A/N: Hello! This won't be long, but I hope you enjoy this chapter and maybe get to enjoy this story I'm beginning. Please read on and enjoy!
"I think I might actually be done with paperwork." Olivia Benson said placing the last file on the stack of papers that were gathered on her desk, she was shocked to see she was done with the paperwork of her last case. Considering she had been spending most of her night doing paperwork on her last case it was a relief to finally be done with it.
"Well isn't that a special moment, treasure it." Nick Amaro said pursing his lips, looking down at the thick stack on his desk he still had to go through.
Olivia chuckled at her partners comment shaking her head, and pushed her bangs away from her eyes, "You hungry? If you are I'll go and grab us something if you want." She asked, knowing her partner must've been hungry since he had yet to go home.
Nick looked up at Olivia waving his hand in the air, "Nah, you go home get some sleep. You need after staying up for the past two days." he knew Olivia had gone days without sleep and he wanted to see her go home to catch up on it.
"Subs it is." Olivia said standing up from her desk grabbing the car keys that were resting by her phone.
Nick sighed heavily placing his pen down, "Liv-" he was cut off by his partner.
"I'm going anyway, I haven't had dinner either." Olivia said giving a small smile as she made her way to the elevators to exit the precinct, once she stepped inside the elevator the doors closed on her.
In the other elevator a young girl stepped out. She had light brown hair that went below her shoulders, slightly wavy, brown eyes, a small button nose, she was short about 5'5, she was built. Her dark brown eyes scanned over the precinct to spot a familiar face, but she didn't. Instead, she stepped further inside the precinct to see the detectives were sitting at their desks going over paperwork.
She reached into her back pocket of her jeans and she pulled out a piece of paper, biting her bottom lip she made her way into the precinct. Her nerves were setting in, as she took each step into the office filled with detectives knowing she had to get the signature of one person who worked here.
Closing the second to last file Nick looked up to see a girl standing a few feet away, her eyes scanning the precinct looking for someone as if she was lost. He couldn't help but notice, she looked lost. He pushed himself away from the paperwork and got up taking a step towards her, "Can I help you?" he asked her.
The young girls attention quickly turned to the gentleman detective in front of her, "Hello. That would nice actually, I'm looking for someone." She said looking down at the paper once more to check if she was correct, "Olivia Benson."
Hearing the girl say his partners name Nick raised an eyebrow, "She's my partner, she actually just stepped out. I can help you if you need-" he was quickly cut off.
"Um, actually I need her. Do you have any idea when she would be back?"
"... Shouldn't be long." Nick replied, "She just went out to grab something to eat."
"Thank you. I'll wait." She turned away from the detective before stepping out into the hallway, she had seen a vending machine in the hall and thought about grabbing a drink while she waited.
A few minutes passed after Olivia stepped out of the elevator and made her way to her desk. She realized she had forgotten her wallet after stepping outside the precinct. "Forgot my wallet of all things." She said reaching over her desk opening the desk drawer.
Nick quickly stopped his partner, "There's a girl here looking for you." He pointed to the girl that was waiting patiently in the hallway, starring down the papers in her hands.
Olivia raised an eyebrow turned to look at the girl, Olivia slipped her wallet into her back pocket as she quickly made her way in the hall to confront the girl. It wasn't rare that a girl came and asked for her, after all the cards she had given out. Olivia placed a hand on the girls shoulder she said, "Excuse me." She said in a gentle voice.
The girl turned to look at who was talking to her, her eyes met with Olivia's as a small smile grew on her lips, she grabbed the strap of her messenger bag, "You... you're Olivia Benson?"
"I am... How can I help you?" Olivia asked tilting her head examining the girl face, Olivia took notice that she was familiar, but she couldn't but her finger on it.
"Um, did you have a baby girl in ninety-six?" She asked quietly not wanting others to over hear their conversation.
"..." The simple question made Olivia turn quiet, her past came back to her. No one but her mother knew of that, not even her old partner Elliot. Olivia looked over the girl closer, she could see that the girl resembled herself. This couldn't be her. The baby girl she gave gave birth to years ago. "Oh my God." Olivia said under her breath.
The young girl bit her bottom lip nervously and looked into the other woman's warm brown eyes. She had a feeling Olivia knew who she was. "I'm your daughter." the girl said.
Olivia was in shock from the words that had come out of her mouth. She remembered those seventeen years ago, she sat in the hospital bed after giving birth, knowing the baby girl she had could never actually her claimed as hers. "You're beautiful..." Olivia whispered under her breath.
The young girls cheeks turned a light shade of pink from the kind compliment and she glanced down at he hands, "Thank you. I'm Carter by the way."
Olivia smiled gently hearing her name. "Carter. Are you hungry? I was out to get myself something to eat, if you are I could get you something." Olivia asked hoping to get more then a small conversation, as this one.
"I'm okay. Though actually I need you to-" Carter was going to continue, until she decided against bringing up the subject at this moment in time. "Actually, a bite to eat sounds great."
Olivia's brown eyes ran over the girl and nodded slowly. She could hardly believe that the daughter she gave birth to was standing in front of her, "Alright... do you like subs? If not there is this diner down the street that has a-"
"Subs sound good." Carter quickly said, she could see just how nervous Olivia was by the way she was talking. She didn't blame her, after all this wasn't exactly something that happened everyday. Her nerves were just as bad, though she didn't want to let them show.
A table sat by the open windows were Olivia and Carter and both of their meals being untouched. Carter had taken a few sips of her drink and now began to play with the straw in her cup. Olivia found herself staring at the young girl in front of her, seeing how they shared the similar features. They shared the same eyes, that was the first thing Olivia noticed, then they seemed to share the same smile. Olivia couldn't stop starring at the young teenager sitting in front of her, the last she had seen her, she was the newborn swaddled up in a blanket.
She definitely wasn't the little newborn Olivia last saw.
"You've been staring." Carter said, breaking the awkward silence that lingered over the restaurant. "I'm guessing for... five minutes now? So, since we walked in here and sat down. Not counting the time you were staring in the elevator."
Olivia began to laugh under her breath, hearing the comment she brushed her hair away from her eyes Olivia replied, "I'm sorry I don't mean to. It's just... you're all grown up. The last I saw you, you were..."
"A baby?" Carter asked, raising an eyebrow. The look Olivia gave her was reassurance that she was correct, it seemed now Olivia didn't know what to say. "Yeah, needless to say I don't think I remember that." She joked, trying to lighten the mood.
Olivia cracked a smile and laughed at her comment, she had a sense of humor. She noticed Carter had hardly touched the sandwich in front of her, "Would you like to order something else? We can if you'd like." Olivia offered.
Carter glanced down at her food and shook her head, "It's not that I don't want to eat, I just, I pictured how this would happen a million times. Now that it's playing out, isn't exactly how I pictured it. Now that I'm in the process of speaking to you. I lost my appetite." She replied, Carter then glanced down at the papers in her lap. "I just mean I'm nervous. I don't mean it in a bad way."
"I understand." Olivia shook her head, her eyes meeting with the matching brown eyes. "To be honest, I did the same. You're not alone." She motioned to the untouched food in front of her. It was obvious the young girl wanted to ask Olivia something, though she wasn't going to push her. "You can save it for later, if you get hungry."
Carter gave a small smile, "Thank you." She whispered under her breath. Carter knew she had to bring up the problem at hand rather than keep it going on. She grabbed the folded up piece of paper and turned back to Olivia, she sighed, "Um... I need your help." She said, keeping the folded paper in her lap.
"I will help you with whatever you need." Olivia said as she quickly leaned forward. This may have been the daughter she gave up fifteen years ago, but nevertheless it was still her child. She would do whatever it took to protect her or help her in this case."What is it you need help with?"
Carter began to unfold the piece of paper under the table, her hands slightly shaking. "You see I turn sixteen in two weeks. I'm fifteen now and I need your signature for something." Carter then placed the papers down on the table. "I'm applying for emancipation. From the state systems foster care, I've been in the systems since I was a few weeks old since I didn't get adopted."
Olivia took the piece of papers and ran her eyes over it, she could barely concentrate on the paper, still confused at the big picture in her head. "I'm sorry. I was told you would be adopted, they said there were these waiting lists. They said a couple was already looking at you for adoption. Your case worker said it looked promising." She said looking up from the papers.
"... Oh." Carter looked down at her lap attempting to avoid this subject now. She pushed her food away from her and placed her arms on the table.
"I don't know if they told you, but I had Transient Tachypnea. It's not that big of a deal. If you don't know what it is, the best way I can describe it is... when I was a newborn I had a difficult time breathing. They never told me much about it, I just know what it is. I was in the hospital for a few weeks. The doctors wanted to make sure until I was the age of three that it had passed, so I had doctors appointments until I was three. But the care was done by the nurses. I was healthy by the time I was three years old. Not many people want a toddler who was already raised by nurses and caretakers. They want a baby."
It broke Olivia's heart broke hearing about this, she never heard this once from the social worker. Olivia wanted to say something, but didn't know what were the right words to comfort the daughter she gave up for adoption so long ago.
"Anyway. When I was born, turns out no one signed a release of rights and as I was putting my things together for court with my caseworker, she told me about it. She was already taking forever to get it signed and when I saw your name and address on top of the file. I took it upon myself to find you." Carter crossed her arms over chest and leaned back in her seat, "You see, in order for me to get approved by a judge that I can get emancipated I need..." She found herself not being able to just say it, she shook her head and rolled her eyes, pointing at the paper that Olivia held, "Basically without your signature on that dotted line you are still legally... my Mom."
Olivia's widened eyes were locked on Carter's and she could hardly hold back the tears that were forming. Now she knew the truth to why her daughter found her and tracked her, it was a shock to hear that the young girl being only sixteen at the time was applying for emancipation. Now she would be turning sixteen in two weeks and would be her own legal adult. Liv's wandered down to the dotted line on the paper, she wanted nothing more than to help her child in anyway she could.
However, knowing that she was still her daughter, legally, made her not want to sign the papers. "... Are you sure you want to do this? Live on your own." Her voice was calm and her eyes concerned as she looked back at Carter.
Carter gave a small chuckle and shrugged her shoulders, "Rather than living in crappy foster care for another year, I would take it." She reached over and grabbed her cup of coke and began to take a few sips. "But, your signature would be great."
"You have a place to live, right?" Olivia asked, looking over the dotted line where he signature would be needed.
"Yeah... My friend and I planned on living together actually." Carter replied, she had a feeling that Olivia was worried about how she would be living after, but Carter didn't wish for her to worry. All she wanted from her was her signature on the document.
Olivia nodded once more and got up from her seat walking to the checkout, taking a pen that was laying there she grabbed it and returned back to the table to sign the paper. Then one swift movement Olivia signed her name, turning back to the table Olivia gave a small smile to Carter and handed her the paper, "There you are."
Carter looked down at the signature on the dotted line and a smile grew on her face as she took it back from Olivia, "Thank you." She said, turning she slipped it back into her bag.
"... Do you need help getting home or, I can take you some place rather than you walking around at this time of night?" Olivia asked. She wanted to make sure Carter got home safety. It was now already ten minutes to seven.
"Oh... Um." Carter looked up at the clock hanging on the wall across the sub shop, when seeing the time she contemplated on whether or not saying yes, "Actually a stop by social services would be awesome. If I could drop these off tonight that would save a lot of time for tomorrow."
"Yes, of course."
"... This is it."
Olivia noticed every step she took, she found a moment of knowing her daughter slipping away from her grasp, "Would you like for me to wait, then I can drive you home maybe?"
Carter looked over her shoulder and noticed Olivia was now close behind her, she didn't think this would actually be happening. Her birth Mother was wanting to take her back to her foster home. "I think my social worker will be able to do that. She usually does since she clocks out at around this time. So I'll be fine. Thank you though." She quickened her step towards the doors and did her best to keep walking.
Olivia could see that Carter was attempting to ignore speaking to her much longer, she didn't blame her. After all she gave her up so many years ago, in her daughters mind she probably thought Liv never would've wanted her.
"Are you sure you are ready to go out on your own? I mean, I just want to make sure you can take care of yourself. Have you found a steady job for income? A safe place to live? A place for you to finish school even?" Olivia sounded more like a worried Mother with every question.
"I'm working on it." Carter said, keeping her gaze forward rather than turning to speak to Olivia, she had a feeling this was going to happen. Her gaze was still locked on the doors that she badly wanted to walk through, hand her social worker her papers then be ready for court tomorrow. "It's been difficult."
Olivia could hear the hostility in her voice. She didn't blame her for it. Olivia took her hands out of her coat pockets, "Carter... I just don't want you to have chosen the wrong path and end up in a bad-"
"I've already done that. Getting out of the system is honestly the best for me at this point. Rather than another year in it. Scope drinking moms aren't exactly that responsible, then creepy dads that try to hit on you… I'd rather say goodbye to it." Carter said as she reached out and grabbed the door handle, she went to step inside when Olivia placed a gentle hand on her arm, causing her to stop holding the door open with her foot.
Olivia's gentle grip on Carter's arm caused the girl to stop, she turned and looked into Olivia's eyes, she then began to quickly say, "Carter, at least let me help you. I will help you in anyway I can, I understand if you don't want my help. But finding a place and getting a job is something that needs to be done immediately. As well as getting your education finished to graduate, then working your way into college will-"
Carter quickly cut Olivia off, "No offense, but I haven't had a Mom in fifteen years. I don't need one now."
Carter took her arm away from Olivia's grip then made her way inside, though she paused and quickly turned back to Olivia, "Thank you for… everything, Olivia."
Carter nodded her head and turned back into the building, quickly going towards the elevators in hopes that she would make it in time for social worker to get the papers. In the back of her mind she felt guilty for snapping at Olivia in such a way, after signing the paper and getting her dinner, but she was the one who gave her up for adoption, Carter wasn't going to welcome her with open arms at this point.
Olivia's gaze stayed on Carter through the glass doors from the moment she turned away from her, until the moment she stepped into the elevator. Tears were now falling from her eyes as she wiped them away and turned making her way back to the precinct. Carter's words stung, but she didn't blame her for the hostility that was there, after giving her up for adoption and now being in faster care was causing her to sign for emancipation. To be her own legal adult at sixteen. She couldn't imagine that ever being easy for a child at this time.
Going back to sixteen years ago Olivia thought of the the early morning she gave birth to her daughter. In labor for almost twenty six hours Olivia never thought she would be able to go through with the birth, the pain was unbearable and she didn't want the drugs harming the child, she endured every inch of pain to get the daughter healthy and adopted. Which she was promised by the social worker to have the child adopted, though it seemed from Carters words she never was adopted. Due to the fact she had trouble breathing, that caused her to have medical bills, then when she was able to be adopted she was three. Olivia knew just as well how difficult it was for toddlers, children, let alone teens to get adopted at this point.
The nurses never told Olivia she was a sick child, the moment Olivia saw her she looked to be a perfectly newborn baby, she had never seen something more beautiful. She was bundled up in a soft pink blanket, a small hospital prop hat on her head. Her nose was tiny like a button, her chubby cheeks were a light shade of pink, and when Liv held her she was afraid to hold her, thinking she would break her small fragile body. Though it was the exact opposite the moment she was placed in Olivia's arms, she held her close never wanting to let her go, but she already signed over the papers. Olivia had to let her go after an hour of holding her close, it broke her to watch her baby be placed in another persons arms and never know where the child would be going.
Olivia told herself for years that her child would be protected by the people who adopted her and would love her. She had no doubt that they wouldn't after going through such a trouble adopting a child. Anger was shot at the case worker who gave Olivia these broken promises. How could she have just believed that she would do that? Olivia was young, she had yet to go through the academy and was blind to it. For years she had thought of what had happened to the baby girl she gave up, now she knew the truth to what had happened.
While Olivia's mind was thinking of the past the sound of the elevator door opening caused her to come to her surroundings, she then saw the doors open and she stepped out into the precinct. Her eyes were still watered and she rubbed them with the back of her hands, causing her eyes to clear. She didn't want her partner seeing her crying, it would just cause him to ask questions. The brown bag with the sub was still in her hands, she would make sure to give it to Nick. She hardly touched it anyway.
Olivia stepped passed the double doors and looked at Nick's desk to see him on the phone and from the big smile on his face, it was most likely his daughter calling. She placed the bag on his desk and removed her coat, placing it on the back of her chair and then taking a seat at her desk. Though her mind was still filled with Carter.
Nick looked up from his desk and nodded at Olivia giving a small wave, he knew something wasn't right by the look on her face. Saying his goodbyes and telling his daughter goodnight Nick hung up the phone, he then looked up Olivia.
"Thanks for the sub. I told you not to get me one though." He reached out and took the brown bag.
Olivia looked up from her desk and gave a small smile and chuckle, "Then will it make you feel better if I said it was for me. But didn't end up touching it?" She asked running her fingers in her hair and leaned back in her chair.
Nick took the sandwich from the bag and smirked shaking his head, "That helps. But only a little." He replied, he unwrapped the sandwich and placed it down on her desk. He could see the look in her eyes, which caused him to see something in her he had seen before a million times, but this time was different.
"The girl that came in... she's alright? Not a new vic, is she?" He asked.
"..." How was she supposed to answer, she didn't know what to say for an explanation to him. There wasn't much of one. A heavy sigh Olivia shook her head, "She's not a new vic. She just needed some help and I helped her." She replied.
Nick could tell there was more, but he knew better than to push Olivia into talking, instead he would wait for her to bring it up. That may've been the truth to her story, but the way she was acting wasn't like normal Liv.
"I see." He whispered, "... I'm glad you didn't eat this. Pretty damn good if you ask me." He joked taking another bite of his sandwich.
"Well your lucky. Usually I would fight you for it." She got up from her desk and grabbed the case files she had on her desk. "I'm gonna head out, enjoy your dinner." She grabbed her coat and slipped the files into her bag, she then slipped her coat back on then made her way out. "Get home safe." She called out to him.
Nick waved to Olivia and smiled with a mouth full of food, though he quickly covered it with a napkin. He could tell something wasn't right with Liv, he had a hunch it was the young girl that came in earlier today. She knew Olivia by her name and was only needing her, it wasn't something he wasn't used to by now. Liv handed out her card to every victim. Though it made him wonder what this girl was wanting with his partner.
Once in the comfort of her own home it wasn't long before Olivia changed into her pajamas and was sitting on her couch, a blanket covering her lap and the files sprawled out over the coffee table, the sound of rain could be heard from outside. There was rain in the forecast for tonight. Olivia knew she should've been asleep in bed, but after what had happened today, sleep didn't seem like much of an option with her mind racing.
She hoped Carter got home safely, her social worker should've gotten her home like she said. The worry began to set in as she thought of Carter living on her own. How could that even be possible to work? She knew some judges would grant it to those who were capable of taking care of themselves, but she would've liked to know the outcome. In the back of her mind she remembered Carter making a comment about court being tomorrow. It being at family court and the court doors opening at nine.
If her court date was tomorrow she could go and see which fate the judge would be giving to Carter. She wanted to be there, even if she was now not legally her Mother, Olivia felt a need to go. Reaching across to the coffee table Olivia pressed on the lock button, seeing the time on the her screen she sighed, knowing that she had already gone without sleep for almost two days.
Closing the file Olivia then left the files on the coffee table and made her way to her bedroom with her daughters eyes burned into the back of her mind.
In the third courtroom Olivia stepped inside and saw the judge sitting at her bench, her eyes running over the new file that was given to her. Her eyes wandered to the plaintiff table to see Carter with her back standing there, she pressed her palms into the table to keep herself standing. Olivia made her way forward into the courtroom and took a seat in the back, her eyes never leaving Carter, she watched as she tapped her fingers against the table. From the way her body language, she was nervous.
Hon. R. Linden looked up from the files placed out in front of her, "Carter Benson. You are applying for emancipation is that correct?"
Carter looked up from the file she was going over, her eyes meeting with the judge, "Yes, your honor." She replied. "I turned fifteen last year which is the age for which you can apply, but I decided to wait another year to get everything in order."
"I see that." Linden slipped her glasses on the bridge of her nose and held the file up, her eyes scanning over it, "You turn sixteen in two weeks, is that correct?"
"Yes. With the hopes I get my GED, which I'm working for I'll be able to apply for a job." Carter replied.
Linden nodded looking over to the defendants table and pointed, "And is this your case worker here?"
A middle aged lady siting at the defendants table sat alone, her file as well placed out in front of her a brief case sitting under her seat. "Elaine Coleman your, Honor. From social services. I've only been Carter's case worker for a few months now. She seems to change hands often." Elaine replied, her eyes wandered over to Carter who stood only a few feet away.
"Yes, I see that. Seven different foster homes." Linden flipped through the pages placed in the file.
Carter began to fiddle with the file on the desk, "Well... that's not really my fault."
"And who's is it? Surely your not saying it's the seven families. Who offered to take you in?" She asked shuffling the papers around in front of her.
Carter quickly shook her head, "No. I-I wanted a good home the state of New York just hasn't provided me with one."
Linden chuckled, "So you have no place of residence as of today, is that correct?" She raised an eyebrow looking back up at Carter.
"Well, as soon as the petition is granted there is a studio not far from my school. I've already looked at an apartment there. There happens to be one for rent." Carter went to open her file and show her, but Linden cut her off.
"You're going to afford an apartment on what income?" Linden leaned forward against her desk, her arms resting on top.
"I have twenty-five-hundred dollars in the bank." Carter replied giving a small smile.
Linden began to shake her head leaning back into her seat, "Who is going to cosign your rental agreement? No landlord is going to rent an apartment to a minor-"
Before she could think Olivia found herself shooting up from the bench, "I'll cosign your honor." Olivia called out, her eyes looking straight at Linden. Her badge hung on her hip showing she was a cop. Which was normal for a cop to be sitting in at a hearing, but for one to offer to cosign an apartment to a sixteen year old, attempting to get emancipated, that wasn't as normal. As her actions cut Honor Linden from finishing all eyes fell on Olivia Benson who was standing in the back of the courtroom.
Carter quickly turned around and her eyes fell on Olivia, her eyes widened seeing who was the one to stop the judge. She felt her head spin and place her hand back on the table for support. She found the courtroom she was having her hearing. "Of course. She's a cop." Carter muttered under her breath. Her heart was pounding in her chest from the nerves and now shock she was feeling.
Lindens eyes landed on Olivia and once spotting the badge on her hip, it caused her to be a little confused. "I'm sorry. Who might you be?"
"... She's my... She's my birth Mother." Carter replied turning to face the judge, her nails almost digging into the table in front of her.
Olivia made her way out from the corner of the courtroom and stood in front of the barrier. "Detective Olivia Benson, your Honor. Badge number: 4015. I work in the Special Victims Unit." She said, her fingers taking the badge off her hip and revealing it to the judge.
Lindens gaze fell down to the file below reading over the small file that was there on the birth Mother, as she did she realized all that Olivia was saying seemed to be true. She had worked in Special Victims for almost fourteen years now, she had a stable living environment and seemed to be a stable working detective on her own. As she read over the other small things on the file Carter found herself looking over her shoulder at Olivia, she felt her stomach turn at how she was here, she didn't understand why.
Olivia's heart began to pound in her chest, she couldn't help but let her nerves show as she met eyes with Carter who quickly looked away from her. It was obvious that she wasn't happy of her presence, but Olivia knew if she didn't come she would regret it. Feeling the judges eyes on her Olivia turned her gaze back to Linden.
Switching her gaze from the file to Olivia, Linden began to speak, "Detective Benson, it's quite obvious you have a place of occupation, as well as income, and in a possession of a working vehicle. Place of living I assume?" She asked.
Before Olivia could answer the question the judge had given her Carter beat her to the punch.
"I'm sorry. What is going on?" Carter cut her off her hands gripping the edge of the table now. Frustration as to why the judge was asking these questions was growing worse as the time grew by, she didn't understand why this was happening.
"Ms. Benson." Linden turned her attention to the young girl, "I'm going to be very straight with you. I am not granting you emancipation. You have no income, you have no permanent residence, you filed a fee waver in order to cover the court cost. Now..." She grabbed a piece of paper that was resting on top of the file, "Olivia Benson is still legally your Mother."
"No. She's not I had that paper signed as you can see." Carter pointed to the paper and shook her head.
"This signature was neither witnessed or notarized. So, unless Detective Benson has any objection..." Linden held her hand out to Olivia and said, "I'm releasing you back into her temporary custody." She grabbed a pen and classed the file up before signing the court document given to her.
Olivia was in shock at what the judge was offering and lightly shook her head, "... I don't your, Honor." She replied in almost a whisper. Her eyes fell back on Carter who had small tears in her eyes, but quickly wiped them away as quick as possible. It hurt to see her daughter even shedding one tear. Nor would she learn for it to ever be easy.
Linden nodded handing the file back over the Carter's case worker. "... This case is dismissed."
It wasn't long before Carter was seen storming out of the courtroom, she slipped her arms into her coat as she did that her messenger began to get tangled in-between her coat and the sleeve of her dress. In the middle of the long hallway leading out to the exit, Carter shoved off her coat letting it fall of behind her and her bag falling by her feet. "Dammit!" She exclaimed.
Olivia stood watching Carter as her messenger bag got tangled and it fell by her side, Olivia quickly walked up behind her and grabbed her coat. She dusted off the coat, she knew herself that Carter wasn't happy with how things went today in court. Olivia wasn't meaning to hurt Carter in anyway, however, she didn't want to let her go. "Carter..." Olivia said softly and stepped next to her.
Carter turned her head to see Olivia and quickly she shook her head, "I should've known you would be here." She said under her breath. "You're a cop, you must practically live here." She turned to face her, seeing she was holding her coat, she held her hand out to her. "Thank you for picking them up. Can I have my things?"
Olivia would be lying if she said that didn't hurt, but she knew she had to do everything she could to get her home. "Yes, here you go." Olivia placed the bag by their feet and went to help her in the coat.
Seeing what she was doing Carter raised an eyebrow, "I'm not three." She snapped, then realizing the tone of her voice she shook her head, "Why are you even here? You made it clear that you were done with me the moment you gave me up. And signed those papers." Carter found herself glancing up in Liv's eyes.
"I wanted to make sure the hearing went alright. I didn't meet with the judge before this, Carter. Even though I gave you up for adoption, it doesn't mean I don't care for you." Liv held out the coat, "I do. I wanted to make sure you went to the best home possible. I was promised that, but after what you told me-"
"It's obvious I didn't." Carter finished her sentence and began to chuckle, "Look... You might be my birth Mother. But there is no way I'm living with you. I'd rather go back to foster care." She took the coat Olivia was handing her and slipped her arms through. "I don't even know you. All I know is your name and your badge number at this point." Carter bent down and picked up her messenger bag. "Thanks for the offer though." She turned on her heel and made her way out the exit and down the steps.
Olivia watched as Carter walked away and quickly followed after her.
"Carter!" She exclaimed, "Carter!" Liv said once more, trying to gain her attention.
By the way Carter was walking away from it didn't seem like she had any idea of stopping anytime soon. It wasn't until they got down the steps Olivia grabbed Carter by the arm, she held her back. "It is under court order that you live with me now. You're no longer belong the foster care, not until the judge says you get transferred back in. I know, I know you have absolute no right to trust me. I'm just asking you... Please come with me." Olivia's eyes were more pleading then her actual tone of voice.
Carter looked into Olivia's eyes and felt a sense of warmth as she spoke. She felt a connection to this woman that she had never felt before, which only made her want to push her away further. Though she knew she was already kicked out of the last foster home, she had no where else to go. Looking away Carter bit her bottom lip from shedding tears.
"... My things are at social office." She whispered.
A sense of relief was washed over Olivia as she heard her reply. She nodded and gave her wrist a gentle squeeze, "I can take you there. It shouldn't be closed since it's on a Saturday. However, they do close at twelve, it's now eleven fifteen. Let's get you there before that." Liv began to walk towards where she parked the car. Carter watched her walk a few feet, when Olivia looked back it caused Carter to take a few steps forward following her and muttering a few inaudible words.
A/N: Chapter one is up, now I began on chapter two. Please I ask that you review and maybe even favorite and follow this story, I'm really enjoying it so far. Thank you to all!