Just as Sophia was wondering who was going to help her zip up the back of her dress for her, there came a knock on her door.
"Sophia?" Olivia called out. "Is alright if I come in?"
"Sure." Sophia called back.
Olivia entered the room, and seeing the state of her offspring's appearance, she quickly shut the door behind her so Melissa or Noah couldn't wander in.
"Oh, mom, you're just in time." Sophia sighed in relief.
"I'll say. Let me zip you up."
Sophia stayed still while Olivia quickly zipped up the back of dress and straightened out the wrinkles. When she finished, and Sophia turned around, Olivia gasped.
Her daughter was dressed in a very cute 1950s-style rockabilly dress, fit for a night out. It was a deep, rich purple color with short sleeves and a square neckline that left just enough room for a necklace of some sort. There was also a bow on the side of the dress that Sophia had tied herself, and it gathered up the material of the dress just enough to show off the shape of her precious cargo. The dress skirt came down to Sophia's ankles, and seemed to flair out by itself, putting Olivia in the mind of a princess dress. Momentarily, Olivia wondered if Sophia had played dress-up as a child.
Sophia had also combed out her hair and straightened it out with her flat iron, leaving it free to cascade past her shoulders and down her back. Olivia had had never seen how long her daughter's hair was before. Mesemerizing was the word that came to mind.
It was also sinking in for Olivia just how much she and her daughter looked alike.
Sophia became self-conscious. "What?"
"You just look so beautiful, baby girl. I can't believe I made you."
"Mom, you softie."
"Hey, you'll have moments like this with your kids when they get bigger."
Sophia stomped her foot. "Two of my kids haven't been born yet, and Melissa turns four in January; don't go putting those thoughts in my head yet!"
"You said 'two of your kids.' You think of Casey's baby as yours?"
"I do." Sophia admitted, softening up. "I've even felt him move against me."
Olivia smiled at the dreamy look of motherly love on Sophia's face. She remembered full well of the unborn Sophia moving under her palms.
"Casey also thinks of this one," Sophia pointed to her middle. "As hers. You saw that Melissa thinks of Casey as her mother, and for me, I think of Casey as the woman I want to marry."
Olivia grinned and followed Sophia over to her bureau, atop which she kept her makeup. She stood by and watched her start applying it, wondering who had taught her how to use makeup, or if she'd taught herself.
"I'm really happy for you, Sophia Rose."
"Thanks, mom. Can I ask your opinion on something?"
"Of course."
"Do you think I'm moving too fast?"
Olivia knew what she meant and spoke thoughtfully. "Most people would say yes, but I personally can't go throwing stones about this."
"How come?"
"I've been in serious relationships before I pursued one with Alex, and I was very quick with one in particular… and young and naive."
"Those last two things often go hand-in-hand. What happened?"
Olivia sighed as memories came flooding back. "My mom was a college professor, and sometimes, I would hang around her classes. When I was sixteen, I fell for one of her students after knowing him for a month, and vice versa. I was sixteen, and he was a few years older than me. He proposed to me at the six-month mark, and I said yes."
"Oh, my God. What happened?"
"Oh, my mother was livid, and she may have thrown some things at me because her alcohol was often in control of her temper and aim back then."
Sophia made a sympathetic noise. "I've had foster parents like that."
"I was only engaged to him for a few days before I came around and decided to call it off, but since then, I've stopped being so judgmental of relationships unless I see a red flag, or I set myself up in red flag situations without meaning to. I see no red flags between you or Casey, just two people I love learning about about each other and making each other happy. If I saw a red flag at any point, I would object, and you'd both know."
Olivia looked to Sophia and saw that she was taking everything in.
"Does that answer your question?"
"It does, mom." she smiled at her. "I feel better."
Olivia saw that Sophia had paused with her makeup, so she said, "May I finish for you?"
"Yes, please."
As Olivia set about doing that, she asked her daughter a new question.
"So my birthday is in February, and you said Melissa's in January. So is Alex's; when exactly is Melissa's birthday?"
"January fifth."
Olivia chuckled. "That's Alex's birthday, too."
"Then we'll have to do something special. Where is Alex?"
"Holding Jesse, and watching Melissa and Noah play together. She's in Heaven." Olivia checked her watch and patted Sophia's shoulder. "I'll be right back, okay? Just keep getting ready."
"Alright."
Sophia wasn't alone for long when Olivia returned with a small square box that looked like it could contain jewelry.
"What's that?"
"I placed an order for this on the day you came back into my life, and now it's finally here."
Olivia set the box on the top of the dresser and opened the lid to reveal a necklace. It was a gold plate attached to a fine gold chain, and upon the plate was a word, but she didn't catch what it was because Olivia was already lifting it out and putting it around her neck for her.
"It says fearlessness." Olivia fixed Sophia's hair so it didn't get caught in the chain, and then began to finish her makeup. "I have this necklace, too. I've been through a lot in my life, Sophia: abuse, godawful injuries, and even two different kinds of PTSD."
Sophia staggered. "How did you survive?!"
"As long as I've been in the SVU, I've always had people in my life who have cared about me and for me, enough to do everything they could to help me out, or in some cases, find me and rescue me."
"Casey is one of those people, huh?"
"Yes, and you treat her right, you hear me?"
Sophia could never imagine lifting a hand to Casey, but still she said, "Yes. I hear you."
"Good girl." Olivia said. "One of the first memorable cases that Casey worked with us was about the topic of mental health, and at one point, I had a fight with her in her office about it. During the fight, she told me a story about how when she was your age, or a little bit younger, she was in a bad relationship with someone that was different like that, and it didn't end well. I've seen some of the scars, but I've always had the feeling that there's more."
"Oh, my God."
"I'll leave it to you to find out what happened, especially because there are other things I've seen her go through that damn near broke my heart. Casey's taught me so much in all of the years that I've known her, and she is genuinely one of the bravest and most fearless people I've ever met."
Understanding dawned on Sophia. "Casey gave you your fearlessness necklace, didn't she?"
"She did, and it wasn't long after the fight. It was an apology offering, and an offering for a clean slate."
"You guys been buddies ever since?"
"Yes, and she's one of the best people I've ever known." Olivia touched the chain of Sophia's necklace. "From the moment that I saw you laying there in your hospital bed, I just knew that I had to get you your own fearlessness necklace. I want you to wear it and live up to your own definition of the word."
By now, Olivia had finished up Sophia's makeup, so Sophia turned to face her again.
"I really love the necklace mom. Thank you; I'll wear it with so much pride."
"I'm so glad."
Sophia beamed and then said, almost shy, "Will you do my hair for me, too?"
"Oh, I would love to. Do you want anything in particular? Your hair is longer than mine."
"I just want something to keep it out of my face."
Olivia thought a moment, and then an idea popped into her head. "I have just the thing. Pass me your comb."
As Olivia worked on styling her daughter's hair into a fancy updo, the pair fell into conversation, but eventually, Sophia fell quiet again. She also kept touching the tattoo on her arm.
"How did you get your tattoo?" Olivia finally asked.
"I've seen the wonders of the world, but I've also seen the horrors of it, too." Sophia answered after a pause. "I've had more happen to me besides abuse and rape."
"Like what?"
"It was an accident, but on my eighteenth birthday, I was in the process of running away from my last foster care home because I'd aged out, and it was garbage, anyway. I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, and I saw my foster parents fighting. There was a gun involved, and I was in the line of fire. One of them shot me in the arm."
Flabbergasted, Olivia hung on to every word as Sophia recounted the story for her, the way she'd told it to Amanda and Alex.
"How did you survive, Sophia?" Olivia said when she was done.
"Sheer determination and willpower to finish my rehabilitation, even though I was homeless by that point. If I'd given in, I would have had to have my arm amputated." Sophia tapped her tattoo again. "This is where I was shot, and I do have a scar, but I chose to cover it with Melissa's name because she's my baby."
"Of course."
Hair completed, the Bensons faced each other again.
"I'm so proud of you, and you are so brave, and so strong." Olivia caressed Sophia's cheeks. "You're a survivor, and that's an amazing accomplishment, all by itself."
"Thank you."
Sophia was burning with more questions to ask Olivia, but she reigned herself in and checked the time.
"It's just seven-forty now." she said. "I've got twenty minutes."
"Do you have something to keep your phone in?"
"Yep! I have a clutch in my closet; one moment."
With Olivia's help, Sophia soon had the rest of the things she needed for her night out to the gala with Casey.
Butterflies in her stomach, Sophia headed out into the living room, just behind her mother.
Announcing her, Olivia said, "Here she is!"
Noah was playing with his toys, while Melissa sat on the couch with Alex, looking at her picture dictionary. Jesse was fast asleep, curled up in Alex's lap. She'd played for about ten minutes before asking to be held. Once she felt settled with Alex, she dropped right off to sleep.
Nevertheless, while Jesse slept, Alex, Noah, and Melissa paused in their activities and looked up, each in joy or astonishment.
"Mommy," Melissa breathed. "You're so pretty."
"Thank you." Sophia said sincerely, then turning her attention to her brother. "Noah, what do you think, buddy?"
He just stared.
Alex chimed in, "You look great, Sophia. The dress even brings out your bracelet."
Sophia shook the wrist with her silver medical ID bracelet, and it clinked and jangled. "You think so, Alex?"
"I do." Alex turned sly. "Also, Casey's favorite color is purple."
Sophia met Alex's expression with a slier one. "That's exactly why I chose this dress."
Olivia coughed pointedly, reminding them she was still there, but she didn't say anything.
"Oh, don't you start." Alex admonished. "I wear green for you, and you wear blue for me, so why shouldn't Sophia wear purple for Casey?"
The truth was, even in the short time that Sophia had been back in her mother's life, Olivia had grown to love her like she'd never given her up, and as a result, was feeling the kinds of feelings that a parent had when they were sending their child off to a landmark, coming-of-age event, like the prom. If Olivia was already this emotional over something like seeing Sophia off on a date, she couldn't imagine what she'd be like when she was giving her away on her wedding day.
Luckily, Olivia was saved by the doorbell ringing at the precise moment she opened her mouth.
"I'll get it!"
She was all to happy to get the door.
