Fic: Aftershocks Part 7.2
Making her way to the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse Olivia sprung for a cab. The subway would be too much hassle with the crutches. She had just given the driver her destination when he asked, "You a lawyer?"
"Cop," she replied and was treated to a story about his uncle's brother in law who had been a FBI agent during the Hoover years. For once she listened to the cabbie as he attempted to make conversation. The distraction was better than the late night television she had failed at using the night before. She tipped him well when he dropped her, a block from the courthouse.
It took her longer than usual to get through the crowd and security but she was still thirty minutes early. To her surprise Kathy and Elizabeth Stabler were sitting on a bench outside the courtroom. She plopped down next to Elizabeth wanting to shove the crutches up Zachary Jiles' ass.
"Mind if I join you?" Olivia asked with a grin at Elizabeth.
"Hi Olivia!" Elizabeth said grinning back.
"Hey kiddo, waiting on you dad? Hi Kathy," Olivia added.
"Yeah. He's testifying now," the young girl said. Olivia noted that she was dressed up for an outing with her parents. She mentioned it and Elizabeth smoothed out her skit and sat up straighter.
"Lizzie decided last night she wants to be a police officer when she grows up. Elliot and I thought that we would show her other parts of the criminal justice system," Kathy responded. She squirmed in her seat a little and Olivia pointed down the hall when Kathy asked where the restrooms were.
"Mom doesn’t want me to be a cop," Elizabeth explained as they watched her mother walking swiftly down the hall.
"It's a dangerous job and I bet she'd worry," Olivia told her and Elizabeth nodded.
"Mom wont admit it but she worries about Dad a Lot."
"I'm not surprised. Don't you worry?" Olivia asked.
"Yeah. I worry about you too," Elizabeth admitted. Olivia watched her shoulder hunch a little.
"Your dad and I take care of each other," Olivia said firmly and Elizabeth slouched further.
"I know, but what happens when that's not good enough?" Elizabeth asked as she slid an old batting glove out of her pocket. Olivia watched her fiddle with it for a moment.
"It has to be good enough. I can't tell you nothing bad is ever going to happen, Elizabeth. We just have to do our best to keep each other safe. That goes for everyone you care about not just your dad and I when were working. It goes with caring about someone, you don’t want them to be hurt."
"Like Alex making you use your crutches?" Elizabeth asked.
From the mouths of babes, Olivia thought as she tried to not wince. She nodded, "Or your mom insisting your dad were that silly sling. Sometimes you have to protect yourself too. Like maybe punching some little jerk in the face when he wont keep his hands to himself."
Elizabeth buried her face in her hands and groaned. She said, "I can't believe how much trouble I got in."
"You got in trouble for not telling your teacher when it happened. They can't punish you for defending yourself," Olivia told her.
"It feels like it," Elizabeth grumbled as she sat back up. She crossed her arms and slouched with a scowl. Olivia was struck by how much the girl looked like her father. Olivia tossed her arm over Elizabeth's shoulder.
"When do you go back to school?"
"Tomorrow. I have to apologize to Stan," Elizabeth said wrinkling her nose.
"That doesn’t seem right," Olivia, replied with a slight frown as she watched a man who was adjusting his stuff in front of God and everyone. She turned to Elizabeth and made sure that the young girl was focused on her.
"The only thing I'm sorry about is I didn’t hit him harder," Elizabeth told her and Olivia laughed. Elizabeth looked sheepish and shrugged.
"Well I doubt that will work as an apology."
"My parents didn’t laugh."
Olivia would bet the bank that Elliot nearly popped a vein in keeping a strait face.
"Why should I apologize when I'm not sorry?" Elizabeth asked.
"Detective Benson," A voice interrupted.
Olivia glanced up, "Chief Donnelly, Your Honor."
"I thought you were testifying in the Tobias matter," Donnelly said with a glance at Elizabeth.
"I am. This is Elizabeth Stabler." Olivia introduced Donnelly and Judge Petrovsky and Elizabeth grinned.
"I know who you are. My dad talks about you sometimes," Elizabeth said to Petrovsky.
"Really?" Lena Petrovsky asked.
Oh ho, Olivia thought.
"Do you really throw books at people?" Elizabeth asked as Kathy stepped up next to the bench. Donnelly laughed.
"Not really. It's means that I put people in jail for a long time," the judge said giving the bureau chief a look that stopped the laughter but not the smirk.
"Mom can I go say Hi to Hannah?" Elizabeth asked pointing to the redhead standing down the hall.
"She looks kind of busy," Kathy pointed out.
"Yeah, I guess. Wonder if that guy she's with is one of the bad guys she defends," Elizabeth mused.
"That's Trevor Langdon. He's another defense attorney," Olivia said.
"Oh. He doesn’t look like a boil infe… Oh I can't repeat what dad says about him," Elizabeth said.
Olivia chuckled and shook her head before saying, "I bet not. I know your dad doesn’t like him much but everyone is entitled to a good defense."
"Maybe I'll become a defense attorney," Elizabeth said.
"An hour ago you said you wanted to grow up and be Alex Cabot," Kathy pointed out.
"I like Alex. I don’t know. I still want to be a cop," Elizabeth said.
"Keep thinking about it. Maybe you can go to med school," Olivia told her.
While Elizabeth pondered medical school Elliot joined them. With him was Alex's second, Harvester Young. He was holding a box that could not be left alone or the chain of evidence would be broken. Olivia caught sight of Alex making her way to the bathroom.
"How's the case?" Donnelly asked Harvester.
"Miss Cabot is in rare form," he reported.
"I'm not going to be hearing from Judge Ridenour am I?" Donnelly asked wincing. Harvester shook his head with a smile. Judge Petrovsky convinced Donnelly that micromanaging Alex would probably lead to disaster and they should leave before she returned.
"Ready Lizzie?" Elliot asked.
"I want to say bye to Alex," Elizabeth told him and he nodded.
"How's your shoulder?" Olivia asked. He looked at the sling then back to her.
"Stiff and sore. How's the ankle?"
"Swollen," she said with a grimace.
As Olivia continued to chat with the younger Stabler, Elliot and Kathy moved away from them and began to speak softly. As Alex joined them Harvester handed her the box and took his turn trekking down the hall.
"Coffee," Alex said with a shrug at the two left on the bench.
"Hi," Olivia said using her observational skills on the ADA. Olivia didn’t like what she saw especially since it was probably her fault.
"Hi," Alex replied and Olivia could see Alex sizing her up. Like Olivia, Alex didn’t comment instead turning to Elizabeth. "Still want to go to law school?"
"Maybe. I might go to med school instead."
"Sounds good," Alex told her.
"I gotta warn you cops don’t listen to doctors," Olivia commented.
"Well duh. You'd be back at work if you listened to your doctors," Elizabeth said rolling her eyes. Olivia could see Alex fighting to keep the smile from her face. Olivia wondered which of her parents Elizabeth had heard that from. Elizabeth hopped up and hugged Alex. "Bye Alex." Then she hugged Olivia.
"That question you asked earlier about apologizing when you're not sorry?" Olivia asked after Elizabeth pulled away.
"Yeah?"
"You're parents are going to hate me… I don’t think you should lie. If you're not sorry you shouldn’t say so. Explain it to your teacher that you're not sorry for defending yourself but that you are sorry you didn’t tell right away."
"What if that's not good enough?" Elizabeth asked as her parents approached.
"It's the truth, that's what matters," Olivia explained.
The detective stood on her crutches next to Alex as they watched the Stablers walk away. At one point Elliot and Kathy both turned and looked back at Olivia. She shrugged at them and then smirked. Elliot grinned and directed his wife and daughter to continue down the hall.
"Think that'll work?" Alex asked.
"She shouldn’t apologize for something she's not sorry," Olivia said.
"Hmm…" Alex commented.
"I think we need to talk," Olivia said.
"I agree," Alex said not meeting Olivia's eyes.
"Meet me at my…" Olivia hesitated thinking about the condition of her apartment.
"Your place?" Alex asked.
"If you're not afraid of the dust bunnies…" Olivia began and Alex smiled hesitatingly.
"I'm not."
"Good. When you wrap up here call me and I'll order dinner," Olivia said. The usually calm and self-assured detective wavered and said, "Alex. I'm sorry."
Alex thought for a moment and then replied, "So am I."