AN: So, is the apology accepted? Well, here's the next chapter. And seeing as its called Christmas time in New York, I guess I should get to the Christmas part soon, huh? Don't worry; it'll be there by the time Christmas rolls around. I might even have a chapter on Christmas, but it all depends on if I have internet or not… Lol
Disclaimer: If SVU were mine, do you honestly think I'd be sitting here writing fanfiction about it??
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Maureen decided that the hospital cafeteria would be the best place to talk since it was only 9:30 in the morning and everyone had already eaten breakfast and lunch wasn't served until 11. She waited for Olivia to sit at the table she had chosen before speaking.
"So Lizzy called you Mom." She stated simply. "Why?"
Olivia was expecting the question. What she wasn't expecting was the tone Maureen was saying it in. She seemed guarded, almost unsure. Liv sighed. "We had a talk that first day in the hospital. You guys weren't there, I'm not sure if you had been told at that point." She proceeded to tell Maureen about her and Lizzy's conversation.
A smile crossed Maureen's face. "Good. I just had to make sure that her medication wasn't making her hallucinate or something!" She leaned back and gave Olivia the same shit-eating grin that Elliot always gave.
Olivia smirked back. "What do you think about it?"
"What, calling you mom?" Maureen questioned. "Sounds great. I mean, you were gonna marry dad someday, weren't you? That would make you my step mom, and since I like you more than my own mother, it works. So, Mom, what do you say to having Christmas with the Stabler's this year?" Maureen didn't give Olivia time to but into her little speech before asking about Christmas.
Olivia's head was spinning. "Your dad and I never talked about getting married, Maureen."
"But you were going too, eventually. Believe me, Mom. He dragged me to the mall to look at rings 'just in case'." She laughed at Olivia's stunned expression. "So what about Christmas?"
Olivia gathered her wits enough to manage a "yes, I'll come for Christmas." Her head was still spinning, and she couldn't process the information Maureen had thrown at her. "Just in case?"
Maureen just laughed. "Let's go back to Lizzy. It wasn't really my place to tell you about Dad. I just know that he wanted to marry you." They both stood up, Maureen with tears in her eyes.
Olivia reached out and pulled Maureen into a side hug as they started walking. "Well, it might comfort you to know that I wanted to marry him." She whispered. Still do, but she can't know he's alive.
Maureen wrapped her arm around Olivia's waist. "It does comfort me, especially since you seem to care so much for us." They walked in a comfortable silence back to Lizzy's room. "I love you, mom."
"I love you too, Maur."
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While Olivia and Maureen were having their special talk, Dickie and Kathleen were giving Lizzy the third degree.
"Mom? Are you hallucinating, Liz?" Dickie asked his twin incredulously.
She rolled her eyes. "No, dork-o. I am not hallucinating. If I was, I would've walked out of the hospital and we wouldn't be having this conversation. I'm perfectly fine."
"So why did you call her mom, Lizzy?" Kathleen asked in her soft voice.
Lizzy sighed. "Because she's more of a mom to me than Kathy was! Momsie dearest doesn't want us, remember Kath? So she's been replaced by someone Dad loved and who loves us despite the fact that he's gone." Lizzy's voice was laced with anger and annoyance. "
Kathleen held up her hands in defeat. "Calm, little sister. I was just wanting to know." She sat on the side of her sister's bed and placed a hand on Lizzie's shoulder. "Olivia is the best thing that has every happened to our family. Dad was happiest with her, and so are we."
"I'm glad she's still around." Dickie broke in quietly. The two sisters looked at him in surprise. "Even though Dad is gone, we still have Liv. And I agree with you. She's more of a mom than Mom ever will be."
The door opened as he finished his comment. "Hello, kids." Maureen poked her head into the room before her and Olivia walked in. "I'd like you all to meet Mom."
Olivia rolled her eyes. "Please, Maureen. I'd like not to pressure…"
"Hi Mom!" Olivia was cut off by a chorus of four voices speaking two words that brought tears to her eyes.
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"And bail is set at $500,000. All passports will be confiscated and any means of exiting the country will be eliminated. Mr. Rodriguez, you do realize that if you attempt to leave Manhattan, that there will be no hope for you and you will receive 25 to life?"
"He understands your honor." Jose Rodriquez's lawyer spoke for him.
The judge whacked his gavel down on his desk. "Case dismissed. Next!"
Casey stood up and organized her files inside her briefcase. The defense lawyer glared at her. "You have no hope in this, Miss Novak."
"I beg to differ, Mr. Jackson." Casey stated coldly. "Now, if you will excuse me, I have things to see to." She walked out of the courtroom without a backwards glance. She was met outside by Dani.
"So how did it go?" Dani asked, her gloved hands stuffed into her coat pockets.
"We got the bail set at half a million, but he won't be able to pay that. He can't leave Manhattan. We've got him in the bag." Casey blew on her free hand before switching her briefcase over to it. "Damn, its cold out here! Do you feel like coffee?"
Dani smiled. "Every second of every day."
"That's my line!" Casey teased. "Let's go and pick something up for Olivia as well. I'm sure she'll welcome it. And besides, I'd like to go see Lizzy again. Off record, of course." She added for good measure.
Dani grinned. "One white chocolate mocha coming up for Miss Benson!" The pair walked into Starbucks with smiles on their faces. Life was defiantly looking up.
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With the five of them crowded onto Lizzy's bed, the four Stabler's spent the next hour convincing Olivia that she was as much as a part of the family as Elliot had been. "Mom! C'mon!" Maureen was getting frustrated. "We wouldn't be telling you this if it wasn't true!"
Olivia just shook her head. "Eventually, you guys are going to remember that I'm not your mom, or your mom will find out that you call me Mom instead of her, and she'll come back and murder me in my sleep. Either way, it can't be a good idea. One of you I could handle. All four of you…" She just let her voice trail off at the glares she was receiving.
"Mom." Dickie tried to reason next. "You and Dad were going to get married. I know you two were. And when you did, I would've called you Mom. Nothing is going to change my mind."
"Me either." Kathleen stated her voice still soft.
Lizzy just stared at Olivia with those blue eyes so much like Elliot's.
Olivia caved. "Fine. But if I wake up one of these days and find that your mom murdered me…"
All four of them rolled their eyes. "Mom, if she murdered you, you wouldn't be awake!" They called out in unison.
Olivia just laughed and pulled the kids into a huge group hug. "I love you guys." She whispered.
"We love you too." Kathleen whispered back. Dickie nodded in agreement.
The door swung up. "Behold, we come bearing coffee for Detective Benson!" Dani's cheerful voice sounded through the room. "Hello, Lizzy. How are you feeling?"
Lizzy watched her warily. "I'm fine, Detective."
Olivia jumped up and accepted the coffee gratefully. She took a careful sip and sighed happily. "White chocolate mocha! Oh how did you know it was my favorite!"
"I have a good memory." Dani smirked, drinking her chai gleefully.
Casey came through the door, holding her peppermint coffee in her right hand. "Hello, Stabler family!" She smirked at Olivia. "I'm looping you in that greeting."
Olivia rolled her eyes heavenward. "Did everyone know that Elliot was going to propose but me?"
"He was going to propose?" Dani and Casey said in unison.
Olivia buried her face in her hands while the four kids snickered from the bed. "According to Maureen he was. She said he made her go to the mall with him to find a ring 'just in case.'"
Dani and Casey joined the kids in laughing at Olivia, who just turned even redder and occupied herself with her coffee.
A nurse stuck his head inside the room. "Miss Stabler?"
"Which one?" Three voices called out.
The nurse rolled his eyes. "Elizabeth."
"That would be me." Lizzy raised her hand. "Hence the ugly hospital gown." She said sarcastically.
The nurse came in holding a small bouquet of flowers and a card. "I was asked to deliver these to you." He left as abruptly as he came.
Lizzy looked confused. "Who would send me something?"
Olivia felt a bit sick to the stomach. She shared a glance with Dani and Casey. He couldn't have sent something! He wouldn't have!
She was wrong.
The heart monitors attached to Lizzy began to beep faster. "How is this possible?" The card dropped to the bed and the other three Stabler kids attacked it. "Mom? Dad's still alive?"
Olivia felt the tears start to well up in her eyes. "Guys, I was told not to tell you." She sighed, the look in the kids' eyes too much for her to handle. She lowered her voice and they leaned in close. "He's in the WPP. That's all I can tell you."
They all nodded, understanding the need for secrecy. The flowers and card were enough for Elliot's kids…for now.
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Maybe I shouldn't have sent the flowers. Pacing resumed. He seemed to be doing that a lot lately. But my daughter needed to know that her father still cares for her! He reasoned with himself. He groaned, sitting down on the falling apart couch. When he closed his eyes, he could still see his kids and Olivia in his mind's eye. Oh, Liv. I love you, dearest. I am so sorry for putting you through this.
His mind went back to a day that in reality wasn't that long ago, but felt like an eternity ago.
Flashback
Elliot and Olivia were cuddling on the couch in Olivia's apartment, relaxing after a hard case from earlier that day. A movie was on, A Walk to Remember, but neither of them was watching it. They were too busy with each other. Elliot's fingers were running through her hair and her hands were playing with the edge of his shirt sleeves. "El?" Olivia murmured. "Promise me something."
"Anything." He said sincerely.
"Promise that no matter what, you'll be there." She turned her intense mocha eyes towards his crystalline blue.
He reached out and stroked her cheek gently with his fingers before kissing her gently. "I promise, Liv. I told you that I would give you my kidney. Well you've taken much more than that, dear one. You have taken my heart, and I gladly gave it to you. I will always be with you."
Olivia sighed contently, her answer received. She didn't quite catch the underlying statement that held the idea that something might happen to him. She didn't want to believe it.
End flashback
The man sitting on his couch wiped his eyes. Have I broken my promise? God, please forgive me!
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A knock at the door brought two more visitors to Lizzy's room. "Lizzy, I hope you get out of this conspiracy trap soon!"
"Munch!" Olivia, Dani, Casey and Fin all chorused, annoyed.
Lizzy just laughed. "Hiya, Uncle John! Hey Uncle Fin! Please tell me that you brought me something to eat other than the mush they serve in place of food!"
Munch shook his head solemnly. "Sorry, my dear. All the fast food joints have been taken over by ET and his friends. Ouch! Fin!" He rubbed the spot where Fin had punched him.
"Man, cut it out." Fin glared at Munch before handing out the bag of Taco Bell to the hungry girl. "Here you go, baby girl."
Lizzy wrenched a burrito out of the bag and impatiently bit into it. "Ohhhh!" She sighed. "I'm in heaven. Thank you Fin." She warbled around a mouthful of bean, cheese, and tortilla. He just smiled at her before pulling Dani to his side.
Casey was trying not to look at Munch, who in turn was trying not to look at Casey. Maureen noticed this and nudged Olivia. "Liv, what's going on with them?" She whispered.
"They're in love, they just won't give into the feelings." She whispered back, glaring at Munch who gave a 'what did I do?' look in return.
"Well, we're just going to have to 'help' it along!" Maureen said gleefully.
"Oh dear." Olivia muttered with a grin. "Here comes the matchmaker!"
All she received in return was that shit-eating grin that Elliot's eldest had inherited from him.
The other three Stabler kids just shook their heads. "They're nuts." Dickie whispered. His sisters agreed. "Let's play cards." He pulled a deck out of his pants pocket and the three of them settled down to play.
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Unbeknownst to any of our SVU family, some one else was pacing the shadows. "I will get you, Olivia Benson." The voice threatened the still air menacingly as the shadow shook its fist at the sky. "I will get you and your precious Elliot too. The feds can't hide him forever. It's only a matter of time before I find him."
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AN: Booyah!! Isn't this fun?? You know the drill!! REVIEW!! Kudos to anyone who guesses who is the shadowy figure!