Author's note: Well, I had the next several chapters of this story written. Then most of my documents mysteriously disappeared from my laptop, leaving me with only chapters twenty five and twenty six of this story. I am sorry for the slow update- but this is why. Thank you for your patience, and for the awesome support you have all shown. I cannot recreate the next couple of chapters word for word, but I will make sure everything that I had planned to write will be written. Let me know what you all think of this chapter. I am happy with how it turned out. =)

A couple of weeks later, Olivia had just finished at the precinct. She had just finished with an enormous stack of paperwork, including Rollins' request for maternity leave (which Olivia had all but had to force her into), and something she was planning for Casey. After checking the clock, Olivia sighed when she realized what time it was. It was half past four PM, and she hadn't eaten a morsel since before bed the previous evening. As if in response, her stomach grumbled.

Olivia sighed and closed everything, then walked to her favorite cafe, a block from the precinct. She had just ordered her coffee and her usual lunch, and relaxed into her favorite table, when someone cleared their throat above her. "Sergeant."

Olivia looked up, surprised to see Casey's father standing over her. There was no way this was a coincidence. "Can I help you with something?" she questioned.

Steven invited himself to sit across from her. As the waitress arrived with Olivia's refill, she shot a quick confused glance between Olivia and Steven, then took his order for a glass of wine. Steven cleared his throat again. "I have done some research into you, Sergeant," he began, reaching for a roll from the basket between them.

"Research?" Olivia asked, remaining equally calm. She recognized this as an intimidation tactic. Did he seriously think he could bully her? What kind of idiot did he take her for?

"Yes," he confirmed. "It seems you are up for promotion to Lieutenant. Indeed, it is my understanding that your promotion is about to become official."

"Yes, Sir," Olivia answered calmly.

"Does my daughter know?"

Olivia sighed, folding her hands on the table. "No, she does not know yet," she answered, knowing it was best not to lie. She was finding it quite difficult to avoid becoming annoyed by his pomposity. She didn't appreciate being checked up on like some sort of criminal. But she wasn't going to let it unnerve her. That would be like trying to wrestle with an angry dog. It would only encourage him.

"Trying to keep secrets from her, are we?" Steven asked, buttering his roll. "I believe she has a right to know, don't you? You won't be home as much, and you'll have all new responsibilities."

"With all due respect, Sir, I took this promotion because I want to be home more," Olivia replied. "It is a position that will not require me to be on the front lines as much, in addition to providing an excellent leap in my career. If you'll forgive me for saying so, it isn't any of your business, and I would appreciate it if you keep yourself out of my life."

"Ah, but I am in your life, irregardless of either of our personal beliefs. You are marrying my daughter, with my strongest objection, which places me firmly in your corner. I am curious about your personal choices. You have spent much of your life skipping from relationship to relationship without a thought for your permanent future. Now, suddenly, you want to marry someone. And you have set your sights on my daughter."

Olivia nodded. "I am a firm believer in not settling down until you find the proper person. I am not one who takes relationships lightly. I prefer not to get serious with someone until I reach the point where I can truly envision spending the rest of my life with them."

"And you think Casey is the right person for you?"

"I know she is," Olivia confirmed. "I love her, and I will do so with my last breath. Nothing can change that. I understand where you are coming from, Mr. Novak. I truly do. But I have to weigh that against what will make Casey happy."

Steven shook his head. "This isn't right for her. She needs to settle down with a good Catholic man who will respect her job and her feelings. If they give me some beautiful grandchildren, that is only a bonus."

Olivia couldn't believe this. Few people so freely admitted to living in the nineteenth century with their beliefs. Casey's father clearly thought of her as something to own. She was his possession, more than his child. He wanted to use her for grandchildren, regardless of what she wanted. It was appalling. When she had finally thought of a reply that didn't involve a hundred swear words, the brunette took a sip of her drink to calm herself, and spoke as she returned the glass to the table. "It should be up to Casey to decide what will make her happy. She agreed to marry me, and regardless of what you may believe, I did not, at any point, unduly coerce her into the relationship. She has consented at every stage, and nothing will break me from her side."

"Ah, but what about the truth?" Olivia's face must have betrayed her confusion, because Steven smirked and elaborated. "As I said, I checked up on you," he stated, as calmly as if he were discussing the daily news. "I did some digging into your past, before you were a detective, even. I discovered a tiny wrinkle in your image. It seems you were engaged twice before. On one of those occasions, you left your partner at the last minute, abandoning her a mere week before the wedding."

That was too much. Olivia curled her fists in her lap to avoid them being seen. How dare he do this to her? How dare he check up on her and sit here confronting her about her past like some high inquisitor? This wasn't a trial, and he was treating her like he treated any scummy defendant. Finally, Olivia managed to restrain herself and avoid saying how much she really hated him. "I did," she admitted. "I realized that I had made a mistake, and I did not want it to get any worse. Yes, I broke off the engagement. I was not going to be married to someone who I had fallen for so quickly and had already gotten over by that point in the relationship. As I previously stated, I then vowed to marry only when I was truly ready- when I knew, in my heart, that I had found the right person. And, despite your strenuous objection, Sir, that person is Casey. Nothing will change that."

Steven shook his head, and Olivia could practically see the aura of fury around him. "You are relentless," he growled. "You won't leave her alone so that she can go back to being a nice Catholic girl. You won't come clean to her about your unsavory past. And you are practically giving up your career for her. When will you understand that she will eventually wake up and realize how wrong she is, leaving you and your career in the dust? What do I have to do to get you to leave her alone?"

Olivia suddenly realized something. The realization was so swift and pure that she wondered how she hadn't realized it before. It was no wonder Casey wasn't married or even with anyone. Anytime she fell in love, her father must get rid of the man, either by threats or by digging up their unsavory secrets. It didn't excuse anything, of course, but she was beginning to understand why Casey was still alone. A coward would easily fall apart at Steven's hands. But she was different. She was not going to tolerate this crap, from him or anyone else. It was for her to decide who she loved, and no bitter man was going to take that from her. "You can dig up whatever secrets you may like," Olivia stated evenly. "But it won't change anything."

"What if I report you to Internal Affairs? Or the city? I have friends in the Mayor's office. Wouldn't they love to know that their beloved Lieutenant, head of the Manhattan Special Victims Unit, is a lesbian?"

Olivia bit her lip to keep from laughing. "That threat may have worked twenty years ago, but it won't work now. You can march yourself to City Hall and report me. Call me a dyke, tell them I coerced your daughter into marrying me. But they cannot legally touch me. I have already disclosed to my bosses and garnered their approval of the marriage and my future adoption of Casey's baby when she is born. There can be no claims of conflicts of interest, no cries of conspiracies. We disclosed to protect ourselves against people like you. So you are free to waste your time, but even if they fired me a thousand times over, I would still choose Casey. I am at the point in my life where I can no longer allow my career to dictate my feelings. I have given so much to this job. I've lost so much and gained so little. I choose Casey. I will always choose Casey."

Steven wagged his finger at her in fury. "You disgust me," he growled. "But I will do whatever it takes to make sure that you realize that you don't love her. You want her for something, though I am not sure what. Perhaps you want her for sex. Perhaps you are using her to fulfill your dreams of becoming a mother. But I will do whatever it takes to help her understand the mistake she is making. Threats have not worked with you. Secrets have failed to move you. So let me try something else. Name your price."

"Excuse me?" Olivia asked. It had taken a few seconds for the offer to sink in.

Steven smirked. "Name your price," he repeated, retrieving his checkbook. "Tell me how much it will cost for you to leave her."

"One million dollars," Olivia answered.

"Done." He began writing a check.

Once he handed it to her, Olivia shook her head in disgust. "My God," she murmured, glaring at the numerous zeroes before her. "What is the matter with you? You're willing to buy me off to abandon your pregnant daughter and leave her side when I love her and she has done nothing wrong? You're willing to buy me off to make her unhappy, and yet you sit here and claim it's all for the best. Let me tell you something. I love her, and I will not abandon her at any point. You're welcome to march to City Hall and yell your concerns to them, if you prefer to waste your time. Maybe someday you will realize that your time is better spent elsewhere. But you have no business in my personal life, or Casey's. Enjoy your money, Sir. That is clearly all that matters to you. Your efforts may have worked on her past boyfriends, but they will not work on me. Do not interfere again. Have a wonderful day." Olivia grabbed her bag and tore the check into a hundred pieces, before turning on her heel. After paying her bill, she stormed out into the frigid morning, her mood suddenly as cold as the ice on the ground.