Further Down The Road

(Chapter Twelve: Daddy's Girl)

It had been just over six months since Elliot had gotten to come back home to his family and a lot had happened in those six months. Landon was crawling really well now and starting to try and pull himself up to stand. The open floor layout provided a perfect playground for the little boy. Easily made his way from the nursery to the living area where his mother and big sisters could usually be found.

Abby was now just over two years old and finally fully potty trained, with the exception of the occasional accident or wetting to bed. She was running all over the place and talking up a storm. She was also trapped between her big girl older sister and her baby brother not sure where exactly she fit in. Some days she was completely independent and would have a fit if you even attempted to cut up her food for her. Other days she dragged around her baby blanket and sucked her thumb.

Miss Hannah was now six years old and the big girl of the house. She was in charge of helping her mother out with her younger brother and sister. She was now in first grade and sat on daddy's lap every night to help him read the bedtime stories to her brother and sister. She was six going on sixteen.

Elliot and Olivia had their hands full, but were balancing things out and making it work. Occasionally finding a little couple time here and there to be alone together. Discovering a little new found freedom after Olivia having her tubes tied when she had Landon. Now they didn't have to worry about forgetting pills or remembering condoms. No more pregnancy scares or surprise Stabler babies. They had their family, their perfect family. And they had each other. Who could ask for more?

On this particular Saturday, Elliot had taken the girls for a day out. Olivia stayed home with Landon who was cranky and running a low grade fever while teething. Elliot decided to take the girls out and give his wife a little bit of a break, allowing the bigger kids a chance to burn off a little pent up energy.

They started the morning off with a trip to a local book store. There a woman read a story to several local children and Elliot let each of the girls pick out a new book. From there it was off to the shoe store to get Hannah a new pair of dress shoes for picture day at school. Then some lunch and a movie at the theatre.

Elliot had planned to finish off their little outing with a trip to the pet store to let Hannah pick out some fish for the new tank he and Olivia had agreed to buy her. He strapped Abby into the front of a cart and held Hannah's hand as they made their way to the fish supplies.

He picked out a ten gallon aquarium kit, then let Hannah pick out the gravel and a few decorative items to put in the tank. From there they rounded the corner to pick out the fish.

Two hours later Elliot arrived home with the kids. Landon was already down for his nap and Abby had fallen asleep in the car. Elliot picked her up and grabbed what he could hold in his hands as Hannah grabbed a cardboard box with a handle she had gotten at the pet store and they headed inside.

"Mommy," Hannah called as they entered the apartment.

Elliot made his way to the girl's bedroom and laid Abby in her toddler bed to finish out her nap then returned to the kitchen to see Olivia's reaction. He had already decided to let Hannah tell her about their visit to the pet store.

"Hannah be careful. Don't shake the box," Elliot said as Hannah climbed up on a chair and sat her box down on the table.

"Look what we got mom!"

"Wow, honey! I didn't know goldfish came in a box," Olivia replied giving Elliot a look as he hid behind their daughter.

"Well, we went there to get fish." Elliot looked at the bag on the table. He pulled out a plastic bag full of water and held it up to reveal four fantailed goldfish. "Hannah picked them out. These three. The one with the spots is Abby's. It was so cute. She pointed at the fish in the tank and said 'fishy.' I couldn't tell her no."

"Aww," Olivia replied combing her fingers through Hannah's dark hair. "What's in the box, El?"

Elliot could feel his heart pounding. His wife was going to kill him.

"Mommy, we saw these baby bunnies. And they were little and so soft. And they hopped around in the pen."

"The guy said you could train them to use a litter box," Elliot added with a smile.

"Yeah, mom. Like a kitty cat. And they make great pets."

Olivia looked at her husband and humored her daughter. She leaned down toward Hannah. "So who is this?" She could not believe that Elliot let Hannah talk them into getting a rabbit.

"Her name is Brownie," Hannah said with a smile struggling to open the box.

"You named your bunny Brownie?" Olivia asked.

"Mommy, Brownie isn't a bunny!" Hannah laughed. "Brownie is a puppy!" Hannah popped the top of the box open to reveal a small brown dog.

"You bought a dog?" Olivia asked half scolding as she glared at Elliot.

"Surprise," Elliot said shrugging his shoulders.

"Isn't she cute mom?"

"Yes, Hannah. She is cute." Olivia stared at Elliot, barely blinking. She exhaled and shifted her attention to the little dog in her daughters hands. "Do you want to hold her?" Hannah asked handing the puppy to Olivia.

Olivia took the dog and raised it to look into it's amber colored eyes. She combed her fingers through it's thick chocolate colored coat. She raised the puppy to look into it's mouth. She wasn't that familiar with dogs, but she had seen this done on television when people purchased a dog they always looked at it's teeth and gums. She flipped the pup on it's back in her arm and scratched her fingers over it's belly. Yep it's a girl, Olivia thought as she inspected the pups liver spotted belly.

"Hannah, why don't you take Brownie to play in your room." Olivia handed the dog to Hannah. "Watch her closely and make sure she doesn't potty in the floor."

"She went potty outside before we came in, mommy." Hannah ran down the hall with the dog in her hands toward her bedroom.

"I cannot believe you got her a dog," Olivia snapped as soon as Hannah was out of the room.

"I got us a dog. I couldn't tell her no, Liv. You saw the look on her face. And Abby loves the puppy, too."

"A dog? Elliot, come on. I know Hannah is daddy's girl, but sometimes you have to put your foot down!"

"The guy said it would stay small. And it didn't really cost that much."

"You bought a puppy at a pet store in New York and you expect me to believe it didn't cost much?"

"She didn't cost that much. It was adoption day and the humane society was there. It was like sixty bucks to adopt the dog, because she is a mixed breed with no papers. The dogs had already been vet checked by their volunteers. I made an appointment for the first shots and flea drops next week. Even got coupons for discounts on micro chipping and having her spayed."

Olivia bit her lip to keep from snapping at him. She knew if she had been the one to take the kids to the pet store she probably couldn't have told Hannah no either. Of course they probably would have made it home with a bunny instead of a dog.

"Don't yell," Elliot said staring into her eyes as he leaned forward to kiss her.

"I'm not yelling. Am I yelling?"

"You want to yell." Elliot smiled and kissed her again trying to get back on her good side.

Olivia exhaled deeply and closed her eyes. She smiled and opened them again. "I am not going to yell."

"I will make it up to you."

"Oh, you're damn right you will." Olivia raised an eyebrow and pressed her lips together.

"What…do you want me to do?"

"Well, to start with. Brownie, is now daddy's responsibility. You bought the dog. You take care of the dog. Get up with it at night to walk it. You clean up it's poop when it is all over the house. You can break it to Hannah when her cute little puppy eats her favorite toys. And you can mop the hardwood floors every day so that your son doesn't crawl around in puppy pee."

"I get it. I have to take care of the dog. Can we keep her? Or do I need to find a way to go in there and break Hannah's heart?"

Olivia stared at him for a few moments then cracked a warm smile. "We can keep her," she said softly.

"Yes!" Elliot said with excitement.

Olivia laughed. "But you need to fix up a place for her to stay while we're at work."

"I bought a kennel. It's in the car. With the fish tank. I also got the dog food and dishes and the collar and leash."

Olivia smiled to see him so excited.