Casey laid in bed, propped up against a stack of her favorite pillows. Her hands were folded across her stomach, and her eyes were closed as she thought about what she was about to do. She had talked to Olivia mere moments ago, and suggested they go to her parents' and tell them about their marriage. Casey had confessed that she felt strange hiding the fact that she was married from her own parents. It sounded simple, telling them. If only that was how things really were.

The Novaks were a family with more money and power than most people dreamed about. Casey had grown up accustomed to being under constant criticism from her parents. They had always wanted to know why she hung out with certain people, and had insisted on knowing where she was at every minute of every day. Now things were about to become extremely tangled, a fact that Casey had already prepared herself for. She certainly could not say "Mom, Dad, I know you haven't seen me in a while, and here's why: I'm gay, and oh yeah, I'm married with a child who just happens to have been fathered by my ex boyfriend." The attorney shuddered at the thought of that conversation. Her tightly wound mother would probably have an aneurism. And her father, well...that was a nightmare she did not want to face. Being blunt about things was definitely not an option.

"Case?" As Casey pulled out of her thoughts, she noticed Olivia standing in front of her. The detective wore a pair of black dress slacks, matching boots, and a dark blue top. Casey could see that she was trying to impress her parents, and her heart warmed at the thought. "Hey, sweetie. Are you ready?"

Casey looked down at her own choice of clothing. She had paired a simple black dress with matching heels. Her long red curls were bouncy and voluminous. Most people would have considered it odd that they were so dressed up just for a night with the family, but in Casey's family, appearances were everything. Remembering Olivia's question, the redhead nodded, and stood up from the bed slowly. She retrieved her purse and the diaper bag from the other side of the bed, where she had placed them after packing them. Slinging both over her shoulder, she entered the nursery and gently lifted her sleeping daughter out of her crib. "Is the car seat hooked up?"

"Yes," Olivia answered, smiling as Casey turned around to face her. "Everything is ready, Casey. Please stop stressing so much. I'm here for you, and you know that."

"I know," Casey murmured apologetically. "I'm ready," she added, shifting Samantha in her arms. The baby let out a sleepy yawn. Casey smiled softly. "Here we go."
An hour later, Olivia pulled into the driveway in front of Casey's parents' enormous home, which could easily have been classified under the mansion category. Casey sighed, looking out the window at the perfectly manicured hedges, and the picture perfect lawn. Feeling Olivia take her hand, she knew the brunette was trying to reassure her, and it helped...somewhat. Silently, the two women shared a quick kiss before stepping out of the car. Casey opened the back door and took Samantha out of her car seat. She was still asleep. Closing the car door, Casey walked to Olivia's side, and together, they ascended the steps in front of the enormous home in front of them. Taking a deep breath, Casey reached for the brass knocker and tapped it against the door. She had a key, but she was far from willing to risk using it.

Within moments, the front door opened, revealing Anita, the family's housekeeper. Casey bit her lip hard as Anita pounced on her, hugging her and remarking that she hadn't seen her in over a year and so on and so forth. Casey was used to the unnecessary fussing, as she had grown up with Anita. "Anita," she began, attempting to keep her voice even through her nerves. "Are Mom and Dad home?"

Anita nodded, stepping aside to allow her to enter. She stared first at the baby, then Olivia. "You brought a friend, Casey. She's much too thin. You need food," she added, looking directly at Olivia. "And when did you have a baby? Is this what you've been up to? Where's the daddy?"

Casey and Olivia shared a quick glance when Anita's back was turned. "Um." Casey swallowed hard. "Anita, it's sort of complicated. I wanted to tell everyone at the same time, over dinner."

"Okay, well, I'll tell Jessica to cook for six." Jessica was the family's cook. Anita looked at Casey. "Your father is in his study and your mother is in the living room debating between paint samples. I'll go talk to Jessica. You go see your mother."

Casey nodded, too nervous to put up much of a discussion. As Anita bustled away, heading toward the kitchen, Casey led Olivia to two enormous oak doors at the opposite end of the foyer. This was the living room. Pushing the doors open, Casey entered, and immediately noticed her mother sitting on one of the leather sofas, her legs crossed demurely as she studied paint samples laid neatly on the coffee table. "Mom?" Casey asked tentatively.

Deanna Novak looked up, her mouth a straight line that curled into the tiniest smile when she saw that it was her daughter. With red hair, creamy skin, and dark green eyes, it was obvious that she was Casey's mother. "Casey!" she exclaimed. "You go a year without calling, and then out of the blue, you appear." Deanna's gaze fell upon Olivia. "And who is this?" she inquired.

"Mom, this is Olivia Benson. Olivia, this is my mother, Deanna Novak."

Olivia extended her hand in a show of friendship. "It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Novak. You have a lovely daughter. I've heard great things about you. Casey speaks very highly of you."

"I'm sure she has," Deanna replied, shaking Olivia's hand and gesturing to the pitcher of tea on the coffee table. "Jessica has made fresh tea. There are lemons and extra sugar. Help yourself." She looked at Casey. "You look like hell, Casey. What have you been up to? Where is Chance?"

Casey felt her mouth suddenly go dry. Her knees felt weak and the room seemed to spin before her. It was a sign that she was about to pass out. Olivia, however, reached out and stabilized her. Casey felt her bottom lip tremble, and knew she was about to cry. "Chance is gone," she admitted.

"Gone?" Deanna repeated, the disapproval in her voice nearly tangible. "Am I to assume he left because of her?" she demanded, gesturing to Samantha. "What did you do to that nice man, Casey?"

Casey shifted her daughter in her arms. "Mom, please," she began. She had fought back her tears but she knew that they could fall at any moment. She had forgotten that her parents didn't know what had happened with Chance. "I need to talk to you," she blurted. "You and Dad."

"About what?" demanded a voice that hadn't previously spoken. Casey looked behind her. Her father had entered the room. He walked over to the couch and sat down beside his wife. "Anita said you wanted to speak over dinner, but I want you to start talking right now. I, like your mother, am wondering why you are here, with a child in your arms and no husband. Where is he?"

"He's dead," Casey blurted, the frustration with her parents consuming her. She wished desperately that they could understand. As their jaws parted in shock, and Deanna let out an indignant squeak, Casey sighed and launched into the explanation. "You two think he was an amazing guy. He was good looking, and when he was around other people, he treated me like a princess. He fooled you into thinking your daughter had found the perfect man. But when we got home every night, he beat me and raped me, and it was hell. And you know what? Olivia caught him, once. That's how he ended up in prison in the first place. But he got out! And it started all over again. Sure, eventually, he went back, but the damage was done. I was pregnant, my boyfriend was in jail for getting me pregnant, and I was alone. Olivia saved me. She's the one who got him locked up both times. She's the one who comforted me when I got the call that said that he had been raped and murdered in his cell. She's the one who stayed with me through the entire ordeal, and understood, and listened. She's the one who held me when I cried, when I woke up with nightmares so vivid that I was convinced they were real. If it weren't for Olivia, you would be visiting my grave site right now." Casey looked away, too afraid to look at her parents' faces. She could only imagine the horror etched into their skin.

Taking a deep breath, the attorney exhaled slowly and continued. "Olivia saved my life. We ended up together, and for the first time in I don't know how long, I felt happy, loved, and safe. With Chance, those words weren't even in my vocabulary. And when Olivia proposed...I said yes. And now I'm her wife, and Samantha is our daughter. And I came here hoping my parents loved me enough to be supportive, but the more I talk, the more I realize that it was foolish on my part." For the first time since she began explaining, she looked at her parents, who were staring blankly at something on the far wall. Something imaginary, Casey knew.

Deanna sucked in a breath of air, and finally looked at her daughter. Casey felt like an insect specimen in a jar. "Casey, honey, we understand that Chance hurt you, but there is always another choice. You certainly did not have to choose to be a...lesbian." She whispered the last word, as if just saying it meant she would be subject to eternal damnation.

"There's a really good looking boy at the country club. His name is Andrew. He is forty two and he is looking for a wife. I'm sure you would like him," her father countered.

That was too much. It was the last straw. Casey let out the pent up scream that had been building ever since she arrived, and stood up quickly, though carefully, so she wouldn't drop Samantha. "Are you hearing me?" she cried. "I'M ALREADY MARRIED. OLIVIA IS MY WIFE. SORRY FOR NOT ADDING THE WORD HUSBAND TO THE END OF THAT SENTENCE. SORRY TO DISAPPOINT YOU, BUT SHE'S A WOMAN, AND I LOVE HER, AND IF THAT MEANS BEING EXILED FROM THIS FAMILY, FINE. BECAUSE I HAVE NO DESIRE TO BE A NOVAK IF ALL IT MEANS IS BEING A FREAKING HYPOCRITE."

"Casey, honey, please calm down. No one is exiling you. We're just a bit shocked. Can you blame us? Our daughter just told us that she's a lesbian now, and a married one at that." Deanna stood up. "Steven, come help me choose some samples. I have more in our bedroom," she said, gesturing to Casey's father. "Casey, get ready for dinner. Wash up, and tell Olivia to do so too. Dinner is at six sharp. Don't be late." Her warning lingering in the air, Deanna waltzed out, her husband close behind.

Now that they were alone, Casey looked at Olivia, her emerald eyes sparkling with the tears she had been fighting for the last quarter of an hour. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"Casey, I am more than honored that you introduced me to your family. Whether they approve or not is not relevant to me. Sure it would be nice if they approved of us, but you're my wife, and no one is going to change that, not even your parents." Olivia wrapped her arms around Casey and held her tightly. Casey breathed in the scent of her wife's cologne and sighed. "I love you," she whispered tearfully. And then she looked down at her daughter, who had woken up in response to the screaming. "And I love you, Samantha," she murmured. "No one can hurt the Benson family."