A/N: This is the next part of the previous chapter titled "Finally Talking". I don't own any of the characters.

Letting It Sink In

After he left Olivia's hotel room, Hank had thought about going home but he had too much going through his head at the moment. He couldn't believe that he had a little girl with Olivia. He felt so ashamed that he ignored all her calls the way he had these last 5 years. Would she have told him sooner? Would his little girl even like him when they finally met? He was so afraid that she'd hate him but he'd deserve it. He knew Sam was pissed at him and he had a feeling the shit was going to hit the fan once he went into work. He figured some of the squad would be at Molly's but he really needed a drink. He drove there, got out of his SUV and went in. He saw mostly everyone, including Trudy and Meredith but he really wasn't in the mood to deal with them. He knew he'd have to face them sometime though, so he knew it was best to just get it over with. He went to sit down by himself and ordered a Manhattan. The squad came over to him.

"You ok, Boss?"

"Not really."

"The Deputy Superintendent is really not your type anyway."

Hank gave Adam a look and Jay smacked him in the head.

"I don't think that's helping Ruzek."

"Who asked you, Halstead?"

"Do I need to smack you again?"

"Guys, stop it!"

"Just be prepared for the shit to hit the fan because Miller is pissed at me. She wanted more out of the relationship and I told her I couldn't do it anymore because I am very much in love with Olivia Benson. I have been all along. Olivia is here and I found out that the last time we worked together 5 years ago, she ended up pregnant. I have a daughter that I never knew even existed until just a little bit ago. The night it happened, she had told me she was with someone else."

"Did she marry that guy?"

"No. She said they broke up about a year later when Megan was 3 months old but he was there for her. He got to feel the baby kick and probably got to hold her when she was born. She said Erin was with her when she was born but I'm assuming he was around. She said he committed suicide a little over a year ago and one of the last things he told her was not to give up on me. Megan deserves to know her me and I deserve to know her. It's bad enough that the poor kid has to have me as a father."

"Is she sure she's yours?"

"She says she hadn't been with the other guy yet and if I want to do a paternity test, she's fine with that. I guess she does look like me though.

Hank pulled up the picture and showed it to everyone.

"Oh, yeah. She definitely does. She's a cutie."

"I wanna meet her yet I don't."

"If you want to be with Olivia, which I kind of think you do, then you're going to have to meet her and be a part of each other's lives. I get you didn't have a good relationship with Justin but maybe this is your second chance to be the father you should have been to him."

"I don't even know what I want to do anymore."

Hank finished his drink and left, while everyone else went back to where they were.

"Poor Voight."

"I feel bad for him. Even if he didn't take her calls, she still could have come here and told him about his daughter. If he comes in, I'll be surprised."

"What do you think about Lindsay knowing and not telling him?"

"She and Olivia have been close since they first met, so I'm really not surprised. I'm pretty sure he hears from Erin, so she could have told him that he needed to talk to Olivia. Voight really hasn't been the same since what happened to Al. None of us have."

"Yeah, true."

Everyone kept talking. Hank had gone home and got ready for bed. How did he get here? He wasn't even sure. The day had started out so promising. He had gone to work and had planned to spend the evening at the function with Sam. Then Olivia showed up and turned everything upside down. Did he love her? Yes and he had from the moment they met. He knew she would always be a factor in whatever relationship he had tried to be in. He had thought Sam had understood that he needed to get Olivia out of his system before things could go further with them. Maybe he was better off alone. He wasn't sure if Olivia could wanted to be with him as much as he wanted to be with her but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get Olivia out of his head and now they had a daughter. He knew he probably wasn't going to sleep a whole lot because he had so much going on in his head. He heard the doorbell ring, so he went downstairs to see who it was. It was Olivia.

"Hey."

"Hey. You ok?"

"I couldn't sleep. I am so sorry about all this. Even when you didn't return any of my calls, I should have come here to tell you. I wanted to be with you and I wanted you to be the one that felt her kick for the first time. I'm the worst person in the world but you had also told me to stay the hell out of your life. I was never expecting to end up pregnant. I'd understand if you never forgave me for any of this."

"Come on in."

Olivia came in and took her jacket off.

"I think a part of me just needed time to accept that you were with someone else."

"A part of it was because I didn't want to come here and have you tell me you wanted nothing to do with her. If you didn't want me, I would have understood. Erin had told me what had happened with the guy that killed Justin and I knew then that it wasn't a good time. I couldn't find the right time or the right moment to tell you. I know you hated me when I told you I was with Ed. He was the one that kept trying to get me to tell you and that he'd step back and let us be together or at least figure out how we had planned to raise her."

"Was he with you when you gave birth?"

"No. Erin was the only one with me. He helped Lucy out with Noah. He told me if I wanted him there, he would be but this was my thing."

"Is she healthy?"

"Oh, yeah. She's perfect but she is very stubborn."

"Do you want me to give you money for her?"

"This isn't about the money at all. It never was. Noah loves being a big brother. Anything he can do, she can do. He was playing baseball for a while. You know Peter Stone, right?"

"Yeah."

"Well, he was teaching Noah about baseball and she was right there too. Peter left after a case in which he said his feelings for me got in the way of him doing his job. The kids both got a little too attached to him. I think I did start developing feelings for him too. After Peter's departure, Noah decided he was bored with baseball but told me that he wanted to try dancing. I signed him up for a dance class and Megan decided she wanted to dance too. They both keep me busy with their dance classes and recitals."

Olivia pulled out her phone and found the video of Megan's first recital.

"This is her first recital."

She played it and let Hank watch it. Once he was done, she took her phone back and her fingers grazed his. It was stirring up old feelings between both of them. Olivia wanted him to kiss her more than anything but she knew what would happen if they did.

"I better go."

Olivia got up and then she left to head back to their hotel. Hank didn't want her to go but he knew what would happen if she didn't. He went back upstairs and tried to get some sleep.

He hadn't gotten much sleep but he got up and got ready for work. The District was really the last place he wanted to be. Trudy was there when he got there.

"You ok?"

"I'm finally coming to terms with the fact that I have a 4½-year old daughter. I'm still very much in love with her mother."

"Does Olivia know how you feel?"

"Sort of. I told her that I can't get her out of my head."

"No one wants the two of you together more than I do."

"I'm sure Erin does too."

"I hate to be the bearer of bad news but Deputy Superintendent Miller is in your office."

"This day just keeps getting better and better. I knew I should have stayed home."

Hank went upstairs and Sam was in his office just like Trudy said.

"Deputy Superintendent."

"So, did you spend the night with Olivia Benson last night?"

"No."

"I know she was at your house."

"You spying on me now?"

"I just wanted to see if you dump me and basically jump into bed with her."

"We talked. That was it."

"Do you really think I'm that stupid?"

"I never said you were but it's the truth."

"I really thought we had something special."

"I made it perfectly clear to you that I needed to get Olivia out of my head before things could go any farther with us and I thought you understood that."

"It's clear to me that you never had any intentions of getting over her."

"You know what? I don't need to be discussing this with you."

"I'm not giving up on us."

"I am. I found out that Olivia and I have a daughter and I need to be a part of my daughter's life."

"Is that what she told you? That kid could be anyone's. How stupid are you to believe that?"

"I don't need this from you."

"I would suggest asking for proof that her kid really is yours because all she wants is money."

"She told me it isn't about the money."

"Wake up, Hank!"

"I love Olivia and have for a long time. I want to be with her and only her. I know this little girl of hers is mine."

Sam rolled her eyes and left. Hank knew what he had to do. He left the District and headed to Olivia's hotel. He texted Olivia that he was on his way, so she texted him her room number. When he arrived, he parked his SUV and went up. He knocked on the door and she answered.

"What's going on?"

"I need to do something I should have done last night."

Hank grabbed Olivia and started kissing her.

"Hank."

"Yeah?"

"It's been way too long."

"I know it has."

"I need you."

"I need you too."

Hank came into her room and they let the door shut behind him. She removed his jacket as they headed over to the bed. He lifted her up as she wrapped her legs around him. He set her down on the bed and they undressed each other. Hank kissed Olivia's chest and stomach.

"Make love to me, Hank."

They continued kissing and then they made love. Afterwards they were tangled up in the sheets and all out of breath. He had his arms wrapped around her and she had her head on his chest.

"Holy shit! That was amazing! I have missed this and you so much."

"I have too. I want to meet my little girl."

"I'm glad. I love you, Hank. I really do. I never stopped."

"I never stopped loving you either. I want to give our little girl the family she deserves. Marry me?"

"What? Are you serious?

"I'm very serious."

"Hank, I want you to think about this. I don't want to rush into it."

"I thought about it all night. The only place I want to be is with you. I want to retire as well."

"You have thought about this."

"Yeah, I have."

"We can discuss that later. Maybe you should get to know your daughter first and then decide if you really want to marry her mother or not."

"When are you leaving?"

"Tonight. I was only planning to stay a short time."

"Do you want to spend the day with me?"

"Yes, I would."

They kissed and then Hank called Jay to tell him that he wasn't going to be in. Jay said he had everything under control. Once he was off the phone, he and Olivia made love again. Hank looked to see if he could get on the same flight as Olivia. The one she was on was booked but he was able to on a later flight. They spent some time together and then Olivia needed to get her stuff before she left for the airport, while Hank went home to pack. Hank had time before he went to the airport, so he stopped at the District again. The squad was still there.

"Hey."

"Hey. You ok?"

"Yeah. Just so you know, I'm leaving for New York tonight, so I can meet my daughter."

"Good for you."

"Thanks. I told Olivia I want to try to make things work with her and I'm actually considering retiring."

"Wow!"

"I want to give Megan the family she deserves to have. It's always been Olivia."

"That was kind of obvious. I'm sure retiring is a big decision for you to make."

"It is but I know you can handle it."

"What are you planning to tell Miller?"

"We already had it out this morning. I was here before any of you were. She was waiting in my office and then I decided to spend some time with Olivia. I told Olivia that I wanted to marry her. She said maybe I should get to know my daughter first and then decide if I really want to marry her."

"Hopefully things go well for you."

"I hope so too."

"When are you back?"

"I may take an entire week."

"Ok."

Hank left and headed to the airport. When he arrived, he got checked in and headed through security before heading to the gate. A couple hours later, they boarded the plane and then it took off. Hank was starting to become very nervous about meeting his youngest child.

To be continued…

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