During the Commercial - Taken Sometimes Even a Strong Woman Needs a Strong Shoulder

Disclaimer: The characters are the property of Dick Wolf and company. I have just borrowed them for my own, and hopefully your, amusement.

Summary/Author's Note: "Taken" had a high and unfulfilled angst quotient surrounding the death of Olivia's mother. This is my attempt at filling it. Read, enjoy, and review. Thanks!

About half an hour after Olivia left, Kathy was making dinner when the male members of her family came home. The door slammed back against the wall as Dickie charged into the house, tossing down all the gear a young boy considers vital as he headed directly for the fridge. His father followed at a more reasonable pace, putting his things down on the counter as he crossed to kiss her hello. She returned the kiss with a smile before directing her attention to their foraging offspring.

"Dickie, don't leave your stuff there and close the refrigerator. You're going to spoil your dinner. Hi there."

"Hi yourself, how was your day?" Elliot's attention was drawn to the stairs as all three girls came down at the sound of the new arrivals. He opened his arms as his youngest daughter streaked toward him, hoisting her up in the air as she squealed in delight. He grinned at the older two, but their hellos were quick before they turned their attention back to their mother.

"You couldn't talk Olivia into staying?" Maureen was curious as to what had upset her father's usually unflappable partner.

"Olivia was here?" he asked. He was surprised that she had come and disappointed she had left before he got a chance to talk to her again. He had tried to call her during the day but had just gotten her voicemail.

"Yeah and she looked like she wanted to cry," Kathleen answered. "Why was she so sad, Mom?"

Elliot and Kathy exchanged a sympathetic look before turning back to their children, all of whom were looking at them with questioning eyes.

"Let's sit down guys," Elliot said as he pulled out a chair and waited for his family to all get seated. "Olivia had some very bad news today. Her mom was in an accident."

"Is she going to be OK?"

"No, Dickie," Kathy answered quietly. Olivia's mom was hurt very badly, and the doctors tried but they couldn't help her. She died. Do you understand what that means?" The last question was directed to their youngest children.

"She went to live in Heaven with God and our grandpas and Great Aunt Helen, right? But Heaven is supposed to be a nice place, why would that make Olivia sad?" Elizabeth looked sad herself, and a little confused.

Her oldest sister took that question. "Because Olivia won't be able to see her anymore and she misses her."

Elizabeth got up from her chair and went to her father. "Tell Olivia I'm sorry about her mommy, OK?"

Elliot gave his daughter a hug then picked her up to settle her in his lap. "Of course I will, sweetheart."

"When's the funeral?" Kathleen asked. "We're all going right?"

"I don't know when it is, honey. And Olivia might..."

"Dad we have to go. That's what families do." She looked at her sisters and brother who nodded in agreement before they all turned their eyes back on their parents. Kathy and Elliot shared another look, their pride in their children obvious. Elliot raised an eyebrow in question, which Kathy answered with a teary smile and small nod before she addressed the kids, "you're right, Kathleen. That is what families do. Daddy will talk to Olivia and find out when the funeral is and then we will all go show her how much we care about her. OK?"

Elliot pressed a kiss to the top of Elizabeth's head and with a final hug set her back down on the floor and rose to his feet. As everyone stood up Elliot gathered both Kathleen and Maureen in for a triple bear hug as Elizabeth ran to her mother, who opened the arms already surrounding Dickie to draw in his twin as well. Both parents wanted to make sure that the children, while sad for Olivia, were not scared and knew they could come to them with any questions. After offering each other comfort and reassurance the family moved to finish the final preparations for dinner.

Dinner topics ranged from school-day adventures to a few more questions about Olivia and her mother. After they finished eating Elizabeth and Kathleen were responsible for cleaning up the table and loading the dishwasher while Maureen headed upstairs to study for an upcoming test. Dickie remained at the table, teasing his sisters, until his father put a stop to it.

"Dickie, didn't you tell me you had math homework to do?"

"Yeah Dad, but not much. Can't I watch…"

"You know the rule, homework first, then TV. Why don't you go get it and we'll take a look at it together."

A little later in the evening, Kathy came out of Maureen's room where she had been quizzing her for her exam. Checking on her other daughters, she spent a couple minutes getting the gigglers refocused on their own studies before heading downstairs. There she found her husband and son together at the kitchen table, their heads close together as they worked on one of the problems in Dickie's math book. She saw Elliot look up and check the clock on the wall briefly before Dickie reclaimed his attention. Coming into the kitchen, she grabbed the portable phone as she crossed to her guys.

"Call her," she said as she handed Elliot the phone.

"I will. After Dickie and I finish."

"Oh I think the math wizard and I can handle this. She's a friend who needs you more right now, and I know you want to talk to her."

He looked at his son who nodded as well. Rising from the table he ruffled Dickie's hair and gave Kathy a kiss before he stepped outside. In such a busy house he had learned long ago that the front porch was about as private as he was going to be able to get. Sitting down on the top step he dialed his partner's number.

"Hello?"

"Olivia, it's me."

In her darkened apartment Olivia sat down on her couch with a sigh. She had cried a little on her drive home from the Stabler house, then she brought her emotions back under control as she made the first round of phone calls notifying her mother's friends and business associates as well as a few of her own. Thankfully most of the calls were brief – quick condolences and expected offers of assistance. She was able to accept the first and deflect the second all while maintaining her composure. Some people had promised to call others with the news so she was finally done with everything she was going to be able to do today. For the last little while she had just been wandering around her apartment because she couldn't seem to stay in one place or on one activity for any length of time. She didn't want to be around people but suddenly didn't want to be alone either. And then, like an answer to an unspoken wish, there was Elliot. She could curl up on her couch in the safety and privacy of her own home, while on the other end of the phone line was the person who knew her best.

"Elliot, hi."

"How are you doing? I'm sorry. That's a stupid question."

"I'm doing OK, El."

"Kathy said you came by. I wish you had stayed a while longer."

"I couldn't. I had calls to make and things…I just couldn't."

"It's OK, Liv, I understand." And he truly did, much as Kathy had earlier. "Have you got everything under control? Can I do anything?" Knowing the answer couldn't stop him from asking the question. And maybe she would surprise him.

"I called friends and her boss. They'll pass the word. And I went to the funeral home; Melinda recommended a good one. Melinda was…thanks for calling her."

"You don't need to thank me, Olivia. I would have gone with you but…"

"I know and thanks for that too." She knew her partner and knew how hard it had been for him to step aside. It was just not in Elliot Stabler's nature not to try and help when someone he cared about was hurting. But he had done it for her, because she asked him to. She felt the tears welling up again, and again she fought them back. Maybe talking about work would help her emotions steady.

"Did you pick up Ramsey?"

"Yeah, we got him. Siobhan is coming in tomorrow afternoon for the lineup."

"That's good." Her voice dropped off, she couldn't seem to focus on work after all.

"Liv?"

"I'm here, Elliot."

"You're going to take some time off, right?"

"Yeah, there are still some arrangements I need to take care of."

"Have you set a time for the service?"

"We did that today. There will be a visitation tomorrow night at 7 and then a small graveside service and the…burial the day after starting at 11."

"Where, at the funeral home? Which one?"

"Mallory and Sons. But Elliot you don't have to…"

"Don't even try it, Olivia. Of course I'm coming. In fact the entire Stabler family will be there."

"Elliot, there's no need for the kids and Kathy to come."

"Yes, Olivia, there is. As my bright and beautiful second child said tonight, it's what families do."

That did it. The tenuous hold she had been keeping on her emotions broke and she couldn't stop the tears from falling anymore. She couldn't even speak, when she opened her mouth to try the only sound that escaped was a low sob. A sob that Elliot heard. In that moment he wished they weren't miles apart so he could give her the comfort she so desperately needed in person.

"Olivia…Liv?"

"Kathleen said that?" she finally managed a choked whisper.

"Yes, she did. And Elizabeth wanted me to tell you how sorry she is. So plan on all the Stablers being there, all right?"

"All right, El." She couldn't stop the tears this time; they coursed silently down her face.

"Olivia, do you want me to come over there?"

"No Elliot, you should stay with Kathy and the kids."

"Kathy can come over herself if that would be better. She's concerned about you too."

"I know, but I'll be fine." With one hand she wiped the tears from her cheeks. "Really, you guys should be home."

"OK, but only if you promise to call if you need anything, even if you just want to talk."

"I promise."

"Then I'll talk to you tomorrow. Sleep well, partner."

"Good night, Elliot."

Elliot hung up the phone and ran both hands over his face before dropping them to his lap. He stared out into the darkness lost in thought until he heard his front door open. He looked up and smiled sadly at Kathy as she settled next to him on the step.

"How's she doing?'

"She sounds so lost. Over the years we've seen a lot of horrible things but I have never heard her like this, never seen her break down like she did earlier today. This is her mother, Kath. The only family she had is gone. And she won't let me, us, do anything to help her."

"Olivia is a strong, independent woman, Elliot. You know that better than anyone. She'll be OK, we'll make sure of that. Whether she wants us to or not."

Kathy liked Olivia; she admired her dedication and her compassion. She thought of her as a friend and was thankful her husband had a good person watching his back through the dangers of their job. True, there were times that she was jealous of the bond the two had. She trusted them both implicitly but she knew they shared something that was very strong and very exclusive and that did bother her. Part of her could understand Elliot's need to shield his family from the horrors he witnessed every day. But there was another part of her that hated the fact that there were areas of her husband's life in which she had no place, and Olivia did. She wished Elliot would talk to her more, and if she was honest with herself that also meant talking to Olivia less. Unfortunately it was something they seemed to be arguing about on a more frequent basis lately. She simply wanted her husband to include her and their family more and was envious sometimes of the relationship he had with another woman. She didn't think the envy was wrong and at that moment there was no envy at all, only sympathetic grief. As she sat there on the front step of her home, her children safe inside and her husband's arm around her she knew how lucky she was and all she felt was sadness for a friend who grieved alone.

Elliot smiled slightly and tightened his hold on her for a moment before he stood and held out his hands to help her to her feet. "You're right, we will. But for now I think we'd better check to see how our children are doing before they think we've run off and left them in control of the house." Together they walked inside.

Miles away in her apartment, Olivia remained on her couch. The tears had finally subsided but they had left her completely drained. Not even able to find the energy to move to her bedroom, she simply pulled a blanket from the back of the sofa and spread it over herself. Curling up as tight as she could she stared out into the darkness and whispered, "Good night, Mom."