SVU: The One Shots

High School Scares

"Hey there, pretty lady," Elliot called as he strolled down the hall of their high school. He placed his hands on Olivia's waist and held her tightly against his body.

"El, let me go," Olivia whispered, her face growing hot from the closeness of her boyfriend.

"Why? You love it when I hold you this close," Elliot frowned, as he turned Olivia to face him. He looked over her face and saw tear streaks and bloodshot eyes.

"Can we just drop this?" Olivia sniffled.

"No, we can't. What's wrong? Are you getting bullied again?" Elliot asked as he cupped her freckled cheeks and rubbed away a few stray tears with the pads of his thumbs.

"Leave me alone, El. Please," Olivia begged.

"I'm not leaving you alone, Olivia. C'mon, tell me," Elliot whispered. Olivia closed her eyes tightly as a group of students walked past them.

"Not here..."

///

Sitting in the front seat of Elliot's rusted Ford truck, Olivia cried as Elliot sat in shock. This was not how their senior year was supposed to go. They wanted to enjoy their last few months of being high schoolers before having to join the real world.

"El, I'm so sorry," Olivia whimpered, as she rubbed at her tears.

"Are you sure?"

"That I'm sorry? Of course-" Olivia started.

"No! Are you sure that you aren't super late?" Elliot interrupted as he twisted to look at Olivia. She nodded slowly as Elliot took a shaky breath.

Elliot rested his forehead against the steering wheel as all his plans for the future seemed to fade away. There would be no college since he would have to step up and get a job to support Olivia and their child. 

"You aren't on the hook for this," Olivia whispered since her boyfriend hadn't spoken in a while.

"Olivia, we got into this mess together... I'll be on the hook for at least the next eighteen years," Elliot sighed. 

"Do you even want to be with me now?"

"Of course I do, Olivia. I still love you, no matter what," Elliot replied softly. He lifted his head before looking at Olivia once more.

"I'll do everything in my power to let you do what you planned. I won't go to college and-" Olivia started, but Elliot interrupted her.

"As the father, it's my job to support you and the baby. You can go to college and I'll get as many jobs as it takes to support us. I promise."

///

Elliot got home that night and went straight to his room without eating dinner. He was usually the first one asking about dinner, so his parents were concerned when he didn't come down. Bernie went upstairs and knocked on her son's door, only to hear his sniffling as he went to unlock it.

"Hey, Ma. What's up?" Elliot asked as he rubbed his eyes with closed fists.

"We called you down for dinner, but you didn't come and eat. Is everything okay?" Bernie questioned.

"Yeah, just not feeling great. I can make myself something later if I get hungry," Elliot replied.

"Carrot-"

"Ma, I'm fine. Please go back to dinner," Elliot interrupted. He knew that his mother wouldn't stop until she knew what was bothering him, even if it took all night.

"I know you, Elliot. So tell me what is wrong before I call Olivia-"

"Please don't call her! Okay?"

"Did you and Olivia break up? Elliot, I'm so sorry," Bernie frowned deeply. She was fond of Elliot's girlfriend and hated the idea that they were no longer together.

"No, we didn't break up. Ma..." Elliot trailed off as his phone rang. He walked away from his mother and flipped it open to see Olivia's number.

"Elliot-"

"It's Olivia, Ma. I need to take this," Elliot spoke. Bernie nodded slowly before leaving her son's room. Elliot sank onto the edge of his bed before answering the call. 

"Elliot?" Olivia asked since her boyfriend answered the call but never greeted her.

"Uh, sorry. Is everything okay?" Elliot asked.

"Y-yeah, everything is good. I have good news."

"Good news?" Elliot questioned hesitantly.

"I just got my period."

Elliot let out a sigh of relief as he flopped back against his mattress. He took slow breaths as tears of relief slipped down his cheeks. 

"That is wonderful news, Liv."

"Yeah, it is," Olivia replied softly. Elliot sat up and looked at his open bedroom door.

"Are you disappointed? That you aren't pregnant?" Elliot asked.

"I kinda am, El. The idea of us having a baby together was a little exciting, even if I was also so freaking scared. We were going to be a little family, even if it was going to be hard," Olivia sighed.

Elliot stood and paced his bedroom for a moment before stopping as Olivia spoke again.

"If we make it through the rest of this year and college, we can always start a family. I'd understand if you didn't want to, especially since today was a mess."

"Olivia, I love you. The plan has been to graduate high school, go to college together, and build a life together. I don't want to erase that plan just because we thought you were pregnant. The next time we have a scare like this, I think we will be more prepared to have a child and raise it. Okay?"

"There won't be more scares, El. I am not emotionally prepared to go through this again. Next time it will be planned. Got it? We need to be careful from now on," Olivia replied. Elliot laughed softly. He could see his girlfriend's determined expression from the tone of her voice.

"Yes, ma'am. Now, I'm starving. Will I be seeing you tomorrow at school?" Elliot asked.

"I'll be there earlier than you have ever been. Uh, I love you, El. Thanks for being willing to give everything up for me and our nonexistent baby."

"Of course, Liv. I love you too."