DISCLAIMER: I don't own SVU/L&O or any of its storylines or characters, I do however own this plot, and its original characters.
A/N: Well here it is the next instalment or chapter or whatever the hell you want to call it!
...On with the show!
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They were about half way around the lake when Olivia slipped her arm into Cragen's. He smiled, his hands were in his pockets but feeling Olivia's arm snake around his own he pulled his arm towards him a little so Olivia would receive a comforting squeeze between his arm and chest. Knowing it was ok she rested her head on his shoulder as they continued to walk.
"Why don't we stop here?" Cragen asked nodding his head towards a bench that overlooked the lake towards the cabin.
"Sure." Olivia nodded knowing a rest would be good.
Cragen put down the small duffle bag he'd bought along with them and pulled out two bottles of water. He passed one to Olivia and she smiled gratefully as he opened his own.
"Thanks." She whispered as she began opening the water and Cragen realised that she was thanking him for a lot more than the water.
"Anytime Liv." He replied knowing she's figure out he understood.
"You know Don, I'm so grateful for what you've done and George and everyone at SVU." Olivia smiled and Cragen turned to look at her.
"Liv you're our family. John and Fin... especially Fin sees you like a little sister, John maybe more like a niece. Elliot definitely loves you and not just because you're having his baby and partner and me ... well you're my little girl Liv even though you're definitely a grown woman, every grown woman needs her daddy around sometimes." He smiled.
Olivia's eyes filled with tears at his last sentence. She wrapped her arms around his neck and cried but it was a mixture of happiness and pure joy that was leaving her not just sadness.
"Don't cry Liv." He whispered running his hands down her hair.
"Sorry." She whispered pulling away and going to wipe her tears but Cragen's hand on her cheek stopped her, his thumb wiped away her tears just like a father would do to his little girl when she was hurting.
"You mean more to me than life itself Liv." He whispered and her mouth fell open in shock. "Don't look so surprised Livia, I'd give my life for you any day of the week ok? but I need you to know that I am here for you, any time you need me I am here. I don't have kids Liv, not that I didn't want any but my wife and I left it too late, she died before we had a chance. But the thing is Liv, that regret of not having my own children left the day you walked into my squad room and became one of my detectives. I don't have a love to compare how I love you but I do know for damn sure I love you the way a father should love a daughter, the way Elliot loves Maureen, Kathleen and Elizabeth and since that day you walked into my life as a Detective that regret of not having my own kid left me because I feel like I've had you there all along." He explained and Olivia's tears continued to run down her cheeks as he held her hands in his own.
She swallowed hard. Don Cragen wasn't known for being open, he wasn't known for letting all his emotions out to be honest if he did he couldn't have been Captain of SVU, the detectives needed someone strong and together to run their department.
"You Don Cragen are a magnificent human being did you know that?" She smiled as she rested her head on his shoulder and looked out of the lake once again. "I don't know what it's like to have a Dad, I've never wanted to know my biological father but if I let anyone close enough to be a dad, it's definitely you. You've been there for me when no one else really was, you've got me out of more messes that I knew I could even make but it's not just those things that make you a dad to me, it's that you really care you know, those nights I stayed at my desk typing up because I just didn't want to go home and you'd talk to me and then persuade me to go home and get some sleep. I love you Dad." She whispered and it was Cragen who now had tears running down his cheek as he slipped an arm around her waist in a gentle embrace.
"I love you too Liv." He whispered.
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After their walk Cragen order Olivia to sit on the couch and he made them both hot drinks. Olivia rested and he cooked dinner for them too still relishing in the conversation they'd had, he was shocked at how open they'd both been but he didn't regret it at all. The warm fluttering feeling that had rippled through his entire core when she had called him Dad was something that just confirmed it to him how much he loved her like a daughter.
As the food he was preparing cooked he made his way to the living room to see if she wanted to carry on talking but he found her dozing softly on the couch. She was sat up right, her empty mug in her hands on her lap and her head on the side with her hair fallen loosely in her face. She looked more at peace now that she had in days and he couldn't help but smile. He slowly removed the mug and gently lowered her to lying, once on her side he removed her shoes and rose her legs before pulling down the comforter from behind the couch and draping it over her knowing she'd had a very emotional afternoon.
He went back into the kitchen and decided this would be a perfect moment to call Huang and get some more advise and check up on the one six in the process.
Huang. He answered after two rings.
"Hi George its Don."
Oh hey Don how's Liv? He asked knowing that was why the aging man would be calling.
"You know I think she's absolutely fine." Cragen replied with a smile.
What makes you think that? Huang asked knowing every trick in the book that Olivia could use to fool her superior.
"She's eaten both breakfast and lunch and I'm cooking dinner while she naps, we went for a walk around the lake and when we stopped we really talked you know, both of us opened up and really talked like we haven't talked before." Cragen smiled again as he thought of the moment she called him dad.
You sound happy. Huang noted.
"I am happy George, she called me Dad." He replied. "After I told her exactly what she means to me and she replied and her exact words were I love you Dad." He explained.
That's good Don, she's obviously opening up to you and letting her in to emotions she probably has never trusted anyone with before. How much has she slept? Huang needed information other than what she'd said to know where her mental status was.
"Well we arrived just after eleven last night and she slept till eight this morning, then after breakfast she slept again at least three hours if not four and she's been asleep around thirty minutes now." Cragen replied.
It was almost as if he could hear Huang's brain working through the phone.
So she slept nine hours last night, three this afternoon and she'll probably get an hour now, she's sleeping too much Don, she's probably mentally exhausted, she's had a rough few days but you really need to keep her awake longer, eight to ten hours sleep at night and a two hour nap in the afternoon if she needs it. Huang explained quite firmly.
"Eight to ten and two got it." Cragen nodded knowing it was going to be really difficult keeping Olivia awake if she wanted to sleep.
And if you need anything else or she says anything worrying just call me. Huang added knowing that their conversation had come to an end.
"I will George, thank you. Bye."
Bye.
Cragen sighed and dropped his phone onto the counter. He checked the food and saw it was nearly ready giving him enough time to rouse Olivia from sleep before serving it, he just hoped that she was still in a good mood.
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Next chapter – More Daddy/Daughter?
