Hey all! This is a story I have been tossing around in my head for a while now. It is set in the current time line with the show, but follows the life of Olivia's recently adopted fifteen year old daughter, Taylor.
Olivia woke up to the sound of her alarm buzzing. She groaned while shutting it off and getting up making her way to her kids doors.
"Noah, sweetie, it's time to get up." Olivia said knocking and entering her son's room.
"Come on mom five more minutes, I'm tired." Noah said pulling the blankets over his head. Olivia laughs while walking over to his bed.
"Not today, it's time to get ready, up, dressed, and brush your teeth. I'm going to start breakfast." Olivia said pulling the sheets off of Noah's face resulting in a groan from the young boy.
"Okay mom, can I have pancakes?" Noah asked, jumping out of bed.
Olivia laughed at her son's antics. "Not today, we need to get you and Taylor off to school, how about this weekend instead?" Noah smiled ear to ear and ran to the bathroom to get ready.
Olivia laughed and made her way to Taylors room.
"Hey Tay, you up honey, it's time to get ready" Olivia said knocking on the adjacent door. She heard footsteps in the room.
The door opened to reveal a small, brunette hair, girl with golden brown eyes.
"I'm ready, just doing my hair.. umm did you want help with breakfast?" Taylor asked with a slight look of worry like she had done something wrong.
"Oh no sweetie, I just want to make sure you're up and getting ready, we're leaving soon okay?" Olivia said trying to reassure her daughter.
"Okay Liv." Taylor said smiling and walking back into her room. Olivia smiled as she always did when Taylor called her "Liv" or "Olivia." She knows it will take time for Taylor to call her mom, she just needs to be patient.
"Mom! Have you seen my book bag?" Noah yelled running into the kitchen where Olivia was pouring three bowls of cereal.
"Woah slow down Noah, remember we don't yell inside. And your bag is by the door." Olivia said brushing his hair back.
"Ohhh yeah I forgot, sorry." Noah said smiling sheepishly while sitting at the table.
A few minutes later Taylor walked out and joined Olivia and Noah who were eating.
"Hi Taylor!" Noah said eating. Taylor gave a small smile and sat next to the boy.
"So today I will most likely be late. Lucy is going to pick you up from school and take you to dance practice Noah. And you're all set to watch him once you get home Tay?" Olivia asked bringing her dish to the kitchen sink.
"Yes no problem." Taylor said quickly looking at Olivia nervously.
Taylor's leg began to bounce as she looked at Olivia, catching Liv's eyes.
"Something on your mind honey?" Olivia asked Taylor to walk over to her.
"Um well are you still going to that meeting thing at my school today?" Taylor asked rubbing her hands together to calm her nerves while looking at Olivia.
"I am sweetie don't worry, it's important to me and you." Olivia said kissing Taylors head causing a smile from the young girl.
"I was just making sure." Taylor said smiling. Olivia smiled back.
"You are a priority, don't forget it." Olivia said rubbing Taylor's back lovingly while whispering into her ear.
"Alright, dishes in the sink and lets go!" Olivia said, grabbing her keys and jacket. Noah and Taylor followed in suite.
About twenty minutes later after dropping Noah off at school Olivia and Taylor arrived at Taylor's school.
"Alright Amanda, I'll be there as soon as I can." Olivia hung up the phone and walked along with Taylor through the high school parking lot.
"Was that work?" Taylor asked Olivia quietly.
"It was, but right now we are focusing on you." Olivia said smiling at Taylor as they walked into the school.
Olivia checked in to the front office, and waited with Taylor for her guidance counselor to come out. Olivia noticed Taylor fidgeting in her seat.
"Hey, you're alright sweetheart, just a check in with your counselor, you're alright." Olivia said placing her hand on Taylors leg to hopefully help sooth her.
Taylor smiled at Olivia.
"Hey you two, sorry for keeping you guys waiting, let's head down to my office." Mrs. James said to Olivia and Taylor." The pair followed behind.
"So I just want to check in with both of you to see how Taylors adjusting with the new school and all." Mrs. James said with a caring tone. "Academically, you are doing extremely well, you are excelling in your classes Taylor, great job! However, I want to see how you are doing with making friends and if you are interested in joining any kind of club or sport. No pressure to do so, but I understand how hard it can be to socialize and make friends coming to a new school. How has it been since adoption?" Mrs. James asked directing her attention to Olivia.
"Taylor is doing great, she meets with her therapist once a week, she plays and gets along with Noah, she is just a joy." Olivia said smiling ear to ear.
"I'm not really interested in joining anything right now." Taylor said becoming quickly uncomfortable with the two adults talking about her. Olivia gave a small smile rubbed her daughters back. Olivia knew it was difficult for Taylor to make friends, she has been living with her and noah for almost a year and never mentioned anyone she considered a friend. In that time Taylor has made a lot of progress from being bounced around from one foster home to another and Olivia admired her for that everyday.
"It's only a thought honey, no pressure." Olivia said sensing Taylors discomfort.
"Your moms right, just keep up the good work and always know that I'm here." Mrs. James told Taylor. "Why don't you head back to class Taylor, I'm just going to finish up with your mom." Taylor nodded and got up from her seat.
"I'll see you at home Tay, have a nice day." Olivia said to Taylor as she walked out of the room.
Mrs. James shifted in her chair. "So, like I said academically Taylor is doing great, it's not often that kids from foster care are able to keep up academically from being pushed from home to home. However, I am concerned about her social life. She does not seem to interact with anyone, and given her past I completely understand, but I am still worried. How was she at her last school?"
Olivia gave a sad look to the counselor. "Well, when she came to live with me, as you know, she was in a horrible foster home and the school was just as bad, so I decided to pull her out of the district. From what the social worker told me, Taylor did not have any friends and was a pretty lonely kid. I am concerned about her ability to make friends as well, but I also just want to give her space to breathe. She hasn't been able to do that in a long time." Olivia said truthfully to Mrs. James.
"I understand where you're coming from, let's put the concern of socialization on the backburner for now. It was nice to see you again, Lieutenant." Olivia smiled back and shook the woman's hand.
"Thank you for watching out for Taylor." Olivia said leaving the office and making her way to the precinct.
Taylor saw Olivia out the window from her classroom and watched as she went back to the car. "I wish I could go with Liv and go home." Taylor whispered to herself. Throughout the day Taylor kept to herself and kept her head down like most days. At lunch Taylor found herself at the same table with a few other people keeping to themselves.
"Dyke." Some girls said to Taylor as they walked by her. "Foster freak."
Taylor kept her head down and took the hurtful words in hoping they would leave her alone.
"Nothing to say loser, alright here you go." One of the girls said spilling a bottle of water all over Taylors lap.
Taylor jumped up from the cold causing laughs from the three girls. She quickly grabbed her bag and ran to the furthest bathroom away from them.
"Their jerks, their jerks." Taylor kept repeating to herself as she tried to keep the tears from falling. She looked at herself in the mirror and held in all of her feelings as she always does.
The rest of the day was quiet for Taylor, she kept her down at school, and spent the evening hanging out with Noah which brought a smile to her face every time.
"Hey guys!" Olivia said as she walked through the front door after a long day.
"Hey Mom!" Noah said shouting from the couch.
"What are you guys watching?" Olivia asked kissing Noah and Taylor each on the head and taking a seat next to Taylor.
"Cartoons." Noah said smiling while trying to hide the sleep in his eyes.
"Come on, Noah I think it's time to for bed mister." Olivia said standing up.
"Okay mom, goodnight Tay." Noah said, taking Olivia's hand and waving to Taylor.
"Goodnight Noah." Taylor said smiling at Noah.
After hearing the door shut, Taylor looked over her shoulder to make sure they were both in Noah's rooms. She made her way to her bedroom. Taylor dug through her closet and found her only sense of relief and tiptoed to the bathroom, locking it behind her.
Taylor took a few breaths to help calm her anxious feeling that has been sitting in her chest all day. Nothing helped. Taylor unwrapped her razor from the cloth and washed it in the sink. She sat down on the tub and dragged the sharp edge over her thigh over and over until the feeling was gone. Taylor cleaned herself up and walked out of the bathroom as if nothing was wrong, bumping to Olivia as she was walking out of Noah's room.
"I'm going to head to bed Liv, goodnight." Taylor said trying to avoid eye contact. Olivia picked up on this.
"Are you okay honey?" Olivia asked, trying to meet Taylor's eyes.
"Yeah I'm just really tired." Taylor said, giving a small smile.
Olivia could sense something was off with Taylor, but decided to let it be for now.
"Alright sweetie, but if you need me don't hesitate to come to me, anytime of the day or night." Olivia said, hugging Taylor.
Taylor hugged tightly back for a moment and quickly pulled back. "Thanks Liv, I know, night."
"Goodnight love." Olivia said watching Taylor go into her room.
Taylor changed into her pajamas and laid down in her bed with the burning yet soothing pain coming from her thigh that night.