TITLE: JOHNNY
E-MAIL: adrienne_miranda@yahoo.com
FANDOM: Law and Order SVU
PAIRING: Alex Cabot / Olivia Benson
DATE: June 3, 2004
FEEDBACK: Yes, please!!!
ARCHIVE: Ok, just let us know where.
RATING: PG. Also, if same-sex relationships bother you, you might want to read something else. Otherwise, ENJOY!!!!!!!!!
LEGAL STUFF: Copyrighted 2004 by Adrienne Lee. Non-original characters, if applicable, are used without permission under "Fair Use" doctrine. The author reserves all rights attached to all original aspects of this work. This is a work of fiction; any similarity to characters or persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.
SUMMARY FOR STORY: A new edition to the Benson and O’Brien household…
SPOILER: Post "Loss".
AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is set in our on-going Alternate Universe where Alex and Olivia are still together after Alex went into WPP. < http://hometown.aol.com/ursasquare/jointfanfic.html > It contains spoilers and references to future events / story-lines.
The little blond girl climbed into her mother’s lap, and declared with an angelic look on her face, “I want a kitty.”
“You have a kitty, Honey.”
“That’s yours and Livvie’s kitty. Mommy and I need a kitty.”
The brunette took a quick mental count. Currently, they had a Casey betta fish, a Serena turtle and a Fin tadpole that had just sprouted two legs. “But Sweetie, you have lots of pets,” she reminded her daughter.
Big watery blue eyes pleaded. “But Oliver killed Liz and Leon.”
**Yes, don’t remind me.** Olivia got a visual of the aftermath, and forced a smile, “Let me think about it. Okay, Honey?”
A natural-born litigator, the young girl recalled the facts, “Mommee, you promised I could pick the next pet.”
“Ah, but I didn’t say when.”
“Yes, you did.”
“I did?” She honestly could not remember. **It’s not good when a five year old has a better memory than you. Think Benson, think.**
“Last month, when I wanted to keep the bunny from Auntie Casey’s backyard. You said…”
**Oh, right.** Now it all came back. “Okay, I did say you could have another pet when we lose one,” she made a mental note to be more far-sighted next time. “Don’t you think it’s a bit soon though? Liz and Leon anoles just died yesterday.”
“But you promised.”
“I know, Alexis.” She also realized this was a lame argument, but it was all she had. “I need to talk it over with Mommy first.”
“That’s not fair.” She hopped off her mother’s lap and hugged herself. “You like Livvie best.”
“Georgia Alexis Benson, you know that’s not true.” Olivia picked the child up, and put an arm around her. “I think you need a recess.”
In response, Alexis stuck out her lower lip. Tears slowly filled her bright blue eyes, threatening to spill, but she didn’t say a word.
Olivia knew the court was adjourned and she had lost. **Like mother, like daughter.** They sat in heavy silence for the duration. Meanwhile, her mind drifted back to yesterday afternoon, when she got home…
Livia had started wailing as soon as she walked into the door. She was heading over to console their youngest child, when her wife stopped her.
“Oh, good, I’m glad you’re back.” Alex pointed at the upturned box by the bookshelves, surrounded by yellow police tape. “We’ve secured the crime scene for your investigation.”
“Huh?” Her brain was a little fuzzy after pulling a double shift.
Alex rephrased her request, “Your cat left you a present. I’m sure you’ll take care of it?”
**Oh, shit.** Olivia noticed Alex looked a little green. “Who did he eat this time?” She asked, recalling the Susan gerbil murder, and what was left of the body.
“Liz and Leon,” her wife replied. Upon hearing their names, Livia wailed even louder.
“Okay…” The detective stepped over the tape and lifted the cardboard box, and immediately dropped it back down. “Yuck! How’s Oliver?”
“We took him to the vet already. He’s as sick as a dog, but he’ll be okay.” Smiling, Alex shook her head, and sighed. “This one wouldn’t stop crying and I’ve been carrying her ever since.”
After bagging the scene, Olivia sat down on the couch. Holding out her arms, she bent to kiss Livia. To her surprise, their child only hung onto Alex tighter and tried to move away.
Alex shrugged lightly and turned to offer her lips. Before her partner could get close enough, Livia stuck her feet out and pushed against Olivia’s chest, and she didn’t stop until the brunette scooted back.
“Livvie, what’s wrong?” Olivia asked. “Don’t you want Mommee?”
“You have Alexis. Mommy’s mine.” The dark-headed girl answered petulantly.
“Excuse me?” Olivia lifted her eyebrows, shocked by the response on more than one level. They didn’t realize she could string together sentences that well. So far, it had only been ‘I want juice’, ‘Where’s Edith?’, ‘Where’s kitty?’, ‘Want Mommy’… “Did she just say what I thought she said?”
Alex tried unsuccessfully to stifle her laughter. “She’s your daughter, and you people are just a little possessive.”
“Alex, it’s not so funny.” Two sets of brown eyes stared at each other, at an impasse.
“She hasn’t been attached to your chest all day.”
Olivia finally gave up, and diverted her attention to the smiling blue orbs. “That was kinda my plan earlier, for when I came home.”
“At least until Edith gets back with Alexis,” the blonde gave her partner’s knee a quick squeeze. “It looks like your plan’s been changed.
She gazed at the full lips longingly. “Yeah, the many joys of motherhood.”
“May I remind you, this was your idea.”
“You agreed.”
“And?”
“And I haven’t regretted a single day.”
Olivia had said then, and still meant it. Sighing internally, she picked up her cell phone, and dialed. Immediately, Alexis perked up in her seat.
“Hi, Sweetheart, where are you?”
“Just walked into the store. What do you need?”
“To talk to you.”
“About what?”
“Alexis seems to think you and she need a cat of your own.” The brunette explained, and watched the small pink lips change from a pout to a smile.
“Well, you did promise her she could choose the next pet.”
“What is this? A conspiracy?” She asked without bothering to hide her exasperation. The smile on the little face transformed into a wide grin.
“A promise is a promise, Dear.”
“So, you’re in agreement?” She patted Alexis on the cheek gently, and nodded.
“Of course.”
“If your cat eats somebody, you’re cleaning it up,” Olivia negotiated as Alexis started for the stairs.
“And why would I do a silly thing like that when I have you?”
“Alex…”
“Olivia…”
“Never mind,” the brunette said in absolute defeat.
“That’s what I thought.” Alex reminded her with a smile in her voice, “Anyway, you are the cop.”
“You do know I expect payment for moonlighting,” she affixed the conditions. “And a generous benefits package.”
“Of course,” the lawyer encouraged her partner’s playfulness. “I’ll have the contract ready tonight, and you can just sign on the dotted line.”
“In triplicates?”
“You can make as many copies as you want,” Alex promised. “So when are you going?”
“Might as well be now.” Olivia looked towards the sounds of happy steps. In a flash, Alexis was standing in front of her, with her jacket on. She motioned for her daughter to sit.
“Do you want me to pick up things for the new addition?”
“Or we could go back out later,” she offered, and went into the cloak closet by the door to retrieve her boots and jacket. “Since you have Livvie and the groceries.”
“You can unload the car when I get back.”
“Don’t I always?”
“Just think, Alexis will be occupied with the new kitty for the afternoon, and Livvie will be napping… Maybe we can get an early start on your employment contract…”
“Does that mean I get to make you purr?”
“If you’re really good…”
“I haven’t heard any complaints from you yet…”
Alex laughed, “Go pick out my new cat, and I’ll see you later.”
Olivia slipped the phone into her leather coat pocket, and stepped out of the closet. “Let’s go get your new kitty, Kid.”
“How’bout this yellow tabby?” The brunette directed her daughter’s attention to the first cage down the third isle. “He’s cute.” Something about the way he narrowed his eyes and moved his whiskers reminded her of Alex.
“No.” Alexis responded adamantly. “Oliver needs a girl cat.”
“Why, Sweetie? He could be very happy with a boy cat.”
“But he’s a boy. He needs a girl to tell him what to do,” she answered as a matter-of-factly.
Olivia was surprised to say the least. “Who told you that?”
“Godmommy.”
“Okay, Alexis, we can get Oliver a girlfriend if you want.” She decided to seize the moment. Her child obviously needed reeducation. “But he doesn’t need her to tell him what to do.”
“But Mommee, everyone does!” The young blonde announced to the entire Anti-Cruelty Society. “Even you have Mommy to tell you what to do!”
The brunette ignored the glances of amusement. “Your Godmommy said that?” She was going to kill Ling when they got home.
“No. Uncle Douglas did. He said you would be lost without Mommy, just like he would be without Godmommy.”
Olivia rubbed her palm across her face, not sure what to say. Douglas was right. The kid was right. She just didn’t necessarily need those facts broadcasted to the general public.
“Is that why you and Mommy always play hide and seek together?” Alexis continued, suddenly puzzled and concerned. “Are you afraid you’ll get lost?”
“Okay, Honey, let’s hurry up and go find Oliver a girlfriend.” She grabbed her daughter’s hand and escaped from the quiet snickers…
After three never-ending hours, they were finally on their way home. “You remember what I told you, Sweetie?” Olivia glanced towards the back seat. “We have to separate the new kitty and Oliver until they get to know each other.”
“O.K. Mommee!” Alexis agreed cheerfully, happy with her new pet.
She looked to the box beside her, and met the curious but trusting blue eyes of a cream colored Siamese-mix kitten, and wondered what her wife would think. **Maybe we’ll call you Angel.**
“Mommee?”
“Yes, Alexis?”
“Can we name her Johnny?”
“Why Johnny, Honey?”
“After Uncle John. I told him I would name my next pet after him.”
“But that’s a boy’s name.”
“But you call Mommy Jimmy, and that’s a boy’s name.”
“Jaime, Alexis,” she corrected. “I call your Mommy Jaime.”
“When we’re with other people, but…”
“Okay, Alexis, we can name the new kitty Johnny.” Olivia put a quick end to the discussion. **Munch will just love this, I’m sure. And Alex will just die when she finds out…**
“Mommee?”
Olivia was about to bang her head against the steering wheel. **Is this what they went through with Alex when she was growing up?** At the moment, she was really, really feeling for Edith and Celine. Bracing for god knows what else might come out of her daughter’s mouth, she asked, “Yes, Honey?”
“I love you.”
“I love you, too, Baby.”