A/N: Hello all. I truly apologize for this lag time between chapters. And, I will be responding to reviews, because you have all been wonderful to me. It just might take me some time. My life's been kinda shitty lately, and this week I have midterms. But nobody cares about that, so here's part 13. Enjoy!

Thanks Chels!

Disclaimer: I don't own SVU or any of it's characters. They belong to the big, bad (Dick) Wolf and NBC.

Responsible

Elliot only half-listens as his ex-wife complains about having to cut her date short to deal with his 'unexplainable emergency.'

"You owe me for this."

The long pause signals him. "Thanks, Kath."

With Kathy on the way, Elliot leaves the twins to watch their younger brother, promising to make the night up to them soon.

***

He reaches Olivia's apartment in considerable time. The series of buzzes—short, short, long, short, short—he taps over her intercom lets her know he's there.

"It's open," she calls when he knocks at her door.

Elliot walks inside, takes off his coat. He can hear her in her bedroom, opening and closing drawers like she's looking for something. "Liv?"

"I'll be right there."

He looks around. There's something off about her apartment; it's too clean. The candle burning on the coffee table fills the room with the scent of lavender. He helps himself to a bite of ravioli that's sitting on her counter, only to find it cold. Elliot decides not to try the milk beside it and makes his way over to her couch. He sits down just as she comes out of her room.

She's wearing jeans, a t-shirt and a familiar, grey hoodie. Her hair is pulled back in a half ponytail and she's not wearing any makeup.

"What's that?" he asks, nodding at her hands.

The box in front of her is a clumsy shield. "It's the last of Henry's things."

His eyes go wide.

"The engagement's off," she says.

"Oh."

"I shouldn't have called. Right now's a bad time."

Olivia turns her head away from him, her eyes unfocused. Balancing the box on her hip, she tucks a strand of loose hair behind her ear. Then she puts the box on her kitchen counter and busies herself with cleaning up her untouched dinner like he's not in the room.

Elliot watches her a moment, then asks, "What couldn't you tell me over the phone?"

The plate she's rinsing clatters inside the sink. Before she can answer, someone knocks on her door.

"Gimme a sec."

Reed is the untimely visitor. Elliot notices the dark, purple bruise beneath the doctor's eye. Somebody got him good. It almost makes Elliot smile.

"What's he doing here?" Reed asks Olivia.

She ignores his question. "I thought you were gonna wait 'til I called you."

"My flight changed. I'm leaving tonight."

"I'll get your things."

"Don't forget to leave your key," Elliot says to Reed.

The doctor's neck flushes red, a vein or two becoming more visible. He digs the key to Olivia's building out of his pocket and throws it at Elliot, who catches it just before it hits his face.

"You might as well take that too," Reed says.

Elliot's mouth hangs open. "She told you about the affair?"

"No," Olivia says, "I didn't."

Reed talks over her. "She didn't have to. It was painfully obvious."

She shoves the box into Reed's chest. "That's all of it. You can leave now."

Olivia forces him out by shutting the door on him. She leans against it, eyes closed, as she listens to the sounds of Reed's retreating footsteps.

Elliot's missing something, some crucial bit of information. "What was that all about? How did he know if you didn't tell him?"

Olivia turns around, away from him. She fiddles with the door-chain, locking it, then unlocking it. Her hand falls to the doorknob and her fingers twist the lock back and forth.

"Elliot, I'm pregnant."

Silence pervades, suffocates.

"I'm sorry," Olivia continues as she turns around, head tilted toward her feet.

He doesn't understand why she's apologizing. "Liv, this is great news. It's what you wanted. Isn't it?"

"Yes, and no."

"Reed didn't take the news well."

She shakes her head. "We got into a fight. It's why he's gone."

It must have been a serious fight for the engagement to be called off. Elliot's mind briefly floats back to the purple bruise underneath Reed's eye. . .

"He never wanted to be a father, El. He lied to me."

"Whaddya mean, lied to you?"

Olivia's eyes meet his. "Henry can't have children. He's infertile. It's a genetic defect."

It takes a moment for the information to process, for everything to click. When it does, Elliot nearly jumps to his feet.

"Are you saying it's mine?"

"How many men do you think I'm sleeping with?"

"Jesus, Liv." Elliot's hands run over his head. "It can't be mine. I can't afford to have another kid."

Eli had been a mistake he swore he wouldn't repeat.

"You're sure you're pregnant?" he asks.

"Seven weeks. I got the blood work back today."

"Shit."

Olivia's mouth remains in a fixed line, like she expected him to react this way. She clears her throat, says, "Elliot, I'm not asking for your help with this. Financially or otherwise."

"What? Olivia—"

"You already have one family. I understand. I just needed to tell you."

"I. . .I don't know what to say."

"Okay."

"I need some time."

"Okay."

He comes over to the door. She holds it open.

"I'll see you Monday," he says quietly.

"Okay."

Her answer is a breath of air.

Elliot wishes she'd stop saying that. Nothing about this situation is 'okay.'

A/N: Thanks for reading! Is that how you expected him to react?

Since I don't know how long it will be between updates anymore, I am going to try and keep cliff-hangers to a minimum. :) But, there is some good news: I have Spring Break starting the end of this week, so I will finally have time to write again! Yay! I hope to finish writing this fic during that break. Only 4 to 5 chapters left!