Stork (SVU Fanfic)

Chapter Nine

I inch up on the balls of my feet and now have the ability to share his air.

I feel the tiniest of touches on my lips before a car horn makes both of us jump.

I laugh awkwardly, stepping back. "I guess that's my cue."

"See you in court, I guess."

I nod and hurry out, down the porch steps to the car.

"What happened?" Dickie asks from the passenger seat.

"Nothing," I lie. Like they believe that.

"Just be happy she isn't depressed looking anymore," I hear from the backseat.

"Depressed?" I ask.

"Yeah," Lizzie answers.

Silence.

"Wanna expand on that...at all?" I ask.

"Liv, you have been seriously out of it for a while now. Probably since you found out Dad wasn't dead."

"Why would I be sad about that? It's-"

"Well for one, you instantly had three kids all to yourself. Then you didn't," Dickie explains. "Then Children Services decided to be an asshole."

"That was Tucker but yes, I get the point."

"And then," Dickie continues, "you saw it was hard on us and you blamed yourself."

I remain quiet. Even 14 year olds can figure me out. I've never been that transparent.

"Well, it's almost over."

I still feel upset about that, but it's definitely gonna be better for me once I don't have as much responsibility. Sounds terrible when I say it like that, but still. I'm not competent enough for such things.

Cragen lets me take the twins home and have the night off. For dinner, I make them Mac and cheese because for some reason, that sounds fantastic.

And they agree by the way the pot is empty within a half hour.

Both of the twins are sitting, arguing over what show to watch as I'm putting Eli to bed. After his bath, I dress him. Snuggling him close, I realize he's missed a lot of parental needs because of me. I don't read to him. I don't sing to him. I don't even have these little moments with him anymore.

I assume the twins do none of this as well, when they have to watch him.

I find a book on the floor near Eli's crib, and sit down. After a quiet read about saying goodnight to every god forsaken thing in existence, I put Eli in his crib. Just after kissing his head, of course.

The twins are still struggling for control of the remote, so I decide to sit between them and take the button-filled contraption.

"Hey!"

"What the hell!?"

"Watch the language," is all I say to them. My thumb clicks a couple buttons and then I snuggle down, letting the twins get pissed.

"I was watching something," Lizzie sasses me. She says it with some sarcasm, but I know she'd be joking anyways.

"No, I was watching something," Dickie says.

"Well, now we are watching something," I tell them.

"Well as long as it isn't those reality shows you like. Pawn Stars is far better."

"Christly Knows Best is way more funny. And that makes it better."

"It's stupid and fake."

I see some future attorneys over here.