This chapter is freakishly long, but my writer block is gone and now I can't stop writing. Hope you guys enjoy.
Alex quickly fixed her hair and made her way to the door to help her arriving family with their bags. Alex opened the door to find Olivia still digging things out of their car and she had yet to realize that more of Alex's family had showed up. Alex walked up to Olivia and had her leave the bags and took her by the hand, leading her over to where her uncle's car was now parked. Four people got out of the car and were unloading bags from the back. Once everyone had their bag in their hand they made their way to the house and toward the place where Alex and Olivia now stood. Alex's Aunt Carol was the first to drop her bag at her feet and pull her niece in for a hug.
"Alexandra, it's so good to see you, so all it takes is a near death experience to drag you to a family function."
"It's good to see you too Aunt Carol and you know that the only reason I never showed up to anything before is because mother was there."
"Well, good thing she wasn't invited then and who is this lovely lady." Turning to Olivia, Carol stuck out her hand, "Carol Cabot." Olivia shook the older woman's hand, "Olivia Benson."
The smile on Alex's aunt's face changed into a shocked grin, "wait, not the same Olivia Benson that saved our Alexandra?"
"I wouldn't say I saved her, but I guess that's me." Barely able to get out the last word, Olivia was quickly pulled into a very tight hug with Carol Cabot. "Don't be so modest dear; it's not every person willing to sacrifice their life for someone else. Thank you for protecting Alexandra."
"Anytime ma'am."
"None of that ma'am stuff; call me Carol. With any luck Alexandra won't drag her feet with you and eventually we will be family. Speaking of family, I should quit hogging you and introduce the rest of this caravan, this is my husband Bill." A tall man stepped forward from the group of people and shook Olivia's hand, "so you are the young lady that my niece just can't stop talking about."
"If I had known her entire family was going to compliment me so much I would have insisted on meeting you all sooner. It's a pleasure to meet you and your family your honor."
"Please call me Bill and it's an honor to meet my niece's own personal body guard. Be prepared to be treated like a hero, everyone in this family has been dying to meet you and thank you for what you did for Alexandra."
"I'm no hero sir."
"Nonsense. Now before you go saying that anyone else would have done the same thing, save it. Now, this lovely woman behind me is my sister Diana and her husband Peter."
Olivia shook everyone's hands and helped them inside with their bags. Alex grabbed the few bags still in the car and followed the group into the house. Before she stepped into the house her Aunt Carol grabbed her arm and pulled her in close to her.
"Listen to me and listen to me good Alexandra, if you let this girl go it will be the stupidest thing you ever did, understood."
"Understood." And with a huge grin on her face Alex joined her family in the house. Alex and Olivia put the bags in the other bedrooms and went back downstairs to visit with the newly arrived members of Alex's family. Everyone got settled in the kitchen and Olivia made drinks for the whole gang. Curious to get to know her niece's girlfriend better Diana was the first to question Olivia.
"So Olivia, Alex already told us that you're a detective in the SVU squad, but she has told us little else."
"What do want to know about me, I don't think I'm that interesting, but I'll tell you whatever you want to know."
"Well, what do your parents do?"
Alex got a worried look on her face and was quick to look at Olivia; the look in her eyes told Olivia that she could just avoid the question if she didn't want to. Olivia squeezed Alex's hand and decided to answer the question, "my mother was an English professor at Sienna College."
"Impressive, does she still teach?"
Alex winced at the question and the twitch didn't go unnoticed by her family, but before Alex could intervene Olivia answered, "she actually died last year."
"Oh dear, I'm so sorry, sometimes I am too nosey for my own good." Before her Aunt could ask about her father, Alex grabbed a pad of paper and quickly wrote in big black letters 'DO NOT ASK ABOUT HER FATHER' and held the note behind Olivia's head. Thankfully Carol saw it and guided the conversation in another direction, "well I understand that you had the great misfortune of meeting my sister in law while you were still in the hospital. I'm sure getting shot was more fun than dealing with her."
"You're the second person to say that. She wasn't that bad, I just wish I could have stopped her before she hurt Alex's feelings." Alex wrapped her arms around Olivia's waist. "I just told her that unless she changed her tune she would no longer be welcome in our family. I'd like to think that one day she will realize how much she is hurting Alex and I hope that she realizes that unconditional love means just that, but if that day never comes, I have no problems leaving her out of our lives."
Everyone nodded in agreement. Peter walked up and kissed both women on the cheek, "listen, even if Char never gets off her high horse you are more than welcome to share your lives with us. Now if we are done with talking about people we don't like I am ready to unpack my bag and get the grill fired up."
Bill and Peter headed upstairs, leaving their wives in the kitchen with Olivia and Alex.
"So when is the rest of the family getting here."
Carol thought about it, "Well, Emily and Thomas should be here in about half an hour, they left right after we did and Junior and Astrid should be here well now."
Diana jumped in, "Then David and Gina's plane is getting in right about know so they should be here in about an hour and I think the same goes for Michael and Allison."
Olivia was now very confused as to the names of the remaining Cabot family members, "Do I get a cheat sheet to remember these people and their names?" Everyone laughed and Alex kissed the top of Olivia's head, "Poor baby, here I'll make it easy for you. So my cousins are Emily and Junior, who are Carol and Bill's children and then David and Michael, who are Diana and Peter's. Now here comes the hard part, Emily is married to Thomas they have one child, Samantha. Junior is married to Astrid and they have two children, William and Ethan. David is married to Gina, but they don't have children and Michael is married to Allison with two children, Rebecca and Amy, with one more on the way."
"What part of that was supposed to help me, now I have to remember children's names?"
"You will do fine dear, no one is going to quiz you to see if you remember them all at the end of the week."
"Well now that I am sufficiently confused I think I'm gonna go help your uncles with the grill and food. And maybe I write everything you just said down on my hand." Olivia leaned over and gave Alex a kiss before grabbing the steaks out of the fridge and the sunscreen of the counter. Once she was outside and out of earshot Alex turned to her aunts who both had huge grins on their face.
"What are you two smiling about?"
"Is this what we have to look forward to all week you two stealing kisses and giggling like love struck teenagers?"
"Very funny, but seriously you guys like her right?"
Diana took Alex's hands in hers, "Alexandra did you seriously think that we weren't going to like her. She saved your life, told you mother where to shove it and I haven't seen you smile like that since you were 14 years old."
Carol looked around the room, making sure no one was there, "so are you going to explain that little game of charades the steered the conversation away from the topic of her father, did he die or something."
Alex still wasn't sure if she should tell her family about Olivia's family, "her father is dead, but she should really tell you the rest herself."
Thankfully before anything else was said, two more cars appeared in the driveway so Alex ran outside to great her cousins and their families. Alex shouted up stairs, "Uncle Bill your children are here." With that she opened the front door and was tackled by her two youngest cousins.
"What is it with me being tackled by small children today?"
"Sorry Alex." Both little boys looked afraid that they had actually hurt their cousin.
"No big deal kiddos, but let's save the tackling for football later ok."
"Come on guys get off of Alex and go help you folks with the car." As the little boys ran off, Samantha helped Alex up off the ground, "hey Alex."
"Hey yourself, when did you get so big? The last time I saw you, you were 13 years old and had braces on."
"Well, now I'm 16 and braces free."
"Shouldn't you be helping your parents unload the car."
"No dice, we had a huge blow out on the way up here and we haven't talked for the last two hours. Can I sleep in the pool house, please?"
"Of course you can, do you want to talk about?"
"Can we do it later; I'm kind of drained from the trip?"
"Sure honey, we'll come get you when we throw the food on." Alex hugged her younger cousin and kissed the top of her head.
"Thanks Alex." And with that the teen walked into the house, greeting her grandparents at the door, but then making her way to the backyard. Alex figured it best to leave the girl alone for a while and she would talk to her later.
Alex watched her younger cousins run into the house and greet their grandparents, leaving the rest of the luggage to their parents. Alex went over to see if she could help them with the bags. Emily was carrying three bags so Alex quickly grabbed one, "you do realize that you can make more than one trip right Em."
"Funny Alex. I'll hug you when I can put this crap down. Samantha just took off with only her bag, so we are left with everything else."
"She told me you had it out in the car."
"That is putting it mildly. I have no idea what is bothering her and she won't talk to me or to Tom."
"I'll talk to her later ok. Just give her some space to cool off, ok?"
"I guess so, anyway on to happier, less moody news, where is this hero girlfriend of yours?"
"Outside starting up the grill up. Let me get everyone together before you all go outside and complete freak her out."
"We aren't that scary, well at least not yet, I haven't had anything to drink yet."
"No repeats of Christmas 1996."
"I do karaoke in my bra once and you will never let me forget it."
"Neither will I." Thomas picked this moment to walk into the conversation. "Hey Alex." He kissed Alex on the cheek and walked in the house with his wife.
Alex walked over to the other new car in the driveway and saw Junior try to carry most of the baggage his children conveniently forgot to grab, "you ok in there JR?"
"Hey Alex, can you grab that bag of pool stuff?"
"Got it, you got the rest?"
"I think so, babe do have our bags?"
From the other side of the car Alex could hear Astrid cursing at the bags. "I'll come back for the last one JR, or better yet I will have the boys come get it. Hey, Alex." Alex hugged her cousin, or at tried to with all the stuff in her arms it proved to be difficult.
"Come on let's get you guys settled in the house. We can come back later for anything you forgot." JR finally closed the back of the car and followed his wife and cousin inside.
Alex followed everyone upstairs and got them all settled in. She then quickly ran down stairs and outside to tell Olivia to come inside for a minute to meet people.
"I'll be right there babe, let me finish this marinade."
Alex walked into the kitchen to find everyone but the children standing around with a drink in their hand talking and laughing. Alex mingled with her family and finally got to give everyone proper hellos and hugs. After a few minutes Olivia came in from outside and called out for Alex.
"Lexi, baby, the steaks will be ready in about an hour, just tell me when to put them…" Olivia trailed off when she saw a kitchen full of Cabot's that had by now fallen silent.
Alex walked over to Liv and grabbed her hand, "perfect timing babe. Ok, so everyone this is Olivia, Liv this everyone."
Feeling bad for Olivia and remembering what it was like to meet the whole family herself Astrid spoke up, "Christ Alex, the poor woman is in shock, give her names to put with the faces."
"Sorry, ok so from the right we have JR and his wife Astrid, and then we have Emily and then Thomas is over there by the bar. Everyone else should be here in the next half hour or so."
"Better thanks babe." Alex let go of Olivia's hand to go check on the younger members of the family.
Astrid walked up to Olivia and handed her a beer, "you look like you could use this. This family in one room is a little daunting the first time, alcohol helps."
Olivia laughed, "I have a feeling you and I are going to get along really well, now your Astrid right, which means that Junior is your husband and Ethan and William are your children."
"Jesus Christ did Alex give you flash cards."
"I wish, she told an hour ago and I went outside and practiced while I got the food ready."
"Not bad for short notice. Now Alex tells us you're a police officer."
"Detective actually, but yeah I work in the same squad as Alex."
"That must be hard, seeing what you see every day."
"It's hard sometimes, but someone has to do it and when I can actually get justice for someone that makes it worthwhile."
"You got guts girl, I can barely handle my job and I'm a real estate agent."
"Well, if it makes you feel any better I think your job is harder than mine given the present state of the economy."
"True, but oh well, at least I don't get shot at."
"Take my advice, avoid getting shot, it hurts like a bitch."
"That's right you took those bullets for Alex, looks like we have a hero in the family."
Olivia smiled when Astrid said in the family, "I just did my job."
"Uh huh sure. Well it appears that there is a line to meet you so I should give up my spot to someone else, holler if you want another beer."
Just as Astrid stepped away, both Thomas and JR stepped forward, "so you're dating Alex." JR always was a man to get to the point.
"Yeah I am."
"You love her?"
"With everything I am."
"You gonna break her heart?"
"I think I'd rather die first."
Both men looked at each other and then Thomas, in a very serious tone, "Ok then we just have one more question for you…Yankees or Mets?"
"Yankees."
Both men started laughing and smiling, "we just had to make sure you were right for our cousin and now we know you can come to games with us."
"So I passed your test?"
"With flying colors. Plus lets be real, you have a gun and a license to kill, did you really expect us to not like you."
"Well you never know, Charlotte doesn't like me too well."
"Aunt Char doesn't really like anyone, that stick up her ass makes it hard to express feelings." The three of them talked for another 15 min about sports and work and what not and soon Olivia heard Alex call from up stairs, "Hey babe David just called they are about ten minutes out so can you start the food and throw on the steaks."
"Got it babe. You two fine gentlemen want to help me with the grill?"
"Led the way." By this point most of the family had gathered outside, the adults sitting around relaxing and talking, the lids in the pool. Olivia, Tom and JR stood around the grill and argued how best to cook the steaks. Alex smiled when she saw that; Olivia didn't have to try, she just fit into her family. Soon the remaining family members showed up and joined everyone outside. When the food was just about ready Alex asked Olivia to go get Samantha out of the pool house. Olivia handed the grill over to Tom and JR and went to search for the teenager. She knocked on the pool house door, but heard nothing so she went in.
"Samantha." Olivia saw the young girl on the couch reading with her ear phones in. Not wanting to scare her Olivia flicked the lights on and off to get her attention and it worked.
"Sorry I couldn't hear anything."
"No problem, Alex sent me in here to tell you that food is ready."
"That must make you the new girlfriend, Olivia."
"You've heard of me."
"All good things, Alex really loves you."
"Well, I really love you her too. You gonna come join us or are you going to keep hiding in here."
"How did you know I was hiding?"
"Because I did the same thing when I was 16 and wanted to get away from my mother."
"I just don't want to be around them right now, is that awful?"
"No, family time can be over whelming. I'll make you a deal though. If you come outside and eat, you can sit next to me and you don't have to hang out with your parents."
"What is the catch?"
"Later, when you feel comfortable talking about it, you come talk to me or Alex about what's eating you. Deal?"
"Deal."
As promised Sam sat in between Alex and Olivia and stayed away from her parents. Dinner conversation was filled with sports talk, family stories and the occasional mention of politics. As the children grew restless they ran off to go play and Olivia followed them. Soon she was being tackled by all the children and she was rolling on the ground playing games with them. Alex and her family smiled at the sight, not only had Liv won over the adults, but the kids all liked her. After a few hours passed it began to get cold so everyone moved inside. Sam told Olivia she would talk to her tomorrow and disappeared once again into the pool house.
While most of the adults went into the dining room, Kimberly went to go put Matthew to bed. Olivia could hear the baby crying and soon Kim appeared in the doorway of the kitchen asking her husband to come help her, the baby was still screaming in her arms.
Liv jumped up from the table, "let me try."
"Be my guest, but be warned he isn't wild about strangers." No sooner had she said the words and placed the baby in Olivia's arms then he stopped crying and snuggled into Olivia's chest.
"How did you do that?"
"Magic touch. I'll put him down go be with your family." Olivia took the baby into the living room where the younger kids were watching a movie.
Kim sat down with the rest of the family, "Alex you need to keep her, nobody has ever been able to do that with Matt before, it takes ten minutes for him to calm down with me. She really has a way with children."
"They don't call her the angel of SVU for nothing. She has always had this way with children. Her partner at work has five children and sometime she even shows him up, she just understands children and knows how to comfort them and show them that not all adults are going to hurt them. She wants to give other kids the chance she never got."
Everyone looked up from their coffee and dessert. Carol was the first one to say something, "What do you mean Alexandra? Did something happen to her when she was young?"
Alex knew this information should really come from Olivia, but this way it saved an awkward conversation later.
"You could say that. She told you her mother was a professor, well before she taught at Sienna, she was a student there. One night her mother was walking back to her apartment from the library and she was attacked from behind. He attacker raped her and took off. Nine months later Liv was born. Her mother couldn't stand that she was a constantly reminder of what happened to her so she drank, heavily. Soon the alcohol took over and she became abusive and took it out of Olivia. Liv couldn't ask for help or fight back until she was a teenager and by then the damage was done. She joined SVU to give women like her mother justice and to give kids the help she never got."
Alex looked up at the stunned faces of her family. Diana spoke first, "Oh my God Alexandra, I...I'm so sorry we brought it up earlier."
"It's ok you needed to know and now it's out there and we can forget I said anything."
Alex cousin Allison, spoke up, "does she want to have children of her own Alex?"
"I know she does, but she's afraid of how they would turn out, she's afraid of repeating her mother's bad parenting or of passing down some mutated DNA."
"Alex she is great with kids, just remind her of that and of how great she turned out, biology doesn't always dictate our futures, hell, if it did think how different your life would be."
Alex laughed because she knew Allison was right. David got up from the table to go check on the kids because it got really quiet in the living room all of a sudden. He returned a few moments later with a huge grin on his face.
"Alex, have you and Liv ever thought about having kids of your own?"
"At some point, sure, why?"
"Because I don't think she has to worry about being a good mother. You all need to come look in the living room."
Everyone got up from the table and went into the living room. Everyone stood still except Alex who moved to turn off the TV. Tears rolled down her cheek and everyone else's at the sight in front of them. Lying on the couch was a sleeping Olivia with Matthew sound asleep on her chest, Lily asleep in her lap, Ethan and William were asleep on the love seat and Rebecca was leaning against the couch asleep with Olivia's free arm wrapped around her and Amy was curled up in a ball at Olivia's feet. After everyone took a moment to compose themselves and of course take all the pictures one could ever hope to take, Kim moved to pick up Matthew from Olivia's chest, but Alex stopped her.
"Trust me, wake her up first or she will think someone is trying to attack the kids and you will lose that hand." Alex knelt down and kissed Liv on the forehead and gently rubbed her shoulder, "Liv, baby, wake up." Olivia slowly opened her eyes and realized that she had fallen asleep with the kids.
"Babe, before you move let us get the kids off you ok." Everyone grabbed their children and carried them upstairs, allowing Olivia to sit up still holding Matthew to her chest. Kim moved to take him.
"Do you mind if I put him down?"
"Of course not, go ahead." Olivia put the little baby boy in his crib and made her way back into the living room.
"Liv I think its past your bedtime. I think we are gonna hit the hay everyone. Goodnight."
Liv and Alex headed up stairs and before Alex could even get out of the bathroom, Liv was fast asleep on the bed, so Alex climbed in next to her, wrapped her arms around her and drifted off to sleep.
Ok, so to break down that family tree we have:
Uncle Bill and Aunt Carol
Children: Junior(JR) and Emily
Junior is married to Astrid (Children: Ethan and William)
Emily is married to Tom (Children: Samantha)
Uncle Peter and Aunt Diana
Children: David and Michael
David is married to Gina (No Children)
Michael is married to Allison(pregnant) (Children: Amy and Rebecca)
Alex's sister Kimberly and her husband Keith (Children: Lily and Matthew)