Disclaimer: I wish they were mine, but they're not.
Author's Note: Thank you for keeping up with the story . . . read, review, I'd love to hear your thoughts . . . here's the next chapter :)
Chapter Twenty-one: Clean Slate
Unknown location later that day:
"Thank you for meeting with me," Elliot said as he greeted his company.
"I have to admit you were the last person I'd expected to hear from," the person replied as they started at each other.
"As you must've guessed, I asked you here to talk about Olivia." Elliot informed his guest.
"Yes, she is what we have in common," Don's mouth quirked.
"Right, please have a seat," Elliot said gesturing to the chair in front of Don.
"Hi, what can I get you guys?" a waitress asked as she neared.
"I'll have a black coffee," Don smiled.
"What about you, cutie?" she turned to ask Elliot with a sweet smile which didn't go unnoticed by Don.
"I'm fine, thank you," Elliot politely dismissed her.
Don cleared his throat wanting to get the conversation over with, "I'm guessing Olivia must've told you about what happened earlier."
"Yes she did, sir," he replied. "I wanted to meet with you to clear up any misconceptions you might have about me."
"Okay, I'm listening," Don said with a serious look on his face.
Elliot took a deep breath before starting the explanation about his life. After awhile he had filled Don in on how his father was an alcoholic and often took out his rage on him and on his mother. ". . . .So when I saw my father put his hands on my mother I decided to intervene. I didn't care if he beat me until I was black and blue, but when he had the nerve to touch her again; I lost it. When the cops were called they saw me pummeling my dad so I was arrested for assaulting him. Everything was later cleared up, but I guess my record wasn't expunged for some reason."
"I'm sorry you had to go through that," Don said with genuine sympathy in his voice.
"Thank you, sir. I just want you to know that I'm not a violent person, and I would never do anything to hurt Liv," Elliot unknowingly used his nickname for her.
Don smiled when he heard the nickname Elliot had for his daughter, "I know that now. Olivia explained what happened at school today when that boy put his hands on her."
"I don't know what happened. All I saw was red when I saw that asshole put his hands on her, I just reacted. Nobody is going to hurt Olivia while I'm around," Elliot said with a hard edge to his voice.
"I know son, and I thank you for that," Don smiled warmly.
"Sir, there are some other things I'd like to discuss with you," Elliot informed him.
"All right, I'm all ears," Don said as they continued with their conversation.
Olivia's bedroom:
Casey and Olivia were currently getting ready for the big game when someone knocked on her door.
"Come in, the door's open," Olivia shouted over the music that was blasting from the stereo.
"There are my two beautiful girls," Don smiled when he saw Olivia and Casey getting ready together like they did in the old days.
"Hi daddy," Casey beamed when she saw her father. While Olivia just grunted as a greeting.
"Case, do you mind giving us a minute alone?" he smiled as he approached the girls.
"No problem, I'll just finish getting ready in my room," Casey smiled at Olivia then at her father before giving them some privacy after turning off the stereo.
"If you came here to tell me that I'm not allowed to see Elliot you might as well get it over with, but just so you know I'm gonna keep seeing him whether you like it or not, and I can't believe you would try to make me stop seeing him . . ." Olivia rambled before she was stopped by her father.
"I didn't come in here for that, I honestly didn't," Don quickly stopped Olivia's train of thought.
"Well, why did you come in here for then?" she asked with a sheen layer of tears in her eyes.
"Oh honey, come here," he said as he embraced his daughter.
"I know you don't trust Elliot, but why can't you trust me? I'm telling you Elliot is a great guy, you don't know him like I do," her statement was muffled by Don's shirt.
"I do trust you angel. I know that you would never do anything without thinking it through, it's just that I was worried about you. Especially with what happened with Nick," he sighed.
"What do you mean?" she asked as she wiped her face.
"Olivia, I know everything that happened with Nick, and Nicky. I've known since the day after it happened," he said as he handed her a tissue.
"How did you find out? Nobody knew anything about it except them and me," Olivia asked puzzled.
"Actually, Nick left a message on the machine. He also happened to call when I was home," Don said as he rubbed his face.
"Why didn't you tell me?" she scoffed.
"Well, you were going through so much. I didn't think you'd want to know, and I wanted you to come to me when you were ready to tell me about it," he gently told her.
Olivia processed everything that her father told her before asking, "So what did you and Nick talk about?"
"Uh, he tried making excuses for his behavior. He then tried to blame you for what he did. So, when I heard enough I told him to never contact you again or I would throw his ass in jail for harassment and a slew of charges that I can't even remember," Don said completely serious.
At her father's confession Olivia threw her head back and laughed out loud imagining Nick's face when the threats were being made.
"I have no problems with you dating Elliot," Don smiled thinking back on the conversation he had with him.
"You don't? Are you serious?" Olivia asked confused with her father's change of heart.
"Yes, I'm completely serious. Elliot spoke with me earlier and cleared everything up. He's a great guy Olivia, and I'm glad you've moved on with him," he squeezed her hand.
"I love you so much, daddy." she said with such tenderness.
Don had to hold back the sob that was making its way out when she called him daddy. She hadn't done that since she was a little girl, "You know how much I love you, angel."
"How much?" she asked with a smile that lit up her whole face.
"I love you from here to the moon and back . . ." he started saying waiting for her to say her part of their nightly ritual when she was a child.
"When the stars dull out . . ." she said
"And the sun shines bright again . . ."he said
"Each and single every day," they both finished together as they hugged.
"Awww," Casey burst through the door running to hug her dad and sister.
"Hey, that's not fair. What about me?" John protested from the doorway.
"Come here," Don waved John over.
"Awww, how can I resist?" John said as he joined the group hug.
"This would be better if your hands weren't on my ass," Don chided John.
"Sorry, couldn't resist," John waggled his eyebrows jokingly which caused everyone in the room to laugh at his antics.
"All right, tender moment ruined. Girls finish getting ready for your game while I have a talk with your uncle John," Don said laughing before he and John left Olivia's room.
Kitchen:
"It's nice of you to let Livvy date Elliot," John said after sitting on a stool near a counter.
"Yeah, she deserves to be happy with someone like him," Don nodded.
"That she does," John quickly agreed.
"I just hope nothing happens to ruin what they have," Don sincerely added.
"Yep, but all we can do is cross our fingers and wish them nothing but the best," John wisely replied.
"So, speaking of relationships how are you and Lena doing?" Don decided to change topics.
"Ah, we are doing well. She is so wonderful, I'm lucky to have found someone like her," John contently informed him.
"I'm happy for you. Do you think you'll marry her?" Don curiously asked.
"No, I really don't think so. I've had enough failed marriages to know that marriage isn't for me, but it doesn't mean I can't have a little romance in my life," John smiled.
"John, I have to work tonight . . ." Don started to explain the plans for the night.
"No need to ask, I'll keep an eye on the girls for you," John volunteered before Don could finish his statement.
"Thanks, I appreciate it. I'll just run upstairs to let the girls know before I go to work," Don patted John on the back as he made his way out of the kitchen. John smiled thinking about how he loved being part of Don's family.
He took his phone out to call Lena seeing how he had the evening free after the girls left for their game.
"Hey, it's me . . . you want to watch a movie tonight? Great, I'll see you then . . . yeah at Don's, uh-huh . . . ciao for now." After hanging up he smiled at the prospect of spending an evening with his lady. He was in such a good mood he started singing, "Love is in the air everywhere I look around. Love is in the air every sight and every sound . . . ."