SVU: The One Shots

The Best Product from the Worst Situation

She walked into the apartment and quickly locked the door behind her. It wasn't long after she had slipped her boots off she heard her mother's voice coming from the back of the apartment. It sounded like she was crying, and the teenager grew worried.

Serena never cried. She'd scream and hit, but never cry because she never wanted to show her weakness.

"Are you certain?" Serena sniffed, as Olivia tiptoed towards her mother's bedroom.

Olivia placed her ear against the door and heard another voice coming from the phone.

"Yes, Serena. He's in custody as we speak. He admitted to raping you fourteen years ago, and he's going to pay for it." The male's voice spoke.

Olivia leaned away from the door, her eyes wide.

"Mom was raped?" Olivia whispered to herself, before hearing her mother speak again.

"T-thank you, Don. For helping me out and closing this case... Uh, my kid is going to be home soon. I need to go."

"Are you going to tell her?" Don asked, as Olivia leaned closer to the door again.

"She's thirteen... I think she's old enough to know now. She deserves to know." Serena sniffled. There was a moment of silence before Olivia heard her mother move to the door.

Olivia ran towards the kitchen and barely made it to the fridge before Serena was leaving her bedroom.

"Olivia?" She called. Olivia swallowed hard as she grabbed the milk from the fridge.

"In the kitchen!" Olivia called back.

///

Serena didn't tell Olivia what was happening until later that night. Olivia was sprawled out on her bed, a book in front of her, when her mother entered the room. Serena's face was still pale, and her palms had bandaids on them from where she had dug her nails into the skin.

Today had taken a lot out of Serena, and Olivia hated to pretend that she didn't know what was happening. That she couldn't attempt to comfort her mother.

"Kid, can we talk?" Serena asked softly.

"Sure, Mom." Olivia replied. She closed her book and sat up slowly.

Serena hesitantly moved to her daughter's bed before sinking down on the edge. Her leg bounced almost immediately as she thought about how to approach this.

How do you tell your daughter that she is the product of rape? That the reason you beat her sometimes is that her father attacked you?

"Fourteen years ago... I was working in the cafeteria at the university. I was taking the trash out before closing up for the night, and this man grabbed me. He pulled me into the building and raped me... honey, that man is your father." Serena breathed.

Olivia swallowed hard as she looked down at her hands. Now that she knows the entire story, she realizes she wasn't a terrible daughter. It's just that her existence hurt her mother deeper than anything else hurts her.

"I thought he got away with it, but the officer that helped me... he's a detective now and he found him. He tracked him down and connected the dots. Your father's name is-"

"Don't tell me." Olivia squeaked. Serena turned quickly and eyed her daughter.

"What?"

"I don't want to hear the name of the man that hurt you, Mom. The man that scarred you for life because not only did he take advantage of you, but he also forced you to have me." Olivia whispered as tears streamed down her cheeks.

Serena's eyes went wide before shaking her head. She reached out to her daughter and grasped her hand.

"He may have scarred me, but in the end, he never forced me to have you. Yeah, I didn't really have a choice regarding being pregnant with you. But I made the choice to keep you." Serena breathed.

"Why? Why would you choose to keep the spawn of the literal devil? Why would you postpone your life to raise a baby that you never wanted?" Olivia huffed as she finally lifted her eyes and looked at her mother.

Serena stared at her daughter and realized for the first time that her child was hurting. More than just from the bruises that scattered her body.

"You are my baby, Liv. Yes, I didn't expect to be a mother in college, but it was worth it. You are beyond worth it... I apologize for hurting you, and I promise to never hurt you again. Okay?"

"Mom-"

"No, Olivia! I hate the man who raped me, but if it hadn't happened, you wouldn't be here! I wouldn't have met the little girl who made me happy, even if I didn't always act like it. Even if I never show it, I love you a lot. So please, don't beat yourself up because I was raped. Because I had you." Serena spoke passionately. She quickly slid to her daughter and forced her into a hug.

Olivia fought the embrace for a few minutes, before eventually letting out a heart wrenching sob and clinging to her mother for dear life.

///

The mother and daughter duo laid together in Olivia's bed as the sounds of the city filled the small bedroom. Olivia held her mother's hand and played with her fingers as she thought about everything that had happened.

She thought about the man that still didn't have a face in her mind. And she also thought about her mother. The woman that didn't want her, but still loved her, anyway.

"Mom?" Olivia asked softly, as she kept her head resting against her mother's shoulder.

"Yeah?"

"When you go to court, I'm coming too. I want to see the guy that did this to you."

"Livvie-"

"No, Mom. I'm thirteen. If I was old enough for you to tell me about your rape, then I'm old enough to face that rapist in court with you. Maybe having my support will help you face the monster." Olivia breathed weakly.

Serena tilted her head and placed a soft kiss on her daughter's temple.

"Thanks, baby. I love you." Serena whispered.

"I love you too, Mom."