"Here," she hands her daughter the toasted pastry with way too much icing on it for a Monday morning breakfast, but they're already running late and it's the first day of school.

They walk the few blocks over to school hand in hand while her little one practically inhales the once in a blue moon treat in the other. The amount of sugar in that one bit alone will have her bouncing off the walls and make her teacher resent her for giving her daughter a sugar high this early in the morning, but it's been an adjustment doing this all on her own.

"Why can't I have these every mornin?" Olivia exhales at the question she knew was coming any moment now. Her daughter might have only been five but she interrogated her like a second grade detective.

"Because honey, they're not a breakfast you should have every morning. The breakfast you normally have helps you grow. Don't you want to grow big and tall like your cousin Hayley?" She tries for persuasion but the point is mute. Olivia swears she sees her eyes roll so far back in her head they disappear for a moment.

"I like these more," she holds up her last bite and stuffs it into her mouth. Olivia tries like hell to hide her amusement- wondering where her daughter gets her attitude from.

"Ophelia," she looks down at her daughter's icing covered face as they stop at the crosswalk waiting for the light to turn. Her daughter's dark eyes mimic hers and tests her patience a little more this morning before giving up her fight.

"Fine," her little one huffs out a breath and skips across the street still holding onto her mothers hand. Her backpack that's almost the size of her hops along with her, and Olivia is thankful that Ophelia isn't being so stubborn this morning.

They walk the last block in silence- well almost, as Ophelia hums some made up song of hers. School buses lined up along the street come into view and the hustle and bustle of the morning comes alive. They continue their walk up to the building alongside the other parents there for drop off. It's their second year here and it's already going much differently than their first first day of school when Ophelia began going to pre-k. Her daughter was actually excited to go back and see her friends more often than she was able to in the summer. It makes Olivia feel bittersweet as she starts to realize her little one isn't so little anymore.

"Okay mommy, remember no crying!" Ophelia reminds her mother when she crouches down on one knee to hug and kiss her goodbye. She wants to laugh but the tears have already started to prick at her eyes. Her baby was a big girl now and all of a sudden it was her who just couldn't say goodbye.

"I know," she pulls her in for a bear hug making sure to squeeze her nice and tight to elicit a giggle from her.

"Too tight!" She wiggles her way out of Olivia's arms smiling from ear to ear. It makes her melt and makes her wanna turn right back around.

"Just give me a kiss before you go," she grabs a hold of her full little cheeks in both palms and brings her perfect button nose to her lips before covering her in kisses. The laughter erupts and it's heaven to her ears all over again. "I'm sorry you're just too sweet!" She gives her a few more kisses before she lets up.

"I love you. Please be good for ," she moves a curl out of her face and brushes the few crumbs off her face before sending her off with one of the pickup helpers to send her off to class. She watches until Ophelia disappears into the building.

…

Work is routine at the hospital today and she's grateful for the steadiness this afternoon. It's just after 2 pm as she finishes up her paperwork, which leaves her plenty of time to pick up Ophelia this afternoon. She thinks maybe one more treat won't hurt today and she planned on stopping by George's Bakery before pickup. She had handled this morning so well without her father being there, and Olivia was having a proud mom moment.

It was just before three when she had gotten to the school and the kiddos had already been released to the playground a little early. She watched through the fence for a little while to let her have a few extra minutes with her friends before it would be just the two of them again. Ophelia chased another little girl in a game of tag. Both of them were barely able to contain their giggles as they ran in circles.

"Which ones yours?" A voice next to her asked and was taken aback when she saw the man standing next to her. A man in a three piece suit with short cropped hair, badge clipped to his belt, and a rock hard body she's sure he could use to lift whatever lucky woman has him as a husband.

Jesus Christ.

You would think she could make it a little less obvious she hasn't been laid in months.

"Uh um, that one running around right there," she points.

"How about you?" He chuckles at her question.

"She's the one your daughter is chasing," that earns a chuckle out of her. "I'm Elliot Stabler," he holds his hand out and shakes hers firmly.

"Olivia Had- Benson," she corrects herself. It's been six months since the divorce and she still can't break the habit.

"It's nice to meet you," he gives a boyish grin that shows off his gorgeous white smile he's been hiding. "I'm sure we'll be seeing each other around here often. Are you usually here for pick up?"

"I am for the most part unless work gets busy then I have a really amazing nanny who does pick up."

"Your husband not an after school pick up kind of guy?" He stands with his hands in his pockets and blushes the moment the words leave his mouth.

"I um-" She stutters.

"I'm sorry that was out of line," he apologized profusely and something about it reminded her of Ophelia getting caught doing something she most definitely shouldn't.

"No it's- I'm divorced. My ex is a little preoccupied with his new girlfriend at the moment," and much like him the word vomit had got a hold of her too.

"Oh," his thick eyebrows rose in shock at her words and left him speechless.

"I'm sorry. Now I'm saying too much," a nervous laugh escapes and now she's the one blushing.

"No it's- it's fine. Great even. So that means you're single now?" He stands with his hands in his pockets and a boyish grin on his face. His dimples appear and she has to admit the charm is working.

"Very single," she admits.

"I hope it's not too forward to say I will definitely be keeping that in mind," his bushy brows raise with a confident smirk on his lips.

"Mommy!" Their moment is interrupted by her darling Ophelia as she runs up to the fence with her hands entangled into the holes, her body pressed against the fencing.

"Hi honey, you ready to go home?" Her daughter nods urgently and looks over at her new friend who has followed her over.

"Hi daddy!" She looks up at her father with blue eyes and curly blonde hair. A contrast to her daughter's darker features.

"Hi sweetheart," she approaches the fence similar to Ophelia and she has a feeling their girls will soon be inseparable. "I see you made a new friend?"

"This is Ophelia. We're gonna be best friends!" She tackles her new friend with an all encompassing hug and the two girls nearly fall to the ground. Their giggles are endless and Olivia is just happy her little girl is making friends.

"Well I was just making friends with her mama. Isn't that cool?" He looks over at her again with those charming eyes and dimples she already is growing attracted to.

"So cool! Maybe we can all have a playdate?"

"Please mommy? Pleeeeaase?" Ophelia begs her and she hadn't planned on putting up much of a fight. She hates making promises but her new friend's cute father makes the decision easy.

"I think we can make that happen. What do you think, Elliot?"

"I think you should give me your number so we can keep in touch about this..play date," she tries to hide the utter shock on her face at his forwardness. She likes it.

Very smooth Stabler

She looks down at their girls who wait doe eyed and patiently for her to agree.

"How about you girls go get your backpacks so we can check you out at the gate?" They eagerly disperse and go to the hooks hanging outside the building to find their bags.

"So I guess this is the part where I give you my number," she chews on her lip out of nervousness as he confidently hands her his phone. She typed in her number and saved it under "Ophelia's Mom". He took a look at it and chuckled.

"I'll make sure to change that to "Ophelia's Hot Mom," it makes her laugh and shake her head at his antics.

"You are quite the flirt."

"I'm simply just being honest."

She feels like an idiot waiting for her phone to chime with a message from Elliot but here she is on her couch with her wine in one hand, and her phone in the other. It had only been a year since her separation from her ex-husband David, six months since the divorce but something about Elliot had just been so refreshing. His confidence had her smitten and he wasn't too bad to look at either. It's been hard reorganizing her life being a single mother now without the help of her child's father. She's been a mother first and then Olivia, but he had made her feel seen for the first time in years.

"Mommy?" She hears Ophelia shuffling down the hallway in her pink hearted pajamas.

"Baby, what are you doing out of bed?" Her daughter comes around to the couch and immediately climbs into her lap. Olivia sat her wine down next to her to cuddle her closer and settled deeper into the couch. She ran her hand repeatedly over her soft curls and peppered her forehead with kisses.

"I couldn't sleep," her voice goes quiet and she swears she almost hears the beginning of tears.

"Opie," she calls her by her nickname and moves so she's almost cradling her little one. "What is wrong my love?" Her lower lip whimpers and her brown eyes grow double in size as she looks up at her mother.

"I want my daddy," she rubs her eyes with a balled up fist and Olivia is quick to use her night shirt to wipe them away.

"Remember we see daddy every other weekend?" Her heart breaks in two almost right there. Just when she thought she had gotten used to her parents being a part, nights like these remind her Ophelia was still adjusting.

"Why can't daddy be here everyday?" Olivia sighs and pushes back her anger that she has towards David. Every weekend was too much for him and his busy schedule. He has the opportunity to be there for their daughter, pick her up from school, be at the recitals and soccer tournaments but he chooses work every. single. time.

"He just..he can't."

He doesn't want to

Is what she really wants to say.

"Maybe we can facetime him tomorrow after school?" She starts a prayer now that he'll even answer. The suggestion brightens her daughter's face just the slightest and gives her hope that they'll get through this bump in the road.

"Alright honey, let's get you back in bed," she picks her up as she stands and cherishes this moment a little while longer. She's growing so fast and soon enough she'll be too heavy for her to carry back to bed.

They make it back to her Repunzel themed room that's covered in lilacs and pale pinks. It took months to get this room perfect and she's thankful she was able to give her child everything she ever wanted as a kid. From the castle shaped headboard to the Corona crest etched into the shade of the lamp next to her bed. It was their little project over the summer. Every corner of this room holds memories of them trying to make their new place home.

"Are you tucked in good?" Olivia kneels on her knees next to the twin sized bed and runs the palm of her hand over Ophelia's hair.

"Snug as a bug!"

"Good…good," she chuckles and kisses the tip of her nose. "I'll see you in the morning. I love you," she continues to rub along her hairline and before she knows it, Ophelia is sleeping once again tonight.

She leaves her daughter's door cracked and goes to quickly check the iPad on the nightstand in her room to make sure it was working. It was out of habit but she always had to make sure. Ophelia was five years old now but Olivia needed the extra measures in place since it was just the two of them.

She sighs once she realizes she's going to have to get a hold of David before bedtime tomorrow to make sure he answers her FaceTime. Her abandoned wine finds its place back in her hand and the smallest of a smile creeps up on her face when she sees a text from Elliot.

Hey, it's the pretty good looking dad you met at pick up today.

She catches herself rolling her eyes at his wittiness and is quick to reply back.

I never said that.

She shoots back.

Yeah but you were thinking it ;)

Cocky son of a bitch.

So about the girls' play date..

I was thinking the park and a late lunch? You bring the bubbles and we'll bring the chalk?

They'll love that.

Perfect. It's a date.

She tosses her phone on the couch and sinks further in to nurse her wine. No, it's not a date. But suddenly she can't wait to see this mystery of man this Saturday.