Daddy - An SVU fic

41.One Step forward, two steps back

41, let's go. Dick Wolf owns, enjoy.

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That Saturday...

"You're not dressed." Elliot said as he came back from the gym to find Olivia in tights, a tank top and a sweater sitting on the couch with no shoes, folding baby clothes.

"I started to but then when I came from the shower I decided that I really didn't feel like going so I..."

"...thought you'd wash Serena's clothes?" Elliot finished.

"The blankets and onesies...and socks." She said quietly, looking away.

"Liv, what's this about?" He asked as he took a seat in the chair and she continued folding.

"It's nothing okay? With the sentencing and the- I just don't wanna celebrate."

"Look, I won't push it but I think you could use a break and I think it'll be good for you. You've been moping around for two days driving yourself crazy over that paternity test and the hearing."

"I didn't say anything about the paternity test"

"You haven't, which is how I know that it's making you crazy."

"It's not the test itself that's making me crazy; it's the fact that another's been added to the Lewis bunch and she's just as crazy as her brother and father and I just...what about my daughter?" She said with her hand in her belly. "I'm scared for her."

"I know"

"Harlan's sample was too degraded to give a definite result and I can't seem to reach Brian. Now that I've opened the door, El I need to know for sure."

"And you will. We'll get Brian whenever he turns up. But in the meantime, please; come with me. Let's just celebrate your birthday and forget about everything else. You deserve that today! Come on."She thought about it for a moment, deciding that he was right.

"Okay." She said, giving in.

"Alright. You go get dressed." He pulled her up from the couch. "Give me 10 minutes for a shower, 5 to get dressed and then I'll write a quick novel while I'm waiting on you." He joked.

"Did I ever tell you how funny you are?"

"No"

"And you think you'd take a hint!" She smiled and picked up the laundry basket before heading off to her room while he stood there grinning.

...

"Surprise!" Nick, Fin, Amanda and Rafael yelled as Olivia, followed by Elliot made her way to the table in the restaurant. She couldn't help but protest.

"Thank you, all of you but I told you guys, I don't want anything for my birthday." She said as Elliot pulled out her chair and she sat down.

"No way, baby girl. You came through a hell of a lot this past year; we gotta celebrate even if it's a little somethin; Happy Birthday!"

"'That's right, Happy Birthday Liv!" Nick said, all of them feeling a sense of genuine gratitude that she was there to be able to celebrate another year.

...

Later at the house, after the squad had come back to celebrate, it reached 6:30 and everyone said goodnight and left. Leaving Olivia, as she returned from the door after seeing Amanda off looking at a living room full of gifts from the entire squad that had gathered while Fin excused himself from lunch, pretending he had to go but then really did before the party was over.

"I can't believe they all came!" She said to herself teary eyed, sitting in the midst of all the gifts.

"Are those tears?" Nick teased, coming out of the kitchen.