Tiptoeing. That's how she thought people felt around her today. Whatever she did or said, her colleagues and friends would treat her as if she was a little girl lost in the supermarket- all help and encouragement. Not that she hated the encouragement, she just wished that people would see that she hadn't lost anything. Yes she had missed a lot of this girls life but she was there now.

Yesterday had felt like the longest day of Olivia's life, until today. Today felt as though it would never end. At least on the previous day she had been able to see Danielle, even if it was just for a few minutes and under unbearable circumstances. Now she just had to sit inside her mind wondering what the hell to do next!

"How you holding up?" Elliot asked sympathetically. 'Holding up'. They had used that phrase a lot after Sealview. She wasn't a victim this time.

"I'm fine" she replied in her usual 'nothing can break me' way. He pursed his lips and nodded a fraction and before he could carry on in an attempt at making her talk Fin walked towards them.

"Liv, just got a call front the front desk. Someone's down there asking for you personally" he informed her then went on to do some work.

"Thanks" she was grateful for the way out of having to explain in detail to Elliot why she did not want to talk about what was going on right now and made her way out of the squad room.

"Mandy, a call saying someone was here for me?" she asked the woman on the front desk. The plump blonde woman nodded towards the benches on the other side of the desk.

Liv turned to see who it was, her eyes widened before she managed to control herself and hide any shock that may have come about.

"Danielle..." she spoke softly to the girl and stepped tentatively towards her. "Is everything okay?" she asked her. Danielle watched the way Olivia spoke and for a moment didn't say anything. Liv narrowed her eyes trying to figure out what the girl was thinking. Did she have more information on Louise? Her train of thought was cut short though by the girl soft voice.

"I think we need to talk" was all she said. Liv raised her eyebrows and her mouth dropped open slightly...this was about one of two things. Without her voice and barely a whisper Liv let out one word.

"Yeah" and let Danielle follow her back up to her unit.

"Take a seat" her voice was shaky, she knew that at some point she would have to be alone with the 18 year old daughter she gave up all those years ago but now that it was happening she could hardly piece a thought together. Danielle did as Olivia had asked and sat on one of the sofa's in the same soft interview suite that they had been talking in the day before. "Is this regarding Louise? Do you have anything to add to your statement?" she questioned, although she knew it was unlikely that Danielle would ask for her personally if that was the case...it had been Elliot who had interviewed her, not Olivia.

The room was silent for a minute, Danielle was doing it again; watching Liv with great interest, studying her. The girl took a deep clearly audible breath and asked something the Olivia hadn't expected in a million years to be her first question.

"What did you feel when you found my ID and DNA at the crime scene?" she asked, Liv was taken aback. What?

"I, uh...I don't follow?" she replied. That answer wasn't one to cover anything up; she really didn't understand the nature of the question!

Danielle pushed herself forward in the seat, feeling confident that she was in control of this situation. A trait she had inherited from Olivia.

"When you saw my name on that ID card; Danielle Benson, were you upset?" she finished again. Liv swallowed, she finally thought she knew where this was going. Did you actually consider Louise was me? Or did you know by looking at her that she wasn't?" now she knew what was coming. Danielle's voice was composed, more intrigued than angry or insistent.

"I did think she was you yes" she was truthful; she didn't want what she thought was about to happen to begin with any lies.

The 18 year old let out a sharp breath through her nose then just gazed at Olivia once more.

"Why didn't you say anything?" she asked quickly as if to get it over and done with. Even though they weren't even nearly done dealing with the situation, Olivia felt a wave of pressure being lifter from her. She thought for a second, why didn't she? She wondered the same thing, but then her training came back to her. Professionalism. What Captain had taught her and how he had advised her on the announcement of what was going on. She took a deep breath.

"I wanted to" she started quietly "I really REALLY wanted to Danielle. I'm not allowed to make personal connections with people involved in a case that I am running" she said in a tone that could easily have been learnt and spoken a thousand times before. She didn't mean it to sound rehearsed.

"Not even your own daughter?" she asked like it hurt. Olivia's eyes welled up, but still she managed to keep herself under control, what she was best at.

"Especially my own daughter" she confirmed. This was it. This was the beginning of what she had dreamt about for all those years!

"Detective Stabler told me I wasn't needed for the case any further unless I had anything to change. Why didn't you come to me after that?" she questioned, but she already knew the answer. Olivia thought that Danielle was angry at her, that she would hate her for not going after her.

"I was scared"

The teenager pulled her lips in and nodded. "You're so beautiful!" she let those tears fall now and something she hadn't expected happened. The youngster didn't get up and leave, she didn't shout or question her any further. Just reached across the threshold between the two sofas and took Olivias hands in hers.

Detective Benson, the strong, feisty woman broke down. Her head dropped down to be touching her daughters hands in her own lap and she cried. "I'm sorry!" she almost pleaded, but she didn't have to plead, Danielle understood.