(no subject)
Title: Small Steps
Fandom: SVU
Pairing: Alex/Olivia
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Don't own them
A/N: This is a Hannah-verse fic set after Alex comes back. Olivia finally decides to forgive Alex.
A/N 2: As always, HUGE thanks to cherokee62 for her help with this series.
Alex slipped a file into her briefcase and snapped it shut. She’d just flicked off the lamp and was thanking God for her timely escape when a knock at the door cut her thought short.
She debated standing completely still and silent, letting the person think she’d already left but she knew they’d probably seen the light go off.
She sighed softly, calling out “Come in!” as she switched the lamp back on.
Olivia entered slowly, eyeing the briefcase. “Leaving?”
“Apparently not.” Alex said, setting it back down. “Problem with the case?”
Olivia shook her head, gazing at her for a moment. “We need to talk.”
Alex swallowed hard. It had been a little over two weeks since she’d told Olivia about Hannah and from the look in her eyes, she knew that’s what the conversation had to be about. She tried to comfort herself with that fact that Olivia didn’t look angry but she wondered if that would change depending on whatever happened between them now.
“A-alright… uhm…” She pulled her phone out of her purse. “I just need to call the sitter and have her pick Hannah up from daycare.”
Olivia nodded and waited as Alex dialed.
“Mona… it’s Alex… yeah… yeah… thank you. I’ll be home as soon as I can. Tell her I love her and she can call me if I’m not home before she goes to bed… Thank you so much.” She hung up, biting her lip as she slipped her phone back into her purse, staring at it for a long moment before finally lifting her gaze again. “Mona’s been watching out for us since we moved back.”
“Must be nice to know you can count on her.”
Alex nodded a little. “She’s a good woman. Hannah adores her.” She shifted slightly. “So… uhm… What did you want to talk about?”
She was surprised when Olivia actually smiled slightly. “Hannah.”
Alex gazed at her for a moment before nodding. “Do you… uhm… want to sit on the couch?”
Olivia nodded, taking a seat. “I’d like to see a picture of her, if you have one with you.”
“I do.” Alex said quietly. She grabbed a small framed portrait from her desk, gazing at it for a moment before going to sit by Olivia on the couch. She handed it to her. “Her preschool had a picture day a couple months back.”
Olivia gazed over it. “She’s beautiful.” She lifted her gaze to Alex. “She looks just like you.” She handed the picture back.
Alex blushed slightly. “Thank you.” She gazed at the portrait again before setting it gently on the table.
“What’s she like?” Olivia asked quietly.
Alex lifted her gaze to the detective, eyeing her almost warily before finally speaking. “She’s… she’s smart. Fast learner. She’s already reading quite a bit and she knows how to write her name. She… uhm… she’s quiet. She likes to observe things rather than participate most of the time. She’s a real thinker, kinda lives in her own world. She’s not very social but I don’t think she really cares. She’s pretty good about finding ways to entertain herself.” She bit her lip, pausing, not really sure what it was the detective wanted to hear. She wasn’t in the habit of bragging about her child like most moms did so it made it that much harder for her to figure out just what to say.
Olivia smiled softly. “It sounds like she really takes after you.”
Alex breathed out a laugh. “I had a bit more of an attitude than she does… and definitely more of a mouth on me. She’s pretty good about listening and not talking back. She didn’t even go through the terrible twos like most kids do, thank God. I’m not too sure I would have been able to handle that.”
Olivia laughed. “I don’t know… I’ve seen you in a courtroom. Hard to believe a two-year-old could get the better of you.”
Alex shrugged slightly, wondering how candid she was supposed to be. She figured if they were supposed to be getting back on the right track, it wouldn’t hurt to confess a couple things. “I’m not sure I was ever meant to be a mother. Don’t get me wrong, now that Hannah’s here, I’m glad I am… but there are still some things I just can’t seem to get the hang of.”
“Like what?”
“I don’t know.” Alex shrugged again. “Answering some of her questions… Trying to figure out how independent I should let her be… I see all these mothers baby talking to their kids and coddling them and I’ve never really done that with Hannah. She’s always just been a tiny person to me and I talked to her like I would anyone… Well… with obvious limits of course.” She bit her lip. “Now I wonder if she’ll grow up just as independent and hardheaded as I did.”
Olivia chuckled softly. “Hey, that wouldn’t be such a bad thing.”
Alex smiled slightly. “If you say so.”
“She sounds like she’s turning out just fine.”
“I hope so.”
“I know so.” Olivia gazed at her for a moment. “It’s going to take me a while to get used to the fact that you have a daughter. I’ve done a lot of thinking these past couple weeks and there are still some things I need to think about. I haven’t entirely forgiven you for your absence all these years or for not telling me sooner.” She breathed deeply. “But… now that you’re back, I won’t be the one to push you away again.” She searched bright blue eyes. “I’m glad you’re back.”
Alex felt the words sink deep into her and she found herself clinging to them, to the hope they gave her again. She swallowed hard, her voice coming out quiet. “It’s good to be back.”
Olivia gazed at her for another moment before nodding slowly. “Well… I’d like to hear more about Hannah some time, but right now, you should probably get back to her.”
Alex nodded and they both rose from the couch. The blonde glanced at her watch as she picked the portrait up off the table.
“Sorry.” Olivia bit her lip. “Did I keep you too long?”
Alex breathed out a laugh. “No… No, I’m still getting out of here earlier than I usually do. I try to take a lot of work home with me, but sometimes it’s just not possible and I wind up stuck here til God only knows when.”
“It’s the nature of the job.”
“Mm.” Alex agreed, gazing down at the picture. She was struck by the sudden need to hold her daughter in her arms.
“Well…” Olivia said after a moment. “Guess I’ll see you tomorrow then.”
Alex looked up, nodding slowly. “Yeah… see you.”
Olivia nodded and left.
Alex breathed deeply as the door shut behind her. While it hadn’t been a long conversation, she understood the weight of everything that had just happened between them. She breathed deeply, deciding that she’d think about that later. Right now, she had a little girl waiting for her at home.
She dropped her gaze to the picture again, running her thumb affectionately over Hannah’s cheek. Maybe they’d have ice cream for dinner tonight. Just this once.
A soft smile formed on her lips and Alex walked to her desk, setting the frame back in its rightful place before finally shutting off the lamp, grabbing her briefcase and hurrying out.
Fandom: SVU
Pairing: Alex/Olivia
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Don't own them
A/N: This is a Hannah-verse fic set after Alex comes back. Olivia finally decides to forgive Alex.
A/N 2: As always, HUGE thanks to cherokee62 for her help with this series.
Alex slipped a file into her briefcase and snapped it shut. She’d just flicked off the lamp and was thanking God for her timely escape when a knock at the door cut her thought short.
She debated standing completely still and silent, letting the person think she’d already left but she knew they’d probably seen the light go off.
She sighed softly, calling out “Come in!” as she switched the lamp back on.
Olivia entered slowly, eyeing the briefcase. “Leaving?”
“Apparently not.” Alex said, setting it back down. “Problem with the case?”
Olivia shook her head, gazing at her for a moment. “We need to talk.”
Alex swallowed hard. It had been a little over two weeks since she’d told Olivia about Hannah and from the look in her eyes, she knew that’s what the conversation had to be about. She tried to comfort herself with that fact that Olivia didn’t look angry but she wondered if that would change depending on whatever happened between them now.
“A-alright… uhm…” She pulled her phone out of her purse. “I just need to call the sitter and have her pick Hannah up from daycare.”
Olivia nodded and waited as Alex dialed.
“Mona… it’s Alex… yeah… yeah… thank you. I’ll be home as soon as I can. Tell her I love her and she can call me if I’m not home before she goes to bed… Thank you so much.” She hung up, biting her lip as she slipped her phone back into her purse, staring at it for a long moment before finally lifting her gaze again. “Mona’s been watching out for us since we moved back.”
“Must be nice to know you can count on her.”
Alex nodded a little. “She’s a good woman. Hannah adores her.” She shifted slightly. “So… uhm… What did you want to talk about?”
She was surprised when Olivia actually smiled slightly. “Hannah.”
Alex gazed at her for a moment before nodding. “Do you… uhm… want to sit on the couch?”
Olivia nodded, taking a seat. “I’d like to see a picture of her, if you have one with you.”
“I do.” Alex said quietly. She grabbed a small framed portrait from her desk, gazing at it for a moment before going to sit by Olivia on the couch. She handed it to her. “Her preschool had a picture day a couple months back.”
Olivia gazed over it. “She’s beautiful.” She lifted her gaze to Alex. “She looks just like you.” She handed the picture back.
Alex blushed slightly. “Thank you.” She gazed at the portrait again before setting it gently on the table.
“What’s she like?” Olivia asked quietly.
Alex lifted her gaze to the detective, eyeing her almost warily before finally speaking. “She’s… she’s smart. Fast learner. She’s already reading quite a bit and she knows how to write her name. She… uhm… she’s quiet. She likes to observe things rather than participate most of the time. She’s a real thinker, kinda lives in her own world. She’s not very social but I don’t think she really cares. She’s pretty good about finding ways to entertain herself.” She bit her lip, pausing, not really sure what it was the detective wanted to hear. She wasn’t in the habit of bragging about her child like most moms did so it made it that much harder for her to figure out just what to say.
Olivia smiled softly. “It sounds like she really takes after you.”
Alex breathed out a laugh. “I had a bit more of an attitude than she does… and definitely more of a mouth on me. She’s pretty good about listening and not talking back. She didn’t even go through the terrible twos like most kids do, thank God. I’m not too sure I would have been able to handle that.”
Olivia laughed. “I don’t know… I’ve seen you in a courtroom. Hard to believe a two-year-old could get the better of you.”
Alex shrugged slightly, wondering how candid she was supposed to be. She figured if they were supposed to be getting back on the right track, it wouldn’t hurt to confess a couple things. “I’m not sure I was ever meant to be a mother. Don’t get me wrong, now that Hannah’s here, I’m glad I am… but there are still some things I just can’t seem to get the hang of.”
“Like what?”
“I don’t know.” Alex shrugged again. “Answering some of her questions… Trying to figure out how independent I should let her be… I see all these mothers baby talking to their kids and coddling them and I’ve never really done that with Hannah. She’s always just been a tiny person to me and I talked to her like I would anyone… Well… with obvious limits of course.” She bit her lip. “Now I wonder if she’ll grow up just as independent and hardheaded as I did.”
Olivia chuckled softly. “Hey, that wouldn’t be such a bad thing.”
Alex smiled slightly. “If you say so.”
“She sounds like she’s turning out just fine.”
“I hope so.”
“I know so.” Olivia gazed at her for a moment. “It’s going to take me a while to get used to the fact that you have a daughter. I’ve done a lot of thinking these past couple weeks and there are still some things I need to think about. I haven’t entirely forgiven you for your absence all these years or for not telling me sooner.” She breathed deeply. “But… now that you’re back, I won’t be the one to push you away again.” She searched bright blue eyes. “I’m glad you’re back.”
Alex felt the words sink deep into her and she found herself clinging to them, to the hope they gave her again. She swallowed hard, her voice coming out quiet. “It’s good to be back.”
Olivia gazed at her for another moment before nodding slowly. “Well… I’d like to hear more about Hannah some time, but right now, you should probably get back to her.”
Alex nodded and they both rose from the couch. The blonde glanced at her watch as she picked the portrait up off the table.
“Sorry.” Olivia bit her lip. “Did I keep you too long?”
Alex breathed out a laugh. “No… No, I’m still getting out of here earlier than I usually do. I try to take a lot of work home with me, but sometimes it’s just not possible and I wind up stuck here til God only knows when.”
“It’s the nature of the job.”
“Mm.” Alex agreed, gazing down at the picture. She was struck by the sudden need to hold her daughter in her arms.
“Well…” Olivia said after a moment. “Guess I’ll see you tomorrow then.”
Alex looked up, nodding slowly. “Yeah… see you.”
Olivia nodded and left.
Alex breathed deeply as the door shut behind her. While it hadn’t been a long conversation, she understood the weight of everything that had just happened between them. She breathed deeply, deciding that she’d think about that later. Right now, she had a little girl waiting for her at home.
She dropped her gaze to the picture again, running her thumb affectionately over Hannah’s cheek. Maybe they’d have ice cream for dinner tonight. Just this once.
A soft smile formed on her lips and Alex walked to her desk, setting the frame back in its rightful place before finally shutting off the lamp, grabbing her briefcase and hurrying out.