Lost

Disclaimer: Not mine

Summary: See chapter 1

A/N: This is the second to last chapter. I have been getting sequal requests, but I don't know if I'm going to be able to write another story for a while. I'm taking a lit of college courses this year, and so I have a lot of papers to write. Sorry!

I hope you all have enjoyed this story so far, and thank you to everyone who have stuck with me all this time!

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Jury

It was already time for closing statements, and Olivia wasn't sure what her daughter's fate would be.

"Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury," Lemmerik began, "today, when you cast your vote of guilty or not guilty you need to consider some very important things. First of all, you are not here to be nice. You are here to be the voice for a child who doesn't get a say in what happens to her. You have to step up to make sure a little, innocent girl gets a future. Now, Detective Benson's step children paraded through this courtroom the other day, and there were a countless number of people who testified that the Detective has always had her child's best interest in mind, but her actions seem to speak louder than their words. Her child hasn't even been born yet, and she has already made a decision that proved to be harmful to the child. You have to remember that while she may be a wonderful step mother to the kids you listened to yesterday; they go home after two days. They are also older children. They know when something is dangerous, and can control their actions to protect themselves. A baby can't do that.Detective Benson'sbaby is going to rely on her to make good decisions for its entire life. She couldn't even do that for one day. So, when you vote on the fate of this child, don't make a decision based on Detective Benson, and how she may feel about it, because, it isn't all about her. Base your decision on the unborn child that will be the one to suffer in the end. Thank you." He finished.

Casey rose and took her turn to sway any jury members who may have been considering voting guilty.

"The Prosecution's whole defense was based on the theory that Detective Benson doesn't deserve to be a mother." She began, walking over to the jury box. "Mr. Lemmerik told you thatDetective Bensonhadn't wanted children for years, and that now that she is pregnant, her daughter is the last thing on her mine. You heard many testimonies that refute this theory. The baby's own father sat on that bench, and told you that he wouldn't trust his daughter with anyone but her mother. Mr. Lemmerik claims that Detective Benson doesn't have her daughter's safety at heart because she made one bad decision. He wasn't there when she was attacked though. I was, and I can tell you first hand that the only thing on this woman's mind was to protect her child. Her attacked leapt over a table, wrapped his hands around her neck, and bashed her head against a cinderblock wall. Now, most people's immediate reaction would be to swing at their attacker, or try to pry their hands off of their neck. Olivia's reaction, was to wrap her arms around her stomach to make sure the baby wasn't thrown around in her stomach, and to fend off any blows her attacker may have thrown to her abdomen. When she recovered from her amnesia, the first thing she asked was about the state of her baby. This woman wants to be a mother more than anything, but not because it's what she wants, because she wants to give the child inside of her a chance to live a full, happy life. Don't take away her heart because she made one bad decision. If you are a parent, you know that you have to make decisions for your children every day. No one always makes the right one. If you convict Detective Benson on one bad decision, what will come next? Will mothers loose their children who fall off their bikes and skin their knees? I mean, she did allow the child to ride the bike without training wheels. What about children who get kidnapped? Will they get taken away when their found? Make the right choice, return with a verdict of not guilty."

Casey was finished. She walked back to Olivia, and took her seat. It was only a matter of time now.

Olivia waited patiently outside of the court room with her friends.

"How do you think we did?" She asked quietly, more to break the silence than anything else.

"I think we did well." Casey answered, knowing that Olivia was just fishing for something to say.

"What if they return with a guilty verdict?" She asked.

"They won't Liv." Elliot soothed.

"I'll appeal all the way to the Supreme Court if I have to." Casey answered. "I'm not letting you lose that baby."

"Thank you Case." Olivia smiled.

"The jury's back." A man said, sticking his head out of the courtroom.

"That was fast." Munch noted. "Only a little over an hour."

"Is that good?" Fin asked.

"It's either really good, or really bad." Casey breathed.

Everyone filed back into the courtroom, and took their seats.

Elliot could see that Olivia was terrified. He was sitting behind her, and placed his hand on her shoulder to reassure her that she wasn't alone.

Olivia watched as the jury filed back into the courtroom one by one.

"Have you reached a verdict?" The judge asked methodically.

"We have your honor." A small woman answered.

The bailiff took a folded piece of paper from her, and handed it to the judge. He looked at it; refolded it, and handed it back to the bailiff.

Olivia tried to read his face to discover her fate, but he showed no emotion. Why would he though? It wasn't his baby they wanted to take away.

"Will the defendant please rise?" The judge ordered more than asked.

Olivia did so, but she needed some help from Casey. She was shaking so hard that she thought her knees were about to give out from under her. She felt sick, and rested her hands over her stomach, as if she though they would rip her daughter from her at any moment.

"Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury, on the count of endangering the welfare of a child, how do you find?" The judge asked.

Olivia held her breath. This was it.

"We the jury find the defendant, Olivia Benson not guilty." The small woman read.

Olivia let out her breath finally. Her knees buckled, just like they had promised her, and she fell back into her chair.

Casey would have checked to make sure she was alright, but he smile on her face said it all.

"Thank you ladies and gentlemen of the jury, you are excused." The judge said. "Before I dismiss this case though, I would like to say something." He began. "Through out this trial I have seen a multitude of people testify to Detective Benson's ability to be a mother to her child. While I don't condone the decision you made to go into that interrogation room, I cannot sit here and say that it shows you are unable to be a parent. I have watched your reactions to each person's testimony. You have shown me that you love this child more than anything, and that is all you need to be a parent, Detective, I hope that these proceedings don't make you doubt the love you have for your daughter, because any idiot can see that it's there." He finished. "Good luck Detective, although I don't think you'll need it." He smiled. "This case is dismissed." He said, and with a bang of his gavel, left the room.

Olivia embraced Casey tightly. "Thank you." She smiled.

She then turned to Elliot. In one motion she wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him.

After hugging each of her friends, the group made its way to the stairs of the courtroom.

"I really don't know how to thank all of you." Olivia smiled from Elliot's arms. He had his arms wrapped around her waist protectively.

"You don't have to thank us babe." Fin smiled. "We want this baby almost as much as you do!"

Olivia smiled. "I'd treat you to drinks, but I don't think it would be to smart to show my face in a bar right now."

"Yeah, I have to agree on that." Alex answered.

"How bout dinner?" Olivia asked. "I could really go for a cheese burger."

"Hey, whatever the fat lady wants." Munch smirked, causing everyone to laugh.

"Hey, just remember that the fat lady gets to decide what this kid calls you, for the rest of your life." Olivia warned.

"Let's go." Cragen butted in. He knew that neither Olivia nor John could give in when it came to insulting people.

After dinner Olivia and Elliot headed home.

Olivia lay peacefully in Elliot's arms that night. She couldn't sleep again, but this time it wasn't due to fear, but joy.

She wriggled out of Elliot's protective grasp, and padded into her baby's room. Since the trial began it had been painted. The furniture was still all in boxes, but a least it was a little more colorful in the small room.

Olivia walked over to the rocking chair in the corner. She sat, and stared out the window to the city below her. She felt so peaceful sitting in the chair, that she didn't even feelElliot's eyes on her.

"Watch ya doin?" He asked in a whisper form the doorway.

"Just thinking." Olivia smiled, turning her head to meet his gaze.

"Mind if I think with you?" He asked.

"Come on in." Olivia smiled. She stood from the chair, and allowed Elliot to sit. Then she repositioned herself on his lap. Elliot snaked his arms around her waist, and held her close to him. Olivia rested her head on his welcoming shoulder.

"You did great in court." Elliot smiled.

"I had no choice." Olivia answered. "I can't wait until she's here."

"Me either." Elliot answered.

"I thought of a name." Olivia said suddenly, lifting her head from Elliot's strong shoulder to look him in the face.

"What?" Elliot asked.

"Isabelle. Isabelle Serena Stabler." Olivia smiled.

"That's a beautiful name." Elliot smiled, recognizing the name as his mother's. "So, why does Mom get the honor of donating her name?" He asked.

"She called each morning before court." Olivia revealed. She hadn't told Elliot before now. "She wanted to tell me that she believed in me, and that I shouldn't worry about the trial, because God wouldn't take a child away from a woman so deserving as me. That He knew that I would love her like no one else could." She smiled, tears threatening to fall. "No one's ever really believed in me like that before. I mean, other than you."

"Well, than I think the name is very fitting." Elliot smiled, pulling Olivia back to him.

When Olivia had fallen asleep, Elliot carried her back to their room. He carefully placed her under the covers, and crawled in next to her. For the first time he noticed the puff of Olivia's stomach.

"Hey sweetie." He whispered to her little belly. "I can finally see you." He cooed. "You are so beautiful."

Olivia smiled, hearing Elliot talking to her stomach.

"El, Hun, she's a bump under my shirt." She smiled.

"But she is one of the five most beautiful bumps I have ever seen." He smiled back.

Olivia scooted closer to her husband on the bed, wrapped her arms around him, and drifted back to sleep.

TBC... one more chapter! Review!