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How could somebody hurt their children? She couldn't understand before she was a mother and she certainly couldn't now. The thought alone that somebody would hurt Noah was unbearable. He was her little angle who had saved her from herself and that Anna Mill had murdered her own children was something Olivia couldn't wrap her head around. She didn't want to understand that.
But even though she hadn't said so, when they found out it had been Anna, Olivia had also felt that tiny spark of relive that it wasn't the Nanny like Amanda had. That it had been the mother was by no means better, but Olivia knew she would never ever hurt Noah, what she couldn't do was vouch for other people. To know that in the end it wasn't the nanny which the Mills had invited into their home, much like she did herself, was a relief, a bitter one, but it was still there.
She had been worried that coming home to Noah and Lucy would be difficult, but when she did and saw her put a band aid on Noah's finger, which he cut while slicing an apple, her worry had disappeared. Olivia trusted Lucy with her life, she couldn't have found someone better for Noah, so she told herself that it had never been this way between the Mills and Dolores.
Olivia shifted against the door post she now leaned against for god knows how long while watching Noah sleep peacefully. She just couldn't help herself, once she kissed him good night she found herself unable to leave the room, fearful that in the moment she let him out of her sight he would be gone.
She was so deep in her thoughts that when the hand gently landed on her shoulder she flinched and spun around.
"Whoa, careful!" Peter whispered and tried to keep the tea inside the mug he was carefully holding by the rim so he wouldn't burn his fingers and so Olivia could grab the handle.
"I thought you might like some tea." he added and handed it to her. She didn't even wonder why he wasn't trying to coax her away, saying some old platitudes or anything. Peter knew her and he knew that she needed this right now so who was he to tell her differently, this wasn't for fun.
"Thank you, when did you get here?" she asked quietly as she leaned up to peck his lips before she rose the mug to blow off some steam, a herbal smell invading her nostrils.
"A few minutes ago, I prepared for tomorrow and told O'Boyle that if he said some crap like that again to you I would make sure that he won't put another foot into court." a small smile payed around her lips, then they stood there in silence, the only difference to the earlier picture was the tea and that Olivia now leaned against Peter who had wrapped one arm around her and let his hand stroke lazily over her arm.
Thinking back to the Dinner they had and the unplanned meeting with the defense, Olivia couldn't help but wonder. They were a couple for some time now, everyone at their workplaces knew, at least the ones that had to, so they didn't pretend any different, he had held her hand and when Olivia had told them she would go home now, they had kissed goodbye and Peter told her not to wait for him.
"Do you think O'Boyl is going to say something about us?"
"What's there for him to say? And to whom? Everyone who needs to know, already knows." he answered her and Olivia looked up at him.
"Yeah like that keeps the usual vultures from trying to ruin our cases by bringing up our relationship."
"I don't really think he would, he actually sticks to fair play even if he is an idiot." Peter answered tilted his head so it gently laid on hers and could smell the fresh fruity scent of her.
"Okay, I'll believe you for now." she said with a small smile.
"Lucky me." he said and could hear how she suppressed a yawn.
"He asked about you tonight, he wanted to know if you could read him a story tomorrow." Olivia said before taking another sip of her tea and leaning closer to him. She could feel his arm pulling her a little closer to him and when she looked up she could see the happy smile on his lips.
Olivia had been worried when this began, because Noah was old enough to understand that Peter was her boyfriend and he wasn't stupid either. If this wasn't working it would not only be difficult for her but for Noah as well. But everything was wonderful Peter and Noah got along so well and with each day the worry had decreased until it was almost gone.
"I never thought I could do this you know? But Noah is a great kid, I really care about him and I can't wait to read him a story." Peter said as they continued to watch Noah.
"You do wonderfully, he really likes you. He's asking about you all the time." she said and drinks some more tea.
"I never thought that a seven year old asking about me would make me so happy." Peter murmured and pressed a kiss to the side of her head. Then the two simply stood there together and watched Noah in his sleep. Neither of them knew exactly how long it was, but when Olivia had finished her tea and fought the second yawn in a minute, Peter turned her head gently towards him.
"You're tired...I'm tired and tomorrow is going to be along day for both of us. Let's go to bed." he half expected her to say no, that she just wanted to stay there a little bit longer. But he was surprised when Olivia nodded.
"You're right, let's go to bed." carefully she closed the door to Noah's room and the two of them got ready for bed.
Later in bed Olivia, lying on her stomach like always, watched Peter who, upon seeing that she was watching him also laid on his stomach and looked at her. He laid one arm over her waist and she looked at him and was just happy. Just happy that Peter was with her and how incredibly lucky she was that he was here next to her.
"I love you Peter. Thank you that you're just...with me and that you are by my side even when I do weird stuff."
"Come here," he pulled her closer to him and turned on his back so her head was pillowed on his chest. "I love you too Liv, especially if you do weird stuff and I will always be by your side. And Noah's." she leaned up to kiss.
"I know you are. Good night."
"Good night."
"Oh yes, dear jury, women have to do it all these days! We expect everything of them around the clock. Nothing less and if they don't come up to the expectations, then something is wrong with them! Then they are not good enough! They don't try enough!" O'Boyl blathered on and on and Peter had a hard time not to roll his eyes too obvious, O'Boyl wasn't an asshole trying to put women in 'their place' in the kitchen, but he also wasn't the ultimate supporter of women's right out there. So either way this was bullshit.
Peter was trying his best not to space out in case O'Boyl overstepped the line, but his mind wandered to his old baseball glove that he wanted to gift Noah. It had been one of the last gifts from his father he really cared about and maybe this was too early, but even if, against all expectations, things wouldn't work out between him and Liv, Noah would be the only child in his life.
Peter had never ever planned to have children of his own, but then Olivia and Noah had stolen his heart and he wouldn't want it any other way. Not anymore. But before Peter had a chance to develop that thought any further O'Boyl said his name.
"-But how about we ask Mr. Stone here? His love interest is none other than the lovely Captain Benson, what are his expectations on the woman who leads a whole department, is a single mother and his-"
"Objection!" Peter bellowed a little louder and angrier than necessary as he jumped up. What the fuck was O'Boyl doing? "Relevance?" he added a little calmer looking at the judge.
"Sustained, Mr. O'Boyl keep the private life of the prosecutor out of this courtroom please." outside Peter was calm, but inside his blood was boiling. How did he dare to bring up his relationship with Liv in this case?
In the end it didn't matter, the jury found Anna guilty of murder first degree of her husband and she would probably spend the rest of her life in jail. But right now as he walked out of the courtroom it didn't matter to him anymore, he still had a hard time keeping his temper under control.
"Peter! Hey Peter wait." Great, just the man he didn't want to see. Before he turned around he saw Fin standing near the elevators and the two nodded at each other, a silent agreement that he should leave without him and Peter would follow, once he had dealt with O'Boyl.
"What?" he asked as he turned around to face the man he would really like to punch right now.
"Well, what I said in court...no hard feelings right? You know that I-" Peter tried but when the man talked to him in a cheerful way like they had just a disagreement over a baseball game, some of his self-control just slipped. He grabbed O'Boyl by his collar and pushed him against the wall even though O'Boyl was a heavy guy, but he had the moment of surprise on his side and he was really fucking angry.
"Of course I know, that doesn't mean I ever sunk so low as to bring up the private life of you or any other defense attorney I worked with in open court! And let's just be honest and say I could have put on a way better show than you did because I know more than you think." He really had to force himself not to hit the man in front of him.
"But you know what made me actually this angry? I defended you yesterday. You know Liv was worried you'd be like all the other fuckers who think they can keep their perps out of prison and have an easy case because I happen to be in love with the SVU Captain. I told her you'd play by the rules O'Boyl! At least you used to do so." with that Peter let go of O'Boyl just as Security arrived to pull him away.
"It's alright! Everything's alright, no harm done, we just had a little chat!" O'Boyl said to the men that tried to hold Peter back, and at his words they let go of him so Peter could shake them off and go to his office. He would finish all the paperwork and then head home with Olivia so he could spend the evening and whole next day only with her and Noah.
When Peter arrived at the SVU Squad a few hours later so they could go home together he was also greeted by Fin and Amanda who where also about to go home.
"Hey Stone, good work today." Amanda told him and he gave her a small smile.
"Thanks." he answered shortly, the other two knew that he wasn't thrilled because he officially didn't get justice for the two children, but it was better than her walking free and so neither of them said anything. Little did he know that the two were staying in on purpose to see his reaction for what was inside Liv's office. As Fin had been in court, and saw what had happened between Peter and O'Boyl, Amanda was also up to date and the two couldn't wait to eavesdrop.
"Hey Liv, you're ready to- what's with the flowers?" Peter interrupted himself as he walked inside her office and he saw the nice bouquet of flowers sitting on the desk of his girlfriend.
"First I thought you sent them because of what I told you about the flowers Amanda received the other day- I know they are not because they came with a note." Olivia explained quickly before Peter could even open his mouth. Like Amanda Olivia really wasn't a fan of this kind of old school and Peter knew that. At home more than welcome, but their relationship was still under the top ten topics of the NYPD gossip and they both agreed not to fuel the opportunities their colleagues could talk about until they were blue in the face.
"So if they're not from me and I doubt they are from the other men in your life...then who sent them to you?" he asked not able to keep the small spark of jealousy entirely out of his voice. Olivia giggled as she walked over to him and gave him a peck on his lips.
"Apparently they are meant as an apology. At least that's what the note says. They are from O'Boyl. It seems like almost getting punched outside of a courtroom makes some people feel like they have to do that."
"Oh, so you already heard," Peter said and scratched the back of his head, "I know we talked about it and everything, but he really was an asshole and he crossed a line, I didn't want to make a scene but-" Olivia silence him with a kiss and Peter really had no intention to do anything about that.
"I know Peter, I also know you didn't do it to pull off some alpha male bullshit. It's nice to know that I have a man by my side that- what did O'Boyl say?- Oh right, that is willing to defend my honor in public." Olivia said as she retrieved her jacked and bag and saw Peter raise an eyebrow.
"He really wrote that?" he asked as they walked out of her office and his hand automatically found hers.
"Yes, why?"
"Remind me to punch him the next time." Olivia rolled her eyes at that but still kissed him as they walked out the squad room.
Hello!
Another little One Shot this time during the episode 'Caretaker'.
Just re-watched it and thought, hey what if Liv wasn't alone that night and I could totally see Peter just being there for her and sensing that she needed to watch her little boy sleep that day.
The thing in court and after that was just a little 'Don't mess with my woman you asshole' and tiny bit jealous Peter!
I hope you liked it and thanks to everyone who read my first story!