Mistakes [A SVU Fanfiction]

[16]

Olivia didn't hear from Rafael that night, nor the next morning. Even if she insisted that she wasn't angry at him, he still thought that she was angry at him for possibly giving Frank Munson the ammunition to take Clayton from her.

Olivia was up every few hours to check on Clayton. She changed his diaper, fed him, and cuddled him. She hated that she was already falling in love with this little boy, and that he may not be living with her for much longer.

"Cade, it's time to get up." Olivia cooed softly, as she walked into her son's room with Clayton snuggled in her arms.

"Did you bring Clay with you?" Cade yawned, without even rolling over and looking at his mother.

"Did you want me to bring him in?" Olivia asked, as she looked down at the little boy in her arms.

"I want my baby brother to wake me up, Mama. I love him already." Cade yawned, before finally rolling over and smiling when he saw his mother standing there with Clayton in his arms.

"Oh, so you love him? Huh, I couldn't tell. It's not like you held him for hours last night." Olivia teased. Cade giggled before climbing out of bed. He slipped his dinosaur slippers on before walking over to his mother. 

Olivia squatted down and grinned when she watched Clayton open his eyes and reached his little hands out to Cade.

"Hi, buddy. Did you sleep well?" Cade cooed, as he reached out and smoothed Clayton's hair.

"You are such a good brother, Cade..." Olivia whispered, and Cade took his eyes off of the baby before looking at his mother.

"You look like you are gonna cry... why?"

"Because I'm worried that Clayton will be taken away from us. That he might not be your little brother for long."

"I hope he stays, Mama. I love him."

"I love him too..."

///

Cade spent his morning playing with Clayton, who was sitting up with the help of a pillow behind his back. Olivia tried her hardest to stay focused on the boys and the limited time she probably had with Clayton, but her mind kept going back to Rafael. How he wasn't responding to her messages.

So once Cade said he was starving and wanted lunch, Olivia packed up both boys and headed to get lunch for them and hopefully Rafael. 

"Rafa!" Cade exclaimed, as he knocked loudly on Rafael's apartment door. After a few moments, the door opened and an older woman stood there.

"Yes?" She asked, and Olivia eyed her for a moment before speaking.

"Uh, I'm Olivia Benson. Is Rafael Barba here?" Olivia mused.

"He's in the middle of moving."

"Moving where?" Olivia asked, as she felt like a knife was being stabbed into her heart.

"I don't know if I should be telling you. So please, show yourself out." She sighed.

"Rafa!" Cade cried, and after a short moment, Rafael came to the door and frowned when he saw Olivia and the boys standing there.

"Mom, it's okay. I can talk to them." Rafael breathed. The older woman moved back, and Rafael took her space in the doorway.

"When were you going to tell me that you were going to move?" Olivia breathed, as she looked at her boyfriend.

"I wasn't going to tell you. I wanted you to just hate me and forget about me."

"Rafa-"

"I got in contact with Frank Munson last night. He told me that the only way he'd reconsider having you keep Clayton was if I stayed away. How I stood up for you made him already file to take Clayton away from you. So I told him that I would do anything to help you out. And he told me to leave."

"Rafael, he can't force us to break up! You have no prior offenses and I don't either. So I'm going to request another caseworker."

"Liv-"

"Don't leave us, Rafa!" Cade cried, as he stepped forward and clung to Rafael's legs. Rafael reached down and caressed Cade's hair as he fought off tears.

"I just want you to be happy. I didn't want you to lose Clayton because of me." Rafael whimpered.

"I'm not going to lose either of you. So please, Rafa... don't move. Stay around and be a Dad to this little boy. To both of them." Olivia spoke as a tear slipped down her cheek.

///

Olivia left Rafael and the boys in her car while she went into CPS. She demanded to see the supervisor and even flashed her badge to get what she wanted. She finally got to see the supervisor, but not after a little bit of string pulling.

"Detective, what can I help you with?" Shannon spoke, as she pointed at the chairs in front of her desk.

"I need to discuss Frank Munson."

"Why? If I may ask."

"Well, because he is the caseworker for my foster son. I was on a case before I even became a foster mother, and I kept questioning Munson. He hates me for what I did, and is now using that against me. He even told my boyfriend to break up with me, or else he'd take Clayton away from me." Olivia spoke quickly.

"Wait, so he's blackmailing you?"

"I guess... He just has it out for me. He kept telling me a list of things he didn't like about me. Like my job, how I'm not married, how I have a roommate. He hated that Clayton was sleeping in my room, but most babies sleep in the same room as their parents for months before getting their own room. I just want Frank Munson off this case. Then I can have a fair shot." Olivia spoke passionately.

Shannon looked at Olivia for several long moments before sighing softly.

"If it's such a problem, I'll transfer your foster son's case to my own caseload. I'll be fair, but I won't just give you the baby because you want him." Shannon sighed.

"I'm not asking for that. I just want to be given the chance I deserve. I'll cut back my hours more, I'll even give Clayton his own room now instead of later. Please, Shannon... just don't give up on Clayton or me right now."