"So, how did it go?" Elliot looked at her hopefully.

"Great, really great. She's a great girl." Liv was beaming, Elliot was smiling too, "I mean, I knew that, but now that I've met her…she's perfect. I can't believe she…" Liv shook her head. "I was not that together at her age."

"What do you mean?"

"Her mom didn't tell me everything. I knew she was a great student and all, but she's Captain of her lacrosse team, Varsity level, and she volunteers at the health clinic. And she's getting great marks, has a steady boyfriend too. I was nowhere near that well-adjusted."

"Good for her."

"I know, I'm so proud of her." Liv had the biggest grin on her face.

"And, um, she's not mad at you?" Elliot wanted to hit himself the moment he said it.

"She doesn't seem to be. I thought there'd be some resentment…maybe it's still to come…"

"Hey, hey, don't think like that. You said she was really together, I'm sure she understands why you did what you did."

"Yeah, I hope so, and she seemed okay with my reasons." Liv hoped they were right.

Olivia let Kate into her apartment a few nights later. She'd obviously been crying. Liv led her to the couch and braced herself.

"Sweetheart, what's wrong?"

"Why…why did you give me up?"

"Oh honey…I'm so sorry," Liv scolded herself for not being better prepared, on some level she knew this was coming, "I was seventeen and pretty much broke. Your father had left me, and I just couldn't inflict my home life on you."

"Was it really that horrible?"

"My mother was a drunk. She was angry and depressed most of the time. There were good times, when I'd almost feel normal. But they were so few and far between that I'd lost hope of her ever changing." Olivia felt horrible for saying it, but it was true. "I needed to finish high school if I was ever going to become a cop, and I had no one to watch you while I did that. I decided the best thing for you would be to live away from me." She looked deep into Kate's eyes, "You have no idea how hard that was. Everyday I loved you more, even before you were born. And then when you were born," Liv started crying, "it hurt to hold you, to know that you weren't mine, to know that I wouldn't get to watch you grow, watch you learn, help you along the way…" Liv was crying too hard to continue. Kate just held her,

"I never should have doubted you." Kate was crying too.

"What do you mean?"

"I just, I started thinking, and it sorta went downhill from there. I was already having a bad day, and everything just looked pretty bleak. I know, I know, it's really stupid-"

"No, no, it's not stupid. And I would have wondered if you hadn't asked me." Kate nodded, both of them calmer now. They sat on the couch in silence, just breathing together.

"Do you know where my father is?"

"No, I'm sorry, I lost track of him a long time ago. He left NYU, and did his masters out of state, I think. He always wanted to work in California, but I'm not sure where he ended up. He never called me back."

"Called you back?"

"I called, and told him about you…to his machine. I know it wasn't the right way to tell him he was going to be a father, but I'd geared myself up to tell him right then, so I just…I left a message. I figured if he called me back I might rethink things. But he never did."

"Do you remember what you said?"

"Something like 'Just wanted to let you know that I'm pregnant, and I'm giving the kid up.' That was pretty cold, now that I think about it. Probably didn't call me back because he didn't think there was any point."

"Don't, don't think about it. I've really had a great life, really I have. Thanks for making the effort to find a good family for me."

"How much has your mother told you?"

"Just that you grilled them pretty hard. You were very serious about it, and it touched my parents. They were determined not to fail you." Olivia was surprised to hear that.

"Fail me?"

"You are a cop, and you do realize how menacing you be, right?"

"I scared them?"

"Haha, not really, I'm joking with you. But they were touched by your determination to assure your kid a better life, and they didn't want to let you down." Olivia smiled and they were silent for a while.

"So, you believe me right?" Liv asked her, "That I've always loved you and only wanted the best for you?" Kate nodded. "No more doubts, okay?" Kate shook her head.

"Nope."

TBC - one more part to go :)