have two whole months."
"Big assignment."
"I have to interview my whole family."
"Really?"
"My teacher said that to understand ourselves we need to know and understand where we came from." Liv nodded. "I don't know what to ask though. I mean, I know that you didn't get married until I was one."
"Maybe I can help you come up with some questions...?"
"Sure."
"Do you want to do this NYPD style?" Allie smiled and nodded. "You need name, date of birth, marital status and vital info." Allie started writing her mother's word in her note book, which had been sitting at the breakfast bar after they finished homework earlier. "Now you need a list of everyne to interview. New page." Allie flipped the paper. "Me, Eli, Maureen, Luke, Liz, Kathleen, Rose, Dickie, Lex, your dad," Liv listed off.
"Slow down," Allie said, writing the names down. Olivia paused. "Ready."
"Don and Casey, Ron, John, Alex, Hannah, Hope, and Fin."
"And James."
"Allison-"
"Mom," she said, putting a hand up. "I will not call him my dad. I have a terrific dad. But I need to meet him. For me."
"I don't think-"
"You met your real dad. Right?" Olivia nodded. "You told me once you wanted to meet him your whole life."
"Do you want to know what I found out when I did meet him?"
"What?"
"That I had a father the whole time, and he's on the other side of the fence, in his kitchen, probably doing dishes, same as me."
"I already have a dad. I'm not going to stop loving Elliot Stabler because I meet James. James will never be my dad."
"then why-"
"I DON'T LOOK LIKE YOU!" she shouted. "Eli, Maureen and Dickie looks like Dad, Lizzie and Kathleen look like Kathy, Ron looks like Casey, Hannah and Hope look like each other. I don't look like anyone! How can I tell them where I come from when I don't even know!"
"Christ," Liv said under her breath. "I thought we were through this."
"I need to meet him. See why he didn't want me," Allie said, looking down.
"You need to meet him one time and say 'I did just fine without you," Olivia offered. Allison nodded. "Allie, I hope you get that chance, but don't ruin what you have with your dad trying to reach that." Olivia walked away.
"Mom-"
"I'll have Maureen drive you out next weekend."
"Allie?" Elliot said softly as the two walked through the park. "Am I a good dad?"
"I think so."
"Then why do you want to meet him so badly? What do you think he has to offer that I can't?" he asked the girl, gently. Allie took his hand.
"You and Dickie have the same hands, and he has Kathy's nose. Maureen has your eyes and your smile and Kathy's nose and her chin. Eli is your clone."
"You look like your mom."
"Not completely. I have her chin, and the same eyebrows. But I don't see my eyes there, or my smile, or my hair. I don't hear my laugh, or see how I roll my eyes. We do a lot of things different. I need to know, Dad."
"Allison," he started, swallowing. "I need to know something. I need you to promise me you will tell me the truth, okay?"
"I promise, Dad."
"Do you love me? I know we talked in the hospital, and you told me then, but we haven't talked much then." Elliot kneeled down to look her in the eyes. "You haven't so much as hugged me in over a year, Allie, since I got out of the hospital...not unless I hugged you first. Do you even want me as your Dad still?"
"Dad, I love you," she said. "But I need to meet him. Just once. He'll never be my dad, but he's my father. I need to meet him."
"Why, honey?"
"I need to know why he didn't want me. I'm not...I'm...Dad, why doesn't he love me?" she asked in a small voice that tugged at Elliot's heart.
"He's an idiot who missed out on the best little girl I've ever met. He screwed up, and he missed the best part of life."
"Can I still ask him? Maureen is taking me tomorrow, and I won't go unless you are okay with it," she said, gently.
"Go," Elliot said gently, hugging her tightly. "Meet your father and see what it is you need to see."
"Thank you, Daddy," she whispered.
The hospital corridors made the 10-year-old girl shiver. Her brown hair was tied back in a straight pony tail down ther back, and her black boots were scuffing the floors. She pulled her hunter green flannel shirt tighter around her as she walked looking for His name on each door. The girl's oldest sister was waiting in the car in the lot somewhere, where the child knew she could go if she needed to. However, she was meeting someone today that she'd never known.
His name was on the door in the Oncology department. Allison Stabler took a seat outside and waiting for someone to walk through...anyone to walk through. She didn't know how she'd recognise him, just that she would.
"Can I help you?"
"I'm waiting for Dr. Wilson." The man sat next to the child.
"Oh? Do you have a consult with him?"
"Kind of. I need to meet with him." Allie met with the eyes of the man next to him. "Are you James Wilson?"
"No, but I know him. I'm Robert Chase."
"I'm Allie."
"Hello, Allie." Chase shook her hand and knocked on the door. "Jimmy, a young lady is here to see you," Chase said, with a little amusement in his voice.
"Hi," Wilson said, not knowing the child. "Do I have a consult with you and your parents today?"
"Kind of. You have a consult with me and my...father..." she said, finally able to utter the word. Chase shut the door, leaving the two to speak. "So..."she said after a moment of silence.
"What's your name?"
"Maureen," she lied. "Maureen Ryan."
"Well, Maureen, what seems to be the trouble?"
"I...uh..."
"Are you sick?"
"No, I'm looking for someone." James shifted in his seat and studied the girl's face.
"Is your name really Maureen?" Allie stared him in the eye. "No, I didn't think so."
"How would-"
"You have your mother's chin, and you have my eyes, that's how I know." Allison stood to leave. "Allie, wait." The child turned to face him at the door. "You obviously wanted to talk to me. Please, don't walk away. Sit, talk," he urged. She staired up at him for a moment before sitting. "Would you like something to drink?"
"Coffee."
"You are your mother's child."
"My mom drinks tea. Dad and Maureen drink coffee."
"When did Olivia switch to tea?"
"I don't know. So..."
"Well, I'm your dad, I guess."
"No, you're my father. Elliot Stabler is my dad," she said softly.
"Right." James stood and lead the girl down the hall toward the cafeteria. They walked in silence as they got trays of food, and Allie sugared and creamed her coffee. As they sat, James found the child studying his face.
"You okay?"
"Why didn't you want me?" James wasn't surprised she'd taken on her mother's strong personality.
"I was scared. When I met you, you were 4 months old, and your mother had Elliot, and I wasn't going to take away the only dad you knew. Next time I saw you, you were a year and a half old, and calling him Daddy." James sat back and rubbed his forehead. "You didn't know me, want me, or even care about me. I didn't want to hurt you, Allie."
"And yet, you still some how managed to."
"How?"
"You didn't even try to know me."
"Where are you parents?"
"New York."
"NEW YORK!? How-"
"My sister drove me. She's, like, 30, and a cop. I think I'm safe." James nodded and sighed.
"You are so much like your mother; stubborn and quick with the come-backs." Allie wandered back with her empty cup and poured more coffee.
"Tell me about it. Eli hates it," she said, refilling the cup with cream and sugar.
"Eli?"
"He's 8. Little bother."
"You mean little brother?"
"Nope."
"Okay." There was a long silence. "I have an 8-year-old son, Alex Chase." Allie's eyes shot up.
"You abandened one kid to go out and have another? You're screwed up."
"He's not my biological son, he was adopted by my...boyfriend." He waited for some response from the kid.
"And...?"
"And we're raising him together. You met Dr. Chase...he's my...um..."
"Your boyfriend? Husband? You're raising a kid together, better be a serious relationship."
"Are you okay with...me...being?"
"Look, James, my sister Kathleen is 'married' to a woman named Rose, raising a boy named Lex...also short for Alexander. Popular name. Anyway, if you think I'm a homophobe, than you don't know my parents at all."
"You have a mouth on you."
"Only when I'm pissed." She snatched a grape from his plate and popped it in her mouth.
"Are you sure your mother said James Wilson and not Greg House?" She looked at him. "Nevermind."
"Ah, Wilson," came a familier voice. "I see your spawn found you at last."
"What, can all of you see this but me?"
"Probably." House snatched the last grape from Wilson's tray. "Don't worry, kid. You come from a smart, Jewish doctor."
"And live with two cops. I could take both of you." Greg chuckled.
"Probably," Wilson admitted. "Listen, Allie," he started.
"Allie?" Maureen called, stepping into the cafeteria. "We need to go if you want to get home before Mom and Dad have a heart attack."
"Yeah, okay."
"It was good to meet you, Allie."
"You, too."
"Can I visit?"
"Ask my mom and dad. They'll probably say yes."
"Keep in touch, kid." Allie waved at the man before heading out the door with her sister.
"Who was that?" Chase asked, bringing his tray to the table.
"My daughter."
"You look like him."
"Yeah."
"You okay?"
"I look like my father."
One more chapter to go, and we'll be done, folks! Sorry about posting something almost direct from my 'cross-over' House story. But its s'posed to go together!