"You okay?"

"Yeah."

But Brad's gaze burned her neck, and a vague flame of nervousness had ignited inside her.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Violet was still free from school the next day, and Elliot had stayed home with her. However, they were supposed to go to the school in the afternoon to discuss the bullying of Violet with the school staff, Daniel and his father. Olivia had had to go to work because Munch was sick, and no one else had time to go with Fin to pick up the suspect from his apartment.

Olivia was just about to leave to the school when Cragen called her to his office. She glanced at the clock, thinking she would have time to stay for another five minutes. She walked into her captain's office and closed the door behind her.

"Hi Olivia," Cragen waved his hand to asking her to sit. "How are you?"

"I…" She sighed and sat down. "You know, I've been better."

Cragen looked at her compassionately. "How's Violet?"

"Still a little upset," Olivia bit her lip. "I'm just about to leave to the school to meet her teacher, the principal, the school psychologist, the school social worker, Daniel, his father… By the way, have you heard anything about Brad Harrolds?"

Cragen frowned. "No, I haven't. Who's he?"

"He's Daniel's father. He…"

"Has he done something?" Cragen's voice suddenly had a worried tone, and Olivia shook her head.

"Not exactly. He just… Something bothers me. They have moved here from Texas, and he says he has worked as a lawyer there, but I don't know…"

"I can check it when I have time," he promised, and Olivia glanced at her watch again.

"Thank you, Cap. I'm sorry, I have to go now," she stood up and Cragen nodded. However, when she was about to grab the door handle, she heard her captain's voice behind her:

"You know, Liv… You can't protect her from everything."

Olivia stopped and closed her eyes. Then she turned to look at Cragen, smiling sadly.

"I know. And that is why it hurts so much."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Olivia arrived at the school just in time and met Elliot and Violet in the hallway. They turned to look at her at the same time, and two similar pairs of blue eyes looked at her as she leaped towards her family.

"Hi," she pressed a kiss first on her daughter's head and then on Elliot's lips. "Am I late? Cragen wanted to talk to me and I…"

"No, the school staff is still talking to Daniel and his father."

"Good," she sighed and then turned her gaze to Violet: "How's your wrist today?"

"It itches," the girl raised her hand to show it to her mother.

"I know, sweetheart, but you can't take it off." Then she lifted her daughter's hand gently to take a closer look at her cast. "Who drew a heart on this?"

"Dad," Violet glanced at her father with bright eyes, and Olivia turned to look at Elliot with a smile.

"Really? It's cute."

"It's cute like my little daughter," Elliot ruffled Violet's hair, and the girl jumped farther.

"Hey!" She straightened her hair with her hand. "I'm not a little!"

"No, you're not anymore," Olivia smiled, and a little sadness flashed in her smile. At times, she felt like it had only been yesterday when the doctor had told her she was pregnant. Even though she had a dangerous job, and her life hadn't been a mere fairy tale, she had been more terrified than ever before in her life. How long she had hoped to have a child, and had almost given up hope… But here she was now standing, her blue eyes shining and her brown hair messy from ruffling, half her, half Elliot.

If someone had told her 10 years ago, that she was going to live in Queens with Elliot and their common daughter, she would have taken him directly to a psychologist appointment. Not that the thought wouldn't have pleased her, vice versa. It would have felt like a utopia, something that only happens in a parallel universe, something she didn't even dare dream of. But here she was now, watching her family, which she would never have thought possible.

"What are you thinking about?" Elliot asked, and Olivia still found herself smiling. She shrugged.

"You know… Things," she replied, referring to their nightly conversation the day Violet was found from the cupboard, and Elliot gave a laugh.

"Sounds familiar."

But then the classroom door opened, and Daniel stepped out after his father. Violet instinctively backed slightly behind Elliot.

"Hello," Brad's face brightened when he saw Olivia, and Elliot looked like he wanted to beat the man's ass right away. However, Violet, who was holding his hand, prevented all his intentions.

"And we meet again," Olivia growled and immediately entered the class. Elliot gently pushed his daughter from the back to follow her, and he himself glared at Daniel and Bran, gritting his teeth. Brad looked after Olivia, but Daniel stared at the floor quietly, not even glancing at Violet. Something in the boy's expression made Elliot frown, but then he closed the class door behind him.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After Violet had told the teacher, the principal, the school social worker, and the school psychologist about the events from her own perspective, Daniel and his father were invited in. The boy still didn't look at Violet as he sat down on a chair, but Brad tried to make eye contact with Olivia, who avoided his gaze.

"Okay, we've now heard both sides' versions of what happened," the principal began. "Both have said that there has been some disputing between them before the situation escalated and…"

"Disputing?" Elliot raised his eyebrows. "I think Daniel started harassing Violet for no reason!"

"Is that right, Daniel?" The principal looked at the boy, who was looking at the floor. "Did Violet do something to you?"

Daniel seemed hesitant for a moment, but then shook his head.

"So why did you start then?"

"I… I don't like her," the was a quiet answer. The teacher frowned.

"But why?" She asked. "Has she done something to you before?"

"No. She's just annoying."

Elliot's hands clenched, and Olivia lowered her hand soothingly on his hand. Now's not the time.

"Daniel," the school social worker said. "You can't treat anyone badly just because you don't like them. If there is nothing wrong with Violet, you…"

"But there is!" Daniel snapped suddenly.

"Okay, tell me."

"Every time I see her, she's like "look at me, I'm so perfect! Even my dad came back to me!" But she isn't! She's annoying and ugly, and…" Suddenly Daniel's eyes filled with tears and the school psychologist looked at him intently.

"Daniel, is this because of your mother?"

Everyone in the class fell silent, and Elliot looked questioningly at Olivia, who looked like the pieces were falling into place in her head. He had seen that same look countless times before. Daniel's voice was barely more than a whisper as he asked, with tears rolling down his cheeks:

"Why did her father come back, but my mom doesn't? Why is she better than me?"

"Daniel, this isn't about Violet or you," Olivia's soft voice broke the silence that had landed in the class a few seconds after the boy's question. "You can't be mean to Violet because her father came back. It was Elliot's choice, not hers. And the fact that your mother hasn't come back isn't your fault. It's her choice, and she didn't do the right thing."

Elliot felt the guilt in his chest knife-sharp, and he glanced at his daughter, who was staring at her hands. What if she hadn't been kidnapped? Would I still know nothing about her existence? Suddenly he felt a lump in his throat, and he had to bite his lip so that tears didn't well up in his eyes.

"She's right," the principal nodded. "No child is responsible for what their parents do. The actions of their parents do not make children any better or worse. Do you understand?"

Daniel nodded weakly without lifting his gaze from the floor, and the principal turned her gaze to Violet.

"And you…" I'm so sorry what happened to you. Daniel will be punished, and we will interview his friends tomorrow. But I want you to understand too, that what you told him about his father and your mother, was not right. You may hurt someone with your words a lot if you don't know what he's going through. But still, under no circumstances, is it right to hurt someone physically, or especially to lock her in a dark cupboard," the principal addressed her last sentence to Daniel.

Violet glanced at Olivia, who nodded. "I'm sorry," the girl said quietly. "I shouldn't have said it, I was just really angry."

Tears blurred Olivia's eyes, because she was so proud of her daughter. Daniel nodded instead, but said nothing, and the principal sighed:

"Daniel, I'm expecting you to promise this won't happen again, and you'll leave Violet alone. Is it clear?"

"Yeah," there was a quiet answer.

"Alright, if no one has anything else to say at the moment, I would like Daniel and Mr. Harrolds to stay with us to discuss the punishment and follow-up. Miss Benson and Mr. Stabler, we will contact you later."

Olivia and Elliot nodded and stood up. Brad also got up and held out his hand.

"I want to say one more time that I'm sorry. I hope I can compensate this for you somehow," he looked Olivia straight in the eye, who stared defiantly back at him.

"Thank you, but we're fine. The best thing you can do is help your son," she glanced at Daniel, who was still sitting quietly on his chair, staring at his feet. Then she turned to look at her daughter and held out her hand to her, but the girl was still staring at the boy. She swallowed, and walked slowly to him, first taking the pen off the table.

"Hi, um…" She hesitated, and Daniel looked up at her questioningly. "Would you like to… Draw something to my cast?"

Daniel looked at her for a moment but then shook his head. "I can't draw."

"Oh, okay," Violet replied, dropping her pen-holding hand. Then she looked at her parents uncertainly, and Olivia felt her heart exploding with love. The girl started to walk towards them, but then there was Daniel's voice.

"But thank you anyway."

Violet glanced at him in surprise, and a small smile spread across her face. And to everyone's surprise, a smile flashed on Daniel's face as well.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A week had passed since Olivia, Elliot and Violet had been at school discussing about Violet. Based on interviews and reports from police, the bullying had been classified as serious, and Daniel and his friends had gotten detention for a month. In addition, Daniel had been expelled from school for a couple of weeks.

Sarah had come back to school and was shocked at what had happened to her friend. Even if the other students continued to mock her from time to time, with Daniel's absence, the energy from it had disappeared, and Violet liked school again quite tolerably.

The fall ballet classes had started again, and it was Elliot's turn to take his daughter to class. He parked the car in front of the ballet school, and the girl grabbed her bag from the back seat.

"You've got everything?" He asked and Violet nodded.

"Yes, Mom and I packed everything yesterday. We'll be late soon!"

The girl's excitement made Elliot gave a laugh, and he locked the car doors, as he set out to walk after his daughter. She was bouncing in front of him, her brown curls waving, and he sighed contently.

But then it all happened like in a slow-motion movie.

A crippling pain struck his chest, causing his legs to almost collapse. The feeling was familiar, too familiar, and he instinctively pressed his hand against his chest.

Blood.

Bullet hole.

The world is spinning.

Pain.

Violet.

Instinctively, he grabbed his daughter into his arms on the verge of consciousness and lowered her behind a pillar of the building. The world began to blur, and he staggered against the pillar.

"Dad?"

"Stay there!"

Someone shot me, someone can shoot Violet, was the only thought in his blurring mind.

"Dad! You're bleeding! Why are you bleeding?!"

"Stay there!" He tried to look around and see the potential shooter, but his field of vision blurred, and the world was spinning more and more in his eyes. He collapsed the ground on his knees.

"DAD! Violet's voice was high-pitched from panic. "What's happening?! DAD!"

He fell to the ground and heard from somewhere in the distance how people began to run towards him. Violet's screaming echoed from the walls of the buildings, and he sank deeper and deeper into a state of unconsciousness.

"I'm sorry Liv," was his last thought. "I'm so sorry."

And then everything went dark.