Thank you all so much for the kind reviews after chapter 1. I'm not forgetting my other stories, but here's chapter 2 of this one!
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2. Telling Elliot
She still feels a little faint but Olivia insists on going to the hospital with Elliot and Elise. CSU is going over Elise's apartment and the origin of the blood will hopefully be determined soon. Elise has agreed to a rape kit. Her statement about what happened is coming out in bits and pieces and Olivia is glad that Elliot is taking notes. It's like she can't remember a thing aside from the smell of blood and her own vomit.
Olivia had made it outside just in time. It had to be morning sickness. She already knows that the name is misleading, because the sickness doesn't always restrict itself to mornings. She can only hope it will subside soon.
She can feel Elliot's eyes on her and she knows she will have to tell him soon. Not just because it's procedure to tell her boss and coworkers, but because she has a feeling he already suspects something. He knows what a pregnant woman looks and acts like. He went through this three times before with his wife after all.
But they can't talk about it now, with a traumatized victim in tow, and so they continue working side by side. After jotting down most of Elise's statement, Elliot returns to the station to discuss their leads with the rest of the team while Olivia stays with Elise throughout her examination. Elise cries a few times and Olivia just holds her until she can continue. She feels like crying too and she knows she is going to be a hormonal mess for months. She already can't stand the sight or smell of blood and it won't help the victims if a Detective breaks down and cries in front of them. Desk duty may be coming sooner rather than later.
Elise's older sister arrives and after the rape kit is completed, Olivia leaves the girl in the care of her sister. She feels slightly better, just very hungry. She grabs a sandwich at the hospital cafeteria and accepts a ride from an officer back to the precinct.
Elliot is at his desk when she returns and he watches her as she walks in and hangs up her coat.
"Everything go alright with Elise?" he inquires when she sits down at her desk across from him.
"Yeah. Her sister picked her up. I gave them my card. Rape kit should be at the lab by now."
"And you? Feeling better?"
"Yeah. Got a bite to eat. Must be a bug or something," she says, starting up her computer.
"Right," Elliot says and her eyes flick to his.
Elliot leans back in his chair and just looks at her. She feels herself getting warm and she knows she's blushing. When Elliot doesn't stop staring at her, she pushes her chair back abruptly and stands up. She knows she has to tell him but she can't do that here.
Elliot stands up too and looks at her questioningly.
"Cribs," she says, and she walks off without another word, knowing Elliot will follow her.
She has only just plopped down on one of the bottom beds when Elliot closes the door behind him and walks up to her. He sits down next to her and waits. Olivia leans her elbows on her thighs and rubs her hands together nervously. Part of her just wants to make an excuse and tell her partner that she's been feeling sick all weekend, but a bigger part of her wants to tell him about the baby. Elliot isn't just her partner. He's her best friend in the world and she knows he will do whatever he can to support her. He'll become even more protective on the job, but she will just have to learn to live with that. She takes a deep breath and blows it out slowly, mustering up the courage to just blurt it out.
"Just say it, Liv," Elliot says and his quiet understanding and acceptance helps her to speak up.
"I think you've already guessed it," she said, glancing at him sideways. "But I just found out I'm pregnant."
She is surprised to feel Elliot's warm hand on her back, rubbing it soothingly. She sits up and looks at him.
"Are you happy about it?" he asks her, and something tells her he already knows her answer.
"I never planned it but … I actually am, El."
He smiles warmly at her.
"You've always wanted kids."
"Yeah."
Her eyes fill with tears and she makes a helpless gesture with her hands.
"Damned hormones already messing me up," she says, her voice a little shaky, and they both chuckle.
"If you're happy, I'm happy for you, Liv."
She nods, biting her lip to keep it from trembling.
"I know," she whispers.
Elliot pulls her close to him and she wraps her arms around his waist sideways. It feels good to share her news with her best friend and it moves her how supportive he is already. Elliot kisses her temple and asks her,
"So who's the lucky guy?"
Olivia rests her head on Elliot's shoulder. She doesn't really want to talk about her holiday fling. Miguel. He was nice and attentive. Handsome. Getting over an ugly breakup with his girlfriend. She had been alone. It had been a good distraction for both of them, nothing more.
"Just some guy I met at the beach on vacation," she admits. "It wasn't serious."
Elliot rubs the top of her head with his cheek.
"Serious enough not to use protection."
She knows he isn't attacking her but she feels the need to defend herself anyway.
"We did at first but … we got a little too drunk one time and … you know. But he swore he was clean and so am I, so we didn't use protection after that. I just must have forgotten one too many birth control pills. Again."
"Okay."
She can't help wondering what his Catholic heart is telling him about her right now, but she knows he isn't someone who judges others. It's not our place to judge, he usually says, and he lives by that. He will respect anyone who respects his beliefs in return. And she does. She admires him for not losing his faith despite what they are confronted with on a daily basis, and she's said a silent prayer to 'Elliot's God' a few times over the years since they had become partners.
"Are you going to tell him?" Elliot asks her after a minute.
Olivia sits up and they let go of each other.
"Do you think I should?" she asks him.
"Well, I don't know the guy but I think I'd want to know if I was going to be a father."
Olivia shakes her head.
"He isn't going to be a father."
"Technically he is, Liv."
She shakes her head again.
"I'm not going to ask him for anything. It's my baby and I'll take care of it."
The truth is, she is worried that Miguel would want her to get rid of the baby. He'd been very clear about his love for his ex-girlfriend. He was still hoping to win her back. Having a child with another woman wouldn't exactly further that agenda.
"You have some time to think about it," Elliot tells her. "And whatever happens, I'm here for you."
She smiles and feels like crying again.
"Thanks El."
"I'm your partner, for better or worse. Remember?"
She remembers.
…
Any opinions? Should Olivia tell her baby daddy?
PS. Miguel is not an SVU character. I made him up but in my mind, he just happens to look exactly like the singer-songwriter Miguel when he had super short hair and longer curls on top … More soon.