Authors note: Alrighty Folks...let's do the time warp. This chapter picks up during "Ghost" so yes, there are spoilers. Additionally, I screwed up a bit of medical terminology in a previous chapter. I meant "In vitro procedure" instead of "insemination." Don't worry, this chapter will explain.
I disclaim. Noone but Adia is mine. Any quotes you recognize are property of SVU and whoever wrote them. :)
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"Are we going to need lawyers?" Olivia questioned Casey angrily. She wasn't sure where her anger at Casey came from...technically none of this was Casey's fault.
"Not if we're lucky."
A small cough started the detectives, who turned to the opening door of Casey's office. A blonde woman, wearing a pale purple coat stood in the doorway.
And with that, Olivia's entire world righted itself, "Alex."
"You didn't have to come back." Elliot's voice sounded far away.
"I know. But who else is going to get you out of trouble?" Alex's voice sounded different, but Olivia didn't care. Alex could have come back speaking Spanish and Olivia wouldn't have cared.
"Before we get reacquainted, they're waiting for us in court," Angrily, Casey breezed back Alex, not sparing her a second glance.
Olivia didn't move. She stared at Alex, trying to take everything in at once. Then, without hesitation, she threw herself at the former ADA, wrapping strong arms around the woman, pulling the willing body into her embrace.
"Alex," she said again, reverently.
Alex pulled away from the embrace first, however uneager, "Olivia. I...I have something to show you," she began, not exactly knowing how to break Adia to the detective. she reached into her attaché, pulling out the scrapbook she'd started when Adia was nothing more than a seven-week-old mass of cells. She said nothing as she held the book out to her former lover.
Olivia's eyes widened, accepting the scrapbook and taking in the name on the cover. Adia Grace, the pink book read in flowing script.
"Is this our...your..." Olivia's voice trailed off as she opened the book, paging slowly though weeks of belly pictures, letters from Adia, and ultrasound pictures. She lifted her head up, eyes wide and brimming with tears.
"Her name is Adia," Alex said, "Um, like the book says. She'll be a year old in three weeks."
"Is she...is she here?" Olivia leaned back on Casey's desk for support. The shock of Alex's unexpected arrival coupled with the most earth shattering news she'd ever received had left her legs weak.
"Yes. She's at the hotel with an agent. I didn't want to...I didn't know. And I thought..." Alex let her voice trail off, hoping Olivia would gather the gist of her ramblings.
Olivia wiped frantically at the tears that threatened to spill, then took Alex back into her arms, "I never want to let you go again."
Alex felt the familiar ache of held-back tears bloom behind her eyes, "Come with me to the hotel right now. I'll come back tomorrow and speak with Casey about the case...but tonight, tonight can be just us."
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Olivia opened Alex's door for her, then walked around the car to the driver's side, "Cragen said I could take the rest of the day," she explained unnecessarily.
Alex nodded, reaching again for Olivia's hand as soon as she was seated. She didn't want to let go now that she had her back.
Olivia opened her mouth as if to speak, and then snapped it shut several times before spitting out, "There is so much I want to say to you, but my brain just can't sort these things and make them come out coherently," she took a deep breath, "Oh God, Alex."
Alex closed her eyes against the overload of emotions, "I know," she whispered.
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Olivia pulled up to the hotel, parking the car and rushing to Alex's side. She felt clingy, but she reasoned she had a fairly airtight excuse for not wanting Alex out of her sight. She clung to Alex's arm as they walked to the elevator, rode up three floors and walked to Alex's hotel room door. Olivia took a steadying breath as Alex unlocked the door. Giving Olivia one last look, Alex pulled her into the hotel room, "Andrew? Andrew, where are you?"
A male voice answered from Alex's bedroom, "We're in here. Just giving the princess a diaper change." A tall man with ash blonde hair and striking green eyes entered the sitting room, a beautiful infant balanced on his hip. Upon seeing Olivia, his eyes widened slightly and he handed the baby to Alex, making an excuse about guarding the living room while the women spoke in the other room. Alex made to walk to the bedroom, but Olivia didn't move from her spot in the sitting room. She stared at the baby, the baby with brown hair and brown eyes. Adia held her mama's gaze steadily, then leaned out of Alex's grasp towards Olivia. Olivia opened her arms to the child, and Alex let Adia push into Olivia's eager hands.
Wide eyes turned to Alex, "She's..."
Alex shrugged, "I never had her tested, the doctors here don't know anything about my past. I assume she's from your egg. It really doesn't matter to me. In fact, I'm kind of glad she's yours."
"She's not mine, Alex," at Alex's horrified look, Olivia continued, "She's ours," she ran her fingers down Adia's baby soft cheeks, "I missed so much."
At that comment, Alex pulled Olivia into the bedroom, picking up a small suitcase on the way. Olivia cradled Adia close to her body and Adia seemed surprisingly relaxed in her arms. Alex set the suitcase on her bed, pulling the zipper open and exposing several scrapbooks, videotapes and photo albums.
"I tried to document everything, Olivia. From the moment my pregnancy was confirmed until today. Everything I could take pictures of is in here. These are for you to keep, regardless of..." her voice trailed off again. Olivia knew what she was saying. That in a few days, Hammond would collect Alex and their daughter and they would leave her alone again.
Olivia was torn between wanting to talk to Alex and wanting to see all the pictures. Alex made the choice for her, taking her arm and guiding her to the bed. Alex curled up next to Olivia and Adia, and opened the first book, the book she'd brought with her to the station house.
"Here," Alex said softly, pointing at a picture of herself with auburn hair, "This is the day I found out I was pregnant. I'd know it for a week, but the doctor confirmed," she turned the page, "and here's me three weeks later. I hated the early weeks of pregnancy...I just looked chubby. But I was glad to be blonde again. I told them I wouldn't dye my hair while I was pregnant, even if some people say it's safe."
Olivia snorted, "You do not look chubby, Alex. You look beautiful," she ran her fingers over the picture, "I wish I had been there for you. With you."
"I wish you had been there too," Alex sighed, flipping the pages of the scrapbook, stopping occasionally to further explain a picture. Olivia laughed at the pictures of Alex's stomach painted as a goldfish bowl.
"I saw that on a website and had to attempt it," Alex laughed.
Olivia's smile faded as she turned to the end of the book, seeing Alex alone in the whirlpool at the birthing center, "Didn't anyone..didn't you have anyone to go with you?" she asked softly.
"No," Alex spoke firmly, "I didn't want anyone there. Not if you couldn't be there. There were nurses I had gotten to know during my pregnancy. Margaret came even though she wasn't on duty and took pictures for me. Jake ran the video," she pointed at the suitcase, "It's in there, if you want to watch me scream like a small child later."
Olivia tried to laugh but only managed a strangled sob, "I'm so sorry, Alex," she whispered, "I would have been there if I could have..."
"I know, Liv. I know, and it's okay," Alex said, reaching over to run her hands through Olivia's hair, "I could have asked someone to come with. I didn't want to share her with anyone but you."
Olivia looked down at Adia, not knowing how to respond. She found the baby had curled into her mama in sleep, pulling a tiny fist up to her mouth.
"Here," whispered Alex, "Let's lay her down, and then you can I can talk. I want to tell you everything and I want to know everything I missed," she took the baby from the cradle of Olivia's arms, laying her carefully in her playpen. She returned to her spot on the bed, nestling herself into the confines of Olivia's arms, feeling truly safe for the first time in almost two years.
"I love you, you know," Olivia said.
Alex smiled, "I'm glad. I love you, too."