The Donor
A/N: This was inspired from a movie my husband and I watched this weekend, it will not follow the rest of the movie though. Please be aware this is a light-hearted story, but it will involve a sperm donor pregnancy. If this is against your beliefs or bothers you, please don't read. English is not my first language so bare with me if they're mistakes. Although I have 4 children, I don't know the laws or procedures in New York City, for having children, using a donor, so I'm taking some liberties here. Canon up to mid season 8 after they're on better footing.
TW: For possible consent issues in the future. If you've seen The Switch (2010, starring Jason Bateman and Jennifer Anniston) than you know what event I'm referring to. This warning will be in affect for chapter 2. If this topic bothers you, please don't read this story or skip chapter 2. No physical assault takes place. This story is light hearted and inspired by a comedy!
Summary: After coming home from Oregon and fixing the damaged relationships in her life, Olivia decides she's finally ready for something more. Not wanting to waste anymore time, she picks out a sperm donor in order to have a baby. Unbeknownst to her, her partner isn't as happy with her choices as he's pretending to be. Will he just be Uncle Elliot? Or something more?
Disclaimer: I don't own SVU or The Switch, just for fun.
"Come on Liv, open the damn door!" Elliot exclaimed while pounding on the door to his partner's apartment. He was running late to pick her up, after getting stuck behind an accident in the early Manhattan traffic. His morning coffee had caught up to him halfway to her apartment, even though they lived only 10 minutes from each other. He could have walked to her apartment in less time than it took to drive the cruiser.
The door suddenly whipped open in front of him, "Where's the fire?" Olivia asked him as he pushed his way inside her apartment, ducking underneath her arm.
"Bathroom," Elliot called over his shoulder.
Olivia tried to make a grab for his arm as he rushed by, but he was already speed walking through her bedroom door when he noticed the mess on her bed.
Her duvet was covered in papers. File after file of men's faces staring back up at him.
Stopping abruptly inside her bedroom, he felt Olivia plough into his back, "What is all this? Are you working a cold case?"
Elliot racked his brain trying to think, wondering if he was forgetting a major case they were working on.
Olivia quickly moved to her bed, "Uh, no this is, it's nothing work related, don't worry."
Elliot quirked an eyebrow, watching her rush to close and organize the folders, "Who are they? Some kinda weird dating service?" he joked.
He watched his partner bite her lip, placing the files in her bedside table.
"Liv?"
"Something like that," Olivia confessed, turning to finally address him.
"What the hell does that mean?"
Olivia sighed, rubbing her knuckle along her temple. A habit he had noticed eight years ago.
"This isn't how I wanted to tell you, but I've decided I don't want to wait any longer for Mister Right. I want children Elliot, I want a family. So I've picked out a donor and I'm going to do artificial insemination."
Elliot couldn't help it as his jaw descended towards the floor. He knew his partner always wanted children, so that part didn't come as a surprise. He always thought she'd make an amazing mother too, but a donor? A random stranger on the street was going to be her baby's father. Jaw dropped and eyebrows furrowed, he realized too late that he wasn't talking and he hadn't schooled his facial response either.
Olivia rolled her eyes, "Let me guess you don't approve, I don't know why I thou-"
"No, I mean, yes I do!" Elliot interrupted. "I just, I'm sorry, no I think this is good, great even! You've uh, already picked someone then?"
Olivia nodded.
"That's great, yeah, uh so when? I uh, when are you going to do it then?" Elliot inquired.
"Um well actually hopefully I'll be doing it next weekend, with the donor," Olivia explained crossing her arms.
Elliot raised an eyebrow, flushing red, "I, sorry I don't understand, you don't actually sleep with the donor!?"
Olivia rolled her eyes, "Look, they have the option of an open donation, so you can talk to the guy, get to know him, make sure he's who I want. Then after a thorough medical checkup he does a fresh donation which, I uh take home and then insert manually. They're instruments and stuff, positions, etcetc, I'm sure you don't want all those details…" Olivia trailed off.
"Oh, so your not just sleeping with some stranger off the street, good that's uh good I guess," Elliot shrugged.
Olivia frowned, "Did you seriously think that's something I would do? I work SVU for Christ sake's Stabler!"
Not realizing his misstep, Elliot snorted, "Come on Liv, from what I've heard and witnessed it's not like you're a stranger to one night stands."
Elliot looked up to see a horrified expression on his partner's face.
"Are you for real?" Olivia asked with a tremble in her voice. "We're not talking about a night of animalistic sex. I'm talking about someone to father my baby! I'm not just gonna grab the best looking guy at a bar, and screw you for condemning me for doing so in the past by the way!" She moved to stomp out of her room, slapping his hand away when he made to grasp her elbow.
"Liv wait that's not-"
"Use the damn bathroom Elliot and lets go, we're already an hour late thanks to you."
"I was stuck in traffic it's not like I had a choice," he tried to explain.
"Whatever, just, do what you gotta do, I'm done with this conversation and I'd appreciate if you kept it to yourself for now. I've informed Cragen, and Casey and Mel know."
"Why do Casey and Melinda know?" Elliot could understand her telling Cragen but the attorney and medical examiner, left him baffled.
"They helped me narrow down my choices in donors," she explained, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"Hmph," Elliot muttered noncommittally, turning and walking towards her bathroom.
"Liv," Elliot paused before going through the door, "If this makes you happy then I really am happy for you, and I'll be there for you, every step of the way."
Olivia gave him a small smile, "Really?"
Elliot nodded, "What are partners for? I can't count high enough to account for the number of times you've helped me with my kids. Anything you or Benson Jr needs, I'm here for you, day or night."
"Yeah, I'm sure that'll go over well with your wife," Olivia chuckled.
Elliot frowned, "Ex-wife," he flashed his ringless hand at her, "Remember? Happily separated, single dad here. Papers signed. Just waiting to be processed I think."
"Right," Olivia mumbled, "Still getting use to that. Thank you El."
Elliot tried to give her a wide smile but inside he felt queasy.
He entered her bathroom and shut the door.
"Breathe, just breathe," Elliot whispered, slamming his hands against her counter.
How was this happening? He meant it when he said if she was happy he was happy for her, but this wasn't how he imagined her becoming a mother.
Elliot groaned and hung his head, unable to look at himself in the mirror as he pictured in his mind how he really thought about how she could become a mother. He was ashamed and felt slightly guilty that the idea of her having kids with him, was not some fresh thought, but rather one that he had dreamt about years prior, even worse while he was still married.
He remembered thinking she'd make a great mother one day, when he witnessed her interacting with his own young children, very early in their partnership, but the fantasy really grew when he first saw her holding a baby during one of their cases. He had a dream that night as he slept on the couch after another argument with his wife. She had been glowing during her pregnancy and even more so during motherhood, once their baby had arrived. The perfect combination of them. When he woke up he remembered the first thing he felt was disappointed, followed by shame and guilt.
Things were different now. They had been through so much together. Eight long years together but still he thought he had time. For what he wasn't sure. They had reconciled since she got back from Oregon. It had taken months but they were finally in a good place and communicating again.
He knew his feelings for his partner ran deep. Yes, he could admit she was a beautiful, gorgeous woman, but he was no longer in denial, he had very real, very deep feelings for Olivia. But they were finally getting along so well again that he didn't want to rock the boat. So he stayed close but kept his feelings to himself.
Had he waited too long? He couldn't spring his thoughts on her now. She'd think it was because of this baby thing and it wasn't. She'd accuse him of not wanting her to be tied to another man, and that couldn't be further from the truth right now. He just wanted his chance with her, he was tired of seeing her come down the stairs at the precinct, dressed to impress for some other schumck. Okay, so maybe he was a jealous asshole too.
"Shit," Elliot exclaimed. He turned towards her toilet, after a quick glimpse at his watch, telling him they were going to be very late to the crime scene.
"You almost done?" he heard her voice call through the door.
"Out in a minute!" he shouted back.
Quickly washing his hands Elliot took a couple deep, relaxing breaths. "You can do this, you're happy for her, happy for Olivia."
-:-:-:-:-
"So uh, who, who is he? Who'd you choose?" Elliot asked as he drove them to the precinct. He called Cragen when they got down to the cruiser, to tell him that he got caught behind an accident. Cragen told him to come back to the station.
"Uh, his name is Manny, he's half Italian, half Jamaican. He works for JPL, on planetary robotic spacecraft-"
"Wait, your baby's father is an actual rocket scientist? Are you kidding me?" Elliot interrupted.
Olivia shrugged, "I'm not a genius, his 160 IQ impressed me, and he competes in Ironman's during his spare time."
Elliot snorted, "Unbelievable, and let me guess he feeds the homeless and reads to the elderly on Sundays after church."
"Why are you being facetious?" Olivia scowled.
"I'm not, it's just, shit Liv, one person can't have it all okay, so fine maybe he's a freaking athletic genius, I don't know, maybe to compensate he's ugly as hell and has a shitty personality. And by the way you're not stupid, you're one of the smartest people I know, you flew through the academy. You always get the best scores on our promotional tests, you're no slouch in the brain department Benson. And don't get me started in the looks…" Elliot trailed off as he came to a sudden stop at a red light, trying not to dwell on his beautiful partner.
"What is that suppose to mean?" Olivia inquired, her voice low and questioning.
Elliot snorted, "Let's just say, I hope the kid looks like you."
Olivia's face softened at his obvious compliment.
"And speaks like you, and thinks like you, and acts like you, God help us if it's a girl, when she's a teenager, well luckily we both carry a gun…."
"What?"
Elliot blushed, he hadn't meant to say those things out loud. "Uh anyways, so why this Manny guy, just cause he's smart and athletic?"
Olivia squirmed in the seat next to him. "Well I wanted someone who looked like me too, you know, so I could maybe see myself in my child. I know part of the reason, part of the problem with my mother and I was that we looked nothing alike, so I went for someone with darker skin. Jet black hair, brown eyes too, so there's hopefully little or no chance they won't have those features too, not that I would love them any less," Olivia tried to explain quickly.
Elliot nodded, "There's nothing wrong with wanting to see a part of you in your child Liv." He tried to reassure her, "To be honest, I would have loved to see more of myself but other than my eyes, they all seem to be mini Kathy's, with their blonde hair and complexions. It's normal, I promise you."
Olivia nodded, "Thanks."
"Uh, so that means you've seen a picture of this guy?"
"Mmhm."
Elliot prodded, "Anddddddddddd?"
Olivia shrugged, "He's definitely not ugly, 35, good shape, 6 ft 2 inches, curly black hair."
"Hmph," Elliot grunted as he pulled into the station.
Olivia turned to look him in the eyes as she undid her seatbelt, "Thank you for supporting this, you don't know how much it means to me, really."
Elliot swallowed past the lump in his throat, and the hesitancy in his heart, "Always, partner's for life, remember?"
Olivia gave him a water eyed smile, "Partner's for life."
They exited the car and made their way into the precinct and up to the squad room where they were greeted with organized chaos.
"About time," yelled Cragen, "You're waiting to hear from the CSU and Melinda." He slammed his door, going back into his office and picking up his ringing phone before they could even sit down.
"Okay then…" Elliot murmured, walking to his desk with Olivia, where Casey was sitting waiting for them.
"And you?" Elliot asked, raising an eyebrow at her.
"Good morning to you too, actually I waited to talk to Liv, it's a private matter Stabler," Casey snarked back at him.
Olivia sighed, sometimes those two were like bickering children, "He knows Casey, I told him this morning."
Casey gasped, "He knows about Manly Manny?"
Olivia chuckled and Elliot scowled, "Yes, he knows, now what about him?"
"I'm throwing you a party, just a small get together of your closest friends, before you, you know, baste the turkey, next weekend, and Manny has RSVPd! I can't wait to meet him!" Casey squealed, clapping her hands together.
"Casey are you crazy?!" Olivia exclaimed, while trying to keep her voice down.
"What, you said you wanted to meet him?" Casey replied.
"Yes I want to meet him, but not the night I plan to, you know…" Olivia trailed off.
"Benson he's only here for a six month project, so if you don't want your first time meeting him to be that night, then just meet up with him sometime this week, just to be sure, cause girl, shit he's perfect!" Casey laughed.
Elliot frowned, "Nobody's perfect, have either of you even run a background on this guy?"
It seemed they had forgotten he was even standing there because both their heads suddenly whipped around to him with a questioning stare.
"Duh…" Casey whispered. "Perfectly clean, one parking ticket when he was 22, paid in full. Anyways, Stabler, Benson's apartment, next Saturday, 5pm, be there!" Casey stood from Olivia's desk, collecting her things.
"Really Casey…" Olivia sighed.
"Get use to it Benson. People fawn over pregnant women. Embrace the attention," Casey said in a sing song voice. "Later, Stabler!"
Elliot rolled his eyes as the red headed attorney walked past him, as he sat down at his desk, peering over at his flustered partner.
"If you really don't want the party just tell her," Elliot grumbled.
Olivia shook her head, "It's fine."
Elliot paused before he said his next thought, already knowing she wouldn't like it, "You're not really gonna go meet this total stranger by yourself right?"
He knew the minute he said it she'd get defensive, and he was right, as her arms folded across her chest, accidentally calling attention to her chest, and one eyebrow flew up her forehead.
"Yes as a matter of fact I am, I've already emailed him a few times."
"Emailing a stranger and meeting one are two totally different things. I didn't realize you were already so far along in the process, I mean really what's left at this point?" Elliot groused.
"Meeting him to be sure, and getting his donation next Saturday before the party, that's what's left," Olivia replied sternly.
"Hmmm, well, that's great and all but I'm just saying if you want someone to go with you when you meet this guy-"
"Oh yeah, cause that wouldn't scare him off or change his mind at all, you would never intimidate someone," Olivia spat sarcastically.
Elliot narrowed his eyebrows, "I would do anything to keep you safe and make sure this guy was legit. I'm not gonna apologize for looking out for you."
"Is that what we're calling it? Looking out for me?" Olivia questioned. "Are you looking out for me when you question, intimidate, and run a background on every guy I date?"
Across from her Elliot's jaw came unhinged, he couldn't believe she was actually calling him on his jealous ways. They were caught in some kind of stare down, neither looking away, he was caught in the emotions in her eyes, but before he could open his mouth to respond, "Forget it," Olivia said in a soft voice.
"Just forget it," Olivia sighed, standing up and shaking her head.
Elliot watched her walk away, was that his chance? Was that where he was suppose to come clean and confess his feelings. "Shit!" Elliot exclaimed.
A/N: This won't follow The Switch (2010) completely, there will be a time jump at some point though. Bit of a slow burn. Please be nice. Beta'd but any mistakes still mine.