Court is in session, does Calvin's adoption go without a hitch?
Elliot paced backwards and forwards across the court house corridor. Olivia was sat on a bench clutching at the Lizzie and Calvin's hands.
"Elliot sit down your making us all nervous." Olivia muttered.
"Sorry." He sighed and he sat on the floor opposite everyone.
As well as the children, Olivia and Elliot, Cassie their neighbour had come to keep an eye on the kids until they had spoken. It was almost like a criminal case for Olivia and Elliot. There may not have been a jury but there were still opening arguments and testimony to be given to the judge who Olivia was pleased with Liz Donnelly who would fight tooth and nail for Olivia. Just then the bailiff came out.
"Detective Benson." He said and Olivia kissed Calvin's hand before she went inside.
When she sat down she didn't quite realise how nervous she had been. She knew she would just have to answer questions about what she could provide Calvin and what type of child he was until Trevor Langan would abuse her and make her out to be a horrible parent.
"Miss Benson." Alex smiled getting to her feet.
Olivia suppressed a laugh. To be called Miss Benson instead of Detective whilst she was sat in the witness box made her feel strange.
"How long have you known Calvin Aryliss?" Alex asked.
"Around a year." Olivia said as she had been warned not to be precise with that date even though she knew it had been one year three months and eighteen days, Alex said it made her seem obsessed.
"And when you first met him what type of child was he?" Alex asked.
"Unhappy, malnourished, and angry." Olivia answered remembering her first encounter with what had been an eight year old child.
"When you became his legal guardian the first time what type of child was he then?" Alex asked.
"At first he was still unhappy but he slowly became a happy eight year old." Olivia smiled gently remembering.
"What happened when your rights were removed?" Alex asked and pain flashed across Olivia's face.
"He yelled for me and yelled that I shouldn't let them take him." Olivia replied.
"Was he as you said in your written testimony "ripped from your arms physically as he clung onto me?"" Alex asked.
"Yes." Olivia sniffed trying to hold back the tears.
"When he returned to your care how was he?" Olivia asked.
"Happy to be back." Olivia replied.
"How long did it take for him to call you Mom?"
"Less than three hours, we took him for lunch and when he thanked me he called me Mom." Olivia replied the smile reappearing on her face.
"What school does Calvin attend?"
"The Garden School in Queens." Olivia replied proudly. It was a good school with a good reputation.
"Privet school?" Alex asked.
"Yes." Olivia smiled as she knew where she was going.
"Catholic?" Alex went on.
"Yup."
"How much do you pay in tuition fees?"
"Fifteen and a half thousand dollars per year." Olivia replied.
"You pay that from your own wages? No scholarships? No trust fund?" Alex asked slightly smiling.
"Absolutely from my own wages."
"It's a lot of money isn't it?"
"Yes but worth every penny, a good education can take you far." Olivia replied.
"Is Calvin happy now?"
"Yes."
"Do you love him?"
"More than anything."
"Is he your son?"
"Yes."
"No more questions." Alex replied taking her seat beside Casey.
Olivia took a deep breath preparing herself for the battering she was about to receive off Trevor Langan.
"Since Calvin has been in your custody how many times has he been in the ER?" He went straight in at the deep end.
"Once for injuries he sustained once visiting me." Olivia replied honestly.
"What were his injuries?"
"Smoke inhalation and minor cuts and bruises." Olivia replied she had expected this as Casey and Alex had warned her.
"What was the cause of these injuries?"
"Four bombs going off at his school."
"And you said that this is a good school?"
"Absolutely. Calvin's biological mother had the bombs planted." Olivia hissed and she glanced at Casey and Alex who were giving her looks of warning to calm her temper.
"What about when he visited you? What were your injuries?"
"I was shot in the arm." Olivia replied.
"Did he see this incident?"
"Yes."
"Was he traumatised?"
"No."
"Didn't you have him sit down with Doctor George Huang a psychiatrist for the FBI who works with the Special Victims Unit?"
"For a completely different matter, yes."
"You're not married are you Detective... I mean Miss Benson?" Trevor asked blushing at his mistake.
"No." Olivia replied softly.
"Yet you're pregnant."
"Clearly." Olivia flashed her lawyers a very confused look.
"Yet you send Calvin to a catholic school, isn't that slightly a mixed message?" Trevor Langan couldn't hold back a smirk.
"No, hopefully he won't make the same mistakes as his mother." Olivia replied.
"So your pregnancy is a mistake?" Langan asked smugly.
"No."
"I'm confused Miss Benson could you elaborate?" He asked the smirk still not fading.
"My pregnancy wasn't planned Langan, if I could have waited till marriage then I would have but now that I am pregnant I don't regret it neither do I hate it, I already love my unborn child." She said her hands subconsciously rubbing her stomach.
"You're not a religious woman are you Miss?" Langan said changing tact.
"Yes." Olivia replied which was half the truth, she had started believing more since her weekly visit to church.
"Really?"
"Objection asked and answered." Casey said from the table.
"Sustained Move on councillor." Liz said softly.
"No more questions." He said grumpily before going back to his seat.
"Redirect your honour." Casey asked.
"Go ahead." Liz smiled.
"Peoples eighteen and peoples nineteen your honour. Miss Benson what are these?"
"Pictures taken by a stalker of me and Calvin and the Stabler family entering and leaving Church." Olivia replied.
"No more questions." Casey said taking her seat once again.
"You may step down Detective ... I mean Miss Benson." Liz smiled and Olivia happily rushed out of the court room. Once outside she walked to the nearest wall and punched it.
"Liv!" Elliot said rushing over to her. "Liz what happened?"
"Langan." She hissed as the Bailiff called for Elliot.
"Coming to watch?" He asked.
Elliot was hammered with the same questions as Olivia was near enough. When he stepped down he didn't seem to be as annoyed as Olivia when he sat down beside her.
Next up was Maureen who was the only one of the Stabler kids to have been called.
"Hello Maureen." Casey smiled going up to the witness box.
"Hello Auntie Casey." Maureen smiled.
"So Maureen do you know why you're here?" Casey asked knowing Langan would try and say that Maureen's testimony shouldn't count because of her age.
"Yes because Mom and Dad want to adopt Calvin." Maureen smiled.
"Do you know what adopt means?" Casey asked.
"Yes, it means that Mom and Dad will be Calvin's real Mom and Dad on black and white but they say they are anyway it doesn't change anything for our family it just gives Calvin stability." Maureen smiled and Olivia felt her shoulders relax.
"Do you want Calvin to be your brother?" Casey asked still speaking softly.
"He already is." Maureen replied and Olivia couldn't help but grin.
"Good, are Olivia and Dad good parents?" Casey continued.
"The best." Maureen answered.
"What makes them the best Maureen?"
"We do family things, we go to church together on Sunday's, we have meals together and Mom helps with our homework and reads us bedtime stories and Dad helps us make things and bake." Maureen answered.
"What stories does Olivia read you?"
"Our favourite is Harry Potter, she is reading the first one again as it's our favourite."
"What type of things do you make with your Dad?"
"We make silly rockets and we bake cookies and waffles cause Mom loves waffles."
Olivia blushed slightly as Elliot gave a soft chuckle.
"That's our girl." He whispered into her ear.
"Ok Maureen Thank you. No more questions." Casey smiled and sat down.
"Hello Maureen." Langan said getting up.
Olivia gripped Elliot's hand tighter.
"Hello." Maureen replied politely.
"How old are you Maureen?"
"16."
"Aren't you a bit old to have bed time stories?"
"Yes but I ..."
"And ..." Langan began to cut her off.
"Objection! She hadn't finished answering the question!" Casey yelled angrily.
"Maureen finish answering the question Mr Langan asked you. Watch it councillor." Liz said.
"I prefer listening to Mom read before bed than sit in my own room doing nothing. We do it together as a family whilst Dad cleans. We all sit on their bed and cuddle up so I may be too old for bed time stories but I can still enjoy them." Maureen answered also quite angry.
"No more questions." He sighed going to sit down.
Alex and Casey both shook their heads, Maureen joined Elliot and Olivia and recess for lunch was called.
"Elliot, Olivia." Alex said as she and Casey rushed over to them.
"Well?" Olivia asked almost desperately.
"We've got this in the bag." She smiled.
"Why?" Elliot asked.
"Langan has just called us to go to Donnelly's chambers for a discussion. He's crapping himself." Casey grinned.
"Ok. Call us and let us know what's going on. We're going to take the kids home we'll be back with Calvin though." Olivia smiled and she led her kids away.
Xxx
Olivia and Elliot and Calvin sat nervously in the court room. Liz Donnelly had apparently heard enough once she's heard Calvin say that he wanted nothing to do with his grandparents.
"I believe that Calvin is well loved and cared for. He is happy and in a stable environment which he clearly feels a part of. He has a family who love him very much, extended family who love him equally as much and he said himself that he never wants to lose what he has. I am granting the adoption, Mr and Mrs Aryliss you will not contact Calvin until his eighteenth birthday unless he contacts you first. Thank you." Liz smiled at Olivia as she held Calvin and sobbed.
"Mom are you sad?" Calvin asked innocently.
"No baby I'm just so happy because no one can ever take you away from me again." Olivia cried as she held onto her son.
"Olivia, Donnelly wants to see you all in her chambers." Casey whispered.
"Come on Cal. Let's go see what the judge wants." She smiled taking his hand.
When they arrived the chambers judge Donnelly had already laid out cans of soda for them all, caffeine free soda for Olivia.
"Mrs Judge?" Calvin said nervously as he approached her.
"Hey Calvin you can call me Liz now." Liz smiled bending over to talk to him
Olivia clutched Elliot's hand in anticipation of what he was going to say. He didn't say anything. Instead he threw his arms around her neck. Olivia wiped away the fresh tears.
"Thank you for giving me my Mom and Dad." He whispered into her ear.
"No Thank you for making your Mom and Dad so very happy, they love you very much young man." She smiled and he let her go and rushed over to them.
"I love you Mom and Dad." He said as he hugged them both.
"We love you too Cal." Olivia smiled.
See there was never anything to worry about, but I promised a dramatic story so there is drama to come but I do focus on cases too. Give me reviews and I'll upload sooner :)