A New York Evening

by SugarFap

Based on the Video Killed The Radio Star episode in s23. Trevor and Olivia's date at the gala and what happens afterwards. Originally a one shot but with all the lovely comments and encouragement, this will be multichapter :)

14. Chapter 14

Hi everyone,

Thank you for your beautiful comments — pls keep them coming. I haven't had the chance to edit this properly so I hope theres not too many mistakes or stupidity in this chapter :P

Things are a little TOO perfect right!? :)

What do you think?

---

"So Olivia tells me that you're an absolute rocket of a swimmer," Amanda told Ava as Liv got up to order some food at the counter.

Ava smiled shyly, "Mmmm I'm okay, Liv is always kind to me like that."

"Well, apparently you've not lost a single race for months, I'd say that's pretty impressive!" Amanda roused some sense of joy from the tall, thin, likeness of Trevor Langan before her.

"I'm gonna be changing schools so I'm gonna lose my streak which sucks, but its better than going back to my school," she shrugged.

"Yeah…" Amanda nodded, her tone gentle. Liv had already filled her in on everything that happened. "Maybe you could swim outside of school as an individual, that'd be cool if you had a coach to yourself rather than having to share one with an entire team."

Ava smiled, "Maybe Dad could be my coach, he'd be good at it, but I think Noah wants to take up swimming too and maybe if we end up at the same school."

"Oh yeah you and Noah are very close, huh?"

Ava grinned, "Yeah he's my littlest, bestest friend, lame, I know."

"Nooo, that's not lame, that is so sweet. I love that," Amanda told her, "I hope my girls can be as close as you guys when they're a little older."

Olivia came back and sat down and slid a soda across to Ava, "don't you dare tell your father I let you have diet soda before lunch time," she winked.

"What happens at brunch stays at brunch," Ava replied, "thank you, Liv."

The two adults waited for their coffees and pastries. "Where are Billie and Jesse?" Liv asked her friend.

Amanda smiled at her, "Dominic wanted to take them to his Mom and Dad's house. He's been promising to take them to see his sister's new baby and since I'm working at 2, he said he'd look after them and stay with them at my apartment 'til I got home."

"Is Dominic your husband?" Ava asked curiously, glancing at her hands, looking for a ring.

"No, sweetheart," Amanda smiled, her cheeks flushing, "Dominic Carisi is a detective that works with Liv and I."

"Sounds like Dominic Carisi wants to be more than a detective that works with you and Liv," Ava teased with a little smirk.

"See! This is what I was telling you about," Olivia laughed, putting a hand on the back of Ava's head, stroking her long hair, "this kid does not stop, she's always roasting us and attacking us."

Amanda started to laugh.

Ava giggled, "did you notice Liv's love bite yet?," she couldn't help herself.

Amanda's eyes widened, shocked. "Seriously?"

"Yeah," Ava nodded excitedly, "she's trying to hide it by keeping her hair down, show her Liv, show her how gross you and my Dad are."

"Ava!" Olivia turned her warningly, but really she didn't mind.

Amanda leaned forward and pushed a curtain of Olivia's hair out of the way. Her mouth dropped open in shock.

"Guys! Stop it!," she told them both, "I know, I know, it's gross, it was an accident."

"Weird," Ava responded, examining her nails as if she was bored, "when Dad said the same thing this morning, I had to wonder how it might be an accident. Did he mistake your neck for an altoid? Trip? Fall over with his mouth open, couldn't get up?"

Amanda was laughing at the teen who was completely embarrassing her boss. Olivia took it all in her stride and breathed in deep with a sigh and an amused smile as she looked at Ava lovingly.

"You are such a brat, Ava Langan, remind me, why did I bring you with me again?"

"Because I can't be trusted at school, my presence upsets people in general and Dad is busy and you got stuck with me," she replied wryly, taking a sip of her drink.

"I didn't get stuck with you. I chose to bring you with me because I rave about you and Noah all the time to Amanda and she wanted to meet our baby feminist in the making."

"That's true," Amanda said, "Liv talks about you more than she talks about your Dad… she's so proud to have you and Noah in her life, how do you think I know so much about your swimming? And dancing? And I've been with Liv to the parents of those little jerk kids that pushed you and Noah around a little while back. I feel like I already know you."

Ava made a face, "Sorry about that…"

"Kid, you haven't got anything to be sorry about," Amanda replied with a smile.

"I have an important question," Liv turned to Ava, ignoring her silly comment. "Are you still intending on swimming tonight?"

"No," she said quietly, "I don't think I can."

"Are you sure? Because we can go get your bathers from my apartment and I can come and sit with you and nobody will dare say a word to you while I am with you,"

"I can come too if it's quiet… you don't let anyone take away the things that you are good at and the things that you enjoy."

"I don't know…" she shrugged. "What's the point if I'm not going back to school?"

"Its totally up to you, but it'll give you a chance to go out with guns blazing. Take away their ability to win any medals, you get in the zone and clean them all up with that laser focus. We'll all come. Dad, Noah and I; Amanda if she can make it, I'm sure Rory wouldn't miss his precious Ava's swim meet," it was finally Olivia's turn to tease her.

Ava flushed.

"Ooh who's Rory?" Amanda asked as their coffees and pastries arrived.

"Rory is a boy she likes."

"Maybe, I don't know," she said quickly. "I'm confused."

Olivia glanced at Amanda who rose an eyebrow but said nothing.

"Lets go back to talking about your love bite…" Ava replied, letting a little smile cross her mouth, wondering if she was pushing it too far.

"Let's not," Olivia replied. "Let's talk about how amazing this chocolate pastry is…"

"Don't tell Sonny we came here, he'll be so upset we didn't invite him," Amanda said to her boss.

/

Trevor felt a little odd, but he was going out of his way to make sure his daughter felt loved and supported, even if it was hard for him to swallow. He winced as made his way up to the 5th floor walk up. He knocked on the door and waited for a moment. He could hear voices and suddenly the door was opened up by a man that Trevor had never seen before.

"Hi," he smiled, wondering for a moment if he'd got the wrong apartment.

"Hello," the man was tall and was broad, wearing a pair of faded blue jeans and a plain white t-shirt. He had brown skin and looked exactly like who Trevor assumed was his son; Rory, standing behind him with a scowl.

"I'm Trevor Langan, Ava Langan's Dad."

"Jerry Ingals," he replied, shaking Trevor's hand. "My kid didn't tell me anyone was coming to pick him up, this is the first I've heard of it."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Trevor apologised, "I didn't mean to step on your toes, I am just headed over to the school for my daughter's swim meet and I knew the kids wanted Rory to go too so I thought I'd offer him a ride to save him taking the subway."

Jerry looked over at his son, "well… you got all your homework done?," he wanted to know. He turned back to Trevor, "is your daughter the smart girl? The one who's responsible for making him stop hanging out with those asshole wannabe gang kids?"

Trevor rose an eyebrow, "I'm not sure but I do know for a fact that my daughter is home every night studying and I know that sometimes includes your son… so I hope she's being a good influence."

"The girl you like, son, is that Ava?" His father asked him.

Rory's eyes widened with embarrassment. "N-no, Dad, we're just friends."

Jerry turned back to Trevor and smiled, "Sorry, I think I just put my foot in it."

Trevor smiled back and glanced at Rory. "Rory, it's okay kiddo, you're not keeping a very good secret," he chuckled despite feeling uncomfortable about the photo he'd seen. He looked at Rory's Dad and was a little bit surprised by the person who greeted him. The image he'd conjured of an aggressive, drunken and absent parent was a far stretch from the man before him.

"Is that okay, Dad, that I go to the swim meet with Mr Langan to see Ava swim?"

"Only if you've done your homework, you know the rules."

"I've done my homework," he replied.

"I'm gonna take my kids and girlfriend for dinner afterward, would it be okay if Rory joins us too?" Trevor asked.

"If he has money, yeah, sure."

"Oh, no, its my treat." Before his father could protest Trevor continued, "you have a really intelligent, well-mannered young man, Mr Ingals, my daughter has been having a rough time with kids at school and Rory has been looking out for her and I appreciate that more than you know."

"Ohhhh, that's Ava," he nodded as if it had dawned on him something that he and his son had discussed. "I'm glad to hear it. I wish I had more to do with that, but I'm gonna say his mother had the most to do with his manners and how to be respectful of young girls."

Trevor smiled. "Us Dad's rarely get to take any credit," he commiserated.

Rory had gone to grab his his wallet and a set of keys.

"I appreciate you being so kind to my son. I work very long hours, I can't have eyes on him all the time, but he's done a one eighty in the past 6 months, so I can probably thank you and your daughter."

"Probably more to do with Ava, she's the bossy, sassy kid with a heart of gold when it comes to Rory… but he's welcome to hang out with us any time."

"Thanks," the Dad spoke to him as Rory came back. "Kid, you better behave yourself, okay?"

"Will do."

"I'll drop him home at a reasonable hour."

They waved and headed back down to where Trevor had parked his car. They got in and Rory felt a little out of place, embarrassed of his father and scared of what Trevor would say about the photo when they were alone.

"Sorry about my Dad, Trevor," he said quietly as he put his safety belt on.

"Why?," he asked, "your Dad seems like a nice guy," Trevor replied with a shrug.

"He's just… not like you guys."

For a moment Trevor struggled with the comment, feeling bad that Rory felt as though Trevor and Olivia would be offended by his father. "In what way?"

"He's a construction worker, he isn't as involved in my school stuff like you guys are with Ava; he's just…" he shrugged, "he drinks a lot, I mean… he does care about me but he also doesn't have the time to always be on me."

"Rory, your father clearly cares about you. He knew a lot about Ava and which crowd you run with and knew about your improving grades. I don't know your Dad, but it sounds like he's works really hard to support you and when he's not at work, maybe he has other stresses. I drink a lot too," he said flashing him a kind smile, "Olivia and I have a few drinks most nights. I am certainly not looking down on you or your Dad and I hope you know that Olivia and Ava are not either."

Rory shrugged, "I don't know, you guys are just a bit fancier."

Trevor laughed. "We are not… try not to get caught up on that type of stuff, Rory… we all eat, sleep and use the bathroom at the end of the day, no one is better than you or your Dad for what they wear, or how much money…" he told the teen.

"Easy to say that when there's a steady influx of it," he murmured almost as if he were ashamed to say it.

"Yeah," Trevor nodded, "you're right, it is easier when there is money to go round, but I didn't grow up around a lot of money, neither did Olivia, we understand — Olivia especially, but if you can work hard you can change that cycle."

"I know," he said, "I wanna be a lawyer, like you actually."

Trevor couldn't help but to smile. "Well kiddo, you better start working very hard, being a lawyer is no joke. You have to the determination and you have to be really dedicated and if you ever need help, I can always help you."

Rory smiled. "Ava might decide she hates me in a year," he said with a laugh.

"Girls come and go, Rory, you have to want to do something for you to help you and your future, forget about Ava. It's nice to have female friends and girlfriends or whatever, but you guys are so young and I know my daughter is wonderful," he flashed him a smile, "I know she is, her Mom and I raised her well… but do this for you, not for Ava."

"Okay, I got it," he nodded.

"If Ava hates you in a year, I will still help you if you give me a call…. Unless of course you do something to break my daughter's heart, then you're on your own," he winked at him. He was good natured about it but Rory didn't doubt his seriousness.

"If I did something to break Ava's heart, Mr. Langan, I will go in to hiding for the rest of my life. I never want to upset you or Olivia."

"Look…" he said to the kid, "as a father, I am concerned for my daughter. You know there is a lot going on with her right now and you probably know more than I do because I suspect she tries to protect me from it," he told the young friend of his daughter, "but I want her to be happy, I only ask that you respect her and you respect me. I know what it's like to be a 14 year old boy, so you respect Ava's space and you respect my boundaries."

"Okay. If Ava told me she just wants to be my best friend, Mr. Langan, I'd respect that. I would never want to make her unhappy. I really care about her even if that's just as my friend."

"Good man," he said as they pulled to a stop in the parking of his daughter's school. "And please, it's Trevor, come on, let's get put our skates on, Ava's first race starts in about fifteen minutes," he told him.

"I'm so nervous…" Ava told Olivia and Amanda. She wore her gym pants over her bathers.

"Why don't I come and sit up that end with you and Liv can sit here with Noah?" Amanda suggested, nodding to the end of the pool near the diving blocks where her other teammates sat.

"That's a good idea," Olivia agreed.

"Won't I look like a baby?" Ava asked, looking to both women anxiously. She knew she had to make a decision, her coach kept glancing over at her.

"This is your last meet with your school," Liv said quietly, placing both hands on Ava's bare shoulders. "Who cares what anyone thinks…"

"I agree with Liv."

"They might try to throw me off… so…"

"Oh good! Sorry we're a bit late!" Trevor announced, quickly coming up behind his daughter with Rory behind him. He leaned over Liv, kissing her cheek and turned to Ava. "Good luck, honey! I am so proud of you for being brave tonight…" he kissed her forehead.

"Thanks Dad…" she replied, kissing him.

Trevor noticed Amanda and said hello, thanking her for coming.

Ava looked past her Dad and said hello to Rory a little awkwardly. "Thanks for coming, Rory," she thanked him. "I didn't know you were coming with my Dad."

He was about to say something when she heard her coach blow her whistle. She glanced up. "Shoot… I gotta go."

She glanced back at Amanda. "Come on, kiddo… I'll come with you, there's no shame in having someone sitting by your side just in case," she told Ava.

"Thanks, I hope coach will allow it."

"You leave her to me," Amanda replied.

"Waiiiit Ava, can I come with you and Aunt Amanda? I wanna cheer you up there!" Noah pointed.

"Honey no, you stay with us…" Olivia said gently.

"Sorry Noah, I'd love to have you up there with me, but I can't. I'm so sorry." Noah put his arms around her, a little sad and feeling a bit left out. "Why don't you sit with Rory and keep him company so your Mom and my Dad don't bore him…" she winked.

Noah pouted but understood. "Listen to me cheering you on, okay?"

"I will! I love you!"

"I love you too," he smiled up at her.

"Okay, coach is gonna kill me, I gotta go."

Everyone called out good luck and she and Amanda walked briskly to the top end of the pool. The coach smiled at Amanda, "I'm really sorry," she said gently, "we don't really allow parents and guardians to sit with the team."

Amanda smiled and Ava deflated. She put her hand on Ava's shoulder. "I understand that, but I'm actually Detective Amanda Rollins," she said, extending her hand to shake the coaches. "I'm sorry you're somewhat aware that Ava has been a victim of assault and property vandalism at the hands of some of her school mates," she said calmly.

"Uh… somewhat, yes…" the coach's smile tightened.

Amanda nodded knowingly, "it's become a little bit of a police matter and so I've been tasked with accompanying Ava to some of her activities due to the involvement of some of her team mates, I am sure you will agree that keeping her safe is our main priority."

"Of course," the coach, smiled.

"Great," Amanda exclaimed, "so we don't have a problem here… come on, Ava, let's go take a seat with your team and see how good you swim today!"

Without allowing Ava a word or the coach to protest, Amanda guided her over to her team. She motioned for Ava to take a seat. The three other girls on the team scowled at their former friend.

"See, I told you it wouldn't be a problem," Amanda leaned over and spoke to Ava, winking at her and giving her a nudge. She glanced at the other girls and stared them all down one-by-one until their eyes averted to the ground.

/

"I can't believe this will be the last time I see she'll be swimming for awhile…" Trevor sighed, "I love watching her, she's so good…" he said softly to Liv who grabbed for his hand as he watched her stand before the diving block, adjusting her goggles. She climbed on to the block and he couldn't help but to smile to see Rhiannon get on to the block two over from her.

"I was thinking that we get the kids involved in swimming at an independent club… Noah has been at me to swim like Ava…"

"Yeah…" he nodded, "I think that's a good idea, keep school and spot a little separate so if it all goes awry in one area, it's not gonna bleed in to another."

Olivia leaned her head on Trevor's shoulder. "I love you and I missed you today, it's good to see your face." He put an arm around her and smiled. He leaned over and kissed her lips.

"I missed you too, love," he said softly. "I have a less busy day tomorrow…"

"Good," Olivia smiled.

They called the race - the kids mounted the blocks and hit their starting post.

There was a loud chime on a count of three and it began. Olivia held on to Trevor's arm, letting her hand slide in to his as she squeezed his fingers.

"Good start, good start…" he murmured. His daughter surfaced and he watched her arms circle and her feet kick in a way that looked natural and easy. It was as if she scooped the water out of her path and was quickly ahead. She looked comfortable as she passed the halfway point with one person between her and Rhiannon.

As Ava got the 50m mark, she turned flawlessly and pushed off strongly from the edge of the pool. Rhiannon was gaining on her and Trevor began to feel a little sick. He had faith in how fast and how good Ava was though, Rhiannon was pushing too early, he knew that, it was an issue that Ava had for awhile but had learned to be more patient and find a sweet spot in fighting for a race.

At the halfway mark on the last lap, Trevor realised Ava was getting a little complacent. Rhiannon was half a body length inside and he hoped his daughter would notice and fight a little harder.

"Shit…" Olivia muttered. "Of all kids, this one better not beat her…"

Both Noah and Rory began loudly cheering for her. Noah jumped up in front of Olivia and Trevor, yelling and cheering. Just as Olivia was about to ask him to calm down, Trevor jumped up too. He was nervous.

Just as Rhiannon started gaining, Ava suddenly propelled herself forward and he couldn't help but to grin proudly. He knew she was just saving up what was in her tank for last if she needed it. It worked. He clapped loudly as she moved ahead, one body length and then one and a half and he literally watched her ex-friend tire out as she slowed down. Someone else passed her too but still not enough to gain on Ava who was just about to hit the wall to win.

Trevor whistled loudly for his daughter as he saw the second her finger tips touch the tiles.

"That's my girl!" He shouted, "my little fish!" He was grinning so hard. He knew the rest of the kids really had no hope as long as his daughter was on the team. He watched Ava turn around and look at her time and grin to herself. She looked for her family up on the bleachers. Olivia was at Trevor's side clapping.

They all waved excitedly at her. Trevor pointed at his daughter and grinned broadly, beaming with pride before patting his chest. Ava grinned back and blew her Dad a kiss. "See how much she loves her Daddy?" Olivia whispered to him.

He let out a happy, overwhelmed sigh. "Proudest Dad moment, despite everything she's still keeping focus and smashing it out of the park."

"She's amazing…" Olivia smiled. "Are we allowed to go and speak to her?" She asked.

"Nah, team focus and all of that… at least Amanda is with her," Trevor remarked, "thanks for that by the way."

"That's okay, it was a happy accident," Liv shrugged.

/

"Oh my goodness, you did so good!" Amanda smiled as Ava sat down beside her, a towel around her.

"Thanks," Ava replied, drying herself off. She was in the zone now and she knew from the looks and the whispers exactly what the girls on her team thought of her and she was determined to make her last swim count.

"Coach Marquez, why does Ava get to have her Dad's girlfriend here?," one of the girls dared to ask.

Ava glanced at her feet, feeling embarrassed.

The coach went to say something but Amanda glanced at the young girl, "I'm actually a detective," she replied, "I am not related to Ava, I am here as part of an ongoing investigation to make sure that she is treated fairly and safely and I'm sure you can understand why that might be." Amanda stared right through the dark-haired girl who's eyes widened slightly.

"Oh…"

"Oh is right," Amanda confirmed with a nod, "this is not a joke, girls, bullying your team mate is not a joke, its criminal and so we're all going to be kind to each other today and concentrate on the swim meet and not on Ava's company."

"Yes," the coach said firmly, "eyes on the prize girls, you can fight outside of my time," she tried to tell them light-heartedly.

"No, actually, they can't and that's not a great message," Amanda shot back quickly, giving the coach the same look she gave the other girl.

The girls all sat quietly not daring to say another word while they waited for their next races.

"Okay Ava," the coach began, "you're up and this is your specialty, I want you to make sure you set your pace early and bring it home as hard as you can, okay?"

"Okay…" She jumped up out of her spot and did some arm stretches.

"Ava, I need your full concentration and focus, kiddo, you're up against Hannah Wicks, you know she will bring it too but I know you're better. Your time is better, your stroke is better. You just need to give it your best at push off and don't lose any time in your turns…"

"Okay…" Ava said again, staring directly ahead of her at the pool as if she was visualising her swim. "I'm going to beat her," she said bluntly. "I am going to beat my personal best."

Amanda ignored a snort come from one of the girls and Ava was too zoned in to care.

"That's what I want to hear, you've got it, this is a big one Ava, you can do it."

Ava made her way to the diving block.

/

"Trevor…" Olivia breathed in disbelief watching his daughter wave at them with a big smile at the finish line. "Trevor your daughter is …" she paused, grinning so hard that she thought she might cry, "she is going to go far, she's incredible…"

"I know…." He smiled with a proud grin, clapping his daughter.

Ava got off the diving block and received praise from her coach and had a word with Amanda and slowly she made her way back to her family waiting on the bleachers with Amanda trailing behind her.

Trevor made his way down the steps excited to meet his daughter. Ava grinned at her father as he made a beeline for her. He swept her up in his arms and swung her around. "Congratulations, sweetheart, I am so proud of you!," he exclaimed, lifting her off the ground.

"Thanks Daddy!," she exclaimed hugging him tightly.

"My little gold medalist," he smiled, setting her down. "Goodness me, you beat your personal best by three seconds, sweetie, what on earth!" He laughed, "you amaze me."

"Thanks Dad."

"I love you, sweet girl…" he felt the presence of Olivia at his side. Ava opened her arm, welcoming her in to their cuddle. Liv kissed the girl's forehead, the smell of chlorine overpowering her.

"You're so amazing, babe, I can't believe how fast you are…" she gave Ava a squeeze as Noah and Rory waited patiently to congratulate her.

Olivia and Trevor stepped back and gave the kids some space.

Trevor's phone rang. He glanced down to see a contact from Child Services. He sighed. "One minute," he told Liv, "I'll be right back." He answered and asked the person to hold for a moment and found a quiet spot.

"Hi Councillor," Katie Patterson was a child support worker and integration specialist who maintained regular check-ins and programs for adoptees who weren't infants. "Sorry to bother you after hours."

"Its okay, how are you?"

"Yeah. I'm doing okay, but I have someone with me that is insisting on seeing you — it's not your job, but…"

"Wait, who?," he wanted to know, confused.

"Ivy Lancaster," she replied.

"Why is Ivy with you? What happened with the Lancasters?," he wanted to know.

"I'm trying to figure that out. They were totally shocked that I turned up. I got a call from Ivy around school pick up. She said she didn't like it, she didn't feel safe and I've been trying to get details and she kept asking for the nice man that visited her."

"Shit…" he cursed. "Okay are you at the office?"

"Yeah. I understand if you can't get down here, but I'm reluctant to send her back to the Lancasters without a full investigation or without details of what's been going on."

"I'm just at my daughter's swim meet, what's the alternative to sending her back there?," he asked.

"I'll have to organise temporary foster care or residential care for the night. But you're with your family, Trevor, this isn't exactly your problem-"

"I placed her in to the Lancaster's care and she is asking for me, it's kind of my problem. Look, my girlfriend works with abuse victims with SVU and my daughter's meet is just about over, I might be able to swing it. Can you give me ten minutes and I'll shoot you a text."

"Sure, thanks Trevor, I appreciate it and I'm sure Ivy will appreciate it too."

/

"Everything okay?" Olivia asked as he came back to greet Amanda and his girlfriend. The kids sat in front of them waiting for the other teams to finish so Ava could collect her ribbons.

"Not sure…" he seemed troubled and had both of the attention of Liv and Amanda. "One of my adoptees snuck a phone call and asked the support worker to come and get her, she is only very young, I think five? She said she didn't feel safe and keeps asking for me, won't talk to Katie and I'm feeling a little sick about it."

"Wait, you should go… do you want me to come?" Liv asked, "I might be able to help?"

"Uh… no, the kids have to get home."

"No problem," Amanda said with a reassuring smile. "I can take them and if I get called out to a job, I'll drop them at Sonny's, I'm sure he will be so pleased for some help with the girls," she chuckled.

"Are you sure?" Trevor asked.

"Yeah of course, I'll take them to go get some food and I can take Ava's friend home."

"Thanks Amanda, I'll owe you one," Trevor told her appreciatively. "We can go after she gets her ribbons, I'm not missing that. I need to have photos."

Olivia leaned forward and tapped Ava on the shoulder. They explained what was happening to the kids, promising that Amanda would be good company. Ava didn't seem too bothered, she was on a high from her performance.

They stuck around for the ceremony and Amanda opted to take photos for Trevor, Olivia and Noah with their champion and then they watched Rory and Ava take a few too. There didn't seem to be anything too romance-y going on between them, Trevor felt relieved that they didn't seem to be too gooey, just two friends who clearly cared about one another.

/

"I feel terrible," Trevor sighed as they walked in to the children's services building.

"Don't feel terrible," Liv said softly, "you don't even know if anything bad happened yet and you did your due diligence by fully vetting the family and I know you, honey, you go far beyond your means to make sure that its a good fit. Some people are just very good at wearing masks."

He squeezed her hand as they walked down the corridor, signing themselves in. Olivia was also very familiar with the building.

Just as Trevor was about to ask for Katie, she appeared coming out of a lounge area.

"Oh hey…" the woman was familiar with both of them. She seemed surprised to learn that they were an item. "I didn't know-"

Olivia smiled awkwardly, "now you do…"

She laughed. "You might be actually the best help we can get. She's really upset, she's not talking to me now and she won't' eat or drink."

"Well, she asked for Trevor, so… send Trevor in, he's familiar to her— in my experience that's the starting point," Liv shrugged.

"What do I say? Like…" he paused, "what am I supposed to ask? What am I not supposed to ask?" He looked like a startled deer. "Can you just come in with me?"

"No, its okay, you can do this, you're a Dad and you do this perfectly with Ava and Noah, just… talk to her, get her talking, feeling comfortable. Ask her about her day… anything, just get her talking," Olivia advised him.

He drew in a deep breath. Katie could see how tense he was, how worried he was about setting a foot wrong. He glanced in to the little lounge area and saw the tiny, dark haired girl in the corner of a large couch covered up with a scratchy, grey blanket that always reminded him of the ones he saw in prison.

He pushed the door open and let himself in, closing it gently behind him. He made his way over to the couch. "Hi Ivy," he said softly. He was aware of his foreboding presence around children so he crouched before the couch. "Katie said that you asked for me today and I was a little surprised."

Ivy looked up at him and nodded slowly, averting her eyes as quickly as she had found him.

"You look like you're still in your school uniform, did you go to school today?"

She nodded again.

Trevor slowly got to his feet, his knees hurting from crouching already. He took a seat on the couch, giving the child a safe distance. "Do you want to tell me about what happened that made you want to call Katie?"

"Did you get in to trouble?," he asked gently, "because sometimes when you get in to trouble and someone raises their voice, it can be a little bit scary."

"No," she said again, sitting up a little bit straighter, pushing the blanket off her lap. "I didn't do anything."

"Did your Perry or Marla do something to upset you?"

Finally, he thought as she nodded. "Okay, do you want to talk about that?" He was struggling. "You and I are good friends now," he said with a little smile, "whatever you tell me will help me help you," he wondered if she even fully grasped what he was saying, at five, the child was still developing and had come from a particularly traumatic home to begin with.

"I don't like Perry…"

"Okay," Trevor began slowly, praying that his worst fear wouldn't be realised. "Do you think that my very best friend, Olivia, could come in here and talk with us together? She is so nice, I think you'll really like her."

Ivy looked up at Trevor with her big, brown eyes as if she were thinking about it. She nodded.

"Okay, hold on tight," he said, remembering what Olivia had once told him about how she spoke to victims. She always kept a calm, soft and consistent tone and used open body language. Olivia followed him in the room and he knew immediately as the little girl looked up that she would connect with his girlfriend.

Olivia just had such a gift, he thought.

"Hiiii Ivy," she waved, pulling up a chair. "I'm Olivia, its so nice to meet you. I have heard so much about you from Trevor," she smiled at her man and then back at the little girl. She watched her eyes glance to Trevor for confirmation.

"Its true," Trevor replied, "Olivia is my nearest and dearest friend," he admitted, "I tell her about all of my favourite children that I help find good homes…" he paused, "oh no," he sighed, "I don't think I'm supposed to say I have favourites, that's supposed to be a secret." He covered his mouth as if shocked by his own words.

Ivy gave a tiny half-spirited chuckle.

"Silly," Olivia shook her head at him, smirking, loving his heart. "Well, Ivy, I wanted to ask you a few questions about Perry and Marla Lancaster if you feel comfortable answering them for me…"

"I don't want to go back to there," she said in a quiet voice as though she might get in to trouble for saying it out loud.

"Okay, well, I would love it if we could talk about what happened there that made you feel so sad that you wanted to speak to Katie." She watched Ivy pull the blanket up over here and then push it off again, scratching her bare arms. "Are you warm enough?," she asked, "that blanket looks a little uncomfortable…"

"It's itchy," she made a face.

Olivia gave a little chuckle and took the blanket. Without flinching, Trevor shedded the soft, v-neck sweatshirt he had been wearing over his suit pants. "Here…" he said, taking it off, showing his white button-down shirt. "This is a bit big, but it's very warm and it's certainly not itchy," he promised her.

Olivia smiled at him as he watched Ivy scoot closer. He bunched up the sweater and helped her put it on. It was huge but she made do, pulling it around herself. "Is that better?"

The child nodded. She sat back against the couch with her feet dangling over the edge. She didn't create any distance between herself and Trevor, if anything she inched closer to him.

"Ivy, when you stay with Perry and Marla, do you have fun there?"

She shrugged and winced a little bit as if she was in pain. "Do you ever play fun games or watch fun shows on the television?"

"Sometimes games," she replied.

"What type of games? Do you play computer games or games on the phone or… with toys…" Olivia pushed.

"Sometimes Marla let me play on the iPad but Perry didn't like it because I had an accident and dropped it," she said softly.

"That's okay, all of us have accidents sometimes, when you dropped the iPad did it break or did it just make a loud noise?"

"It was okay because it was just on the carpet," she replied to Olivia.

"And was Perry really mad or just a little bit mad," Liv asked gently.

"Really mad," she said, "he yelled and Marla told me to go to my room," she said, "and he yelled at her and then he came to yell at me."

"Did Perry or Marla hit you or spank you or do anything to upset you," Olivia leaned forward, inching her chair closer to the couch so that the child's feet were touching her knees. "And its totally okay if you're scared."

Over time Olivia learned to pick up more on what kids didn't say more than what they did. Lack of eye contact, lack of will to talk about things, fear that manifested with immediate defence of the abuser. She laid her hands out, open with palms to the roof, "if you feel scared to tell me or Trevor something, you can hold my hand, or maybe you can hold Trevor's hand."

Ivy glanced up at Trevor who felt sadness because he figured he already knew the answer of what happened. He couldn't believe that his instincts were so off. He laid his hand out the way Olivia had and Ivy took his hand, sidling up to him.

"I don't want to get in to trouble with Perry," she told them.

"Oh, honey, I promise you're not in trouble," Trevor promised her, "you didn't do anything wrong," he said, "Olivia and I just want to help…"

"Do you have any boo boos from Perry?" Olivia tried a different approach.

Ivy nodded and pointed to her shoulder. "Marla said it was okay," she said almost inaudibly.

"Do you think that you could show me a little later?" Liv asked.

Trevor tried to take a deep breath, inhaling very, very slowly and letting out just as slow.

"Okay," Ivy replied.

"Did Perry hurt you more than one time?"

"Only because I didn't listen, he says I don't listen very good."

"Honey, I think your listening skills are just fine," Olivia assured her, "its okay, you're not going to get in to any trouble. You were such a clever girl thinking to call Katie to see if she could help you when you were feeling bad."

"I saw it on TV," she said in a tiny voice.

Olivia smiled at her. "I think right now we might go let Trevor make a few phone calls and maybe we can get you something for dinner, are you very hungry?"

She shook her head.

"Well, maybe we can get something in case you get hungry later."

"I'll be right back," Trevor told her, his smile looking more like a grimace and Olivia could tell he was upset. He glanced at Liv, placing his hand on her shoulder as she got up, giving it a squeeze.

Olivia moved to where Trevor was and observed the girl. "Can you show me where it hurts?," she asked once Trevor had left the room. The little girl pointed to her collarbone and Olivia could a glimpse when the fabric moved for a finger print. She pointed to her back with her other arm, wincing as she lifted it. Olivia knew straight away that this baby before her was bruised up in the places no one would be able to immediately see.

"Thanks, Ivy. I'm glad you're letting us help you." She took out her phone and took out her phone set it on a lock and opened the Disney app. "Honey, would you like to watch one of these movies while I go and get you something to eat?"

Ivy nodded and Olivia waited patiently while she picked one. She grabbed a cushion for her. "Why don't you have a little lay down, it's been such a big, big day… I'll put the phone here so you can watch…" she dragged the chair that she was previously sitting in and set it up so that it remained upright. "If you need me, you just call out, okay?"

Ivy agreed and Olivia helped her get comfortable and reminded herself to find her a better blanket.

/

"I'm trying to get on to residential care," Katie told Trevor as he stood in the doorway of her office.

He looked down the hall and noticed Olivia coming. She slid her arms around his waist as stood beside him. She felt his arm around her shoulders. "I'm sorry," she said to both Trevor and Katie, "but… some people are just very good at hiding who they are…"

"But why?" Trevor asked, frustrated, "why would you go out of your way to adopt a child if you don't want to actually be a good parent?"

"Well…" Olivia began but she didn't want to go any further in to what things happened during care, she didn't want to further upset him. "Its no one's fault…"

"Katie can't get on to residential care…" he told her. His whole face was tense with concern and sadness.

"I'm trying," she gave Olivia a weak smile. "Short of propping her up here over night."

"Do you have a vending machine or a kitchen or something so I can maybe put together a sandwich and a drink for her?" Olivia wondered.

"Yeah, at the end of the hall to your right, help yourself to whatever is in there."

Olivia took Trevor's hand, "Come on, come help me with this."

/

"Liv we have to take her home with us tonight, she can't stay here on her own, she's already scared enough."

Olivia was surprised by his immediate need to fix the situation. "Oh, honey, you can't do that…" she said softly

"Why not? Do you think its better to leave her here in the back of a room while one or two people sit in a dimly lit office all night? She needs a warm bed, a suspension of reality for just a night."

"Baby, I'm not disagreeing with any of that, but you can't get your role in her life confused. I know how hard it is, trust me, if I took home every child, I'd need a mansion to house them."

"I'm not talking about every child. I'm talking about this child. The one that was clever enough to find a way to call Katie and then sit and refuse to speak to anyone except me. She trusts that I'm supposed to find her a family and she has comfort in that…" he paused, "goodness knows why after I fell for that monster."

Olivia sighed. "What then?," she asked, "after tomorrow, what happens then? She forms an attachment to you or to me and then what? Is it just going to hurt her more in the long run?"

"I don't know Liv," Trevor said, a little angrily, "I just know that this kid trusted me. We promised her just now we would keep her safe and then we abandon her to sleep in an office. It's not good enough, she deserves better. She already had a rough start to life and now this…"

Olivia thought of the bruises she'd peeped and felt herself weakening.

"One night, Trev," she said softly, "just one night and then you have to organise emergency foster care or someone to take care of her."

He nodded because he knew she was right. "If Katie could get on to residential care now, then fine, but its almost 7, this kid hasn't eaten since school, she is scared and alone and needs to be with someone who can make her feel like she doesn't have to be frightened."

Olivia rubbed her face. She was a little frustrated but she did understand, she understood because there were times where she took a child home for a night or two under her care. Trevor had never had such an experience, he was sad, disappointed in himself and wanted to fix it.

"Okay, well… you need to sort that out with Katie. I've propped up Ivy with a movie on my phone," she told him. "I'll go take her something to eat."

"Wait," Trevor said softly, "are you mad at me?"

She felt herself let go of some tension, softening, realising that she shouldn't have felt irate with him. None of it was her fault she kept telling him and she believed it, but there was something beneath it all that bothered her about it that she couldn't quite get to the bottom of. Still, none of it was Trevor's fault, that was on her.

"I'm sorry," she said, "I'm not mad at you, I know how you feel because there are a lot of cases where I've just wanted to bundle those kids up and bring them home, but I also know its not always the best solution," she told him sincerely. "I get why you feel the way you do, I know you feel guilty, but… it's not your fault."

"I'm not asking to adopt her, I just want to make sure she is safe and comfortable and can just … be a kid for a night."

Olivia nodded and saw that he was a little wounded by the way the afternoon had played out. "I get it…" he helped her prepare the sandwich by pulling out the peanut butter and other condiments from the refrigerator. He grabbed a cup of water and it dawned on her why she was so upset.

So many times she had dealt with abuse victims, she had heard the harrowing details, she had held hands with children or teens or even adults who cried and shared their pain with her. She had given endless hugs and support and then Trevor Langan swept in and tore them apart on the stand, the alleged feminist, the one who now, sat before a little girl feeling her pain the way she had done and it was just the tip of the iceberg of what she had taken on with victims past and presently.

She knew it probably wasn't fair, but now he got it, now he understood and she wanted to remind him of how he had behaved in the past, how he could reconcile his past so easily. She realised it had been bothering her for a short while.

"I guess it just feels like you're mad at me," he replied a little quieter.

"I'm not," she shook her head. It wasn't lost on him that she didn't go much further to placate him. She didn't offer him a hug or a kiss or even eye contact which made him think that she wasn't entirely telling him the truth.

/

Everything was quiet in the house when they got back. Amanda was dropping the kids back after taking Rory home. Olivia observed Ivy looking around Trevor's apartment curiously. She felt annoyed that she would be doing the work despite Trevor arguing for the child to come back for the night. She had closed herself off from bringing children home with her after she took Noah in to her care, she couldn't allow the disruption to his routine, the questions and sometimes the drama that it would have brought with it.

Trevor was trying to gauge Olivia's mood which seemed to be descending in to bluntness with him to the point she was giving him one word answers. "Ivy, I think it'd be a good idea if you had something to eat…." Trevor suggested, "why don't I make you something to eat."

The little girl looked over at him as he headed in to the kitchen. She looked up to Olivia and hesitated. "Its okay, you can go with Trevor," she told the little girl.

She followed him slowly, looking around still. "This is a big place," she said quietly, "why do you have an upstairs too?"

Trevor smiled at her, "I have an upstairs because its where the other children and we sleep," he explained.

"Oh. Where are the other children?," she wondered.

"They will be home very soon," Olivia replied.

"Would you like some delicious spaghetti?" Trevor asked, looking in the refrigerator. "I can make you a little bowl if you like."

Ivy smiled and nodded happily. "I like spaghetti its my favourite." He turned to Olivia, "Love, would you like some spaghetti?"

"No thanks. I'm going to go organise somewhere for Ivy to sleep and get bath time ready because Noah and Ava will be fighting for first shower."

"Liv, you have to eat…."

She ignored him and went upstairs feeling frustrated with herself for being so unfair. She drew in a deep breath and went in to Noah's room. She looked for some clothes that she might be able to dress Ivy in for bed and then went to make up the portable cot that Noah had slept on one Saturday night when he and Ava proposed a sleep over.

She wheeled it out of the cupboard and down the hall. She sure hoped Ava would be okay about sharing a room with a five year old. She grabbed some blankets and a pillow and left it to sit until she had Ava's permission. It was just as important, she felt, to make sure Ava had a choice since it was her space.

She went to the bathroom and started running a bath. She plucked her phone out of her pocket and started typing a message to Amanda but deleted it. She heard the front door and the kids spilled inside. She went downstairs and saw Amanda.

"Mom!" Noah excitedly greeted her.

"Hi babe," Olivia gave him a hug. "I missed you," she smiled, kissing his forehead.

"I missed you too, Mommy, Amanda took us for ice cream," he grinned, looking at Amanda who was exchanging phone numbers with Ava.

"Guys," she spoke to the kids, "can you go inside and see Dad? We have a guest for the night that you need to go meet."

"Who?" Ava asked, raising her eyebrow.

"Go in and find out, Amanda, would you like to stay for coffee or something?" She asked her friend.

"No, its fine, I gotta get back…" she gave both kids a hug. Liv turned to Ava. "Can you let Dad know that I'm seeing Amanda back out?"

She nodded.

/

Once out on the street Olivia felt like she could breathe. "What's going on?" Amanda asked, picking up on her vibe. "Did I walk those kids in to a fight?"

"No… not really," she gave a wry smile and shook her head. "Thank you so much for taking the kids tonight."

"That's okay," the blonde detective surveyed her boss; her friend.

"What happened? How's the little one fitting in?" They stopped walking once they got to Amanda's car. Olivia just shrugged as Amanda unlocked the car with the remote.

"Get in, boss, talk to me…"

Reluctantly, Olivia opened up the passenger door and sat down. She didn't want to get emotional, but maybe it would have helped to bounce her feelings off someone that she trusted. It was a fairly unusual concept that Olivia would open up to many, but she and Amanda had both grown a little softer with their new, relationships.

"What's going on? You guys looked pretty solid earlier," Amanda remarked.

"I think I'm being unfair…" she sighed, "but I don't know how to stop myself from feeling … frustrated with him."

"Why?" Amanda gently pushed. She knew that as quickly as Olivia opened up she was as likely to shut back down.

"Trevor really freaked out when he found out that the family he vetted turned in to an abusive home… he was so upset and I should be supporting him, but … I'm furious with him."

"Why?," she asked.

Olivia drew in a deep breath and looked down when she felt Amanda's hand on her wrist. "Liv, talk to me, you look really … bothered and I know how much you love him…"

Olivia felt a little smile curl up upon her lips as she glanced at her detective. "I never used the word love."

"Actually, you did," Amanda smiled, "I heard you guys calling each other love all afternoon," she teased, "and you don't need to tell me, Captain, I can see it…"

Olivia managed a chuckle. She sighed. "I'm just mad that for so many years he thought nothing of dragging victims through their own hell, making them out to be liars. Once I saw him make a little girl cry during her testimony and then I sit with him today and he's heartbroken over this kid and I am mad because of all the times he made my heartbreak for a victim and thought nothing of it."

"That was a long time ago, Liv… do you know exactly why he quit public defence?"

She shrugged, "Mostly his daughter gave him a conscience…"

"Okay, but people change… feelings change, we evolve and we grow up, Liv…"

"I know, I know," she said softly. "This is why I'm so frustrated… I think its just like—" she ran her fingers through her hair, "now he wants to be the warm heart, the one who has this endless supply of compassion for these kids who need better homes and caring people. Its him who is telling his daughter that he's a feminist and then …" she paused realising she was about to say something a little off the cuff.

Sensing she wanted to say more, Amanda nodded at her, urging her on. Olivia made eye contact, "sorry, this is way too personal,"

Amanda laughed, "Liv, c'mon, I think we've worked together long enough to know that we're beyond that."

She tried again, "I guess— when we're alone in an intimate space he really talks the talk of being a woman revering ally of women who deserve more everywhere…"

"And he can't back it up?"

Olivia laughed, "Oh he can back it up…" she found the laughter a little satisfying; girl time, she'd never really had much of it.

Amanda laughed too. "I'll bet… Liv, Trevor is a really nice guy. I've always found him to be a really nice guy even when he was in public defence. We all had our jobs and unfortunately his just made him far less likeable in the courtroom. I am sure if you brought this up with him, he'd share those moments that you're thinking about as regrets, especially if you compare it to how he feels about that little girl."

"I just don't feel like comforting him over it because he couldn't have given two shits about me when I was laying in bed sleepless over a child being assaulted and now he gets to be the hero and I have to coddle him, it pisses me off…"

"I think you should tell him that rather than making him wonder why you're upset."

"I just don't want to be a bitch, but truly, if I could take Noah home and sleep in our apartment, I would."

Amanda smiled. "Do you think there's just a tiny bit of self-sabotage woven up in there over moving in with him and Ava?"

Olivia's eyes widened.

"The kids told me… they're very excited."

She laughed and laid her head back against the passenger seat, holding her forehead in her hands. "I just don't feel like being nice to him tonight. Does that make sense?"

"Absolutely. If you dont feel like you can talk to him about it, then just get through the night civilly and hope for a better day tomorrow."

"Good advice. Thanks Amanda, thanks for everything today, you've been amazing."

Amanda laid a hand on her bosses shoulder and smiled at her. Liv covered it with her own and smiled back. "Thanks for your friendship, we could both do with this more…"

"Agreed… especially now that we both have men that are going to drive us crazy from time-to-time," she smiled.

"Okay, you better go back, I've essentially paid you today for being a babysitter rather than a detective…" she chuckled, "no overtime if you're late back to the station," she joked.

"Goodnight Liv, good luck."

/

As Olivia walked in to the apartment she noticed a bunch of messages from Trevor asking where she was. She sighed and went back up to the apartment.

"Where were you?" Trevor asked looking a little upset with her.

"I was downstairs talking to Amanda, I told Noah to tell you I was seeing her out…"

"You were gone for awhile, I was worried," he replied. "Ava just took Ivy upstairs to help her in the bath."

"Okay, I'll go up and oversee it," she replied. As she reached the stairs, Trevor met her. "Love, what's going on? You've been so weird with me the second that we walked in to that kitchen — since I suggested we bring her home. Are you angry that I wanted to help?"

"No," she said and she did mean it. "I'm angry that it took you this long to want to help an abuse victim. I'm angry that now you want to be the hero. What about all the other times?," she asked quietly, trying not to raise her voice. "What about all the times that you stood up in court and tore a child's abuse story to shreds and sent their abusers free to roam the streets?"

"Liv…" he began, realising that she was genuinely angry.

"No," she shook her head, "I know I shouldn't be mad at you, I know its in the past, I know if you could have your time back you'd probably have discerned your cases better — I get it, but I can't help the way I feel right now so I kind of just want to be alone."

He was blind-sided by her feelings and a wave of guilt settled over him as he watched her turn away and climb the stairs.

/

Olivia found the bathroom door ajar and let herself in. "Hi sweet girls, did I just make it in time for your bath, Ivy?," she smiled.

"I see that Ivy is staying in my room, the cot is in there…" Ava remarked.

"Only if you're okay with that, its fine if you need your space."

"No, it's totally fine. Did you want me to stay and help or?"

"No its okay honey," Liv replied with a smile, "why don't you go and see what Noah's up to and if he's on the iPad tell him he has ten minutes."

/

"Dad what's wrong?" Ava asked quietly as Olivia refereed a game of go-fish in the living room with the two smallest kids. Ava picked up on something as soon as she had arrived home. "Did you and Liv have a fight?"

Trevor looked up from the dishes that he was doing by hand, putting off joining everyone in the living room. He gave his daughter a weary smile. "We didn't have a fight, honey, its okay."

"You two haven't even looked at each other since Amanda dropped us off… you're both acting weird and quiet. It feels tense, Dad."

"Honey, I promise you— its just a bit of adult stuff, nothing for you to worry about and nothing that can't be sorted out," he added

"Is it because of Ivy?," she pushed him to tell her. He put an arm around his daughter and leaned over and kissed her forehead.

"Ava, its okay, don't worry about it."

"We're still all moving in together, right?," she wondered, thinking maybe they'd disagreed on a property or something.

"Yes, Ava, please, I need you to just stop asking questions, there are things that aren't your concern between Olivia and I, just trust me. If Liv didn't want to be here she would have gone home with Noah, I promise everything is okay."

He wondered if his placating was more words for himself.

"Okay," she replied. "I'm going to bed, its too weird and tense to be around, I feel that gross feeling in my stomach like I used to get when you and Mom fought. Goodnight."

"Wait, sweetie…" he paused, a pang of guilt hit him hard. "Come here…" he didn't consider that she might have needed some assurance. "I promise," he said sincerely, "this is not like that, remember how I used to work in court?"

She nodded.

"Sometimes I was pretty ruthless and sometimes I wasn't a good person and Olivia and I are just in the middle of a very big discussion about it and maybe it's brought up some… less than positive feelings toward me from the past."

"You were just doing your job…"

"I know, it's complicated honey, that's why it's a big discussion that is really one for Olivia and I, its not something that I should be talking with you about."

"You weren't a bad person, Dad, you've never been a bad person. You've always been the best Dad, I don't care what Liv thinks."

He smiled at her and chuckled. "I love you. Thanks for being so good about this child coming to spend the night until I sort out care for her."

"Of course… see? That makes you a good person." He almost winced and returned a smile and went back to the dishes as Ava went up to her room.

/

Trevor scooped up Noah from the couch. It was well past his bedtime. Olivia went to pick up Ivy who had fallen asleep in her arms.

"Its okay, I'll get her in a minute," he told Liv. She ignored him and lifted the girl.

Olivia knocked on the Ava's bedroom door. She called her in. Ava pulled back the bedding of the small cot beside her bed and helped her get the five year old in. "She's so cute…" Ava smiled, speaking in a hushed voice.

Liv smiled too and tucked her in. "Thanks for giving up part of your room, that was really kind of you, Ava, you're a great kid."

"Liv can you come and hang out with me for a bit?," she asked, patting the spot next to her in bed.

"Wait, let me go and put some pyjamas on and I'll come back," she replied, kissing Trevor's daughter on the forehead.

/

"Liv, can we please talk?" Trevor asked as she met him in his bedroom at the end of the hall. "I can't handle this…"

She pulled on her pyjama pants and glanced at him, feeling terrible about how annoyed she was. "Look," she began taking a deep breath, "I just need some time… tomorrow when you take Ivy to wherever you've got to take her, I'm going to grab some of Noah's things and go home for a night or two."

"No!" He exclaimed. Olivia looked away to avoid his wounded expression. "No way, you can't do this… Liv, please…"

"I just think its for the best because I don't want to be angry with you but I'm struggling Trevor and it's been bothering me for longer than I realised."

"Wait, what's been bothering you?," he wondered.

"You, your past, suddenly now you're a feminist, suddenly now you care about abused children," she knew her words were hurtful and she didn't mean them to be.

He stared at her. "Wow…" he breathed, shocked by just how pointed and sharp her words were. "You really believe that I've never given a fuck about women or children? That I've been some asshole 'not all men' kinda guy in the past? Because that is really fucking unfair!"

When she didn't say anything, he continued, "You know what I think? I think you're running away from me because this relationship just got a little too real for you. This is an excuse that you're using to self-sabotage, I know you, Liv…"

She ran her hand through her hair, trying not to let their argument turn to yelling. "I'm going to hang out with Ava,"

"Don't," he shook his head, "if you're going to walk out on me and Ava over something that I've never hidden from you, you may as well pack up and go now, you are not embedding yourself any further in my daughter's heart only to break it. I won't allow that."

"I'm not fucking breaking up with you Trevor," she told him angrily, "I just need to think about why I'm so mad."

"Because you're hurt!," he raised his voice, "I get it, I'm not denying it. I was a fucking pig to some of those victims and don't you think I take that to bed with me every night?" He asked her, "do you think you're telling me something new?"

"I don't know?"

He sat down on the edge of his bed. "Why do you think I work my ass off?," he asked, retreating and lowering his voice, "why do you think this girl matters so much? I just keep on moving ahead trying to fix more lives than I broke, Olivia, trying to get back my good karma… It breaks my fucking heart to even let my brain go back to making a court room question a child for what she or he endured… or a teen girl or a woman…."

"Where was your conscience at the time?," she asked, feeling the tears spill down her face, "because it wasn't just those people that were hurt, Trevor, it was me, I spent nights awake thinking about them, hoping to goodness that they were safe, that their predators weren't going to continue stalking and intimidating them… that father's wouldn't go back home and continue raping their children, that shit is the reason why I never sleep, its the reason why when you wake up in the middle of the night I'm still up or can't sleep."

"Why can't you accept that I've changed?," he asked, watching her wipe her eyes.

"I've accepted that you've changed, I wouldn't be here if I hadn't, but… today was hard. You've lived a few hours in my shoes and I don't have it in me to console you. I don't hate you, I don't want to break up with you, I just need to know that you will never be that man again."

He reached out for her with one of his long arms, "please Liv," he murmured when she took a step back, "I'm so sorry for being one of those people who made your life harder, who made the work you do harder, but I'm not that person anymore. I don't have someone in my life who makes my life so fucking hard that I'm numb to everything else anymore. I have you and ever since you've been on my radar, since Lewis, since Noah, you've just opened up my eyes… I really don't want you to walk away. I don't want you to break Ava's heart, I don't want you to break my heart and I really don't want you to take Noah from me."

Olivia wiped her eyes.

"Noah is the closest I will ever know to a son and I love him and his Mom so unconditionally and would do everything I can to just show you that I'm not the same person I used to be."

Finally she sat down beside him. "Its a dirty trick when you bring up Noah like that," she managed a tearful laugh.

"Its not a trick, it's the truth," he replied. "Please Liv, don't do this… stay here with me and work it out."

Olivia stared at him for a moment before averting her eyes. "I just think I need to-"

A knock on the door made both of them look up. It was Ava, she glanced back and forth between her Dad and Olivia suspiciously. "Ivy woke up," she told them, "she's upset…"

"I'll go…" Liv said quietly, clearing her throat.

Once Ava turned her back Olivia wiped her tears quickly and followed her down the hall. Ivy was sitting up, crying, a little disoriented. "Honey, it's okay…" Liv soothed her softly, easing herself down beside the cot. "I know it's a bit scary, but look," she nodded toward Ava with a smile, "Ava is here with you and I'm here with you."

"Would you like to borrow my teddy bear?" Ava asked kindly, holding up an old, fuzzy teddy that she had taken from her dresser. Olivia could tell that it had never been loved, it was simply a decoration.

Ivy pouted and nodded wiping her eyes with the backs of her hands. "Thank you Ava," Olivia replied pointedly.

"Thank you Ava," her tiny voice murmured. She cuddled the teddy bear close to her.

"You can have that, Ivy," Ava told her with a reassuring smile, "that's a gift from me, you can hug him when you feel scared."

"Oh wow," Liv whispered in an amazed voice, "that's so kind of Ava isn't it? What a nice gift."

Ava got back in to bed and covered herself over. "Good night, Ivy," she said and rolled over. "Are you gonna come and hang out, Liv?"

"Is it okay if we hang out tomorrow?" Olivia asked, "your Dad and I are just in the middle of a discussion."

"Okay, you guys should talk," she said with a little smile, relieved that they were working out the weirdness between them. "Goodnight…"

"Goodnight sweetheart."

"Lay down, Ivy, I'll tuck you back in and if you close your eyes I'll sit with you until you go to sleep."

/

"You could have come and checked on the child that you wanted to bring home," Olivia told him with irritation, noticing that he was in bed, resting against the bed head looking comfortable, reading something on his iPad.

"You offered to go," he frowned, looking up.

"I think…" she paused feeling her frustrations growing again, "I think I'll go home."

"Liv…" he pulled his glasses off and set them aside, dropping the iPad to his side on the mattress. "Please don't go home."

"You told me that if tomorrow I was going to go home, it would be better if I go tonight and I think you're probably right, it'll be easier for Noah and Ava if I go home tonight."

"Are you breaking up with me?"

"Oh my goodness," she dropped her neck back as if she was irate. "Why don't you listen to me? I don't want to break up with you, I just feel some shitty feelings and I don't want to be unfair to you! I am trying to protect you so you don't end up fucking hating me!"

"Why would you even say that?" He felt confused and upset. "I find it really interesting that the day after we decide we're going to live together, suddenly there's this issue with me… well-timed, Olivia."

"Its nothing to do with that." She walked away, making her way to the bathroom and began to change back in to the jeans and t-shirt she had been wearing. She came back out, putting a hoodie on.

"So you're really going…" Trevor's voice trailed off.

"Yes, I'll organise Lucy to come and hang out with Ava tomorrow since you don't want me around her."

"Don't twist what I said," Trevor snapped, "I said I don't want you to break her heart, I don't have an issue with you being around my daughter, you know that. I just don't understand why you can't stay here and just talk with me… tell me what I can do, whatever assurances you need, Liv, I can give them to you."

"I just need to be alone, Trevor, I love you but I need to be alone."

She wiped her eyes as she turned her back and made her way down the hall. She used the light from her phone to pack Noah's school uniform. She scooped him out of bed, remembering just how heavy he was starting to get. She knew she'd have to get a cab home.

"Let me take him for you," Trevor met her in the hallway.

"Its fine," she replied, heading down the stairs, not wanting him to see her cry. He followed her trying to come up with reasons why she needed to stay.

"I feel like this is … a cowardly way for you to deal with a problem and if I'm honest it's really hurtful," he couldn't help but let slip out of his mouth. Olivia awkwardly pulled her handbag over her shoulder and looked back to the man that she so desperately loved.

"Are you trying to make this a bigger problem than it is?"

"You got mad at me for wanting to take Ivy home to give her a safe bed for the night, but I don't get it, you took a kid home with you and now he's your son! I'm surprised you aren't more empathetic."

"Oh, fuck you!," she hissed causing him to flinch, hurt and shocked. "This isn't about that poor child…" she shook her head and opened the door. "And don't you ever use Noah against me. Noah was different and you obviously knew that or you wouldn't have fought so hard for us." She let the door close behind her and left his apartment without another word.

Olivia lifted her phone to her ear and waited as she stood in the lobby. After a few moments Amanda picked up. "Hey Cap, how'd it go?"

"Not good… are you out and about or…"

"I'm actually just picking up some dinner for the rookie, what's up?"

"Uh… I'm out the front of Trevor's apartment, I have Noah, I can't get a cab, are you able to just give me a ride if you're not too far away."

"Of course Captain, I'm about 5 or so minutes away, sit tight okay?"

"Thanks Amanda…"

/

Amanda helped Olivia inside with Noah, taking her bags. She knew her boss was holding back her upset after briefly explaining what happened. Liv disappeared to put Noah to bed. Amanda could hear him waking up, stirring and disoriented. She texted Valesco while she waited to let him know she'd be a bit late with his food.

Finally Olivia reappeared, wiping her eyes.

"Liv… have a good night sleep, in the morning I'm sure you'll feel so much better."

"Maybe," she tried to smile.

"Come over here, give me a hug, it'll be alright, you guys are in love. It can be worked out," Amanda promised. Olivia felt grateful and hugged her tightly.

"Thanks Amanda," she murmured.

Once she left, Olivia went to her room and put her pyjamas on and climbed in to bed. She felt her tears start to fall. Her room had traces of Trevor all over it; her bedding smelled like his aftershave and some clothes at the end of the bed.

She tried to ignore it, scrolling through her phone, looking at the last picture that they took together. It was the background of her phone. Olivia thought about their last date; the pottery class and the beautiful dinner and the way they had shared their hearts at the end of the night.

She let herself cry wondering if she had overreacted.

She tossed the phone over to what was normally his side and buried her face in her pillow so that Noah couldn't hear her sobbing.

She felt exhausted, thinking over his words and his belief that she wanted to leave him. It was the opposite. She knew her feelings toward him were unjustified, she desperately didn't want to ruin their relationship with her own stupidity. She'd had a habit of finding issues and a long history of, as Amanda had put it, self-sabotaging. She knew it wasn't about moving in, but she knew that her personality was one that needed to find holes in something that felt perfect before she was blindsided.

She wiped her eyes, she needed to sleep.

In the middle of the night she woke up; reaching out for Trevor and realised that he wasn't there. The phone was though and the screen was alight. She realised a text had woken her up.

She rubbed her eyes and picked it up expecting it to be work.

It wasn't, it was Trevor.

"I'm so sorry for tonight and for anything I said that was out of line. I love you so much."

She was engulfed with sadness as she read his message, knowing that he was up late unable to sleep. "I love you too. Maybe you're right, maybe I do have a tendency to run from difficult emotions and feelings and I don't want to do that with you. I want to run to you… Please don't give up on me."

Just when she thought that he wasn't going to respond, her message chimed.

"I'll never give up on you. I'm here for you whenever you're ready to talk to me. Get some sleep."

She thought for a moment before typing her last response. "Thank you. X"

Trevor had hoped she would immediately call him and they could smooth it over but he tried to be patient. He knew he had to just try to relax, that smothering her would keep their relationship in the precarious position it felt like it was in.

He put his phone down and closed his eyes and tried for the life of him to get some sleep with an empty bed.

/

"Mom?" Noah shook his Mom awake, "Mom, why are we at home?" He asked when she finally opened her eyes. "I went to bed at Trevor's last night," he seemed disoriented. Olivia immediately sat up, panicked thinking she'd slept through her alarm. "Mommmm," he shook her, "Mom wake up!"

"Honey, I'm awake, stop," she replied, trying not to show her irritation. He climbed on to the empty side of her bed and flung himself down. "Why are we at home?"

"Because I remembered that I needed some things from here so we came home," she told him with a yawn. She picked up her phone and looked at it. It was just on 7 and there was a message from Trevor that came an hour earlier. She didn't want to look at in front of Noah; instead she locked the phone. "Come on kiddo, let's get up and get you something to eat."

"Is Trevor and Ava coming over this morning?," he wondered, "because Ava was helping me with my dance stuff for practice tonight."

"I'm not sure honey, Ava has to organise some stuff for school and I don't know if we'll be seeing them tonight. Trevor is really busy with Ivy, remember I told you she had an emergency that we had to help with."

He nodded, "but I liked playing with her, can't we go over this afternoon after dance so I can play?" He trailed after Olivia down the hall and downstairs to the kitchen. She closed her eyes and breathed in deeply.

"Noah, come on babe, give it a rest. I'll see what happens today."

He pouted and passed Olivia right to the living room to turn on the TV to watch the morning cartoons.

She put some bread in the toaster and sighed. She pulled her phone out of her pyjama pocket and opened Trevor's message. "Hi love, I just wanted to tell you good morning and that I love you. I hope you'll feel up to talking to me at some stage today."

She replied immediately. "Good morning love. I will take Noah to school and see how I feel. I hope everything goes well with Ivy this morning. I love you too."

/

Ava came down the stairs feeling tired and disoriented. She found Ivy sitting at the dining table eating pancakes happily, swinging her legs that over hung the chair. Trevor stood in the kitchen staring at the batter as it sizzled in the pan. She started to get a weird feeling as Noah and Olivia were nowhere to be found.

"Dad…" she said softly, stepping closer to him. He didn't move but the pancakes were beginning to burn. "Dad, that's burning…" she told him with a sinking feeling.

He seemed to jump to attention, only just noticing his teen beside him. "Morning honey," he said as if he hadn't heard a word she said. He flipped the pancake over and realised it was a little well-done. He put it aside and poured a little more batter.

"Hi Dad, where's Liv and Noah?"

"Oh…" she could tell immediately by the way his body stiffened that a lie was about to come out of his mouth. "Noah left something he needed for school at her apartment so they went early."

She stared at him for a second. He avoided her eyes. "Dad, I'm going to ask you again," she said slowly, "where are Olivia and Noah?"

He turned and looked at her, "Olivia needed a day to herself," he replied honestly, "and we are going to honour her space and leave her alone until she feels like she's had enough time."

"Wait," Ava felt panicked, "Did you both break up!?"

"No, honey, we didn't break up."

Ava felt her face heating up, "you promise?," she asked, "you promise you didn't break up? You told me last night it wasn't a problem, that you were just disagreeing on something and now she's at home…"

He took the last pancake off the heat and put down the flip. He took both of her shoulders and looked down at his daughter trying to put on a brave face and hoping to goodness that his words were true. "I promise you, Olivia and I haven't broken up."

"I don't believe you," she murmured.

Trevor plucked his phone from his pocket and opened up to Olivia's last message. "Look, this was sent 15 minutes ago, honey, does that sound like a text you'd receive from someone you were breaking up with?"

She stared at it for a second and sighed. "I was going to hang out with her today."

"I know babe, I'm sorry…" he said, kissing her temple. "You can hang out with me? I have to take Ivy with me to the social worker and see if we've organised some care for her, you can come with me if you like?"

"No thanks… that'll make me sad. If you haven't broken up with Olivia, why can't I go and see her while you do that?"

"Because she asked for a day to herself and I want to do that for her," Trevor replied.

"Something is off, you guys might not have broken up but wanting a break is the step before breaking up, it means you can't fight anymore because there's no resolution. I'm going to my room."

"Honey, please," he said softly, "don't make this harder, okay?"

She blinked back her tears and said nothing and went to her room.

/

Olivia got back in to bed and turned the TV on. She was tired and sad and didn't really know what to do with herself. She put on something mind numbing and stupid. Her phone was going off all morning with her silly work group chat that consisted of an old ADA, Rafael, Amanda who had recently decided to add Sonny in.

Amanda had kindly alerted Rafael to the fact that she and Trevor were having problems and of course, these days Sonny and Amanda were a package deal. She was a little irate that Amanda had said something, but truthfully, the love that they'd been sending her was nice and she felt a little bit better.

She lifted her phone again and realised it was Ava.

She felt a little sick as she opened it up. "I just got up and realised you weren't at home with us and I'm sad. I wanted to hang out with you today and Dad says you're not breaking up but even if he doesn't believe it, I know what breaks mean and what they lead to. Please don't break up with us, Liv. We both love you."

She looked at it for a moment and sighed. "I'm not breaking up with you guys, sweetheart. This isn't about your Dad or you or anything anyone did. Promise. I love you both too."

/

After a morning of tears and crying from a five year old who begged to stay with him, Trevor felt emotionally spent. Perhaps Olivia had been right, maybe it was easier to not get attached. He felt awful. Ivy had screamed and cried and kicked and punched and begged Trevor not to leave her. All he wanted to do was to see Olivia's face.

Fuck it, he thought.

He texted Ava to let her know he would be a little while longer that he was going to see Olivia. He hoped to work things out and get to the bottom of whatever was going on. He rang the buzzer at the door and was about to let himself in when she finally answered.

"Hey Liv, its me, can I please come up and see you?"

He heard her sigh. "Trev-"

"Please, I wont stay long," he murmured.

Olivia unlocked the front door at least appreciating that he didn't just let himself in despite having a key and knowing her code for the front door.

She was wearing his t-shirt and had been laying in bed. She quickly got up and gathered her hair and tied it back. She pulled her pyjama pants on and went back downstairs right as she heard a knock at the front door.

She opened it up.

"Hey…" his voice trailed. He looked sad and she felt terrible.

"Hi… come in,"

He walked in and turned around to face her. "Can we just …" he stopped, he didn't even know what was going on, "I hate this…"

Olivia made her way inside and he followed her. She tried hard not to let him see her become emotional.

"Can you stop?" He reached out and took her wrist. She pulled her arm out of his grasp and turned around as they came to the living room. She turned to face him, "Please Liv, just stop… I don't want to be selfish, I want to give you your space, but I really need you."

She looked up at him, staring him down for a minute. "What happened?"

He shrugged, "Just a hard morning… and Ava…"

"Sorry about Ava, she texted me early and I assured her everything is alright."

"Is it though?," he asked, "because I feel like its not and I feel like you're not being honest with me…"

She rose an eyebrow. "I'm feeling frustrated and I feel like right now you are being selfish and everything is about what you want and what you need. I ask for a day to myself and you can't even make it til noon…"

"You think I'm selfish?," he widened his eyes in shock. "Are you kidding me?" He was offended and maybe she had chosen the wrong word to describe his behaviour. "Olivia, all I ever do is try to make you and Noah happy, if I say something dumb or out of line its because I'm human and you need to tell me, you don't just run from me."

"Yeah, I forgot…. Saint Trevor."

"What the fuck!?," he exclaimed, "where on earth is all this coming from?"

Olivia didn't know, she just knew that it felt good to let out her frustration and hurt that she wasn't entirely sure was Trevor's fault. She went to open her mouth but he spoke over her, hurt and offended too.

"No, you know what? Fuck this Olivia. I had the morning from hell and I thought the one person who would understand would be there for me the way I've been for you, the way I always, regardless of whether or not it's going to hurt my feelings, encourage you to share whatever is in your heart. I just thought I could expect that compassion from you regardless of if you're mad at me for …. things from my past that I already explained as best as I could to you."

He shook his head and turned away. "You want time to yourself? Great, have all the time you want, you don't get to fucking insult me or try to hurt me because you have your own weird hang ups about intimacy!"

He let himself out and slammed the door loudly behind him not even giving her a second to respond.

And, she thought, you absolutely managed to do it again, Olivia, she sighed and with her breath came a fresh flood of tears.

/

"Lucy, could you please take Ava somewhere…" Trevor said quietly to the nanny. "I just need an hour or two to get some work done…"

"Sure, would you like me to take her for a walk?" Lucy asked. It wasn't lost on her that Ava was in a terrible mood and there was a very significant absence of Olivia when she knew she was on days off. Trevor looked upset and irate too.

"Yeah, a walk, the library, whatever… she has access to my amex for emergencies, but you guys can use it if you choose to go anywhere that requires money."

"No problem. Are you okay for me to take off around 3?"

Trevor almost face-palmed but realised that it had already been organised and it wasn't Lucy's fault. She had plans and really, she was Olivia's nanny that, when available worked for him instead of Casi who had transitioned more to a part time situation due to Ava's extreme dislike of her.

"Yeah, that's fine," he nodded. "Thanks."

He went to the living room to find his daughter who was watching TV and reading a book. He wondered how she was able to do both, but she never seemed to have too much trouble. "Hi honey, how was your morning?"

"Fine," Ava replied without looking up.

"Honey…" he started again, "don't be rude, I'm talking to you."

She sighed and put the book on the ground beside the couch. She stared at her Dad who she could tell was tense and had had enough. "What? Lucy and I just made lunch, we had peanut butter sandwiches and she was preparing dinner because I said I didn't know if Liv would be here or not."

He cocked his head, a little disappointed. "Ava," he sighed.

"Well I don't…" she shrugged.

"Do you care about how my morning went?," he wondered.

Ava shrugged, "unless you went and made up with Liv, I don't want to know. I just want you to leave me alone."

"Well guess what, that's not happening and you don't have the right to be rude to me. I want you to get up and put some appropriate clothes on because Lucy is taking you for a walk to get you out of the house. Hopefully when you get back you'll have dropped your attitude because it's inappropriate and hurtful."

"Its hurtful that you did something to make Olivia leave and now I don't get to hang out with her or Noah."

He couldn't handle it. He got up and removed himself from the situation and went to the office and closed the door behind him. The only interruption was from Lucy who let him know they were leaving.

/

Dinner between Trevor and Ava was quiet — neither felt like speaking. Ava picked at the pasta that Lucy had made and Trevor wolfed his down. He glanced at his daughter and knew he needed to be the adult. "Ava, I'm sorry you're upset that Olivia and Noah aren't here, I know you feel like it's an easy fix, but-"

"I don't want to talk about it, I don't know what you did, but I don't know why you just won't fix it."

"It's not that easy, honey…" he sighed. "If I could fix it, it'd be fixed already, okay?"

"So it's Olivia, she did something crappy?" Ava asked.

"No, no, no…" he shook his head. "Olivia didn't do anything wrong either, this is grown up stuff and its really hard for you to understand, I know, but you're just going to have to trust me."

"What happened, Dad?" She asked, her tone demanding. He knew he couldn't tell her. He desperately didn't want her to know that Olivia had flicked a switch. He understood what she was doing and why she did it, she was angry, she was looking for a reason to run because she was scared that he might choose to walk away before she managed to do it on her own.

At least when she caused her own hurt, it was on her own terms.

"I can't really talk much about it, sweetie, it really is grown up stuff, but… I was a bit of a dick when you were little. I had a lot of pressure on me from other people and I did a job that I'm not proud of even though it was essential."

"Defending criminals," she replied simply. "I know that."

"Yeah…" he nodded. "Sometimes I used to go up against Olivia's cases in court and she's upset about a few things which is justified."

"It was so long ago…" Ava was confused, "why is she worried about what happened so long ago?"

"Its complicated. I'm not proud of the person I was."

"I don't get it. Olivia knew who you were and what job you had, if she had such an issue why did she ever agree to date you?" Ava asked, frowning. "What are you not telling me?"

"Sweetie," he sighed and put down his fork, "Olivia has reasons for being upset with me and I don't entirely understand myself but it's not to say that they're not valid. Unfortunately, we have to ride this out and wait and give her the time and space she needs, okay?"

Ava looked troubled but nodded. "I guess."

"And I told you not to to text her and you did anyway. Do I have to take your phone?"

"No…" she mumbled.

Trevor got up and took his plate to the dish washer. He turned back to her as he started clearing up. "Eat your dinner, you've barely eaten today."

/

Trevor came to say goodnight to Ava, trying his best to smooth out her feelings so that she wasn't upset. Olivia's absence had really set the tone in the house and all he wished for was for Ava to smile, he hated to see her so sad about something that wasn't on her. "Goodnight honey, I don't want you to worry, okay?" He told her sitting down on the edge of her bed.

"Too late," she replied, rolling over and pulling her blanket up over her shoulders. He placed his hand on her arm. He swallowed hard.

"I know you're upset and I'm truly sorry. Liv and I should have been a lot more careful about involving each other with you and Noah… I never ever wanted you to feel sad if things didn't work out."

Ava glanced over her shoulder and it broke his heart to see tears filling them. "You are breaking up," she sat up, alarmed.

"No, no, no…" he said quickly, "sweetie, no…" He pulled her in to his arms and hugged her. "I'm sorry," He kissed her temple. He didn't want to become emotional but it was hard. "This time next week we'll all be hanging out again… you just wait and see," he promised.

He pulled away and wiped his little girl's tears. "I know it feels shitty," he cursed, something that he rarely did in front of her, "I feel shitty too, but it'll be okay."

Ava nodded and sniffed. "Try to relax and sleep… we have a meeting with the two schools tomorrow," he reminded her. "If you need me, I'll be downstairs, okay?"

"Okay Dad."

He kissed her temple again. "I love you."

"I love you too."

/

After his second beer he picked up his phone and stared at the last text Olivia sent him. He knew he had said his fair share of hurtful things. He'd wished he hadn't been as reactive, that he'd been more patient with her.

With trembling fingers he tapped out a text message.

"Tell me straight, is this too broken to fix? Does my past offend and hurt you so much that you won't be able to move forward? I need to know."

He went and grabbed himself another beer and chugged half of it before he'd even sat back own, he enjoyed his muscles beginning to loosen up and the tenseness falling out of his shoulders with the loss of his inhibitions.

His phone chimed and he felt his breath catch. He picked up the phone and stared at it for a moment. It wasn't Liv, it was Katie.

"Hey Trevor, sorry to message so late, you asked for an update about Ivy. We just got her in to a foster home. Potentially could be long-term, but we are doing a trial for three weeks. I'll check in every day for the first week and then a few times next week and so forth. Feel free to text or call me if you want to go check as well. She's still feeling very upset and displaced. Thanks for doing what you could. The SVU medical examiner took photos of the bruises and we'll be investigating the family."

Trevor wiped his eyes feeling them well with relief. He didn't realise how tightly wound up he was about Ivy until he read the words on the screen.

Olivia's name popped up, she'd replied.

"I don't know… maybe I'm too broken for this."

Trevor tossed his phone aside. "Fuck!" he yelled in a fit of anger. He remembered Ava upstairs and felt bad, ignoring his drunkenness. All he wanted was to see her face and to hold her close. He wanted some comfort and for her to just assure him that everything would be okay.

He leaned over and held his face in his hands and tried to breathe so that he wouldn't be overcome with emotion. If it was one thing that had been frowned upon in his father's house and that was tears from a man. He tried hard to reverse that attitude so that he could be more in tune with his own feelings, but being with Sarah for years, who wanted a man to be a 'man' didn't help things.

"Dad, are you okay?" Ava asked softly. She went to her father's side. She could tell at the sound of her voice he had become emotional. She sat down and wrapped her arms around him. "Dad it's okay," she said quietly. "I know you're sad about Olivia…" He tried his very best to keep his emotions to himself, to be strong in front of his daughter. "I love you Dad, even if it doesn't work out, we've got each other," she said. He wiped his eyes, feeling embarrassed that he had woken her up or disturbed her with his drunken upset.

"I'm okay," he said, clearing his throat. "I'm sorry I woke you up."

"I don't like to see you cry, Daddy," she said when he glanced at her, giving her a weak smile. Her own eyes were full of tears. "I don't like that Olivia is doing this to you." Ava could see the message from Olivia open on his phone beside him. She felt sad that Olivia sounded like she wanted to give up, or that whatever was going on with her made her feel like she wasn't worthy of their love.

"Its not Liv, its okay, its not her fault…" he cleared his throat. "It's okay, I'm okay."

He hugged his daughter tightly. "Come on, I'm gonna go to bed and I need you to sleep too."

"K Dad…"