AN: This chapter was by far my favorite chapter to write, so far. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. Let me know. Shalom!

Girl Talk

A woman named Samantha, stood in the front of the carpeted lamas room. She had long blonde hair and perfect teeth that sparkled as she smiled excessively and instructed the expected parents through the class.

"Dad's, partners, get in your cradle positions and start with light easy breathing."

Every week Olivia and Elliot would take an hour out of their busy schedule to prepare themselves for the new family they were about to make.

Since starting the class Olivia noticed that their dysfunctions were beginning to morph into a healthy family.

It was a calming class, and except for the over caffeinated-straight-from-the-homemakers-of-America-club instructor, the experience had been one worth having.

This week Elliot had unexpected overtime to tend to and Casey, who was Olivia's next of kin on her labor card, tagged along.

She sat straddling Olivia and uncomfortably took in deep breaths as she whispered wise cracks into her ear. "Liv, you know I love you, He he hooo, but I just want you to know that if you tell anyone, hoooo, the details of this class, He, I will use those Michelle Herman look-a-like pictures of you, He He, and I'm not talking on my refrigerator, Hoooo."

Olivia let all of her air out and gave Casey the grip of death as she held her hand. "You wouldn't."

"Ouch. I would."

Samantha walked around the room and bent over Casey's shoulder. "Casey, take Olivia's hand gently and allow her to relax fully onto your body."

Olivia looked at Casey, who made a confused face and tried to relax so that Olivia could be even closer to her than she'd ever really wanted Olivia to be.

Olivia took in slow breaths with a smile on her face as she held in the largest fit of laughter behind her cheeks.

Casey ignored her and positioned her sit bones. She could feel Olivia trembling and she pulled her back into her chest abruptly while stroking her hand.

"Is that better," she said in her snarky husky voice as Samantha smiled freakishly by her side.

"That's perfeeeeeeeeeect! Why you are just a natural young lady," Samantha squealed in a high –pitched tone.

The look on Casey's face was priceless. It was that half smile, half repulsed look.

When Samantha turned around to go to the next couple Olivia let out all of her giggles almost uncontrollably so.

Casey lightly smacked Olivia on the shoulder. "Jesus, what am I five? Her voice rose like ten octaves."

Olivia took in breaths of air, but not due to lamas practice. "OH…Oh my god, remind me why I asked you to be Elliot's fill-in?"

"Because I'm so f-ing hilarious, and admit it, you get a kick out of cuddling with me." Casey wrapped her arms around Olivia's shoulders and rocked her back in forth in a friendly joking manner.

"How'd you know," Olivia mocked.

The two of them started on a new breathing pattern and slowly fell into their usual patter, breath, pause motions.

"Elliot so owes me a beer after this," Casey said as she squeezed Olivia's hand. "What's he working on?"

"Same case. Catherine Rigby, Ha ha heee. They got a lead from the cell phone, Ha ha. He said they were checking some locations to hopefully bring in the perp."

"Oh yeah, that's right. Huh. Well I haven't gotten a call yet, so they must not have gotten him."

"Ha ha, heee. I just hope that little girl is ok."

"Don't we all." Casey hugged her lightly. "They'll find her. I have a hunch about this one."

"I'm glad somebody does."

Casey had abandoned lamas by this point and was flat out talking. "So how about that Dani Beck?"

"Hee Hee Haaaa. What about her?"

"Oh come on, she's such a piece of shit. I can't believe she had the balls to take that job."

"I'm sure, he he, that she didn't know."

"Ha! Please, she knew. I saw her at the precinct a month before you were fired. She was applying way back then. I'm sure she knew."

"Really," Olivia paused, and then continued trying to keep her thoughts positive. "Even if she did know, he he hoo, she didn't know who I was. I just met her."

"Liv, she knew who you were. She and Elliot fought about you constantly. Elliot was like working with a back seat driver. He did nothing but compare her to you the whole time."

Olivia slightly smiled. "Elliot said she had trouble dealing with the job. I'm sure it had to do with that more than anything."

"No, I'm sure it had to do with you. The office is crazy without you. It's like a sausage fest. I can't handle it. You're the only one that can wrangle those men when their testosterone gets the best of them. I feel like a mother hen, but mother hen I am not. I mean, let's face it I can't even get you through this one-hour class. I really don't know how you're coping with all of these changes. I'd be ripping my hair out."

"What do you mean by cope?"

Casey was starting to talk louder and several of the other couples moved away from them. "I mean, the sacrificing of your job, the losing of your new job, and now Elliot has to work with his ex-one night stand. How are you so calm? I would be livid."

"Casey, I trust Elliot and I know what Dani is capable of."

"And that doesn't scare you?"

"I don't know Dani personally, but I give her three months at that job. He HE hooo. And, I'm pretty sure I could take her down if I had to."

Casey laughed and fell over on her back taking in gasps of air through her laughter. "I would pay to see that."

"Oh dear, you're really getting into it now, nice work," Samantha said as she passed the two chatterboxes.

"Liv, you are my hero. Nothing fazes you. I wish I could kick somebody's ass. I couldn't even have a baby. This class is freaking me out. Next week I'm going get a hysterectomy and call it a day."

Olivia chuckled and started her breathing exercises again, while Casey kept on talking. "Liv, you're having a baby. You! And you're getting married, not to mention you'll be having a wedding soon."

Olivia sat up in horror. "Wedding? I didn't even think of that. Do I have to have a wedding?"

"Of course you do. Why wouldn't you?"

"Well I'm not exactly bride material at the moment," she said referring to her stomach.

"Yeah, well, you have to take care of that first. Oh, I'm so excited. You're going to be the bride I always wanted to be," she squealed.

"You've always wanted a shot gun wedding?"

"Yes, Liv, I've always wanted to squeeze myself into a white dress with boobs like yours," she sarcastically replied. "This is going to be exciting. You're gonna have that baby and I'm going to work your body into super model shape. Look out Bridal magazine, Liv Benson is going to take you down with her hotness."

"Now, now, let's not get carried away. I'm not even sure I want to a big wedding with all of that."

The class was switching into a new position and the two of them followed the movements like a dance that they already knew, while continuing the conversation.

"What do you mean you don't want a wedding?!"

"Elliot's already been married, and we'll have had a baby by that point. I think the whole white dress church thing would be a little hypocritical don't you?"

Casey sighed. "I guess."

Olivia rubbed her arm and gave her a sympathetic look. "You should save those ideas for your wedding."

"Right if only I could fuck somebody that wasn't married, gay, or uncommitted."

"I thought you were seeing Trevor Langon?"

"If you mean fucking, then yes, but seeing him. The answer is hardly ever. I'm usually drunk and naked when he calls. He's great, but he's got serious commitment issues. Which is fine for me. I don't need a relationship."

Olivia looked up at Casey and smiled faintly at her. "Yes, you do. You just don't want to admit it."

"Maybe," she sighed.

"Oo," Olivia gasped.

Casey freaked out. "What?! Oh my god, please don't go into labor."

"No, it's not labor. She's a kicker."

Olivia grabbed Casey's hands and placed them on her stomach. Casey's harden tomboy attitude melted at the touch of her stomach and the feeling of the baby's light bumps. "Wow. That's surreal."

"Isn't it amazing, " Olivia smiled as she watched Casey's reactions. "Thanks for coming with me."

"Liv, you know I'd do anything you needed."

The class was over and everyone started to file out of the room. Casey pulled Olivia from the ground and they headed for the streets.

"Shall I walk you home Mama Benson," Casey said grabbing Olivia's arm and linking it to hers.

"I would like that. What time is it?"

"8pm."

Olivia was in a serene state.

She loved having girl time with Casey.

She was the only girl friend that Olivia had at the moment. Keeping friend wasn't exactly easy for Olivia to accomplish, especially women friends.

There was always drama with women and Olivia just wanted to roll her eyes and have a beer.

But every now and again she needed to feel like a girl and she would call Casey and they would gossip like the best of them.

Now that she had gads of time on her hands, she thought about friends a lot.

She wanted to be surrounded by her friends again. It was the number one thing that she missed the most about her job.

Quietly she starred in front of them and said ", I wonder how the boys are doing."

Casey checked her cell phone then grinned at Olivia. "Let's go find out."

SCENE

Dani Beck sat on the corner of Elliot's messy desk and got in his face about the victim he just accused her of scaring.

"Elliot, I was only trying to get her to remember the perp. This guy is still out there. You need to get him before he disappears."

"Dani, you're not a detective anymore. That's not your job. You're job is to make the victim feel comfortable and provide her with legal aid. You can't ask her questions about the perp. It's unprofessional and because of the way you handled it, we're going to have to start at square one."

Olivia and Casey walked through the doors and Elliot's face lit up. "Liv, baby!"

"And Casey, too," Casey added darkly.

Elliot stood up, gently grabbed her face for a kiss, and then whispered into her ear. "Did I light up for you?"

She rubbed the small of his back and smiled a comforting warm grin. "Yes, my love, I believe you lit."

"Good," he replied and turned to Casey. "How was lamas Case?"

"Torturous," she replied as she made herself a cup of coffee.

Dani sat in silence as the three of them interacted without acknowledging her. She checked her watch and got up to leave. "El, I'll be back"

"Ok."

"Hi, Dani," Olivia waved.

Dani nodded and pushed past them.

Before she could fully leave the room Catherine Rigby, George Stana, and a social worker exited one of the offices from the back.

"Olivia!," Catherine cried.

"Catherine," Olivia beamed.

The little girl ran straight into Olivia's arms and hugged her tightly.

"I thought I would never see you again."

Olivia rubbed her back. "I thought I'd never see you again. You gave us a scare."

Dani watched and jealously fumed from the doorway. She messed up yet again, and like clock work Olivia Benson was stealing the limelight and reaping the benefits.

She tossed her braided ponytail to the side and walked over to Catherine.

"Catherine, honey, come on, you need to stay with your social worker. Remember what we said about talking to strangers."

Catherine's face scrunched in fear and Olivia turned her head to give Dani a confused looked of death.

"No," Catherine cried. "Olivia's not a stranger. And I don't want to go with the social worker. I don't want to leave again. Why can't I stay here?"

Catherine clung to Olivia's side and hysterically started to cry.

"Don't make me leave. Don't make me!"

Olivia knelt down and hugged the little girl. "Catherine, sweetheart. It's ok. You need to calm down. Everybody here wants to help you. "

Catherine sniffed and held onto Olivia's arm. "That's what the man said and then he locked me in a trunk."

"What man Catherine?"

"The man who said he was taking me to your house."

Olivia looked up at Elliot with concern on her face and he knelt down beside Olivia. "Catherine, what did the man look like?"

Olivia smiled at Catherine who was afraid to answer. "Go ahead. It's ok."

"He was tall with black hair."

Dani watched with fury in her chest. They'd been working on this girl for two hours and Olivia walks in and gets her to open up in two minutes.

"What was he wearing," Elliot asked.

"He had on a fireman's helmet."

"Did you get a good look at his face," he continued.

"No the helmet was over his face."

Olivia squeezed Catherine's hand. "You're doing a great job. How did you see his hair?"

"He took it off before he closed the trunk. I saw the back of him. I'm tired. Can I sleep at your house tonight," she sobbed.

"Give her to me," Dani said in an angry tone as she pushed Olivia to the side and grabbed Catherine by the arm.

"Hey," Olivia cried standing up to face her. "Dani-"

"Catherine, you have to go with your social worker. We've already gone through this. Now buck up."

Olivia pulled Dani's arm away from Catherine's. "Stop it!"

Catherine stood in silence with fear on her face. Olivia bent over and took off the gold chain around her neck. "Catherine, honey, you can't stay with me. I don't have a bed for you. But I'm going to give you something that will keep you strong."

Olivia held the gold box in front of her face. "Can you read what's on there?"

Catherine grabbed the necklace. "Fearless."

"That's right. I wear this necklace to remind me to stay strong. I'm going to give it you, and anytime you feel scared you hold onto it and think about being strong. Ok?"

Catherine wiped her eyes and nodded. Olivia pulled her hair back and placed the necklace around her neck. "Now you're strong just like me. So Josey, your social worker, is going to take you to the best foster parents that she has. Is that right Josey?"

Josey was a middle-aged woman with a shapely figure and a jolly smile. "That's right, Catherine. I've got my best parents in the city waiting for you. They have a bed made and hot chocolate boiling on the stove. I promise you will be safe this time."

"See that," Olivia said with a smile.

Josey held out her hand and Catherine took it.

"Good night pretty girl," Olivia said.

"Good night," Catherine replied as the two of them walked out of the room followed by George Stana who quietly squeezed Olivia's arm and mouthed a silent "Thank you."

Dani angrily grabbed her files from Elliot's desk and gave Olivia a dirty eye.

"Dani, I didn't mean to butt in, but you have to be patient-"

"Don't tell me how to do my job Olivia. I'm capable of figuring it out. "

"I'm sure you are capable, but you aren't acting like it," Olivia said almost harshly.

Casey almost choked on her coffee.

Dani got up in Olivia's face. "Shouldn't you be at a job interview?"

"Shouldn't you be adjusting your attitude. You're suppose to help the victim not scare them."

"You bitch, I wouldn't have to scare them if everyone wasn't breathing down my back all day reminding me that you did the job better," Dani said building it into a yell.

Elliot stepped in between them and tried to calm the fire. "Ladies calm down. This is getting personal."

Dani pushed Elliot aside. "Oh why don't you can it Elliot?"

"Hey," Olivia snapped before pushing Dani away from Elliot. "You don't push him."

"I'll do what ever the hell I feel like." And with that she pushed Elliot again.

He grabbed her arm and looked her in the eye. "Dani, don't do this. Go walk it off. It's been a long night."

She smacked him in the face and Olivia pushed Elliot out of the way. "You crazy whore. Why did you take this job? You can't even control your temper in a social situation let alone a stressful one."

Dani yelled in her face. "OH you know everything don't you Olivia! You're just the woman with it all! Except that it took you eight years to get Elliot in bed and I had him in the palm of my hand on the first day."

"It's called a rebound, bitch. You were nothing more than an unpaid prostitute."

Dani pushed Olivia towards the other side of the room and slowly held her evil gaze at Olivia's face. " You only got the ring because he knocked you up."

Olivia took a step towards Dani and punched her in the eye hard.

Dani didn't even take a beat to think about it, she pulled Olivia onto a nearby desk causing papers and office supplies to go flying everywhere.

Elliot tried to pull Dani from Olivia and got elbowed in the stomach. "OWWW," he cried out.

Olivia grabbed Dani's hair and slammed her face onto the desk.

She then grabbed her arm and pulled it back causing Dani to cry out in pain. "Why did you take this job, Dani? Did you do it because you were lonely? Were you jealous? Or do you just like working three feet under my shadow?"

Dani's face was smashed into the desk and she spoke through the side of mouth. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

Olivia pulled her head from the desk and smashed it back down again. "Yes, I would. Tell me you didn't get me fired and I won't break you arm."

Dani spit in Olivia's face. "I don't know what you're talking about. You controlling bitch."

Casey was left alone in the room as Elliot ran to get Chester Lake from the crib.

She stood in a mixed state of panic and hysteria. She didn't know whether to laugh or pull out her baseball bat. Seeing that Olivia was in the lead she allowed the fight to continue for selfish reasons.

Olivia mashed Dani's face a little harder into the desk and cranked her arm back a little further. "Don't fuck with me. You stole me files didn't you? Who do you have working for you Beck? Tell me! Tell me!" Olivia started pulling her arm back harder and harder.

Elliot pulled her off just in time. Olivia was about to snap Dani's arm in half. Chester grabbed Dani and held back her arms as she fought to break free. "YOU…She… she's crazy!"

Olivia yelled in her direction. "Oh come on I'm not naïve. Why else would you take an office job?"

"Do you think I actually have that much time on my hands?"

"Hmm, you're single, childless, and for awhile there, you had no job. So yes! I do, Dani."

Dani slumped over in Chester's arms and after a moment Chester loosened his grip.

Dani lightly pushed him aside and stood dejectedly in the center of the room. "I took the desk job for the same reason you did. Had I known it was your job I wouldn't have taken it."

Slowly she headed for the door. Everyone stood motionless in the mess of the office. Elliot paused for a moment and then ran towards Dani touching her arm. "Did you have a-"

"Don't worry. It's not yours."

Olivia felt completely foolish and terrible inside.

She stood next to Casey vibrating with guilty energy.

Casey looked at her and knew that Olivia was going to eat herself up for weeks.

Silently she gazed at her friend with a message of "Who knew?" written all of her face.

Olivia shook her head and walked quietly to the elevator in a stance of shame.