2 DAYS LATER...
After two days, Olivia and the baby were released from the hospital and Nick was there to pick them up and take them home. Once the bags were loaded and Olivia and the baby were safely inside the car, he got into the driver's seat and strapped himself in, checking the rearview mirror to see that his passengers were ok.
"Liv?"
"Hmm?" she asked while she looked down at her beautiful sleeping child.
"Your seat belt."
"Oh, um..." she was a bit embarrassed. Not sure how to explain to him that her breasts were terribly swollen and that it made wearing the seatbelt painful. Fidgeting in her seat, she looked away and he quickly caught on.
"Swelling." He grinned suddenly remembering. "Sorry" She sighed, thankful that she'd avoided that conversation.
"It's okay, Nick."
"I'll...drive slow." He said then started the car.
"Actually, would you mind if we made a stop before you take us home?"
"Sure. Where to?"
"The cemetery." She answered barely above a whisper then let out a deep breath "Brian should meet his son." she said then looked over at the baby again, wiping away the single tear that was rolling down her face. Nick cleared his throat and sniffed. He was choked up beyond belief.
"Yeah." He said when he was finally able to speak, tears evident in his voice.
They arrived at the cemetery almost an hour later. Nick helped Olivia out of the car and carefully put Aidan in her arms. It a was perfect mid-August morning, a beautiful breeze blowing through the trees that lined the cemetery as she slowly made her way to her husband's grave
I remember the first day I met you
we were so young
you were a blessing and there was no guessing
you were the one
Kneeling there, she was motionless for a long moment while she stared blankly at his grave marker, a single tear rolling down her cheek as her fingers touched all the flowers that were laid at his grave. She inhaled a sharp breath before she spoke.
"Hey babe. Someone's here to see you." She said and looked down at her son sleeping peacefully in her arms. "This is your son, Aidan Brian Cassidy
Love is so crazy, we had a baby
and said our vows
that's when you told me should anything happen
I can hear you now, you told me
If the sun comes up
and I'm not home, be strong
If I'm not beside you
do your best to carry on
"You said all along that it was a boy." She forced a sad smile, but the tears just wouldn't stop and she gave up trying to fight them. "I know you didn't want to name him after you but he looks so much like you...he even has your eyes. there's so much of you in him already. It's comforting,
Tell the kids about me
when they're old enough to understand
tell them that their daddy
was a good man
I miss you, so much!" she whispered. "I miss your eyes. I miss your smile, I miss your laugh and I miss feeling your arms around me because I always felt so safe in them." She was sobbing now but didn't care. "You taught me how to breathe again when everything fell apart, and now I'm struggling for every breath without you. You were the first man to ever show me what it means to truly be loved and I wonder every day if you knew how much I love you? Did I say it enough? Did I show it enough?"
First anniversary remember we chose a star
and as I stand under it
I can't help but wonder
If you see it where you are?
For whatever reason
we don't see the seasons change again
Go there with peace of mind
we'll meet on the other side
'cause true love don't end
"I made a promise on our wedding day...we promised each other forever and I have every intention on keeping that promise. I will love you until the day I draw my last breath, and hopefully you were right and we can be somewhere beautiful together." She tried swallowing the lump in her throat but it couldn't hold back the guttural sob that escaped her as a deluge of tears spilled from her eyes. "I love you so much! And I'm trying so hard to be strong for Aidan and I promise I will. I'm gonna take such good care of him!" the baby suddenly began squirming in her arms.
Oh baby if the sun comes up
and you're not home, I'll be strong
If you're not beside me
I'll do my best to carry on
I'll tell the kids about you
when they're old enough to understand
I'll tell them that their daddy
was a good man
"I should probably get him home; he'll need to be fed soon..." She wiped her eyes and gave a small laugh but the tears kept coming. "I love you! I love you and our son will love you, our son will know you because I will tell him! He'll know what an honorable man his father was, how brave you were and I'll make sure he knows how much you loved him from the moment you knew he'd come to be, but more than anything I will do everything I can to make sure that he grows up to be a good man just like his father was." she stared at his headstone for a long moment, her tears still falling before she took a small picture from her shirt pocket, It was a photo of her holding Aidan in the hospital just a few hours after he was born. Cragen had snapped it when he visited later that morning. She placed the picture near the grave marker and pushed it down into the soil until it disappeared. She said goodbye, then kissed her fingers and laid the kiss upon his grave marker. "We'll see you soon."
Two eyes looking up at me
pointing to the picture like, where is he?
mama, are you okay? what did the paper say?
To make you cry that way
It said your daddy lived for you
and your daddy died for you
and I'll do the same
Later that morning she sat in Aidan's room, in the rocker while she nursed him. She stared down at him and he looked up at her, his eyes wide and she burst into tears.
"Don't worry baby, they're happy tears. I was just thinking about the night your daddy found out that we were having you. It was early Christmas morning, and he had just surprised mama with a beautiful ring... she continued softly recounting last Christmas morning to their son who amazingly, seemed to be listening while he continued nursing. She would smile as she looked at him, she couldn't believe that he was hers. Brian was gone but he had left her with the most incredible gift, the most precious gift he could have given her and because of this gift she knew that in spite of her broken heart, she would be just fine because her world was right here cradled in her arms.
Now baby if the sun comes up
and I'm not home, be strong
If I'm not beside you
do your best to carry on
And tell your kids about me
when they're old enough to understand
tell them that your daddy
was a good man!
TWENTY FOUR YEARS LATER
"And so it is with great honor that we present the Mayor's award to our graduating class Valedictorian, who is not only our top graduate but is an NYPD legacy. His father, Detective Brian Cassidy was one of the finest and his mother NYPD Police Commissioner, Olivia Benson who we are honored to have here today is a living legend in our fine city." Olivia looked over at her son and smiled. She'd never been more proud of him. "We present to you Officer Aidan Cassidy."
As he took the podium amid thunderous applause and began his speech, Olivia couldn't help but think about Brian as Aidan stood there looking so much like him, wearing his father's shield. she thought about him growing up and how he was always so fascinated with his dad. He never got tired of hearing stories and since he was three, he would tell Olivia that when he grew up he would be a cop like daddy. The gang, except for Munch had all turned out to see her son graduate the academy. He had unfotunately died in his sleep the year before. Nick, who was the chief of detectives was there with his wife. He and Amanda had recently celebrated their 22nd wedding anniversary. It had taken Nick a while but he'd fallen in love with Rollins. And she'd given him 3 beautiful children, twin boys who were now 21 years old and recent college graduates, and a daughter who was 17 and fresh out of high school.
Fin was now the captain of SVU. He and Melinda finally worked out their feelings and had been together since Aidan's first birthday. Alex was there, she never married or had children but Aidan was her pride and Joy. Casey ended up coming back to New York in 2015 and was now a judge. Luke was also there, proud to see Aidan following in parents footsteps. Cragen, in probably the most unusual twist, he and Mary bonded over baby Aidan and had been together for over 20 years. As for Olivia, she never married again but she was happy. Brian had been the love of her life and that was all she needed. Besides, Aidan had gotten married right after college and she now had 2 beautiful granddaughters to lavish her affection on in addition to her son, who stood in front of her on stage soon to take his oath to protect and serve. He really is so much like his father! She thought.
THANKS FOR READING
SONG CREDIT: 'A GOOD MAN' BY INDIA ARIE WAS THE INSPIRATION FOR THIS ENTIRE STORY. I OWN NO PARTS OF THE SONG.