I looked at the story stats and couldn't believe my eyes when I saw how many viewers have viewed my fic. You all kick ass! You're the best of the best Thank you! One request was that I go to the standard form of paragraphing and not line by line of character speech. Your wish is my command

Nick took a day off to travel to Washington for a deposition hearing at the office of Maria's lawyer. They sat across the oval 18x6 foot cherry wood table from one another with each of their lawyers by their side. They waited for Maria to return to the office from excusing herself to use the ladies room. When she returned she looked a bit pale and exhausted. Nick took notice how much thinner she was becoming. She replied yes when asked if she was ok. Neither Nick nor Maria would make eye contact with each other. Nick looked disgusted and was tense even when his own lawyer asked him softball questions. He must have reached for his glass of water ten times refilling it twice. Maria on the other hand shifted in the leather swivel chair nervously coughing uncontrollably at times. Her lawyer bore her teeth when going after Nick and the long hours he kept at work essentially neglecting his family emotionally and physically.

"She knew the hours and the job demands when she married me! What am I supposed to do not answer my phone in the middle of the night when I get a call to go to a crime scene?"

"There are four other detectives in your unit that are not married am I correct to assume that Mr. Amaro?" her lawyer asked. Nick hesitated and then felt a nudge from his lawyer.

"Yes."

"So any of the four could handle late night calls, am I correct again in assuming that?" Nick folded his hands and was slightly bent over the table answering her.

"My partner and I are the lead team on cases, so we get the call first depending on the nature of the crime then all four or five of us work it."

"Did you consider discussing at any time in your marriage to your supervisor that you would like to be put on a rotation schedule two times out of the month including weekends so that you could be home more often with your wife and new baby at the time when you were with the narcotics and warrants division?" Her lawyer could tell she was starting to agitate Nick.

"No I didn't the NYPD doesn't operate like that! Crimes don't stop because humps think the police are over worked, it's just the opposite!" The lawyer adjusted her glasses sliding them down her nose to almost the end, scribbling on her legal pad.

"So would you say the NYPD would be negligent or inflexible to accommodate their employees?"

"That is not what I said you're twisting my words!" Nick's lawyer put his hand over Nick's arm giving his client light tapping to calm him down.

"Ms. Gumkowski what my client is trying to convey to you is that the New York City Police Department doesn't operate on a first come first serve. Detectives are awarded grades of levels and first responders from the SVU are dictated by squad captains and since Nick's squad has one first grade detective and two second grade detectives and one third grade along with and one sergeant who recently was promoted. Nick is assigned to partner with the first grade detective and they are responsible to answer all calls first."

"Mr. Romero do not lecture me on how the NYPD operates. We all know places of employment make exceptions to accommodate to their employees. What I'm showing is a pattern of Mr. Amaro's willingness to work consecutive 12 + hour days thus leaving his young child in the custody for lengthy amounts of time with her grandmother while her mother was deployed in Afghanistan and not once asked for time off."

"Lady you don't know jack about me or my family!" Nick had pushed his chair back and was standing pointing at the lawyer then at Maria. "And whatever that bitch told you is a lie! She'll say anything to gain custody of my daughter."

"Mr. Romero please control your client." Maria's lawyer commanded. Nick shifted his gaze onto his wife.

"Nick sit down!" his lawyer barked at him with his hand on Nick's back.

"And I'll tell you something Maria, it will be a cold day in hell before you get full custody of Zara!" Nick walked out in a huff. Nick's lawyer sighed shaking his head watching his client storm off while her lawyer took down pertinent notes.

"I warned you about him and his temper." Maria injected. Her lawyer leaned in and whispered to her. Maria nodded her approval.

He was ever so glad to get off the plane and onto a bar stool. Trying to forget the kind of day he had started with two cocktails on his flight back to Manhattan. After downing two shots of Jim Beam, Nick motioned the bartender for another. His beer still remained untouched. He checked his phone; he had 7 new messages, three from Olivia.

"Hey Nick this is the last one buddy." The bartender placed the 1 and ½ ounces of the brown liquid in front of him.

"Come on Mike you and me…we go way back…your pop used to sneak us into the Yankees games member?"

"Yeah I do but hey Nicky it don't look so good a cop in my bar getting sloshed. Let me call ya a cab."

"Nah man I got my cruiser I'm fine."

"Can't do it man." Mike called over to the precinct that put him in touch with Sergeant Munch who was the only back at the house while Olivia, Fin and Amanda worked a case. Nick worked on his beer while the bartender kept an eye on him. Munch showed up and took up a seat next to Nick.

"Rough day at the lawyer's office?" Nick's began to slur his words.

"You could say that." Nick told him raising his beer and taking a drink. "How about I give you a lift home?"

"Why is everybody being so nice to me today? My buddy Mike here has offered to call me a cab and now Sergeant Munch is here, is it be kind to Nick Amaro day? Well someone should have told that bitch who tried to rake me over the coals." Munch was able to coax Nick from his seat and drop him off at his home. Back at the house the detectives returned. They briefed the Captain and Sergeant Munch.

"Hey Liv you got a minute?" She was on her way out when she heard the question.

"Yeah what's up?" Munch taped her shoulder pulling her aside. "Your partner's in bad shape and I didn't want to say anything in front of Cragen. Apparently it didn't go well today for him."

"Is he at home?" Her eyebrows lowered and the lines on her forehead were very prominent.

"Yeah I dropped him off about an hour ago."

"Thanks Munch I'll stop by on my way home."

"You might want to encourage him to stay home tomorrow to sleep off his hangover too."

"It was a bad day." She said staring off. She rang the doorbell but there was no answer right away. Olivia was afraid he was passed out by now. She rang it a few more times and then he answered; his tie had been removed, his dress shirt was unbuttoned all the way his and his undershirt had vomit stains and a towel was wrapped around his neck

"I called you three times why didn't you pick up?" He sighed loudly. "Sorry I just wanted to be alone."

"It didn't go well by the look on your shirt."

"Come in." he told her. She stepped across the threshold.

"No it didn't Maria's lawyer is a class A bi-"

"It's ok you can say it because divorce lawyers are out for blood and almost always infuriate the soon to be ex."

"Bitch!"

"Feel better?" He filled a glass with water then popped ibuprofen. "No not really my head is killing me. I didn't eat all day and I haven't puked in years."

"I'd say you probably drank more than you weigh." He didn't find that funny.

"Pack a bag I'll me bring you back to my place." Nick scratched his head.

"I'm just going to sleep here, stay?" Olivia gave him a dumbfounded look.

"No Nick I don't think so." It finally dawned on him. "Maria…got it sorry."

"Take another day get your head clear."

"No I need to work."

"Want to talk about it." His hands clenched the countertop as he stared at the granite. Olivia walked into the kitchen taking him in her arms. She felt the squeeze as he locked his arms tight around her, burying his head into the crook of her neck. "It's ok I'm here now." Olivia whispered.

"I can't let her have full custody of Zara I'll fight her tooth and nail. I'm not a bad father I didn't neglect my family on purpose."

"Of course you didn't." Nick pulled back; his eyes were full of emotion. He rubbed the corners of his eyes. She could still smell the alcohol on his breath.

"Sorry I didn't mean to get all emotional."

"You men, you'll never learn will you?" He chewed the corner of his lip looking at her. She placed her hand on his chest patting it.

"Get some rest ok." He nodded touching her hand. Olivia turned and walked out of his kitchen. Her hand was on the door knob.

"I love you." She looked down then turned around with a smile on her face.

"I love you too…good night." Nick showed up late to work the next day jumping right in on the case the squad was currently involved in. The quartet was able to get a lunch break in while out.

"Man my advice to anyone getting married today…don't." Amanda jabbed her partner in the ribs.

"Hey marriage may not be for everyone but for some it's pretty good so don't be such a downer." Fin was leaned up with his back to the wall in the booth. Olivia looked around the table. Nick kept busy with his pastrami melt listening to their conversation. Fin looked to his partner.

"You got a secret you're hiding from us?" Amanda scowled at Fin.

"Me? No but I'm not ruling out ever getting married." Olivia offered her palm to Amanda who high fived her. Nick finally chimed in.

"Yeah well then you'll have to worry about being followed and feel like your gut is on fire when your ex-spouse to be threatens to take your child away. Yeah marriage is all a bed of roses and then some!" The three looked at one another.

"Well alright let's change the subject." Olivia said. She nudged Nick telling him she needed to use the ladies room. Amanda followed her.

"Have you given up on getting married?" Amanda asked. Olivia examined her panties as she prepared to stand. She flushed then joined Amanda at the sink.

"No but I don't have a prospect yet." Amanda shook the water from her hands reaching for the paper towel dispenser.

"I think it's warm in here, are you warm?" Olivia patted her face with the cool water.

"No I'm fine." she said as she cranked out a long sheet of paper towel ripping it in half giving half to Olivia.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxoxox oxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxo xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo xoxoxoxo

She and Nick snuggled up watching tv. "I tried to warn you that she may hire a P.I."

"Don't worry about it I'll take care of it."

"Don't worry about it. If it's true I'm involved Nick. You're sneaking out of your house, throwing pebbles at my bedroom window to get my attention and we only text work related now. This sneaking around is not my style. Let's just cool it until her P.I. tells her he's got nothing on you."

"Liv the baby is coming in 5 months and I want to be with you at the birth, I don't need any more separation from you."

"I know neither do I but we have to be careful because she will use this against you to take Zara."

"And my boys will catch her and she'll never see Zara again!" Olivia reached for the control and shut off the tv.

"Please Olivia I don't want to fight I just want go to bed I'm tired."