A/N: So I hope you like it so far. Thanks so much to those of you who decided to review the last chapter. You were my inspiration for cranking out this chapter. Don't forget to review this chapter too!!-xox Sam
Disclaimer: Elliot and Olivia are the property of Dick Wolf
The car ride out of the city was something that Olivia didn't often get to experience. She was born and raised in the city, and never found much reason to leave. Elliot noticed her staring out the window, "Liv, are you okay?"
"It's pretty."
"Yeah, sometimes I forget how nice it is to get out of the city every now and then."
"How much longer?"
"About 15 minutes." he heard her take a deep breath, and he grabbed her hand that was resting on the center console giving it a reassuring squeeze. She gave him a small smile then returned her attention to the window.
"So what's everyone's name again?" he laughed at her question. This was the fourth time she'd asked him since they'd began driving. "It's not funny Elliot!"
"Liv, just calm down. They're going to love you." she just looked at him nervously, "Okay fine, my mom…"
"Bernie, and your father Dan." she was so nervous about meeting his family. She hated the fact that she was, but she couldn't deny it. Elliot wasn't just some guy that she was seeing. He was Elliot: her partner, her best friend, her life. She owed it to him to impress them, and she had every intention of doing so, no matter how scared she was.
"My oldest sister…"
"Lisa and her husband Scott."
"Then my sister…"
"Amy and her husband Rob." with each name she remembered she became slightly less nervous.
"Then my brother…"
"Dan… Dan Jr., single."
"Then me, then finally my brother…"
"Mark and his wife Kate." she sighed with the relief of knowing them all.
"See Liv, you're fine. They're going to love you." he laughed.
"Why do you keep laughing?!? I've been shot at, tackled, and attacked, I can take down men twice my size, and I'm scared shitless of your family! It's pathetic, so what may I ask is so damn funny?!?" the stress was taking its toll, and she was becoming frantic.
"That's just it Liv," he continued to laugh. "It's cute."
"Cute?" her tone harbored a bit of disgust behind it.
"Yeah, you want to impress them, it's sweet."
"Oh God Elliot, spare me please…"
"I'm just saying I appreciate it is all." she smiled at him.
"Do you think they'll like me?" she asked softly.
"Of course they will sweetheart."
"What of they don't?"
"Who cares?"
"I do!" she was about to start ranting when he cut her off.
"Well I don't. Whether or not my family likes you is not going to change the way I feel about you. I love you, that's that." As ridiculously cliché as it sounded, sometimes he really did know exactly what to say.
"I know, and I love you too… I just want them to like me."
"What's not to like? You're a smart, gorgeous, strong, warm, loving, giving, with the exception of right now; self confident woman who anyone would be insane not to love, so just calm down. We're here." he stopped the car and her heart began beating furiously inside her chest. She leaned in and gave him a gentle kiss.
"Thank you." she whispered, "I'm sorry I'm being this way…"
"Don't be, it's cute remember?" he smiled and she rolled her eyes. "Ready?"
"Ready." they got out of the car and he went around her side of the car to meet her. He placed his arm around her trying to ward off the cool pre-winter air. They stood on the front porch before entering Elliot's childhood home, and he turned her to look at him.
"Listen to me, you'll be fine." she nodded, and he kissed her forehead before grabbing her hand. She held onto his hand for dear life. It was the only security she had at that moment in time, and she refused to even entertain the idea of letting it go.
They entered the house and were greeted with various shouts.
"Well it's about time!" Dan Jr. yelled as he approached his younger brother and enveloped him in a hug. A hug in which Elliot returned, and to do so had to let go of Olivia's hand. Until then she had been okay, but now with out that security she was the outsider.
"Hey man!" Elliot replied with enthusiasm.
"There's my boy!" his mother shouted.
"Hi Mom." Bernie ran up to her son and took his face in her hands, kissing him repeatedly on the cheek before hugging him tightly.
"How are my grandbabies?" she beamed.
"They're good Mom, they're spending the holiday with Kathy."
"Oh Elliot, I never see you anymore!" It was his sister Amy's turn to hug him now. Her husband Rob shook Elliot's hand and greeted him as well.
"I know, it's been way too long Ames."
"Hey man, how are ya?" Mark said as he and his took their opportunity for salutations.
His father approached him and gave him brisk pat on the back. "Son." he nodded.
Elliot mirrored his actions, "Dad." he returned.
Elliot's oldest sister Lisa approached him now and threw herself into his arms. "There's my little brother!"
"Lisa…" Elliot protested being treated like a child.
"Oh shut up, I never see you anymore! You're too busy being a hot shot cop, or a full time dad." it was then that her eye caught Olivia who had yet to be acknowledged by anyone. She stepped out of Elliot's embrace and sauntered over to Olivia, eyeing her up and down in a predatory manner. "And who do we have here?" her smile was somewhat menacing Olivia noted.
"Oh God," Elliot fumbled. "Liv, I'm so sorry. Everyone this is Olivia." he placed a hand on the small of her back and gave it an apologetic pat.
"Olivia? That partner of yours that you could never stop talking about all of these years?" Lisa mused.
Elliot blushed slightly, "Yeah, this is her."
"We've heard so much about you all of these years."
"All good I hope." Olivia laughed nervously.
"And now you're dating my little brother?" she laughed, "Well Kathy must love you." she said with a wicked smile.
"Lisa…" Elliot warned.
"I'm just saying is all."
"Well," Dan Jr. swooped in taking her hand in his and kissing it, "the pleasure is all mine Olivia."
Dan.
Olivia thought as he stared at her chest,the single one.
"Oh thank you," Olivia smiled. "It's so great to finally meet all of you." Elliot noticed Dan's staring and slapped him abruptly upside the head.
"Save it Dan, she's taken."
"Oh boys, behave yourselves." Bernie said as she approached her sons. She gave Olivia a hug that she was unprepared for and it took Olivia a moment to respond.
"A brunette? Not usually Elliot's type." she said fingering a lock of Olivia's hair.
"Mom, since when do I have a type?"
"Since you started seeing someone who isn't the mother of my grandchildren. Now come on, I'll show you where you're staying. You're going to stay in Mark's old room."
Olivia took a deep breath as Bernie showed them to their room. She'd hardly said a word and they already hated her. This was going to be a long four days.
"Mark's old room? But Mom, all of the rooms have queen sized beds except for that one. Mark's room has bunk beds, shouldn't Dan sleep there?"
"She's not your wife Elliot, and she never will be." Bernie said coldly. "So, you are not going to sleep in the same bed. The only reason you're in the same room is because we don't have any more space." and with that she left.
Olivia felt as though she had been punched in the face, and then kicked while she was down. "Liv, don't listen to her, it's just the old school Catholic in her."
Of course,
she thought,they were devout Catholics, so in their eyes Elliot's and hers relationship didn't exist, because according to them he was still married to Kathy.
"So," she plastered on a fake smile, "do you want the top or bottom bunk?"
A/N: I hope you enjoyed! Like I said in the last chapter, it's just some light stuff with a little bit of drama. Don't forget to review!! -xox Sam