Used To Be [A Bensler Fan Fic}

Chapter Thirteen

On February twenty-first, little Rory was one week old. Elliot was on leave from work to help Olivia out with their little man, especially since Hanson didn't show up during the first week of his son's life.

"He hasn't called, texted, emailed, or wrote a single letter," Olivia grumbled as she walked down the stairs with Alex. Elliot was in the kitchen giving Rory his bath, while Olivia and Alex were supposed to be chilling.

"That bastard." Alex huffed.

"He said that he wanted to be around Rory. He said that he'd get transferred back to the city so he can see Rory whenever he wants. But instead, he's fallen off the face of the Earth. Kinda like when he didn't tell me he got transferred and I only found out when I went to his apartment completely freaking out because I just found out I was pregnant." Olivia sighed, as she and Alex wandered into the kitchen.

"Hey, at least you got me in the end." Elliot smiled, as he ran a soft wash clothe over Rory's belly. The baby was awake and calm as he looked into the eyes of the man who was raising him. The man that loved him so very much. The one that was going to stay around.

"I did luck out." Olivia smiled, as she moved closer to Elliot. She ran her hands over his back as she looked in and smiled at her baby boy.

"He's doing amazing. He really likes baths." Elliot smiled.

"I thought all babies hated baths." Alex sighed, as she moved to the other side of Elliot and looked at her nephew.

"Not this baby." Olivia cooed, as she reached out and caressed her son's bald head and smiled.

///

While Olivia and Rory napped, Elliot went outside to shovel the driveway and the path up to the deck. He stopped a few times to drink coffee from his insulated mug, before going back to shoveling. When he was moving his truck back into it's spot, someone pulled in behind Elliot. Elliot got out of his truck and looked at the BMW, and then the tall man that got out of it.

"Can I help you?" Elliot asked with a small sigh.

"Is Olivia here?" Hanson asked, and Elliot nodded.

"She is, but she's napping right now. I can tell her that-"

"I'm her baby's father, Hanson. Uh, I'm just going to go in and see her. Thanks for shoveling her driveway." Hanson smiled, as he moved towards the house but Elliot stopped him.

"I'm not just some person that she hired. I'm Elliot Stabler, the man that's raising Rory with Olivia. Her boyfriend. The one that has been doing all the hard work since she and Rory got home, because you didn't even get in contact with her."

"Oh. So you are Elliot..."

"Yup, that's what I said. So, wanna tell me where you were? Because Olivia is pissed off at you. Again." Elliot spoke, as he crossed his arms over his chest. He knew that Hanson wouldn't fight him because his hands were important for surgery and because he was a twig in comparison to Elliot.

"I was figuring out some things. And I don't think a week really matters. My son won't even-"

"Our son. Olivia and I are raising him together. You can be involved, but he is my kid too." Elliot spoke angrily.

"Okay, well our son won't remember if I missed the first week of his life. Or the first month. Not even the first year. So why don't you go back to shoveling the driveway and I'll go talk to Olivia." Hanson sighed. Elliot stood his ground and shook his head.

"Come back later when she's awake. End of discussion."

///

Elliot went upstairs once he was done and took a shower. Once he got out of the shower, Rory was awake and whimpering since his diaper was dirty. 

"Hey, buddy. Daddy's got you." Elliot cooed gently, as he lifted the baby up. He never referred to himself as Daddy to Rory, but he planned on doing it now so he knew that he was his father, and not Hanson. At least not at the moment.

"Hungry or dirty diaper?" Olivia yawned, as she pushed herself up and looked at the two most important men in her life.

"Dirty diaper. I've got him. Lay back down." Elliot smiled softly. He moved from the room and to the nursery across the hall. He laid Rory on the changing table before starting to change his diaper.

"Uh, El?" Olivia questioned quietly, as she came into the nursery.

"Yeah?" Elliot replied, as he kept one hand on Rory's chest and leaned down to grab a diaper, the box of wipes, and the baby powder.

"I got a message from Hanson saying that you told him he wasn't Rory's father. That he wasn't allowed in the house... is that true?" Olivia asked, and Elliot shook his head.

"Liv, you know that I'm fine with Hanson and I both being Rory's fathers. And I told him to come back later because you were napping."

"He could have come in... It was just a nap." Olivia frowned.

"You need as much sleep as possible. I told him he could come back. I didn't tell him to stay away."

"Are you telling me the full truth?" Olivia asked.

"Uh... I don't want to put him in a bad light. He's important to you and will be important to Rory too. And for the sake of those relationships, I won't talk bad about him."

"Unless what he said was bad and you aren't just talking shit."

"Liv." Elliot frowned.

"C'mon, El. Tell me what happened. What he said." Olivia breathed, as she rubbed his back gently.

"I told him that I was doing all the hard work... and then he said that Rory won't care or remember that he wasn't around for Rory's first week, first month, first year. So if he isn't around, it wouldn't matter because he'd still be Rory's father." Elliot breathed.

Olivia moved to Elliot's side and looked at him with tear-filled eyes.

"I don't think he should be involved. He doesn't understand what being a father means, and you do. You take care of Rory and love him. Hanson just wants to be the fun dad. The one that just spoils Rory and then walks away. He doesn't need that type of dad. He needs you." Olivia whispered, before placing a soft kiss to Elliot's temple.