We've all got harmless little secrets. Right? Some of us have secrets that aren't exactly harmless. Secrets can put a strain on any relationship. This is no exception. Olivia Benson was no exception she had a few little secrets of her own.

Elliot decides that he is going to drop by and see Olivia one day when he's off work. He casually walks down the hall to her apartment. He reaches her apartment and knocks gently.

"I'm coming," a voice inside the apartment calls out. It sounds like Olivia.

Elliot waits a minute and then the door opens. A teenage girl stares back at him. She's about five seven, mostly legs. She's not really skinny, but definitely not fat. She has a little meat on her bones. Not rail thin, but not being close to pudgy either. She has her strawberry blonde locks in a pony tail. She stairs at Elliot with piercing blue eyes.

"Hi is Olivia home?" he asks thinking he might have the wrong apartment.

"No, she's out. I can tell her you stopped by though,"

"Ok,"

The girl grabs a pen and paper off the stand next to the door to take down Elliot's name.

"Who should I say stopped by?" The teen asks.

"Elliot,"

"Oh so you're the infamous Elliot?" she smiles.

"Yeah who might you be?"

"Ava,"

"Ava do you always open the door to complete strangers?"

"When their cops,"

"You could tell I was a cop before you opened the door?"

"Yeah. I saw you through the peephole. I can spot a cop from a mile away,"

"How?"

"I'm just talented,"

"Seriously how?"

"I can see your badge,"

"In my pocket?"

"Yeah, cops all keep their badges in the same places, and you looked at yours while you were waiting,"

"Oh,"

"Plus there's a picture of you over there,"

"Oh, well I've got to go, but tell Olivia I stopped,"

"Ok," she gets ready to shut the door.

"Wait who are you exactly? I mean in relation to Olivia?"

"Uh, I'm a family friend,"

"Oh,"

Elliot gets a call from Olivia a while later while he's running some errands.

"Stabler?"

"Hey El it's me,"

"I just stopped by your place a little while ago,"

"Oh. I had some things to do,"

"Yeah me too, but I was in the neighborhood so I thought I'd stop by," he lies.

"Oh, well I was wondering if you wanted to grab a cup of coffee. I mean it's miraculous that we're ever off very long. And that we're off on the same day,"

"Yeah sure where do you want me to meet you?"

"At our usual place,"

"K," he agrees as they both hang up.

When Elliot gets to the coffee shop Olivia is waiting at a table for him. She's already ordered his cup of coffee. He sits down across from her.

"This for me?" he asks.

"Yeah,"

"Thanks," he smiles as he reaches for the cup.

"No problem,"

"I had an interesting encounter earlier," Elliot tells her.

"Really with who?" she asks intrigued.

"Ava,"

"Did you. That's wonderful,"

"You seem surprised,"

"Yeah, a little bit,"

"Why?"

"She normally isn't around,"

"So how long has this mysterious kid been staying with you?"

"A few weeks," Olivia admits truthfully.

"Why?"

"She lives with her grandparents, and they've been having some problems with her so they thought she could come stay with me for a while. For some reason they think I can straighten her out,"

"Well why couldn't you?"

"She's a difficult kid,"

"How long have you known her?"

"Her whole life,"

"So what's her story? I mean what about her parents?"

"Her dad died, and her mom wasn't really ready for her. Her dad died when her mother was pregnant for her,"

"So has she been with her grandparents her whole life?"

"On and off,"

"So why were you surprised that I met her?"

"She normally isn't around. I mean she hangs out with her friends most of the time. She spends ten hours their a day. And she sleeps for eight. The other two she's getting ready to go to sleep or to go out,"

"Been there,"

"How are your kids doing?"

"Good. Speaking of which what time is it?"

"A quarter til four why?"

"I've got to go pick Dickie up from soccer practice,"

"Oh, ok, I'll see you around,"

Olivia gets back to her apartment around eight o'clock.

"Ava are you here?" She calls out as she drops her keys on the counter as she sifts through the mail.

"Yeah," she replies in an annoyed tone.

"Hey can you come in here for a second please?" Olivia asks politely.

"Yeah," Ava huffs.

"So Elliot told me that he met you today,"

"Yeah, he stopped by around eleven thirty,"

"And you were out of bed?"

"Yeah. How can I sleep your neighbors are morning people. It makes me sick,"

"What did you talk to him about?"

"Nothing, just that I could tell he was a cop,"

"Oh,"

"Did he ask who you were?"

"Yeah. I lied. Just like I always do. I told him I was a family friend,"

"Ava you don't have to lie,"

"Yeah I do. I know that I'm a difficult subject to discuss with all your cohorts. I mean they don't even know I exist. Grandma is right you know. You really should just come clean. No one is going to think you're a bad person,"

"Except for you and me,"

"You're not a bad person. I understand,"

"I know, but you shouldn't have to. You are still a kid,"

"I'm pretty sure that I was born an adult,"

"I don't think you were,"

"It doesn't matter. I'm difficult. I'm perfectly aware of that. I nearly gave grandma a heart attack,"

"No you didn't,"

"Well I upped her blood pressure,"

"It's ok. You're entitled to making some mistakes,"

"I know. But the ones I make are always life altering. Why else do you think they shipped me back here from Ohio?"

"I know why they shipped you back and we'll discuss it later. When you're ready. Which hopefully is soon,"

"You mean we'll discuss it when you're ready,"

"If you say so,"

"I do. But can we talk about something else. Besides my mistakes and your job,"

"Like what?"

"Your lover boy,"

"MY what?"

"Elliot. Your boyfriend,"

"Ava, we've been over this he's my partner not my boyfriend,"

"Yeah but you have a thing for him,"

"Hey I rented a movie,"

"You can't just change the subject like that," Ava insists.

"I bought kettle corn,"

"Fine," Ava retorts as she feigns ambivalence.

"Do you want some?" Olivia asks rhetorically.

"Do you really have to ask?"

"No,"

"Mom..."

"Huh?"