This Is One Of The Prompts From @monthlywritingchallenges List For Winter, « Frozen Fingers, Warm Hearts »

This is one of the prompts from @monthlywritingchallenges list for winter, « Frozen fingers, warm hearts » for Law and Order SVU, in the pre-show years, hopefully showcasing Elliot Stabler’s parenting skills and how he is navigating his eldest child, Maureen, who has just entered her teenage years.

« Maureen, honey, you’re going to freeze! It’s barely 20 degrees out there », Elliot admonished his eldest child, who had recently entered adolescence and was making it known to everyone.

She humphed dramatically, already grumpy at having to accompany her family to her sister’s soccer game. 

« Can’t I just stay home, Daddy? I can make myself a sandwich for lunch and all I’m going to do is read, I promise », Maureen implored, adjusting her denim jacket with embroidered flowers and leaves and badges that proclaimed her to be a bookworm, that reading is her cardio, and that she read banned books. She did so  in order to display her new sweater, which was a lightweight knit in a pretty shade of periwinkle, purchased with her first ever earnings from her babysitting the next door neighbour’s children. 

« Sure, you can stay home, sweetheart » Elliot replied, making her eyes light up at first, before her father added, with a teasing grin on his face, « Just as soon as it stops being illegal ». 

« And wear a scarf, Maureen, please », Kathy added, as she came downstairs with Dickie and Lizzie. 

Maureen complied, muttering under her breath something that sounded suspiciously like « Moooom, I’m thirteen, not three! », selecting a thin, silky scarf that bore a floral print that picked out the same colours as the ones on her jacket, as the twins put on their fleece-lined coats and warm jackets. 

Kathleen arrived from upstairs, wearing her soccer uniform, and began admonishing her family that she really couldn’t afford to be late for her first proper match as she might not be allowed to play otherwise. 

Kathy picked up a bag full of blankets, toys, books and thermoses of hot chocolate and coffee from the hall, in order to keep her youngest two entertained and everyone warm as they watched the match. 

Maureen grabbed her own, much smaller but bulging tote bag that had a picture of Van Gogh’s irises on it. It contained her copy of the novel  that was assigned reading for school, a book for pleasure and some writing materials. 

Everyone was finally ready and piled into Kathy’s car to go to the soccer pitch.

Once they had arrived, Kathleen had run off to join her teammates and the rest of the Stablers headed for the bleachers. On the way up, they bumped into Dickie’s classmates, Ben and Jack, and their parents who also had a child on the team. Dickie dug through his mother’s bag for his police cars and Kathy started chatting to Anne and Susan, Ben and Jack’s mothers. 

« Mom, it’s so noisy down here! Can’t we go further up, please? » Maureen implored. « Yeah, this is not peace and quiet, I really don’t like it! », Lizzie added. 

Elliot and Kathy exchanged a look, he picked up the bag of supplies, handed his wife the flask of hot chocolate, then grabbed Lizeie’s hand as the made their way up the bleachers, with Maureen following behind. 

Satisfied that she’d found a good spot, Lizzie sat down and her father joined her. She then crawled up into his lap and he pressed his lips to her red-gold hair as she snuggled into him.  Maureen positioned herself a little further away, tucking her fingers under her armpits as she visibly shivered. 

Elliot got out a book and began reading to his youngest child, asking her questions and explaining words she didn’t know, punctuated with her kissing his cheek or asking him questions.

Maureen regained enough feeling in her numb digits to get out one of her books and do some reading. She pulled her thin jacket around her, attempting to keep out the chill that was most definitely present in the air. She almost dropped the book as her still frozen fingers shook from the cold. She sneaked a glance at her father and her youngest sibling, who seemed not only so  happy cuddled up together but also warm. But Lizzie was little and cute, and she was a grumpy teen and her father had told her several times in the last week that she wasn’t yo come running to him to complain or expecting sympathy when she decided not to heed his advice or warnings. So she was going to have to tough it out. 

She began reading, having to take breaks to put her hands in her pockets ( that should have contained her gloves, which she had also neglected to bring with her)  or unattractively shoving them under her armpits. At least there weren’t any cute high school boys around to see her, which was a relief. 

The cold also made it hard to concentrate on the words on the page, as well as causing her to drop her novel repeatedly. 

She glanced over at the other two members of her family again. Lizzie was playing with her Calico Critters, and seemed to be telling their dad all about them and the adventures they were having. Her father was holding the coffee flask and was sipping from it. Maureen hated the smell and the taste of coffee, especially black coffee, which was how her dad usually drank it. She’d begged to taste some a few months ago, claiming that now she was 13, she was grown-up enough to drink it. She’d had to doctor it with so much cream and sugar to make it palatable that she may as well just have hot cocoa instead. Still, coffee would warm her up. But that would mean she’d have to go and admit to her dad that he was right and she was wrong, and she just couldn’t let herself do that. Her mom and teachers said she was tenacious and determined, but her dad and paternal grandparents called it the Stabler stubbornness gene. Only Lizzie seemed to not have inherited it.

She looked over at her father and Lizzie, who was still chattering away animatedly, and her dad was listening intently to her. 

« Poor Mo, she looks so cold. And sad, Daddy » Lizzie declared

« She sure does, honey. Let’s give her a minute and see if she comes over on her own, OK? », Elliot replied, knowing full well that the chances of his eldest doing so were close to zero. 

He began rooting in the big tote bag by his feet, until he found what he needed. Brandishing the blanket, he shook it out and made his way over to his visibly frozen teenager. He silently and gently draped the thick blanket over her shoulders. She immediately wrapped it around herself tightly , getting it to cover her head too, for extra protection from the chilly temperatures. 

Elliot made his way back to his other daughter, biding his time until she came to sit with them. 

He did not have to wait long, as Maureen gathered her belongings together, picking up her book from where it had fallen on the ground for the millionth time. 

She came to sit next to him soon after, leaning into his side, immediately comforted by the familiar scent of his aftershave and his warmth. 

Elliot placed his arm around her, pulling her closer. Her head came to rest on his shoulder, and he tugged back the blanket slightly to be able to deposit a kiss to the top of her forehead, close to her hairline. 

Wordlessly, he handed her the flask, the heat emanating from it warming her hands. She braced herself before taking a sip of the strong, black beverage. Her face screwed up as the liquid passed her lips, but the warmth it spread through her body was most welcome. 

« Thank you, Daddy » she said quietly, feeling not only safe, but a lot less chilly than she had been.

More Posts from Louisaland and Others

4 months ago

There’s a channel here that often does marathons of SVU with some sort of theme, and today is Carisi! The tagline is something like “Here’s a nice guy who never finishes last” and I think it’s actually called the “Be careful Carisi” marathon! 😂😭🫶

That sounds like a fun watch! I am currently on Seadon 20 of SVU and think Carisi is fantastic! He’s a great brother, a good friend ( going to the Knicks game with Fin, that shows how close they are and how well they get on) and apologising to Peter Stone when he makes a comment about wishing his sisters would disappear.

His friendship with Amanda is precious, he’s good at getting her to talk about her feelings/be vulnerable , and he is so respectful of his superiors ( always calling them by their grade) and follows instructions to the letter. ‘I love how much he loved his family, wants to protect and take care of victims and gets angry with suspects/criminals, but without ever being abusive/crossing the line. Can’t wait to meet his mother, she definitely had played a big part in shaping his character.

Do we know what Carisi Sr’s job is? And it seems like they haven’t always had the closest relationship, but maybe it’s because Carisi Sr was often at work, so a bit like Stabler, who clearly loved his children but was almost always working and didn’t always understand them.


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4 years ago

Introverted, asthmatic and uncoordinated! Guess who was always picked last for team sports. Especially baseball, which is basically my worst nightmare! Also had my fair share of sexist/rubbish teachers for that subject! It took having an asthma attack for my teacher to realise that I couldn’t actually run any faster without dying! 

louisaland - LouisaLand
4 years ago

The Gotch friendship in Route 66. Hotch’s tendency to suffer alone and Penelope’s insistence on helping everybody and how much she cares for him. We deserved more of him leaning on the team, but the way this dynamic could’ve been utilized so much more makes me angry.

Route 66 is a great episode and I love the softness of the bright bundle of joy that is Penelope Garcia dealing with her stubborn as a mule boss. I would kill for more demonstrations of the unique types of trust he was in each of them.

Even more, I'd love for some more of the soft way the two of them function to effortlessly together

1 month ago

Building a Home, my SVU AU ideas/general plot

Elliot Stabler is an architect with his own firm. Does lots of projects to build schools, hospitals etc for the less well-off/the local community. He was travelling and doing that in other countries before, then decided he could also make a difference at home, wants to meet someone and settle down, have a family snd be an involved/present dad and he really missed his family.

Big, loving Irish family: siblings Shannon and Dee, Randall, Benjamin ( deceased after fighting in the armed forces) then there’s Elliot after a big gap and another big gap before Joe Jr. Dad Joe is a cop and basically parents like Elliot does, and Bernie teaches art at school and to adults/the elderly. Her bipolar is spotted early on and she goes on medicine that works for her and is supported by her kids and husband. His sisters and older brothers all have kids from more or less good relationships. One is  Aisling, she’s a young adult who interns/works for her Uncle El ( answers the phone, makes appointments, opens mail).

Olivia is paired with Munch and they have to investigate a crime, one of Elliot’s former employees/clients is involved/the victim so they talk to him. Aisling calls him Mr Stabler at work, keeps things very professional but later Liv and Munch go through his texts/e-mails and/or see him having dinner with his niece, they see them laughing/hugging/using her first name or an endearment like honey or sweetheart/he kisses her cheek so they think he’s dodgy. After some questioning, he is found innocent and Olivia offers to take him out for a drink as an apology ( they both had major heart eyes for the other when they met), which turns into dinner then dating. 

They get pregnant fairly quickly but Olivia miscarries. They call the baby Aidan Michael. 

They get married as Olivia rises through the ranks, and go on to have Charlotte Olivia, Sophia or Stella Bernadette, twins Matthew Joseph ( Mattie) and Margaret Joy ( Maggie) followed by an anniversary celebration « oops baby » called Elinor Grace. They could also adopt Calvin and/or Noah. 

Olivia makes Captain and Elliot mostly works from home and has some help from his parents/family/a nanny. 

Liv’s partners all stay in touch with her and are honorary aunts and uncles. Elliot becomes great friends with Carisi. 


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1 year ago

Last song: the Barbie soundtrack, when I saw the film at the cinema

Favourite colour: I love most colours except hot/bright pinks. So I’ll go for rainbow 🌈 

Currently watching: Magpie Murders, based on the Anthony Horowitz novel, lots of nerdy quiz shows, and I have the latest season (12?) of Call the Midwife and Season 16 of Criminal Minds:Evolution to start when I get home. May have a Criminal Minds rewatch before starting that though.

Last movie: Barbie, which I loved, bar the last few minutes, where it ruined the message completely. Loved the visuals for Barbie Land, the narration, the songs… 

Currently reading: The Inheritance Games and re-reading Magpie Murders

Sweet/spicy/savoury: usually sweet, but sometimes get salty cravings. I am a big spice wimp

Relationship status: chronically single

Current obsession: swimming and nerdy quiz shows

Last thing I googled: the new ( to me, at least) Pret à Manger cold chocolate drink

Currently working on: planning out a missing episode from Season 4 of Criminal Minds where Hotch’s eardrum bursts and he has to stay behind with Penelope. Bonding ensues and it is a much better experience than Gideon’s time with her. 

9 people you'd like to get to know better ♡

i can always count on @olivinesea to fulfil my desire to talk too much about myself in tumblr asks like this. thanks pal!!

last song: Lies from the Chasing Lights album by The Saturdays, in a moment of nostalgia for British girl bands that i liked in university (which as it turns out was only The Saturdays lol)

favourite colour: i tell kids my favourite colour is rainbow because i generally like all of them. it’s easier to tell you that i’m not fond of most shades of orange.

currently watching: Six Feet Under by myself, The Wire and VEEP with my husband, Recess over Sunday morning coffee & bagels, The X-Files with a friend. very soon starting a rewatch of Gilmore Girls, for the fall vibes. i watch too much tv, perhaps.

last movie: Barbie in theatres (i love how much Barbie cries). Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. at home (like meeting a pen pal in person for the first time)

currently reading: Cosmoknights vol 2, a large variety of picture books for work, and Judy Blume (so many i haven’t read before!)

sweet/spicy/savoury: savoury, for that salty umami goodness

relationship status: not to be gross on your dash, but i’ve been with my best friend and favourite person for ten years and it is friggin great.

current obsession: overwhelmingly human (English) names for pets. one of my kid friends from work (my job is great) told me their turtle is named Vanessa.

last thing i googled: a Black Russian, to confirm that it is indeed a drink.

currently working on: oh, i always get inspired by songs, so i have loads of drafts that are just song lyrics with the phrase “this is about [these people], figure it out!!!” but one of those drafts is shaping itself into a pretty angsty hotchniss mess, as per usual. maybe no satisfying happy ending, either.

ahhh, to tag or not to tag, the anxiety-inducing question. please feel no pressure to do these, but i tag @sequinsmile-x @danadeservesadrink @louisaland @scorpsik @beebeelank @bevfank @storiesofsvu and anyone who sees this and wants to answer them (tag me so i can read them if you do!)


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4 months ago

sorry to advice you to lower drastically your expectation for now on 'cause season 24-25 (and current 2) new showrunner sucks royally, can't write svu storylines nor he's able to write/develop new characters', quality is going down especially after ep9 :/

I know we get a Carisi-Rollins wedding, so there’s that to look forward to. Your Honour, I love them! Shame the character development/creation and plotlines decline after early Season 24. I have also been watching OC, which had a pretty dreadful third Season, so as long as it’s not as bad as that, I’ll live. Thanks for the heads up though!

4 months ago

More SVU Season 23 thoughts

The disclosure episode for Rollins and Carisi was amazing. Both their fears/viewpoints were valid, and they are both invested in the relationship and clearly love each other a lot. It was cool to have them have the conversations in the same place, and I love that Amanda puts her hand on his chest before kissing him, mirroring their first kiss. Yay! Squee! I love them together, Your Honour! 

Her calling him Counsellor is already becoming a thing, it’s sooooo cute!

Jesse was adorable, asking him if he’s Billie’s daddy. Maybe she was asking  a little bit for herself too, as we know that Declan has had no contact with her since before she was born, so Carisi is her main male father figure, as he is for Billie. 

When they go undercover as a married couple, I wanted so much more of that, they were so cute!

Very weird to hear Mia calling Carisi Uncle Dom and not Uncle Sonny. Her “Finally!” when Amanda came for dinner at the Carisi household was lovely, and Amanda’s jubilation that Mrs Carisi likes her ( obviously she does, she makes her beloved son extremely happy and is awesome) was so sweet. 

I’d have loved to have seen Dominick Carisi Sr, but I think what we hear from Carisi’s phone call with him is that he is a pretty great guy/dad as he tells his son he loves him as Carisi says “I love you too” at the end of their chat, is patient when Carisi has to field another call, goes to fix stuff that isn’t working at his daughter’s place, and he raised Carisi to be a great guy. 

Is it just me or does the actor playing Velasco look wildly different, maybe even unrecognisable from episode to episode? Sometimes he’s clean shaven, the next he has a beard, then he has stubble. That might just be because episodes are filmed out of order.  He’s not bad, but I am not very invested in him as a character. 

It was nice to get a bonus episode, which was the crossover with OC where Eli steals his grandmother’s medication and runs away to Jersey. It was great to finally be able to watch it in English. It’s definitely an emotional one! 

The trial for Richard Wheatley was so tense! I am sure I saw Eli there at first, but he was absent by the time his dad took the stand. Eli looked very uncomfortable, covering his ears and looking down, so maybe he went home after a bit, when he realised he couldn’t cope with it emotionally. 

It was great to see Carisi in action, I thought he did a fantastic job .

I was prepared to hate the new judge/chief legal person but then realised she wasn’t all bad, and she’s really helped Carisi come into his own. 

The episodes are pretty good, I am enjoying them a lot.

The one with Burton Lowe was incredible! I could tell from the Season 1 episode ( Wanderlust)  that she’d been groomed ( and I thought her retelling of the relationship didn’t mesh with what we knew about her character so far). When Liv realises that he is a serial groomer and she was one of his victims, then left his hotel room, I cheered. I loved seeing all the flashbacks with Elliot, that was so nostalgic. It was a really powerful episode. It was also an interesting choice to have Nick Amaro come back, he was 100% correct in what he said to Olivia, it shows just how much he cares about her. 

I like that the show is moving with the times, regarding technology and the jobs involved with that. 


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4 years ago

1. I like the colour and shape of my eyes. My cleavage is also pretty awesome!

2. I have a great eye for colour and assembling outfits! Great at being by myself/ keeping myself busy or entertained. I pick out thoughtful gifts for people!

3. I am patient, creative and kind.

Hey everyone I'm starting a tag game say 1 nice thing about your body's appearance 1 thing you think you're good at and 1 personality trait you like about yourself

NO SELF DEPRECATION!!!

I'll start

I like the body's thick thighs

I'm real good at singing

I'm a kind and funny person

Tagging friends @spixi @boimgfrog @heyheyheybutlikeromantically @vang0bus @kyoutani-ily @dead-houseplants @its-oikawaig

1 month ago

Bernie worries about Eli being a cop.

4 months ago

More Thoughts on Law and Order Organised Crime Seasons 1 and 2

Throughout Season 1 and 2, I love that we see Bernie and Elliot going to feed the ducks independently of each other.

I think Elliot says he grew up in this area, when he goes to dig out the bullets he shot into a tree when his dad was teaching him how to use a gun, so it would be somewhere he went fairly regularly as a child with Bernie, which is confirmed by what Bernie says when she thinks the young child feeding the ducks near her is Elliot. I guess it was her way of protecting Elliot and herself from Joe’s alcoholic rages and violence. 

Once again, the casting director/team did a great job finding a kid who realistically looked like young Elliot, both for that scene and for the home videos at the end of the Season 2 ep. The actors for young Joe and Bernie  were perfect too. 

While I think it is good that Elliot had some good memories of his father, we know that the smallest thing could send him into a violent rage as in S7, Elliot says he moved a tree on the diorama they had worked on together and Joe threw it on the floor and stomped on it until it was destroyed, then beat Elliot for crying about it ( and probably beat him again for getting an F). The scenes we see of them together in the home videos made me think of how Elliot interacted with his kids when they were little as well as when they were older, but Elliot is consistent in always doing that. 

I like to think Elliot took his kids to feed the ducks, maybe even going to the same place he went. 

Eli’s decision to join the police force I think must have been sparked by the brand new officer who helps him when he runs away and is going to jump off the bridge, as Eli grew up with Elliot no longer in SVU, just doing security and less dangerous police work. I’m sure he heard about what Elliot did from his siblings and maybe Elliot himself, and, like most little boys, I’m sure he thought it was super cool that his daddy was a detective. So maybe he was thinking about it then the interaction with the police officer really solidified that idea in his mind. 

I also really like how Eli is super protective of his family, just like Elliot is. He’s also just as stubborn as his father and 3 out of 4 of his siblings. He also internalises his feelings until they come out as anger and has trouble asking for help, just like his dad. 

Eli wanting to jump off the bridge made me think of Dickie wanting to join the Marines in Turmoil, S 11, as they both seem to think it will be easier if they go away and stop disappointing their dad.


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louisaland - LouisaLand
LouisaLand

39, she/her, New Year’s Day baby. Voracious reader, passionate about the arts and culture, a foodie. Modern Languages graduate. A true Hufflepuff.

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