A/N: Thanks again to everyone that reviewed!! Here is chapter 2. I hope you like it. Please read and review.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything except for Laila, Matthew and the nurse in one of the flashbacks.
Last time:
Olivia walked in to the squad room, quietly.
"Mommy." Laila called out.
Elliot let her down without looking at Olivia.
Olivia picked up Laila and sat at her desk, like nothing had just happened in the hallway.
"Mommy, what happened?" The toddler asked looking at the red mark on her mother's face which was slowly forming in to a bruise.
"Nothing, baby."
Elliot looked up and gasped. "Liv, what happened out there?"
"Nothing." She replied simply and continued with her paperwork.
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Elliot got up from his chair, just as Munch and Fin did. All three men surrounded Olivia and Laila.
"Leave me alone." She seethed before inhaling a sharp breath as Elliot pressed two fingers in to the forming bruise, checking it.
"I'll get you an ice pack, Liv." Elliot spoke softly before walking off without waiting for a reaction from Olivia.
"Liv..." Munch started but Fin interrupted.
"What happened? Did Matthew do that to you?"
"Back off all of you! I can take care myself and Laila. I'm not an invalid." She yelled, startling the two year old on her lap.
"Mommy." Laila cried out as tears streamed down her tiny olive cheeks.
Olivia took a deep breath to settle herself down. "Sorry, Laila. Mommy didn't mean to yell." She whispered as she rubbed the toddler's back.
Elliot put the ice pack on Olivia's face, causing her to flinch and wince in pain.
"Don't." She seethed, pushing it away from her face.
"Liv, you need to keep it on your face." Elliot tried to reason with her.
Olivia stood, placing Laila on her hip before grabbing the bag with Laila's things in, slinging it on to her opposite shoulder.
"Don't you dare tell me what I need or don't need." She spoke angrily, pointing a finger at Elliot.
"Olivia..."
Olivia shook her head. "Don't." Her voice dripped with venom before she stormed out of the squad room.
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Elliot, Munch and Fin stood in shock after Olivia stormed out. Elliot hadn't seen Olivia that hurt and angry since the day Laila was born and the day after. The day after Laila was born Olivia was yelling at Matthew because he wasn't there to welcome their daughter in to the world. Matthew had taken her to the hospital but took off after about seven hours, while she was still in labour.
Flashback Start.
September 26th 2005 9:41pm
Mercy General Hospital
Maternity Floor
"Olivia, you've been in labour for seven freaking hours, pop this child out so I can go to the bar." Matthew whined from beside the bed as Olivia tried to control her breathing through another contraction with her eyes closed.
Olivia opened her eyes and looked at Matthew. "These things take time. The baby will come when she is ready." She replied in frustration and exhaustion.
"Fine. I am going down to the bar." Matthew said and left Olivia to deal with the labour and delivery of their child, alone.
"I won't let you forget this." She thought to herself in anger.
Nurse Georgina Innes walked in. "How are you handling the pain, Miss Benson?" She asked in her strong Scottish accent.
"Fine." Olivia replied, trying to relax before the next contraction came.
"Where's the father gone?" She asked, looking around.
"To a bar. He didn't want to be here. Could you please call someone to be here with me?"
"Sure." Georgina replied and walked closer to the bed.
Olivia wrote down Elliot's cell phone number. "His name is Elliot Stabler. He is my partner at work." She explained as she passed the number to the dark brown haired, whiskey coloured eyed nurse.
"I'll do that right now, honey." The nurse replied and walked out.
Elliot came running in about half an hour later, right up to her side.
"When did you go in to labour, Liv?" He asked his best friend as he took her soft olive toned hand in his large calloused one.
She put one finger up to indicate to give her minute as she felt another contraction coming.
Elliot expected her to scream but she barely made a noise but he could see the pain in her eyes as she took slow, deep breaths.
"I went in to labour at about 2:30 this afternoon." She replied, once the contraction was over.
Elliot sat in the chair beside the hospital bed and caressed the top of Olivia's left hand with his right thumb. "Where's Matt? He's supposed to be here with you."
"He went to some fucking rat-hole bar, the bastard." She seethed in pure hatred and anger. "The bastard knocked me up but he can't even be here for the birth."
Elliot nodded, sadly. "Calm down, Liv. You've got the next best person by your side. I'm here."
Olivia smiled, sadly and nodded. "Thanks."
End flashback.
All hell broke loose when Matthew walked in to Olivia's hospital room, luckily eleven hour old Laila was in the nursery with all the other newborns.
Flashback Start.
27th September 2005 2:03pm
Mercy General Hospital
Maternity Floor
Matthew casually walked in to Olivia's hospital room to see Olivia lying in the bed, resting.
"Hey, Liv. Where's our new daughter?" He asked, acting innocent.
"My daughter is in the nursery." She replied very harshly to the father of her newborn daughter.
"Aww come on, babe, don't be like this." He said as he tried to take her hand in his but she snatched it away and hid it under the hospital issue blanket.
"Laila was born at 12:51 this morning. My best friend was here to support me and saw her be born but my own boyfriend, her father, was in some rat hole bar, getting drunk! I hate you! Get the hell out of here!" Olivia yelled in anger at him.
Seconds later Elliot, a doctor and a guard ran in to see Olivia choking Matthew.
"Liv, let go." Elliot spoke softly as he walked up to her, slowly.
As soon as Olivia realeased her grip from around Matthew's neck the guard escorted him out.
"Liv, would you like me to bring Laila in?" Elliot asked as he wiped away some of her rebellious tears that had fallen against her will.
She nodded. "Yes please."
End flashback.
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Olivia hadn't been answering her cell phone so Elliot drove to a place where he knew she would most probably be, hoping that she was indeed there. It was an indoor playground which Laila loved.
He walked in and spotted Olivia instantly. She was pushing Laila in a baby swing.
"Hey Liv. Hey La-La." He greeted them as he walked up to them.
"Hi Uncle El." The toddler greeted him with a big grin before going back to enjoying the swing.
Olivia smiled, sadly. "Hi El. How did you know that we were here?"
"You always bring Laila here, Liv. Let's go back to my place and talk." He spoke soft-heartedly.
Olivia slowly nodded and stopped the swing before lifting Laila out. "Come on, sweetie."
"Where going, Mommy?" She asked, resting her head on her mother's shoulder.
"To Uncle El's house, baby." She replied before looking at Elliot. "You sure Kathy won't mind?"
"I'm taking you to my old apartment, Liv. I still have it and stay there sometimes when Kathy and I have a fight." He explained.
Olivia just nodded before putting Laila in to her car seat, buckling her in. "I'll meet you there." She said as she closed the back passenger door of her Silver PT Crusier.
"Promise?" Elliot made sure as he looked in to her deep mocha eyes.
She looked back in to her best friend's cerulean blue orbs and nodded. "Yes, El. I promise." She reassured him.
Elliot nodded. "Ok. See you soon." He said before getting in to his car.
Olivia just waved as she got in to her car. She started the engine and started to drive in the direction of Elliot's apartment with him following close behind.
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Elliot pulled up right behind Olivia, outside of the apartment building.
Olivia was already getting Laila out of the car. "Told you that I promised." She spoke softly as she let her daughter rested her little tired head on her shoulder.
"I believed you, 'Livia." He said before grabbing out Laila's bag and shutting the back passenger door, locking up the car.
"Is it alright if Laila has a nap on your bed?" Olivia asked as they rode the elevator up to the fifth floor.
"Of course she can." Elliot replied with a smile.
The three of them entered Elliot's apartment and he closed the door behind them.
"Pass me, Laila and I'll go put her down." Elliot softly offered.
"Thanks." Olivia replied and passed her sleeping daughter to him.
"Make yourself at home." He said before carrying Laila in to the bedroom.
Olivia sat on the couch with her legs resting behind her and she saw Elliot return two minutes later, half closing the door behind him so light could seep in to the bedroom.
"So what's been going on, Liv?" He asked cautiously as he sat down beside her on the couch.
Olivia took a deep breath and rubbed her tired, olive toned face before looking back up at Elliot. "I walked in on Matthew havig sex with Gwen."
"Gwen? Gwen Johanson?" He asked in shock.
Olivia nodded, sadly. "Yeah and now he wants shared custody of Laila." She spoke in a sad whisper but refused to let tears fall.
"He won't get it, Olivia. He had practically been an absent father. He has never done a damn thing for her. He wasn't even there for her birth." Elliot spoke gently before wrapping his arms around her petite body.
Olivia rested her head on Elliot's shoulder and wrapped her arms around him. She wasn't crying, she just needed to be held.
After twenty minutes of sitting there in silence, rubbing Olivia's back, Elliot realised that she had fallen asleep so he lifted her up and carried her in to his bedroom.
He gently laid her down beside Laila, who was still sound asleep, lying on her belly with head facing left, sucking her tiny thumb.
"We'll finish our talk later." Elliot whispered and gave her a light kiss on the cheek before walking out of the bedroom, half closing the door behind him,
Elliot walked in to the kitchen and pulled out his cell phone to call Kathy.
"Stabler residence." Lizzie answered the phone.
"Hey Lizzie."
"Hey daddy."
"Is your mom around?"
"I'll get her." She said before being heard calling Kathy in the background.
"Hey El. What's wrong?" Kathy asked concerned.
"I won't be home tonight."
"Why not?" She asked getting angry.
"Liv is having a hard time."
"Well Matt can take care of her."
"Liv broke it off with Matt and now he wants shared custody of Laila." Elliot explained.
"Oh. Poor Olivia. Alright, El. Give Olivia and Laila my love. Love you. Bye."
"Ok Kath. Love you too. Bye." He replied and hung up before deciding to cook dinner for Olivia and Laila. He decided on sweet and sour pork with rice and vegetables.
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An hour later, the three of them were at the dinner table. Elliot and Laila were eating but Olivia was just playing around with her food.
"Liv, you got to eat." He said, trying to get her to eat something since he knew that she hadn't eaten all day.
He knew that he didn't see her for a couple hours but he knew that she didn't eat, she would have brought food for Laila but not for herself since she rarely ate when she was overly stressed.
Olivia shrugged as she pushed a piece of pork around with her fork.
"I'm not hungry, besides it's time Laila and I left." She replied before pushing back her chair.
"Liv, you and Laila can't sleep up in cribs again. Stay here. I'll be right here if you need me. I'll give Laila a bath so you can just relax on the couch and watch TV or something." He said, getting up before picking up Laila.
Olivia nodded. "Thank you." She replied before getting up.
"No problem. Come on, La-La, bath time." He said as he walked toward the bathroom.
"Bath time! Bath time!" Laila said joyfully as she clapped her hands and bopped up and down in Elliot's arm.
Olivia couldn't help but smile at her precious daughter as she walked over to Elliot's stereo. She put on some soft jazz music before lying down on the couch.
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Elliot returned about thirty minutes later with Laila dressed in little pink pyjamas with different coloured butterflies on them.
"Mommy." Laila called out as she ran over to the couch.
Olivia sat up and picked up the toddler. "Hey baby. Have a nice bath?" she asked as Laila got comfortable in her lap.
"Yep." She replied as she laid down in her mother's lap, getting comfortable.
It was something Laila did most nights after taking a bath.
"That's nice, princess." Olivia whispered as she stroked back her daughter's soft brown hair.
Once Laila was sound asleep in her mother's lap, Olivia looked beside her at Elliot. "Thanks for all this."
"Not a problem, Liv...Are you hiding something else?"
Olivia looked down at Laila as she rubbed soothing circles on the toddler's back, ignoring Elliot's question.
"Liv?"
