Chapter 11

Olivia dropped Elliot and the twins off at her building, after Kathy stopped by at the park. She headed to the store and Elliot got the twins dressed for bed. It was some what early still and he sat on the couch as the twins played a game on the floor in front of the TV. He fell asleep quickly- exhausted from all the things going on in his life. After an hour or so he woke up and looked at the twins, they were still playing. He sat up and put his head in his hands again.

"Daddy?" Lizzie called.

"Yeah, sweetie?" he looked up at Lizzie and Dickie standing in front of him. Lizzie kept quiet.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Is Olivia our new mommy?" Lizzie asked. Elliot's eye brows lifted and he took in a deep breath through his nostrils.

"Well… no. Not officially. But, she cares about you two a lot and she would do anything for you- just like a mommy" he told his daughter.

"I wish she was" Lizzie looked down.

"Yeah? Why?" Elliot asked, wondering how much his children liked Olivia as much as he did.

"She's pretty. And nice. And she hugs me. And she lets us get ice cream!" Lizzie smiled and Elliot smiled back at her.

"…yeah, and she doesn't hit" Dickie added. Elliot's smile started to fade. He wasn't quite sure what his son meant. He frowned for a second, until he noticed that they were starting to look at him funny.

"Well, come on lets play a game!" he smiled.

"Like what?" Dickie asked excited.

"Hmm… how about… hide and go seek" he told them just as excited. Lizzie and Dickie smiled widely.

"Ok, I'm going to count to 10! 1….2…" The game went on for awhile and soon the kids got tired. Elliot was tired too but stayed awake easily to watch his kids sleep. He loved to watch them sleep- they looked peaceful. He couldn't help but think what Kathy said may be right. He did work long hours, and he did have a stressful job. Maybe his kids would be better off with Kathy. But first he would have to find out what Dickie meant by his comment.

Olivia came home finally, carrying a bunch of grocery bags, with the door man holding a bunch too. She smiled at him and thanked him and again, he wouldn't accept her tip.

"Hey what's going on?" she asked noticing the sleeping twins.

"Nothing really. But I need to talk to you" he told her. They went into the kitchen and as he helped her put away food he told her about what the kids talked about.

"Lizzie asked me if you were their new mommy" he blurted. Olivia was surprised.

"What did you say?" she asked.

"I said…no. But that you were just like a mommy- and you'd always take care of them" he added. She nodded knowing that was true.

"And?" she asked.

"Lizzie told me why she wanted you as her mom, and Dickie did too" Elliot stopped making sure the kids were asleep still. Olivia frowned as she stopped what she was doing and looked at him.

"Dickie said he liked you also because you 'don't hit'" he leaned in closer, and talked quieter. Olivia grew wide-eyed.

"What? Do you think he's been abused?" She frowned.

"I couldn't talk to him alone with Lizzie right there. Plus, I don't think he'd open up to me"

"Why not?" Olivia asked.

"It's just a guess, but I think if he was hit, it was by a man. Would explain why he hasn't been as open with me as he usually is." Elliot whispered even quieter. Olivia knew Dickie wouldn't feel comfortable talking to another man, especially after seeing his dad and mom argue and get angry. Olivia nodded.

"I'll talk to him".

After a bit the twins were up and playing. It was late for them but it really didn't matter any more. When Olivia found the right chance she got Dickie to go with her to her bedroom.

"you want to do a puzzle?" She asked closing the door behind her.

"sure!" he said excited and she pulled one out. She sat it up on her bed and they sat on either side of it.

"So Dickie, how you doing?" she asked looking at the puzzle.

"fine." He said doing the same.

"I bet your upset about your dad and mom arguing" she said.

"Its ok" he didn't feel like talking about this.

"Yeah. Well- I bet you like Jim a lot" she said going for a different angle. She wasn't ready for such an instant reaction. He pushed the puzzle away from him and frowned very deeply.

"Did Jim hurt you?" she asked, just coming out with it. Dickie looked up at her with puppy eyes.

"You can tell me Dickie" she nodded.

"…Yeah" he confessed.

"What did he do?" she asked.

"He was at mommy's house. I couldn't sleep. So I came in. He was inside of her." Dickie stopped and Olivia took in a quiet breath.

"It's ok" she told him.

"He got up and frowned at me. He said I was stupid for coming in. I said I wanted a drink of water…"

"What did he do?" She asked knowing this meant a lot to all of their futures.

"He started to hit me." Dickie started to get upset.

"What did you do?" she asked quietly.

"He stopped after mommy told him to. He went back inside her and I left." He told her before he leaned over and wrapped his hands around her neck. She pulled him close and held him tightly.

"It's ok" she told him.

"I don't want to go back" he sobbed.

"You're not going to" she wouldn't let him go back with Kathy, or at least not with Jim.

The next afternoon Olivia and Elliot hired a baby sitter. She was to stay late with the kids- they didn't know how long the signing of the papers would take- and they didn't want to rush it.

"Everything is going to be ok" Olivia told Elliot as they walked down the hall to the elevator.

"If I see Jim I'm going to kill him" He commented as they stepped into the elevator.

"I know" was all Olivia said until he pulled up in front of Kathy's house. His old house already had its title, it was now 'Kathy's house'.

"Elliot. Everything is going to be ok. I promise" she told him and he nodded, not as sure as she was.

"We're not going to let anything happen to your kids, and this divorce is for the best- for your own sake."

"It's not the divorce" he said leaning his head back on the seat. Olivia frowned.

"…It's that I didn't even know. I don't know so much about the people I care about. I don't know about my kids, I don't know how Maureen is, I don't know if you even have a boyfriend. I mean, it's ridiculous I know nothing" he told her and she smiled a little.

"Elliot you know more then you think you do" she put her hand on his knee gently.

"I can go in there with you" she offered.

"No. I got to do this myself. Just wait here ok?" he asked putting his hand on top of hers. She nodded and he got out of the car. She opened her window and watched him as Kathy opened the door for him. She was looking around, bored to death- but worried. When she saw Jim. He was outside the kitchen window and peering in. Olivia's eyes grew and she got out of the car quickly.

"Hey!" she whispered.

"Hey!" she said again and he turned to see Olivia.

"You're trespassing on private property" she held up her badge- since she was obligated to.

"Oh shut up" he said looking in the window again. She grabbed him and pushed him over to her car. She threw him against it and he let out a grunt.

"Police brutality" he said and she flipped him around so she could face him.

"Shut up. You hit Elliot's kid" she said as she held him by his collar.

"So I hit the kid once- he walked in on me and Kathy" Jim whined and Olivia back handed him across the face.

"Damn woman" he commented putting his hand on his cheek.

"You like that? You think Dickie liked that!" she pushed him against the car harder.

"I don't know- why don't you try it again" the man smirked- knowing he was getting on her nerves. She looked away with a smile and letting out a little laugh. She took a step forward and pressed herself against him. He smiled wider.

"If you ever, ever, ever come near any of Elliot's kids- or hit any other kid I'll kill you myself" she told him sternly. As she started to pull away from him.

"And I hope you do it over and over again" Jim smirked staring at her chest. Olivia turned toward him with a frown, then kneed him where it hurt most. He bent over and held it in pain.

"Ever" she repeated before she pushed him away from the car.

"Listen to me" she said pulling him back, thinking of an idea.

"There's one way to end this" she said.

"What?" he asked trying to hold back the pain still- she really kneed him hard.

"You don't like the kids- you don't want them- you don't deserve them. So, convince Kathy to give up full custody to Elliot- you'll never have to see the brats again" she told him. He started to smirk.

"Their in there discussing it now- this is your last chance." She told him, knowing it actually wasn't, but would save them time then trying to fight Kathy in court. Plus it could mean Elliot and Olivia could stay partners. Jim nodded and ran up to the front of the house. Olivia got in the car quickly- not wanting Elliot to know she had anything to do with it. Elliot came out a few minutes later.

"What's up?" Olivia asked as he sat in the car.

"Like you don't know" he smiled at her. She looked away.

"I'm sorry I butted in"

"Well, their 'discussing' it right now. We'll come back tomorrow" he told her. He started to head back to her place, when Olivia spoke up.

"Hey, why don't we go get something to eat or something?" she asked.

"You know Liv, I'd rather just spend some time with my kids." He told her. She nodded.

"Why don't you drop me off" she suggested.

"What? Why?" he asked as he pulled over to talk. She started to undo her seat belt when he put his hand on her knee this time.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"Out" she smiled as she left the car.

"Spend some time with your kids" she told him looking in the window then walking off. He nodded and after hesitation he drove off.